Background
Beurling Academy opened its doors for the first time in the fall of 2003, when the students from the former Riverside Park Academy and LaSalle Junior International School joined together to found a new school to serve the needs of the Verdun, LaSalle and surrounding communities. In the early years, Beurling Academy served approximately 580 students. At present, we are proud to announce that our numbers are remaining strong at almost 380 - the perfect size for a truly community school!
Characteristics of the school
Beurling Academy is a safe and happy place to be! Our school motto is: Believe and Succeed, and we take our responsibility to INSTRUCT, to SOCIALIZE and to CERTIFY very seriously. We believe that every student should be challenged to his / her full potential. We believe that the teaching and learning of social skills and conflict resolution skills is as important as the three R’s, and we seek to guide and support every student towards self-fulfillment and certification.
The Beurling Academy community is made up of a diverse multi-cultural and multi-ethnic staff and student population that reflects the richness of the greater Montreal community. As such, we seek to develop in our students a sense of pride in their own heritage as well as an openness and respect towards the traditions and beliefs of others.
Programs
There are three distinct academic programs at Beurling Academy:
- French as a Second Language Program
- DELF Scolaire (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française)
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP)
At the Cycle I levels, students in the French as a Second Language Program take all of their academic subjects in English, but they benefit from 33% more French than a Regular program would offer and those students take Physical Education in French. In the French Immersion Program, students follow an enriched French class and have some other subjects, like Social Studies and Science, in French. The IB program offers enrichment in all subjects and also offers Spanish as a third language. Students in IB must be highly motivated given that, beyond the requirements for earning a Quebec diploma, they are required to complete community service hours, additional course work as well as undergo the full IB moderation process in the senior grades that leads to an official IB diploma.
Beurling Academy boasts a strong Arts Program that benefits all students no matter their academic program. Students have the choice of Music (band), Drama, Dance and Visual Art at every level. At the senior Cycle, students may also choose Woodwork & Robotics, Computer Graphics, Theatre Set Design, POP (Personal Orientation Project), Leadership and Physical Fitness. Advanced Math and Science options are also available.
Extra-Curriculum Clubs & Activities
Many students get involved in school life by becoming active members of the Junior or Senior Student Council. These two councils work very hard to plan and organize school activities such as pep rallies, staff vs students games, fundraising events, free dress days, dances, spirit week activities, outings and ski trips and much much more. At Beurling, every student receives a yearbook, so many students also get involved in making our annual student album a real success. There is also a Grad committee, a dance club, a drama club, honor band, just to mention a few. Our students take part in several class outings per year, and trips to Europe, New York, Boston, Toronto and Stratford are also organized.
Sports
Sports is also very much part of student life at Beurling Academy. Our boys and girls play soccer, volleyball, basketball, softball and touch football in the GMAA, and we have won many championships! Go Bobcats, GO!
We also have a cross-country running team, a track and field team and a swim team. Beyond inter-scholastic sports, many of our students participate in intra-mural sports activities at lunch in one of our two gyms. Beurling Academy has its own swimming pool that is open to students at lunch every day; there is a full-time lifeguard on duty every day. Some Phys. Ed. classes use the pool as well.
Uniform
Students at Beurling Academy wear a school uniform that consists of grey dress pants or quilt, a burgundy polo shirt or white dress shirt and the school sweater or vest. In Phys. Ed. Class, student wear a school T-shirt and either shorts or sweat pants. Each item of clothing must possess the school crest or monogram; no substitutes are allowed. Shoes must be black and/or white. Running shoes are permitted.
Support Services
- Breakfast Club
A team of volunteers made up of Beurling teachers and staff run a remedial / tutoring program on Saturday mornings aimed at improving numeracy and literacy skills. Student who choose to attend are offered a light breakfast and sometimes get to use the gym after their work is done.
- Elite and ACES
Two alternative programs at Beurling designed to meet the needs of “at risk” students at the grade 9 and 10 level who have the potential to graduate but need a little extra support.
Family School, Support and Treatment Team (FFSST) person: an initiative of the LBPSB that seeks to develop positive connections between the school and the parents of students in difficulty.
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Guidance Counsellor
The Guidance Counsellor is full time, and provides both personal and academic counseling to students.
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Literacy
At the Cycle I level, additional literacy support is provided through the Resource Department. At the Cycle II level, students take a Literacy option class.
LBPSB Student Services Dept. provides Beurling with several support professionals such as a Psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Special Education Consultant, etc. The LBPSB Food Services provides free lunches several days per week to all students.
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Mazon & Share the Warmth
Richie’s Lunch Café, which is funded and supported by these organizations, ensures that every student can have a healthy meal at lunchtime.
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New Approaches, New Solutions (NANS)
An initiative of MEES that provides additional resources to schools in low socio-economic areas to ensure ‘success for all’.
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Planning Room
Our Technician works to support our at-risk students by helping them to develop anger management strategies and other skills to be more successful in school.
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Resource
The Beurling Resource Room, which is overseen by a full time Teacher and two full time Special Ed. Technicians and consists of approx. 10 Aides, ensures that students with special needs receive the services and support they require to be successful in high school.
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Spiritual & Community Animator
Seeks to provide spiritual guidance to our students and promote community service projects and related initiatives such as the Peaceful Schools Initiative.
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Tutorials
The Guidance Counsellor organizes a peer tutoring program and also acts as the school’s liaison to the Dawson Community Center after school programs.