Our School

​Little Rouge Touchstone

We the community of Little Rouge Public School will strive for academic excellence in all that we do. We will respect the rights and property of all members of our learning community. We are peaceful and compassionate with each other and we actively practice the Character Matters Traits. We feed our minds and bodies with healthy choices and promote environmental awareness. We are the Little Rouge Rockets developing our love of literacy and putting forth our best efforts in everything we do. 

History 

Little Rouge Public School opened in September 2007 and is named after Little Rouge Creek. Despite its name, Little Rouge Creek is anything but small. It is the second longest watercourse in the over 250 kilometer-long Rouge River system which is home to Rouge Park, the largest urban park in North America. Rising in the Oak Ridge’s Moraine in Whitchurch-Stouffville, the Little Rouge winds its way south through a small rural landscape of forests, wetlands, farms and old fields, into the Park in eastern Markham, before joining the Rouge River just north of Highway 401 in Toronto.

Little Rouge opened its doors in September 2007. We were designated a holding school for future schools in the area and our enrollment increased at a staggering rate until September 2012 at which time our school decreased from 690 students to 400. 

In September of 2018, our school enrollment has climbed back to 650 students. In the years ahead we expect our to increase gradually due to further development in the area.

Facilities 

Little Rouge is located on Country Glen Road bound by housing on the west, north and south sides of the property and with a park at the east end of the school. The Town of Markham has a small parkette located east of the school and the grass area is the site for many recreational games run by soccer clubs and other recreational facilities with the Town of Markham.

The school has a bus loop. Large and small buses, as well as private vans use the bus loop before and after school. Parking space is limited. Parents and visitors are asked to use caution when entering the school lot at these times. Students are dismissed from their classes through doors at the sides and instructed to walk through the school yard to a safe exit facilitated by the teachers on bus duty or the crossing guards.

Safety and Visitors to Little Rouge P.S​

In support of York Region District School Board’s policies and procedures, LRPS is committed to student safety and school security. All points of entry to the school will be locked at all times during school hours, beginning at 9:15 am each morning. All visitors to the school are required to buzz in at the front door and sign in at the main office. Visitors will be provided with an identifying visitor badge during their visit to the school. Any visitor not wearing a badge will be asked to report to the office.

Programs

As with each school in the York Region District School Board, Little Rouge P.S. supports student learning and well-being through the curriculum standards set out by the Ontario Ministry of Education and through many co-curricular activities.

Our school:

• Has identified Increased Literacy Achievement as the primary goal of our School Plan for Continuous Improvement and implemented a variety of strategies to support this goal 
• Promotes a safe, caring and supportive learning environment. This is done through the Board's Safe Schools Policy and Procedures and the Character Education Initiatives 
• Is a TRIBES school as most of the staff at Little Rouge is TRIBES trained. All teachers and support staff use the TRIBES language and are committed to a process that structures the whole school as a respectful, cooperative learning community 
• Provides Special Education Programs. We work on an integrated model based on inclusion whenever possible for students with special needs. We have a Reading Recovery program in place as an early intervention strategy for grade one students, Student Support Centres for students with special needs in the Primary, Junior and Intermediate Divisions and two Autism Community Classes 
• Has a variety of partnerships to support literacy learning. There is a peer tutor program and many reading buddy partnerships between the younger and older grades. We are also fortunate to have community volunteers who have committed to ongoing training and to providing supplementary reading support for primary students. 
• Hosts faculty of education teacher candidates as a teaching school

Students may choose to participate in these co-curricular activities: 

• Cross Country
• Track and Field
• Student Council
• Yearbook
• House League Sports
• Volleyball
• Band
• Basketball
• Floor Hockey
• Eco Club
• Fundraising
• Be the Change Team

We are also very proud to offer the following programs to our students:

• Bully Prevention
• Kindness Program
• Play Program
• Peer Mentoring Programs
• School Ambassadors Training Program
• Guest speakers, authors, artists, musicians and workshops
• Ongoing and informal social skills counseling
• VIP (Values-Influences-Peers) program
• Gr. 6 York Centre Anti-Bullying Program
• Gr.7 Leadership program
• Scientists in the School
• Peer Mediation

