The DSBN Academy, less formally known as The academy is a public high school and middle school (grades 6–12) in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Louth Street and is part of the District School Board of Niagara. The DSBN Academy accepts students from anywhere in the Niagara Region. The school's program is designed to provide additional academic support for students from low-income backgrounds to better prepare them for post-secondary education.[1]
| DSBN Academy | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to main campus | |
| Address | |
 | |
130 Louth Street , , Canada | |
| Coordinates | 43°08′18″N 79°15′24″W / 43.1384°N 79.2568°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public High school/Middle school |
| Motto | Achievement through Opportunity |
| Founded | 2011 |
| School board | District School Board of Niagara |
| Principal | Mr. E. Stewart (secondary) Mrs. J. Moore (elementary) |
| Grades | 6–12 |
| Language | English |
| Colour(s) | Blue and Green |
| Slogan | "We believe and we will achieve" |
| Song | "I Believe" |
| Mascot | The Academy Argonaut |
| Team name | Argonauts |
| Website | academy |
History edit
The site on which the DSBN Academy is built was originally part of a 100-acre land grant that was conveyed to John Gould by Letters Patent from the Crown in 1806. He sold off parcels of this land during the succeeding years, and by the time of Confederation, it had been fragmented into the hands of fifty-four different owners. Among the names of early settlers of this area are found, as recorded by the Registrar of Deeds, those of: Merritt, Woodruff, Rykert, Macdonald, Mettleberger, Bullivant, Adams and Brown.
In 1963, the Board of Education for the City of St. Catharines took steps towards building a local school in the area originally designated as West Park. Approximately fifteen acres would be purchased in an area bound by Louth Street, Rykert Street and Powerview Avenue. By arrangement with the City of St. Catharines, through the Parks and Recreation Commission, it was agreed that this area should be developed as a school-recreation-park complex. The Board of Education purchased approximately seven acres, from a private owner. The city made available to the Board about seven acres of the unopened Homeland Plan subdivision, and jointly the Board and the city acquired another acre from the rear of the lots on Louth Street, For the building project the firm of Macbeth, Williams, Woodruff and Hadaway was chosen as architects and the general contract was awarded to Newman Brothers Company Limited. Construction began on October 14, 1967. The total cost of the school was $3,250,943.00 of which $1,985,943.00 was received as federal-provincial grants.
At the school is a track and field centre operated by the Niagara Olympic Club.[2]
Recent edit
The DSBN Academy was founded in 2010 and opened its doors in September 2011, offering classes in grades six and seven.[3] The original building it occupied was the former Empire High School in Welland, Ontario but, in 2013, relocated to the previous West Park Secondary School in St. Catharines where it has occupied ever since.[4][5] That year the school had approximately 200 students.[6]
In 2015 the academy received a $30,000 grant to purchase new instruments for the school's music program.[7]
In 2017 the first class of 45 Grade 12 students graduated from the school.[3]
The academy annually receives a grant from RBC of $25,000 to go towards scholarships, technology, and academics.[8]
In 2019, the DSBN Academy raised over $1400 for the humanitarian organization Water for South Sudan. The organization's founder and protagonist of the semi-biographical novel A Long Walk to Water, Salva Dut, visited the school personally to congratulate the students.[9]
Several teachers from the DSBN Academy protested Ontarian Minister of Education Stephen Lecce for his budget cuts to public education in 2019.[10]
As of 2020, the DSBN Academy has accumulated over $75,000 in bursaries for its graduates through the Denim, Diamonds & Diplomas fundraising event. The academy Jazz Band traditionally performs at the event each year.[11]
On October 20, 2022, Njacko Backo went to the academy for a massive presentation in front of many people, about Cameroon and instruments that he plays.
COVID-19 pandemic edit
The DSBN Academy, like all public schools in Ontario, was drastically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2019–2020 school year. In March 2020, the school was asked to close by the Ontario Ministry of Health. As a result, the graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 had to be postponed until the next academic year.[12]
School life edit
The creed is spoken each morning of the school day after the national anthem. All students wear navy blue or white uniform shirts with grey pants or optional skort for secondary students and khaki pants for middle school.
The DSBN Academy takes students in from anywhere in the Niagara Peninsula emphasising achievement for all socio-economic classes. It therefore has a diverse enrolment of students from every background.
Extracurricular programs and activities include seasonal sports, Reach for the Top Trivia Team, science club, art club, fitness, Student Innovators, homework club, fishing club, ball hockey, school band, Gay-Straight Alliance, Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, choir, and book club.
Principals edit
| Principals | Year |
|---|---|
| Tom Reynolds | 2011-2014 |
| Andrea Grieve | 2014-2019 |
| Derek Harley | 2019-2022 |
| Jennifer Moore | 2022–present |
| Principals | Year |
|---|---|
| Lisa Nazar | 2012–2023 |
| Eric Stewart | 2023-present |
See also edit
- District School Board of Niagara
- Education in Ontario
- Regional Municipality of Niagara
- Reach for the Top
- Ridley College - unofficially accredited to be rivals with the DSBN Academy
References edit
- ^ "Proposed school for low-income students ignites controversy". The Globe and Mail. February 25, 2011.
- ^ "Sharon Stewart of the Niagara Olympic Club honoured as St. Catharines sportsperson of the year". St. Catharines Standard, Feb 28, 2019 by Rod Mawhood
- ^ a b "DSBN Academy honours 1st graduates". by Melinda Cheevers Niagara This Week , Jun 29, 2017- St. Catharines
- ^ "DSBN Academy moving north". wellandtribune.ca. 12 December 2012.
- ^ "Ready, Set, Go". Niagara-On-The-Lake Town Crier, Apr 03, 2014 by Melinda Cheevers
- ^ "DSBN Academy principal tops in Canada". Niagara Falls Review, Feb 15, 2013
- ^ "https://amplify.nmc.ca/music-news-monday-st-catharines-school-receives-30000-for-new-instruments/ "Music News Monday: St. Catharines school receives $30,000 for new instruments". AMplify, May 25, 2015
- ^ "RBC donates $25,000 to DSBN Academy grads". NiagaraThisWeek.com. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
- ^ Edwards, Luke (2019-06-06). "Former 'Lost Boy' Salva Dut brings message of hope to St. Catharines". StCatharinesStandard.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
- ^ Singh, Satbir (2019-11-14). "Public rallies against proposed education cuts outside Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff's office". NiagaraThisWeek.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
- ^ "Fifth Annual Denim, Diamonds & Diplomas fundraising event -". The Brock Press. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
- ^ Rushowy, Kristin (May 11, 2020). "The Star". The.