École secondaire publique De La Salle is a French public junior high and high school in Lowertown Ottawa, Ontario under the CÉPEO. It is recognized mainly for its artistic excellence program: the Centre d'Excellence Artistique de l'Ontario .
History
École secondaire publique De La Salle opened in the fall of 1971 with students from Mont St-Joseph convent, Rideau Street convent and Académie De La Salle. Just like Académie De La Salle, École secondaire publique De La Salle was named after Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle. In 1982, a study committee recommended the creation of an enrichment centre in Ottawa for gifted students. The committee also recommended that this centre be created and integrated at École secondaire publique De La Salle. In 1983, De La Salle opened le Centre de Douance and le Centre d'Excellence Artistique de l'Ontario. De La Salle became the first school in Ontario to offers those programs in French. In 2003, De La Salle opened its doors to Grades 7-8. Most of the second floor of the school is exclusively for Grades 7-8, except for one hallway which is reserved for the music concentration and the auditorium, whose main access point is on the second floor.
Centre d'excellence artistique de l'Ontario
The Centre d'excellence artistique de l'Ontario includes 8 arts concentrations from Grade 9 to Grade 12, and a pre-concentration program in Grade 7 & 8 to prepare students for the arts concentrations. With rigorous training to become professional artists, this school is rated the #1 school in 2016 according to the Fraser Institute. These concentrations make the school a magnet arts school similar to Canterbury, with the exception of offering French as their main language. The concentrations offered are:
The Centre d'excellence artistique's concentration programs have received numerous awards and won many competitions. Every year the Harmonie De La Salle participates in Kiwanis Music Festival. They have a winning gold streak since 2009. Most recently, the Vocal Music Senior classes won the first place at the 16th National Vocal Music Contest of CBC/Radio-Canada.
