Children enrolled in DI must have parental consent. But that is not all. Not by a long shot. Parents must sign an agreement that they will not do any of the work involved, at any stage, from the get-go to the final performance curtain. While William Dunbar Public School provides the venue, there is no direct teacher involvement.
Parents drive the program.
I believe this is true in the public school system, while in the Metro Toronto Catholic Board, D.I. is imbedded in the gifted curriculum and run by teachers. This aspect appeals to me as it reinforces by belief that parents do have a very real role in education. I also believe we learn best and most completely by doing, and that is what I saw in the young people stretching their collective wings in the DI program. The kids seemed to thrive on sheer, endless energy. One interesting part of this program is that the final presentation must be precisely eight minutes in length.