Across Newfoundland and Labrador, several secondary schools stand out for their size, academic scope, student services, and active school life. These schools serve as key education hubs in their regions, supporting a wide range of learners and offering programs that prepare students for post-secondary study, skilled trades, and community leadership, including students attending Holy Heart, a school often referenced simply as Holy Heart School or HHM school by families in the St. John’s area.
Below is a practical overview of Holy Heart High School alongside other well-established high schools that families and students often research when looking for comprehensive secondary education options in the province.
Before exploring individual schools in detail, it is also worth acknowledging the broader digital realities students will face as they move toward adulthood, including how responsible online behaviour is taught and discussed in today’s education landscape.
Digital Literacy, Risk Awareness, and Online Gambling in Canada
As students move through secondary school and prepare for adulthood, conversations around digital responsibility and online decision-making become increasingly important. Alongside social media, streaming platforms, and online gaming, online gambling is one of the regulated digital activities that young adults in Canada are likely to encounter after turning 19.
In Canada, online gambling is legal but regulated at the provincial level, with strict rules around age verification, advertising, and responsible play. While participation is restricted to adults, schools, families, and educators increasingly recognize the value of early awareness, helping students understand how regulated online gambling works, how risks are managed, and why safeguards exist. In senior academic programs, concepts related to probability, ethics, and critical thinking are often reinforced through coursework such as theory of knowledge, helping students evaluate real-world systems responsibly.
From an educational perspective, this topic fits naturally within broader discussions about:
- digital literacy and informed online behaviour
- understanding risk, probability, and financial decision-making
- recognizing the difference between regulated and unregulated online platforms
- knowing where responsible-use information and support resources are available
For families researching schools in Newfoundland and Labrador, this reflects a wider trend in education: preparing students not only academically, but also socially and digitally, so they can navigate adult online environments responsibly once they reach legal age.
Schools to know in Newfoundland and Labrador
- Holy Heart High School (also known as Holy Heart of Mary High School)
📍 Location: 55 Bonaventure Avenue, St. John’s, NL A1A 1Z1
📞 Phone: 709-758-8720
👥 Approx. enrolment: ~1,040 students
💬 Notes: Large public high school offering Levels I-III, with International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) options, strong performing arts programs, extensive student supports, and a long-standing Clan (House) system. - Prince of Wales Collegiate
📍 Location: 24 Paton Street, St. John’s, NL A1B 3E7
📞 Phone: 709-576-4061
💬 Notes: One of St. John’s longest-established high schools, offering a broad academic program and a full range of extracurricular activities. - Gonzaga High School
📍 Location: 20 Smithville Crescent, St. John’s, NL A1B 2V2
📞 Phone: 709-753-7510
💬 Notes: Known for strong student engagement, music and athletics programs, and an active school community. - Waterford Valley High School
📍 Location: 465 Topsail Road, St. John’s, NL A1E 0E3
📞 Phone: 709-745-6264
💬 Notes: A modern high school serving a diverse student population, with comprehensive guidance and learning supports. - O’Donel High School
📍 Location: 155 Ruth Avenue, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 0K9
📞 Phone: 709-364-5305
💬 Notes: A full-service high school in Mount Pearl offering a wide mix of academic programs, athletics, and student activities. - Holy Trinity High School
📍 Location: 23 Lynchs Lane, Torbay, NL A1K 1A6
📞 Phone: 709-437-5563
💬 Notes: Serves the Northeast Avalon region, drawing students from several communities and offering broad academic and extracurricular opportunities. - Corner Brook Regional High
📍 Location: 12 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4
📞 Phone: 709-634-5258
💬 Notes: One of the largest high schools in Western Newfoundland and Labrador, with diverse course offerings and a strong regional role.
Together, schools like Corner Brook Regional High highlight the important role large secondary schools play in supporting students across different regions of the province. On the Avalon Peninsula, a similar role is filled by Holy Heart High School, which serves as a reliable hub for secondary education in St. John’s and the surrounding area.
Holy Heart High School: A Central Hub for Secondary Education in St. John’s
Holy Heart High School is a large public secondary school located in St. John’s, commonly referred to in school records and calendars as Holy Heart calendar listings. For many students in the area, Holy Heart is simply the school they grow into overtime. Over time, the school has become known not just for its size, but for how it balances academics, student support, and school life. Over many years, Holy Heart has built a reputation as a comprehensive, full-service high school that balances academics, student support, and a strong extracurricular culture.
