Pastoral Plan Development
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN 2015 - 2016
School Name: St. Marguerite d'Youville Secondary School
School Motto: To Trust, To Risk, To Love, To Serve
School Mission Statement:
Education is an exercise in trust that becomes an adventure of risk, love and service. A
Catholic education, rooted in the sacramental life of the Church and in our sacred traditions
and stories, is directed to the transformation of society based on the conviction that life is
good, that we are all called to community in Christ, and that we must seek justice for all
God’s children. Saint Marguerite d’Youville is our model in her absolute trust in Divine
Providence as she faced challenges and triumphed over them in her life of loving service to
the poor. We learn from her that we must strive:
• To teach and learn that Catholic education is based on trust in God and God’s care for
each of us.
• To teach and learn that Catholic Education challenges everyone to risk living a Christian
life in a very materialistic and secular society.
• To teach and learn that the fundamental outcome of Catholic Education is love for all of
God’s creation.
• To teach and learn that we are called to lives of service in building up the Kingdom of
God.
Catholic Education is a co-operative enterprise of pastors, administrators, pastoral workers,
chaplains, and support staff with parents and teachers in the formation of our young people
into the image of Christ. In furthering this pastoral work we have put into place this specific
program for the 2014-2015 school year.
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Chaplaincy Mission Statement:
“Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When
morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also
designated apostles.” Luke 6:12-13
From this reading we see that Jesus’ life and mission is grounded in prayer. Only after
praying all night does he choose his apostles and form a community. Together they would
start a movement that would change the world. (See Moving from Solitude to Community to
Ministry, by Henri Nouwen)
The mission of Chaplaincy is to provide opportunities for prayer, to foster community and to
serve as a community to build the God’s kingdom of justice, peace and love.
Prayer:
-
To be rooted in prayer and the sacraments. “By myself I can do nothing.” (John 5:30)
- To care for the chapel and to preserve it as a sacred space for prayer, reflection and
worship.
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To build bridges with our parish community and celebrate the sacraments of our church.
- To organize creative and prayerful liturgies and prayer experiences for staff and
students.
- To provide students with retreat opportunities where they can encounter God and grow
in faith.
- We strive together to become “Discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith
community” and “Reflective and creative thinkers.”(Catholic Graduate Expectations 1 and 3)
-
We strive “to walk humbly with our God”. (Micha 6:8)
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Community:
-
To nurture sensitivity, kindness, understanding and forgiveness in all our relationships.
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To appreciate and celebrate the rich diversity of cultures and personalities in our school.
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To offer hospitality and receive each and every guest like Christ.
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To develop staff solidarity and unity of purpose.
- We strive together to become “effective communicators” and “caring family members”.
(CGE 2 and 6)
-
We strive “to love tenderly”. (Micha 6:8)
Service:
-
To be a compassionate presence and listening ear for all.
- To provide opportunities to respond as a community to needs of the local and global
community.
- To educate and inspire staff and students to work for social justice, long term systemic
change.
-
To teach the Gospel message with creativity and passion.
- We strive together to become “collaborative communicators” and “responsible
citizens”. (CGE 5 and 7)
-
We strive “to act justly”. (Micha 6:8)
Our mission is to provide opportunities for growth through prayer, community and service.
We trust that God is working with us. “We plant the seeds, but God makes them grow.” (1
Cor. 3:6) We hope the students respond to the invitation to fullness of life and continue the
journey as “self-directed, responsible, life-long learners”. (CGE 4)
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2015-2016
Theme for the Year: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk 6:36)”
On March 13th, 2015, Pope Francis presided over a penance service in St. Peter's Basilica
on during which he announced an extraordinary Jubilee dedicated to Divine Mercy. He said:
“The call of Jesus pushes each of us never to stop at the surface of things, especially
when we are dealing with a person. We are called to look beyond, to focus on the heart,
to see how much generosity everyone is capable of. No one can be excluded from the
mercy of God; everyone knows the way to access it and the Church is the house that
welcomes all and refuses no one. Its doors remain wide open, so that those who are
touched by grace can find the certainty of forgiveness. The greater the sin, so much the
greater must be the love that the Church expresses toward those who convert.
