About Us
St. John is a Roman Catholic School that provides education for children from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8.
We are a Catholic School community dedicated to providing a faith-centered school environment that will encourage students to reach their full potential academically and socially, and to understand the gospel message of social justice and peace.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students
Children need a safe, secure environment in which to learn and develop. We strive for a very positive school culture in which students with differing strengths and needs feel comfortable. In our school, on a daily basis, the message of the Gospel is lived out by our Christian values. We do this:
By building our school life on Gospel values and Catholic doctrines.
Through example and the religion, family life and peace education programs.
Through a strong sacramental program and meaningful liturgical celebrations.
By providing opportunities for students to demonstrate leadership skills.
By providing opportunities for students in higher grades to work with younger students and their teachers (shared reading programs, for example).
By providing peer mediation, mediation forum and “bully-proofing” programs.
By backing our code of conduct with clearly defined consequences.
By encouraging students to develop strategies for problem-solving, taking responsibility for their own behaviour and by using confident students as role models in pro social skills groups.
Through media literacy and the involvement of public health, police and community service educators to develop in students the awareness of:
The impact and influence exerted on them by others.
Responses based on Christian values and informed decision making.
By encouraging a response to the needs of others by making fundraising, food drives and community service part of our school year.
By involving parents who, led by the parent teacher community: strongly support our efforts, provide initiatives and share a leadership role in the partnership of educating their children.
Our students bring individual abilities, needs, attitudes, interests and learning styles to the learning process. We provide for these by:
Identifying individual student needs through classroom assessment.
Modifying existing programs to suit individual needs.
Bringing concerns for students' needs to our school-based support team (SBST).
Providing individualized programs to respond to student needs.
Identifying students as exceptional through the identification placement and review committee process and establishing special education programs and services for such students.
Formalizing a school plan for the incorporation of technological learning into our school curriculum to give opportunity to students to apply math and science principles to everyday activities.
Expanding our technology-based learning programs and building up our technology resources.
Continuing to extend our school computer literacy plan to take advantage of our existing computers and peripherals, expanded this year with computers acquired through parents in the community.
A significant number of enrichment and extracurricular activities are offered both inside and outside school. These programs include:
A variety of school excursions and overnight trips.
Vocal and instrumental music concerts and festivals.
Musical and dramatic performances, both in school and in the community.
Academic tournaments and festivals which include chess and the spoken arts.
A very successful program of athletic events and tournaments which include soccer, volleyball, hockey, basketball, cross-country, track and field and softball.
School History and Tradition
The 1909 minutes of the Metropolitan Separate School Board (MSSB) - now the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) - read: “That a classroom be opened at 21 Main Street in East Toronto and be fitted up and equipped for school purposes...”. This matter was opened by the Pastor Rev. George Williams. Classes began with 60 students and one teacher and a tradition began: that of teachers, lay and religious, in partnership with parents, devoting themselves to the spiritual and academic growth of their students.
1910: The school at 780 Kingston Road is opened.
1918: Sisters of St. Joseph join the school staff.
1949: Congregation of Notre Dame takes over with 350 students and Pastor Rev. Denis O'Connor is instrumental in having a larger facility built.
1952: Cardinal McGuigan officially opens new site.
1961: With 1,006 students, a new wing is added.
1968: With 1,300 students, a gymnasium and 12 classrooms complete the site.
1970s: Enrollment declines, Notre Dame uses 3rd floor.
1984: St. John's celebrates 75 years.
1995: Joint funds, granted by MSSB and the city of Toronto, allow for renewal of the school yard.
2000: Corpus Christi Catholic School is consolidated with St. John.