How Students and Families Feel

 

We value Acceptance, Creativity, Inclusiveness, Respect, Community, Passion, and Safety. 

 

When we say we are "Where Education Meets the Arts," we mean that. An enhanced academic program with arts electives that support academic projects. The academic projects can also support arts projects as well as include the arts in academic learning. This is a proven curriculum that meets and exceeds Ministry standards, that keeps learning exciting and builds student character. Most who come and stay graduate with new self-confidence as well as confidence in dealing with the world.

 

In most public school systems, students often feel isolated; they can’t be themselves in an environment where they are simply surviving, not thriving. While in large classes and large schools, they can feel alone because their creative side is not cherished or often even acknowledged. Some may feel like a small fish in a big pond, that their experience is akin to fitting a square peg into a round hole, and that they just don’t fit in. They feel that they don’t have a say in their education, have minimal resources and flexibility, and are not learning the way they need to learn.

Students want to feel safe and happy at school, learning in a way that feels natural to them, where they don’t have to try and be someone that they are to fit in. They want to feel accepted so they can make friends and forge authentic connections. They want to learn in an environment that feels safe and offers them a sense of belonging. Being a unique individual is encouraged here for them to truly be themselves while working with others understanding we are all unique. 

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Parents want their children to be happy, to flourish, and to enjoy going to school. They want confidence in the school’s curriculum and certainty in the quality of education under the instruction of arts mentors. We work so hard as teachers and mentors to connect with students and accept them as they truly are.

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Why Studio9 is Important
 

Not all students in the traditional education system are excelling. There is a lack of individualized support, many classes are oversized, understaffed, and budget cuts have affected the presence of enriched, creative,  and extracurricular resources.

In addition, exposure to the arts can be limited, where it should ideally be fully integrated into a comprehensive education. Additionally, social acceptance and conformity are often prioritized over individualism. Kids feel isolated, parents feel uninformed, and school spirit rarely exists.

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What Sets Studio9 Apart

 

At Studio9, students are excited to go to school. They feel like they are part of a community and are happy to be in a place where they can be themselves. They actually want to do their schoolwork.  In experiencing an educational style that encourages problem-solving and exploration of outside-the-box ideas and approaches, they spark a passion for learning through the arts.
 

The arts-rich Studio9 environment fosters curiosity, creativity, self-acceptance, and every unique personality is valued. Children are mentored rather than directed, and they graduate with a foundational passion for the arts that encourages confidence and a strong sense of self.

Students feel safe enough to be authentic and yet are challenged to grow and become increasingly self-actualized. The goal at Studio9 is not to make yourself invisible so you blend into the crowd but to let your strengths shine and to contribute to the greater whole of the school community. Through project-based learning, students work with and through social and ideological differences as groups.  They develop meaningful connections to themselves and the curriculum while growing their self-confidence.

Beyond academia and the arts, students who attend Studio9 will thrive with an enriched education that prioritizes character-building qualities. Our educational approach revolves around fostering 11 pillars:

1. Creativity
2. Confidence
3. Problem Solving
4. Perseverance
5. Focus
6. Communication and Collaboration 
7. Feedback and Reflection
8. Critical Thinking
9. Dedication
10. Accountability
11. Empathy