Dorval, October 23, 2015 – Sainte-Anne Academy in Dorval was officially inaugurated today. Attendees included Edgar Rouleau and Claude Dauphin, mayors of Dorval and Lachine, respectively, as well as many other guests. Since school began this fall, 483 students of 63 different nationalities have been immersed in a fully bilingual program at the new school, where the priority is creativity, languages and science. The arrival of the Academy clearly responded to a need: more than 840 applications for admission were received for the school’s first year.
Bilingual instruction
The Academy currently has classes from kindergarten through grade 6, with two teachers for each class: one for instruction in French, the other in English. The proportion of French to English is 70%-30% from kindergarten through to the end of cycle 2. At the beginning of cycle 3, the proportion of English is reduced to 20% in order to introduce Spanish (10%).
Successful integration of new technologies
Every student has access to a tablet or computer in class. The innovative educational approaches advocated by the Academy include e-learning, reverse teaching (flipped classroom) and activities that encourage exploration and cooperation. This type of teaching allows students to work at their own pace in a flexible environment.
Preparing young people for the world of tomorrow
“Sainte-Anne prepares young people for the world of tomorrow by focusing on active learning and teaching strategies that engage students,” explains Ugo Cavenaghi, Executive Director of Collège Sainte-Anne. “The teachers at Sainte-Anne apply their expertise in learning and in using technology in the classroom to get students actively involved. In the future, rote learning will give way to knowing where to find information, recognizing the value of sources and making connections. For this reason, the teacher’s role is to help young people develop critical thinking skills, stimulate their creativity and encourage them to experiment.”
Moreover, students work with the same teachers throughout each two-year cycle. “Studies prove that this continuity allows the teacher to delve more deeply into the educational material and to better support students who are having difficulty. It also builds relationships between students and encourages them to help one another,” points out Véronique Lemieux-Boyer, Principal of the Academy.
A human environment designed for children
In addition, students at the Academy learn in a stimulating and comfortable physical environment. Located in the facilities of the former Royal Montreal Golf Club—the first association of its kind in North America— and the former Queen of Angels Academy, Sainte-Anne Academy offers students an immense outdoor green space with 500,000 square feet to play in and a fully renovated building with 120,000 square feet of indoor facilities.
“Conceived by Taktik Design, the facilities incorporate the latest international trends in design and education and feature theme rooms (theatre, horticulture, Lego®, etc.), moveable furniture, relaxation areas, a healthy, green cafeteria, and modern laboratories,” adds Véronique Lemieux-Boyer.
An enriched program
The teaching program at Sainte-Anne also features a curriculum enriched with art classes starting right from kindergarten, as well as physical education or an outdoor activity every day. In addition, the Academy offers family-style daycare services that include breakfast, a wide choice of extracurricular activities, and supervision for lessons and homework throughout the week.
“Now students can begin their schooling at the Academy right from the start, when they are five and, if they choose, stay with the Sainte-Anne family through Cegep,” emphasizes Cavenaghi, referring to the educational offering of Collège Sainte-Anne’s renowned high school and Cegep programs in Lachine now complemented by Sainte-Academy Academy in Dorval.
For more information: primaire.sainteanne.ca
About Sainte-Anne
Founded in 1861 by the Sisters of Sainte-Anne and proud of its roots, Sainte-Anne is well known for its bold and innovative programs. One of the first schools in Québec to emphasize technology and include e-learning in high school, the institution offers exclusive programs that allow students to focus on subjects they really care about. Environmentally responsible, Sainte-Anne operates the first high school in Canada with ISO 14001 certification. Renowned for its international perspective, the school has been developing relationships with partner schools on all five continents since 2007. Sainte-Anne now offers three levels of education: kindergarten-primary (Sainte-Anne Academy), high school (Collège Sainte-Anne) and Cegep (Collégial international Sainte-Anne).
– 30 –
Source: Sainte-Anne Academy
Information: Diane Jeannotte / Diep Truong
514-772-8019 / 514-524-7348
dianej@djcom.ca / diep@exergue.ca
