Pius XII Full Day Kindergarten students participated in Fire Prevention Week. Samantha Theriault, Early Childhood Educator, says “the students were very excited to learn about fire safety, developing a fire escape plan, and ensuring that smoke alarms are working in home”. The Fire Prevention Week program with the Sudbury Fire Department is a great opportunity for student awareness. Skyler Caron, FDK student, learned “if your clothes catch on fire, you have to stop, drop and roll”. Skyler was honoured to sit in the drivers seat of a fire truck.
Month: October 2012
Celebrating First Nation Culture at St. Andrew
The littlest members of the St. Andrew Catholic Elementary School Community are fortunate to have Aboriginal Support Worker Joel Agowissa visit their classroom every Wednesday afternoon to share some of his First Nation Culture with them. The students in grades JK/SK, SK/1 and grade 2 are all very engaged and are thoroughly enjoying the stories being shared.
M.M.A. Gets Into the Books with Teen Read Week
As part of the first ever Sudbury Teen Read Week, Marymount Academy students in teacher Allison Cameron’s English class got to visit the Sudbury Public Library to take part in the official launch of the event. Along with two other secondary school classes, the Marymount students were welcomed by event coordinator Pierre Dubuc, the Child and Teen Programmer for the Greater Sudbury Library.
Teen Read Week is a literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association that began in New York. This is Sudbury’s first event and its focus is to encourage teens to regularly read books just for fun so that reading recreationally becomes a habit.
As part of the official launch, the students were encouraged to attain a library card if they didn’t already have one and learn more about the services and products offered at the library including books, e-books, dvd’s etc. Also on hand were representatives from several community organizations to talk to students about their connection to the library and literacy including Laurentian University, Cambrian College, College Boreal and the Student Action Center for Youth (S.A.C.Y.).
Cameron was excited for her class to be invited to the Teen Read Week Launch and encouraged all of her students to sign up for a library card if they didn’t already have one. “What a great opportunity for our students to see what amazing books are available to them,” Cameron stated. “This event is a great way to engage our students through recreational reading – it doesn’t just have to be about assignments and school work. Teen Read Week emphasizes the importance of reading books just for fun, and I am sure that my students will respond enthusiastically!”
Events are planned for the remainder of the week at several of the Sudbury library locations including a “Walking Dead Project Runway” competition on Thursday at the newly renovated South End Library. For more information on all of these events, visit the Greater Sudbury Library website at www.sudburylibraries.ca.
Setting Their Limits High
The largest school canned food drive in the city kicked off on October 15 at St. Charles College in Sudbury. Students at the school have one week to canvas neighbourhoods and collect 60 thousand non-perishable food items for the Sudbury Food Bank.
The drive started twenty-seven years ago. Principal Patty Mardero says, “When the weather gets cooler, the Sudbury Food Bank relies on our helping hand. That time has come and it is time for us to deliver.”
Last year, the school surpassed its goal and collected 120-thousand cans. This was the largest single donation in the history of the Sudbury Food Bank.
Even with the forecast looking dismal this week, students were urged to forge ahead and get out into their neighbourhoods to collect cans.
The high school is also supported by its feeder schools. Each year, students at St. Bernadette, St. Raphael, Pius XII, St. Andrew, St. David and St Paul and St. John take up the cause.
It Takes the St. Anne Community to Make Stone Soup
Students in Grades 7 and 8 at St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer experienced first hand what it was like to come together as a village. For the past four days, students have had the opportunity to listen to different variations of “The Stone Soup” story. They also brought donations of food forward to create their own stone soup. Students worked together preparing all of the necessary ingredients, and learned that working together as a community has its own rewards. “Even though we shed a few tears while cutting onions, it was still fun working my fellow classmates,” said Stephanie Fortier, a Grade 7 student at St. Anne Catholic School. Students enjoyed their delicious stone soup on Friday, October 5th, 2012. The general consensus was that working together to provide for one another was a rewarding experience that everyone will cherish for a long time.
“Cell” the Idea of 3D Modeling at St. Anne
Student engagement is a primary focus for the staff at St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer. Recently, students in Grade 8 have been focusing on the components of plant and animal cells in science class. They have noticed that there are major similarities and differences between the two types of cells through the creation of 3D models. One of the similarities includes the nucleus, the brain of the cell. Students also noticed some differences, such as the cell wall of the plant. Students soon realized that cells function differently because they come in various different types. “Making plant and animal cells helped me understand what was actually in them, because I was physically creating a 3D model,” said Isaac Oliveira, a Grade 8 student at St. Anne Catholic School. Now, students use technology to describe their understanding of the 3D models. They use Screen Chomp to help with their descriptions and to demonstrate their understanding.
Buster Visits St. Andrew
Buster the Bus visited the students of St. Andrew School on the afternoon of Friday October 12th. With the help of Consortium staff, Buster taught the children bus safety rules. Pictured with Buster are Jaida and Kayshia from the JK class.
St. James – Bears Who Care!
Dressed in their best jammies, brothers Jackson and Carter Drigo proudly show off their coin donation in a specially decorated can. St. James held a PJ Day and coin drive on Friday, October 5th. Students brought in loose change in support of a local family whose young son has been diagnosed with cancer. Heading into the Thanksgiving weekend, students were reminded that even though the young boy attends a different school, we are all part of a larger community and we are thankful for the chance to show our support . The single day event raised more than $1700 for the family of 5 yr-old Carson Widdifield.
St. James Bears Give Their School A Hug
On Wednesday, October 10, students at St. James Catholic School joined thousands worldwide as they gave their school a hug.
“Give Your School a Hug™ day provides an opportunity for students all over the world to identify how to make their school better and invite members of the school community to join them to create a caring, safe and accepting school.” (Idea created by Heartspeak)
Superintendent Rossella Bagnato joined staff, students and parents as they gathered to literally give their school a hug.