Havergal College


Havergal College is an independent boarding and day school for girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school was established in 1894 and named for Frances Ridley Havergal, a composer, author, and humanitarian.
Today, the campus is located at 1451 Avenue Road, at the corner of Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue in midtown Toronto. Facilities include an Upper School, an athletic centre with a pool and fitness center, music studios, a theatre, computer labs, and a Junior School.
In 2012, Havergal's elementary school was ranked first by the Fraser Institute amongst Toronto schools, receiving a "perfect score of 10." In 2015, Havergal's secondary school was ranked second by the Fraser Institute amongst 749 Ontario secondary schools.

History

Havergal was founded in 1894 as a Church of England Ladies' College, under principal Ellen Mary Knox. She held a first-class in the final honour examination at the University of Oxford, a Cambridge University diploma in teaching, and a First Division Government certificate. Havergal was the sister school of Ridley College for the first several decades of the schools' history.
In 1898, a new building was constructed for the school at 354 Jarvis Street. By 1903, Havergal College had 120 boarders and 200 day girls, a staff of 20 resident teachers and a number of nonresident visiting teachers. The former Havergal Ladies' College building at 354 Jarvis Street is now the Margaret McCain Academic Building at the National Ballet School of Canada.

Symbols

Havergal has several symbols. The Havergal Crest, comprising maple leaves, laurel branches, a torch, and a lamp of learning, symbolizes the school motto of Vitai Lampada Tradens — passing on the torch of life. The marguerite was chosen as the school flower "because it grew so cheerily wherever its luck found it, and because it looked up so steadily at the light that its heart was pierced with purest gold, its petals the purest white."

Upper School (US)

The Upper School refers to both the Middle School and the Senior School and is located at 1451 Avenue Road. The building was completed in 1926.

Upper School curriculum

The Liberal Arts program exceeds the expectations of the Ontario Ministry of Education. All courses are college-preparatory and are at the advanced level. A credit is granted with the successful completion of a course for which a minimum of 110 hours has been scheduled. Many students choose to write Advanced Placement exams. Upon graduation, students receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.

Languages

The Languages Department at Havergal offers courses in French, Spanish, Latin, and Mandarin.

Technological education

Students learn the fundamentals of web design, video and multimedia production, animation, and graphic design. Courses provide the opportunity to explore current industry-standard software, including PhotoShop, InDesign, GoLive, Final Cut Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Soundtrack, LiveType, Motion, Dreamweaver, Flash, and Microsoft Office.

Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement Program gives students exposure to university-level material and, in some cases, credit towards university courses, and helps students acquire the skills and habits they will need for success at university. Havergal offers Advanced Placement courses in biology, calculus, statistics, French, and Spanish.

Boarding school

The boarding school is a residence for approximately 50 students, representing countries all over the globe. Fully integrated in the life of the school and with Day Students, boarding students participate in life skills programming, recreational programming and The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, in addition to the curricular and co-curricular programs. The Boarding School also hosts exchange students who visit for several weeks each term from partner schools located in six countries worldwide.

Notable alumnae

The house system forms the basis for organization in the school. The Houses have been named for women who have contributed to the welfare of Havergal.
House NameColoursMascot
Agnes HansenPink & WhitePanther

Catherine Steele		Purple & SilverUnicorn
Edith NainbyRed & WhiteLion
Ellen KnoxGreen & WhiteFrog
Frances RidleyBlack & WhitePenguin
Kate LeonardBaby Blue & WhiteElephant
Marcelle De FreitasRoyal Blue & SilverDolphin
Margaret TaylorOrange & Dark BlueButterfly
Marian WoodYellow & BlackBumblebee
Mary DennysTeal & GoldDragon

The House tradition is a characteristic of the Havergal community is part of the history of the school. The House system recognizes the contributions of ten women within the life of the school, it also provides an important link between students and Old Girls throughout the generations.

Affiliations