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Gertrude Colpus just great place to go to school

Building character is the No. 1 priority of the staff and students at Gertrude Colpus.

Respectful language and independent problem-solving has been a focus of our daily activities.

Our Monday morning assemblies recognize the weekly accomplishments of students in Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 8.

Gertrude Colpus students are offered a wide variety of exciting programs to make our school a great place to learn.

There’s an extensive music program that offers intermediate students the opportunity to play instruments in the band, as well as a vocal music program for primary, junior and intermediate students.

A variety of sports teams such as basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, track and cross country focus on skills and improving teamwork.

These teams help to make daily physical activities fun and enjoyable for all. They also boost school spirit.

Many students help out staff members by becoming involved in office duty, lunchroom supervision, hall supervision and representing students on the School Community Council. They play an important role in keeping the school going.

All these things are what help to make Gertrude Colpus Public School such a great place to be a student.

Kayla Fougere is a Grade 8 student at Gertrude Colpus Public School in Oshawa.
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One big family at Gertrude Colpus


Apr 24, 2007 By: Jillian Follert

April 13, 2007

OSHAWA -- It’s a sunny winter morning at Gertrude Colpus P.S. and the students in Jessica Long’s class are counting down the last few minutes until recess with some spelling -- but there isn’t a pencil or notebook in sight.

Instead, the kids are gathered around the “smart board” a giant interactive whiteboard that allows students to reach out and touch letters on the screen, dragging them together to create words.

“It’s cutting-edge technology,” notes proud principal Mike Bashucky as the students call out letters when a peer seems stumped. “It’s so hands-on, this is something really different that a lot of schools don’t have yet.”

Gertrude Colpus is definitely a leader when it comes to technology, but that’s not the only area where this small south Oshawa school is setting the pace.

A growing list of more than 100 environmental projects have earned it recognition as one of the most environmentally conscious schools in Durham Region.

Whether they’re planting trees in the spring or installing a worm compost bin in every room -- “that took some getting used to,” the principal chuckles -- the staff and students are always coming up with new ways to look after the earth.

And they’re looking after themselves too.

The school has a “healthy snack challenge” underway that sees students visit each class to scope out the snacks being eaten that day and award points for those that are nutritious. The results from each month are displayed on a board in the hall.

“We feel they learn better if they’re eating well and the students have really come on board with it,” Mr. Bashucky said.

“If they see someone eating a bag of chips, they’ll stop them and say, ‘That’s not healthy!’”

Opened in 1958, Gertrude Colpus P.S. is one of the smaller schools in the city, with about 300 kindergarten to Grade 8 students attending this year.

That works out to one class for every grade level, something the principal says allows for extra student attention, easier access to resources and a tight-knit atmosphere.

With an active School Community Council and plenty of outreach activities like a recent clothing exchange and successful holiday food drive, the school is also a vital part of the neighbourhood.

Mr. Bashucky has only been at the helm of Gertrude Colpus for a year, but he’s already right at home, saying he is constantly impressed by the dedication of staff and the generosity, respect and enthusiasm displayed by the students.

“I just love this school,” he says.