A renewed educational offer at Jean-de-Brébeuf college

This text is part of the special booklet Private schools

Founded in 1928, the Jean-de-Brébeuf college opens its doors to girls aged 5^e secondary school in the 1960s. And since 2013, the school has offered the full secondary course to both girls and boys.

“Two years ago, we wanted to measure our community’s level of satisfaction with our educational offer,” says Audrey Bélanger, director of secondary education services. “The three profiles have been in existence for about ten years, but there had never been any studies or analysis of their results,” she adds.

An enriched common core

Building on the satisfaction with its three options (Latin, Spanish and Sport), the college decided to focus on the common core courses. It is therefore with a concern to improve the general culture of all its students that the college has improved the courses of its common curriculum, that is to say the courses taken by all secondary students, regardless their attachment option.

The new curriculum, applied in the fall of 2022, will promote interdisciplinary bridges and offer enriched courses. “In French, the pupils will have to read fairly sturdy works, such as Odyssey of Homer in 5^e secondary, or The three Musketeersin 2^e secondary “, illustrates M^me Bélanger. More links will be forged between history and French lessons as well as those in ethics and religious culture, by inserting elements of philosophy.

The three options therefore become Spanish and World, Latin and World, and Sport and World. “As a college founded by the Jesuits, openness to the world is part of our history and our values,” recalls Mr.^me Bélanger. Even students in the sport option will have general culture courses added: history of Greco-Roman civilization, French-speaking culture and performing arts. “It allows athletic students to have a more solid general culture,” she emphasizes. All Brébeuf students also take enriched mathematics and science courses, which give them access to all of the CEGEP’s programs.

The new schedule will also allow students to meet all the comrades of their cohort, regardless of their option. “The pupils were practically with the same group for four years”, points out M^me Bélanger.

Options accessible to all

Another important novelty for the pupils who will soon be admitted: the opening of the Sport option for girls. The addition of this group allows all options to be offered to both girls and boys. Each option will include a cohort of boys and girls from September 2022. “It remains a particularity of the college,” emphasizes Mr.^me Bélanger. Yes, the three options will now be accessible to everyone in a symmetrical way. But boys and girls remain separated from the 1^re at the 4^e secondary, while the 5^e secondary takes place in co-education. The pupils can socialize in the common spaces ”, specifies the director.

Underlying values

Despite these changes, Collège Brébeuf retains the values ​​dear to its mission, particularly community involvement. “The Jesuit motto says to train men and women in the service of others. This is something that is very close to our hearts ”, remarks M^me Bélanger. “Our roots are very important. We continue to innovate, we use technologies, but community involvement and service to others remain very important, ”she continues. These values ​​are also taught from the 1^re secondary, with the Engagement Brébeuf course.

Different community initiatives are available to students: partnership in the Côte-des-Neiges borough with organizations that welcome immigrants, community gardens, sending food surpluses to MultiCaf, volunteer work at the Lac Simon vacation camp, etc.

Students who so wish can finally engage in an integrative project, a possibility which will henceforth be offered to students of the three options. This project, accompanied by a teacher, could for example be the setting up of a basketball initiation camp for young people from Côte-des-Neiges, or an entrepreneurship project, or more scientific. The student produces a report and receives ministerial credits. “It helps develop the autonomy and creativity of the students,” says M^me Bélanger.

And the students seem to appreciate the Brébeuf experience: 90% of young people aged 5^e secondary school continue their college course. “It is truly a privilege to attend Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf. The students leave here with a concrete general education, ”she concludes.

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