Our School
Longfields‐Davidson Heights (LDH) Secondary School was the first grade 7 to 12 school for the OCDSB. LDH is located on the corner of Longfields and Berrigan in Barrhaven, sits on 1.5 acres, and contains a football field and a soccer field. We share a campus with Berrigan Elementary School. LDH boasts a 15,000 square foot quad gymnasium (2 double gyms), along with a smaller separate gym, all of which is a shared community space. We are also honoured to house “The Alex Getty Auditorium”, a shared community theatre with a 500 seat capacity. Our wide‐open Atrium is an ideal space for a reception. Our students and community also haave access to a bright, airy cafeteria that offers full meal service to all of our students during the school day.
Our Students
Longfields has a population of 2250 students in grades 7 – 12. Our student body is richly diverse in language and cultural backgrounds. Our students are supported by a strong community support network.
Our Staff
The LDH staff is committed to the education and enrichment of our student body. The staff possesses a wide array of talents and contributes to the academic and extra‐curricular programs offered at the school. Our teachers are specialists in their field who have presented at local and national conferences. Our intermediate teachers work in teams to develop curricula that will challenge our students and develop their critical thinking skills.
Our Community
LDH has a committed School Council which was active even before the school opened. The community is supportive of events at the school and has several spaces within the building that they can utilize such as the gymnasium, the auditorium and the cafeteria. This involvement will make LDH the hub of the Longfields‐Davidson Heights community. We look forward to many years of active community involvement in the school and in hosting various community activities.
Programs and Services
Academic Programs
The LDH Intermediate programs include Regular English, Early French Immersion and Middle French Immersion. A dedicated design and technology lab exposes students to many programs such as Skills Canada. The visual arts environment is designed to accommodate a vibrant Visual Arts Program that offers varied enrichment opportunities. The grades 7 & 8 instrumental music program offers a comprehensive band program with opportunities to perform in the school and greater community as part of the school instrumental or jazz bands. At the secondary level, LDH offers a Regular program as well as Extended and Immersion French. We offer core courses at the academic and applied levels. We have a comprehensive Arts curriculum that includes music, visual arts (Regular and Immersion), dance, and drama. We also offer integrated technology, computer science, outdoor education and business. Hospitality and Tourism in the Culinary Arts Lab is a flourishing course run by Chef Kent Van Dyk and Chef Tony Christoforatos. LDH also offers LINK crew and a yearbook course.
Special Education and ESL Programs
LDH offers integrated ESL support. We offer Special Education assistance at both the intermediate and secondary levels. Our secondary students can access a learning strategies course for credit throughout their high school years. LDH is home to three centralized Autism Classes (one for intermediate student ages, and one for secondary student ages).
Clubs and Activities
Our extra‐curricular programs are vast and diverse. LDH is active at both the intermediate and secondary levels in a variety of sports. Our team sports include basketball, swimming, volleyball, badminton, field hockey, golf, track and field, soccer, cross country, rugby and football, hockey and wrestling, among others. We offer a wide array of extra‐curricular activities and clubs such as a Art Club, Fitness Club, Ping Pong, Performing Arts, Renaissance, HOPE Club (Helping Other People Everywhere), and Cooking to name a few. We also offer traditional clubs such as Student Council, Yearbook and Announcements. LDH is a CAPPIES school. Our students are involved in the life of the school.
Facilities and Resources
Additional technology in our Engineer and Design department allows us to print in 3D. We have a communications broadcast studio and audio recording suite as well as a large format poster and sign making printer. Our intermediate and secondary Visual Arts rooms have been ideally designed to support a vibrant program and include a shared kiln.
Measures of Student Achievement and Success School Improvement Plans and Initiatives
Our school improvement plan focuses on ensuring academic success for all students and engaging our parent and community in all school initiatives. Our specific focus is on moving students up by one level in order to ensure that more students reach the provincial standard.
Leadership Recognition
“Leadership in the OCDSB is the demonstration of personal initiative to achieve a positive outcome.”
Students
Our students are talented, and have participated in various board‐wide and city wide leadership events such as the:
Rainbow Youth Forum, the Sustainable Schools Conference, and the Women in Leadership Initiative. Our grade 9 Art Class formed a partnership with O.C. Transpo and had their artwork displayed on a bus, over a 4 year period. In the community LDH won a $1000 bursary in the Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade.
Staff
Our staff members have a wealth of professional qualifications including Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral degrees in Arts, Business Studies, Fine Arts, English, Languages, Mathematics, Physical Education, Sciences, and Social Sciences, as well as additional qualifications in Special Education, English as a Second Language, French as a Second Language, Music, Visual Arts, Guidance, and Computers in Education. They have actively participated in numerous Board‐wide professional development activities in literacy and numeracy, and we recognize their initiative by providing and supporting opportunities for further professional growth. Our staff consists of many award winning teachers. These individuals have been recognized for their outstanding contributions in science and the Arts. Our teachers present at various conferences and workshops throughout the region and the province.
Parents/Guardians/Volunteers
Our parents and guardians are extremely supportive of LDH and our various activities. Our parents assist with our athletics program, music program and dramatic arts productions. Their volunteerism in such clubs as the Snow Ravens is significant and valued. Our School Council has led several successful fundraising events such as Technology recycling, and a clothing drive. We have regular parent volunteers who assist in the cafeteria and in the library. We appreciate the time and effort they put into raising the profile of the school.