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"The school absolutely exceeded my expectations - I walked away impressed by the sense of community, the commitment to yiddishkeit, the open-minded acceptance of different approaches to Judaism, the academic rigor in both secular and religious studies, and the dazzling array of extracurricular activities - in short, I was overwhelmed by the richness and texture of this extraordinary high school. I came back to Montreal so enthusiastic, a number of my friends wondered if I might move to Toronto"...
Professor Gil Troy, McGill University
Introducing CHAT
The School Handbook and the Course Calendar
The Ontario Secondary School Diploma
Sports and Extra-Curricular Opportunities
About CHAT
CHAT is the coeducational Community High School of the Greater Toronto Jewish Community. We welcome students of all Jewish affiliations and beliefs. Founded with a small number of students in 1960, we have grown to over 1,400 students on two campuses. CHAT has a teaching faculty of over one hundred and seventy, including over sixty Jewish Studies faculty. We are known for the caring dimension of our teaching; the close student-teacher relationships; and the family atmosphere within the school - both within each grade and across the grades. A full team of Guidance Counsellors and a system of Staff Grade Teams have ensured that our most important qualities remained intact as our school has grown. A successful programme of Peer Counselling and Peer Tutoring maintains our tradition of mutual student-to-student help. We offer a comprehensive range of educational services, ensuring that we are meeting the individual educational and social needs and interests of a very wide range of students. Our General Studies programme prepares students for University entrance in Canada, the United States and Israel; we have an enviable record of success. We provide Remediation and E.S.L. at both Campuses through Learning Centres. Special Education is provided at CHAT TC. Our campus can accommodate students with physical disabilities.
Parents and students are invited to visit CHAT?s main website: www.chat-edu.ca for comprehensive information.
EDLINE is CHAT's on-line system for student-teacher-parent communication. In developing EDLINE we are in the forefront of integrating on-line communication to the internal life of the school. We are constantly expanding EDLINE and adding more information and more accessibility to the system.
One School - Two Campuses
CHAT TANENBAUM CAMPUS ('CHAT TC') and CHAT RICHMOND HILL ('CHAT RH')
CHAT is one school with two campuses. Under the direction of a central Administration, headed by the Director of Education, CHAT RH and CHAT TC operate under exactly the same ethos, educational standards and philosophy. School policy is to encourage joint programming between the two campuses. The Anne and Max Tanenbaum Educational Centre on Wilmington Avenue - the 'Tanenbaum Campus' - is designated as our central/south Campus, serving students living south of Steeles Avenue; CHAT Richmond Hill is our northern campus, serving students living north of Steeles. Both campuses have a full site-based Administration, headed by a Campus Principal. CHAT Tanenbaum Campus is being continuously improved, and has benefited from almost $9m of renovations in recent years. CHAT TC also houses our central Administration, Finance and Development offices. CHAT Richmond Hill occupies the premises of the former Richmond Hill High School. CHAT RH has excellent facilities, including a large field. Students entering Grade 9 in September 2006 should be able to enjoy CHAT Richmond Hill's new building, scheduled to open in 2007 on the new 'Jewish Toronto Tomorrow' Lebovic Community Campus in Vaughan. This building will be designated as the 'Kimel Family Education Centre', recognizing a magnificent gift to CHAT by the Kimel family. The building will be a state-of-the-art High School of international standards.
