Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007) |
- For schools of a similar name, see Loreto College.
| Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School | |
 Throughout My Life, I Shall Place My Hope in the Cross |
|
| Address | |
| 101 Mason Boulevard North York (Toronto), Ontario, M5M 3E2, Canada |
|
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 43°44′28.71″N 79°24′40.40″W / 43.7413083°N 79.411222°W |
| Information | |
| School number | 416-393-5510 |
| School board | Toronto Catholic District School Board |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Superintendent | Lori DiMarco |
| Principal | Alda Bassani |
| Vice principal | Josie Pannozzo, S. Handrigan[2] |
| School type | Separate High School |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| Language | English |
| Mascot | Gator |
| Colours | Double blue |
| Founded | by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Canadian Province in 1847 |
| Enrolment | 929 (2008-09[3]) |
| Homepage | http://www.tcdsb.org/lorettoabbey/ |
Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School is an all-girls Catholic high school in Hogg's Hollow[4] neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. It was established by the Loretto Sisters in 1847 and is part of the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
Loretto Abbey operates on the non-semestered system and while the school offers Academic and Applied courses, approximately 85% of the school's courses are offered at the Academic level and educate girls to university-entrance standards.[citation needed] The school offers Co-operative Education, Extended French, Advanced Placement Programmes and Special Education (Resource and Gifted)[citation needed]
Loretto Abbey is one of Toronto's oldest school institutions. It was also one of the filming locations for the 2002 Disney movie, Cadet Kelly.[citation needed]
Contents |
[edit] History
The school was originally established as a private school in 1847 by the Loretto Sisters from Ireland (from the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, founded by Mary Ward in 1609), and supported by Bishop Michael Power. Mary Ward advocated excellent education for young women so that they might “do great things” and this has always formed part of the ethos of Loretto schools.
The Loretto Sisters arrived in Toronto from Ireland in 1847 at the request of Bishop Michael Power. The school was named after Loretto Abbey in Rathfarnham, Dublin, Ireland, where the sisters were headquartered. The first superior of the Toronto community and principal of the school was Mother Teresa Ellen Dease.
Originally located on Duke Street, Loretto Abbey moved to a Bathurst Street site and then to Bond Street in 1860. In 1867 the school relocated to the former mansion of Attorney General Robert James on Wellington Street. In 1927, the school moved to the current home in Toronto, a Gothic Tudor style building on Mason Boulevard.[5] The school is attached to Loretto Abbey, the motherhouse of the Loretto Sisters in Canada.
At one time, the Mason Boulevard building housed boarders and a private primary school in addition to the secondary school. The primary school, which was run by Loretto sisters resident in the attached convent, closed in 1985.[citation needed] In 1967, at the request of the Ontario Bishops, students in Grades 9 and 10 were placed under the Metropolitan Separate School Board and no longer had to pay tuition. Fees were still charged for Grades 11-13. In 1985, the Ontario government began funding the last three years of high school and the Abbey ceased to be a private school.[citation needed]
[edit] 2009-2010 EQAO Results
85% of Grade 9 Academic math students were at Level 3 or 4. There were 193 students in the Grade 9 Academic classes during this time frame, 2% of whom were students with Special Education Needs (excluding gifted).[6]
22% of Grade 9 Applied math students were at Level 3 or 4. There were 36 students in the Grade 9 Applied classes during this time frame, 22% of whom were students with Special Education needs (excluding gifted).[6]
95% of students were successful in the Grade 10 literacy test, an increase of 1% from the previous year[7]
[edit] Fraser Institute Ranking
Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School has a ranking of 105 out of 693 in the most recent five years as follows: 8.2 in 2006; 7.8 in 2007; 6.9 in 2008; 7.8 in 2009; and 7.5 in 2010.
The Fraser Institute's 2009/2010 report on Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School gave it an overall grade of 7.5/10, ranking it at 126 of 727 secondary schools in Ontario.[8]
[edit] Campus & Facilities
The historic Tudor-gothic school building is located in a green neighborhood adjacent to the Don Valley. The school has access to the Chapel in the Abbey, a pool, a gymnasium, computer facilities, a library, a 300-seat auditorium, a court yard, a prayer garden and grotto, and a playing field.[9]
In 2011, the Loretto Sisters agreed to a sale of the entire Abbey to the Toronto Catholic District School Board, with the exception of the infirmary, and this will greatly increase the space available for classrooms and other facilities.[10] The sale to the school board preserves one of the oldest Catholic schools in Canada.[11] Sr. Evanne Hunter, the Loretto Sisters' provincial leader, said, "With about 1,000 students in one wing of the Abbey property... the school is in great need of space...Our members made many sacrifices to ensure that Catholic families could avail themselves of a Catholic education for their children, and we are pleased that this beautiful building, so rich with history and tradition, will continue to operate as a Catholic school for young women."[12][10]
Toronto City Council intends to designate the lands and buildings known municipally as 101 Mason Boulevard (Loretto Abbey), under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. "[13][14]
[edit] Co-curricular Programme & Traditions
Loretto Abbey offers a full range of service, social, and athletic activities to develop students to their full potential.
