Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic
Secondary School (secondary)
40 Sewells Road, Scarborough, Ontario M1B 3G5

Celebrating
Catholic Education:
Personal reflections from staff and students at Blessed
Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School
Ginu
Chacko, student--Throughout my years at Mother Teresa, whether in the
pursuit of academic or artistic excellence, extra-curricular involvement
or leadership development, I have been taught to remember or school’s
humble yet powerful mission statement: to love and to serve. At Mother
Teresa, the outstanding faculty have not only taught me historical facts
and mathematical principles, but have instilled in me a fervour for
learning. The dynamic gifted program has allowed me to engage in studies
outside the normal curriculum, as well as participate in programs such as
the Queen’s Enrichment Mini-Course Program and Destination Imagination.
Through our school’s Student Administrative Council and dedicated
Chaplaincy program, I have had leadership roles in the planning of annual
fashion shows, fast-a-thons, food drives and more recently the journey to
World Youth Days 2002. Mother Teresa boasts a diversity of students from
all parts of the globe. The richness of culture contributes to an
atmosphere of understanding and acceptance, which is highlighted during
our annual International Night. Other clubs such as Trailblazers, the jazz
and concert choirs, the debating club and the yearbook committee have also
enriched my high school years. At the end of my fifth year at Mother
Teresa, I know that I will come away with a well-rounded education and
wealth of experiences that will aid me in all my future endeavours.
Leana
Maharaj, student—Attending Mother Teresa has been one of the most
valuable experiences I have had in my life. I am not the only person at
Mother Teresa who has fulfilled her dreams here. Just ask the boys’ and
girls’ basketball and softball champions, the student who placed in the
top one per cent in Canada for writing the Waterloo math contests, or the
former students of Mother Teresa who have returned here to teach. If
Mother Teresa is not what dreams are made of, then dreams are what Mother
Teresa is made of.
Earl
D’Almeida, student—Mother Teresa is a wonderful place. The
friendly people and the great teachers contribute largely to giving it the
special charm that it possesses. My experiences at MT have been one of
growth, learning and a great deal of fun as well. When I first began at
Mother Teresa, I was a shy individual who would not participate in many
extra-curricular activities. As the years progressed and I was welcomed
into the MT community, I felt compelled to volunteer and take part in
events and clubs at the school. Through the talented and gifted program
and the special productions and assembly team, I have been able to meet
many people and get to know many of the teachers on a personal level.
Finally but most importantly, the multiculturalism and our strong
spiritual foundation are the backbone of the school, contributing to the
intellectual development of students as well as their social and emotional
development.
Many former students of Mother Teresa Catholic
Secondary School have chosen to return to work or volunteer at the school.
Currently there are two teachers, two lunchroom supervisors, three coaches
and three emergency supply teachers who are graduates of the school.
Michael
Consul, teacher—After graduating from McGill University’s Faculty
of Education, I received many offers to teach at various schools, however,
my choice was simple—I wanted to go back to my own high school. I would
not be the teacher or person I am today if it had not been for the
guidance, generosity and compassion that were given to me by the teachers
of Mother Teresa. My teachers made a huge difference in my life; I wanted
to become one so that I could in turn inspire other students.
Sacha
Pierre, teacher—Mother Teresa is the best place on earth! As one of
the founding students of Mother Teresa, I have many fond memories of
school masses, spirit days, walkathons and memorable lessons in the
port-a-pac. MT not only represented a centre of academic learning, but a
tightly knit community where all were welcome. At MT it was just as cool
to be a member of the band or school choir as it was to be an athlete.
After-school hours did not signal the end of a grueling day, but the
beginning of new opportunities to interact with peers and learn new
skills. MT’s cultural diversity was, and still is, consistently
showcased in numerous assemblies, and within the curriculum. Not
surprisingly, MT was the first TCDSB school to offer a course in Black
History. Religious retreats were also a highlight, providing students with
an opportunity to build community and understand our own faith
development. MT’s environment inspired me to become a teacher. Teaching
seemed a great way to help foster the great atmosphere we had at school
and maintain the special relationships we had between our teachers and
students. That’s why I cam back here. Of all the schools that I have
visited or attended, Mother Teresa is number one, and I am forever a
Titan!
History &
Tradition
The school narrowly missed being named Mary Ward, and,
largely due to the influence of its then trustee, Harold Adams, came to be called Mother
Teresa. The ideals and spirit of Mother Teresa give the school its motto Amare et Servire
(to love and serve).
Though the history is not a long one, it is sharply
divided into two parts: the first four years endearingly referred to as the Tin
Can experience because the school resided in relocatables and a port-o-pac and the
new expansionist era, which began with year five in 1989-90 when under the leadership of
the founding principal, George Iantorno, a school of 650 left the port-o-pac and moved
into the magnificent new structure and promptly doubled its enrolment.
