Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Parents/Parent Involvement

Family Literacy Day

Posted on by Erin Kendall

Family Literacy Day is January 27.

This annual celebration highlights the importance of literacy and the essential role families play in supporting children’s learning and development. Research continues to show that reading together, engaging in regular conversation, and encouraging independent reading helps build strong literacy skills and supports long-term student success. That is why schools across the Sudbury Catholic District School Board will once again provide opportunities for families to come together in celebration of Family Literacy Day.

Family Literacy Day 2026 Theme:

Make mealtime family learning time

Preparing for mealtime is a fun (and tasty) way for families to learn together. Whether it’s following recipes, making shopping lists, or sharing stories at the dinner table, make your mealtime family learning time. In addition to school-based activities, families can explore additional Family Literacy resources through ABC Life Literacy Canada.

Resources

ABC Life Literacy Canada – Family Literacy Day

Activity Sheet

Activity Book

Poster

Bookmark

Growing Skills for Lifelong Learning

Literacy goes beyond reading and writing — it includes understanding, communicating, and using information in everyday life. These skills support academic achievement, build confidence, and foster lifelong learning.

Did you know?

  • Research shows that families with children who are read to, spoken with regularly, and encouraged to read on their own develop stronger literacy skills and are more likely to succeed in school.
  • Families play a vital role in nurturing literacy at home and in our communities. By working together, we continue to create a learning environment where every child feels supported, confident, and inspired to read, learn, and grow.
  • Simple activities like reading together, visiting the library, telling stories, or talking about books can make a big difference. These shared experiences help build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of learning.

Visit ABC Life Literacy Canada for more information about Family Literacy.

SCDSB Learning at Home – Literacy Resources

7th Annual Catholic School Council Evening Builds Stronger Partnerships for Student Success 🤝

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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.

📎 Learn more about how you can get involved: Parent Involvement at Sudbury Catholic Schools

2024 Carousel Event Recap: A Night of Education, Connection, and Community

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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!

Holy Cross Admin & Student Volunteers & PIC Vice Chair
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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.

Be Heard! We Invite you to contribute to our 2024-25 Budget Consultation

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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.

ThoughtExchange Link:  https://tejoin.com/scroll/338401325

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.
SCDSB 2024 – 2025 Budget Consultation

2022-23 Director’s Annual Report

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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.

Click here to read our 2022-23 report!

Well-Being Advent Calendar

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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.

Well-Being Advent Calendar

Sudbury Catholic Announces Chair and Vice Chair of Parent Involvement Committee  

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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

Families at Pius XII School Embrace Literacy and STEM

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

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!

Register Now for SCDSB’s Annual Carousel Event!

Posted on by Erin Kendall

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!

 *FREE CHILDCARE & LIGHT SUPPER WILL BE PROVIDED. 

Click Here to Register!
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