DCDSB News - January 2026

- Jan 09, 2026

Faith

Celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope at DCDSB

In May 2024, Pope Francis announced that the Jubilee Year of Hope would take place from December 24, 2024, to January 6, 2026. To mark this special Holy Year and its theme, “Pilgrims of Hope,” the DCDSB Faith Department commissioned a beautiful wooden Jubilee Cross, designed and built by staff and students at Archbishop Denis O’Connor C.H.S. The Cross was blessed during a special Mass in April and then began its journey across our Board. From May through December, it visited every DCDSB school, spending a few days in every community.

The Jubilee Cross offered schools a meaningful opportunity to pause, pray, and reflect on the significance of this Holy Year and the virtue of hope. Each school embraced the opportunity in creative ways — hosting liturgies, organizing neighbourhood processions, bringing the Cross to local parishes for prayer, and even walking together to pass the Cross to the next school on its pilgrimage. This shared experience reminded us that we are truly “Pilgrims of Hope”, united in faith and community as we journeyed through this Jubilee Year.

As we recognize that our journey of hope continues, let us keep living and sharing hope through this prayer, offered by the Archdiocese of Dublin:

The Building Hope Prayer
Pilgrim God, we give you thanks and praise.
You constantly journey with us even in our darkness and doubts.

We seek your way of loving kindness to walk together as one family.

Open our eyes to recognize you in the faces of one another,
in the breaking of bread and in the splendour of creation.

May the risen Christ sow seeds of hope and new life deep within us.

May our hearts and minds be filled with your Word,
bringing forth truth, justice and peace.

May the Holy Spirit working in and through us do much more
than we can dare to imagine
as we live out our baptismal calling in humble and loving service.

We make this our prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Durham Catholic Children's Foundation

Durham Catholic Children's Foundation Gala - Early Bird Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available!

We are thrilled to invite you to the 12th Annual Durham Catholic Children's Foundation Gala on April 23, 2026. Early bird tickets are now available for a limited time at an all-inclusive discounted price of only $110. Please click here to purchase your tickets.

Additionally, sponsorship opportunities are now open! Your partnership directly supports vital programs, meaningful opportunities, and brighter futures for those who need it most. Please click here to become a sponsor.

Please visit the Durham Catholic Children's Foundation website to learn more.

DCDSB Updates

Director's Annual Report

It is with gratitude and appreciation for all in our Durham Catholic learning community, that I share my 2024-2025 Director’s Annual Report: Living in Hope. This past year has been filled with many successes as we live out our mission to be an inclusive Catholic learning community that inspires every student to achieve their full potential through faith and education.

The 2024-2025 school year was a year of joy, achievement, and innovation. Guided by our spiritual theme, Living in Hope, we embraced opportunities to grow together in faith and to strengthen our commitment to Gospel values. This theme reminds us that hope calls us into a relationship of trust in God and into loving relationships with one another. As we move forward, I am honoured to carry this mission with faith and purpose.

Please click here to view the Director's Annual Report.

Approved Boundary Changes for Seaton #1 and to Ajax and Pickering Schools Study

We are pleased to inform you that the revised boundaries for the new Seaton #1 Catholic Elementary School and changes to select school boundaries in Ajax and Pickering were approved by the Durham Catholic District School Board of Trustees at the December 15, 2025, Regular Board Meeting. These changes were developed through a comprehensive review process and reflect feedback gathered from families during the consultation period.

We sincerely thank you for your participation and input throughout this process. Your engagement was invaluable in helping us make decisions that best support our students and community.

Please click here to learn more.

Kindergarten Registration is Now Open

Kindergarten registration is now open! Register now for a September 2026 start. Your child must be turning 4 years of age by December 31, 2026 to register for Year 1/Junior Kindergarten or 5 years of age by December 31, 2026 to register for Year 2/Senior Kindergarten.

Begin your child’s faith-filled journey at DCDSB! Visit dcdsb.ca/Kindergarten to register.

French Immersion Registration Closes January 16

All interested Year 2/Senior Kindergarten students are invited to register for Grade 1 French Immersion! Register now to begin in the 2026-2027 school year.

Registration for Grade 1 French Immersion will remain open until January 16, 2026.

Please click here to register.

