The St. Mary’s community is built on our Catholic Gospel values, which are the foundation of our school philosophy. It is for that reason – our commitment to being witnesses of our faith – that we nurture the spiritual and religious development of all members of our community. Our commitment to our religious journey is marked by several important community-building traditions, including daily prayers, regular school masses, and liturgies. In addition, we have an active Chaplaincy Team that provides support to our community as we nurture the development of the whole child.

In conjunction with our Chaplaincy Team, St. Mary’s has established a Student Success Team. This team is comprised of Administrators, Guidance Counsellors, the Student Success Teacher, Credit Recovery Teachers, the Literacy and Numeracy Lead Teachers, and LOG teachers. This team focuses on meeting the needs of at-risk students by bridging the gap between elementary and secondary school, forging mentoring relationships, and providing students with academic and emotional support. Resource Personnel, Child Youth Workers, and Educational Assistants, all of whom are committed to student success, complement this team.

We believe that all students, including those who have been identified with exceptionalities, have the right to full and active participation in our community. Our inclusive model facilitates this, allowing all of our students to develop to the best of their abilities. Through the necessary accommodations and/or modifications, our students are successful whether their goal is the workplace, college, apprenticeship, or university.

St. Mary’s offers students a breadth of courses that are as diverse as are the needs of students. Students have the opportunity to explore the arts, modern languages, and technology while completing their core courses. Most recently, St. Mary’s was selected as a Specialist High Skills Major provider in the area of Transportation Technology, allowing students who are interested in the automotive industry to deepen their theoretical and practical understanding. As well, we offer an extensive cooperative education program and comprehensive English as a Second Language courses to meet the needs of our English language learners. To meet the growing computer literacy interests of today’s students, St. Mary’s also has five computer labs. Our state-of-the-art science labs are also equipped with computer interface technology.

In 2000, St. Mary’s received the Exemplary Practice Award for our outstanding initiatives surrounding literacy. This commitment to literacy development continues to frame our activities as we refine our practices. Our cross-curricular Literacy Committee orchestrates various initiatives, including writing workshops, that are supported by staff and students committed to literacy development. To further support students’ academic success, St. Mary’s offers free tutorial services to students in the Homework Hub.

Our students are challenged to reach their potential in their academic and extra-curricular achievements. Through the Achievement of Excellence, students are recognized for their contributions to our community, as they build their repertoire of skills. St. Mary’s offers students a multitude of opportunities outside the classroom. We compete at the varsity and intramural levels in several sports, including soccer, track and field, volleyball, and basketball. We also showcase students’ artistic talents through dramatic productions, band and choir performances, and art showings. We also offer students the opportunity to actively participate in many leadership activities and clubs, including a thriving ESP (Empowered Students Partnership) team, which has received municipal recognition for its contribution in supporting a safe school community. And in keeping with our commitment to uphold Gospel values, we provide our students with many volunteer opportunities both locally and internationally to work with the less fortunate and marginalized of society.

St. Mary’s is a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. All students, parents, and staff have the right to be safe, and feel safe, in the school community. The Ontario Schools Code of Conduct sets clear provincial standards of behaviour. It specifies the mandatory consequences for student actions that do not comply with these standards. St. Mary’s code of conduct complies with the Ontario Schools Code of Conduct. As such, our students are expected to follow these regulations and TCDSB policies.