Our Mission
“To inspire our Ukrainian Canadian youth to honour their heritage, learn their language and engage actively in their community by providing them with an excellent academic program and an engaging learning environment.”
Our Motto
“As I sow, I shall reap”
Our Mission
“To inspire our Ukrainian Canadian youth to honour their heritage, learn their language and engage actively in their community by providing them with an excellent academic program and an engaging learning environment.”
Our Motto
“As I sow, I shall reap”
Our Foundations
In 2022, Ukrainian Heritage Schooling in Ontario was facing a new situation. The pandemic made education a more challenging process for children, leading many parents to shift away from extra schooling to ease the burden of online learning.
Two Toronto-based Ukrainian Schools, Tsiopy Palijiw Ukrainian School, and UNF Toronto West Ukrainian School saw this time as an opportunity to look at their curricula and methodologies. They agreed that Ukrainian schooling was important for knowledge transfer, however, they also agreed that addressing the needs of students and parents was important for a school's vitality. They concluded that the solution was a school where learning the Ukrainian language and culture was enjoyable, uplifting, and accessible. Research and consultation with education experts confirmed that quality academics and engaging lesson plans were not mutually exclusive. In fact, it was preferable for retention. To this end, they founded The Paul Yuzyk Academy of Toronto (PYAT).
The Paul Yuzyk Academy of Toronto, which opened in September 2022, was created to serve the need for a high-quality Ukrainian Canadian academic program that sees student engagement as an integral part of its success. Our vision is to prioritize the student in the learning process and delight as we educate so that the transfer of heritage becomes natural, enduring, and self-replicating. Successful heritage transfer keeps our culture, and our community, strong.
Senator Paul Yuzyk
The Hon. Paul Yuzyk is best remembered as a Canadian Senator, however, he began his career as a teacher. He taught in both English and Ukrainian schools and eventually earned his Ph.D. in History, specializing in issues regarding Ukrainian Canadians. He became a professor of History and Slavic Studies at the University of Manitoba and later at the University of Ottawa. From his youth, and even after becoming a professor, he was continually and heavily engaged in Ukrainian community life. This led to his appointment as a senator in 1963. His strong leadership in making Canada a place that supports and welcomes all cultures has earned him the title of “The Father of Multiculturalism.” It is in honour of this important Ukrainian Canadian leader that we name our school.
Our Teaching Philosophy
Student Centric Learning
The pedagogical philosophy of the Paul Yuzyk Academy of Toronto is student centric. Our teachers create lessons with the perspective of the student in mind. Our teachers spend time learning about our students’ strengths and challenges. Our teachers believe that knowledge transfer is more successful with enjoyable and relevant lessons. Where possible Project Based Learning and inventive engagement with the subject matter is encouraged. Students will be engaging in the academic material in ways that stimulate their curiosity and inspire creative thinking.
All academic targets as set by the Ministry of Ontario for the Ontario High School Heritage Language Credit are maintained while using this student centric philosophy.
Dedicated to Excellence
Kekelia Palijiv was a visionary pedagogue who insisted that Ukrainian Canadian children received exceptional educational experiences. She underlined the importance and impact of a quality education and shifted conceptions of merit for our community. Our school follows her example in our pursuit of excellence, consistently seeking out the best methodologies, practices and materials to provide a superior educational experience and environment for our students and staff.
Pride in our Ukrainian Heritage
UNF Toronto West Ukrainian School was founded in 1932. For over 90 years, the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada has worked hard to bring awareness about the uniqueness of the Ukrainian nation and played a critical role in shaping a strong Ukrainian Canadian voice. Our school will continue to follow this example, diligently fostering student pride in Ukraine’s rich cultural identity, its long-standing history and its right to sovereignty.
Our Programs
JK and SK welcome all levels of speakers. After Gr. 1, however, all students must have a workable knowledge of Ukrainian (speaking and/or comprehension) to continue in our academic program. The Paul Yuzyk Academy of Toronto values accessibility to heritage and to facilitate transition into the academic program, our Culture and Conversation Clubs and Tutoring Classes welcome speakers of all levels.
Ready, set, I can speak Ukrainian! Our Conversation Club has been designed with fun in mind. Every week begins with a musical component, which helps students learn Ukrainian words through our powerful musical canon. The Club then transitions into a games room, where students learn to speak while playing various games with their peers! Teachers help facilitate the fun with word banks and bilingual instruction for new speakers. Excellent for Ukrainian speakers learning English as well. Enrolment is for the entire year. Students from all language levels are welcome. Designed for students ages 8-15.