The Board of Trustees of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that Annalisa Varano has been appointed to the permanent position of Director of Education, Chief Executive Officer, and Secretary of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. 

Since assuming the role on an interim basis in September 2025, Annalisa has led our system with clarity of purpose, deep faith, and a genuine commitment to the students, staff, and families we serve.  

In collaboration with the senior team and the Board of Trustees, she supported the development and successful launch of our new Multi-Year Strategic Plan, “Learn, Serve, Belong”. She was also instrumental in the unveiling of our new Pastoral Plan. Both plans are integral frameworks that place Faith at the centre of everything we do. She has also supported the development of a robust monitoring strategy that will guide our system through the next five years, ensuring that we remain accountable to the communities we serve and grounded in the vision we have set together. 

Please join us in congratulating Annalisa Varano as she continues to lead our board into its next chapter.
 

Renée Kraft
Chair of the Board
Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Helmets on, kickstands up. The Cycling Smarts Pilot Program rolled into St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School on June 1, and we were lucky enough to be there for tarmac day to see our Grade 5 students put their new skills to the test. 

The energy on the pavement was incredible. Students were beaming as they practiced signaling their turns, navigating cones, and growing more confident with every loop. Some were seasoned riders. Others were learning to balance on two wheels for the very first time. All of them were having a blast, picking up safety tips, and making memories that will stay with them long after the program wraps. 

Cycling Smarts is more than a few days of riding. It is a thoughtful introduction to safe, confident urban cycling, designed to meet every student where they are. The curriculum blends classroom lessons with hands-on practice, covering everything from core riding mechanics to road safety rules, navigating intersections, and developing a defensive riding mindset. Best of all, the program is offered at no cost to families and welcomes every student, including those with mobility needs and those who have never ridden a bike before. 

None of this would be possible without our incredible partners. We are deeply grateful to the City of Waterloo, the Waterloo Region District School Board, Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region, and The Working Centre for bringing this program to life for our students.

The timing could not be more fitting. This week is also Bike to School Week across Waterloo Region, a community-wide celebration that invites students to feel the wind in their hair, try riding to school for the first time, learn new skills, or simply have fun exploring their neighbourhoods on two wheels. Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region (STSWR) has teamed up with the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo, along with the Region of Waterloo, to sponsor a host of prizes for participating students, including 30 Dairy Queen gift cards and 10 active transportation prize packages. Families can learn more and join in at stswr.ca. 

What we saw at St. Nicholas this week is just the beginning. We are looking forward to watching Cycling Smarts roll out to more schools across both Waterloo Region school boards in the coming school year, giving more students the chance to discover the freedom, confidence, and joy that comes with riding a bike.

A new cycling education program is rolling into local elementary schools this June. 

The Cycling Smarts Pilot Program is a collaboration between the City of Waterloo, the Waterloo Region District School Board, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region, and The Working Centre. The program teaches Grade 5 students how to ride safely and confidently in an urban environment. The program is offered at no cost to families and is designed to include all students, including those with mobility needs and those who have never ridden a bike before. 

“Learning does not stop at the classroom door, and neither does our commitment to our students,” said Annalisa Varano, Director of Education of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. “The Cycling Smarts Pilot Project is a powerful reminder of what becomes possible when school boards, municipalities, and community organizations come together around a shared belief in young people. Our students will gain practical skills, build resilience, and develop a deeper connection to the community they call home. At the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, we are honoured to be part of that journey.” 

“The Cycling Smarts Pilot Program is a great example of how strong community partnerships create meaningful opportunities for students,” said Scott Miller, Chief Executive Officer of the Waterloo Region District School Board. “This program will give students the opportunity to build confidence, independence and practical life skills in a safe and supportive environment. Regardless of their experience or ability, students will develop healthy habits, strengthen their sense of belonging in the community, and gain the skills they need to navigate their world safely and confidently.” 

Early access to cycling education is a proven way to build lifelong active transportation habits. Cycling is a healthy, affordable and accessible way for children and youth to get around, and the City of Waterloo’s growing network of urban cycling routes gives them real options to do so. Learning to ride at a younger age also builds a sense of freedom and agency that organizers hope every participating student will carry with them. By reaching children whose parents may not cycle themselves, the program helps provide access to active transportation and supports local efforts toward Bicycle Friendly Communities recognition. 

“It’s with future cyclists in mind that we continually expand our active transportation network. The City of Waterloo is recognized as a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community with over 230 km of trails, bike lanes and signed bike routes connecting cyclists to key destinations in the city. Cycling supports a healthy lifestyle, environmental sustainability and provides more options for getting around,” said Chris Hodgson, Manager, Active Transportation at the City of Waterloo. 

“I’m so glad that Cycling Smarts is bringing comprehensive cycling education to Grade 5 students in the City of Waterloo, and I know first-hand how valuable this experience can be for kids,” said Philip Martin, founder of Cycling Into The Future, the program after which Cycling Smarts is modelled. “This training will help older children ride more safely in their communities, and it will provide many other benefits — physical activity, an earth-friendly way to get around, something fun to do with friends. I’m grateful that The Working Centre and the City of Waterloo are picking up where Cycling Into The Future left off.” 

