Website News Archives - Page 35 of 45 - Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Upcoming Board Meeting — Monday, January 13, 2020

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees (Committee of the Whole) is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, January 13, 2020 — at the Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre.

Meeting Agenda

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 184-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

January 10th, 2020|

Catholic Board Announces Long-Term Lease Extension for Downtown Kitchener St. Louis Adult Learning & Continuing Education Centre Campus

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board today announced plans to maintain its St. Louis Adult Learning & Continuing Education Centres campus at 80 Young Street in downtown Kitchener, potentially until 2035.

The opportunity to remain at the very heart of the Waterloo Region community comes as a result of a new lease agreement with the Catholic religious order, the Congregation of the Resurrection (CR) — which has owned the site for more than 150 years.

The school board’s current 25-year lease with the CRs was set to expire in 2020. St. Louis has operated at the site since 2002. Catholic educational institutions (most notably the former St. Jerome’s High School) have existed there since 1866.

The opportunity to renew the downtown Kitchener lease at this time will allow St. Louis to continue offering programs and services to those most in need in the community, while also aligning with the Congregation’s values and mission to “work together for the resurrection of society, bringing His life and love to all: through our personal witness, through the witness of our life in community in which all can experience the hope, joy, and peace of Christ’s resurrection”. The school board and St. Louis look forward particularly to continuing our close relationship with St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Catholic Parish.

Renewal work at the St. Francis (Kitchener) campus of St. Louis was planned in anticipation of relocating certain programs and services after the current lease at 80 Young Street expired. This work will continue.

Quotes:

“We are absolutely thrilled with the successful negotiation of a new lease that allows St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres to remain in its current location at 80 Young St. Waterloo Catholic is grateful to the Congregation of the Resurrection for their willingness to work with us and for recognizing the great value of the programs offered at St Louis. With our long history of serving a diverse student population, and given the strong Catholic roots in downtown Kitchener, we are enormously proud and happy that this legacy has been recognized and can now continue for years to come. We are also eagerly anticipating the work that this agreement will allow to flourish between St. Louis and the parish of St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows, where a community-focused energy is gaining great momentum. It is a day for celebration for downtown Kitchener, for Waterloo Catholic and for students of all ages and talents”.

~~ Loretta Notten, Director of Education, WCDSB

“Our founding Father in Education — Resurrectionist Fr. Louis Funcken C.R. — had fire in his heart and passion in his soul when it came to the launch of St. Jerome’s in 1866. As a Resurrectionist, ‘he believed that education was a source of life and liberation for those who had the privilege to experience it.’ (Fr. Jim Wahl C.R.) The Congregation of the Resurrection celebrates his legacy and the legacy of all Resurrectionists who have taught over the years by supporting the WDCSB in its ongoing wonderful ministry at the St. Louis Adult Learning & Continuing Education Centres, formally St. Jerome’s High School”.

~~ Fr. Murray McDermott C.R., Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Resurrection

“The St. Louis site (former St. Jerome’s High School), has been an integral part of our education system in the heart of the City of Kitchener for well over a century. “We are thrilled with the announcement by the Waterloo Catholic District School Board and the Congregation of the Resurrection that this downtown site right across from Kitchener City Hall will continue to serve thousands of students in the years ahead – everyone from new Canadians to those pursuing their lifelong learning goals as adults.”

~~ Berry Vrbanovic, Mayor of Kitchener and St. Jerome’s High School Graduate

QuickFacts:

About St. Louis:

The St. Louis Adult Learning & Continuing Education Centres have been a proud part of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board for 33 years, serving more than 250,000 learners.
The total current number of St. Louis students of ALL AGES served across all programs = 12,500.
More than 38,000 hours of additional after school, Saturday and Summer Literacy and Numeracy supports is provided to students from Grades 7-10 annually.
The number of day school credits earned by St. Louis students = 6568 – and several hundred adult learners receive their Ontario Secondary School Diploma via St. Louis annually.
Over the last 15 years, more than 2,800 students have graduated from St. Louis’ award-winning, accredited certificate, apprenticeship and licensing ‘school-to-work’ programs (Chef, Hairstyling and Personal Support Worker).
82% per cent of Chef and Hairstyling graduates and 98% of Personal Support Worker graduates find employment in their fields within six months of graduation.

