About Us
"CIS is an association of Ontario independent schools working together to support member schools in their missions to prepare students for the 21st C."
We accomplish this mission by providing tools and programmes to:
- Provide unique inter-school student experiences.
- Provide opportunities for ongoing professional development and networking among member schools.
- Provide opportunities to share resources and best practices and experiences across and among member schools.
- Facilitate collaborative activity.
- Disseminate relevant research and information.
- Promote sustainability of the CIS member school community through advocacy and promotion.
CIS believes that the best schools exhibit the following characteristics:
- Have dedicated, well-qualified teachers
- Emphasize innovative and effective academic programmes
- Educate the whole child
- Develop student character
- Are independent with good governance models
- Are safe schools
Download the CIS Parent Brochure here.
CIS operates an athletic association - Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association - which is part of the Ontario Federation of Secondary Athletic Associations (OFSAA). Students in our member schools compete on a wide variety of athletic teams, many of them reaching the all-Ontario Playoffs each year.
Visit the CISAA website at http://www.cisaa.ca/
CIS holds an annual music festival at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto in the spring of each year. The festival features massed choirs and a number of instrumental groups.
Visit the CISMF website at http://www.cismf.ca/
Thirteen CIS Independent Schools have collaborated to create leading Canadian online courses withinin a not-for-profit eLearning Consortium. Based on a Think Tank led by The Bishop Strachan School, who endorse and practice 21st century skills, the Consortium developed its unique model. Not only are the courses creatively designed and developed for the 21st Century student, it sets the pace for teacher collaboration, a leading model for instructional design, partnerships and even administration. Through shared decision-making and policy directions, the Consortium fosters flexibility, collaboration and a shared culture of learning. These shared ideals developed a unique learning community. Exemplary online curriculum is developed through a partnership with the University of Ontario Institute of technology (UOIT). Teachers learn to design and deliver interactive, highly collaborative online courses through a jointly taught Online Teaching and Learning Continuing Education course. This ongoing teacher PD model encourages transfer of digital technology skills from the online to the face-to-face classroom.
Visit the CIS eLearning Consortium website at http://ciselc.com/
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