Academics and learning environment
Programs are offered across several streams, depending on a student’s goals and readiness. These typically include:
- Basic, Academic, Advanced, and Accelerated Advanced streams
- International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, allowing students to pursue university-level studies while still in high school
- A strong emphasis on challenging students with appropriate curriculum while maintaining flexibility in course selection
For IB students, coursework may include IB history, senior science pathways aligned with IB biology HL mark boundaries, and advanced math options based on the mathematics analysis and approaches course. The school is well equipped to support this variety. Facilities include more than 60 instructional rooms, specialized spaces for science laboratories, industrial arts, home economics, music, art, and language studies, along with multiple computer labs and a central resource centre.
Families often review historical benchmarks such as IB grade boundaries 2017, IB grade boundaries 2017 18, and subject-specific data like biology HL grade boundaries to better interpret results. Curriculum expectations have evolved through documents such as the history syllabus 2017 IB and the IB history syllabus 2018, which continue to inform course delivery today.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum and Assessment References at Holy Heart High School
These references support subjects such as IB history syllabus, IB history HL syllabus, and science assessments measured against published IB grade boundaries. This includes earlier documentation such as the IB history guide 2014 and later updates like the IB history 2017 guide, reflecting curriculum continuity.
| PDF Document Name | What the Document Covers | Why It Matters for Holy Heart Students |
|---|---|---|
| IB Grade Boundaries 2019-2020 | Official IB score ranges for grades 1-7 across subjects such as English A, History, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Music, TOK, and Extended Essay, including provincial mark conversions. | Helps students and parents understand how IB exam scores translate into final grades and provincial percentages. Useful for setting realistic expectations around assessment and university readiness. |
| IB Grade Boundaries 2017-2018 | Earlier IB grade boundary reference showing historical scoring thresholds and provincial mark conversions for the same core subjects. | Provides context on how grading standards have remained consistent over time, reinforcing the credibility and stability of IB assessment used at Holy Heart. |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches Guide (First Assessment 2021) | Comprehensive IB curriculum guide for Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL & HL), including course aims, syllabus content, assessment structure, and skill expectations. | Relevant for Holy Heart students pursuing IB Mathematics, especially those aiming for STEM-related post-secondary programs. Clarifies workload, thinking skills required, and differences between SL and HL pathways. |
| IB History Guide (First Examinations 2017) | Full curriculum and assessment guide for IB History, covering prescribed subjects, world history topics, HL options, internal assessments, and exam structure. | Important for students considering IB History at Holy Heart, particularly those interested in humanities, law, political science, or international studies. Shows the depth and academic rigor of the course. |
| IB Diploma Points Matrix (May 2015 onwards) | Explains how Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and the Extended Essay combine to award up to 3 additional diploma points, including failing conditions. | Critical for understanding how core IB components affect diploma eligibility. Helps students plan workload and avoid common pitfalls that can impact final diploma results. |
Student support and inclusion
A defining feature of Holy Heart High School is its commitment to student support and inclusion. The school operates a dedicated Special Services Department that provides structured support to students with documented exceptionalities through Individual Student Support Plans (ISSPs).
Support services are coordinated through specialized centres, including:
- A Guidance Centre for academic and post-secondary planning
- An English as a Second Language (ESL) Centre, reflecting the school’s diverse student population
- A Special Services Centre, where students can access ongoing academic and transition support
This approach helps ensure that students with different needs and learning styles can progress in a supportive, structured, and respectful environment.
Arts, athletics, and student life
Holy Heart is widely recognized for its active performing arts culture. Music and creative programs are deeply embedded in school life, offering opportunities such as concert bands, orchestras, multiple choirs, drama, and film activities. These programs are not peripheral – they are a visible and valued part of the school’s identity.
Beyond the arts, students can participate in a wide selection of:
- Clubs and organizations, such as debate, science, journalism, peer counselling, and social justice groups
- Athletics, including basketball, soccer, hockey, rugby, volleyball, track and field, and intramural sports
Participation is encouraged alongside academic responsibility, reinforcing a well-rounded high school experience.
School culture and the Clan system
Holy Heart’s distinctive Clan (House) system plays a central role in shaping its community culture. Every student and staff member belongs to one of six clans – Wallace, MacNeil, Campbell, MacDougall, MacLeod, or MacGillivary – with membership often continuing across generations within families.
Through academics, athletics, music, drama, attendance, and school spirit events, clans earn points throughout the year. This system promotes:
- Long-term school identity
- Positive competition
- Strong student engagement and alumni connection
The result is a school environment where belonging and participation matter as much as grades alone.
Because of its size, program breadth, strong arts presence, and well-developed student supports, Holy Heart High School is often used as a benchmark when families compare secondary schools in St. John’s and across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Note: In practice, families tend to look first at program availability and student supports, especially when choosing between larger high schools.
