Sudbury Catholic District School Board

St. David School Proudly Supports Student Well Being Through Tae Kwon Do Lessons

St. David Catholic Elementary School continues to offer grades 3 – 5 students Tae Kwon Do lessons every Monday for an hour at lunch. The program focus remains the 5 tenets that Tae Kwon Do practitioners live their lives by:
Courtesy
Integrity
Perseverance
Self Control
Indomitable Spirit

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s CCAC Health Nurse, Roland Dutrisac, uses Tae Kwon Do as an effective strategy to encourage students to live healthy lives through physical activity as well as learn such important skills as: focus, concentration, discipline, self control and perseverance. The Tae Kwon Do program also stresses the importance of confidence and how to deal with conflict in a proactive manner.

Next year, the school will move from its original location on Jean Street to a brand new home at 459 Frood Road. The program has seen such success that it will continue to be offered at the new location. The school hopes all returning students and new registrants will continue to take advantage of this inter disciplinary opportunity. The school would also like to take this time to thank Mr. Roland Dutrisac for his wonderful contribution to the St. David School community!

Larocque and Taylor-Horeck – 2015 Chairperson’s Award Winners

Every year, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board of Trustees selects a recipient for the Board’s prestigious Chairperson’s Award – someone who embraces Catholic values, demonstrates initiative and ingenuity, and contributes positively to the lives of students and staff. On May 28, at the Board’s Retirement Dinner and Celebration for 25 year employees, two Sudbury Catholic employees were presented with this year’s Chairperson’s Award -Jean-Gilles Larocque, a teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, and Kim Taylor-Horeck, the Board’s Attendance Counsellor.

Jean-Gilles has been with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board for over 12 years, and has been a teacher at Bishop ACCSS beginning September, 2003. He was nominated by staff for being a leader within the school, and for his dedication and ambition in setting the school apart. Larocque is also an outstanding coach and mentor, and encourages students to become involved in sports and extra curricular activities in the school. According to the school’s principal, Cassandra MacGregor, “Jean-Gilles fosters the search for meaning as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest in our students – he consistently encourages students to think, reflect and fully evaluate situations when solving problems. He models being a lifelong learner and encourages students to set and reach their personal goals and beyond.”

Taylor-Horeck, began with the Sudbury Catholic Board as an educational assistant in 1986 and then took on the role of Attendance Counsellor in 1993. Marymount Academy principal, Lucie Lapalm-Cullen nominated Taylor-Horeck as “Kim always has a very positive and compassionate way of dealing with our most sensitive students. She never gives up on them and is very patient, positive and professional. She will drop everything she is doing to help a student get their life back on track…” According to staff, Taylor-Horeck is quick to help line up students with the services and supports they need and does not “close” their file when she is done. Kim stays in touch with the students, checks in on them and continues to advocate for them.

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board of Trustees presented both Larocque and Taylor Horeck with their awards. “ Jean-Gilles and Kim are very deserving recipients of this year’s Chairperson’s Award,” Cameron stated. “These two employees truly exemplify staff who embraces Catholic values, demonstrate initiative and ingenuity, and contribute positively to the lives of students and staff. We thank them both for their outstanding contributions to the Sudbury Catholic Community, and congratulate them for receiving this year’s award.”

Walking with Everyday Heroes

On Monday, May 25 the students and staff of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School went for a walk – a walk to honour and support those fighting Cystic Fibrosis. As May is Cystic Fibrosis Month, and there are currently three students enroled at St. Benedict with the disease, the school campus decided show their support with the theme of the day being superheroes. The students and staff were encouraged to dress up as their favourite superhero while participating in the walk – the only two schools in Canada to be hosting their own. Member of the local Cystic Fibrosis organization were on hand to take part in the event with the group as well as families of some of the students. The two schools raised $1000 through a buy-out to

Walking with Everyday Heroes

On Monday, May 25 the students and staff of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School went for a walk – a walk to honour and support those fighting Cystic Fibrosis. As May is Cystic Fibrosis Month, and there are currently three students enroled at St. Benedict with the disease, the school campus decided show their support with the theme of the day being superheroes. The students and staff were encouraged to dress up as their favourite superhero while participating in the walk – the only two schools in Canada to be hosting their own. Member of the local Cystic Fibrosis organization were on hand to take part in the event with the group as well as families of some of the students. The two schools raised $1000 through a buy-out to participate.

