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About Us
St. Theresa Shrine of the Little Flower, affectionately known as The Shrine, has been a second home to many students, parents, and staff over the years. We have celebrated over 60 years of excellence.
Since it opened its doors as the first Catholic school in Scarborough, under what was then the Metropolitan Separate School Board, it has strived to uphold the ideals of Catholic education. St. Theresa Shrine embodies the true spirit of a Catholic community, bringing together all members through academic, artistic, and athletic pursuits.
How We Meet The Diverse Needs of Our Students
St. Theresa Shrine provides a learning environment where models of Gospel values and Catholic doctrines, teachings and beliefs are a part of the daily life of the school. Religious instruction, family life and peace education programs provide students with the foundation to continue their faith development. The following are living the faith activities planned throughout the year: liturgical celebrations (mass, reconciliation, stations of the cross), Sharelife campaigns, participation in food drives, our Spirit Movers spiritual dance club, Christmas adopt-a-family program and parish sacramental preparation programs.
Our monthly newsletters inform the community about upcoming celebrations and reports on events. The newsletter serves as a School Handbook outlining school policies and procedures.
A safe arrival program exists at our school where parents are encouraged to report absences, early departures and late arrivals to the regular classroom teacher or the office. A voicemail service is available 24/7. If we haven't heard from a parent/guardian, the school secretary will make home/business calls in an effort to account for all students.
Curriculum
Our staff delivers programs in the areas of mathematics, science and technology to reflect the development strands associated with Ministry of Education documents. We attempt to work closely with parents to ensure that each child is meeting their academic potential.
Co-curricular programs
The staff try to provide a wide range of extra curricular activities for our students. Athletics play a large role, with school teams in the following sports: softball, soccer, volleyball (intermediate and junior), basketball, primary indoor soccer, cross-country and track & field. For the academics, there is a W5H club for both junior and intermediate students, and an ECO Club for students who are interested in protecting our Earth. We have a dance troupe called the Spirit Movers and a Drama Club called the STS Showstoppers!
School History and Tradition
St. Theresa Shrine Catholic School opened its doors in September, 1952. In that first year, many of the students who enrolled at our school came from St. Joseph's Convent School located on Cathedral Bluffs Drive. The convent school was closing down that year. The first principal was Sister Yvonne who had also been principal at St. Joseph's Convent. Many of our students had to travel by Greyhound bus from the villages of Highland Creek and Pickering, as St. Theresa was Toronto's most eastern school.
During that first year many exciting activities happened. The two blue spruce in our front yard were planted and named after Patricia and Paul, two first year students. Since there was no fence, a hedge was planted around the perimeter of the school, remnants of which still remain. In 1966, an addition, with a gymnasium and library, was added to accommodate the growing needs of the community.
Our patron saint, St. Theresa of Lisieux, is often referred to as the Little Flower of Jesus. Each year, after our graduation mass, our grade 8 students honour their mothers by giving them a “rose”. The feast day for St. Theresa is October 1, at which time we have our first school mass.