Dear brothers and sisters, I have often thought about how the Church might make clear
its mission of being a witness to mercy. It is journey that begins with a spiritual
conversion. For this reason, I have decided to call an extraordinary Jubilee that is to
have the mercy of God at its center. It shall be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live this
Year in the light of the Lord's words: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (cf. Lk
6:36)”
This Holy Year will begin on this coming Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
(December 8, 2015) and will end on November 20, 2016, the Sunday dedicated to Our
Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – and living face of the Father’s mercy.
Pope Francis is calling us to a very foundational concept of the Gospel. But it has to be more
than an idea. We are called to experience God’s mercy deeply and allow it to transform us.
The great German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote that "Once a man has experienced the
mercy of God in his life he will henceforth aspire only to serve...he will be able to cease from
constantly scrutinizing the other person, judging him, condemning him...but because of mercy,
others are no longer excuses for self-justification. They are rather a cause for rejoicing, and an
object of my service. Not self-justification which means the use of domination and force, but
justification by grace, and therefore service, should govern the Christian community." (Life
Together)
The personal and deep experience of the mercy of God changes everything. It is our challenge
this year to embrace this mercy. It takes great courage to be honest about our own sinfulness
and so experience God’s forgiveness. We tend to become like the God we experience, and so
we are called to become merciful as the Father is merciful. It is our challenge to lead our
students to experience God’s mercy and to live it.
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In his 1980 encyclical Dives in Misericordia, Pope John Paul II said, "Jesus Christ taught that man
not only receives and experiences the mercy of God, but that he is also called "to practice
mercy" towards others.
In Matthew 25:34-46, Jesus insists upon the necessity of observing the first six corporal works
of mercy:
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the
kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me
food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked
and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then
the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and
give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe
thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer
them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to
me.'
Corporal Works of Mercy are those that tend to bodily needs of others. In Matthew 25:34-40, in
the The Judgment of Nations, specific Works of Mercy are spoken of.
The Seven Corporal Works of Mercy
The Seven Spiritual Works of Mercy
1. To feed the hungry.
1. To instruct the ignorant.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
2. To counsel the doubtful.
3. To clothe the naked.
3. To admonish sinners.
4. To Shelter the Homeless
4. To bear wrongs patiently.
5. To visit the sick.
5. To forgive offences willingly.
6. To visit the imprisoned
6. To comfort the afflicted.
7. To bury the dead.
7. To pray for the living and the dead
We look forward to the many ways we can call our faith community to experience the infinite
mercy of God and to live it in our daily lives.
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Retreats:
Grade 9: This year’s grade nine retreat will be held September 24th at the
Brampton Soccer Centre, located at Dixie and Sandalwood. We will have all
of the grade nines together for the day. Having all of the grade nines
together for a day will give us an excellent opportunity to build community.
The retreat is led with the help of seventy students from our LINK
leadership class. Our speaker this year is Alvin Law, who has spoken at this
event twice in the past. He was born without arms and is a strong speaker
and example of the power of fortitude, perseverance and joy.
Grade 10: This year’s grade ten retreats will be led by John Devine, a retired
teacher and chaplain. The theme of the retreat flows from the grade ten
curriculum and is about the students’ relationship with God and one
another. The retreat will be held in the St. Marguerite d’Youville Church
Hall. There will be a time when the students go up to the church for prayer
and reflection, as well as some teaching about the church and the
sacraments.
Grade 11: The grade eleven retreat will focus on the theme of spirituality
and prayer. These retreats will take place at Mount Alverno, which allows
us to incorporate an experience of the beauty of nature. Students will also
experience an aboriginal drumming circle. After various activities about
spirituality and prayer, the students will be given a book written by our
chaplain. The book was written for them to introduce them to various
ways of prayer. These retreats will be done through the religion classes,
allowing for follow-up and an assignment based on reading the book.
