Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Administration

Director of Education Zandra Zubac Seconded by the Ministry of Education

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has announced that the Ministry of Education has seconded Director of Education, Zandra Zubac, to the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. The two-year secondment begins January 1, 2007.

In accepting the secondment, Mrs. Zubac stated that, “It is with mixed emotions that I am leaving as Director of Education to accept the position with Ministry of Education’s Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat. During my five-year tenure as Director I have been very privileged to have worked with very capable and committed Staff, School Leaders, Senior Administration and Board of Trustees. I firmly believe that Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest and by integrating Catholic beliefs throughout all subject areas of the curriculum our 7,000 elementary and secondary students learn to integrate faith with life and are well prepared for work, college and university.”

Of the secondment Mrs. Zubac said, “It is an honour to be asked to join Dr. Avis Glaze’s Secretariat and to be part of a Provincial Team dedicated to authentic student achievement for Ontario’s children.”

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board congratulated Mrs. Zubac on her new appointment. “Zandra has been a Teacher, Vice-Principal, Principal, Superintendent and Director of Education with this Board for the last 29 years,” stated Peroni. “Her skills as an educator and administrator are second to none. This Board has witnessed the inception of some of its most forward-thinking and progressive programs under her tutelage such as increased student achievement, student success programs and the commitment to technology for all our students. Our five Wireless Laptop Computer Programs, currently in all of our Elementary Schools and Grade 9 Mathematics Program, have expanded this September to include all of our grade 7 and 8 students and classroom teachers with their own laptops. Every one of our students, staff and parents will benefit from the vision and the commitment that Zandra has given to Catholic Character Education, School Leadership, effective teacher instruction and improved student achievement.”

Marymount Academy Celebrates 50th Anniversary

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The 50th. Anniversary Celebrations at Marymount Academy will begin this month with the official kick off on Sunday, October 15, 2006 with a Eucharistic Celebration at 10:00 a.m. in the school’s gymnasium. Mass will be followed by a light brunch in the school’s cafeteria.

On October 14, 2006 there will be an Open House at the school from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. where alumni students and teachers can visit the building and reminisce. During the evening, the alumni will gather for their formal reunion dinner.

In June of 2007, as the school year draws to a close, a celebration will be held for the current members of the Marymount family; staff, students, teachers, board employees and trustees who will come together to celebrate 50 Years of Excellence!

SCDSB to Hold Faith Day September 29

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be holding a
Faith Day Celebration Friday, September 29, 2006 at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. The day’s activities will commence at 8:30 a.m. and will end at 12:00 p.m. The theme for the Faith Day will focus on “United in Faith: Serving in the Spirit”.

The celebrant and key note speaker for the day will be Msgr. Dennis Murphy. Please contact Tony Chezzi, Faith Animator at 673-5620 ext. 256 for more information.

Student Representatives on Board of Trustees

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T.J. Pugliese a Grade 11 student at St. Charles College and Steve Masse, a Grade 12 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School were sworn in as Student Representatives by Sudbury Catholic District School Board Trustees at a regular meeting of the Board on September 19, 2006. Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board congratulated the students on assuming the position of Student Representatives on the Board of Trustees and the responsibility that it entails.

Steve Masse will assume the role as Student Representative for the 2006-2007 school year while T.J. Pugliese will be the designated Student Representative Elect. Students from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s four secondary schools will rotate through the position of Student Representative and Student Representative Elect with the latter learning from the former before assuming the role of Student Representative.

The students will act as ambassadors for their schools and will play an integral role in bringing the concerns and issues of their peers to the forum of the SCDSB Board meetings. Meetings of the Board are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at the Catholic Education Centre and are open to the public.

Sudbury Catholic District School Board Encouraged by Recent Provincial Test Scores

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The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has released the results of the Grades 3 and 6 reading, writing and mathematics tests and the Grade 9 academic and applied mathematics tests written by Ontario students during the 2005–2006 school year.

Officials at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board are pleased with the results of their students with respect to the 2005-2006 Grade 3, 6 and 9 Provincial test results in reading, writing, and mathematics. From 2002 until 2006, the percentage of the Board’s Grade 3 and 6 students that have met or surpassed the provincial standards continues to increase. Grade 3 test results improved from 45% to 51% in reading, 47% to 49% in writing and 54% to 56% in math over the four-year period. The Grade 6 test results were equally impressive demonstrating gains from 61% to 66% in reading, 53% to 58% in writing and 52% to 54% in math.

The positive trend in EQAO results was also demonstrated by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Grade 9 students who wrote the Provincial math tests. Test scores indicate that the percentage of students that met or surpassed the provincial standard increased from 71% to 78% in the academic math and from 27% to 45% in the applied math from 2002 until 2006.

