Academic calendar
Semester 1 2026-2027 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Feb 1, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Secondary Regular School Year 2025-2026
- Semester 2 2025-2026
- Semester 1 2026-2027Relevant now
- Semester 1 2026-2027
- Secondary Regular School Year 2026-2027
- Semester 2 2026-2027
- Semester 2 2026-2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 28 of 28 terms
A
- AMP
- Austin Music Program; refers to the collective of bands, choirs, and music-related extracurriculars.
- Austin
- The common shorthand name used by students and staff to refer to the school.
- Austin Pride
- A term used during pep rallies and sporting events to describe school spirit.
C
- Civvies
- Short for 'civilians'; refers to designated days when students can wear casual clothes instead of the uniform.
- Civvies Day
- A designated day when students are permitted to wear casual clothing instead of the mandatory uniform.
- CSAC
- Catholic School Advisory Council; a group of parents, staff, and community members advising the principal.
D
- DCDSB
- Durham Catholic District School Board; the administrative body that oversees the school.
- DECA
- The school's business club that prepares students for marketing and management competitions.
- DSTS
- Durham Student Transportation Services; the organization managing school busing.
E
- ESP
- Empowered Student Partnership; a student-led group focused on school safety and community building.
G
- GSA
- Gender and Sexuality Alliance; a student club providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ students and allies.
H
- HOSA
- Future Health Professionals; a club for students interested in pursuing careers in the healthcare industry.
L
- Leo J
- A secondary shorthand name for the school, derived from the full name Father Leo J. Austin.
M
- McCarthy's
- The official uniform provider (R.J. McCarthy) where all school-mandated clothing must be purchased.
O
- OSAID
- Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving; a student-led chapter focused on road safety awareness.
- OSSLT
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test; a mandatory standardized test for Grade 10 students required for graduation.
S
- SAC
- Student Advisory Council; the student government responsible for school events and spirit days.
- SHSM
- Specialist High Skills Major; a program allowing students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector.
- Spirit Wear
- Austin-branded apparel (hoodies, t-shirts) that students are permitted to wear on specific spirit days.
T
- The 405
- The Durham Region Transit (DRT) bus route that specifically serves the school.
- The Brook
- A reference to the nearby community of Brooklin, where a significant portion of the student population resides.
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria where daily lunch service is provided.
- The Den
- A term sometimes used to refer to the school's gymnasium or athletic areas during home games.
- The Plaza
- Kendallwood Park Plaza, the nearby shopping center at Dundas and Garden where students go for off-campus lunch.
- Tim's
- The Tim Hortons located nearby on Dundas Street, a popular morning or lunch destination for senior students.
W
- Wildcat Pride
- A common phrase used to denote school spirit and community involvement.
- Wildcats
- The official mascot and collective name for the school's athletic teams.
- Wildcats
- The official mascot and collective name for the school's athletic teams.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Activity Fee
- An annual student fee that covers the cost of the student ID card and school events.
- Austin
- The common shorthand used by students and the community to refer to the school building.
- Brightspace
- The online Learning Management System (LMS) used for course content, assignments, and virtual classrooms.
- Community Hours
- The 40 hours of mandatory volunteer service required for students to earn their diploma.
- DCDSB
- Durham Catholic District School Board, the governing school board for Father Leo J. Austin.
- DRT
- Durham Region Transit; the public bus system used by many students for their daily commute to the school.
- DSTS
- Durham Student Transportation Services; the organization that manages bus routes and weather-related cancellations.
- Edsby
- The digital platform used by students and parents to track grades, attendance, and school-wide news.
- Kiss and Ride
- The designated zone for parents to safely drop off and pick up students.
- Late Start
- Specific days in the school calendar where classes begin later in the morning to allow for staff meetings.
- Learning Commons
- The school library, updated to serve as a hub for research, technology, and collaborative study.
- McCarthy
- The official uniform supplier (McCarthy Uniforms) where students must purchase their mandatory school attire.
- McCarthy's
- The official uniform provider where students must purchase their mandatory school attire.
- MSIP
- Multi-Subject Instructional Period; a mandatory 60-minute credit-bearing period for homework and teacher assistance.
- MyHome
- The DCDSB student portal used to access school email, cloud storage, and educational tools.
- OSSLT
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test; a mandatory provincial exam typically taken in Grade 10.
- Period 1
- The first class of the day, used as the primary time for morning announcements and national anthem.
- School Cash Online
- The digital portal used for paying school fees, purchasing spirit wear, and funding field trips.
- The Atrium
- The central open area of the school used for displays, gatherings, and student traffic.
- The Austin
- The common shorthand name used by students and staff to refer to the school building.
- The Chapel
- The dedicated religious space inside the school used for mass and quiet reflection.
- The Den
- A term sometimes used to refer to the school gymnasium or the home of the Wildcats.
- The Gym
- The main athletic facility used for physical education and Wildcats home games.
- The Learning Commons
- The modern term for the school library, used for research, study, and computer access.
- The Main Gym
- The primary athletic facility used for Wildcats home games and physical education classes.
- The Portables
- The temporary outdoor classroom units located behind the main school building.
- the_austin_bistro
- The Austin Bistro
- Uniform Policy
- The strict dress code requiring specific crested shirts and pants, enforced daily by administration.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Semester 1 2026-2027 runs Sep 8, 2026 – Feb 1, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 28 approved campus terms and 28 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.