Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Author: admin

Sudbury Catholic Schools Celebrate Start of New School Year at Leadership Retreat

Posted on by admin

Vice principals, principals and Sudbury Catholic Schools staff joined Senior Administration at a special retreat held at the Sportsman’s Lodge on Kukagami Lake to celebrate Catholic Leadership and to unveil the launch of the Board’s new vision for the 2008-2009 school year. During the two day event elementary and secondary school principals and vice principals learned about effective leadership and were introduced to a new and powerful set of leadership tools that were developed by and for Ontario educators.

“We all know and we recognize leadership as one of our key professional responsibilities,” stated Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “However, in the face of dozens of administrative tasks, day to day problems and issues leadership often remains an abstract concept. One of the many positive outcomes of this retreat is that it provided our principals and vice principals with the Provincial leadership framework that has been tailored to their roles and responsibilities as school leaders.”

McCullough also noted that as educational leaders, principals and vice principals are contributing to one of the most exciting and challenging periods in the history of Ontario’s education system and that the targets being set and achieved in Ontario have put Ontario’s education system on the world stage as a centre of excellence. According to Patty Orecchio, Program Developer and Barbara McMorrow, Professional Learning Director for The Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario and who also lead the group through the Catholic Leadership framework section of the workshop, no two regions, school boards or schools are exactly alike nor are their achievement targets or leadership challenges. It is for this reason that the framework has been designed to address the specific needs of both school and system leaders. It also provides a core vision of leadership and a common leadership language that will for the first time in Ontario provide a seamless alignment of leadership across the entire education system and engender a powerful collaborative approach to leadership and professional learning.

Sudbury Catholic Schools would like to thank the Institute of Educational Leadership and the Catholic Principals Council of Ontario for sponsoring the leadership retreat.

Sudbury Catholic Schools Director to Speak at CASA Leadership Conference in Halifax

Posted on by admin

Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Catherine McCullough has been invited to speak at the Canadian Association of School Administrators (CASA) Summer Leadership Academy Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 10 to 13, 2008. The theme of this year’s national conference is “Literacy-Lighting the Way.”

Mrs. McCullough’s discussion will focus on the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s extensive commitment to technology with respect to the introduction and rapid expansion of its “One to One” Apple laptop program in its elementary and secondary schools since 2002 and more specifically with the boys’ literacy program.

Sudbury Catholic Schools “Technology has quickly transformed the world around us,” states McCullough. “We know that our students need to develop different skills sets in order to live, learn and work in this digital age. As a school board in Northeastern Ontario, we decided to meet this challenge head on.” By meeting this challenge head on, McCullough is referring to the “One to One” laptop program in all of its Grade 7 and 8 classrooms, a program that was unique in the province of Ontario. Realizing that boys are visual learners and respond more positively to visual images that accelerate learning, the board is using computers and technology to support the success of this program. “We have especially observed success in the area of enhancing and engaging Boys’ Literacy through the introduction of our One to One Laptop Program,” said McCullough. “Boys thrive on the visual language of television, cartoons, and video games. Similarly, boys respond well when presented with the opportunity to present their ideas and written work using charts, flow diagrams, and other visual forms.”

Research also suggests that boys respond positively to images because boys are more oriented to visual/spatial learning. As a result, visual images accelerate boys’ learning.
(Daly, 2002, p. 16) Educators and parents may have been too quick to dismiss boys’ preoccupation with computers as a diversion from their own book-based literacy, not recognizing the computer’s capacity to empower users to gain access to, and control of, information. It is imperative that educators and parents be aware of the impact of the multimedia world, and understand the positive ways in which these new languages and cultures can be harnessed as adjuncts to book-based literacy. (Millard, 1997, p. 46)

Partners in Spirit: From the Desk of Director of Education Catherine McCullough (Vol. 1 Number 2)

Posted on by admin

It is with great pleasure that we share with you the second edition of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board newsletter, Partners in Spirit. This newsletter is dedicated to celebrating the new and exciting events that continue to take place at our Board and in our schools each and every day.

