Together, we care and believe. Individually, we learn and achieve. Lucy McCormick Senior School is named for Lucy McCormick, an esteemed teacher, who dedicated much of her career to students with special needs. Lucy McCormick Senior School serves over 78 students, with Developmental Disabilities and offers a safe, caring, welcoming learning environment. The students range in age from 12 to 21 years. A cooperative team approach is used to support our students. The team includes Teachers, Educational Assistants, Child and Youth Workers, Blind/Deaf Intervenors, a Horticulture Instructor, Continuing Education staff, Social Work, Psychology, Speech & Language and Physio and Occupational Therapy personnel.
Horticulture Program
The beautiful greenhouse is the main feature of the vibrant Horticulture program at Lucy McCormick. Year round, students can spend time in the greenhouse surrounded by a wide variety of flowering plants and trees. Students learn to plant, water, prune and tend to a variety of flowering plants, vegetable planters and small gardens in the school grounds.
Wood Working Program
At Lucy McCormick there is a fully equipped and specially adapted wood shop where students work, under the expert guidance of the Design and Technology teacher. Some of the finished products students make include: paper towel holders, book ends, small wooden stools and tool caddies.
Food Services Program
Classes from many high schools with DD programs are scheduled into the Food Services program throughout the year. Our fully functioning cafeteria under the supervision of a secondary teacher provides viable work experience for these students.
Work Education Program
Work Education is a visual arts-based program designed to meet the individual and vocational needs of each student. Multi-sensory experiences involving a variety of art tools, materials and techniques are used to enhance the students' imagination, creativity problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Family Studies
The Family Studies program emphasizes skills that are useful at home, primarily simple food preparation and laundry activities. The students practise many skills such as sorting, measuring, choosing food items, chopping, mixing, washing dishes and setting the table.
Student Life - Where You Belong
At Lucy McCormick staff plan many theme-based activities to enhance the academic curriculum. Students enjoy assemblies, dances, sports events, guest artists and performers and many other events designed to keep the program vibrant and exciting for students. Some students take part in an overnight excursion in June at Shadowlake or Windreach Farms. The end of the year culminates in a beautifully coordinated graduation ceremony for graduates and their parents.
What Sets Us Apart
Lucy McCormick School is the singular congregated /DD school in the TDSB structured to meet the needs of only secondary age and older students. We incorporate elements from the secondary school model such as rotary schedules, lockers and age-appropriate activities designed to foster independence.
Parent and Community Engagement
One of our primary goals is to provide access to the community for our students and to invite the community into our school. Community trips are a daily part of the students' schedules. We are very grateful for the Activity Bus that allows us to transport our wheelchair students on field trips and regular swimming classes at Beverley P.S. pool. At Lucy we benefit from PSWstudent placements in partnership with Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre and CALC. We also work closely with community/social agencies: Surrey Place, Geneva Centre, Community Living Toronto, VITA, META Centre, Griffin Centre, Community Care Access Centre. We have a small but dedicated and supportive School Advisory Council.