Grade 12: This retreat involves a visit to 8 Oak Street in Toronto’s east side,
where there will be a talk by Paul Burke, who has been working with the
homeless for over eighteen years. After listening to his talk we walk
through the streets, in city parks and in front of homeless shelters giving
out sandwiches and interacting with the homeless. After the walk we meet
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at the Good Shepherd Refuge to discuss the experience and finish with
prayer. Students are challenged to go past judging the poor and to develop
Christian compassion and solidarity.
Other retreats:
The Planning for Independence Program Students go on a retreat each
year. We will go to St. Bernadette’s Centre for the Arts. Students interact
with people with special needs who are in a day program there. They do a
drumming circle, acting, and singing praise to God. Our PIP students often
have hearts of love and acceptance that are further developed than most.
There is a three day Salesian Leadership Retreat November 5 – 7 for the
sixty students in the LINK Crew Class. This is a very powerful experience
which empowers the students to minister more effectively to the students
they serve as LINK Crew Leaders.
There is an optional overnight retreat for grade twelve students. Grade
twelve is a significant time in life. During this retreat students reflect on
their growth through their four years of secondary school and with a faith
perspective begin to set goals for their future.
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Activities of a Religious Nature
with a substantial component of ritual and prayer
Sept. 16 - 17 - Opening liturgy of the word with the grade level assemblies
Oct 15 - Feast of St. Marguerite d'Youville – outdoor liturgy of the word and
community BBQ. $10 per student fee will be given to Sharelife. Dr. Simone is
speaking Oct. 7th and we will be collecting for his organization, Canadian Food for
Children. Oct. 16th is World Food Day. We may also invite staff and students to fast
for Development and Peace on this day, and to break the fast together after the
liturgy with our feast. The entire school staff will be present for supervision and a
supervision schedule will be in place.
Dec 9 - 10 - Advent Eucharistic Masses with a priest from St. Marguerite d’Youville
Parish
Dec 15 - Advent Reconciliation Since it is the year of Mercy, we will emphasize this
and promote it at the masses the week before.
February 10- Ash Wednesday liturgy of the word
Feb 18 – Reconciliation. This can be promoted at the Ash Wednesday liturgy
March 24 - Holy Thursday liturgy of the word
June 2-3 - End of Year Eucharistic Mass with a priest from St. Marguerite d’Youville
Parish
We will have Eucharistic mass in the chapel with grade nine classes throughout the
first semester during period four. This is a chance for Fr. Robert to meet the students
in smaller groups and teach about the Eucharist and mass.
There will be Eucharistic mass in the chapel with each of the period four grade twelve
classes. Second semester of grade twelve is a very decisive time. Fr. Robert will
celebrate mass with the students and encourage
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Pastoral Activities
The last Wednesday of each month about 12 students serve meals in the evening at
St. Francis Table in Parkdale. The chaplain goes on each visit and another teacher
will come as well so that we have an eye on the students at all times.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Ms. Steciw & Student Council
October 7 – Dr. Andrew Simone will come to speak to our students about his work
and the Canadian Food For Children. It is our hope that he raise awareness about
poverty and hunger and will inspire students to give to the less fortunate.
October 15 – Feast of St. Marguerite d’Youville and fundraiser for Share Life
Christmas Baskets for local needy families will be prepared December 1 – 15. The
Studies in Education Class takes the lead in this and works closely with the Parish and
Knights of Columbus. The Baskets will be delivered December 17 – 18.
March 4 - 5 - 25 Hour Thinkfast for Development & Peace
May 12-13 - Pro Life March in Ottawa. The past two years we have had fifty
students participate and we expect to fill a bus again in 2016. We will combine this
with a visit to visit Maison de Mere d’Youville in Montreal. We always have two
male and two female teacher supervisors for this trip.
