Quebec schools recognized for academic performance and improvement at the first Garfield Weston awards ceremony

Release Date: April 23, 2008

MONTREAL, QC—Fourteen secondary schools from across Quebec were recognized as being among the top performing schools in the province at the first Garfield Weston Awards for Excellence in Education dinner in Montreal 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 only schools in rich neighbourhoods are able to succeed academically. The award for Overall Academic Achievement recognizes schools whose students have achieved remarkable, ongoing academic success over the past 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 Quebec’s Secondary Schools. Out of 466 secondary schools from across Quebec, only the top schools in each category are invited to participate in the awards.

“The teachers, support staff and administrators from these schools are committed 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 distinction. Regardless of where they finish, they are among the very best in the entire province,” added Tasha Kheiriddin, Director, Quebec and la francophonie at the Fraser Institute.

École secondaire Notre-Dame, a French private school from a community about 430 kilometers north east of Montreal, won the award for Academic Achievement in Excess of Expectations and a $3,000 prize. Runners-up were Académie Beth Rivkah pour filles of Montréal and École secondaire Saint-Marc from the Quebec region. Both schools received a $1,000 prize.

All three finalists from the category of Improvement in Academics are public schools. Phoenix Alternative School of Laval won the award and the $3,000 prize. Runners-up were Pontiac High School of Shawville and Laval Liberty High School. Both schools received a $1,000 prize.

Two of the top three schools in the category of Overall Academic Achievement came from the Montérégie district: École d’éducation internationale, a public school in McMasterville, was the winner and received the $3,000 prize. Collège Saint-Hilaire, a private school in Mont Saint-Hilaire, was a runner-up and took home a $1,000 prize. The other runner-up was Collège Saint-Sacrement of Terrebonne taking home the same 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.

Photos of the event are available upon request.

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

Media contact(s): Julie Lajoye
julie.lajoye@fraserinstitute.org
(514) 281-9550 ext. 302

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