School Profile 2013-2014
Lisgar Collegiate Institute
Grades 9 to 12
Address:
29 Lisgar St.
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0B9
Phone: 613-239-2696
Fax: 613-235-7497
School hours:
8:50 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
School Website1
Principal
David McMahon
Vice Principals
Ashley Sleeth
Bruce Summers
Office Administrator
Neil Petrie
Chief Custodian
Chris Hennessey
School Council Co-Chairs
Stacey Moreau
Michael FitzPatrick
Superintendent of
Instruction
Susan MacDonald
School Trustee
Jennifer McKenzie
Chair of the Board
Jennifer McKenzie
Director of Education/
Secretary of the Board
Jennifer Adams
General Board
Information:
Phone: 613-721-1820
OCDSB Website2
Accessibility Information3
Our School:
Given Lisgar’s central location, we are ideally positioned to integrate our
students’ learning with the resources available in the nation’s capital.
Lisgar Collegiate Institute offers a variety of courses across a full range
of programs at the university, college, academic, and applied levels.
Consistent with Lisgar’s long tradition of excellence in academics, the
arts, and athletics, students pursue their full potential as responsible
individuals.
In 1874, the Ottawa Collegiate Institute, successor to the Dalhousie
District Grammar School founded in 1843, moved to Lisgar Street. In
1928, the name Lisgar Collegiate Institute was adopted in honour of Sir
John Young, Lord Lisgar. We are uniquely situated in the downtown
community and welcome students from across the region. We thrive on
the cultural diversity of our students and our international outlook.
Academics:
We offer a variety of courses in all disciplines, including Classical
Studies and International Languages, the International Advanced
Placement Program and the Gifted Program. In 1957, the Gifted
Program was established at LCI as the first program of its kind in
Ontario. The International Advanced Placement Program is available to
all Lisgar students who wish to take university-level courses and have
the opportunity to receive equivalent credits for first year university
courses from universities in Canada, the United States and many other
countries. We continue to develop innovative learning approaches to
challenge students in a changing world.
Arts:
In our Music Program, we offer both Band and String Music with
opportunities for students to participate in numerous musical groups
including Orchestra, Concert Band, Choir, Jazz Ensembles and various
Chamber Ensembles. In addition, we have a vibrant Visual Arts and
Drama Program. We offer a wide range of enriching opportunities for
learning and enjoyment beyond the traditional classroom milieu with our
participation in such things as the Kiwanis Music Festival and Improv
Games.
Athletics:
Our Physical Education curriculum, Intra-mural and Inter-scholastic
Programs, Outdoor Education and Exercise Science courses foster a
balanced healthy lifestyle for our students.
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Our Students
Every person at Lisgar contributes to our community and benefits from the synergy of the
learning experience. Our student body of 1060 reflects a wide mix of ethnic, cultural and
religious backgrounds.
Our Staff
Our teachers bring diverse backgrounds, scholarship, excellent subject knowledge and
positive expectations to their classes. Our mandate is to help each student achieve his or
her potential. Many of our staff, recognized for their teaching expertise, are called upon to
serve as members of provincial and board curricula writing teams and to present at
national and international conferences.
Our Community
Parents and Community
Our parents and alumni regularly volunteer their help in all areas of our school life. Last
year, Lisgar students profited from the hard work of more than 45 volunteers as part of the
“Volunteers in Education” program.
Our School Council meets monthly on the first Tuesday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. in the
library. All parents are welcome to attend and participate in the evening’s discussions.
Mission Statement
At Lisgar Collegiate Institute we are committed to providing learning and working
environments where all individuals feel safe, valued, respected, and welcome.
School motto: Alere flamman - to nourish the flame
School colours: Blue and Silver
Team name: Lords
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Programs and Services
Academic Programs
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Congregated Gifted classes in Grades 9 -12
Extended French program package in Grades 9-12
International Advanced Placement Program in Calculus AB, European History, French
Language, English Language and Composition, English Literature and Composition,
Music Theory and Statistics allow students the opportunity to earn university
equivalency credits
Classical and International Languages: Spanish, Latin
Music (Strings, Band),Visual Arts, Drama
Co-operative Education and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
Outdoor Education
Classroom Organization
Lisgar Collegiate Institute operates on a semestered basis with a two-day rotating
timetable. The daily schedule consists of four 75-minute classes each day. Our Band and
Outdoor Education programs operate outside the regular day schedule and run all year
long.
Special Education Programs
Our Special Education Teachers offer:
 Remedial help in our Student Support Room as well as monitoring and educational
support for students with Individual Education Plans
 Assessments for students with learning exceptionalities
 Specialized Dual Support Program
 Field trips to many nearby facilities such as Parliament, National Gallery, National Arts
Centre, Museums
Clubs and Activities
Lisgar offers extracurricular opportunities to appeal to everyone, including:
 Intramural Athletics Program: offers a wide variety of activities for students of all ages and
abilities during the lunch hour
 Music: numerous music ensembles from Classical to Jazz frequently perform in the school,
at elementary schools, and in the community. Lisgar has developed a strong relationship
with City Hall and provides string quartets and Choirs for various ceremonies.
