We are pleased to partner with P.R.Y.D.E. Learning Centre to provide a full time child care services and before and after school care at St. Bernard Catholic School. Call our child care partner at 905-430-8598 to learn more about their services.
About Our School
At St. Bernard Catholic School, it is our mission to be an inclusive Catholic learning community that inspires every student to achieve their full potential through faith and education. We recognize our call to love and serve from our Master teacher Jesus Christ, and we are committed to creating a Catholic learning community under the protection of Mother Mary.
The Catholic Graduate Expectations are our foundation as we strive for academic excellence and the acknowledgement of those who achieve it. We recognize God as the source of all life and actively work to focus on social issues within our local and global communities.
We celebrate the diversity within our community with a collaborative approach to learning, in cooperation with parents, the Catholic faith community, and other organizations that recognize the value of our mission. Within the context of Catholic teaching and Sacramental living, our school community strives to demonstrate respect and reverence for all life, thus nurturing a safe, Christian environment for the entire school community.
Our patron saint is St. Bernard. He was born in 1090 in the chateau of his family in Dijon in Burgundy, France, Bernard led a carefree life until the year 1113, when he persuaded three of his brothers, one of his uncles, and 27 friends to enter the new and strict monastery of the Benedictine rule at Citeaux. So impressive was the young Bernard's commitment to the reformed monastic ideals that after two years, the Abbot of Citeaux sent him to establish a community at Clairvaux in Champagne. From Bernard's new foundation, no fewer than 68 monasteries sprang - including Fountains and Rievaulx in Britain. Bernard's pupils were as famous and important as his monastic foundations. In 1145, one of them (Eugenius III) was elected pope, and never forgot to whom he owed his deep spirituality. Bernard had the authority to decide between rival popes and persuade the wayward rulers of Europe to support his choice. He inspired countless Europeans to follow Emperor Konrad III and King Louis VII on the second crusade. Bernard is regarded as the real founder of the Cistercian Order, for he brought it out of obscurity and into the centre of Christendom. He was canonized in 1174, and in 1830 was formally declared a doctor of the Church. He is now universally called Doctor mellifluous, the Honey-Sweet Doctor. Bernard died at Clairvaux in 1153. His feast day is August 20.
As Catholic educators, we live according to our Father's code and to lead our students, by example, to live the basic truths of the gospel message. This is an awesome, yet inspiring challenge which we share with the parents of our young men and women.
Children learn what they live. Each day we have the opportunity to teach our students:
- to love by the way we love;
- to be generous by our generosity;
- to be passionate by our compassion; and
- to be forgiving by the way we forgive.
However, a person cannot give what he or she does not have. Unless we are living the Gospel message, we cannot lead our students to do so.
There are many hallmarks of a Catholic educator, including:
- Prayer - The challenges of our vocation, and indeed life in general, are great. To meet them we need to follow Christ's advice that we "ask the father in My name". Each Catholic educator has a duty to expose students to his or her particular style of prayer in order to assist students to recognize the value of prayer in daily life.
- Eucharist - Parish, school, and staff liturgies provide opportunities to celebrate our faith. Our example can testify to the Eucharist as a joyful source of strength and community building.
- Social Justice - This is the heart of the Christian message, that we "love one another as I have loved you". As our brother's and sister's keepers, we must be concerned about the aged, the poor, the oppressed, and any other marginalized group - both at home and abroad.
St. Bernard Catholic School has a rich history that dates back to the earliest days of Catholic education in Whitby. Originally established in 1923 on Dundas Street West, St. Bernard served generations of students before the original school closed in 1975. The current St. Bernard Catholic School opened in 1989 at the St. John the Evangelist School Annex and moved into its permanent home on Dryden Boulevard in 1990. Since then, the school has continued to grow as a vibrant Catholic learning community grounded in faith, service, and academic excellence.
Named after St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a renowned spiritual leader, reformer, and Doctor of the Church, the school is inspired by his wisdom, dedication, and commitment to building strong communities of faith. Guided by his example, St. Bernard Catholic School fosters a welcoming environment where students are encouraged to live with compassion, seek peace, and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
St. Bernard’s Feast Day is August 20.
Our school hours are as follows:
8:30 a.m. -School begins
9:55 to 10:10 a.m. - Morning Recess
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. - Lunch
1:40 to 1:55 p.m. - Afternoon Recess
3:00 p.m. - Dismissal
God is a peace-filled presence in our midst; make us an instrument of your peace. Grant us the grace to see Jesus in all people. Peace comes with forgiveness; help us to take the first steps to forgiving. Holy Spirit, help us to be people of love, joy, and peace. Amen
Our board's School Year calendar is now available. Parents are encouraged to visit our school calendar webpage to learn more about upcoming events and activities happening at school.
We welcome your questions, comments and concerns.
St. Bernard Catholic School
1000 Dryden Blvd.
Whitby, ON L1R 2A2
Phone: (905) 668-3772
Fax: (905) 668-6466