Cardinal Girls told to “Love the Skin You’re In!” St. Charles College girls’ were told their voices and imaginations are far more important than being eye candy. Brie Mathers, a presenter who hails from small town Bracebridge but now spends winters in California delivered a presentation on Media Literacy and Body Image. Mathers says this message is needed for young girls now more than ever as a culture of self-objectification creates mental health issues such as disordred eating, anxiety and depression. Brie’s work speaks to media idealizations of women and the influence they are having on young women’s self perception, shifting the conversation to a focus on inner resilience and loving yourself, your body, and one another. The presentation was made available through a Speak Up Grant from the government aimed at creating confident girls who don’t concern themselves with negative body image. And it seemed to work. Wrote one participant in a follow-up evaluation: “This presentation made me feel like a strong, beautiful, independent young woman. I appreciate what you’re doing and I would like to help other girls feel as confident as I do today.” It also reached young women already struggling, inspiring them to attitudinal and behavioural change. During the presentation, Brie stopped the girls and implemented energy breaks.
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Panthers Hit the Streets of Downtown Sudbury
The St. Paul Running Club participated in the 10th annual SudburyROCKS road race on Sunday, May 10th 2015. A total of 17 students and 4 teachers participated in the 5km race around downtown Sudbury. Pictured are the students and teachers Mme Gautheir, Mme Hayes and Mlle Vendramin sporting their race shirts and finishing medals.
Vermicomposting at St. Joseph
Students at St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School recently became a little ‘greener’. The school, in partnership with the Killarney Outdoor Education Centre created a vermicomposting program that will help the school to reduce organic waste. The project, funded by TD Friends of the Environment and Learning for a Sustainable Future, is aimed at helping teach students how composting can have a positive impact on the environment. Both the students of St. Joseph and all visitors to the outdoor centre will weigh their organic waste that enters the compost. This will allow the students to track the amount of waste they prevented from entering the local landfill. The castings left over will be harvested by the students and added to soil used in gardens and planters.
Vermicomposting, is a process that uses worms to digest waste such as food scraps. Bins containing soil, water, worms and bedding material, such as leaves and shredded newspaper, are filled once or twice a week with worm food – for example, fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, and other organic material. The end product is an excellent fertilizer for soil.
SCDSB Celebrates Sixth Annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards
Invited students, parents, teachers and invited guests gathered together on May 6, 2015 to take part in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Sixth annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards ceremony. This essay contest is an initiative that 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. The Turning Points Essay Contest is a powerful character development and literacy program that all 4 of our secondary schools, as well as the intermediate students at St. Anne participated in this year. There are 3 divisions, Grade 7/8, Grade 9/10 and Grade 11/12. Cash prizes were awarded for secondary essays and all essays will also be published in an annual anthology that will be sent to students and participating schools next year. The 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 the celebration. Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Board was on hand for the celebration and awarded the students their prizes. After hearing the students read their essays, Bénard was visibly moved by their words and experiences. “I want to thank these students for sharing with us your strength and resiliency, and for being able to see the shining light in your experiences,” Bénard stated. “You have shown us that everyday is a blessing by sharing your emotional stories of strength and courage, accounts of laughter and tears, your deepest secrets, greatest fears, and biggest triumphs. What emerges as these essays take shape is just magic, and it reminds us all of the goodness and beauty in all of our students.”
Top Winners include:
Grade 11/12 Division
First Place – Mia Tullio
Second Place – Emily Brohart
Third Place – Taylor Emery
Grade 9/10 Division
First Place – Jenna Hoolans
Second Place – Julia Moore
Third Place – Alexis Gunther
Grade 7/8 Awards
First Place- Madison Penrose
Second Place – Amy Lucas
Third Place – Kaylee Kruk
SCDSB Staff Inspired by Engaging Speaker
Todd Cunningham-a motivational speaker, Ph.D. recipient, clinical and school psychologist, and researcher from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, visited one of our secondary schools for the SCDSB Professional Activity Day. Todd discussed strategies for students who learn differently and the potential of assistive technology. He shared his own story with the students as he has struggled with a learning disability and has learned to accommodate his dyslexia with the use of assistive technology. His engaging presentations was held on April 28th at St.Charles College.
Garden of Life Celebration at Holy Cross
A Garden of Life celebration that was held on Friday during education week at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School. The Full Day Kindergarten students, teachers, educators and parents helped plant flowers and vegetables for the future FDK garden. Father Jim led the group in prayer and offered a statue of Mary to look over the garden in the years to come. It was a huge success and they look forward to caring for their garden in the weeks ahead.
MMA Regals Inspired by Olympic Gold Medalist
Olympic gold medal curler Brad Jacobs visited Marymount Academy on Monday May 4 to speak to the students about following their passions and not giving up on their dreams. Jacobs recalled his gold medal experience and explained that he has always been passionate about curling. By following his passion, he was able to inspire a nation and make his dreams comes true. The students were riveted by his experiences and were inspired by the champion and his tales of the Olympics.
From April 21-23, the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario held their annual conference in Toronto and celebrated the 2015 Principal of the Year Awards. Patty Mardero, Principal of St. Charles College was one of the five chosen in the province to be honoured this year.
Principal of S.C.C. for the past 11 years, Mardero began her teaching career 28 years earlier in Renfrew County. The next several years saw her teaching, as a vice principal, and as a principal at several Sudbury Catholic elementary schools including St. Francis, Sacred Heart, St. Theresa, St. Charles Elementary and Marymount Academy. In 2004 she became the first female principal of the former all-boys’ secondary school – St. Charles College. According to the CPCO release. “Patty believes in the power of service and strives to promote this with her students. In her first year at St. Charles College, the school collected 25,000 cans for the Sudbury Food Bank. Now it collects more than 100,000 cans – the largest, single donation to the Sudbury Food Bank. The school also raises over $10,000 yearly for missions, and sponsors 8 children from third world countries.”
According to Mardero, she is “very humbled to be recognized by Catholic Principals’ Ontario for this award. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many dedicated principals and vice principals committed to making a difference in the lives of the students we serve. I thank the Sudbury Catholic District School Board for allowing me the opportunity to teach, lead and grow. I appreciate their support and faith in me over the past 26 years.”
“On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, I would like to say how proud we are of Patty Mardero,” Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board for the SCDSB stated. “She truly exemplifies a strong Catholic leader and we are so fortunate to have her in our schools supporting and mentoring our staff, as well as nurturing our students to be future leaders.”
Exploring Paths of Joy at St. Charles Elementary
To prepare for this year’s Catholic Education Week theme, “Exploring Paths of Joy”, St. Charles Catholic Elementary School students created their own unique footprint to symbolize their personal journey within our school community. The footprints were put together by Mme Bouzane’s class to make a giant quilt!
Students in all grades enjoy walking past the mural to admire the many patterns and designs and to find their own!