7 Playground-Preschool

PRESCHOOL

Choosing a preschool program for your child is a big decision and at CGS we know there are many factors to consider. Is the staff caring? Is the environment safe? Will my child get enough playtime outside? Are snacks and lunches healthy? Will my child be stimulated academically? At CGS Early Start, the answer is yes to all of the above. Our program is an exceptional balance of academic and social learning in a warm and loving atmosphere.

Parents have a choice of full-day, half-day or extended morning programs. Drop off is anytime after 8:30am. After school care is available until 5:30pm for those families that need it.

Our Program

At CGS, we believe that the benefits and joys to be found in academic learning are not to be missed in preschool. Fresh air, healthy food and plenty of playtime is essential, but it is also a wonderful time to gently introduce academic concepts. Many children are ready, even at this young age.

Early Starters love to learn their letters and sounds during their morning circle. Making connections with their written work after the morning lesson gives them a real sense of accomplishment. Table work includes guided printing exercises (including distinguishing between upper and lower case letters). Reading comprehension comes a little later in the year as the children mature. Early math concepts are introduced through Touchmath, a hands-on math program. Students explore patterns and values and gain facility with positional language.

Early Starters also receive instruction in French, music, visual art and physical education several times per week.

All instruction, across the preschool curriculum, is delivered in a nurturing, relaxed, exploratory way.

Child development varies widely at this age and activities are always tailored to each child's abilities and come with lots of hugs and encouragement. Early Start students are still very little and we understand that above all else, school should be fun.

In addition to our academic program, our preschoolers also have access to our full school-age curriculum. Students participate in assemblies, special events, concerts and classroom exchanges, right alongside our JK through Grade 3 students. They love to be part of the action at school! When the time comes to move on to JK, students are ready to do so with confidence. The transition is smooth and easy for parents and children alike.

Choosing Early Start at Children’s Garden School allows parents to sit back and enjoy their child’s first year at school, confident in the knowledge that their educational needs will be met.

Find fees and class times here.


Learn more about our Early Start classroom in action here.

KINDERGARTEN

At CGS, we believe that JK & SK children are very capable students. They take pride in their accomplishments and absorb information quickly. Our kindergarten curriculum is designed with these capabilities in mind. The highly desirable program ratio of 12:1 enables our teachers to give students all the support and attention they need to thrive in our enriched environment. At a time when public school classrooms have grown much larger, individual attention has become a greater concern for more parents.

Small class sizes ensure that students can be happily active, but still have the structure they need to stay on task. Our young scholars progress quickly, in an environment that meets their desire to focus and learn.

Also of note, our JK and SK classes are never combined. Academic abilities develop significantly during this time. SK at CGS is not a ‘lost’ academic year as it can be in the public system where JK's and SK's are in the same classroom. Our SK program gives children the opportunity to build on their JK knowledge and gain the academic confidence they need to smoothly transition into Grade 1.

The Basics

In JK, students are introduced to our outstanding phonics program, Remediation Plus. It is a consistent, thorough program that we have used with amazing success for many years. Students are typically reading independently by October of their SK year.

Being an early reader is exciting for students and their parents, however, it is the confidence and academic independence that students gain as a result of this accomplishment that we value at CGS.

Children generally achieve this early literacy with ease and from the very beginning, reading is a positive experience at CGS. As a result, students approach all areas of the curriculum with enthusiasm. For children who may encounter some obstacles, the varied visual, tactile and auditory approach of the Remediation Plus program enables teachers to identify optimum learning styles for each student very early on. Methods are adjusted quickly and appropriately. Students do not fall through the cracks at CGS. If teachers identify a deeper need for support than what we offer in our day-to-day classrooms, our R+ Reading Clinic may be recommended.

