Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers,

With students, families and teachers all settled into the school year, DCPIC is looking forward to supporting our Catholic-learning community as we all listen, learn and live in faith.

As a committee, DCPIC's new and returning members have been hard at work getting established and planning two upcoming events that we are excited to share with you all.

The first is a free Advent Craft Night for our elementary students and their families. It's hard to believe the holiday season is almost here, and we know it can be busy, but hope you can join us for some faith-based creativity and crafting on Tuesday, December 12, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. More details and a link to register can be found under DCPIC Events in this newsletter.

The second event is our annual Parent Resource Conference, which is taking place on Saturday, January 13, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Save-the-date and stay tuned for more details on this day focusing on resources and support.

We wish everyone a blessed Advent season and look forward to a fantastic year strengthening the connection between home, school and parish!

Yours in Faith,

Rose LoPresti

Chair, Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee

DCDSB elementary students and their families are invited to drop in for a free, faith and fun-filled evening of Advent crafting and light refreshments.

When: Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Time: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Location: Pope Francis Centre (652 Rossland Rd. West, Oshawa, Ontario)

We hope you can join us as we celebrate the season!

Click here to register.

We are so excited to share details about the DCPIC Parent Resource Conference! Please save-the-date for the conference.

Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Location: Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic High School (80 Mandrake Street, Ajax, Ontario)

Hear from guest speaker Michael Way Skinner and attend breakout sessions led by subject-matter experts. This event is free to attend and complimentary child-minding will be offered.

Stay tuned for more details and registration information.

This Fall, DCPIC held its annual Commissioning Mass to welcome new and returning Catholic School Council Chairs, Co-Chairs and Principals, as well as the committee's new Parent Representatives.

Following an inspiring Mass presided over by Father Keith Callaghan, attendees heard from Director of Education, Tracy Barill ,about the Board's new Multi-Year Plan, Superintendent of Education, Katharine Stephenson, about this year's Spiritual Theme Speaking With the Heart, and from DCPIC member Melissa Bevan, who summarized the 2022-2023 Parent Survey Results.

It was a great start to a year of working together to support students and families.

Welcome to the new and returning DCPIC parent and community members for the 2023-2024 school year:

• Rose Lo Presti - Chair
• Josie MullinVice - Chair
• Andrea Gagliardi - Secretary
• Melissa Bevan - Past Chair
• Michelina Dos Santos - Parent Member
• Pius Sundarith Vasanth Francis - Parent Member
• Lucia Lacorte - Parent Member
• John Rinella - Parent Member
• Christine Santos - Parent Member
• Leny Veliyathuparambil - Parent Member
• Michelle Gillis - Parent Member
• Mike McKenney - Parent Member
• Oliver McLauren - Parent Member
• Christopher Blankson - Parent Member
• Mary Macharia - Parent Member
• Veronica McIntosh - Parent Member
• Carol Collins - Community Representative
• Raphael Tercarolli - Community Representative

Each school year, DCPIC conducts a survey of the Board's parents, guardians and caregivers, to determine what topics and information are top of mind and most pertinent. That information is then used by the committee, as well as School Councils, when planning events and sharing resources.

Highlights from this year's survey include:

• 950 responses received from all schools within DCDSB.
• Email and Edsby are the top two preferred methods of communication with DCDSB families.
• The types of events families are most interested in are those that focus on student wellbeing, mathematics and numeracy, the arts (dance, drama, music, visual/media arts), technology and innovation, digital safety and mental health.
• The resources families want/need, to help support their child’s education and well-being, focus on general Life Skills including financial literacy, additional academic supports, mental health, social events for students, and health and physical education.

Click here to view the survey results.

Registering your child in a Durham Catholic school is the strongest show of support for Catholic education a parent or guardian can make.

Another way that Catholic parents/guardians and Catholics in the community, can support Catholic education in Durham Region is by ensuring that you direct your school support to the English-Separate system with the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC).

You don’t have to have a child in a Catholic school to support Catholic education. Many English-Separate ratepayers don’t have children but attended Catholic schools themselves. Others have children who completed their Catholic education or are family members of current students.

To verify whether you are registered as an English Catholic school supporter, check the assessment section of your tax bill or Property Assessment Notice.

MPAC has created a new online option for parents to be able to update their school support without the need of the current paper direction of school support form. Catholic parents and property owners can visit the following website to begin the online process of updating their school support.

Click here to learn more about how to update your Direction of School Support.

Registration for a September 2024 start in Grade 1 French Immersion at DCDSB opens on Tuesday, November 28, 2023!

Virtual Information Session

All interested Year 2 Kindergarten/Senior Kindergarten families are invited to learn more about Grade 1 French Immersion at a virtual Information Session.

Date: Tuesday, November 28, 2023



Time: 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 

No registration is required to attend. Click here for the virtual link to join.

Click here for more information about French Immersion at DCDSB.