February - Black History Month. This is always done very well here at d’Youville with
the leadership of a large and effective committee.
April 12 – 16 - Autism Awareness Week - Mr. Gumulka
The grade twelve retreats involve outreach as the students distribute sandwiches to
the homeless. These are scheduled for Thursday and Friday through the months of
October for first semester students and May for second semester students. We will
send one grade twelve religion class at a time and we will have four adult supervisors
for each retreat. Students first listen to a talk in a chapel at 40 Oak Street in Regent
Park and walk to parks and homeless shelters in the area giving out sandwiches to
the homeless. We end up with a closing reflection and prayer in the chapel at Good
Shepherd Refuge, 412 Queen St. East. A detailed route plan is given to parents
before the walk with the permission form and it is available on the schools website
at http://www.dpcdsb.org/DYOUV/Our+Faith/
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Catholic Education Week
May 1 – 6, 2016 is Catholic Education Week.
Our theme for the year is the same as that of Catholic Education Week. It provides a great renewal of
this theme just when we need it late in the school year. Posters arrive from the Ontario Trustees that go
up around the school. There are special reflections on the theme, usually by our principal and other
leaders in the school. We usually have someone speak at Sunday mass to give thanks and to ask for the
continued support and prayers of the community. We happen to have a staff meeting on Monday of
that week, and this is an excellent opportunity to call our staff to renew efforts to continue the work of
Catholic education.
On one morning early in Catholic Education Week we will pass our cookies to parents as they drop off
their students for school. We will have our drum line out in front of the school making a beautiful noise
and a big scene. We will be meeting closer to the event to make more specific plans
Catholicity across the school
In collaboration with each department head, departmental activities and/or events that infuse Catholic
teaching, faith formation, and Catholic culture into the curriculum and the classrooms are highlighted.
The content within the CGE Faith Planner may be used to support this portion of the Pastoral Plan.
Department
Administration
ARD/PIP/ASD
Departmental Activities and/or Events
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
In light of its Mission Statement, St. Marguerite d’Youville is committed to providing a
safe, caring, inclusive and healthy Catholic school community where every member
will work together and learn together as equals in a respectful, non-threatening
environment. We will continue to nurture our students’ emotional, intellectual,
physical and spiritual growth. We will bring together pastors, parents, staff, trustees
and students in a unified effort to promote Gospel values and try to live life daily
according to Christ’s teachings in our school. St. Marguerite d’Youville administration
will continue its open door policy in an effort to keep the communication line open
between the students, parents, and the entire staff that we serve. “I am among you as
the one who serves” (Luke 22:28). Together we will achieve excellence in all areas in
our school community as we grow together in faith.
“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my
family, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40
As a department committed to the academic and social formation of special needs
students, we firmly extol, first and foremost, our students’ participation in and intrinsic
value to the building of the community at St. Marguerite d’Youville Secondary School.
We envision this department as one of “many parts”, working towards the inclusion of
each of its members and every one of its students in the goal of building a strong,
cooperative and faith-filled community. We recognize that students with
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Pastoral Plan Development
English
Geography &
Environmental
Studies
Mathematics
2015-2016
intellectual/physical challenges can often be among the most oppressed and excluded
group of people in a community. Yet, we also recognize every individual’s need and
right to be in relationship with others and feel included and valued.
Towards this end we strive, as a department, to model and implement teaching
practices, programs and philosophies that will promote our students becoming
involved with others and being given the opportunity to develop their unique gifts and
talents. We feel that in doing so, our students will become part of a school community
where “heartfelt” relationships are constantly developed, where individuals feel free
to reveal both their gifts as well as their needs, their strengths as well as their
weaknesses and will continue to be valued and accepted.
We will strive daily to become one of many departments, opening ourselves and those
around us, to “the universe, to the love of all humanity and, especially, to the source of
all life and love, to a meeting with God.” (Becoming Human, Jean Vanier)
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
We believe that their efforts in Catholic education are best summed up by the Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectation 2e: We strive to develop an effective
communicator who “uses and integrates the Catholic faith tradition in the critical
analysis of the arts, media, technology, and information systems to enhance the
quality of life.”
