Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Community

Catholic Education Week May 1 – May 6: Opening Doors of Mercy

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Pope Francis has declared 2016 a “Holy Year of Mercy” as a way for the Catholic church to “make more evident, its mission to be a witness of mercy”. The Holy Year began on December 8, 2015 and will be celebrated until November 20, 2016.

As well, Pope Francis opened the Vatican’s Holy Door on December 8th. The Holy Door is opened to evoke the concept of forgiveness which is the main focus of a Holy Year. The theme God’s mercy is illustrated in fifteen of the sixteen bronze panels that make up the Vatican Door. There are seven such Holy Doors in the world, including one in Quebec City.

Catholic Education Week 2016 combines both the theme of mercy and the act of opening doors of reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness to all around us.

Catholic Education Week is marked by special activities at all grade levels, including prayer celebrations and service activities.

We invite you to visit our schools during this special week and to participate in any of our activities as we celebrate Catholic Education Week 2016. See the list of activities.

Marymount Academy presents “A Regal Night” fundraiser

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Marymount Academy presents “A Regal Night” on Thursday, May 19, 2016. Enjoy cocktails, dinner, a talent show and silent auction. Tickets are $30 each and available by calling (705)574-4231 or by stopping by the school’s main office.

Book a table of eight and bring your friends and family!

SCC French Immersion Political Science class gets Q & A with MP Paul Lefebvre

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The grade 12 French Immersion politics class got to have a question and answer period with their Member of Parliament this morning at St. Charles College.

The students asked questions of Paul Lefebvre about decriminalization of doctor assisted suicide and marijuana.

They also learned about Mr. Lefebvre’s transition from lawyer to politician and his views on young adults in Sudbury.

Mr. Lefebvre also talked about his recent trip to the Middle East and said that while he loves travelling to foreign countries he often returns to Canada and kisses the ground.

FDK students learn about the importance of community helpers

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Full day kindergarten students at St. David Catholic School expressed a keen interest in learning about their community and the community helpers that keep them safe. The students, with the support of their teaching teams, inquired about firefighters. The students had the opportunity to learn about the roles and responsibilities of firefighters and the jobs that exist at our local fire department.

According to Sam Theriault, the kindergarten early childhood educator, “it is through student inquiries like this, that we are were able to fully discuss and teach about fire safety, home escape routes and the importance fire alarms in our homes. The children have fun while learning with hands on manipulatives and props, but more importantly they learn valuable life lessons that they can share with others”.

The kindergarten community helper inquiry was planned with the support of the Sudbury Fire Department and various volunteer firefighters. “It is when we work together with our local community that we can provide meaningful educational experiences in our school. We appreciate their support”, stated Cindy Blinn, FDK teacher.

St. Francis Flames Wear Yellow for Daffodil Campaign

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St. Francis students and staff wore yellow to kick off the start of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Daffodil Campaign in April. The daffodil is a symbol of strength and courage in the fight againstt cancer. Since the 1950s, bright yellow daffodils have arrived in communities across Canada to mark the beginning of Daffodil Month in April. Yellow daffodil stickers were worn at the elementary school to show support for Canadians living with cancer. A cheque for $502.00 was presented to Ms. Burns and Ms. Crispo from the Canadian Cancer Society who graciously attended the school’s assembly to speak to students. The cheque was presented on behalf of the families, students and staff of St. Francis School who made the donation possible. Cancer has touched many of the St. Francis families, friends, staff and even students in some way. The school’s event organizer for the Daffodil Campaign, Ms. Graziella Visentin, was thrilled with the support shown by the school’s families, students and staff for this worthwhile cause. By sharing of ourselves and helping those around us, we are, in essence, practising Christian stewardship, which is the school’s virtue for the month of April. Each year the amount raised increases and the school hopes to continue with this beneficial fundraiser to help cancer patients in our community.

Makerspace visits Immaculate Conception

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On Monday April 4th, the FDK and Grade 1 classrooms at Immaculate Conception School in Val Caron welcomed into their classes the Greater Sudbury Public Library Makerspace Program. Mrs. Marcil, Mme Martin, MmeLafond and Mme Mundy have been integrating a variety of STEM activities to further promote student engagement. They explored Squishy Circuits and had the opportunity to collaborate with their peers while practicing problem solving and patterning. The students had so much fun and they look forward to welcoming the Makerspace Program again in the near future.

