Sudbury Catholic District School Board

St. Benedict Hospitality Students Serve Up a Successful Friendsgiving Feast with March of Dimes 🍽

Students in the Hospitality and Tourism program at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School recently hosted their annual Friendsgiving event, where they prepared and served a full Thanksgiving meal for clients from the March of Dimes. We are pleased to share that once again, this event was a resounding success!

Thank you to all students and staff who took part in the event, and to Hospitality and Tourism teacher Mike Sipos for organizing this meaningful endeavour for another year.

March of Dimes Canada is a national charity dedicated to championing equity, empowering ability, and creating real change that helps people with disabilities in Sudbury and across the country unlock the richness of their lives.

This annual tradition provides St. Benedict students with a hands-on opportunity to showcase their culinary skills, foster community connections, and celebrate Thanksgiving with a spirit of gratitude. The event allowed students and guests to come together over a shared meal , strengthening relationships and spreading joy during the Thanksgiving season.

St. Benedict School Shared:

“We are thrilled to provide our students with real-world experiences in hospitality while connecting with members of our community. Friendsgiving is about more than food—it’s about gratitude, collaboration, and celebrating the bonds that make our community strong.”

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to extend its thanks to the March of Dimes organization for partnering with our students and supporting meaningful opportunities that highlight both community service and student learning.

Happy Thanksgiving!

International Teachers’ Day 🍎

Today, on International Teachers’ Day, we celebrate the incredible role teachers play in our organization. Every day, our teachers help students explore new ideas, develop skills, and discover their passions; constantly shaping the young minds of tomorrow. 

Being able to teach is a special gift. It takes a kindhearted and dedicated individual to not only share knowledge, but to inspire confidence, nurture curiosity, and encourage growth. Teachers light the spark that leads students to dream big and work hard to achieve their goals. 

In the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, our teachers have an additional and very special calling. Catholic teachers are not only educators, but also faith leaders, community builders, and moral role models within our schools and the broader Catholic community. They are called to integrate faith into all aspects of learning, not just in religion class, but across every subject and every interaction. They serve as witnesses to Gospel values such as compassion, forgiveness, integrity, and service, helping students grow in both their knowledge and their personal relationship with God.

When you see an engineer, a nurse, a talented musician, a skilled electrician, or any professional who has found their calling, remember that a teacher was there at the beginning of that journey. Behind every success story, there is a teacher who believed, supported, and guided along the way. 

On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, thank you to all of our teachers. Your passion, dedication, and care are shaping not just students, but the future. 

Happy International Teachers’ Day! 

Every Child Matters: St. Anne School Creates Prayer Ties for Orange Shirt Day 🎗

In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, St. Anne school community came together in a meaningful and heartfelt way to honour the children, families, and communities affected by residential schools.

Leading up to this important day, Ms. Carissa, the school’s Indigenous Support Worker, guided students and staff through learning and reflection rooted in the spirit of truth and reconciliation. Through the sharing of Phyllis’s books and videos, they learned about the significance of Orange Shirt Day and engaged in thoughtful conversations around how we can demonstrate reconciliation and move forward together in unity.

As part of our learning journey, students created promise/ prayer ties using the four sacred colours of the Medicine Wheel—each one carrying a message of hope and a promise for reconciliation: Yellow  We promise to listen and learnRed  We promise to be kind and care for each other, Black – We promise to show respect to all people and culturesWhite  We promise to remember the children in our hearts and share the truth.

On the day of our event, the school first gathered as a community to reflect on the 7 Grandfather Teachings—Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth. They focused especially on Respect, our monthly virtue, recognizing it as the root of truth and reconciliation. Together, they explored how respect is not only one of the teachings, but one that connects and supports all the others. 

Together, they walked in reflection, carrying these promises and prayers in our hearts. At the end of their walk, we placed our prayer ties on a specially created banner that will be displayed in our school as a daily reminder of our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

This banner serves as a symbol of hope, action, and remembrance—a daily visual reminder that Every Child Matters / Chaque Enfant Compte / Gichi-apiitendaagoziwag Akina Abinoonjiiyag and our schools’ commitment to truth and reconciliation. We also created reflective artwork for our school display for this day.

