Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Accommodation Review

Holy Trinity Officially Opens its Doors – October 15, 2015

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The sun poured in the gymnasium’s windows on Thursday, October 15 for the official opening of Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School. Students, staff, parents, invited guests and community partners gathered for the official ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s newest elementary school. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board conducted an accommodation review process in 2009-2010, concluding that St. Andrew, St. Bernadette and St. Raphael Schools would be consolidated into a new dual track JK to Grade 6 school. The Ministry of Education approved the construction of the new facility on July 7, 2011. After this approval was received, a request for proposal for Architectural Services was issued, with Yallowega Belanger Architecture being awarded the contract. Construction documents were prepared and tendered with Build North Construction being awarded the construction contract. Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School open its doors for students on September 8, 2015.
The official opening started off with songs from the school choir and also had Bishop Plouffe celebrate the event with a blessing. Invited guests including M.P.P. Glenn Thibeault, Mayor Brian Bigger, Ministry of Education Regional Representative Irene Charette, and Amber Salach from Yallowega Belanger Architecture Sudbury. As well, SCDSB Aboriginal Youth Worker Carla Petahtegoose brought greetings from the traditional territory of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation. School Principal Diana Salvador, Superintendent Nicole Bédard, Board Chair Jody Cameron and Director of Education Joanne Bénard also addressed the crowd. All speakers expressed their joy in seeing the vision of the new school come together so beautifully.
“Today we celebrate together what started off as a vision – a new school for our New Sudbury area that would pull together three individual schools as one – with a brand new identity. I can say with confidence that Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School certainly fits that bill, and is a facility that is a positive asset to the collaborative nature of teaching and learning,” Stated Jody Cameron. “While we know that a building does not determine the quality of a student’s education, it can however be a facilitative factor in making the educational process a more effective one and a more pleasant experience for all. This beautiful school is a result of the collaboration of many different people, organizations and departments.”

Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School is a dual track English and French Immersion programming school from Kindergarten to grade six and has over 520 students currently enroled.

Sudbury Catholic Board Decides to Build Holy Cross Catholic School, JK to Grade 6

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board unanimously voted to make its newest high-tech green school a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school. The Board’s Trustees made the decision at the December 15, 2009 Board meeting.

The trustees decided the new Holy Cross Catholic School in Sudbury’s south end would be a separate Dual Track JK to Grade 6 School, located near St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. The new school will also include an early-learning daycare facility and a 4,000 square foot gymnasium.

“Holy Cross is going to be a fantastic new school,” says Board Chair Jody Cameron, “It will be high-tech, offering the latest in educational technology – while being an intimate, safe and personable environment for children ranging from our new full-day junior kindergarten program to Grade 6. It’s an exciting time.”

Meantime, the Catholic Board also decided it will offer Grade 7 to 12 programming next door at the existing St. Benedict’s Catholic Secondary School. This will include the construction of new classrooms and a third gymnasium. The renovations will also include a new “cafetorium” (which is a combination of a cafeteria and auditorium) to serve both the elementary and secondary students. It could seat as many as 500 people for concerts, plays, presentations, guest speakers, and other special events.

“These two projects are exciting for students, parents, and teachers in our Catholic schools,” says Board Director, Catherine McCullough, “It’s a great decision which will continue to enhance our community partnerships. These students who already benefit from programs like our nationally-recognized laptop learning program will now have even more educational tools at their fingertips to help them have a balanced educational experience and go on to succeed in life.”

The Board Trustees made the decision after extensive consultation with the school communities impacted. The new Holy Cross Catholic School will open in September 2011. The new and improved St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School will also be ready for the fall of 2011. Both projects combined are projected to cost $16.2-million with $11.7-million coming from the provincial government – while the Board has agreed to contribute $4.5-million.

Accommodation Review: Director’s Recommendations

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The Accommodation Review Process for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board came one step closer to conclusion last night with Director of Education, Catherine McCullough’s recommendations to Trustees with respect to the North/West and South/Central Planning Areas.

Before making her recommendations to the Board, McCullough thanked the members of the Accommodation Review Committees for their commitment to a lengthy process that began in February 2008. McCullough also acknowledged the valuable input of Watson and Associates Economists Ltd., as an ARC Facilitator in providing counsel to the ARC Steering Committee within the framework of the Ministry of Education’s Pupil Accommodation Review Process.
With respect to the North/West Planning Area, the Director recommended the following elements may proceed, subject to Board funding:

(1) At this time, the value of the St. Mary Elementary School to the students, the Board, the economy and the community of Capreol, outweighs the financial benefit of closure.

(2) That the St. Mary Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming be consolidated into St. Anne Elementary School commencing September 2009.

(3) That a section of the current St. Mary Elementary School be demolished, using Facility Renewal Program (FRP) funding, to best serve the needs of JK to Grade 6 programming.

For future planning McCullough also proposed that the following recommendations be incorporated in the Board’s Long-Term Capital Plan subject to Board funding:

(1) That the Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School facility be renovated to allow for the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at a date to be determined.

(2) That the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School include the construction of a Multi-Media Resource Centre.

(3) The St. Anne Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming would then be consolidated into Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.

With respect to the South/Central Planning Area, the Director recommended the following elements may proceed, subject to Ministry funding:

(1) That the current school communities are ‘grandfathered’, when implementing the new enrolment boundaries for this planning area.

