Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Programs

Immaculate Conception Catholic School Wins SCDSB Fitness Challenge

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Immaculate Conception School has won the Sudbury Catholic District School Board Fitness Challenge. The goal of the program is to lower the resting and exercise heart rates of the Board’s students over the course of the school year. Staff and students in the Junior Division participated in this program under the supervision of Mrs. Karole Lariviere (Fitness Challenge School Co-Ordinator)

The heart rates were measured three times during the 2004 – 2005 school year. Students from Immaculate Conception School received a plaque from Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Chairperson, Mrs. Paula Peroni during a recent board meeting. Thank you to Mr. John Tarini, Principal of Corpus Christi School, for co-ordinating this Board wide Fitness Challenge.

2005 Grade 3, 6 & 9 EQAO Results Announced; SCDSB Proud of Staff, Students

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On–Ontario’s Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) today announced the results of its annual province-wide tests in
Grades 3, 6 and 9. This year’s provincial report profiles 18 schools that exemplify the many successful learning environments in publicly funded schools in Ontario.

“The profiles confirm that student learning is a shared responsibility,” says Marguerite Jackson, chief executive officer of EQAO. “EQAO is privileged to celebrate and share these school stories and commends the efforts of Ontario educators, parents and members of the public who are working together to ensure that each and every student is a successful learner.”

With respect to the Grade 3 & 6 EQAO Provincial Assessment Results for May 2005, students at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board continue to demonstrate steady and sustainable gains. “When reviewing the EQAO achievement demonstrated by our Grade 3 and 6 students over time, we see improvements made in small but solid increments,” stated Rossella Bagnato, Academic Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “We must now analyze critically the data that EQAO provides to us along with our school collected data and use the information to inform instructional decisions we make for our students,” concluded Bagnato.

Working as teams, the Board’s principals and teachers have developed professional learning communities that collaborate in all aspects of planning and instruction with the ultimate focus on improving student learning across the whole school. Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic School Board sees this student focus initiative as the key to the success in the latest test results. “Across the system we have begun the ongoing tracking of individual student achievement in literacy and offer an early intervention reading program for those students who struggle with learning to read along with making assistive technology available through the implementation of wireless laptops for students with special needs,” noted Peroni. “Using the key concepts from Professor Michael Fullan’s research, as a Board we will move ahead slowly, with a purpose, while creating a culture of learning for both students and staff.”

Students in the Sudbury Catholic Board’s Secondary Schools scored equally well in the Grade 9 Provincial Math tests in 2004–2005. Board results indicate that students maintained their scores from last year in the academic program and increased their scores in the applied program. Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board introduced the Learning With Laptops One to One Grade 9 Mathematics program in the Board’s four secondary schools last year. “In the second semester of 2005, we embarked upon a process of building a Professional Learning Community with our Grade 9 Math teachers by establishing and maintaining partnerships with companies such as Apple Canada,” stated Zubac. “These kinds of partnerships not only develop resources for our students but also play a vital role in improving student achievement as witnessed in the latest Grade 9 Provincial test results.”

“Little Fingers Music” to Jam with St. James Catholic School Students

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On Wednesday, October 19 and Monday, October 24, 2005, the childrens’ rock star singer Charlie Kert of “Little Fingers Music” will be jamming with students at St. James Catholic School in Lively. Charlie will be conducting music workshops with classes from Grade 2-4.

This experience will allow children to explore their own creativity and develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of music. While having fun Charlie also covers the curriculum expectations of the Ontario Music Curriculum in his one hour workshops.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra Mesmerizes Students with Northern Lights Tour 2005

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Students with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board were absolutely thrilled to take in the live concert performance of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Northern Lights Tour 2005 at Laurentian University’s Fraser Auditorium recently. Over 600 students witnessed the dazzling specter of the Northern Lights inspired by the beauty of the north and brought to life by the skill and virtuosity of truly remarkable musicians.

The opening work on the programme, Firework and Procession, was written especially for the Northern Lights Tour by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Composer Advisor, Gary Kulesha. It is a festive and ceremonial work, which begins with a depiction of sky rockets. A procession interrupts the fireworks, once the procession passes, the fireworks resume and the work closes with ceremonial grandeur. Throughout the performance the Northern Lights theme is interspersed with other well-known orchestral classics.

This season, orchestras around the world are celebrating the 250th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth. In this historic year, no concert would be complete without a little Mozart, so in honour of this remarkable musician the Toronto Symphony Orchestra completed their performance with the Figaro Overture.

“Super Intendent” Tries Out New Hi-tech Fitness Centre for Kids

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Rossella Bagnato, Superintendent of Academic Programs for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board dropped by KidsFIT, the City of Greater Sudbury’s newest high-tech fitness centre for kids recently and was put through the paces by Fitness Instructor, Joelle Martel. KidsFIT is an innovative, exciting and educational fitness facility that focuses on improving the lives of children by encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

This state-of-the-art fitness facility combines the latest technology such as Interactive Fitness Bikes, Hydraulic Circuits and DDR Dance Pads with physical fitness programs to improve muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. “At KidsFit we offer children the opportunity to improve their quality of life while building self confidence and esteem through exercise and play,” states Karen Hastie, President of KidsFit, Sudbury. “Our unique programs are designed to ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience all the components of physical fitness.”

Bagnato in turn identifies a unique opportunity to involve students
from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in the KidsFit program. “KidsFIT is an innovative, safe and fun method of introducing children to the world of fitness,” stated Bagnato. “It also coincides very nicely with our Board’s mandate to nurture the body, mind and soul”.

Visit the KidsFIT website at http://www.kidsfit.ca for more information.

