St. Joseph's Morrow Park
Catholic Secondary School (Secondary)

3379 Bayview Avenue, North York, Ontario M2M 3S4

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History & Tradition

St. Joseph's Morrow Park Catholic Secondary School is a school for young women and is attached to the Motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto. The Congregation was founded in LePuy, France, in the year 1648 by a French Jesuit named Jean-Pierre Medaille. From the beginning, the community was active in the care of orphans, the sick and in the education of the young. The Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in Toronto in 1851 and since that time have made an impressive contribution to Catholic education in Toronto.

St. Joseph's Morrow Park came about as a result of the relocation and expansion of St. Joseph's which was then operating at Bay and Wellesley. The new Motherhouse was built in Willowdale on the property given to the congregation by Frederick Morrow and after whom it is named along with the name of the patron saint of the congregation. A day school and boarding school were part of this complex. In September 1960, St. Joseph's Morrow Park opened with an enrollment of 147 girls and a staff of nine sisters and one lay teacher.

Today the school is operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board. The school is organized on a semester system. Resource assistance, a gifted program and English as a second language are also offered for our students. The SJMP student uniform consists of the MacKinnon plaid kilt, black slacks, green vest/pullover, white blouse, green or brown socks/leotards and brown or black shoes.

Our motto “The love of Christ has gathered us together” is expressed as a school community committed to the continuing educational process of developing unique persons in an environment where Christian faith is translated into action. In order to be integral members of the school community, students are strongly encouraged to participate in co-instructional activities such as sports, committees and clubs.

How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students

The chaplaincy team helps to develop within the school a community of faith. It plans and facilitates a variety of celebrations and activities, and encourages outreach to those in need. Chaplaincy is at the service of staff and students in need of guidance, support and direction.

Special education

Our philosophical approach advocates the principle of integration as part of the continuum of special education programs and services. The diversified needs of our students are met through the consultative model that involves eight steps to ensure appropriate programs for students with learning needs. This includes a school-based support team that outlines, implements and monitors initial intervention strategies and program modifications. The joint team may also be consulted to provide additional support to staff, students and parents in implementing a program to meet the diverse needs of our students. Identified students receive a pupil education plan containing specific objectives and an outline of educational services that meet the needs of the exceptional student. The pupil education plan forms the blueprint for program modification.

Students in the gifted program may elect to have their programs differentiated by altering the content in breadth or depth, in compacting or substitution. They have the option to pursue independent study, small; group investigations, cooperative education, mentorship, contract learning and modules from the personal life management guidelines. To develop self-understanding and leadership based on Christian values, gifted students are encouraged to participate in United Nations Model competitions at the local, national and international levels; Shad Valley Science Summer Programs, debating competitions, Science Centre School, Remembrance Day Assembly, organizing the school walk-a-thon to raise fund for technical equipment, and preparation of the Jaguar school newspaper.

As the needs of our students change, so will the programs offered at SJMP be adapted to respond to those needs.

Student services

The guidance and counseling program is an integral part of the total education process of the school. The program is developmental in nature and promotes the development of a Christian community in the school as an essential element of the Catholic education process. The counselors recognize the inherent worth of individuals regardless of abilities or limitations.

Guidance activities can be described under three headings:

Career
Career education is delivered in a number of formats--formal classroom instruction , career interest inventories, career room research, choices computer program, individual counseling and career speakers.

Education
Beginning with the elementary schools in our area, we liaise with the students, teachers and parents. During the grade nine year extensive work is done to ensure students receive the assistance they need to succeed in grade 9 and choose the appropriate program in grade 10. Throughout secondary school students are given help in planning their educational program to meet the requirements of the OSSD and college/university programs. Counselors liaise with post secondary institutions on an ongoing basis to be able to provide students with current information.

Personal
To meet the social and emotional needs of students, counselors do one-on-one counseling, refer students to the school social worker, psychologist, nurse or community agencies as needed. Support groups are established to meet specific needs.

Other activities

To complement the guidance program and add another dimension, the peer helper club is an integral part of the school community. It includes peer tutors, peer ministers, conflict mediators, peers against drugs, career room helpers and Big Sisters. Special events are also organized by the counselors such as healthy lifestyle week and career week.

School News

Silver in tennis
Congratulations to Lela Pacitti and Carol Dela Cerna, who won a silver medal in the OFSAA championships in doubles tennis.

Congratulations TCDSB Skills Canada Winners
This year’s Skills Canada Competition at ROM Park in Kitchener/Waterloo was a great success for many TCDSB Students.With over 1,800 students from all across Ontario competing in events in the trades and technology sectors, TCDSB students participated in 26 different events and placed in the top three in 9 of those events.
Gold medals were awarded to Team Carpentry: Arthur Kurek and Philip Kapera of Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School; Culinary Arts: Cara Davis of Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts; Ishara Wijesinghe of St. Joseph Morrow Park Catholic Secondary School was awarded the gold medal for her pin design
Silver medals were awarded to the 2D Character Animation team: Raphaella Lauro and Valerie Garnace St. Joseph Morrow Park Catholic Secondary School; Kyan D’Angelo of Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School for IT Software Application; and Jean Luc Moniz and Rebecca LaFortune of Dante Alighieri Academy for TV and Video Production .
Bronze medals where awarded to Jennifer Reyes of Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic School who competed in the Restaurant Service category; Peter Nhieu and Anthony Dang of Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School in the Geographic Information Systems category; and the team who competed in the Robotics section, Geoffrey Blasutti, Steve Pasqualoni, Daniel Adamo, Matthew Hiew of Michael Power/St. Joseph High School.
On May 23rd, Cara Davis of Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts went on to the National Skills Canada Competition and captured the Gold Medal in the Culinary Arts category.

Congratulations to students who were awarded for their outstanding performances in Math Contests

Updates on Status of School

• Board approves joint site for Blessed Trinity and St. Joseph Morrow Park--June 17, 2010
   

• Community Consultation Meeting: June 2, 2010
   

• Update Letter--May 10, 2010
   

• Update Letter-December 7, 2009
   

• Update Letter--October 2009
   

• Update Letter--Lease Extension--September 2009
   

• Update on New School Building
   

• Update on Remediation Work--Summer 2009
   

• Update Letter re: potential future sites for SJMP, April 27, 2009
   

• Update Letter, Option Analysis, March 23, 2008
   

• Update Letter, October 2008
   

• Update Letter, June 28, 2007
   

• TCDSB committed to keeping St. Joseph’s Morrow Park High School in the community
  The Toronto Catholic District School Board’s lease of St. Joseph’s Morrow Park High School has been extended to the end of the 2009- 2010 academic year. --More
   

• Letter to Parents, July 2006--More
   

• Letter from TCDSB To Minister of Education, July 6, 2006--More