St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School Brampton
St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School is a large, well regarded Catholic high school in northeast Brampton, Ontario. It offers schooling for grades 9-12, and is a member of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
Contents
There are currently over 1800 students registered at the school. As with most Catholic high schools, students here are required to wear uniforms while attending classes.
Special Programs
St. Thomas Aquinas offers a wide assortment of arts and special academic courses for students.
Regional Arts Program
The Regional Arts Program is tailored to provide artistically inclined high school students with a comprehensive education in the arts, over and above the the basic Ontario curriculum. The program is offered at select schools in the region.
St. Thomas Aquinas is one of three designated Regional Arts schools in Brampton.
Fine arts courses are available in:
- music (both instrumental and vocal)
- dance
- drama
- visual arts and media
The Regional Arts Program (RAP) provides students with substantial course offerings in each of the above categories.
Topics can include:
Music:
- Music theory
- Music composition
- Instrumental performance
- Music History
Voice:
- Vocal performance
- Voice training
Dance:
- Choreography
- Dance techniques
- Contemporary dance
- Ballet
- Jazz dance
Drama:
- Acting
- Playwriting
- Stage design
- Theater production
- Musical theater
- Improvisation
Visual Arts:
- Drawing and painting
- Sculpture
- Printmaking
- Photography
- Graphic design
Media:
- Digital art
- Video Production
- Video Editing
- TV production
In order to participate in the Fine Arts programs, students are required to apply and audition before being accepted. There are fees to participate in the program.
The school has a mix of fine arts students and regular high school students, and in addition to the arts program, it offers a good selection of academic special courses for all.
Dual Credit Program
Dual Credit programs provide grade 11 and 12 students with an opportunity to earn both college and non-compulsory secondary credits at the same time. College credits earned may be applied to a college program after high school.
Students can choose from more than 50 courses at colleges such as Centennial, George Brown, Humber, Seneca and Sheridan.
SHSM
Once students reach Grade 11, they can also participate in the Ontario Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program. As befitting an Arts school, STA offers one in Arts and Culture.
French Language
Although there is no French Immersion offered at this high school, students can find fairly advanced French language instruction in Extended French.
ESL
St. Thomas Aquinas provides extensive English as a Second Language (ESL) programs led by teachers with substantial experience working with students in ESL.
OYAP
The school is also a participant in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) for skilled trades.
Feeder Schools
Elementary schools that feed St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary include:
Elementary Schools
- Georges Vanier Elementary JK-8
- Lester B. Pearson Elementary JK-8
- St. Anthony Elementary JK-8
- St. Jean Brebeuf Elementary JK-8
- St. John Bosco Elementary JK-8
- St. John Fisher Elementary JK-8
- St. John Henry Newman Elementary JK-8
- St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Elementary JK-8
Address & Contact Information
Address: 25 Corporation Drive
Brampton, ON. L6S 6A2
Phone number: 905-791-1195
Email: St.ThomasAquinasSSInfo@dpcdsb.org>
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/aquin
School Board: Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
School Type: Separate High School
Academic Calendar: Semesters
School Size: students: 1800
Religious Affiliation: Christian-Catholic
Foundation Year: 1976
School Uniform: YES
Language of Instruction: English
Gender: Coeducational
School Facilities
St. Thomas Aquinas CSS is one of the longest established high schools in Brampton.
It nevertheless offers a wide variety of modern spaces, including a 2 storey high Chapel that seats 100, a 3 storey high forum and cafetorium, a 2 storey high library resource centre and a triple gymnasium with 6 change rooms.
There are 9 science labs, 5 computer rooms and facilities to offer a wide variety of technological programs, including automotive, construction, communication, manufacturing, hospitality, electronics, cosmetology and photography.
Sports
For an Arts school, Aquinas also offers a good assortment of individual and team sports (Cardinals), including the following:
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Rugby
- Slo-Pitch
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Extracurricular Programs and Clubs
This school has a wide assortment of extracurricular activities that can enrich the high school experience for many students.
- Anime Club
- Athletic Council
- Band (junior/senior)
- Black Student Alliance
- Book Club
- Breakfast Club
- Business Club
- Chess Club
- Chaplaincy Team
- Choir
- Concert Band
- Dance Club
- Debate Team
- DECA
- Eco Team
- HOSA
- Improv Club
- Language Club
- Link Crew
- Model UN
- Peer Tutoring
- Robotics Team
- Science Club
- Student Council
- Student Prayer Group
- Tech Club
- Youth Empowering Students for Mental Health
- Z-Club (Zonta)
St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School Ranking
This Catholic high school has consistently scored reasonably well in the Fraser Institute’s annual ranking. This year’s score was 5.9 out of a possible 10, and the school is tied for 440th place out of 739 high schools in the province of Ontario. Compare school rankings.
School and Nearby Amenities
St. Thomas Aquinas is located in an established area of Bramalea near Queen Street E. and Torbram Road.
There are numerous commercial plazas scattered along Queen St. E. and other nearby streets, and Bramalea City Centre mall is a six minute drive away.
PLASP Child Care Services
Thomas Aquinas has a licensed child care centre onsite. PLASP is a charitable organization that operates on a not-for-profit basis. Licensed full day care for children six weeks to five years of age is offered.
Boundary Map
click map to enlarge
St. Thomas Aquinas CSS covers a large catchment area extending from the Bovaird Drive E. in the north, to Highway 407 in the south, with Highway 410 on its western edge, and Airport Road on its eastern boundary.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that school and district boundary data is up-to-date. It’s important to note, however, that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify exact boundaries or school locations, contact your school board.
Conclusion
St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School is a special Regional Arts School in Brampton, and it has an excellent reputation.
It’s a big school by enrollment, and it is renowned for its fine arts productions.
When you combine this with its great Bramalea location, its generous offering of athletic and extracurricular programs, and decent rankings in the Fraser Institute grading system, we have no hesitation in recommending St. Thomas Aquinas CSS.
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