Our School
Ellen Fairclough P.S. is named after Canada’s first female federal cabinet minister. She made political history in 1950 with this appointment, following a period as the only female Member of Parliament in the House of Commons. In 1957 she was named Secretary of State – the first woman to hold a federal cabinet post. Ellen Fairclough was later named Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Postmaster General. She was named to the Order of Canada in 1980. She was a pioneer trailblazer and an excellent Canadian role model for students.
Our school motto is “The Spirit to Try, the Courage to Fly”.
Our school mascot is the falcon. Interestingly, after choosing the falcon as our mascot, our students learned that falcons have been spotted nesting on the Ellen Fairclough federal building in Hamilton. As a symbolic gesture to our mascot, the Student Council at E.F.P.S. then decided, through the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, to adopt “Oscar”, a peregrine falcon.
The Ellen Fairclough P.S. community is a Healthy School community. A Healthy School community is one in which members of the community work together to inspire and support children and youth to lead active, healthy lives. Members of our school community have come together – students, parents, school staff, health professionals, and recreational organizations – to develop programs and policies that increase access to, and opportunities for, active healthy living. These opportunities include the sharing of community facilities and resources, effective health and physical education programs, nourishment programs, recreational activities and school-run events.
Ellen Fairclough Public School is a modern two-story building that officially opened in the fall of 2005. Its beautiful Learning Resource Centre is front and center on the main floor, and is the first space you see as you enter the building. E.F.P.S. has 21 classrooms, as well as a designated Science Lab, Art Room, and a Music Room on the main floor that has a ceiling that opens to the top of the second floor. The building has wide hallways and has been designed to allow for a great deal of natural light, as each of the three stairwells is fully enclosed by glass windows.
In conjunction with the Board’s Mission, the Mission at Ellen Fairclough P.S. is to create a welcoming, respectful environment where all members of the school community work collaboratively to develop students who are life-long learners with positive character, who make healthy life choices.
Vision
We embrace our role as partners in a diverse community. We are inspired by the dreams of our students and strive to help them achieve their personal goals. Our students are the present and the future. We prepare them to be life-long learners, and successful, productive members of a dynamic world.
Values
We foster and support:
- a warm, welcoming environment that is safe, respectful, equitable and inclusive
- the pursuit of individual academic excellence, and encourage balanced involvement in arts and/or athletic activities
- the development of confident, independent, and “character driven” personalities
- an active, living school community that has the knowledge and desire to make healthy choices
- positive and effective community partnerships
- a collaborative, collegial environment of Professional Learning Communities.
Identity Matters
Outdoor education is important for the well-being of our students and your children
Social Justice
Opportunities for students to find their passions and interests
Building future leaders
Creativity
Developing responsible citizens