“ To know, To Love, To Serve God and now, faith, hope and love abide, these three;
and the greatest of these is love.” 1st Corinthians 13-13
In the geography classroom students are provided with the opportunity to hear God’s
call to become people of faith that actively pursue every opportunity to promote
necessary change in their communities from the local to the global level. They learn
about the needs in Canadian society as well as abroad for environmental sustainability,
achievement of non-violence in the quest for peace and an appreciation for the
diversity of cultures to name just a few. Our goal is to equip the students with the skills
to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers that will continue to expand their
understanding of the dynamic world they live in. We aspire in this discipline and as
Catholic educators to model the compassionate heart of God for our students that
they may desire to love His perfect creation and strive to live accordingly.
“Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, you will find a future.” Proverbs
24:14
In the Mathematics department at St. Marguerite d’Youville, we recognize that many
students struggle to do well in this subject. With this in mind, we encourage
collaboration for our students to understand the lessons and to be successful in the
classroom. We remind those students who appear to have a gift and excel in Math,
that their understanding can be deepened if they can explain a topic to help another
student learn. For, “to whom much is given much will be required” (Luke 12:48). Each
math class functions as a team where the students are encouraged to work together to
learn. This is our way to show “no one left out, no one left behind” (1 Thessalonians
5:11).
In turn, our students discover quickly that learning about and understanding
mathematics is an opportunity “to trust, to risk, to love, to serve,” which is the motto
of St. Marguerite d’Youville Catholic Secondary School.
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Pastoral Plan Development
Physical Education
Student Services
Social Science
Science
2015-2016
“Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete but only one receives the prize.
Run in such a way that you may win it.” 1 Cor. 9:24
In Physical and Health Education the teachers encourage students to use their God
given talents to the best of their abilities and to always give their best effort. The
students are educated regarding making healthy lifestyle choices. Students are asked
to show sportsmanship and try their best even if they are not familiar with the activity
at hand and to encourage their peers in a positive manner. We allow students the
opportunity to use their talents to the fullest of their ability and demonstrate
teamwork in group activities. We promote student participation in athletics because
we believe it will increase their self-esteem, help the students make new friends and
learn the discipline and dedication it takes to be successful in life. All of the above
mentioned ideas, values and morals parallel the teaching of the Catholic Church and
what is special and unique about Catholic education.
“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my
family, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40
All members of the student services department try to be a light that shines every day
for d’Youville students. We are there to greet students in the halls every morning to
reflect on God’s word in communion with them. We minister to students and their
families in a variety of ways: academically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,
especially students new to the country and new to the d’Youville community. Through
counseling, help and advice, students are taught to accept responsibility and
accountability for their actions in a loving, compassionate and respectful manner. We
recognize the uniqueness of each student: their wants, needs and contributions. Every
single student is made to feel important and part of the d’Youville family.
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those
who are persecuted for righteousness; sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:9-11
Religion has always played a dominant role in the study of social science. As teachers
of social science we have a unique position and responsibility in helping to develop the
true and perfect Christian. As Catholic educators we accept the responsibility to
influence in a positive manner student interaction with people, politicians, police and
the courts in a democratic society. While we acknowledge the separation of state and
Church in civic life, as Catholics we look to Jesus Christ as our model and master
teacher of behavior and judgment. Through the disciplines of History, Law, Civics,
Social Science, Humanities and Family Studies, we model for the students the positive
role they play in living out God’s plan for creation.
