St. David C.S.S. Overview

“Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence  in Catholic Education: 1965-2016 ”

Lords, brothers, and sisters, Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed, and do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. And as for me, I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us.                                                                                                        Saint David of Wales, c. 589 CE

St. David Senior School was founded to walk the path of Catholic Education that our fathers had walked before us in Waterloo County. Building on those Catholic traditions, input and support was received from Saint David’s home community in Wrexham, Wales, and was officially sanctioned and approved by the Bishop of Menevia as the Patron Saint for the new senior school. The then Waterloo Separate School Board launched the official opening of St. David Senior School on Sunday, November 6, 1966 under the direction of Mr. Jerome F. Bauer, Chairman. Members of the Board included Reverend C.J. Weiss, R.R., Mr. Louis Drago, Mr. M.J. Paleczny, Mr. Edward H. Renaud, Mr. Joseph Schnarr and Mr. C.J. Whitney. Mr. David F. Dineen was the District Inspector. Principal Mr. Joseph McKay and Vice-Principal Mr. Peter Hicknell were the school’s first Administration Team.
In honouring these Catholic roots and traditions fifty years ago, the staff and students of St. David Senior School began to live out Waterloo Catholic District School Board’s present Vision of Heart of the Community, Success for Each and A Place for All. We have continued to grow and excel not just as an Academic and Faith community, but as a leader in Innovative Technology, Athletics, and Performing Arts in preparing the whole child for the challenges of the next stage in their life. St. David is known for our high academic achievement, successful athletic programs, outstanding performances, world class robotics innovation, integrating International VISA students into our community and the reverence during our Liturgies. All that we do is centred on the tenets of Jesus Christ and His call to Witness. Just as Saint David called on his followers to walk in the path of our fathers we call on our students to walk in the path of our Father.
In celebration of 50 years of Catholic Education our School Council, in tandem with School Staff, initiated the renewal of the school courtyard as a focal point of our Faith Community. We have commissioned Timothy Schmalz to create a permanent symbol of our call to be in Community with a life-sized bronze sculpture entitled When I was a Stranger. Just as Jesus gathered the faithful to Him, the location for the sculpture in the courtyard was chosen as a gathering place for our students to meet, reflect and come into a deeper understanding of what it means to be part of a Catholic Faith community. The eight seats that encircle the statue of Jesus not only welcome students into a place of sacred reflection, but honour the dedication of the eight Associate Catholic Elementary Schools that lead to St. David Catholic Secondary School.
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’
Matthew 25: 34-35

Just as Saint David challenged his community members to walk the path that our fathers have trod before us, we challenge our future Celtics to not only walk the path but be guides upon it.