(2) Construction of a new “Green” Dual-track JK to Grade 8 Elementary School and a Multi-Media Technology Plaza on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site, to include all of Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Schools, and all of the current JK to Grade 6 students from St. Theresa and St. Christopher Elementary Schools.

(3) Renovation of the existing St. Francis Elementary School with Dual-track JK to Grade 6 programming to include all of the current students from St. Francis, Corpus Christi and St. Michael Elementary Schools.

(4) Renovation of the existing St. David Elementary School with Regular JK to Grade 6 programming, to include further community partnerships aimed at the expansion of the current programming within a holistic service model. Contingent upon consultation with the school community, the participation in the Grade 7 to 12 programming at the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School campus may be re-examined.

(5) That the revised boundaries apply to all new families within this planning area.

Director of Education, Catherine McCullough noted in her presentation that Sudbury Catholic District School Board staff will develop an implementation plan for the school consolidations in the South/Central Planning Area. “This implementation plan will include consultations with all stakeholders. The completed plan will then be communicated to all school communities prior to initial implementation. The recommendations herein are intended to provide the students under our care with a Catholic Education that is of the highest quality possible,” concluded McCullough.

Accommodation Review Process Continues to Move Forward at Sudbury Catholic Board

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The Sudbury Catholic District School is currently undertaking the Accommodation Review Process in its North/West and South Central Planning areas. It is considered a best practise among school boards to hire a demographer that has the expertise in long term capital planning and enrolment projections. The board hired the reputable firm of Watson and Associates to assist with the Accommodation Review process under the following directives;

• to identify pupil enrolment projections and sustainable enrolment levels
• to Determine Capital Expenditures Needs and Costing Analysis
• to propose recommendations of Overall Accommodation Strategies

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Accommodation Review Process has been ongoing since September 2008. This process has been and continues to be an open and transparent process where information is shared with the public and their input is sought.

This Accommodation Review Process is outlined in legislation and is currently taking place in the majority of boards across the province. The final outcome of the Accommodation Review Process is such that the Accommodation Review Committee will make recommendations to the Director of Education. The Director will then in turn make recommendations to the Board.

It must be made very clear that no decisions can be reached until the integrity of the process has been carried out. The final decisions will be made by the Board’s Trustees by the end of May 2009.

Sudbury Catholic Board Places Schools Under Accommodation Review

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In accordance with the its Pupil/School Accommodation Review Regulation BR 10, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is in the process of conducting an Accommodation Review for its South/Central and North/West family of schools. Schools were selected for review purposes based on their potential for growth over the coming years (given the present trend) and the possibility that they may qualify for funding to build new schools under the Ministry of Education’s Prohibitive to Repair grants. Sudbury Catholic Schools Director of Education, Catherine McCullough will recommend an action plan to Trustees on the meeting of May 6, 2008.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is committed to providing a full range of educational opportunities equitably distributed across a broad and diverse geographical area. Due to ever-changing factors such as mobile population, changes in funding, new legislation, changing in educational objectives, community aspirations and physical limitations of buildings, the Board is mitigated to monitor and evaluate all schools on a regular basis.

Given the present state of its priorities, the Board will be focussing its attention on the “South/Central” and “North/West” schools planning areas for the purpose of this Accommodation Review which will include the following schools;

South/Central Elementary:
Corpus Christi, Marymount Academy (Elementary),
St. Christopher, St. David, St. Francis, St. James, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Theresa

South/Central Secondary:
St. Benedict CSS, Marymount Academy (secondary)

North/West Elementary Schools:
Immaculate Conception, St. Anne, St. Charles (elementary), St. Mary

North/West Secondary:
Bishop Alexander Carter CSS

The School Accommodation Review may result in such changes as boundary adjustments, major additions, renovations and alterations to school buildings, blending or twinning arrangements for school organization and/or programs or school consolidations

The Board is in the process of informing parents, staff, school councils, and school communities of the logistics and time lines regarding its Accommodation Review. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has hired the firm of CN Waston and Associates, (one of Canada’s leading economic firms) to prepare population, household, employment and student enrolment forecasts in the City of Greater Sudbury and more specifically in the planning areas of the schools under review. This information will greatly assist the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in assessing opportunities for long term growth and development and help guide the Board in the implementation of accommodation strategies that will serve to enhance student learning.
Accommodation Review Committees (ARC’s) will be created to provide the Sudbury Catholic District School Board with information re School Valuation Framework and applying this framework to the schools under review, giving consideration to the value of the students, community, school board and the local economy.

The members of the ARC’s will include representative membership from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, each school, school community and a municipal representative from each of the local municipalities in which the school(s) under review are located.

George Middleton, Chair of Sudbury Catholic Schools welcomes the Accommodation Review. “The Accommodation Review is a process that all Board’s in Ontario undertake in order to continually update their long term capital plans,” stated Middleton. “It provides our board with the opportunity to update student enrolment perspectives and assess long term capital expenditures to provide optimum programs and facilities for our students. This is the start of a year long process and decisions will be made only after an extensive review is conducted. Through consultation, a plan will be developed to benefit students and a business case will be presented for funding from the Ministry of Education whether it be for expansion of some schools or to build new school(s).

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