“Then God said, let there be light; and there was light. And God saw that the light was
good.” Genesis 1:3
Issues that involve Catholic Church teaching come up regularly in the teaching of
science: stem cell research, theories of evolution, origins of the universe and
reproductive technologies, just to name a few. In passing on Catholic Church teaching
we hope to help students “make decisions in light of gospel values with an informed
moral conscience.” (OCSGE 3d) and increase their appreciation of all aspects of God's
universe. Respect for the sacredness and wonder of human life and for all life forms
permeates our teaching. The themes of stewardship and sound moral decision making
have been woven into the fabric of each science course. (Catholic Course Profile)
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Pastoral Plan Development
Technological
Studies
Theology
2015-2016
“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us.”
Psalm 90:17
The diverse skills and abilities that students engage in in our classes
illustrate how we can praise God through the work of our hands. It is important that
we lead by example, to demonstrate sensitivity and generosity in the way that we
teach and interact with students and each other. Being a role model in this manner
reiterates the importance of being authentic witnesses of faith so that students
understand what it means to be human and to be open with our thoughts and
emotions. Through individual expression in the technological studies, students are able
to showcase the talents bestowed upon them by the Holy Spirit. This expression comes
from the heart of the student and is reflective of their individual journey of faith.
“Then someone can to him and said, ‘teacher, what good deed must I do to have
eternal life?’ And he said to him, ‘Keep the commandments”. Jesus said to him, ‘If you
wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; then, come follow me.’ When the young man heard this
word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.” Matthew 19: 16-22
We teach the gospel message of Christ directly through the content of our courses.
Church teachings regarding scripture, family life and the sanctity of life, the role of the
Church within modern culture, and sacramentally are presented. Students also learn to
respect revelation offered to us through other faiths in the grade eleven World
Religions courses, and are challenged to expand their understanding of the Church's
perspective on serious and difficult moral issues through our grade twelve Ethics and
Philosophy classes.
Though teachers follow a clear curriculum as detailed by the Institute for Catholic
Education, they also take on a pastoral role within the classroom as they encourage
and support students in their attempts to apply Church teachings directly to their lives.
Students are also given the opportunity to expand and apply their knowledge of
Catholic Church teachings through annual retreat days, each with a focus on a
particular area of religious education.
School Environment reflective of our Faith
St. Marguerite d’Youville has a large twenty foot cross over the front entrance of the school, which
has lights shining on it at night. When you enter the front door there is a plaque commemorating the
blessing of the school by Bishop Boissonneau on May 4, 2003.
In the rotunda inside the front doors the words of Micah 6:8 are beautifully painted on the wall with
pictures of St. Marguerite d’Youville and Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son.
In the office there is a very large painting of students with a cross and the words of our school motto:
To Trust, To Risk, To Love, To Serve. In the office there is also a picture of the Pope, our patron saint
and a large banner in the teachers mail room with the words “I am the vine, you are the branches”
from John 15. There is also a very large painting of our patron saint over the doors in the South
entranceway which many of our students use.
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From the rotunda there is a door to the chapel, which is a beautiful place of peace and prayer filled
with religious symbolism and the sacrament of the Eucharist.
In the hallway there are plaque mounted pictures representing the ten commandments and also
pictures of five members of our community who passed away while in the school as students or staff.
There is also a plaque that recognizes our gold standing as an Ontario EcoSchool. There are also a
series of large plaque mounted paintings by Sieger Koder and another large plaque commemorating
the Jubilee Year 2000.
This hallway leads to a large matrix which is beautifully decorated. There is an altar and cross on a
stage with a plaque mounted picture of the last supper behind it. There are eight very large banners
with the beatitudes on them, and a large painting (35 x 20 feet) of Jesus, the world, and the words of
Romans 12:5, which speaks of our being “One body in Christ”. The flags of the world hanging in the
matrix celebrate the multicultural nature of our community. There is a very large banner at each end
of the matrix: one says WELCOME with a verse from Matthew 25:35, and the other has the word
MERCY, our theme for the year. It has a silhouette of Jesus on the cross and the light of God’s love
and mercy flows from there to a silhouette of a penitent on his knees. There is a very large banner of
Jesus in the matrix with the words “Jesus, The Master Teacher” and the words of Mark 10:14-16.
