International members from the United Commercial Travellers (UCT) were on hand at St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School on April 9 to present the Lifeskills class with a cheque for $5000. Several months earlier, teacher Elissa Zuliani decided to enter her Lifeskills class in a contest she had read about in one of the UCT catalogues. The contest was open to all North American schools who support students with intellectual disabilities. Zuliani put together a two minute video that showcased the exceptional qualities and values that her students possess. The final winner was to be decided by votes so, after a heated battle for first place with Eldon High School in Eldon, Missouri, the students at St. Raphael placed second.
Visibly moved during the presentation, Zuliani thanked the representatives from UCT International including the CEO of UCT –Joe Hoffman from Ohio as well as the International President of UCT – Bob Kellog from Michigan. Also on hand for the presentation were several members of the local UCT branch. Zuliani also thanked her fellow teachers, parent council members and all of the parents of her students. “We are so proud of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and the Greater City of Sudbury for their votes of support,” Zuliani stated. “This was truly Sudbury at its best! I thank UCT for this incredible funding which will enhance their learning. I am overwhelmed both professionally and personally – it is not about the money, it is about the message –that people with disabilities are valuable members of society and it is our obligation to support them and to nurture them – mind, body and spirit”. The members of the local UCT decided to surprise the staff and students with an additional cheque for $2500 as they felt the students should have won first place. As well, the students were promised a pizza lunch in the upcoming days as part of the celebration. The money will go towards the purchase of technology to support the Lifeskills students in their ongoing learning.
Category: St. Raphael School
St. Raphael Celebrates their “Hero”
St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School Students, staff and community partners were on hand to celebrate one of their own on Wednesday, April 9. Primary Lifeskills student Wii’um Morin was the honoured guest as he has been selected to be one of the Canadian Down syndrome heroes for 2014. The school wanted to show Wii’um how proud they were of him, and spoke of his outstanding character, creativity and loving spirit. Wii’um took it all in stride while sitting on the stage, and quietly listened as teacher Kelly Beaton spoke of his exceptional personality, and unique outlook on life.
Sizzling Science at SCDSB Science Fair
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to congratulate the following students and schools on their excellent achievements at recent Board-Wide Science Fair on March 26. After the judges had completed their task, thirteen projects were selected to advance to the Regional Science Fair to be held at Laurentian University on April 12th, 2014.
Best of luck to all students in the upcoming Regional Science Fair.
Sudbury Catholic Schools, Science Fair Winners
Marymount Academy
Brittany Thorton – Viscosity: Can it Save You?
Julie Burns – Screen Time and Depression
Sophia Zulich – Electronic Lemons
Mackenzie Bruce – Cotton Cruelty
Emelia Kucyk – Video Game for the Blind
Dana Rachkowski and Hailey McDonald – Aquaponics
Alessandra Kempson – the Effects of WiFi
St. Raphael
Billy Moskal – Does Colour Affect Plant Life?
Emma Dionne – Does Music Affect Your Ability to Memorize?
Colton Gobbo – Hoe Do Video Games Affect Your Health?
St. Ben’s
Laura Rinaldi – Magnetic Spring
Enoch Kim and Max Rizzard – Gauging Gauss and Fluctuating Ferrofluid
St. James
Marina Leblanc – Les pieds froids
SCDSB Band Enjoying a Successful Season
The Sudbury Catholic Elementary Band, directed by Vice Principal JoAnne Comisso and teaher Leanne Urso, has just finished a very successful Festival season. On February 27 the students performed at the Northern Ontario Music Festival, held at Sudbury Secondary School, where the students received a Silver award. To follow up that achievement, they competed at the Kiwanis Music Festival on March 24 at St. Benedict School. The band was very excited to receive a Gold award! All their hard work is definitely paying off, and we wish them continued success as they head into their spring concert season. This band is comprised of students from St. Anne, St. Benedict, St. Raphael and Pius XII Catholic Elementary Schools.
Peacemakers at St. Raphael
Students in the FDK class at St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School are learning what it means to be “peaceful.” Throughout the month of November students participated in a number of activities that promoted friendship, sharing, and teamwork. Their learning culminated during the SCDSB’s Bully Awareness Week, where they had a peace party! Students wore the colour pink, played co-operative games, participated in a Bingo game with some of our Gr.8 students, and had a ‘peace picnic.’ Although their Anti-Bullying Week has come to an end, they hope that their learning about what it means to be peaceful will stick with their students and that they will continue to be peacemakers in their lives.
That’s a Wrap at S.C.C. – 112 Thousand Cans to Fill Sudbury Food Bank Shelves
Once again, the food drive at St. Charles College was a smashing success. Together with its feeder schools, 112 thousand cans were raised for the Sudbury Food Bank – smashing the goal of collecting 60 thousand cans in less than a week.
The food drive began more than twenty-five years ago, and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his children at the school.
The school also teams up with Q92 and KISS 105.3 as well as the students at St. Raphael, St. David, St. Bernadette, St. Andrew, St. Paul, St. John and Pius XII Catholic Elementary Schools.
Students collect a combination of canned foods and cash – the cash portion totalled 15 thousand dollars this year.
Stacking Cans from the Ground Up at St. Charles College
St. Charles College students and soon-to-be Cards are on a mission from October 7 to October 11 to collect 60 thousand cans of non-perishable food to feed the hungry in our city. The more than 950 students at the school, along with students at several of its feeder schools are helping tackle the huge feat.
With a professional development day scheduled for Friday, October 11, it’s an even more daunting and onerous task to average 15 000 cans per day for the next four school days with a wrap-up aimed for Thursday, October 10th.
Last year, the students shattered their goal for 60 thousand cans by delivering a whopping 121 thousand cans to the Sudbury Food Bank – making it the largest single donation in the history of the Sudbury Food Bank.
The founder of the food drive at SCC, Jim Szilva told the students that the food drive starts at the ground and works its way up with feeder schools like St. Raphael, St. David, St. Bernadette, St. Andrew, St. Paul, St. John and Pius XII working with students in grades nine through to twelve in the high school to accomplish the mission. Szilva started the drive when he attended St. Charles College more than twenty-five years ago.
The school and Szilva are teamed up with local radio station Q92 and KISS 105.3 to “Stuff the Bus”.
Q92 host Melanie Dahl asked the students to remember the times their belly ached because they felt hungry. “Most of you can ask your parents for food or head to the fridge. But consider for a moment you could not do that.”
General public is invited to assist with the stuffing of the bus by visiting the city transit bus each morning between 7 and 9 a.m. at St. Charles College with monetary or canned food donations. There are some added incentives this year – including the option to fill out a ballot to win a ticket to the Sudbury Kinsmen home.
The bus will also be on location at Vrabs Independent Monday afternoon, Dumas Independent Tuesday afternoon and at the Metro on Lasalle Wednesday afternoon.
“Wrecking Ball Face-Off” at St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School
In order to help meet their fundraising goal for the Terry Fox walk, the Teachers of St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School challenged students to a wrecking ball face off. On Friday, September 27, 2013, students paid a toonie to try to knock their teachers off of an inflatable wrecking ball to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. The teachers and students had a blast, and to date have raised over $3674.00!
St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School Supports Terry Fox National Run Day
On Thursday, September 26, 2013, the students and staff of St. Raphael Catholic Elementary School participated in the annual Terry Fox School Run Day. By participating in this event, students shared in Terry’s example of generosity, spirit, and compassion. So far students have raised about $3600.00 and have made a difference in the lives of so many people! Not only did students raise funds for cancer research, but they learned from Terry’s example of never giving up, and helping others.