Subway Academy II


Subway Academy II is a public alternative high school in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the third floor of Beverley Street Public School, an elementary school for disabled children. Subway II offers an unconventional approach to schooling, with a more flexible schedule, and one on one sessions with teachers. The school received its name from Subway Academy I, as it was an offshoot of that school. Despite the name, it is not accessible by the subway, and most students take the 510 Spadina streetcar to get to school. Nearby landmarks include Kensington Market, the University of Toronto, and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

School & School Day

Students arrive between 9:00 and 11:00. When they arrive, they sign in on a whiteboard. Teachers then see students on a first-come-first-served basis. Consequentially, students who arrive at 9:00 may be finished for the day by 9:30, while students who show up closer to 11:00 may have to wait until well into the afternoon to be seen. If they arrive after 11:30 am, they may not be able to check in with their teachers at all. Students need to stay on the property until they have met all teachers on that day. During a typical meeting, the student will hand in completed assignments, discuss projects, work on new ideas and concepts, then pick up new assignments. Almost all work is done independently. Students are only scheduled to attend three days per week, but they are allowed to attend all five if they like.
The school environment includes a half-dozen computers, a blackboard for group collaboration, a VCR/DVD player, a full kitchen, and a sizable lending library. Subway II is a very small school, and the lack of a science lab or gymnasium limits course offerings. However, Subway does offer a number of higher-level philosophy, sociology and law courses—as well as hands-on courses like parenting and nutrition—that many mainstream high schools are unable to provide.

Student body

The flexible nature of Subway II's teaching has attracted a wide and eclectic student body despite its incredibly small size. 28% of the student population is male, while 66,26% is female. 27% have a first language other than English. Due to the small size however, these numbers are subject to change.
Subway II has relatively few extracurricular activities. Subway attempts to address this with guest speakers and field trips, both of which are typically open to anyone wishing to attend.
Subway II currently has four teachers, for a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:20..

Notable alumni