DCDSB Oshawa Program and Boundary Study Approved Recommendations

Posted On Thursday June 22, 2023

Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers:

This letter is to inform you that at the Regular Board Meeting held on June 19, 2023, the Durham Catholic District School Board of Trustees approved the recommended program and boundary revisions as a result of the Oshawa Program and Boundary Study. 

Why did the study take place?

The Oshawa Program and Boundary Study was initiated to address potential program and service delivery models at one or more Durham Catholic District School Board schools in Oshawa which are being impacted by the increased growth in north Oshawa, and due to the Ministry of Education announcement in July of 2020 to replace Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School with a Grade 7-12 school.  

When did the study take place?

The Oshawa Program and Boundary Study began in June 2022, and over the past year a committee comprised of staff and Catholic School Council representatives consulted with the community in order to bring forth recommendations to the Board of Trustees. The consultation process involved committee meetings along with family and community engagement including four public meetings/open houses, updates via email, the creation of a dedicated webpage, surveys, feedback form/phone line/email address, videos, presentations and more. Through this series of public meetings and various feedback channels, considerations and recommendations were compiled and brought to the June 19, 2023, Regular Board Meeting. We thank everyone for their input and open dialogue throughout the consultation process. 

What will the boundary change look like?

September 2023:

  • Approved boundary change for St. Joseph Catholic School and Sir Albert Love Catholic School that will be applicable to any new registrations (i.e. registering after June 19, 2023) and will take effect beginning in September 2023. A portion of Sir Albert Love Catholic School boundary (Satellite Area) will be directed to St. Joseph Catholic School and a portion of St. Joseph Catholic School enrolment will be directed to Sir Albert Love Catholic School. This boundary change is only in effect for students registering after June 19, 2023. Current students and any students who registered prior to this date will not be impacted. Please see map for details.
  • Any Year 2 Kindergarten – Grade 8 students registering after June 19, 2023, in the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School boundary will be redirected to St. John Bosco Catholic School. New French Immersion students (Grade 2-8) will only be admitted where space permits. Current students and any students who registered prior to this date will not be impacted for the 2023-2024 school year. 

September 2024:

  • Beginning with students who are currently in Grade 7 at Sir Albert Love Catholic School, when students graduate from Grade 8 (i.e. beginning in June 2024), they will transition into Grade 9-12 at Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School (note that Sir Albert Love Catholic School currently feeds into Msgr. Paul Dwyer Catholic High School). Please see map for details.
    • Sir Albert Love will remain a Kindergarten – Grade 8 elementary school, pending a school consultation/survey.
  • A portion of the English/regular track boundary from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School will be moved east to St. Hedwig Catholic School. Current students and any students registered for the 2023-2024 school year will not be impacted. This boundary change only applies to new students registering for the 2024-2025 school year. Please see map for details.
  • St. Christopher Catholic School boundary will be expanded east to take in a portion of both St. Joseph Catholic School and Sir Albert Love Catholic School. Current students and any students registered for the 2023-2024 school year will not be impacted. This boundary change only applies to new students registering for the 2024-2025 school year. Please see map for details. 

When the new Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School opens, the following will take effect:

  • St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School will become a Kindergarten – Grade 6 elementary school. All Grade 7 and 8 students (English and French Immersion) from St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School will be accommodated at the new Msgr. Paul Dwyer Catholic High School. Please see map for details.
  • St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School will become a Kindergarten – Grade 6 elementary school. All Grade 7 and Grade 8 students (French Immersion) from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School will be accommodated at the new Msgr. Paul Dwyer Catholic High School. Please see map for details. 

Further consultation is required to determine implementation plan for the following:

  • St. Christopher Catholic School will become an English Kindergarten – Grade 8 elementary school with its existing French Immersion program being re-located to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School and St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School. Through future consultation, implementation details including date this will take effect, and any potential legacy students (i.e., may allow Grade 7 & 8 students to graduate out, if numbers are viable), will be determined. Consultations will begin in September 2023. Please see map for details.

Transportation

Student transportation will be provided to eligible students in accordance with the Student Transportation Policy PO429. Further details will be shared with families regarding any impacts related to transportation in August 2023 via the Durham Student Transportation Services Parent Portal or 24-hour automated phone line (1-866-908-6578).

To view the full report to the Board of Trustees at the June 19, 2023, Regular Board Meeting, please click here. Updates will continue to be provided to families via SchoolMessenger and on the Oshawa Program and Boundary Study webpage.

If you have questions or comments regarding the Oshawa Program and Boundary Study implementation process or transition process, please complete the feedback form, contact us via phone at 905-576-6150 ext. 42252, or send an email to planning@dcdsb.ca.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Sincerely, 

 

Jim Wilson                                                      Scott Grieve
Superintendent of Education                     Superintendent of Business, Finance
Oshawa Family of Schools                          and Facilities Services