Our School
History
Crosby Heights P.S. was named after Parker Crosby, who owned "Crosby's Dry Goods" on Yonge Street, near present-day Crosby Avenue, in the 1860s. The wooden structure burned down in 1866, along with neighbouring stores, but Crosby soon rebuilt it using brick and renamed it "The Fire Proof." His son Isaac took over the store in 1869, and residents continued to buy dry goods and groceries at the store for many years to come. The Crosby's lived in the stately "Crosby Hall," 38 Bedford Park Ave., which was built in 1863 and is now designated a historic home.
Our school was the fifth elementary school built in Richmond Hill. It opened its doors to students in September 1958, during Richmond Hill's population boom. However, the official opening ceremony was delayed until February 1959.
Our school motto is "Success has to include me." This motto involves us all: students, parents and teachers; we all need to be involved if Crosby Heights' students are all to achieve success.
Our school mascot is the Cougar. Crosby Heights is a Gifted and a Performance Plus School.
Facilities
There have been several additions added, and renovations made, to the original building. The last renovation was the extension and renewal of the Library Information Centre in 2002. The outdoors includes both a primary and junior play structure and a large soccer and baseball field. The school has two gyms, four portable classrooms, a music room, art room and a literacy information centre.
Programs
As with each school in the York Region District School Board, Crosby Heights P.S. supports student learning through the curriculum standards set out by the Ontario Ministry of Education and many other co-curricular activities.
Our school:
- promotes a safe and supportive learning environment through the Board's Safe Schools Policy and Procedures and the Character Education Initiatives
- offers a Gifted Program (grades 4-8)
- has Anti-Bullying Programs in place
- promotes guest speakers and workshops to enhance programming
- follows a Progressive Discipline Model
- offers ongoing and informal social skills counseling
- organizes out-of-classroom trips related to the curriculum
- hosts a before and after school program provided by Y.M.C.A. of Greater Toronto
- hosts guest speakers/author visits
- has Regular Health Checks by the York Regional Health Services for Immunization and Dental
- hosts Lions Club for Vision Screening
- engages in various fundraising programs
We are also very proud to offer the following programs to our students:
- Chess Club
- Enrichment music opportunity in conjunction with various Secondary Schools
- Music co-curricular opportunities
- Promoting Skilled Trades and Technology (PSTT)
- Roots of Empathy Program
- Sports (Intra-mural and school teams)
- Together We're Better Conference participation
- VIP (Values-Influences-Peers) Program
- Women in Leadership Conference participation
- Breakfast Program
- Winter Exchange Program
- Babysitting Course
- Arts Package
- Summer Institute
- Me to We Program
- Homework Club
- Pizza Program
- Milk Program
- Healthy Schools Program
- Swim To Survive Program
Safe and Supportive Schools/Character Education/Equity Education
Every student has the right to learn in a safe and supportive environment. The York Region District School Board has a Safe Schools Policy and a defined procedure to implement the policy. Both the policy and procedure support the view that student discipline involves a continuum of support including prevention, intervention and appropriate consequences.
In addition, Crosby Heights P.S. supports the development of character education in the York Region District School Board.
As part of our School Plan for Continuous Improvement, the major focus in Quality Workplaces has been to develop a character education program. Crosby Heights P.S. demonstrates character education throughout the entire school by:
- Having a rewards/awards program where the focus for all staff and students will be on the 10 Character Matters! character traits.
- Announcing daily reminders or sayings that involve the particular character trait of the month.
- Holding monthly assemblies in which positive student behaviour will be recognized.
- Rewarding the positive behaviour with certificates.
The next portion of this initiative is to provide staff materials that will help make character education part of everything they do, from delivering curriculum to managing the daily classroom. Crosby Heights Public School is Tribes Trained.
