THE K-12 JOURNEY
From JK to Grade 12, KCS focuses on the Four Doors to Learning Program, KCS Habits of Mind, Body, and Action, KCS Learning Skills, our Three School Rules, and Leaders in Learning.
KCS is a community of lifelong learners, devoted to establishing the habits of lifelong learning in our students. Students learn to identify and exercise the Habits from the youngest ages, helping them better articulate and understand how to approach and respond to new learning and experiences. These habits help our students develop healthy lifestyles, positive self-esteem, and strong social skills.
Our Three School Rules
Respect, Manners, and Try Your Best help students aspire to be good people.
Persistence Collaboration Leadership Organization Citizenship KCS Learning Skills
Well-Being
Counseling, guidance, and the Senior School Advisor program available to all students
Whole-school instruction in socio-emotional learning
Class meetings
Multiple programs and regular initiatives to foster positive relationships, inclusion, and belonging
Student agency to develop and promote empathy
Regular physical activity and outdoor education
Student Leadership
Service learning to connect curriculum with making a difference in the community
Student-led initiatives supported through curricular and co-curricular programs
Student Ambassadors who meet and introduce KCS to visitors
Cross-grade and cross-campus Learning Buddies
KCS House Captains who lead spirit and community-building activities
KCS by Design leadership program to put ideas into action
KCS Path Program with expectations to make a difference in the way of one’s choosing
Student entrepreneurship
Student-led assemblies
Student Voice
Structured, whole-school student engagement in reflecting on and building the school experience, by design
Collaborative problem-solving
Differentiated Teaching and Learning
Extensive enrichment, whole-school and personalized Dedicated Learning Strategies faculty
Small group instruction
Flexible assessment and evaluation
Variety of pedagogies for optimal learning, including project-based learning, experiential learning, and direct instruction
Kindergarten
The early years of a child’s life set the tone for their educational career. We think an endless supply of smiles and discoveries is a pretty good place to start.
Our nurturing teachers deliver an enriched program designed to give your child the support and direction they need to build a strong foundation in academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship.
Additonal highlights:
Kindergarten Four “Frames” Ontario
Ministry of Education curriculum
Portfolio documentation
Inquiry- and play-based learning
Small group literacy instruction
Specialist teachers in art, French, library, music, and physical education
Outdoor learning daily
Buddies with older students
Along with outstanding faculty, the KCS Kindergarten learning environment enhances students’ potential for academic success by helping them to respond creatively and in meaningful ways. Researchers and practitioners in a wide range of disciplines, including early childhood education, developmental education, psychology, cognitive science, and school design, understand the importance of the classroom environment to students’ learning. Functioning successfully as a “third teacher” the Kindergarten classroom is responsive to students’ interests, providing opportunities for all students to make their thinking visible and to foster further learning.
At KCS, the classroom environment is thoughtfully designed to invite, provoke, and enhance learning, and to encourage communication, collaboration, and inquiry. The space, with all the objects in it including the various materials and resources for learning, is created and arranged as the students’ learning process unfolds. As a result, it is continuously being negotiated by and with students. This fluid, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment evolves as the students express their thinking, interests, and wonderings.
Our team of specialist Kindergarten educators anticipate and recognize students’ learning needs throughout the day, and over time, based on their observations and analysis, and drive the collaborative creation of the environment. Teachers engage in discussing, displaying, and sharing students' work as well as documenting their learning through photographs, transcripts, and video clips – that is, the practice of making students’ learning visible. This contributes to creating a learning environment that reflects and helps extend the children's interests and accomplishments.
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Kindergarten
Primary 1-3
In Grades 1 through 3, your child will solidify their fundamental skills in academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship, through a focused and thoughtful program designed to meet the needs of our young learners. They’ll take part in small-group skillbuilding, project-based learning experiences, memorable field trips, clubs and teams, and specialist instruction in art, French, music, and physical education.
Additional Highlights
Learning Buddies with older students
Research skills and media literacy instruction
Small-group reading instruction and math workshops
Extra-curricular involvement
Field trips, special guests, and workshops
Grade 1 is an important time for academics. Throughout the year, students discover, solidify, and master a wide range of key academic skills, including further building their literacy and numeracy skills. But it’s also an essential time for personal and social growth, including listening to understand and learning to be a good friend.
