Meet De La Salle College's admission team at the Private School Expo: Toronto (Oct 04). RSVP NOW
The big picture on De La Salle College
We summarized the school ourselves
De La Salle College is a Lasallian school, part of an association of schools in more than 80 countries worldwide. The schools are affiliated with a Roman Catholic teaching order founded by Saint Jean-Baptist de La Salle in France in 1679. Canonized in 1900, La Salle was later proclaimed by the Vatican as the patron saint of teachers. So, in all, the College has quite a pedigree. It is committed to a Catholic Education, and religious observance is a daily component of student life. The academic program is rigorous, and augmented by an equally rigorous dedication to the development of ethical leadership, self-confidence, and social responsibility. The ideal student is one intending to advance to university.
We questioned the school adminstration
1. Who are you, as a school?
"Founded on the teachings of St. John Baptist de La Salle, De La Salle College is an independent, Roman Catholic, co-educational day school, from grades 5-12 that immerses its students in a rigorous university preparatory curriculum. Each day the school seeks to maintain its mission of helping students experience opportunities to grow spiritually, intellectually, artistically and physically, fostering Christian virtues and principles inspired by the worldwide Lasallian movement."
2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"De La Salle College offers a comprehensive variety of Advanced Placement courses while providing instruction in a university-style format. All Grades 9-12 students will have...(more)
"De La Salle College offers a comprehensive variety of Advanced Placement courses while providing instruction in a university-style format. All Grades 9-12 students will have lecture, lab and discussion classes. Lectures offer students an opportunity to obtain scholarly information in a timely fashion. Labs offer students real, hands on experiential learning in state of the art classrooms. Discussions allows students to break down the information with teachers, preparing them for university."
3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
Information not yet available.
4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?
Information not yet available.
5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?
Information not yet available.
6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?
Information not yet available.
7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"Along with a rigorous academic program, students in Grades 9 to 12 are assigned Independent Learning Time through out the day where students are able to tailor their educational...(more)
"Along with a rigorous academic program, students in Grades 9 to 12 are assigned Independent Learning Time through out the day where students are able to tailor their educational experience to their own needs. Students learn independence by making the decisions on how to spend their time. Students may attend department office hours (where teachers are assigned to offer academic support beyond the classroom), complete homework, work out or play a sport, socialize or have lunch."
8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
Information not yet available.
9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
"De La Salle's co-curricular program is the school's most underrated aspect of student life. In developing the whole student, the College has a depth and breath of co-curricular...(more)
"De La Salle's co-curricular program is the school's most underrated aspect of student life. In developing the whole student, the College has a depth and breath of co-curricular activities. From competitive sports teams to drama productions, golf simulators to debating tournaments, business competitions to newspaper deadlines, there is not shortage of activities for the athlete and /or scholar alike. Critical activities in building a portfolio come university applications."
10. What might families find surprising about your school?
"The unexpected quality students will come to appreciate will be the development of resilience. Initially, the students may find the work challenging, however, through hard work,...(more)
"The unexpected quality students will come to appreciate will be the development of resilience. Initially, the students may find the work challenging, however, through hard work, perseverance and support, where necessary, students will grow into strong, hardworking and conscientious young men and women."
11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?
Information not yet available.
12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?
De La Salle played a crucial role in my formative years. Ever since I entered in Grade 7, the school has supported me in my academic and extracurricular endeavours, encouraging me to seek higher pursuits and guiding me along the way. Not only did the school challenge me intellectually, but it created opportunities to allow me to grow in other ways as well. The spirit of giving and care that underpinned school activities and communities events has also made an impression on me and is one of the main reasons I continue to be active in my community today. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at De La Salle and firmly believe that the school prepared me to excel in university and, ultimately, in my career. By helping me to build constructive skills at a young age, the school has taught me the value of being an eternal student.
I would rate student experience at De La Salle College a 9 because when I first arrived at the school, all teachers, administrators and students made it their priority to create a welcoming and inclusive environment. For instance, the Link Crew program provides each new student with the support and stability they need entering a new school through the instruction and guidance of their fellow peers. Although Del presents an abundance of sports and clubs and extra help in tutorials, one thing I would change about the school is the complex learning structure. Due to the pandemic, our schedule was adjusted. The current class schedules are difficult to adjust to, especially with the mixed method of both online and offline learning. This is a short-term schedule. One thing is certain, transitioning to high school will challenge not only your academic capabilities, but also your social and physical ones. I certainly learned how to deal with stress and time management having attended De La Salle College.
I learned that Del will challenge you. Nonetheless, it was a great experience that I do not regret. While the workload was quite a push, I know it improved my work ethic and my confidence in my future academic career significantly. It is a traditional school in terms of its focus on Catholic teachings and beliefs, which was a personal challenge for me at the beginning, but I grew to appreciate the community during my time here. Lastly, while I was intimidated by a small social community and fitting in was a challenge at first, I am very lucky to have found a group of friends that I have made lasting memories with and will hopefully keep throughout my life. All in all, many aspects of the Del experience have been a challenge, but it will teach you how to find your place and build useful skills moving into university.
I have greatly enjoyed my experience at De La Salle; from the sense of community to the rigorous academic standards, my years at the school have helped me to develop as a person of character, resilience, and competence. Though the high-school journey at De La Salle has challenged me, testing my time-management, organization, knowledge, character, and perseverance, it is this struggle that has made me stronger. When I entered the school in ninth grade, I was shy and unsure, lacking a vision of what I wanted to achieve in my life; however, through the education for life that De La Salle offers, I am now able to say, as a grade twelve student, that I am prepared and eager to face the trials of university and adult life. As I come to the end of my experience of the college, I have been more than sufficiently prepared for the rest of my life, a time in which I hope to grow in character, education, and knowledge, while also serving those around me.
I am tremendously grateful that I was able to spend my most formative years at De La Salle College. The phrase “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve” surrounds students during their time at De La Salle and this could not be more appropriate. Here, I was able to grow from an academic standpoint, but I also learned how to be an honourable citizen in society. I explored my academic passions in a setting that always encouraged me to dive deeper, and I embraced my other interests through the school’s extracurricular offerings. My fondest memories include morning assembly with the entire school community, phone calls with our sister school in Naka, Nigeria, and school-wide bonding events such as Terry Fox Day. While I wish I could relive the amazing memories I have from De La Salle, the school remains a big part of my life as I was able to make life-long friends, meet teachers who turned to mentors, and join a global alumni network.
We wholeheartedly feel that the traditional academic teaching style, the extracurricular involvement, the opportunities for leadership and community engagement combined with strong faith component has given our daughter a solid foundation to the next steps in her life. The lifelong healthy habits of De La Salle College will serve her well as she sets goals faces challenges and celebrates milestones in her future. The students feel that they have entered a new family at Del. One of the most special events is the full school assembly every morning. The entire school body teachers administration and other staff come together for daily reflection and celebration of school values and accomplishments. It is a beautiful, peaceful and inspiring start to the day for the younger and the older students.
My experience at De La Salle College has been life-changing, and I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to attend the school. The caring, vibrant community has shaped me from a quiet young boy into a confident young man, instilling onto me the values of hard work and respect, and providing me with the ideal academic and social environment to build character and become educated. The perfect way to capture my experience is captured in our school motto, “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve”. While I entered with the simple intentions of trying my best to achieve good grades for University, I have been to a school community that finds its basis in something far greater. As I near the end of my time at De La Salle, I am sad to leave, but I know I am prepared to face future challenges due to a strong educational background, priceless lessons in character and virtue, and the strength of a caring and loving community.
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