Approximately 640 students are currently enrolled at St. Paul's High School. To maintain this enrolment level the school admits approximately 160 students into the grade 9 class. In addition, the school accepts applications and regularly admits a number of students into grades 10, 11, and 12. The exact number of students that will be admitted to grades 10, 11, or 12 in any given year is unknown, as it depends on several factors that cannot be known until later in the school year. We encourage applications to all levels, as applicants will be assessed on their merits and the best candidates will be given the opportunity for admission.
The 176 students admitted into grade 9 last year come to us from 60 different junior high schools representing Catholic schools, public schools (English), public schools (French), and other independent schools. In general terms, our students come to us from all areas of the city and from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.
While academic achievement is very important, it is only one factor in the application process. Church involvement and religious commitment are both of great importance. However, only students who are able to handle a university preparatory program can be accepted to St. Paul's High School, as no other type of program is offered. Report card grades and the results of the entrance test are considered important indicators of the candidate's likely success in the academic program at St. Paul's High School.
The entrance test is an important part of the admissions process and helps the school evaluate an applicant's academic ability in a standardized process. The school uses the results from the entrance test, along with the marks found in his report card, to get a complete academic picture.
As a Catholic school, St. Paul's High School takes its mission of service to the Catholic community in Manitoba seriously. However, St. Paul's High School also welcomes boys of other religious traditions, especially those who practice their faith. Last year, students accepted into grade 9 came from the following faith communities: Anglican, United, Lutheran, Christian Orthodox, Mennonite, Evangelical Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, and Sikh.
We encourage prospective parents to discuss their son's profile with us. Please contact the Admissions Coordinator by phone at (204) 831-2327.
The interview stage of the admissions process takes place from mid-February until the end of March. The admissions committee will meet in early April to make its decisions. The applicant will then receive one of three possible letters indicating: that he has been accepted; that he is being asked to take a place on our waiting list; or, that he has not been accepted.
In any given year an unknown number of students who are accepted to St. Paul's may immediately decline the invitation to attend, change their mind through the course of the spring and summer, move away, or otherwise become unable to accept the place being offered. In addition, although St. Paul's has a very low attrition rate, the number of existing students in each grade who will not be returning to St. Paul's varies from year to year. Any of the above circumstances may enable St. Paul's to offer a place to a student on our waiting list.
If you wish to be removed from the waiting list at any time please contact Ms. Amanda Camara, Director of Admissions & Marketing. We do not carry-over the waiting list from one year to the next. Each year is a separate admissions process requiring a new application should you wish to be considered again for entry in the subsequent school year.
St. Paul's does accept applications from international students but does not attempt to recruit international students. As with all other applicants, international student applicants will be considered relative to our admissions criteria and relative to other student applicants. International students must compete on an equal basis with all other applicants. St. Paul's does not offer an ESL program or tutoring in English as a second language.
St. Paul's has a semester system. At the end of each semester, there is a set of exams. Progress reports are mailed home in November and April, and full report cards are mailed out at the end of each term.
The first class begins at 8:30 a.m. and the last one ends at 3:15 p.m. The day consists of six periods of 55 minutes each with a five-minute break between classes. There is a 50-minute lunch period. Most students bring their own lunch, however, the school cafeteria serves a nutritiously balanced breakfast and lunch service and is open from 7 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. Students in grades 9 and 10 are not allowed to leave the school building for lunch or at any time during regular school hours.
Our average homeroom class size is 25 students per class, with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
A St. Paul's education is a formative process in which academics is a very important part. Accordingly, students in grade 9 are given about 1.5 hours of homework every day; in grade 10 students can expect about two hours of homework every day. Study periods are provided to assist students in the timely completion of research, projects, and assignments. Study periods are supervised for students in grade 9 and grade 10; some study periods are supervised for students in grade 11; all study periods for students in grade 12 are unsupervised.
The Religious Studies program is a compulsory four-year program involving a variety of course work, participation in our Christian Service Program, supervised opportunities for retreats, and special celebrations.
