Bishop Allen Academy (Catholic Secondary School)

721 Royal York Road, Etobicoke, Ontario M8Y 2T3

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• Congregated Advanced Placement Program

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History & Tradition

The school is named after Bishop Francis Allen, who served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toronto from 1954 until his death in 1972. As pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows, Bishop Allen was a leader in the development of Catholic Christian Education in Etobicoke. 

The property has an interesting history. The 14-1/2-acre site was part of the original piece of land surveyed in the township of Etobicoke in 1793 which was set aside for the use of the government mill or the King’s Mill which was located at the fast rapids upstream from Lake Ontario. 

Bishop Allen Academy opened its doors to its first grade 9 classes in September 1989. Since then, we have grown in both spirit and numbers. Today our community includes more than 1400 students, 90 teachers, and 25 support staff in a semestered co-educational setting. 

The mission of our school is the formation of the whole person:  the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional and social development of every student.  Our aim at Bishop Allen Academy is to provide a quality education, which integrates faith with culture, so that every aspect of the curriculum is taught in light of the Gospel.

Bishop Allen is an excellent educational setting for the highly motivated, success-oriented student who enjoys learning.  Our challenging academic curriculum includes enriched credit courses beginning in Grade 10 and Advanced Placement courses leading to the Advanced Placement diploma in senior years. 

Our large Gifted program focuses on academic achievement, leadership development and community service.  A large number of Bishop Allen graduates are awarded scholarships to universities in Ontario and outside the province. 

Bishop Allen Academy is proud to be one of only two secondary schools in the Board to offer the Early Immersion French program at the secondary level.  The Middle Immersion (Extended) French program is also offered.  Upon graduation, students will be eligible for either the Immersion French Certificate or the Extended French Certificate from the Toronto Catholic District School Board. 

Educational services are available for students who need support to learn within an inclusive environment. 

Bishop Allen also offers a rich co-curricular program that includes Vocal and Instrumental Music, Art and Drama.  As well, our varsity athletic teams have built a solid reputation for their many championship seasons. 

Our school motto is: “GAUDETE IN DOMINO” - Rejoice in the Lord. At Bishop Allen Academy we strive to be a welcoming community that daily celebrates our calling to rejoice in the Lord.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

Bishop Allen Academy is a school whose goal of education is to offer all students experiences which will enable them to reach their maximum potential in all areas: spiritual, intellectual, cultural, emotional, social, physical and ethical.

As Catholic educators, we share a mandate to serve the entire community so that all staff and students grow in a spirit consistent with Gospel values.

To this end a variety of programs are offered to meet the needs of our varied student population.

• Collaborative teaming with the classroom teacher, special services and student services
• A vibrant peer ministry
• An active chaplaincy team
• Community outreach
• Partnership with Metro Volunteer Service
• Linkage with colleges and universities for mentorship
• Cooperative education
• Library resource centre
• Enriched credit courses
• A gifted program
• Advanced Placement (AP) credits
• An inclusive special education model
• Numerous extracurricular activities

These educational programs provide opportunities for students to develop skills which will prepare them for their future: values clarification, decision-making, critical thinking and problem solving.

At Bishop Allen, we believe our task is to challenge students to meet their full potential within a stimulating, safe and caring environment. 

CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM 

The secret of a successful high school education lies in the students’ ability to combine the academic curriculum, with co-curricular activities, and service to others.  The staff at Bishop Allen offers a wide selection of after-school activities.  Students are encouraged to take advantage of these clubs, teams and other opportunities.  This involvement will produce lasting memories of what high school is all about.  See the chart on the next page for the selections in our co-curricular program. 

BISHOP ALLEN SCHOOL LETTER

The purpose of the Bishop Alien school letter is to recognize and reward individual contributions to the school community.  It encourages students to become well-rounded members of the community.  The letter is inclusive in nature as it acknowledges student involvement in many different areas.  Students may work towards a Junior Letter or a Senior Letter.  Students and the staff recognize the letter as the ultimate achievement in the school community since it sets a high standard of student participation. 

The following guidelines are to be used by coaches and moderators to determine the number of points to be awarded to the student applicant:  

5 points:          Outstanding contribution.  Recognition beyond school community for work or achievement involving 50 or more hours of involvement.  Examples: Regional award, all star team, community leadership. 

4 points:          Excellent achievement.  Recognition in school among staff and peers for superior contribution in athletic or extra-curricular activity.  Examples: Team captain, excellent leadership. 

3 points:          Solid involvement in school activity.  An above average contribution to a team or activity.  Maximum value to be awarded for activities under 50 hours. 

2 points:          Average, regular contribution and commitment to activity. 

1 point:            Minimal commitment of time and effort to activity. 

ACADEMIC POINTS 

Academic points will be awarded for each subject as follows: 

• 50 - 65 %:  3 points
• 66 - 80 %:  4 points
• 80 % and over:  5 points  

The Congregated Advanced Placement Program 

The Advanced Placement Program is an internationally recognized program that fosters success in higher education by encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills at the highest level.  Students pursue university level studies while still in high school by preparing for and writing exams.  Successful completion of exams earns students advanced placement and/or credit in university.  Exams are recognized by universities throughout Canada, the United States and Europe.  Thirty-four courses are offered in 19 subject areas by approximately 13,000 high schools worldwide.  The hallmark of the program is its flexibility in that students may take the full complement of AP courses and work toward an AP International Diploma or study in their personal area of strength and aim to achieve an AP Scholar or AP National Scholar designation.

A Congregated Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a school-wide initiative requiring the support and dedication of administration and faculty.  In this program, segregated Pre-AP classes begin in Grade 9 and are offered in Mathematics, Science, English, French and Social Sciences.  This early introduction in Grades 9 and 10 encourages a focus on the development of habits of mind necessary for success in later years.  Teachers are provided with intensive AP training and resources and each department forms a Vertical Team to ensure a seamless transition in curriculum from one grade to the next.  The program follows the Ontario curriculum but is richer in depth and breadth and allows more time for enrichment activities such as contests, field trips, in-depth discussions, guest lecturers, and more varied activities.  The Pre-AP Program leads to the Advanced Placement courses in Grades 11 and 12.  Regular meetings of all AP teachers ensure open dialogue and consistency of expectations. 

Participation in the AP Program allows students to get a head start on the work they will encounter in university.  Coursework prepares students to write the AP exams in May.  Although written at their home school, exams are marked externally by qualified markers trained by the Education Testing Service.  Numerous studies have demonstrated that successful completion of these exams ensures high achievement in post-secondary education.

The congregated AP at Bishop Allen involves segregated enriched classes in the core subject areas (English, Math, Science, Social Science) starting in grade 9 and continuing at every grade level. Students cover the Ontario curriculum and receive preparation for writing the international AP exams in the grade 11 or 12 year of high school. At this time Bishop Allen is the only school in TCDSB to offer the congregated (segregated enriched) AP classes.

All schools can offer students the opportunity to register to write an AP exam or AP exams in the grade 11 or 12 year. Support from the schools varies. In some schools, teachers guide the students informally or set up after-school tutorials. BA differs in that we start in grade 9 with special classes consisting only of students who want enriched curriculum each year. In the credit courses, we cover the Ontario curriculum and prepare students each year to write AP exams in the senior years.

The Congregated Advanced Placement Program is available at Bishop Allen Academy.

Information and selection criteria are available from the AP Co-ordinator at the school

(416) 393-5549.