Students Recognized by SCDSB

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Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School presented students with Awards of Recognition at its first Board meeting marking the start of a new school year.

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board presented Steve Masse, a Grade 12 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School with a token of appreciation for his role as the Board’s Student Representative for the 2005-06 school year.

In addition, Alex Gagnon and Christopher Masson were presented with Awards of Recognition for their excellent achievements in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s OYAP/COOP Program. Alex designed and developed the Experiential Learning poster and logo which depicts the tree of lifelong learning.

His co-op placement at the advertising agency of Thompson, Tremblay and Cooper under the supervision of Mr. Dave Cooper was a tremendous learning experience for him. This experience will be a great asset as he pursues his post-secondary studies in Graphic Arts at Cambrian College this fall.

Christopher Masson, under the mentorship of Mr. Lynden Baxter, competed at the Ontario Skills Competition in Kitchener last May and earned a bronze medal in the mechanical CADD competition. Christopher is also a co-op student at Hatch Engineering, he will be studying Civil Engineering at Cambrian College this year.

SCDSB Staff, Students and School Communities Step Up for Hurricane Katrina Relief

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A number of SCDSB schools have organized relief efforts for the victims of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Students, staff and entire school communities have drawn on their living faith to make a difference in the lives of others.

  • St. Joseph School in Killarney has raised $900.00 for the Katrina relief
    fund. The school held a spaghetti lunch in order to support the victims of
    the hurricane. All members of the community were invited. Fun was had by all!
    Thank you to the staff and parents of St. Joseph School, The Killarney Bay
    Inn, The Killarney Mountain Lodge and Gateway Marina for their hard work and
    commitment to this cause. St. Bonaventure Church will collect the money and
    forward all funds to the Red Cross.

  • St. Charles College will be doing mission collections during the month
    of September to help with the Katrina disaster. Early totals have already
    hit the $450.00 mark.

  • St. Francis student council will be organizing a basket raffle in October.
  • Pius XII School recently hosted ‘Cool to be Kind’ dynamo Errol Lee, and
    will donate some of the proceeds to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

  • Bishop Alexander Carter CSS will be collecting a loonie or twonie from
    students, and teachers have promised to match the amount.

  • Immaculate Conception will be holding a loonie collection over 2 weeks
    and donating the profits from the next pizza day.

  • Marymount Academy will donate proceeds from a concert featuring one of
    the school’s bands.

  • St. Theresa has solicited monetary donations from school families.
  • The Provincial government has stepped up as well. Children whose families
    have come to Ontario will immediately be welcomed into the province’s publicly
    funded schools at no cost, Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy recently announced.
    “We are opening up our school doors to help meet the immediate needs
    of these children and their families,” said Kennedy. “By welcoming
    these students and ensuring that they can attend school at no cost, Ontario’s
    publicly funded schools are doing their small part to help children whose
    lives have been completely disrupted just as the school year was beginning.”

SCDSB Receives Funding For New Library, Text Books

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Thanks to a recent funding announcement by the Ministry of Education, Sudbury Catholic District School Board students will start the new 2005 school year off with new library and text books. Mr. Rick Bartolucci, MPP for the City of Sudbury delivered the good news to representatives of the four Sudbury area school boards at press conference held at St. Francis Catholic School on Thursday morning. “To provide every student with the learning environment they need to succeed, Ontario’s publicly funded schools are taking deliver of new text books, library books and other learning resources in time for the start of a the new school year,” stated Bartolucci. Providing learning and library resources, teaching resources and professional development and professional development opportunities is a key component of the McGuinty government’s commitment to improving literacy and numeracy achievement among students. “The government’s goal is that 75 per cent of 12-year-olds meet the provincial standard in reading, writing and math by 2008. This new allocation of dollars will go along way toward achieving that goal,” concluded Bartolucci.

The McGuinty government is entering its second full year of an $8.3 billion four-year investment in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Part of this investment, announced in May 2005, includes an additional $61 million for new textbooks, other learning resources (such as magazines, computer software and multi-media resources, including CD-ROMs and DVDs) and library resources. Every school — regardless of its size or geographic location — will benefit from the investment. The total funding for all 4 boards amounted to $1,159,635 with the breakdown as follows;

• Sudbury Catholic District School Board will receive $236,473
• Conseil scolaire du District du Grand Nord de l’Ontario will receive $ 119,739
• Conseil scolaire du District catholique du Nouvel-Ontario will receive $285,712
• Rainbow District School Board will receive $ 517,711

Hugh Lee, Superintendent of Business and Finance for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board was on hand for the morning presentation. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome the infusion of new money into our system at this time,” stated Lee. “The expert panel reports indicate that a well-stocked library contributes greatly to the development of students’ literacy skills. New money for textbooks will go a long way to ensure that the quality of Catholic Education will be maintained.”

E-Learning Introduced to Classrooms by SCDSB

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Jody Cameron, Project Manager of mysudbury.ca, recently introduced Sudbury Catholic District School Board teachers to an electronic learning management tool. E-Learning using Microsoft Class S provides teachers with learning-management features to help manage curriculum on-line, assess students’ achievements againstt curriculum standards, and generate reports on the results.

“What is unique about Class S is its ability to create assignments that are aligned with the school’s curriculum standards,” stated Cameron. “Teachers can use this new electronic technology to grade assignments and evaluate a student’s work, even if the work is submitted on paper or as an oral presentation. Many types of questions, such as multiple choice or fill in the blank, can be automatically graded (autograded) in Class S,” concluded Cameron.

After the assignment has been graded, teachers can use the reporting feature to get a high-level view of the whole class or specific students within the class. These reports can also help identify individual student needs. Microsoft Class S will be introduced to Marymount Academy and Pius XII Catholic School this fall.

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