private

St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School

1080 Linbrook Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 2L1

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At a glance

Grades: JK – Gr. 12
Gender: All Girls
Board: Independent
Principal: Catherine Hant
Program type: Online/Site Based
Associations: Conference of Independent Schools of Ontario

Tuition & admissions

Tuition: $26,000 – $35,200 /year
Application fee: $200, non-refundable.
Financial aid: Yes

Admissions process

Create a secure MySMLS Admissions Portal account to complete the online application, upload documents, save progress, and track application status. · Submit the application and portfolio with a non-refundable $200 application fee. · An admissions specialist collects supplementary documents, such as report cards or teacher references, coordinates a grade-appropriate interview or assessment, and arranges a campus experience. · Fall priority application deadline: October 31. Major entry points include JK, Grade 1, Grades 6 and 7, and Grade 9. · Winter mid-cycle deadline: February 14. Applications are reviewed for remaining spaces; qualified applicants may be waitlisted if a grade is full. · Spring and summer applications are considered on a rolling basis, subject to space availability; decisions follow completion of the application. · Current families applying for siblings should log in through MySMLS.

Academics & learning

Curriculum: Progressive & Reggio Emilia
Class size: 15 students
Accreditation: Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS)

Tuition & financial aid details

Bursaries & scholarships

Financial support assessment: Complete an online application through Apple Financial Services (AFS). A standard assessment fee of $137.50 is payable directly to AFS.
Financial support review: AFS provides a confidential eligibility report to the SMLS Financial Aid Committee, which reviews recommendations to distribute endowment funds.
Prospective families: Submit the financial support application at the same time as the application for admission.
Returning families: Annual financial support renewal deadline: January 15.
Grade 9 Merit Scholarships: Recognition areas include athletics, performing or visual arts, STEM and robotics, global citizenship, and leadership.
Scholarship application timing: Prospective families are strongly encouraged to submit admission and scholarship applications concurrently.
Scholarship duration: Recipients retain the distinction throughout four years of Senior School, provided they remain in good standing and continue contributing to school life.

Course descriptions

Junior School (JK–Grade 5)

Uses the Reggio Emilia approach as a foundation for personalized learning. Students start French in JK; Grades 1–5 take part in regular coding sessions and use an outdoor classroom and garden.

Middle School (Grades 6–8)

Builds academic, social, emotional, physical and spiritual skills through subject learning, academic challenges, travel opportunities and co-curricular activities.

Senior School (Grades 9–12)

Students build personalized pathways through academic and open courses, AP options, reach-ahead courses in arts, mathematics, humanities, computer science, business, technology and social sciences, and a Grade 10 Academic Research course. Course offerings vary by year; the school publishes an annual course calendar.

Signature Programs

School-wide programs include Global Citizenship, Professional Internship, STEM and Robotics, Arts and Design, and Active Healthy Living. Grade 11 students can complete a four-week OSSD-credited internship; robotics and coding are integrated across grade levels.

View course information on the school website

School images

Learning programs

Specializations

STEMR and robotics · Leadership and community service · Global citizenship · Professional internship experiences

Learning support

Student Success Centre · Extra-help lessons · University guidance

Student life

Sports

More than 40 athletics teams · with an emphasis on leadership · teamwork · confidence · and character development.

Arts

Performing and visual arts opportunities.

Facilities

Sports facilities

Clubs & extracurricular activities

Clubs and councils: More than 50 clubs and councils are offered, with the school publishing a yearly co-curricular schedule.
SWAT 771: Competitive Senior School robotics team; school-reported accomplishments include provincial and international FIRST awards.
Robotics and coding: Robotics activities and coding opportunities are offered across divisions, with age-appropriate projects from models to larger robots.

Outdoor activities & education

Global Citizenship experiential trips: School-described local and international learning trips have included India, Bhutan, Japan, China, Australia, Panama, Costa Rica and Argentina, as well as Ottawa, New York City and Quebec City. Destinations vary by year.
Outdoor classroom and garden: Junior School students use an outdoor classroom and garden as additional learning spaces.

University destinations

The school reports 260+ offers of admission from leading universities for the Class of 2026
but the cited page does not name institutions or distinguish offers from final enrolments.

About the school

St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School (SMLS) is an all-girls school serving Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, with Junior, Middle, and Senior School divisions.

Location & school highlights

What makes the school distinct

Five unique signature programs.
Nine Advanced Placement courses offered each year.
Grade 11 students complete a four-week Professional Internship Signature Program.
Founding member of the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools.