Camden Babin and Julia Gardner, Grade 12 students at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S, have been selected to participate in the 2021 National Youth Band of Canada. In order to be selected, they had to submit audition pieces and technical requirements that demonstrated their high level of skill.
The National Youth Band of Canada is a music education youth project offered by the Canadian Band Association. The selected members will meet virtually to practice together, conduct virtual performances and create recordings. The National Youth Band program will wrap up on May 3, 2021.
Both Camden and Julia have been playing musical instruments since elementary school. Camden currently plays the alto saxophone and Julia currently plays the tenor saxophone. They both enjoy the challenge and emotional connection that instrumental music has offered them and look forward to being able to collaborate and be a part of a virtual ensemble.
“I think it is important for students to see the benefits and rewards that come with embracing music and the arts while in school,” said Camden.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity and am excited to learn from other students who share the same passion. We are both so grateful to our mentors for their guidance throughout the audition process!” said Julia.
Julie Denomme, teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter, has served as a mentor for both students and encouraged them to audition for the program.
“Julia and Camden are two very dedicated students who spent a lot of time preparing for this audition. Their music education has been a big part of their secondary school years and I have no doubt that it has helped them build essential skills and will also prepare them for their future,” she said.
“We couldn’t be prouder of Julia and Camden. As a past secondary music teacher, I know the hard work, talent and dedication it takes to be selected by the Canadian Youth Band of Canada. The skill level they demonstrated in their audition material was so impressive and inspiring! We know they will represent Bishop with pride,” said Stephanie Venturi, Principal of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.
“Sudbury Catholic is proud to support music education and is pleased to offer instrumental music for all students beginning in Grade 7,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
For more information about the National Youth Band of Canada, please go to: www.canadianband.org.
Author: Carlee Vendramin
Students Create Peace Plants!
“PEACE Plants” was developed by teacher Kathyrn Kurt as a response to a call out for experiential learning proposals.
The PEACE Plants Project started after Christmas once the grow lights and the planter box arrived. The students assembled wood pieces, connected cords and planned out the garden.The class purchased casters so they could move the gigantic garden box around the classroom. The dimensions of the garden box are 180 cm long, 80 cm wide and 80 cm high and it can hold a massive 390 litres of soil.
Students were engaged by watering, planting and tending to the veggies that have already surfaced. They’ve had to use their math skills when measuring out the bi-weekly dose of plant food. Students have been closely following the growth of each plant. This spring, they will be connecting virtually with a community gardener who will share their tricks of the trade and their garden inspirations.
The students are anxiously awaiting their order of more seeds like lettuce, beans, radishes, carrots, kale, cucumbers, peas, tomatoes, and various herbs. They are also experimenting with different colours of veggies and are excited to taste the difference between them. They will see whose seed grows the fastest and produces the most fruit.
Students are welcomed everyday by a plethora of plants, each with the promise of producing healthy food for their enjoyment. The PEACE classroom has been transformed into a place where students, staff and veggies alike are experiencing growth. Stay tuned for more PEACE Plants updates. They can’t wait to share them with you!
Join Our Virtual Learning Series!
The Parent Involvement Committee is very pleased to once again to support virtual learning sessions throughout the winter and spring.
Our next session is on March 10: MLI Homestay. Being a host family is a rewardingexperience! Join this session to understand how Homestay works herein Sudbury. This session will touch on the many benefits of becoming ahost family and the key requirements for hosting an internationalstudent. We will also discuss how things have been modified as we alllearn to live with Covid-19 in our midst.
All sessions will take place virtually through Zoom between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. These are excellent opportunities to learn about topics that are relevant to you.
Register HERE!
St. James Students Learn Through Snowshoe Adventures
Grade 2/3 FI students at St. James School thoroughly enjoyed their Snowshoe Inquiry that was been made possible through Sudbury Catholic Schools Experiential Learning Grant. One of the inquiries that has sparked the student’s enjoyment of the outdoors has involved the study of Northern Ontario birds. Thanks to a community partnership with Walden Home Hardware, the class also received bird seed to create a variety of different homemade feeders for the schoolyard. We are always grateful for the collaboration and support of our community partners.
Kindergarten Class at Pius XII School Wins School Grant with WWF-Canada!
Congratulations to Mrs. Beaton and her Kindergarten class for their grant proposal being accepted by WWF-Canada! Pius XII School has been awarded one of WWF-Canada’s Go Wild School Grants. This Spring, the school will work towards transforming their courtyard into an outdoor learning space where the Pius community can connect with nature and nurture Indigenous teachings!
Stay tuned to hear more about how the Kindergarten class is helping nature thrive with #WWFGoWild!
Join Our Virtual Learning Series!
The Parent Involvement Committee is very pleased to once again to support virtual learning sessions throughout the winter and spring.
Our next session is on February 24: Google Classroom. The presentation will begin with a quick introduction to Google Classroom and explaining how to log in and access the Google Suite of products. From there, participants will be guided through a live Google classroom and learn how to open assignments, leave both public and private comments, how to turn in assignments and how to write on digital documents.
All sessions will take place virtually through Zoom between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. These are excellent opportunities to learn about topics that are relevant to you.
Register HERE!
Sudbury Catholic Schools Gather Together Virtually to Honour Ash Wednesday
Our Lenten journey begins with Ash Wednesday! We gathered as a system virtually and explored the theme of Nurturing Hope. Throughout the webinar, students participated by completing various readings and prayers and a reflection on Lent was provided by Father Larry Rymes.
We look forward to coming together through virtual services during each week of Lent.
Happy New Year to Our Friends in China and Vietnam!
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the most important festival in China and a major event in other Asian countries. Chinese Lunar New Year 2021 falls on Friday, February 12th and is celebrated for 16 days! Happy New Year!
Tet Nguyen Dan or Tet is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tet Nguyen Dan is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the very First Morning.
Tet takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tet by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning their house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tet such as visiting a person’s house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worship, wishing New Year’s greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people and opening a shop.
Immaculate Conception Principal Named CPCO Catholic Principal of the Year
Guy Mathieu, Principal of Immaculate Conception School has been named Principal of the Year by the Catholic Principals’ Council Ontario (CPCO).
Guy Mathieu joined Sudbury Catholic Schools in 2000 and was appointed founding principal of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School in 2002. Over the course of his 30-year career, Guy served 7 years as a secondary school principal and 12 years as an elementary school principal. Guy has a long-standing passion for French as a Second Language and for building trusting relationships. He has served on numerous board-level committees and uses his enthusiasm for technology to empower his colleagues in their own work.
“I accept this award with a grateful heart on behalf of all those whose paths crossed mine in the past thirty years,” said Guy Mathieu, Principal of Immaculate Conception School. “I think more specifically of the superheroes residing in the hearts of small children fighting big battles and looking to us for compassion and support. I think of all our staff who do their little bit of good where they are, reaching out and lifting people up each day. I think of the leadership team at Sudbury Catholic who chose a vocation that they love and always make the impossible seem possible.”
“We are so proud of Mr. Mathieu for this well-deserved recognition. Mr. Mathieu truly embodies our Board’s mission and vision and what it means to be a servant leader,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “He is a compassionate and innovative leader who is a strong role model and who is always at the ready to provide support to his fellow colleagues and to the students and families at Immaculate Conception School. He is a difference maker”.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we extend a warm congratulations to Mr. Mathieu on this achievement,” said Michael Bellmore, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “His work ethic, passion and dedication to serving our community is truly inspiring.”
“As a Catholic School Council, we feel very privileged to have the opportunity to work with Mr. Mathieu. His professionalism and commitment to our students is second to none. We are so grateful that he is a part of the Immaculate Conception family. Congratulations on this much deserved award!” said Susan Traverse Wong, Catholic School Council Chair for Immaculate Conception School.
Guy Mathieu will be presented with an award in April 2021. Catholic Principals’ Council Ontario (CPCO) is the professional association for Principals and Vice-Principals in Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic school system. CPCO also offers services to individuals from other organizations, provinces and countries around the world.