There are also two other banners with the words faith and peace, with a statue of Jesus over our
school motto. The bulletin board outside the chaplaincy leader’s office has the word JOY and a
calendar of the chaplaincy events of the year. There is also a poster from St. Marguerite d’Youville
Parish advertising opportunities for service at the church and a poster that says “Stand Up Against
Homophobia/ Made in God’s Image.”
The cafeteria’s walls are completely covered with a professional depiction of the many ways that we
live out John 10:10 in our community of faith and learning, from sports to academics, to drama and
various other extracurriculars. The words of John 10:10 about living life to the full are painted above
the stage a yard high and twenty-five feet across!
The stairwell that joins the second floor theology classrooms and third floor science classrooms has a
timeline that tells the story of the universe, starting some 13.7 billion years ago. Above the first
picture depicting the “big bang” are the words of Genesis 1:1-3, ending with “God said, ‘Let there be
light, and there was light.’
In various places throughout the school there are other religious images. In the religion wing there
are ten posters of the ten virtues (one for each month of the school year) and pro-life posters as well.
Each department has a plaque mounted poster with a scripture verse that reflects the work of that
particular department. Some of the classes have a prayer table in them with various icons, candles,
bibles and prayer books. Each class has a crucifix with the risen Jesus.
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Collaborative School Culture
We have a very dynamic staff who lead many activities relating to our CCCC Action Plan:
Stewardship & Sustainable Practices Team (Eco Schools and dY SWAG; Student Wellness Action Group)
Safe Schools Team/Bullying Prevention Awareness Week (November 16th to 22, 2014)
Diversity
Chaplaincy Connections
Girls Night In and Guys Night In
Black History Month (February 2015)
Breakfast of Panthers to recognize students who otherwise would not receive recognition(May 5, 2015)
Co-Curricular Panthers of the Week
Multicultural Night (November 26, 2014)
We Care Wednesdays – teachers wear “We Care” T shirts on the first Wednesday of each month and we do
announcements and reflections letting students know that we care.
The school climate survey is an excellent tool for us to get a sense of how safe and cared for our students feel
and to set goals to respond appropriately.
Parish Connections
Father Tobin Road extends from St. Marguerite d’Youville school to Torbram Road, where St.
Marguerite d’Youville Parish is located. This road, named after our founding chaplain, is a rich symbol
of the strong connection between our school and St. Marguerite d’Youville parish. Many staff and
students are active members of the parish and we have a student representative on the Parish Council.
We are blessed to have priests in the community who are very willing to be a presence in the school.
The priests lead our liturgies and come to the school to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation
during Advent and Lent. Fr. Robert will also be celebrating mass in our school chapel with the grade
nines first semester and the grade twelves second semester.
This year the grade ten students will visit the church for their retreat, which will be an excellent
opportunity to connect with the parish. The chaplaincy leader will take the opportunity at these
retreats to speak of the importance of connecting with a parish community and the centrality of the
sacrament of the Eucharist.
The youth minister at the parish, Eliza Albano, has come to our monthly Chaplaincy Committee
meetings for many years. Eliza will now be Chaplaincy Leader at Ascension. We will miss here but we
hope that there will be someone from the parish to come to our monthly meetings. This enables the
parish and school to stay in touch with what is going on and assists each other in any way we can.
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Staff Faith Development
We will start our year with a mass in our school on Thursday, September 3rd. This is the perfect way
to begin our year as we place ourselves with Christ on the altar and place our year in trust into our
Father’s hands. Fr. James Mulligan will be celebrating mass and then speaking to the staff. He has
been a strong voice for Catholic Education for many years now in Ontario. The framework of his talk
will be “Ten principles for the New Evangelization and Catholic Education”.
Prayer time at staff meetings is an excellent opportunity for staff faith development. We consider this
a real opportunity for faith development and not just a brief vocal prayer. It should be at least five
minutes in length. It is a priority and is always done at the beginning of the meeting. This is led by
the chaplain or any staff who feel a desire to share a thought and lead us in prayer.
