CURRICULUM AT MILLPOND ACADEMY
At our school, learning goes far beyond the Ontario curriculum. In addition to strong academics, we place a high value on social-emotional learning and the development of life skills such as empathy, kindness, problem-solving, and effective communication. Our goal is to nurture confident, compassionate learners who are well-prepared not only for future studies, but also for meaningful relationships and real-world success. We are a secular school.
The Ontario Curriculum guides our Language and Mathematics expectations to ensure our students are working towards a smooth transition to their next steps after Millpond.
In Science and Social Studies, we touch on topics from the Ontario Curriculum in order to expand our student’s topic knowledge. We also try to explore additional topics that best match the interests and passions of our students all while still helping them to develop research skills, critical thinking skills and explore the scientific method!
Our French as a Second Language program is offered in every grade. Students in Grade 4 to 8 follow the Core French Ontario Curriculum and students in primary grades will be offered varying levels of oral French classes with a focus on vocabulary.
We do not teach the Ontario Health Curriculum and leave it to our families to have open and honest discussions about these topics on an ongoing basis. Please ensure your children are informed and prepared for their changing bodies, the changes in others, as well as aware of how to make safe and healthy choices.
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We have a fantastic Drama, Music, and Art program at Millpond Academy. Each year, the entire school works together to present a full-scale production—past performances have included The Wizard of Oz and Beauty and the Beast. Our music program gives students the chance to explore instruments such as recorders, hand bells, and boomwhackers, while developing rhythm, creativity, and teamwork. In art, students work with a wide variety of mediums, from watercolour and acrylic painting to drawing, sculpting, and mixed media projects, encouraging them to express themselves in unique and meaningful ways.
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All of our students, K-8, participate in Physical Education programming that includes a variety of games that help students develop gross motor skills. Students in grade 3+ participate in sport specific units to develop an understanding of rules and strategies in different sports as well more specific skills. We also try to offer some more unique Physical Education opportunities such as curling, skiing, skating etc. In September 2022 we joined the London District Catholic School Board Recreation Programs. This allows us to participate in sporting events/tournaments such as Cross Country, Track and Field, Tchoukball etc. These events are mainly for our grades 4-8 students. ​​
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We are also value Outdoor Education and offer our primary students regular classes and our intermediate students occasional classes. These opportunities establish a deep connection, appreciation and respect for the natural world. They have the freedom to develop their resilience, perseverance, cooperation and problem solving skills in a natural environment.
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We offer opportunities for students to learn new skills/hobbies in our Fun Friday Clubs sessions which are created each year based on the students unique interests. Previously, we have had clubs such as bird watching club, baking club, magic club, origami club, yearbook club, spa club etc.
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Other unique learning opportunities we provide at Millpond Academy may include learning about life cycles and development through hatching chicks, learning about different countries around the world and their food by having a food tasting party, and going on field trips to experience learning in different atmospheres. Millpond Academy is an exceptional alternative education option for families in Oxford County. We look forward to new families joining our school community!
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HISTORY
Millpond Academy opened its doors in September 2020. Learning began in a small house that had been transformed into a flexible educational space. With only 10 students, in Kindergarten to Grade 7, and one full time teacher we got off to a very unique and engaging start! Students would learn from each other, work in small groups with the teacher, or work independently completing different activities and exploring through different learning challenges that were presented to them. After only one month in school there was already enough interest from new families to hire a second teacher! A weekend of drywalling and painting lead to the creation of a whole new classroom space for our new teacher who would be working with the now 7 kindergarten students.
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It quickly became clear that our original space couldn’t accommodate our growth, so the search began for a new home. This is when we found 590 Adelaide Street, Woodstock. At the time, the building was being used as a hair salon but with a fresh vison and a lot of hard work it was renovated into a spacious and functional school building, the second home of Millpond Academy. We moved over Christmas Break and after navigating through the added difficulties of Covid-19 we completed a safe and successful year. We were able to celebrate our accomplishments with our first annual Garden Party with our families.