Grade 1 students are encouraged to become more independent. This means everything from looking after their belongings and getting dropped off in the lobby, to solving conflicts with friends. We recognize the importance of the right amount of support to be able to learn to do this by themselves, which is why our caring teachers are right there to give guidance and encouragement each step of the way.
This focus on independence and responsibility helps make our students more confident in their abilities, which in turn helps them to take control of their own lives and
Collaboration and curiosity.
In Grade 2, students are driven by their enthusiasm and curiosity. This is the perfect time to show them that when you work together, you end up learning way more than you ever could on your own.
Knowing this, students in Grade 2 focus on developing their collaboration and group work skills. They learn that working together is not only about dividing up jobs – it’s about discussing theories, listening respectfully, and building on each other’s ideas. To help them refine these skills, we give them lots of opportunities to work together on research projects and presentations.
The world is a collaborative place, so we need to make sure our students are ready to join in and get involved. In Grade 2, we help each individual evolve into a community of learners.
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Independence and responsibility.
Managing school. Managing life.
Grade 3 is all about helping students manage their increasingly mature lives. Academically, this means producing more complex work and learning organizational skills. They start using student planners more independently to track their work responsibilities. They learn keyboarding and cursive writing to help them create longer pieces of work. And they start using laptops as a tool to enhance their learning.
Socially, this can be a challenging year for students as their personalities are evolving and they're beginning to find their own unique voice. Peer groups and friends become very important, which means they need to learn to solve problems that may arise. Students learn to navigate a more complex social world by learning about a range of strategies and tools to help with self-regulation and problem-solving in the classroom and the playground.
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Junior 4 - 6
During their time in our Junior Division, students discover just how much they are capable of achieving.
Students extend their thinking through projectbased learning, small-group workshops, and curriculum-focused overnight trips. They use their own laptop to research, grow, and create. They compete on teams and perform in concerts. And –of course – they do it all with respect, manners, and a desire to try their very best.
Additional Highlights
Outdoor Education (overnights starting in Grade 5)
Drama instruction (starting in Grade 5)
Experiential learning
Portfolios for student reflection
Increased grade expectations and report card details
Student-led interviews
Time management, organization, and planning skills instruction
Greater choice in directing their own learning and how they present their findings
Competitive sports beginning (e.g.s., basketball, soccer, flag football, swimming, track and field, cross country, softball, etc.)
Leadership opportunities increase
Specialist instruction increases
End-of-year trip to Ottawa in Grade 6
A transition year filled with new experiences.
In Grade 4, students solidify their academic foundation and begin to use it to explore more advanced work. Students evolve their writing by moving beyond simple sentences to complex paragraphs with supporting evidence. Students go from simply accepting what they have read as fact to asking critical questions about the world around them.
This transition is reflected in all aspects of the school day. Grade 4 students get their own laptop and learn to make integration of technology a regular part of their work. They get their own locker and start changing into PE clothes for gym class. They can join competitive teams and the school musical. By giving them a wider range of opportunities to make their own choices, we help them grow as individuals. In some ways, this year is a transition year. In Grade 4, we use the supportive and safe approach of the primary years, but with a strong focus on getting our students ready for the increased responsibility and independence of Grade 5.
Stepping into the driver's seat.
Grade 5 students are challenged to be accountable and responsible for themselves and to help each other. They are encouraged to take charge of their learning and their life. They are ready and capable, benefiting from guidance and support.
Of course, taking ownership of your studies and staying organized can be challenging for many students, so mistakes happen. But that’s why this is also the year when students learn that it’s okay to take a risk and fail. Students learn to recover from failure because they know they are supported as they learn and grow from the experience.
Grade 5 is a year of significant personal growth for students, and our teachers are there to coach each student through it. They are passionate about helping students reach new heights of responsibility, continue to discover their academic potential and learn to advocate for themselves.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t have fun too! Our Grade 5 classrooms are full of laughter, enthusiasm, and joy. After all, just because you’re growing up doesn’t mean you can’t still be a kid.
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Spreading their wings and flying solo.
Grade 6 is the year when our students start flying on their own. By this point, we’re confident that students have all the tools they need to be successful and self-motivated learners. This is the time to test their skills and get ready for the Intermediate division.
Grade 6 is a year of significant “firsts” for students: First year of walking to their subject classes unaccompanied. First year of Electives. First year of exams. First school dance. First year when they really and truly stand on their own two feet. Friend groups become increasingly important when making choices, and parents become less central to their decision-making process.
