Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School (secondary)

3200 Kennedy Road, Scarborough, Ontario M1V 3S8

• School Designed Website

• Mary Ward Newsletter Website

• School News

Homework Website

History & Tradition

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School is a co-educational secondary school founded in 1985 by the Metropolitan Separate School Board (now Toronto Catholic District School Board). The school is named after Mary Ward, founder of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loretto Sisters) and carries the traditions of Christian community and excellence in education that have been developed by the Loretto Sisters. The school occupies a wonderful new building at the corner of McNicoll Avenue and Kennedy Road in Scarborough.

Founded in 1985, the school is one of only seven in Canada which offers a unique mode of curriculum delivery emphasizing individualized learning and self-paced progress. The individualized learning is coupled with a unique and highly acclaimed teacher advisor-student program. A complete slate of academic programs is offered at all levels of study. Programs of a specialty nature such as English as a Second Language, gifted studies, extended French, cooperative education, technology, music, drama and visual arts are also available. In addition the school offers a full range of co-curricular athletics, student clubs and spiritual program which form an integral part of the entire school curriculum.

At Mary Ward the students are taught the responsibility of learning and the value of appropriate time management.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School sincerely follows the Mission and vision statements as articulated by the Toronto Catholic District Separate School Board. Further, we as a school community, committed ourselves again to the code of beliefs on which the school was founded:

"Because we believe in the worth and dignity of all human persons, we, the members of the Mary Ward school community, declare the following:

• We affirm the multicultural and multiracial dimension of our community; prejudice, stereotyping, and jokes and language which insult or ridicule another culture or race, are not acceptable to use. We pledge our commitment to raise awareness, to realize we have a problem and to change our old ways.
• We affirm the full equality of persons, male and female. Stereotyping, negative language and attitudes which see women as inferior to men, or which expect men to be “macho” are not acceptable to us. We pledge our commitment to raise awareness, to realize we have a problem and to change our old ways.
• We affirm that the hope of humanity lies in peace and reconciliation. Physical and emotional violence, gossip, bullying and selfish behaviour, are not acceptable to us. We pledge our commitment to raise awareness, to realize we have a problem and to change our old ways.

We, the members of the Mary Ward community declare our willingness to continue the many positive things we have been doing to build a better society. When abuses occur, we pledge that we will act with courage and concern to stop negative behaviour. We make our commitment to this declaration in the name of Jesus, who modeled his behaviour, and whose spirit guides our actions."

The school meets the academic needs of the students by means of the following:

Offering a full component of courses at the advanced, general and basic level of studies

• Developing a strong teacher advisory program assisting each student
• Providing gifted, extended French, ESL and resource programs to better meet the individual needs of our students. Academic programs from enriched calculus to visual arts technology with animation and videography.
• Teaching the responsibility of learning and good time management with use of the agenda booklet and the “directions for life” credit.

The school meets the co-curricular needs of the students by offering:

• An extensive athletic program with over 30 inter-school competitive teams for serious athletes along with a vibrant and diversified intramural program for all students.
• A sophisticated visual and performing arts program with major musical and dramatic productions such as “West Side Story”, “Guys and Dolls” and “The Women”. Student participation involves acting, singing, set design and construction, promotion and musical performance.
• Musical bands and several different choirs hold numerous concerts across the city.
• Student government with an active student council who plan and organize activities and who sit on the Catholic School Advisory Council and the school steering committee.

As a school community we believe we must allow our students to maximize their growth potential in all areas within the framework of a school community shaped by beliefs and commitments such as those indicated above.

School News

School Learning Improvement Plan -- 2009-2010

Safe School Plan -- 2009-2010

EQAO Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics:

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT):

The OSSLT shows the extent to which Ontario students are meeting the minimum literacy standard expected by the end of Grade 9. The test assesses the reading and writing skills as they apply to all subjects as out-lined in the Ontario Curriculum. Students must pass the OSSLT as one of the 32 requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.