The Grade 1 students at St. Bernadette Catholic School partnered with teacher Paola Gutcher’s Parenting Class from nearby St. Charles College to create wonderful Memory Boxes. The Grade 1 students read the book, Lighthouse: A Story of Remembrance and the class decided to create memory boxes that would celebrate highlights of this past school year and all of the love and important memories in their lives. Pictured are St. Bernadette grade 1 student Christina Gregory and St. Charles College student Julia Furlotte working on the memory box together.
Category: Topic
SCDSB Hosts Third Annual Turning Points Essay Awards Ceremony
Students, parents, teachers and invited guests gathered at the Sudbury Catholic District Board office on May 9, 2012 to take part in the SCDSB’s third annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards ceremony. This essay contest is an initiative which stems from the Learning Partnership which is an organization that champions a strong public education system to deliver innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives, executive leadership and public engagement across Canada. Turning Points is a character development and literacy program that allows students to reflect on their fundamental values and, through a process of self-reflection and dialogue, write a narrative essay about a significant event, or turning point in their lives. As it is the third year, student participation has continued to grow as teachers have continued to encourage their involvement with this rewarding program. The secondary students that took part in this contest and authored the winning essays were awarded plaques, a copy of the publication, as well as monetary awards at Wednesday night’s celebration. The students were honoured for their efforts and several students had the opportunity to read their essays allowed. The audience was visibly moved by these emotional accounts and several of the teachers involved spoke of the courage and strength of their students to be able to write such heart-felt accounts of their experiences. Allison Cameron, a Marymount English teacher was the master of ceremonies at this event and was visibly moved after the students read aloud their essays. “Even after being involved with this initiative for three years, I am never really prepared for the poignant words our students have written and shared with others,” Cameron stated. “The courage of these students to express their deepest feelings and emotions about their life’s turning point is so powerful – for the student, and their families.” Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Board echoed Cameron’s sentiments. “I am thrilled that the this program once again met with such success, and am so honoured that our students have courageously shared their most personal and meaningful life experiences. We are certainly overwhelmed by their talent and honesty involved in this writing experience.”
Paralympic Athlete Brings “Passion for Sport” to St. Charles College
Robbi Weldon started downhill skiing at the age of three. Many years later, she would compete on the international level as a Nordic skier and cyclist as a Paralympic athlete. Weldon of Thunder Bay has been in Sudbury the last few days, sharing her story and passion for sport. She visited St. Charles College to inspire the students in the Exercise Science class. Weldon also shared her dreams for the upcoming games in London, England.
Weldon was diagnosed with a genetic eye disease when she was a teenager in high school. The macular degeneration disease she was diagnosed with has not stopped her from living out her dreams. She’s 2011 Parapan Am Games 4-time Gold Medalist, 2011 World Champion Road Cyclist in the Time Trial and the 2010 World Champion in Road Racing.
Students Learn about Community at Corpus Christi School
As part of their Catholic Education activities, Corpus Christi students in teacher Eva Scola-Lawryshyn’s grade 1/2 class had the opportunity to come to school dressed as their favourite community helper during the open house. They made a mural of our school community when the parents arrived putting their mapping skills to task. As well, they made their own community helper hats as part of their science unit.
Community Clean Up at St. David Catholic Elementary School
On Friday, May 4, St. David Catholic Elementary students from grades 2-8 participated in the Donovan Elm West Community Clean Up while JK-1 students did their part by cleaning up litter in the school yard. Students did a wonderful job of demonstrating that they really can change the world with their own two hands. This was one of many activities that students participated in as part of the SCDSB Dearness Conservation initiative.
SCC Students Take Home Gold at 4 Corners Basketball Championship
On May 3, students from St. Charles College travelled down south and competed at the 4 Corners Basketball tournament put on by Special Olympics Ontario. There were four divisions at the tournament and the team from S.C.C. were put in division 3 which allowed for the opportunity for the team to play a total of seven games. Of the seven, the Cards won six and only lost one, resulting in the team winning the division three championship and taking home the gold medals and banner.
This trip was a result of the St. Charles College students winning the Sudbury tournament back in October and allowing them to advance to the all Ontario tournament in which twelve teams in total attended. Teacher and coach Charles Esau was thrilled for his team and was very proud of their accomplishments. “The students really outdid themselves during this tournament,” Esau stated. “We are so proud of their dedication and passion for their team. The represented St. Charles College with true Cardinal Spirit and brought home the gold – what more could you ask for?”
St. Raphael Student a Mining Week Poster Contest Winner
Five grade 5-8 classes in the city had the opportunity to win a Discovery Mining tour April 30-May 4 through a poster contest for this year’s Sudbury Mining Week – and one of the winners was Thomas Crowther. Crowther, a grade 6 student at St. Raphael Elementary Catholic School was excited to have been chosen as a winner. His teacher, Kevin Krystia said that it was a hard choice selecting one poster to submit for his class, but ultimately it was Crowther’s that he thought would be the best submission. “The poster truly reflected the theme of Mining Week – Mining and technology for the next generation,” Kristia stated. “Thomas’s poster depicted mining in the past, present and in the future – showing mining on Mars. This was great as it not only related to the theme of Mining Week, Thomas was also able to connect to space and space exploration which is part of the grade 6 curriculum. ” Crowther was happy that his classmates also got to enjoy in his prize – a trip to Dynamic Earth for the entire class which took place on Friday, March 4th.
Bishop ACCSS Trying to “Change the World”
Students at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School are trying to change the world. As part of her student’s Grade 10 Religion Class, teacher Shelley Raymond was inspired to get her class involved in the “Change the World” campaign. This campaign is a three week campaign for Ontario Youth, and is a challenge with one goal – to get secondary school students to volunteer in their community. To take part in this challenge, Raymond’s class decided on two different projects. On Thursday, May 3, they organized a school goalball tournament with monies raised for the CNIB. The second project involved a community wide clean up. The goal ball tournament was a huge hit with a school with all ten team spots immediately filled. Sudbury Catholic Specialist Teacher of the Blind and Partially Sighted, Adriano Simonato, helped with the organization and instruction on the rules and regulations of goalball. “One of the great benefits of goalball is that it promotes teamwork and cooperation among participants as all players are blindfolded” Stated Simonato. “Also, because goalball can be played by individuals who are sighted and visually impaired together, it acts as a medium for breaking down barriers. As a result it helps promote awareness within the school community regarding what individuals who are visually impaired can do.” Natalie Perdicou and Brittany Prosser were two of the students who were key in organizing the school’s “Change the World” events. Both girls felt that each element, the goalball tournament and the community clean up were excellent opportunities for Bishop students to join together to make their school and community better places to be.
Welcome to Kindergarten at St. Andrew
On May 2nd St. Andrew School welcomed several of the children registered for JK in September to an afternoon of activities to Welcome them to Kindergarten. The classroom teacher, her student teacher and several community partners ( Minnow Lake Nursery School, Children Treatment Centre, Best Start Hub, Sudbury Public Health Unit) organized various activities for the parents and children to participate in and to learn various ways to help prepare their child for kindergarten. The Principal Melody Henry spoke of the great partnership that the Sudbury Catholic School Board has with the Learning Partnership who provide bags filled with books, and colouring and cutting tools for home use.