The York Catholic District School Board has given the green light to two advanced programs at high schools in Aurora and Whitchurch-Stouffville.
The board has approved expansion of a high performance athlete (HPA) program at St. Maximillion Kolbe Catholic High School in Aurora.
The school received unanimous support for the program that will see students receive credits for training and modified schedules to accommodate before and after school sports schedules. This kind of program is currently implemented at Holy Cross Catholic Academy in Woodbridge.
This model will be duplicated at St. Maximillion and the program is slated to start in 2023. The school features an artificial turf field and track, and already acts as host for a number of track and field events in the board.
The second motion approved by the board was regarding French immersion programs in Whitchurch-Stouffville. The board received a report recommending that a school that is currently being built offer French immersion.
St. Katharine Drexel Catholic High School is being built at Ninth Line north of Stouffville Road and expected to open in September 2023. The report recommended that French immersion be offered to grades 7 to 12 students.
The space will also be home to Blessed Chiara Badano Catholic Elementary School that will offer French immersion for students from grades 1 to 6.
This expansion means that French immersion programs will now be offered at 16 Catholic elementary schools and six Catholic high schools across York Region.
The board said both of these programs will have a positive impact on YCDSB students and families.
