The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is proud to recognize the outstanding efforts of Pekka Marttinen, a dedicated custodian at St. Charles Catholic Elementary School who continues to go above and beyond in supporting students and staff and fostering a positive school environment.
In addition to his daily commitment to keeping the school clean and organized, Mr. Pekka recently introduced a creative and engaging initiative—an interactive recycling scavenger hunt. By placing recycled materials around the school, he has encouraged students to explore, learn about sustainability, and actively participate in the cleanup process.
What makes this initiative even more special is the involvement of two students Joe and Benn, who have been collecting the materials while practicing their bike riding skills. This hands-on approach has not only promoted environmental awareness but also provided a unique opportunity for students to build confidence and independence.
“Mr. Pekka’s creativity and dedication to our school community make a lasting impact,” said Principal Christine McCracken. “He continually finds ways to engage our students and inspire them in meaningful ways.”
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board extends its heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Pekka for his hard work, innovation, and unwavering commitment to students. His efforts exemplify the spirit of community and learning that defines our schools. Thank you for all that you do!
It’s Kindergarten Time! The Sudbury Catholic District School Board invites families with children entering Kindergarten during the 2025/2026 school year to participate in the Kindergarten Registration Night on Thursday, January 23 from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
This is a drop-in event, where you can explore everything you need to know about starting kindergarten for your child. Meet our friendly staff, learn about our programs, and see why the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is the perfect place for your little one to grow and thrive.
We can’t wait to welcome you and your future student!
Please Note: If parents are unable to make the Board registration night, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board welcomes families to contact their closest Catholic Elementary School to register and ask questions.
Kindergarten Registration Night
Both English and French Immersion Kindergarten programs are available at Sudbury Catholic Elementary Schools for children turning four on or before December 31, 2025. Parents can register children at the following 12 schools:
For more information about the Kindergarten program at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, please go to Kindergarten Program, or call your local school.
Register now for the 2024-25 School Year on our online registration platform. Please contact the appropriate elementary school for questions related to Kindergarten Registration Night and registering for Kindergarten.
Mme Winn’s Grade 2/3 class from St. Charles Elementary School embraced the spirit of giving this holiday season by spreading joy to the residents of St. Gabriel Villa. With generous support from their parents, these thoughtful students collected and purchased items to fill 17 stockings, each brimming with gifts to brighten the seniors’ day.
Some students had the special opportunity to hand-deliver the stockings, sharing warm wishes and holiday cheer. The heartfelt appreciation from the seniors was truly touching, with smiles and gratitude creating memorable moments for everyone involved.
This inspiring act of kindness showcases the power of community and the true meaning of the holiday season. Well done, Mme Winn’s class!
St. Charles Elementary School kicked off June with its 18th Annual Jonathan Hetu Walk, an annual event supporting the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC). This walk honours Jonathan Hetu, a former student who bravely fought cancer and passed away in September 2004.
Although current students and staff at St. Charles Catholic Elementary School may not have known Jonathan Hetu personally, his legacy lives on through this annual walk. This year, the school raised over $11,000, bringing the grand total to over $147,000 in eighteen years.
History of the Jonathan Hetu Walk
The first Jonathan Hetu Walk was organized in 2005 by one of Jonathan’s teachers, David Nicholls. The walk became an annual event, celebrating Johnathan’s bright spirit and fostering unity, strength, and collective action within the school and surrounding community. David Nicholls spearheaded the event for many years until his unexpected passing in 2019. Since then, school staff including Maria Peplinski, Brent Peplinski, and Ronald Belanger have continued organizing the fundraiser, honouring both Jonathan and David while supporting children and families in Northern Ontario.
“We are incredibly proud of our entire school community for continuing to support this walk that honours the legacy of kindness and compassion that Jonathan and David cultivated in the St. Charles community,” said Principal Christine McCracken. “Reflecting on what has been achieved by our community over the past 18 years is quite simply astounding. The achievement is a result of the collective effort of past and present students, staff, and families. We are so grateful that we have been able to help provide hope, support, education, and advocacy to families who have a child with cancer.”
In addition to the walk, the school honours Jonathan by presenting an annual award to students who exhibit a positive attitude, participate in sports, and have a love for learning. This year, Chloe Durepeau and Ty Thibault received the Jonathan Hetu Award.
Chloe Durepeau said “I’m so honoured that I was chosen for the Jonathan Hetu Award. I wish that I could have met Jonathan because he sounded like a great guy.”
“I am grateful for being recognized as a student with a positive attitude. I truly enjoy coming to school and being with amazing teachers and all my friends. I am so proud to be a member of the St. Charles Ram family and to represent Jonathan Hetu. This wouldn’t be possible without the amazing School Staff,” stated Ty Thibeault.
Jonathan and David’s memory continue to inspire the community at St. Charles Elementary School. The annual walk has become a important tradition, bringing the community together and supporting a cause that remains close to their hearts.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Chairperson’s Award. All three individuals embody the Board’s mission, vision and values. They are passionate about Catholic education and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to student success.
“It is with great honour that I extend my warmest congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Sudbury Catholic Chairperson’s Awards: Lynn Dubois,Toni Kritz Roque, and Maria Peplinski,” said Michael Bellmore, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “These three outstanding individuals embody the true essence of leaders in learning and faith, inspiring us with their passion and dedication. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board Community, we express our deepest gratitude for their unwavering commitment to Catholic education and their significant impact on our learning community.”
