Weston Awards honour top one per cent of Ontario’s public and separate elementary schools

Release Date: March 21, 2007

TORONTO, ON—Eighty-five elementary schools from across Ontario were recognized as being among the top one per cent in the province at the annual Garfield Weston Awards for Excellence in Education dinner in Toronto Tuesday.

Awards were presented in three categories, each reflecting different aspects of academic success. Improvement in Academics recognizes schools that have experienced the fastest, most consistent improvement in their academic performance over the past five years. Academic Achievement in Excess of Expectations recognizes schools that ensure that their students succeed regardless of the hurdles they may face. This award challenges the notion that schools in rich neighbourhoods always do better academically than schools in lower income neighbourhoods.The award for Overall Academic Achievement recognizes schools whose students have achieved remarkable, ongoing academic success over the last five years.

The awards are based on an analysis of the historical data of each school included in the Fraser Institute’s annual Report Card on Ontario’s Elementary Schools. Out of 2,812 English and French, public and separate elementary schools from across Ontario, only the top one per cent (30 schools) in each category are invited to participate in the awards.

“The teachers and administrators from these schools are commited to their students and are working hard to improve education in their community,” said Peter Cowley, director of school performance studies at The Fraser Institute, an independent research organization. “It is an enormous accomplishment for a school to be recognized as a winner, a runner-up or as a school of honourable distinction. Regardless of where they finish, they are among the very best in the entire province.”

Howard Jordan Public School of Port Hope, a community about 100 kilometers east of Toronto, won the award for Academic Achievement in Excess of Expectations and a $3,000 prize. Runners-up were Ossington/Old Orchard Public School of Toronto and École Séparée Saint-Michel of Leamington. Both schools received a $1,000 prize.

Transfiguration of our Lord Catholic School of Toronto won the award for Improvement in Academics and a $3,000 prize. Runners-up were Walkerton Public School of Walkerton and École Terre des Jeunes of Ottawa. Both schools received a $1,000 prize.

The top three spots in the category of Overall Academic Achievement went to Toronto schools. Seneca Hill Public School was the winner and along with the award received a $3,000 prize. Kennedy Public School and Denlow Public School were the runners-up. Both schools received a $1,000 prize.

“Teachers and support staff at these schools are finding effective and innovative ways of rapidly and consistently improving school and student performance. At the end of the day, they are building a better school for their students and this should be cause for a great deal of pride and celebration,” Cowley said.

Click here for a complete list of award-winning schools.

Media contact(s): Lisa-Diane Fortier
lisa-diane.fortier@fraserinstitute.org
(778) 554-2349

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