School Spotlight - Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School

The School Spotlight segment highlights schools within the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB). Monsignor Paul Dwyer, the first Catholic high school in DCDSB, is featured in this first School Spotlight segment. Learn more about the high school's past, present and future:

Past:

Monsignor Paul Dwyer was built in 1965 in response to a quickly growing Catholic high school population. The high school was first known as Oshawa Catholic High School. A new convent was also built at this time to accommodate the Sisters on staff, which is now home to DCDSB Student Services and other personnel. It was not until 1976 that the school was officially renamed Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School in honour of the late Monsignor who helped open the first Catholic high school in Oshawa.

Present:

Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School, or Dwyer, is a vibrant hub of activity, offering students an array of activities. There are academic clubs like robotics and mock trial, along with extracurricular arts programming where we have a history of excellence in musical theatre, an award-winning music program, and exceptional visual arts initiatives and groups. The sports program at Dwyer has a proud history, and provides an opportunity for so many students to be part of a team and feel a sense of connection to their community. We are looking forward to the yearly Dwyer Subject Awards which will be given out for the 2022-2023 school year in early October - a tradition of excellence dating back to 1971!

Dwyer is blessed to be connected to several local parishes. Closest by is St. Mary of the People, which also hosts many of our Religion class retreats. Students and their families also belong to St. Gregory the Great, St. Joseph the Worker, St. Gertrude, Immaculate Conception (Port Perry), and St. George the Great Martyr Ukrainian Catholic.

Dwyer means so much to the community of Oshawa!

Future:

The future of Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School remains bright. As our population continues to grow, our journey will take the Dwyer school community to a new location on Harmony Road North in September 2026. That move is eagerly anticipated as we are beginning to outgrow the current school site. Rest assured that even though we will be at a new site, we know the Dwyer Saints will continue to seek, and live in, “Truth and Goodness”.

Thank you to the staff at Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School for participating in this segment.