About Us
How Beyond the
Classroom began
In 1991 Cathy Thompson, the founder of Beyond the Classroom, had the opportunity to tutor two students as part of a high school program, after a successful semester she realized her passion for helping students. Cathy continued to tutor students referred to her in the community while pursuing another career in the mental health field. She found that through one on one tutoring, children were able to grow their confidence and excel at school. Seven years passed, many students achieved academic success, and in 1998 Beyond the Classroom was established as the organization it is today.
Learn More about Our Services
Contact us to see about pairing a tutor with your child
OUR PURPOSE & CORE VALUES
Beyond the Classroom provides tutoring services that support and develop your whole child.
We Are
Always Centered on Your Child
Flexible Tutoring for All Kids and Families
It's All About Connection
About Cathy Thompson, Founder of Beyond The Classroom
“I believe in inspiring people to see their own brilliance in this world in order to achieve their own true potential.”
Cathy uses her ability to foster relationships in combination with her knowledge, experience and leadership to help franchisees successfully operate Beyond the Classroom locations, creating academic success for thousands of students.
She is a successful entrepreneur, having founded and co-founded 6 organizations, created and authored an international depression-prevention program for young women through CAMH and has been featured in two books about inspirational women. Cathy released her first self-published book, The Dandelion: Secrets to Growing Your Successful Business from the Ground Up in the fall of 2022. Cathy is a mom to two young adults who are exploring their own passions in the fields of baseball and acting.
“I can definitely relate to parents when they tell me it’s a challenge to do homework with their own children!” says Cathy. “It’s my hope that through the one-on-one support students will gain the confidence they need to be resilient when approaching any academic challenge
Beyond the Classroom is a unique organization because of our philosophy. At the centre of our business model is the child. We are passionate about our students and helping them achieve success – how they define it.
From the moment we speak with families, we ask about your child’s needs, how they learn, what their interests are. Cathy Thompson, the founder, has a background in children’s mental health and understands the research behind why it’s important to focus on the whole child through service delivery. Learning issues do not happen in isolation, sometimes students may be having sleep issues, anxiety, not eating the “right” foods for them and may learn in a different way than parents. All of these impact academics and our tutors understand this. They are highly qualified tutors who are passionate about working with children and moving them towards their best selves.
