Lawrence Heights Middle School is an exciting place to be and a great place to learn. We offer a comprehensive curriculum with a strong focus on core language arts and mathematics subjects as well as an emphasis on science inquiry and theory, design technology, the arts including drama, dance, visual arts, instrumental and vocal music, and health and physical education. Technology is integrated throughout the teaching and learning environment for staff and students. There are many opportunities for students to become involved and engaged in the school: sports teams; intramural activities; the band and choir; the student leadership team, drama or dance clubs, boys/girls clubs, junior chefs club, etc. There is something for everyone!
Model Schools for Inner Cities
Lawrence Heights is a member of the TDSB’s Model Schools for Inner Cities program. This program offers many opportunities for our school community, including a Community Support Worker to liaise with parents, Vision/Hearing screening clinics, student nutrition programs, a Teaching and Learning Coach to support our staff, and the Beyond 3:30 after school program. The vision for student success of the Model Schools program is founded on Five Essential Components: innovative teaching and learning; support services to meet the well being of children; community involvement; research, and sharing best practices.
Beyond 3:30 After School Program
Our Beyond 3:30 after school program is supported by the Toronto Foundation for Student Success, The Toronto Community Foundation, and the TDSB’s Model Schools for Inner Cities. This program runs until 8:00 PM every weekday, and has four staff providing cooking programs, homework help, physical education activities, various arts programs and social activities.
Student Life - Where You Belong
The foundation of student life at Lawrence Heights is the staff advisor core homeroom program. The school day is balanced between large blocks of time for literacy and numeracy instruction with the core classroom teacher, and rotary subjects taught by specialized subject teachers. This balanced programming prepares our students well for the transition to high school, as well as providing important relationships with the homeroom teacher and class that are essential for student success. Social justice, equity and character education themes permeate the core classroom program as well as many other rotary subject curricular units of study. Our teachers have a strong background in providing culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy that engages students, and promotes critical thinking and awareness of events and issues globally as well as locally.
What Sets Us Apart
Outstanding specialized teachers, programs, and facilities allow us to provide an engaging curriculum for all students. We offer a design technology program in our shop that integrates with the science curriclum. Our science program is taught by staff with specialists in science education and includes an annual science fair and support for students interested in pursuing the sciences as a future pathway. We have a strong library partnering program to support literacy across the curriculum and to continue to engage students in reading both in curriclum areas as well as recreationally. There is tremendous support for the arts at Lawrence Heights: a full year instrumental music program, a school band and choir, very popular drama and dance and visual arts programs, as well as a health curriculum tailored to the middle school student. In addition to regular physical education classes there are opportunities for students to participate in house league sports and numerous school athletic teams and clubs. Our guidance program facilitates a successful transition to high school.
Parent and Community Engagement
We have a very well supported Parent Advisory Council and a variety of additional sessions for parents including Grade 8 and EQAO information nights, and workshops on a variety of topics such as Cyberbullying and Social Media. Plans for this year include an ongoing series of parent child math workshops using Understanding Math software that can be used both at school and at home. Our Community Support Worker is also developing a program of workshops based on parent requests and needs. In addition, we are part of the TDSB's Priority Schools Initiative. Through this initiative, our facilities are utilized by community groups throughout the week and on weekends during the school years as well as in the summer time. The school is an extremely important hub of resources, services and programs for the Lawrence Heights community all year long.