Monthly Archives: February 2023

Bulldog Bulletin – February 27, 2023

Family Math Night – Rescheduled

Due to the ice storm last Thursday, we had to postpone our Family Math Night.  Please STAY TUNED…once we have landed on a new date, we will share it with our community.

“Huron-Brigadoon” Catholic Elementary School Kindergarten Registration – Tuesday, February 28^th

In-person registration for the new ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES will take place at St. Kateri next Tuesday, February 28 from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Bulldogs Volleyball News

Congratulations to our Girls’ Volleyball who had a successful season, finishing second in the St. Mary’s Family of Schools league.  The team unfortunately lost their first-round playoff game to St. Matthew’s.  A BIG BULLDOG THANK YOU to coaches, Ms. Laviolette, Ms. Gaetan, and Ms. Brown who guided the team this year!

Bulldogs Basketball News

Good Luck to our Boys’ Basketball squad as they travel to RIM Park on Wednesday to participate in the WCDSB ‘Elite Eight’ Regional Tournament.  With a record of 5-1, our Bulldogs enter the tournament at the #3 seed.  Go Dawgs Go!!

Looking Ahead…      

(please mark your calendars)

March 13-17                                        March Break

March 31                                             PA Day (school is closed)

April 7                                                  Good Friday (no school)

April 10                                                Easter Monday (no school)

April 14                                                Easter Mass – 10:15 a.m., gym (parents welcome)

April 15                                                Sacrament of First Communion at St. Aloysius Parish @ 1:00 p.m.

April 18                                                Gr. 4 Bible Celebration – 10:15 a.m.

April 21                                                PA Day (school is closed)

April 26                                                Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Aloysius Parish @ 7:00 p.m.

May 1-5                                                Catholic Education Week

May 22                                                 Victoria Day (no school)

June 2                                                  P.A. Day (school is closed)

June 16                                                Mission Day

June 23                                               Closing School Mass, 10:15 a.m.

June 27                                                Term 2 Report Card Distribution Date

June 28                                               Grade 8 Grad

June 29                                               Last Day of School (Regular 3:05 p.m. dismissal)

Due to the weather conditions, resulting in the closure of all WCDSB schools today, the St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES Family Math Night, scheduled to take place tonight, has been postponed.  We will choose another date in the coming weeks and reschedule.

• Due to the weather conditions, ALL Waterloo Catholic District School Board and Waterloo Region District School Board SCHOOLS AND SITES ARE CLOSED.
• ALL SCHOOL BUSES, TAXIS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION ROUTES operated by the WCDSB and WRDSB are cancelled.
• All before and after school programs and child care centres co-located in schools are CLOSED.
• All programs and services offered by St. Louis Continuing Education and Adult and Learning Centres are cancelled.

Bulldog Bulletin – February 21, 2023

Lent

Each year, we celebrate the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday – the 7^th Wednesday before Easter.  Lent is a time devoted to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving in memory of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness.  The day before Ash Wednesday, we recognize Shrove Tuesday, also called Pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday – a day when families traditionally would use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting season – the 40 days of Lent.

Pancake Tuesday – Tuesday, February 21^st

Thanks to our Catholic School Advisory Council, every student will receive two pancakes here at school on Tuesday!  Students are asked to bring their own plate and utensils, if possible.  Disposable plates and cutlery will be provided for students if needed.  A big thanks to Remember Me Family for catering the event!

Ash Wednesday, – Wednesday, February 22^nd

Parents and family are welcome to join our community as we celebrate the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday liturgy at 12:40 p.m. today.

Elementary School Nutrition Update

In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, we along with our suppliers have decided we will no longer be sending cutlery with any lunches.

If you have ordered lunches that require cutlery please be sure to send it from home.

Thank you for your Support

Elementary School Nutrition Services

Family Math Night – Thursday, February 23^rd

You definitely don’t want to miss our St. Kateri Bulldogs Family Math Night happening Thursday, February 23^rd from 6:00-7:00 p.m.!  Swing by the school for an hour and learn what, and how, your children are learning right in their classrooms, by their #WCDSBAwesome educators! 

We also have EIGHT Brand New Chromebooks to give away at the end of the night as Door Prizes!  Your child/family is only eligible if you are in attendance though!

