Departments

Arts

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Business

Business activity affects the daily lives of all Canadians as they work, spend, save, invest, travel, and play. It influences jobs, incomes, and opportunities for personal enterprise. Eventually, all students will encounter the world of business, whether they work in urban or rural areas.They must be prepared to engage in business activity with confidence and competence.

The business studies program will build a strong foundation for those who wish to move on to further study and training in specialized areas such as management, international business, marketing, accounting, information and communication technology, or entrepreneurship. It will also provide practical skills for those who wish to move directly into the workplace.

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Canadian and World Studies

The Canadian and World Studies Department offers a variety of courses in a number of subject areas: History, Geography, Law, Politics and Civics. The department is staffed by teachers who bring a wealth of experience, perspective and expertise to the classroom. With an eye on their students’ futures, these faculty members provide a solid balance of content material and skill development. In particular, academic research and writing has been the hallmark of the department since the school’s inception.This academic vibrancy does not stop at the classroom door. In recent years enthusiastic teachers and students have travelled domestically and abroad to continue the learning experience in: Ottawa, Boston, Chicago and Washington as well as France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and England. Locally the students get out to the Warplane Heritage Museum, the Royal Ontario Museum, the University Avenue Courthouse in Toronto as well as the Ontario Court of Justice (Criminal Division) and Superior Court of Justice in Hamilton.

Cooperative Education

The Co-op program is an opportunity for students to integrate academic study with practical experiences in various career fields. To participate in this program, students must have successfully completed 16 credits.

Our Co-op program gives students the opportunity to “preview a career.”  Students will have an opportunity to discover the variety of options available to them in the world of work, enhance their post secondary application, develop employability skills, leadership skills and entrepreneurial attitude and explore personal interests, abilities and values.

English

The English curriculum offers a program that recognizes the central importance of language and literary texts in academic and daily life, both for work and enjoyment. The development and consolidation of media literacy, oral communication, and critical and creative thinking skills prepares students for the demands they will experience in post secondary education and the workforce.

ESL and ELD

The English as a Second Language (ESL) program develops students’ skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing for a variety of everyday and academic purposes. This program also provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to adapt to their new lives in Canada.

The English Literacy Development (ELD) program is intended for English language learners who have gaps in their first language skills.

French

Notre Dame is the only Catholic Secondary School in Burlington to offer an Extended French Certificate program.

SECONDARY PROGRAM

If you have not completed the elementary Extended French program with the HCDSB, but are considering the program offered at Notre Dame, please contact the French Itinerant.

French Curriculum Consultant
Renata Dean

Grade 9

• Extended French *
• Geography *

Grade 10

• Extended French
• History *

Grade 11

• Extended French
• World Religions *

Grade 12

• Extended French

* These are required courses for graduation for everyone in an Ontario secondary school. Three electives will be used to take the Extended French courses in grade 10 -12 to complete the program.

Modern Languages

The study of international languages helps students to develop the skills they will need to communicate effectively with people from other countries and at the same time improve their skills in the English language.

The communication skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing are more important than ever in the modern business world, in which the timely exchange of information is often the key to success. International language programs provide ideal opportunities for students to develop and refine these important skills.

Health and Physical Education

Home of the Fighting Irish!

FORMS:

• OFSAA transfer form
• Phys Ed Course Participation Form
• ND Club Participation Form
• ND Team Participation Form

ATHLETIC NEWS

Our new Halton Catholic Athletic Association (HCAA) will provide all scores, schedules, announcements and much more!

Are you a new student to Notre Dame in Grade 10, 11, 12, or 12+ and want to play sports here? You MUST fill out an OFSAA transfer form as soon as possible BEFORE you play for any team. Please submit to Mr. Ferguson in the HPE office immediately.

Social Media

Follow us on Instagram @nd.irish.athletics for photos and updates

A CODE FOR STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS

Notre Dame offers a wide variety of activities. We believe that athletics can and should play an important role in high school life by providing valuable learning situations both on and off the playing field. In order to gain maximum benefit from the program, student athletes must adhere to this code:… more

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students transferring to Notre Dame from secondary schools in and outside the Halton Region should refer to the OFSAA Transfer Policy.

ALUMNI

Congratulations to all of our Irish athletes who have gone on to compete at the next level.

For any additional inquiries,  please contact Athletics Director, Paul Ferguson, at fergusonp@hcdsb.org

Library

Library Staff

• Ms. Messinger (Librarian)
• Mrs. D’Souza (Library Clerk)

Need help? Want to suggest a book?

