HCDSB - Settlement Services

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Celebrating Our Thomas Merton Hero of Hope: Humility Oct312025General As part of our Jubilee 2025 celebrations, we at Thomas Merton are proud to join schools across the Halton Catholic District School Board in recognizing the Heroes of Hope in our community. This initiative highlights individuals who embody the values of Pilgrimage, Solidarity, Humili...

🎉 Friday was such a fun day at the Welcome Centre!

Brendan’s LINC ESL class stopped by to teach us how to play Euchre, and we definitely learned a few new tricks! ♠️♥️♣️♦️

Huge thank you to the students for sharing their skills, laughter, and patience with us. We love moments like these that bring our community together in the most unexpected (and competitive!) ways.

✨ A Magical Morning in Halton! ✨
Last Saturday, the Welcome Centre and The Salvation Army joined forces to host a heart-warming Breakfast with Santa event. 🎅✨
Our Halton families came together to enjoy a delicious breakfast, create festive Christmas crafts, and share in the true spirit of community. The smiles, laughter, and joy were the real highlights of the day. ❤️
A special thank-you to everyone who attended and helped make this event so memorable. Together, we created beautiful moments of connection and holiday cheer. 🎄🤗

🌟 Celebrating Stories of Resilience! 🌟
The Welcome Centre had the privilege of hosting the SWAP program, sponsored by the General Consulate of Colombia in Toronto, and presented by the Mississauga Players Theatre. On Nov 28, at the TMC stage, a talented group of immigrants came together to create two heartfelt plays, sharing their stories of migration—filled with dreams, challenges, frustrations, and moments of joy.
It was an inspiring experience that reminded us of the strength, creativity, and resilience of our newcomer community. 💛

🎉 Welcome Centre Opens in Burlington 🎉
On Tuesday, November 18, we celebrated the official opening of a new Welcome Centre at the Thomas Merton Centre, 460 Brant St, Burlington, adding to our growing network of centres supporting newcomer families.
This new space will allow us to provide settlement services and assessments, further enhancing our ability to support newcomer families in Burlington. We are proud of this achievement and look forward to serving the Burlington newcomer community.

We are excited to invite you to the Burlington Welcome Centre Open House!

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: Drop in anytime between 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Thomas Merton Centre, 460 Brant Street, Burlington, ON L7R 4B8

Come explore our new location, meet the Welcome Centre team, and learn about the services we offer for newcomers. You’ll also have the chance to connect with community partners.

Let’s learn, connect, and celebrate welcoming communities together!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Please RSVP https://forms.office.com/r/4JgaHHqXUL by November 14 – we can’t wait to see you there.
Warm regards,
The Welcome Centre Team

The HCDSB Welcome Centre's Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) team hosted a vibrant Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the Thomas Merton Centre in Oakville on Thursday, October 30th!
We were honoured to begin the evening with a warm welcome from Sherry Saevil, HCDSB's Indigenous Education Advisor, on behalf of the Indigenous community of Halton. It was a beautiful night of connection through culture, music, and traditional food — a joyful celebration of community and heritage.

Wishing the HCDSB community a fun and safe Halloween! Enjoy the treats, stay safe, and have a spooktacular time!

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Today on Faith Day, we are reminded of the woman at the well, a story of encounter, renewal, and the living water that restores us. Just as she left filled with hope, we too are renewed through faith and through the blessing of working alongside such an inspiring team. Grateful for each of you who bring light, joy, and purpose to our journey. 🙏 Happy Thanksgiving to the HCDSB community.