As students navigate this world of increased freedom and choice, we help them make smart decisions. We develop their independence by providing them with online tools to manage their homework and assignments. We develop their sense of self through leadership and service learning opportunities. We continue to develop their study habits by providing academic coaching to students and parents. And we help them develop healthy social relationships with their family, their friends, and themselves.
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Intermediate 7 - 8
The independence and opportunities of Senior School are just around the corner. We will ensure students are ready.
During Grades 7 and 8 at KCS, students work closely with innovative and supportive teachers who help strengthen and solidify learning and leadership.
Additional Highlights
Outdoor Education (overnights starting in Grade 5)
Drama instruction (starting in Grade 5)
Experiential learning
Portfolios for student reflection
Increased grade expectations and report card details
Student-led interviews
Time management, organization, and planning skills instruction
Greater choice in directing their own learning and how they present their findings
Competitive sports beginning (e.g.s., basketball, soccer, flag football, swimming, track and field, cross country, softball, etc.)
Leadership opportunities increase
Specialist instruction increases
End-of-year trip to Ottawa in Grade 6
KCS has taught me confidence. I think this is an important skill to have because it allows you to show your character and go out of your comfort zone to discover new interests and things about yourself.
Goodbye kids. Hello young adults.
The growth in maturity that happens in Grade 7 is considerable. As students evolve into young adults, they continue to build upon and strengthen the skills that will make them successful in the Senior School.
Students expand their ability to be critical and creative in their thinking and then apply this new outlook to their studies. Their projects become more global. Their understanding of issues becomes more layered. Their intrinsic motivation for greater challenge grows. And their awareness of their learning becomes deeper and more thoughtful.
It’s also a year where their sense of self is changing and their relationships with peers are evolving. To help them navigate these potentially choppy waters, our teachers make it a priority to reach out and share supportive and practical advice. As young adults, they are learning to navigate new social experiences, and we know that they benefit from our help.
- KCS Student
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Setting the stage for success in the Senior School and beyond.
By the time our students start Grade 8, they are already well prepared to have a successful Senior School experience. Their last year at the KCS Junior School allows them to bring their learning, independence, and leadership to the next level.
Academically, we go above and beyond to make sure that every student in Grade 8 has a solid foundation in all subject areas. We want our students to make the most of every academic opportunity in the Senior School. Students are encouraged to apply their learning skills and to be accountable for their growth, so they will be ready when they get there. To encourage them to take true control over their learning, students are provided with lessons around organization and study skills, with teachers also using coaching and mentoring skills to support students to further develop skills that encourage them to be self-motivated and proud of their effort and achievement.
Grade 8 students are independent and capable young people. We provide them with increased privileges and responsibilities and we help them use their growing maturity as a tool for self-regulation.
Finally, students become genuine leaders in the Junior School as house captains, tour guides, and school ambassadors. They lead assemblies, spearhead spirit events, and help teachers organize and lead clubs for primary students.
As their time at the Junior School comes to a close, their accomplishments and achievements are celebrated together with their teachers and parents at our end-of-year Grade 8 dinner and Junior School Closing celebrations.
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SENIOR SCHOOL
The KCS journey includes a secondary school experience that is distinctly designed to help students thrive at high school and beyond.
Our Senior School program offers:
Dedicated Faculty Advisor and small group guidance from Grade 9 to 12
Student-driven leadership and learning in Path
Student-driven leadership and learning in KCS By Design
Regular engagement with Learning Partners
Place-based learning, including athletic partners
Entrepreneurship
Outdoor Education
International trips
Four doors images/pictures, including athletic teams
Our facility
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Senior 9-12
Grades 9 to 12 bring new independence, challenge, responsibility, and opportunity. Students enjoy an award-winning new facility on the shores of Lake Ontario; growing choice in their courses; growing autonomy; and rich experiential learning that includes regular engagement with external experts, learning in facilities and greenspaces beyond KCS, student leadership, and student-led learning.
Additional Highlights
Annual Outdoor Education trips
Extensive clubs and teams in academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship
Student entrepreneurship
Optional national and international trips
Student leadership committees, which leverage a design thinking process to build the school experience
Our signature KCS Path Program, where students exercise leadership in learning on the topic of their choosing
9
Grade
New room and challenge to grow.
Grade 9 is an exciting start to the independence, responsibility, and opportunities available at the Senior School. Students increasingly learn about their subjects by seeing them in action beyond school walls. They meet external experts and individuals with diverse lived experience. Through this enriched experiential program, students gain a broader awareness of the world, the people who shape it, and the role they can play in shaping it in turn.
