Dear WCDSB Families, 

Please be advised that the Professional Activity (PA) Day originally scheduled for April 19, 2024, will now be held on April 8, 2024. This change is being made to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff during the Total Solar Eclipse expected on April 8, 2024. 

Looking directly at the Sun causes serious eye damage, especially during a solar eclipse.  

To watch a solar eclipse safely, you need eye protection that has been designed for watching a solar eclipse (i.e., meets the ISO 12312-2 standard). Sunglasses are not sufficient to protect your eyes. In addition, viewing any part of a solar eclipse through a smartphone camera, a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will cause serious eye damage. 

Total Solar Eclipse Safety Tips 

A total solar eclipse is a rare and exciting natural phenomenon. However, it is crucial to view it safely to prevent any damage to the eyes. Here are some tips for safely experiencing the solar eclipse: 

1. Use Proper Eclipse Glasses: Regular sunglasses, even very dark ones, are not safe for viewing the sun. Special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or handheld solar viewers, must be used. Ensure they meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. 
2. Adult Supervision for Children: Ensure that children are supervised when using solar filters or eclipse glasses. Teach them the importance of not removing the glasses while looking at the sun. 
3. Alternative Methods: For those who do not have eclipse glasses, using a pinhole projector is a safe way to view a projection of the eclipse. This can be a fun and educational activity to do with children. 
4. Avoid Unsafe Methods: Do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while using your eclipse glasses or handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays can damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury. 
5. Check the Weather: If it is cloudy, you may not be able to see the eclipse. Use online resources to watch it live if the weather does not permit outdoor viewing. 
6. View it Safely via Livestream: The eclipse can be viewed via livestream broadcast through the NASA Exploratorium. 

We hope these tips are helpful for you and your family to safely experience this spectacular event.  

Your child’s safety is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in adapting to these changes in our school schedule. Let us all experience this cosmic event safely and responsibly. For more safety tips and information, please visit https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/solar-eclipse-safety.  

Friday, February 9, was an exciting day for Waterloo Catholic District School Board students.

19^th Annual Beating the Odds Conference

Beating the Odds is a full-day event hosted on Wilfred Laurier University’s Waterloo campus specifically for high school students, designed to elevate their ambitions towards pursuing higher education. In response to data indicating a 70% drop-out rate among racialized students in the Waterloo Region, community members and supporters bring together professionals and university students to Laurier to lead workshops and deliver keynote speeches, fostering a sense of empowerment and inspiration. This year, over 180 secondary school students from WCDSB participated in the event. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us. Together, we can beat the odds!

My Place in This World

St. Peters Elementary Catholic School recently hosted its Black History Month celebration titled “My Place in this World.” This occasion served to acknowledge, pay tribute to, and celebrate Black heritage. Distinguished attendees included the Honourable Charmaine Williams along with MPP Brian Riddell. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated.

Don’t delay!  Children born in 2018 have one week left to be registered in the French Immersion lottery for the 2024-25 Grade 1 class.  The lottery closes on February 4, 2024, at 9 pm. To apply for the lottery, follow the link on our website https://www.wcdsb.ca/programs-and-services/fsl/.

Have you received a letter from Public Health telling you that your child is missing a vaccination?

Appointments are now available for any student who needs to catch up on their routine vaccines, including Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Meningococcal, Pertussis (whooping cough), and Varicella (chickenpox).

Book a catch-up appointment, if your child is missing a vaccine.

Report your child’s vaccinations, if they have gotten the missing vaccines.

You need to report your child’s vaccines to Public Health if they received their vaccines from a health care provider. You can easily report your child’s vaccines online. How to report your child’s vaccines.

The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires all elementary and secondary school students to have proof of vaccination or a valid exemption on file with Public Health.

Vaccinations keep kids and schools healthy by stopping the spread of serious and preventable diseases.

Learn more about school and child care vaccinations

Schedule of Notification and Suspension

Vaccination notices providing six weeks to update vaccine records went out to elementary school families in November and December last year. Notices to secondary school families are being distributed now.

Students whose records have not been brought up to date will receive a second notice in February (elementary) and April (secondary) of pending school suspension. This second notice provides an additional four weeks to get vaccine records up to date before school suspension takes effect.

The elementary school suspension date is March 27, 2024. Secondary school suspension date is May 1, 2024.

Questions? Need help? Call Region of Waterloo Public Health at 519-575-4400.

Our 2024-2025 Extended Day Pre-Registration is now open! Families interested in the program are encouraged to pre-register using the link below.

Pre-register: https://regionofwaterloo.onehsn.com/wcdsb/

More information on Extended Day: https://www.wcdsb.ca/our-schools/register-for-school/extended-day-program/

Agenda

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, January 22, 2024 @ 6:00 pm – Agenda: 2024-01-22_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

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

Due to expected poor weather conditions, all St. Louis Adult & Continuing Education Centre Saturday programs at all locations are cancelled and all community use of school permits are cancelled for Saturday, January 13, 2024.

It’s Time to Sign Up for School!!

It’s time to sign up for the 2024-25 school year – and registering to attend one of Waterloo Region’s 44 Catholic elementary schools has never been easier.

• Children born in 2020 are eligible for Year 1 Kindergarten (JK).
• Children born in 2019 are eligible for Year 2 Kindergarten (SK).

REGISTER HERE: Kindergarten Registration

To finalize your child’s registration, please contact your local Catholic school directly.

QUICKFacts

~~ 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 (including a non-Catholic newcomer to Canada), 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 2024-25 will be web-posted before the end of this current (2023-24) school year. 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.