Dr Norman Bethune Collegiate Institute (Gr 09 - 12)
200 Fundy Bay Blvd, Scarborough, ON
M1W3G1
M1W3G1
416-396-8200
416-396-8180
Henry Norman Bethune (1890 –1939) a Canadian physician and medical innovator, is best known for his service in medical units during the Spanish Civil War and the Second Sino-Japanese War. During the Spanish Civil War in 1936, he pioneered mobile blood transfusion services to bring donated blood to those wounded in battle. Bethune left for China in 1938 where he established teaching and nursing hospitals and developed mobile medical services and led mobile units through the mountains on horseback.
Bethune has a reputation for academic excellence. Students are offered the opportunity to excel in Math, Science, the Arts, Business, Computer Science and Technology. Courses in the Social Sciences and English give students a solid background in the liberal arts and prepare them for post-secondary education. Newcomers are supported in ESL classes and in programs outside the classroom that ensure they are involved in the school community. Bethune maintains close relationships with elementary schools through mentoring programs in Music, Robotics, Drama, Visual Art, Technology and Bethune's Eco-club. Bethune is also partners with the neighbouring senior's homes: Mon Sheong and Tendercare, and with School #15 in Beijing, China.
Read moreTaking Care of the Environment
Bethune is committed to protecting the environment both locally and globally. As one of the TDSB's first platinum certified Ecoschool, Bethune is a leader in reducing waste and energy usage, naturalizing the grounds and promoting a passion for the environment.
Stellar Program
The Stellar Program is an enrichment program for grade 9 and 10 in Math and Science.
Be Excited About Reading (B.E.A.R.)
The school-wide reading program promotes the love of reading in every classroom, every Friday, with every member of the Bethune community enjoying 20 minutes of reading.
Read more about Taking Care of the Environment
ESL
Bethune's ESL program features field trips that promote Canadian culture and experiential learning. The semestered program has 5 levels in addition to ESL sensitive courses in Geography and History. Bilingual classroom helpers, full-time settlement workers, peer mentor programs, the Chinese Association, and the Newcomer Orientation Week in August help to ease the transition to Canada and to Bethune. In addition to after-school and week-end support classes, OSSLT preparation classes and a peer-tutoring program help to support ESL students throughout the year. Bethune also offers our ESL learners a wide variety of cultural field trips.
Modern Languages
Students taking Modern Language classes are offered many enrichment opportunities, including outings to French and Spanish movies, theatre productions and restaurants. Senior students may travel abroad to France and Spain. Bethune students receive excellent results in French and Spanish Contests as well as as the Concours D'Art Oratiore (French Public Speaking).
The Arts
Students have many opportunities to explore their love of the arts. Students can choose from visual art, photography, computer art, dramatic arts, vocal music, and repetoire instrumental music. Outside the classroom, students can enrich their experience by joining the art club, the drama club, or the music council.
Student Leadership
Students can be elected as a member of the SAC, Music Council, Athletic Council, or 'Reps', or volunteer to be a leader through the Peer Mentors, the ESL Mentors, the Environmental Action Team (BEAT), the Personal and Social Responsibility club (PSR), Equity Alliance, GSA, DECA, Debating, Blaze, and many more clubs. Bethune also offers leadership camp to all grade 9's.
Technology Across the Curriculum
Bethune has 9 refurbished computer labs, including a social science lab, a technology lab, a computer art lab, and 3 business and computer science labs. Computer skills are incorporated across the curriculum, including the use of GIS, GPS in Geography classes, various media technology, and Smartboards throughout the school. Many classrooms are equipped with a computer.
