Believing
Celebrating our Catholic faith and aspiring to be models of Christ
At HCDSB, we are committed to being a model learning community, widely recognized as distinctively Catholic.
Our distinctiveness as a Catholic school district is reflected in the curriculum that is delivered through a lens of faith; through the vibrant partnership that exists between school, home and parish; and in the many ways in which our staff and students know, live and express their faith in action.
Our Goals Under the Priority of Believing:
- All learners experience a Catholic learning environment rooted in Gospel values and the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.
- Our schools foster the relationship between home and parish.
- Staff and students are discerning believers, formed in the Catholic faith community, who model Christ in their actions.
The annual Strategic Plan Monitoring Survey found that:
of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the HCDSB promotes a Catholic learning environment rooted in Gospel Values and the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations.
of staff respondents agreed or strongly agreed that HCDSB offers faith formation opportunities for its staff.
of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that HCDSB schools and parishes work together to strengthen home/school/parish relationships.
of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that HCDSB students and staff model Christ in their actions.
HCDSB’s Theological Theme
Every 4 years, our HCDSB community introduces a new theological theme to guide our Catholic learning environments, staff,鈥痗urriculum鈥痑nd faith community.鈥�
During the 2022-2023 school year, we unveiled the new theological theme ~ 鈥淲hat Does the Lord Ask of You?鈥�
The theme was chosen as an appropriate follow up to our previous theological theme 鈥撯��Do You Love Me?鈥� We responded to Jesus鈥� question with a resounding yes! And now, through the words of Micah 鈥� God tells us what that should mean in terms of our response.鈥�
During the 2023-2024 school year, we transitioned to Year 2 of our Theological Theme, focusing on鈥�Justice. Throughout the year, staff and students explored our call to unity, the mandate of our baptismal anointing to priestly, prophetic, regal lives, and the enduring gift of the sacrament of Confirmation.
And the Keeping Christ in Christmas Winners Are鈥�
Students at the 嫩芽视频 (HCDSB) were invited to participate in the 11th annual Keeping Christ in Christmas contest, which began in November 2023.
Students of all ages and abilities were invited to submit work that best described the theme of the contest and highlight how we can all do our part to Keep Christ in Christmas!
The call for submissions went out on November 2 and all entries were due by November 23, 2023.
Quick Facts:
- The response was overwhelming, with over 280 student entries and over 6,220 votes to select the winners of the top prizes during the voting process!
- 4 categories were open for submissions: Original Artwork; Original Video; Original Song; and Short Story/Poem, providing opportunities for students to work with different mediums to showcase their creativity.
- All student finalists were recognized at the December 5, 2023 Board Meeting.
Special thanks to all student participants for submitting their amazing entries, and to HCDSB families and staff for their participation!
A note of appreciation is extended to the Halton OECTA Elementary Association and the Halton OECTA Secondary Association for their continued partnership, and support of the contest through generously donating the top prizes.
Sharing the Spirit of Christmas and Supporting Families in Need
During the 2023 Keeping Christ in Christmas contest period, HCDSB once again put the spirit of this contest into action through the sale of Christmas Cards!
Student artwork that was submitted to the contest was used to create Christmas cards. Mixed bundles of the Christmas cards were then available for donation, with all proceeds supporting families through the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.
When we began this initiative in 2018, our intent was to start small, only actively promoting this initiative with our Central Office Staff.
In 2019, we expanded the sale of Christmas cards by sending out a 鈥榗all to action鈥� to all families across HCDSB and to all of our staff, inviting them to purchase Christmas cards to support families in need.
An online submission form was created, allowing parents, families and staff to submit their donations through PayPal.
Through the outpouring of generosity, we were able to raise $5,200 dollars to support families in our HCDSB community!
“We Are Called to Love” Catholic Education Week
During the week of May 5-10, 2024, HCDSB joined school boards in celebrating the significant contributions that Catholic education has made to our community and across the province of Ontario!
The province-wide theme of Catholic Education Week (CEW), “We Are Called to Love”, was inspired by the following:
- The Jubilee Year of 2025, inspired by Pope Francis announcing the theme, 鈥淧ilgrims of Hope鈥�.
