Notre Dame
Catholic Secondary School
For Current Grade 6 & 7 Students
Welcome to Notre Dame!
We’re excited to welcome current Grade 6 and 7 students to Notre Dame in September 2026!
What You Need to Know
- Quick Guide: Click here for a summary of Notre Dame and our Grade 7 & 8 program.
- Presentation: View our slideshow for an overview of the school and details about the Grade 7 & 8 experience.
- School Map: Click here to see how our school building and grounds are laid out.
Daily Schedule
Notre Dame CSS is a Grade 7–12 school, but our Grade 7 & 8 program has its own wing and schedule. This means:
- Recess, lunch, and Phys Ed happen when older students are in class.
- Click here to see an overview of the daily schedule. (Bell times will be confirmed in January 2026.)
Classes & Routines
Your day will look different from elementary school – and different from high school too!
Here’s what to expect:
- Before School: Play outside or relax in the cafeteria (just for Grade 7 & 8).
- Teachers: You’ll have three main teachers:
- Math Teacher (also may teach Science, Phys Ed, Health, Music)
- Language Teacher (also may teach Religion, History, Geography, Art)
- French Teacher (also may teach Drama and Dance)
- Recess: Choose indoor spaces or outdoor play.
- Phys Ed: In the gym or outside.
- Alternating Days: Some days have more Math, others more Language.
Click here to see sample schedules.
Registration
- If you’re in Grade 6 or 7 at Canadian Martyrs CES, St. Daniel CES, or St. John Paul II CES, you’ll automatically join Notre Dame next year! There is no need to do anything to register.
- If you live in these areas but attend a different school, register through the WCDSB website
- View our boundary map.
If you live outside the boundary, you’ll need to first register at your home school in the WCDSB, then complete an Out of Bounds Application. Contact Mark.Modolo@wcdsb.ca for details.
Current Grade 8 Students
Welcome to Notre Dame!
We’re excited to welcome current Grade 8 students to Notre Dame in September 2026!
What You Need to Know
- Quick Guide: Click here for a summary of Notre Dame and our academic programs.
- Presentation: View our slideshow for an overview of the school and details about the Grade 9 experience.
- School Map: Click here to see how our school building and grounds are laid out.
- French Immersion will be available for students who have completed a grade 8 French Immersion program.
Daily Schedule
Notre Dame CSS is a Grade 7–12 school, but our Grade 7 & 8 program has its own wing and schedule.
High School classes in grades 9 to 12 will have access to:
- a large central foyer and hub with a variety of seating and tables for lunch and spare periods
- seven different technology labs (Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Health Care, Hospitality (Culinary Arts), Cosmetology, Computer Engineering)
- dedicated science labs for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
- dedicated spaces for Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts (including a two-story main art room!)
- a library with extra space for on-line courses
- a full triple gym
- a fitness studio
- a weight room
- dedicated rooms for Special Education and Student Success
- Click here to see our daily schedule. (Bell times will be confirmed in January 2026.)
Classes & Routines
Your day will look different from elementary school—and different from high school too!
Here’s what to expect:
- Before School: You’ll have the freedom to find friends and walk the halls or hang out outside before classes start
- Classes: you will have four 75-minute classes during the day and 5 minutes to transition between classes. You will likely have a different teacher and room for each of your classes.
- Lunch will be 40 minutes long, with an extra 5 minutes at the beginning and end. There will be hot food served in the cafeteria and there will be a variety of areas in the school where you will be welcome to eat your lunch. There will be space outside to play or hang out with friends, too.
Registration
- If you are a current grade 8 student at St. Anne CES (Kitchener), Canadian Martyrs CES, St. Daniel CES, or St. John Paul II CES then you will automatically be enrolled at Notre Dame CSS. You will use myBlueprint to select your courses for grade 9.
- If you completed French Immersion at St. Anne then you will be automatically enrolled in French Immersion for grade 9.
- If you do not currently go to a WCDSB school, you will need to register for grade 9 following the steps described here: https://www.wcdsb.ca/our-schools/register-for-school/secondary-registration/
- If you live in these areas but attend a different school, register through the WCDSB website.
- View our boundary map.
If you live outside the boundary, you’ll need an Out of Bounds Application. Contact Mark.Modolo@wcdsb.ca for details.
Course Selection
- If you are a current WCDSB student, then you will complete your course selection in myBluePrint. The Notre Dame principal will visit your school in January to help guide you through that process. Parents will receive a course selection approval sheet to confirm final selections.
