Academic Programs

Elementary school is the beginning of your child's educational journey when academic goals are structured to meet the specific needs of a young learner.

Quebéc Education Program – Elementary Education


The Quebec Education Program (Q.E.P.) divides elementary education into three two-year cycles. This organizational model takes into account the need for a long-term approach in developing competencies. It corresponds better to the students’ learning rate and permits more differentiated teaching practices.

The Q.E.P. is designed as a system with three integrating elements: subject areas, broad areas of learning and cross-curricular competencies. Its structure is intended to facilitate the establishment of connections among the different educational components.

Within the Elementary Education Program, there are 14 programs (courses) of study organized into the following six subject areas:

  • Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Science and Technology
  • Arts Education
  • Personal Development
  • Social Sciences

The broad areas of learning help students relate subject-specific knowledges to their daily concerns and thus give them a better grasp of reality. There are five broad areas of learning in the Québec Education Program:

  • Health and Well Being
  • Personal and Career Planning
  • Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and Responsabilities
  • Media Literacy
  • Citizenship and Community Life

Cross-curricular competencies represent goals that are common to the whole curriculum. They apply to all the broad areas of learning and are also closely linked to the subject areas. The Q.E.P. containes nine cross-curricular competencies grouped into four categories:

  • Intellectual: To use information to solve problems, to exercise critical judgment and to use creativity.
  • Methodological: To adopt effective work methods, to use information and communications technologies.
  • Personal and Social: To construct his/her identity and to cooperate with others.
  • Communication: To communicate appropriately with others.

Français, Programme d’immersion


All elementary schools across the English Montreal School Board offer various levels of French language instruction integrated within the Québec Education Program.

At Cedarcrest, students from Kindergarten through to Grade 6 follow a French immersion curriculum model. From Kindergarten to grade 2 (cycle 1), students recieve 95% of their academic instruction in French, with the exception of Ethics and Religious Culture. In grades 3 to 6 (cycle 2), students follow a bilingual program. totals do not include French spoken during recess, daycare and extra-curricular programming.

Academic Support

Resource Teachers

Resource Teachers provide assistance to students who need extra help in English, as well as in French. Teachers collaborate to include students with special needs in the regular classes.

Online Tutoring and Homework Help

All students and families have access to LEARN (Leading English Education and Resource Network) which provides e-learning resources and academic support, online tutoring and homework help for all grade levels. A username and password is provided by the school to each student.