Vincent Massey Academy

” Vincent Massey Academy has been an absolute gem for our daughter’s education journey. The Reggio Emilia environment they provide is nothing short of exceptional. Our daughter started reading at the age of 4, a testament to the nurturing and inspiring atmosphere created by the teaching team. Their professionalism and dedication shine through in every aspect of their work. We couldn’t be happier with our choice of school. Vincent Massey Academy is highly recommended to parents who value fostering their children’s individuality. Unlike other academically driven schools that may prioritize conformity, Vincent Massey Academy celebrates each child’s uniqueness. They provide a nurturing environment where children can thrive without the pressure of conforming to strict academic standards. This approach is invaluable in preparing children for success in a world that values more and more creativity, uniqueness, team work and empathy. “

” It’s disheartening to have to write this but we believe it’s important to share our experience. The worst part about what happened is that it is unlikely to be unique. All parents want what is best for their children and while not all opportunities become reality, it’s doubly painful when you’re led to believe they will. Being on the spectrum, our son needs opportunities to grow. He currently attends a fantastic alternative school but over the past year he’s made tremendous strides and now that he’ll be going to grade 1, we believed he would be ready for a more institutional setting. He still needs a support worker so our options were limited in terms of schools accepting external aids. We were excited when Vincent Massey was open to the idea of having our son attend. After some discussion with the admissions office, we were given a trial date where our son could attend a regular school day with his support worker. He assimilated well, even joining in group activities with his peers. The teacher and admissions office described it as a “fantastic day”. It was an amazing feeling – hearing from the teacher, his support worker and from our son himself how well the day went. We were excited to take the next steps for registration. In a follow up email, the admissions office promised a spot to our son. It was our understanding that he would be welcomed for registration. Over the following weeks, however, the admissions office neglected to follow up on scheduled phone calls and emails. We still believed he would be enrolling based on the emails we received. In the meantime, we put off renewing registration at his current school – which offered a discount of just over $1,000 for early registration, with the expectation that he would attend Vincent Massey in the fall. It was only after two weeks and numerous attempts to contact the admissions office that we were finally notified that, upon further review, our son would not be a good fit for the school since he did not have the minimum requirements of self care neurotypical students his age possess. This being despite the fact that he is well trained in toileting and dressing up, albeit with some help from his support worker on occasion. The other reason given was that he was unable to focus on a specific activity for 15 uninterrupted minutes – something he does regularly with his support worker at his current school. We were misled in our beliefs. The admissions office strung us along. Giving hope for an opportunity, only to take it away. We relied on that opportunity to our son’s detriment. This entire process was absolutely heartbreaking. It was a reminder of how children with special needs continually face barriers despite their progress and unique abilities. The most hurtful part of it was that our son is perfectly capable of attending a school like Vincent Massey, but that Vincent Massey is not open to accommodate his needs for accessibility. An opportunity denied. “

” Vincent Massey Academy (Horner location) is an amazing daycare. Our daughter was there for 2 years and they were just incredible. Even in the peak time of COVID, we felt so comfortable leaving our daughter there as she was given the best care we could ever ask for and she was always so excited to come back the next day. From the teachers, to the daily activities, to the food program, to the fun events it was all just an immensely positive experience. Our daughter’s growth was so positively impacted by all the amazing staff there we couldn’t ask for a better daycare. Any time we are asked about child care in the area we immediately recommended VMA. “

” As a first time mom sending my daughter to school for the first time and during the pandemic, I was extremely nervous and my daughter cried every day at drop off for weeks! The staff at VMA and especially the room teachers were incredible during our transition!!! Everyone was so kind, super understanding and made us feel very comfortable. The room teachers kept us engaged by updating their app with pictures and details of her day. The room teacher even called me to let me know when my daughter had stopped crying. The VMA staff really does create a family community which has been such a great experience! I also love all the great activities they do for the entire school – it is a very unique experience that our kids get to be a part of. Now my daughter loves her teachers and is always happy when I drop her off! “

” We have absolutely loved our experience at Vincent Massey! Our daughter has been there for over a year starting in the toddler room and now in PreK. The school itself is beautiful, they have gone above and beyond ensuring a bright, clean and inspirational learning environment in all their classrooms, and the recent upgrades to the playgrounds are stunning! The programming in both classes my daughter has been in is wonderful – I am blown away by all the things she is learning and doing. The staff and teachers are all so lovely and truly treat the kids like their own, my daughter never wants to leave :) They were so supportive through the transition into child care from being at home, to potty training, and everything in between. They do such a great job at keeping in touch with the parents throughout the day sharing pictures and updates. I cannot say enough great things about Vincent Massey, we are so happy to be part of this community !!! “