Upcoming Agenda:
Board of Trustees’s Board Meeting: Monday, November 24 , 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-11-24_Board-of-Trustee Agenda
Location: 1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener
On a chilly November evening, students from all five Waterloo Catholic District School Board secondary schools came together at St. Mary’s High School to launch this year’s Homes for Hope fundraiser. They zipped up coats, rolled out sleeping bags and settled into a student-built “tent city.” It was a simple but powerful act of solidarity, rooted in compassion and a shared commitment to care for others.
Homes for Hope runs from November 20 to December 20 and invites our community to support neighbours who are experiencing chronic homelessness. Donations will once again support A Better Tent City and The Bridges, two organizations that provide care, stability and essential services. This year, OneROOF has also joined the campaign. Their work focuses on youth facing homelessness, adding a meaningful new dimension to the effort: youth helping youth.
To help students understand the full landscape of homelessness in our region, guest speakers from across the community shared stories, insight and lived experience. Representatives joined from the Region of Waterloo, A Better Tent City, The Bridges, St. Mary’s Church, the Food Bank of Waterloo Region, St. Mary’s Hospital, OneROOF, The Working Centre and the Waterloo Regional Police Service. Their presence reminded students that this issue touches every corner of our community and that hope grows fastest when we take action together.
Throughout the night, students reflected, learned and leaned on one another. They listened to residents who have navigated the harsh realities of homelessness. They heard from front-line workers who show up every day with care and conviction. They were guided by staff who reminded them, through words and quiet leadership, that this was not just an event. It was a movement.
Making this event possible took weeks of planning and collaboration from staff across the WCDSB. From organizing logistics and building partnerships to supporting student learning and well-being throughout the night, staff played a key role in shaping a meaningful experience, one rooted in dignity, empathy and action.
This growing tradition is more than a fundraiser. It is a lesson in dignity, a call to community and a reflection of the care that lives at the heart of our Catholic schools, both in our students and in the staff who support them.
As we move through another year of Homes for Hope, we invite our community to give generously, share widely and help bring warmth, dignity and shelter to those who need it most.
Thank you to every speaker, partner, staff member and student who made the night possible. Thank you to our wider community for continuing to show what is possible when we choose hope and choose one another.
Kitchener, Ontario – On November 17, 2025, the Board of Trustees of the Waterloo Catholic District School Board re-elected Kitchener/Wilmot Trustee Renée Kraft as Chair of the Board and Kitchener/Wilmot Trustee Tracey Weiler as Vice-Chair of the Board. The Board of Trustees is comprised of the following representatives:
Cambridge / North Dumfries
David Guerin
Marisa Phillips
Robert Sikora
Kitchener / Wilmot
Kathy Doherty-Masters
Winston Francis
Renée Kraft
Tracey Weiler
Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich
Linda Cuff
Conrad Stanley
Student Trustees
Rebecca Girolametto
Jace Krysko
Upcoming Agenda:
Inaugural Meeting of the Board of Trustees: Monday, November 17, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-11-17_Inaugural Board-of-Trustee Agenda
Location: 1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener
Upcoming Agenda:
Committee of the Whole Meeting: Monday, November 10, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-11-10_COW_Agenda
Location: 1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener
With snow in the forecast this Sunday, we want to remind families and staff where to find the most up-to-date information about school bus delays or school closures due to inclement weather.
The safety of students and staff is our top priority. When weather conditions take a turn, decisions about delays and cancellations are made carefully in collaboration with our transportation partners.
To help you stay informed, visit:
🔗 www.wcdsb.ca/delays-cancellations
This page includes:
We encourage all families to review the information in advance. Planning ahead helps ensure a safe and smooth start to the school day, no matter what the forecast brings.
St. Dominic Savio Catholic Elementary School recently celebrated a major milestone: 25 years of faith-filled education and community spirit.
The afternoon began with a special address from founding principal Garry Mahn, who reflected on the school’s early days, shared how St. Dominic Savio received its name, and reminded the community of the importance of staying rooted in faith as the school continues to grow.
The celebration continued with a beautiful commemorative Mass in the school gymnasium, presided over by His Excellency, Bishop Douglas Crosby, along with Father Roque of St. Mark Parish and Deacon Philip Fernandez. Students, staff, alumni, families, and friends were joined by members of the Board of Trustees, senior administration, and Director of Education Annalisa Varano, who shared her heartfelt congratulations with the school community.
A highlight of the liturgy was Bishop Crosby’s presentation of The Saint John’s Bible — a symbolic gift to the school in his name that will be cherished for generations to come. The ceremony also featured moving music from the school choir, expressions of gratitude from students, and the long-awaited re-lighting of the crucifix at the front of the school, glowing once again for the first time in over 15 years as a powerful symbol of Catholic identity.
Following the Mass, guests gathered in the Learning Commons to reconnect, tour the school, and enjoy a display of photos, memorabilia, and artifacts showcasing the rich 25-year history of the St. Dominic Savio community.
Sincere thanks are extended to Bishop Crosby, Father Roque, Deacon Fernandez, and Monsignor Murray Kroetch for their spiritual leadership, and to the school choir and chaplain Andrew Zettel for their beautiful contributions to the day’s celebrations.
Congratulations to the entire St. Dominic Savio School community on 25 wonderful years. May the next chapter be filled with continued faith, excellence, and joyful learning.
We are pleased to share that our new Grade 7–12 Catholic school, set to open in September 2026, has officially received a name.
Following a survey of the school communities, the new school will be called Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School.
Students and parents interested in learning more about Notre Dame CSS are invited to drop in at an open house at the Stanley Park Community Centre (505 Franklin St. N) on Monday, November 17, anytime between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Thank you to everyone who helped bring this next chapter to life. We can’t wait to build something beautiful together.
*Read more about Notre Dame CSS: Welcome to Notre Dame!
*Complete this Student and Parent Questionnaire to sign up for email updates and submit questions ahead of upcoming school information sessions.
Upcoming Agenda:
Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, October 27, 2025 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2025-10-27_Board-of-Trustee Agenda
Location: 1st floor Board Room, Catholic Education Centre, 35 Weber Street, Kitchener
General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings
Information About the Board of Trustees
It was a home run of a day at St. Teresa of Avila Elementary School in Elmira as students, staff, and families came together to celebrate Blue Jays Day, a fun-filled event that showcased the strength and generosity of the local community.
The schoolyard was a sea of blue as students proudly wore their Toronto Blue Jays gear, showing both school and team spirit. The celebration featured a special lunch with food generously donated by Foodland Elmira, the community’s local grocery store.
Parents volunteered their time to prepare and serve the meal, creating a true community feast. Ballpark classics were served, adding to the fun and festive spirit of the day.
Principal Jennifer Drinkwater said that although she has only been part of the St. Teresa community for a short time, she already feels the warmth and spirit that make the school such a special place. “It’s incredible to see how everyone comes together, from local businesses to our amazing families, to support our students and make days like this so meaningful,” she said.
The event captured the best of St. Teresa’s school spirit: a community rooted in kindness, service, and joy.
