Greetings readers!
My name is Cara Harper, and I am Ace Acumen Heights’s Teacher Lead. For almost five years I have taught at Ace’s North York Campus and am now in charge of overseeing our teaching staff and curriculum development. Since 2014 Ace Acumen Heights has been offering an innovative and collaborative approach to high school education, and we are thrilled by the prospect of our upcoming Brampton campus, as well as the expansion of our student body to include K-12 learners. It is my pleasure to give a brief overview of our current pedagogy, as well as our upcoming plans.
Our Contemporary High School Model
As an Ontario Ministry of Education-inspected private school, all of our courses align with the provincial curriculum. Individual teachers plan courses within their subject areas based on this standard, and it is my honor and responsibility to ensure quality and innovation in this curriculum design process. Through a blend of traditional and cutting-edge teaching and learning strategies, we ensure our curriculum methodologies are modern, diverse, and built to directly prepare students not only for their post-secondary degrees, but for real-world experiences.
Coupled with this state-of-the-art course design, our consistently small class sizes ensure personalized attention and support. This is such a key factor in differentiating our student experience from that of the public boards. Through our smaller classes, teachers can build and foster deep and meaningful relationships with their students faster. In this way, they will involve student choice and interest into the curriculum, therein tailoring subject matter to suit the wants, needs, and future goals of our current student body. Furthermore, we also invite our teachers to experiment with technology in the classroom, using a multitude of online software to enhance learning outcomes, build digital literacy, and prepare our teenagers for an increasingly digitized world.
Academic Excellence in Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
Ace Acumen Heights is also authorized to provide AP courses, and we have newly introduced a rigorous AP program available for our senior students. These AP courses (available for Grades 11 and 12) are embedded with the first-year university curriculum, directly preparing our high-achievers for future academic success. Our current AP offerings this semester include Calculus and Physics, and will encourage critical thinking, problem-solving, and global awareness.
When students couple their high school courses with AP classes, and take on school-sanctioned leadership opportunities through clubs, community projects, and mentorship programs, they will be well on their way to scholarship pathways and admittance to both national and international top universities and colleges.
Next Steps: Forging Ahead in Young Learning
Ace Acumen has functioned for over a decade as a high school, but is thrilled to be recently expanding to offer state-of-the-art curriculum to children of all ages. Our newly designed JK/SK program will be Montessori-inspired, offering kindergarteners a hands-on, child-centered learning approach, which will foster independence, creativity, and self-motivation. Our classrooms will offer the necessary routine, organization, and security to support children in all of their developmental stages, while also creating exciting opportunities for movement exploration, and collaborative play, catering to all genders.
Our primary classes will similarly follow a holistic educational philosophy, balancing our focus on instilling academic excellence and fostering character development. We take pride in our commitment to honing student’s social-emotional learning skills through programs designed to nurture empathy and resilience, and foster leadership and collaboration. Through the integration of the Ontario curriculum with rich and diverse extracurricular activities, arts, and athletics, we hope to support the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of our young folks.
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to learn more about Ace Acumen Heights!
Through our school principles of Consideration, Agility, Resilience, and Empowerment, we strive to show you how much we CARE about the quality of the education we offer, and how dedicated we are to creating the best possible student experience, which will shape the future of our children’s lives.
