About Us
Westwood High School, with Junior and Senior Campuses located in St. Lazare and Hudson, is unique within the Lester B. Pearson School Board as it is the only secondary school with two separate campuses. Despite the physical division, Westwood High School is united under a common vision.
The Junior Campus bridges the gap between the small personal world of elementary school and the larger, more complex world of the senior school. The school has approximately 400 secondary students in Secondary I and II. The staff of the junior school is particularly sensitive to the rapid social, emotional, intellectual, and physical development of their students. Activities are geared to the young adolescents’ transition from child to teenager and we attempt to give each student the guidance they need to make the correct choices. Teachers in each of the curriculum areas work together to ensure that cross-disciplinary connections are made as often as possible.
Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
In the early 1800’s, attracted by the gently rolling farmland just beyond the western tip of the island of Montreal, immigrant families arrived from the English county of Cumberland to settle along the Lake of Two Mountains, which forms part of the Ottawa River. Here they put down roots and, as a result, many local families can trace their heritage back almost two centuries. Today, it is still evident that the populace of the town has endeavored to maintain its original ambience as a small country village. Tree-lined Main Road hugs the shoreline of the Lake of Two Mountains and you will pass rose covered arbors, cottages with fanciful names and gardens lovingly tended. Numerous schools have been built in this area, starting in 1805 with a log cabin. Hudson High School, now Westwood Senior High School, is a school with the longest history. It was found on Cote St. Charles Road which links Main Road to the Trans-Canada Highway. The decision to build a school on this spot was taken in 1918, construction began in 1919, and the school opened officially on February, 1920. Set on open grounds, at a slight distance from the road, the square red-brick school was a true country school – at one point it was necessary to erect a fence to prevent cattle from meandering in the yard.
Due to a population which has continued to rise over the years, major renovations and additions were necessitated in 1939, 1948-49, 1961-62 and in 1987-88.
On July 1, 2003, Hudson High School became Westwood Senior High School, comprising grades 9, 10, and 11 and Vaudreuil County High School, located in St. Lazare, became Westwood Junior High School with grades 7 and 8. These two campuses, now one school serve the Hudson, St. Lazare areas and another 24 surrounding communities, up to the Ontario border.
Westwood High School, with its two campuses, is one of eleven secondary schools operated by the Lester B. Pearson School Board and is 24 kilometers west of Montreal Island.
Vision
The vision for Westwood High School will be to set the standard for learning in the twenty-first century. Academic excellence, positive attitudes towards learning and solid language skills in both French and English will be the focus of the dedicated quality teaching staff. The rapidly advancing digital technology in our world will be continually evaluated and included in the school curriculum. The commitment to creativity will be provided through the promotion of the arts of music, drama, dance and visual art. Staff involvement in sports, student life, and community service will continue to be a vital part of the school’s environment. We are committed to creating and sustaining the conditions that enable all Westwood High School students to experience a comprehensive general education while optimizing their own self-worth and pride, their own unique gifts, and their progress in their intellectual, social and personal educational journey.
Mission
The mission of Westwood High School is to educate the future citizens and leaders by giving students the opportunity to participate in activities that make their community and the world a better place. We do this through our commitment to academic excellence, to the power of athletics and the arts, and to the promotion of community service.
In the classrooms of Westwood High School students will be provided with a tolerant and peaceful environment for learning. The school will foster a sense of self-esteem and respect for all. Students will be given multiple opportunities to develop healthy lifestyles with exposure to new ideas and new ways of understanding the world around them. This learning environment will promote a collaborative approach to learning as well as emphasize the value of lifelong learning. From this, students will begin to develop a path in life with a sense of their own unique talents and how they will fit into the larger world around them.
