The negative posters do not actually have kids at Mt Pleasant. I now have, after switching my kids'…read moreschool. Having experienced many programs (5 kids ranging from elementary to adult), at many different schools, we are blown away by Mt Pleasant. This is education at its pinnacle, with kind, caring teachers who are committed to their students' excellence. They offer a classical liberal arts education, with emphasis on numeracy and literacy, but a good grounding in everything else. I really appreciate the efforts to foster public speaking skills and good character and work habits along with excellent academics. Your kids don't have to be brilliant to get in (mine were pretty average), just at grade level with demonstrated ability to focus and work responsibly. The entrance test is pretty easy. I think after testing for basic skills, the real thing they're looking for is behavioural info to see if the child can focus, or whether he will have a hard time sitting In a desk and will disrupt the rest of the students. The teachers take responsibility for making sure your kids learn and do their work, unlike the prevailing ethos at many schools where parents are considered the main educators. My kids have really responded. For the first time, they don't say "recess" or "lunch" is their favourite subject. Now they are excited about science, or LA or math or geography, and so proud of their accomplishments. I used to be so worried about my kids' education and had to put so much effort into teaching them at home. Thanks to Mt Pleasant, I can totally relax and be certain they will have the skills and habits to thrive at junior high, high school and in post-secondary. EDITED TO ADD: It's 3 years later and my husband and I agree that transferring our kids to this school was one of the best decisions we ever made as parents. My son is now in junior high after 2 years at MP and the transition was amazingly easy. The work habits and discipline he learned at MP made Grade 7 a total breeze. The only issue is that you will find MP kids are at least a year ahead of the regular curriculum in math, so you may need to supplement their math if you want them to stay accelerated. PS. The program isn't for everyone. It works best for kids who are able to sit and focus and who take instruction well. Disruptive classroom behaviour is not tolerated, so if this is a challenge for your kid, I would not recommend this program as you are only setting them up for butting heads with both their teacher and their classmates. On the other hand, contrary to some criticism I have read, this is not at all about making kids into robots. In fact, what I have found is that because all of the kids have a strong foundation of knowledge, this seems to result in a much higher level of discourse, debate and interest from them, in class and out of it. Because of the mock elections and debate in class, my son turned into a complete political junkie for the last provincial and federal election.

Okay, I'm not blood-related to any of the kids who attend the Cogito Program at Mount Pleasant…read moreElementary. But I used to work at the after-school care here, and saw what the kids are like after a hard day of Cogito. Cogito is a special academic program that uses explicit phonetics and repetition strategy to get the material into the kids' heads. They have regular homework everyday, and often the kids would do their homework in the daycare before their parents picked them up. I don't know about you, but I was never that diligent when I was seven years old. While I'll admit the program works, because these are some of the smartest kids I've ever seen, it does take a toll on them. The poor children are probably mentally exhausted, and want nothing more than to unleash all their pent-up energy from the whole day. Unfortunately right after school hours, when they're with the daycare staff! I think it's important to remember that all kids learn differently, so while Cogito may work wonders for some, it may not be the greatest for other kids, especially the ones who need to learn through hands-on activity. On that note, I will add that it's great for getting kids to read early. There's nothing like a five-year-old teaching you the difference between the "a" and "ai" phonemes!

I lived in Greenfield for most of life. I love it there. It's a beautiful community and a great…read moreneighbourhood. Greenfield Elementary is no exception. I attended one year of elementary school here and it was great. I went back a few months ago to see if things were still as I remembered them (I was feeling nostalgic) and they were. It was great! I also wanted to talk to someone bout volunteer opportunities which the office was happy to talk to me about. The most recent thing that sticks in my head about this school though, is the kids. I was going for a run one morning when I found a group of kids standing just to the side of the school at the edge of the field with protest signs. They read "Save Our Field." I guess there were plans to develop it. The passion that these kids had for their school and their community was incredible. That's why Greenfield Elementary is great - the kids. That's the great thing about Greenfield as a whole, it's a community and everyone there sees it that way. It's a great thing.

I walk by this beautiful downtown Catholic elementary school often and have always been intrigued…read moreby its portable sign outside, which often displays messages not just in English and French, but also in Spanish. Turns out they provide not only a French Immersion program but a Spanish bilingual program as well - the only one of its kind in the country - to approximately 430 students from kindergarten to grade 6. But being childless - and intending to remain so - it's the building itself that interests me moreso than its current educational offerings. There have been some additions over the years, such as a gym, assembly hall and extra classrooms, but the main building, a lovely brick structure, has been operational since 1915. This neighborhood was once the centre of a thriving French Catholic community but its presence has been reduced to just the school, nearby Eglise Catholique St. Joachim and its rectory, and various place-names that pay tribute to th area's history. The school, like many other institutions around Alberta and beyond, is named for Bishop Vital-Justin Grandin, a pioneer Oblate missionary from France who became bishop of St. Albert in 1871 and passed away in 1902.

