Private Elementary School

Inspiring young minds to achieve excellence, we offer elementary classes from grades 1 to 8 an International Baccalaureate Programme. The Elementary IB Programme (grades 1 – 5 Primary Years Programme and grades 6 – 8 Middle Years Programme) has an enriched and accelerated curriculum. While many of our students may have come from a Montessori program, it is not a pre-requisite for enrollment in our Elementary IB school. The Elementary program offers a well-rounded, academic program preparing and guiding students towards university placement.

Each summer students may join our fun filled Summer Camp which runs during the months of July and August. Weekly registration is available. TCPS accepts new students throughout the school year and during Summer Camp provided space is available.

Two Teachers Per Class and Specialized Subject Teachers

Town Centre Private Schools’ philosophy is to create an educational environment that provides the greatest benefit to all our students. With 2 teachers present per class, students receive the attention they need to achieve success in their academic endeavours. TCPS does not combine different grade levels into 1 class. The School offers multiple classes for each grade level.

For students in grades 1 through 5, the core subjects, English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography are taught by their regular classroom teachers.

Students in in all Elementary classes are taught French, Computer Studies, Music and Band, and Physical Education by specialized teachers.

Students in grades 6, 7 and 8 have the benefit of a rotary teaching schedule. Specialist teachers for Mathematics, Language, Science, History and Geography, provide students with their expertise and knowledge in their respective subject areas. Teachers move from class to class eliminating the need for students to relocate to different rooms. Grade 6, 7 and 8 students have the advantage of qualified core subject specialists while also preparing for high school life, where a full rotary schedule is in place.

Extracurricular Elementary Competitions

Each year the Elementary students in grades 3 through 8 participate in internal and interschool and competitions in the fields of Mathematics, Science, Public Speaking and Sports. Town Centre students have traditionally performed very well in these competitions.

Visit our Competitions page to learn more about Mathematica, STEM Fair, York Region Science and Technology Fair, TED Talks and SSAF.

One highlight of the TCPS program is the before school program (7:00 – 9:00 a.m.) and after school program (3:30 – 6:30 p.m.) which is included with tuition. Parents find this an asset; knowing that reliable and involved childcare is provided before and after the regular school hours.

During the before school program and the after school program, students remain in their classes with fellow students of the same age and teachers they know. They can participate in study hall, organized games and activities, competitive sports league or attend one of our many After School Courses. See Beyond the Classroom page for further information.

Study Hall

Study Hall is a quiet work time where students focus on completing as much of their homework as possible. Their regular teachers are available for any assistance that may be required. This greatly reduces the amount of work that needs to be completed at home and provides students with additional help when needed. This program is provided at no extra cost to parents.

Communication

TCPS regularly and consistently communicates with parents about the academic, social and physical contributions made by their child(ren), both inside and outside of the classroom.

At the beginning of each year Elementary students are provided with an Academic Planner. This planner lists all the important upcoming Elementary school events such as parent teacher interviews, holidays, photo days and concerts. Students record their daily homework and other important information for parents such as upcoming tests, projects and virtual trips. The planner is taken home daily along with the homework for parents to review. The planner is an excellent tool to help students organize their daily workloads, for planning ahead and in communicating important information to parents.

TCPS also offers a custom Parent App where we publish our newsletters, memos and reminders. This keeps parents up to date with activities, themed events, exciting goals and achievements our students participate in and receive timely notifications such as updates and safety advisements for inclement weather. Teachers use the Parent App to post homework for each individual class and share photos of various school events with parents.

Three Report Cards are issued each year detailing the various accomplishments. This written communication is followed up by one-on-one virtual interviews between parents and teachers.

Hot Meal Program

Elementary students have an optional Hot Meal program catered through Kid’s Kitchen. Kid’s Kitchen is a renowned catering company for schools, and is located right here in Markham. The Kid’s Kitchen Hot Meal program offers an A La Carte menu and daily specials with a variety of entrees, side items, snacks, desserts and drinks. Parents simply order online at www.kidskitchen.ca and items are prepared fresh daily by Kid’s Kitchen and delivered to the school. This program is optional and students are still welcome to bring a lunch from home.