Early literacy is a big focus at CGS but it is balanced with lots of time for math. Hands-on learning experiences and collaborative strategies play a large role in the JK and SK math curriculum. You will often see students on the floor, working together to solve math problems with manipulatives, crayons and large pieces of paper. In SK students call it their 'Think. Pair. Share.' approach to problem-solving. Collaborative strategies are always encouraged and basic fact mastery is never overlooked. JK and SK students also follow an exciting Science curriculum with plenty of hands-on experiments to spark their natural curiosity.

The Extras

Kindergarten students participate fully in extra-curricular school life, an advantage that comes along with choosing a school that goes beyond the kindergarten years. JK and SK classes host full-length Assemblies, sing in their own choir for the Holiday Concert and Final Assembly and take to the stage for the Talent Show. SK students have the opportunity to join the cast of our yearly musical and take part in the Science Fair if they wish, right alongside our Grade 1-3 students.

JK and SK students receive instruction in French, music, visual art and physical education several times per week.

A Typical Day

The school day begins at 9:00 and ends at 3:30. JK half-day students end their day at 11:45. Children can be dropped off as early as 8:30am to the playground. Math and phonics take place in the morning and the afternoons are generally reserved for specialties like art and music. Students receive thirty minutes of French programming four days per week, music and physical education twice per week and visual arts once per week. Students have plenty of outdoor playtime during lunch and recess and at CGS we are proud to partner with our hot lunch provider, Real Foods For Real Kids.

Full-day & Half-day Options (JK only)

Our full-day program has been our most popular option for several years. The afternoon gives children more time to absorb and explore the curriculum and progress in a more timely way. Given the longer day, we are mindful that kindergarten students are still very little and require lots of TLC and pacing. Routines are gently reinforced every day and students are never asked to sit for long periods of time to complete table work. If children need to rest, they can take short breaks whenever they need too. It is usually only at the beginning of the year that children need this extra downtime as they adjust to their new routines.

Our half-day JK program allows those parents who still prefer a shorter school day for their child, despite the TDSB’s move to mandatory full-days, to have access to our academic program. Half-day students may miss a specialty class or two but otherwise will receive the same programming as our full-day students. 

Will my child be behind if they are new to CGS in JK or SK or begin mid-year?

This is a common concern for parents. Children often come to us after attending public school for a year or so or even after a school year has begun. Our teachers are very skilled at getting students up to speed with our programs and our students are incredibly warm and welcoming to those children that may be feeling shy or nervous as new students or late arrivals. CGS students are confident little people who are always eager to share their classroom. When students come to us a little later in the school year, we work together to ensure that their transition is smooth and comfortable. New kindergarten students always start at the beginning of the Remediation Plus Phonics program to ensure they haven’t missed any critical steps. Once levels have been assessed, staff goes to work to integrate students into the academic program wherever they are at. If teachers identify a deeper need for support than what we offer in our day-to-day classrooms, our R+ Reading Clinic may be recommended. Children coming into the school in SK may also benefit from some clinic time over the summer to gain confidence before the school year begins.


Admission & Fees here.

Intro-JK
Grade-1-3

GRADES 1 TO 4

After gaining confidence and skill in Early Start through SK, our Grade 1 students hit the ground running. If your child is a new student to CGS, the first month is dedicated to review for all students and there is plenty of time for the staff to determine how best to help your child integrate academically and socially with their new classmates. Many students join CGS at this time to great benefit and CGS staff is there to ensure that your child’s transition is smooth and comfortable.

The Basics

Students in Grades 1-3 continue to build their language skills with our Remediation Plus Phonics Program. If your child is new to CGS and has had limited exposure to phonics, you may want to consider the R+ Reading Clinic in the summer before the school year begins. Creative and persuasive writing are highlighted as the children develop. Media and journalism units help stimulate enquiry. Proper grammar and spelling are always reinforced. 'Spell Wells' (our name for spelling tests) are given once a week.

