In mid-March, as the Coronavirus pandemic spread without warning, closing schools around the world, Selwyn House School in Westmount had to immediately create an innovative learning environment that would maintain the academic excellence for which the school has long been famous.

The boys’ school with 540 students, from Kindergarten to Grade 11, was faced with a new reality. For secondary school students, that meant clicking on a link to a weekly schedule, checking in online at 8;30 a.m. and participating in four 40-minute periods each morning. This was followed by a study period, and participation in virtual assemblies and other group sessions on Zoom.

In the afternoon, students took part in other online activities, including a check-in with Phys Ed teachers and participation in experiential education activities such as the “School of Life”, a forum hosted by school alumni and others who spoke about their professional experiences.

The school day ended at 1;45 p.m., after which students were encouraged to get some exercise, work on a hobby or help out around the house.

Brenda Montgomery, Director of Academic Innovation and Growth at Selwyn House, says she was inspired by how everyone in the community cooperated to keep the school functioning. “Everyone was very supportive and understanding of what is really important,” she says. “There's nothing like a crisis to accelerate innovation.” For younger students, the situation called for a much more flexible framework. “I can’t imagine a Kindergarten student sitting in front of a computer screen for too long a time,” says Selwyn House Elementary School Head, Kathy Funamoto.

In addition to Zoom, Selwyn House had a lot of experience using Seesaw, a digital portfolio app that allowed students to post their work for review by parents and teachers. For three years, elementary students had been using Seesaw a few times a week. In the spring, it was multiple times per day. “They were, for the most part, ready to be distance learners,” says Funamoto.

No one knows what school will be like in September, so Selwyn House is preparing for three possible scenarios; regular classes, online classes, or a hybrid of both.

“Our small school advantage gives us greater flexibility going forward,” says Headmaster Hal Hannaford. “At this time, more than ever, at Selwyn House we truly value community over curriculum.”

When students are allowed to return to class, the school will follow all Quebec Ministry of Health guidelines in terms of possible smaller class sizes, physical distancing, and hygiene.

Getting to Selwyn House School from Laval has been made easier in recent years by the addition of a dedicated school bus with stops in Ste-Dorothée and Carrefour Laval. Families have also opted for public transportation to get to the school, which is a 10-minute walk from Atwater Metro.