About the Congregation of the Resurrection:

Founded in 1836 in Paris, France, the Congregation of the Resurrection became established in what is now Waterloo Region in 1857. In 1865 the order — under the leadership of Fr. Louis Funcken, C.R. — founded St. Jerome’s College in St. Agatha. The College moved to Berlin (now Kitchener) in 1866, with the buildings eventually becoming St. Jerome’s High School. The College relocated and is now St. Jerome’s University at the University of Waterloo.
A fundamental belief of the Resurrectionists is that God calls them to work together for the resurrection of society, so the order’s twin priorities have always been parish work and teaching.
Today, Resurrectionist priests, brothers, and deacons work in such ministries as social work, spiritual direction, counselling, administration, hospital chaplaincy, retreat directors, missionary activity, vocations, writing, and various ministries in Canadian and ethnic parishes (mostly Polish, but also German, Italian, Spanish and French).
Recent efforts by Fr. Toby Collins, C.R., Fr. Dan Lobsinger, C.R., Fr. Joseph deViveiros, C.R. and the staff team at St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Catholic Parish in downtown Kitchener to house and feed the homeless in the face of a severe cold snap were well covered in media reports, and speak to the important ongoing contributions of Waterloo Region’s CRs.

Congregation of the Resurrection

St. Mary of the Seven Sorrows Catholic Parish

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 184-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

– 30 –

For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer

(519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca

January 8th, 2020|

Registration is Open: It’s Time to Sign Up for School!!

It’s time to sign up for the 2020-21 school year – and registering to attend one of Waterloo Region’s 43 Catholic elementary schools and five Catholic secondary schools has never been easier. In fact, a quality, inclusive, faith-based education is just a click away for families of Kindergarten students thanks to the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s Online Registration system.

QUICKFacts

~~ Parents can access the Online Registration form by clicking on the Register for School link on the WCDSB Homepage and then choosing either Kindergarten Registration, Elementary Registration or Secondary Registration. The link to Online Registration can be found on each page under the “Registration Options”

~~ Children born in 2016 are eligible for Year 1 Kindergarten (JK).

~~ Children born in 2015 are eligible for Year 2 Kindergarten (SK).

~~ When registering your child to attend a Catholic elementary school you must be prepared to provide proof of the child’s date of birth and either the child’s Catholic baptismal certificate or the Catholic baptismal certificate of at least one parent or guardian.

~~ If you are non-Catholic, but wish to explore a Catholic education for your child(ren), please review the WCDSB Admissions to Catholic Elementary Schools policy. Our secondary schools are open to students of all faiths.

~~ A complete list of WCDSB schools that will offer the Extended Day Program in 2020-21 will be web-posted in April, 2020. Please call your school directly for information about the Extended Day Program. A complete list of WCDSB schools currently providing the program is available via this link: Extended Day Program.

~~ For information about French Immersion programs in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, please click here: French Immersion Registration Information.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 184-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

January 7th, 2020|

Nominations Open for WCDSB Distinguished Graduate, Community Partner & Chair’s Awards

Nominations are now open for the annual WCDSB “Distinguished Graduate Award”, “Community Partner Award” and “Chair’s Award”. Information about the awards (including the Distinguished Graduate Award nomination form) is available HERE. There are no nomination forms for the Community Partner and Chair’s Awards.

If you wish to make a nomination in any of the categories, please submit your rationale in writing along with any supporting documentation you feel appropriate, to Alice Figueiredo by Monday, March 2, 2020. Hard copy or emailed nominations are equally acceptable. Alice can be reached via email at alice.figueiredo@wcdsb.ca.

