St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School is the Board’s newest secondary school, having opened in 2013. A seasonal dome in our state-of-the-art facility allows pupils to use the sports field throughout the frigid winter months. St. Francis Xavier prepares students for post-secondary success by including a range of experiential learning activities into the core curriculum.
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a globally recognised programme that emphasises critical, compassionate thinking, community involvement, and intercultural awareness in order to better prepare students for university. Advanced Placement (AP) courses provide students in Grade 12 with university-level curriculum. Students in AP and pre-AP programmes study topics in greater depth, allowing them to learn more effectively. The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Program focuses students’ senior high school years so that they are better prepared for their post-secondary goals (apprenticeship, college, university and work). At the conclusion of the program, students will receive a special Red Seal diploma and transcript. Secondary students can complete their high school diploma while also earning apprenticeship co-op credit through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP).
International Students (Grades 9-12) will be taught the challenging Ontario provincial Curriculum, which requires the completion of core courses (i.e. English, math, science) and also allows for students to choose interest based courses (i.e. art, music). International Students will be enrolled in the English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) Program. Our patient and knowledgeable ESL teachers will help International Students improve their reading, writing, listening and conversational English language skills. International Students who successfully complete secondary school at the HCDSB will receive an Ontario High School Diploma.