Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center · Public domainPioneer Tower West’s schools belong to 4 boards that cover the same streets
Most belong to Waterloo Region DSB (16); Waterloo CDSB, CS Viamonde and CS catholique MonAvenir run the remainder. The 21 with results split, 7 in the upper two fifths in Ontario and 6 in the lower. The 3 km around Pioneer Tower West counts 22 elementary schools and 5 secondary schools, 11,270 students between them.
What stands out about Pioneer Tower West’s schools
One big school
Huron Heights Secondary School is the largest school here, with 1,455 students. Every school ↓
The strongest results
Top of the area: ÉSC Père-René-de-Galinée (secondary), its results in the top fifth in Ontario. Results ↓
Every figure here sets the area’s schools beside the rest of its province.
The 4 boards that run schools here
Each board’s schools in the area, largest first.
The four systems cover the same streets, so the nearest school may not be the one a family’s system offers: English or French, public or Catholic, each has its own board.
| Board | System | Schools | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Region DSBHuron Heights, Groh, Preston, Chicopee Hills, Brigadoon, Wilson Avenue, J W Gerth, Doon … | English public | 16 | 8,310 |
| Waterloo CDSBSt Aloysius Catholic, St Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic, St Timothy Catholic, St Michael Catholic, St Joseph Catholic, Notre Dame Catholic Intermediate, Notre Dame Catholic | English Catholic | 7 | 2,025 |
| CS ViamondeDavid Saint-Jacques, David-Saint-Jacques | French public | 2 | 195 |
| CS catholique MonAvenirÉSC Père-René-de-Galinée, ÉIC Père-René-de-Galinée | French Catholic | 2 | 740 |
Boards as Ontario’s list names them (its short forms: DSB, CDSB, CS).
How Pioneer Tower West’s schools do on Ontario’s tests
EQAO’s Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments and the literacy test, 2024-25: each school against every school in Ontario.
Its School Grade is A−: it compares these results with the other towns of the province.
The area’s schools by fifth of the province
Each school’s band is the average of its measures’ fifths. The mark shows an even fifth of the area’s schools.
| Measure | Schools | Middle here | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 reading | 17 | 74% | 76% |
| Grade 3 writing | 17 | 69% | 65% |
| Grade 3 math | 17 | 63% | 65% |
| Grade 6 reading | 17 | 85% | 88% |
| Grade 6 writing | 17 | 84% | 86% |
| Grade 6 math | 17 | 46% | 51% |
| Grade 9 math | 4 | 69% | 55% |
| Literacy test (OSSLT), first try | 4 | 91% | 85% |
The widest gap is on Grade 9 math, where the area’s schools reach 69% against 55% in Ontario. 3 measures above the provincial middle, 3 below, out of 8. The three-year changes lean upward at 9 schools and downward at 8.
Every school’s results (21)
| School | Measure | Band |
|---|---|---|
| ÉSC Père-René-de-GalinéeSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 70% · OSSLT 94% | Top fifth |
| École secondaire David Saint-JacquesSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 70% · OSSLT 100% | Top fifth |
| Parkway Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 97% · G3 writing 89% · G3 math 77% · G6 reading 96% · G6 writing 100% · G6 math 59% | Top fifth |
| St Joseph Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 86% · G3 writing 76% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 90% · G6 writing 90% · G6 math 70% | Second fifth |
| Huron Heights Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 61% · OSSLT 88% | Second fifth |
| J W Gerth Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 65% · G3 writing 63% · G3 math 63% · G6 reading 94% · G6 writing 95% · G6 math 80% | Second fifth |
| St Timothy Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 80% · G3 writing 72% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 70% | Second fifth |
| Chicopee Hills Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 79% · G3 writing 70% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 81% · G6 writing 84% · G6 math 57% | Middle fifth |
| Coronation Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 89% · G3 writing 74% · G3 math 74% · G6 reading 85% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 46% | Middle fifth |
| Grand View Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 83% · G3 writing 73% · G3 math 83% · G6 reading 87% · G6 writing 78% · G6 math 39% | Middle fifth |
| Brigadoon Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 65% · G3 writing 58% · G3 math 63% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 89% · G6 math 72% | Middle fifth |
| Groh Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 69% · G3 writing 58% · G3 math 62% · G6 reading 90% · G6 writing 87% · G6 math 65% | Middle fifth |
| Preston High SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 67% · OSSLT 77% | Middle fifth |
| Preston Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 75% · G3 writing 72% · G3 math 61% · G6 reading 82% · G6 writing 88% · G6 math 41% | Middle fifth |
| St Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 69% · G3 writing 69% · G3 math 65% · G6 reading 85% · G6 writing 87% · G6 math 38% | Middle fifth |
