Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School

Former Catholic high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

For schools of a similar name, see Don Bosco School (disambiguation).

Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School

Address

2 St. Andrew's Boulevard

Toronto

Ontario

M9R 1V8

Canada

Coordinates| 43°42′08″N 79°33′00″W﻿ / ﻿43.702087°N 79.549924°W﻿ / 43.702087; -79.549924
Information
School type| Catholic High school
Motto| Crescamus in Christum
(Let us Grow in Christ)
Founded| 1978
Closed| 2017
School board| Toronto Catholic District School Board
Superintendent| Loretta Notten
Area 1
Area trustee| Joseph Martino
Ward 1
School number| 525 / 703184
Principal| Michael Rossetti
Grades| 12
Enrollment| 97 (2016-17)
Language| English
Schedule type| Semestered
Colour(s)| Green and Gold
Slogan| Reason, Religion, and Kindness
Team name| Bosco Eagles
Parish| Transfiguration
Specialist High Skills Major| Hospitality & Tourism
Non-Profit
Program Focus| Broad-based Technology
Gifted
Advanced Placement
Global Education
Self-Directed Learning
Website| [1]

Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School (also called Don Bosco, Don Bosco CSS, DBCSS, Don Bosco Toronto, or simply Bosco), is a Toronto Catholic District School Board secondary school facility in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the former suburb of Etobicoke, north of the intersection of Islington Avenue and Dixon Road in the Kingsview Village neighbourhood.

The school opened in 1978 by the Salesians of Don Bosco religious orders as Central Etobicoke's first Catholic high school and moved into the former Keiller Mackay Collegiate Institute building, constructed and opened in 1971 by the Etobicoke Board of Education, in 1983. Don Bosco became fully publicly funded by the Metropolitan Separate School Board in 1987. Many years later, the board closed Don Bosco due to dwindling enrollment in 2017 and the building became the temporary home for the Toronto Argonauts practice facility, with a short-term lease of the facility from the TCDSB.[1] After its vacancy, the school building is used to house Dante Alighieri Academy starting in 2021–22 school year as their school is being reconstructed.

In the school's later years, Don Bosco became famous for then-Mayor Rob Ford's notorious football program.

## History

[edit]

The school was named after Saint John Bosco since 1978. During the 2000s up to 2013, the school was known for having former Toronto mayor Rob Ford as its school coach. In 2014, Don Bosco adopted a Self-Directed Learning program, similar to that of Mary Ward Catholic Secondary School in Scarborough, becoming only the second such school in the GTA and third in Ontario to do so. The school subsequently disbanded this method and returned to the regular class system.

## Sports

[edit]

In the school's inaugural year, it took the midget girl's relay title in a competition.[2]

### Football program

[edit]

The head coach of the school's football program, from 2002 to 2013, was Rob Ford, (affectionately known as "The F-150" by the school), the Mayor of Toronto from 2010 until 2014. Ford had previously been a coach at Newtonbrook Secondary School, until a 2001 confrontation with a student.[3] The Canadian Taxpayers Federation lodged criticism against Ford for using city resources for the program. Two of Ford's summer football teams list two of Ford's city-paid special assistants as contacts, providing the numbers for their city-owned cellphones. Sources claimed Ford used a city car to ferry players to games and practices.[4] Ford skipped 5 1/2 hours of a City executive committee meeting to attend a "pre-season jamboree" with his team, not telling his council allies.[5]

Ford talked to Sun News Network about the program, how many students "come from gangs" and "broken homes", and without football would have "no reason to go to school". Some Don Bosco school staff sent an anonymous group letter to senior Catholic school board officials, decrying Ford's comments about the school to Sun News, calling them "no reflection of the real" school. The board launched an investigation about the comments.[6] At a parent meeting, some attendees expressed concern that the school is too often called "Rob Ford's".[7] In May 2013, the Toronto Star saw video of Ford calling the students "just f
ing minorities"; the school board refused to comment, having not seen the video.[8] On May 22, the Toronto Catholic District School Board dismissed Ford from the coaching position.[9]

One-time player Anthony Smith was murdered March 28, 2013. A photo of Smith with Ford was widely used as illustration during reportage of the alleged drug video. In June 2013, police conducted raids as part of Project Traveller; murder charges in this case are expected.[10] Later, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair confirmed the existence of the video on October 31, 2013.[11]

## See also

[edit]

* List of high schools in Ontario

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Toronto Argonauts to move into new practice facility at former high school". National Post. The Canadian Press. 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2017-10-19.
2. ^ "St. Mike's wins twice in the Beltline relay". The Toronto Star. Toronto. 23 September 1979. p. C05.
3. ^ "Rob Ford told he was unwelcome as a football coach at Toronto high school". The Star. Toronto.
4. ^ "Mayor Rob Ford takes heat from taxpayers' group for using city staff for football". The Star. Toronto.
5. ^ Dale, Daniel. "Mayor Rob Ford misses committee meeting to coach football at 'jamboree'". The Star. Toronto.
6. ^ Dale, Daniel. "Catholic school board investigating Rob Ford's 'inaccurate' Sun News interview". The Star. Toronto.
7. ^ "Rob Ford: Parents at school where Toronto mayor coaches football meet to discuss if they want him to continue". The Star. Toronto.
8. ^ Daniel Dale; David Rider (17 May 2013). "Rob Ford crack scandal: Toronto mayor refuses to discuss specifics of video". Toronto Star. Toronto. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
9. ^ "Rob Ford fired as Don Bosco Eagles football coach". CBC News.
10. ^ "Police say some Project Traveller charges connected to Anthony Smith murder - Toronto | Globalnews.ca".
11. ^ CTV News Staff (31 Oct 2013). "We have images consistent with alleged crack video: Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair". CTV News. Toronto. Retrieved 6 Nov 2013.

## External links

[edit]

* Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School Archived 2014-05-26 at the Wayback Machine
* TCDSB Portal

* v
* t
* e

Secondary education in Toronto

English-language public schools

Toronto District SB|

* A. Y. Jackson
* Agincourt
* Albert Campbell
* Alderwood†
* Avondale
* ASE 1
* Bendale*
* Birchmount Park
* Bloor
* Bickford Park*
* Brockton*
* Burnhamthorpe
* C. W. Jefferys
* CALC (Parkview)
* Cedarbrae
* Central Etobicoke
* Central Technical
* Central Toronto
* City
* Contact
* Danforth
* David and Mary Thomson
* Delphi
* Don Mills
* Downsview
* Dr Norman Bethune
* Drewry
* Earl Haig
* East York
* EYASS
* Eastdale
* Eastern Commerce*
* Emery
* Etobicoke
* ESA (Royal York)
* EYRAC
* Forest Hill
* Frank Oke
* George Harvey
* George S. Henry
* Georges Vanier
* Greenwood
* Harbord
* Heydon Park
* Humberside
* Humbergrove*
* Inglenook
* Jarvis
* John Polanyi
* Keiller Mackay†
* Kingsmill*
* Kipling
* L'Amoreaux
* Lakeshore (New Toronto)
* Lakeview*
* Lawrence Park
* Leaside
* Lester B. Pearson
* Lewis S. Beattie*
* Malvern
* Maplewood
* Marc Garneau
* Martingrove
* Midland*
* Monarch Park
* Nelson A. Boylen*
* Newtonbrook
* Native Learning
* Native Learning East
* North Albion
* North Toronto
* Northern
* Northview Heights
* Oakwood
* Oasis
* Parkdale
* Parkview
* R. H. King
* Richview
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* Rosedale Heights
* Runnymede
* Scarborough Centre
* Scarlett Heights*
* SEE
* SLE
* SEED
* Silverthorn
* Sir John A. Macdonald
* Sir Oliver Mowat
* Sir Robert L. Borden*
* Sir Wilfrid Laurier
* Sir William Osler
* South East
* Stephen Leacock
* Subway Academy I
* Subway Academy II
* Student School
* Tabor Park*
* Thistletown
* Timothy Eaton†
* Ursula Franklin
* Vaughan Road*
* Victoria Park
* Vincent Massey*
* W. A. Porter
* West Hill
* West Humber
* West Park*
* Western
* Weston
* Westview
* Wexford
* William Lyon Mackenzie
* Winston Churchill
* West End
* Woburn
* Yorkdale
* York Humber  (Emmett)
* York Humber  (Humber Blvd.)*
* York Memorial
* York Mills

Toronto Catholic District SB|

* A.P.P.L.E
* Bishop Allen
* Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton
* Brebeuf
* Brother Edmund Rice†
* Cardinal Carter
* Chaminade
* Dante Alighieri
* Don Bosco*
* Father Henry Carr (Marian Academy)
* Father Henry Carr (Kipling)†
* Father John Redmond
* Francis Libermann
* James Cardinal McGuigan
* Loretto
* Loretto Abbey
* Madonna
* Marshall McLuhan
* Mary Ward
* Michael Power/St. Joseph
* Monsignor Fraser
* Monsignor Percy Johnson
* Neil McNeil
* Notre Dame
* Regina Pacis*
* Senator O'Connor
* St. Basil-the-Great
* St. Joan of Arc
* St. John Henry Newman
* St. John Paul II
* St. Joseph's
* St. Joseph's Morrow Park
* St. Mary
* St. Michael's Choir
* St. Mother Teresa
* St. Oscar Romero
* St. Patrick

French-language public schools

CS Viamonde|

* Étienne-Brûlé
* Le Collège français
* Toronto Ouest

CS catholique MonAvenir|

* Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel
* Père-Philippe-Lamarche
* Saint-Frère-André

Private schools

Non-religious|

* A.R.S. Armenian
* Abelard
* Arrowsmith
* Bayview Glen
* Beach*
* Bond
* Branksome Hall
* Brighton
* Crescent
* Crestwood
* Dragon*
* Greenwood
* Halton
* Hudson
* Linden
* Lycée Français
* Metropolitan
* Nile
* Toronto French
* Toronto Prep
* UTS
* Upper Canada
* WillowWood
* York

Religious|

* Adraba
* Bialik Hebrew
* Bishop Strachan
* Bnei Akiva
* Crawford Adventist
* De La Salle
* Havergal
* Hawthorn
* Mariyah Islamic
* Netivot HaTorah
* North Toronto Christian
* Royal St. George's
* St. Clement's
* St. Michael's
* Tanenbaum Community Hebrew
* Tiferes Bais Yaakov
* Whitefield Christian

Miscellaneous

Lists|

* List of secondary schools in the Toronto District School Board
* List of schools in the Toronto Catholic District School Board
* List of schools of the Conseil scolaire Viamonde

Italics \- Alternative school or adult secondary school | * - Non-operational | † - Demolished or sold off

* v
* t
* e

Salesians of Don Bosco

People|

* St. Francis de Sales (Patron)
* St. John Bosco (Founder)
* Ven. Margherita Occhiena (Mother of John Bosco)
* Fr. Giovanni Melchiorre Calosso (Mentor)
* Luigi Comollo (Friend)
* St. Joseph Cafasso (Spiritual Director)
* St. Callistus Caravario
* St. Maria Domenica Mazzarello (Co-founder of the Salesian Sisters)
* St. Leonardo Murialdo
* St. Dominic Savio
* St. Luigi Versiglia
* St. Artémides Zatti
* Bl. Alexandrina of Balazar
* Bl. Józef Kowalski
* Bl. Pope Pius IX (Called John Bosco's Pope)
* Bl. Ceferino Namuncurá
* Bl. Luigi Variara
* Bl. Laura Vicuña

| Rectors Major|

* Don Bosco
* Michael Rua
* Paul Albera
* Philip Rinaldi
* Pietro Ricaldone
* Renato Ziggiotti
* Luis Ricceri
* Egidio Viganò
* Juan Edmundo Vecchi
* Pascual Chávez Villanueva
* Ángel Fernández Artime

|

Places|

* Valdocco
* Basilica of Our Lady Help of Christians

Groups|

* Salesian Sisters
* Salesian Cooperators
* Congregation of Saint Michael the Archangel

Other|

* Sacred Heart Church, Battersea
* Salesian Bulletin
* Salesian Preventive System
* Sexual abuse scandal in the Salesian order

Schools|

* St. Mary's English High School, Maligaon
* Archbishop Shaw High School
* Cristo Rey Tampa High School
* Daughters of Mary Help of Christians Siu Ming Catholic Secondary School
* Don Bosco Academy, Pampanga
* Don Bosco College, Canlubang
* Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School
* Don Bosco Formation Center
* Don Bosco High & Technical School, Liluah
* Don Bosco High School (Imphal)
* Don Bosco High School, Lagawe
* Don Bosco High School, Tinsukia
* Don Bosco Higher Secondary School, Dimapur
* Don Bosco Preparatory High School
* Don Bosco School Ernakulam
* Don Bosco School, Manila
* Don Bosco School, Park Circus
* Don Bosco Technical College
* Don Bosco Technical College–Cebu
* Don Bosco Technical High School (Boston)
* Don Bosco Technical Institute, Makati
* Don Bosco Technical Institute, Tarlac
* Don Bosco Technical Institute, Victorias
* Don Bosco Technical Institute
* Don Bosco Technical School, Shillong
* Immaculata-LaSalle High School
* Saint Francis Central Coast Catholic High School
* Salesian College (Chadstone)
* Salesian College (Rupertswood)
* Salesian College Celbridge
* Salesian College Preparatory
* Salesian College, Battersea
* Salesian College, Farnborough
* Salesian English School
* Salesian High School (Los Angeles)
* Salesian High School (New York)
* Salesian High School (South Korea)
* Salesian School, Chertsey
* Salesiano Valparaíso
* Salesianum School
* Savio Preparatory High School
* St John Bosco Arts College
* St John Bosco College, Battersea
* St Joseph's College, Ferntree Gully
* St. Anthony's Higher Secondary School, Shillong
* St. Mary's Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School
* St. Petersburg Catholic High School
* Tang King Po School
* The Salesian Academy of St John Bosco
* Thornleigh Salesian College

* Catholicism portal

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