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Wednesday, April 1, 2026 - Volume 18, Issue 16
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Dear Students, Staff, and Families,
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As we celebrate Easter, we rejoice in the hope and new life found in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. May this sacred season remind us that light overcomes darkness, love conquers fear, and faith calls us to live with compassion, courage, and joy.
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May the Risen Christ bless our school community and renew our commitment to learning, service, and one another.
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Wishing you a joyful and blessed Easter!
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Admin Team
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@stbenedictwcdsb
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See a local war story come to life
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"Soon You'll Be Home" tells the true story of Wilfred Renner, who was shot down over Belgium during World War Two, and evaded capture for almost a year before returning home to Preston. When Wilfred was shot down, he had a rosary in his pocket - he kept it with him until his final days. His story is about war, survival, courage, guilt, faith, family and miracles. Written and directed by Mr. Andrew Renner, and featuring a very talented and dedicated group of St Benedict students, “Soon You’ll Be Home” was awarded an Outstanding Production award at the National Theatre School Dramafest, and has moved on to the Western Regional in Gravenhurst.
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There will be two school performances here at St. Benedict on Thursday April 9th at 5:00 PM, and Friday April 10th at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds go to covering the cost of going to Regionals. Tickets can be purchased on School Cash Online at the links below.
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CLASS OF 2026: Important Ticket Information
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All students in the Class of 2026 who completed the RSVP and indicated they would be attending the Convocation Ceremony on June 9th have received a personal access code in your wcdsb email. Please flag this email, you will require this code to purchase guest tickets for the ceremony. Do not share this code.
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THE CENTRE IN THE SQUARE BOX OFFICE WILL OPEN ON FRIDAY APRIL 10TH AT 2:30PM.
- Ticket price: Each ticket is $5.00, plus any applicable venue fees.
- Ticket Limit: Each student is limited to a maximum of 4 guest tickets.
- Single Use Code: Please note that the code is unique to your student and will only work once to purchase up to 4 tickets. Since this is a one-time code, if you are purchasing tickets for multiple households, please note that the tickets need to be purchased all at once. You may select seats in different locations.
- Deadline: Ticket sales will close on Thursday, April 30th. Once the box office has closed, tickets cannot be purchased and the sales cannot be reopened.
Tickets can be purchased through the Centre in the Square using one of two methods:
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If you require accessible seating, please make your ticket purchase by calling Centre in the Square directly.
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To make your purchase, you will need your student's unique, single-use personal code.
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The password is the personal code sent to the student’s wcdsb email. Please do not share this code.
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Additional Tickets: The Centre in the Square will notify us AFTER June 1st if there are additional tickets available for purchase. You will be notified via email if this is the case.
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Please do not contact the school regarding additional tickets.
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For those on a payment plan for your Convocation Fee - please continue to complete your payment fee on school cash online.
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The RSVP form will officially close tonight. If you have not RSVP'd to Convocation, please do so immediately in order to receive your guest ticket access code.
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Looking for a quick way to navigate all things WCDSB for parents?
Check out the Board website for information and information pertaining to Aspen Portal, Brightspace, School Cash Online, Transportation updates, and other resources
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Facilities Update: Water Quality Monitoring
Dear Parents and Guardians,
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As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety, the school regularly monitors the composition of drinking water available throughout the building. Recent routine testing has confirmed elevated concentrations of dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) in several water fountains.
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Dihydrogen monoxide is a widely used industrial compound and is known to contribute to metal fatigue, material corrosion, and accelerated pipe wear over time. Extended exposure has also been documented in relation to a range of biological processes in humans and other organisms.
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At present, DHMO has been detected consistently throughout all tested water sources at the school. This result was not entirely unexpected, as the Region of Waterloo has a documented history of high levels of DHMO in the pipes under our city, and there seems to ve ery little concern.
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Next Steps
- All fountains will remain available for student use while monitoring continues
- Staff have been asked to report any unusual taste, temperature, or excessive transparency in water
- The school will continue working closely with municipal water authorities
We remind families that students are encouraged to stay hydrated and to use school facilities responsibly.
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At the present time, there is no reason to be concerned. Should you have any questions or concerns, please consult this Dihydrogen Monoxide fact sheet created by the Waterloo Catholic District School Board Safety Inspection Team prior to calling the school.
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Who is your Guidance Counsellor?
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Guidance counselor assignments are based on the student’s last name. Please take some time to review guidance counsellors, as assignments have changed.
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Counsellor’s Name
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Ext
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Last names
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Administrative Assistant: Mrs. McAulay-Arruda, ext. 5631
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Girls Varsity Slo-Pitch
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Any girls in Grades 9-12 interested in trying out for the Girls Varsity Slo-Pitch team this year, please come to an information session on Wednesday, April 8th. Seniors - at the start of your lunch, go to room 227. Juniors - at the start of your lunch, go to room 224. See you all soon!
