St. Leo Catholic Elementary School, Mimico
Encyclopedia
St. Leo is an elementary school
in the former town of Mimico
, Etobicoke, now a part of Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
and is operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board
. Recently the name of the school, originally St. Leo's Separate School, has been written as St. Leo Catholic School.
(the oldest Catholic Church in Etobicoke), the school is the oldest existing Catholic School in Etobicoke; the older Highfield Catholic School on Etobicoke's border with Brampton having closed many years before St. Leo opened. For lack of funds, the original school building (still standing) was a copy of the older St. Patrick's Catholic Elementary School (demolished for Malton, now Pearson, airport) in what is now Brampton; technically St. Patrick's was the 'mother' parish of St. Leo's although early Catholics in Mimico preferred to attend church and school in Toronto or the local Etobicoke public school (now renamed the John English Junior Middle School). With the establishment of St. Leo elementary school, a Mimico Catholic School Board was also established for the one catholic school in Mimico. Originally St. Leo was served by the Sisters of St. Joseph
who commuted, first from Toronto, later from their Etobicoke residence in Our Lady of Sorrows Parish (beside the early St. Joseph's Catholic Secondary School for Girls, Islington). The school grew in the interwar years despite the creation of new 'daughter' parishes and schools in New Toronto (St. Teresa's), Humber (St Mark's) and later, the Queensway (Holy Angels). The school sits on land donated by parishioners of St. Leo's parish who used the school for many events until the building of a parish hall in the 1960s, and was operated by taxes raised from Mimico Catholics by the Mimico School Board until it joined the Metropolitan Catholic School Board (now the Toronto Catholic District School Board) in 1967 when the Town of Mimico ceased to exist and the Sisters of St. Joseph were replaced by lay staff.
After the Second World War, the Town of Mimico experienced a large influx of Catholic (especially Italian) families which led to the construction of a second Catholic school (St. Louis
) to serve the growing northern half of Mimico, as well as the construction of a new (larger) church on the site of Mimico's historic Post Office, next to St. Leo elementary school which was enlarged first in the 1960s with many additional classrooms and office space and again in the 1980s with the addition of a gymnasium. In more recent years many Catholics from eastern European nations have moved to Mimico and attended St. Leo school and although many attend 'ethnic' churches rather than the local St. Leo's church, the relationship between church and school remains especially strong. St. Leo used a uniform until the mid 1980s, one of the last catholic elementary schools in the Metropolitan Separate School Board to abandon it although in recent years speculation has grown about its reinstatement. One of the most celebrated former alumni of the school, hockey player Brendan Shanahan
, has maintained a connection with his home town and school. The school has celebrated its 50th and 75th anniversaries while the local parish is celebrating it's 100th.
, a Catholic Secondary school for boys (Michael Power) and another for girls (St. Joseph's, Islington) were built in central Etobicoke which Catholics had to pay to attend until the introduction of full funding in the 1980s. With the introduction of full funding for Catholic Schools, many seriously underpopulated public schools were abandoned, some (including the Mimico High School near St. Leo) being offered to the Catholic school board. The former Kingsmill (Bishop Allen Academy) and Alderwood (Father John Redmond) Public schools were controversially chosen to be Catholic Secondary Schools rather than the former Mimico High School (now John English Junior Middle School) on the grounds that Mimico was not centrally located in southern Etobicoke. Today St. Leo is a feeder school for Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School
which has relocated from Alderwood to St. Teresa Roman Catholic Parish in New Toronto
.
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in the former town of Mimico
Mimico
The historic Town of Mimico is a neighbourhood in the south-western part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-east corner of the former Township of Etobicoke, and was an independent municipality from 1911 to 1967....
, Etobicoke, now a part of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and is operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board
Toronto Catholic District School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...
. Recently the name of the school, originally St. Leo's Separate School, has been written as St. Leo Catholic School.
History
Established in 1926 on Pidgeon (now Stanley) Avenue, in the parish of St. Leo'sSt. Leo's Roman Catholic Church, Mimico
St. Leo's Roman Catholic Church on Royal York Rd at Stanley, Mimico in Toronto , Ontario, is the oldest Catholic church in Etobicoke and the only Catholic church in Mimico.-History:First church...