Thanks to everyone for a very successful school year. Have great summer and see you in September!

View entire newsletter.

Sudbury Catholic Schools Celebrate End of First Year of Roots of Empathy Program

Posted on by admin

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board honoured its Roots of Empathy Babies, the world’s youngest teachers, from across the City of Greater Sudbury on Monday, June 9, 2008 at the Catholic Education Centre. For the past ten months, these one-year-olds have worked with the Board’s students by teaching an innovative classroom program about empathy and social/emotional literacy.

Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based classroom program which has shown dramatic effect in reducing levels of aggression and violence among schoolchildren while raising social emotional competence and increasing empathy. The program focuses on raising levels of empathy, resulting in more respectful and caring relationships and reduced levels of bullying and aggression. The heart of the program is a neighbourhood infant and parent who visit the classroom once a month for the full school year. A certified Instructor works with a specialized curriculum to coach students in observing baby’s development, celebrating milestones, interacting with baby and learning about infant needs and temperament.

One of the many positive outcomes of Roots of Empathy program is the fact that it creates a bridge from student to student, and from student to teacher. The end result creates a feeling of empathy among the students and a basis for dialogue as children learn to identify and name their emotions.

Sudbury Catholic Schools, Director of Education, Catherine McCullough along with the Boards Senior Administrative Team, ROE Instructors, Teachers, staff and parents showed their appreciation for the Roots of Empathy Mothers and their babies in helping to make the first year of this program a tremendous success in a special reception held in their honour.

Sudbury Catholic Schools would like to thank all Roots of Empathy mothers, babies, instructors, teachers, staff and volunteers for participating in this program.

St. Bernadette Catholic School Student, Fire Chief for a Day

Posted on by admin

Haley Marier, a Grade 4 student at St. Bernadette Catholic School won the “Fire Chief for the Day” contest by designing a fire escape home plan. The contest was open to 1,500 students throughout the Sudbury Region and to all four boards. Haley came first out of 500 entries.

On June 6, 2008 Haley was thrilled to be picked up at her house by one of the City of Greater Sudbury’s largest fire trucks and transported to the station where she spent time with Fire Chief, Mark Leduc and had the opportunity to tour the fire station. From the station Haley was whisked back to St. Bernadette Catholic School on a fire truck complete with sirens and lights. Haley received a huge welcome from the entire student body who stood on the grass outside the school with hand made signs stating “Way to Go Haley!”

Sudbury Catholic Schools Share Best Practices with Kenora Catholic District School Board

Posted on by admin

Sudbury Catholic District School Board members Catherine McCullough, Laura Kuzenko and Dawn Wemigwans met with their Kenora Catholic District School Board counterparts in Kenora, Ontario to share best practices in Aboriginal Education and Student Success Initiatives.

Through collaborative dialogue, both boards were able to deepen their understanding of curriculum in relation to Aboriginal learners and student success. Both teams were able to participate in purposeful team building experiences that will translate into increased success for Sudbury Catholic School students.

St. Andrew Catholic School Teacher Wins “Teacher of the Year” Award

Posted on by admin

Representatives from Scholar’s Choice visited St. Andrew Catholic School recently to present Junior Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Chantal Morin with the Teacher of the Year Award. Jeramy Sawyer, a student in her class, nominated her with a delightful picture and story that was scribed by his Mother.

Chantal and Jeremy were both awarded $200 gift certificates, while St. Andrew School was awarded a $100 gift certificate. As a bonus prize, the entire JK class will enjoy the celebration with a complimentary pizza party at lunch break on Monday, June 2, 2008.

St. Andrew Catholic School, JK student Jeramy Sawyer poses with his teacher, Chantal Morin who he nominated for Teacher of the year with the help of his mom.The Sudbury Catholic District School Board congratulates Chantal Morin on winning the Teacher of The Year Award!

Register Now! E-mail Copied to Clipboard