Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board
Board office location 100 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario
Number of schools 114
2009-10 budget (CAD$ million) 484
Number of students 50,012
Chair of the Board Jessica Brennan
Director of Education John Malloy
Elected Trustees Christine Bingham
Larry Pattison
Ray Mulholland
Todd White (chair)
Kathy Archer
Dawn Danko
Wes Hicks
Jess Beattie
Alex Johnstone (vice-chair)
Greg Van Geffen
Penny Deathe
http://www.hwdsb.on.ca/

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB, known as English-language Public District School Board No. 21 prior to 1999[1]) is the public school board in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, which was formed January 1, 1997 via the amalgamation of the Hamilton and Wentworth County school boards. HWDSB teaches approximately 50,000 students in its 114 neighbourhood schools. In addition to the programming offered at 96 elementary and 18 secondary schools, a number of alternative programs focusing on sports, academics, science, arts and languages are available. The current Director of Education is John Malloy.

Secondary schools

School City Neighbourhood Grades
Ancaster High School Ancaster 9-12
Barton Secondary School East Mountain 9-12
Delta The Delta 9-12
Glendale Hamilton East 9-12
Mountain Secondary School West Mountain, Hamilton 9-12
Orchard Park Secondary School Stoney Creek 9-12
Saltfleet District High School Stoney Creek Mountain 9-12
Sherwood East Mountain 9-12
Sir Allan MacNab West Mountain 9-12
Sir John A Macdonald Downtown 9-12
Sir Winston Churchill Hamilton East 9-12
Waterdown District High School Waterdown 9-12
Westdale Westdale 9-12
Westmount West Mountain 9-12

Elementary schools

A.A. Greenleaf
A.M. Cunningham
Adelaide Hoodless Public School
Ancaster Meadow
Ancaster Senior Public School
Balaclava
Bellmoore
Bell-Stone
Bennetto
Beverly Central
Billy Green
Buchanan Park
C.B. Stirling
C.H.Bray
Cardinal Heights
Cathy Wever
Central
Chedoke
Collegiate Avenue
Dalewood
Dr. J. Seaton
Dr. J.E Davey
Dundana
Dundas Central
Earl Kitchener
Eastdale
Eastmount Park
Elizabeth Bagshaw
Fessenden
Flamborough Centre
Franklin Road
G.L. Armstrong
G.R.Allan
Gatestone
Glen Brae Middle School
Glen Echo
Glenwood
Gordon Price
Green Acres
Greensville
Guy Brown
Helen Detwiler
Hess Street
Highview
Hillcrest
Holbrook
Huntington Park
James MacDonald
King George
Lake Avenue
Lawfield
Lincoln Alexander
Linden Park
Lisgar
Mary Hopkins
Memorial - Hamilton
Memorial - Stoney Creek
Millgrove
Mount Albion
Mount Hope
Mountain View
Mountview
Norwood Park
Parkdale
Pauline Johnson
Prince Philip
Prince of Wales
Queen Mary
Queen Victoria
Queen’s Rangers
Queensdale
R.A. Riddell
R.L. Hyslop
Ray Lewis
Richard Beasley
Ridgemount
Rosedale
Rousseau
Roxborough Park
Ryerson
Sanford Ave.
Sir Isaac Brock
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Sir William Osler
Spencer Valley
Strathcona
Tapleytown
Templemead
Viscount Montgomery
W.H. Ballard
Westview
Westwood
Winona
Woodward Avenue
Yorkview

Trustees

The HWDSB has 15 wards and 11 trustees, who are each elected for a four-year term. The Chair of the Board, the Vice-Chair and the Honorary Treasurer are elected at the Inaugural meeting of the Board, and serve for one year. Trustees are officials, elected to serve parents, students, taxpayers and the school system. They are the link between communities and the school board, ensuring Hamilton public schools meet the diverse needs of students in their communities.

Controversies

Board trustees voted their approval of the sexual orientation portion of its Equity Policy in June 2008. One of its aims is to ensure that all "policies, guidelines, procedures and practices including but not limited to classroom practices, day-to-day operations and communication practices, are anti-homophobic and anti-heterosexist." The official name of this portion of the policy is Equity Policy-Supporting Guidelines: Sexual Orientation. The policy can be found on the Board website here. The policy also covers anti-racism, anti-classism and gender equity. The Board pursued the Equity Policy to demonstrate its commitment to "the principles of equity through inclusive programs, curriculum, services, and operations, in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Education Act."

During an extensive consultation process, groups both in favour and opposed to the sexual orientation guideline had input. The most vocal opposition came from groups and individuals with conservative viewpoints, who gave input to the Board at consultation meetings in the two years prior to the policy’s approval. This led to the formation of a group called Public Education Advocates for Christian Equity to express Biblical Christian views to the Board. The group does not want their children exposed to the teaching of content related to sexual orientation as viewed by the Equity Policy.

Currently all extra-curricular activities in this school board will be paused until the controversial Bill 115 is repealed.

On February 22, 2013, veteran HWDSB trustee Judith Bishop was sued by a parent in Ward 1 & 2 (which she represents). She is accused of allegedly breaching the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. The prosecution alleges that Bishop had a financial interest in the decision to close Prince Philip, a school far from her personal residence, and to spend the proceeds of the sale of Prince Philip in renovating two schools very close to her personal residence. The allegations have not been proven in court. Bishop is to appear before an Ontario Court judge at Hamilton's John Sopinka courthouse on April 30, 2013.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ontario Regulation 107/08". e-Laws. Government of Ontario. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

External links