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St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy
Bill 30 catholic high school in Knob Hill, Toronto, Ontario, Canada From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy, formerly known as Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School, is a Roman Catholic separate high school in the Eglinton East neighbourhood of Scarborough in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a member of the Toronto Catholic District School Board (formerly the Metropolitan Separate School Board).
The school building originally opened in 1965 under the name Tabor Park Vocational School (1965–1986) by the Scarborough Board of Education, which later became part of the Toronto District School Board. The board has leased the building to the MSSB/TCDSB since 1989.
The school educates 1,002 students as of the 2016–17 academic year, and it is ranked 331 out of 725 schools in the Fraser Institute report card.[1] Its motto is Minds to Reason, Hands to Work, Hearts for God.
Previously, the school was named after Jean Vanier, the founder of L'Arche in 1964. The school was renamed in July 2020 in honor of St. Joan of Arc after posthumous sexual abuse allegations against Vanier.[2]
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Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School (1989–2020)
The original school on the property, Tabor Park Vocational School, was built in 1964 and established by the Scarborough Board of Education in September 1965 as a less academically challenged high school. However, Tabor Park closed in 1986 due to low enrollment. As a result of public funding of Catholic high schools, in May 1988, the SBE leased the Tabor Park property, which was reopened and named after Jean Vanier, the Canadian philosopher and founder of L'Arche, to serve the rest of Scarborough.
Jean Vanier C.S.S. officially came into existence on September 5, 1989, within the St. Maria Goretti Parish catchment area in Central Scarborough with 18 staff and 198 grade 9 students under the leadership of founding principal Michael Leroux, with the first students graduating in 1993. Its establishment relieved overcrowding at surrounding schools such as Mary Ward, Francis Libermann, and Senator O'Connor. From the onset, the school was de-streamed in grade 9. The school was opened and blessed on November 13, 1994[clarification needed]. In its conception, the school was originally to be named St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School, named after a Jesuit priest, Francis Xavier. Despite a turnout and an elementary school using the name, it was changed to Jean Vanier thereafter. The school celebrated its 25th anniversary in October 2014 in conjunction with L'Arche's 50th anniversary of its founding.
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy (2020-present)
An internal report by L'Arche in February 2020 concluded that Jean Vanier had engaged in "manipulative and emotionally abusive" sexual relationships with six women in Trosly-Breuil, France between 1970 and 2005.[3][4][5] A Change.org petition set up by a former student called for Jean Vanier's name to be removed.[6]
At a school board meeting on July 16, 2020, the TCDSB recommended the name St. Joan of Arc Catholic Academy starting in the 2020–21 school year.[2][7][8] The school formally completed its renaming at the end of August 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting Toronto, the school reopened under its new name the following September.
The current emblem retains the cross from the previous Vanier insignia now sporting a fleur-de-lis with a sword standing in the centre.
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The enrollment of the school as of 2022-2023 is 801. It is a co-educational semestered school operating in grades 9–12. The school draws students from the Bendale, Ionview, Knob Hill, Scarborough Junction, and most parts of Scarborough as well as some from Toronto and as far from Pickering and Ajax. It became a popular destination because of the closure of nearby Midland Avenue Collegiate Institute in June 2000.
The school has a large athletic field found in most regular public high schools, but usually unavailable with purpose built Catholic high Schools. The design of the former Tabor Park school consists of brown bricks and overall structure in the middle where the quadrangle/courtyard stands. The two catwalks along with 20 new academic classrooms, a seminar work room, and an exercise room was eventually added in 1991 to expand enrolment.[9] as well as black cross was retrofitted in the centre.[10] Other features in the leased 126,241 sq. ft. facility include 28 academic classrooms, two automotive shops, four state-of-the-art science labs, three computer labs, two Mac labs, a visual arts studio, cafetorium, library, expanded ME/DD classroom, a double gymnasia that can be split into two, a drama room, two music rooms, a photography room, guidance area, a recently renovated home economics room and a chapel.
Academics
Since its inception, SJOA offers various courses in the comprehensive academic program for its students. Students can choose from a variety of courses at the academic, applied, and open levels. These, and other specialized courses, help prepare students for university, college, or the world of work after they have completed their studies at the school. SJOA currently offers math, English, science, history, geography, and religious studies. SJOA launched its congregated Advanced Placement program in 2020.
Arts
On March 6, 2014, Vanier was selected for the MusiCounts Band Aid Grant program costing at $600,000. The school received their $10,000 in equipment for the drum line program such as the marimba and a complete set of cymbals.[11][12] The guests were Juno Award-winning musicians Classified and David Myles who also performed their single Inner Ninja live in front of 300 students.[12]
Athletics
The SJOA Mavericks compete in basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, rugby, cross country, track and field, badminton, and indoor soccer. It previously competed in ice hockey, curling and cricket.
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Administration
Principals
As of July 2015, only four active principals of Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School remain employed with the TCDSB.
Notable alumni
- Vijay Thanigasalam - politician, incumbent MPP for Scarborough—Rouge Park (attended 2003–2007).[13]
- Angela Wong - 2018 Miss Chinese Toronto Pageant Miss Congeniality winner (attended 2008–2012).[14]
See also
References
External links
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