Pickering College

Pickering College is an independent Day and Boarding school for boys and girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. Founded in 1842 as a Quaker school, and established in our current Newmarket location in 1909, the mission of Pickering College is to instill in each individual the ability and responsibility to make the world greater, better and more beautiful than they discovered it. Our vision is to develop innovative, courageous and compassionate global citizens who take action, true to Quaker values.

As part of our Quaker values, we celebrate diversity in all aspects of the school. This is reflected both in our Global Leadership Program and our commitment to a co-educational environment. Our unique approach includes educating and developing the 'whole child' through a focus on academic excellence, co-curricular distinction, and character and leadership development. We pride ourselves in providing an individualized approach to learning.

As a school with a long history and deep roots in the local and global community, we recognize and value the educational partnerships we have formed with various organizations to support our academics, in particular our Global Leadership Program. We are extremely proud of these partnerships as they are an acknowledgement from external organizations of the academically rigorous, creative and innovative programming we offer our students. Pickering College is proud to be a UNESCO school in the international Associated Schools Network. Additional partnerships include: I-Think from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto; Global Ideas Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs; we are the only Canadian partner school in the international organization Facing History and Ourselves; EcoSchools Canada; Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority; Critical Thinking Consortium; Samara; and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Pickering College is proud to be internationally and locally recognized for the Global Leadership Program and that these transformational partnerships will continue to enrich our work with our students.

Our Mission

To instill in each individual the ability and responsibility to make the world greater, better and more beautiful than they discovered it.

Our Values

• Community is gathering interconnected individuals whose collective actions create a sense of belonging and encourage participation, who accept and take care of one another.
• Compassion is being sensitive to others' thoughts and feelings and understanding and considering conflicting issues and ideas. It is to show concern and caring for all others in the community, no matter their differences, in a way that creates harmony and peace.
• Integrity is the courage to act honestly and truthfully in all actions.
• Respect is valuing yourself and others and the environment in which we exist, based on the principles of simplicity and equality, so that you treat others as you wish to be treated.
• Responsibility is being accountable for one's own actions and behaviours by demonstrating good judgement and fulfilling obligations.

A Pickering College education provides our students with an exceptional learning environment that prepares them for future success. We develop and instill in our students the attributes, values, knowledge, self-confidence and courage to be successful in post-secondary studies and beyond. Our students not only develop strong academic skills, but they develop social consciousness and leadership skills in order to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.

Experiential learning opportunities deepen understanding and develop leadership capacity from a global perspective. Our learning community is enriched by bringing together students who represent a diversity of cultures and perspectives to study and live at our school. Our students work to develop into ethical, responsible and active citizens who can make a difference in the local and global community.

We offer a smaller school environment where students know their teachers and classmates well. Students are encouraged and supported to do their best. They have ample opportunity to try new things - be it creating a film, learning a new language, hosting their own radio show or venturing off for a weekend of winter camping. Students learn with highly-motivated classmates from Ontario and from more than 25 countries around the world.

The teacher advisor program, Morning Meeting, family-style lunches and family-based boarding program foster a spirit of community and a caring, friendly environment in which our students thrive. At Pickering College, we remain true to our founding principles, values, mission, history and traditions. Students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni have pride in the school, and feel valued, engaged and connected. We are a compassionate community with extraordinary students who achieve remarkable outcomes every day.

ESL Boarding Academy

Our Pickering College ESL Boarding Academy offers students a full-year credited program carefully designed to accelerate language acquisition and to provide the foundation for students to study at Canadian boarding schools.  Students enrolled in this program will earn a full year of required Ontario Secondary School Diploma credits, prepare for the TOEFL Junior test and participate in exciting excursions to explore Canadian culture.  They will also learn how to be successful in learning skills valued in Canada such as public speaking, group work, writing with personal voice and synthesizing research.  In the evenings and weekends, students will participate in our well-established boarding activities as well as visit Canadian Universities and engage in community outreach.  Students will enjoy outdoor activities in all seasons on both our main campus and our second property, the Blue and Silver Farm.

Program Details:

AP Grade 12 French, Chemistry, Calculus and Comparative Government and Politics.  Other AP subject exams can be arranged.

The Community Service Program at Pickering College is fundamental to the delivery of the Global Leadership Program and to the development of responsible and engaged students. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 are provided with opportunities to engage and learn with community members in meaningful ways, both within and beyond the classroom walls. Building connections between the curriculum and what is happening in the world at large is essential to the PC vision of a program that graduates courageous agents of ethical and positive change, true to Quaker values.

In the Middle School (Grades 6-8), Community represents one of the four program pillars. This strand is deeply embedded into the curricular program through a focus on learning about global mindedness, citizenship and through a focus on helping students practice social action, advocacy and engagement in their project work. Students at this level, help plan and deliver a community service day in the Newmarket area.

In the Senior School (Grades 9-12), students continue to use real-world, community-based issues to frame their classroom learning but also engage in authentic local and global projects at each grade level. The Global Leadership Program is specifically designed to further students[?] sense of community and service leadership skills, as they participate in projects aimed at identifying, investigating and advocating for issues of local or global significance. Finally, Senior School students are expected to engage in a sustained, meaningful and collaborative partnership with a local organization as part of the Global Leadership Program. Students are provided with a wide range of service opportunities and support in determining these opportunities. Each co-curricular term also offers community outreach opportunities for students interested in participating in community service more regularly.

Domestic and International Trips

There are a wide-variety of domestic and international trips and exchanges available to students. March Break European excursions have visited destinations such as Iceland, France, Italy and Greece. Students have canoed through the whitewater in Nahanni National Park in the Northwest Territories, hiked in Peru and summited the mountain to visit Machu Picchu, and visited remote communities in the Arctic. Our student-exchange program has enabled students to host a partner and experience another country in places like Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

ESL Summer Camp and Global Leadership Summer Camp

https://www.pickeringcollege.on.ca/discovery-programs

Students in both of our summer camps enjoy the excellent residential, dining, academic, athletic and social facilities of one of Canada's oldest independent schools. We are focused on providing students with the social conscience, confidence and skills to shape the future. All aspects of the program provide opportunity for leadership development and personal growth through peer support, creative problem-solving and team-building. Students benefit from small classes of 12 to 15 students per instructor

There is so much to see and do while learning at Pickering College! To complement our classroom studies, many exciting excursions are planned for this summer, including visits to Niagara Falls, Canada's Wonderland, CN Tower, Aquarium, Blue Jays baseball game, and more!

The ESL Summer Camp at Pickering College is specially designed for students aged 12 to 16 who plan to study in an English-speaking school, or who wish to study English as an academic subject in their own country.

The Global Leadership Summer Camp at Pickering College is for students whose level of English proficiency is already high enough that they can succeed in an English-language classroom environment. The focus of this camp is to provide students with the benefits of our Global Leadership Program, in a shorter summer session. Activities are focused on developing students leadership and communication skills, while completing design thinking workshops, 2-Day Model UN-style conference, and a Global Leadership Action Project Pitch.

SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR 2024 SUMMER CAMPS!

Watch for registration and further details on our website.

$6,950 CAD - 4 week session

Session 1: June 30 - July 26, 2024

Session 2: July 28 - August 23, 2024