This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(July 2018) |
Peel District School Board | |
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Location | |
Canada | |
District information | |
Superintendents [2] | 13 + 4 associate directors [3] |
Chair of the board | Brad MacDonald |
Director of education | Rashmi Swarup [4] |
Schools | 259 schools (2021-22) [5] |
Budget | ~CA $1.98 billion (2021-2022) [6] |
District ID | B66125 |
Students and staff | |
Students | 153,000+ students (2021-22) [7] |
Staff | 16,964 (2021-22) [8] |
Other information | |
Elected trustees | 12 [9] |
Student trustees | Deepanwita Sen, Selena Zhou [10] |
Website | www |
The Peel District School Board (PDSB; known as English-Language Public District School Board No. 19 prior to 1999 [11] [12] ) is a school district that serves approximately 153,000 kindergarten to grade 12 students at more than 259 schools in the Region of Peel (municipalities of Caledon, Brampton and Mississauga) in Ontario, also to the west of Toronto. [13]
The board employs more than 15,000 full-time staff and is the largest employer in Peel Region. [14] As of 2023 it is the second largest school board in Canada. [15] [16]
In 1970, 10 local boards came together as the Peel County Board of Education. In 1969, the board served a community of a quarter million residents—20 percent of the population. The newly formed Peel County Board had 50,000 students in 114 schools and an operating budget of $41 million. (2009 annual report)
In 1973, the name changed to the "Peel Board of Education," before being changed the "Peel District School Board" in 1998.
On September 1, 2006, the school board announced that on Wednesday September 6, 2006, would launch a new website in 25 languages, all spoken in the Peel Region, to help parents who have a first language other than English. [17]
The Peel board unveiled its current logo in September 2006. In November 2004, the board approved the creation of the Picture the Future committee—a cross section of staff and trustees—to oversee the creation of the first new logo since 1969. The committee worked with design firm Hambly and Woolly Inc, selected through a competitive RFP process, to develop a new visual identity for approval by the board. The design was based on the feedback from over 500 people including staff, students, parents, representatives of faith and culture communities and unions and federations. [22]
In 2009, the Peel board opened three We Welcome the World Centres in Brampton and Mississauga. As an initiative to bring awareness to the We Welcome the World Centres, Ruth Thompson Middle School created a video that montage of various students, teachers and staff saying the word " Peace" in 2008 and "Welcome" in 2009 in their native tongue. The centres help newcomer families with school-aged children register for school and get settled in Canada. Welcome Centre staff provide assistance and information about free services in many languages. [23]
Through a program called Faith Forward, the Peel board provides resources to help broaden awareness of a wide range of faiths, cultures and religious celebrations. These resources include a Holy Days and Holidays calendar, poster series, resource guide, lesson plans and training. The board’s direction is any celebrations of faith and culture need to be inclusive of all students and staff. [24]
The board acknowledges each individual’s right to follow, or not to follow, religious beliefs and practices free from discriminatory or harassing behaviour and will take all reasonable steps to provide religious accommodations to staff and students. Examples of accommodations are observation of major holy days, dietary requirements, religious attire, and space for private prayer or rituals.
The Peel board believes the work of making all staff feel welcomed and included goes beyond hiring. Its Co-accountable Model project supports diversity across all employee groups. At the core of the project is the belief that any work at real inclusion must actively involve the people inside and outside the organization in a new kind of partnership—one in which accountability for success is shared.
Under the Co-accountable Model, the Peel board say they will: [25]
Among Canadian school districts, the Peel board is among the most ethnically and culturally diverse. The Peel District School Board enacted procedures and policies intended to accept and embrace various cultures and ethnic groups, and Brian Woodland, the school board's director of communications, said that the district embraces various religions. [26] The school board alters curricula to accommodate students of different backgrounds; for instance, if students from a religious background or culture are forbidden from drawing people, the school will alter the art curriculum. Peel was among the first Canadian school boards to permit students to wear kirpans to classes. The school board does not allow religious leaders to lead prayer sessions within schools. [26]
The Peel board offers a variety of adult programs during the day, at night and on weekends. [27] Programs include credit programs to help adults complete their secondary school diploma, adult ESL programs to help adults develop and refine their English language skills, and literacy and basic skills courses to help adults upgrade specific skills.
