About Us

Dress Code

PA Day Activities

St. Josaphat Catholic School welcomes students from across Toronto who seek an education rooted in Eastern Rite Catholic traditions, combining academic excellence with spiritual development.

We are proud to integrate our Eastern Rite religious and cultural traditions into school life. Students participate in liturgies, parish celebrations, and preparation for First Solemn Communion.

We offer classes from Early Learning Program to Grade 8, delivering the Ontario curriculum with enriched programming. Academic supports include:

• Special Education

• Gifted classes (Grades 5–8)

• English as a Second Language (ESL)

• Technology integration with networked computers in classrooms and the library

Our students consistently perform well in EQAO and CAT/4 assessments, demonstrating strong work habits and a commitment to learning.

We offer a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, including:

• Team sports: volleyball, soccer, track and field

• Chess club

• Public speaking competitions

• Festival of the Spoken Arts

• High-calibre music program, including a strings group that performs at school, community, and festival events

Student leadership is encouraged through an active Student Council, which promotes school spirit and organizes events.

We are committed to local and global outreach, supporting initiatives such as:

• Local food banks

• Help Us Help the Children (Ukraine)

These efforts help students grow as compassionate, responsible citizens.

As an Eastern Rite Catholic school, we are deeply rooted in our faith and traditions. Regular visits from clergy, student liturgies, parish celebrations, and preparation for First Solemn Communion are integral to school life.

We proudly offer a Ukrainian heritage language program from Kindergarten to Grade 8, closely tied to our Eastern Rite traditions. Students also prepare for numerous feast days throughout the year, and participate in faith-based concerts, festivals, and open houses.

Our priority is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. The St. Josaphat Parent Handbook, distributed at the start of each school year, outlines key procedures including:

• Safe arrival

• Code of behaviour

• Bus safety

• Health information

• Emergency contacts and protocols (also found in the student agenda)

St. Josaphat Catholic School was the first of three Eastern Rite schools established in Toronto, alongside St. Demetrius and Josyf Cardinal Slipyj Catholic Schools. Inspired by Bishop Isidore Borecky’s vision to provide children with a strong spiritual foundation, the community raised funds to build a private parochial school. The original six-classroom building opened in 1961, staffed by the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate.

Msgr. Basil Filevich played a key role in encouraging families within the Ukrainian Catholic community to enroll their children.

In 1963, the Metropolitan Separate School Board (MSSB)—now the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB)—assumed partial responsibility for the school. Continued community support led to the purchase of school buses, expanding access for more families. Eventually, the TCDSB took full responsibility for the school.