Embedded Files
Principal's Message
Next week, our school community will join Catholic schools across the OCSB as well as the province in celebrating Catholic Education Week. Our theme this year is “Catholic Education: Pilgrims of Hope: On the Path to Holiness,” is rooted in the scripture: “As God who called you is holy, be holy yourselves” (1 Peter 1:15-16). This week serves as a beautiful reminder that we are all called to live lives of faith, love, and service, nurturing hope within ourselves and sharing it through our actions.
As a highlight of Education Week, we proudly present the 7/8 Play “Brokenville.” You can enjoy the amazing performances for 3 nights (May 7, 8, or 11). Come to one, or come to all the performances to support our amazing Intermediate panel performers. Please see below for more details!!!!
On May 5th, we honour Indigenous voices and reflect on what is lost within communities in the absence of those who have been taken (MMIWG2S+ - Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & 2 Spirit People). NO MORE STOLEN SISTERS! A special display will be set up in the school mall for students to take a few moments to reflect and commit to never forgetting. All students, staff (and families at home) are invited to wear a red shirt in recognition of MMIWG2S+; uniform bottoms are still required for all students!
A gentle reminder to our Grade 7/8 families, the deadline for permission forms and payment (school cash online) for the 7/8 trip to La Ronde is May 22nd.
Stay Safe and Be Well!
Mme Al Koura
Catholic School Council
Our Catholic School Council team would like to remind you about our upcoming annual Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) event which will take place on Tuesday, May 12 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM. Not only will this be a great opportunity to meet other parents but you will also get to hear an expert speaker. This year, we are pleased to host Dr. Richard Bolduc, Mental Health Lead Psychologist with the OCSB, who will be speaking to us on how to identify mental health struggles and supports that we can put in place to help our youth.
This event is taking place at the school!
Treats and light refreshments will be provided.
Please confirm your attendance by completing this form:
Thank you, and we hope to see you there!
Our next meeting will take place on Monday, June 8th, 2026. The meeting will take place in the Learning Commons with a hybrid option. If you would like the link for the meeting, please contact our Council (stpatschoolcouncil@gmail.com) for the link. We hope to see you there!
CSPA Announcements and Important Dates
This Saturday, May 2nd - Financial Empowerment Event for Young Women
Upcoming CSPA Presentations:
April’s General Meeting (Wed, April 29th) at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Learn about OCSB’s environmental and outdoor learning initiatives, and how parents can support.
From Worry to Action: Guiding Kids Through Environmental Concerns Presentation with Earth Rangers
(Thurs, April 30th)
Hello Hope Presentation with Aubrey Noronha (Thurs, May 7th) at St Paul High School
Supporting youth well-being, build resilience and connection, nurturing confidence & self-worth, and promote academic and personal success. Please see this flyer for more details.
For events, please register through THIS link.
7/8 Drama Club - Brokenville
A tale of resolve, resilience, and a whole lot of imagination, Brokenville is a play about characters who must learn from one another who they are and ultimately, what comes next in the face of tragedy. Our 7/8 students have worked hard preparing for their very first time on stage and are excited to share with you what they have created!
Tickets: $15 each. Tickets are available at the door or through school cash online (watch for link next week).
H.S. Midterm Report Cards
Understanding your child’s secondary report card is an important step in supporting their educational journey. The percentage marks reflect how well your child is meeting the Ontario curriculum expectations. To help families interpret these results, click on this LINK, which outlines what each percentage range and achievement level means for your child’s learning and ongoing progress.
Please note that midterm report cards were available via Parent Portal on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
International Trip April 2026
This April, St. Patrick's High School students and staff traveled overseas to Italy, France, and Spain as part of our biennial St Pat's Europe Trip! Some trip highlights include visiting amazing towns in the Cinque Terre region by train, enjoying the beautiful beach in Nice, and touring the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Students immersed themselves into Mediterranean culture through local food, markets, and local guided tours.
Keep an eye out for next year's trip!
SPH Musical - In The Heights
From April 8th to 11th, the St. Pat’s Drama Club lit up the stage with In the Heights, bringing the rhythm, spirit...and fireworks of Washington Heights to life. Under the guidance of our dedicated teachers and volunteers, the production became a celebration of culture, connection, and chasing dreams. The stage buzzed with energy; the warmth of the corner bodega and the pulse of the city streets were captured through dynamic choreography, vibrant designs, and music that carried every story forward.
This show invited us to reflect on what it means to belong, to hope boldly, and to build a future while honouring where we come from. Our students embraced these themes wholeheartedly, delivering performances filled with authenticity, joy, and heart.
