J.E. Horton School is situated in the Barriefield Heritage Village.  Almost all students arrive at school by bus.  They come from rural areas as well as mature and new subdivisions.  The boundaries are the Cataraqui River to the west, Suny’s Gas Bar to the north, and County Road 16  to the east.  Howe Island is also served by the school.  It is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5 school.

There is a strong sense of community and this is reflected in support for all school activities.  Excellent family support and a remarkable dedication to learning is also very apparent at our school.

        

Kindergarten classes are offered as all day programs on alternate days.  There are fifteen classes at Horton with a total of about 325 students in attendance.  At the end of grade five pupils will go to Lundy’s Lane P.S.  In grade seven they will have several options. Students can stay at Lundy’s Lane, attend Module Vanier at K.C.V.I  for French Immersion, or be part of a county program. (Challenge, L.E.A.P., A.T.L.A.S.) at Calvin Park P.S. in L.C.V.I.

J.E. Horton Public School is a  relatively small school that is able to create a sense of family for students.  There is a strong emphasis on academic achievement balanced with a variety of in-class and extra-curricular activities that promote the arts and athletics.  House league sports, clubs for track and cross-country, chess, choir, drama, crafts, games,  and theatrical productions,  provide a  rich mixture of activities for students to explore, develop and enjoy interests at noon hours, before and after school.

The Code of Student Behaviour helps to reinforce the high expectations that parents and guardians have of their children.  We emphasize safety and respect with our students.  At Horton we have developed school protocols that allow freedom of movement with safety and respect in mind.  We have implemented a K-5 Anti-Bullying Program for all students.

Staff, with the help of parents and volunteers, strive to meet the needs of all exceptional students.  Students with special learning needs are integrated into regular classrooms and are included in all aspects of school life, allowing peers and adults to enjoy and respect their many talents and abilities.

A number of our pupils require an enriched curriculum.  Teachers and resource staff are constantly working to provide intellectual stimulation by extending the curriculum within the classroom, as well as through   withdrawal programs for groups of students across classes.

The School Council is very active and has supported the school through the development of the school computer lab, the Outdoor Enhancement Project, school agendas, school team shirts and curriculum materials.

Communication between home and school is achieved in a number of ways.  Parents and guardians provide much volunteer help in the school.  This allows for frequent dialogue about progress as do the times when children are picked up or dropped off at school.  Classroom and school newsletters apprise those at home of what is happening.  In addition, phone calls are frequently made in both directions to keep one another up to date on the many aspects of student life. In order to facilitate communication between home and school, we use a school agenda specifically developed for our school for students in grades 2 to 5.  An alternate form of communication is used in kindergarten and grade 1 which will be explained to parents by the classroom teachers.

As a school we believe it is important to recognize accomplishments. Our Student Art Gallery, daily announcements, web page, theatrical productions, subject fairs, open houses and school wide assemblies are some of the ways that we ensure time is taken to celebrate what we have done individually or as part of a group.

A before and after school program operated by the Kingston Y, allows parents to have their children supervised at the school as early as 7:30 am. and until 6:00 pm.

The success of any endeavour is dependent upon, in part,  constant evaluation and a desire to strive for continuous improvement.  In addition to responding annually to the results of the provincial assessments at the end of the primary division, staff work with the School Council on a regular basis to develop, implement and evaluate a School Improvement Plan.

Results of the provincial assessments are published each fall.  The results of the recent assessments at the Grade Three level were extremely positive. Students at J.E. Horton scored well above both the provincial and district averages in all academic areas. Our school action plan is created to reflect our most recent provincial assessment results.

        

J.E. Horton Public School is extremely fortunate to have a wide range of people to draw upon for support.  Throughout the year we have secondary, college and university students with us.  They bring not only an extra pair of hands, but also knowledge and skills that make the school environment more vibrant.  There is never a lack of help in the classrooms from parents and guardians.  Interested volunteers are invited to a training session organized and run by the student support teacher so that they are familiar with the practices being used to support students in the critical areas of literacy and numeracy.  Other ways in which volunteers may provide support include: assisting with field trips, supervising small group learning activities and material preparation.

The community is also very supportive when it comes time to celebrate the accomplishments of students.  Theatrical productions, open houses and special events are always well attended not just by parents, but by extended family and friends.

The School Council operates to promote parental and community involvement in the school.  The focus of the Council is evolving to take on a greater role in guiding the direction of the school within Provincial and district frameworks, in addition to the traditional and important roles of fund raising and building community spirit.

General meetings have a program component to allow for discussion of the curriculum in addition to providing a forum for giving advice on the operation of the school.

School staff work closely with parents/guardians to see that our mission statement is implemented:

At J.E. Horton Public School, we believe in the worth of the individual.  In partnership with the parents we will provide a safe, caring, success oriented learning environment for all students.  We are committed to helping children become independent learners with the skills, the knowledge and the ability to be effective members of the school and wider community.

As a staff we continue to promote the development of the following Character Education Traits: respect, cooperation, fairness, honesty, kindness, and responsibility.