Math instruction intensifies as problems become more complex. Teachers draw from Nelson Mathematics, Math Makes Sense and Teaching Student Centred Mathematics by John Van de Walle, among others. Methods for teaching math vary widely from school to school and it is a subject of great debate in the educational community. ‘New’ Math (a multi-strategy, collaborative, language-based approach to math) can be confusing for parents as most of us learned largely by rote.

At CGS, children get the best of both worlds - they get the support they need to create and share the math strategies that work best for them as well as concurrent instruction in basic fact mastery - learning their doubles facts, multiplication tables etc.

Studies also deepen in Science, including mandatory participation in the Science Fair. French continues to be taught four days a week and Physical Education continues twice weekly, with a third day added to the schedule to accommodate trips off site to ski, skate, swim and participate in the CGS Cross Country Meet and Track and Field Championship. Students make use of the Leaside High fields to play soccer and baseball on 'Field Fridays'. If the winter is snowy, the children even have a chance to toboggan. CGS is also fortunate to have use of The Norval Outdoor Education Centre owned and operated by UCC. Grade 1 students visit for the day and Grade 2 and 3 students stay at the camp overnight.

A choral class is added in Grade 1, bringing music instruction to three days per week. Visual Arts is once a week. Students have fun creating unique, personal works and learning about art history. 

The Extras

At CGS we believe that what happens outside the traditional classroom atmosphere is vital to a well-rounded education. Preparing for Assemblies, rehearsing for the musical, competing in the Public Speaking Contest and Talent Show, outreach projects and special sports activities are all ways that children build confidence and discover their unique gifts. At CGS, we help your child get the most out of what CGS has to offer. We support them to try new things even when they are feeling out of their element.

As the senior students at CGS, Grades 1-3 students take on more responsibility in all aspects of school life, including running for Student Government, taking part in The Principal’s Club, taking over the morning announcements in Grade 2 & 3 and helping younger students with their reading through the Reading Buddies program.

It is important to note that in the larger private schools students do not get many of these opportunities until Grade 4 or 5. At Children’s Garden School, your child can test themselves in a safe and nurturing environment and build the confidence necessary to take advantage of all the opportunities they will inevitably have when they move on to bigger schools.

A Typical Day

A typical day at CGS for Grades 1-3 begins at 8:30 (drop off is anytime after 8:15) and ends at 3:30. Phonics and math blocks are taught in the morning and the afternoon is generally reserved for specialty classes like art and music. Before and after school care is available from 7:45am to 6:00pm. Before and after school clubs are available each term. Take advantage of our specialty clubs in Chess, Extended French and Art*.

*Please note specialty clubs are not included in your CGS tuition.

Even though the children are maturing, we do not expect them to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time to complete desk work. Students have plenty of outdoor exercise at lunch and recess. *Real Food For Real Kids hot lunch provides the fuel they need to stay focussed throughout the day.

*Please note that hot lunch is not included in your CGS tuition.

What comes after CGS?

There are many schools to choose from in the private system in Toronto. Entry years vary widely for boys and girls and it can be tricky for parents to determine when it is the ‘right’ time to move on to public school or to another private school. Our Director of Admission is always there to help parents through this process. CGS has excellent reciprocal relationships with the larger private schools. Our biennial event, Next Steps, brings Directors of Admission from all of the top schools in Toronto out to talk to CGS parents to share with them what their schools have to offer. For parents unfamiliar with the private system, this is a great introduction to a potentially daunting task.

CGS students are highly regarded applicants, known for their academic skill, confidence and character. Children typically gain entry into the schools of their choice, arriving well-equipped to manage the routines and demands of their new environments.

If you choose to transition into the public system we recommend a Grade 4 entry, when public school students move from the Primary to the Junior level. Public and private school environments are very different and each comes with its own set of challenges and benefits. Many of our families transition into public schools and are very happy with the results for their child and their family.

Private Options for Boys

Upper Canada College, Crescent School, Royal St George’s College and The Sterling Hall School are all common choices for CGS students moving on. For those families wishing to keep their children in a co-educational environment, parents typically choose Montcrest School, The York School, Bayview Glen or the public system.

