St. Benedict parent, Alice Allison Catalano, is the recipient of the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education parent award. According to the students and staff of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, she is someone “we all can go to and talk openly with. She is someone who we would describe as completely selfless and the most caring and compassionate person amongst the school community. She is a trustworthy, hard working, motherly figure to us all and the work she does for our school is out of this world! She spends a substantial amount of her valuable time volunteering at our school and not a moment that passes with her is ever forgotten or not appreciated by any student or staff. We feel that Mrs. Catalano perfectly embodies the definition of a selfless Samaritan. Mrs. Catalano has the special ability to see the best in everyone and no matter how tough the situation is, she is willing to lend a helping hand and devote 100 percent of herself. We can recount hundreds of times that she has given up her time and selflessly devoted herself for the well being of a student. Not only does she volunteer her time but also her wisdom of real life. She is always willing to help a student by giving valuable advice and sharing life experiences with us. She’s the star of this school and we all hope to be half the person she is! Thank you Mrs. Catalano.”
Category: Parents/Parent Involvement
Indigenous Celebration Held
The Diocesan Centre is planning an inclusive day of celebration based on indigenous culture, and would love a big turn out at this event. All students, staff, families and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend! It looks to be a great day planned!
INDIGENOUS CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Fielding Park
5:30 am. Sunrise Ceremony ~
8:00 am. Pancake Breakfast ~
9:00 am. Teaching Carousel – Stations will be set up to be rotated through – 6 stations with 20 minute presentations at each~
a) Children drumming station~
b) Craft – decade of the rosary with four/six colour beads + leather OR~leather bookmark
c) 7 Grandfather teachings
d) Legends – Elders telling the stories~
e) Medicines and Wheel
f) Sacred Elements (fire keeper, tobacco, stones, feather, pipe, drums, smudge, animals) ~
11:00 am. Healing Circle – prayers, scripture (trilingual), blessing~
1:30 pm. Feast – “pot luck”
3:00 pm Travelling Song/Blessing~
For more information and access to resources, please consult:
http://arise-ssm.weebly.com
St. Andrew Open House Celebrates Memories
St. Andrew Catholic Elementary School hosted a Come and Go Open House on Sunday April 19th from noon to 2pm. The principal and the classroom teachers welcomed many former students, teachers and parents to the school to walk the halls and share memories. They learned that at one time St. Andrew School was St. Conrad school and subjects were taught in both of our national languages. There were many memories shared about former teachers and principals and activities that happened in this little community school. Many of the visitors were interested in viewing the architect’s rendering of the new Holy Trinity School. Pictured is Mrs. Henry, the present principal, with Brittany and Brandon Schroeder two former students. Mrs. Henry remembers when she was taller than both of these students!
St. David School Partners with Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services to Better Support Student Achievement
In order to better support student success academically as well as support families to access services available in the community, St. David Catholic Elementary School and the Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services Department partnered to provide all students with a free vision screening at school. Students at St. David Catholic School had their vision screened by a Registered Optician and support staff from the Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services Department. After the screening, all students were provided with a healthy snack compliments of the Superstore.
Amber Fournier, Superstore Optician, and her team, screened for things such as colour blindness, depth perception, visual acuity and strabismus (eye turning in/out). This screening did not replace a complete eye examination from a Doctor of Optometry. But, was the first step to support students experiencing any vision issues.
By protecting your children’s eye health and vision, parents are enabling them to play, learn, socialize and fully experience everything that life has to offer. Eye problems can even lead to developmental difficulties at school. In fact, one in five children has a vision disorder. Not knowing any differently, many of these children accept poor vision and other eye ailments as normal. If a vision problem was detected during the school screening, an Optometrist referral letter was sent home directly to the parent with their child.
In Ontario, it is recommended that children 19 years old and under have their eyes examined. This exam is covered with their health card (OHIP) every year. Eye sight and eye health are critical to a child’s development. According to Elizabeth Trembly, parent from St. David School, “I am glad that the school and the Superstore provided this opportunity for my son. As it turns out, he did require further testing and was experiencing vision difficulties. He is doing well and is enjoying his new glasses”.
