Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Administration

Sudbury Catholic Board Names New High-Tech, Green Elementary School

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There was a celebratory as Trustees with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted to name Sudbury’s new elementary school. In the end, trustees selected the name “Holy Cross Catholic School.”

“The name ‘Holy Cross’ has significant meaning,” says Board Chair, Jody Cameron, “The four points of the cross represents the coming-together of four existing school communities into one new, learning community where our children will learn and make lifelong friends. This is a very exciting time for the Board and the expansion of Catholic Education in Sudbury’s south end.”

The decision comes after extensive consultation with students, teachers and parents from Corpus Christi, St. Christopher, St. Michael and St. Theresa schools — as well as St. Francis. The Board also got input from the local Parishes and community partners.

The new school will serve elementary students in the city’s south end and will be located on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is equally pleased with the decision of the new school’s name.

McCullough emphasized, “Holy Cross Catholic School will have lower energy and utility costs than traditionally built schools, and the money saved can go back into the classrooms. That means more money to expand on programs such as our already-established, nationally-recognized Learning with Laptops program as well as full-day junior kindergarten which the Board announced just last month.”

“The naming of this new state-of-the-art school is only the beginning of the many new steps that our Board will be taking in creating this educational village in the city’s south end,” stated Board Chair Cameron, “The next step is to complete the architectural final plans for the design of the new school and get shovels in the ground.”

The Board will decide on the site plan for Holy Cross at next Tuesday’s regular Board meeting. The school will open in September 2011.

St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School CTV Luncheon/Fundraiser Phenomenal Success!

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Over two hundred people filled the gym as the St. Bernadette staff and students came together to support one of it’s own. A few weeks ago, Ashley Dahlvik, the school’s Junior Kindergarten teacher approached Principal Nicole Snow with a fundraising idea. For the past nine years, Dahlvik has performed on the CTV telethon but this year she thought it would be a great idea to approached her school community for some support. They came up with an idea to hold a luncheon/fundraiser that could raise money for Dahlvik to present during the telethon. One of the student’s parents, John Cimino, who is also manager of the Caruso Club, decided to donate all of the food for the luncheon. “Its for a good cause.” stated Cimino. “It is also a good time to give especially when a lot of the community is struggling.” The school raised over $700 for Ms. Dahlvik to present at the telethon. “It is all about getting out Catholic school community involved in the Greater City of Sudbury Community. It is what we are called to do.” said Dahlvik. Father Al MacMillan from St. Raphael parish was on hand to say grace before the meal as well as Fred VaDerHooft, a Lion’s Club member who was also invited to take part in the celebration. Principal Nicole Snow was blown away by the participation of staff, students, parents, siblings, grandparents, and community members. “This is absolutely amazing!” stated Snow. “This shows a wonderful sense of community coming together for the children of Sudbury.” The staff and students sang Christmas carols and the grand finale included a performance from Ms. Dahlvik herself. A great luncheon was had by all!

Sudbury Catholic Board Receives Ministry Funding for Literacy and Skills Training

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A local McGuinty government investment of $3,380,212. will support research and enhance local access to literacy and basic skills training, Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced today. Funds will go to eight local organizations to enhance services they currently provide for the community.

“Our government recognizes that our citizens are our most coveted asset,” said Bartolucci. “Literacy and basic skills are an important part of any community and today we are helping ensure that more Sudburians have the necessary skills to contribute to our local economy.”Today’s announcement is part of a much larger $25 million provincial investment in colleges, school boards and community literacy organizations in the Employment Ontario network across the province. It is expected that the funding will help laid-off workers and other adult learners train for more high skilled jobs.

$824,912 of enhancement funds will be distributed to the following organizations as a result of today’s announcement:

Enhancement Total 09/10
Cambrian College $367,355 1,602,655
College Boreal $128,491 537,891
Sudbury Catholic District School Board $115,930 477,930
Project 25-44 (Sudbury) Vocational Resource $ 62,400 222,400
Conseil Scolaire Catholique du Nouvel-Ontario $ 58,558 204,058
Le Centre Alpha-culturel de Sudbury $ 46,898 148,398
Canadian Hearing Society $ 45,281 140,681

In addition, Ontario is investing $3 million across the province in research projects to improve service to adult learners and create a new province-wide curriculum for adult literacy training.

