OUR MISSION
The Giles School's mission is to cultivate lifelong learners and responsible global citizens who can rise to the challenges of the future while making a valuable impact on society. We provide a well-rounded bilingual education with an inclusive perspective that develops students of character who are committed to making the world a better place.
The School History
Formerly known as The Markham School for Human Development, The Giles School was founded in 1989 with Mr. Harry Giles, CM, QC, at the helm as headmaster. Mr. Giles also founded the Toronto French School in 1962 and was a pioneer in modern education. Regarded as an influential educator in Canada, he established prestigious pre-university competitions such as the Chemistry and Physics Olympiads, and started the first GCE Ordinary and Advanced Examination Center in Canada. He played a key role in the creation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the first examination for the IB in Canada.
Situated in the basement of an Anglican church, The Giles School started with a handful of students and was built upon the foundations of six philosophical pillars: early academic intervention, bilingualism, third languages, small classes, the highest international standards, and love.
Originally, the dual immersion school offered English and French language programs, with a third choice of either Mandarin or Japanese. The school continued to develop, and in 1994, a second branch for older students was introduced at Donway Covenant United Church. Due to popular demand, the following year a third language curriculum focusing on Mandarin was introduced.
In 2008, the school relocated to North York and evolved into a well-rounded multilingual and multicultural institution. Over the next decade, the French Immersion Program was implemented from Pre-K onward, and the Giles Parents Association was founded.
Highlighting the school’s continued commitment to student leadership training, 2018 saw the establishment of the Giles Student Leadership program to equip students across Grades 4 to 8 with relevant life skills to aid their holistic development through focused service-learning projects. In 2019, our Coding and Robotic programs were introduced to The Giles School as part of its curriculum. Recently, principal Ms. Caroline Bernaba, has added Financial Literacy and Investment courses for grades 4-8 plus Matatalab Coding for grade 1.