At Town Centre Private Schools it is our priority to ensure that when our students graduate, they are fully prepared for their next steps in life including the demands of university. The school looks at each student as an individual and we provide students with a well-rounded experience incorporating a strong academic program and extracurricular opportunities in the areas of sports, arts, music, community outreach, academic clubs such as STRIVE, MUN, Business Club, and HOSA as well as other areas of student interest.

This year we are using a semester system. This was put in place to optimize the student learning environment while adhering to the enhanced health and safety measures due to COVID-19.  The students are taking four to five courses per semester and each semester runs for approximately 18 weeks. Within each semester we will report three times which is more than the required number of reporting periods needed. The reason for this is to identify early in the term if good work habits are in place and working well.

In grades 9 and 10 our students complete nine credit courses per year.  In comparison, most other schools complete eight per year. The benefits of completing 18 credits by the end of grade 10 are two-fold.  The first benefit is it provides students with the ability to potentially take one or two spare periods in grades 11 and 12 and really focus on their chosen courses of interest that will be needed for university admission. The second benefit is that if the students are undecided about what field they wish to pursue, it allows space in their schedule to take additional electives and thus provide a wider variety of options when it comes time to apply to university.

At Town Centre we provide small classes giving students a great deal of individual attention. Teachers get to know the students in terms of their strengths, challenges and interests and we can cater our teaching styles to the interests of the class. It also allows us to identify very early on what type of remedial action may be required or what type of enrichment opportunities may be needed to challenge individual students. Subject specific tutorials are available five days a week from 3:30 to 4:00 p.m. where students are provided with the opportunity to sit with teachers of qualified subject areas.  We prepare progress reports very early on and for certain students, we make tutorials mandatory to help improve their marks and skills within the time frame of that course. Enrichment opportunities are also provided and identified for students who do need the challenge. We want to make sure that their curiosity is still sparked and they maintain a love of learning. Our instruction is a combination of inquiry-based learning along with traditional methods of testing, homework, and examinations. There is a strong use of technology in the secondary levels and all our courses are managed through Microsoft Teams.

Guidance and support are key qualities where Town Centre really distinguishes itself in terms of how the teachers care about the students, taking the time to get to know them, build a positive rapport, and to do what is needed to help them achieve their full potential. Grade 12 students are heavily supported and guided through the whole university application process. From September onward of their graduating year, students are provided with the resources to start researching which programs and universities interest them.  Individual conferences with administrators are the next step to ensure reasonable choices have been made, prerequisite requirements are being met, all the graduation requirements are satisfied, and of course we help them go through the entire application process. University representatives are invited to the school, this year virtual visits, to provide information about different schools and their programs and give our students an opportunity to ask questions. Students are also part of the process communicating which universities they show interest and we are always receptive to inviting representatives from new areas. This year we’ve invited some university representatives from the United Kingdom.

Communication is what really ties our school community together.  It is a team effort to have our students grow and be successful. Regular communication with parents through our high school app is standard.  Parents are welcome to reach out to administration and teachers regularly with any concerns or questions they may have. The TCPS high school also provides an electronic weekly bulletin that keeps parents and students up-to-date with recent and upcoming events.

If you would like to learn more about the TCPS high school programs, please contact our High School Principal, Ms. Leepy Hajra at leepy.hajra@tcphs.com, High School Vice-Principal, Ken Huber at ken.huber@tcphs.comor call 905-470-1200.