5:45-6:00 p.m. – Families arrive, drop off their ballot for a chance to win a Chromebook, and then meet in the gym

6:00-6:10 p.m. – Welcome, Prayer, and Address from WCDSB Numeracy Consultant, Petra LeDuc

6:10-6:15 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:15-6:35 p.m. – Math Session 1

6:35-6:40 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:40-7:00 p.m. – Math Session 2

7:00 p.m. – Chromebook Door Prize Draw!!

“Huron-Brigadoon” Catholic Elementary School Kindergarten Registration – Tuesday, February 28^th

In-person registration for the new ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES will take place at St. Kateri next Tuesday, February 28 from 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

Looking Ahead…      

(please mark your calendars)

February 21                                        Shrove/Pancake Tuesday

February 22                                              Pink Shirt Day- For Bullying Awareness

February 22                                        Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the school gym, 12:40 p.m.

February 23                                        Family Math Night (6:00-7:00 p.m.)

March 13-17                                        March Break

March 31                                             PA Day (school is closed)

April 7                                                  Good Friday (no school)

April 10                                                Easter Monday (no school)

April 14                                                Easter Mass – 10:15 a.m., gym (parents welcome)

April 15                                                Sacrament of First Communion at St. Aloysius Parish @ 1:00 p.m.

April 18                                                Gr. 4 Bible Celebration – 10:15 a.m.

April 21                                                PA Day (school is closed)

April 26                                                Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Aloysius Parish @ 7:00 p.m.

May 1-5                                                Catholic Education Week

May 22                                                 Victoria Day (no school)

June 2                                                  P.A. Day (school is closed)

June 16                                                Mission Day

June 23                                               Closing School Mass, 10:15 a.m.

June 27                                                Term 2 Report Card Distribution Date

June 28                                               Grade 8 Grad

June 29                                               Last Day of School (Regular 3:05 p.m. dismissal)

Earthquake Fundraising

WCDSB has a long tradition of fundraising to assist relief efforts when natural disasters strike.

The devastation of the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria has once again called us to action.

While rescue and recovery efforts continue, it has already been confirmed that more than 35,000 people have died.

Many thousands more — including many current refugees — are in desperate need of shelter, food, clean water, and medicine.

Consequently, the Senior Team and Board of Trustees would like to invite all WCDSB students and staff to participate in a centralized fundraising campaign via the Canadian Red Cross (operating under the umbrella of the International Red Cross).

Donations of ANY AMOUNT will support the range of emergency services the Red Cross is delivering to those in need including interim housing, clothing, food, and other essential supplies.

All fundraising efforts will be collected centrally using the following link: Donations – Earthquake in Turkey & Syria

How to Participate:

• The deadline to participate is Friday, March 10
• The link will deposit the funds into a central board office account
• Individuals can use their existing SchoolCash account or checkout as a Guest. A SchoolCash account is not required.

Welcome to ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ Catholic Elementary School

Dear Huron-Brigadoon Families,

It is with great excitement that I introduce myself to you as the very first Principal of the soon to be named ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ Catholic Elementary School, opening September 2023!  I am looking forward to meeting you and your children and know that together we are going to build a very special Catholic community where everyone feels welcome and included;  and where our Board’s vision statement – Heart of the Community, Success for Each; a Place for All – is brought to life.

I am currently the Principal of St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES; however, I will be released to focus my full attention on our new  ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ school at the beginning of April.  In the coming weeks I will be communicating our transition plan for students and families coming to ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ from John Sweeney, Our Lady of Grace, Blessed Sacrament, St. Kateri, and those families new to Waterloo Catholic.  The transition plan to help support students and families moving to ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ will include meeting with students at their current schools, holding an information night for families, and inviting families with children entering Kindergarten to a Welcome to Kindergarten Night.  For parents who have children starting Kindergarten in September, please note that our In-Person ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ Kindergarten Registration is taking place Tuesday, February 28^th from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. at St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Elementary School (560 Pioneer Drive, Kitchener).

Our Board’s IT Department is in the process of creating a ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES website and Twitter page, where we will share all of the important information you will need leading up to our opening in September.  In the meantime, please continue to keep up to date by reading the ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ posts we are asking your child’s school to share via their Newswire channel.

