Top Private Schools in Kitchener, Waterloo, and Guelph

Majority of data provided by Our Kids™.

“Every family has a different reason for considering a private school education, but nearly all agree that private schools provide their children with:

• Smaller classes
• More structure
• Preparation for post-secondary studies
• Enriched and focused academic setting
• More emphasis on specialties like art, music and athletics
• Extracurricular activities
• Many chances for parents to get involved
• Fewer layers of bureaucracy
• More accountability to you (a paying customer)
• A shared philosophy and approach to education

Students who attend private schools can be more academically challenged, exposed to clearer value systems, given greater access to teachers, and may simply feel safer. Some features parents look for when they turn to the private system include:

• A specific educational approach, such as Montessori or Waldorf
• A particular religious or cultural setting
• A strong academic setting
• A program for children who are gifted, have special needs, or require a special schedule due to art, music or sport training.”

– Our Kids™

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Sunshine Montessori School

10 Boniface Ave, Kitchener

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Images courtesy of Sunshine Montessori School

About

Grade: Toddler to Gr. 8 Gender: Coed Cost: $8,855 to $15,100

“Sunshine Montessori School (SMS) is a co-educational, independent private Montessori school for children ages 18 months through Grade 8. Founded in 1986, SMS is a place of joyful and active learning where children from their earliest years through adolescence develop a love of learning. We provide a warm and nurturing environment where students can realize their potential by igniting their natural curiosity for discovery, challenge and academic success.

SMS prepares children to learn, think, grow and succeed through innovative Montessori programming. Our teachers foster an environment of inquiry by encouraging independence, responsibility and respect; motivating students to be caring, confident, resilient and compassionate citizens of the world.

The continuum of learning from Toddler, Prima Casa/Casa to Elementary and Junior High builds, challenges and reflects the educational needs of each student. During the time your child spends at SMS, they will be able to actively engage not only in a top-quality education, but also in forming their own educational process.

We provide our students with the tools, materials, and guidance needed to build an understanding of their world. Engaging and collaborating with teachers and peers further prepares them for their learning journey ahead.”

– Sunshine Montessori School

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St. John’s-Kilmarnock School

2201 Shantz Station Road, Breslau (Waterloo Region)

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Images courtesy of St. John’s-Kilmarnock School

About

Grade: JK to Gr. 12 Gender: Coed Cost: $17,415 to $64,750

“SJK is the leading co-educational independent school in the Waterloo and surrounding region. The School is located on a beautiful 36-acre natural campus offering enriched educational programming for students from JK – Grade 12 through its accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. As the only accredited IB World Continuum School in Southwestern Ontario, our students find their excellence within, love to learn, and graduate as confident, well-rounded individuals fully prepared for post-secondary education and life beyond. The journey begins here. Go Beyond.”

– St. John’s-Kilmarnock School

Our Kids™ Review

“SJK presents as a very traditional school, an impression granted by the name, the uniforms, the size of the campus. In fact, the school is both younger and more progressive than it might initially seem. Founded in 1972, it has taken all of the more modern educational concepts to heart: small class sizes, student-directed instruction, before- and after-school care from JK to Grade 6, an extensive busing program. The cafeteria menu is even built around locally sourced, non-GMO food. Academically, the program is intended to challenge learners who need to be challenged, and includes IB programs from JK through Grade 12. The intention is to address the whole child, providing strong academic and social support. The school has grown over the years, and is also in the midst of a 5-year development plan, to complete in 2020. While the physical plan is still quite new—it was completed in 1990—the current development is around community and instruction (rather than buildings and infrastructure) including an ongoing dedication to experiential learning, values-based instruction, and 20th century literacies. The ideal student is one operating at the top of his or her peer group, and who can benefit from a vibrant, diverse educational and social environment.”

– Our Kids™

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Rockway Mennonite Collegiate

110 Doon Road, Kitchener

Video courtesy of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate

About

Grade: Gr. 7 to 12 Gender: Coed Cost: $16,530 to $35,000

“A Small School for a Big World! Located in Kitchener, Ontario, just one hour west of Toronto, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate focuses on academic excellence, service and peace-making, through a diverse learning community of 275 students in grades 7-12 that includes a dynamic international student exchange program. Rockway offers a challenging and supportive environment that embraces academics, the arts and athletics to help students to become their best.”

– Rockway Mennonite Collegiate

Our Kids™ Review

“In some ways, Rockway was born out of a pacifist impulse, established by Swiss Mennonites who were concerned about the military tenor that seeped into the public school system leading up to and during WWII. Times of course have changed, though the foundational principles remain, as well as the values that lay behind them: compassion, understanding, and an open mind to the experiences and perspectives of others. If all you knew about the school was its name, a closer look would reveal a lot of surprises. The school has a robust international program, welcoming students from around the world as well as an extensive exchange program. The curriculum is taught through a Mennonite lens, while also partnering with a local Muslim school, and creating regular opportunities for students to interact with local Jewish, Hindu, and Sikh communities. It’s a unique school, to be sure, which is exactly why families, both within and without the Mennonite community, enroll their children here.”