The board received media attention in 2011 for its Foreign-Trained Teacher course, a course designed to help new Canadians enter the teacher profession. [28]
The Peel board also offers International Language Programs [29] on weekends for school-aged students. At the secondary level, students can earn credits towards their secondary school diploma. Students also have access to night and summer school, literacy and math support, and online school. [30]
The Peel board’s Peel Alternative School (PAS) offers a variety of alternative programs designed with the individual needs of students in mind. Programs include:
Foundations Program The Foundations program is for students in at least their third year of high school who have not successfully completed grades 9 and 10. Students benefit from small class sizes and individual attention while they take up to three credits per semester.
Fresh Start Suspension and Expulsion Programs Students under suspension or expulsion from a Peel board school who are motivated to change their behaviour can attend Fresh Start. Through the programs, students continue academic studies while learning the skills required to be successful in school, in relationships and in the community.
Junior High, Intermediate, and Senior Alternative Programs These programs are designed for students who are at risk of dropping out of school. Through smaller classes and more individual attention, students develop improved social skills and attitudes towards school and society.
Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) SAL is a program for students aged 14 to 17 who, for a variety of reasons, are at risk of leaving school early. A SAL Plan is created to help students progress towards obtaining their Ontario Secondary School Diploma or achieving other educational and personal goals.
Temporary External Learning Link (TELL) The TELL Program is designed for students in at least their third year of high school. These students typically have not acquired the credit accumulation of their peers and require a flexible schedule due to family or work commitments.
Teen Education and Motherhood Program (TEAM) The TEAM Program is for students between 14 and 20, in grades 9 to 12, who are pregnant or who have a child. The academic program is individualized to meet each student’s needs. There is a focus on parenting skills, and students participate in weekly workshops presented by a Peel Public Health nurse.
Regional programs start in grades 6, 7 and 9. Students in regional programs still complete all of the requirements of the Ontario curriculum, but there is an increased focus on an area of interest. Information nights take place throughout the fall for students registering to start the program the following September. Programs include:
French immersion begins in grade 1 and extended French begins in grade 7. Registration for both programs takes place in January. The Peel board provides on-line information for parents on how to decide whether French immersion is right for their child and other information about French learning. [31]
Specialist High Skills Major programs start in grade 11 and are offered in the following areas:
The Peel District School Board runs the ELC Regional Enhanced Program, in grades 1 to 12, a gifted education program, for students defined as having "an unusually advanced degree of general intellectual ability that requires differentiated learning experiences of a depth and breadth beyond those normally provided in the regular school programme to satisfy the level of educational potential indicated." [32]
The curriculum of an Enhanced program could include special tasks or projects designed to challenge gifted students. At the high school level, the course material is the same but the manner of teaching and/or the assignments given can vary based on the needs of the students.
There are two high schools designated as Peel Regional Enhanced Centres that provide the Enhanced programming and curriculum from Grade 9 to Grade 12. [33] The precise number and variety of Enhanced courses differs from school to school, but most schools offer the core mandatory courses as Enhanced. Bussing and transportation for Enhanced students is provided by the school board. [33]
School | Area Served |
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The Woodlands School | North, central, and west Mississauga |
Heart Lake Secondary School | Central Caledon Brampton, Bramalea, and northeast Mississsauga (Malton). |
The Peel District School Board does not officially support the Fraser ranking system and does not rank its schools. The most up-to-date Fraser rankings can be found on the Fraser website.