Boundary information for Huron-Brigadoon was shared last week with families.  If you missed it, please check out the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review webpage.  It is active and contains a lot of the information you need, including the Notice of Decision Letter.   Attached, you will also find two maps that are colour coded and include the four schools involved in the review.  The first map has the new boundaries for the four existing schools and ‘Huron-Brigadoon’; whereas the second map only has the Huron Brigadoon boundary displayed.  Please note the boundary review decision regarding Legacy Exceptions (formerly grandparenting provisions) and Out of Boundary permissions. Below are two of the approved motions:

•                 “That grade 7 students enrolled at Blessed Sacrament, John Sweeney, Our Lady of Grace, and St. Kateri Tekakwitha in the 2021/2022 school year, or the school year prior to the new Huron Brigadoon CES opening, be grandparented to finish grade 8 at their current school.  — Carried by consensus”
•                 “That grade 7 students grandparented at their current school will be provided with transportation, if they qualify in accordance with board procedure APO012 – Transportation.  — Carried by consensus”

As per the decision, current grade 7 students only may remain at their current school for their Grade 8 year if they choose. However, their siblings are required to move to the new ‘Huron Brigadoon’ school and are not part of the approved legacy exception. If students entering Gr. 8 decide to complete their final year of elementary school at their current school, transportation will be provided.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Administrative Assistant, Cathy Sowa – Cathy.Sowa@wcdsb.ca

Approved School Boundaries 2022.07.28

Approved Huron Brigadoon Boundary 2022.07.28

Sincerely,

Mr. Dave Lynch

Principal

Bulldog Bulletin – February 13, 2023

Staffing Announcements

Please welcome Ms. Julianna Jensen to St. Kateri!  Ms. Jensen will be one of our school’s Planning Time Teachers for the remainder of the school year.  Please also welcome Mr. Leo Pellizzari!  Mr. Pellizzari, along with Mr. Ingoldsby, is one of our #WCSDBAwesome retired Principals who are assisting our school board this year due to staffing shortages.  Mr. Pellizzari and Mr. Ingoldsby will be sharing Administrative responsibilities on select days from now until April 1, when Mr. Lynch is released to work on Huron-Brigadoon priorities.

Valentine’s Day – Tuesday, February 14^th – Red, White, and Pink Day!!

Students and staff are encouraged to show their Valentine’s Day AND school spirit by wearing RED, WHITE, and/or PINK on Tuesday!

Term 1 Report Card Distribution – February 17^th

On Friday, February 17^th,  your child will bring home their Term 1 Provincial Report Card.  Please review the report card, keeping in mind the following information:

• Each report card should be viewed individually and not compared to others.  Please discuss the report card with your child and discuss their strengths and goals to improve learning in Term 2.
• If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher, please check the box on the fourth page and your child’s teacher will be in touch with you to schedule an interview.
• The Report Card is a copy of the original, which is stored in your child’s Ontario Student Record (OSR).  Please retain it for future reference.  The bottom portion of page 4 is to be signed and returned to your child’s teacher by February 24th.  It will be attached to the original and retained in their OSR.
• Some examples of learning goals your child may wish to consider are:

• I will take more of a leadership role in group/collaborative learning activities
• I will ask for clarification or assistance from the teacher when I am unsure of a new concept
• I will read on a nightly basis
• I will complete all assignments on time and to the best of my ability
• I will keep my workplace neat and organized
• I will reflect critically on my work to improve my learning
• I will stay in for extra help when it is offered
• I will keep a Growth Mindset, especially when it comes to learning something new

Parents – thank you for the support you have provided your children and our school staff the first half of the school year.  Keeping lines of communication open and working together are key ingredients to ensuring your child will meet with success here at school – please do not ever hesitate to reach out to us should you have any questions or concerns.

Lent

Each year, we celebrate the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday – the 7^th Wednesday before Easter.  Lend is a time devoted to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving in memory of Christ’s fasting in the wilderness.  The day before Ash Wednesday, we recognize Pancake Tuesday, also called Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday – a day when families traditionally would use up rich foods such as eggs, milk, and sugar before the fasting season – the 40 days of Lent.

