We are very pleased to present the Director of Education’s Annual Report for the 2022-2023 school year.
We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.
Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School built a custom warming station for the Valley Trailmasters Snowmobile Club. Over 70 students in grades seven through 12 worked on the warming shelter, which took approximately seven weeks to complete. Most of the 70 participating students were students in Grades 7 and 8, with a small group of current SHSM students acting as mentors in their supporting roles. Throughout the course of the project, the grade 7 and 8 students were exposed to Bishop Alexander Carter’s technology courses and trades areas, as well as the Green Industries and Manufacturing Specialist High Skills Major Programs, which Grade 11 and 12 students are able to enrol in.
“There are so many job opportunities in the trades right now. We try to start introducing students to the trades as young as Grade Seven, so that they can see the pathway opportunities with their own eyes. Students designed and constructed everything within the shelter – from the fireplace to the frame. I’m very proud of them,” said Paul Mailloux, Co-Op teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S.
Grade 12 student, Noah Brabant throughly enjoyed the experience.
“The best part about the experience was completing the welding. That’s why I wanted to do this, I wanted the experience to learn about trades and experience it first hand!” he said.
On Tuesday, June 10, the entire St. David Catholic Elementary School joined their community partners at the location for the new school’s site. Just off of Frood Road, between the Spectrum and CTV buildings, approximately 250 students and staff joined Sudbury Catholic board staff as well as other community organizations to smudge the new site with elder Vince Pawis. Dawn Wemigwans, principal of the school welcomed all the students, staff and guests, and after a prayer by student Czesh Malik, the group listened to student singers/drummers while Pawis smudged the site to bring good feelings to the space. Wemigwans explained to the group that, “today we are smudging the space for our new school. We are doing this to clear any negative energy and bring only good thoughts and prayers into the building of our new school.”
Michael Bellmore, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees also addressed the crowd during the ceremony. “It is very exciting for us to be part of such a unique building opportunity that embraces the natural space around it, and incorporates nature as a focus in its design,” Bellmore stated. “We are so pleased that the architects’ design for the school is so forward thinking – having both nature and culture taking centre stage, and allowing for a distinct and remarkable space for our students.”
The new school is scheduled to be open in September, 2015, and will be a Full Day Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school.
‘Take Me Outside Day’ is a day to raise awareness about the importance of unplugging from daily technology and getting outside in nature. The “Take Me Outside” campaign was created by Colin Harris in 2011, after he spent nine months running from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia. Along the way, Colin Harris visited over 80 schools and spoke with students about the importance of spending more time outside rather than in front of a screen.
Colin’s final day of his cross Canada run was October 25th. To mark the day, more than 150 schools across Canada pledged to spend 45 minutes outside during class time. St. David Catholic School accepted this challenge and the students and staff spent time outdoors at their “new school” environment.
“At St. David, we believe in the importance of outdoor experiential learning for our students. We consider nature is an important element in our teaching practice. Our students learn to respect nature and take care of the environment they live in. Taking care of the natural environment is something that we embed in our daily lessons. Today we visited our new school location to witness the beauty that God has planted all around us,” stated Christina Vrbanic Kilby, St. David School grade 8 teacher.
Physical activity outside promotes good motor development and good mental health. Sunlight can boost vitamin D levels, which help form strong bones. Going outside in nature can give students a mental boost.
“Nature is fuel for the soul,” said Richard Ryan, author and professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. “Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments.”
The students and staff of St. David School plan to visit the site of their new school during the year and will continue to explore and reap the benefits of outdoor education in their “backyard”.