- All course selections must be submitted by February 28, 2026
- Students who are not currently attending a WCDSB school but who complete the online registration form will receive an email in January that includes a form to select preferred courses. These forms are due to be returned no later than February 28, 2026
Transportation
- Students who live within the school boundary and more than 3.2 km from the school will be eligible for bus transportation.
- Any students who are out-of-bounds will not be eligible for transportation, this includes any French Immersion student attending Notre Dame but living outside of Notre Dame’s boundaries
Current Grade 9 Students
Welcome to Notre Dame!
We’re excited to welcome current Grade 9 students to Notre Dame in September 2026!
What You Need to Know
- Quick Guide: Click here for a summary of Notre Dame and our academic programs.
- School Map: Click here to see how our school building and grounds are laid out.
- French Immersion will be available for those students who completed grade 9 in a French Immersion program.
_ - Current grade 9 students from St. Mary’s or St. David can continue wearing their same uniform next year. You will be welcome to add uniform pieces from Notre Dame over the years, but we will not at any point compel students to move to the new uniform
_ - There will be an information session for all current grade 9 students later in December. This later date will allow us to have newly hired lead teachers in attendance.
- Tuesday, December 16
- 6:30 pm
- St. Mary’s High School, Alumni Hall
Daily Schedule
Notre Dame CSS is a Grade 7–12 school, but our Grade 7 & 8 program has its own wing and schedule.
High School classes in grades 9 to 12 will have access to:
- a large central foyer and hub with a variety of seating and tables for lunch and spare periods
- seven different technology labs (Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Health Care, Hospitality (Culinary Arts), Cosmetology, Computer Engineering)
- dedicated science labs for Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
- dedicated spaces for Music, Theatre Arts, and Visual Arts (including a two-story main art room!)
- a library with extra space for on-line courses
- a full triple gym
- a fitness studio
- a weight room
- dedicated rooms for Special Education and Student Success
- Recess, lunch, and Phys Ed happen when older students are in class.
- Click here to see our daily schedule. (Bell times will be confirmed in January 2026.)
Classes & Routines
Your day will look very similar to other high schools, with the main difference being that we will only have one lunch period.
Here’s what to expect:
- Before School: You’ll have the freedom to find friends and walk the halls or hang out outside before classes start
- Classes: you will have four 75-minute classes during the day and 5 minutes to transition between classes.
- Lunch will be 40 minutes long, with an extra 5 minutes at the beginning and end. There will be hot food served in the cafeteria and there will be a variety of areas in the school where you will be welcome to eat your lunch. There will be space outside to play or hang out with friends, too.
Registration
- If you are a current grade 9 student at St. Mary’s HS or St. David CSS who lives in our school boundary, then you will automatically be enrolled at Notre Dame CSS. You will use myBlueprint to select your courses for grade 10.
- If you completed grade 9 French Immersion at St. David then you will be automatically enrolled in French Immersion for grade 10.
- If you do not currently go to a WCDSB school, you will need to register for grade 9 following the steps described here: https://www.wcdsb.ca/our-schools/register-for-school/secondary-registration/
- If you live in these areas but attend a different school, register through the WCDSB website.
- View our boundary map.
If you live outside the boundary, you’ll need an Out of Bounds Application. Contact Mark.Modolo@wcdsb.ca for details.
Course Selection
- If you are a current WCDSB student, then you will complete your course selection in myBluePrint.
- Course selection will be supported by guidance counselors at your current school.
- All course selections must be submitted by February 28, 2026
- Students who are not currently attending a WCDSB school but who complete the online registration form will receive an email in January that includes a form to select preferred courses. These forms are due to be returned no later than February 28, 2026
Transportation
- Students who live within the school boundary and more than 3.2 km from the school will be eligible for bus transportation.
- Any students who are out-of-bounds will not be eligible for transportation, this includes any French Immersion student attending Notre Dame but living outside of Notre Dame’s boundaries
Grade 7 and 8 Daily Schedule at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School
The Daily Schedule
To view a detailed daily schedule, click here.
The bell times will be established by January 2026, but the daily schedule will have the structure as shown here:
Intermediate (grade 7&8) schedule will have:
- Classes in three 100-minute blocks
- Recess and lunch times that do not align with any breaks or transitions for high school
- Cafeteria will be open for lunch, and outdoor space is designated for recess
- Students will be supervised before school and at all breaks.
