Mission & Purpose

Honouring this Traditional Territory

We at Appleby College acknowledge that these lands on the shores of Lake Ontario are steeped in Indigenous history.

For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabeg peoples. Most recently, it has been part of the Treaty Lands and Territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for being stewards of this traditional territory.

Our Mission and Purpose

Mission

To educate and enable our students to become leaders of character, major contributors to, and valued representatives of their local, national and international communities.

Purpose

Ever since its establishment in 1911, Appleby College has been focused on the purpose that inspired the Founders: to develop leaders of strong character who will make a positive impact on their communities.

Society has changed dramatically over the last century, and each Appleby generation has had its own distinct experience. The challenges facing graduates and the nature of their communities are constantly evolving; so has and must Appleby. The world of today and that in which our students will be making their own contributions, is increasingly dominated by unabated change – economic, socio-political, environmental and technological. Communities are becoming more interconnected, blended and global, and many societal structures and systems are being eliminated or reinvented. This brings great opportunity for those who are prepared.

In order for our alumni to lead, contribute and flourish in this world, we believe that they require a variety of skills and characteristics built on self-awareness, which together reflect the whole person. Appleby graduates must be adaptable, determined and resilient. They must be able to capitalize on changes by facing them with persistent curiosity, a creative problem-solving mindset, global literacy, superb intercultural and interpersonal abilities, and critical thinking skills in order to provide greater clarity in an increasingly complex and ambiguous world. At the same time, we expect our graduates will be defined by those traits that make caring, responsible citizens: strong empathy, compassion, courage, integrity, a spirit of service to others, and a well-developed moral compass.

We believe that the people in our community will best be developed in a positive school culture that is values-based and built upon relationships which are inspiring, empowering and enduring. Our employees must be continually developing and growing. The student experience will unite breadth and excellence, challenging students with opportunities to discover and pursue a wide range of passions at a high level. While the Appleby program will continue to be academically rigourous, increasingly our practices will be defined by engaging, powerful, experiential learning.

We believe that Appleby College will be sustained by a commitment to outstanding people, a strong financial foundation, and a lifelong sense of community connectedness. Our spirit will be infused by innovation, inclusivity and ambition, and built on our shared values of respect, responsibility, integrity, and compassion. True to the Founders, we believe in a sense of public purpose in which we define our communities as local, national and international.

We will be a world leader in education, a beacon of learning and caring.

Curriculum Principles

Appleby College offers a distinguished curriculum. A diverse range of required components provides students with stimulating challenges and the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills and values. The achievement: preparation for university and life. The defining characteristic of an Appleby education is the mandatory participation in each of its core curricular components, leading to an Appleby Diploma upon graduation.

Appleby College develops students of personal integrity, who are prepared for university, societal change, responsible involvement and leadership in their local, national and global communities. The curriculum focuses on:

• critical-thinking skills
• individual potential
• self-discipline, respect, responsibility and commitment
• spiritual and moral development
• democratic principles
• personal fitness and health
• environmental awareness and stewardship
• the role of gender, ethnicity, race and culture in building rich, diverse communities
• student-centred experiences which create leadership opportunities

Pillars of Strength

Building on our Mission and Values are eight Pillars of Strength which together, in an inextricable way, develop a young person to live a life of meaning, purpose and success.

The importance of our Purpose, Mission, Values and Pillars of Strength cannot be understated. They are our North Star. They instill within our students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni a sense of belonging and identity; serving as a roadmap to help set priorities and a common set of beliefs, goals and objectives. Any changes to them are an important and significant decision.