About Us
At St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School, we pride ourselves on providing a positive learning environment for all our students where they are nurtured academically, physically and spiritually through our faith-based curriculum and caring Catholic environment.
St. Antoine Daniel offers a full range of programs and services. Our staff are dedicated and caring professionals who maintain the highest level of excellence. Our school is renowned for its long tradition of caring, community, academic excellence and athletic prowess. Opportunities are also present for students to become involved in many leadership opportunities and clubs such as: Student Council, Choir, The W5H team, Chess Team, Prime Mentors, Me to We, to mention but a few. Bus transportation is provided along specific routes.
We have a strong and active link with our parish, St. Edward the Confessor Church. We celebrate monthly Mass as a community and our students are prepared for the sacraments of First Communion, Reconciliation and Confirmation. Our Catholic School Parent Council (CSPC) is active in continuing to forge strong links with home, school and parish. We have always been a community school.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students
St. Antoine Daniel School is committed to Catholic education. We see education as a process through which the community of the school develops within its students a way of living which embodies the life of Jesus Christ.
We attempt to provide an environment that is safe and welcoming to both students and parents. To this end we have implemented a safe arrival program and a code of behaviour that is based on self-discipline, self-respect, respect for others and our environment.
The individual needs of our students are met in a variety of ways, such as:
Early intervention to assist students who require additional support.
Access to special education program.
Access to enrichment/gifted programs.
Access to programs in vocal and instrumental music.
Opportunities for students to use computers as a tool for learning.
Participation in Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) inter-school events (i.e., sports, W5H, public speaking and more).
English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
Regular parent/school information sessions.
St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School encompasses a dynamic teaching staff, energetic, hard working and delightful students, wonderful parents, a committed school council and a supportive community. Our students learn in an environment that fosters spiritual, academic, social, artistic, physical and personal growth. As a school community we join together on a daily basis to recite The Lord’s Prayer, to share in biblical readings and to sing our National Anthem. Virtues of the Month are an integral part of our school and every month we gather as a school community to honour students who best exemplify these virtues. Parents and guardians are always welcome to our school assemblies.
Our school is committed to the development of the individual potential of all our students, and above all ensuring that our students are formed in the Catholic faith. Throughout the day, we apply Christian values to life's opportunities, challenges and choices. In this regard, we strive to emphasize and provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are ensured good learning opportunities.
Fostering a safe and welcoming learning environment is a vital part of St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School. Our school safety plan includes Safety Patrol students, parents and community members who ensure that students are dropped off safely in our parking lot. Bus students are monitored and bus safety is emphasized with the students. We encourage all parents to notify the school with reference to specific health concerns of their child. If medication is required, parents are encouraged to ensure that the school is aware of the specific needs. We encourage a peanut free environment to ensure that our students who have allergies can learn in a safe environment. Daily attendance is another example of ensuring that students arrive safely to school. Through cooperative parent-school communications, parents advise the school if their child will be absent, and school staff monitor attendance patterns. We welcome all parents and guardians into our school. To ensure a safe environment, all visitors are required to report to the office upon their arrival.
Literacy and numeracy will continue to be a focus at St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School. Our curriculum is reviewed, developed and implemented within the framework of a Catholic educational philosophy. It is designed for all students. It is focused on learning outcomes and it is inclusive and oriented to the optimum development of our student body.
At St. Antoine Daniel we meet the needs of students requiring English as a Second Language (ESL) , remedial help and special education. We also address students who are gifted, and students with a range of other abilities (music, drama and art). The school is structured so that meaningful integration of the curriculum occurs and our basic objective is excellence and equity for all. Further, provincial standards are used to assess and report on student progress while collaboration among teachers, parents , students, and the local community occurs on a regular basis.
Our School History and Tradition
St. Antoine Daniel Catholic School first opened its doors in 1970 as St. Daniel School. It was then an eight-room open complex school with an enrollment of 126 pupils. In the intervening years, as North York has grown into a vibrant city, the school has kept pace with it, always mirroring the changing needs, concerns and aspirations of the community at large. In 1988, interior walls were erected, bringing the open-complex era to a close. In the more recent past, as information highway and the internet became part of the lexicon, the school was quick to learn the new language and to be part of that web. The face of the school has changed too, reflecting demographic changes in the larger community. The staff and student body in 1995 represented no fewer than 13 languages and ethnic origins.
In 1984, the school name was officially changed to St. Antoine Daniel to be more readily identified with its patron saint Father Antoine Daniel, a Jesuit missionary who lived and worked among the Hurons, and who became the first martyr of Huronia.
The school has, over the years, forged strong links with the parish and the parent community. The parent council continues to be a staunch supporter and an active partner with the school in all its endeavours, from fundraising efforts to the 25th anniversary celebration in May 1995.