private

Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning

310 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M4K 1N6

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At a glance

Grades: Gr. 5 – 12
Gender: Coed
Boarding: No
Founded: 2020
Board: Independent
Religious affiliation: None specified
Principal: Kristina House
Program type: Site based only
Associations: No Association Membership

Tuition & admissions

Tuition: $10,250 – $12,800 /year
Enrolment fee: Member fees prorated to start month; outside program fees are family responsibility
Financial aid: Yes
Interview required: No
Open house: Discovery Weeks available Spring 2026; year-round enrollment

Admissions process

Year-round enrolment. Families can book a Zoom call with the Founder/Executive Director to discuss their needs, with weekday, evening and weekend availability. Discovery Weeks allow young people to meet learners, participate in activities and assess fit. A collaborative financial assessment determines fee placement early in enrolment, before any commitment is required.

Academics & learning

Curriculum: Progressive
Class size: Varies
Accreditation: Received a Ministry of Education BSID in 2022 as a non-credit granting school.

Tuition & financial aid details

Annual member fees: Progressive, income-informed fees determined through a collaborative financial assessment.
Standard annual member fee: $15,000
Trip and materials fee: $350
Included in member fees: Opt-in classes and workshops; mentor support, guidance and documentation; centre and equipment use; democratic community meetings; training to facilitate democratic meetings and the Restoration Circle; materials and art supplies; youth-led community initiatives.
External course costs: Families pay separately for outside classes and programs such as ILC, VLC, Outschool and Athabasca University courses.
Proration and annual review: Fees are prorated to the month of joining and reviewed annually, with anticipated annual increases of 3–5%.

Bursaries & scholarships

Tiered Member Fee Model: Income-informed fees support equitable access, with placement determined through a simple, collaborative financial assessment.
Additional financial accommodations: Families needing further accommodations are encouraged to contact the centre; Passages states it has worked with every family who has contacted it.

Course descriptions

Learner-designed projects and portfolio

Learners identify interests and goals, work with a mentor to plan and document projects, and curate selected work in an online portfolio.

Optional classes and workshops

Examples the centre says it offers or has offered include writing and spoken word, art, coding/math, career planning, digital art, Dungeons & Dragons, sewing, nature studies, psychology, geography and cooking/baking. Offerings are proposed by learners and may be recurring or one-off.

External secondary credits

Passages does not award credits or an OSSD. Learners in Grade 9 and above who want credits may enroll separately in ILC or other online courses.

View course information on the school website

School images

Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning

Learning programs

Specializations

Self-directed and learner-led education · Democratic community governance · Neurodiversity-affirming learning

Languages

English

Learning support

Neurodiversity-affirming approach supporting neurodiverse youth (particularly AuDHD) · inclusive education prioritizing accommodation and accessibility · Staff provide individualized check-ins · mentor support · guidance and documentation without forcing participation. Year-long practicum students from social work · child and youth care · social service worker and education programs provide additional support and mentorship. Learners recovering from stress · burnout · anxiety or disconnection from learning are given time and flexibility.

Student life

Facilities

A learning centre with equipment · materials and art supplies available to members.

Clubs & extracurricular activities

Learner committees and community initiatives: Learners participate in committees and weekly democratic community meetings; these are part of shared governance rather than a fixed extracurricular club roster.

Outdoor activities & education

Toronto outings: The centre describes trips around Toronto and occasional small-group outings. Destinations and dates vary; no fixed annual trip calendar was found.
Nature studies: Nature studies appear among classes/workshops offered or previously offered. Current schedule is learner- and staff-interest dependent.

About the school

Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning is a learner-led community founded in 2020 by Kristina House. It supports youth transitioning from school, homeschoolers and unschoolers through mentorship, personal projects and optional classes and workshops.

Location & school highlights

Location

Toronto-based

What makes the school distinct

Self-directed learning with freely chosen goals, activities and educational pathways.
Shared governance through democratic community meetings and fair processes.
Inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming environment.
Progressive, income-informed member fees.
Discovery Weeks let prospective learners experience the centre and assess whether it feels like a fit.

Notable alumni

Kristina House's eldest child thriving in third year of university; second child in college classes after unschooling background with only one high school credit each