Oakwood AcademyOakwood Academy
OAKWOOD ACADEMY
We are proud to be the leading DIR® school in Canada, supporting families whose goals are to understand their child’s unique learning profile and provide a holistic approach to learning that goes beyond surface behaviours.
By offering a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to each student’s education, we have raised the bar for other schools and will continue to be a progressive leader in our educational industry.
“In our caring and close-knit community, students and families will be supported and motivated to reach their highest potential. Working as a true partnership with parents, students will be encouraged to develop self-advocacy, social-emotional and cognitive development. These foundational skills are essential to successfully navigate the challenges in the world around them.”
Oakwood Academy, formerly known as the Kids CAN, was founded in 2007 as the first centre to offer social-emotional therapy as a full day program and the first recognized school in Canada to use the DIR® Model. Recognizing that Sensory Processing, Social-Emotional, and Engagement Skills were not emphasized in other educational plans, we shifted from a focus of “positively reinforcing positive behaviors” to adopting a developmental framework that goes beyond just addressing the behaviors of each child and family we serve.
Forming networks with Sick Kids, Government Agencies, and renowned Speech Pathologists and Occupational Therapists, Kids CAN formed the first DIR Multi-disciplinary school in Canada. Kids CAN Charity was established in 2010 to further support the mission to provide more access for families and children with individual needs in our community.
Our mission, vision and values continued to direct our growth and decisions to ultimately integrate Kids CAN with a larger school. In 2013, we joined St. Jude’s Academy. By supporting inclusion opportunities and accessing more extracurricular options for families, Oakwood welcomed the unique advantage of a clinical and IB school systems combined.
