Private English education is undergoing big changes in the Montreal region, as Loyola High School announces that it will open applications to young women for the first time, with the school launching co-education for the start of the 2023-24 academic year. Loyola is currently one of very few single-gender high schools remaining in Montreal. The school administration publicly announced the change at a special event last May.

“This exciting transformation will open Loyola’s doors to new perspectives and diverse ideas, in an updated educational and spiritual environment that helps each child develop their full potential as enriched and well-rounded individuals,” says Marcelle DeFreitas, president of Loyola High School, located on Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal’s NDG neighbourhood. “We are moving forward together to make a Jesuit, Catholic education available to any student with English-language eligibility, regardless of gender, background or belief.”

The decision comes after nearly a decade of analysis within the Loyola Board of Governors, the school leadership and the Society of Jesus, who had all been tasked with charting a sustainable future for Loyola. Launching a co-educational program, where both young men and women will share learning spaces both inside and outside the classroom, was judged to be the best way forward.

“Since 1896, our rigorous academic programming and diverse set of extracurricular activities have helped form young men who give back to their communities and change the world for the better,” says Mark Diachyshyn, Loyola’s Principal. “By taking this step, we are extending our rich Jesuit, Catholic formation to all youth in and around Montreal, regardless of gender, with a goal of graduating men and women for others.”

“While the core mission of Loyola has remained the same since its founding, the culture and experience of our students has consistently changed from one generation to the next, and we must ensure that we keep updating our pedagogical approach for the times,” says Fr. Len Altilia, SJ, Superior of the Community. “Throughout our history, Loyola has offered a Jesuit, Catholic education centred on the development of the whole person, forming them into individuals who are intellectually competent, compassionate, guided by conscience and committed to a just global society. Our new strategic direction will allow us to continue to do so for years to come.”

“This change is not only a great opportunity for local girls to benefit from the close-knit community and the academic and extracurricular activities Loyola is known for, but it will also bring brothers and sisters from the same families together under one roof,” says Mark Noble, alumnus and parent of a secondary 2 student. “I am excited to be able to offer my younger daughter the chance to experience what my son has cherished at Loyola.”

That optimism for the future is shared by Patrick Shea, current Loyola parent, alumnus and the founding president of the Loyola High School Alumni Association. “Loyola students and graduates have always shared remarkable community spirit, with strong bonds of friendship and connectedness that they maintain for a lifetime to better serve our society with compassion for oneself and others. I look forward to expanding that spirit and tradition to a more diverse group of alumni and alumnae.”

To celebrate this exciting change, Loyola will be holding an Open House on Saturday, September 17th, 2022, when families of grade 5 and 6 students can meet faculty, staff and students, and explore Loyola’s facilities. Applications for both young men and women are now open, in anticipation of welcoming the first female students at the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. As is currently the case, however, potential students must possess Quebec English-language eligibility to register. For more details, visit www.loyola.ca.