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is encouraged with the recent test results. “In the last four years our Board has witnessed an increase in the percentage of our Grade 3, 6 and 9 students who have met or surpassed the provincial standards in reading, writing and math,” states Peroni. “Numerous strategies have been put into place this year which we are confident will continue to yield positive results. The overall picture, which includes significant increases in our secondary schools is line with our strategic improvement plan. It is gratifying to see that we have firmly established an upward trend. We are cognizant of the overwhelming efforts of our secondary panel and the solid academic foundation at elementary level which produce these positive results.”

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is equally optimistic with the latest data. “Recent test scores of our students writing the Grade 3, and 6 provincial tests indicate that we are moving along with the rest of the province with respect to the increasing number of students who scored at or above the provincial level,” states Zubac. “Our secondary school scores exceed the provincial average and we will continue to use our secondary schools as a model for best practices. The strategies that are working well in one school will be used in other schools to yield positive results. The Learning With Laptops program for Grade 9 math was introduced in the spring of 2005. As we enter year 3 of the program, we hope to see continued improvement.”

For detailed results, visit our EQAO section.

Thank you, and congratulations to all!

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board, through Chairperson Paula Peroni and Director of Education Zandra Zubac, wishes to thank everyone in our Catholic School Community for an outstanding
start to another exciting school year.

✓ To our teachers for making our students feel welcome and safe in our schools and perfecting strategies
to improve student achievement

✓ To our staff, students and parents for their commitment in initiating the grade 7/8 One To One
Wireless Laptop Program

✓ To our school board staff for providing support for student focussed initiatives such as our elementary
and secondary wireless laptop programs, Early Years opportunities, increased school
resources and renovated school classrooms, buildings and schoolyards.

✓ To our custodial staff for keeping our schools clean and safe

✓ To our parents for getting involved in your child’s education and in your Catholic School and
Regional Councils

✓ To Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe, Auxiliary Bishop Robert Harris, our Religious Clergy and the Sisters of
St. Joseph for exemplifying Christian principles and Catholic values in our system

✓ To the Sudbury Transportation Consortium staff for dealing with the huge task of school
transportation

✓ To all partners in the community for working together for Catholic Education

SCDSB Proud Supporter of Efficient Sudbury Campaign

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Sudbury Catholic District School Board Chair, Paula Peroni strongly endorses the City of Greater Sudbury’s pilot project to encourage energy conservation at the retail and consumer level. Efficient Sudbury, as the campaign has been named, will help to educate retailers and consumers about energy efficient products. The logo which will be seen in many retail establishments over the next year identifies energy efficient products as well as other goods that can assist in energy conservation activities.

“The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has been leading by example when it comes to energy conservation through the introduction of the Destination Conservation Program in 2001,” says the Board’s Energy Coordinator, Mark Gervais. Recognizing the need for energy conservation several years ago, the board embarked upon a program to make its buildings and schools more efficient with the installation of numerous retrofit projects such as water conservation devices and energy audits. Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board applauds the efforts of her students and staff with respect to energy conservation. “The Destination Conservation Program, now known as the Dearness Conservation program, is an innovative school-based program that enables our students, teachers, and school board staff to interact with utility companies to initiate environmental education and conservation activities,” stated Zubac. “In addition the program also helps to position this board as a leader in environmental education and underscores the City of Greater Sudbury’s desire to create a culture of conservation through its Efficient Sudbury Campaign.”

Energy conservation is crucial to ensuring a reliable electricity supply now and in the future. The less electricity Ontarians use in their homes and businesses, the fewer power plants will need to be constructed to meet demand. The energy sector, the economy and the environment will all benefit from initiatives to improve efficient electricity use.

The Efficient Sudbury campaign intends to develop and implement an innovative program to increase retailer and consumer awareness of products and services in the community that enhance energy conservation and promote efficiency. The program will aim to:

  • enhance the promotion, sales and marketing of energy efficient products and services in the marketplace;
  • build upon the awareness of nationally recognized programs such as Energy Star;
  • develop a co-ordinated, consistent marketing strategy across the retail sector, to build and sustain knowledge, interest and product desirability;
  • transform the existing marketplace for energy efficient products and services;
  • remove any barriers for consumers through a co-ordinated strategy;
  • motivate the public to follow through with energy efficient activities;
  • enhance uptake in energy-efficient products and services;
  • encourage a culture of conservation; and,
  • ultimately reduce demand for electricity.