 Space Simulation Club: runs annual missions to the far reaches of the galaxy and provides
elementary schools with an introduction to space science
 Student Council: provides leadership camps, and supports the community with fundraisers
such as the annual United Way Pancake Breakfast and Canned Food Drive
 International trips: take place during the March Break, destinations vary
 A wide range of clubs and activities to meet all interests and to complement our curriculum,
e.g. Anime club, Debating club, the Lisgarwrite school newspaper, Key Club
 Vox Lycei (the school yearbook, dating back to 1886)
 The Lisgar Environmental Action Force (LEAF) operates in conjunction with EarthCARE
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Safe Schools Initiatives
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Safe School Information Assemblies at the beginning of each school year
Self-defense training in junior Physical Education classes
Provincial and School Codes of Behaviour clearly outlined in the student agenda
Anti-Harassment Awareness Program
Gay-Straight Alliance Club
Link Crew program to support grade nine transition
Fire and lock-down drills throughout the year
Close contact with our School Resource Police Officer, our OCDSB Multicultural
Liaison Officer and our Rideauwood Counsellor
Facilities and Resources
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Five computer labs, six science labs and many classrooms with SmartBoards
Two music rooms with individual practice rooms, vocal and ensemble rehearsal space,
digital recording facilities, drama and visual arts studios
Double gymnasium with balconies and weight room
Alumni Auditorium with 670 seats
Library with seating capacity for 75 students and access to 23 computers
Google Map of Lisgar Collegiate Institute
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Achievement and School Improvement Planning
Measures of Student Achievement and Success
Our school follows the guidelines set out in the OCDSB Policy and Procedures for Student
Evaluation, available on the Board’s website2.
In 2012-2013, we had 235 graduates; 165 were Ontario Scholars (70%) and 88 were
Silver Medal Winners (37%). Lisgar's results in the provincial Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test are consistently amongst the best in the city with a 93% pass rate for
students writing the test for the first time. Every year, Lisgar students excel in a wide
variety of national and international science competitions. We never fail to have several
students place in the top 5th percentile in each of the Avogadro and Chem 13 News
Chemistry Contests, the University of Toronto National Biology Exam, and the OAPT and
Sir Isaac Newton Physics Contests. In recent years, Lisgar teams have placed first in
Canada in the Biology and Sir Isaac Newton Contests and individuals often place in the
top five in the country. Lisgar students have represented Canada and earned medals at
both the International Chemistry and Physics Olympiads. About one-fifth of Lisgar students
participate in eleven different math contests each year. Our school score on the monthly
CNML Contest is regularly in the top 25 in Canada. Our teams consistently place in the top
three in our zone in the Waterloo, Pascal, Euclid, Cayley, and Fermat Contests. More than
three-quarters who write the Pascal, Cayley, and Fermat Contests rank in the top 25% in
Canada, along with a third of our Euclid contestants and a third who write the COMC.
Based on their strong performance in the AMC 12, many Lisgar students are invited to
write the American Invitational Mathematics Examination. In the Fryer, Galois, and Hypatia
Contests, Lisgar students distinguish themselves every year by being awarded Gold,
Silver, and Bronze Certificates. Lisgar students continue to achieve success in Advanced
Placement courses and exams. Our School Grade Average is a notable score of 4.51!
Our music performing ensembles participate annually at the Ottawa Kiwanis Music
Festival and over the last few years, we have consistently been invited to the Ontario
Provincial Music Festival. The Senior Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, String Ensemble and
Senior Jazz Ensemble are regularly invited to participate at the Ontario Provincial Music
Festival. Since 2000 the Senior Jazz Band has been featured at the Ottawa International
Jazz Festival as part of their Youth Series in June. The Improv Team continuously reaches
the Nationals and the Music Department maintains its tradition to travel abroad every other
year. When the music department is home for March Break, there is generally a full scale
musical production which has most recently staged “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
combining William Shakespeare’s play and Felix Mendelssohn’s incidental music. The
Visual Art Shows in January and June are always very well attended and extremely well
received. Due to our location, we can easily plan trips to the National Arts Centre and the
National Gallery.
Lisgar students are consistently provincial finalists in the "Canadian Geography
Challenge", and last year we took 4th place in the National Finals. Students take part in
the annual Begbie History contest. We have a highly successful "Reach for the Top" team,
which has been regional champion for the last five years, a provincial finalist for the last
eleven years, and was national champion in 2008. The team is the current Canadian and
International champion on WPBS's "Whiz Quiz". Lisgar is the current regional and
provincial champion for the American "National Academic Quiz Tournament", and is the
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only Canadian team to attend both the U.S. NAQT and P.A.C.E. (Partnership for Academic
Competitive Excellence) national finals, qualifying for the last six years. Lisgar’s Debate
Team has enjoyed success in nationally recognized debate competitions. We are proud of
both individual and team successes including a second place finish and best overall
speaker recognition at the 2013 Fall competition at Carleton University.
