Our Lenten journey begins with Ash Wednesday! We gathered as a system virtually and explored the theme of Nurturing Hope. Throughout the webinar, students participated by completing various readings and prayers and a reflection on Lent was provided by Father Larry Rymes.
We look forward to coming together through virtual services during each week of Lent.
Category: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Five Sudbury Catholic Students Place Provincially in #SkillsAtHome Challenges
Skills Ontario and Edge Factor initiated 17 challenges for students in Ontario to explore the skilled trades and technology through a series of contests on Twitter. The challenges began in March 2020 and wrapped up in January 2021. Sudbury Catholic students, Kindergarten to Grade 12, eagerly participated throughout the series with incredible results. Overall, the Board is proud to have five students place provincially:
• Sofia Brine, Grade 1 student at St. John Catholic Elementary School, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Wacky Hair Challenge.
• Maili Jutila and Lylah Jebreen, Grade 7 students at Marymount Academy, placed first in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Construction Sector- Iron Worker- Tallest Marshmallow Towers.
• Milena Raso, Grade 12 student at Marymount Academy, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Service Sector’s Paper Dress 1920’s Style challenge.
• Owen Carpenter, Grade 6 student at St. Francis School, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge – Build a Fort.
• Brady Howard, Grade 12 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, placed first in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Cake Decorating.
“It is with great pride that the Board congratulates our five provincially recognized winners who participated in the Skills Ontario Challenges that took place between March 2020 and this January,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education. “Their innovation and creativity is inspiring! We thank our dedicated educators as well as our families for guiding and continually supporting opportunities to challenge and engage our students .”
“The efforts and accomplishments made by our participating students are a testament to the enthusiasm and collaboration that our staff and students display year-round,” said Superintendent of School Effectiveness, Peter Prochilo. “Skills Ontario has been a great partner in supporting the exploration of the trades pathways and it is these opportunities that broaden horizons for our youth.”
Join our Virtual Learning Series!
The Parent Involvement Committee is very pleased to once again to support virtual learning sessions throughout the winter and spring.
All sessions will take place virtually through Zoom between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. These are excellent opportunities to learn about topics that are relevant to you.
Register HERE!

Sudbury Catholic Student Places 1st in the Skills Ontario Cake Decorating Challenge!
Once again, a Sudbury Catholic Student places first in a Skills Ontario Challenge. Challenge #17 required students to bake and a decorate a cake. Participants were challenged to follow a decoration theme and use any materials they would like to present and decorate their cake.
Grade 12, St. Benedict, Specialist High Skills Major student & Sneaker Head Brady, created the Jordan 1 “UNC” that combined his passion for food & his business B-Hyped Kicks & Clothing!
“Not only is Brady a skilled player on the basketball court, he is just as talented in the kitchen. Way to go Brady!,” said Laura Kuzenko, Principal of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

Join our Virtual Dance Party!
On Tuesday evening, families participated in an Hour of Code while participating in a dance party and learning about coding all at the same time! This session was designed for families to learn the basics of coding without even using a device.
Students learned that events are a useful way to control when an action happens and can be used to make multiple things act in sync. In programming, events can be used to respond to a user controlling it (like pressing buttons or clicking the mouse) and that events can make programs more interesting and interactive.
Following, our teachers taught various dance moves such as the “Star, Dab, High Clap and This & That”. Then, families were asked to create their own unique dance algorithm and to share their finished products in order to have a chance to win a family prize pack.
There is still time for families to join our next Dance Party on December 10th at 6pm. To register go to: Learning Support Hub for Students and Parents.
Grade 9 Students Participate in Virtual Take Our Kids to Work Event
Launched in 1994 by The Learning Partnership, Take Our Kids to Work Day is an experiential learning opportunity for Grade 9 students across Canada offering them the chance to see the world of work firsthand, explore a variety of careers and sectors, and look at what skills are important to thrive in the world of work. The goal is to ignite students’ curiosity and open the door for them to see what is possible for their future.
On Wednesday, November 4, students, their parents, educators, and schools had access to both pre-recorded and live virtual content to create an exciting learning experience. Over 200 Sudbury Catholic Grade 9 students participated in the event facilitated by consultants Daniel Levecque and Christina Raso.
Dan Levecque led students through the 5 easy steps to “Creating Your Own Personal Brand” followed by Christina Raso teaching the importance of “Managing Your Online Reputation”. Students then listened to a message of hope and resilience hosted by Erin Latimer RBC Olympian. Watch the video at : Your Future Now: Take Our Kids to Work 2020
The day ended with, four live breakout sessions hosted by industry experts in the area of the skilled trades, innovation & entrepreneurship, healthcare and technology & finance.
We Welcome Submissions to Our Annual Christmas Card Artwork Contest
As the weather gets cooler we turn our attention to the Advent season. We are looking for submissions for our annual Christmas card artwork contest. All students Kindergarten to Grade 12 are eligible to participate! Artwork should encompass our Catholic faith and help us to share in the joy of Christmas.
Artwork can be landscape or portrait and can be created in any medium (such as a drawing, painting etc). Submissions can be addressed and sent to the Board office at:
Attention: Christmas Card Contest
165A D’Youville street
Sudbury, Ontario
P3C 5E7
OR e-mailed to info@sudburycatholicschools.ca in a JPG/PNG or PDF format.
All submissions (whether in hard copy or e-mailed) should have the following information included in addition to the artwork:
- Student first and last name
- Grade
- School
Artwork must be submitted by November 20, 2020 at 4 p.m. to be considered for the contest. The Board will choose one elementary design and one secondary design to be featured on our annual Christmas cards which are mailed to our Board Trustees, school administration and community partners. The winning entries will also receive a package of Christmas cards featuring their artwork!
We are Thankful for our ECEs and EAs Today and Everyday!
Today, we celebrate and honour our ECEs and EAs in a special way. We are very fortunate at Sudbury Catholic to have many wonderful, caring and supportive Early Childhood Educators and Educational Assistants in our schools. The support and care that they provide our students each and every day in helping them to grow in mind, body and spirit is foundational to their success. We thank them for their support, their gentle guidance, for inspiring, for helping to create a growth mind set, for helping our students believe in themselves and for all of their contributions to our schools and to our system. Their expertise and commitment inspires our students to grow and to reach their full potential. You truly are amazing!
On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, we thank you for making a difference within the classroom and beyond!
Celebrating World Teacher Day
On October 5th, we recognize and thank our dedicated and inspiring educators who work tirelessly to support our students in reaching their individual goals. During such unprecedented times our educators have stepped up to ensure that our students continue to receive a quality Catholic education and the supports they need to be successful both in the classroom and in our remote school. Thank you for nurturing their mind, body and spirit through the engaging opportunities that you provide. Last school year when our schools closed due the COVID19, you found ways to connect with them and to continue to support them through various actions such as care pkgs, food programs, social media, the modified graduation celebrations and of course through the various platforms that you were using. We were all so proud of how resilient and creative you were and continue to be. Our students are better because of who their teachers are. Thank you for always going the extra mile for them.
On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board community, we thank you for putting our students first and helping us to achieve our vision of being leaders in learning and faith. You truly are amazing!