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Zone 1 South Schools:

Kars Public School

 
Box 10, 6692 Rideau Valley Drive South, Kars  K0A 2E0
Telephone (613) 489-3919        Fax (613) 489-2315
Principal Carmen MacKay
Morning start time 8:15 a.m.; morning dismissal 10:45 a.m.; afternoon start time 12:20 p.m.; afternoon dismissal 2:45 p.m.
Regular English Program JK; Early French Immersion SK-5; Middle French Immersion 4-5
  JK-5 Early French Immersion Boundary Map.
  4-5 Middle French Immersion Boundary Map.
Kars P.S. school website: http://www.karsps.ocdsb.ca/

Located near the centre of Kars, Kars Public School is a public elementary school offering the regular English program for Junior Kindergarten, the Early French Immersion program from Senior Kindergarten to Grade 5 and the Middle French Immersion program for Grades 4 and 5.   The attendance boundary for Kars Public School covers all of Rideau outside the immediate area of Manotick.  For the 2010-2011 school year, students from the Osgoode village area will attend Kars Public School for Grades 2 to 5 Early French Immersion, but Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1 Early French Immersion students from Osgoode village will attend Osgoode Public School, where the Early French Immersion program is being phased in one grade at a time.

Built in 1945 to serve Osgoode and Rideau Townships as a junior and senior continuation school, Kars P.S. still occupies its original three-story brick building, with a more recent addition. It shares a 10-acre property with Rideau Valley M.S.; some Rideau Valley students serve as peer helpers for the younger students at Kars.

In January 2008, the Ministry of Education announced funding of $3 million in recognition of the fact that the on-going cost of repairing and replacing major systems and making Kars an accessible building would be more than the value of the school building.  Following extensive consultation with the Kars and Rideau Valley school communities, it was decided to build an addition to the Rideau Valley Middle School building, large enough to accommodate all the Kars Public School students.  The addition incorporates a small gymnasium as well as 8 classrooms and 5 kindergarten rooms.  It is expected to be completed by December 2010, in time for a move over the Christmas Break, with Kars staff and students in their new classrooms in January 2011.  The existing Kars Public School building will be demolished in 2011.  Thanks to the cooperation of the Kars Recreation Association, representatives of Manotick Legion Branch 314, and city councillor Glenn Brooks, the Cenotaph that stands in front of Kars Public School will be relocated to a larger space in front of Rideau Valley Middle School associated with the bus loop off Rideau Valley Drive.  The old school bell will be moved to a suitable place near the entrance to the combined Kars and Rideau Valley school building.

On completion of Grade 5 at Kars P.S., students are directed to Rideau Valley Middle School for Grades 6 to 8 in the Early French Immersion program and, now that the Middle French Immersion program has been established at Kars, Middle French Immersion students will also continue at Rideau Valley for Grades 6 through 8 Middle French Immersion as the program continues to be phased in.

Page last modified 15 August 2010
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