St. David Catholic Secondary School

Infobox Education in Canada
name= St. David Catholic Secondary School


imagesize=150px
motto=
motto_translation=
streetaddress= 4 High Street
city= Waterloo
province= Ontario
postalcode= N2L 3X5
areacode= 519
phone= 885-1340
fax= 885-1345
email=
url= http://stdavid.wcdsb.ca/
schoolnumber=
schoolboard= Waterloo Catholic District School Board
affiliation= Roman Catholic
superintendent=
trustee=
principal= Paul Lacalamita
viceprincipal= Dave Launslager, Simone Beaucage
administrator=
schooltype= Catholic (Separate Board)
grades= 9-12
language= English
area=
mascot= Cedric
teamname= Celtics (/selt(iks)/)
colours= Green, Blue & White
founded= 1965
enrollment=
enrollment_as_of=

St. David Catholic Secondary School, established in 1965, is a Roman Catholic high school instructing students from grades 9 to 12. St. David CSS is located in Waterloo, Ontario and is a member of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Its building is the oldest secondary school building in the board. Historically it was an a junior high school, instructing students from grades 7 to 10. St. David received full funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education in 1985, when the school changed its educational focus to students in grades 9 to OAC. Since the OAC year of secondary school was phased out of Ontario schools in the 2002-2003 school year, St. David CSS now teaches grades 9 through to 12. At present (2007) St. David educates approximately 1400 students.

Staff and administration

St. David currently has two vice-principals and one principal:
* Principal: Paul Lacalamita
* Vice-principals: Dave Launslager, Simone Beaucage

The school also has approximately 84 full-time teaching staff.

Renovations

As of the end of 2006, the school's renovations were completed. This is the second set of building improvements and additions since initial construction; the first set expanded the available athletic facilities and added several classrooms to the second floor. This work allows for future expansion with respect to science-related education, complementing AP biology classes added to the course calendar in September 2005. In addition to the expansion of the science facilities, hospitality courses were also added for students.

2007 renovations also included the removal of the sand box in the main foyer, the installation of new lights in the cafeteria, and the repaint and redo of the gymnasium floor. Audio/Visual improvements were also made to the cafeteria sound system during 2007 as well.

Renovations have also been planned for 2008 as the board has approved the building of a $2 million sports field. Construction is currently under way (2008).

Uniform policy (2001 - 2002)

As with the other secondary schools in the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, St. David requires all students to wear a uniform every day, except for the occasional dress-down day (known to staff and students as "Civies Day"). During the 2001 - 2002 school year, this policy required all students to have golf and dress shirts tucked into their pants at all times, on the basis that untucked shirts did not convey the proper sense of respect for the school. [http://www.wcdsb.edu.on.ca/ap_memos/PDF/APC005.pdf]

During the last two weeks of June 2002, the administration of St. David made a public announcement that any student in violation of the uniform rules would be suspended for one day. In Ontario, any disciplinary action of this type is listed on an Ontario student record, which may adversely affect a student's chances of acceptance to post-secondary education. Ontario student records also are investigated by teachers when reviewing students enrolled for classes, and by staff at other schools in the event a student applies for a transfer.

No prior violations of the rules were taken into account with this policy. Suspension, as a punishment, is typically given for much more serious academic and criminal offences. However, the provincial Safe Schools Act allows discretionary one-day suspensions for minor infractions of school policies and procedures. These suspensions cannot be formally challenged, as the Safe Schools Act does not allow for appeals of one day suspensions. [http://www.wcdsb.edu.on.ca/ap_memos/PDF/APC012.pdf] Nevertheless, the consequence would add to a student's record, causing any subsequent offenses within five years to be judged more harshly. [http://www.wcdsb.edu.on.ca/info/safe/disciplinary_actions.html]

The "tucked-in shirt" rule, though, was short-lived as at the beginning of the 2002 - 2003 school year, the policy was revised to eliminate the requirement of golf shirts being tucked in.

Alumni

*Luca Congi, kicker/punter for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Congi was a member of St. David's senior football team in 2000 and 2001, in which years the team won the Waterloo County high school senior football championships, the first senior football championships in the school's history.inote|ref=Brown, page A6
*John Sullivan, safety for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
*Mike Latta Forward for the Ottawa 67's (in the Ontario Hockey League)

See also

*List of Waterloo Region, Ontario schools

References

*Brown, Josh (July 29, 2006). "He's kicking into high gear". "The Record", Kitchener, Ontario: A1, A6

Links and references

* [http://stdavid.wcdsb.ca/ St. David Catholic Secondary School official site]
* [http://stdavid.wcdsb.edu.on.ca/life/tour/index.html St. David school tour]
* [http://www.wcdsb.edu.on.ca/ Waterloo Catholic District School Board]