Bishop ACCSS Students and Staff Break Break Together

Once again this year, the boys from grade 9 participated in Bishop Alexander Carter’s Wolf Project. The Wolf Project is designed to help the boys transition into positive and productive young men. The boys participated in various activities throughout the school year, and each activity focused on one of the seven Aboriginal teachings of Respect, Courage, Humility, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth and Love. The boys in the program had the opportunity to practice Humility and Truth by preparing lunch, and then serving it to someone else. That someone else was mystery staff member. As our Saviour taught us to be humble and to serve others, so did the boys as they spent the entire morning in the kitchen preparing a delicious lunch for their mystery staff member. While they put together a succulent menu of vegetable soup, salad, sausage or chicken salad sandwiches, as well as chocolate chip cookies, the boys also learned some basic kitchen skills. Then they sat down and broke bread with their mystery staff member. Many of the boys came back pleasantly surprised to have learned that teachers have lives, interests and hobbies outside of school. Staff commented on the great food, but most of on how pleasant and polite the boys were while serving them lunch and during their lunch chat. This activity was beneficial for all as it allowed both the students and the staff to see each other in a different light.

“JUMPCREDIBLE!”

Students at St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School take heart health seriously. During the month of May students got active and skipped to their heart’s content while collecting over $3,700.00 in pledges for heart disease and stroke research. This partnership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation teaches students about healthy eating, the importance of daily physical activity, and the benefits of giving back to our community. Teacher Colette Perrin, the Jump Rope Event Coordinator at St. Bernadette, said , “Every year the students look forward to the opportunity to have loads of fun skipping and contriubuting to this great cause!” A special thank you goes out to the school community for their dedication and hard work in collecting pledges.

St. Charles College – Change Charity Gala

The St. Charles College World Issues Club is a student run and founded organization. The students want to encourage other young people to be informed, responsible global citizens who care about timely issues, and who make an effort to do something about it. In spirit of the club’s purpose, they will be hosting their first annual charity gala “Change” to fundraise and promote for charitable organizations such as L’Arche Sudbury and The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee. They will also be showcasing Red Cross in light of the recent earthquake in Nepal. Change will give each organization the chance to address the community, showcase their mission and raise awareness for their cause. The night will also feature musical performances from some St. Charles College music students and dinner will be provided. Semi formal wear is encouraged. For more information, please contact the school at 705-566-9605.

After Setbacks and Heartache, St. Charles Cardinal is Honoured with Full Scholarship

There is not a more tenacious and motivated student than Lisa Ludwig. The seventeen year-old St. Charles College student and cancer survivor has just won Laurentian University’s Jim Fielding Memorial Bursary which will pay for her next four years of schooling.

Lisa’s story is full of hardship and hurdles.  She has been a child of the ward since she was small – living with a foster family for as long as she can remember.    

In grade eight, while her friends were celebrating graduation, she was having her leg biopsied.  Days later, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – the same cancer Terry Fox was stricken with in his teen years. 

That summer before high school was overshadowed by hospital stays, treatments, hair loss and would eventually lead to the loss of her leg. 

Due to treatments and a weak immune system, Lisa started grade 9 late in the second semester putting her off track to graduate with her peers.  But that did not stop her – Lisa took classes through home schooling and summer school to get back on track.  In addition, she worked on two co-operative education placements in grade 11 and 12 at Health Sciences North in both cancer and mental health wards and at the Children’s Treatment Centre.  She will also graduate next month with a red seal with a Specialist High Skills Major designation in Healthcare. 

Throughout high school, she was dealt more grief.  Her foster father died of a heart attack when she was in grade ten and last year, and last year her foster care worker, Nicole Belair was killed in a house fire in Hanmer.

Lisa continues to have two hospital visits per year for her osteosarcoma but nothing has stopped this driven student.  She is excited about this new chapter of her life at Laurentian University.  She has high hopes of becoming a social worker who can help people and give back to a system she has been a part of all her life.

Cardinal Girls Told to “Love the Skin You’re In!”

Cardinal Girls told to “Love the Skin You’re In!” St. Charles College girls’ were told their voices and imaginations are far more important than being eye candy. Brie Mathers, a presenter who hails from small town Bracebridge but now spends winters in California delivered a presentation on Media Literacy and Body Image. Mathers says this message is needed for young girls now more than ever as a culture of self-objectification creates mental health issues such as disordred eating, anxiety and depression. Brie’s work speaks to media idealizations of women and the influence they are having on young women’s self perception, shifting the conversation to a focus on inner resilience and loving yourself, your body, and one another. The presentation was made available through a Speak Up Grant from the government aimed at creating confident girls who don’t concern themselves with negative body image. And it seemed to work. Wrote one participant in a follow-up evaluation: “This presentation made me feel like a strong, beautiful, independent young woman. I appreciate what you’re doing and I would like to help other girls feel as confident as I do today.” It also reached young women already struggling, inspiring them to attitudinal and behavioural change. During the presentation, Brie stopped the girls and implemented energy breaks.

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