Pancake Tuesday – Tuesday, February 21^st

Thanks to our Catholic School Advisory Council, every student will receive two pancakes here at school next Tuesday!  Where possible, students are asked to bring their own plate and utensils in order to cut down on waste.  Students who do not bring their own plate and cutlery will be provided with some.  A big thanks to Remember Me Family for catering the event!

Ash Wednesday, – Wednesday, February 22^nd

Parents and family are welcome to join our community as we celebrate the beginning of Lent with our Ash Wednesday liturgy at 12:40 p.m. today.

Family Math Night – Thursday, February 23^rd

You definitely don’t want to miss our St. Kateri Bulldogs Family Math Night happening Thursday, February 23^rd from 6:00-7:00 p.m.!  Swing by the school for an hour and learn what, and how, your children are learning right in their classrooms, by their #WCDSBAwesome educators!

We also have EIGHT Brand New Chromebooks to give away at the end of the night as Door Prizes!  Your child/family is only eligible if you are in attendance though!

5:45-6:00 p.m. – Families arrive, drop off their ballot for a chance to win a Chromebook, and then meet in the gym

6:00-6:10 p.m. – Welcome, Prayer, and Address from WCDSB Numeracy Consultant, Petra LeDuc

6:10-6:15 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:15-6:35 p.m. – Math Session 1

6:35-6:40 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:40-7:00 p.m. – Math Session 2

7:00 p.m. – Chromebook Door Prize Draw!!

Looking Ahead…      

(please mark your calendars)

February 17                                        Term 1 Report Card Distribution

February 20                                        Family Day (Schools are Closed)

February 21                                        Shrove/Pancake Tuesday

February 22                                        Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the school gym, 12:40 p.m.

February 23                                        Family Math Night (6:00-7:00 p.m.)

March 13-17                                        March Break

March 31                                             PA Day (school is closed)

April 7                                                  Good Friday (no school)

April 10                                                Easter Monday (no school)

April 14                                                Easter Mass – 10:15 a.m., gym (parents welcome)

April 15                                                Sacrament of First Communion at St. Aloysius Parish @ 1:00 p.m.

April 18                                                Gr. 4 Bible Celebration – 10:15 a.m.

April 21                                                PA Day (school is closed)

April 26                                                Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Aloysius Parish @ 7:00 p.m.

May 1-5                                                Catholic Education Week

May 22                                                 Victoria Day (no school)

June 2                                                  P.A. Day (school is closed)

June 16                                                Mission Day

June 23                                               Closing School Mass, 10:15 a.m.

June 27                                                Term 2 Report Card Distribution Date

June 28                                               Grade 8 Grad

June 29                                               Last Day of School (Regular 3:05 p.m. dismissal)

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is excited to open its newest K-8 school, the soon to be named ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES, located on the corner of Huron Road and Beckview Drive, in September 2023!  The school will welcome some students from St. Kateri, Our Lady of Grace, Blessed Sacrament, and John Sweeney, as well as families living in the Huron-Brigadoon boundary new to Waterloo Catholic.

If you are unsure which school your children will be attending in September, please visit the Huron Brigadoon Boundary Review webpage .  It is active and has contains a lot of the information you need, including the Notice of Decision Letter. Attached, you will also find two maps that are colour coded and include the four schools involved in the review.  The first map has the new boundaries for the four existing schools and ‘Huron-Brigadoon’; whereas the second map only has the Huron Brigadoon boundary displayed.

Should you have any questions, please contact ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES’s Administrative Assistant, Cathy Sowa – Cathy.Sowa@wcdsb.ca

Approved School Boundaries 2022.07.28

Approved Huron Brigadoon Boundary 2022.07.28

Bulldog Bulletin – February 6, 2023

Kindergarten Registration – Tuesday, February 7^th

If you have a child born in 2018 or 2019 and you have not registered them for Kindergarten, we invite you to come to the school on February 7^th for in-person registration for the 2023-2024 school year!  The office will be open until 6:00 p.m. this evening.  Children born in 2018, currently in JK/Year 1, do NOT need to be registered again

Black History and Black Heritage Month

St. Kateri has a very active Student Equity Engagement Council whose mandate is to help ensure every student and member of our school community feels welcome, valued, and included.  Our SEEC will be taking the lead with several educational experiences this month, when we learn more about the contributions Black Canadians have made, and continue to make, in shaping our country. 