Jewish Studies at CHAT
Jewish Studies at CHAT encourages students to explore their Jewishness in an open atmosphere, and is concentrated on four areas: Tanakh (Bible), Ivrit, Jewish History and Rabbinics (study of texts relating to ethical and philosophical issues). A Talmud option is available in Grade 9, leading to CHAT?s prestigious Special Talmud course. In higher grades, options in Jewish Philosophy and Ethics and other electives are available. Israel and Ivrit figure prominently and positively in our school life, and we encourage students to undertake further study in Israel after leaving school. A rich experiential programme of retreats, Shabbatonim, visiting speakers, Family Education evenings, and other events complements curriculum teaching. The celebration of Yom Ha'atzmaut and the commemoration of Yom HaShoah are always memorable events on the school calendar. A voluntary daily school minyan is held, at which parents are welcome. The school is always ready to accommodate suggestions from our student body for different traditions of minyanim. While most of our intake is from the Jewish Day School system, we have a New Stream for Jewish Studies, which welcomes students who have not had a previous Jewish Day School education. The Ivrit/Jewish Studies Faculty at CHAT - perhaps the largest full-time Jewish Studies Faculty at any North American institution - has at its disposal an in-house Jewish Studies Resource Centre for the development of curriculum and the nurturing of professional excellence. We believe that our Jewish Studies programme offers a rare Jewish, intellectual and emotional experience that enriches our students' lives, and frequently that of their families as well.
General Studies
CHAT has a reputation as a first-rank academic school. Students at CHAT follow the High School Curriculum of the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. Historically, our students have easily fulfilled the credit requirements for High School graduation, and have an exceptional rate of success in University entrance. The CHAT General Studies curriculum offers a range of courses, and there are choices available at each level. Constant feedback from Universities, Colleges and from our own graduates indicates that a CHAT education is an outstanding preparation for University and College study - both in knowledge and skills.
Guidance and Counselling
The Guidance and Counselling Service at CHAT fulfills several functions. Our team of Counsellors advises students on course selections and personal educational planning; career counselling; University and College entrance; and on study programmes in Israel. Personal counselling is available on a strictly confidential basis for students who wish to discuss academic, social, personal or family issues. CHAT also works closely with the social service agencies of the Jewish and wider community.
Community Service
An essential part of the CHAT programme is teaching our students their responsibilities to others. As part of his or her Jewish Studies course, every CHAT student has to log eighteen hours of community work each year. Thus CHAT contributes well over twenty thousand hours of volunteer work to our community each year, covering an enormous range of Jewish and non-Jewish causes and organisations.
The School Handbook and the Course Calendar
The School Handbook is issued at the beginning of each new School Year. It contains the Safety and Behaviour Code, details our expectations of our students and parents, and describes other essential school routines. We encourage parents to see themselves as partners with staff and Administration in ensuring the maintenance of a safe and amenable atmosphere within the school. Attendance at CHAT signifies acceptance by students and their parents of the content of the School Handbook and other rules set by Administration from time to time. Copies of the Handbook are always available from the School Office.
A comprehensive annual CHAT Course Calendar - available towards the end of each school year - gives full information to students and parents about courses and electives, and includes an individual academic planning chart. These are made available to applicants.
The Ontario Secondary School Diploma
In each Grade, successful completion of a Ministry-approved course earns a student one credit. To graduate High School, a student must:
earn a minimum of eighteen compulsory credits
earn a further twelve elective credits
pass the Grade 10 Literacy test
complete 40 hours of Community Service (CHAT requires 72 hours)
The Jewish Studies New Stream
Entry to CHAT for students who have not been in Jewish Day School
CHAT welcomes applications from students who have not been in Jewish Day School but wish to come to CHAT for High School. With help from UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, some years ago we established the CHAT 'New Stream' to allow these students access to CHAT. New Stream classes are successful, challenging and enjoyable. Students - and, frequently, their families - have found that the opportunity to encounter Judaism at a mature level has been a positive and stimulating experience. Special orientation programmes are available for New Stream students. In recent years, New Stream has supplied prominent student leaders at both Campuses.
Eligibility: All New Stream students must meet general CHAT entry requirements, and must demonstrate academic ability to cope with the New Stream course. New Stream Jewish Studies is open to students who have had no previous full-time Jewish education, or who have been out of Jewish Day School for at least three years (Grades 6-7-8). Former Day School students, after testing, may nevertheless be placed in Academic or Applied courses. Entrants to New Stream must have attained a fluent level of Hebrew reading and cursive writing and will not be offered a place at CHAT without having passed a simple skill test. No other previous Jewish knowledge or skills is assumed. For those students needing reinforcement, CHAT usually offers a mini-course during May (outside of school hours) to help students strengthen their skills. The only other requirements are enthusiasm, interest and curiosity from the student and his/her parents for the values and ethos of CHAT.