“Recycle Cycles is thrilled to be partnering on this pilot program, and the response from the schools has been amazing,” said Cassandra Polyzou of The Working Centre. “Our team is really excited to share their love of cycling with the kids and leave them with valuable skills to stay safe on the road.” 

The Cycling Smarts curriculum blends classroom lessons with on-the-bike practice. Students learn the core mechanics of riding alongside the road safety rules and shoulder-checking habits that keep them visible and aware. They practice navigating intersections and roundabouts, positioning themselves safely around parked and stopped vehicles, and applying a defensive-riding mindset that will serve them well beyond the classroom.  

“Children deserve to travel public spaces with their families and independently, as their maturity allows, and Cycling Smarts helps them develop the skills and awareness to do so,” said Keith Prudham, General Manager of Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region. “We are excited to work with this partnership to make it happen.” 

Cycling Smarts will run at St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School from June 1 to 5 and at Lincoln Heights Public School from June 15 to 19. Two additional schools are expected to provide the program in the fall. 

Media Contact:  

Lema Salaymeh
Senior Manager of Communications 
Waterloo Catholic District School Board 
Lema.Salaymeh@wcdsb.ca 

Estefanía Brandenstein
Communications Officer
Waterloo Region District School Board
Estefania_Brandenstein@wrdsb.ca 

Stacey Abbott
Corporate Communications Manager
City of Waterloo
Stacey.Abbott@waterloo.ca  

Upcoming Agenda:

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, May 25, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-05-25_Board-of-Trustee Agenda

Location:  1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener

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Nutrition for Learning and Food 4 Kids Waterloo Region are working arm-in-arm to provide nourishing meals for students across the region. Together, we are feeding children inside and outside the classroom, so they have what they need to thrive!

Bell to Bell at School

In partnership with youth and educators, Nutrition for Learning continually strives to elevate the experience of universal food access at schools in ways that promote optimal wellbeing, healthy relationships, and food literacy. They provide over 2-million in-school meals for 100,000 students in kindergarten to grade 12 each year, helping to promote a sense of connection, community and belonging for all students.

…And Beyond!

Food 4 Kids Waterloo Region believes every child deserves the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive without the burden of hunger holding them back. Their mission, in collaboration with our compassionate community, is to provide nutritious food packages to children ages 1-14 living with chronic hunger in food-insecure homes throughout Waterloo Region. We focus on the critical times when children need it most — weekends, school breaks, and throughout the summer — 179 days of the year — when they cannot access in-classroom supports.

Nourishing the Future of our Community Together!

To help support food access for students in the WCDSB, click here!

Upcoming Agenda:

Committee of the Whole Meeting: Monday, May 11, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-05-11_COW_Agenda

Location:  1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener

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Upcoming Agenda:

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, April 27, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-04-27_Board-of-Trustee Agenda

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Some of the most important history lessons never happen in a classroom. 

For a group of Grade 10 students, the past came alive not through a textbook, but through the voices of the people who actually lived it. Through a project called “History Lives Here,” students partnered with residents at Seasons Retirement Home to do something quietly remarkable: sit down, listen, and let the stories of a lifetime become the foundation for something new. 

Over three visits, students interviewed residents about the historical events they witnessed and experienced firsthand. Those conversations were then woven into written and digital artifacts, culminating in a locally rooted textbook unlike any other — one built entirely from living memory. 

The connection between students and residents was felt almost from the very first meeting. Maddie Slater, community liaison at Seasons, said it was among the most meaningful experiences residents had shared with visitors. On April 17, students returned one final time to present the completed textbook alongside 3D-printed gifts they had made for each resident. Many in the room were moved. 

The students handled the residents’ stories with a level of care and profound respect that left the seniors, and their teacher, beaming with pride. By using modern innovation and tech to preserve their memories, they showed what’s possible when we bridge the gap between high-tech tools and essential human-centered skills. It was a beautiful reminder that the best use of technology is to enhance the empathy, communication, and collaboration we use to form genuine human connections. 

For some students, that final visit was not really a farewell at all. Several have since expressed their intention to return as volunteers, staying connected with the residents who shared so much of themselves. 

It is the kind of outcome that reminds us what education, at its best, can look like: not just knowledge passed down, but human beings genuinely seeing one another. 

Upcoming Agenda:

Special Board of Trustees – Education Development Charge (EDC) Policy Review meeting @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-04-13_Special-Board-of-Trustee_Agenda_EDC_Meeting #1

Special Board of Trustees – Education Development Charge (EDC) Background Study meeting @ 6:15 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-04-13_Special-Board-of-Trustee_Agenda_EDC_Meeting #2

Committee of the Whole Meeting: Monday, April 13, 2026 @ 6:30 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-04-13_COW_Agenda

(Note: Agenda files can be large. If you are experiencing issues downloading a file, right-click on the link and choose “Save Target As…”.)

Livestreaming of Board Meetings

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