“This historic building in the heart of Oakville is much more than a place where your child goes to school, it is an active hub for learning and development.” – Michael Piening, Head of School
Q | Describe your students.
MacLachlan is a day school offering Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Our students are primarily from Oakville, Burlington, and Mississauga. We also welcome international students each year who benefit from our exceptional English as a Second Language program. One of the distinguishing characteristics of MAC is our diversity and beginning with our youngest students, our educational philosophy of international mindedness is cultivated.
Q | What do you look for in a teacher?
All MacLachlan teachers are highly qualified Ontario Certified Teachers (OCT), many with additional Master’s degrees in their subject specialties. They are experienced, dedicated and passionate about their profession and their students fostering a growth mindset at all grade levels. The recent necessity to pivot to remote learning magnified their commitment to leadership, academic excellence, collaboration, and innovation that allowed MAC students to successfully complete their school year with high achievement.
Q | In an increasingly competitive landscape for entry to post-secondary education and real-world preparedness, how does your school set itself apart from other options?
We focus on instilling the love of learning and discovery in our students at all grade levels. Beyond a solid academic foundation, we offer opportunities for students to discover underlying talents and passions and foster creativity, resilience, communication, and problem-solving skills. This holistic approach to learning empowers students to be confident and accountable individuals. These skills transcend into all educational, social and professional landscapes.
Q | What does technology—both in resources and STEM courses—offer the contemporary student in a private school?
As an active learning school, we incorporate the use of technologies into most of our lessons at all grade levels. In Grades 1-5 there is an iPad for every student to complement learning and facilitate a dynamic learning environment. Students have innovation classes built into their units of inquiry where planning and collaboration are integrated to teach them about the design process. Whether tasks are focused on coding, building structures, 3D printing or building water filtration systems with Maker Cart supplies, students nurture and develop their problem-solving skills.
Q | What do graduates tend to remember most from their time at your school?
Our graduates value the friendships they formed, the relationships with their teachers and school community, the comradery through school extracurricular activities and ultimately, gratitude for an education that allowed them to achieve their post-secondary goals. Some may reflect on experiences through outdoor education adventures through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme, many will have memories from international travel and service trips, others may remember debate and public speaking competitions, and it is guaranteed that many still hold rivalries from our incredibly popular floor hockey intramurals.
Q | What kind of relationship do alumni have with current students?
Each year our alumni return to MacLachlan to provide information sessions to our Grade 12 students who are preparing to enter post-secondary. They provide mentoring and sound advice for students excited about their university experience. Some of the relationships continue over decades in that we have several alumni who have a unique perspective since they were once MAC students and now have returned as teachers at MacLachlan.
337 Trafalgar Rd, Oakville, ON L6J 3H3
905.844.0372 | info@maclachlan.ca