EQAO Math Night for Parents and Guardians

Join the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) for a free live webinar where EQAO staff will discuss math questions that Ontario students encounter when they participate in Ontario’s large-scale assessments. These assessments are taken by all Ontario students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. During the webinar, EQAO staff will show how these math questions help assess the skills students are learning in their math classes. Staff will also share valuable insights from EQAO research into assessment results, which can help parents and guardians support their children’s math learning.

Next available session: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Registration is required. Please click here to register.

EQAO will be offering additional webinars throughout the year for families, administrators, and teachers. Please visit the EQAO website for a list of upcoming sessions.

Submit Nominations for February People of Peace

Families, students and staff are invited to nominate a DCDSB student or employee that exemplifies and embodies the monthly theme for the People of Peace recognition program. The theme for February is: A Peacemaker of Hope.

The selected recipients will be recognized during the January Board Meeting. The deadline to submit your nominations for the February theme is 4:00 p.m. on Friday, January 30, 2026.

Visit our website to make your nominations: dcdsb.ca/PeopleOfPeace.

Mental Health and Well-Being

DCDSB Let's Talk Day

On Tuesday, January 20, we will start the conversation for Let’s Talk Day and our campaign #BuzzOffStigma, focusing on breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health.

Why does stigma matter?Stigma can make it harder for people (young and old) to speak up about their struggles. When mental health challenges are met with silence or judgment, students may feel isolated and avoid seeking help. This can impact their well-being, learning, and relationships.

What can you do to help your child?

Start the conversation: Let your child know it’s okay to talk about feelings and mental health.
Listen without judgment: Create a safe space where they feel heard and understood.
Model openness: Share that mental health is just as important as physical health.
Know the signs: Changes in mood, sleep, or social habits can signal stress or mental health difficulties.
Reach out for support: Connect with any staff member or community mental health services when needed. Visit DCDSB’s Mental Health and Well-Being page for more information.

Together, we can help our children feel supported and empowered to seek help when they need it. Let’s use this day to talk, reach out, and tell stigma to buzz off!

DCDSB Students

Congratulations to Joshua C., Winner of the Pink Shirt Day T-Shirt Design Contest!

We are excited to announce that Joshua C., a Grade 6 student at St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School, is the winner of the Durham Catholic District School Board’s Pink Shirt Day T-Shirt Design Contest!

This contest was part of Bullying Prevention and Intervention Week, giving students across the board an opportunity to showcase their creativity and voice by designing a t-shirt that reflects this year’s theme: “Kindness Connects Us.” Joshua’s design stood out for its originality and powerful message of unity and kindness.

Thank you to all the students who submitted their amazing designs and to the Notre Dame Business SHSM students who collaborated with DCDSB Communications and Safe Schools to review the entries.

Joshua’s winning design will be revealed in the next couple of weeks, along with details on how you can purchase DCDSB Pink Shirt Day t-shirts in time for our community celebration on February 25, 2026. Net proceeds from the Pink Shirt Day t-shirts will be donated to the Durham Catholic Children’s Foundation to support students and families right here in our Durham Catholic learning community.

Stay tuned for more information. Let’s continue to spread kindness and stand together against bullying!

DCDSB Student Highlights

It's been a busy few weeks as students and staff across DCDSB have continued to engage in a variety of activities and learning!

Please see the stories below to learn more:

Continuing Education

Register for Night School with Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre

Night school classes will begin February 17, 2026, and run each Tuesday and Thursday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Classes will be offered as remote learning with virtual teacher led instruction.

Course offerings are available on the DCDSB Continuing Education Night School webpage.

Current DCDSB students must see their Guidance Counsellor to register for Night School classes.
For more information, visit our website at www.con-ed.ca.

Upcoming Events

January is Tamil Heritage Month.

Jan. 12 - Policy Review Committee Meeting
Jan. 12 - Resolutions Committee Meeting
Jan. 16 - Grade 1 French Immersion Registration Closes
Jan. 18-25 - Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 - DCDSB Let's Talk Day
Jan. 21 - Lincoln Alexander Day
Jan. 21-27 - Secondary Exams
Jan. 23 - Elementary P.A. Day
Jan. 24 - World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture
Jan. 26 - Regular Board Meeting
Jan. 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day
Jan. 27 - Family Literacy Day
Jan. 29 - National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
Jan. 29 - Second Semester Begins
Jan. 29 - Anti-Black Racism and Black Excellence Advisory Committee Meeting