The front of the school building.

Our School

About Us

St. Ambrose school logo

St. Ambrose Catholic School is a vibrant school community whose stakeholders are committed to focusing on improved student achievement. In addition to the enriched curriculum opportunities, we offer our students a large variety of extracurricular and co-curricular activities throughout the year. All students are given opportunities to participate in various athletic activities through interschool and house league programs. We also offer a variety of clubs/teams, including: Choir, Eco Club, W5H Teams, Student Leadership Team and the ME to We Team.

Our Catholic faith is at the core of all we do at St. Ambrose. From the daily prayers led by different students each day for the entire school, to our special monthly masses prepared by different classes each time, to our monthly virtue assemblies, our Gospel values are at the forefront. Charitable work is done throughout the year, from fundraisers (for Angel Foundation breakfast programs and Share Life) to food and clothing drives (for St. Vincent de Paul, CCAS Sweet Read, St. Francis Table, and Dr. Simone's Canadian Food for Children).

Our very active and dedicated Catholic School Parent Council (CSPC) works closely with the school staff in providing many program supports. Over the years, our CSPC has provided funding to support:

  • Curriculum based areas such as Science, Visual Arts, Drama and Dance through in-school workshops.

  • Time-management and communication skills through the provision of yearly agendas for all students in Grades 1 to 8.

  • Enrichment opportunities through excursions by covering the costs of buses for classroom trips.

  • Celebrations for Sacraments and Graduations.

  • Purchases of various technology hardware.

  • Guest speakers for students and parents.

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The front of the school building.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

The overall education of children attending St. Ambrose is a joint partnership consisting of the family, the school and the parish. Together we facilitate the progress of each child in the area of spiritual growth, academics, social/emotional behaviour and physical development. With effective communication and cooperation, we can successfully help our youngsters maximize their individual potential and ability. Parents are always encouraged to provide information or to share in any process which may have an impact on their children.

A Catholic Christian atmosphere is essential to the distinctive nature of our school. The necessity for respect of self and respect for the dignity of others are concepts introduced and reinforced in all the grade levels. Students not only receive daily religious instruction but they are encouraged to live and act accordingly - in the classroom, in the school yard and at home. Individual and community prayer form an important part of each day, as seen in the opening exercises which include a community prayer, led by students of all ages and abilities. As well, incorporated within our religion program are themes for classroom liturgies and celebrations, and each class will have an opportunity to participate in the preparation for one of our monthly school masses.

Children grow and develop when they are encouraged in a warm and secure environment. At St. Ambrose, this welcoming atmosphere has been created using a variety of strategies. The school has a safe arrival policy. Parents will be contacted if their child is absent without prior notification. But more importantly, the recognition that many of our children no longer live within the traditional family structure enables the staff to ensure a sense of security and belonging for all students. Our new and younger students are also helped in their adjustment to school through peer tutoring, reading buddies, student helpers in the primary grades, and other means.

Each student is recognized as an individual in their own right. Teachers plan curriculum that addresses the different rates of development, the various learning styles, and the diverse interests and talents of their students. When required, program modification is readily available with the expert assistance of our special services team. A wide range of programming is available including remedial, enrichment, language impaired, special education, gifted, and learning disability. A student whose program is modified may or may not be formally identified and the modification may take place in the regular classroom or through withdrawal to a smaller group setting in a special class.

To facilitate the identification of individual education needs, a process of intervention is followed for all students. Classroom teachers discuss their concerns at a school-based support team meeting chaired by the principal. Various teaching strategies are suggested and after a period of implementation are reviewed. If concerns still exist, the student's profile will be further discussed with the joint team (assessment & programming teacher, psychometrician and social worker). At this point, additional strategies may be suggested or a recommendation made for an assessment, which may lead to possible identification as an exceptional student.

Our School History and Tradition

St. Ambrose Catholic School has a rich tradition upon which the present school continues to build. Established by the Etobicoke Union Board to meet the needs of the new Alderwood community, Sister Verona with her staff of six teachers opened the original school in 1954. The opening day enrollment was 302 students. As South Etobicoke continued to grow throughout the 50's and 60's, our school met the demands of the increased population with two separate expansions (1962 & 1966). During that time, the parents of many current students graduated from St. Ambrose. Today, the school continues the tradition of providing a quality education for its students as they prepare for the challenges of the 21st century.

Our school crest incorporates the faith and character of our patron saint on a background of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) logo. St. Ambrose, a German scholar and lawyer who was elected as Bishop of Milan in 346 AD, was the first to introduce music to the liturgy.