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September 4, 2026, BARRIE, ON - Approximately 26,000 elementary and secondary students return to Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board (SMCDSB) schools next week. They will begin the year with new and expanded learning spaces, hands-on learning opportunities and a continued focus on ensuring every student feels welcomed, supported and connected at school.
More than 4,500 staff members will also return to schools and worksites across Simcoe County and Muskoka, preparing to support student success in classrooms, offices and learning environments throughout the Board.
“This is one of my favourite times of the year,” said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Kimberly Dixon. “There is such incredible energy when our students return, and our school communities come back together. We want every student to know that their presence matters, that they belong here and that teachers, friends and opportunities are waiting for them every day.”
That message builds on the Board’s Count Me In attendance campaign, which focuses on the many reasons coming to school matters: learning, friendships, new experiences, and a sense of belonging.
The 2026–2027 school year also brings continued growth across the Board. The newly constructed St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Bradford will welcome students on Tuesday, while a new school in Tottenham, Our Lady of Peace, is scheduled to open its doors later this fall. There are also additions underway at Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Bradford which will be ready in 2026 and at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School in Tottenham, with a 2027 completion date.
Students will have opportunities to take learning beyond the traditional classroom. Highlights include French-language learning and DELF certification, new digital curriculum resources, SMCDSB’s award-winning outdoor education program and the continuation of its unique Indigenous canoe-building initiative.
Working alongside Algonquin master canoe builder and Knowledge Keeper Chuck Commanda, students will learn traditional birch bark canoe-building techniques while exploring culture, sustainability, skilled trades and reconciliation through education. The initiative has already brought canoe builds to several SMCDSB secondary schools and will continue at additional schools this year.
“School is about so much more than what happens at a desk,” said CEO Dixon. “It’s about discovering something new, finding something you’re good at, building relationships and knowing that you are an important part of your school community. That’s what we want for every student who walks through our doors.”
As school-year routines resume, drivers are reminded to slow down in school zones, watch for school buses, pedestrians and cyclists, and help keep students safe.
SMCDSB wishes all students, families and staff a joyful and successful 2026–2027 school year.
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Media Contact: Pauline Stevenson, Manager of Communications and Strategic Initiatives 705.722.3555 ext. 229 [email protected]