The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) will be holding its Annual Awards and Appreciation Night Ceremony on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at Sudbury Secondary School’s Sheridan Auditorium from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The Council for Exceptional Children is a non-profit organization that is committed to advancing the education of learners with special needs and to foster the professional excellence and personal growth of its members.

The evening ceremonies will be dedicated to recognizing those special students who have “gone that extra mile” despite their exceptionally. These students will receive a Yes I Can Award which consists of a certificate and a medallion. Two students selected will go on to receive Yes I Can Awards at the Provincial level from the Ontario Council for Exceptional Children in the fall. The Awards Night also recognizes outstanding school staff, parents and community people who work with these exceptional students by presenting them with Appreciation Awards. Peer Tutors are also recognized with the “Peer Tutor” Awards.

It promises to be an exciting evening especially for the exceptional students who have worked so hard and have earned to be recognized for their efforts. Entertainment is provided as well as refreshments after the award ceremony. For more information on the evening or on The Council for Exceptional Children, please contact Kim Taylor Horeck, President of Sudbury Chapter #503, Council for Exceptional Children at 673-5620 ext. 217 or by email at
taylork@scdsb.edu.on.ca.

Students of St. Charles College senior basketball team took on the Greater Sudbury Police Force in a friendly game of basketball recently in support of the Empowered Student Partnership Program, (ESP). ESP is a pilot project between the SCDSB, St. Charles College and the police that empowers students to be the driving force for safe schools. In addition to providing a lot of fun and excitement the game also served as a fundraiser to assist the school in participating in future events of the Empowered Student Partnership Program.

The Pilot Project of ESP at St. Charles College is made up of a group of some 50 students, 30 of whom sit on a steering committee. According to Diana Salvador, vice-principal at St. Charles College, “Our students are very excited and enthusiastic with the ESP Program given the fact that they have the power to make decisions to ensure that St. Charles College remains a safe school. Posters were created by the students to advertise the basketball game and they were also involved in selling tickets,” stated Salvador. Salvador also noted that, “School administration did not have to sell the idea of the ESP project to the students as they were completely willing to participate from the start. In addition, all students on the steering committee will be updated on a monthly basis re the progress of the program.”

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.”