This multifaceted campaign will use a variety of strategies to reach consumers. Information will be delivered through:

  • local retailers via in store promotion, messaging and displays;
  • EarthCare Sudbury network of 100 community partners;
  • media;
  • utility partners;
  • schools through the Destination Conservation school program and use of the Interactive Home Audit; and,
  • personal contact through the City’s Community Action Networks and with door-to-door home visits.

For more information on the City of Greater Sudbury’s Efficient Sudbury Campaign please visit their website at www.city.greatersudbury.on.ca

No More Pencils, No More Books, But Definitely a Laptop!

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Representatives from Apple Canada joined the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s administrative team in presenting all of the Board’s Grade 7 and 8 teachers and vice-principals with a wireless MacBook laptop computer in its ‘Apple For The Teacher Day.’ The Board passed a motion last week to purchase eleven hundred laptop computers in a bold move to bring more technology into the classroom this September.

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board stated in her opening address to the teachers that today marks an historic day not only for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board but for the educational process across the entire province. ‘Our Board is the very first Board in Ontario to give every grade 7 and 8 student a wireless computer,’ stated Zubac. ‘Through our partnership with Apple Canada we are championing new innovative and successful technological ways of delivering education to our students.’

Following the presentation of the wireless computers, consultants from Apple Canada conducted workshop sessions with the teachers, vice-principals and student leaders to help orient them with the new technology. “The teachers will be taking the wireless MacBook Laptop computers home for the summer to familiarize themselves with the new technology using the expertise they acquired in the workshops,” stated Bob Kennedy, Consultant for Apple Canada. “Today the teachers are learning how use the new equipment, but it is very evident that once they are comfortable with the new technology they will continue to be the leaders as they integrate this new technology into the science, literacy, numeracy, religion, french and other programs,” concluded Kennedy.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board first introduced the wireless technology into the classroom in 2003-2004 by piloting the “Learning with Laptops Program” to a wide range of students from kindergarten to grade 6. In 2004-05 the Board decided to expand the wireless laptop technology into all secondary schools with the new Learning With Laptops-One to One Grade 9 Math program using Apple wireless ibooks. The mathematics-based program allows students to conceptualize the abstracts of mathematics and continues to integrate technology into the classroom setting. The 2005-2006 school year saw the Board expand its wireless program again by extending the availability of wireless laptops to Special Education students under a CODE grant in an additional six schools. Today, under Phase 4, eleven hundred wireless laptops will be making their way into the hands of the board’s Grade 7 and 8 teachers and students for the fall of 2006.

SCDSB Expands Wireless Laptop Program in its Elementary Schools

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Eleven Hundred Wireless Laptop Computers will be provided to all grade 7 and 8 students, teachers and school leaders of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in a bold move to bring more technology into the classroom this September. The Board passed a motion Tuesday night to implement Phase Four of the Wireless Laptop program. All Grade 7 and 8 students will have access to the latest computer technology both at school and at home.

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education has seen first hand the significant benefits of using grade-wide one on one laptop programming to students in British Columbia and Quebec and is thrilled that the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in partnership with Apple Canada will be the first board in Ontario to champion a new innovative and successful way of delivering education to its grade 7 and 8 students.

The Board first introduced the wireless technology into the classroom in 2003-2004 by piloting the “Learning with Laptops Program” to a wide range of students from kindergarten to grade 6. In 2004-05 the Sudbury Catholic District School Board decided to expand the wireless laptop technology into all secondary schools with the new Learning With Laptops-One to One Grade 9 Math program using Apple wireless ibooks. The mathematics-based program allows students to conceptualize the abstracts of mathematics and continues to integrate technology into the classroom setting. In its continued commitment to student success, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has developed strong expertise in the use of technology as a resource for improving student achievement. The 2005-2006 school year saw the Board expand its wireless program again by extending the availability of wireless laptops to Special Education students under a CODE grant in an additional six schools.

I
n a presentation to Sudbury Catholic District School Board Trustees and Senior Administration, Robert Kennedy, Education Development Manager from Apple Canada noted that the introduction of the wireless laptop program in both the elementary and secondary schools has had a dramatic impact on student learning and student achievement. “Recent Provincial test results from the original five schools who integrated the wireless laptop program into their literacy curriculum indicate a 15 to 25 percent increase in their grade 5 and 6 writing achievement EQAO scores,” stated Kennedy. “The reason for this positive improvement can be directly attributed to the fact that students are engaged by technology which translates into fewer behavioural problems, better attendance, punctuality, and more time for individualized learning,” concluded Kennedy.

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board commends senior administration for their commitment to bringing state-of-the-art technology to students and staff of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and states that, “This initiative will improve student literacy and numeracy.”

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