| St Aloysius Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 76% · G3 writing 72% · G3 math 52% · G6 reading 81% · G6 writing 77% · G6 math 30% | Fourth fifth |
| Howard Robertson Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 74% · G3 writing 55% · G3 math 52% · G6 reading 73% · G6 writing 85% · G6 math 42% | Fourth fifth |
| St Michael Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 67% · G3 writing 56% · G3 math 69% · G6 reading 73% · G6 writing 77% · G6 math 31% | Fourth fifth |
| Wilson Avenue Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 60% · G3 writing 46% · G3 math 53% · G6 reading 85% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 46% | Fourth fifth |
| Pioneer Park Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 64% · G3 writing 40% · G3 math 47% · G6 reading 82% · G6 writing 75% · G6 math 36% | Fourth fifth |
| Country Hills Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 45% · G3 writing 41% · G3 math 34% · G6 reading 69% · G6 writing 78% · G6 math 22% | Bottom fifth |
Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 (EQAO results; N/R where groups are too small). Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Where the 27 schools in and around Pioneer Tower West are
Each pin is a school, coloured by the system that runs it, sized by its students where the province publishes them.
Points from the provincial lists.
Schooling in English and French around Pioneer Tower West
Each school by its language of instruction, with the share in Ontario marked.
The mark on each bar is the share of schools in Ontario.
4 of them teach in French: École secondaire David Saint-Jacques, École élémentaire David-Saint-Jacques, ÉSC Père-René-de-Galinée and ÉIC Père-René-de-Galinée; the public ones belong to CS Viamonde and CS catholique MonAvenir.
Section 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives French-speaking parents the right to French-language schooling for their children, through the French-language boards.
Who runs Pioneer Tower West’s schools
Each level’s schools by system: English public, English Catholic, French-language, and independent or other.
System by system: English public 16, English Catholic 7 and French-language 4.
The provincial school lists: each school’s board, language and Catholic or public status.
How children get a place in Pioneer Tower West
The neighbourhood school
Ask the board first. It holds the enrolment list and points each street to its own school; out-of-area requests go ahead only with space to spare.
Catholic schools
Ontario funds the Catholic system in full; its high schools are open to all, its elementary schools mostly to Catholic families.
French-language schools
The French boards take rights-holders’ children by right and others by committee.
The provinces’ education acts and the boards’ own admission policies; check with the board for a given address.
The 27 schools in and around Pioneer Tower West
High schools within reach of Pioneer Tower West
The high schools a family here could reach, within 15 km.
Within 15 km, families can reach 21 high schools: 13 English public, 6 English Catholic, 1 French Catholic and 1 French public. ÉSC Père-René-de-Galinée lies closest, 3.1 km from the centre.
| School | Board | System | Band | Students | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ÉSC Père-René-de-GalinéeSecondary · Grades 9–12 | CS catholique MonAvenir | French Catholic | Top fifth | 495 | 3.1 km |
| École secondaire David Saint-JacquesSecondary · Grades 9–12 | CS Viamonde | French public | Top fifth | 105 | 3.3 km |
| Preston High SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 855 | 3.5 km |
| Notre Dame Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | – | – | 4.8 km |
| Huron Heights Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,455 | 4.9 km |
| St Mary's High SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 2,240 | 5.4 km |
| Eastwood Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Fourth fifth | 1,270 | 6 km |
| Grand River Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,560 | 6.6 km |
| Jacob Hespeler Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,070 | 7.4 km |
| Cameron Heights Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,765 | 7.7 km |
All 21 secondary schools
| School | Board | System | Band | Students | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galt Collegiate and Vocational InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 960 | 8 km |
| Southwood Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Bottom fifth | 700 | 8.1 km |
| St Benedict Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 1,955 | 8.6 km |
| Forest Heights Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Fourth fifth | 1,555 | 9.7 km |
| Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,650 | 10 km |
| Glenview Park Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,055 | 10 km |
| Bluevale Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,115 | 11 km |
| Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 1,115 | 11 km |
| Resurrection Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 1,920 | 12 km |
| Waterloo Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,480 | 13 km |
| St David Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Second fifth | 1,080 | 13 km |
Distances in a straight line from the town’s centre point.
