About AVRO Academy
A school built for the teen who does not fit the mould.
AVRO Academy is a small, Ministry-inspected independent high school in midtown Toronto, founded in 2010 to give teens who need smaller classes and therapeutic support a real path to their Ontario diploma.
Our story
Where AVRO started, and why
AVRO Academy opened its doors in 2010 with a straightforward goal: to give Toronto families an alternative to the conventional high school, for teens who needed smaller classes and a therapeutic environment to learn. We were founded to serve a specific student, not the general market, and that focus has stayed at the centre of everything we do.
Today we are a small, Ministry-inspected independent school in midtown Toronto, near Avenue Road and Lawrence, teaching the full Ontario curriculum from Grade 9 to Grade 12 and granting OSSD credits. Over more than a decade, we have helped teens who were struggling, anxious, or simply misunderstood by a bigger system find their footing, engage on their own strengths, and finish strong.
Every student needs a different mix of support, structure, and guidance to learn well. So instead of asking your teen to fit the school, we shape the school around your teen. Through individualized education, mentorship, and counselling, we build an environment where students feel comfortable and cared for, and stay engaged in their own learning.
What makes AVRO different
The AVRO way
Real Ontario academics paired with genuine therapeutic care, delivered in a setting small enough that every student is known, not just enrolled.
Individualized education
Personalized assignment plans and curricula built around each student’s schedule, interests, and learning style, so credits can be completed beyond class time.
Learning how to learn
We teach students to recognize and rely on their own strengths, a skill that outlasts any single course.
Small classes, real rapport
With student-to-teacher ratios of 6:1, 2:1, and 1:1, every student is known, and rapport-based learning keeps them engaged.
Therapeutic support built in
A therapeutic milieu inside the educational setting, with on-site professional counselling available to students and to family members within the school itself.
Student ownership
Students help choose their courses and how each is delivered, which builds real commitment to their own study schedule.
A community atmosphere
Cooperative partnerships between peers and teachers in a setting free from bullying, with an ecological mindset that reaches beyond school into the larger community.
Who we serve
The students AVRO was built for
AVRO supports a specific group of teens who need a school that understands them.
Anxious in a big school
Teens who are not thriving in traditional schools because of stress, academic and social anxiety, bullying, or scheduling conflicts.
Learning differently
Teens with a complex Individual Education Plan (IEP), attention disorders alongside significant anxiety or depression, or family circumstances that complicate learning.
Atypical or gifted
Teens who are atypical, gifted, or on the spectrum (diagnosed or undiagnosed), including high-functioning Autism, Asperger’s, and ADHD.
Not sure whether your teen fits? Book a visit and let’s talk it through.
Our team
The people behind AVRO
Our teachers and support staff have specialized training and years of experience with students who learn differently.
Jason Shaul Ellenbogen
Founder and Clinical Director, B.A., M.S.W., R.S.W.
Jason is a registered social worker and psychotherapist focused on helping adolescents and families, with clinical experience that includes work at the Pine River Institute. He founded AVRO to create a supportive learning environment that builds trust, growth, and resilience.
Efrat Shapir
Principal and Head of Humanities, M.A. Philosophy, M.A. History
With nearly a decade at AVRO as both teacher and principal, Efrat builds a personalized plan for each student and meets with them regularly to shape a high school career that fits their needs and capabilities. Under her leadership, students, teachers, and families work closely together.
Behind Jason and Efrat is a specialized team of teachers and support staff, including our academic coordinator, registrar, and special-education resource teacher, each trained to work with students who need a different path through high school.