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At St. Martha Catholic School, we pride ourselves on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and the parish.

Our school is a community formed by Catholic beliefs and traditions, and our Mission is to educate students to their full potential. As a Catholic School community, all members of St. Martha Catholic School strive to establish a safe, creative, welcoming, and nurturing Christian environment for our children and ourselves. Like St. Martha, we celebrate our witness to Jesus, the Christ, by our teaching, learning, living and caring.

One of the underlying precepts at St. Martha Catholic School is the creation of a Catholic presence within the educational environment. To this end, the religion centre in each classroom provides a focus for daily religious instruction as well as daily prayer. We are associated with St. Jane Frances Catholic Church and one of the roles of the parish is to provide our students with the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. Students in Grade 3 prepare for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, while students in Grade 8 prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation. We at the school provide the initial preparation for the students through the use of the Born of the Spirit catechetical programmes.

It is our aim to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our students. We believe that one means of helping us realize this objective is through our implementation of the policy that all visitors must report to the office. All of St. Martha Catholic School’s exterior doors are locked. All visitors, staff and parents must enter the school via the main doors (facing onto Sheppard Avenue West). These main/front doors are monitored by a video camera at the main office.

All school personnel collaborate to ensure compliance with this policy. We continue to reinforce with our students when they are in the building to not open the exterior doors to any one. All visitors and parents are reminded to gain access to the school via the front doors. All visitors to the school will be asked to sign in at the office and to wear a badge identifying them as a visitor. All students will be dismissed to the outside via their designated exit door. All persons picking up a student are asked to please wait outside for the student. We ask this for the safety of all of our students.

In order to safeguard each student, the parent/guardian of absentee students are telephoned by the school to confirm such absences and the reason for same. This safe arrival program is strictly adhered to each school day. Students who leave the school before the end of the school day must be picked up by a parent or the designated caregiver. An excused student must provide to their teacher a written and signed note from their parent indicating the reason for and time of the earlier dismissal.

Our staff provide positive role models and encourage students to demonstrate the respect for themselves and others that is consistent with the caring Christian community. A school is a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. All students, parents, teachers, and staff have the right to be safe, and feel safe, in their school community. With this right comes the responsibility to be law-abiding citizens and to be accountable for actions that put them at risk for the safety of others or oneself.

St. Martha Catholic School first opened its doors in September 1971. The neighbourhood was experiencing a great population growth, so the school building was quickly filled to capacity and numerous portables had to be brought on site.

By September 1974, it became necessary to establish an annex at the nearby Calico Public School, so as to alleviate the overcrowding at St. Martha School. In 1976, the annex became St. Blaise Catholic School.

Over the next two decades, as the school-aged children graduated, enrollments in the area declined. In 1994, almost as if to complete the cycle, St. Blaise Catholic School was closed and its students returned to St. Martha Catholic School.

In 1996, St. Martha Catholic School commemorated its 25th anniversary with special celebrations.

Our school is named for St. Martha, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, who lived in Bethany. It seems that the family frequently received Jesus as a guest in their home. As Martha served Jesus food so was she nourished in the Holy Spirit. When her brother Lazarus died, St. Martha pleaded with Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus did as she requested because of St. Martha's faith in him. Following St. Martha's example, we have tried to develop a community where we enrich the lives of others with knowledge, love, justice and the Bread of Life.

From the Gospels of Luke and John we learn that Martha held a special place among the friends of Jesus. They tell us of the special relationship Jesus had with Martha. Martha was privileged to receive Jesus into her home at Bethany and to serve him there on several occasions. She was present when her sister Mary anointed Jesus' feet with oil and wiped them with her hair. Martha also witnessed, with joy, her brother Lazarus being brought back to life by Jesus.

In Martha we see ourselves – often worried and distracted by all we have to do in the world and forgetting to spend time with Jesus. Her conversations with Jesus show her deep faith and courage. Martha served. She isn't in the spotlight, she doesn't do showy things, and she doesn't receive spectacular miracles. She simply serves Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the most important thing that could be said about us is: “They served!”

Saint Martha, pray for us that we might serve Jesus better. Help us to overcome our distractions and worries to listen to His words and be present to Him this day. Amen.