The Board organizes its schools into "school families", which essentially designate the respective feeder schools into each of the secondary schools within the PDSB. The following list is the organization from the 2018-2019 school year. [34]
School family | Secondary school (9-12) | Intermediate (Middle) School (6/7-8) | Elementary school (K-5/6) | K-8 school (K-8) |
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Humberview [35] | Humberview Secondary School | Allan Drive Middle School |
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Mayfield [36] | Mayfield Secondary School |
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School family | Secondary school (9-12) | Intermediate (Middle) School (6/7-8) | Elementary school (K-5/6) | K-8 school (K-8) |
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Bramalea [37] | Bramalea Secondary School |
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Brampton Centennial [38] | Brampton Centennial Secondary School |
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Castlebrooke [39] | Castlebrooke Secondary School | Calderstone Middle School |
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Central Peel [40] | Central Peel Secondary School |
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Chinguacousy [41] | Chinguacousy Secondary School |
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David Suzuki [42] | David Suzuki Secondary School |
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Fletcher's Meadow [43] |
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Harold Brathwaite [44] | Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School | Fernforest Public School |
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Heart Lake [45] | Heart Lake Secondary School | Robert H. Lagerquist Sr. Public School |
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Jean Augustine [46] | Jean Augustine Secondary School | Ingleborough Public School Lorenville Public School Huttonville Public School Eldorado Public School Whaley's Corners Public school | ||
Louise Arbour [47] | Louise Arbour Secondary School |
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North Park [48] | Williams Parkway Sr. Public School |
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Sandalwood Heights [49] | Sandalwood Heights Secondary School |
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Turner Fenton [50] |
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School family | Secondary school (9-12) | Intermediate (Middle) School (6/7-8) | Elementary school (K-4/5/6) | K-8 school (K-8) |
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Applewood Heights [51] | Applewood Heights Secondary School |
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Cawthra Park [52] |
| Allan A. Martin Sr. Public School |
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Clarkson [53] | Clarkson Secondary School | Green Glade Senior Public School |
| Hillside Public School |
Erindale [54] | Erindale Secondary School |
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Glenforest [55] |
| Glenhaven Sr. Public School |
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John Fraser [56] | John Fraser Secondary School | Thomas Street Middle School |
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Lincoln Alexander [57] | Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School |
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Lorne Park [58] | Lorne Park Secondary School |
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| Tecumseh Public School |
Meadowvale [59] | Meadowvale Secondary School |
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Mississauga [60] | Mississauga Secondary School | David Leeder Middle School |
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Port Credit [61] | Port Credit Secondary School |
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| Riverside Public School |
Rick Hansen [62] | Rick Hansen Secondary School | Fallingbrook Middle School |
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Stephen Lewis [63] |
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Streetsville [64] |
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TL Kennedy [65] | Thomas L. Kennedy Secondary School | The Valleys Sr. Public School |
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Woodlands [66] | The Woodlands School |
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Former Vice Principal Ranjit Khatkur of South Asian background alleged that her ethnic/racial background was the reason she was overlooked for promotion to principal despite fulfilling all requirements. Khatkur launched a legal complaint at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario alleging systematic discrimination in the Peel public board. [67] It eventually culminated in allowing the Turner Consulting Group to release a Research Report on Hiring and Promotion at the Peel District School Board. [68] The 111-page report led to changes in the hiring and promotion policies in the Peel Board. [69] Previously Principals conducted interviews alone without having to demonstrate why they chose the applicants they did or document what questions they asked. The changes include having two people conducting an interview to eliminate bias, the principal is not part of the promotion process thereby eliminating their "gatekeeper" role, and begin a diversity census. [69] The report found that it was not only ethnic or visible minorities that experienced discrimination. [69] Tana Turner found that even some white males suspected nepotism, favoritism, or cronyism. [69]
Current trustees for the Peel board are [70]
Trustee | Wards | City |
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Carrie Andrews | Ward 7 and 8 | Brampton |
Susan Benjamin | Ward 5 | Mississauga |
Stan Cameron | Wards | Caledon |
Robert Crocker | Wards 6 and 11 | Mississauga |
Nokha Dakroub | Wards 9 and 10 | Mississauga |
Will Davies | Wards 2 and 6 | Brampton |
David Green | Wards 1 and 5 | Brampton |
Sue Lawton | Wards 3 and 4 | Mississauga |
Brad MacDonald | Ward 2 and 8 | Mississauga |
John Marchant | Wards 1 and 7 | Mississauga |
Kathy McDonald | Wards 3 and 4 | Brampton |
Balbir Sohi | Wards 9 and 10 | Brampton |
Deepanwita Sen | N/A - Student trustee for Peel schools north of Highway 401 | North Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon |
Selena Zhou | N/A - Student trustee for Peel schools south of Highway 401 | Mississauga |
Turner Fenton Secondary School is a high school in the Peel Region, located in Brampton, Ontario. The principal is Kevin Williams. It is operated by the Peel District School Board, and is credited as one of the highest funded schools in Ontario, with an endowment of $2 million.
The Woodlands School is a public elementary and secondary school in Mississauga, Ontario, under the Peel District School Board. It has a diverse student population, with large numbers of students of South and East Asian backgrounds. The school has an English as a Second Language (ESL) program to assist new immigrants, and a Peer Assisted Learning (PALS) program. The school is also a Regional Enhanced Learning Centre for the secondary program.
Heart Lake Secondary School, commonly known as HLSS or Heart Lake, is a public secondary school in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the corner of Conestoga Drive and Wexford Road. The school was founded in 1988 and is a part of the Peel District School Board. The school has 1150 students enrolled as of September 2019.
