To celebrate anti-bullying week St. Bernadette students wore blue to signify that they Stand Up! for La paix! St. Bernadette School’s motto is “La paix c’est notre priorité.”
Category: Programs
St. Andrew shares anti-bullying message
On Tuesday November 18th, Officer H. Wilmount visited St. Andrew School and shared her message that it is okay to be different. We all need to stand up and be a friend. She took time to read Og and the Gruffalo to the primary children and My Secret Bully to the junior children. She also brought the school a beautiful banner with the school Thunderbird logo and the words “Take the Pledge…The Writing is on the Wall…Stand up Be a Friend…You are not Alone.”
All the students in the school will have an opportunity to sign the banner and then it will be placed in a strategic spot in the school.
Director Joanne Bénard in the hot seat at St. Bernadette
During her recent visit to St. Bernadette Catholic School, Director of Education Joanne Bénard sat in the “hot seat” with students in Grades 3 through 6.
The Director joined in as students used an application on their iPads called Puppet Pals to practise their French language oral communication skills. Students recorded themselves interviewing each other and they asked and answered questions “en français”. Once the interviews were over, students shared their creations with their classmates using the SmartBoard. Mme Perron (Gr. 3), Mme Chevrier (Gr. 4) and Mme Therrien (Gr. 5/6) have been team-teaching with a focus on increasing self-confidence, motivation and engagement for second language French Immersion students for the past school year. “Students are always enthusiastic to participate in authentic opportunities to use their oral communication skills. Using technology to enhance their performance is a very successful approach!”, stated Mme Perron. Mme Therrien said, “The students were thrilled when Mme Bénard partnered with Grade 5 student, Sabrina Crossthwaite! Interviewing the Director of Education, en français, a great opportunity to showcase how well our students are able to communicate in their second language!”
We all have a responsibility to look out for each other to prevent bullying
In celebration of bullying prevention week, a group of students gathered in the St. Charles College chapel at lunch today to speak about the challenges and pressures facing youth. Natalie Robert will be presenting about her teenage experience thus far at the Antioch weekend retreat this weekend. Natalie will be talking about building a community of faith and how we all have a responsibility to care for each other and ourselves.
Antioch is a weekend retreat to build relationships and spirituality. It is being held this weekend and is held twice each year for incoming grade 9 students.
Deacon Steve Callaghan who leads the retreat says Natalie’s topic is fitting given this is bullying prevention week. “If we are taking care of each other, that means we are saying no to bullying of every shape and form”.
Board celebrates faith community on PA Day
On Nov 7 2014, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board came together as a faith community. The PA Day began with a mass celebrated by His Excellency Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe and many priests from the area. The day continued with the unveiling of the SudburyCatholicSchools mental health strategy – “Sudbury Catholic Schools… where your well-being matters”. The logo for the mental health strategy is a combination of the sun and a dandelion. The dandelion is regarded as a weed, despite it’s many beneficial health properties. A weed is to dandelion as words like crazy are to mental health. The warm colour and sun-like qualities promote positivity, brightness and growth. At the centre is a cross to symbolize how our faith is at the centre of all that we do.
The staff was also addressed by a current student who shared their own struggles. Student Rilie spoke from her heart and helped the staff understand what a caring adult can do to help students. The afternoon continued with Psychologist Adele Robinson whose topic was Emotional Coaching: Supporting the Emotional Health of Youth in Schools. SCDSB wants to thank each and every staff member who helps make a difference in the lives of our students everyday! Sudbury Catholic Schools… where your well-being matters
St. Andrew staff and students visit Grotto
On Wednesday October 22, to celebrate October the month of the Queen of the Rosary, the teaching staff and students of St. Andrew School boarded 3 buses and went to visit the Grotto of Lourdes on Van Horne Street. The grade 3/4, 4/5 and 5/6 classes led the students, teachers and parents in a Living Rosary near the fountain. Once the rosary was recited each group took some time to visit the beautiful statues from France that depict the Way of the Cross and also the beautiful replica of the Grotto of Lourdes. Pictured are some of the grade two students enjoying the Grotto of Lourdes Shrine.
Start your engines!
Start your engines! Students participated in the annual Remote Control car races on October 22nd at Bishop Alexander Carter. Students, staff and special guests raced the 1/10th scale racing machines on the student built track at the Bishop Carter R/C Speedway. As an added twist to this year’s Bishop Cup event, the Gators invited the R/C club from Franco Cité, located in Sturgeon Falls, to take part in the festivities.
It was an afternoon of high speed and high flying action as over 20 cars raced in 4 exciting classes. At stake were trophies and school pride. To keep track of the action, Bishop Carter set up a state-of-the-art electronic timing system. The system not only tells drivers when to go and stop, but it also keeps track of the number of laps, lap times, and fastest lap all while giving verbal cues to the drivers about their performance during the race.
Not only were students and teachers racing, but a special group of “All Stars” came out to try their hand at R/C racing. This group of star racers included, Bishop Carter’s Principal Mrs. Cassandra MacGregor, Joanne Benard Director of Education, Michael Bellmore Trustee, GRant and Skerri from Hot 93.5, Brad and Leanne from KICX, and Mr. Dan Turnbull from the Greater Sudbury Fire Service. Not only did the All Stars have fun, but they also gained a whole new respect for how difficult these little racers are to control.
Bishop Carter’s R/C club practices every Wednesday at the school. Many students have joined the club. Some students are racers. Some students are part of a tech crew, while others are part of the track crew. Some students serve as race marshals. There is a part for everyone who is interested in participating in this club.
Cardinal Can Total Crushed Once Again
St. Charles College and its feeder schools have collected more than 115 thousand cans to stock Sudbury Food Bank shelves during the winter months. This exceeds the goal to collect 60 thousand cans that the student council set at the beginning of the week.
Together with St. Raphael, St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. Bernadette, St. John, St. David and Pius, the Cards went door-to-door all over the city in pursuit of cans or cash.
The schools also teamed up with Q92 and Kiss FM to promote what has become the largest single donation to the Sudbury Food Bank in its history.
SCC Principal Patty Mardero says, “I congratulate every Card and future who went door-to-door these last few weeks so that people in this city can eat.”
Giving ‘BAC’ to the Community
The staff and students held their annual Memorial Walk in September. Part of the mandate is to give ‘BAC’ to the community. This year the school chose to donate parts of the proceeds from the walk to KICX for Kids charity.