High School (grade 9-12) schedule will have:
- Four 75-minute classes
- One 40-minute lunch
- 5-minute transition times between classes
Registration Information
Registering for School
Students coming from a WCDSB school within the Notre Dame boundaries will be automatically enrolled for September 2026.
If you are new to the area or new to the WCDSB, here’s how to register:
Grade 7 and 8
If you are a current grade 6 or 7 student at Canadian Martyrs CES, St. Daniel CES, or St. John Paul II CES, then you will automatically be enrolled at Notre Dame for grade 7 or 8 next year. We are looking forward to building our new school with you next year!
If you are a grade 6 or 7 student who lives in the area of Canadian Martyrs, St. Daniel, or St. John Paul II, but you do not already go to one of these schools, you will need to follow the steps described on the Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s website to register for grade 7 or 8: Elementary Registration
Grade 9
If you are a current grade 8 student at St. Anne CES (Kitchener), Canadian Martyrs CES, St. Daniel CES, or St. John Paul II CES then you will automatically be enrolled at Notre Dame CSS. You will use myBlueprint to select your courses for grade 9.
If you do not currently go to a WCDSB school, you will need to register for grade 9 following the steps described here: Secondary Registration
Grade 10
If you are a current grade 9 student at St. Mary’s High School or St. David Catholic Secondary School and you live within the boundaries for Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, then you will automatically be enrolled at Notre Dame for grade 10 next year. You will select your courses for next year in myBlueprint.
If you are a current grade 9 student who lives within the boundaries for Notre Dame but you do not currently attend St. Mary’s or St. David, then you can use the following link to register to join us in September for grade 10: Secondary Registration
Out-Of-Bounds Applications
At this time, Notre Dame is not at capacity, so students who live out of the school boundary (click here to see the boundary map) for Notre Dame may still apply for admission. To do so, the student must first be registered at that Catholic school in their area, then complete an out of bounds application and submit it to the school principal (Mark.Modolo@wcdsb.ca) before February. Please note that transportation cannot be provided for students who live outside the school boundary.
Welcome to Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School!
We’re thrilled to announce a brand-new school for Grades 7–12 in East Kitchener—Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School!
Meet the Riverhawks! Inspired by our Grand River location, our mascot is the Riverhawk, and our school colours are bold dark blue and vibrant orange
Location and feeder schools
You’ll find Notre Dame at 20 Woolner Trail, right by the Grand River and the Fairway Road bridge.
- Grades 7 & 8: Canadian Martyrs CES, St. Daniel CES, St. John Paul II CES
- Grade 9: St. Anne (Kitchener) and St. Patrick (starting in 2027)
Here is a link to our boundary map.
Notre Dame will open in September 2026 with Grades 7–10. Grades 11 and 12 will be added later as we grow. Eventually, we’ll welcome about 400 intermediate students and 1,000 high school students.
Background
This is the first Grade 7–12 school in WCDSB! We worked closely with the community to design a model that fits our students’ needs. See the Key Considerations Report here.
While many other school boards in Ontario have offered grade 7-12 schools, this is our first school of this model in the WCDSB. The structure of the school was carefully deliberated and community input was sought before any building began. You can review the community input that informed the final Key Considerations Report that was approved by the Board of Trustees here:
https://www.wcdsb.ca/about-us/accommodations/7-12-program-review/
Notre Dame sits on land rich in history—from Indigenous pathways to Mennonite farms. Our name honours the School Sisters of Notre Dame, who helped shape Catholic education in our region.
Benefits of the Grade 7-12 Secondary Model
What makes this model great? Students in Grades 7 & 8 keep the familiar intermediate program—but with extra perks:
- Specialized teachers for core subjects
- Access to sports, arts, music, and clubs
- A smooth transition into high school
- Leadership opportunities for older students
Click here to learn more about Grade 7–8 vs. Grade 9–12 programming.
Ways To Get Involved
- Join our Link Crew to welcome new students
- Be part of our Student Activities Council
- Sign up for sports and clubs in the fall!
- Parents can to join our CSAC (parent council)
- Volunteer to coach, run a club, or help at school
Questions? Want updates? Email Principal Mark Modolo at mark.modolo@wcdsb.ca.
Calendar Highlights
- November 20, 2025
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- December 16, 2025
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Notre Dame Secondary School Calendar
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