News Release

November 23, 2011

For Immediate Release

Two Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools shortlisted for Award for Excellence in Education

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is proud to announce that two of its schools, Our Lady of Good Voyage Catholic Elementary School and Sts. Martha & Mary Catholic Elementary School, will be recognized as Schools of Distinction at the annual Awards for Excellence in Education celebration on November 24 in Toronto.

Based on analysis of data from The Fraser Institute’s Report Card on Ontario’s Elementary Schools, up to 30 schools across Ontario are shortlisted in each of the award categories: Improvement in Academics, Excellence in Language Arts, and Excellence in Mathematics.  

Our Lady of Good Voyage Catholic Elementary School was shortlisted for an Award for Excellence in Education in the Improvement in Academics category, which recognizes school teams whose overall academic rating has experienced the fastest, most consistent improvement over the last five years.

Sts. Martha & Mary Catholic Elementary School was shortlisted for an Award for Excellence in Education in the Excellence in Language Arts category, which recognizes school teams whose students have achieved ongoing success in the acquisition of reading and writing skills.

Overall, 2,733 schools were analyzed, and the schools shortlisted represent the top one per cent of Ontario elementary schools in their respective category.

Formerly known as the Garfield Weston Awards for Excellence in Education, these awards were established in 2005 in Ontario and they acknowledge school teams whose skill, hard work, perseverance, and enthusiasm have significantly contributed to students’ academic performance at the school.

“I’d like to congratulate the staff, students, parent, and entire school communities of Our Lady of Good Voyage and Sts. Martha & Mary,” said John Kostoff, director of education. “We know that to achieve these types of results there are a number of successful collaborations that take place. This recognition exemplifies our board’s commitment to student success and is a celebration of the dedication and hard work of these school teams.”

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is one of largest and most diverse school districts in Ontario, with approximately 85,000 students in 146 Catholic schools throughout Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville. With over 10,000 employees, the board is also one of the largest employers in the region.

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For information, contact:                     Julia Seeratan, Communications Officer

905-890-0708 ext. 24515