Clubs and Teams: Abbey Singers, Abbey Times, Asian Association, Multicultural Club, Volunteer's Club, Sewing Club, Amnesty International, Anime Club, South Asian Association, Build to Learn Club - B2L, Current Issues, Debate Team, Economics Club, ESP (Empowered Student Partnership), Environmental Club, Filipino Club, Image Arts Club, Improv Team, In the Driver’s Seat, Irish Club, Italian Club, Knitting Club, LAT Concert Choir, LAT Voice, Loretto Leaders, Mock Trial, Peer Tutors, Portuguese Club, Reach For the Top, Sailing Club, Science Club, Skills Canada Team, Spanish Club, Urban Nations, Women Against Violence, Yearbook Club, Band Council, Concert Bands, Jazz Ensemble, Loretto Abbey Peace and Development[15].
Sports: Badminton, Basketball, Cross Country, Curling, Field Hockey, Golf, Hockey, Ski Team, Soccer, Soft Ball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Volley Ball.[2]
Some annual traditions at Loretto include: Mother & Daughter Tea, Loretto Abbey Film Festival, Christmas Baskets, International Picnic, Multicultural Night, Father and Daughter Barbecue, Academic Awards Night, March Break Trips (International), Musical Performance at the Cardinal's Dinner, Semi-Formal, Multicultural Night, Spring Concert, Annual Drama Production, Fashion Show and many more[16].
[edit] Loretto Overseas Programmes
Loretto Abbey students participated in the 2009 India Study and Leadership Programme. The students participated in service learning and volunteered at Loretto schools in Calcutta, Darjeeling, and New Delhi. This excursion was in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Loretto Sisters and marked an ongoing involvement of the Sisters in maintaining the Mary Ward ethos at the school.[17] In March, 2011, the second of these trips will take place.[citation needed]
The Abbey also fundraises every year for Loretto schools overseas and for charities in need. In 2007, for instance, $25,000 was raised for Loreto St. Vincent's Primary School in Darjeeling. Proceeds from events like dances and civies day go towards the annual charity.[18]
[edit] Notable Alumnae
- Frances Mahony - a founder of the Catholic Women's League in Canada.
- Carly Foulkes - Canadian model and actress
- Germaine Guevremont - Canadian writer and winner of the 1950 Governor-General's Award
- Ida Hawley - Musical comedy actress
- Sister Margaret O'Neill (Mother Agatha) - founder of Loretto College at University of Toronto[19]
- Ivana Santilli - musician, solo and with Bass is Base
- Jess Walton - "Jill Foster Abbott" on "The Young and the Restless"
[edit] References
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedhttp:.2F.2Fwww.tcdsb.org.2Florettoabbey.2Ftext_files.2FTCDSB.2520and.2520LACSS.2520Policies.2520and.2520Procedures200708.doc; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text - ^ a b Loretto Abbey C.S.S. - Homepage
- ^ Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
- ^ Our Home Hogg’s Hollow :: Toronto, Ontario :: Hogg’s Hollow Overview, History, Parks and Recreation, Schools, Local Business, Restaurants and Bars
- ^ Loretto Abbey School website
- ^ a b http://www.tcdsb.org/assessment/Secondary%20Web%20Data/EQAO%20Math%202010/Public/0510.pdf
- ^ Ontario Academic school ranking
- ^ Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School Toronto Ontario Academic school ranking
- ^ Loretto Abbey Yearbook 2010
- ^ a b http://tcdsb.org/homePage/Tabs/TCDSB%20purchase%20Loretto%20Abbey,%20March%209,%202011.pdf
- ^ http://tcdsb.org/schools/Loretto%20Abbey/Letter%20to%20Loretto%20Abbey,%20November%2012,%202012_purchase%20approval.pdf
- ^ http://www.catholicregister.org/elementary/secondary/toronto-school-board-aims-to-buy-loretto-abbey
- ^ http://www.toronto.ca/involved/statutorynotices/archive2011/nov/hl_110211.htm
- ^ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedHeritage_Act_designation_for_Loretto_Abbey; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text - ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD1uJDE_jqc
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO-rv_AhlxA
- ^ The 2009 India Study and Leadership Program | Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Canadian Province
- ^ http://www.tcdsb.org/lorettoabbey/text_files/July7AbbeyNews.pdf
- ^ O’NEILL, MARGARET, named Mother Agatha - Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
[edit] Sources
- Loretto Abbey information
- Loretto Abbey website
- Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loretto Sisters)
- Loretto Alumnae Association
