Palermo Public School located in the Town of Oakville is a JK-8 English and French Immersion School with approximately 588 students. Students in the French Immersion Program receive 50 percent of instruction in English and 50 percent in French. The school serves a diverse community of students and families living in North West Oakville. The community includes many families new to Oakville looking for a challenging program for their children.
Approach and philosophy
The principal and staff take a systemic approach and put structures in place to deliver excellent programs that support students to achieve academic success and be the “best they can be.” We do this through collaborative planning, a focus on assessment for, as and of learning, a balanced literacy program and believing that all students can learn. Our core business is to help students by trying different methods until they succeed. Staff hold grade and division meetings to determine learning expectations by term, assessment of student performance to set targets for individual student and class improvement, and to explore ways of supporting the children.
History of Palermo Public School
The village of Palermo, at the intersection of Dundas Street and Burloak Drive, is considered the oldest remaining urban centre in Oakville and one of the town's only original remaining villages. The Palermo community is referenced back in the 1841 census. According to the Oakville Historical Society, there are many places in Halton named in connection to Lord Horatio Nelson, British Admiral (1758-1805). Lord Bronte was one of his titles and Palermo, Italy (Sicily) was where he met his future wife, Lady Hamilton, after the Battle of the Nile.
The new Palermo school is the fourth school named for the community. The original school was built on the north side of Dundas Street in 1875. The building was ultimately destroyed when the roof was hit by lightning during a severe storm. The second Palermo school house was built on the north side of Dundas in 1942, complete with the cornerstone of the previous schoolhouse, and was used as a school until the late 1950's. The Trafalgar Historical Society is the current occupant. The third Palermo school was built on Bronte Road south of Dundas. In the 1970's, with the amalgamation of local area school boards, the third Palermo school was converted to a Portuguese church. Palermo Public School is in fact the fourth Palermo school. We are proud to be part of the rich heritage of the Palermo area of Oakville.
