Academics

The curriculum is designed to stimulate the interest of students and awaken their sense of wonder and amazement, setting the stage for meaningful education. We incorporate the learning objectives set out by the B.C. Government and offer additional curriculum to challenge and excite students. Most Cornerstone students complete the required components of the BC curriculum at an accelerated pace, allowing teachers to introduce a wide variety of enriching and engaging topics across all subject areas.

Teachers set high standards and expect every student to be working at their highest potential. Cornerstone students consistently score above average on provincial academic assessments, with particularly high success in the area of mathematics. In an effort to establish a love of literature and a lifelong habit of reading, every class has a home-reading program. Children are encouraged to read and enjoy a wide range of literature. Neat work and a strong work ethic are emphasized in all subject areas.

Differentiated Learning

To support this enriched approach, teachers carefully tailor each student’s math and language curriculum to ensure full understanding before introducing new concepts, while also extending learning as far as the student is capable. For example, Kindergarten students who are able to write simple sentences may be given journals to create written entries with accompanying illustrations. A student in Grade 1 who knows their multiplication tables may be introduced to dynamic multiplication later in the year. In Grade 3, students might complete a science unit on extinction, where they use technology to research an extinct animal and compile their findings into a presentation book featuring written information, illustrations, and printed images.

Teachers at Cornerstone respect the individual developmental needs of each and every student and consciously assess the different learning styles that exist within the classroom. They incorporate many modes of conveying information (i.e. visual, auditory, etc.) and are sensitive to the fact that students will often differ in their learning preferences. At Cornerstone, we recognize that the medium is the message—and that finding creative, new ways of presenting material is just as important as the material itself.

Low Student Teach ratio

By maintaining classes with a low student teacher ratio, Cornerstone children receive significant individual attention.  Student teacher ratios:

• Kindergarten – 12 students per teacher

• Primary – 15 students per teacher

• Intermediate – 17 students per teacher

Accreditation

Cornerstone Montessori School is constituted as a non-profit society under the Society Act of British Columbia.

Cornerstone School is a “class 1”, secular, co-educational school, fully accredited by the Ministry of Education of British Columbia.

The Society operates under the direction of a Board of Governors, who in turn pass on all administrative duties and responsibilities to the two administrative staff in primary and intermediate.