St. Benedict Junior Boys Volleyball team defeated Chippewa Raiders 2-0 in North Bay for the NOSSA “A” Championship on Friday, November 18, 2011.
Team Members: Nick Filipetto, Rudy Giusti, Curtis Hancock, Jarvis Hill, Bradley Lavoie, Cody Lavoie, Alex Michel, David Portelance, Chase Pressacco, Connor Vande Weghe, Anthony Zanetti, Jonathan Zanini
Team Manager: Harley Hanes
Coaches: Maurizio De Poli, Jeff Mousseau, Sarah Hill
For the November 21, Professional Activity day, all teachers, educational assistants, early childhood educators, principals and vice principals from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board gathered in the new auditorium at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School to listen to Dr. Karyn Gordon speak on Generation Y. Dr. Gordon, the resident expert on relationships for Cityline and Chatelaine magazine, and who is one of North America’s leading experts on families, spoke to the group about Generation Y – which is defined as anyone between the ages of 8 – 30. This generation, Gordon explained is very different from the generations before including Generation X, the Baby Boomers etc. This new generation, which is the richest in history – is also the most stressed, said Gordon. As well, they are the most technologically savvy, but also the saddest generation. “As teachers, it is key for the connection to be made with these students, by reaching out to them on their level and connecting to their culture,” Gordon stated. “Most importantly, it is up to you the teachers to model the behaviour of which you expect from your students, as it is your responsibility to be the best example of what you hope they will be.” This hands-on presentation had the Sudbury Catholic staff learning interesting facts about Generation Y, and the similarities and differences with the other generations. As well, Gordon offered several motivating strategies to support student learning and student engagement in the classroom. “We are so fortunate to have been able to offer this rich learning opportunity to our Sudbury Catholic teaching community,” Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Board stated. “ Dr. Gordon’s presentation was inspirational, and so relevant in today’s school environments. We know that our teachers have walked away today with a greater, and richer understanding of our students, which in turn will allow for even more positive connections and stronger student engagement.”
Dr. Gordon also spoke about Generation Y to a crowd of over 200 parents and community partners on the evening of November 21 in the St. Benedict Auditorium.
As a part of Bullying Awareness Week, and International STAND UP to Bullying Day, students at St. John wore pink! Pink day was a wrap up to a week of awareness activities, lessons and announcements all geared to help students advocate againstt bullying.
Young students at St. James Catholic School were fascinated by a presentation about local frogs and toads that inhabit Junction Creek. In collaboration with the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee the students learned about the different types of frog and toad calls and how to identify different types of frogs and toads both by sound and by sight. The presentation ended with an interactive frog calling session when the students created a chorus of different frog calls using their voices and other objects such as balloons, combs, and elastic bands.
The students at St. Anne School in Hanmer integrate technology into their programs on a regular basis. Sometimes, primary students need to count on the help of the older students within the school to help them work with all the options that computers have to offer. Students from Madame Lafrance’s Grade 3 English class wanted to create a Hallowe’en video with themselves in it. Grade 8 students from the Sudbury Catholic school helped out by first taking pictures of each of the Gr. 3 children on the MacBooks, and then used the pictures to create a Monster Mash video with the younger classmates in it. The results far exceeded the student’s expectations but the outcome was unexpected. Instead of scaring those who watched the video (as a Hallowe’en video should), it made the Grade 3 children laugh as they watched themselves in all kinds of computer generated clips. Were the primary students worried that they would have to redo their video? Not at all. Their motto is that the best learning is fun learning! Way to go Angels!
After reading the book, Stone Soup, which tells the story of the magical feat of making hearty soup with a stone, the Junior and Senior Kindergarten classes at St. Bernadette Catholic School made their own version of stone soup. The students followed several procedural steps to prepare the soup and while the ingredients simmered, students and their parents had a social gathering in the gymnasium. Everyone enjoyed a “classmade” bowl of soup.
How old do you have to be to make a difference in the world? According to Olivia Dunbabin, an English Early Learning student at St. Anne School in Hanmer, “you don’t have to be that old.” She and her three, four, and five year old classmates think they are just the right age to stand up and be noticed. They plan on making a big difference to the animal world and as such, they don’t want people to call them the Kindergarten class anymore. They now want to be recognized as the “ABC’S”, All Because of Caring Students!