Distinguished Graduate Award

The Distinguished Graduate Award was established in 2005 under the Board’s “Celebration of Excellence” policy. It is presented annually to a graduate of 10 or more years from Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools who has provided an outstanding example of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations in action. The award is presented at the graduation exercises of the recipient’s Secondary School or another appropriate public venue.

Recipients

2019 – Richard Hepditch, Chief, Waterloo Fire Rescue
2018 – Paul Heinbecker, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
2017 – Most Reverend Bishop Daniel Meihm, Bishop of Peterborough
2016 – Michael Schmitt, Former WCDSB teacher, Principal, Superintendent & Director of Education
2015 – Douglas Letson, C.M., Former President & Vice-Chancellor, St. Jerome’s University
2014 – Katherine Bergman, President & Vice-Chancellor, St. Jerome’s University
2013 – Mary Jo Fedy, Managing Partner, KPMG — Waterloo
2012 – Toby Collins, C.R., Vocation Director for the Congregation of the Resurrection
2011 – Teacher / missionary Sister Barbara Paleczny, SSND
2010 – David Eby, Executive Director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association – and current Attorney General of British Columbia
2009 – Paul Voisin, C.R., Vicar General of the Diocese of Hamilton (Bermuda)
2008 – Former Ontario cabinet minister – and current Wilfrid Laurier University Professor —John Milloy
2007 – Lisa LaFlamme, Anchor – CTV National News with Lisa LaFlamme
2006 – University of Waterloo professor Brian Orend
2005 – Ontario Superior Court Justice Patrick J. Flynn

Community Partner Award

The Community Partner Award is presented annually in recognition of outstanding contributions made to Waterloo Region’s Catholic Schools by a community partner or agency serving the students, staff and greater community of Waterloo Region.

Recipients

2019 – Langs Community Health & Wellness Centre
2018 – St. Vincent de Paul Store (Cambridge)
2017 – Settlement and Education Partnership of Waterloo Region
2016 – Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
2015 – Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council
2014 – Strong Start Charitable Organization
2013 – Barrday Inc.
2012 – Junior Achievement of Waterloo Region
2011 – Nutrition for Learning
2010 – Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
2009 – Rex Barger
2008 – Reid’s Heritage Homes
2007 – Congregation of the Resurrection in Waterloo Region
2006 – Region of Waterloo Public Health
2005 – Waterloo Region Catholic Schools Foundation
2004 – St. Jerome’s University
2003 – Waterloo Regional Police Service
2002 – Catholic Family Counselling
2001 – Waterloo Region Catholic Community Foundation

Chair’s Award

The Chair’s Award is presented to a person (or group of people) in the school system who has contributed significantly to Catholic Education. It is given annually in recognition of outstanding contributions made in serving the students, staff and greater community of Waterloo Region and/or to the betterment of Catholic Education in Ontario in general.

Recipients

2019 – Mary Jo O’Brien
2018 – Tom Denomme
2017 – Glenda Leusink
2016 – Nancy Sabo
2015 – Joni Grundy
2014 – Marianna Worth
2013 – Michelle Flood and Mary Stevens
2012 – Bruce Cameron
2011 – Gai Brown
2010 – Theresa Horan
2009 – Jeannie McCarroll
2008 – Angela Davis
2007 – Thomas Forestell, Mervyn J. Villemaire, Charles Van Alphen
2006 – Deb Zettel-Schmitt
2005 – Allan Hoch, Jennifer Rodrigues, Louise Ervin
2004 – Gary Leduc
2003 – Pat Brannigan, Michael Schmitt
2002 – School Sisters of Notre Dame / Sisters of St. Joseph
2001 – Dave Schnarr, Bill Brazeau, Pat Cannon, Warren Grafton, Horst Schweinbenz
2000 – Fr. Fred Scinto, C.R.
1999 – Ann O’Donnell-Beckwith
1998 – Bob Anderson

January 6th, 2020|

St. John CES Boundary Review – Public Meeting Notice

On October 30, 2019 a WCDSB staff report recommending a school boundary review involving St. John CES, Holy Rosary CES, Our Lady of Lourdes CES and St. Nicholas CES – with the purpose of reducing enrolment pressure at St. John – was approved by the Board of Trustees.

