The Sudbury Catholic District School Board began our Lenten Journey! We celebrated this occasion through prayer services led by our incredible parish partners. This year we also had the privilege of welcoming Bishop Thomas Dowd to our celebrations!
One of the highlights was a prayer service at Marymount Academy, where our Catholic Education Centre staff joined students to pray alongside Father Raymond, Deacon Roland, and Bishop Thomas Dowd. We extend our deepest gratitude to the Church of Christ the King, school organizers, families, and student volunteers who helped arrange this fantastic event and make it a success. We also thank all our Parishes for helping welcome lent together with our schools. It is a pleasure to have you celebrate with us in person once again!
On Tuesday, February 21st, Sudbury Catholic District School Board celebrated Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, as a way to prepare for the start of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is traditionally a time for repentance, forgiveness, and reflection in the Catholic faith, and is marked by the consumption of pancakes made with rich ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar.
By celebrating Shrove Tuesday, Sudbury Catholic Schools help students understand the spiritual significance of the Lenten season and encourage them to reflect on their own faith and actions.
In celebration of this day, Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to share some highlights from the celebrations that took place at various schools. We would like to thank all our volunteers for their help in and out of the kitchen. Your generosity and kindness have made this day even more special for our Sudbury Catholic community. We are grateful for your support and for helping us celebrate this important tradition.
School Highlights
St. Joseph
What’s better than pancakes? Pancakes with a cause! On Pancake Tuesday, St. Joseph school opened its doors for a community-wide Shrove Tuesday feast. Attendees enjoyed fluffy pancakes, sizzling sausages, and a topping station where they could create their own stack.
But this wasn’t just any pancake breakfast. St. Joseph school also took this opportunity to give back to the community by raising donations for the Northern Ontario Families of Children With Cancer. This incredible organization supports families who are dealing with the challenging realities of childhood cancer, providing them with vital resources and support during this difficult time. The event was a huge success, with attendees not only enjoying a delicious meal but also coming together to support a cause that is close to our hearts.
Pius XII
On the joyous occasion of Shrove Tuesday, Pius XII Catholic School was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly made pancakes, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers. Individuals from the Knights of Columbus, Sudbury Catholic Schools, and Holy Redeemer Church all joined forces to prepare a scrumptious breakfast for students and staff alike. Pius XII Catholic School is grateful for the generosity and kindness of these volunteers, who embody the spirit of community and fellowship that makes the school so special.
Holy Trinity
The warm and welcoming atmosphere of Holy Trinity’s Kindergarten classroom was made even more special by the efforts of early childhood educators who gave their time and energy to create a memorable Shrove Tuesday experience for all. Mme. Jessica, Mme. Angele, Mrs. Yasko, Mr. Vicedomini, and Ms. Casey put their flipping skills to the test and treated Kindergarten students with their very own pancake party.
Marymount Academy
Marymount Academy students celebrated Shrove Tuesday at their school with a hearty pancake breakfast. In addition to indulging in stacks of pancakes, the students learned about the spiritual significance of this special day in the Christian calendar. The breakfast was made possible thanks to the culinary expertise of staff, including Mrs. Shewring, Ms. Coluzzi, Ms. Tenbergen, and many others, who ensured that the pancakes were piping hot and ready for the students when they arrived. Overall, it was a fun and educational event that left everyone feeling satisfied and enriched.
St. Benedict C.S.S
In the Southend of Sudbury, students and staff at St. Benedict kicked off the week in grand style with a delicious pancake feast in honour of Shrove Tuesday! This feast was made possible thanks to the outstanding efforts from staff volunteers at the school. Mr. Pappin, and Mr. Sipos went above and beyond to make enough pancakes to feed the whole Bear family!
St. David
St. David Catholic Elementary School always finds creative ways to make every occasion special and Shrove Tuesday was no exception. The staff at St. David went above and beyond to create a mouthwatering pancake breakfast that left the entire school of Dragons grinning from ear to ear! The school’s dedication to creating fun and memorable experiences for its students is a testament to its commitment to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception Catholic School students celebrated Shrove Tuesday in true style with stacks upon stacks of pancakes. The breakfast spread was the perfect way to kick off the Lenten season, a six-week period leading up to Easter. As the school community gathered to celebrate this joyous occasion, they were reminded of the importance of sharing in each other’s joy and coming together in times of celebration. Immaculate Conception Catholic School is proud to carry on this delicious tradition year after year, and looks forward to many more pancake-filled Shrove Tuesdays to come!
Ash Wednesday is an important day for the Catholic community, and we are honoured to commemorate it annually at Sudbury Catholic Schools. This year, on February 22, 2023, our students, faculty, staff, and parish partners will come together for Mass to receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing the beginning of the Lenten season.
As we embark on this journey together, we encourage our community to concentrate on meaningful themes, such as the gift of life and showing kindness, generosity, and compassion towards others.
During Lent, we place a special focus on “almsgiving,” where we donate money or goods to those in need and perform other acts of charity. Though these acts of service are conducted year-round, we encourage everyone in our community to reflect deeply on how they can show more compassion and generosity towards others during the Lenten season leading up to Easter.
As a Catholic school board, we believe that faith is a fundamental aspect of our lives, and we are committed to nurturing the spiritual growth of our students. We strive to instil a deep respect for Christ’s teachings and inspire them to live according to his values. On this Ash Wednesday, let us renew our faith and commitment to God and unite in love, compassion, and kindness as a community.
Grades 2-12 students across the province were invited to participate in the 2nd annual Skills Ontario’s Junk Drawer Races! In this program, students had fun while exploring various challenges to build their skills and explore different pathways for their future.
