Greenbank Middle School
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2008) |
| Greenbank Middle School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
| , Canada | |
| Coordinates | 45°19′44″N 75°46′54″W / 45.32875°N 75.78159°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Motto | "At Greenbank, we learn" |
| Established | 1968 |
| Closed | 2017 |
| School board | OCDSB |
| School district | Ottawa Carleton District School Board |
| Principal | Dennis Pare[1] |
| Grades | 7-8 |
| Enrollment | 350 Students |
| Color(s) | Green, Black, White |
| Mascot | Greenbank Gator |
| Website | greenbankms |
Greenbank Middle School (GMS) is an intermediate public school in the Nepean district of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1968, it aims to be a student-centred learning environment where students become informed decision-makers. It is located on Greenbank Road, from which it gets its name. It is paired with Knoxdale Public School, a primary school and a principal feeder to Greenbank. Greenbank Middle School closed in the summer of 2017 due to lack of enrollment.
Students
GMS, as it is known by its students, houses an enrollment of nearly 350 Grade 7 and 8 students, representing over 20 countries and languages. It serves mainly students from the areas surrounding Greenbank, including Barrhaven, Centrepointe, Briargreen, Craig Henry and Bayshore.
The students attending GMS originate from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. There are also programs there catering to kids with little knowledge of English, disabilities and disorders.
Faculty
As of 2013, Greenbank Middle School has a staff of 22 teachers. All staff members have earned additional educational qualifications through ongoing professional development including special education, ESL, master's degrees in various fields, visual arts and computers in education. Teachers are also involved in extracurricular activities.
Principal Jennifer Offord was the subject of an Ottawa Citizen profile as a part of their series on her previous school, York Street Public School.[2]
Athletic program
The GMS students teams are the Greenbank Gators. The intramurals program has won the Outstanding Intramural Achievement Award of the Canadian Intramural Recreation Association of Ontario from 2003 to 2007.[3]
Sports include:
- Track and field
- Cross country
- Basketball
- Ball hockey
- Volleyball
- Touch football (never tackle)
- Soccer
- Walking/running (Gator Trek)
- Ultimate (frisbee)
- Badminton
- Ski and Snowboard
- Beep test
- Low-organization sports
Alongside their athletic teams are the "Gatoraids", the athletic council of the school which helps to organize athletic events around the school. In 2010, the grade 8 boys' touch football team had a phenomenal season, winning the regional championships and being the best players of the world.
Entrepreneurial program
Mme. Christina Organista-Martin's grade 7 French immersion science class decided that it wants to help prevent global warming and decided that it will make a project selling reusable bags and giving profits to the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Carleton University for research and education into reducing greenhouse gas emissions.[4]
Kids Helping Kids
A big part of what makes this school notable across Ottawa is Kids Helping Kids, a 3 on 3 basketball fundraiser. The first program of its kind, it was established several years ago, fueling school spirit while allowing for thousands of dollars to be fundraised for schools support student- oriented programs in neighboring OCDSB "Beacon Schools". (That is to say some schools without enough financial support to operate proper athletic programs or established extracurricular activities.) The program has now since spread from the one school several years ago, to across multiple schools in Ottawa wishing to lend a hand as well to the beacon schools.
Planned, organized and run by the school's athletic department (which consists of a small team working hundreds of hours for preparation), the 2-day event, allowing competition in Recreational and Competitive teams,this years competitive grade 8 winners was the Fab Five,has in the past attracted media attention from local news organizations (e.g. CHRO and the Ottawa Sun). As well it has been commended by the school board for its program. (See reference below)
Extracurricular activities and clubs
- A Student Government
- Choir and Arts Clubs
- A fall and spring outdoor intramural program
- A winter indoor gym-based intramural program
- Spirit Days
- Many interscholastic athletic teams
- Soccer intramurals
- Volleyball intramurals
- Basketball intramurals
- Junior, Senior and Jazz Bands
- Mural Painting Club
- Photography Club
- United Club: Fundraising for Kenya, African war torn countries and Haiti.
Creative learning techniques
GMS uses creative techniques to teach, including:
- A Grade 8 stock market simulation game; the GSX is a unit designed to teach and explore the word of stock trading, then allow the students to simulate the real thing.
- A School-wide Environmental Club; including a Recycling Program and a team to help with the landscaping.
- A wide variety of day and multi-day curriculum related field trips; these include museums, nature hikes, etc., all designed to teach in a fun learning atmosphere.
- A Homework Club
- An Arts Department involving:
- Instrumental Music
- General Music-**Dramatic Arts for all classes, the 8th grade Late French Immersion class being excepted
- Visual Arts
- An extensive curricular based "End-of-Year" Trip for 8th grade students with a high enough average
Notes
- ^ Pare, dennis. "Mr". greenbankms.blogspot.ca.
- ^ "Jennifer Offord takes a bow". Miracle on York Street. Ottawa Citizen. 2007-12-01. Archived from the original on 2012-11-09. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "All Outstanding Intramural Award Winners" (PDF). Canadian Intramural Recreation Association of Ontario. Retrieved 2008-06-14.[dead link]
- ^ "Recyclable Cloth Bag - A Hit at Greenbank". EarthCARE Canada. 2007-05-02. Archived from the original on 2008-07-06. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)