Our patron saint is St. Hedwig. St. Hedwig was a duchess and widow, the patroness of Silesia, a region of eastern Europe. Also called Jadwiga in some lists, Hedwig (1174-1243) died in a Cistercian convent, having taken vows. Hedwig was born in Andechs, Bavaria, Germany, the daughter of the Duke of Croatia and Dalmatia. She was the aunt of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. At the age of 12, Hedwig was married to Duke Henry of Silesia, the head of the Polish Royal family. She bore him seven children, and they had a happy marriage. Henry founded a Cistercian convent at Trebnitz, as well as hospitals and monasteries. Henry died in 1238 and Hedwig became a Cistercian at Trebnitz. She had to leave her prayers to make peace among her offspring, and she buried a child who was killed fighting against the Mongols. She died in the convent on October 15. Many miracles were reported after her death, and she was canonized in 1266. Her feast day is October 16.
About Our School
At St. Hedwig 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.
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. Hedwig Catholic School has been a proud part of the Oshawa community since opening its doors in 1958 to serve the growing Polish Catholic population in the Ritson and Olive neighbourhood. The school's early years were shaped by the dedication of the Felician Sisters, whose commitment to faith, learning, and service helped establish a strong sense of community that endures today.
Named after St. Hedwig, a duchess known for her charity, humility, and devotion to others, the school continues to honour its heritage while fostering a welcoming environment rooted in Catholic values and academic excellence.
St. Hedwig’s Feast Day is on October 16.
Our school hours are as follows:
8:45 a.m. - School begins
10:10-10:25 a.m. - Morning recess
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Lunch
1:55 - 2:10 p.m. - Afternoon recess
3:15 p.m.- Dismissal
God of Wisdom,
We praise You and we Bless You.
You teach us Your ways.
May wisdom flow through our classrooms.
May compassion walk gently in our hallways.
May joy ring out in our playgrounds and gymnasium.
May words of integrity and justice be spoken in our
Office and our staff room.
By our joyful hope, let all know that St. Hedwig
Is God's school.
Amen.
Our board's School Year calendar is now available. We encourage parents and guardians to visit our school calendar webpage to learn more about upcoming activities happening at school.
We welcome your questions, comments and concerns.
421 Olive Ave
Oshawa, ON L1H 2R2
Telephone: (905) 728-5521
Fax: (905) 728-9565