- The fifth anniversary of 鈥淩enewing the Promise鈥�, celebrating how Catholic Education is centred on our Christian call to love.
- The theme of the synod, 鈥淓nlarge the Space of Your Tent鈥�, inviting us to listen in love, and to be a healing presence to one another and to strengthen relationships.
- In his visit to Canada, Pope Francis renewed our hope as we continued our work of Truth and Reconciliation.
- The love and compassion demonstrated throughout this week, which coincided with Mental Health Awareness Week. We continue our shared commitment in supporting each other鈥檚 well-being; God is love and we are always called to live out this love.
- Through our continued work for equity and inclusion in our Catholic schools; a focus on love reminds us that all God鈥檚 children are loved unconditionally.
The five sub-themes for Catholic Education Week were:
Monday: As people of hope
Tuesday: As people of faith
Wednesday: As people of mercy
Thursday: As people of justice
Friday: As people of joy
In celebration of Catholic Education Week, students, staff and families were invited to watch a daily video, beginning on May 4th until May 11th. Each video featured a school board within the Diocese of Hamilton and a sub-theme from Catholic Education Week.
Watch
Journeying with Jesus During Catholic Education Week
In honour of Catholic Education Week, HCDSB鈥檚 Journeying with Jesus took place on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Students, staff, and members of the HCDSB community were invited to watch a , with Reverend Ranjan D’Sa, Pastor at St. Dominic’s Parish presiding over the virtual liturgy.
Special messages, prayers, and musical performances were performed by students and staff across HCDSB. Members of our HCDSB community were also able to join the conversation online and share their photos using the hashtags: and .
HCDSB Students Showcase Their Creative Talents for Catholic Education Week
During the month of April, students were invited to showcase their creative talents in HCDSB’s Catholic Education Week Creative Contest!鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
In keeping with the theme of Catholic Education Week, students were invited to express in their own creativity how we treat and respect one another through the following scriptural quote: 鈥�If we love one another, God lives in us鈥� (1 John 4:12).
Visual artwork, original songs, and short videos were accepted, as part of the acceptable submission categories, and submissions were reviewed separately by student division (Primary, K-3; Junior, Grades 4-6; Intermediate, Grades 7-8; and Secondary, Grades 9-12).
A judging panel met to review submissions, and the top winners in each student division were announced during Catholic Education Week!
Special thanks to Halton OECTA Elementary Association and the Knights of Columbus 鈥� St. Gabriel’s Parish Council in Burlington for generously donating the top prizes.
See a full list of winners here.
“Fill a School Bus” Food Drive
In June 2024, we celebrated the incredible success of our “Fill a School Bus” Food Drive, a meaningful initiative inspired by the Catholic Education Week theme, 鈥�We are Called to Love鈥�. The HCDSB community came together in an extraordinary way to support Food4Kids Halton, collecting non-perishable food items across our schools and workplaces.
With the collaboration and support of Halton Student Transportation Services (HSTS) and our local school bus operators, the collected items were delivered directly to the Food4Kids Halton warehouse. Together, we raised an impressive $11,330 worth of food to help feed children in need across our region.
Additionally, any food items that were not able to fit in backpacks were generously donated to , ensuring that nothing went to waste and all contributions benefitted those in need. The total donation to Food for Life weighed an incredible 3,100 lbs, further extending the positive impact of this initiative.
Thank you to all the families, staff, and community members who participated in the food drive and supported this important initiative. Your generosity and commitment made a significant impact on the lives of many students and families across Halton.
Two Students from St. Thomas Aquinas Go the Distance to Raise Money for At-Risk Youth in Colombia!
Aiden Goss and Santiago Guzman, Grade 12 students from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School took part in a successful fundraising challenge for in Colombia, serving orphans and vulnerable children across the globe.
From October 27-29, the two students participated in a 48 hour challenge to raise a total of $4,448 for at-risk youth in Colombia!
鈥淲e are so proud of Aiden and Santiago,” said Principal Kathleen Moro. 鈥淭heir passion for this initiative is infectious and their determination is inspirational. They truly embody the qualities of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate and the “.
Congratulations to Aiden and Santiago on this incredible accomplishment! For more information on the “48 Hours of Hope”, visit their Instagram page: .
