As an internationally focused school that prepares students to take their place as global leaders of tomorrow, TFS will create a permanent home for the Learning Forum at each of the four TFS branches, to ensure that all TFS students reap the benefits of an innovative learning approach that is being embraced by leading academic institutions the world over.

In anticipation of the establishment of the permanent Learning Forum centres, Dr. Susan Elliott, Executive Director of The Learning Forum @ TFS, and her team of resource teachers, learning strategists, guidance counsellors and psychoeducational consultants have been diligently working over the past few years to develop and implement programming that will enhance every student’s capacity to succeed.

“In the first year, we started small and we listened,” says Dr. Elliott. “In the second year, we began to implement new programs and now, in our third year, we are expanding and growing, building on our successes. Now we need to build the spaces.” And the need for space is becoming an issue. In fact, the Learning Forum in Toronto has outgrown last year’s classroom space, prompting a move this year into an area in the Senior School library, where a Learning Forum hub will eventually reside. This preliminary move will ease the transition to the new location once the renovations are done.

In the meantime, students can now walk into the library and access one of three learning strategists designated to the area. A technology classroom has been added, as well as “dead quiet” rooms for private study. “I get so much work done,” says Tyler Chan (Level V). “The quiet room is conducive to maintaining focus and peace of mind.” Turns out, Tyler isn’t the only student seeking peace and quiet to study — the new quiet rooms are a big hit with many Senior Schoolers!

Donations of $1.5 million received thus far have allowed TFS to begin some necessary pre-renovation work, which has been rolling out in phases since the summer and is scheduled to be completed this fall.

The second phase, currently in progress, addresses ventilation, and the building of new guidance offices and a digital classroom – a multi-modal learning hub to facilitate study, research and collaboration.  

The final phase will see renovations to the existing library and connect areas into one unified space. Detailed designs for all four Learning Forum centres, as well as the final phase of renovations, will get under way once we have raised an additional $1.3 million in cash and pledges, or $2.8M of the $4 million goal.

Underscoring the importance of Soaring Beyond: The Campaign for TFS, and the establishment of The Learning Forum @ TFS, Dr. Elliott added, “TFS students are put to the test every day with our rigorous academic standards and they are exceptional achievers. They deserve the best. They deserve every support we can give them on their academic journeys.”

The world in which our children will live and work will require resourcefulness, inquisitiveness, collaborative skills and the ability to deftly access information and knowledge from multiple media, which means the demands on young learners are far greater today. TFS is committed to preparing all students for the challenges of the future by integrating Learning Forum tools and strategies into the curriculum and school culture.

“TFS is investing in the people and the program, in the operation and the expertise,” says Dr. Elliott, “and fundraising is an essential partner in this process.”

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