Good afternoon, St. John’s Community,

We wanted to bring you an update regarding the incident that occurred at St. John’s on March 7, 2023.

As you are aware, approximately 2 hours after dismissal time, youth playing basketball at St. John’s were approached by a group of older youths. During the interaction a racial slur was directed towards one of the younger youths and a knife was shown. The three youths were able to leave the area on foot and there were no physical injuries as a result of the incident.

The school board has been in continual contact with Waterloo Regional Police regarding the situation and ongoing investigation. Police have arrested and charged the individual involved. They are not a member of the WCDSB community.

To ensure we are providing a high-quality, safe education, we will continue to work with community leaders, families, and the police to minimize safety threats in the future.

WCDSB does not condone hate motivated acts and remains committed to act intentionally to ensure those we serve—staff, students and communities—are treated with respect and dignity. Please refer to our Boards Equity Diversity and Inclusion webpage to learn more  Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: A Transformational Lens – Waterloo Catholic District School Board (wcdsb.ca).

On March 10th , in response to the situation and as a proactive and supportive approach, additional staff were at the school including administrators, social workers, equity staff, and senior administration. Our social workers continue to be engaged supporting all students and staff who require support.

Students will have varying levels of impact/response and support will be in place.  Should you have concerns about how any of your students are coping or have other concerns, please reach out to your student’s Teacher or the School Principal and/or Vice Principal.  We also share resources for you, our parent/guardian community to support your children at home.  Please see this resource attached.

Tip Sheet Resources for St John Parents Caregivers March 2023

Our deepest gratitude to each of you and the students in your homes. We are so thankful to be part of this community.

In the days and weeks following a stressful event, it is normal to experience physical, emotional, or behavioural changes. Please know that we will continue to support in any way we can.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out.

Respectfully,

Tonya Reesor, Principal

Lorraine Harris, Vice Principal