Prayers for the Traynor Family

The Durham Catholic District School Board extends heart-felt appreciation to all who have reached out with messages of support, sympathy and prayer as we process and grieve the loss of a beloved teacher and three of his children who were victims of a tragic event in Oshawa on Friday, September 4, 2020.

As a Catholic community, in the midst of our despair, we are called to turn to our faith for comfort and hope. Through staff liturgies and with our parish communities we pray for the repose of the souls of Mr. Chris Traynor, and his children Bradley, Adelaide and Joseph.  We also ask God to bring healing and comfort to his wife Loretta, son Sam, and all of their family and friends.  

We recognize that this unthinkable loss has directly or indirectly impacted many members of the DCDSB community and beyond.  Under normal circumstances, this would be a time when we would seek the companionship of others as we mourn their passing.  In order to protect the safety of all in our community, large gatherings of the size we would anticipate, are simply not possible.  We are therefore, extending an invitation to an online prayer service for students, staff and community members that will take place on Wednesday, September 9, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.  We believe in the power of prayer, no matter where it is offered and hope that many will choose to join us at that time from their own homes.

This event will be open to the public and can be accessed at https://dcdsb.ca/liturgy

Support for Students

The well-being of our students is the utmost priority for all of us as we transition back to school following an extensive break under these difficult circumstances.  Please know that we have a team of mental health professionals who are available to provide support to students and parents who are in need. If you would like to discuss possible supports for you or your child, please contact the administrator at your school. 

Given the far-reaching impact of these events, we have established a Support Access Line that parents can call to be connected with a mental health professional.  DCDSB students and families can call the Support Access Line and leave a voicemail with their contact information. A DCDSB mental health professional will call them back to provide support. 

DCDSB Support Access Line:  (905) 576-6150 ext. 21021

Please note: This is not a crisis line and will not be monitored 24/7. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need immediate crisis support, please call Durham Crisis Line at 1- 800-742-1890 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Members of the Media

To respect the privacy of the Traynor family and their colleagues and friends in their time of grief, media representatives will not be permitted on DCDSB property at this time. Members of the media are welcome to attend the online prayer service noted above, at which time Tracy Barill, Director of Education, will address the community with opening comments.