– Our Kids™

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Blyth Academy Waterloo

260 King Street West, Kitchener

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Images courtesy of Blyth Academy Waterloo

About

Grade: 9 to Gr. 12 Gender: Coed Cost: $14,995 to $20,795

“At Blyth Academy Waterloo we are building an active and dynamic school community. We have a range of extra-curricular opportunities inclusive of student council, prom committee, DECA, mathematics and computer science clubs and contests, coding workshops as well as various other activities of interest to our students. Our school has an average class size of seven which allows for our educators to spend significant individualized time with each student while delivering a broad range of courses.”

– Blyth Academy Waterloo

Our Kids™ Review

Whereas some schools are just that, schools, Blyth represents a range of programs at a range of locations. It was founded by Sam Blyth in 1977, and quickly established itself as a leader in global education with the creation of a Canadian high school in France, as well as an accredited program at Oxford University. Those global education programs provided a unique addition to the Canadian educational landscape.

With the creation of the first brick-and-mortar school here at home in 2002, Blyth applied the same concept to domestic education. In the intervening decades, the program has grown exponentially, now including 11 campuses which, together, represent the largest single private school student population in Canada. Still, the program continued to grow, today including a campus in Washington DC. A majority host summer programs, night and weekend classes, intended to provide challenge or support for students of the school, or those interested only in specific courses. And on it goes … there are further international programs, year-long study abroad program under the Blyth Global High School banner, as well as online/distance course offerings. There are even March break courses, both here and abroad.

Again, it’s a lot, with a range of programs to support a wide range of students and academic goals. Again, for anyone who thinks of school in a traditional way—a building with classes—Blyth can be a lot to get your head around. Given the historical strength of the programs, however, it’s very much worth the effort.

– Our Kids™

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Hitherfield School

2439 Tenth Sideroad, Milton-Campbellville

Video courtesy of Hitherfield School

About

Grade: PS to Gr. 8 Gender: Coed Cost: $11,600 to $15,120

“Hitherfield is a co-ed, independent school for children in pre-school to grade 8. Students thrive on a very challenging academic program that is supported by one-on-one teaching. Situated on 82 acres of pristine rolling countryside, 10 minutes from downtown Milton, Hitherfield School offers a multitude of outdoor activities including cross-country skiing, pond study and space to play. Respect and integrity are the norm and our parents are an integral part of the school community.”

– Hitherfield School

Our Kids™ Review

“Ann Scott founded Hitherfield in 1991 after a career within the Halton school board, and she remains at the head of the school today, giving a nice continuity to the development of the programs. The intention throughout has been to offer something that wasn’t offered in the public board, principally a more individualized, caring approach to learning. The school is small, and the size is one of its strengths. While it’s not a country school in name, the feel is comparable to schools that situate themselves within that movement—namely a learning environment that very much reflects the community that supports it. Parents are important to the life of the school, and are encouraged to take a role that will express their skills and interests. The ideal student is one looking for something more personal approach, one more attentive to the abilities, experience, and passion that students bring into the classroom.”

– Our Kids™

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Montessori School of Wellington

68 Suffolk Street West, Guelph

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Images courtesy of Montessori School of Wellington

About

Grade: JK to Gr. 1 Gender: Coed Cost: $5,750 to $12,500

“The Montessori School of Wellington was established in 1996. We are located in a beautiful, residential area and are within walking distance of some of the oldest parks and landmarks in Guelph. We are the only CCMA accredited school in Guelph and offer half and full day programs to children 2.5 to 6 years of age. We are small, but we do it right!”

– Montessori School of Wellington

Our Kids™ Review

“The size of MSW is a draw, as is the CCMA accreditation. The program retains a high fidelity to the philosophy and methods that Maria Montessori developed—the founder was instructed by Maria Montessori’s granddaughter—and builds out from there, as with the inclusion of yoga and daily immersive French within the curriculum. Before and after school care is a plus, as is a high level of individual, student-guided instructional attention. The school is located in a residential neighbourhood, creating a good sense of place, something that is a cornerstone of the method. The feel is family-based, and building from the students’ natural interests and curiosities. The values of respect, empathy, and stewardship are nicely built into all aspects of the instructional day”

– Our Kids™

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Woodland Christian High School

1058 Spitzig Rd, Breslau (Waterloo Region)

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About

Grade: Gr. 9 to 12 Gender: Coed Cost: $10,760 to $27,680

“Woodland is a vibrant community of learning where students are equipped for lives of Christian faith and service. Each student’s abilities and interests are encouraged. Students come from Kitchener/Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Drayton, Listowel and surrounding areas (including international students). Students receive an excellent education which prepares them well for university and/or college. Students receive opportunities in varsity sports, music, drama, and international service trips.”

– Woodland Christian High School

Our Kids™ Review

“John van Pelt, the principal at Woodland, is a graduate of the school, and that’s telling. Community is an important aspect of Woodland, and van Pelt, having experienced it both as student and staff, offers a nice continuity to the life of the school. Community, of course, extends to the faith community, including service opportunities within local churches, something that is a primary draw for the families that enroll here. The student population is just north of 300, which is a nice place to be, one that allows a rich program of extra-curricular programming, while also maintaining a small-school, inclusive feel.”

– Our Kids™

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