September 3rd, 2025

Welcome to the beginning of another school year in the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB). The 194 school days that lie ahead provide us with the opportunity to see WRDSB students thrive, be supported in their learning, and to experience environments where they will encounter success and feel a sense of belonging at school.

As we bid farewell to the summer break, we want to express gratitude and appreciation to the dedicated WRDSB Staff who have been working these past two months to ensure that we are prepared for a successful school year. We can’t wait to get started together on another year of learning, growth and discovery.

The beginning of a new school year is an exciting time and an opportunity to reflect on our shared focus for the year ahead. This year our focus will continue to be on providing students with the learning, skills and knowledge to reach their potential and achieve the outcomes needed to progress towards graduation, and beyond. As Chair and Director, we have the privilege of seeing and celebrating the collective contributions from WRDSB Staff throughout the organization, all with the aim of supporting the academic achievement and well-being of WRDSB students.

Today, we welcome students to the 2025-26 school year, from the Kindergarten student taking their first steps into a new classroom, to the Grade 12 student embarking on their final year, and everyone in between. Thanks to the hard work of the WRDSB Staff we know that all students will be supported with what they need on their pathway to becoming lifelong learners.

This morning we opened the doors to students at Willow River Public School in Kitchener for the first time. This new school will allow us to continue to serve the needs of students in our growing communities. As school staff build strong relationships amongst the students, parents, families and community they will create a school where everyone feels they belong.

In the weeks and months ahead, the WRDSB Structured Literacy Multi-Year Plan (SLMYP) will continue to help students learn important reading and writing skills. Across our school board, we’ve seen educators, students, parents, and families embrace structured literacy wholeheartedly. We see the difference our approach is making. Again this year, students will continue to flourish, supported by educators and the resources they need to expand their reading, writing, spelling and vocabulary skills.

Students of all ages will continue to receive enhanced instruction and learning experiences in mathematics, building on the progress we made in the last school year with our Math Achievement Action Plan (MAAP). Thanks to WRDSB educators’ implementation of an innovative digital math learning platform, last year 25,000 students learned more than 2 million math facts. It’s just one of the many ways we help to ensure that every student has the opportunity to form a fundamental understanding of math.

Building on our shared successes, Grade 9 and 10 students throughout our school board will have the opportunity to learn and grow in de-streamed classrooms. This means that when students reach Grade 11, they will have more pathway options available to them as they chart a course for life after high school. Students are acting on the choices that they now have. We see them taking ownership of their post-graduation journeys and playing an active role in determining their own options.

The ability and opportunity for WRDSB students to achieve their full potential in learning has direct links to well-being. As a result, throughout this school year, we will maintain our focus on making our schools places where every student and staff member feels seen. To be reflected in their learning and working environments creates a sense of meaningful belonging.

We look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the WRDSB!

With our sincere thanks,

Maedith Radlein
Chair of the Board of Trustees

Scott Miller
Director of Education