Students, Staff, Community – Achieving Excellence Together
Agnes Macphail Public School offers a unique educational environment focused upon academics, the arts, athletics, environmentalism; and a school culture aligned with developing leadership is offered to students. Our enrollment of approximately 307 students is comprised of 3 Full Day Kindergarten classes, 7: grade 1 - 6 classes, and 2: grade 7 - 8 classes.
We also provide an enriched instrumental music program for classes beginning from grade 4 – 8. Located in the community of Milliken within the east end of Toronto, close to the Milliken GO Train Station. Agnes Macphail Public School provides a rich history and culture to our students and community, having been built in the 1980’s.
Academic + Character Education = Citizenship
We believe that intelligence alone is not enough. Intelligence plus Character is the goal of true education.” (Martin Luther King Jr.) Character development is a major focus for our school community. Each month we highlight and stress one character attribute in alignment with the TDSB's monthly Build Character/Build Success themes. Our school community values education and supports the school’s effort to challenge our students academically while realizing the importance of character development as members of a community.
More Information About Agnes Macphail Public School
Platinum Eco School
As a Platinum Eco School we strive to develop our students ecological literacy. We want our students to see the interconnectedness of their lives, their community and the natural environment. We are working to implement Place-Based Environmental Education (PBEE) to take advantage of the opportunities within the community (green spaces, local watersheds) to enhance the learning experiences of our students to support ecological literacy and understand the interconnectedness of all living things.
Information Technology
Our staff and students are very competent with technology and use a variety of programs and applications to support student learning. Classrooms are equipped with IWBs (SMART), document cameras, I pads, Apple TV, and Chrome Books to support our programming.
Student Leadership
Our student council has been working hard to raise awareness about issues in our community and within Canada. We have raised money and created awareness campaigns around cancer research, Sick Kids hospital, the legacy of residential schools, access to clean drinking water in Canada and around the world as well as food and clothing drives.
An Unique Focus on Literacy
We are renowned for our involvement with the OLA Forest for Reading - our Blue Beech program helped form the Blue Spruce Award! Students act as MCs, e-journalists and consultants for Silver Birch. The 2006 Ministry's Boys' Literacy Grant helped create our extensive graphic novel collection. We were part of a Queens University project that studied the impact of comics.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Our students have access to a wide range of clubs, sports teams and intermural activities. We have many groups that grow out of our excellent music program such as the Orff ensemble, drumming & movement , recorder, & rhythm, ukulele etc. The wide range of our extra curricular programs will provide something to engage each of our students.
Additional Features
● Early Learning Program
● Malvern Family Resource Centre
● Early Reading Intervention
Student Life - Where You Belong
Students at Agnes Macphail take part in a challenging academic program supported by technology that enhances their learning. We are a Platinum Eco School and our staff and students have taken up the challenge to reduce waste consumption at the school level and create awareness around waste and energy consumption. Our Animation Club has produced movies that have been showcased in the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival. Our intermediate students, as part of our Intermediate Eco Team, are working to encourage the community to take part in ‘Walk to School’ Wednesdays as part of an active, healthy lifestyle.We have an active Student Council engaged in many fundraising/awareness campaigns to support our Social Justice initiatives. Our students have access to an outstanding in-school library program as well as a dynamic and high achieving music program. Our students look forward to the celebration of their contribution to our school at our monthly Recognition Assembly. The most outstanding feature of our school experienced by our students is a safe and secure environment and our excellent teaching staff and supportive parents.
What Sets Us Apart
Our school is committed to establishing a school wide professional learning community. The school is timetabled so that groups of teachers can meet in divisional/grade teams within the school day to implement school improvement initiatives and goals by developing and reflecting on best practices. Our focus on technology support for our students has resulted in the establishment of digitally literate students . We’ve introduced the school wide computer based Read and Write Gold program to support the development of our students’ literacy skills. This software driven program features built in accessibility that allows parents to download the materials for use at home. Our students have regular access to IWBs, Ipads and Chrome Books to support their literacy, numeracy and Inquiry skills
Parent and Community Engagement
We have an active school council with a core group of supportive parents who fundraise to support school improvement initiatives and school events. Many of our parents volunteer in our school library, on school trips, in classrooms, and assist with special events such as our pizza lunches. Our teachers and students rely on their agendas, purchased at the beginning of the year, to make communication between home and school more effective. As many of our families do not speak English as their first language, our parent interviews and support team meetings use interpretation services through the TDSB. Our school hosts an active Scout Canada program that offers Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts for the immediate community. The Malvern Family Resource / Ontario Early Years program supports parents and pre-school aged children to assist in the transition to full day kindergarten.