To support our learning, we will also be welcoming Duane ‘D.O.’ Gibson to St. Kateri the afternoon of February 10th, as part of our Guest Speaker Series.  D.O. will be bringing his ‘Black Canadian 365 – Change The World’ school assembly to the Dawg Pound at 1:00 p.m. that day – parents are invited to attend!

Family Math Night – Mark Your Calendars…Thursday, February 23^rd

You definitely don’t want to miss our St. Kateri Bulldogs Family Math Night happening Thursday, February 23^rd from 6:00-7:00 p.m.!  Swing by the school for an hour and learn what, and how, your children are learning right in their classrooms, by their #WCDSBAwesome educators! 

We also have EIGHT Brand New Chromebooks to give away at the end of the night as Door Prizes!  Your child/family is only eligible if you are in attendance though!

5:45-6:00 p.m. – Families arrive, drop off their ballot for a chance to win a Chromebook, and then meet in the gym

6:00-6:10 p.m. – Welcome, Prayer, and Address from WCDSB Numeracy Consultant, Petra LeDuc

6:10-6:15 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:15-6:35 p.m. – Math Session 1

6:35-6:40 p.m. – Travel Time to Child’s Classroom

6:40-7:00 p.m. – Math Session 2

7:00 p.m. – Chromebook Door Prize Draw!!

Looking Ahead…      

(please mark your calendars)

February 7                                          Kindergarten Registration Day

February 10                                        Duane “D.O.” Gibson Assembly – Black Heritage & History Month

February 17                                        Term 1 Report Card Distribution

February 20                                        Family Day (Schools are Closed)

February 21                                        Shrove/Pancake Tuesday

February 22                                        Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the school gym, 12:40 p.m.

February 23                                        Family Math Night (6:00-7:00 p.m.)

March 13-17                                        March Break

March 31                                             PA Day (school is closed)

April 7                                                  Good Friday (no school)

April 10                                                Easter Monday (no school)

April 14                                                Easter Mass – 10:15 a.m., gym (parents welcome)

April 15                                                Sacrament of First Communion at St. Aloysius Parish @ 1:00 p.m.

April 18                                                Gr. 4 Bible Celebration – 10:15 a.m.

April 21                                                PA Day (school is closed)

April 26                                                Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Aloysius Parish @ 7:00 p.m.

May 1-5                                                Catholic Education Week

May 22                                                 Victoria Day (no school)

June 2                                                  P.A. Day (school is closed)

June 16                                                Mission Day

June 23                                               Closing School Mass, 10:15 a.m.

June 27                                                Term 2 Report Card Distribution Date

June 28                                               Grade 8 Grad

June 29                                               Last Day of School (Regular 3:05 p.m. dismissal)

Help Us Choose a Name for ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ – WCDSB’s Newest Elementary School!

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board is excited to open its newest JK-8 elementary school in September 2023.  ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES, located on the corner of Huron Rd. and Beckview Drive, will welcome students from St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Blessed Sacrament, Our Lady of Grace, and John Sweeney Catholic Schools.  We would like to invite your input to help us choose a name for our new ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ Catholic Elementary School!

The selection of a school name is a significant step in the process of establishing a new school community. Within a Catholic school community, the school’s name is intended to forge a connection with a saint or other significant Catholic individual or tradition, whose gifts/meaning will provide a focus for the school and kindle a unique identity and spiritual bond for the students and staff.

Presented in the survey are four Saints that have been vetted for consideration based on their attributes and virtues, ones that we would endeavor to see represented in our WCDSB students and a model for our school.

Information collected on this survey will be used by the established Naming Committee to select the school’s name. The committee consists of: Judy Merkel (Superintendent of Learning – St. Mary’s FOS and Chair), Lynn Garrioch (Senior Manager of Equity Services), Dave Lynch (Principal of ‘Huron-Brigadoon’ CES), and Fr. Joseph de Viveiros (WCDSB’s Spiritual Animator).

The survey closes at midnight on Sunday February 12th, 2023.

Please click the link below and share your thoughts with us.  We appreciate your time and value your input.

https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5dUrQa7WvQLbPeK