Private Options for Girls

Branksome Hall, Havergal College, St. Clement’s School or The Bishop Strachan School are common destinations for CGS students. For those families wishing to keep their children in a co-educational environment, parents typically choose Montcrest School, The York School, Bayview Glen or the public system.


Admission & Fees here.

Our phonics program Remediation Plus was brought to Children’s Garden School by our Principal, Marie Bates. After discovering its extreme effectiveness for her son, she wanted to bring it to CGS students. The program was originally designed for children struggling with dyslexia and other reading disorders. It breaks phonetic skills into logical, step by step, highly organized units and no rules are missed.

There are many checks and balances along the way to ensure your child's progress and genuine understanding.

Children are prone to memorization in the early years and decoding words on their own gives them the skills they need to deal with new and unfamiliar texts. Watching our students independently sound out words phonetically, finger spell, and check for vowels is a wonderful thing. They see something on the page, and they go to work to figure out what is happening. R+ gives them the tools they need to do it.

Many parents want to know what CGS can do for their child in the early years that their local public school or other private schools can’t. Using R+ as our main tool for teaching our students how to read is one of the biggest ways we can make a difference in the early learning of your child. Parents are amazed when their child can read independently by October of their SK year. Being an early reader is obviously exciting for students and their parents, but it is the resulting confidence and independence that children gain that really counts. When children feel successful in language arts from the very beginning their progress across the curriculum is enhanced.

“The obsession with teaching reading comprehension before a student knows how to read and spell is somewhat irrational, and years of research have still not found their way into the classroom. Oral language comprehension exercises and storytelling that enhance vocabulary growth can occur at the same time students are learning their phonemes and learning to blend for reading and segment for spelling.” ~ Joanne Gross, Creator & President of Remediation Plus.

This is exactly what we do at CGS. Children are introduced to literacy through storytelling, games and art, while they are also building specific phonics skills with R+. Our students also receive ‘Spell Wells’ (or spelling tests) from JK on, to address the connection between how words sound and how they are properly spelled from the very beginning. (This is a notable difference from the public system where spelling tests are often discouraged.)

At CGS, we work with students at whatever level they are at. If the process is slower for some, R+ helps us identify why early on. We adjust ensure the success of each child. If teachers identify a deeper need for support than what we offer in our day-to-day classrooms, our R+ Reading Clinic may be recommended. Students will always meet challenges with plenty of support and encouragement. Alternatively, if a child is progressing faster than most, accommodations are also made.

Physical Education

CGS students in Preschool- SK receive two classes of Physical Education per week. The curriculum for our youngest students builds basic skills in throwing, catching, bouncing and kicking. Students explore movement and locomotion of all kinds, with a focus on developing balance and stability. Cooperative games are a large part of the program as the children learn to work together and respect the physical space of others. The children are also introduced to hockey, basketball, soccer and tennis. At CGS, we are also fortunate to have gymnastics equipment on site to provide students with a comprehensive gymnastics unit, complete with balance beam and professional grade tumbling mats.

Our Grades 1-3 students receive two Physical Education classes per week, as well as an additional special physical activity once per week. Examples include Skating Days (children travel to a local arena for eight Performance Skating sessions), Ski Days (children spend two days at Earle Bales Park and receive instruction in downhill skiing and snowboarding) and swimming instruction at the Holland-Bloorview pool. Cross Country training takes place in the fall, culminating in our Cross Country Championships at Sherwood Park and Track and Field starts up in the spring, culminating in our Track and Field Championships at the Leaside High School Track. Hockey Day is also a very big event on the CGS Phys Ed calendar. The regular Phys Ed curriculum includes instruction in general fitness & aerobics, gymnastics, yoga & mindfulness, hockey, golf, soccer, tennis and basketball. 'Field Fridays' are also a fun part of the gym curriculum at CGS. Students and staff head over to Leaside Field to play baseball in the spring and tobogganing in the winter. The Field Friday Trophy is a much coveted item by our CGS Houses!