The Boundary Review Process currently ongoing is designed to ensure that the public has opportunity to comment on the proposed boundary solution, the impact on affected students has been considered, and that decisions are based on an efficient and equitable use of system resources. The process is overseen by a Boundary Review Committee. Composition and responsibilities of the committee are described the Board’s Pupil Accommodation Review Process. The process includes two public meetings – the first of which is scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2020 at St. John CES (details below).

Information about the review is available online at: www.wcdsb.ca/about-us/accommodations/st-johns-boundary-review/

Comments may be submitted via email to: StJohnReview@wcdsb.ca

January 3rd, 2020|

Director of Education’s Annual Report: 2018-19

A highlight of every year in the WCDSB is the release of the Director’s Annual Report. Ever school board in the province is required to produce such a report and ours is always a comprehensive and wide-ranging look back the previous year’s many accomplishments. More than perhaps anything else we produce it provides a multi-faceted illustration of what we mean when say our schools are “Heart of the Community”.

The report is available online at https://annual.wcdsb.ca

December 10th, 2019|

WCDSB Board Meeting Bulletin — December, 2019

Meetings

Inaugural Meeting

Monday, December 2, 2019 – Meeting Agenda Package

Public Board Meeting

Monday, December 9, 2019 — Meeting Agenda Package

Highlights

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

On December 2, 2019 the Board of Trustees re-elected Cambridge / North Dumfries Trustee Bill Conway as Chair of the Board, and Waterloo / Woolwich / Wellesley Trustee Melanie Van Alphen as Vice-Chair of the Board.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of the following representatives:

Bill Conway (Cambridge / North Dumfries) – Chair

Manuel da Silva (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Kevin Dupuis (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Jeanne Gravelle (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich)

Wendy Price (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Greg Reitzel (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Brian Schmalz (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Melanie Van Alphen (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich) – Vice-Chair

Tracey Weiler (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Meghan Cymbron and Rori Schaefer are the Student Trustees.

FSL Program Update

English-language school boards in Ontario are required to provide students with a minimum of 600 hours of French instructional hours by the end of elementary school. In secondary schools, one FSL credit (110 hours) is compulsory for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). A second FSL course can be counted towards the compulsory credits required for the OSSD.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board currently offers four program options for French as a Second Language:

Core French (offered in grades 4-12 at all sites)
Intensive French (offered in grade 5 at 3 sites and grade 9-10 at 1 site)
Advanced Placement (AP) and pre-AP French (offered in grades 9-12 at 2 sites and grades 9-11 at 1 site)
French Immersion – offered in grade 1 (at 2 sites), grades 1-4 (at 1 site), and grades 1-5 (at 2 sites)

In 2020/21 French immersion will be offered at the following schools:

St. Anne CES – Kitchener
Sir Edgar Bauer CES – Waterloo
Holy Rosary CES – Waterloo
St. Luke CES – Waterloo
Our Lady of Fatima CES – Cambridge
St. Peter CES – Cambridge

Highlights from each of these four program areas are available on pages 18-21 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Well Being Plan – Equity Action Plan

As a Catholic learning community, we are inspired and guided by the Gospel in our pursuit of equity and justice as a value rooted in our faith. In our Catholic/Christian tradition, we have a moral imperative to act intentionally to ensure those we serve – staff, students and communities – are treated with respect and dignity as brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Ministry of Education made a commitment to every student in the province of Ontario that regardless of ‘ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or other factors’ (Equity Action Plan, p. 8), all students should be able to access the curriculum, feel safe at school, and also have a sense of belonging. Accordingly, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s (WCDSB) vision commits us to be the “heart of the community”, offering “success for each and a place for all.” In support of our vision, the current theme of our three-year pastoral plan is “Called to Belong”.

