St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic School Opens to High Enrollment, Pledge of Excellence

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The palpable buzz of excitement is hard to miss at St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School in Kitchener. The arrival of academic celebrations is doubly special this year, as it unfolds as the maiden first day in the annals of the newly minted educational establishment.

Eager faces of the second graders reflect the anticipation, vibrant with thoughts of fresh knowledge, and the intrigue over their new guide in this journey of education. The school, given the esteemed title of St. Josephine Bakhita, enjoys another layer of pride as it tributes the first black woman to have ever achieved sainthood in this modern epoch.


The process of building this homage to knowledge and community was not overnight. The carefully orchestrated plan for the school began three years prior, with the actual construction commencing a year ago.

Set in the fast-expanding quarters of Doon South, the city is as refreshed by its arrival as the students. Designed to dispel pressures on the surrounding four schools, it appears that the school’s conception delighted the community beyond the anticipated measure. Principal David Lynch shared the joyful revelation of student enrollment figures exceeding their expectations.

However, growth often comes with adjustments, and the school is no exception. “There might be a bit of reshuffling as everyone finds their feet,” conceded Lynch. “It will take a fortnight or so to get everything in order.”

Notwithstanding the ongoing outer construction, the interior of the school harbours no disruptions to the scheduled learning. The school is ready from within, insists Lynch, with each classroom prepared and eager to welcome its new occupants. The remaining minor, aesthetic improvements are set to finish over the upcoming months, with assurance that working hours will coincide with the pupils’ absence.

While the hallowed halls of St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School resonate with the return of the Catholic board students, the Waterloo Region District Public School has marked a PD day today and anticipates welcoming back their students on the following Wednesday. Amidst the unique context of the ongoing pandemic, the return to classrooms is indeed a cherished moment.