UCDSB schools across Lanark, Leeds and Grenville expand music programs, refresh libraries after 2025 investments
The Upper Canada District School Board is highlighting two major investments made this year to strengthen music education and expand access to books across its schools.
In June 2025, the board committed $500,000 to enhance music programs, providing schools with funding ranging from $2,000 to $19,000. The money has been used to buy and repair instruments, upgrade audio equipment and support classes, choirs, musicals and other music-related activities.
Chimo Elementary School in Smiths Falls used its share to broaden an already active music program. The school purchased guitars, ukuleles and recorders and launched its first school musical, Beauty and the Beast, which will feature more than 50 students from Grades 3 to 8. Recorder and guitar ensemble clubs continue to prepare for upcoming performances.
Swift Waters Elementary School in Brockville repaired and cleaned its 80 existing instruments and purchased new ones, including 35 ukulele kits, several band instruments and percussion additions such as tone bars, ocean drums, rain sticks and soprano xylophones. The school also bought new print music and renewed its MusicplayOnline subscription.
South Branch Elementary School in Kemptville focused on performance upgrades. The school purchased wireless microphones, a choir mic and wired stage monitors, along with 25 tubano drums, xylophones, hand drums and other percussion instruments. Existing djembe drums were repaired, and the school added a large Bluetooth speaker for classes and events.
Maynard Public School in Prescott expanded its primary rhythm instruments, added new xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels, hand drums and jumbie jams, and upgraded the gym’s sound system with new microphones and speakers.
Students across the board are also benefiting from significant improvements to school libraries following a $1.5-million investment announced in May 2025. Each school received between $13,000 and $26,000 to purchase hundreds of new English and French books, including student-requested and culturally relevant titles selected with input from staff, students and parent councils.
Central Public School in Cornwall added 19 boxes of new library titles, reorganized its space and installed rotating paperback carousels. Nearly 600 older books were given to students and families during an open house.
North Elmsley Public School in Perth added new bookshelves to every classroom and updated its Learning Commons. All student wish-list requests were filled to ensure the collection reflects their interests.
R. Tait Mackenzie Public School in Almonte focused on expanding its Indigenous and French collections. New additions include picture books, non-fiction titles, bilingual resources, Spirit Bear series books and French series such as Une syllabe à la fois and Facile à Lire Ensemble. The school added 672 new classroom books and 336 new French titles to the Learning Commons.