Raise the Flag – St. Francis School Recognizes Autism Awareness Day on Thursday, April 2, 2015
April is Autism Awareness month and April 2nd was dedicated World Autism Day.
Autism Ontario’s Raise the Flag campaign, through the simple act of raising a flag, unites families, schools, communities, government and professionals in recognizing World Autism Awareness Day, and brings to light to struggles and triumphs of people on the autism spectrum.
Staff and students at St. Francis Catholic Elementary School took part in this event to support World Autism day.
The (W)rites of Spring Poetry Evening – April 17, 2015
First and foremost, Kim Fahner is a writer. With three published books of poetry under her belt, another almost complete, as well as a new novel in the works, Fahner is immersed in the world of writing. On top of this, Fahner is also a full time teacher at Marymount Academy, where she often brings her world of writing and the appreciation of the written word, her students, and the community together. The result is the event that she has planned for April 17, 2015.
Remembering a similar event back in 1998 put on by Roger Nash, former Greater Sudbury Poet Laureate, and Ontario Representative for the League of Canadian Poets at the time, Fahner thought that a similar event would be a great way for the Sudbury community to celebrate National Poetry Month in April. Contacting some of her poet friends, the (W)rites of Spring Poetry Evening came into being, sponsored by the League of Canadian Poets, The Canada Council for the Arts, and Marymount Academy. The evening will be a celebration of poetry for the community, with five notable Canadian poets slated to perform: Tom Leduc (current Poet Laureate for Greater Sudbury), Roger Nash (past Poet Laureate), Kim Fahner (Sudbury poet), Susan McMaster (Ottawa poet), and Tanya Neumeyer (Toronto performance poet). The theme for this month is poetry that celebrates food, but a wide variety of poems will be performed. People of all ages are invited to attend, and it is Fahner’s hope that the evening is an opportunity for the community to appreciate really great poetry. “When I think back to the event in 1998, I recall a really amazing evening that brought together talented writers and people who really appreciated poetry,” Fahner stated. “ I really believe that art elevates people, so I think this will be a brilliant evening that celebrates the beauty of poetry.”
Books will be for sale, with poets available for signings after the event. Refreshments will also be for sale. Admission is free, but there will be a silver collection with proceeds being directed to support the Poet Laureate’s Young Writers’ Guild at the Greater Sudbury Public Library. For further information, please call Kim Fahner at Marymount Academy at (705) 674-4231.
OAPCE Monthly Newsletter
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our Sudbury Catholic parents, the SCDSB would like to provide a link to the latest newsletter from The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE). To read this month’s newsletter, click here: Parent Partner Newsletter – Easter 2015
St. Charles Elementary School Volunteers Recognized as Champions for Children
On Wednesday, April 24, a special group of people from St. Charles Catholic Elementary were recognized for their dedication to the school. The 2014 Volunteer awards for the Champions for Children were handed out by Our Children Our Future at an awards celebration and the volunteers for the school’s snack program won the group award for this event.
Vice Principal, Laura Stirrett explained that several days a week, the group of volunteers come in to wash, prepare the snacks, serve them to the students and wash up afterwards. They know that having a nutritious start to the day will help the students succeed. While most students do come to school with some form of snack, their eyes light up when the volunteers arrive with trays of fruit, vegetables and crackers arranged with the loving touch of a mom. Thanks to their unwavering support students are moved from a potential disadvantage to an advantage. “At St. Charles School, we are very lucky to have a core group of volunteers who run our Healthy Snack Program! Running a program like this takes a real dedication to the well-being of our students” says David Soehner, Principal. “We are very fortunate to have this group of ladies volunteer at our school, which is why we nominated them for this award”.
One of the award recipients, Kristine Belanger explained,” It is all about the children, and making sure they are happy and fed. Not everyone is as fortunate to have enough to eat every day so it is wonderful to see how excited the kids get when they get to experience different foods and are happy because they have had something nutritious to eat!”
Celebrating Ste. Catherine at St. John
On Monday, November 25th, St. John Catholic Elementary School French Immersion students celebrated the tradition of Ste-Catherine. The students celebrated by making taffy with their families and teachers.