Military Trail Public School is a vibrant community school. Since 1968 we have served the educational needs of the community bounded by Ellesmere Ave, Highway 401, Morningside Ave, and the hydro field west of the school. We support 500 students from JK to 8 who represent many different cultures. We are fortunate to have strong support for our special needs programs, ESL instruction, a Parenting Centre to help our families that are new to the school or country, and 3 Settlement Workers on site to help families adjust to the rigours of the school environment. We endeavour to attain excellence through academic accountability, arts, and athletics. Our students are proud of the Military Trail uniform and the qualities for which it stands.
Literacy
Military Trail Public School offers a balanced literacy program that promotes higher order thinking and a focus on reading and writing initiatives. We support the needs of all students for success and provide opportunities to involve the community in literacy initiatives. After-school support programs and volunteer initiatives support this goal throughout the school environment. Special events such as Family Literacy Night and participation in National Literacy Day celebrations further support this initiative.
Numeracy
At Military Trail we are dedicated to improving EQAO scores and report card results in Numeracy. Extra funds have been dedicated to support staff development, and to acquire written materials and manipulatives to support student achievement. We have seen success by offering after-school mathematics for support and student mentorship opportunities such as License to Learn.
Early Learning Program (ELP)
The ELP is the Ministry of Education’s provincial initiative that brings full-day early learning to the Kindergarten program for young learners 4 and 5 years-of-age. Military Trail Public School offers a full day kindergarten to the community. Our younger families are also supported through our Parenting Centre and Settlement Workers.
Student Life - Where You Belong
Students have the opportunity to participate in many extra-curricular activities such as sports, clubs, and excursions. The varied student life provides links to the outer community and promotes positive social behaviour. Offerings include concerts and performances, dance workshops, folk dancing, artists in the school, choir, visual arts clubs; house league and competitive sports such as Dragon Boat racing, 3-pitch, basketball, badminton, cross country, soccer, track and field, volleyball; clubs and leadership opportunities such as environmental club, student council, Toronto Schools on the Move. Social opportunities include Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentoring program, Outdoor Education, Breakfast and Nutrition programs, Bullying Prevention and Peer Mediators.
What Sets Us Apart
Students at MTPS are keenly aware of their role in the larger global community. Following the tremendous success of the World Tour in 2008, students from this diverse neighbourhood continued to share their experiences and celebrations within the community. In 2009, Military Trail families, students and staff contributed to International Flavours, a cookbook gathering the many recipes and photo moments from the World Tour. Students also continued to actively learn about pressing world issues affecting children today as part of their work in the Youth In Action Team (YIA). The YIA Team has also actively raised funds to support development projects with Free the Children – an international organization of children helping children through education. Through leadership training and supportive staff facilitation, the students launched a campaign to build a school for disadvantaged students in Ecuador. Supporting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, YIA actively pursues this challenging and noble goal that will affect many children for years into the future!
Parent and Community Engagement
The Military Trail school community enjoys many partnerships to support student achievement. Partnerships include Pope John Paul II High School; Co-operative education with many secondary schools in our area; Read to Succeed, Soar to Success; Boys to Men, Empowered Student Partnership, Liaison with Mornelle Court Family Resource Centre, Toronto Breakfast Club, East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club and The Toronto Foundation for Student Success. Students are also supported through Aisling/Discoveries Services; Settlement and Education Partnerships in Toronto; Toronto Schools on the Move; U of T (Education programme); Frontier College; Centennial College Child and Youth Worker program; International Language programs; Agendas for on-going family communication; Parks and Recreation - After School Programs; adult and community volunteers (in the library, breakfast and snack program).