New Stream is a fast-moving and intellectually challenging course, and involves mastering a reasonable level of Ivrit. It is not an 'easy option', nor is it necessarily suitable for students who left the Jewish Day School system because of difficulty with languages. CHAT has no course available at present for students who are both New Stream and Special Ed.
The New Stream Course: New Stream operates only for Jewish Studies. Students are together with all other students for General Studies. For Jewish Studies, specially devised courses in Ivrit, Tanakh, Jewish History and Rabbinics are provided. The language of instruction is English. Some electives are available in higher grades. New Stream classes are slightly smaller than average, because the teaching is more specialised. All courses are accredited. With the approval of Administration, students who excel at their studies can transfer to Applied or Academic courses.
Application procedure: Exactly the same as day school applications.
Late applications, and applications for Grades 10-12: Late applications for Grade 9 New Stream (and especially applications received after the commencement of school) are extremely difficult to place. Due to the nature of the program, which focuses on intensive skill development, students are not normally admitted into New Stream after Grade Nine.
Enquiries: We recognize that applying for New Stream may be a major decision. If you would like to discuss it further before applying, please contact the school admissions office. We will be happy to talk through the issues with you.
The Grade Nine Programme
For some students, the transition to High School, and in particular the For some students, the transition to High School, and in particular the transition to High School academic standards and expectations can be difficult. Our Guidance Department runs a number of programmes designed to explain and ease that transition, including all-day socialization programmes for the whole of Grade 9. Most students have adjusted well by the end of the first Semester.
The Grade 9 General Studies programme is based on the learning outcomes described in the Ontario Secondary Schools Programme and Diploma Requirements (1999). CHAT offers a broad range of programmes within the options available. Each year, a full CHAT Course Calendar is published, which should be consulted for descriptions of the courses, and a 'road map' of the different level courses available and the options to which they may lead.
At the time of entrance interview, a Grade 9 Course list for 2006-7 will be available, and students will have a chance of choosing their option. However, course choices and allocations at that stage are tentative; some courses offered may not ultimately be offered, and some placements may be changed in the light of placement test results or other considerations. While every effort is made to meet student and parent wishes, CHAT reserves the right to determine student courses and class placement.
In Grade 9, every student takes eleven courses (each course is three one-hour lessons per week). These are:
Jewish Studies: Ivrit - Jewish History - Tanakh - Rabbinics or Talmud
General Studies: English - Geography - Math - French - Science - Phys Ed One of: Art, Drama, Integrated Technologies, Computer and Information Science
Successful conclusion of Grade 9 gives a student nine credits towards their Diploma requirements.
Sports and Extra-curricular Opportunities
Students at CHAT learn to be team players by participation in many sporting, cultural and general interest extracurricular activities. The range varies from year to year, according to student interest, and available school resources. Nevertheless, throughout the year there is a thriving sports and extra-curricular life on both campuses. At both campuses, in addition to a very active Student Council, there are a range of special events including the School Play and Talent Show. CHAT TC plays in the TDC AA Sports League (competing in tennis, cross-country, basketball, track and field, volleyball and baseball), and CHAT Richmond Hill plays in the York Region league. There are also many intramural and inter-Campus competitions. Each year CHAT hosts the Israel Becker Basketball Tournament for Jewish High Schools from all over North America - attracting several hundred visiting students. We are active participants in events of the North American Association of Jewish High Schools (NAAJHS). Students take responsibility for many extra-curricular Jewish programmes. Our students have multiple and diverse opportunities to follow individual interests and also to develop leadership and organisational skills.
