Parents and community members have a variety of questions about our wonderful, new campus. We've tried to anticipate and answer as many as possible. However, if we've missed something, please let us know at thenewsouthcampus@leobaeck.ca; we'll do our best to answer you.

• Why did we purchase Arlington Middle School?
• A bit of history.
• What's so wonderful about this new location?
• Will TDSB be leaving anything behind?
• Does the School have plans for expansion?
• How does the School plan to make use of its new amenities?
• What is the School's plan for security?
• Do we have a "Green" Plan?

• TopWhy did we purchase Arlington Middle School?
• TopA bit of history.
• The Leo Baeck Day School South Campus has leased space from Holy Blossom Temple for the past 19 years.
• Having exhausted our opportunities to find a purpose built school of our own, Leo Baeck had planned to participate in the redevelopment of the Holy Blossom Campus to meet the growing needs of our school. The unexpected opportunity to purchase Arlington Middle School provided Leo Baeck with a facility that met all of its needs and was enthusiastically supported by the leadership of Holy Blossom Temple.
• Arlington Middle School will remain open for the 2011-2012 school year allowing its last class of Grade 8 students to graduate.
• It is planned that Leo Baeck Day School students will begin classes at the Arlington site in the Fall of 2012.
• TopWhat's so wonderful about this new location?
• A LOT!
• LOCATION – The Arlington Middle School is less than 1 km from our current location at Holy Blossom in a spectacular park setting.
• SIZE - Our current school facility is roughly 24,000 square feet, built in 1954. In its current state, meeting the needs of our children and our program is a challenge. Arlington is almost four times the size, at 90,000 square feet, and was built in 1971. The school is in excellent shape requiring primarily cosmetic and other relatively minor renovations which we will undertake to ensure our children's experience is first-rate.
• INDOOR SPACE - The additional space provided at Arlington allows our school to build upon and enhance the type and breadth of programming we provide for our children. Specifically, in addition to ample classrooms our new school will include:
• A brand new dedicated preschool designed to meet the needs of our youngest students, including a child-friendly bathroom in every classroom.
• A state of the art science lab.
• A modern resource centre with an adjacent high-tech computer lab which will be used for classes, research and developing important skills in this age of technology.
• Multiple seminar rooms for differentiated learning (enrichment and remediation), small group learning and meetings.
• A large double gymnasium with a new floor that will enhance the delivery of our Phys Ed curriculum and dramatically expand our ability to offer extracurricular and intramural sports.
• A beautiful worship space that will also provide a gathering space large enough to hold the whole school population and serve as an auditorium with a stage, lighting and sound – Imagine future Leo Baeck dramatic productions!
• An art studio with natural light and lots of space to accommodate large creative projects.
• A drama studio where students will explore performance, creative self-expression and imagination.
• A music studio complete with practice rooms designed specifically for vocal and instrumental learning.
• And so much more!!
• OUTDOOR SPACE – The outdoor spaces adjacent to the Arlington Middle School will offer a multitude of age-appropriate opportunities for our students which will be incorporated into School programming. This includes playing fields, hockey rinks, trails, the Cedervale Community garden and the Wetland Reclamation Project.
• TopWill TDSB be leaving anything behind?
• Other than fixtures attached to the physical building, everything else will be removed providing us with the opportunity to purchase new desks, chairs, lighting, etc. to make the facility fresh and modern.
• TopDoes the School have plans for expansion?
• From time to time, as demographics fluctuate, it may be appropriate to add a class at our entry level.  This may occur, for example, to accommodate a greater than usual number of siblings.  However, we do not intend to add a third class to every grade.
• TopHow does the School intend to make use of its new amenities,
  such as the performing arts centre?
• We are thrilled our new campus offers many new opportunities for our children and fully intend to take advantage of them. However, we are also cognizant our educational program is already quite full accommodating both the Jewish and Ontario curriculum. Ultimately, our plan is to incorporate as many new experiences as possible into our daily program and to offer other opportunities as after school programs.
• TopWhat is the School's plan for security?
• Security is, and has always been, a high priority for our School. We fully appreciate the importance of keeping our community safe and take nothing for granted. As a matter of course we consult with security experts regarding the North and South Campuses and have implemented a variety of security enhancements over the years.
• Arlington Middle School is in the Cedarvale neighbourhood which is quiet, residential, secluded and safe. That said, we appreciate the School's proximity to Cedarvale Park may raise additional safety issues. As such, we have once again retained experts in the area of school security. They will help us incorporate appropriate security measures as we renovate the school as well as on an on-going, operational, basis.  
• TopDo we have a "Green" Plan?
• We are committed to a school as 'green' as possible. As such, as part of its mandate our Design/Construction Committee has been tasked with investigating and recommending a variety of initiatives to 'green' our school and environment.