In 2012, one of Lisgar’s grade eleven core French students won the first prize of the
Concours de Français d'Ottawa-Carleton. Most grade twelve students in both the core
and extended French courses participate in the OCDSB’s pilot program for the Diplôme
d'études en langue française (DELF), a certification of French-language abilities for nonnative speakers of French, administered by the International Centre for French Studies for
France's Ministry of Education.
We have 24 interscholastic teams that compete in the National Capital Athletic
Association. Lisgar is consistently represented at the Ontario Championships in Cross
Country, Nordic Skiing and Track & Field.
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School Improvement Plans and Initiatives
Our English department has an English skills continuum for Grades 9-12 Academic and
Gifted classes, which is available in the "Academics" area on the school website. The
continuum identifies the various forms of writing, reading, grammar, and presentation skills
required in each grade. It also includes the texts studied, the exam and summative
requirements, and the central thematic focus of each course. The Applied and College
continuum is currently under revision. Lisgar students continue to achieve excellent results
on the ENG4U District-wide English Exam as well as on the Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test (OSSLT), which is a mandatory provincial evaluation that tests both reading
and writing skills up to the end of Grade 9. Lisgar has a cross-curricular approach to the
preparation of our students in Grades 9 and 10 for the kind of content and skills required
for the OSSLT. All students writing the OSSLT will take part in preparation sessions, and
students have access to further preparation resources at http://eqao.com. Staff are
working with students who were previously unsuccessful on the Literacy Test as well as
with students in Grades 11 or 12 who have not yet written the test, in order to help them to
prepare and improve their skills. In addition, we continue to identify and work with Grade 9
students who are experiencing literacy challenges.
The members of the Mathematics department have established remedial procedures
necessary to improve student achievement during the formative junior years by
establishing an extra-help room run by both teachers and senior student volunteers, as
well as implementing new diagnostic and intervention materials being made available by
both the board and the ministry.
To improve student learning and use available technology to greater advantage, the
Mathematics department is continuing to use SmartBoards in their classrooms. This
technology, combined with dynamic mathematics software and hand-held graphing
technology, allows for a greater range in the presentation and understanding of the
curriculum. LCI continues to encourage the use of student devices, and is facilitating this
through its integration with the wireless board-wide internet and the use of a class set of
iPod touches. All of this allows for students to uncover the mathematics and reach a higher
level of understanding.
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Leadership Recognition
“Leadership in the OCDSB is the demonstration of personal initiative
to achieve a positive outcome.”
Students
 All stakeholders in the school community have identified eight qualities as the focus for
character development at Lisgar: Respect, Integrity, Perseverance, Acceptance,
Responsibility, Optimism, Honesty, and Community.
 Lisgar’s Environmental Action Force (LEAF) members spread their positive
environmental message to LCI students.
Staff
 Our staff members have a wealth of professional qualifications including Bachelor,
Master and Ph. D. degrees in Arts, English, Law, Fine Arts, French, Physical Education,
Mathematics and Sciences, as well as additional qualifications in Special Education,
Music, Visual Arts, Technology, Outdoor Education, Guidance, and Computers in
Education.
 They have actively participated in numerous Board-wide professional development
activities in literacy and numeracy, technology, Assessment & Evaluation, and we
recognize their initiative by providing and supporting opportunities for further professional
growth.
 Of interest, our French Department is helping to spearhead the DELF program (Diplôme
d’Études en Langue Française).
Parents/Guardians/Volunteers
 Lisgar is committed to utilizing ONFE's "Ottawa Volunteers in Education" program which
has resulted in the placement of many volunteers - mostly university students - as
teachers' aides in the classroom. Teachers' aides make a major contribution to our
school by helping students with their homework in class or by working with students as
tutors at lunch or after school. Lisgar's proximity to the University of Ottawa makes it
quite handy for students to volunteer before or after or between classes.
Community
 Elementary Education Programs (EEPs) are half-day workshops where an elementary
school class visits the Space Sim facilities at 440 Albert Street and participates in
activities taught by two Lisgar Space Sim club members. The activities covering a variety
of space-related science subjects, such as astronomy, life in space, Newton's laws of
motion, rocketry, electrostatics, satellite design and space flight using shuttle simulators
and tours of the mission facilities. The elementary class is broken into groups, which
rotate through each of the stations in turn. Stations consist mostly of demonstrations and
hands-on activities for the elementary students, such as simulating asteroid impacts and
using tools while on a hovercraft. The workshop ends with a planetarium presentation to
the whole class. Lisgar Space Sim student members prepare the presentations and
materials, give the presentations, and handle the bookings.
 Lisgar students and staff are extremely fortunate to have an Alumni Association which is
involved in the school on an ongoing basis. Former students of Lisgar have donated
money to purchase multimedia projectors, computers and permit renovations for our fifth
computer lab and most recently, the renovation and painting of our auditorium and
Student Services office. Other donations by the Alumni include bicycle racks, crosscountry skis, media carts, projectors and SmartBoards. As a result of their efforts, the
resources for our students’ learning have been enhanced and our environment has been
improved.
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URL References
1
http://www.lisgar.ca/
http://www.ocdsb.ca/
3 http://www.ocdsb.ca/ab-ocdsb/
4 http://www.eqao.com/
2
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