Heydon Park Secondary School - a Unique School for Girls in TDSB

Heydon Park Secondary School, Toronto

My passion has always been teaching! For the past couple of weeks, I have had the opportunity of teaching and sharing my experience with a group of educators from overseas who are involved in the Leadership Training Program at OPC.

This group of Asian educators are here in Toronto for a two week professional development course. One of the components of the course is to visit schools in the greater Toronto area and to observe students and their learning in the classroom.

We appreciated the hospitality displayed by the school staff.

Last week, we had the opportunity to visit Heydon Park Secondary School, a very unique TDSB school for female students with special needs, the only one of its kind in Ontario.

Heydon Park school is located in the downtown area of Toronto on Darcy Ave.

Refreshments baked and set up by the students

We were touched by the hospitality displayed by the students and staff of the school. There was a welcome sign on the front door to welcome the delegation. We were greeted warmly and led into the library by the vice principal.

Principal of Heydon Park Secondary School

Inside the library, a couple of tables were beautifully laid out with cookies and refreshments prepared by the students of the school!  What a treat it was for us!

Teachers explained to us about the school programs

The principal and a few teachers gave us a presentation on the history, programs and students of the school.

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Heydon Park started as an orphanage for girls as early as 1852. It has kept its tradition of providing services and supporting female students ever since.

After the presentation, the group was given a personal guided tour of the school by the  principal.

A Science lesson was in progress in the Science lab

We went into a number of classrooms and areas where students were taught different skills and subjects so that we could gain a better understanding of the school.


We visited the Science classroom where a science class was taking place.

What stole our hearts in the Science classroom was a clutch of chicks recently hatched in a glass box being kept warm by a light bulb.

A Cooking Classroom equipped with a commercial kitchen facility

The Cooking area -  equipped with a commercial kitchen where students learn and practice their culinary skills by preparing daily lunches for staff.

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The Hairdressing Classroom

The Hairdressing Classroom -

 - equipped and furnished as a Hair Salon where students learn hairdressing skills.

While some Heydon Park students do head to post secondary education institutions, many of whom develop employment skills in the personal beauty industry.

A chart on Basic Manicure techniques

Charts and equipment on personal beauty care were on display.

A Music Class at Heydon Park Secondary School, Torotno

The most exciting part of the visit was when we visited a music class where students were practicing their Christmas songs on the xylophones.

Chinese educators  visiting the school and  enjoying a song by one of the students

A student offered to sing a song for the visitors.  She sang with gusto and her enjoyment of performing for her audience was evident on her smiling face!

As we were leaving the school, a fleet of yellow school buses was waiting outside ready to take the students home.The Ontario philosophy of Reaching Every Student was demonstrated right here! Students living outside the area were bused to the school so that any students with special learning needs can have access to the education opportunities offered by this school regardless of the distance from their homes.

A fleet of  school buses awaiting to take students  home after school.

Visiting educators from China with some of the staff at Heydon Park Secondary School

R.T.
Heydon Secondary School
Toronto, Ontario