Discover DPA
Diponte Academy is an independent day and boarding school that provides students from grade 9 to 12 with a solid academic foundation in a safe, accessible, and nurturing environment.
DIPONTE ACADEMY was founded in 1923 as a private, day and boarding school in China for high school students. The Canadian campus, which is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Education, was founded in 2017. We offer high school credit courses and grant the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through both onsite and online learning. Our registration number with the Ontario Ministry of Education is 882268.
The Canadian campus is in East Gwillimbury, a 30-minute drive from downtown Toronto. The school sits on beautiful tree-lined, ten-acre parcel of land. The manor-style building is easily within reach of the city amenities and attractions while it is away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We provide an atmosphere where students can concentrate on their studies within a supportive learning environment and with dedicated staff. There is room for comfortable accommodations as well as recreational and sports activities.
Staff supervisors stay in our dormitories 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These dorm assistants ensure a safe and caring, home-like environment for the students. In addition to meal preparation, they supervise the students and assist them with time-management skills so that they can effectively balance their study and free time.
The school is located very close to large libraries and several athletic facilities, such as ice hockey arenas, swimming pools, track and field and golf. Students are always encouraged to be active and use their spare time to develop interests away from the classroom.
Over the years, Diponte High School has managed to engage and retain an excellent teaching staff. Our instructors are experienced and certified by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT), and many hold graduate degrees in their field of specialization or in education.
Over the years, our faculty developed and refined a multimedia teaching platform that has become the backbone of our Learning Management System (LMS) for online courses. Our teachers also use this LMS in the delivery of courses that combine online and face-to-face learning. This hybrid model provides students with multiple levels of support and contributes significantly to their academic achievement. This has facilitated our capacity to present highly professional courses in the international arena and has led to successful partnerships with schools overseas. To date, Diponte has completed several projects in cooperation with colleges and universities, public and private schools, both in Canada and in China.
Our teachers also successfully combine the teaching of “softer”, 21st century employability skills along with the academic course content throughout the students’ stay at Diponte. Students learn to do independent research, practice analytical and problem-solving skills, and engage in report writing and oral presentations of their solutions. These skills not only prepare them for success in college and university, they also help to shape their thinking about career choices.
Our students also participate in leadership courses where they receive credits toward the OSSD and learn lessons for life. Our teachers continuously emphasize and foster the exchange of ideas between teachers and students and model the need for life-long learning. Diponte graduates are engaged learners with well-developed academic skills who can think clearly and work well independently and collaboratively as team members. They are also prepared as responsible citizens with a clear moral compass and a social conscience.
STEM
Arts
Critical Thinking
Volunteering
DPA History
The history of Diponte Academy can be traced back to 1923. In 1923, China was in the middle of a warlords fighting for power, and forces were divided to different sides. Richard, a Canadian missionary, and his brethren from the United States and Britain, came to Sichuan, China, to spread the Christian doctrine to the local villagers. However, during this time of war, starvation was more important than a foreigner’s religious beliefs. Richard and his missionary friends were mostly well-educated individuals and they decided to use their knowledge to open a local missionary school. It was started, so that local girls who couldn’t afford to go to school, received a free education.
During this time in history, even boys rarely had the opportunity to go to foreign schools, let alone girls who were forced to submit to social conventions. At first, it was very difficult for the school to recruit students, there were only a few parishioners’ children, but it soon developed into the only local girls’ school on a large scale. The school was wholly funded by the local church, and any girl who wanted to be educated, could come to study for free. This school was the predecessor to Diponte Academy. The school was forced to close in the late 1940s because of the years of war and with a shift of political power, despite being a high level school.
In 2016, Lydia, the founder of the school, took the opportunity presented to her, and decided to start a private high school. At the end of 2016, Diponte Academy officially reopened in the hometown of Richard, where the founder of the school was from. After six years of operation, Diponte Academy has become an influential international high school in Northern Toronto and is accredited for both onsite and online schools. Diponte has opened two international campuses around the globe since 2019 and has helped hundreds of students successfully achieve their academic goals.
Mission & Vision
The curriculum inspires students to:
- Think critically and unbiased
- Explore the world around us through Inquiry-based learning
- Recognize the interconnections of learning
- Work independently and learn to collaborate as a team
- Develop a global perspective on cultural, social, political, and environmental issues
- Be grateful and appreciate what you have now
- Understand that everyone is unique in their own way, we need to embrace the difference
Our Mission is to motivate our students to achieve their potential in intellectual, emotional, social, physical and moral development; to exercise a positive and pro-active role in addressing contemporary societal issues and in resolving social conflicts; to provide a stimulating, engaging, and highly structured learning environment, focus on preparing for success at university and beyond.
Our Vision is to use the curriculum and inspire students to develop and to experience confidence in their individual potential to contribute to society; to develop and to experience meaningful social relationships; to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to make appropriate post-secondary school decisions; to explore potential careers in relation to themselves, educational alternatives, and their desired lifestyles.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT TEAM
All our instructors are certified by the Ontario Ministry of Education. 90% of our teachers hold master degrees or higher. Their pedagogy has been tested and proven through years of teaching experience. Our teachers love to work closely with students to help them reach their full potential.
Hossein Sajjadi
Titles: Head of the Mathematic Department, Instructor in Mathematics and Science
Introduction: Hossein holds a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Lorraine University, France, and a master’s degree from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Hossein has taught in Canada, France, and China for over 25 years. He is an Ontario-certified teacher with extensive knowledge of teaching AP and IB Math and Science.
Peter Farmer
Titles: Head of the English Department, Instructor in English and Business
Introduction: Peter is a high school education expert in Ontario. He graduated from the Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in English Literature , and received his Master of Education degree from University of Buffalo. He is an Ontario-certified teacher with over 20 years of teaching experience in and Canadian public schools and private schools in United States.
Hugh Davidson
Titles: Head of the Art Department, Instructor in Arts
Introduction: Hugh is the division head of art and is a very capable, versatile instructor. He also serves as the advisor for several student clubs, including Visual Arts, Digital Media, and the Yearbook Club.
As a visual artist, Hugh is driven by an interest in the process of conglomeration, collage, and the aesthetic impact of weather on time-worn surfaces, objects, and landscape.
Email: Hugh.dave@www.diponte.ca
Maryam Hariri
Titles: Head of the Science Department, Instructor in Science and Chemsitry
Introduction: Maryam is a long-standing staff member who teaches critical thinking well and establishes positive relationships with students online and in person. She holds a P.H.D. in chemistry from York University and has worked in higher education as a Chemistry instructor and postdoctoral fellow. She joined Diponte in 2017 and was promoted to the head of the Science Department in 2019.
Email: maryam.hariri@www.diponte.ca
Megan Rothwell
Titles: Head of the ESL Department, Instructor in ESL and Social Science
Introduction: Megan is the youngest department head in our school. She has demonstrated her strong leadership and helped hundreds of international students start loving studying English. She graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education degree from Windsor University. She used to work for a famous British prestigious private school before joining Diponte and worked as the examiner and proctor of GCSE in England.
Nima Chaeechi
Titles: Head of the Business Department, Instructor in Economics, International Business and Business Leadership
Introduction: Nima is a successful entrepreneur who owns his own international logistics company in Toronto. He graduated from York University and received his MBA from McMaster University. He has taught Business in high school and higher education for over ten years. His teaching is vivid and enthusiastic, and he can always bring his own experience when analyzing business cases.
Email: Nima.chaeechi@www.diponte.ca