CGS students are introduced to the concept of competitive sport gently in their early years. Their opportunities to compete and perform gradually intensify as they progress in skill and overall sportsmanship.

Learn more here.

Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education is an essential part of our CGS curriculum. Annual class trips to destinations like Evergreen Brickworks, Whittamore's Farm and Norval (the Upper Canada College outdoor education facility), ensure that our students are exposed to a variety of outdoor activities with a focus on individual physical challenge, team building and environmental stewardship.

Music

Music classes for Preschool through SK students are held twice per week. Grades 1 through 3 students receive music instruction three times per week (an additional Choral class is added). The CGS music curriculum helps students develop an understanding and appreciation of music, as well as introduce them to the fundamentals of musical concepts through drumming and Orff instruments. Grade 3 students are also introduced to the ukulele.

Our monthly assemblies, yearly musical, holiday concert, and talent show provide regular opportunities for choral performance.

If you're looking to expand your child’s music experience, you may want to take advantage of the private lesson instruction offered on site at CGS. Lessons in voice, piano, violin and music theory are available during school hours and after school.

Learn more here.

Visual Arts

The Art Studio is a place where Children’s Garden students are free to explore and create on their own terms. Classes are once a week for all grade levels. The basic elements of art (line, shape, form, value, space, colour and texture) are introduced through open-ended projects and through the exploration of artists’ work throughout history. Exposure to a wide variety of materials gives students a chance to work both two and three dimensionally. For our Grades 1-3 students, the year culminates with our CGS Art Fair. The children love this opportunity to share their creative work with their parents and fellow students.

Learn more here.

Musical Theatre

Our yearly musical is a big event on the CGS calendar and an especially important part of the curriculum. It provides an exceptional opportunity for children to develop valuable skills outside of the classroom.

Students prepare for the musical over a three-month period with in-school and after school rehearsals. Interested students from SK-Grade 3 audition to demonstrate their commitment to the process and to gain confidence. All students that audition receive a part to play.

Past shows include Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lorax, SHREK, Alice in Wonderland, The Lion King, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Cinderella and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We are looking forward to Suessical the Musical just as soon as we can safely do so!

Learn more here.


Choosing what kind of education to provide for your child is a huge decision. Often choices centre around language. Many parents want their child to be exposed to French at an early age but aren't comfortable with full immersion and many parents are extremely disappointed that French is not offered until Grade 4 in the public schools. There are also families who will choose long term French Immersion, starting in SK, but come to Children’s Garden School for Preschool through JK to give their child a foundation in English before moving on.

French is a daily part of our curriculum which enables our students to gain a high level of proficiency at an early age. Our preschool students receive French instruction two to three times per week and our JK- Grade 3 students receive instruction four times per week.

Instruction is guided by the idea that to feel and enjoy a language is the best way to learn it, especially for children so young. Drama, art, games, stories and music are used to explore and expand our students’ experience in French.

For those wanting to learn more, we offer the Extended French After School Program. This program is offered once per week, every Term. Sessions are 1.5 hours in duration. Students are encouraged to participate September through June to maximize their benefit. Please note this program is not included in our tuition.

Assemblies

On the last Thursday of every month, CGS parents join staff and students for a school wide Assembly. Assemblies are hosted by a different class each month (JK to Grade 3) and are presented by the students, with teacher support. Assembly themes like leadership, determination and empathy are taken from our Character Education program.

These presentations are a very important part of the curriculum at CGS. It is a time for students to share what they have been working on in their Character Education curriculum and in their music classes. It is an opportunity to exercise their public speaking and performance skills. As a result of these regular opportunities to be on the stage, our students think nothing of being in the spotlight. Even our Preschool students participate, building unusual confidence for such little people. Our students also learn the valuable skill of being a good audience and respecting their fellow students.

