Our School

We are located at 5 First St. W in Elmira, Ontario. John Mahood Public School was built in 1954. The original building consisted of one hall and included rooms one to eight and the current library (in 1954 this was the gymnasium). Approximately 260 students attended John Mahood from kindergarten through grade eight. In 1959, a four-room addition was added to ease overcrowding. In 1972 John Mahood became a school for students in kindergarten to grade 5. The existing gymnasium was added in 1984. Staff, students, parents, alumni and community members helped celebrate John Mahood’s 50th Anniversary in the fall of 2004.

Our Students

John Mahood Public School has continued to grow over the past few years as new subdivisions have been built in Elmira. Over 400 students are enrolled at John Mahood Public School in grades Kindergarten to 6. Our kindergarten students attend all day every day.  We currently offer French Immersion to grades one through six. Most students graduating from John Mahood go to Park Manor Public School for grades seven through eight before moving on to Elmira District Secondary School.

Our Staff

At John Mahood P.S., we are proud to have a staff that is committed to fostering academic excellence and responsible citizenship among our students. Currently there are over 40 people on staff.  We have extended programs for before- and after-school student programming for families who wish to access that.

Parents and Community

The John Mahood School Council is a dedicated group of parents determined to enhance the educational experience of John Mahood’s students. The school council meets once a month, typically on the second Wednesday. Over the years the council has played an integral role in the construction of our creative playground. Council has also contributed many resources for classrooms and organizes an annual fun fair called  Mahoodfest. An open invitation is extended to all parents who wish to join school council.

 

Special Education Programming

At John Mahood, students with special needs are supported by skilled classroom staff, special education teachers, Educational Assistants, a Child and Youth Worker, and specialized Board staff who travel from school to school.

Safe Schools Initiatives

We have a very strong Assembly Committee run by our dedicated and caring teachers. Students from JK-6 are part of regular assemblies that focus on character traits, how to treat others, how to deal with difficult situations, and building school spirit.  In addition, we have special guests come present to us about special focus topics.

At John Mahood Public School, students are expected to:

  • Stop, Think and Choose appropriate behaviour
  • Use their WITS when in a difficult situation:  walk away, ignore, talk it out, seek help
  • Be courteous, fair, kind and honest to others regardless of age, ability, gender, race or beliefs
  • Listen and respect adults, volunteers and staff
  • Respect the rights and property of others
  • Use appropriate language with teachers and peers (no put-downs, swearing, threats)
  • Be on time for class with all the materials they need to be ready to learn
  • Listen to and follow the instructions and directions of all staff
  • Be respectful of self, others and property
  • Try their best and complete all tasks to the best of their ability
  • Not interfere with the learning of others

On the playground, students are expected to:

  • Enter and Dismiss through their designated entry/exit doors
  • Stay on school property during school hours
  • Carry skateboards, roller blades and scooters if brought to school
  • Avoid unsafe activities such as: sand, rock or snowball throwing, tackle games or rough play
  • Stop playing and line up at their designated entry door when the bell rings

Facilities and Resources

We are very proud of our school facility. John Mahood contains 16 classrooms, 4 portables, a special education resource room, a library. We have a large schoolyard with a baseball diamond, 2 soccer fields, a creative playground, and an outdoor classroom.

Clubs and Activities

There are several different clubs and groups that John Mahood students have an opportunity to participate in. Clubs/teams that may run at various times in the year include: chess club, Choir, art club, intramural programs, etc. Many of our junior students take on leadership roles within our school (bus patrols, lunch helpers, kindergarten helpers, morning announcers etc). Our students and families are very generous. John Mahood students participate in the Terry Fox Run, Jump Rope for Heart and and the pre-Christmas week of giving.