On eve of 40th anniversary, Board continues to focus on improving student achievement

MISSISSAUGA – Four months shy of the 40th anniversary of the creation of a consolidated Catholic school board in Peel Region/Dufferin County, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will welcome an estimated 88,000 students in its 145 schools on September 2, the first day of the 2008-09 school year.  

Those numbers are in stark contrast to 8,000 students and 27 elementary schools when the Dufferin-Peel County Roman Catholic Separate School Board was formed in January 1969 by the amalgamation of the Mississauga, Albion, Bolton/Wildfield, Brampton, Chinguacousy, Orangeville, Port Credit and Streetsville Catholic boards. The board will mark the anniversary with a number of commemorative events and activities throughout the school year.

“This is a historic year for us and we pride ourselves on our rich history of Catholic education in the region, not just for the past 40 years, but dating back to the 1860s,” said John Kostoff, director of education. “It is in this long tradition of excellence in Catholic education that we welcome all new and returning students and families to our schools.” Added Kostoff, “We begin the new school year in a positive financial position with much to celebrate and a number of exciting new initiatives to look forward to, including a pilot French immersion program starting in Grade 1 at St. Margaret of Scotland School in Mississauga and St. Joachim School in Brampton.”

“Our goal is to help each one of our students reach their full potential,” said Kostoff. “To help achieve that goal, we will continue to align budget, resources and staff energies to ensure that our schools provide the highest quality Catholic education for our students.” Added Kostoff, “We know we are on the right track. Our EQAO assessments of student achievement have consistently outperformed the provincial average in most areas over the past several years. In the decade since the assessments began, we have made tremendous gains in virtually all areas. We anticipate continued success in this regard.”

This fall, Dufferin-Peel will open one new elementary school, St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School, located at 430 Van Kirk Drive in Brampton. The school is designed to accommodate up to 450 students from JK to Grade 8.  Staff and students at St. Josephine Bakhita will celebrate the opening of their school with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:15 a.m. on September 2.

The opening of this school brings the number of Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools to 145, including 122 elementary and 23 secondary.

The board will also open the new site for Holy Name of Mary Catholic Secondary School at 115 Glenvale Boulevard in Brampton. The school recently relocated from Mississauga. The school will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 7:45 a.m. on September 2.

In addition to these school openings, the board had begun construction on two new secondary schools in Brampton, St. Roch Catholic Secondary School and Cardinal Ambrozic Catholic Secondary School, both slated to open in September 2009.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is one of largest and most diverse school districts in Ontario, with approximately 88,000 students in 145 Catholic schools throughout Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville. With over 10,000 employees, the board is also one of the largest employers in the region.

Released by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board on August 28, 2008 at 15:27