Students take a total of eight courses, six mandatory and two for which they exercise choice. Required subjects include math, English, science, geography, French, and Communications Technology. Students choose among music, visual art, and drama for their arts credit. They also have a rare opportunity to choose between two physical education courses, one that will include a wide array of fitness offerings such as rock-climbing, basketball, curling, pickleball, and more, or another in partnership with the Argonaut Rowing Club that will give them the exclusive opportunity to become a rower.
Students begin the Advisor Program where they will meet twice weekly for community, support, and guidance with the same Advisor and students from grades 9 to 12. Also starting in Grade 9, the KCS Path Program and KCS By Design are weekly leadership and studentdriven learning experiences that ensure all students have extended opportunities to grow as capable, self-driven, principled difference-makers. Supporting it all, our Student Success team, led by the Director of Guidance, supports faculty and students so all grow according to their strengths and needs.
A breadth of clubs; teams such as basketball, track and field, skiing, and more; as well as trips offer local and global opportunities in academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship. Between committed faculty, Learning Partners, student leaders, and the student voice which informs our offering, most anything is possible in our extra-curricular program.
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10
Grade
Where understanding and confidence mount.
Students in Grade 10 are ready to take their learning and leadership further. The foundation built in our enriched Grade 9 program prepares students to be more aware, confident, selfdriven, and disciplined as they begin Grade 10. Courses, offsite learning, and engagement with external experts deepen core skills and understanding. New electives offer the opportunity to explore future directions. Course-related workshops in universities introduce students to the next step in their learning journey. The introduction of business and entrepreneurship open up new possibilities for student agency and impact. Students also receive support as they begin to investigate postsecondary pathways and related course selection.
Faculty Advisors and the KCS Path Program challenge students to increasingly lead their learning on the topic of their choosing, finding creative ways to explore it from an academic, artistic, athletic, citizenship, and offsite perspective. The KCS By Design program invites students to exercise their growing maturity and vision to make the school and beyond better.
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11
Grade
A record of leadership in learning.
By Grade 11, some students have jobs, some are driving, and all are increasingly focused on the possibilities and responsibilities before them.
Most courses are electives, meaning students make decisions about where to focus their preparation for postsecondary.
The KCS Senior School offers a wide array of courses in science, senior math, humanities, business, social science, computer science, arts, physical education, and communications technology. French is offered to grade 12. The Director of Guidance continues to assist students in their academic planning.
Offsite learning and engagement with external experts continue to add relevance and depth to learning. Among the destinations from Grades 9 to 12, students visit postsecondary institutions for a variety of learning opportunities and campus tours.
Dedicated faculty help students see connections across disciplines, and the future opportunities that follow in a world that isn’t siloed by subject areas.
The Path Program ensures students maintain growth in all Four Doors of academics, arts, athletics, and citizenship. By the end of the year, grade 11 students are challenged to complete a Creative Impact Project, one that distinctly makes a positive difference in the community, related to their Path topic. They also write an extended essay on their creative learning journey. Unlimited opportunities in leadership continue to be available in KCS By Design, clubs, teams, entrepreneurship, and more, helping all students build a notable record of contribution and initiative.
The chance to learn from U.S. astronaut, Joe Tanner, was an out of this world experience. It was incredible to ask questions of someone who has actually been in space. I learned from Joe to never give up on my dreams and that anything is possible.
- KCS Student
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12
Grade
expectation to make a difference. It includes all the courses students need to prepare and qualify for their post-secondary education. The Advisory Program provides dedicated time and help from the Director of Guidance for students to explore their schools of choice, apply to institutions, and make decisions for the next phase of their life.
The full KCS program since Grade 9 will have given students an exceptional growth experience, notably preparing them to consider their preferred next steps. The KCS Path Program has also given them a differentiating story to tell in applications, where required.
Leadership expectations continue, earning Grade 12 students a dedicated course credit. Clubs, teams, and entrepreneurship remain sources of growth, spirit, and pride. A school-sanctioned graduation trip, planned by the students when they were in Grade 11, is a special cap to their four years of place-based learning.
The journey as a KCS student will end with a ceremony honouring their persistence, creativity, kindness, initiative, and readiness for the opportunities and challenges ahead. As future alumni, we will welcome them back as Learning Partners who will not only help inform and inspire the future students who follow, but also continue to benefit and be inspired by being part of KCS.
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