“Leadership in the OCDSB is the demonstration of personal initiative to achieve a positive outcome.”
Students
Students at York Street Public School are encouraged to discover and develop their talents in the areas of academics, arts, and recreation. They are recognized for their effort and achievement throughout the year at school, and in the community. York Student Leadership Team: organizes and promotes dances, school spirit days, bake sales and other fundraising activities. Through our partnership with Child & Youth Friendly Ottawa, our leadership students have participated in an on-site leadership training course that includes field trips, guest speakers and school-based improvement projects, such as mural painting and sprucing up areas of the school.
In addition, two students attended leadership camp during the summer returning with newly found skills and enthusiasm to bolster school climate. The students have also represented our school at community events such as helping to host the OCDSB United Way launch event. Our students are actively involved in trying to make positive changes in the environment. Student leadership is acknowledged and rewarded at monthly award assemblies. York students who participate in our Heart of the City Piano program have performed in the community at such events as a piano recital at the University of Ottawa, an annual Kiwanis Club meeting at the Chateau Laurier and at the launch event for the Education Foundation. Visitors to our school frequently tell us how impressed they are by the behaviour and attitude of our students. They are polite, respectful and friendly. When we go on field trips members of the public remark on what a delight it is to have our students participate in an event. They continuously make us proud of them!
Staff
Staff members at York Street Public School bring a wide range of interests and skills to share with our students, who benefit greatly from their enthusiasm, dedication and expertise. Four staff members are mentors for teachers who are part of the OCDSB Beginning Teachers Mentor Program. Experienced teachers have been teacher mentors for Education students from Ottawa University, Nippissing University and Potsdam University in New York. Staff hosts guest Korean and Chinese teachers who come to observe and learn about the Canadian education system.
Parents/Guardians/Volunteers
Our students benefited from the support of over 65 parent and community volunteers. We have university students, retirees, homemakers, and people who work full-time but find some time to come and share their skills with us. We even have supply teachers who come in on days when they have no work. They help by reading with children, tutoring them in Math, driving to sports events, accompanying us on field trips, shopping for supplies for special events, supporting our recycling efforts, putting together IKEA furniture, cleaning up the school yard, to list just some of their contributions. All our volunteers tell us that they get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from supporting the children. Parents help staff organize successful bake sales and book drives, accompany us on field trips, as well as being actively involved in our annual Fun Fair and Multicultural Celebration Evening. We recognize volunteers through our annual Volunteer Luncheon.
Community
Bell Canada has supported our school in many ways: by reading to our primary students through OCRI's OttawaReads program and through the donation of school supplies. York Street Public School students have benefited from donations from neighbouring schools (for example Elgin, First Ave, Greenbank, Rockcliffe, and Barrhaven). The Tzu Chi Foundation has worked with us to support needy students and is developing the students' awareness of Environmental issues.
Lowertown Community Youth Centre has developed a daily after-school program called Club 310 which operates on-site at our school and runs free of charge for our York Street P.S. students. York Street P.S. has formed a close partnership with the University of Ottawa, with our staff hosting students from the Faculty of Education- Teacher Education program. Our students also benefit from this partnership by having university students teach our children piano (Heart of the City Piano Program) or act as mentors (CORE Mentoring Program). Students from Algonquin College's Child and Youth Worker program also do their practicum placements at York Street School. The Ottawa School of Speech and Drama has provided on-site acting lessons for students at no cost.