Christ the King School Places First in Canada’s Relay for Life School Fundraising Initiative!
Congratulations to the students and staff at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School for their outstanding fundraising efforts in the Relay for Life campaign! Together, the school community raised an impressive $146,702.41, earning them a #1 placement as the top fundraising school across Canada.
Over 700 students and approximately 30 staff members participated in the Relay for Life initiative, held on June 2nd. Participants collected donations for participating in the 12-hour walking event, with some students even raising over $6000 each! As part of the initiative, the team from Christ the King School recognized and honoured 13 cancer survivors on the day of the event.
“This remarkable achievement reflects the spirit of unity, determination, and compassion that defines our school community,” commented Principal Lisa Vasile. “We have shown that when we come together with a common purpose, we can achieve extraordinary results.”
Faith Day 2023 at Corpus Christi CSS: Living Out the Call to “Do Justice”
Faith Day 2023 was centred on the scriptural call to “Do Justice” from Micah 6:8, inspiring staff across our board to embrace this profound message. At Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary School, this theme resonated deeply as staff committed to putting their faith into action through meaningful service projects. Their efforts demonstrated a tangible commitment to the values of faith, hope, and love by actively “doing” justice and helping others.
Acts of Service Reflecting Catholic Values
Staff at Corpus Christi engaged in two impactful initiatives:
Meal Packages for the Homeless
Staff came together to assemble meal packages, which were distributed the next day to individuals experiencing homelessness. This act of service provided immediate relief and demonstrated the compassion and care central to the Catholic faith.
Personalized Plaques for Women in the Dominican Republic
Through these initiatives, the staff at Corpus Christi CSS exemplified the essence of Faith Day 2023 鈥� actively “doing justice” and living out the mission of their Catholic faith.
In a project of faith and solidarity, staff worked on creating personalized wooden plaques featuring the verse Jeremiah 29:11, offering a message of hope and reassurance: 鈥淔or I know the plans I have for you,鈥� declares the Lord, 鈥減lans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.鈥�
The plaques, crafted by Teacher Rick Karniej, were beautifully decorated and personalized with messages of encouragement by staff. Each plaque was created for a woman in the Dominican Republic who survived human trafficking. Staff also took time to learn about the stories of these women, making the project deeply meaningful. In the summer of 2024, these plaques were hand-delivered to the women, serving as a symbol of hope and solidarity and a reminder of their inherent dignity and worth.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Secondary School’s Unhoused Fundraiser for Milton Transitional Housing
In November 2023, members of St. Kateri Tekakwitha’s Social Justice Team gained a small but powerful insight into the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness. Tasked with building their own shelters for the day, students relied solely on cardboard and tape they had brought with them. It wasn鈥檛 long before they realized they had underestimated the amount of material needed, prompting a resourceful search for additional cardboard in the school鈥檚 recycling bins.
To make the experience even more authentic, students were not allowed to bring food or drinks from home, relying instead on modest provisions supplied by their staff advisor. Here is what some students shared about their eye-opening experience:
- 鈥�I learned that it is very hard to be under those circumstances, especially with extreme weather conditions such as snow, rain, or a heat wave. It has made me appreciate what I have now. It has also made me realize and have a lot more respect for people going through that.鈥�
- 鈥�I learned a lot about the reality of homelessness. I learned how difficult it truly is when you have nothing. It made me a much more grateful person putting myself in the shoes of someone with nothing at all.鈥�
- 鈥�In the future, I will refrain from simply walking past and ignoring homeless people I see on the street. I used to do this because I was not sure what the appropriate response was. Now, I鈥檝e learned that it makes them feel dehumanized and worthless. In the future, I will give them a smile or converse with them if I cannot give them anything.鈥�
The 2023-2024 Director鈥檚 Annual Report Sections
Continue browsing the Director’s Report by clicking any of the “View” buttons below.
Achieving
Believing
Belonging
Foundational Elements
About the Director’s Annual Report
The Director’s Annual Report provides a snapshot of some of the great things happening across our school district. The real story of accomplishment, however, is captured daily within the walls of our schools and workplaces through the many individual successes that are celebrated by students, staff, and members of our Catholic learning communities.