Academics - St. Anne's School

St. Anne’s recognizes the value of post-secondary education and is committed to helping our students achieve a successful outcome that suits their goals. Our course offerings are designed to earn our students entry to undergraduate programs in North America and abroad. With the support of their advisor, guidance counsellor, and Associate Director, Academics, students will be carefully guided to strategically select courses.

Our Middle School program is dedicated to the development of girls through their most formative years. Our program includes Grade 5 and 6 core classes and rotary in Grades 7 and 8, led by specialized teachers. Our curriculum balances core courses with a focus on the arts, health and physical education, and technology and aims to equip students with a solid foundation of academic, organizational, and socio-emotional skills that support the transition from grade to grade. Students in Middle School also participate in interdisciplinary project-based learning modules.

In addition to fulfilling the grade requirements outlined by the Ministry of Education, we offer three opportunities for enrichment in Grade 9: Reach-Ahead Math, Extended French, and Design Technology, as well as our signature Project-Based Learning program.

In Grade 10, students can continue with those reach-ahead opportunities and begin participating in the McEwen Leadership program, a specialized business leadership program allowing Grades 11 and 12 to focus on experiential education and leadership skills development.

Advisory Program

The advisory program at St. Anne’s supports students’ holistic development. Each student is assigned an advisor to support their academic growth by providing counselling on course selection and guidance throughout the year and supporting the development of study skills, organization, and goal setting. Throughout the year, advisory time is used to discuss school topics, themes, and elements of student wellbeing. Advisory periods are built into the weekly schedule, and students can organize individual meetings with their advisor as necessary. Each advisor has between eight and 12 advisees. The advisor is the first point of contact for parents, and they will communicate home with updates as the year progresses. In Middle School, advisors and their advisees meet daily. Middle School students change their advisor yearly to facilitate the greatest number of connections across the school. In Upper School, students will maintain the same advisor until they graduate.

AP Capstone

AP Capstone is a diploma program from the College Board (a not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity) based on two year-long AP courses: AP Seminar, a prerequisite for AP Research. The program goes above and beyond the curriculum, allowing students to tackle real-world issues and develop key skills that will help them succeed beyond university. In both courses, students investigate a variety of topics in multiple disciplines. Both courses guide students through completing a research project, writing an academic paper, and presenting their project. In addition to producing insightful research, students are tasked with excelling in four additional Advanced Placement (AP) courses to earn the AP Capstone Diploma.

Design Technology

St. Anne’s provides young women with the skills and competencies to excel as 21st-century learners. We aim to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills and believe we learn best by doing. Design Technology is a Grade 10 course that allows students to apply design processes to meet various technological challenges. Students will master multiple design technologies such as 3D printing, laser cutting, woodshop, and electronics, as well as design software programs, and apply design thinking to create various projects for multiple audiences and purposes. St. Anne’s students will become comfortable in a makerspace environment and build a foundation for further study in Grade 10 by enrolling in Grade 10 Computer Science or Grade 11 Computer Engineering.

Extended French

St. Anne’s appreciates the significant role of language instruction and how learning languages teaches young women to explore and better understand our interconnected world, strengthen self-expression, and cultivate their voices. An integral part of the Canadian identity, learning French allows students to communicate with French-speaking Canadians and helps prepare them to be engaged citizens with French speakers worldwide. Our French curriculum focuses on skill development for lifelong language learning and authentic opportunities for speaking, writing, and exploring culture. Students who have attended a French school or French Immersion program or demonstrated excellence in French communication will be eligible to enrol in Grade 9 Extended French. Placement in Extended French will be confirmed with diagnostic activities in September. Students who were successful in the Grade 9 Extended French course may enrol in Grade 10 Extended French.

Project Based Learning

At St. Anne’s, we believe students learn best through hands-on experiences. Our academic schedule includes dedicated project-based learning (PBL) modules that extend the curriculum and help students develop real-world skills. PBL is an inquiry-based approach where students, often working together, tackle real-world problems by creating meaningful projects. This method fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and self-regulation while emphasizing collaborative skills. Our projects align with leadership development and reinforce key competencies like digital literacy, financial literacy, and socio-emotional well-being.

Reach-Ahead Math Program

St. Anne’s recognizes the significance of a strong foundation in mathematics. We are committed to providing students with the requisite mathematical skill set and the opportunity for challenge and extension so they can feel confident in the discipline and realize their talents. Mathematics equips students with the tools and language to analyze the world around them and is essential in many realms of professional life. Students who successfully obtain a 75% or higher in a Grade 9 math credit before September of their Grade 9 year will be eligible to enrol in Grade 10 math. To best accommodate the full mathematics pathway and support student learning, students who do not choose to reach ahead in Grade 9 will have other reach-ahead opportunities through summer school or specialized course offerings in Grade 11. We strongly encourage students to take the math option best suited to their current skill set to ensure success and develop a foundation for the years ahead.