Our History
Our school was officially opened on November 7, 1995. Elgin Street Public School was the recipient of the CEFPI award as a Project of Distinction for its creative and functional design. Although Elgin Street Public School has the same name as the street upon which it is found, the name was derived from a suggestion through a student contest. We take pride in the name Elgin as it also represents the tradition of exploration and inquiry demonstrated by Lord Elgin during the 19th Century.
The school is located a short distance from Highway 24, commonly known as Hespeler Road, and is conveniently located close to support services, off-campus opportunities, and convenient public transportation.
Our school services a working and middle class community known for the dedication, hard work, and volunteerism, demonstrated by the parents of our children. We pride ourselves as being Elgin Street Eagles who R.I.S.E. We are known for our Respect, Integrity, Sharing and Empathy. This Character Development is something we focus on everyday at school.
Our Students
Elgin Street Public School is an urban junior kindergarten to grade 6 school. We generally have an average of 420 students. Elgin Street Public School is a wonderful reflection of our diverse Canadian society. We are proud of the cultural diversity within our school as it helps us to truly work together to become good citizens of the world, demonstrating respect for others. When our students complete grade 6 they go to either Avenue Road PS or Clemens Mill PS, depending on their program. We are a French Immersion magnet school for the Cambridge area. French Immersion (half day full French program, half day full English program) is offered at the Grade 2 to 6 levels.
Our Staff
Our well-trained and highly-qualified and caring staff, supported by the Board, delivers quality programs and effective services with the guidelines and resources provided by the province. Our staff members have won honours such as the Barrday Teacher of Excellence Award, the W.T. Townshend Award for Teacher of the year in the Waterloo Region District School Board, the ETFO Distinguished Teacher Award, and the Educational Assistant of the Year Award.
Our Parents and Community
Elgin Street Public School has a wonderfully active School Council that meets monthly, usually on the second Wednesday evening of the month. In addition to being an advisory group to the Principal, Council organizes fundraising initiatives and community events. Our students and the community have benefited from Council involvement and our school grounds reflect the affectionate care the parents provide to keep our yards green and beautiful. We continue to work together to plan and raise funds to help benefit the children here, as well as support the needs of children globally.
Our Facilities
The school sits on a five-acre property and offers a creative playground, baseball diamond, basketball courts, soccer fields and general play areas. We also have a YMCA Daycare available to the community.
Our catchment area provides the opportunity for most students to walk to school and provides routes that avoid high traffic areas. Students walk along sidewalks or paved pathways through the local park. Currently, a bus brings some of our students from the residential area on the far side of the Canamara Parkway.