What is Caraway? 

Caraway began as a grassroots, charter private school in 1973. In 1975, a non-profit parent group submitted a proposal to EPSB in the hopes of becoming an Alternative Education program under the umbrella of the public system. With 25 children enrolled at the time, Caraway has substantially grown since then and has proven to be a successful school. 

Caraway operates as a K-9 alternative learning environment that is committed to being an open and honest community that supports the education of our children by actively connecting family, school and society. Through willing participation in the community, we create and nurture an environment that gives students the opportunity to take risks, be responsible, and develop meaningful relationships.

The Caraway program offers project-based, child-centred learning and helps all students make meaningful connections while providing opportunities for rich conceptual development.

Caraway takes advantage of the many researched benefits of mixed-age groupings across grade levels. Older students are encouraged to be leaders and help in the learning process for younger students, who in turn thrive on their attention. Students may also benefit from having the same teacher for two or three years in a row.

In addition to teaching academic skills, the intent of the the program is to help the students develop both emotionally and socially. Nurturing the children to become Emotionally Intelligent enables them to become more responsible for their individual behaviour and the ability to develop empathic feelings for others and their problems and to be able to risk caring for others.

Our students and staff work collaboratively and democratically while each individual is considered and respected. Making decisions becomes a group process and the students and teachers are responsible for solving problems together as they arise. Group problem solving techniques relating to the classroom order and management are more likely to result in students feeling personally responsible and committed to maintaining that order.