The goal of Cornwall Alternative School is to honour and respect children’s needs and understands that life experiences impact future success. We ensure our students are given tools to feel valued and develop self-realization of potential and ownership in following their dreams. We acknowledge the importance of supporting the Calls to Action for Truth and Reconciliation as a critical, ongoing collaboration further to support the needs of our children, families, and surrounding community.

This is our first year at Cornwall Alternative School, and to be honest, as a parent, I was not excited to start the year. The way Cornwall School was described to me I was terrified. My already troubled kid, with extreme behavior problems, anxiety, and social issues, was going to a school 'for kids with the worst behavioral problems'. He had already been asked to leave three school's. I was told this was our last option, and if we didn't get into Cornwall, we would have to home-school our 12-year-old.

I went on the school’s website and found some interesting incentive programs offered to the kids and tried to get my son excited for the school year. Inside I was worried he was going to learn even worse habits at this school. Right from the start of the school year, we could tell something was different. Erik was excited to go to school. The morning fights and stress are a thing of the past. I waited at workday after day for the phone calls to start, for my son to be sent home because he couldn't stay at school. These calls never came. They worked with my son, encouraged my son, and supported him. He was proud to go to school. Happy to tell us a bit about his day after school.

 At the first parent-teacher interview, I thought I was going to be told the same thing I was told every year: Erik is so far behind; he hasn't done anything or handed in anything so far. So imagine my surprise when Andrew started showing me Erik's honor report card. I remember tears welled up in my eyes. If you could have seen the pride in his eyes as Andrew raved about all the positive things Erik had accomplished, what a joy he was, how he was always the first one to do his journal. When we left the school, Erik had me call his dad, grandma, and brother all to tell them about how good he did. We framed his report card.

We have had some bad days for sure since starting at Cornwall but the staff has worked with us, helped us and supported us all year.

Erik has friends and positive adult role models in his life. The entire school is honestly like a family, and you can feel it the moment you walk in. You are always greeted by whoever is in eye shot , always asked if you want a coffee, they treat the students and staff like family, a sense of community. Cornwall school has changed my son's life in so many positive ways. His confidence and self esteem is the highest I have ever seen, he is proud of his school, of the work he does when he is there and the friendships he has made. He cares so much for his school that when he found out they where in need of the boiler replaced he brought it up to his Stepdad who is a plumber to see if he knew anyone who could help them. I remember when my son was younger, he told us, "All teachers promise to help and not give up on me, but they always do," but we have learned this is not the case. Andrew never gave up; he pushed and encouraged him to do his best.

I have cried tears of joy and pride more than once since we started at Cornwall School. This is a school that all schools should model themselves after. They work with the individual needs of the student to produce a successful student and a successful part of our society.

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