At WCDSB, our Equity, Diversity and Learning (EDL) Committee works to build educator capacity to serve all students and assist in removing identified barriers to success. We employ a lens of liberation theology with a strong emphasis on the social teaching of preferential option for the poor. This involves empowering students and their families to advocate for change so that they may not just survive but thrive in our school communities.

Our work is guided by the four priority areas of the Ontario Education Equity Action Plan:

School and classroom practices
Leadership, governance and human resource practices
Data collection, integration and reporting
Organizational culture change

A series of highlights from each of these priority areas in available on pages 22-26 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Director’s Annual Report

A highlight of every year in the WCDSB is the release of the Director’s Annual Report. Ever school board in the province is required to produce such a report and ours is always a comprehensive and wide-ranging look back the previous year’s many accomplishments. More than perhaps anything else we produce it provides a multi-faceted illustration of what we mean when say our schools are “Heart of the Community”.

The report is available online at https://annual.wcdsb.ca

Board Chair’s Update

Each month, Board Chair Bill Conway reports on the activities of the Board of Trustees. The report for December 2019 is available on page 35 via this link: Meeting Agenda Package

Upcoming Board Meetings

Committee of the Whole Board Meeting

Monday, January 13, 2020

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

Regular Public Board Meeting

Monday, January 27, 2020

Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and four adult education facilities, serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

– 30 –

For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer | (519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca

December 10th, 2019|

Upcoming Board Meeting – Monday, December 9, 2019

The next meeting of the Board of Trustees is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. — Monday, December 9, 2019 — at the Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre.

Meeting Agenda

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 48 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

December 6th, 2019|

WCDSB Elementary & Secondary Schools Open & Running Normally on December 4, 2019

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) has announced plans for a one-day strike on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

OSSTF does not represent any staff working in our elementary and secondary schools, therefore all Waterloo Catholic District School Board elementary and secondary schools will be open and running on their normal schedules tomorrow.

WCDSB teaching staff are represented by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), and negotiations with the province are still on-going. We are hopeful the two sides will reach a fair and respectful collective agreement.

However, OSSTF does represent some staff working at our St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education Centres, and the one day strike will result in the following programs and services being CLOSED on December 4:

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at all campuses.
Language Instruction for New Canadians (LINC) classes at all campuses.
Literacy Basic Skills (LBS) classes – also known as CorE classes – at all campuses.
Spots for Tots childcare and LINC Childminding sites at both the both the Downtown Kitchener Main Campus and the Highland Road campus.

PLEASE NOTE: All other St. Louis programs will be running on normal schedules.

December 3rd, 2019|

WCDSB Trustees Re-elect Chair and Vice-Chair

Waterloo Region, ON – The Board of Trustees of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board has re-elected Cambridge / North Dumfries Trustee Bill Conway as Chair of the Board, and Waterloo / Woolwich / Wellesley Trustee Melanie Van Alphen as Vice-Chair of the Board. The meeting was held Monday, December 2, 2019 at the Waterloo Region Catholic Education Centre.

The Board of Trustees is comprised of the following representatives:

Bill Conway (Cambridge / North Dumfries) – Chair

Manuel da Silva (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Kevin Dupuis (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Jeanne Gravelle (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich)

Wendy Price (Cambridge / North Dumfries)

Greg Reitzel (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Brian Schmalz (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Melanie Van Alphen (Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich) – Vice-Chair

Tracey Weiler (Kitchener / Wilmot)

Meghan Cymbron and Rori Schaefer are the Student Trustees.

Detailed information about the Board of Trustees – including contact information, board agendas and minutes and board policies is available by clicking —–> HERE … Then click the “Our Governance” link.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, representing more than 96,000 Catholic school supporters, operates 49 schools and five adult education facilities serving more than 40,000 elementary, secondary and continuing education students in Waterloo Region – continuing a 183-year tradition of quality, inclusive, faith-based education. Follow us on Twitter: @WCDSBNewswire – #WCDSBAwesome.

– 30 –

For more information, please contact:

John Shewchuk – Chief Managing Officer

(519) 578-3660 | john.shewchuk@wcdsb.ca

December 2nd, 2019|