Havergal College is an independent day and boarding school for girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school was established in 1894 and named for Frances Ridley Havergal, a composer, author and humanitarian.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is the separate school board that oversees 153 Catholic school facilities throughout Peel Region and Dufferin County. It employs roughly 5,000 teachers; about 3,000 at the elementary level, and the remaining 2,000 at the secondary school and continuing education level.
Holy Name of Mary Catholic Secondary School is an all-girls regional high school in Brampton, Ontario, Canada founded by the Felician Sisters. Originally located in Mississauga, it relocated to Brampton in 2008.
Applewood Heights Secondary School is a public secondary school in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Peel District School Board. It offers a Specialist High Skills Major in sports (SHSM), and a regional sports program (RSP).
St. Joseph's College School, formerly known as St. Joseph's Academy for Young Ladies is a girls' Catholic high school in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board, formerly the Metropolitan Separate School Board in which the school is a member since 1987. Founded in 1854 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, it turned 150 years old in the school year 2004-2005 and turned 160 years old in the school year 2014–2015. In the year 2010–2011, the Fraser Institute ranked St. Joseph's College amongst the top 5% of Ontario schools.
Bramalea Secondary School (BSS) is a high school located in Bramalea, Brampton, Ontario, operating under the Peel District School Board established in 1963.
Brampton Centennial Secondary School (BCSS) is a public high school located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Peel District School Board. In September 2008, BCSS had 1,775 students.
St. Francis Xavier Secondary School is a Catholic high school in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, overseen by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. As of October 29, 2021, it has 1,840 students, about 130 teaching and support staff, and a childcare centre. The school mascot is the Tiger. The school has an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program and Specialist High Skills Major programs for Health & wellness, Hospitality & Tourism, and Transportation.
St. Edmund Campion Catholic Secondary School is a high school in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The school is operated by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. As of now there are over 1,800 students enrolled in, and the uniform consists of a navy blue golf shirt, a navy blue golf t-shirt and navy blue pants. Additional uniform pieces include a rugby sweater, a Campion branded sweatshirt and a school sweater. Previously, the uniform consisted of khaki pants but this was altered in 2023.
Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School is a Roman Catholic high school in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is operated by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and has approximately 1,350 students. The school includes an Extended French Program as well as an Advanced Placement Program for Mathematics and the Sciences. The school building is similar to that of St. Joseph Secondary School in Mississauga, which was modelled after Philip Pocock.
The Halton District School Board serves public school students throughout Halton Region, including the municipalities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. Its administration area is to the southwest of the city of Toronto. In 2006-2007, it served almost 50,000 students, excluding those in adult, alternative, and Community Education programs.
Thomas L. Kennedy Secondary School is a school located in Mississauga, Ontario, that was erected in honour of former Premier of Ontario, Thomas Laird Kennedy. Kennedy had been a longtime resident of Streetsville, where he was Master of the River Park Masonic Lodge. Thomas L. Kennedy Secondary School first opened its doors to approximately four hundred and fifty students in September 1953.
Gordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School, "Gordon Graydon", "GGMSS", or simply "Graydon" for short, was a high school that served Grades 9 to 12 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The school opened in 1957, and celebrated its 50th anniversary on May 26, 2007. It was named after Gordon Graydon, a Canadian politician who died in 1953. The school's slogan was "Palma Per Ardua": "Success through Hard Work".
Mississauga Secondary School (MSS) is a public high school located in Mississauga, Ontario. It operates under the Peel District School Board.
Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School is a public high school located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
Sandalwood Heights Secondary School is a Canadian high school located in the city of Brampton, Ontario and is a part of the Peel District School Board. It opened in 2007. The Specialist High Skills Major program (SHSM) features student pathways in the business sector. Specific details regarding course packages for the SHSM program are available from the counseling office at the school. School partnerships include Humber College, Ryerson University, Magna International, the Region of Peel, Apple Computers, Magnus Inc., and will provide unique cooperative education experiences for Sandalwood students. New starting September 2023, SHSM in Health and Wellness.
David Suzuki Secondary School is an institution located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The school is named after Canadian environmental activist David Suzuki In association with the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, the school offers the Ontario curriculum in a program that is rich in environmental studies and models sustainable practices. The school is also distinguished by the high level of computer technology available in school and utilized in classes.