Parent Resources

Visit our Parent Resource page for links to the Parent Portal, Parent App downloads, Dell Laptop Information, Kid’s Kitchen, School Calendars, Uniforms, LRC Destiny Discover and Elementary School Supply List.

The IB Advantage – PYP and MYP Elementary School

Building Futures: The Academic Journey at Town Centre Private Schools

As of December 2024, there are 5,928 IB schools all over the world in 156 countries. In Canada alone, there are 376 authorized IB schools.

Town Centre Private Schools (TCPS) is an officially authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) Continuum World School. We are currently the only IB Continuum World School in York Region offering the IB Primary Years Programme (Preparatory – Grade 5), IB Middle Years Programme (Grades 6 – 8) and optional IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12). By completing the IB DP, Town Centre graduates obtain the IB Diploma Programme Certificate in addition to their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

The PYP and MYP at Town Centre Private Schools offers several benefits:

Holistic Education: Both programs emphasize a well-rounded education that includes academic, social, and emotional development. This approach with a focus on the IB Learner Profile which includes Inquirers, Caring, Balanced, Knowledgeable, Principled, Reflective, Thinkers, Communicators, Open-Minded, and Risk-Takers, helps students become balanced and reflective individuals.

Inquiry-Based Learning: The PYP and MYP encourage students to be curious and ask questions, fostering a love for learning and critical thinking skills.

Global Perspective: The IB curriculum promotes international mindedness, helping students understand and appreciate different cultures and perspectives.

Community Engagement: Students engage in service-learning projects and various activities that connect them with their local and global communities, enhancing their social awareness and empathy that develop their sense of community and responsibility. These projects help students apply their learning in real-world contexts and develop important life skills.

Preparation for Future Studies: The PYP and MYP prepare students for the demands of the IB Diploma Programme (DP) in high school, which is highly regarded by universities worldwide.

Skill Development: The programs focus on developing key skills such as critical thinking, self-management, collaboration, communication and good research skills.

These benefits collectively contribute to creating confident, independent, and well-rounded students ready to face future academic and life challenges.

International Baccalaureate® (IB) Continuum World School

International Baccalaureate® (IB)

Town Centre is an International Baccalaureate® Continuum World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).

Founded in 1968, there are approximately 3529 IB schools all over the world in 144 countries. In Canada alone, there are 358 authorized IB schools, with hundreds more waiting to be authorized through the stringent IB authorization procedure. The IB is a global education that emphasizes critical and independent thinking and global understanding while encouraging student choice in an inquiry-based learning environment. Students at TCPS will continue to learn the Ontario curriculum but through different lenses including:

identities and relationships
dimensions of time and space
personal and cultural expression
scientific and technical innovation
globalization and sustainability
fairness and development

Some of the other key benefits of the IB programmes:

IB is the most highly regarded and accepted International Education Board in the world by virtue of its Child-Centred Approach to teaching and learning.
IB provides a very well-balanced approach that promotes international mindedness in its students.
IB programmes give space to both its teachers and students to continuously grow in their respective areas, while open mindedness towards parents’ participation in the process of child’s education, contributes to confident and well-balanced students.

Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its three academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), or the Diploma Programme (DP).

For further information about the IB and its programmes, visit www.ibo.org.

TCPS International Baccalaureate Projects and Events

Click on the images below to learn more!

Grade 3 PYP Students Explore Pioneer Life

Grade 4 Primary Years Programme Ancient Civilizations Exhibition

Grade 5 IB Primary Years Programme Exhibition

Grades 6, 7 & 8 MYP Service-Learning Program

Frequently Asked Question

How will IB look in the classroom?

There are three tangible ways that parents should notice a difference in the classroom. The first and most important is the emphasis placed on Approaches to Learning. Approaches to Learning or ATL’s are a set of 21^st century based skills that all students require to be successful in their futures. Some of these skills include; critical thinking, self-management, collaboration, communication, information literacy, and media literacy, to name a few. These skills will be explicitly taught within the context of the unit of work the students are doing.

The second way in which you will likely see changes is in the types of assessment tasks your child is doing. While students will still have tests and quizzes there will also be emphasis on contextual learning, which means students will still learn content but will be asked to apply that content in a real life context.

