Roy H. Crosby Public School

Roy H. Crosby Public School is a York Region District School Board public elementary school in the city of Markham, Ontario, Canada. Roy H. Crosby Public School is connected to Milne Dam Conservation Park, and the Milne Outdoor Education Centre. The school uses the park for educational programs offered to Grade 2,4, and 7 students from the eastern part of York Region District School Board.

Structure

Original layout

The school had only one storey and was therefore small in comparison to other elementary schools. The original building, built in 1964, consisted of seven classrooms and one kindergarten; the present office was the staff lunchroom. The cost of the school was $170,000 and housed 192 students from kindergarten to Grade 6. The building did not include a gymnasium.

Renovations

In 1966, they added six classrooms, a spacious library, and a small gym. The school now is separated to a primary hall, and a junior hall. It also has a port-a-pak and a portable on site. The back of the school has a big soccer field, playgrounds, sand pits, swings and a pavement area for students to play on. A map of Canada and mini track are painted on the pavement. In the summer of 2011, there was construction in place to build a second storey to the school.

Roy H. Crosby

The school was named after Roy H Crosby, the only son of Anson Crosby. He was born in Markham in 1889. The Crosby family settled in Markham in 1806. The Crosby family were renowned and highly respected farmers, landowners and storekeepers. At the time, Mr. Roy Crosby lived at 53 Main Street South, which was the old Markham Post Office, built in 1829. He owned the land directly south and subsequently built another house there. His prizewinning, exotic poultry were raised at the first location and he was well - known for his entries at the Markham Fair. The Fair played an important part in the lives of the Crosby family. Roy’s father, Anson, contributed a sizable sum of money in 1930 to keep the fair going when bankruptcy threatened. Roy was Secretary Treasurer of the Fair board for thirty years and President of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies in 1930.

In 1932, Mr. Crosby became Secretary Treasurer of the Markham District School Board. One of his first duties as Board Secretary was to inform teachers of a cut in salary. A female teacher at the time recalls receiving a letter stating that her remuneration was to be reduced by 25%, from $1000 to $750 per annum. Mr. Crosby’s term of office as Board Secretary Treasurer officially terminated on October 14, 1964, the very day the school officially opened.

Gifted program

Roy H. Crosby PS hosts regular stream students who live within the board designated catchment area, and also hosts a Gifted program for Grades 4-6 which draws on students from a wider attendance area. About one third of the total number of students at the school (K-6) are in the Gifted program. In the Junior division, there are generally 2 classes of Gifted students to one class of regular stream students. In York Region District School Board (and many other districts in Ontario), students are tested in Grade 3 for eligibility to enter the Gifted program in Grade 4. A two-stage process screens all students in Grade 3 on verbal and non-verbal measures. Students meeting a high level of success are then tested by a school board psychologist. Students meeting the criteria for Giftedness are offered the option of attending a Partially Integrated Gifted program, such as the one hosted at Roy H Crosby, students may attend a once-a-week Gifted program, or students may choose to remain in their home school and have their unique learning needs met in a regular program with an Individual Education Plan. Students new to York Region DSB in grades after Grade 3 may also be screened for Giftedness using an age-appropriate testing instrument. Since Roy H. Crosby PS only goes up to Grade 6, students who complete Grade 6 in the Gifted program generally continue at William Berczy Public School for Grade 7 and 8, depending on their home address. Those who complete Grade 6 in the regular program generally continue at James Robinson Public School for Grade 7 and 8.

External links

• York Region District School Board
• School website