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Over the summer our school community grew and we started the 2021-2022 school year with 3 full-time staff members and almost 30 students! We continued to learn and explore, build community and grow throughout the ups and downs the 2021-2022 school year brought. With the goal to continue our growth, I was always on the lookout for the perfect location, which I found that June. I purchased a building and again transformed what was a 3-bedroom home into our next school building, now located in Innerkip. We started the 2022-2023 school year in what we thought would be our forever home, small but with the potential to grow! Our 2023-2024 School year brought continued growth and an extended partnership with Hope Church (formerly Innerkip Presbyterian Church). We had previously used their gym space and this year expanded to using additional space for our Grade 5/6 and Grade 7/8 classrooms while using the school building for Kindergarten to Grade 4. The 2024-2025 school year continued in both the church and school buildings.
It was early in this school year when members of the community started approaching me with the news that Innerkip United Church would be closing their doors and their members were hopeful to find a local business to purchase their building. Though our Blandford Street location was intended as our forever home, the added space and potential of the United Church building were too valuable to pass up. Another summer of moving and renovating followed—and in September of 2025, we were excited to begin our first school year at 11 Vincent Street, Innerkip.
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The goal for Millpond Academy is to continue growing our community into a school of 75 students and 5-7 staff members. I strive for our school to always be one in which every teacher knows every student by name and our building feels like an extension of your home. I’m thrilled that 11 Vincent Street offers us the space and opportunity to continue thriving together.
SCHEDULE
7:30 AM
OPTIONAL BEFORE SCHOOL PROGRAM
Students can register for before school childcare at an additional cost of $5 per child per day.
9:00 AM
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START OF THE SCHOOL DAY
Students will enter the school through the backyard, hang up their things and be prepared to start our day for 9am.
11:45Â AM
LUNCH
Students should be provided with their own lunch, snacks and drinks for the day. On occasion, special lunch orders will be available.
3:20 PM
END OF THE SCHOOL DAY
Student pick up is
at 3:20pm.
5:00 PM
END OF OPTIONAL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
Students can register for after school care at an additional cost of $5 per child per day.
MORE THAN JUST A LOGO
Millpond Academy’s logo design begins fundamentally with a circle. The perimeter of this circle represents how the educational journey never is ending. It is lifelong; once begun, we continue to learn well beyond our academic years. In addition to fostering the love of lifelong learning, each educational endeavour at Millpond Academy is based in what is known as a Whole Child Approach. This philosophy, represented by the body of the circle and its components, appreciates the development of each student as a multi faceted, complex and complete human being. Working to advance a child socially, emotionally, physically and academically is the primary focus of this approach.
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The inner ring, closest to the school, represents the role of Millpond Academy collaborating with the outer ring, a student’s family or guardians, in supporting the student’s educational journey. A special appreciation for creativity and intelligence are expressed with the colours purple and blue respectively.
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The school building depicted with the door open, signifies how Millpond Academy will unlock your child’s desire to learn in an inclusive and welcoming environment. The schoolhouse, located on the water illustrates how Millpond Academy, as a comprehensive institution, will ebb and flow with the educational needs and interests of your child just as the water ebbs and flows with the waves.
The three waves under the schoolhouse represent Millpond Academy’s three core values
– Empathy, Integrity and Exploring Passions.
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Empathy - the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another
Integrity -the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
Exploring Passion - a strong liking or desire for an activity, object, or concept
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The symbols on the outer ring are the Balance Scale, the Open Book and the Graduation Cap. The Balance Scale recognizes the importance of STEM components at Millpond Academy. The Open Book signifies education, knowledge and wisdom as a foundation for a truly enriched life. The Graduation Cap exhibits the importance of setting, working toward and achieving important goals including personal development and educational success.
Learning Beyond Our Walls
INNERKIP PARK
This park offers baseball diamonds, play structures, basketball nets, swings and greens pace! It is approximately a 200m walk from the school down Coleman Street.
HOPE CHURCH
We are thankful for our down the road and around the corner neighbour, Hope Church, for the opportunity to rent their facility for our occasional programming! Sometimes we are in the Gym for PE activities or in the Auditorium for our play. They are located at 64 Blandford St, Innerkip.
INNERKIPÂ PUBLIC LIBRARY
The library is full of resources for us to borrow and it is a short walk through the park from the school.
STONEGATEÂ PARK
This park features a large open field great for soccer and tag. There is also a small playground with swings.