Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: St. Charles College

Christmas for Kids Campaign in full swing at St. Charles College

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Each year, the students at St. Charles College join forces with the students in their homeroom to help put gifts under the Christmas tree in a home somewhere in Sudbury. 

Deacon Steve Callaghan organizes the campaign with the administrators working in the eight feeder schools – St. Bernadette, St. Andrew, St. John, Pius, St. Paul, St. Mark, St. David and St. Raphael.  Deacon Steve says “The administrators at each of these schools know which family is in dire need of support and what life is like for them.”

After students are selected, the child writes a letter to Santa and each homeroom “adopts” one of the children.  Money is then raised during the month in the mission envelope.  All money is then given to a designated student on December 11th so that the shopping can be done. 

Deacon Steve Callaghan then brings the wrapped gifts to the school principal on December 17th and 18th and the principal contacts the family for pick-up.  He says, “When the principal and the secretary see us hauling in present after present – they are overwhelmed and often cry because of the generosity of our children.”

Taking the Pledge for Zero Tolerance

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Grade 9 and 12 students at St. Charles College spent a morning this week shedding tears together to educate and raise awareness about bullying.  The highly emotional Targeting Zero Tolerance day was organized by the grade 12 Leadership class. 

It’s the third annual event which consists of students’ presenting bullying statistics and a documentary style video they compiled along with organizing break-out sessions with students to answer a series of “what if” questions.

Mrs. Beverly Belanger teaches the Leadership class, and oversees what has become a yearly event.  She says “it brings seniors and grade 9’s together in order to build peer relationships and grow positive school climate.”   

We all have a responsibility to look out for each other to prevent bullying

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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”.

Remembering the Fallen Soldiers of St. Charles College

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A November 11 ceremony of remembrance honoured soldiers whose lives were lost in historic wars but also highlighted former students like Pvt. Andrew Miller.  Pvt. Miller graduated from St. Charles College and was killed by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan back in 2010. 

Another fallen Cardinal was also honoured.  Cpl. Glenn Arnold was a medic technician who was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan in 2006. 

The moving ceremony included both staff and students from S.C.C. and its sister school, St. Bernadette.

The ceremony also included songs presented by the S.C.C. choir.

LDAS Teacher of the Year

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On Oct 21, an outstanding SCDSB teacher was recognized by the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury as the 2014 Teacher of the Year.

Jodi Cunningham, a teacher at St Charles College, has been with the board since 1995 and has taught in a variety of settings but it is the last nine years as the resource teacher at St Charles where she has made the biggest impact. Jodi continually puts students and families first and goes above and beyond to make sure each student has a place at St Charles College.

At St Charles you can ask any student with needs who one of their first contacts was at St Charles and they would tell you Mrs. Cunningham. Jodi helps every student find their appropriate path with the right supports for them. In her role, Jodi shares difficult conversations with students and families, in a caring way, and will go that extra mile to help each student reach their potential. It only takes five minutes with Jodi to know that each and every student is special to her and she will do everything in her power to help them be successful.

At SCDSB we are proud to be have such dedicated teachers as Jodi Cunningham helping each and every student.

Congratulations Jodi Cunningham!

Secondary Student Leaders Participate in Equity Workshops

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From October 21 to October 24, guest speakers from the Harmony Movement group held workshops for student leaders from all of our secondary schools to talk about diversity and equity in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

Biju Pappachan and Caitlin Wood led the 40 students through many activities and discussions about such topics as bullying, racism and sexism. The students were engaged as they examined issues surrounding stereotypes and prejudice and to hear about how many biased images bombard us regularly in the media.

“It’s changed my perspective on how to look at different people of different genders and races,” said St. Benedict student Laura Rinaldi.

The students gained a much deeper appreciation for the privileges that they enjoy in our society, whether it’s gender, socioeconomic status, culture or in other ways. It made them more empathetic toward those who don’t necessarily wake up with the same abilities. They were taught that with privilege comes the responsibility to make our world more equitable through examples of student leadership like the pink shirt day anti-bullying movement.

The students who attended the workshops now feel empowered to go back to their schools and work to make their peers more aware of some of the issues that were discussed.

St. Benedict student Breana Mastroianni said, “I really learned how to stand up and take a stand againstt discrimination.”

Superintendent of School Effectiveness, Rossella Bagnato, explained the importance of initiatives like this one. “We can’t predict the future but we can help shape it and a good place to start is with the students. The Harmony Movement and the equity workshop have provided us with a great starting point.”

Congratulations to these future leaders and we look forward to being a part of what you bring back to our schools.

Cardinal Can Total Crushed Once Again  

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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.”

Rallying the Can Collecting Troops

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Tomorrow, St. Charles College along with its feeder schools will know if they have crushed their can collecting goal.  The school set out to collect 60 thousand cans in support of the Sudbury Food Bank this season as part of its annual collection blitz.

The high school is working in partnership with St. Paul, St. John, St. Bernadette, Pius, St. David, St. Raphael, St. Andrew Catholic Elementary schools.   Student can collect a combination of canned foods and cash. Last year, they surpassed their goal by collecting more than 112 thousand cans.

The food drive began more than 25 years ago and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his former high school.  The school also teams up with Q92 and KISS 105.3 to Stuff a Bus full of food. The radio stations also broadcasted live from the school parking lot on the bus all week.

Tomorrow morning, the collection totals will be revealed and the food will then be transported to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.

Elementary Food Drive Wraps Up, Just as the St. Charles College Drive Begins

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Students who attend St. Paul, St. John, St. David, St. Raphael, St. Andrew, Pius and St. Bernadette Catholic elementary schools have wrapped up their food drive collection efforts. Now the focus is on the students at St. Charles College.
Students from the seven schools spent last week going door-to-door to collect cans and other non-perishable food items to help the Sudbury Food Bank stock its shelves over the cold winter months.

Now the St. Charles College students begin their drive starting with their kick-off next Monday. Every year the high school teams up with Q92 and KISS 105.3 to Stuff a Bus full of food. The radio stations also broadcast live from the school parking lot during the week. The food is then transported to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.

Student can collect a combination of canned foods and cash. Last year, they surpassed their goal by collecting more than 112 thousand cans.

The food drive began more than 25 years ago and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his former high school.

Totals will be tabulated, with a wrap-up set for October 23rd.

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