St. Theresa Catholic School Opens Its Doors to Newcomers

On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, St. Theresa Catholic School in Whitby welcomed newcomer families to Durham Region by hosting the Welcome and Information for Newcomers (WIN) program. This day was made possible through the partnership program, Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS). SWIS Durham is a partnership program involving Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), Durham District School Board (DDSB), Community Development Council Durham and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Newcomer families participated in a day of programming designed for elementary students and learned about the Ontario school system. Teachers from DCDSB and DDSB were available to answer questions from parents, guardians and students, and DCDSB student volunteers assisted families by speaking about their educational experiences to help students to feel comfortable coming into a new school environment.

The student volunteers were essential to the success of the WIN event. “I volunteered because I wanted to support this event and make new families feel comfortable by signing them in and helping them around the school,” said Scarlett, a Grade 9 Student from Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School and a graduate from St. Theresa Catholic School. “I think this program is important because it sets newcomers up for success and it shows families that schools in Durham Region work hard to provide their children with a good education.”

Vicki Kerr, Co-Manager of Newcomer Community Services at Community Development Council Durham, spoke about the importance of the SWIS WIN program and how it helps parents and guardians set their children up for success at school in a new community. “Families have been learning about what to pack their child for lunch, what their child should wear, what classrooms look like, and where to get help at school and outside of school,” Vicki said. “Today is about creating a welcoming environment, and we believe that this is essential in promoting community and getting newcomers better starts in schools.”

Vicki also emphasized that support doesn’t end with the WIN event. Newcomer families have access to year-round assistance through the SWIS program, with settlement workers available at local schools to help with questions about school, community resources, or other concerns. This was an important takeaway from the event for families.

“We are thrilled to have the SWIS WIN program here at St. Theresa today,” said Phyllis Pereia, Principal at St. Theresa Catholic School. “We are proud to have been a part of this special journey for new families to Durham Region, and we are so grateful for our continued partnership with SWIS Durham.”

The success of the SWIS WIN program hosted at St. Theresa Catholic School was made possible through the dedication and collaboration of all involved. The DCDSB would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the SWIS team that worked hard to put the event together, and the incredible student volunteers and staff of St. Theresa Catholic School for their commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for newcomer families in Durham Region.

Learn more about SWIS Durham by visiting the Community Development Council of Durham website.