On Friday night, we were pleased to welcome Ottawa Cappies critics, who joined us to review the performance for the Ottawa Citizen. Be sure to check out their thoughts online, and stay tuned for the upcoming Cappies nominations!
We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this production possible. Thank you to our talented cast and crew, orchestra, our committed volunteers, and our enthusiastic audiences who filled the theatre each night. Your support turned this show into something truly special.
Until our next adventure on stage, thank you for hopping on the train with us and for making a stop in Washington Heights.
Maverick’s Volleyball
This year, St Patrick's High School paired up with Maverick's Volleyball and the Maverick Volleyball Youth Fund to bring an amazing opportunity to our boys and girls volleyball teams! This partnership included two in depth volleyball workshops delivered by certified community coaches, as well as new volleyball equipment for our school. Thank you to the Maverick's Volleyball program for this great learning opportunity for our young student athletes! View the attached link for a great video of our Boys session: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CUkoQK3rd/?mibextid=wwXIfr.
Sports and STEM Day at Carleton University
The Sports and STEM Day at Carleton University on Wednesday, April 15 provided our students with a well-rounded learning experience that connected athletics, academics, and innovation.
The day began with a dynamic panel conversation featuring a current Carleton student-athlete, the Carleton Ravens football Head Coach, and the Head of Recruiting & Youth Programs. Followed by a STEM session, where the students used Microbits to explore AI to create fitness tracker.
Students also had the opportunity to share a meal together at the Carleton University Teranga Commons Dining Hall, followed by a guided tour of Carleton’s athletics facilities.
Our March Break Health Professional Program for Black students made the uOttawa news and here are the links to both English and French.
Career goals were seeded last month at the inaugural Health Professions Career Program for Black High School Students at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine.
Des rêves de carrière ont vu le jour lors du premier programme de professions en santé destiné aux élèves du secondaire provenant de la communauté noire, qui a eu lieu le mois dernier à la Faculté de médecine de l’Université d’Ottawa.
Grade 12 Biology Students Participate in Amgen Biotech Experience Program
We are thrilled to share that our Grade 12 Biology students took part in the Amgen Biotech Experience during the month of April. This incredible opportunity was made possible through a partnership between St. Patrick’s, Carleton University, and the Amgen Foundation.
During this program, our students had the unique chance to explore advanced laboratory techniques in the field of biotechnology. They gained hands-on experience with micropipetting, gel electrophoresis, genetic modification of bacteria, and used their critical thinking skills to make hypotheses and analyze their results.
These advanced skills are typically introduced at the post-secondary level, making this experience truly exceptional for our St. Pat’s students. The techniques they learned have real-world applications, including the production of human insulin using bacteria to treat diabetes. This invaluable experience allowed our students to apply the theoretical knowledge from their SBI4U curriculum in a practical, hands-on setting.
We are looking forward to continuing this partnership with Carleton University next semester as we strive to continue to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world scientific applications for all of our Science students.
R&B Summit
St. Patrick’s High School was proud to once again host the annual R&B Summit on April 16th, bringing together student musicians from across the school board for an evening of collaboration, learning, and performance. This exciting event welcomed over a hundred students from several schools, all eager to share their passion for music and grow as performers.
Throughout the event, each group showcased their hard work and received valuable feedback from clinicians focused on vocals, horns, and rhythm sections. The energy, talent, and sense of community in the room were truly inspiring. We are incredibly proud of all participants and grateful to the clinicians and staff who made this memorable day possible.
NextGen Assembly of Leaders 2026
Monday April 13th 2026 a group of students from St. Patrick’s High School were invited to participate in the fifth annual NextGen Assembly of Leaders at the Canadian Senate. The students had the opportunity to work with other students from across Canada both in person and virtually on a variety of important topics currently impacting Canada.
The honourable Senator Tony Loffreda was present to welcome students with an opening speech in the Senate Chamber. Students had the privilege of sitting in the actual seats that the current Senators sit in when meeting to discuss Canada’s future.
Students in photo from left to right: Brye-Anna, Anastasie, Elise, Maryam, Adelaide, Omar, Karim, Sabin, Fadi, Zion, Well Done, and Coleman
Not photographed but attended event: Vincent and Mariam
World Religions and English Classes Engage in Authentic Indigenous Learning
Grade 11 English and World Religions classes were at the school board’s Derry Byrne centre on Thursday April 9th for a full day of Indigenous learning. The students got to choose from a multitude of workshops there, from Inuit spirituality and culture, to learning about drumming and speaking the Anishinaabemowin language. A special thanks goes out to our OCSB teachers and Elders who shared their knowledge and culture with us, and to our students, who represented our school community extremely well.