Teachers are also involved in various ways with the faith activities in the school. They lead reflections
on the P.A., help with music and in other ways with our liturgies, and help plan faith events such as a
fast for Development and Peace or to help with retreats. One of the best ways to learn something is
to teach it. Teachers of all subjects are called to evangelize and to use the Catholic Graduate
Expectations and the Catholic Course Profiles.
Transitions
At St. Marguerite d’Youville we focus on transitions in the following areas: Profiles of At-Risk
Students, Orientation Planning, The Caring Adult Model, Strategic Timetabling, and pupil
Interventions & Strategies. Administrators, guidance counsellors, teachers, parents and other
students all play a significant role in ensuring a smooth transition to secondary school. We focus
heavily on the Orientation Program: before, during and after entry to secondary school so that
support is sustained and varied to meet the needs of students throughout their first year.
Students at St. Marguerite d’Youville are supported in the area of Transitioning from Grade 8 to
Grade 9 through our Link Crew Peer Leadership and Support, Girls night and Guys night,
Comprehensive Bullying Prevention Program, Peer Tutoring and Mentoring, Feeder School visits and
information night, and Cross Panel team meetings and initiatives.
Students at St. Marguerite d’Youville are supported in the area of Transitioning from Grade 12 to Post
Secondary as well as from one grade to another through Guidance and Transition teams, Support
Services Personnel, Engagement through Student Success Initiatives, Comprehensive Bullying
Prevention Program, Peer Tutoring and Mentoring.
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Throughout the year we foster the growth and development of our students through our retreat
program where Grade 9 students have an opportunity to develop their faith, pray and reflect as they
get to know their community. In Grade 12 students explore their vocational choices and bring them
to prayer as them move on to post-secondary destinations.
Vocations
The most important aspect of a successful chaplaincy program is student leadership. We empower
students to lead in prayer, building community and service projects. We need them, and the
experience is good for the students as they discover their gifts and vocation to serve God. All
students are invited to lead morning reflections on d’Y TV, to help prepare liturgies, and to take
initiative in leading the wide variety of social justice initiatives. The chaplain plans to meet regularly
with the fifty-six grade twelve students who went on a
Salesian leadership retreat as grade eleven students this year. One of the main goals of Salesian
leadership retreats is to nurture a group of students who will help to animate the faith life of our
school. We will meet in the chapel to reflect and pray and see what needs to be done. They can help
on grade ten retreats, lead morning reflections, help organize liturgies, and simply be a supportive
presence for students in need. This group can be counted on for strong leadership in the school.
November 5 - 7 there will a leadership retreat for the Link Crew class to nurture spiritual leadership
from these students for this school year and in their senior year. There will also be a Saleisan
Leadership Retreat for six to eight students December 3-5. These are powerful experiences designed
to call students to faith leadership in our school, and perhaps in our Church.
The idea that we are created for a purpose and each have a unique calling is repeated often. The
witness of the priests who come for mass and the sacrament of reconciliation also has the potential
to call some to this particular ministry.
We also promote Catholic Campus Ministries to graduating students, with the help of the poster
provided through the Office of Catholic Youth and Archdiocese of Toronto.
Each one of us has a personal vocation to live out our charism and identity in Christ. We hope that
each one of our graduates discovers this true identity and continue to grow in discerning and living it
out. As stated in our Chaplaincy Mission Statement, our mission is to provide opportunities for
growth through prayer, community and service. We trust that God is working with us. “We plant the
seeds, but God makes them grow.” (1 Cor. 3:6) We hope the students respond to the invitation to
fullness of life and continue the journey as “self-directed, responsible, life-long learners”. (CGE 4)
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Pastoral Plan Development
Signature Page
Pastor
Chaplaincy Leader
Faith Ambassador(s) (as applicable)
Department Heads (as applicable)
Chair of Catholic School Council
Vice Principal(s)
Principal
Superintendent
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2015-2016