For those students that are very shy our Assemblies serve an even greater purpose. These students are given the opportunity to build their confidence over time, speaking a little louder or singing a little stronger each month.

We have seen students blossom from a shy presenter to lead in the musical or win our Public Speaking Contest. Assembly days are among the most proud and moving for CGS staff, as it is a time when we see our students at their best and bravest.

If you are a parent struggling with whether or not to choose a private school, it is important to note that this kind of regular opportunity to perform and present is not part of typical public school life. Experience outside of the classroom, particularly on the stage, is critical to a well-rounded education, and at CGS we take great care to create meaningful events for students to be part of and contribute to on a regular basis.

Learn more here.

Public Speaking

The art of public speaking remains as relevant in today’s world as ever. Being comfortable with speaking in front of a group is a skill we will likely call on many times throughout our lives. As many of us know though, it doesn’t always come naturally. It requires training, practise and confidence. At CGS, students have many opportunities to speak publicly (as described above) but our senior students go a little deeper. The Public Speaking Contest is held every year in April. Participation is mandatory for Grade 2 & 3 students. (Grade 1 students join the audience on the day of the contest to get a glimpse of what is coming up for them the following year.)

All Grade 2 & 3 students craft a speech to present to their classroom teacher, peers and the Principal. Finalists are then chosen to participate in the contest. A panel of judges, chosen for their skill and use of public speaking in their professions, evaluate the finalists’ speeches based on content, memory, eye contact, voice (intonation, projection etc.) and captivation of the audience. Comments are always positive, with a few suggestions for improvement.

Judges reinforce with the children that the most compelling speeches include a balance of facts and personal feeling.

It is always an exciting morning. A winner is chosen from both grade levels and the winners have the privilege of presenting their speeches to the school community at the April Assembly.

Learn more here.

Cultural Education

Cultural Education at Children's Garden School aims to bring global awareness to our young students through celebration, storytelling, food and art. Each year staff chooses a few cultural events to focus on. Our Mardi Gras party, Chinese New Year Banquet and Diwali celebrations have been recent highlights. Staff takes great care to communicate the deeper meanings and cultural significance of these events to students.

The CGS community becomes more and more diverse every year and we welcome input from our parents. Parents often visit classrooms to share the traditions that are important in their cultures and communities.

Learn more here.

Character Education

Character Education at CGS is part of every school day. Good conduct and manners are always expected and reinforced. Staff is there to support and model good behaviour all along the way. Our monthly assemblies are also themed with a chosen character trait to focus learning for the children. Children who particularly embody that month's character trait receive recognition for demonstrating their understanding with a certificate at our Character Education Assembly at the end of each month. These informal, student only assemblies are a chance for Marie to check in with all of the children to make sure they are making concrete character connections at school.

Contentment, Diversity, Forgiveness, Humility, Integrity and Teamwork are just an example of the many traits and qualities at school that we highlight on a monthly rotation.

At Children’s Garden School we recognize the critical importance of mindfulness for our students. As the psychological demands on human beings increase due to ever-present technology, young people need to cultivate ways to keep calm, focussed and aware more than ever, inside and outside the classroom. CGS has added MindUp to our health curriculum to help students begin this learning.

MindUp, created by The Hawn Foundation, is a comprehensive program that fosters social and emotional awareness, enhances psychological well-being, and promotes academic success. Students gain knowledge and strategies that will enable them to become self-regulated learners. MindUp lessons about the brain and how it functions give students insight into their own minds and behaviours, as well as others around them.

“Mindfulness is using your brain to make the best choice that you can.”~ Grade 3 student, CGS

CGS staff incorporate yoga into their classroom routines. Learning tools like fidgets, exercise bands, stand up desks, an in-class exercise bicycle, bungie cords around chair legs and 'wobbly' cushions to sit on, all help regulate student energies in the classroom. We have also added our Mindful Minute to our Monday morning routine. We start every day with announcements and on Mondays, to set the tone for the week ahead, we ring Tibetan Bells. The bells are followed by a minute of silent meditation and a quote to get us all thinking about mindfulness.

