Henry Carr CSB

Background

Henry Carr was a Basilian father also known as Father "Hank" Carr. He enhanced Catholic education in Canada by broadening the curriculum at University of Toronto's University of St. Michael’s College. He also arranged for St. Michael's to be a federated arts college. He was the co-founder of the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, and an advocate for the inclusion of religious education in curricular studies.

Carr was born and raised in Oshawa, Ontario in 1880, one of nine children. He was ordained as a priest on September 3, 1905. He taught at St. Michael's College and acted as a president of the Institute of Medieval Studies until 1936 and served as the principal at St. Thomas More College in Saskatchewan. He died of pneumonia on November 28, 1963 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

History

The original site of Father Henry Carr C.S.S. from 1974–2007. The building was built in 1976. Presently, it has become the Rexdale community hub.

Father Henry Carr Catholic Secondary School is a composite co-educational school located in the area of Finch and Martin Grove in Rexdale in northwest Etobicoke. The area is a mixed residential/commercial neighbourhood with an industrial park, a Catholic elementary school (St. Dorothy), a hospital (Etobicoke General), a community college (Humber College), a park (Masseygrove), a mall (Shopper's World Albion), a public secondary school (West Humber Collegiate Institute), and two public elementary schools (Elmbanks Junior Middle Academy and Melody Village Junior School).

The school was established in 1974 by the Basilian Fathers and the Metropolitan Separate School Board (now called the Toronto Catholic District School Board) with the school building completed in 1976 on the original 21 Panorama Court building on Kipling and Albion.The school facilities in the original building consisted of one main two-story building and 16 portables, with a cafetorium and a playing field.

In 2007, Father Henry Carr moved to the newly renovated 1760 Martin Grove Road, the former home of Marian Academy, a school which existed from 1988 until 2002 when the school was used as the temporary campus. The current site was once part of the former Humbergrove Secondary School, which was closed in 1988 and the property was turned over to the Metropolitan Separate School Board. The new Carr was renovated, including a new main entrance, central community atrium, cafeteria, drama studio, labs, three automotive bays, new windows, stonework and landscaping.

FHC has the Field of Dreams, a football and track field with artificial turf field complete with full lighting. It offers sports such as basketball, hockey (not since 2005), football, softball, cricket, track and field, volleyball, badminton, cross-country, and swimming.

The school offers an Advanced Placement (AP) program. It is the regional centre for the AP and Pre-AP program for the TCDSB.

Extra-curricular activities include dramatic productions, art exhibits, drum-line and musical performances.

Other programs are

• Mandatory after-school tutoring
• ESL courses and supports
• Vibrant Leadership groups
• Chaplaincy team
• Community outreach
• Hospital for Sick Children Reading Program
• Linkage with colleges and universities for mentorship
• Cooperative Education and Apprenticeship (OYAP)
• Library resource centre
• A special education model
• Co-host of the OYAP Carpentry Accelerated Program

• Sim Bhullar – NBA player
• Kerry Carter – NFL player
• Paul Cavallini – NHL player
• Carlo Colaiacovo – NHL player
• Enrico Colantoni – actor (drama and arts theater named in his honour)
• Tyler Ennis – NBA player
• Bob Essensa – NHL player
• Patrick Flatley – NHL player
• Tremaine Harris – 2012 Olympic sprinter
• Paul Higgins – NHL player
• Scott Mellanby – NHL player
• Dillon Brooks - NBA player
• Jeff Shattler - NLL player (lacrosse)