OUR STORY
City Academy was founded in 1999 by retired public high school principal, Sheila Dever. After 35 years as an educator, consultant and administrator in the public school system, it became clear to Sheila that while all students can learn, many need a specific kind of environment to maximize their academic potential. A personal, hands-on approach was needed – something that was not always possible in the other school systems with its large class sizes. Thus, City Academy was born, featuring a four-semester format with small class sizes and innovative teaching methods.
Our goal was to offer a school model which gave students the best opportunity to achieve academic success. We opened with 5 students and our innovative approach to education was quickly embraced by the community resulting in continually increasing enrollment. With that success, Sheila was able to hire more teachers who shared her passion and vision. As the school grew, we stayed true to small class sizes and an individualized approach to learning.
We are proud to report that we have graduated over 1600 students to universities and colleges in Canada, the United States and abroad.
“In fact, over 98% of City Academy graduates were admitted to their post-secondary program of choice.”
Aside from the statistical side of success, we are proud to stay in touch with many alumni who continue to report that their experience at City Academy gave them an excellent foundation for post-secondary success. Of exceptional pride is the fact that some of our graduates have returned to the school to be well regarded staff members.
Over the past 22 years we have seen our beliefs validated, including that individual differences must be respected, and that each student’s program be flexible enough to accommodate those differences. We continue to work with students to create an intentional learning environment that works for them and their needs. Sheila says it best:
“Every kid has a key to how they learn best, and it’s up to us as teachers to find that key and unlock their full potential.”
City Academy continues to offer every student the knowledge and tools they need to achieve success. We look forward to seeing many more graduates over the years to come. We cannot wait to see what they accomplish.
Virtual Learning
The virtual classroom experience motivates students to participate in our program and therefore commit to their own success. As well, our small size guarantees that regardless of whether students are physically in-class or virtual, all students receive the same excellent teaching and support from our fantastic teachers.
City Academy’s virtual program mimics that of the traditional classroom.
- students are actively engaged by the presence of a teacher 100% of class time in a synchronous “live” learning environment
- students interact daily with their teacher and peers allowing for collaboration, teamwork and skill building in real-time
- students participate in online technological experiences, labs and experiments to facilitate and enhance learning
- students have a clear understanding of course expectations and what is required to achieve success
- students work closely with the teacher in support of their learning and academic goals
- students and parents have ongoing communication with the teacher
- students and parents receive regular and ongoing feedback on course progress