Finally, along with the types of assessments changing, the way in which we assess will look a little different. Students will receive much more robust feedback on assessments and parents will see a lot more rubrics coming home which will help students and parents understand the assessment grading and the rationale for a specific grade given.

Will TCPS still be teaching the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum?

As an Ontario school we have an obligation to teach the Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum and will continue to do so. The IB provides a framework which matches seamlessly with the Ministry expectations. Where much of our attention will be placed is on our Approaches to Teaching and Approaches to Learning which are embedded in the IB philosophy

Competitions

Each year elementary students participate in a wide variety of academic challenges and competitions. Our students have traditionally performed very well in these competitions demonstrating the quality and strength of the TCPS program.

Mathematica

The Mathematics Contest Centre prepares some of the top mathematics competitions in North America. Over the past 29 years, more than a million students have participated in these contests. Contests include: Thales (grade 3), Byron Germain (grade 4), Fibonacci (grade 5), Pythagoras (grade 6), Euler (grade 7), Lagrange (grade 8) and Newton (grade 9), and are designed to challenge and promote problem solving skills.

TCPS Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Fair

The annual Town Centre STEM Fair allows grade 6 and grade 8 students to express their creativity, originality and to explore areas of scientific interest. The top 2 students from each class advance to the final round demonstrating and explaining their experiments to Science Fair judges and fellow students. Certificates are awarded to the top 5 projects at each grade level and to all finalists who made it to the final round. The top five grade 8 finalists will be entered in the York Region STEM Fair.

York Region Science and Technology Fair

The York Region Science and Technology Fair is a regional Science Fair that showcases student research performed by students in grades 7-12. Participation in the fair is open to students currently attending a York Region public, catholic, or private school, are homeschooled, or who reside in York Region. Selected top projects from the York Region Science and Technology Fair are invited to represent York Region and compete at the Canada Wide Science Fair.

Canada Wide Science Fair

Since attending the York Region Science and Technology Fair, a TCPS student has advanced to the Canada Wide Science Fair each year.

Ted Talks

The grade 5 and 7 students write speeches in preparation for the Ted Talks contest which is held in early December. Public speaking is an invaluable skill which allows students to gain confidence speaking in front of an audience in addition to learning a great deal from their research. Class finalists are selected to present their speeches in front of their peers and a panel of judges. With the high caliber of the speeches and enthusiastic presenters, the judges certainly have a difficult time selecting the grade champions.

SSAF

The SSAF offers athletic competition for our elementary and high school students. This sports league offers the students a chance to try out and compete against other schools in inter-school competitions.

TCPS competes at the elementary level (grades 4 – 8) and at the high school level (grades 9 – 12) with boys, girls and co-educational sports teams. The SSAF provides our students the opportunity to demonstrate their school spirit and show sportsmanship in friendly competitions.

Admissions

Elementary students are accepted into the IB Programme throughout the year provided that space is available. To learn more about the entrance requirements and to register, click on the REGISTER button below to be linked to the Elementary Admissions page.

Elementary School Directory

If you have any questions regarding the Elementary School program, or would like to arrange for a private tour of Town Centre Private Schools of our Pre-School Montessori, Elementary or High School, please contact us and our administrative staff will be happy to assist you.

Mr. Rocco Lamanna Elementary School Principal Tel: (905) 470-1200 rocco.lamanna@tcmps.com	Mrs. Lorissa Gaber Elementary School Vice-Principal Tel: (905) 470-1200 lorissa.gaber@tcmps.com
Mrs. Rita Thadani Pre-School / Elementary Vice-Principal Tel: (905) 474-3434 rita.thadani@tcmps.com	Mr. Dennis Vanderlugt Vice-Principal Tel: (905) 474-3434 dennis.vanderlugt@tcmps.com
Ms. Dona Icayan Elementary Assistant Vice-Principal Tel: (905) 470-1200 dona.icayan@tcmps.com	Ms. Tharmithaa Tharumaraaj Elementary Student Life Coordinator Tel: (905) 470-1200 samantha.youill@tcmps.com