This past week the winners of the Regional round of the competition were announced on Skills Ontario’s YouTube Channel.
We are excited to report our results in the following competitions:
Grade 4/5 Cardboard Car Races
St. James placed 1st & 3rd
Grade 6/7Paper Glider Competition
Bishop Alexander Carter placed 1st & 3rd as well as St. Paul’s 2nd
Grade 8 Paper Hydraulic Crane Challenge
Bishop Alexander Carter placed 1st & 2nd
These teams will be competing in the Provincial Championship round and will have until March 3rd to review their existing blueprints, potentially modify their designs to meet the provincial challenge and construction requirements while explaining their modifications and submit their new submissions. Provincial Submissions will be evaluated by industry volunteers, and the top three teams will be awarded prizes by Skills Ontario. Winning teams will be notified by March 27th. We wish our students the best of luck and thank Skills Ontario, industry partners, the Government of Ontario and Bombardier for giving our students a unique experiential learning opportunity.
Andrew Kilby, student at St. Benedict C.S.S is taking his love of football to the next level! The 18 year old student signed his letter of commitment to play football with the University of Waterloo. Andrew completed the signing alongside his coach, Kim Labrosse.
“It’s something I have been working toward for a really long time, and it feels amazing to be here in this moment!” said Andrew Kilby. “Coach Labrosse has helped me so much throughout the years. He has made me a better player.”
In addition to his passion and talent for football, Andrew will be completing an undergrad in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo. As a proud St. Benedict Bear, Andrew feels that the school helped prepare him for the future.
“St. Benedict is a school full of high achieving students – the teachers here really helped push me to the next level. I even had the opportunity to take a kinesiology course in Grade 11. I truly believe St. Benedict made me a better athlete and student and I feel very prepared for the next stage in both aspects” said Andrew.
Coach Kim Labrosse is very proud of everything that Andrew has accomplished.
“Academically, Andrew achieves what St. Benedict stands for. He will be an excellent addition to the University of Waterloo in that sense. When it comes to football, his work ethic is one of the best I have ever seen. He knows how to work hard, and he comes from a family that has taught him to be gracious and humble.”
“When we as coaching staff can help a student continue their dream, then we know we have done our job.” he adds.
St. James students have a unique opportunity to work with Jessica Somers, a visual artist with Focal Point Artistry, and collaborate on a mural. The opportunity is made possible by a grant provided by Ontario Arts Council – Michelle Thiessen completed the proposal with the project in mind. Students will be able to feel inspired, creative and innovative as they work alongside Jessica to create a hand-made mural representative of the Indigenous teachings and land.
To kick off this partnership, the school welcomed Elders Nokomis Julie and Mishomis Frank who guided students about the importance of Indigenous teachings and how the land in which we live on contributes to these teachings. Students spoke about things such as bears, trees, water and fish. Jessica then allowed students to take their first steps and encouraged them to draw what they were inspired by. Students eagerly leaped into action, using pencils, markers and colouring crayons to convey their thoughts, emotions and inspirations.
“I like to draw because it is very calming and you can use your imagination to create whatever you want,” said Michael, Grade 3 student.
“It was very cool to hear from Nokomis Julie and Mishomis Frank about the land and the different things that make up Indigenous teachings. I like that we are working with a real artist too, it makes us feel special!” said Mia, Grade 2 student.
Classes will work with Jessica and collaborate on the mural throughout the month of February. Stay tuned to see this work of art come to life!
We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.
Students at St. David School put their love of outdoors, creativity, and innovation into action with the Cardboard Sled Challenge! Studen used collaboration and teamwork skills to create a Cardboard sled to represent their class. The only materials they were able to use were cardboard and duct tape to make their epic creations. The project is part of the Canadian Playful Skills Network project – a national network of schools dedicated to deepening and broadening play-based pedagogies.
Students raced their completed sleds with excitement on January 23.
“We did a net design to reduce the amount of seams in it,” said Grade 5 student Dharshan Shinoj.“We also did a small paper prototype before we started so can make sure it’s a feasible design.”
“To make it go fast, we put tape on the bottom and we coloured it with crayons so it’s waxy and slippery,” added Grade 5 student Xander Pharand.
The event was part of the Canadian Playful Schools Network – a national network of schools dedicated to deepening and broadening play-based pedagogies across four modes: green (outdoor-focused), screen (digital), machine (building and making for a purpose), and everything in between, which speaks to the fundamental importance of place, identity, language, and culture.
Grade 7 Marymount Students placed first in the Short Video Contest presented by Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association. The contest was open to all English Catholic Schools in the province of Ontario. Videos celebrated the Catholic Education Week theme of We are many, we are one.
The students, with help from their teacher Liane Dutrisac, chose to focus on their school – Marymount Academy. They took inspiration from the amazing programs, activities, clubs, and community initiatives that contribute to making the school a welcoming and inclusive place for all. The students wanted to convey the message that we can live the Catholic gospel values each day through community service opportunities, social justice initiatives and by creating experiences that spark joy.
“I was not expecting to win, and I was super surprised that we got first place! We worked very hard on this project, and it was great to see the work pay off” said Codie Ward, Grade 7 student at Marymount Academy.
“I am so blessed to part of this school and so happy we came in first place,” said Lydia Gnaly, Grade 7 student at Marymount Academy.
“Our school was excited and overjoyed to learn that we won the competition. Our school’s mission and vision speak to the fact that at Marymount, we want to develop graduates who will be curious, compassionate, and kind leaders in our community and beyond. I think that the students were able to portray this well in the video that they produced,” said Cassandra Tenbergen, Principal of Marymount Academy.
