Our School

Elgin Street PS

We acknowledge that our learning is taking place on unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Territory. We thank the Algonquin Nation for hosting us and recognize their enduring presence on this land.

Our School

Elgin  Street Public School is a small French Immersion community school located in the central part of the inner city. The school is enriched by its diverse socio-economic, ethno cultural and multilingual student population. Elgin Street Public School strives to develop and provide to each learner an education of the highest quality, in a positive environment, with caring, dedicated, and effective staff. Our school actively involves students, teachers, and parents in the establishment and growth of a positive school climate in which each child can enjoy and realize her/his maximum learning potential and develop into responsible, caring, skilled, and confident members of society.

Our Students

Elgin Street P.S. has an enrollment of approx. 331 students representing over 20 countries and languages. Our students and families bring a number of experiences and traditions to our school. Students leaving Elgin at the end of grade 6 usually move to Glashan P.S. Some of our students who live in a small geographical area attend Hopewell P.S. for the EFI Program. Students moving to middle French Immersion will move to Centennial. Students, when ready for high school, move on to Glebe and Lisgar High Schools.

Our Staff

The Elgin Street staff is made up of 2 Custodians, 1 principal, 19 teachers, 8 ECEs, 1 Learning Support Teacher/Learning Resource Teacher, 1 library technician, 1 Educational Assistant, 1 Office administrator, 1 part time office assistant and 3 Lunch Time Monitors. Many of our teachers have Additional or Specialist Qualifications in one or more of the following areas: Special Education, English as a Second Language, Computers, Physical Education, Reading, French as a Second Language and the Arts. The teachers, office administrator, Chief Custodian, librarian, and educational assistant, work as a team, continuously seeking professional growth opportunities in order to improve our school and model lifelong learning.

Our Community

Drawing from a variety of local Ottawa-Centre communities, Elgin Street families represent a rich diversity of people. The community provides recreational facilities and daycare programs through facilities such as the Jack Purcell Community Centre, YM/YWCA and Florence Daycare. We welcome parents and volunteers in our school. Last year over 50 parents and community volunteers participated in school activities, including reading to Kindergarten children, individual tutoring, classroom help, organizing fundraising activities, accompanying students on field trips, etc. Elgin Street has a very strong and active School Council. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month. Elgin’s location provides easy access to the following services and resources, which provide our students with the opportunity to take part in many special events: the Museum of Nature, the Museum of Civilization, the National Art Gallery, the National Arts Centre, the Ottawa Public Library, the Public Archives, the Rideau Canal, the Parliament Buildings, Confederation Park, and Lisgar Collegiate Institute.

Vision Statement:

"Elgin Street Public School maintains an established history, and serves the needs of its diverse community. Our school embodies the important tenets of learning while celebrating and nurturing both the strengths of individuals and our community."

Mission Statement

We, the staff, believe it is our responsibility to open the paths to life long learning. We believe in continuing the tradition of meeting the needs of the individual and creating new generations of strong citizens. We believe we need to create opportunities for students to participate in community service, which will help them develop community awareness. We the students believe in following our dreams, focusing on our strengths and striving to improve in our areas of challenge, learning from the challenges of Our past to improve our futures, learning to learn, and appreciating the value of others and ourselves. We the Parents believe in being an active presence in the school, offering support to the staff and the children of Elgin Street School and our wider school community. We believe as parents we need to reflect on and embody the importance of Education.

Facilities and Resources

Elgin Street P.S. houses:

  • Full size gymnasium
  • Large library resource centre with over 30,350 books
  • Computer technology in every classroom
  • 1 Computer Projector & Interactive Boards
  • Playground facilities: large park setting, two play structures, including an accessible play structure,  basketball nets and outdoor skating rink.

Programs and Services

Academic Programs

  • JK/SK Full Day Bilingual Program - Students are taught 50% English and 50% French. Students alternate days (i.e., one week English and one week French). Early French Immersion is accessed in Grade 1.
  • Early French Immersion Program with 1 hour of English starting in grade 2 as well as math instruction in English for grades 1-6 students.

We provide support for exceptional students through our Special Learning Support programs. We also support the language development needs of many of our students with English as a Second Language programming.

Classroom Organization

Elgin St. PS is a Junior Kindergarten to grade 6 English and Early French Immersion Program community school. Presently there are 15 classes from JK to Grade 6.

Early Immersion Program

  • JK/SK A
  • JK/SK B
  • JK/SK C
  • JK/SK D
  • Grade 1A
  • Grade 1B
  • Grade 1C
  • Grade 2A
  • Grade 2B
  • Grade 3A
  • Grade 3B
  • Grade 3/4
  • Grade 4/5
  • Grade 5/6A
  • Grade 5/6B

Special Education and ESL Programs

  • Learning Support programs including Empower™ Reading
  • Remedial support and educational assessments with our Learning Support Teacher
  • English as a Second Language (beginner-intermediate-advanced) programming
  • After school tutoring
  • After School Early Literacy Friends (ELF) tutoring

Clubs and Activities

Staff plans and conducts a wide variety of special activities throughout the year to enrich the regular school program. These activities vary year to year, but often include the following;

  • Embedded Character Education lessons
  • WITS Bullying Prevention program
  • Inter-scholastic sports
  • Educational field trips
  • Cultural and arts presentations and workshops
  • Spirit Days/Play days
  • Primary and Junior Choir
  • Grade 1-6 Swim lessons
  • Gr. 3 Swim to Survive lessons 
  • Safe Schools Initiatives
  • Link with School Resource Officer (SRO)
  • Classroom lunchtime monitors
  • Monthly character enhancement training
  • Parent information meetings

 

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