Chaminade College School (Catholic Secondary School)

490 Queen's Drive, North York, Ontario M6L 1M8

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History & Tradition

Chaminade College School was founded in 1964 by the Archdiocese of Toronto as a private boys' high school to serve the growing northwest region of the city. The school opened in September 1965 under the direction of the Society of Mary, the Marinists, and bears the name of the order's founded, Father William Joseph Chaminade.

The mandate of the school was to prepare young men for post-secondary education in a traditional Catholic secondary school environment. The school's motto “Fortes in fide” emphasizes the importance of the virtue of faith in the life of the Catholic school.

In 1967 Chaminade, along with 13 other Catholic high schools, entered into a partnership with the Board. The Board operated the first two years of secondary school and the Archdiocese ran the remainder. From September 1972 to June 1988 the school was administered by the Irish Christian Brothers. After completion of the system in 1984 the Brothers administered the school until June 1987 and withdrew in June 1988. Now the school is administered and operated by the Board.

Chaminade is proud of its academic tradition and service to the Catholic community of North York. The school has witnessed the growth of this great city as well as the transition from private to publicly supported Catholic secondary education.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

The ultimate aim which gives direction to Catholic secondary education is to provide those directions which make possible the maximum development of each young person as a being of unique worth and supernatural destiny. This involves the total development of the human person--religious, intellectual, cultural, emotional, social, physical and ethical.

At Chaminade we foster the concept of the community and the Christian family. We celebrate our multiculturalism, our common membership in the human family and speak of the brotherhood among our students and graduates. The theme of mutual respect and responsibility for the school and what happens within the building and on the grounds, is stated as the responsibility of all in our community.

This theme is repeated in our assemblies, our community liturgies, our program, our school handbook and in our philosophy of participation and ownership.

The co-curricular program from clubs to athletics is based on allowing our students the opportunity to participate and to establish ownership.

Students at Chaminade have to follow either art or music in year one and are allowed to add the second discipline in year two if they wish to do so. Students are encouraged to take music and art throughout high school and can follow both if they wish to do so.

Our school senior concert band is second to none in both numbers and quality, and last summer toured Europe. The Senior Art Show at the Columbus Centre each year is a community highlight.

From debating to yearbook and Reach for the Top teams, we offer a wide range of opportunities for participation in addition to the arts and athletics.

In athletics we offer teams in all areas of TDCAA athletics, from wrestling, soccer, hockey, football, rugby, track and field to volleyball, basketball, baseball etc. In addition to these there is a full intramural athletic program for year one classes. At Chaminade we feel that we run an athletic program that is second to none in the Toronto Catholic District School Board in terms of participation and inclusiveness.

In our programming for year one classes, we have matched our English classes with parallel classes in computer technology which emphasizes the necessary computer skills for the nineties and supports language development.

All boys in year two take a second compulsory course in computer programming. These two courses are complemented by our senior course and other courses taught in our school. With close to 200 instructional computers in action every period in the school, we feel that we are the envy of most schools.

Our emphasis on the new technology of the computer starts in year one in our computer technology course and it is integrated with the year one English program. The integration is promoted through all aspects of the school program, with our aim being to produce a truly computer literate graduate.

School News

PA Days 2009-2010

• September 2, 3
• February 12
• June 28, 29, 30

Exam Dates 2009-2010

• January 26, 27, 28, 29
• June 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

November 10
Open House for Grade 8 students
7:00 p.m.

Math winners
Congratulations to the following students who have won 2009 mathematics competitions: Jordan Gambin, grade 11 winner in the Fermat and Patrick Ong, grade 11 winner of the Hypatia competition.

Exemplary Practice Award Winner
"A Community based approach to increase awareness of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)”--Chaminade College began a campaign to increase awareness and sensitivity about students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Grade 9 students took time out of their weekly math classes to read the novel, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” by Mark Haddon (Doubleday, 2003).  The story is written in the first-person perspective of Christopher John Francis Boone, a 15-year-old autistic boy.  Jake’s House is a local registered charitable organization founded in 2002 by David and Irene Bodanis, whose son, Jake, was diagnosed with Autism in 1995. Chaminade students volunteer as ambassadors every Christmas as part of their school’s annual Advent activities.

Chaminade student finds himself in “The Real World”
Talon Leuchter, a student at Chaminade College School is among the contestants on “The Real World”. The 14-year-old, who plays hockey and soccer and enjoys a variety of other sporting activities as well, is among 18 young people featured in the program, which airs Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. on YTV. The winner of the race will receive college tuition money and an all-expense paid family vacation to one of four amazing destinations.