In this grand new building, the centerpiece of which is a
large, very attractive, naturally well-lit atrium, the school had its second beginning. It
now faced the task of integrating many new staff and students into the life and traditions
of the school. The intimacy and ease of communication of the port-o-pac is no longer
there, but the staff and students are addressing themselves to the kind of strategies
needed to create a Christian community.
Blessed Mother Teresa CSS has in its brief history shown itself to
be a community school in two very fundamental ways: it embraces some 54 different ethnic
minorities and it seeks to educate all who come to it from the Malvern Community taking in
students representing the complete spectrum of intellectual, artistic and athletic talent.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs
of Our Students
We believe that the ideal framework for recognizing and
supporting diversity is the creation of a Christian community in which all individuals are
valued for precisely what they are. From this philosophical/theological principle comes
the resolution to provide in and outside the curriculum what all students need to grow and
become commuted Christian and productive, contributing Canadians.
Our morning exercise is an excellent example of the kind
of welcoming atmosphere we seek to create. When the playing of the national anthem signals
the beginning of the day, the teachers are at the doors of their classrooms, the vice
principals in the halls and the principal is at the main entrance. We welcome the
students, stand respectfully for the national anthem and the prayer led by the chaplaincy
team leader.
Our code of conduct, which conforms with the Toronto
Catholic District School Board's violence prevention policy, is issued each year to all
students in their student agendas as well as to the parents of grade 9 students and new
students in the other grades.
We attempt to personally contact parents of students whose
absences have not been supported by a phone message from parents or guardians. This is
done unfailingly by one of our teachers for students 16 and under (grade 9 and 10).
Sometimes it is necessary to resort to an automatic phoning system to contact senior
students and/or their parents.
We boast the largest technology program in our Board
(already shifted to broad-based technology). We are not content with computer literacy; we
have opted for technological literacy so that students emerging from grade 10 will have
been exposed not only to basic elements of computer literacy, but also to communication
technology. Such a student will be able to go more deeply into computer science and
communication technology, but, more importantly, all such students will be conversant with
the technologies they will use or encounter in future learning from word processing to
spread sheet to animation, simple programming, design, shooting, editing and producing
videos etc.
In addition to the gifted program as such, we have over
recent years made a concerted effort to get our brightest, most creative students involved
in our Shadd Valley Program.
We have endeavoured to put this collaboration into a
friendly, social context thanks to our very successful hospitality program (food service
and baking).
We make it a point to give our students many opportunities
for developing leadership. We have had, and still have, students on the strategic advisory
council.
It should be mentioned that we have a well organized,
extremely responsive special education department--one part of which is our program for
developmentally delayed students--one such student successfully completed the requirements
and was presented with the Duke of Edinburgh Award by the Mayor of Scarborough.
For students who wish to earn credits in connection with
real life work experiences, we have a well organized, thriving co-operative education
program.
It is impossible to do justice to the more than 100
co-curricular activities which our teachers generously provide--from student government to
field hockey, from arts to sports to journalism, to hiking to service clubs. Of course our
reputation in basketball and soccer is widely known.
PA Days 2009-2010
- September 2, 3
- February 12
- June 28, 29, 30
Exam Dates 2009-2010
- January 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
- June 21, 22, 23, 24, 25
October 27
Open House for Grade 8 students
7:00 p.m.
OECTA Winner
Lise Ngo, a grade 12 student at Blessed Mother Teresa won
first place in the French non-fiction category for the OECTA sponsored Young
Authors Awards/prix jeunes ecrivans. As well as a cash award and
certificate, Lise receives a copy of the commemorative book containing all
the provincial winning entries. She was the only Toronto winner in the
French language category.
Exemplary
Practice Award Winner
Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School (Scarborough)—
“The Promotion of Literacy Among Malvern Youth using Star and Accelerated
Reading”--A
concerted effort to increase overall literacy levels and improve student
achievement on standardized testing, the
teacher-librarians have used their role in the school library to implement
the adaptive web based literacy programs, Star Reading and Accelerated
Reading. The programs have been very successful with many “at risk”
students who are encouraged to increase the amount they read.

A TDCAA Championship and an OFSAA medal for
Blessed Mother Teresa
Those were the two goals Richard Gallacher, Blessed Mother
Teresa Catholic Secondary School's senior boy's basketball coach,
set out to accomplish at the beginning of this season. The Titans
successfully achieved these goals after earning a silver medal at
the AAAA Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association (OFSAA)
tournament and winning the Toronto District College Athletic
Association (TDCAA) finals. Congratulations to the team and to the
coach.
Toronto Catholic
secondary school students honoured at Father Patrick Fogarty Awards Dinner
Students from across the Toronto Catholic District
School Board will be among the honourees at the 25th annual
Father Patrick Fogarty Awards dinner on October 25th. They will
be among the recipients of the Catholic Student Award, which recognizes
young people who best exemplify the Ontario Catholic School Graduate
Expectation. Congratulations to Virgil Romero
from Blessed Mother Teresa, who is one of
this year's winners.
School Learning Plan -- 2008-2009
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.
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