Westmount Junior School celebrated its 50th year of existence in 2010, with a large community funfair. It has 370 students and 22 teachers, including Special Education, Reading Recovery, Music and Media Literacy. We now have 4 Full Day Kindergartens. Teacher grade teams plan together and use common tools to assist in shared assessment and planning. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) develop Teaching and Learning Critical Pathways. Students are challenged to focus on higher-order thinking skills and the big ideas in literature as well as far-reaching mathematical concepts. Over the past 5 years, Westmount students have shown continuous growth in EQAO scores: Reading scores rose 17%, Writing scores rose 26 % and Math scores rose 11%. 

Parent/ Community Engagement

Westmount has a very active School Council. Parents play very important roles as they volunteer in the classrooms and library, read to children, organize special events and contribute to fund-raising activities. Westmount begins the year with a BBQ/Curriculum Night which brings families to the school to learn about the expectations for the year ahead, as well as to socialize and meet the teachers over a hotdog or two. In December, Westmount celebrates the many festivals of winter by hosting a potluck dinner to which families bring their favourite meals and share their special celebrations.

Interesting Feature

Code of Behaviour

Westmount students and staff are committed to a welcoming and respectful learning environment. Teachers have been trained on Ron Morrish's With All Due Respect, TRIBES and Future Aces, anti-bullying and classroom management strategies based on a focus on positive outcomes. The School Code of Behaviour is based on concepts of Respect and Empathy and children who break the rules need to think about which rule was broken in their case-perhaps they did not play safely, or they did not show respect to a teacher or a friend. All children have the right to be SAFE, STRONG and FREE.

More Information about Westmount Junior School 

All-Day Kindergarten

Kindergarten is an exciting time and a perfect time to start the life-long enjoyment of learning that we hope lives in each of our students. Westmount offers all-day kindergarten to its youngest learners. In May, parents bring their children to school to experience the fun of kindergarten activities, and to receive materials to help prepare the children for September. 

Teddy Bear's Picnic

For students in kindergarten and grades one and two it is very exciting to bring your Teddy Bear to school and to wear your pajamas! While children hear stories, sing songs and have cookies and juice, their parents hear how to support their children's literacy growth at home. 

Special Help Available

There are a variety of programs to support students. KELI helps kindergarten students with oral language skills, Reading Recovery and ERI provide a one-on-one opportunity for grade one children to learn to read and write, before the challenge gets too great and Special Education helps children who are working below grade level. Homework Club is also available after school.

Technology

Westmount has a computer lab; several teachers on staff are certified Media Literacy Specialists; even the most educationally challenged child has produced a meaningful PowerPoint presentation. We continue to improve the use of technology to support our literacy initiatives. Westmount currently houses ten interactive white boards; we hope to increase that number yearly. 

Additional Features

• Physical Education Teacher
• Music Teacher
• Uninterrupted Math Block
• Kindergarten Homework Bag
• Drama Teacher
• Uninterrupted Literacy Block
• Read-at-home program
• School Agendas 

Student Life - Where You Belong

Students learn to work together cooperatively, to manage materials and resources wisely, and to support each other and their teachers at all times. During lunch, children can choose from a variety of clubs, including board games, chess, drama, dance, reading, crochet, and choir. We also have a student-run newspaper club. After school, children may join the soccer, volleyball or basketball teams, or join the track-and-field or running clubs. We maintain a Homework Club for extra academic support. We have special lunches- pizza, hotdog, or Quizno's sandwiches. We introduce chess to students in grade one and we support the Library Association's Blue Spruce Reading Club. On Saturdays, boys can join the Balls'n'Books basketball club that also supports reading.

What Sets Us Apart

At Westmount the principles underlying TRIBES training have become the school behaviour code: we show respect for others at all times; we appreciate our school; we do not tolerate put-downs or bullying; we engage in attentive listening; we always do our best work. As a result, Westmount has very few behaviour problems. The children are engaged in learning tasks at all times.

Parent and Community Engagement

- Visits to public library

- Walks around the community

- Attend concerts/plays at local schools

- Provide concerts for parent community

- Active School Council

- School Council members are involved in school fundraising activities

- Parents maintain our naturalized courtyard garden

- Parents organize special lunches for staff

- Parents volunteer as assistants in the library and in classes

- Parents organize special events for students such as days to celebrate Eid and Christmas, Healthy Breakfast, Pizza Lunches