Lynn Dubois
Educational Assistant at St. Albert Learning Centre
Lynn Dubois with SCDSB Chair Michael Bellmore
Lynn Dubois is an Educational Assistant at St. Albert Learning Centre. She is a compassionate, steady, and selfless individual that students and staff rely on. Known as the “Shop Boss,” Lynn supports students in the PEACE and under 18-year-old programs to develop practical skills that help them advance in their education and build confidence in themselves. She dedicates countless hours to the woodshop, helping students produce handmade creations that strengthen their expertise in areas of creativity, innovation, and experiential learning practices. Lynn’s commitment to teaching, accompanied by her strong work ethic, fosters community and makes a difference in the lives of those around her. The success of the PEACE Program is a testament to her hard work and innovative approach, with student attendance and achievement rates excelling under her support.
Toni Kritz Roque
Teacher at St. John Catholic Elementary School
Toni Kritz Roque with SCDSB Chair
Toni Kritz Roque is a teacher at St. John Catholic Elementary School in Garson. Possessing a profound passion for learning and faith, Toni fosters a growth mindset among her students, encouraging them to tackle a challenge head-on and view failure as an opportunity for growth. Beyond the classroom, she is an involved and dedicated volunteer who regularly organizes extracurricular activities, coaches sports teams, and plans school-wide events. Through her collaboration, leadership, and compassion, Toni creates a nurturing learning environment where everyone feels supported. She regularly uses her creativity and baking talents to put a smile on staff and students’ faces, fostering a strong sense of community within the school. She recognizes that education is about more than just academics—it’s about the holistic development of each individual.
Maria Peplinski
Special Education Resource Teacher at St. Charles Catholic Elementary School
Maria Peplinski with SCDSB Chair
Maria Peplinski is a Special Education Resource Teacher (SERT) at St. Charles Elementary School in Chelmsford. She is known as the school’s ray of sunshine who goes above and beyond to positively impact the people around her while ensuring each student realizes their full potential spiritually, academically, and emotionally. Maria’s positive approach to education, creative ideas, and strong commitment to fostering literacy development demonstrate her ability to enrich student engagement and learning in her community. At school, she is the frontrunner who leads her community in monthly virtues, maintains displays reflecting Catholic values, and promotes. In her interactions, Maria models Jesus and provides fair and compassionate support by never failing to encourage others. Maria’s initiative and ingenuity shine through her leadership of school-wide events, from “The Great Big Crunch” and month-long literacy challenges, enriching student engagement and improving literacy development. Her positivity, flexibility, and unwavering support make her a true leader to the students and staff at St. Charles.
Congratulations!
This year’s Chairperson’s Award recipients will be formally honoured during the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Employee Recognition Night, scheduled for June 12th, 2024. This event promises to be a momentous occasion as the Board comes together to celebrate excellence, leadership, and commitment.
We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is delighted to share the first blog of the 2023-24 school year, “Together We Lead.”
This blog is a celebration of the remarkable stories and experiences that unfolded throughout our community during the past two months. In this edition, you’ll find inspiring accounts of collaboration, leadership, and dedication from students, teachers, staff, and community partners.
Highlights from September include:
Honouring Terry Fox – Features stories from St. Paul, Pius XII, St. Francis, and Holy Trinity.
Marymount Academy’s Fundraiser for NOFCC
Franco-Ontarian Day Celebrations – Features stories from St. Charles, St. James, and Immaculate Conception.
National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Initiatives – Features stories from St. Charles College, St. Albert, and St. Anne.
Highlights from October include:
Learning Disabilities Awareness Month – Features Holy Cross Raising the Flag with the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury at James Jerome Field.
International Day of the Girl – Features Grade 7 and 8 students at Skill’s Ontario’s Women in Trades Conference.
Jill of All Trades Event – Features Secondary Schools and SCDSB Scholarship Winners.
International Heritage and Language Classes at St. Albert
We invite you to read the full blog, where the incredible stories of leadership, collaboration, and community spirit come to life.
Today is International Teachers’ Day, a day dedicated to honouring the valuable contributions of educators worldwide.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is very pleased to take this opportunity to recognize our teachers. Their unwavering dedication, passion, and commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and to inspiring our students is exemplary. Their daily actions, which display their hard work, passion and leadership, inspire and empower our students to achieve their full potential in mind, body and spirit.
To all our teachers, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering commitment to creating the conditions for student success. Happy International Teachers’ Day! May it be a day filled with well-deserved appreciation for the remarkable and important work that you do.
October 2nd is National Custodial Appreciation Day! This is a wonderful opportunity to recognize and appreciate every member of our dedicated custodial team, including our custodians, assistant custodians, cleaners, BSTs, and maintenance staff. Their exceptional efforts and hard work are a vital part of our daily lives, ensuring that our schools and Board office buildings are clean and well-maintained throughout the entire year.
Their commitment goes beyond cleanliness; it extends to helping create an inviting environment for our community and contributes significantly to the health and safety of all students and staff.
On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board community, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering dedication and outstanding service. We are very fortunate to have you on the team.
