St. Benedict Catholic School was built in the year 1999.  It is one of 3 Catholic Schools in the town of Orangeville, ON.

In 2009, an addition was built to accommodate the growth in school population.  Recently, we are thrilled to have had our Kindergarten yard updated to include a sand area, wood sculpture and garden. 

We currently have a student population of approxmately 465 students, and we pull from a very large geographic area - Orangeville, Grand Valley to the west, Mono to the East and Shelburne, Mulmur and Melancthon to the north.  We have families that live in rural areas as well as in town.

The school has had 6 Principals since opening.  Mr. Wilson, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Carr, Mr. Cockburn, Mrs. Quick, Mr. Lise and our current Princpal, Mr. Toiani.

Mrs. Wasilyw,  was our Head Secretary for 16 years. She retired in June 2022. Our new Head Secretary is Mrs. Jones.

St. Benedict is believed to have be born in the 5th century.  As a young man, he was sent to Rome to study under a nurse/housekeeper.  He disliked the education he was receiving, as well as the behaviour of those around him, for he felt that the persuit of pleasure, not truth, was more heavily emphasized.  As such, he left Rome with his nurse/housekeeper and went to live in a small village.  In doing so, he gave up his inheritance.

After a time, God called Benedict to even greater solitude and reflection.  Benedict retreated to the mountains of Subbiaco, and lived under the instruction of a hermit named Romanus.  Benedict spent several years in prayer and solitude.  Word of his holiness began to spread, and monks began to ask for his guidance and leadership.  Benedict was originally reluctant to lead the other monks as he was concerned his rules would prove too strict for them to follow.  (Indeed, the first few times he attempted to lead others in monastic life, this proved to be true.)  Eventually, however, Benedict created a monastary in Monte Cassino which became the foundation of monastary life in the Catholic Church.  St. Benedict was the first to create monastic communities. His beliefs and instructions on religious life became known as the Rule of St. Benedict - and is still used today as a guide for monastic life.   

St. Benedict is the patron saint of Europe and students.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=26