General School Description

Harrisfield Public School was formed in September 2011.  It was the amalgamation of Harris Heights, Westfield and VMS students. Harrisfield Public School (formerly named Harris Heights) was constructed in 1972 to serve the needs of the students in the former schools located in Foldens, Salford, Dereham, Mt. Elgin, Clark Sideroad and Dickson Corners. At this time the school was named Harris Heights Public School.  Set in a spacious, treed lot, the school is well known for its beautiful, picturesque location which includes a large playground and its own wooded area. Our large school of over 500 pupils is structured for JK to Grade 8 classes. Over 80% of our students are bussed to Harrisfield from small communities within South West Oxford Township. Parents, students and staff recognize and value academics,the arts and sports as integral components of life here at Harrisfield. School staff coordinate student musicals and an array of extra curricular sports and clubs. The school has an exceptionally active and supportive parent community which contributes immensely to the excellent reputation of this school.

 During the 2010 - 2011 school year, Harrisfield experienced a massive renovation with each classroom receiving new heating and cooling ventilation systems, "green" windows and doors, a fresh coat of paint and in some classrooms a new floor.  Also included in the renovation are three developmental classrooms, a learning centre, an improved library, a larger staffroom to accommodate all staff members and improved office space.  New construction includes: a larger gym and adjacent multipurpose room as well as a new kitchen, a general arts/music room, stage, changerooms, ramp, and four Early Years/primary rooms are being constructed.   With all of these changes Harrisfield has become a "state of the art" school.

Goals During 2018-2019 School Year

Our School Goal is to improve the literacy skills of Harrisfield students in both reading and writing.   Our literacy focus is developing a greater understanding of meaning when reading different texts.  Our numeracy focus is to develop communication and understanding through three part problem solving lessons.  All of these goals are based on the foundation of encouraging a growth mindset across all curriculum areas and learning skills in all divisions.

Co-instructional Activities

Some of the many Co-instructional activities and events at Harrisfield Public School include: Terry Fox Run, Remembrance Day Assembly, Play Day, Carnival d'hiver, Floor Hockey, Goal Ball, Basketball, Volleyball, Baseball, Cross Country and Track and Field teams.

Noteworthy Items

Some of our most successful initiatives to date include our Terry Fox Run, Remembrance Day Assembly and Non perishable Food Drive and Unwrapped Toys.

School Volunteer Opportunities

Coaching support, Classroom teacher support, Library Assistants, Reading and remedial support with students are a few ways to support students in the classroom. Supporting the many School Council/Parent Group initiatives is always needed and essential to our success as a school.  Volunteers may contact the office for further information.

Measures of Student Achievement and Success

At Thames Valley, we believe that assessment and evaluation of student achievement are integral parts of the learning process. Information gathered through assessment and evaluation helps teachers to determine students' strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations. It also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students' needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. A variety of methods are used to gauge student progress including: teacher observation, classroom tests, projects and other examples of student work. For more information on our school's provincial assessment results, visit the Education Quality and Accountability Office.