St. Paul's courses meet or exceed the requirements of the Province of Manitoba's curriculum, allowing students the opportunity to follow an enriched academic program. In addition to the core curriculum-required courses, St. Paul's offers enriched programs in music, French, and mathematics and advanced placement (AP) programs in French, English, mathematics and physics. The Religious Studies program is required and represents additional credits earned by St. Paul's students during their time at the school.
St. Paul's offers Advanced Placement Programs in French, English, and Physics. In addition, the school offers an Advanced Mathematics program in grades 11 and 12, an Advanced French program in grades 9 and 10 (which precedes the possibility of AP French in grades 11 and 12) as well as additional advanced options in the school's Music Program.
Extra-curriculars are an important part of a St. Paul's education. Students are expected to participate throughout their four years and the admissions criteria and the assessment of applicants takes this expectation into consideration. Accordingly, the school offers most sports at varying levels of competition. From intramurals to the competitive teams, all St. Paul's students will have an opportunity to participate in athletics. Other important activities include drama, newspaper, yearbook, and debating, as well as opportunities in various student leadership programs and service activities.
From intramurals to the competitive teams, all St. Paul's students will have an opportunity to participate in athletics. Intramural competition is offered every year in flag football, basketball, and volleyball. In some years, intramural competitions are also offered in badminton, table tennis, and indoor soccer. The school offers most MHSAA high school sports at varying levels of competition. Our team name is the Crusaders and the Crusader Athletic program includes competitive teams in volleyball (including beach volleyball), football, cross-country, golf, basketball, hockey, wrestling, badminton, soccer (indoor and outdoor), rugby, track and field, ultimate, and curling.
While the try-outs for many of the Crusader teams are highly competitive, there are several Crusader sports offered for which there are no cuts. In cross-country, wrestling, rugby, and track and field, every student who wishes to participate can participate and represent St. Paul's in an inter-school competition.
Other important activities include drama, newspaper, yearbook, and debating, as well as opportunities in various student leadership programs and service activities. If a student has an interest in a particular area outside of the offered programs, we encourage that student to seek to establish the new extra-curricular activity.
St. Paul's High School does not actively recruit athletes. Within the St. Paul's admissions process, consideration given to active involvement in athletics is a very small part of the admission criteria. Equal consideration is also given to applicants who are actively involved in non-athletic pursuits such as music, drama, cultural activities, and volunteer activities.
St. Paul's does not offer entrance scholarships of any kind, athletic or otherwise. St. Paul's does have an active bursary program that operates independently of the annual admissions process. Bursary applications come only from existing students (including recently accepted new students, but only after they have been accepted) and bursaries are awarded wholly on the basis of financial need.
Students in regular dress code must wear a sports jacket, a collared dress shirt, dress slacks and belt, a tie, socks, and dress shoes. Warm weather dress code, occurring in the early fall and spring, can be one of three options and is outlined in the acceptance package that will be mailed to successful applicants. Clothes must be kept clean and in good repair. Earrings, facial jewelry, and unusual hairstyles are considered violations of the dress code.
St. Paul's insists on good manners and the discipline that follows from that. The discipline at St. Paul's High School is a structured, stepped, and formative system, in which expectations for behaviour are well known as are the consequences for a failure to meet those expectations.
St. Paul's students come from all parts of the city, including several students who come from areas outside of Winnipeg. Most students take one of three options: (i) public transit, (ii) carpooling or (iii) they drive themselves. There are relatively fewer students who ride their bicycles to the school and some who walk to school.
St. Paul's does not offer a bus service. The school assists parents in arranging carpools. Once students have attained their driving license they can arrange for a parking spot in the school's student parking lot.
St. Paul's students have many opportunities for organized social events with girls from St. Mary's Academy and Balmoral Hall. Student Council organizes several social events each year including school dances and the Walk. The Walk, held annually each September for more than 30 years now, traditionally involves the students of all three schools (St. Paul's, St. Mary's and Balmoral) in a day of fun activities that include a formal walk around Assiniboine Park in support of annually designated charities. In addition, the drama program tradition sees St. Paul's and St. Mary's students as active participants in the drama productions at each other's schools. Other opportunities include attendance at school athletic events and some shared participation in spiritual development programs and related awareness activities.
