The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) proudly hosted the 7th Annual Catholic School Council Evening at Marymount Academy on Tuesday, May 27, bringing together Catholic School Council Chairs, Principals, Trustees, parents, students, and members of our wider school communities. The event focused on strengthening home–school–parish partnerships to support enhanced student achievement and engagement.
Through a short presentation and meaningful small-group discussions, attendees had the opportunity to actively contribute to the Board’s Student Achievement Plan. The evening emphasized collaboration, reflection, and the exchange of ideas, ensuring that diverse voices across our school communities were heard and valued.
Building on the success of previous years, the event fostered thoughtful dialogue between parents, staff, students, trustees, and senior administration—reinforcing our shared commitment to student success and well-being. Every school in our Board was represented, highlighting the strong commitment of our communities to shaping a brighter future for all students.
We extend our sincere thanks to PIC Chair Paola Stefanuto and PIC Vice Chair Amanda Dittrich for their leadership and dedication in organizing this event. We are also grateful to Marymount Academy for graciously hosting this gathering each year.
Thank you to all who attended and participated. Your voices and continued involvement are key to helping Sudbury Catholic Schools grow together in service of every student’s success.
Earlier this week, on April 15th, 2024, parents, guardians, educators, and community members gathered at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School for the highly anticipated Carousel Event hosted by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and the Parent Involvement Committee.
The event, designed to engage, educate, and empower, featured workshops on Children’s Mental Health, Cyber Safety, The Foundations of Reading, Building Resilience, Autism Support, French Language Learning, Online Well-Being, Secondary Pathways, and more. With a diverse range of sessions, there was something for everyone to explore.
Before diving into the evening’s workshops, guests enjoyed a complimentary pasta dinner, fostering connections and anticipation for the educational feast. While parents, guardians, educators, and community members immersed themselves in learning, a dedicated team of early childhood educators treated attendee’s children to an evening of supervised activities and games. The free childcare ensured parents with young children and toddlers could fully engage in the workshops while their children remained close by.
Reflecting on the evening, one of the highlights was undoubtedly the sense of community and collaboration that radiated throughout the event. From the arrival, attendees forged connections, exchanged experiences, and shared invaluable strategies and ideas for supporting their children’s educational journey. Educators and fellow presenters seized the opportunity to engage directly with families, fostering deeper partnerships and a shared commitment to nurturing future generations.
Participants departed with actionable insights and resources to enrich their children’s learning and well-being as the event ended. The Carousel Event once again underscores the significance of collaboration between parents, educators, and the broader community in shaping the future and education for current and prospective students.
Thank you to the members of the Parent Involvement Committee, including PIC Chair Amanda Dittrich and Vice-Chair Paola Stefanuto, for their work in organizing a successful event. Thank you to Holy Cross School and the staff and student volunteers for ensuring a smooth and seamless venue for learning to flourish. Thank you to our external and internal presenters, who provided excellent workshops featuring valuable resources and handouts to allow attendees to explore relevant topics further.
To all who attended and contributed to the success of the Carousel Event 2024, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to thank you for your enthusiasm, participation, and commitment to education. Together, we continue to make a difference in the lives of students, families, and our educational community. Here’s to another year of learning, growth, and connection!
School Based Mental Health Services - Laurie Milling
The Foundations of Reading - Stacey Copeland
Supporting Autism - Sherrie Belzile
Supporting Autism - Natalie Lippert-Murdoch
Supporting French Learners - Camille Heaton
Cyber Safety - Kathryn Howard
Welcome Table
Online Well-Being - Peter Prochilo
YMCA Booth
YMCA Booth
Student Volunteers
Childcare
Childcare
Childcare
Childcare
Childcare
Childcare
Holy Cross Exterior
Holy Cross Exterior
Holy Cross Exterior
Thank you!
Did you miss this year’s Carousel Event?
Mark your calendars for next year’s edition. Our annual Carousel event normally takes place in the spring, but if you have questions, ask your school council chair for more information. Your presence and participation are invaluable as we strive to build a stronger, more vibrant community through education.
In preparation for our budget discussions, we invite our staff, parents/guardians, community partners and students to provide feedback regarding our programming and resources. Your feedback is important to us to ensure that we are representing your priorities as we engage in the budget process. We are asking that you identify areas that have been working well and your top priorities for the next school year. We are using ThoughtExchange so that everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the group. These thoughts will help guide our discussions before we move ahead together.