Mathematics

Mathematics is a very important part of our education system. Math is about solving problems – it teaches you to analyze a situation, work through a solution and arrive at a logical conclusion. It is required by colleges and universities for some programs you wouldn’t immediately think of such as Concurrent Education at Brock University and Pre-service Fire Fighter Education Training at Conestoga College. See your Math Teacher or Guidance Counsellor to help you choose the right pathway!

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO MATH CONTESTS

** the cost is the amount charged by the University of Waterloo

• Registration will be completed by making payment on School Cash Online.
• Payment will be available approximately 2 weeks prior to the due date.
• Students write contests based on their actual grade, regardless of the grade of their math course.
• Past contests can be found here:  https://cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/past_contests.html

Religion

The Religion, Social Sciences and Humanities Department, in keeping with the Board’s vision, is committed to expressing and teaching our Catholic Values.  The goal of the department is to have each student grow to be a responsible, wise follower of Christ.  Our aim is to have the students leave our school aware of their responsibility to each other, the community at large and their stewardship of the earth.  In essence, the goal is to assist them in becoming true, moral thinkers and realizing that God has created each one of us to be good.

The major areas of study in Religious Education courses in Catholic secondary schools are organized into six distinct but related strands: Sacred Scripture, Profession of Faith, Christian Moral Development, Prayer and Sacramental Life and finally, Family Life Education.  While at Notre Dame, students will learn about Rights and Responsibilities, Stewardship of Creation, Promotion of Peace, the importance of Community and the Common Good.

Listed below, is a brief description of each grade’s courses:

Grade 9:

This course engages students in the examination of the Christian narrative as revealed in Sacred Scripture. Students will learn a deeper understanding of both the joy and the demands of living out the call to follow the teachings of Jesus as it is described in the Scriptures. Students explore discipleship as encountered in the Sacred Tradition of the Church (Sacraments, Liturgical Year and Church Teaching and Law), as part of their ongoing personal growth and faith understanding. Using theological reflection, they will explore the connections and disconnections of ethical concepts (euthanasia, abortion, sexuality, etc.) between the Church and contemporary culture.

Grade 10:

This course both invites and challenges the adolescent to personalize the Gospel values and social justice principles that guide Catholics in understanding their role in shaping culture as disciples of Jesus. Students will explore the following topic; what it means to be human beings, created in God’s image, what is culture, living together in solidarity, social justice, prayer and sacrament, friendship and intimacy. The relationship between the living Church and contemporary world are explored in terms of what it means to be a responsible Christian adolescent in a secularized, pluralistic world.

Grade 11:

This course engages students in the examination of the great religions of the world, particularly Judaism, Christianity, Islam as well as the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Spiritualties. The goal of this course is to help students understand the basic similarities and differences between the religious traditions so they can interact with others with acceptance and familiarity.  With the knowledge of this course, students ought to be able to understand more clearly the world’s religious affairs.

Grade 12:

This course enables students to deepen their understanding of how the Church engages contemporary culture with faith and reason, in pursuit of love, justice, and the common good. Students will learn how living the vocation of a virtuous life, filled with the joy of the Gospel can transform them and society from within, allowing God to reign in human hearts. Students will also refine research and inquiry skills.

(Course descriptions taken from the Institute for Catholic Education)

Science

Science plays an increasingly important role in the lives of all Canadians. It is involved in virtually all aspects of our daily lives, from life-saving pharmaceuticals to clean water, the places we live and work in, computers and other information technologies, and how we communicate to others. It is important for all citizens to understand science so that they can make informed decisions with regard to their health, impact on the environment and consumer choices.

The impact of science on our lives will continue to grow as the twenty-first century unfolds. Science courses have been designed for a wide variety of students, taking into account their interests and post secondary destinations. Whether a student is pursuing science as a career, as an interest, or simply needs to understand the world around them, there is a science course to meet their needs.

Special Education

Department Head: Ms. D. Piantoni
Lifeskills Program Teacher: Ms. S. Dickson & Ms. C. Duch
Special Education Resource Teachers (SERT): Mrs. S. Di Nino Valeri, Mrs. K. Mercanti, Mrs. M. Francis
Child and Youth Counsellor: Ms. N. Pietroiusti

Department News

Heading to Post-Secondary?

McMaster University “Shifting Gears” – summer programs to transition students to university.details here.

Search Engine for Awards for Students of Special Education

Helpful Links

Association for Bright Children Ontario
Autism Society of Ontario – Burlington Chapter
Courses & Prerequisites
Learning Disabilities Association of Halton

Student Services

Please look under the Students > Student Services menu tab for a number of helpful information and resources provided by our Student Services department.

Technology Education

Visit our Technology Department website