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School Information
School Profile
History
W. J. Watson P.S. is named after "Whipper
Billy" Watson, a well known philanthropist in Georgina and a director of
the Ontario Society for Crippled Children. Mr. Watson was also a wrestling
star in the 1940's, 50's and 60's.
Our School mascot is the "Watson Wildcat".
Facilities
W. J. Watson was officially opened in 1993. We have
grades JK through 8. A child-care centre, Whipper Kids Child Care, owned and
operated by Upper Canada Creative Child Care is located at Watson. There is
also an Ontario Early Years program run in the school, to help get young
children ready for kindergarten.
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Transportation
The York Region District School Board has a
transportation policy that applies to all of its school. Watson has
approximately 14 bused in students.
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School Plan for Continuous Improvement
W. J. Watson is committed to supporting the Board's
literacy focus under the three Board focus areas of Quality Schools, Building
Family and Community Capacity and Quality Workplaces.
The following is an outline of our school's Plan
for Continuous Improvement including highlights of some of the strategies
to support student achievement.
Our Plan
Our School's Plan is focused on three areas:
Curriculum Implementation: Through our focus on
balance literacy, we are implementing appropriate assessment (running records,
exemplars) and instructional strategies (guided reading, interactive writing)
Parental and Community Involvement: Our community
coordinators have initiated a parent resource room, planned parenting
presentations and will continue to work with the school, parents and community
to build a strong relationship between all partners in education.
Effective Schools: Through our regular assemblies,
honour roll, revised timetable, expanded use of our agenda planner, and
progressive discipline model, we are working with staff, students and
community to create an achievement oriented school climate.
Recognizing Our Student Improvement
Student improvement and achievement are recognized in
many ways including: Yearly Awards * Honour list * Student of the
Month * Winnit
Seals and Certificates * Report Cards *
EQAO results * Special Education Data in
Academic Assessment. and Running Records.
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Curriculum and Co-curricular Activities
As with each school in the York Region District
School Board, W. J. Watson supports student learning through the curriculum
standards set out by the Ontario Ministry of Education and many other
co-curricular activities.
A Focus on Literacy: Learning Partners, Young
Authors Conference, Publishing Centre, Intermediate After school Literacy
Program, Literacy Parent Tutor Program, Book Room, Computer Technology and
Book Fair.
A Focus on Numberacy: Math Night, Chess Club,
Intermediate After School Mathematics Program, Pythagoras Math Contest.
A Focus on Achievement: Winnits program,
Monthly Watson Winners, Honour Roll, Agenda Planners, Leadership Program,
Homework Clubs, Grade 8 Scholastic Challenge.
A Focus on Athletics: Intramural sports during
lunch recess, interschool teams, cross country running, track and field, Daily
Vigorous Physical Activity (DVPA), Walking Wednesdays, Jump Rope for Heart.
A Focus on the Arts: Dramatic
Production, Integration of Arts into other areas of the curriculum, Bands, Art
Club, Annual Musical Production, Holiday Concerts, Performing Arts
Presentations.
Our School: Is a Performance Plus School. We
promote a safe and supportive learning environment. We provide special
education programs and before and after school programs.
We offer to the Students: Anti-Bullying
Programs, Guest speakers and workshops, ongoing social skills counseling,
Kinark Family Services, Progressive Discipline Model, Student Leadership
Programs, and VIP Program.
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Safe and Supportive Schools/Character Education
Every student has the right to learn in a safe and
supportive environment. The York Region District School Board has a safe
Schools Policy and a defined procedure to implement the policy. Both the
policy and the procedure support the view that student discipline involves a
continuum of support including prevention, intervention and appropriate
consequences.
Safe Schools initiatives that are very important at
Watson include: Anti-Bulling programs * Conflict mediator programs * Guest
Speakers, and Workshops * Informal Social Skills counseling * Kinark
* On-Going Counseling * Progressive Discipline Model * Student Leadership
program * VIP * and
Youth Awareness programs.
In addition, W. J. Watson supports the development of
Character Education with our exciting Guidance and Student Recognition
Programs. A quality of character education is selected each month as our
theme. These themes are: Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, Empathy, Fairness,
Initiative, Courage, Integrity, Perseverance, Optimism.
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Community
W. J. Watson is proud of its community involvement.
Our school works hard to assist parents in supporting
learning at home by offering parenting speakers, resources, providing agendas
to each student, maintaining homework websites, and by offering curriculum based
events such as Math Night and Write On Watson, and a Young Authors Conference. We
have also partnered with Ontario Early Years to offer a "Getting Ready
for Kindergarten" four week program.
At night our school is used by Girl Guides, Brownies
and Sparks, Boy Scouts, Jericho Youth Group, and Community Volleyball.
In addition to a number of private sector
partnerships, the following agencies serve our school and its community.
* KINARK * Children's
Aid * Georgina Fire Department * Georgina Ice Palace * Georgina Leisure
Pool * Canadian Mental Health Association * Rose of Sharon * Lion's Club *
York Region Police Department * Georgina Public Library * Georgina
Family Life Centre * Lion's Club Vision Screening Program * Early
Intervention Services * Yellow Brick Hour * Big Brothers/Big Sisters *
CAYRE * York Region Health Services.
The York Region District School Board also issues a
number of permits for after school use of W. J. Watson. For more information
about York Region, visit their website at: www.region.york.on.ca
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Recognizing Student Success
W. J. Watson is proud of all of its students. We make
every effort to recognize student achievement, including:
* Annual Learning Plans * Good News Calls,
certificates * Monthly Assemblies * Honour Roll * Morning Announcements * Observation
of Behaviour/Work Habits * Reading Assessments such as running records *
Report Card Data * School Awards * Special Education Data in Academic
Assessment * Volunteer Involvement * Random Acts of Kindness * Win-it
Certificates * Student Employee of the Month * Watson Winners.
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Student Leadership
Student leadership is the foundation of all school
initiatives that benefit our student population and community. W. J. Watson is
proud to support the following student leadership initiatives:
* Peer Mentoring * Tutors in the Classroom * Student
Council * Learning Buddies * Student Organized Paydays * Extended Field Trips
6-8 *.
Visit the York Region District School Board's website
to read more about various programs. York Region District School Board
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