Our hearts are heavy following the fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Saturday, Oct. 17. Four members of the Canadian Armed Forces lost their lives, and dozens more were injured while taking part in a training exercise.

As a Catholic community, we hold in prayer the four soldiers who lost their lives, along with their families, friends and fellow members of the Forces. We also pray for healing for the injured, and for strength for the medical teams and first responders caring for them. In their honour, flags are flying at half-mast at all Waterloo Catholic District School Board locations.

News like this is difficult to hear, and it touches many in our community, including those with loved ones who serve. In times of sorrow, we are called to lean on one another and to care for each other with compassion. May we continue to hold all those affected close in our prayers, trusting that God walks with them in their grief.

• Belonging and Contributing: Students worked together, cheered each other on and contributed to a shared celebration.
• Self-Regulation and Well-Being: Fresh air, movement and patient turn taking helped students manage their energy and emotions.
• Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours: Counting kernels, comparing sizes and describing textures turned the harvest into rich math and language learning.
• Problem Solving and Innovating: Steering pumpkins through obstacle courses and designing crafts invited students to test ideas and try again.

Upcoming Agenda:

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, October 19, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-10-19_Board-of-Trustee Agenda

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

(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

Board meetings are open to the public. You may attend in person or watch live here: https://www.wcdsb.ca/about-us/meeting-information/board-meeting-live-stream/

General Information About WCDSB Board Meetings

Information About the Board of Trustees

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board congratulates Sharon Foran of St. David Catholic Secondary School, recipient of the 2026 Drayton Entertainment Teacher of Excellence Award.

The award recognizes an outstanding secondary school educator who demonstrates exceptional skill, dedication and passion for arts education. It holds special meaning because nominations come directly from students involved in high school musical productions.

Foran was nominated by numerous students who described the profound impact she has had on them, both in the classroom and beyond it. By creating meaningful opportunities for young people to take the stage, she helps them build confidence, develop important life skills and find a sense of belonging.

Under her leadership, St. David CSS has grown a vibrant arts community where students are encouraged to discover their talents, strengthen their creativity and find their voice as performers, leaders and collaborators.

Foran received the award on Sept. 24 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge, during the opening night of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”

The board extends its heartfelt congratulations to Foran on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her remarkable contributions to arts education. Through her passion and leadership, she is helping to inspire the next generation of actors, storytellers and creative thinkers.

Photo courtesy of Drayton Entertainment.

Upcoming Agenda:

Special Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, October 5, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-10-05_Special-Board-of-Trustee_Agenda

Committee of the Whole Meeting: Monday, October 5, 2026 @ 6:15 p.m. (immediately following the Special Board meeting) – Agenda: 2026-10-05_COW_Agenda

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

(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

Board meetings are open to the public. You may attend in person or watch live via our official YouTube channel: @WCDSBTube YouTube Channel

Today the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) and the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) celebrated the official opening of Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School and Giinawind Public School, a new joint-use school facility in Cambridge.

Located on Wesley Blvd., the shared facility opened its doors to students in September 2026. Designed to grow with the community, it has capacity for 354 students at Guardian Angels and 519 students at Giinawind, along with an on-site child-care centre operated by YWCA Cambridge with space for 88 children.

Guardian Angels

The shared facility reflects the long-standing tradition of partnership between the two school boards in Waterloo Region. While Guardian Angels and Giinawind each maintain their own distinct identity, programming and school community, parents, families and caregivers in this growing neighbourhood now have access to both Catholic and public education, as well as child care, close to home.

Students, staff, parents, families and community members gathered for the ceremony, which included remarks, a photo opportunity and school tours. Annalisa Varano, Director of Education and CEO of the WCDSB, and Scott Miller, CEO of the WRDSB, Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett, Renée Kraft, Chair of the WCDSB, Maedith Radlein, Chair of the WRDSB, school administrators and other guests.

WCDSB Trustees and Staff

As part of the celebration, Mayor Liggett presented both schools with a time capsule, to be filled by students with items reflecting their first year in the new building.

