Our School

Our School

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School, home of the Lancers, is celebrating its 25 year anniversary at this location. The school's motto is “We Strive for the Highest”. We take pride in being dedicated to excellence in academics, athletics and being active in our community.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School is committed to providing a safe and stimulating learning environment for all students and staff. We believe it is the responsibility of each student to develop the attitudes and values which will foster respect and the pursuit of personal excellence. We teach critical thinking skills, provide authentic experiential learning opportunities, and use a cross-curricular approach to teaching and learning. Our graduates have productive work habits and can work with self-discipline, either individually or as a member of a team.

The school's Code of Behaviour is described by the motto “Wil Power.” “Wil Power” is based on:

  • Respect for Self: Students are encouraged to gain self-awareness and self-confidence as they promote a positive self-image and feel pride in their accomplishments.

  • Respect for Others: All members of the school community have a right to dignity, consideration, and respect.

  • Respect for Property and the Environment: Display pride in our school by treating all property with care.

We are a community-based school in the growing community of Orleans. We are linked with the Ray Friel Recreation Complex, the Ottawa Public Library, the Eastern Ottawa Resource Centre, and the River Heights Children's Centre, making the school the hub of the community. Many students take advantage of the proximity of these facilities for their cooperative education placements and their volunteer community service hours.

Our Students

Sir Wilfrid Laurier has an enrollment of approximately 960 students with diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds that enhance our school culture. Our main elementary feeder schools are Avalon, Dunning-Foubert, Fallingbrook, Maple Ridge, and Trillium.

The majority of our graduates go on to post-secondary schools in Canada and the U.S.A

Fifty one percent of our 2016 graduates were accepted to university programs, twenty-five percent to college programs, twenty-four percent were prepared to go directly into the work force. Forty-eight percent of our 2016 graduates were Ontario Scholars and were offered generous scholarships to schools of their choice.

The Student Council provides a voice for students to the Administration regarding policies and procedures. Student Council conducts numerous school spirit activities and events and provides leadership opportunities. Our two Leadership classes (Leadership & Peer Support and Recreational & Healthy Active Living) along with LINK Crew are actively involved in developing a wide variety of activities for students to make them feel welcomed and valued.

Our Staff

Our 85 dedicated staff members are committed to the academic success of our students by encouraging personal excellence, with a focus on classroom instruction techniques. In addition, enrichment activities such as guest presenters, community members and field trips enhance and enrich the Ontario curriculum.

The staff are experienced and well qualified in all subject areas. They participate in both in-school and out-of-school professional development. Sir Wil teachers are committed to the training of new teachers by supporting students from university faculties of education in their work placements. We are proud of the accomplishments of our staff.

Staff leadership is also evident in the generous contribution of personal time by staff. In addition, we have community volunteers who help support our strong extra-curricular activities. Sir Wil's spirit of giving is cultivated by the staff. The distinguished fundraising initiatives would not be possible without the leadership of our staff. Moreover, the staff provides several bursaries to deserving graduates to help them pursue post-secondary studies. The Sir Wil staff has always been a committed supporter of the United Way campaigns.

Our Community

Many of our graduates have benefited from the generosity of Chartwells/Compass Group Canada, YMCA/YWCA, and the Edith Wilson bequest through the Community Foundation of Ottawa, all of which have donated money for various scholarships. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is grateful to the Education Foundation, through the United Way, for their generous donation to our visual arts digital photography program. In addition, our staff and students support many charities that help the less fortunate both in our community and abroad such as: Toy Mountain; Holiday Hampers; Relay 4 Life; and Walk for Water.

Mission Statement

The school's Code of Behaviour is described by the motto “Wil Power.” Wil Power is based on:

  1. RESPECT FOR SELF: Students are encouraged to gain self-awareness and self-confidence as they promote a positive self-image and feel pride in their accomplishments.

  2. RESPECT FOR OTHERS: All members of the school community have a right to dignity, consideration, and respect.

  3. RESPECT FOR PROPERTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Display pride in our school by treating all property with care.

Programs and Services

Academic Programs

A wide range of academic programs are offered at Sir Wilfrid Laurier. These programs provide our students with a strong foundation for further studies at university or college or for the world of work.

