Opening in September, 1972, ALPHA (A Lot of People Hoping for an Alternative) was the first elementary alternative public school in Toronto. It was founded by interested parents, who met for a year at O.I.S.E. (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education) to create a proposal that was inspired in good part by the 1968 Ontario Hall-Dennis Report. The A.L.P.H.A. Experience was accepted, as proposed, by the Toronto Board of Education on December 16, 1971. And so ALPHA School was born.

Parental involvement has always been at the core of ALPHA’s constantly shifting and changing character at each of its many stages and through all its many phases; from its inception to its current state, today. Today, we refer more often to familial involvement. Families are diverse and may include aunts and uncles, grandparents and other extended family, involved-partners and other friends and neighbours; all who care to be involved are considered to be ALPHA Community Members.

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ALPHA’s structure offers families many unique opportunities to enjoy and add value to a community that’s committed to nurturing the growth and development of their children.

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We rely heavily on families in every aspect of day to day operations:
getting involved in the academic program, or sharing personal talents and skills through unique programming;

supervising in the library or on field trips, helping kids get coats into cubbies or participating in conflict resolution;

helping to design and maintain a warm and welcoming environment, organizing social functions and cultural events;

participating in basic administration and fundraising activities;

advocating for ALPHA in the wider community;

or even just helping to move a table or two or washing a few dishes…

every effort holds great value for the ALPHA Community because all of this is what defines us.
Do what you can. This is ALPHA’s fundamental participation strategy.

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The Parent Meeting

Our informal term for the monthly Staff/Community Council called for in the founding document: this is the vehicle through which the school was originally created and continues to be the engine that ensures both our stability and our healthy development moving forward.
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Fundamental to the success of the ALPHA Community is a willingness to accept our responsibilities as readily as our rewards. It’s in each member’s drive to maintain an atmosphere that fully supports the democratic process in all areas of their children’s daily lives. It’s our firm commitment to facilitate an education process that fully satisfies all of our children’s needs and aspirations. It’s in the strength of our cooperative impulse to develop and maintain a united front that fully supports their every effort.

ALPHA Parent Meeting Dates for 2021/2022:
All meetings are at 7pm

Wednesday October 13
Thursday November 11
Tuesday December 7
Wednesday January 12
Thursday February 10
Tuesday March 8
Wednesday April 13
Thursday May 12
Tuesday June 7