My daughter goes to grande one at Grandin school this is the best decision ever we made for her her…read morefrench teacher is excellent, The principal very nice lady im so happy she's there.

I went there from grade 1-6 wonderful memories…read more Charlene Glass 1973/74 - 1979/80 remember some great teachers and 1 really mean 1

Well this review may not be so relevant as it goes back to 1969 to 1972. I was there for just three…read moreyears, grade 4, 5 and 6. In those three years however; was fortunate to have maybe the worlds greatest teachers. All of them were excellent. Of course teaching in those days, was a lot different than teaching today. But, I had teachers who gave so much of themselves and each day was an experience in sharing a personal bonding relationship, that is almost not seen any more. All three of my teachers where outstanding, sober and wonderful people - first; then great teachers second. Glengarry was all about the power of the relationships, and the staff extending their hearts to us! Memories of that school will go with me to the very end. Thank you.

Steinhauer Elementary is such a great school!…read more Not only did I go to Steinhauer as a kid but I've been back over the years to visit the teachers and see how things have changed. I have volunteered in some of the classes and it's still a great place to be! It's just as I remember it (except some of the physical appearances - they've upgraded)! The teachers here are amazing. I can say that because I still know quite a few of them. And the environment is really great. They've revamped a lot of the school from the days I attended school there and everything looks amazing and modern, but comforting at the same time. It's a great school!

I went to this school since kindergarten it's not the best school but they definitely have great…read moreteachers

Bob T's Review is entirely inaccurate. I had attended the school at the time of that principal, and…read moreyou were ALWAYS allowed to ride your bike, skateboard, Etc. Also, At that school, teachers and staff don't arrive before 8:00 Am, so I do not know how it is possible for that to have happened. You couldn't go in puddles at the time because tons of students were falling and getting wet, and removing all access is what was best for everybody! That principal was the kindest principal I have ever had, and he never raised his voice, let alone screamed at children, saying "I CONTROL YOU. YOU HAVE TO BE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY." As well, Skateboarding on the road can be illegal in some cases, so that teacher was just looking out for students to ensure ultimate safety! In That school, they cannot make you stay late, and they probably wouldn't. AND CORRECT ME IF IM WRONG, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS SCHOOL IS IN SAN DIEGO! As well as my own review, The school is not my favourite since the previous principal left. Poor planning, field trip forms coming home the day before the trip, and other things similar to that. Overall It is a decent school though, and again, Bob T's Review is Completely false information!

Great school. I have had all of my kids attend here. The program is strong and the staff are…read morefriendly and actively involved. The school even has great volunteer-run extras like the Skipping Club and the always excellent Strategic Gaming Club. The Academic Challenge programs leads to Steele Heights Jr. High and M.E. LaZerte Sr. High School later on. Although we haven't used it they do have an Out-of-School-Care program on site. If you are looking for a school in the Londonderry/McLeod area it is well worth a look.

this school has some truly amazing staff and opportunities. my issues come with the administration…read moreitself. i attended strathcona for 3 years despite nearly being expelled because another student molested me. they were only concerned about protecting their image rather than the actual situation, so far as to go on blocking me on social media. thank god EPS were involved and arrested the student. because of the coverups of my experience, kids and teachers both had bias against me- something that could have been prevented by the staff in the first place. i have spoken to many other students who are terrified to speak up - especially after watching what happened to me.

I went to Harry Ainlay for one year and Scona for two. I definitely wish I had been at Scona for…read moreall three. Although Scona is often made fun of for it's "bathroom" appearance - the walls are green tile and it does have a bathroom feel to it because of that, it's a great school. I loved that Scona had different floors (students get a bit of exercise in between sitting at desks all day). I also love the surrounding grounds. Students are always outside enjoying the sun (when we have sun). It's a really nice area. There are also not as many students at Scona as there at Ainlay. That was a huge thing for me because I don't like being a number. I like knowing my teachers and trusting them. I like a more personal experience. In fact, I went to a memorial a few years ago that was for one of my former teachers from Scona. She passed away from cancer and there were a lot of former students there to honor her. It was nice to see. I also love how Scona emphasizes the student in student-athlete. I always had to keep my grades up to be on the basketball team. And I found that the sports teams (at least the ones I was on) focused more on personal development, hard work and discipline than winning. It was refreshing and it was wonderful! I really enjoyed my years at Scona. It's a great school.