Custodial Appreciation Day 🛠

Today, we join together to celebrate National Custodial Appreciation Day and recognize the exceptional contributions of our dedicated Custodial Team. This includes staff members such as custodians, assistant custodians, cleaners, BSTs, and maintenance staff.  

It is no secret that these skilled professionals tackle some of the biggest and most physically demanding jobs in our school and office buildings, all in all ensuring safe, welcoming, and healthy environments where students can learn and staff can work with confidence. From meticulously maintained classrooms and hallways to spotless gyms, parking areas, and school grounds, their work touches every corner of our community. As we move through our school year, we do so with confidence, knowing that the educational experiences taking place each day are happening in spaces shaped by their strength, commitment, and exceptional attention to detail.

On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, we extend our sincere gratitude to all members of our custodial team. Your ongoing care and dedication ensure the safety and well-being of our entire community and continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of everyone at Sudbury Catholic Schools. Thank you for all that you do.

TOGETHER WE LEAD. 

The Hon. Donna Skelly Visits Marymount Academy 👩‍⚖️

On Wednesday, October 1, Marymount Academy was honoured to welcome back one of their own: The Honourable Donna Skelly, Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly. As a proud alumna of Marymount, Speaker Donna Skelly delivered an inspiring address to our students about leadership, civic engagement, and the power of education.

Following her remarks, students took part in a dynamic 90-minute session exploring topics such as the three levels of government, the legislative process, and how young people can actively participate in our democracy.

The day concluded with an interactive mock debate in the Chamber setting, giving our students a firsthand look at the responsibilities and procedures of Parliament under the guidance of the Speaker herself.

A special thank you as well to MPP France Gélinas for joining us and highlighting the importance of encouraging more women to pursue leadership roles in politics and public life.

We are so grateful to Speaker Donna Skelly for sharing her wisdom and passion with the next generation of leaders!

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School and St. Charles College Honour Truth & Reconciliation with “Every Child Matters” Tribute 🧡🏈

On Thursday, September 25, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School and St. Charles College school communities came together to host the second annual “Every Child Matters” tribute during the Jr. Boys Football Game at James Jerome Athletic Field. 

The tribute highlighted both schools’ commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, honouring the experiences of Residential School Survivors, their families, and communities, while emphasizing their ongoing dedication to acknowledging the past and walking together toward a reconciled future.

The evening began with a land acknowledgement and opening ceremony led by Beverley Belanger, Principal of St. Benedict School, underscoring the importance of reconciliation. This was followed by a smudging ceremony that included participation from crowd attendees. After warm-ups, both teams lined up on the field wearing orange armbands in recognition of Orange Shirt Day—symbolizing remembrance and hope for the future. Joining the players were members of the Indigenous Education team, Juno-nominated artist Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie, Lil Miss Atikameksheng 2025/26, Honor Nootchtai, currently a St. Benedict student and Miss Atikameksheng 2025/26 and St. Benedict alumna Destiny Nootchtai.

To conclude the ceremony, a drumming honour song was performed by Bryden Gwiss Kiwenzie, followed by a coin toss by Destiny Nootchtai. 

“This tribute provided an important opportunity for our students, staff, and community to reflect together,” said Skyeanne Trudeau, Indigenous Support Worker at St. Benedict School. “Through sport, song, and ceremony, we honoured the past and reinforced our commitment to a more understanding and compassionate future.”

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School and St. Charles College remain deeply committed to ensuring the spirit of Every Child Matters is carried forward in their classrooms, on their sports fields, and throughout the broader community. Both schools are proud Legacy Schools with the Downie Wenjack Fund, where they have pledged to take meaningful Reconcili-Actions that honour the past and build a better future.

Discover more about Legacy Schools with the Downie Wenjack Fund by visiting: downiewenjack.ca

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