St. John the Evangelist Catholic School (elementary--Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8)

23 George Street, York, Ontario M9N 2B4

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History & Tradition

St. John the Evangelist Catholic School has its roots in Weston dating to 1853. Under the guidance of the Basilian Fathers, the congregation grew thus resulting in a need for Catholic instruction. As early as 1856, Catholic children received instruction in the church sacristy which became the first “school”. It was not until 1921 that a four-room modern school replaced the “school house”.

The Loretto Sisters' (IBVM) dedication to teaching enabled St. John the Evangelist to flourish and grow. The Faithful Companions of Jesus guided St. John's school from 1951 through to the 1980s. Sister Eleanor was the last principal affiliated with a religious order.

The school enjoys positive cooperation between parents and Fr. Bob Glynn to serve our multicultural, multilingual population. It is our goal to instil pride, respect and to apply the precepts of our faith to life's opportunities, challenges and choices.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

Monthly and special occasions, masses are celebrated at St. John the Evangelist church in keeping with the liturgical calendar. Students are the major participants in the liturgy. Masses are prepared by grades and/or divisions, our students participate in the readings, petitions and offertory procession. At each mass, grades 1 to 8 are present with all staff. Parents are most welcome and are encouraged to share in the liturgy with the students. As the year progresses, junior kindergarten children participate in the celebration of the Eucharist--their participation is usually near the end of the school year as their attention span increases.

Our pastor, Father Bob, visits the school on a regular basis and provides staff with assistance and direction in preparing students for the sacraments, for liturgical and classroom celebrations and guidance with the  religion and family life programs.

The classes visit the church where they learn about the vestments, parts of the mass and the significance of various areas of the church.

In addition to the “regular” classroom programs, from junior kindergarten to grade 8, the school offers English as a second language/dialect to students recently arrived to our country. Students who have been deemed to be exceptional receive assistance through special education programs. All students, identified as exceptional, are integrated into the regular programs and withdrawn for individual or small group assistance as required. Programs are modified for those students who require remedial assistance. Four educational assistants work under the direction of several classroom teachers to help some exceptional students. Students who have been identified as exceptional receive minimal to intensive specialized instruction in the area of language and/or mathematics. All programs provided at St. John the Evangelist school are in accordance with Ministry of Education mandate and with Toronto Catholic District School Board guidelines.

Additional programs also include French as a second language (grades 1-8), vocal music (grades 1-8). A range of extra-curricular programs further serve the student's interests in academics, artistic and athletic programs. Computer literacy is an area of the curriculum which continues to expand and develop. We also provide the study of Italian through the International Languages program (elementary) of the Ministry of Education. This program is provided by extending the regular school day by one-half hour per day. All students are encouraged to study other languages.

St. John the Evangelist has initiated a safe arrival program for students. Parents are asked to contact the school by 9:00 a.m. and by 1:15 p.m. on the day of student absence. The office staff will contact the home if we have not been notified by the parent to verify the reason for absence.

The TCDSB strives to create school communities where a sense of belonging, of ownership and of caring for one another prevails. The policies of the TCDSB governing violence prevention are followed and strictly enforced in determining school code of behaviour and safety for all students. In an attempt to resolve conflicts the school has the student Peacemaker/conflict resolution program which trains students in conflict resolution and assisting other students in finding positive solutions to conflicts or problems they might encounter.

School News

PA Days 2008-2009

• October 24
• November 14
• December 5
• February 13
• March 13
• June 26

School Learning Plan -- 2007-2008

EQAO Assessment Results

EQAO: