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

521 Sewells Road, Scarborough, Ontario M1B 5H3

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History & Tradition

St. Bede Catholic School was opened in September, 1989 in the relocatable building at 36 Sewells Road. During this time, physical classes were conducted in the Malvern Community Centre and the public library was a popular place. As the enrollment grew, physical space became a problem.

Plans to construct the permanent building began in 1989 but government funding was delayed for a couple of years. The sod turning ceremony was held in November 1991 and staff and students moved into the new building at the end of January, 1993.

Everyone involved with the establishment of the St. Bede School community should feel justly proud of the wonderful spirit and tradition which they have developed.

St. Bede lived in the late 7th to early 8th century in Northumbria on the northeast coast of England. He was a priest, scholar monk and a teacher, who loved music, but was mostly famous for his writing. He stood for love of God and scholarship. St. Bede's Feast Day is May 25th.

Our community has a rich diversity of individuals drawn from all over the world. This cultural mix is important to us, for each individual contributes his or her life experiences within the unifying bond of our common Catholic faith.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

At St. Bede, we believe in the uniqueness of every child. We recognize that children have individual talents and their own special needs. We strive to assist the students to, “be the best they can be,” growing in Christian values, self-esteem and respect for themselves and others.

The catechetical program as approved by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the foundation for the instructional program in religious education. Among a variety of strategies employed to ensure a Catholic environment, we practise the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Acts of charity such as participation in food drives, the ShareLife campaign and supporting families in need, both within the local community and the global community, are encouraged as gestures of Gospel values at work. Our students are very sensitive to, and concerned about, the needs of others. The peer assistant program has received tremendous support from our grade 8 students. These efforts are essential for reinforcing with the students that our Catholic beliefs need to be reflected in all aspects of the daily program.

Fostering a safe and welcoming learning environment which is an example of Christian community is a vital part of the Mission Statement of the Toronto Catholic District School Board. Daily attendance monitoring is one example of this mission action. Through cooperative parent-school communications, parents advise the school if their child will be absent and school staff monitor attendance patterns and alert the family if any problems are noted. We always appreciate parents notifying us of health conditions which may affect their child at school. We also strive to keep parents and guardians informed regarding issues and situations which impact on their child's health and safety. It is our hope and desire that all families feel welcome when entering the school. We are pleased to provide information about our school and community, to make introductions and to maintain collaborative communications.

Clear expectations for student behaviour are important elements of school life. General guidelines for student deportment are presented to the students in a variety of formats including at student assemblies, in newsletters, through announcements, and during classroom discussions. Regular review and reinforcement takes place throughout the year. The violence prevention policy of the TCDSB reflects our serious commitment to the well-being of all members of the school community.

Standards are being defined to assist in evaluating student progress. The TCDSB is currently examining its curriculum documents in order to bring them in concert with Ministry initiatives. At St. Bede School, we will be assessing our intermediate language arts program with possible revisions for the next school year. As part of our resolve to enhance technological education and computer literacy, there has been ongoing staff in-service, the acquisition of new equipment and increased emphasis on computer skills.

To help meet the needs of individual students, teachers modify programs within the regular class, consult with other staff and meet with resource personnel assigned to the school. Special programs support students with particular needs.

A full range of extra and co-curricular activities are available to the students. For those with an artistic bent there are musicals, drama and choirs. The chess and W5H teams provide an excellent opportunity for students talented in these areas to develop and hone their interests. House leagues offer good fun, sportsmanship and friendly competition. Last year we had excellent participation in many extra curricular activities. Our W5H team reached the Scarborough final and several students did extremely well at the city track and field finals.

School News

PA Days 2008-2009

• October 10

• October 24

• December 5

• February 13

• March 13

• June 26

School Learning Plan -- 2007-2008

EQAO Assessment Results

EQAO: