Every child matters.
We must make sure that we are working in partnership with Indigenous people to create a better future. On September 30th our board’s 18 schools acknowledge the historical truth about residential schools in Canada and their lasting impact on Indigenous people and communities.
We provide this resource people can use to prepare, bring awareness and educate themselves regarding the importance of Sept. 30th.
A big thank you goes out to everyone who’s hard work and effort has made it possible for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to continue our educational efforts in helping students and community members grow through learning and faith.
We are grateful to serve our community and are excited for the year ahead! Thank you!
Students at St. David School celebrated National Tree Day on Wednesday, September 22, 2021. National Tree Day serves as a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us – clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature.
Mrs. Toffoli’s Grade 4 & 5 students honoured the day by creating a short video that can be viewed at:
Check out their beautiful and colourful artwork!
St. David School has been named a grand prize winner in the National Schools of the Future Contest presented by MindShare Learning. The main goal of the contest is to inspire teachers to share their innovative teaching and learning activities via storytelling, utilizing a video, podcast or blog. St. David School completed a video submission which showcased various remote learning activities and events that were held this spring with staff and students.
Robert Martellacci, Founder and President of MindShare Learning made the announcement to the school community during their annual end of the year Award Assembly (held virtually). As shared during the Award Assembly, he stated the following: “What I was so impressed with is the passion that the teachers had in supporting students and creating a community. Students were given tasks that focused on global competencies and provided a space of belonging for all!”
“While it has definitely been a challenging year for students around the globe, I couldn’t help but be impressed with the level of student engagement being shown this spring. Looking at all that was accomplished, I thought a video entry would be the best way to tell the school’s story and how we continually find innovative and creative ways to establish a sense of community whether in the classroom or behind a screen!” said Christina Raso, Experiential Lead Consultant at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board who completed the video submission.
“On behalf of the Board, we congratulate St. David school on their achievement in the Schools of the Future contest. It is truly a testament to the resiliency and passion that our staff and students have shown throughout the school year. St. David school focused on providing activities, events and initiatives that not only focused on the global competencies (such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking) but they also provided a learning environment that celebrated diversity, community and inclusion. Congratulations St. David School – you exemplify our vision of being leaders in learning and faith,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
The submission video can be viewed at the following LINK.
The school will receive an ‘Extreme Schools Makeover’ aligned with the student-centred learning and design plan shared in their video courtesy of the prize sponsor Dell EMC. The prize package will include time with the Dell Education Strategist along with professional learning. More information about the contest can be found at the following LINK.
MindShare Learning is Canada’s leading EdTech strategy consulting, news, and professional learning events company. Its hallmark is providing strategic solutions to learning and technology and lifelong learning space to support student success.
The mission of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is to realize each student’s potential within our inclusive Catholic learning community by nurturing and developing their mind, body and spirit. As June is nationally recognized as Pride Month in Canada, our Board will join other Catholic School Boards across Ontario by flying the Progress Pride flag which we have recently obtained at the Catholic Education Centre and each June going forward.
While the Progress and Rainbow Flag are strongly connected to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, they are also a representation of respect, dignity, openness and a universal symbol of inclusion. A visible sign such as the Progress Flag is a sign of solidarity that tells our students and staff that we welcome and value students and celebrate diversity. It also indicates that our schools are a safe welcoming space for everyone.
We believe that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, and we teach our students to honour the dignity in each person by treating one another with empathy, compassion and respect.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board remains firm in its resolve that the work that our staff and students engage in each and every day will confront injustice, racism, oppression, and violence. We advocate for acceptance, healing, and reconciliation. Flying the Progress Flag aligns with our Board’s equity plan and our Board multi-year strategic plan which emphasizes inclusion and belonging, as well as student and staff well-being.
We are pleased to support the flying of the Progress flag and the positive impact it will have on our Board community.
Note: There are several variations of the Rainbow Pride flag including versions that include black and brown stripes to represent LGBTQ+ people of colour. Most recently, graphic designer Daniel Quasar has added a five-coloured chevron to the Rainbow Flag to place a greater emphasis on “inclusion and progression”. This flag is often referred to as the “Progress Flag” or “Inclusion Flag”.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board invites feedback on its draft 2021/2022 budget until 5 pm on June 28.
If you would like to share your budget views with respect to our strategic priorities and goals for the upcoming year, please email feedback@sudburycatholicschools.ca.
Skills Ontario has officially opened registration for its July virtual workshops so students can explore skilled trades and tech-related workshops, demonstrations, virtual tours and presentations that pique their interest.
Sessions will run from July 5 to 30 and there is no fee to participate. Another session is set to run in August, with sign-up opening June 21. The virtual workshops are being held in place of summer camps.
Virtual workshops are open to all ages however are typically suited to Grades 7, 8 and 9. Each event’s individual registration page provides details regarding difficulty level and required skills and some sessions include a free hands-on kit that will be shipped to registered participants.
For more information, please visit: Skills Ontario’s Summer Camps
Staff and students took part in Franco- Fun Day: a day dedicated to celebrating French language and Franco-Ontarian culture! Here are just a few ways our schools joined in on the fun:
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board joins communities across Canada in honouring and praying for the 215 Indigenous children whose bodies were discovered on the grounds of the Kamloops Indian Residential School in Tk-emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territory.
To honour their lives, flags at all SCDSB schools and board buildings will be lowered for nine days (May 31-June 8) – a total of 215 hours to represent each of the 215 children. As a sign of our collective mourning, the Board will also be participating in the National moment of silence at 2:15 p.m. today as we honour and acknowledge the children who never returned home.
“Today, we honour the lives of the 215 Indigenous children who will not be coming home. It is a heartbreaking tragedy and while there are no words to truly express the deep mourning those impacted are experiencing, we humbly offer our prayers that they and their families will find healing. We also acknowledge the pain and trauma this brings to all Indigenous peoples across the country, and we recognize the need for ongoing truth and reconciliation. May God continue to watch over the 215 souls and their families,” said Michael Bellmore, Chair of the Board of the Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
“All Sudbury Catholic District School Boards schools and facilities are standing in solidarity with communities across Canada in honouring the 215 Indigenous children. While it is indeed an unspeakable tragedy, we send continued prayers and healing to all those affected and to the Indigenous communities in the Sudbury area and across the country. We have lowered all flags for 215 hours and will join the National moment of silence at 2:15 p.m. As a system, we are also wearing orange shirts on Wednesday, June 2 and will unite in a collective prayer service as a reminder that every child matters,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
