Quick Facts
- Our school welcomes approximately 370 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 each year
- We offer Full-day Bilingual Kindergarten, the English program with Core French, Middle French Immersion, and the Dual Support Program.
- After completing grade 8, students attend Woodroffe H.S., Nepean H.S., or one of the specialized programs in the OCDSB.
Our Mission/Motto
D. Roy Kennedy P.S. is a dynamic and diverse learning environment where students and adults strive towards personal excellence. We are lifelong learners dedicated to nurturing, empowering, and motivating students to become positive, responsible, healthy and respectful members of society.
Registration
Interested in registering your child at our school? Contact us or visit the OCDSB Registration page for more information.
About Our School
D. Roy Kennedy is a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 School located just to the west of Ottawa’s city centre and home of the “Bulldogs”. Our students, staff, families and community work together to form a strong partnership in support of student learning and well-being.
Our many school clubs, activities and sports programs promote acceptance, belonging and contributing to society and we use the W.I.T.S. bullying prevention and intervention program to make our school a safe place to learn.
Our School Community
Students
Our student body is represented by many cultures. Languages spoken by our students include: Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Somali, Russian, and Vietnamese.
We are extremely proud of students at D. Roy Kennedy PS. They have demonstrated their dedication to helping others in the school, city and global community. Students also have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills. They may participate in Student Council (Blue Crew), Peace Patrol, lunch monitors, Student Ambassadors and as sports leaders to name a few activities.
Past student fundraising efforts have helped with Bethany Hope Centre, the Terry Fox Walk, Ottawa Snowsuit Fund, the Christmas toy drive, Toonie Tuesday for the Education Foundation of Ottawa, and the Ottawa Food Bank. Also, our students raised over $12,000 to build a school in Kenya. This has paid for the construction of the school as well as school supplies and a teacher’s salary.
Staff
Our committed, caring staff represents a wide range of educational experiences, interests, and talents which they offer to enrich the lives of our students and community. Our staff members have a wealth of professional qualifications. They have actively participated in numerous Board-wide professional development activities in numeracy, literacy, and wellness, and we recognize their initiative by providing and supporting opportunities for further professional growth.
DRK staff demonstrates their dedication to our students by providing many leadership opportunities as well as extra-curricular activities and clubs throughout the school year.
Parents/Guardians and Community
Our School Council actively supports student learning and engagement and makes many additional opportunities available for our students to enhance their education and make learning and play fun. Council members undertake a number of special events to nurture the community spirit at D. Roy Kennedy P.S. and to raise funds for program enrichment. The Council takes on responsibility for recruiting and organizing volunteers to support programs both in and out of the classroom.
Every year, our volunteers contribute many hours of support for the benefit of students in our school. Our dedicated school council, which meets monthly, organizes many activities, such as the Holiday Celebration (December), and hosts a Family Math Night with the help of the Parent Reaching Out (PRO) Grant. Every year, School Council hosts a Staff Appreciation Luncheon to thank our dedicated school staff.
Programs, Activities and Supports
We offer Full-day Bilingual Kindergarten, the English program with Core French, Middle French Immersion, and the Dual Support Program.
We have an amazing team of supports for an amazing group of students!
Special Education and ESL Programs
We have Learning Support teachers and teaching staff who provide assistance in the classroom to students with special educational needs. We also have teaching staff who provide support to students with English as a Second Language.
Activities
Students have opportunities to get involved in a wide range of clubs, athletic teams, and activities. For more details, visit our Teams and Clubs page.
Facilities and Learning Tools
Our school offers:
- Smartboard technology
- Chromebooks for interactive learning opportunities in every classroom
- A library with approximately 20,500 volumes; a computer lab, and conference room
- Instrumental Music room; an art/drama room
- Science lab
- Two gyms (one with a stage)
- Two soccer fields
- Accessible features that include an elevator
- Accessible washrooms
- Separate, enclosed primary and kindergarten yard with play structure
Equity, Inclusion and Indigenous Education
Our multicultural students find a safe, stimulating environment where an atmosphere of mutual respect for all cultures in Canada is cultivated. We strive to ensure that our school is a welcoming and safe place for students of all identities to feel valued and respected as they engage, learn, grow, explore, and discover.
A strong commitment to Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility is embedded throughout the OCDSB's 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and captured within each area of focus: learning, well-being, and social responsibility.
For more information, please visit the OCDSB’s Equity and Diversity website.
Child Care
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 Whitehaven Kindergarten School Age Centre.