About Our School

We are pleased to partner with the YMCA to offer before and after school child care services at St. John the Evangelist Catholic School. For more information, contact Diane Hunte at 905-447-0733.

We are also pleased to partner with BGC Durham for after school care. For more information, please contact Tavish McMillan at 289-404-3151.

Our patron saint is St. John.  John was one the twelve apostles who followed Jesus. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of James the Great, another one of the twelve apostles. His father was a fisherman and his mother, Salome, became one of the holy women who followed Jesus, along with Mary Magdalen.

Both John and his brother James were followers of John the Baptist at first, but later became disciples of Jesus. John was probably the youngest of the twelve apostles, and called himself the "disciple whom Jesus loved". Both John and his brother had a fiery nature, so Jesus called them the "sons of thunder". Among the twelve John held a special place: With Peter and James he witnessed the Transfiguration and the Agony at Gethsemane; He was the only one of the twelve who stood at the foot of the cross, when Jesus died. And finally, Jesus charged him with the care of His mother.

After Christ's death John was one of the pillars of the early Church. Tradition holds that he moved to the city of Ephesus, with Mary, the mother of Jesus. From there he ministered to several Christian communities in Asia Minor. During the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD) he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the three letters named for him, and the book of Revelations (also known as the Apocalypse). He returned to Ephesus, where he wrote his gospel (about 100 AD). He died in the year 104 AD, at an advanced old age.

John is often depicted with an eagle, in reference to the opening words of his gospel, where his ideas soar to mystical heights. He is called the Apostle of Charity, for the love he received from Jesus, and the love for his people, which is evident in all his writings.

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. John the Evangelist Catholic School has been a cornerstone of Catholic education in Whitby since opening its doors in 1955. Originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph and later by the Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, the school has played an important role in the growth of Catholic education in the community. In 1962, St. John the Evangelist welcomed the first Grade 9 class that would later become Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic High School, while also introducing its first Kindergarten program. Throughout its history, the school has remained a place of faith, learning, and community, celebrating milestones such as its 50th anniversary in 2005 and the introduction of French Immersion in 2012.

Named after St. John the Evangelist, one of Jesus' twelve Apostles and the author of the fourth Gospel, the school is inspired by his message of faith, charity, and love. Often known as the Apostle of Charity, St. John devoted his life to sharing Christ's teachings and caring for others. Guided by his example, St. John the Evangelist Catholic School continues to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment where students are encouraged to grow in faith, pursue academic excellence, and serve their community with compassion and respect.

St. John’s Feast Day is December 27. 

Our school hours are as follows:

9:00 a.m. - School begins
10:05 - 10:20 a.m. - Morning recess
11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. - Lunch
2:10 - 2:25 p.m. - Afternoon recess
3:30 p.m. - Dismissal

Dear God,
We, your children, pray that we may bring peace and joy
to all those whom we meet today,
being kind and caring like your special friend, St. John.

He was a student of your Son Jesus, and a teacher of the good news;
help us to spread St. John's words that we are all created in your image.
Help us to respect and protect your creation.

Like St. John's eagle, help us to soar above all anger and hatred.
Look after those who need you today in a special way
and hold us all in the palm of your hand.
We ask these things, with love, through our Mother Mary
and Jesus, your Son and our Brother.
Amen.

St. John the Evangelist, pray for us.

Our board's School Year calendar is now available. We encourage parents and guardians to visit our our school calendar webpage to learn more about activities happening at school. 

We welcome your questions, comments and concerns.

1103 Giffard Street,
Whitby, ON  L1N 2S3

Telephone: 905-668-4011
Fax: 905-668-9401