Convent Glen Catholic School

Convent Glen Catholic School
Address
6212 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd., Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Information
Founded	1979
School board	Ottawa Catholic District School Board
Staff	27
Grades	JK-6
Enrollment	300
Language	English, French
Campus	urban
Feeder schools	St. Matts

Convent Glen Catholic School (CGCS) is an elementary school located in Orleans, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Convent Glen North area elementary school is one of 64 elementary schools within the Ottawa Catholic District School Board. It offers students education from junior kindergarten to grade six, as well as French immersion and full day kindergarten. Located at 6212 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd., just south of their family school, St. Matthew Catholic High School. Principal D’Arcine Thompson, watches over 27 staff members and 300 enrolled students. The East end Ottawa school's Superintendent is Manon Séguin, who works in the Student Success Department at the Board Office in Nepean, Ontario, while Brian Coburn is the school's trustee. The relatively small elementary school seeks to cherish, "the faith and the core Catholic gospel values of excellence, justice, stewardship, community, partnership and the dignity of all people".^[1] The schools is deeply rooted in their Catholic faith, Father Hesuk (Divine Infant's Priest) visits the school to partake in liturgical ceremonies. St. Matthew High School is a family school of CGCS, along with Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Divine Infant Catholic School, and Chapel Hill Catholic School, Convent Glen is a feeder school to St. Matts (grade 7-12).

History

When the school first opened in 1977, it took the form of a port-a-pak complex, which consisted of five classrooms, one bathroom and a room that acted both as a staff room and a storage room. When student enrolment began to increase, a second port-a-pak unit was added until the opening of Convent Glen Catholic School building. While CGCS was simply two port-a-pak units, the students would bus to Our Lady of Wisdom School, an elementary school ten minutes away, where they would have gym class and library time. By September 1979, Convent Glen Catholic School officially opened its doors to a growing student population. The school's official grand opening occurred later that school year, in May 1980. Convent Glen Catholic school became the first home to the new parish, Divine Infant Parish, where Father Michael Hurtubise provided Orleans first English Catholic mass in the CGCS gym. Convent Glen Catholic School doubled as Divine Infant Parish for two years before the weekly mass took place down the road at Convent Glen's family school, St. Matthew Catholic High School. Convent Glen Catholic School is now home to more than 300 staff and students, whose day promptly starts at 9 am and ends at 3:30; the children enjoy three recesses, two snack times and a 45-minute lunch. The parent council organizes an optional paid 'hot lunch' for the students every Friday.

First staff members

When the school first opened, its staff consisted of ten members: Robert Laplante, Susan Rheaume, Rosina Davis, Colleen Plante, Norma Menard, Georges Lajeunesse, Martine Bealne, Faye Powell, Betty Sharland, and Dan Charbonneau. Since then, the number of members on staff has grown considerably to 27 teachers, principals, custodians, and librarians.

Past principals

Prior to Convent Glen Catholic School's current principal, D'Arcine Thompson, there were seven other principals. In the first years of the school's being, Robert Laplante was principal. Following in chronological order is the school's principal history: Joanne LaPlante, Dr. Margaret McGrath, Joan Gravel, Robert Benning, Paul Wubben, and Patricia Morden-Kelly.

School Colours and Logo

Convent Glen Catholic School, often referred to as CGCS, participates in several sporting events where they proudly sport their burgundy and grey uniforms. The schools logo consists of a cross with a "C" and "G" overlaying each other, surrounded by the school's name "Convent Glen Catholic School". The staff and students work very hard in keeping a fun and competitive environment, hosting the boys and girls touch football, basketball, and volleyball tournaments for the school board.

OCSB EQAO Testing Scores

The grade 3 and grade 6 students of Convent Glen Catholic School participate in a provincial-wide standardized test every year. Since the 2008/2009 school year, the OCSB students who took part in the Education Quality Accountability Office (EQAO) standardized test scored above Provincial standing in reading, writing, and mathematical skills.

2013/2014 Classroom Makeup

During the 2013/2014 school year, Convent Glen Catholic School held 2 kindergarten classrooms, 5 primary classrooms, 6 junior classrooms, a port-a-pak, a fully equipped computer lab and library, a large gymnasium, a resource room, and a primary and junior resource class.

Clubs, Teams, Activities and Events

Choir (grades 3 - 6) Male and Female Board-wide sporting events, which include: basketball, touch football, volleyball, handball, track and field, cross-country, etc. Leadership Clubs, Chess Club, Drama Production (every other year), Peace Keepers (grade 5 students), Milk Program (grade 6 students), and Library Club.

Parent Program Night, Family Advent Mass, Remembrance Day Observance, "Scientists in the School", Harvest Moon Dance and Haunted House, Christmas Store and Gingerbread Houses, Book Fairs, and Education Week Open House.

Other uses for the CGCS facility

Scouts, Guides, Brownies and Beavers, Basketball, Wheelchair Basketball, Minor Hockey, Volleyball, Community programs, and Starr Gymnastics.

References

1. http://schools.ocsb.ca/about-us-con/facility-information. Missing or empty |title= (help)

• 150 years of Catholic Education in Ottawa-Carleton 1856-2006, Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board, 2006