DSBN Academy

The DSBN Academy, less formally known as The Academy is a public high school and middle school (grades 6-12) in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Louth Street and is part of the District School Board of Niagara. The DSBN Academy accepts students from anywhere in the Niagara Region; The school's program is designed to provide additional academic support for students from low-income backgrounds in order to help them be prepared for post-secondary education.[1]

DSBN Academy
Address
130 Louth Street

St. Catharines
,
Ontario
,
L2S 2T8

Canada
Coordinates43.1384°N 79.2568°W / 43.1384; -79.2568
Information
School typePublic, high school/middle school
Motto"We believe and we will achieve"
Founded2011 (2011)
School boardDistrict School Board of Niagara
PrincipalMs. L. Nazar (secondary), Mr. D. Harley (elementary)
Vice-principalMr. B. Daniels
Grades6–12
LanguageEnglish, French
Colour(s)Blue and Green         
MascotThe Academy Argonaut
Team nameArgonauts
Websiteacademy.dsbn.org

History

The site on which the DSBN Academy is built was originally part of a 100-acre land grant that was conveyed to John Gould by Letters Patent from the Crown in 1806. He sold off parcels of this land during the succeeding years, and by the time of Confederation, it had been fragmented into the hands of fifty-four different owners. Among the names of early settlers of this area are found, as recorded by the Registrar of Deeds, those of: Merritt, Woodruff, Rykert, Macdonald, Mettleberger, Bullivant, Adams and Brown.

Entrance to Academy Main Campus

In 1963, the Board of Education for the City of St. Catharines took steps towards building a local school in the area originally designated as West Park. Approximately fifteen acres would be purchased in an area bound by Louth Street, Rykert Street and Powerview Avenue. By arrangement with the City of St. Catharines, through the Parks and Recreation Commission, it was agreed that this area should be developed as a school-recreation-park complex. The Board of Education purchased approximately seven acres, from a private owner. The city made available to the Board about seven acres of the unopened Homeland Plan subdivision, and jointly the Board and the city acquired another acre from the rear of the lots on Louth Street, For the building project the firm of Macbeth, Williams, Woodruff and Hadaway was chosen as architects and the general contract was awarded to Newman Brothers Company Limited. Construction began on October 14, 1967. The total cost of the school was $3,250,943.00 of which $1,985,943.00 was received as federal-provincial grants.

Recent

The DSBN Academy was founded in 2010 and opened its doors in September 2011, offering classes in grades six and seven.[2] The original building it occupied was the former Empire High School in Welland, Ontario but, in 2013, relocated to the previous West Park Secondary School in St. Catharines where it has occupied ever since.[3][4] That year the school had approximately 200 students.[5]

In 2015 DSBN received a $30,000 grant to purchase new instruments for the school's music program.[6]

In 2017 the first class of 45 Grade 12 students graduated from the school.[2]

At the school is a track and field centre operated by the Niagara Olympic Club.[7]

In 2019, the DSBN Academy raised over $1400 for the humanitarian organization Water for South Sudan. The organization's founder and protagonist of the semi-biographical novel A Long Walk to Water, Salva Dut, visited the school personally to congratulate the students.[8]

As of 2020, the DSBN Academy has accumulated over $75,000 in bursaries for its graduates through the Denim, Diamonds & Diplomas fundraising event. The event is held annually and organized by DSBN Academy alumn Zach Harrietha. The Academy Jazz Band traditionally performs at the event each year. [9]

School activities

Some of the activities and programs offered by the DSBN Academy are: Seasonal sports, Reach for the Top Competitive Trivia Team, science club, art club, fitness, Student Innovators, homework club, ball hockey, school band, Gay-Straight Alliance, Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, choir, and book club.

Principals
  • Elementary
    Principals Year
    Tom Reynolds 2011-2014
    Andrea Grieves 2014-2019
    Derek Harley 2019-present
  • Secondary
    Principals Year
    Lisa Nazar 2012-present

    • See Also

    References
    1. "Proposed school for low-income students ignites controversy". The Globe and Mail. February 25, 2011.
    2. "DSBN Academy honours 1st graduates". by Melinda Cheevers Niagara This Week , Jun 29, 2017- St. Catharines
    3. "DSBN Academy moving north". wellandtribune.ca. 12 December 2012.
    4. "Ready, Set, Go". Niagara-On-The-Lake Town Crier, Apr 03, 2014 by Melinda Cheevers
    5. "DSBN Academy principal tops in Canada". Niagara Falls Review, Feb 15, 2013
    6. "https://amplify.nmc.ca/music-news-monday-st-catharines-school-receives-30000-for-new-instruments/ "Music News Monday: St. Catharines school receives $30,000 for new instruments". AMplify, May 25, 2015
    7. "Sharon Stewart of the Niagara Olympic Club honoured as St. Catharines sportsperson of the year". St. Catharines Standard, Feb 28, 2019 by Rod Mawhood
    8. Edwards, Luke (2019-06-06). "Former 'Lost Boy' Salva Dut brings message of hope to St. Catharines". StCatharinesStandard.ca. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
    9. "Fifth Annual Denim, Diamonds & Diplomas fundraising event -". The Brock Press. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
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