Greenbank Middle School
| File:GBNKlogo.gif | |
| Principal | Dorothy Baker |
| Vice Principal | Bruno Kondric |
| School type | Public |
| School Board | OCDSB |
| Location | Nepean, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Enrollment | 490 students |
| Mascot | Greenbank Gator |
| School color(s) | Green, White |
Greenbank Middle School is an Intermediate public school in Nepean, a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1963, it aims to be a student-centered learning environment where students become informed decision-makers. It is located on Greenbank Road, from which it gets its name. It is paired with Knoxdale Public School, a K-6 school and a principal feeder to Greenbank.
As of 2005, the school principal is Mrs. Dorothy Baker, with Mr. Bruno Kondric serving as the vice-principal.
Students
GMS, as it is known by its students, houses an enrollment of nearly 500 Grade 7 and 8 students, representing over 20 countries and languages, including Romanian, Russian, Persian, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Spanish, Polish, and Arabic. It serves mainly students from the areas surrounding Greenbank, including Barrhaven, Centrepointe, and Bayshore.
When the students graduate from Greenbank Middle School, most go to Sir Robert Borden High School, although some choose to go to Woodroffe High School, Bell High School or Glebe High School.
Teachers
As of 2005, Greenbank Middle School has a staff of 29.5 teachers.
- All staff members have earned additional educational qualifications through ongoing professional development. These qualifications include Special Education, ESL, Masters degrees in various fields, Visual Arts and Computers in Education.
- GMS teachers are very involved in extra-curricular activities for all the students.
- Greenbank also has 1.5 office staff, a chief custodian with 4 night support staff, and 3 Educational Assistants.
Curriculum
GMS is proud of their well-established curriculum:
- All GMS students maintain a portfolio of their work. The portfolio is shown to their parents in regular and student-led conferences.
- Students are involved in various performances of their learning, including public speaking, musical, art and drama presentations.
- There is an elaborate motivational system through which GMS students earn recognition for excellence in academics, athletics, and citizenship. In addition, GMS also has a series of more formal recognitions for our grade 8 graduates.
- On-going individual assessments are utilized to inform teaching and learning and to provide information regarding the individual needs of students. Professional dialogue among Greenbank staff and their secondary colleagues assist in developing programs that support the transition of students from middle School to high school.
It has a number of specialist programs such as French Immersion, English as a Second Language, and a Gifted program.
Athletic Program
The GMS students are proudly to be known throughout Ottawa as the Greenbank Gators.
Sports include:
- Track and Field
- Cross Country
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Floor Hockey
- Touch Football
- Soccer
- Walking/Running (Gator Trek)
Kids Helping Kids
A big part of what makes this school notable across Ottawa is Kids Helping Kids, a 3 on 3 Basketball Fundraiser. The first program of its kind, it was established several years ago, fuelling School Spirit while allowing for thousands of dollars to be fundraised for schools support student- oriented programs in neighboring OCDSB “Beacon Schools”. (That is to say some schools without enough financial support to operate proper athletic programs or established extracurricular activities.) The program has now since spread from the one school several years ago, to across multiple schools in Ottawa wishing to lend a hand as well to the beacon schools.
Planned, organized and run by the school's Athletic Department (which consists of a small team working hundreds of hours for preparation), the 2-day event, allowing competition in Recreational and Competitivite teams, has in the past attracted media attention from local news organizations (e.g, the NewRO and the Ottawa Sun). As well it has been commended by the school board for its program. (See reference below)
It has achieved amazingly high levels of participation from the student population. (And not just because of the days off from school.)
Extracurricular Activities and Clubs
- A Student Government
- Choir and Arts Clubs
- A fall and spring outdoor intramural program
- A winter indoor gym-based intramural program
- An elaborate noon-hour program
- Field trips of a varied nature
- Spirit Days
- Many interscholastic athletic teams
- Theme assemblies
- Weekly Subway, Pizza and Nutritional Catered Food days as well as a Daily Milk Program
Creative Learning Techniques
GMS uses creative techniques to teach, including:
- A Grade 8 stock market simulation game; the GSX is a unit designed to teach and explore the word of stock trading, then allow the students to simulate the real thing.
- A Grade 7 Shopping Mall Unit; Students design business models and are taught basic business knowledge in a simple manner, and are allowed to simulate the real thing at a Business Fair.
- A School-wide Environmental Club; including a Recycling Program and a team to help with the landscaping.
- A wide variety of day and multi-day curriculum related field trips; these include museums, nature hikes, etc., all designed to teach in a fun learning atmosphere.
- A Homework Club
- An Arts Department involving:
- Instrumental Music
- General Music
- Dramatic Arts
- Visual Arts
- A year-long Noon Hour Program
- An extensive curricular based “End-of-Year” Trip