Welcome to the Ernest C. Drury School for the Deaf, one of three school programs for ASL/English Deaf and Hard of Hearing students within the Province of Ontario. Being the largest of the three provincial schools for the Deaf, E. C. Drury offers a wide range of programming for students’ ages 4-21. As Principal of both the elementary school and secondary school programs, I am privileged to work with educators, lodging staff, and paraprofessionals along with our partners within the Deaf community to support student learning, development and well-being throughout their academic journey.
Our School provides students with the opportunity to meet and learn alongside other like-minded peers in a fully accessible school environment wherever everyone belongs. Academic programs include all levels of academic abilities including life skills; following the Subject and Grade specific Ontario Curriculum Expectations; EQAO standardised testing (Grades 3,6,9 and 10) as well as workplace/ academic and applied level pathways for high school students. We are very proud of our kindergarten program which partners beautifully with the Play and Learning Centre to offer ASL language exposure and inquiry-based learning to our youngest students. In addition, the school offers a wide selection of extra-curricular activities including team and individual sports; arts and crafts; drama; debate clubs, book clubs (to name just a few), intramurals as well as competition both provincially and with our sister schools across the border. Our Specialist High Skills Major Program provides students in the high school with job-ready skills in the Area of Arts and Culture, capped off at the end of the school year with a school-wide drama production that would make Hollywood proud!
As you move through the website, you will realise that we are working on creating a space that is both accessible and informative for all who view it. As a ‘work in progress’ I am hopeful to have the website updated as regularly as possible. I am incredibly proud to be representing such a diverse and supportive learning environment for our students and look forward to working with all of you in the very near future.
Jeanne Leonard, Principal