Tottakai! Absolutely! Most students are learning at the beginner level, and prior knowledge of Finnish is not required. We form groups based on age and language levels. At the beginner level, Finnish is taught through English. While using Finnish is encouraged, our teachers ensure every child is heard and seen. Children may communicate in the language they know best! So... Tervetuloa! Welcome!

Ei hätää! No worries! We have many families like yours, and most of our families are multicultural; their mother tongue and family language are not Finnish. Community is an essential value at our school; we want everyone to feel welcome and a part of the community. While we embrace the Finnish language, we must use a language everyone can understand and communicate with. Our school's official language is English; all official communication, e.g., emails, social media posts, board reports and meeting minutes, are in English. In social interactions, we happily use Finnish or English. We also organize language courses for adults, and parents are most welcome to join in.

Joo! Yes! Although participating in both is highly beneficial for children's learning, a sense of community and team spirit, we understand families' schedules do not always allow it. Therefore, although you register for the whole program, you may participate whenever possible. We keep school fees low, so it is worth the investment even if you only pick and mix activities.

Katsotaas! Let's see! The school activities are versatile and many, and the tuition fee covers the whole program for students aged 4 to 18. Friday classes are usually organized twice a month from 6-8 pm. Saturday Clubs typically run on the last Saturday of the month from 10 am - 1 pm. We also invite our students and their families to various school celebrations, field trips and events. Students also have access to the school library. For parents, we organize programs that help them support their student's language learning and bilingualism. In addition, we offer Parents' Social with coffee and run the school shop each time.

"Joo! Join us!" would our students reply. We have an amazing group of preteens and teens at both beginner and advanced levels. We call them Papukaijat & Papupadat, and when we do activities together, we are Papusoppa. This is a welcoming and fun group of young Finnish Canadians! We learn in small interactive groups, have fun activities and make friends. We have our own theatre club, and students can also learn to play kantele or to sow. We listen to music, learn about Finnish popular culture and much more.

Teachers know their students well and actively ask for feedback to ensure activities are interesting and motivating. We are committed to improving the program with them for them.

“Suomi-koulu is fun and relaxing. It is very inviting for people of all ages! Theatre Club is so much fun, and warm-up activities get me out of my comfort zone. Everyone is very welcoming here.” Andrew, 14.

“It is really enjoyable, and we get to know each other well. Teachers make it all very inclusive and fun.” Olivia, 12

Kyllä! Sure. Suomi-koulu is a not-for-profit organization and a community founded by parents. Our school is primarily run by volunteers, and we have many volunteer opportunities. The options range from helping with fundraising (such as the school shop), administration or organizing events to simply helping with carrying tables and making coffee. For example, we have a fully volunteer-based Board that handles the majority of administration for the school. We always seek teaching assistants and offer training, tools and a fun team. As a volunteer in our community, you get to directly work towards Finnish-Canadian cultural exchange, help maintain and develop our vibrant community and have the opportunity to meet other families and make friends! So, is there a skill you would like to share? We are committed to finding a suitable role for anyone interested in helping the school community!

Note that some companies offer volunteer grants, encouraging their employees to volunteer. In turn, the employer provides a donation to your chosen organization. Please indicate if this may be an option for you.

We appreciate all the extra hands and are thankful for every volunteer and help! Kiitos!

If you are interested and want to know more or share an idea, please email info@suomikoulutoronto.org.

Hienoa! Great! We want to keep our student-teacher ratio low and always look for new teachers and teaching assistants. If you are enthusiastic about developing the language skills of Finnish-Canadian children and maintaining Finnish culture and are a good team player, don't hesitate to contact us. We value your love for working with kids, learning new skills and having a positive team spirit more than experience in teaching. The team has different tasks available, and advanced Finnish language skills, especially in reading and writing, are not required. In the classroom, you will have a work partner, you get an introduction to the tasks, and the school has a lot of teaching materials available. Teachers receive an honorarium. The school has classes twice a month on Friday evenings from 6-8 pm. Saturday Clubs are hobby groups that meet monthly from 10 am - 1 pm. You may have a special skill that you want to teach the kids.

If you want to know more, please get in touch with us: info@suomikoulutoronto.org. Kiitos!

Please email info@suomikoulutoronto.org, tell us what you would like to talk about, and we will answer right away or get you in touch with the right person. You can also fill in the contact form.

Kuulemisiin! We are looking forward to hearing from you!