Yellow Bus Transportation
Ottawa Student Transportation (OSTA) is launching its annual opt-out process to enhance bus routing and transportation planning for the 2026-2027 school year. If your child(ren) will not require school bus transportation next school year, please complete the electronic opt-out form to inform OSTA that a seat is not needed. This will help optimize services and minimize disruptions. Requests for reinstated service can be made anytime through OSTA’s Transportation Issues Form, and are subject to availability and eligibility. The opt-out form is now available on OSTA’s website. The deadline to apply is June 1, 2026.
New French Exchange for the 2026-2027 School Year
The OCSB is excited to be introducing a new France Exchange for students enrolled in Core or Immersion French in Grades 10 or 11 in 2026-2027. The poster below includes a QR code for families to sign up for the information session to take place on Tuesday, May 19th, 2026. We are encouraging students who will be in grades 10 and 11 in the 2026-2027 school year to apply for this enriching experience next spring. As part of the exchange, students will be working online with a teacher to gain a French credit (likely grade 11 Tech/tourism).
Host Families for International Students
Our international student program partners with a company (MLI Homestay) who coordinates host families for students wishing to study with us. We strive to find the best families for our students so we (the OCSB) does marketing to recruit families in our community.
Attached is a flyer, and this is a VIDEO about the process.
Summer School Registration
Registration for Summer School courses and programs with the Ottawa Catholic School Board is open until June 19th. (Summer School Registration Closes June 19th!) There are a wide variety of courses available both online and in person. Please see the summer school website for course offerings and registration forms.
Please note students may only register for one summer school course in July. Here is the flyer first page/second page for quick access!
Summer International Language Program - Elementary
OCSB Continuing & Community Education is excited to share that registration is now open for our Summer International Languages Program - Elementary!
The Summer International Languages Program offers students the opportunity to learn a new language or strengthen their home language through engaging activities such as music, art, storytelling, and cultural exploration. It is a meaningful way for students to build confidence, develop language skills, and connect with diverse cultures in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
The program runs from June 29 - July 31, 2026, at various OCSB locations, with classes available for students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, and is free for Ontario residents.
LEARN MORE: https://conted.ocsb.ca/summer-programs/summer-international-languages-elementary/
High School Exams and RSTs
Our Grades 10-12 students will once again be completing RSTs and/or Exams as a part of the final assessment of their courses. A reminder to families that Grade 9–12 exams and RSTs cannot be moved or rescheduled for vacation or travel plans. Please schedule all appointments outside these dates. If a student is ill, a Vice-Principal must be contacted before the exam; a medical note is required.
Once again, Grade 9 students will only complete RSTs, they will NOT have exams as part of their final assessments. Grade 9 students are expected to attend everyday, June 18 - 23 to complete their final assessments or course work.
RSTs will be completed in the final 2-3 weeks before exams. We ask that families please take note of the following dates and to avoid any non-essential travel or absences during those periods. It is critical that students complete the designated final assessments to be able to earn their credit.
Semester 2 RST Period June 1 - 17, 2026
Semester 2 Exam Schedule: Gr. 12 Per. 3 June 16, 2026
Gr. 12 Per. 4 June 17, 2026
Gr. 10-12 Per. 1 June 18, 2026
Gr. 10-12 Per. 2. June 19, 2026
Gr. 10-11 Per. 3 June 22, 2026
Gr. 10-11 Per. 4. June 23, 2026
Important Dates
Please mark your calendars for the following key dates:
Gr. 9-12 Semester 2 Interim Report Card posted to Parent Portal - April 30, 2026
Catholic Education Week - May 4 - 8, 2026
Missing & Murdered Women, Girls & Two-Spirited Persons Day (Red Shirt Day) - May 5, 2026
H.S. Arts Trip - May 13 - 15, 2026
Asian Student Forum - May 14, 2026
Victoria Day - No School - May 18, 2026
Indigenous Cultural Celebration (Pow Wow) @ Lester B. Pearson HS - May 22, 2026
Spring Concert - May 27, 2026
Year End Liturgy - May 28, 2026
Oscars - May 28, 2026
Grad Mass - June 3, 2026
Prom - June 4, 2026
PD Day - June 5, 2026
Stay Safe and Have a Great Day!
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