Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School

Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School

Excellence, Faith, Community
Address
1020 Dryden Blvd.
Whitby, Ontario, L1R 2A2
Canada
Coordinates 43°54′43″N 78°56′15″W / 43.91194°N 78.93750°W / 43.91194; -78.93750Coordinates: 43°54′43″N 78°56′15″W / 43.91194°N 78.93750°W / 43.91194; -78.93750
Information
School type Separate (Catholic) high school
Religious affiliation(s) Catholic
Founded 1989 (1989)
School board Durham Catholic District School Board
Area trustee Christopher Leahy
Mary Ann Martin
School number 710083[1]
Principal Paul Perron
Grades 9-12
Enrollment 989 (2015)
Language English and French
Colour(s) Red and Black          
Mascot Wildcat
Team name Wildcats
Parish Holy Family Catholic Church (Whitby)
St. Leo the Great Catholic Church (Brooklin)
Website Official website

Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School (also known as Father Leo, Leo J. Austin, FLJA, or Austin for short) is a coeducational, Catholic, secondary school located in Whitby, Ontario, Canada and it is managed by the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB). Today, it is an active school with an excellent reputation and is open for students grade 9 to 12. It offers many great programs such as the Extended French program, drawing many students around the Durham Region.

History

Father Leo J. Austin was a priest born in Toronto on June 3, 1939. He was a priest at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church located in Giffard Street in Whitby. Before coming to Whitby in 1956, he served in several Toronto parishes. Catholic education was of particular interest to Father Austin: in 1959 he brought the Grey Sisters, a teaching order of nuns, to Whitby; under his guidance, St. Theresa Catholic School was built, and St. Leo Catholic School in Brooklin; he build four additions to St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, and started Denis O'Connor High School in 1964 in Whitby. Because of his great contribution to the community of Whitby, the school, Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School, was created and named after him.

The building currently housing Father Leo J. Austin was officially opened following the Thanksgiving weekend of 1990, though classes had been ongoing since the Labour Day weekend of 1989 in 2 separate temporary locations.

In 2014, the school celebrated the 25th anniversary of its opening in 1989.[2]

Academic Programs and Features

Pre- and Advanced Placement (AP)

The AP program of Austin is recognized by universities in both Canada and the United States. One can earn advanced standing at university in mathematics through their AP advanced functions, and calculus and vectors courses. Enriched (pre-AP) math credits are also available in grades 9, 10 and 11 as they are prerequisites for students if they wish to take the Advanced Placement Exam in their grade 12 year.

Specialized High Skills Major (SHSM)

The SHSM is an excellent program provided in the school that let students focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

SHSM programs that are offered in the school:

Extended French program

At Austin, the Extended French program is offered from grade 9-12 which provide students with the means to develop more advanced French skills, enabling them to communicate effectively in speech and in writing. In this program, there are courses that provide opportunities for students to speak and interact in French in a variety of real-life and personally relevant contexts.

Only students that have received a minimum of 1,260 hours of extended french instruction by the end of their grade 8 year may be enrolled in this program.

Co-curricular activities

There are many co-curricular activities that are offered to the students at Father Leo J. Austin. The student activities and organizations that are offered include Photography Club, Guitar Club, Salsa Club, Choir, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Reach for the Top, Renaissance, Amnesty International, Just Youth, Fitness Friends, Peer Ministry, Prefects, OSAID, Robotics, The Slant (Newspaper), Austin Rights Club, Yearbook, C.A.S.H. (Caring About Student Health), Animal Care Crew, Drama Club, Student Council, Austin Spirit Team and Retreat Leaders, White Pine Reading, Black History Month, The Tech Crew, The Green Team, Athletic Council, Art Club, Writers circle, and The Pro-Life Club.

Athletics

Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School offers a fairly wide range of athletic teams including soccer, basketball, hockey, badminton, curling, volleyball, lacrosse, rugby, track and field, cross country, varsity girls fastball, varsity boys baseball, golf, tennis, dance, and table tennis.[4]

Uniforms

The uniform is a source of honour and a builder of the school community at Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School. When enrolling at the school, all students agree to wear it neatly and uniforms must be in good repair. Uniforms must not be altered in any way as to change design or style of the clothing.

At the school, males must wear charcoal grey dress pants as bottoms. Females have the option of wearing the charcoal grey slacks or a red, black, and grey plaid kilt as bottoms. Kilts must be worn with black or white knee socks. In warmer weather, black uniform shorts may be worn. Tops for both sexes include black or white golf shirts, a black embroidered vest, crewneck, cardigan or fleece zip polo. Shoes must be all black (including the sole) and cover both the heel and toe.[5]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Father Leo J Austin Catholic Secondary School (710083)". Secondary school profile. Ontario Ministry of Education. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  2. ↑ Shawn Cayley (2014-05-27). "Former staff, students celebrate 25 years at Father Leo J. Austin in Whitby". Whitby This Week. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  3. ↑ Navigating Your Future: Pathways for Student Success Handbook (2008–2009) Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB)
  4. ↑ "Co-Curriculars". Retrieved 2015-12-19.
  5. ↑ "Uniform Procedure" (PDF). Retrieved 2015-12-19.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, March 27, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.