These young students within the Sudbury Catholic School Board are on a mission. They want to raise money to help out Sudbury’s animal population. Their teacher and animal lover, Cheryl MacRury, had seen a commercial presented by the Wild At Heart Animal Refuge asking for help in taking care of Sudbury’s wildlife population. Since her class had been discussing the changes fall would bring to animals in the wild, the Sudbury Catholic Board’s virtue of respect for all things God had created, and recognizing that her class was filled with other animal lovers, there was only one thing to do. Invite staff from the wildlife center into the Hanmer school to talk to her students! To say thank you for the presentation, the young students presented the center with such necessary items as apples, carrots, and jars of baby food.
The experience in giving to the wild creatures who needed help was such an exciting and meaningful one that during a large group discussion, the young students decided they wanted to keep right on giving. When the talked turned to trying to get money for more supplies, and after first asking their teacher to ask her daddy for money, student Ethan Kydd suggested “asking people for pennies”. After designing their own logo, the English “ABC’S” turned to Mrs. Belanger’s Grade 7 class for help. The intermediate group was able to transfer the outlines of the design onto the computer along with a basic message, “Donate 1 cent to help feed and care for Sudbury’s Animal Population”.
Thanks to the caring staffs at Hanson Family Dentistry and Paula’s Canine Country Club, the “ABC’S” are on a mission. They have placed donation cans, their logos, and brief explanation placards at both businesses in the hope of having the general public donate one penny. Each time the cans are returned to school, the students will continue their work with Mrs. Belanger’s Intermediate class to count the donations. From here, the young English crusaders will decide what they can purchase and how to spread their help. The “ABC’S” plan to keep giving to The Wild At Heart Refuge Center, but who knows? If their campaign is a successful one, they would like to even be able to donate to the local S.P.C.A. When asked if they are too little to make a difference in the world, these little people have only one thing to say. “We believe we can do it!” The staff and students at St. Anne School believe in you too. Way to go Angels!
Many people often dream of hitting the big stage. Students from St. Anne Catholic School in Hanmer are no exception. Recently, they were able to experience the feel of being in the spotlight with a visit to Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School. This Catholic Secondary School is the only high school in Sudbury with a Specialist High Skills Major program in Information and Communications Technology. In this program, the students learn a large variety of media production skills such as: 2D Graphics Design and Digital Image Editing and Enhancement, 3D Graphics Modeling, Texturing, Rigging and Animation, Video and Sound Production, Integrating 2D and 3D Graphics into Film, Special Effects for Film, and Website Development. Students use Autodesk Maya to create 3D models and animations. This is the same software used by professionals to create most of the 3D movies out today. It’s also used to create most of the 3D special effects seen in most action movies.
St. Anne intermediate students, working with high school students currently enroled in the program, began to create their grade 8 graduation video with the use of some media software and a green screen that was built by Bishop’s own tech class. “It was a really good experience and exciting to learn about the about the effects that are used in most movies,” said Olivia Boudreau, a grade 8 student at St. Anne School. BAC also uses their green screen to digitally place student actors in any location, including those created in 3D. The actor/actress simply acts out the scene in front of the green screen and the green is then removed using editing software and replaced with the desired background or animation. BAC has a stationary green screen and two portable ones that can be used outside of the classroom. Who knows? With this taste of “the big screen” under their belts, we may someday actually be viewing some of the Catholic Board students on the larger than life screens around the city. The entertainment business may want to start a new slogan. “Lights, camera, Angels”!
Students at Pius XII school are learning how to fill their buckets! Through a school community building activity senior student, Cody Watson read to the ELK students a story about “filling their buckets” by doing good deeds, and then explored different ways to make it happen. Kindergarteners as well as all students now understand that everytime they do or say something nice for someone else they’re actually filling their own “buckets” and the other student’s “bucket”. Student council can often be heard during morning announcements giving reminder messages to keep buckets full of positivity and its catching on. The goal is to keep your bucket overflowing so that it might spill onto others!