Feel free to include as many thoughts as you like. Click the Participate button to share your thoughts and then rate at least 20-30 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Please come back often until APRIL 12 to rate new ideas.
High ratings tell us you strongly support the idea and low ratings tell us you strongly do not support the idea; both are important.
Quick Tips:
This exchange is confidential. Your thoughts will be shared, but not your identity.
Please be polite and respectful as you share and rate thoughts.
If you see a thought that is rude, hurtful or identifies a person or group, you can report it by clicking in the upper right corner of the thought.
You do not need to rate all thoughts in this exchange. It is appreciated and recommended that you rate about 30 thoughts over the time the exchange is open.
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.
The 2023 Well-Being Advent Calendar was created by members of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Mental Health team and features activities aimed at enhancing spiritual, social, intellectual, and physical well-being.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Amanda Dittrich as Chair and Paola Stefanuto as Vice Chair of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) for the 2023-2024 school year.
2023 PIC Chair – Amanda Dittrich
2023 PIC Vice Chair – Paola Stefanuto
Amanda is a parent at St. Francis Catholic Elementary School where she serves as Vice-Chair of the Catholic School Council. She looks forward to working with parents, principals, and administration to enhance parent and guardian engagement at Sudbury Catholic Schools.
“I am honoured to assume the role of Chair for the Parent Involvement Committee at Sudbury Catholic Schools. Working together with the Board and parent councils, I hope to strengthen the vital connection between school and home. I am eager to help families navigate the special needs program offered through the Board. In addition, I look forward to enhancing the level of support provided to families by working with our committee to advocate for the needs of families across Sudbury Catholic Schools. I am excited about the journey ahead and the positive changes we can collectively bring about.” Said Amanda.
Paola Stefanuto has been a part of the Catholic School Council since her children began Kindergarten. She has two children who attend St. Benedict School in Grade 11 and 12 where she serves as Co-Chair of the Catholic School Council. As Vice Chair of PIC, she looks forward to helping other parents get involved, and provide more supports for families.
“I have always believed that when parents are involved, it paves the way for students to be actively engaged in their education. By involving parents, we not only nurture their children’s academic growth, but we also contribute to their child’s social, emotional, and physical development. As Vice-Chair of the Parent Involvement Committee, I am thrilled about the opportunity to foster greater parent engagement in our school communities. By providing parents the support and information they need to get involved, we can help each child find their place and build the confidence they need to progress in life.” Said Paola
Literacy and STEM night was hit at Pius XII School with many community partners in attendance. Families enjoyed the Let’s Talk Science activities put on by Cambrian College, face painting, scholastic book fair, fishpond, upcycle club, art station and much more! The school planned a memorable night as families focused on the importance of literacy while reading at home as well completed STEM activities and learned about the opportunities they have for careers in the near future!
Registration is now open for Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s (SCDSB) annual Carousel Event hosted by the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)! Learn about different topics, network with others, and engage in great conversation.
When: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Address: 2993 Algonquin Drive
Carousel topics will include:
Supporting Mental Health & Well Being, Cyber Safety, Building Resiliency, Homework Support, Special Education, Coding, Preparing Your Child for Post-Secondary, Literacy: Supporting Reading @ Home, and Learning About Secondary Programming. Click here to view our session descriptions!
In partnership with Science North and learning support staff from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, the Catholic School Council at St. Paul School hosted a one-hour STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) session. St. Paul families and students enjoyed a night of hands-on learning activities as they rotated through several stations.
Students and family members were able to try out all the activities and went home with some of the things they built and a pamphlet of STEM activities they could try at home.
The night was a huge success and students left feeling inspired!
“It was really fun! I really liked making the catapults to throw the pompoms. I made it from popsicle sticks, elastics, and a plastic spoon,” said Catherine McAvoy, Grade 3 student.
“STEM night was awesome. I really liked the connector magnetic blocks that Science North brought. I built a vehicle,” said Maxx Roy, Grade 5 student.
“You could build things with marshmallows and toothpicks. I made a chair. STEM night was awesome!” said Quentyn Robillard, student in Grade 4.
“Family STEM Night brought our school community together where families were engaged in learning while having fun at the same time. STEM activities spark curiosity and prompt questions about how the world works around us. It was great to see so many of our families get involved,” said St. Paul Principal Cara Soehner.
