St. Barbara Catholic School (elementary--Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8)

25 Janray Drive, Scarborough, Ontario M1G 1Y2

• School News

• Student Transportation Services (Bus Routes)

Homework Website

History & Tradition

Opening date: 1959 - Addition added in 1964

First Principal: Joe Legault

Enrolment History: 1959--132; 1969--613; 1995--458

School Motto: Growing together in faith

The virgin and martyr St. Barbara is known as a protector against storms and as the patroness of architects, builders, and masons. A popular heroine of medieval legend, nothing certain is known of her life. The legend concerning St. Barbara was unknown before the 7th century and achieved its greatest popularity about the 9th century. It is most likely that she lived as early as the 3rd century.

She is said to have been the daughter of Dioscorus, a wealthy Roman, who imprisoned her in a tower. Workmen were constructing two windows in the tower--or perhaps in a building nearby--and she persuaded them to construct a third. This, understood as the sign of the Trinity, demonstrated to her father that she had become a Christian.

St. Barbara has also been considered a protector against impenitence and sudden death. Her feast day is December 4th.

At St. Barbara Catholic School, our mission is to let Christ's light shine in our midst. By our liturgies, paraliturgies our giving tree, service to one another and to each other, sense of community, inclusiveness, welcoming, compassion, love, forgiveness and foundation Good News, we hope to bring our community closer to Christ. At St. Barbara we strive for academic excellence. We hope that our pupils view St. Barbara Catholic School as a place where failure is simply a catalyst for growth.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

Upon entering the school, one is welcomed by some of the symbols of our faith: the cross, good news Bible, light, water, the cloth of baptism,. A painting and short history of our patron saint adorns the front door. We are privileged with classroom visits from the priest from St. Rose of Lima Church. As well, paraliturgies are ongoing. New students and parents are welcomed at the office by the secretary and/or principal. A safe environment is fostered through general and bus/loading supervision, and by contacting parents regarding students who are absent. A code of behaviour for all students has been established.
 

Every classroom has access to two computer labs and/or individual computers. Teachers meet at regularly scheduled monthly divisional and staff meetings in order to ensure continuous renewal of program and program delivery. Teachers have been attending workshops and conferences to keep themselves current with new Ministry of Education initiatives and updated pedagogical practices.

The needs of all children at either end of the spectrum are met by appropriately designed programs which challenge them to achieve to the best of their abilities. Curriculum modification, whether enrichment or remedial, is provided when necessary.

The school-based support team (SBST) meets regularly with classroom teachers to address areas of concern with regard to the social, academic or emotional growth of children. Suggestions are made to help the teacher provide the best possible program for each child. If more intensive interventions are required, the interdisciplinary team (IDT) is convened. The team is made up of the assessment and programming teacher, the psychologist, the social worker and sometimes guidance and speech personnel, the special education teacher, the vice-principal and the principal. At IDT meetings, decisions may be made for further program modification or for either academic or social assessment. Children from grades 3 to 8 who do not speak English are helped in the English as a second language class.

If, through the Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test (CCAT) and Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children - Third Edition (WISC - 3), grade four children are identified as needing a differentiated program, a one-day a-week withdrawal program is provided for them at a centre away from the school.

School News

PA Days 2008-2009

• October 24

• November 14

• December 5

• February 13

• March 13

• June 26

St. Barbara Wins Associate School of the Year Award
St. Barbara Catholic Elementary School won the "Associate School of the Year Award” by Queen’s University The award was presented by representatives from the university at an assembly at the school.

TCDSB Opens Parenting and Family Literacy Centres
The Toronto Catholic District School Board has opened eight new Parenting and Family Literacy Centres in its schools. An opening ceremony took place take place on November 20th at St. Dorothy Catholic School with Open Houses taking place at all locations the same day.  A large gathering of families from the St. Dorothy centre, TCDSB superintendents, trustees, Ministry representatives and the school’s parish priest were on hand to show support for the program.  The literacy centre prepares children, up to six years of age, for entering a formal school setting.  The program also enthusiastically encourages families to be active members of their children’s learning experiences.  These centres focus on language, numbers and social skills through play, music and reading. The following schools now have Parenting and Family Literacy Centres: Blessed John XXIII Catholic School, Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School, St. Barbara Catholic School,  St. Barnabas Catholic School, St. Charles Garnier Catholic School, St. Dorothy Catholic School, St. Wilfrid Catholic School, St. Francis de Sales Catholic School.  Parenting and Family Literacy Centres are school based programs where parents/caregivers and children, birth to six years of age, participate in play-based activities that focus on the development of early literacy and numeracy skills.  Regular centre hours vary from location to location. Centres at Blessed John, Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Barbara, St. Barnabas, St. Charles Garnier, St. Dorothy and St. Wilfrid are generally open in the mornings on regular school days, while the centre at St. Francis de Sales is open in the afternoons.

School Learning Plan -- 2007-2008

EQAO Assessment Results

EQAO: