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Head of School Address

Welcome to Holy Name of Mary College School and the journey to finding the best school for your daughter. It is my distinct pleasure to open the doors to our school where you will see empowered, creative, and inspirational girls working together with educators to celebrate the uniqueness of each girl through university preparatory programming with twenty first century innovation. Through our four pillars: compassion, justice, respect and excellence, each girl finds her confidence, joy, and personal and spiritual growth.

As a girls’ school, we successfully tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of girls in the modern world. Understanding that an excellent education does not simply teach girls to be good test takers, but rather how to successfully collaborate, problem solve, and find creative solutions. We foster a community that encourages exploration, intellectual risk-taking, and asks girls to be reflective and explore who they are authentically as leaders.

We help her to realize her strengths from the inside and surround her with bright, caring, and inspirational teachers to guide her through this journey of self-discovery.Carrie Hughes-Grant, Head of School

The only Ontario credit granting all girls’ Catholic independent school, our culture is one of a vibrant sacramental life built for today’s girl. The moral compass that she will gain and develop works to not only help shape her mind, but also her heart. As change is one of the only certainties in today’s world, our programme prepares her for dealing with the many different challenges, opportunities, and situations that will arrive for her in university and beyond.

Our school allows for the girl to be at the centre of everything that we do and we design her day to help her discover what brings her joy. From understanding that a girl’s peers are just as important in her growth as her family and her teachers, we structure opportunities in and beyond the classroom to help facilitate her long term personal trajectory. We help her to realize her strengths from the inside and surround her with bright, caring, and inspirational teachers to guide her through this journey of self-discovery. It is through these dynamic relationships that each girl is encouraged to challenge herself, to seize the opportunities around her while creating her own, and to optimize her learning potential to shape her own success. Although each girl’s path is individual, we provide varied opportunities through our co-curriculars, STEM, specialized programmes, differentiated learning, and innovation time for the girls to explore the entire experiential and educational design process.

It is through a shared commitment between students, families, teachers, and administration that our school has become a special place to learn, grow, and thrive. Our achievements are built upon the strength of the whole community and we value these relationships with our students and her family.

I invite you to enter into our learning community where you will see that girls are at the centre of everything that we do and are inspired to aim for the stars.

Carrie Hughes-Grant
Head of School

 
A Strategic Plan for 2016-2021Young Women Empowered for the Future

About Us

Who we are

  • Catholic | Independent | Mission

    Holy Name of Mary College School (HNMCS) is an independent, Catholic school for girls in grades 5 through 12. We are guided by our mission to educate young women to their full potential in a dynamic learning environment that builds confidence and encourages leadership.

  • Felician | Basilian

    Founded by the Felician Sisters in 1964, Holy Name of Mary quickly established a reputation for academic excellence and commitment to social action and service. In September 2008, Holy Name of Mary reopened as Holy Name of Mary College School supported by St. Michael’s College School of Toronto.

  • ACADEMIC | TRADITION | 21st Century Skills

    We continue to focus on academic excellence and building on the traditions established by the Felician Sisters while also preparing girls to lead in the 21st century.

  • Co-Curriculars | University Prep

    We are a vibrant community that provides girls with rich learning opportunities and varied co-curricular activities designed to empower them to reach higher. We have an exemplary university preparation curriculum that fosters excellence.

What we do

  • Culture of Achievement

    HNMCS has a culture of achievement that develops the individual capacity of every girl.

  • Customized Learning

    Our curriculum is tailored for girls to develop and excel in the way they learn best.

  • All-Girl Leadership

    Research shows that graduates from all-girls schools achieve greater academic success, have more self-confidence and develop stronger leadership skills. This is a direct result of a robust learning environment where girls take on every role and are supported in finding and sharing their unique voice.

  • Social Balance

    Our affiliation with St. Michael’s College School balances the benefits of single gender education with co-ed activities such as theatre arts, symposiums, co-curricular activities, social justice initiatives, field trips and social events.

 

Our Core Values

Respect

Reverence and respect for and commitment to promoting and protecting the dignity of persons.

Excellence

Encouraging an open mind and heart to lead to the continuous improvement of the person and ministry.

Justice

Forging right relationships, recreating a sustainable environment and promoting the common good, all in the pursuit of peace.

Compassion

Exhibiting emphatic consciousness toward others expressed in caring service.
Fact Sheet

Board of Directors

The HNMCS Board of Directors oversees the strategic, financial and operational sustainability of HNMCS as executed by the Head of School. The sponsoring orders of the Basilian Fathers and the Felician Sisters approve all directors who join the Board, ensuring that each director reflects the school's Core Values and provides skills to assist in the governance of the school.

Board members are dedicated to the success of the school and play a strategic role in its continued evolution.

Enzo Carcasole serves as the Basilian Fathers' designate on the HNMCS Board. He has had a career of teaching English in the Catholic school setting, having taught for the Toronto Catholic District School Board and at St. Michael's College School. From 2011-2013, Enzo served as a teacher/administrator at HNMCS. He has strengths in curriculum, academic excellence, and he views the school's mission through the lens of the Basilian values for education.

Ezio Crescenzi, Board Secretary is the Managing Director of the Crescenzi Consulting Group, an educational consulting company that helps transform good schools into great schools. Previously, Ezio was the Head of School at The York School in Toronto. The York School was the first International Baccalaureate world school in Canada accredited to offer the IB curriculum from kindergarten through to university entrance. While at The York School, Ezio was able to create a new Junior School in the Heart of Toronto by building a new Lower School and significantly renovating the Upper School. Before that, he was the founding principal of three new public Catholic secondary schools in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board. His last high school (Gonzaga) in Dufferin-Peel was a unique partnership with the City of Mississauga. This school has some of the best facilities of any school in Ontario. As well, Gonzaga was usually in the top ten schools in the province on Provincial math and literacy tests. Ezio retired from the Dufferin- Peel Board in 2006, shortly after he was awarded the Catholic Principal of the Year award by the Catholic Principals Council of Ontario. Ezio has been very active in the community. He served for many years on the Board of Directors of Peel Family Services, a not for profit agency of the United Way. He brings excellent skills in a variety of areas key to a successful not for profit school, including strategic planning, marketing, management, staffing, financial management and advancement.

Colleen Fulkerson, Board Chair serves as the Felician Sisters’ designate on the HNMCS board. In her professional responsibility to the Felician Sisters of North America, she serves as a liaison between the Felician Sisters and several of their ministries in North America. She provides expertise in the areas of educational administration, strategy, and supervision. Colleen guides and supports ministry leaders on all areas as related to governance and operations. Colleen has experience as a teacher, department chair, Curriculum and Assessment Director, professional development leader, and has experience both opening and closing schools as well as turning around underperforming K-12 schools in some of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas in Chicago. Colleen taught for eleven years at a Felician-sponsored high school in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Sr. Celestine Giertych C.S.S.F.

Diane Richards, Board Vice Chair is an Independent Education Professional and former Secondary School Principal. Most recently, she was the Principal of the Independent Learning Center, the Ministry of Education's long distance education provider. She’s served as a Coach, working with secondary school principals and administrators as part of the Principals Council of Ontario. Diane retired from the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board where she was Principal of Adult and Continuing Education. She served as the first lay principal of Holy Name of Mary and brings a strong familiarity with the Felician Sisters and their mission as well as a robust background in school administration, academic excellence, and professional development.

Rudi Tomaini

Administration

The HNMCS administration executes the strategic plan outlined by the Board of Directors. They are innovative, ethical and empathetic leaders who are dedicated to their commitment to meet and surpass all school-wide objectives in concert with parents, guardians and of course the students of HNMCS.

The mission of the HNMCS Administration Team is to help every HNMCS student develop intellectually, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Ms. Carrie Hughes-Grant Head of School

Ms. Kathryn Anderson Director of Student Life

Mr. Ryan Baker Director of Academics

Mr. Andrew MacLeod Director of Technology

Ms. Nicki Newhouse Director of School

Staff

HNMCS staff support our students in all aspects of their academic journey. Each day they work to facilitate the daily operations of the school and manage a variety of processes key to ensuring every HNMCS student has a successful path to success.

Our staff are inspirational. They provide ongoing help and encouragement in all aspects affecting school life and office management.

Ms. Giselle Fernandes Admissions

Ms. Harpreet Kalirae Administration

Ms. Angela Kretz Director, Advancement

Ms. Julie Mastromattei Student Information Manager

Ms. Elizabeth McCurdy Reception

Ms. Melissa McDermott Director of Finance

Ms. Cheryl Pereira Accounting

Faculty

All our faculty are personally invested in the care and nurturing of every HNMCS student. They are committed to healthy and supportive educational processes to instill a love of lifelong learning in each HNMCS student. They are 100% certified professionals (PhD/M.Ed./OCT), friendly facilitators, mentoring moderators and caring coaches.

Every HNMCS faculty member completed a customized professional development programme to ensure students are always learning contemporary content via ideal and research-supported teaching methods

Ms. Jennifer Apuzzo Drama, Social Science

Dr. Laura Barbieri French

Ms. Susan Bates University/Post Secondary Counsellor

Ms. Bernadine Catral Mathematics

Ms. Jaclyn Carere Science

Ms. Alessandra Ciraco Religion & Science

Ms. Olivia DiGiammarino Learning Enrichment Centre

Ms. Sarah DiMauro Music

Ms. Angelica Hessing Business Studies

Ms. Marion Hurley Art

Dr. Karen Kozma Science

Ms. Alessandra Labricciosa Mathematics, Science

Ms. Olivia Lubanski Grade 6

Ms. Rima Makari ESL

Mr. Clayton Martino English, Athletic Director (SS)

Ms. Jennifer Mather Grade 5

Ms. Julia Mathews Religion

Ms. Anne Morrone Music

Ms. Euginia Nicoletti Science

Ms. Kristin Prillo Programme Co-Ordinator, Grade 7

Ms. Christa Sealey Grade 8

Ms. Alona Shpit Mathematics

Mr. Kyle Watson French, Athletic Director (MS)

Ms. Laura Wood English