Silverthorn Collegiate's mission is to create a school environment dedicated to excellence and love of learning. Our goal is to challenge each learner to reach their full potential and become a positive, responsible contributor to society. Silverthorn is a friendly, safe learning community committed to relevant and innovative programs. We encourage growth through opportunities for student involvement that go outside the doors of the classroom. Our aim is to educate and equip students with the tools and resources they need to make informed and healthy choices in school and in life.
Character Education
We value good character and we use our Character Education program, along with positive messages in our classes, to encourage character building. Using the school symbol of the Spartan, we have identified a set of values using "SPARTANS" as our acronym to recognize those characteristics which we want to develop in our students: self-discipline, positive attitude, acceptance, respect, trustworthiness, altruism, nobility, and school spirit. Each month an attribute is presented to our students in a variety of ways, including announcements, meaningful quotations, posters displayed within the school, and special events and assemblies.
Interesting Feature
Athletes Welcome!
Our High Performer Program is an academic program for students who are elite athletes involved in regional, provincial, national or international competition. We offer students with intense training schedules, the opportunity for a more flexible timetable in order to balance their out-of-school commitments, so that they may strive for both academic and athletic excellence. Features of the program include: alternative learning options (e-learning and ILC), enriched level courses, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and customized courses with flexible timetables.
More Information about Silverthorn Collegiate Institute
Enirched Academic Program
At Silverthorn, beginning in grade 9, we offer enriched level courses in the subjects of Math, Science, and English. These courses are for students who have demonstrated the ability and are interested in exploring one or more of the above courses in-depth. The additional material is evaluated in class, and students are assessed using academic level standards.
Extensive Athletics
Our extensive athletic program provides an enriching experience for everyone. We offer both intramural sports (offered at lunch time) and intercollegiate sports teams, which include baseball, basketball, football, flag-football, hockey, soccer, slo-pitch, volleyball, badminton, cross-country, curling, golf, tennis, track & field, ultimate frisbee and wrestling.
Arts and Culture - Specialist High Skills Major
Silverthorn's students and staff are highly enthusiastic about the arts! Students specialize in the Arts and receive a red seal on their diploma. The red seal indicates to post secondary institutions and to the industry the student's extensive experience in the arts. We provide instruction in Visual Arts, Dance, Drama, Media Studies, Music, and Photography.
Innovative Technology
Our technology infrastructure is extensive, encompassing 11 computer labs, a fully equipped television production studio, an auto shop with 3 hoists that serve the community, a manufacturing and wood shop, a robotics lab, and a computer networking facility. We strive to offer a digital environment that extends communication and collaboration beyond the classroom.
Student Life - Where You Belong
The academic side of school life is the most important part and the reason we fill our schools with highly educated and dedicated staff, yet the total experience is more than the daily schedule of classes. A great way for our students to be engaged in school is to be part of school life outside the classroom. We offer a wide variety of clubs, activities and sports. Co-curricular activities take place before school, at lunch and after school and are supervised by a staff member who shares the passion of its members. Our Silverthorn clubs include: Art & Photography, Big on Books (BOB), Business club, Chess club, Dance club, Debate Society, Dungeons & Dragons, Knitting club, Math Counts club, Music club, Prefects, Prom Committee, Relay for Life, Spartan Athletic Association (SAA), Silverthorn Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Social Justice, Sound & Lighting, Student Activity Council (SAC), and Yearbook club.
What Sets Us Apart
The Silverthorn Leadership program is extensive and rewarding, offering many opportunities for students to develop leadership skills and attributes. Our Student Activity Council, Athletic Council, Prefects, and Social Justice all provide experiences for students to improve their planning, problem solving and interpersonal skills. Our grade 9 students attend a three day program at Albion Hills which is planned and run by our senior student leaders. Here, students make important connections with peers and teachers through new experiences which facilitate personal growth in a safe, supportive environment. Grade 10 students attend a five day trip to Camp Manitou in Muskoka. With a comprehensive year long training program, one hundred grade 11 and 12 student-leaders plan and run the camp. Manitou shapes the school community and provides a foundation for our students to develop self-esteem and confidence.
Parent and Community Engagement
A school is an important part of the community and Silverthorn is linked with the community in numerous ways. We communicate regularly with parents through email, the school web-site, and Twitter. We have an active and supportive School Council who assist at school-wide events. We use coaches from our community who are passionate about their sport. We use local businesses to help train students through our co-operative education program. We use guest speakers from the community in our classrooms and in special presentations to share their experiences and expertise. We collaborate with members of the Toronto Police Services to facilitate various assemblies throughout the year. We run a major fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life campaign wherein community members and friends of Silverthorn help to raise thousands of dollars for this worthy cause.