St. David School Learns the Dangers of Fast Moving Water

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The students at St. David Catholic Elementary School have been learning about the dangers of fast moving water in their community. Students have been reminded that even city ditches filled with water can pose a danger. As spring approaches and the weather continues to get warmer, the amount of water in our creeks, streams and ditches continues to rise. Students were reminded about Adam Dickie, a youth in the community who tragically drown in Junction Creek due to fast-rising water and about the educational campaign that supports the prevention of such tragedies.

Students were cautioned about playing near creeks and streams and reminded to tell their parents where they are playing and with who. “It is so important for all students to understand the seriousness of being around fast moving water, especially in the spring. We hope that our students become leaders in our community and share this message of safety with other children and family members.” said Ginny Long, St. David School grade 3/4 teacher.

SCDSB Bringing Literacy to the Community

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Christine McCracken, a teacher with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board does not teach out of your typical classroom. With the board since October, 2015, McCracken works with adult learners in two different locations. One of her locations is on the Atkikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation Reserve. The second is at the Sudbury jail. It is this second location that inspired a call-out to her fellow SCDSB staff. After meeting with the learners in jail, she realized that many were desperate for something to read. McCracken brought the newspaper in with her during her visits and they couldn’t get enough. After some inquiry, she realized that there weren’t very many books available to the inmates. Inspired by the enthusiasm of these learners, McCracken discussed some strategies with her principal at St. Albert, Aaron Barry. The two decided to do a call-out to all SCDSB staff to see if anyone wanted to donate any new or gently used books to the Sudbury jail. After only a two-week collection period, the staff had donated close to 500 books. “We currently have at least 50 inmates taking part in this programming at the Sudbury jail,” explain McCracken. “We even already have a few really close to getting their high school diplomas. Reaching out to them in this environment has inspired them to want to continue their education after as well, which is wonderful. These books will really help in their learning!”
The St. Albert principal explained that through the St. Albert Learning Centre, some of these individuals were able to gets some credits through PLAR which is the Prior Learning Assessment Recognition program. This assigns credits to individuals towards the secondary school diploma (OSSD) for knowledge and skills that they have acquired outside of secondary school. “McCracken has been a real inspiration with these particular learners as she really motivates learning and encourages them to continue working towards their OSSD,” Barry stated. “Through the support of the SCDSB, we are able to bring continuing education to a group that may otherwise not consider continuing on with their education. It is a great program, and we are thankful to all of our coworkers and SCDSB staff for their generous book donations –they will make a positive difference!”

For more information about continuing education, PLAR, or getting your OSSD, contact St. Albert Learning Centre at (705) 673-3031.

SCDSB Hosts FitSpirit Launch for a Second Year

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On Wednesday, March 9, 2016, Olympic Athlete Angella Goran, visited MMA to introduce FitSpirit. FitSpirit is a specialized program solely for women and girls. It is a cardio-based program, alternating between running, calisthenics and fitness. SCDSB teacher Chantal Dagostino hosted the launch, and invited female students from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, St Anne Catholic Elementary School, St. Paul Catholic Elementary School and St. John Catholic Elementary School who will be participating in Fitspirit to the event launch. Fitspirit is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help teenage girls discover the advantages and the enjoyment that come from taking part in physical activity. This knowledge will allow them to develop a healthy lifestyle based on realizing their own potential. 
Since 2007, FitSpirit has travelled to the four corners of Ontario and Quebec to create awareness among teenage girls about the various ways they can take part in physical activity. Through the school based FitClub program, FitSpirit provides the opportunity for teenage girls to learn the basics of healthy nutrition and exposes them to activities that inspire physical activity with their friends. In Ontario and Quebec last year, over 10,000 girls participated in Fitspirit.
Last year the Sudbury Catholic District School Board had ten Catholic Elementary and Secondary schools involved with even more participating this year. In the final culminating run that was held at Laurentian University at the end of last year, there were over 286 girls who participated. This year looks very promising with a potential of over 500 girls gathering at Laurentian University on June 5th, 2016 to partake in their final task, completing either a 5 k or 10 k with over 20 schools from the Sudbury Region participating.  As well, this 5k and 10 k will be open to all women and girls in Sudbury!

For more information on FitSpirit, please contact Chantal Dagostino at: Chantal.dagostino@fitspirit.ca 

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