We acknowledge that our school and the learning taking place here is on the unceded and unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. Our community recognizes and honours their long history of welcoming many nations to this beautiful land. We acknowledge the historical and on-going oppression of the original peoples in what we now know as Canada and truly believe education contributes to the healing journey we all walk together.
Quick Facts
- Our school welcomes approximately 100 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 each year.
- We offer full-day bilingual Kindergarten, the English program with Core French, and a Junior Language Learning Disability Class.
- After completing grade 6, students attend either Glashan Public School or Fisher Park Public School.
Mission Statement
Cambridge Street Community Public School has a vibrant staff of new and experienced educators who are all committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and productive learning environment. Cambridge is a place where individual differences are valued and respected, students are encouraged and expected to do their best, and parents and community volunteers are welcomed. At Cambridge we support all students to reach the potential they identify for themselves to become contributing members of the Global Community.
Registration
Interested in registering your child at our school? Contact us or visit the OCDSB Registration page.
About Our School
Cambridge Street School is a warm and nurturing community school that promotes the academic, physical, social, and emotional development of all students. It is a welcoming and supportive environment that invites the involvement of families, volunteers, student educators, co-op students, and many community partners.
Cambridge Street Public School welcomes a diverse community of students and families. Although many of our students were born in Canada, this K-6 school serves a predominantly multicultural population of students and families originally from locations such as China, Vietnam, Myanmar, South Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa and South America.
Cambridge Street Community School has a knowledgeable, dedicated, and caring staff who:
- work diligently to provide the students with the very best learning environment possible;
- are lifelong learners;
- are committed to their own professional development and to the study and collaborative discussion of new and better ways of addressing student needs; and
- work together, sharing their many skills and talents to enrich the lives of our students, the community and one another.
Cambridge Street Community Public School is a community hub and hosts the following services for our families:
- Multicultural Liaison Officer from the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization
- The Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa, after school program Monday to Friday 3:40-7pm
- The EarlyON program for parents, care-givers and toddlers, Monday to Friday 9-12:30pm
- Somerset West Community Health Centre
- Orkidstra
- Big Brothers and Big Sisters
- Ottawa Public Health
- OCDSB Extended Day Program
- International and Indigenous Languages Program
- Ottawa Public Library Bookmobile
We offer the following academic programs:
- Full-day Bilingual Kindergarten (JK-SK): 50% English instruction and 50% French instruction.
- English Program with Core French (Grades 1-6): Instruction in the English language in all subject areas as well as instruction in French through Core French (40 minutes daily).
- Junior Language Learning Disability Class
We support students with specialized learning needs and multilingual learners in consultation with students, staff and families through:
- Learning Support Teacher (LST)
- Learning Resource Teacher (LRT)
- Special Education - Junior Language Learning Disability Class (LLD)
- English as a Additional Language support (EAL)
- Multidisciplinary team (psychologist, social work, itinerant educational assistants, speech-language pathologists, etc.)
- OCDSB Program and Learning instructional coach support in literacy and numeracy
- OCDSB Tutor in the classroom program
Our school offers:
- A library with a collection of 8,000 books, math manipulatives, learning kits, and professional resources
- Elevator
- Computer technology in every classroom
- Makerspace
- Gymnasium
- Body break room
- Kindergarten yard with new play structure
- Soccer field, baseball diamond, and outdoor volleyball net and poles
- Primary/Junior play structure
- Outdoor classroom
- Class set of snowshoes (funded through PHE Canada - Access to Sport grant)
Over the past several years, Cambridge St. Community PS has seen a steady decline in enrollment towards French-Immersion programs at neighboring schools. The School team is working to rebuild the school into a viable option for community families.
Makerspace
One of the ways this is being done is to change the way staff are delivering curriculum. Board staff and collaborating with the Cambridge Team to create a Makerspace in our school to build our understanding of the importance of student voice and choice and learning to create engaging educational experiences to build literacy and numeracy skills through hands-on activities. Not only will this approach increase engagement in learning, it will also support the learning of multilingual learners by helping create the background knowledge onto which literacy skills can be built. The first project is to build Cambridge City - a mini city that highlights students' understanding of science (structures, systems) and social studies (communities) curriculum.
Community Mural Project
Another project in the works is an exterior mural project planned for the front entrance of our school. Cambridge St. Community PS is a school in transition. As the school continues on this path of rebuilding, the Cambridge Team is working hard to “create a school where students, staff and families are beating down the doors to get in.”
One of the projects we are working on is a community mural project with MASC and Claudia Salguero, who is a local artist known for her work engaging with communities and groups at risk. The exterior mural project seeks to involve all staff and students, is connected to many strands of curriculum, and will engage family and community members as well.
This artistic expression project will help working towards the goals of the OCDSB Indigenous, Equity & Human Rights Roadmap by:
- Elevating the voices of racialized/minoritized parents/caregivers and elders.
- Providing space for the voices of racialized parents/caregivers to address issues of equity, anti-oppression, and human rights.
- Creating a sense of belonging within the school environment by acknowledging and
- Valuing parents'/caregivers' identities and assets.
- Respecting parents/caregivers as co-collaborators with teachers by ensuring their identities are embedded in the curriculum.
The original red brick Cambridge Street Community Public School was built in 1898 and its first students entered in September 1899. It was enlarged in 1908 and demolished in 1973 to make way for the present new school. The school celebrated its 100th anniversary of offering excellence in education to its students in 1998-1999. Cambridge School’s history and composition parallel the demographic changes experienced by the city of Ottawa over the last century.
OCDSB Extended Day Program (EDP)
Our school offers the Extended Day Program (EDP), which operates before and after the regular school day, providing children the opportunity to participate in activities that complement what happens during the school day. The program is open to all children from Kindergarten to Grade 6 registered in their designated OCDSB school. For more information, visit the OCDSB website.
OCDSB EarlyON Child and Family Centre
The OCDSB operates an EarlyON Child and Family Centre at our school. This centre offers free, high-quality programs for families and caregivers with children from birth to 6 years old. OCDSB EarlyON Centres are open on school days to all families and caregivers in Ontario. For more information, visit the OCDSB website.