Seven uniformed elementary students listening to a teacher read a book

About Us

At St. Andrew Catholic School, we pride ourselves on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and the parish. The love of the mass is a very important objective for our school. Students from grades 1 to 8 take advantage of community mass at the church. Religious instruction is provided in the class through Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) programs. Sacramental preparation takes place - first communion/reconciliation (grade 3) and confirmation (grade 8). Nurturing Christian values is also a school objective and the religion committee coordinates masses, paraliturgies, and charity projects such as ShareLife, Multiple Sclerosis Read-A-Thon, Covenant House and more.

We are committed to providing a safe environment for learning at St. Andrew. A behaviour code exists, and copies are sent home for posting. Expectations are outlined clearly, along with the consequences for inappropriate behaviour. There is also a conflict management program (grades 1 to 6) and peer mediation (grades 7 and 8) where students are trained to help other students solve problems and avoid confrontation. A safe arrival program is available to ensure that students arrive safely at school.

The curriculum meets TCDSB and Ministry of Education requirements. Parents are encouraged to communicate with the classroom teacher with respect to each child's curriculum needs.

St. Andrew has much pride in our French program. It enriches the mind, body and soul of the whole child. The program follows the oral, reading and writing curriculum expectations with a “joie de vivre”. Some annual highlights include: a hiking excursion, a Carnival festival, and various traditional culinary experiences (crêpes), all of which complement and encourage regular physical activity and the pursuit of healthy lifestyle and nutrition choices. Spiritually, our strong Christian values are the foundation of our daily teachings.

To meet the student's academic needs, a school-based support team meets regularly to plan program modification, ensure smaller optimal class sizes, and seek other Board personnel for students with exceptional circumstances. Students can receive special education, learning disability, and English as a second language assistance. There is a half-time guidance counsellor and child care worker to assist with social concerns. As well, students are tested in grade 4 for possible entry into the gifted program which is offered one day a week at another centre.

Our School History And Tradition

St. Andrew Catholic School was established in 1964 in response to the growing population of north Etobicoke. As with the city in general, the school has seen many changes since its founding. Today, our strength lies in our widely diverse student population, which is drawn from a multitude of ethno-cultural backgrounds. We pride ourselves on our close connection with St. Andrew's Church, staffed by the Priests of the Consolata Missionary Order.

St. Andrew, our patron saint, belonged to a family of fishermen. Andrew was also a disciple of John the Baptist and together with his brother Simon Peter, became the first apostles of Jesus. According to our biblical tradition, he preached the Gospel in northern Greece and was martyred in 70 A.D. He is the patron of fishermen, fish dealers and women wishing to be mothers. Each year, our school and parish celebrate his feast on November 30th.