(the oldest Catholic Church in Etobicoke), the school is the oldest existing Catholic School in Etobicoke; the older Highfield Catholic School on Etobicoke's border with Brampton having closed many years before St. Leo opened. For lack of funds, the original school building (still standing) was a copy of the older St. Patrick's Catholic Elementary School (demolished for Malton, now Pearson, airport) in what is now Brampton; technically St. Patrick's was the 'mother' parish of St. Leo's although early Catholics in Mimico preferred to attend church and school in Toronto or the local Etobicoke public school (now renamed the John English Junior Middle School). With the establishment of St. Leo elementary school, a Mimico Catholic School Board was also established for the one catholic school in Mimico. Originally St. Leo was served by the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
who commuted, first from Toronto, later from their Etobicoke residence in Our Lady of Sorrows Parish (beside the early St. Joseph's Catholic Secondary School for Girls, Islington). The school grew in the interwar years despite the creation of new 'daughter' parishes and schools in New Toronto (St. Teresa's), Humber (St Mark's) and later, the Queensway (Holy Angels). The school sits on land donated by parishioners of St. Leo's parish who used the school for many events until the building of a parish hall in the 1960s, and was operated by taxes raised from Mimico Catholics by the Mimico School Board until it joined the Metropolitan Catholic School Board (now the Toronto Catholic District School Board) in 1967 when the Town of Mimico ceased to exist and the Sisters of St. Joseph were replaced by lay staff.
After the Second World War, the Town of Mimico experienced a large influx of Catholic (especially Italian) families which led to the construction of a second Catholic school (St. Louis
St. Louis Catholic Elementary School, Mimico
St. Louis is an elementary school in the former town of Mimico, Etobicoke, now a part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board.- History :...
) to serve the growing northern half of Mimico, as well as the construction of a new (larger) church on the site of Mimico's historic Post Office, next to St. Leo elementary school which was enlarged first in the 1960s with many additional classrooms and office space and again in the 1980s with the addition of a gymnasium. In more recent years many Catholics from eastern European nations have moved to Mimico and attended St. Leo school and although many attend 'ethnic' churches rather than the local St. Leo's church, the relationship between church and school remains especially strong. St. Leo used a uniform until the mid 1980s, one of the last catholic elementary schools in the Metropolitan Separate School Board to abandon it although in recent years speculation has grown about its reinstatement. One of the most celebrated former alumni of the school, hockey player Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Shanahan
Brendan Frederick "Shanny" Shanahan is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger who currently serves as the National Hockey League's Vice President of Hockey and Business Development and head disciplinarian. Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils second overall in the 1987 NHL Entry...
, has maintained a connection with his home town and school. The school has celebrated its 50th and 75th anniversaries while the local parish is celebrating it's 100th.
Secondary schools
Originally, graduating students from St. Leo attended the public Parkdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto until the local Mimico High School was established. After a campaign by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of TorontoRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto is a Roman Catholic archdiocese that includes part of the Province of Ontario. Its archbishop is also the eccesiatical provincial for the dioceses of Hamilton, London, Saint Catharines, and Thunder Bay. The Archbishop is Thomas Christopher Collins, with...
, a Catholic Secondary school for boys (Michael Power) and another for girls (St. Joseph's, Islington) were built in central Etobicoke which Catholics had to pay to attend until the introduction of full funding in the 1980s. With the introduction of full funding for Catholic Schools, many seriously underpopulated public schools were abandoned, some (including the Mimico High School near St. Leo) being offered to the Catholic school board. The former Kingsmill (Bishop Allen Academy) and Alderwood (Father John Redmond) Public schools were controversially chosen to be Catholic Secondary Schools rather than the former Mimico High School (now John English Junior Middle School) on the grounds that Mimico was not centrally located in southern Etobicoke. Today St. Leo is a feeder school for Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School
Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School
Father John Redmond is a high school located in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board.-History:During a period of reorganization by public school boards across Ontario following a decision by the Ontario Government to extend funding of Catholic schools to...
which has relocated from Alderwood to St. Teresa Roman Catholic Parish in New Toronto
New Toronto
The historic Town of New Toronto is a neighbourhood in the south-west end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-centre of the former Township of Etobicoke and was an independent municipality from 1913 to 1967, one of the former 'Lakeshore Municipalities'...
.
See also
- MimicoMimicoThe historic Town of Mimico is a neighbourhood in the south-western part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-east corner of the former Township of Etobicoke, and was an independent municipality from 1911 to 1967....
- St. Leo's Roman Catholic Church, MimicoSt. Leo's Roman Catholic Church, MimicoSt. Leo's Roman Catholic Church on Royal York Rd at Stanley, Mimico in Toronto , Ontario, is the oldest Catholic church in Etobicoke and the only Catholic church in Mimico.-History:First church...
- St. Louis Catholic Elementary School, MimicoSt. Louis Catholic Elementary School, MimicoSt. Louis is an elementary school in the former town of Mimico, Etobicoke, now a part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is operated by the Toronto Catholic District School Board.- History :...
- Toronto Catholic District School BoardToronto Catholic District School BoardThe Toronto Catholic District School Board is the publicly-funded Catholic school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headquartered in North York. It is one of the two English boards of education in the City of Toronto, serving the former municipalities of Scarborough, North York, York, East York,...