The 2021-22 school year theme is Stronger. Better. Together. We know that 2021-22 will be a year of unique challenges and possibilities, as we return to our schools and offices, and re-weave the fabric of our school communities and school board. With the COVID-19 pandemic largely under control, we want to renew, strengthen and enhance what is best about our Catholic education system.
The logo uses a heart to symbolize love, a hand to depict how our love is anchored in relationships, and a cross to represent that our school board is grounded in, inspired and guided by our Christian faith in Jesus.
Choosing the words Stronger. Better. Together was the result of careful discernment from our pastoral team.
“Stronger"
Our experience of COVID, while undeniably difficult and painful, has also revealed wellsprings of strength and resilience. While it was a formidable enemy, COVID did not ultimately conquer us or keep us down. Staff and students exercised remarkable creativity, inventiveness, flexibility and patience to address the challenges of a rapidly-changing situation. We have discovered just how strong we are, and how we can help to bring out the strengths in each other.
“Better”
During the pandemic, Pope Francis has often said that people never emerge from a crisis exactly the same as we were before; we are either better or worse. As an SMCDSB family, we want to intentionally choose to “build back better”. We do not want to simply return to the way things were before: we want to draw upon the important lessons of the past 18 months, to bring out the best in ourselves and others, and to try and shape a more just, more faith-filled, more inclusive and compassionate world around us.
“Together”
We believe that we were created in the image and likeness of God, who is a Trinity of Persons, always in relationship. Because of that, we live out our vocation most fully, not in isolation or total independence, but together. Because none of us has all knowledge, or every experience or skill, we rely on each other, and we live our lives in different kinds of partnerships and different types of cooperation, teamwork and sharing - we need each other, and what we do together is always better than what any one of us could do on their own.
As we embark on this school year, with all of its blessings and challenges, let us constantly reflect on our school year theme because we are most certainly Stronger. Better. Together.