About Us
At St. Sylvester Catholic School, we pride ourselves on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and the parish.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students
At St. Sylvester Catholic School, we believe that each child is blessed with unique talents from God that are to be celebrated. Each child possesses individual strengths and areas of need that are developed and supported through the programs and services we offer. We recognize this as a staff and strive to help each child to grow and flourish in an accepting and nourishing school environment.
You don't need to look any further than the Catholic Graduate Expectations to know what our mission as a Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) community is. From Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, we aim to help our students become effective communicators, caring family members, responsible citizens, creative, reflective and holistic thinkers, discerning believers, collaborative contributors and life long learners.
Fostering a safe and welcoming environment is a reflection of both the mission statement of the TCDSB and our school objectives. Daily encounters with students, parents and community representatives are positive and child-focused. We work collaboratively to develop the whole child by providing opportunities for the students to develop intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and physically. We actively strive to keep parents informed and elicit parent involvement and input throughout the year.
You will hear much about Operation Kindness while your child is at St. Sylvester. We encourage you to ask your child all about how you too can aim to follow the principles of Operation Kindness, which can be summed up by the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would like to be treated.
School History and Tradition
St. Sylvester Catholic School was officially opened in 1975. On September 7, 1976, Richard McIsaac, the first principal, opened the school doors to 114 students and a staff of nine teachers. These were organized into six regular classes, all of which were split grades. Over the past 30 years, we have continued to service just under 200 students a year, and have graduated exemplary individuals.
Over the years many positive traditions and practices have developed through the influence and direction of staff, parents, students and our pastor. Our school focuses on the academic, spiritual, emotional and physical development of each child that we service. We provide a variety of team sports for students to participate in and engage in spirit building activities. The school community celebrates Virtues of the Month that provide exemplars of our faith. Regular school liturgies, school masses and visits from our pastor, help deepen our Catholic faith which is shared by students, staff and parents. A Student Nutritious Snack Program has been initiated to promote lifelong healthy eating habits.
Our patron saint, Sylvester, lived in Italy in the 1100s and was regarded as a wise and strong man who ruled well as a Pope. Late in life, he established a new order of Benedictine monks, and served as their abbot for several years. His feast day is December 31.