About HPSD

About the District

The High Prairie District School Board offers elementary and secondary students an education that is enriched with diverse program choices and activities to complement curriculum requirements while supporting achievement and well-being and the overall success of every student.

The Board offers elementary students several unique programs in the Arts, French Immersion as well as academically advanced opportunities and Full-Day Kindergarten. The Board also offers secondary students a variety of programs that assist students to successfully access all post-secondary destinations to the workplace, apprenticeship, university or college including locally developed Focus, Co-Op and Apprenticeship programs.

The Board’s district serves more than 20,000 students in 62 schools and 8 education centres covering a geographic area of 7,719 square kilometres across the City of Kingston, the Townships of Central Frontenac, North Frontenac, South Frontenac, Addington Highlands, Loyalist, Stone Mills, the Frontenac Islands and the Town of Greater Napanee.

Message From the Superintendent

Superintendent

Dear HPSD Community,

September in schools is the most exciting time of the year. We welcome students, families and our community to the start of another great year in High Prairie Schools. We have begun work on a number of innovative and impressive programs to support our students. We continue to work with our strategic plan.

Our plan helps us focus directly on accomplishing our mission: “High Prairie Public Schools inspires and empowers each individual to learn, grow and excel”.

Inspiring and empowering mean that High Prairie Schools has innovative and exciting opportunities for our students to excel. Early childhood programming expanded to over 200 three and four-year-old students, serving our youngest learners. Our innovative High Prairie College Experience Program launched successfully at Mondale Community College and will allow our students to gain more college credits while completing high school.

Dual language Spanish immersion programing enters the high school, where we have the first program statewide that offers students credit for Language Arts while being instructed in Spanish.

Our arts programs were awarded for their displays at local colleges, while our drama department held its most successful performance ever. It is amazing to watch the success of our students engaging in our wide-ranging programs.

Terry Smith, Superintendent

Quick Facts About HPSD

Quick Facts

Total sites/schools: 70

51 elementary schools (includes two K-12 schools)
11 secondary schools (includes two K-12 schools)
8 alternative learning centres

Students: 20,220

Elementary students: 13,046
Elementary French Immersion students: 1,954
Secondary: 7,174
Self-identified First Nation, Metis & Inuit students: 580
Elementary: 331
Secondary: 249

Employees: 3,201

Teachers: 1,285
Elementary: 783
Secondary: 502
Occasional (Supply) Teachers: 539
Principals, Vice-Principals, Assistant Vice-Principals: 95

Mission and Vision

Mission

Our mission is to prepare students within safe and inclusive environments to embrace a changing world as lifelong learners and informed, responsible citizens.

Students
We believe that...

our students are our reason for being.
our students include adult learners.
every student can learn and experience success.
it is the purpose of the schools to maximize each student's potential for and enjoyment of life-long learning.

Staff
We believe that...

every staff member is valuable and essential to fostering quality public education.
all staff members endeavour to maintain a work environment that respects each persons 'integrity, dignity and individual contribution.
the board and staff share in the responsibility to model teamwork, continuous improvement and professional development.

Partners
We believe that...

public education is a shared responsibility.
the Ministry of Education is responsible for providing appropriate funding for a quality education program.
our parents, community and businesses will enthusiastically support public education.
partnerships will enhance and improve the quality of education, including support for program innovation.
our schools reflect and honour society's common goals and enrich them by encouraging diversity.

Accountability

We believe that...

our trustees, our director and our staff are accountable to the community for providing quality education to all students.
in partnership with parents, students and the community, we have the responsibility to provide a positive, safe and inviting learning environment.
our resources should be committed to ensure that our strategic initiatives and expectations are met.