Ruby attended Strathcona Montessori for her 2 preschool years and it was a wonderful experience for her. We watched her thrive from an educational perspective as she learned to read and write, began practicing math, learned about the world around her and continued to develop her love of crafts (drawing, cutting, sewing etc). We also saw how eager she was to help others in her class, be involved in classroom activities and have fun with her classmates. For her kindergarten year we tried the local public school (Strathcona Elementary) and while for the most part Ruby has enjoyed her time there (she is the kind of kid who loves school!) it has been a different experience for her in terms of the access to learning opportunities tailored to her interests and abilities. We feel she is being overlooked as her teachers focus their attention on other students who really do need extra help, and that her experience is suffering as a result. She often talks about how she misses her preschool - we would be thrilled to reintroduce her to the Montessori style teaching again and are confident she would thrive and be a positive influence on her fellow classmates as a result.