About Us
At St. Dunstan Catholic School, we pride ourselves on the strong partnership that exists among the home, the school and the parish.
How We Meet the Diverse Needs of Our Students
St. Dunstan is a community where Gospel values are an integral part of all aspects of school life. The Religion and Family Life programs, which are part of the regular curriculum, provide a foundation to ensure that students learn in an environment that emphasizes spiritual, academic, social, and physical development.
Our Safe Schools policy is also a key part of school life. The safe arrival program ensures that all students are accounted for each day, and parents are contacted if a student is absent. In addition, St. Dunstan’s Code of Conduct and Progressive Discipline policy help students understand and practice appropriate behaviour.
Recognizing that students have different needs, we offer support through our Special Education and English as a Second Language programs. When students experience difficulties, their programs are adapted to help them succeed.
Providing students with diverse experiences is another important aspect of our community. We offer a wide range of co-curricular activities, including various sports teams and clubs. Our staff also strive to provide unique learning opportunities through class excursions and special programs brought into the school.
School History and Tradition
St. Dunstan Catholic School opened in September 1923 as a portable, two-room school. To give you an idea of what it was like, I quote Miss Hilda Myers, the first principal:
Without any foundation—a flat roof and tinned walls set in a spacious field—the school was the rendezvous (point) of the cold winds that swept down from those open spaces to the north. I don't think we shall ever forget that first winter. We would gather around the old stove to thaw out before class began, and I think it was here that the wonderful spirit of friendliness and loyalty—the true spirit of St. Dunstan's—was born.
In 1945, construction began on a permanent structure, which today forms the southern portion of the school. In 1967, a new section was added to the north end of the 1945 structure, creating the building as we see it today.
At St. Dunstan, the staff and students work hard to nurture that wonderful spirit of friendliness and loyalty that our first principal described, while also striving for high standards of academic excellence.
Our school is named after St. Dunstan (born circa 909), an English monk from the town of Glastonbury. After serving at the royal court, he joined the monastery at Glastonbury, where he became Abbot around 943. He carried out a thorough reform of the monastery, making it a renowned center of learning. In 957, he was made Bishop of Worcester. Later, he became Bishop of London and, in 961, Archbishop of Canterbury. He died on May 19, 988, after 27 years as bishop.