Our School
Regina St. Alternative School is a true community school located in Ottawa’s west end, in the Britannia Bay & Lincoln Heights area. We are very proud to be culturally diverse at Regina St. Alternative School. We have wonderful students, families and a very dedicated staff who work with students to maximize learning in an environment of mutual respect and shared responsibility. Our school has a “Balanced School Day” schedule, aimed at maximizing learning time for our students.
The school was built in 1965 and was officially opened by Madame Georges Vanier in March, 1966. Our unique site enhances the lives of our students. Our large playground backs onto an Ottawa public park, the Ottawa Parkway bicycle pathway and the Mud Lake Conservation Area. We are well situated to offer relevant environmental learning experiences to our students.
Our Students
Regina St. Alternative School has an enrolment of about 231 students. About one quarter of our children were born outside Canada. Over half of our students speak languages at home other than English. We celebrate that our school is a smaller version of the modern Canadian mosaic with our population reflecting many social, ethnic, and economic groups.
After grade 6 at Regina, students move onto Summit Alternative School or go to the school locator on the OCDSB website to find out your home school for regular program. Some of the pupils leave Regina St. Alternative School to go into Middle French Immersion classes at D. Roy Kennedy Public School in grade 4.
Here are some comments from our students:
- “Regina is a great place. It’s fun and we learn well.”
- “Regina Street School is great, super fantastic and fun. Regina has great sports!”
- “I really like Regina St. School because there are sports, great teachers and lots of nice people.”
Our Staff
Regina staff members are proud to be a Professional Learning Community always working together for our students. The school has a staff of 18 teachers, 3 early childhood educators, 6 educational assistants, an office administrator and assistant, 3 custodial staff, a library technician and a principal. Through workshops, conferences and professional learning communities they model life-long learning for our students.
Here are some comments from students and parents about our staff:
- “The staff at Regina St. Public School are both caring and focused on the personal growth and sound education of our children.”
- “I like Regina St. School because the teachers are really nice and fun.”
- “The teachers care about Mud Lake and environmental issues.”
- “Regina has the friendliest, most helpful office staff. They make everyone feel welcome!”
- “My kids both just love this school!”
Our Community
Regina Street P. S. is able to use the adjacent parkland for snow shoeing, cross-country running, and to use the outdoor community skating rink provided by the City of Ottawa and maintained by community volunteers.
The Regina Street Public School Council is a volunteer group of parents, teaching and non-teaching staff and a community representative from Regina Kindergarten & School Age Program (REKSAP). They are dedicated to strengthening educational opportunities and partnerships with the community. School Council supports our school and programs through a variety of fund raising events and through their input into school initiatives. We have parent volunteers and a large number of wonderful, dedicated community volunteers who support our Early Literacy Program and work with teachers and students in a variety of ways.
Capital Security and Investigations sponsor our school for receiving Ottawa 67’s tickets to use as student incentives and rewards. The Sage Kiwanis Club has a partnership with our school to support students by providing extra food for snacks for students in need, and funds for extra supplies and books from time to time. We really appreciate our Community Partners.
Mission Statement
“Regina staff, students, and their families will work together to maximize learning through mutual respect and shared responsibility.”
Facilities and Resources
Regina St. Alternative School has a well-fitted computer lab, a large gymnasium, a well-equipped library resource centre, a large play structure, an enclosed kindergarten yard with play structure, a huge yard with playground games, a ball diamond, and an adjoining park and skating rink. The back of the school has a very large garden created by staff, students and volunteers. In the centre of our school is a lovely atrium with trees and a garden. This space is used as our outdoor classroom.
REKSAP, Regina Kindergarten School Age Program, is our onsite registered non-profit child care centre, which is a huge asset for our students and parents. The school is completely accessible to the physically handicapped. Regina has a Breakfast Club Program for students in need of a good start to the day.
Programs and Services
Academic Programs
Regina offers alternative program classes from junior kindergarten to grade 6. Our Balanced School Day maximizes instructional time and focuses on balanced nutrition for our students. Grades one to six receive 40 minutes of Core French daily. Kindergarten children receive 50 percent French and 50 percent English, 150 minutes of French each day. Exceptional students are accommodated in a variety of ways.
Classroom Organization
- 3 Full Day Kindergarten Classes
- 2 ASD classes
- 2 Grade 1/2 class
- 1 Grade 2 & 3 class
- 1 Grade 3 class
- 2 Grade 4 & 5 classes
- 1 Grade 5 & 6 class
- 1 Learning Support
- 1 Learning Resource
- 2 Ministry Preps
- 1.4 Core French
Special Education
Regina St. Alternative School has a Special Education Team comprised of homeroom teachers, the Learning Support Teacher(LST), our Resource teachers(LRT), our educational assistants and the Principal.
The Learning Support Teacher provides remedial support for students, and assessment services along with central board staff such as psychologists, speech and language pathologists and social workers. We meet as a Multidisciplinary Team with these specialists.
We are following an inclusionary model for Language Arts, with in-class supports for our students, and use a booster group model targeting specific skills in the area of Mathematics.
English as a Second Language pupils are assessed at the central Family Reception Centre before registering at Regina.
Clubs and Activities
- Lunch hour sports and activities such as cross-country running, intramural volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, table tennis and soccer.
- Clubs- a variety of clubs from time-to-time which vary depending on student interest; might include chess, juggling, origami & paper crafts, reading (Blue Spruce and Silver Birch), Scrabble, etc.
- Regina students annually raise hundreds of dollars for the Heart & Stroke Fund, and support the Terry Fox Foundation with a walk/run event. In 2017, we raised over $800 for the Terry Fox Foundation.
- We have Spirit Days, Kiwanis Read-a-thon, annual Family Pot Luck Dinner, Meet The Teacher Night, Regina Art Gallery Night, Math/Literacy nights, etc.
Safe Schools Initiatives
Regina promotes citizenship throughout the school, encouraging and rewarding students for appropriate behaviour. All students belong to a House System to develop a team spirit and pride in our school, promoting cheerful school attitude, teamwork and a feeling of self-worth. Each month there is a school-wide emphasis on an element of character development.
Code of Conduct
Bullying behavior is not tolerated from students, staff or parents. We expect Regina Street Public School students to:
Respect: Rules, People, Themselves, Property, Environment, Authority, Rights of others, Safety, Peaceful conflict resolution, and to report unsafe situations and conditions.
Learn to: Strive for personal excellence, Contribute to a positive learning environment, Allow others to learn.