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News from the Library
From the Librarian's Desk
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Book Bingo
Have you read a romance novel this year? What about a graphic novel? A book a friend recommended?Turn your reading into rewards this spring with the Library’s Book Bingo Challenge! Team up with up to four friends and complete a bingo card by reading books from a variety of categories. Finish a line to earn a prize and a ballot for the grand prize draw; complete the entire card to unlock even more rewards. Gather your team, pick up your bingo card in the library, and start reading!
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Contest runs from April 1 to May 30. Questions? See librarian Ryan!
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The Library is Embracing the Future with Generative AI
In our ongoing commitment to innovation, efficiency, and staying at the cutting edge of educational trends, we are excited to announce that—effective immediately—all library staff will be replaced by Generative AI.Our new system is available 24/7 and can assist with research, recommend books, and provide answers to nearly any question—quickly, confidently, and with a refreshing disregard for whether those answers are correct.
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What can you expect?
- 📖 Book recommendations will now be generated based on extensive data, vague vibes, questionable assumptions, and possibly your horoscope.
- 🔍 Research help that is instant, thorough, and occasionally fictional
- 🤔 All questions—academic or existential—can be answered in seconds, though answers may include phrases like “it depends” or “as an AI, I do not possess feelings.”
- 🤖 Answers to every question, delivered with confidence regardless of accuracy
- ➕ More lists to answer simple questions.
🎓 What Happens to Our Human Librarians?
Don’t worry—they will be reassigned to highly important tasks such as:
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- Determining exactly how many of the AI’s “sources” are real using a combination of database necromancy and mild skepticism
- Being available for human conversation, including sarcasm, nuance, and mild exasperation, and
- Providing moral support to the printer.
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Thursday, April 2
Holy Thursday
10:35am: Scratch Cafe
10:40am: GSA Club
12:00pm: Chess Club
12:00pm: GSA Club
12:00pm: Scratch Cafe
2:00pm: Math Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
2:15pm: Concert Band
2:15pm: Doctor Who club
3:45pm: Jazz Band
Friday, April 3
Good Friday
Sunday, April 5
Easter Sunday
Monday, April 6
Easter Monday
Tuesday, April 7
10:40am: Guitar Club
10:40am: HOSA Club
10:40am: GSA Club
11:00am: Rosary Club
12:00pm: HOSA Club
12:00pm: GSA Club
12:20pm: Rosary Club
2:30pm: Dance Team
Wednesday, April 8
10:35am: Growing in Faith Club
10:40am: Girls Garage Club
10:40am: Reach for the Top Trivia
10:40am: Senior Guitar Club
12:00pm: Growing in Faith Club
12:00pm: Reach for the Top Trivia
12:00pm: Junior Guitar Club
2:00pm: Bennies Helping Hands
2:00pm: Finance Club
2:00pm: Homework Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
Thursday, April 9
10:35am: Student Equity and Engagement Council
10:35am: Scratch Cafe
10:40am: GSA Club
12:00pm: Chess Club
12:00pm: Student Equity and Engagement Council
12:00pm: GSA Club
12:00pm: Scratch Cafe
2:00pm: Math Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
2:15pm: Concert Band
3:45pm: Jazz Band
Friday, April 10
10:40am: Girls Garage Club
10:40am: Indigenous Students & Friends Club
10:40am: Cosmo Club
12:00pm: Cosmo Club
2:15pm: Ping Pong club
2:15pm: Model UN Club
2:15pm: Doctor Who club
2:30pm: Dance Team
2:30pm: Bouldering Club
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Monday, April 13
10:40am: Black Student Union
10:40am: Muslim Students Association
12:00pm: Black Student Union
12:00pm: Muslim Students Association
12:00pm: Indigenous Students & Friends Club
2:00pm: Homework Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
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Tuesday, April 14
10:40am: Guitar Club
10:40am: HOSA Club
10:40am: GSA Club
11:00am: Rosary Club
12:00pm: HOSA Club
12:00pm: GSA Club
12:20pm: Rosary Club
2:30pm: Dance Team
Wednesday, April 15
BENN Newsletter release
10:35am: Growing in Faith Club
10:40am: Girls Garage Club
10:40am: Reach for the Top Trivia
10:40am: Senior Guitar Club
12:00pm: Growing in Faith Club
12:00pm: Reach for the Top Trivia
12:00pm: Junior Guitar Club
2:00pm: Bennies Helping Hands
2:00pm: Finance Club
2:00pm: Homework Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
Thursday, April 16
10:35am: Scratch Cafe
10:40am: GSA Club
12:00pm: Chess Club
12:00pm: GSA Club
12:00pm: Scratch Cafe
2:00pm: Math Club
2:15pm: Weight Room Club
2:15pm: Concert Band
3:45pm: Jazz Band
Friday, April 17
10:40am: Girls Garage Club
10:40am: Indigenous Students & Friends Club
10:40am: Cosmo Club
12:00pm: Cosmo Club
2:15pm: Ping Pong club
2:15pm: Model UN Club
2:15pm: Doctor Who club
2:30pm: Dance Team
2:30pm: Bouldering Club
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Be sure to check out the calendar on the school website for updates!
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