CGS Clubs

Clubs are offered every term at no additional cost to parents and are run by CGS staff. Clubs vary and are held before and after school or during lunch hour. Cross Country is on the schedule every fall and Track and Field is a staple in the third term. Principal’s Club is offered every term. Past clubs include Computer Skills, Lego Robotics, Floor Hockey, Building Club, and Puppet Making. Students are encouraged to attend at least one club per term.

CGS Clubs

Aerobics Club | Architect Club | Arts and Crafts Club | Basketball Club | Chess Club | Cross Country Club | Yoga Club | 

Principal's Club

In 2010 our Principal, Marie Bates, decided to create a club of her own. Her inspiration came from her own desire to reach out to the local and global community.

Marie wanted to share this desire with CGS students and reveal to them, through direct experience, the power they hold to make a difference in the world.

This idea has always been an integral part of the curriculum at CGS, delivered through our Cultural Studies and Character Education program. The Principal’s Club was designed as a natural extension of this philosophy and a specific call to action. Club members are responsible for creating products for sale, promoting their events and working the sales themselves. The Club has far surpassed Marie’s expectations and has been an incredible success for the children, both as an ongoing fundraising initiative and educational experience.

History

In 2012/2013 The Principal’s Club partnered with Children of Hope Uganda. Over the years, The Principal's Club raised over $20,00 for COHU. Funds supported the building of the Barlonyo Early Childhood Development Centre (a facility that can accommodate as many as 300 young children from age 2 to 7), stocked the classrooms with books and learning materials and provided enough money to pay teachers salaries. The Barlonyo Early Childhood Development Centre project has helped many families become self sufficient. We are very excited about our new partnership with The Olive Branch for Children.

Principal's club highlights include a Shoe Drive, Pancake Breakfast, and the Mothers Helping Mothers: Mother's Day Tea. During the 2018/2019 school year $4,384 was raised by the Principal's Club.

Students from Grades 1 through 4 are eligible to join The Principal’s Club. Joining this club has become a significant rite of passage for our SK students. We look forward to the great things our Principal’s Club will accomplish.

Real Food for Real Kids

CGS is very proud to partner with Real Food For Real Kids, a Toronto company dedicated to using whole, natural and organic ingredients. RFRK provides our students with tasty, nutritious and well-balanced lunches five days a week. RFRK also provides the snack in our Preschool classroom and After Care program.

Lunches are delivered to CGS every day and served hot in our lunch room by our RFRK Lunch Club coach. The Lunch Club Coach also educates the children about the nutritional value of their food, where it comes from and who grows it. Menus are globally inspired to help children develop and expand their palette.

Learn more about this amazing company and view sample menus.*

*CGS families register through the school office.

Extended Care

Children’s Garden School offers before and after care for those parents requiring an extended school day for their children. 

Before School Care

Grades 1-4 7:45 - 8:15am
JK & SK 7:45 - 8:30am

Please note that before care is not available for Early Start students.

Students are supervised by CGS staff in a designated classroom. It is a peaceful time for students before they begin their busy day - a chance to complete homework, read, or play quietly with their favourite school toys. JK and SK students will join their friends in their classroom at 8:30 am. Grades 1-3 students will join their classroom teacher at 8:15 as their school day begins at 8:30.

Cost: $10 per day
Parents are billed at the end of each month for days used.

After School Care

Early Start - Grade 4 from dismissal-5:30pm

After Care is a time for students to relax after a busy day – have a RFRK snack, make a craft, play with friends, complete homework and have some outdoor playtime in the playground (weather permitting). 

Cost:
$20 per day (until 4:30pm)
$30 per day (until 5:30pm) 

Parents are billed at the end of each month for days used.