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.”
Author: admin
SCDSB Secondary Schools To Hold Open House/ Information Nights
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Destination Conservation in Year Three at SCDSB
The first inservice of year three for Destination Conservation (DC), took place at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Education Centre recently. DC is a three-year program designed for school boards to improve their energy use, water consumption and waste management practices. The school conservation teams comprised of school principals, contact teachers and custodians participated in discussions involving Energy Efficiency Opportunities and the integral roles they play in helping to implement these energy saving procedures. As a result of their intensive efforts over the last year schools participating in DC have received savings rebate cheques which are used to purchase environmentally related items to enhance conservation efforts. In the photo to the left, Mark Gervais, Energy Co-ordinator for the Sudbury Catholic Board highlights key points in water management to the conservation teams.
Healthy Foods, Healthy Kids at St. Charles College
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.
Minister of Education in Town for Trustee Training
The Honourable Minister of Education, Gerard Kennedy (second from right), was in Sudbury recently to speak to board officials and trustees representing the four provincial school boards. The one-day regional training seminar held at the Howard Johnson Hotel was hosted by the Ministry of Education for newly elected and returning school board trustees. The purpose of the seminar was to provide information on the working relationship between school boards and the Ministry. The seminar also provided trustees with an overview on governance, curriculum, labour relations, and funding formula for school boards. The Honourable Minister took time from his busy schedule to visit St.Theresa Catholic School on Walford Road while in Sudbury. Appearing with Minister Kennedy in the above photo are; (L-R) Margaret Ashcroft, School Principal, Mark Simeoni, St. Theresa Catholic School Council Chair, Kelly Fenton, Catholic School Council Secretary, Brenda Stankiewicz, Vice-Chair and Rossella Bagatto, Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
Young Environmentalists Recognized by Wal-Mart Canada
Protecting the environment remains a top priority for the students of Mrs. Pitman’s Grade 1/2 and Mrs. Miller’s Grade 5 class at PIUS XII Catholic School. The students won first prize in Wal-Mart’s 2003 Earth Day Contest for their conservation efforts in helping to clean up the schoolyard, for holding in-school performances stressing blue box use and for recycling waste products into compost soil to plant flowers, trees and grass in and around the school grounds. The students were rewarded with a special plaque and a cheque for $600 from Wal-Mart Store 3097 in Sudbury for their re-greening efforts.
Wal-Mart provides grants to local schools to support environmental projects and education in communities where stores are located. On Earth Day, associates nationwide announced the names of local schools receiving an environmental grant earmarked for a project that will benefit their community.
In 2003, Wal-Mart contributed more than $1.7 million to local schools through Environmental Grants. The company has been awarding environmental grants since 1990. “We are proud to support the initiative of young people who are working to better our environment,” said Betsy Reithemeyer, director for the Wal-Mart Foundation. “We continue to strive to be a dedicated, active partner in the environmental efforts of our local communities.”
Good Samaritans Recognized
Seven St. John Catholic elementary students were recognized by school staff and their peers at an assembly held at the school to celebrate Halloween and to award the boys with special certificates for their good Samaritan behaviour.
Stacie Rinehardt (witch’s costume), a resident of Garson, had her car broken into and thieves made off with her wallet, credit cards, purse, cell phone and some very treasured personal items. While playing near Junction Creek, which runs behind the school, the students discovered the lost items and brought them to the attention of the school’s Principal, Ms. Louisa Bianchin (first from left), who immediately contacted Stacie Rinehardt to make arrangements to have the stolen items returned to her.
To show her appreciation for the students good deeds Mrs. Rinehardt presented the students with passes to Silver City Theatres at the special assembly. The seven good Samaritans appearing left to right in the above photo are; Kyle Cahill, Peter Pesce, Christopher Brady, Alessandro Costantini, Tyler Lalonde, Derek Romain and Spencer Brydges.
‘Transitions’ Information Evening to be Held for Parents & Students
Parents and students are invited to participate in Transitions, an information evening designed to help students and parents make key decisions in the transition from elementary to high school and from high school to college and university. This free information session will take place at Sudbury Secondary School’s Sheridan Auditorium, Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board, the Rainbow District School Board and Cambrian College have partnered with Collège Boréal and Laurentian University to present Transitions. Current secondary school curriculum requires that students make educational choices as early as grade seven and eight and then again in grades 10 to 12.
It is important to know what choices are available so that your children have as many educational and career opportunities as possible. With the different streams in high school designed for apprenticeships, college and university, it’s important to know what choices are available to your children as they enter high school, enter post-secondary education or the workforce. A representative from each organization will be there to present information critical to the various transitions in the educational system and to answer your questions.
For more information, please contact Regan Corelli at (705) 673-5620 ext. 373 or David Brazeau at (705) 674-3171 ext. 217.
OYAP Students Hit the Air
Rich Griffin, EZ Rock announcer interviewed Michel Grandmont, Special Assignment Teacher, OYAP/COOP Coordinator for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and Sharon Murdoch, Executive Director, Training and Adjustment Board, (Sudbury and Manitoulin) “live on-air” at the Fall 2003 Home Show held at the Sudbury Arena recently. The Sudbury Catholic Board via the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) participated in Sudbury’s recent Home Show along with students from St. Charles College by helping to construct a 6’X 8’ ice hut (on skis) complete with insulation, vinyl siding and a wood stove. OYAP is a partnership Program involving the Sudbury Catholic and Rainbow District School Boards, le conseil scolaire catholique du Nouvel-Ontario, le conseil scolaire du district du Grand-Nord, Cambrian College, College Boreal and the Sudbury-Manitoulin Training and Advisory Board. OYAP students and staff were on site at the Home Show to display the ice hut to the public and to promote their program to the community. The ice hut was raffled off free off charge at the end of three-day home show.