Some of our programs include:

  • An outstanding Arts programs in Music, Drama and Visual Arts
  • Core French and extensive French Immersion program consisting of 16 courses taught in the French language.
  • A comprehensive Coop Education program which offers opportunities for some students to enrol in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.
  • A wide range of Technology courses
  • Endorsement certificates in French Immersion, Business Studies, and Technological Studies
  • Certificates in Science, English, Construction, International Studies, Canadian Broadcast Media, Multimedia Designer, Robotics
  • An unique Pre-Engineering program including Robotics
  • Two Leadership courses: Leadership & Peer Support and Recreational & Healthy Active Living
  • A LINK Crew course
  • A Dual Credit opportunity with Algonguin College in the grade 12 Broadcasting course
  • An opportunity to apply for a level one Auto Mechanic course at Algonquin College for grade 12 students

We offer the following Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs:

*Construction;

*Communication and Information Technology (either Broadcasting or Digital Media)

*Arts and Culture.

Successful completion of a High Skills Major Program results in a special red seal on the student's diploma. Students enrolled in a SHSM program attend the host school for one semester and return to their home school to complete their secondary school diploma requirements.

Classroom Organization

Sir Wilfrid Laurier programs operate on the semester system with the day divided into four 75- minute periods. Students in the Broadcasting class are responsible for delivering our school announcements on closed circuit television. This is the only program of its kind in the Province that delivers a “live” television broadcast. This daily contact is supplemented by regular extended sessions with guest speakers and special presentations. All teachers have access to computer labs to provide authentic experiential opportunities for learning.

Special Education

The Learning Support Teachers (LST) at Sir Wilfrid Laurier work closely with all of the teaching staff to meet the specific needs of students by means of:

*regular classroom support following the IEP accommodations,

*the Learning Strategies course,

*monitoring by the Learning Support Teacher

*a homework assistance program,

*SEA training as needed.

The Blue Room offers students a supportive area in the building to get caught up on coursework, have a quiet place to complete evaluations, and as a place to use and borrow Chromebooks or laptop computers. .

We are pleased to include and to support the students in the Dual Support program in Sir Wil.

Athletics, Clubs and Activities

Sir Wilfrid Laurier has a strong interscholastic sports program. The Lancers compete in the National Capital Secondary School Athletic Association. From September to June, Sir Wil's student athletes proudly represent the school in a range of interscholastic sports: volleyball, basketball, football, ultimate, touch football, Nordic skiing, golf, swimming, badminton, curling, baseball, softball, track and field, cross country running, soccer, field hockey, and boys' and girls' ice hockey, golf, soccer, and tennis.

You Rock is a group of committed students and staff that work on building unity and acceptance of differences among people at Sir Wilfrid Laurier. Reach for the Top is a popular activity among our studentsOur Free the Children group has been awarded the distinction as a lead “We School” in the Ottawa region.

Our dynamic music program consists of a Junior Band, Concert Band, two Jazz Bands, Vocal Connections, and a Guitar and Percussion Ensembles. Music students regularly perform in the community and participate in music festivals, massed bands and international travel.

Safe Schools Initiatives

As an active member of the local community, school staff communicates with local businesses and the City of Ottawa to coordinate programs to ensure a safe school and community. Within the school, staff has developed emergency response procedures in preparation for a variety of potential incidents. Our Ottawa Police Service School Resource Officer (SRO) visits the school regularly to make presentations on topics of interest to students and staff. “Wil Power" continues to be our best initiative allowing students to show pride in their school and to know that it is a safe and caring place.

Facilities and Resources

The school library is a full-service resource centre which facilitates class and individual research. In addition to computer labs for specific programs the school has a number of labs, which can be booked for both Macintosh and PC platforms. This year, we have designed two new learning spaces. One is The Tinker Studio which provides opportunities for creative crafts and artistic self-expressions. The other space is The Thinker Studio where students engage in creative engineering projects using a variety of manipulatives and resources. We are planning to create a Makers Space on the main floor so that students can continue their creative passions using larger equipment.

In addition to the triple gym and weight room facilities of the school, students can access the facilities of the adjoining community recreation centre with a wave pool, fitness centre, ice rink, and meeting rooms.

All computer labs are equipped with projectors enabling increased use of multi-media technologies. We have a graphic media lab and a radio and television studio for the Communication Technologies program. Communication Technology students are offered experiential opportunities such as field trips and workshops at radio and/or television stations, audio and multi-video production companies, as well as with former graduates who are now working in areas of the industry.