Comparable High Schools in Newfoundland and Labrador
Schools with similar characteristics – large enrolments, multiple academic pathways, active extracurricular life, and established school cultures – tend to attract the same types of questions from parents and students. With that context in mind, the following schools are commonly mentioned alongside Holy Heart when exploring comparable high school options in the province.
1) Prince of Wales Collegiate (St. John’s)
A long-established St. John’s high school with a broad course lineup, strong school culture, and plenty of student activities. It’s the kind of place where academics and extracurriculars run side by side, so students can build a full transcript while still having a school-life experience.
🏠 Address: 24 Paton Street, St. John’s, NL A1B 3E7
📱 Phone: 709-576-4061
2) Gonzaga High School (St. John’s)
Another major St. John’s option that’s known for a busy, community-style school environment – clubs, events, and a strong day-to-day rhythm. If a student wants lots happening beyond classes (music, teams, leadership), Gonzaga is often on the shortlist.
🏠 Address: 20 Smithville Crescent, St. John’s, NL A1B 2V2
📱 Phone: 709-753-7510
3) Waterford Valley High School (St. John’s)
A large, modern high school that supports a wide range of learners and school activities. It’s a practical choice for families who want a full program offering and a school that’s built for day-to-day student services (guidance, supports, and school operations).
🏠 Address: 465 Topsail Road, St. John’s, NL A1E 0E3
📱Phone: 709-745-6264
4) O’Donel High School (Mount Pearl)
If you want “Holy Heart scale” but in Mount Pearl, O’Donel is a strong comparison. It’s a whole high school with the usual mix of academics, sports, school events, and student supports – suitable for students who want options and structure.
🏠 Address: 155 Ruth Avenue, Mount Pearl, NL A1N 0K9
📱 Phone: 709-364-5305
5) Holy Trinity High School (Torbay)
Serves the Northeast Avalon area and offers a full high school program with broad student life. It’s often compared with St. John’s schools because it draws from multiple communities and supports a wide range of course pathways and activities.
🏠 Address: 23 Lynchs Lane, Torbay, NL A1K 1A6
📱 Phone: 709-437-5563
6) Corner Brook Regional High (Corner Brook)
A key Western NL high school with a big-school feel – more course variety, a larger extracurricular footprint, and a strong community presence. If you’re outside the Avalon, this is one of the closest “full-service” comparisons to large metro schools.
🏠 Address: 12 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4
📱 Phone: 709-634-5258
Taken together, these schools illustrate how larger secondary schools across Newfoundland and Labrador operate in different regional contexts, from the Avalon Peninsula to the west coast. To better understand how schools like Corner Brook Regional High and Holy Heart fit into the bigger picture, it helps to look at the broader provincial landscape shaping education today.
Current State of Education in Newfoundland and Labrador (2025-2026)
The education system in Newfoundland and Labrador continues to evolve to support students from early years through secondary school, with ongoing efforts to improve access, quality, and student outcomes.
Enrollment and Schools
According to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Education Statistics for 2025-2026, the province’s K-12 system includes hundreds of schools across multiple regions, reflecting both urban and rural communities. These statistics track changes in school numbers and enrolment patterns over time, providing important context for planning and support services.
Provincial school data sets also show enrolment figures as of September 30, 2025, which help education planners understand demographic shifts and resource needs across districts.
School District Organization
All English-language primary and secondary schools in the province are governed by the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District (NLESD), which oversees curriculum implementation, staffing, provincial assessments, and school operations. NLESD was formed through the amalgamation of multiple regional boards and manages educational standards for more than 65,000 students across Newfoundland and Labrador.
Curriculum Direction
The provincial Department of Education continues to refine curriculum content, including the adoption of the Newfoundland and Labrador Key Competencies, which guide the development of subjects and learning outcomes across all grades. These competencies emphasize skills such as critical thinking, communication, and personal development, ensuring students are prepared for post-secondary education and the workforce.
Early Childhood Development
Beyond K-12, the province also supports early childhood education. Full-day pre-kindergarten programs are offered to eligible children at regulated tuition (approximately $10 per day) to expand access to early learning opportunities across communities.
System Strengthening Initiatives
Recent policy developments continue to focus on improving learning environments and outcomes. Provincial planning for the 2025-2026 school year includes initiatives aimed at:
- supporting student engagement and success
- enhancing specialized services
- reducing barriers to learning in both urban and rural settings (e.g., supports for English-as-an-Additional-Language students)
While ongoing budget decisions and district priorities shape the exact details of all current initiatives, the data indicate a concerted effort to support inclusive and effective schooling throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
Editorial note: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not an official website of Holy Heart High School. While care has been taken to present accurate and up-to-date information, details such as programs, policies, enrolment, and contact information may change.
For the most current and authoritative information, families and students should always refer to the school’s official website or contact Holy Heart High School directly through official channels.