The College Sector Committee will receive $46, 200. towards a special research project on steps to adjust literacy training and other academic support programs provided by community colleges to meet the requirements of new provincial Adult Literacy Curriculum.

“Our community is only as strong as the strength and the skills of its residents,” concluded Bartolucci. “Today’s announcement is further evidence of our government’s vision of building a better province, more equipped to deal with the challenges of today’s economy.”

QUICK FACTS

– 3.4 million Ontario adults have literacy skills at less than a high school level
– By 2020, about 70 per cent of new jobs are expected to require postsecondary education and training

Partners in Spirit: From the Desk of Director of Education Catherine McCullough (Vol. 2 Number 3)

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It is with great pleasure that we share with you the final edition of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board newsletter for the 2008/2009 school year, Partners in Spirit. The newsletter celebrates the many exciting events, initiatives and programs taking place at SCDSB.

View entire newsletter.

Sudbury Catholic Board to Build Green School in South End

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Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted in favour of closing four south end schools (St. Christopher, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi, and St. Michael Catholic Schools) at the May 26th Board meeting held at Tom Davies Square.

The motion to close the four schools, three of which are PTR Schools (Prohibitive to Repair),allows the Board to apply for Ministry funding to renovate St. Francis Catholic School and to build a new state of the art 550 pupil “Green” dual track (JK to Grade 8) school with a Multi-Media Technology Plaza in the City’s South End.

Students from Corpus Christi and St. Michael Catholic Schools will be consolidated into St. Francis Catholic School (JK to Grade 6)
while students from St. Christopher, St. Theresa and all of the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Schools will be consolidated into the new “green school” on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Trustees also voted in favour of renovating St. David Catholic School with regular JK to Grade 6 programming to include further community partnerships aimed at the expansion of the current programming with a holistic service model.

With respect to the North/West Planning area, Trustees passed a motion to consolidate St. Mary Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming into St. Anne Elementary School commencing September 2009.

In her presentation to Trustees, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Catherine McCullough stated that after the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) had completed its work and made its recommendations, it was incumbent upon her to provide a vision for the Board in both programming and capital expenditures. These recommendations recognized that the decision before Trustees revolved around the future of providing quality education and quality facilities for all of Sudbury’s Catholic students.

With respect to the South/Central Planning area, McCullough reiterated the following major points concerning the Director’s recommendations before the motions were considered by Trustees:

• The recommendations maintained the integrity of the accommodation review process. The supporting rationale provided by the Accommodation Review Committee guided the decision making process.

• JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS permits increased opportunities for professional development, teacher collaboration and staff specialization

• JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS creates more opportunities for cooperative education, peer tutoring, “fast tracking,” interventions for at risk and disengaged students, and seamless transition for French Immersion students wishing
regular programming

• Two large elementary schools (St. Francis and St. Benedict) with dual track programming are beneficial to the Board as it provides parents and students with more options

• A renovated St. David School would enhance partnerships with First Nations communities within the Board’s jurisdiction.

• The recommendations implement the Ministry of Education’s direction that effective programming must be viewed as a continuum that minimizes the number of times a student would transition as he or she progresses from JK to Grade 12. In fact, the JK to Grade 12
single campus concept would be unique to the South/Central community.

• A state of the art Green School will be fuly compliant with the Ontario Disabilities Act(ODA) with enhanced programming such as music, drama, theatre, technology, day care,be fore and after programs, and superior sports facility.

• The larger population of Grade 7 and 8 students and the proximity of the secondary school creates an opportunity for program enhancements

• Access to specialized facilities (technology areas, cafeteria, double-gym, sports programs and fields)

• Expansion of program offerings and flexible spaces to meet changing program needs

• Expansion of resources in classrooms and optimal learning opportunities for all students

• Interaction with a larger community learners

• Larger blocks of uninterrupted teaching time

• Expansion of co-curricular activities for all students

• Potential of enhanced partnerships with the City of Greater Sudbury

The Multi Media Resource Centre would provide equipment for students to have a more hands on style of interaction encouraging new learning opportunities. This Centre would enable the Board to provide both elementary and secondary students with 21st Century skills and learning opportunities directed toward all career pathways.

“The creation of a new “green school” and the renovations to St. Francis and St. David Catholic Schools will enhance educational programs within these facilities which will provide the students under our care with a Catholic education that is of the highest quality possible,” stated McCullough.

Bartolucci announces funding for School Board energy retrofits

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The McGuinty government is investing over $12 million in energy efficient retrofits for our four local school boards, Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced today.