Towns its size in Ontario
Similar-sized towns and their schools within 3 km, by population.
| Town | Population | Schools | Students | French | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivers Edge / Castlemore Crossing | 6,577 | 16 | 10,690 | 0 | 0.7 km |
| … | |||||
| Spring Valley | 4,175 | 10 | 5,860 | 0 | 0.5 km |
| Merivale Gardens - Grenfell Glen - Pineglen - Country Place | 4,172 | 44 | 21,315 | 6 | 2 km |
| Balfour | 4,171 | 47 | 22,565 | 2 | 0.9 km |
| Barry's Bay | 4,151 | 4 | 625 | 0 | 1.8 km |
| Pioneer Tower West | 4,122 | 27 | 11,270 | 4 | 3.2 km |
| Lake of Bays | 4,105 | 1 | 140 | 0 | 14 km |
| Inch Park | 4,065 | 50 | 23,125 | 3 | 1.3 km |
| Perth South | 4,055 | 18 | 6,390 | 0 | 4.6 km |
| Centremount | 4,053 | 47 | 20,995 | 4 | 0.4 km |
| … | |||||
| Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards | 2,505 | 2 | 215 | 0 | 20 km |
In 110 of the 259 others the count is higher. Teaching in French: 161 of the 260 have it.
Populations from Statistics Canada; schools from the provincial lists, in or within 3 km of each town.
Schools in the towns around Pioneer Tower West
Schools in or within 3 km of each neighbouring town; distances in a straight line.
| Town | Schools | French | Catholic or independent | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer Tower West | 27 | 4 | 9 | 3.2 km |
| Pioneer Park 2.7 km | 17 | 1 | 6 | 2.3 km |
| Centreville Chicopee 3.7 km | 31 | 4 | 12 | 1.1 km |
| Doon South 3.7 km | 16 | 1 | 5 | 3.6 km |
| Trillium Industrial Park 4.4 km | 51 | 5 | 17 | 1 km |
| Vanier 4.5 km | 43 | 3 | 12 | 1.7 km |
| Country Hills 5.2 km | 29 | 1 | 11 | 0.8 km |
Trillium Industrial Park has the most schools nearby, 51.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Boards and systems. Each board covers a territory in one language and one system, public or Catholic; boards of different systems overlap.
- The year. The provincial list for 2024-25.
- Bands, not ranks. EQAO publishes shares at the provincial standard; the band places each among Ontario’s schools by fifths.
- What isn’t here. No ratings by inspectors, no enrolment trend: neither is published school by school.
- The kinds of school. Middle and junior high schools count as secondary when they start at Grade 7 or later, elementary otherwise.
- Which schools count. The area is Pioneer Tower West plus a 3 km margin around it, measured from its census outline.
Questions about schools in Pioneer Tower West
Which boards run the schools in Pioneer Tower West?
By number of schools: Waterloo Region DSB (16), Waterloo CDSB (7), CS Viamonde (2) and CS catholique MonAvenir (2).
How do I get a place at a school in Pioneer Tower West?
Registration is with the board, which assigns the school for the home address.
How many schools are there in Pioneer Tower West?
0 in the town, 27 just beyond it, within 3 km.
Is there a French-language school in Pioneer Tower West?
Yes, schooling in French is at École secondaire David Saint-Jacques, École élémentaire David-Saint-Jacques, ÉSC Père-René-de-Galinée and ÉIC Père-René-de-Galinée.
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 and school contact list (Open Government Licence – Ontario) · map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).