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Schools reach out to attract students
Greendale host open house on weekend in attempt to stand out from crowd
Karen Seidman
The Gazette
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
With enrolment numbers down across the Lester B. Pearson School Board, schools are having to become more aggressive and more creative in trying to attract students.
That’s the reason Greendale elementary school in Pierrefonds chose to go its own way this year and hold its open house on a Saturday, although they are traditionally held on weekday nights.
Greendale principal Dona Bianchi said there were several reasons the school took the initiative this year to stand out from the pack: she believes it’s easier for parents to get to an open house on the weekend and, more importantly, she believes parents are more relaxed on the weekend and will spend more time checking out the facilities.
“We’re trying to tell the community how great we are, but you really have to feel the atmosphere,” said Bianchi, who believes her decision to hold the open house on a Saturday did bring in more people and was a resounding success.
She said there were about 200 people there on Saturday, which was more than last year.
“And it was a more leisurely atmosphere,” said Bianchi. “People had more of a chance to get a feel for the school.”
She said there were a lot of nice comments and she is optimistic there will be lots of new families signing up for Greendale.
The school has an enrolment of 315 students. With the Pearson board’s major school changes, Purcell Academy, also in Pierrefonds, will be closing and Greendale will be competing for some of the 390 students currently enrolled there.
The board launched its major school changes consultation last year because its total enrolment has dropped by 2,300 students since 2005.
Bianchi said the school has a lot to offer, not the least of which is its family atmosphere which she hoped parents were soaking up on Saturday.
There is also a kindergarten for 4-year-olds, which has become quite popular, and a sports enhancement program that allows students to practice their favourite sport during school hours. The program currently has about 18 students in it.
The school also focuses on science and technology and is working on building a laboratory for students. The school’s popular science club will hold meetings in French to boost the students’ French-language skills – one of the goals of the board’s major school changes package.
There’s also a breakfast club that allows students to have a healthy breakfast in school – something many skip doing at home because it is an “early start” school, which begins each day at 7:50 a.m.
“We’re very big on community partnership and very big on family,” said Bianchi. “We’re just hoping people were attracted by all the great things we do.”
Photo 1: Shawn Dunham and wife, Irene Burda, speak with Jenny Dionatos, an administrator with the soccer academy, at Greendale’s open house Saturday.
Photo 2: Grade 1 students demonstrate steps learned in class for visiting parents.
Photo 3: Jessica Rahimi, Jennifer Atrill and members of the Grade 6 Grad Band perform for perspective parents at the Greendale elementary school's open house Jan. 23.