“A vibrant school environment starts from the ground up. By retrofitting our schools we’re creating jobs while saving energy and money, and teaching our kids about greener ways to live,” said Bartolucci.

More than 1000 publicly funded schools across the province will be made more energy efficient to give Ontario students better places to learn and help boards save energy and money. Construction will start as soon as this summer.

This two-year investment will help improve existing schools across Ontario, while creating and sustaining more than 5,500 jobs. Of the $550-million investment, $400 million will be allocated to:

• Conduct energy audits to help manage and conserve energy
• Retrofit buildings with new energy efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and boilers.

Locally, these investments will save school boards money by reducing energy bills and will create jobs in our new green economy:

• Conseil scolaire de district du Grand Nord de l’Ontario – $1,796,375
• Conseil scolaire de district catholique du Nouvel-Ontario -$3,610,099
• Rainbow District School Board – $4,521,874
• Sudbury Catholic District School Board – $2,343,330

The remaining $150 million will be allocated on a project-by-project basis to improve the learning environment for students currently in energy inefficient portables and schools.

Ontario schools are also teaching kids how to be more environmentally friendly. Starting in the fall of 2009, environmental education will be added to the curriculum in every subject, in every grade. Programs such as EcoSchools are teaching students about conserving energy, minimizing waste and greening school grounds.

“Making our school facilities more energy efficient promotes better, greener learning environments — a key ingredient to building the best possible publicly funded education system in the world, and one that inspires confidence in our communities and success in our students,” concluded Bartolucci.

Learn More

• Find out more about the greening of Ontario’s schools.
• Learn more about Ontario EcoSchools.

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.

Sudbury Catholic Board Places Schools in East Planning Area Under Review

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In accordance with 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 family of schools situated in the East Planning Area. Sudbury Catholic Schools Director of Education, Catherine McCullough will recommend an action plan to Trustees at a special Board Meeting in May 2010.

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 obligated to monitoring and evaluating all schools on a regular basis.

Given the present state of its priorities, the Board will be focussing its attention on the East Planning Area for the purpose of this Accommodation Review which will include the following schools;

Elementary:
Pius XII Catholic School
St. Andrew Catholic School
St. Bernadette Catholic School
St. John Catholic School
St. Mark Catholic School
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School
St. Raphael Catholic School

Secondary:
St. Charles College
St. Albert Adult Learning Centre

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 Waston and Associates Economists Ltd. (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 area 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 Sudbury Catholic Board Brings the World of the Classroom to the Vistas of Killarney

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is embarking upon a new initiative that will seek to support and expand the educational, cultural, and historical aspects of Killarney Village and St. Joseph Catholic School by establishing an outdoor education centre in the heart of the small community. The school board owns 7.24 acres of property associated with St. Joseph Catholic School and would serve as the host site for the centre.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be partnering with Killarney Provincial Park to offer programming that will be based on the Ontario Ministry of Education school curriculum and will add the bonus component of a unique Killarney experience. The centre will focus on outdoor education but will also offer students the opportunity to learn about healthy living, child and youth stewardship, values of faith, community studies, aboriginal teachings, ecological and environmental studies (focussing on how current practices influence the world around us and the sustain ability of resources in an ever resource hungry world). The ecology focus will extend across elementary through to secondary and even post-secondary opportunities.

The secondary opportunities would permit biology and geology students the opportunity to undertake actual field course experience that would better prepare them for making career and post-secondary choices. From the post-secondary perspective, courses could be developed that would support university courses (or be a direct part of these courses) in a broad range of disciplines, most notably ecology and geology.

Groups that have been consulted include Science North, the City of Greater Sudbury, FedNor, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Laurentian University, Cambrian College, College Boreal, the Municipality of Killarney, several community businesses in Killarney, and many, many more. Some funding has already been committed to this project from outside sources.

The Sudbury Catholic Board has passed a motion at the January 20, 2009 board meeting supporting the position of Start Up Coordinator for the project and who will be starting this week. The start up coordinator will develop and implement a project plan which will allow schools to begin booking trips for this spring. Initially, the programming will involve Grade 6 Science, Grade 10 Science – (Grade 9 next year) and the development of an orienteering course that would be accessible for all grades.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is fully committed to the successful launch of the Outdoor Centre in May 2009. More information will be provided in the upcoming weeks.

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