Following the official opening ceremony, the Guardian Angels community celebrated Mass and a blessing of the school, presided by the Most Rev. Joseph Dabrowski, C.S.M.A., Bishop of Hamilton.

The name Giinawind (pronounced Gee-nah-win) was submitted by members of the Indigenous community and is derived from the Ojibwe word giinawind meaning “Us, including you.” The name will be woven into the day-to-day life of the school as students and staff build their shared identity, relationships and sense of belonging. Through learning, school activities and community experiences, Giinawind will serve as an ongoing reminder that every student, staff member and member of the school community has a place and a role in shaping the school.

The official opening of Guardian Angels and Giinawind marks an exciting milestone for families in Cambridge. Together, WCDSB, WRDSB and YWCA Cambridge look forward to welcoming students, staff, parents, families, caregivers and the wider community to this shared space for many years to come.

“Today we give thanks for Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School and for the students, staff and families who are already bringing it to life. This shared facility reflects what we can accomplish when two boards put the needs of children first, and it offers families the gift of a Catholic education in their own neighbourhood. We are grateful to our partners at the WRDSB and YWCA Cambridge, and to the Ministry of Education, for walking this journey with us. Alongside our friends at Giinawind, we look forward to building a community where every child in this building knows they belong.”  said Annalisa Varano, WCDSB Chief Executive Officer.

Annalisa Varano, WCDSB Chief Executive Officer

“The opening of Giinawind is an important milestone for the students, staff, parents, families and caregivers who are now part of this school community. This new facility provides students with a welcoming place to learn, connect and grow, while bringing public education and child care closer to families in this growing community. We are proud of the partnership that helped bring this school to life and look forward to seeing the Giinawind community grow and thrive,” said Scott Miller, WRDSB Chief Executive Officer.

“What a joy it is to celebrate the opening of Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School with this community. I am proud of the collaboration and innovation between our two boards that carried this vision from the drawing board to the classroom, with responsible stewardship of public resources at every step. This building is now ready to become a true home for students and staff, filled with prayer, curiosity and friendship. May Guardian Angels be a place of faith and learning for generations to come.”  said Renée Kraft, Chair of the WCDSB Board of Trustees.

Renée Kraft, Chair of the WCDSB Board of Trustees

“The official opening of Giinawind Public School is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the many people whose collaboration has made this school community a reality. This partnership with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board is new for the WRDSB and gives both boards the opportunity to demonstrate what is possible when we work together to serve students. Thank you to everyone whose hard work ensured that Giinawind was ready to welcome students, staff, parents, caregivers and families on the first day of school,” said Maedith Radlein, Chair of the WRDSB Board of Trustees.

Results of the 2025–2026 EQAO Assessments: WCDSB Students Show Strong Gains in Grade 3 and Grade 9

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) released the 2025–2026 assessment results for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB). The results show strong gains in Grade 3 literacy and numeracy, a significant one-year gain in Grade 9 mathematics, and continued strength on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), where WCDSB students again outperformed the province.

Provincial results were largely steady this year, with most areas changing by about one percentage point. WCDSB’s gains were larger in several areas, including 5 percentage points in Grade 9 Mathematics, 3 in Grade 3 Writing and 2 in Grade 3 Reading.

These results reflect the dedication of our teachers, support staff and school leaders, working in partnership with parents, families and guardians. They also reflect the Board’s focused work through its Multi-Year Strategic Plan 2025–2030, its Literacy Support Action Plan and its Math Achievement Action Plan (MAAP).

“Behind every one of these results is a year of faithful teaching, careful planning and daily encouragement,” said Annalisa Varano, Director of Education and Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud of our students’ growth, particularly in Grade 3 and Grade 9. We also know there is more work to do, especially in junior mathematics. We will use these results as we always do: as a starting point for thoughtful, evidence-informed conversations about how we can continue to support every student entrusted to our care.”

