Thrive Academy was founded in 2018 by Jessica Miklos. In the course of her teaching career, she became intimately familiar with the struggles that families face in trying to find the ideal learning environment for their children when the children do not fit easily into a traditional classroom.
In order to support these families, Jessica opened her door to struggling students. She wanted students to be able to access services that evaluate exactly where they are currently in terms of skills and challenges. Thrive Academy started as a tutoring program with a focus on literacy. Over time, the focus has shifted, to providing remedial services to address root causes of academic difficulties. Thrive Academy now focusses on delivering evidence-based movement interventions to improve brain function so that students can move from struggling to acquire individual skills to being able to confidently announce that they “get it” when new skills are presented.
Jessica Miklos – Principal and Founder of Thrive Academy
Jessica began her teaching career in 2009 at a private Montessori school in Toronto. She had the privilege of leading a classroom where children developed solid skills in literacy and numeracy as well as a strong sense of independence. While teaching in this environment, she confirmed her love of teaching. She also discovered that her favourite teaching moments involved working with the students who struggled the most. When offered the chance to work with children who were struggling, she jumped at the chance. Problem-solving in an educational setting proved to be a passion.
When Jessica meets a child, she looks for clues pointing to the adult that the child will become. She passionately believes that every child has something wonderful to contribute to the world. That the sacred duty of every educator is to observe carefully and to identify barriers that are getting in a child’s way so that the child can truly thrive. Jessica knows that every child wants to do well. She is committed to finding the path that will allow each child to do just that.
Mission and Values
At Thrive Academy, we believe in overcoming obstacles to learning through individualized education, allowing every child to thrive and reach their full potential.
Mission Statement
Overcoming obstacles to learning.
Core Values
- Every child deserves a learning environment that respects their current abilities without limiting their future potential.
- Educational plans must take into account the academic, social, physical and emotional needs of the child.
- All children can become competent learners.
- All children are engaged in a process of self-formation. It is the role of the teachers to carefully observe the child and provide a learning environment that meets the immediate and future needs of the child.
- All children do well when they can. Where there is a consistent failure to meet expectations, there is a lagging skill that needs to be identified. Identifying the need allows us to make a plan to help the child to develop the skills that they are lacking.
- Every child has the right to a full range of educational experiences.
- Each child is entitled to respect and dignity within an educational setting.
- Innovative learning practices are required when a child is not thriving.
- Technology can be a valuable tool to accurately identify skills that a child has mastered and others that need work.
- Families form an integral part of the learning team.
- There is possibility within each and every child.