Achievement and SIP

Measures of Student Achievement and Success

The Math department is working with teachers from two of our feeder schools to further support the math skills of the students who are transitioning from elementary to secondary school. Learning Support Teachers and Guidance Counsellors meet with classroom teachers to plan for improved student achievement. A variety of teaching and assessment methods are employed to provide students with every opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of the learning outcomes. Depending on the curriculum area, these strategies may include interactive e-mail, multi-media instructional material, student-created web pages, independent study projects, portfolios, student-created newspapers, rubrics, demonstrations, or traditional tests and examinations. A strong academic program is evidenced by the fact that 368 students -- 36% of Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School students in 2015-2016 -- were Honour Society members with averages over 80%. In the 2016 graduating class there were 111 Ontario Scholars and 19 Silver Medalists with averages over 90%.

School Improvement Plans and Initiatives

Sir Wilfrid Laurier staff has created working groups to conduct an ongoing review of school programs, policies, and practices. In the current year, a particular focus of our school improvement planning is the enhancement of authentic learning experiences and experiential learning in order to foster student engagement across all subjects and programs. Plans are currently underway to maximize student achievement in literacy by responding to the needs identified through the student results in the EQAO Grade 10 Literacy Test. Likewise, plans are being implemented to build on student achievement in numeracy by responding to the needs identified through the student results from the EQAO Grade 9 Math Assessment.

Current Focus for Student Learning: Through formal implementation and identification of cross-curricular strands linking numeracy focused lessons into all subject areas. Using direct instruction, self-verbalization and self-questioning, it is our intention that students gain a greater level of confidence with mathematics and other subject areas. Furthermore, a group of teachers, LST, SST, Department Heads, are involved in co-creating lessons designed to support our applied level math classes and class with a high number of English Language Learners (ELLs).

Student Success Program

In addition, Sir Wilfrid Laurier provides several credit support programs through the Student Success Teacher (SST) who also works out of the Blue Room. Credit Intervention and Credit Rescue allow students at risk of not graduating additional opportunities to complete missing course work and/or remediate missed course expectations within the semester. The Credit Recovery program is a course designed to help at-risk students meet the expectations of a course they have previously completed but for which have received a failing grade.

Leadership Recognition

Students

Student leadership is a crucial feature of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier culture. One way our Student Leaders are mentored and trained is in our Leadership and Link Crew courses. Students enrolled in the Leadership and Peer Support course volunteer their time to school and community efforts, such as raising money and food donations for the Emergency Food Program of the Orleans-Cumberland Resource Centre. The Recreational and Healthy and Active Living Leadership course plans and organizes school intramurals, tournaments and school-wide activities. Both leadership courses also focus on mentoring our junior students. With one of the longest-standing Link Crew Grade Nine Connection programs in Ottawa, in which Link Crew students mentor and provide leadership to our Grade 9 students, the model for Link Crew developed at Sir Wilfrid Laurier has since been adopted by all OCDSB schools.

Staff

Sir Wil has a dedicated staff that is committed to improving student success. Experienced and well qualified in many areas, the staff at Sir Wil is involved with in-school and out-of-school professional development. In addition to hosting foreign exchange teachers, Sir Wil teachers are committed to the training of new teachers by supporting students from university faculties of education in their work placements. We are proud of the accomplishments of our staff.

Staff leadership is also evident in the generous contribution of personal time by staff and community volunteers to support our strong extra-curricular activities. Sir Wil's spirit of giving is cultivated by the staff. The distinguished fundraising initiatives would not be possible without the leadership of our staff. Moreover, the staff provides several bursaries to deserving graduates to help them pursue post-secondary studies. The Sir Wil staff has always been a committed supporter of the United Way, giving a total of $8,470 to the 2013 campaign.

Parents/Guardians/Volunteers

We value the contributions made by our parents and volunteers. In addition, we appreciate the tremendous time they give to the school and their fundraising efforts.

Community

Sir Wilfrid Laurier has a strong tradition of community partnerships. Ventrex and the Gloucester Cumberland Basketball Association were instrumental in helping secure a new score clock for the Sir Wil gymnasium.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier has been actively involved with the Smoking Cessation program sponsored by Ottawa Public Health. We are also involved in two Public Health initiatives that promote healthy active living: Live It Up and Eat Smart. Our staff participated in the City of Ottawa 10,000 Step Challenge for two years. Many of our graduates have benefited from the generosity of Chartwells/Compass Group Canada, Bank of Montreal, M&M Meat Shops, Ray Friel Recreation Complex, Grace Presbyterian Church, YMCA/YWCA, the Edith Wilson bequest through the Community Foundation of Ottawa, and the Delanor Channer Foundation, all of which have donated money for various scholarships. Sir Wilfrid Laurier is grateful to the Education Foundation, through the United Way, for their generous donation to our visual arts digital photography program.

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