Highlights

• Grade 3 Reading (77%), Writing (68%) and Mathematics (67%) reached their highest levels in five years, and all three Grade 3 results exceeded the provincial results.
• Grade 3 Mathematics improved for the third consecutive year.
• Grade 6 Writing rose 2 percentage points to 84%, and Reading held steady at 84%.
• Grade 9 Mathematics rose 5 percentage points to 58%, the Board’s largest one-year gain in five years.
• 88% of first-time eligible students were successful on the OSSLT, above the provincial result of 86%. WCDSB has exceeded the province in four of the past five years.

Percentage of Students Meeting or Exceeding the Provincial Standard

Next Steps

The 2025–2026 results affirm the strategies already in place and show us where to deepen them. In our elementary schools, WCDSB will continue to advance MAAP priorities, with particular attention to mathematics in the junior grades. Through the Literacy Support Action Plan, schools will continue to implement evidence-based literacy practices from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

In our secondary schools, the work is guided by the Multi-Year Strategic Plan priority to Accelerate Excellence and Innovation While Building Future-Ready Skills, and the Student Achievement Plan priority of Achievement of Learning Outcomes in Core Academic Skills. Schools will use achievement data to inform planning, strengthen instructional practice and provide targeted supports that respond to each student’s needs. We remain committed to helping every student build strong literacy and numeracy foundations and step confidently into their future.

Understanding EQAO Results

EQAO assessments provide one important indicator of student learning, measured against a common provincial standard. They do not assess the whole child or the whole curriculum, and WCDSB uses them alongside many other sources of information to plan instruction. As EQAO advises, ranking schools or comparing individual schools without considering a range of factors is inappropriate and misleading.

Board, school and provincial results, including new cohort-tracking reports, are available at www.eqao.com.

Upcoming Agenda:

Board of Trustees Meeting: Monday, September 28, 2026 @ 6:00 p.m. – Agenda: 2026-09-28_Board-of-Trustee Agenda

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

(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

Board meetings are open to the public. You may attend in person or watch live via our official YouTube channel: @WCDSBTube YouTube Channel

What is a School Board Trustee?  

School board trustees are locally elected members of the public who serve as champions for public education in our community. As part of the board, a trustee helps fulfill the board’s responsibilities under Ontario’s Education Act. 

Trustees keep student achievement and well-being at the centre of every decision they make. They work to benefit the school board district, while also representing the interests and concerns of the families and communities who elected them. A key part of the role is two-way communication: trustees share the board’s decisions and priorities with their constituents, and they bring community perspectives back to the board table. 

What Does a Trustee Do? 

As elected representatives, Catholic School Trustees are accountable to Catholic school electors in the following areas: 

• Setting the system’s mission and multi-year strategic plan  
• Supporting student achievement across the school community  
• Establishing and monitoring the annual budget  
• Developing policies that ensure the board operates efficiently  
• Determining the type, size, and location of schools  
• Hiring the Chief Executive Officer 

Who Can Run to Become a Catholic School Board Trustee? 

To be eligible for election to a four-year term as a Catholic School Trustee, you must be: 

• A Roman Catholic 
• A Catholic school supporter 
• A resident within the jurisdiction of the district Catholic school board 
• A Canadian citizen 
• At least 18 years of age 

Municipal Elections 

Municipal and school board elections take place every four years. The next municipal and school board election will be held on Monday, October 26, 2026.  

Nine Trustees will be elected to the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in the 2026 municipal election, including: 

• Three from Cambridge / North Dumfries 
• Four from Kitchener / Wilmot 
• Two from Waterloo / Wellesley / Woolwich 

For information about elected municipal offices, please view the information for your municipality found in the links below: 

• City of Cambridge 
• City of Kitchener 
• City of Waterloo 
• Township of North Dumfries 
• Township of Wellesley 
• Township of Wilmot 
• Township of Woolwich 

Trustee Candidate Nomination 

Please note that the candidate nomination period runs from Friday, May 1, 2026 – Friday, August 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.   

Learn More about Catholic School Trustees 

Visit the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association website to learn more about becoming a Catholic School Board Trustee.