Our School

Forest Valley ES

We acknowledge that our learning is taking place on unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Territory. We thank the Algonquin Nation for hosting us and recognize their enduring presence on this land.

Our School

At Forest Valley Elementary School, we pride ourselves on: the quality of the programs; the academic performance of the students; the variety of activities offered; the professionalism of staff; and, the high level of involvement and support from our parents. We set high and attainable academic and social expectations for our students. Students are encouraged to respect diversity, celebrate differences and develop tolerance and acceptance of others. We encourage students to think for themselves, develop strategies to make informed, thoughtful decisions, assume responsibility for their actions, become self-motivated, develop self-confidence and develop as resilient members of society. We challenge ourselves to take academic risks by doing things differently and by coming up with new and creative ideas. We continue to work at responding to societal and technological challenges. Our school community values daily physical education and social/emotional wellness as essential components of a broad ranging and rigorous curriculum. We continue to reflect the values of a community school and promote a collaborative partnership to increase commitment and a sense of pride and ownership by all – students, staff, parents, guardians and the community.

Our Students

Forest Valley has a current enrolment of 340 students. Our school is multi-cultural and takes pride in respecting each other’s ethnic origins and religious beliefs. Once our students finish grade 5, they move on to Grade 6 at either Emily Carr M.S. or Henry Larsen E.S. for their middle school years.

Our Staff

The team at Forest Valley includes the principal, 19 teachers, 3 educational assistants, 3 Early Childhood Educators, 1.5 office staff, 1 chief custodian, 2 evening custodians and a 0.5 librarian. Along with the in school team, we are also supported by a Special Education Team consisting of a Psychologist, Speech & Language Pathologist and Social Worker. Each member of the Forest Valley staff works hand-in- hand to provide the highest quality of education for our students.

Hardworking, knowledgeable, highly educated, committed, and caring are only a few words that describe the staff at Forest Valley E.S. The staff actively pursues professional learning in order to refine their skills and develop new strategies to support and enhance student learning. Currently we have staff members taking courses and enhancing their skills, specializing in Reading, Special Education, Kindergarten and self-regulation initiatives. The staff at Forest Valley is involved in numerous extracurricular activities that support academic learning, character development, creative arts, and athletic skill development. We believe in supporting each child with diverse educational experiences.

Our Community

Forest Valley has a strong tradition of consultation and cooperation between parents, guardians, staff and the community. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to participate in their child’s educational experience, both within the school and at home. The Forest Valley School Council is a volunteer group of members of the school community, which includes parents/guardians, community representatives and staff who are dedicated to strengthening educational opportunities and partnerships with the community. Last year, over 150 parents participated in school activities including: helping students with reading, organizing fund-raising events, accompanying students on field trips, coordinating hot meal days, etc.

Mission Statement

At Forest Valley Elementary School, we are dedicated to creating a happy teaching and learning environment where students, staff, parents and the community work together to help develop the whole child and to foster respect for self, others, and the environment. We encourage a lifetime commitment to self-directed learning and wellness. We believe this can best be accomplished through active involvement in a challenging and motivating curriculum, in an atmosphere that respects the uniqueness of the individual and encourages a positive self-esteem.

Facilities and Resources

Our school is located in a very beautiful, wooded area of Orléans. Phase 1 opened in 1989 and Phase 2, which represents about 75% of the surface area, opened in 1994. It is a gorgeous school of which we are very proud. It has a double gymnasium, a large library, an all-purpose room, three student wings, a computer lab and three challenging play structures. The entrance and the hallways are spacious and inviting. The mosaic, which adorns the entrance of the school, reflects our environment and was created by the students and staff.

Programs and Services

Academic Programs

  • Full Day Bilingual Kindergarten
  • English program with Core French from Grade 1 to Grade 5
  • Early French Immersion from Grade 1 to Grade 5

Classroom Organization

  • 3JK/SK Kindergarten classes
  • 3 English homeroom classes
  • 9 French Immersion homeroom classes (grades 1-5)

Forest Valley enjoys the benefits of a balanced school day schedule, which allows for up to a two hour uninterrupted literacy block and a one-hour uninterrupted math block in our Primary grades and many of the Junior grades.

Special Education and ESL Programs

  • Primary Special Needs Class (PSN)
  • LLI, Empower and educational assessments with our Learning Support Teacher

Clubs and Activities

Our students enjoy many sports activities including soccer, cross-country running, volleyball, basketball, intramural games, track and field, and snowshoeing. In addition, the students can join the choir, coding club, chess club, social services club, happiness club, and train club. The activities can vary from year to year and depend on the interest and commitment of students, staff, and parents. Our grades four and five students have numerous leadership opportunities such as lunchroom monitors, milk monitors, reading buddies,  and Environmental Stewardship mentors. A variety of presenters visit the school to enhance the curriculum. These include: Scientist in the Schools groups, fitness and music workshops, Arts and Literary groups; all visit the school to provide students with the opportunity to see and hear dynamic productions and presentations. Our happiness club plans and supports school spirit days and special fundraisers. To date, some of our fundraising money has been distributed to our local food cupboards, Terry Fox Cancer Foundation, the Education Foundation and  the Boys and Girls club.
Throughout the school, teachers instruct students on how to become self-directed, solution-oriented and critical thinkers.

Safe Schools Initiatives

One of our school initiatives focuses on student self-management through positive behaviour strategies and on promoting a safe and caring school in which all of our students feel valued. Our Healthy, Safe and Caring initiative focuses on Character Development. At Forest Valley our goal is to make every student feel valued. Character Development is not seen as a subject onto itself, but rather it is woven into everything we do at Forest Valley. The values that we focus on are: Acceptance, Appreciation, Cooperation, Empathy, Fairness, Integrity, Optimism, Perseverance, Respect and Responsibility. We start the year with an Orientation Week designed to build teamwork skills and a sense of community with students and staff. We have been focusing on the WITS program this year which gives students the skills to deal with conflicts independently which will help foster social and emotional wellness. Our staff is proactive in their dealings with any form of teasing or bullying by being visible on the yard and in the halls. Other initiatives include lunch and school bus monitors, a call back program for absences and safety awareness in the parking lot and surrounding roadways for both parents and students.

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