Safe, Caring and Supportive Schools

Every student has a right to learn in a safe, caring and supportive environment. YRDSB promotes safe, caring and supportive school and work environments in order to optimize student and staff learning, safety and effectiveness. We focus on safety, responsible citizenship and civility as defined by the standards of behavior for the province of Ontario in the Provincial Code of Conduct, and our Board’s Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Policy and Procedure. Safe, caring and supportive learning cultures are at the heart of all of our efforts to promote student achievement and well being, and in turn, student success.

Discipline of students begins at home with parents who are the first and primary educators for their children. This includes responsibility for social development, behavior and discipline. We work in partnership with parents in the support of students’ social, emotional and academic growth.

For most students, effective school discipline is ensured through student engagement in interesting and challenging programs that meet individual needs. Clear behavioral expectations support student engagement and are based on meaningful communication between students, parents or adult students and the school. In reinforcing appropriate behavior, staff use a continuum of positive practices that strive to teach, promote and reinforce positive and productive behaviours while providing predictable and supportive consequences for behaviors that are identified as being inappropriate. It is the intent in all situations involving aggression to achieve fairness in consequences for the aggressor and support for the victim. Information will be shared with the victim and parents of the victim to the extent that legislation allows.

We embrace a progressive approach to discipline in our school. In partnership with parents and the community, the development of good character, cultural proficiency, and appropriate social skills that build healthy relationships are a priority.

At Little Rouge P.S. we believe strongly in using a Restorative Approach when dealing with behavior issues. This approach helps individuals to understand their actions and the effect of their actions on others while allowing for the reparation of harm caused. Students who need support resolving conflicts and who need to follow through with consequences for their actions may be referred to the Reflection Hall for support by a supervising teacher. Here students will review the events leading up to their actions and discuss resolutions so that these behaviors are not repeated. They will also have the opportunity to make things right with the person who has been harmed.

Little Rouge P.S. supports the development of character in our students. The TRIBES program helps in the development of positive character attributes. As a staff we are:

• committed to a process that structures the whole school as a learning community
• collegial, collaborative and reflective in our planning of school activities
• focused on the socialization as well as the intellectual development of our students
• committed to raising the levels of academic achievement

Many teachers at Little Rouge are TRIBES trained. TRIBES is a process to establish a caring environment for co-operative learning. This is accomplished through the use of four community agreements:

• Attentive listening
• Appreciation/no put-downs
• The right to pass
• Mutual respect

At Little Rouge P.S., we are committed to developing students with character. At Little Rouge, Character Counts!

Equity and Inclusivity

At Little Rouge we believe in creating a school community that fosters a learning environment grounded in the collective good of all. We agree with our Director, Ken Thurston, that inclusion fosters well being and that the ultimate goal in our schools is to build common ground.

At Little Rouge we ensure that each of us, regardless of our background or our circumstances, is provided the opportunity for success as learners and workers. To ensure we address Diversity, Equity and Inclusive Education in our school we have put in place the following:

• A welcoming school Environment
• Provisions for Religious Accommodations for students
• Curriculum resources reflective of our school community
• Cultural Celebrations (Lunar New Year, South Asian, Black History Month celebrations)
• ESL and Special Education Programs
• Positive Climates
• School Ambassadors Training Program
• School Welcoming Committee for Newcomers

Diversity

Diversity is the presence of a wide range of human qualities and attributes within a group, organization, or society. The dimensions of diversity include, but are not limited to, ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

Equity

Equity is a condition or state of fair, inclusive, and respectful treatment of all people. Equity does not mean treating people the same without regard for individual differences.

Inclusive Education 

Inclusive Education is based on the principle of acceptance and inclusion of all students. Students see themselves reflected in their curriculum, their physical surroundings, and the broader environment, in which diversity is honored and all individuals are respected.