Mario Santoro (extreme right), Curriculum Coordinator with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board assists in staff training of Rainbow Facilitators at the Board’’s Education Centre. Rainbows is a support group for children who have suffered significant loss in their lives, either through death, divorce, or other painful transitions. The program is designed to provide these children with an opportunity to meet new friends who have shared similar experiences; to have trained caring adults present while they sort through and understand their grief; and to help them achieve healthy acceptance of what has happened in their families. The program consists of 12 meetings divided into two six-week sections. Once a week for approximately 40 minutes during lunchtime, the children meet in small groups to share an activity and discuss various topics in relation to the change in their family unit. At the end of each section, the children participate in special “Celebrate Me” days.

Dr. Robert Dixon, adjunct professor at the Toronto School of Theology for St. Augustine’s Seminary of the University of Toronto was in Sudbury recently to take part in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s “In-service on Catholic Education.”

Mr. Dixon’s presentation focused on the state of Catholic Education in Ontario which included a fascinating account of the events that affected English and French Catholic schools in Ontario in the final quarter of the twentieth century. Trustees, principals, vice principals, and senior administration took part in the full day session held at the Board’s Education Centre.

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary students participated in the 2nd annual mock trial competition held at the Sudbury Courthouse recently. Groups of Grade 12 Law students from both the Sudbury Catholic and Rainbow District School Boards competed in the day long trials which involved Crown and Defense teams consisting of three students per team. Trials were limited to one-hour in duration to allow for opening remarks, examination and cross-examinations of witnesses and concluding summations. All trials were presided over by sitting Judges of the

Sudbury Courthouse. Crown and defence teams were marked on a point system with the teams with the highest marks going head to head in a final round. Appearing in the photo from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School (L-R) are; Jeanne Skelly (Law Teacher), David Corelli, Matt Williams, Andrea Catalano (Grade 12 Law Students), Teresa Stewart (Principal) Erin Holmes, Joseph Toffoli, Trisha Teale, (Grade 12 Law students); Stephanie Baker and Bridget Daily, (Lawyers for the firm Weaver, Simmons LLP), and Judge Gordon. The St. Benedict’s Defense team consisting of Corelli, Williams and Catalano emerged with the victory over the Lockerby Crown team in the final round to win the mock trial competition.

If you were asked “which person in your life is most Jesus-like”, who would you pick? Last March students from several schools within the Sudbury Catholic District School Board participated in the “You Shall Be My Witnesses” Poster contest hosted by the Vocation Promotion Committee of The Sisters of St. Joseph of Sault Ste. Marie. The best Poster was created by Larissa Roque who was a Grade 6 student at St. Joseph School in Killarney at the time but is now attending St. Francis School in Sudbury. All of the participants were able to find individuals in their lives who are trying to live the Gospel message of love. The Sisters look forward to hosting the 2004 Essay and Poster contests beginning in January. Congratulations Larissa!

“This is my mom. She helps me when I’m sick and helps me with my homework. She has shown me God through her caring.” -Larissa Roque

Theresa Spencer, Curriculum Coordinator for the SCDSB, gathers with Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers twice monthly to practice new strategies for mathematics instruction. These strategies allow students to develop important math skills with a solid understanding of concepts. The learning activities improve the teachers’ effectiveness by planning around “big ideas” rather than isolated skills. The focus of this workshop centred around the value of literature connections, use of math manipulatives, and making home connections. “This is just the beginning,” says Spencer, “This professional development has huge implications on the excellence of instructional decisions being made in the classroom.”

Aline Easton, Supervisor, Chartwells School of Dining at St. Charles College proudly
displays the Eat Smart! award presented to the ladies in the cafeteria
by the Sudbury & District Health Unit. The Eat Smart! School Cafeteria
program was adopted by St. Charles College to encourage healthy food choices and
safe food handling. Data shows that in Canada, approximately one million people
become ill from food borne disease annually and research completed by the National
Institute of Canada indicates that food poisoning is the top food concern of Canadians.
According to Easton, “The original Eat Smart Restaurant Program has become
recognized throughout Ontario and with the addition of our Eat Smart School Cafeteria
we are able to provide the same program to our students and younger members of
the community. Establishing healthy eating habits in childhood and adolescence
helps to ensure normal growth and development. Today we know that nutrition is
crucial in the prevention of many conditions that effect health in both the short
and long term.”

Nutritional statistics that favour the adoption of the Eat Smart Program include

• Nearly 40% of youth ages 12 to 19 years have less than 4 servings of
  fruit and vegetables per day
• From 1989 to 1998 the proportion of students who eat fruit and
  vegetables daily has declined
• From grade 6 to grade 12 the percentage of students drinking caffeinated
  soft drinks daily has increased from 47% to over 60%
• 9 out of 10 teenagers consume a diet too high in fat
• 8 out of 10 teens do not get enough calories from carbohydrates
• snacks consumed are high in fat and low in nutrients
• 14% of boys and 12% of girls ages 7 to 13 are obese
• between grade 6 and grade 10, the percentage of females dieting to lose
  weight increases from 28% to 50%

The Eat Smart! program was designed to promote restaurants that go
the extra mile to provide a healthy menu and eating environment. Any restaurant
in Sudbury designated as an Eat Smart! restaurant offers a minimum
level of healthy choices on the menu, 100% smoke-free seating and a history
of good food safety practices. Eat Smart! is endorsed by the Canadian
Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario. For more information
on the program, or to obtain a list of local restaurants participating in the
program visit the Sudbury & District Health Unit’s Health Services information page and select Eat Smart in the ‘Search by Subject’ box.