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.”
Category: Staff Achievement
Patty Mardero, Principal of St. Charles College Honoured as C.P.C.O. Principal of the Year
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.”
Regals Fight Cancer Campaign Surpasses Goal
On April 24, 2015, Katherine Boyce, Marymount Academy student and the school’s Catholic Charities Council president asked the entire school student body to stand up if they have ever had anyone in their life that had been affected by cancer. One by one, every single student, staff member, and invited guest stood up. Upon seeing the entire gym full of people on their feet, Boyce spoke to the group, “This is why we stand up to Cancer –this is why Regals Fight Cancer!” The school wrapped up their Regals Fight Cancer campaign with a variety of head-shaving, dying, hair donating, and leg shaving – which was all dependent upon the amount of monies raised to support one of their own – a grade 12 student who is battling cancer, and to give to the Northeastern Ontario Cancer Foundation. In the end, the Regals surpassed their $10,000 goal, raising over 21,000 dollars to support their fellow regal and the NOCF. Heads were shaved and dyed, and the students enjoyed seeing their teachers support both Marymount, and Greater Sudbury community by following through on their promises. Several students and teachers also had their hair cut and donated for wigs for chemotherapy patients who have lost their hair. Lucie Cullen, principal of the school was emotional throughout the presentation. “Katherine Boyce made mention at the beginning of the presentation that Marymount is a family,” Cullen explained. “And in every sense of the word this is true. Today shows how close we are as a school community, a strong Regal family, supporting one of our own as well as giving back to our city. As always this school community makes us incredibly proud!”
Called to be Resilient Leaders at Sudbury Catholic
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in conjunction with the Sudbury & District Health Unit is celebrating putting importance on partnerships and building strong relationships in education. Senior Administration, Principals, Vice-Principals Managers and several other leaders within the Sudbury Catholic Board and the Sudbury & District Health Unit gathered on April 8th, 2015 to participate in an interactive learning session featuring Dr. Wayne Hammond, of Resiliency Initiatives Canada. Dr. Hammond presented research-based information about Resiliency and a Strength-Based Approach. The presentation was very well received by all participants and will further the work of the Principal Learning Teams as they continue to examine their calling to “Be Resilient Leaders” in their schools.
That same evening Dr. Hammond also presented to an auditorium full of parents from the “soon to be” Holy Trinity Catholic School community. He shared his outline of a strength-based parenting approach that strengthens a child’s abilities to meet life’s challenges with thoughtfulness, confidence, purposefulness and empathy. Dr. Hammond believes that, “The real task of parenting is not to prepare the path for our children, rather to prepare them for the path that they will need to walk.”
Diana Salvador, Principal of St. Bernadette Catholic School and Principal appointed to Holy Trinity Catholic School said, “I look forward to working diligently at Holy Trinity Catholic School to put Dr. Hammond’s message into practice in partnership with the parent community to foster a trusting school culture where students, parents, teachers and all stakeholders feel valued, connected and engaged in their educational journey.”
Marymount Academy Celebrates International Moment of Laughter Day – April 14th
Studies have shown that laughing not only lowers blood pressure and reduces stress hormone levels, it also improves cardiac health, boosts T cells, triggers endorphins, and is a fabulous ab workout! Best of all, laughter has been proven to increase our overall sense of well-being. So, the goal for the day at Marymount Academy on April 14, 2015 was to get people laughing!
The staff posted several hilarious visual jokes around the school, and told jokes between periods over the P.A. system.
At lunch, students who told the librarian a funny joke won a prize. Also, secondary students were invited to join the Improv Club for several “moments of improvised laughter” while elementary students were invited to vote for their funniest teacher.
The winner by a landslide was teacher Debra Michaud! She received a silly headband and a jar of candy along with the coveted Wand of Laughter. Teacher Colin Lapalme came in a distant 2nd and received a bag of leftover candy.
It was a “funderful” day at Marymount Academy. Laughter really is the best medicine.
SCC Concert Choir Shining Bright like Diamonds Again
The concert choir at St. Charles College can safely say they are the top secondary school choir in the city. More than twenty-five SCC students performed at the 70th annual Kiwanis Festival in Sudbury this week to take home diamond standing yet again. Under the direction of teacher Ms. Shannon Coyle, this is the second year in a row that the choir has scored 90 or above – securing a diamond title for St. Charles College. The group performed All of Me by John Legend and the title song from Mama Mia. On Monday, April 13th at 7 p.m., the concert choir will be performing its rendition of Mamma Mia at the Kiwanis Festival final concert and awards ceremony at St.Andrews Place. There, they will receive the top secondary school choir award.
Sudbury Catholic Students Excel at Regional Science Fair
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is very proud of the many students who participated in the Regional Science Fair at Laurentian University on March 28-29. The projects were extremely well done and demonstrated creativity, innovation and quality work. The Board would thank the staff for their support and for inspiring students to become involved in this excellent learning opportunity. “Sudbury Catholic schools were well represented and we are very proud of our students,” stated Director of Education, Joanne Bénard. “Congratulations to all of our participants. Please extend our congrats to students and staff for these wonderful accomplishments.”
List of winners include:
Junior Division – Engineering (Génie junior) Divisional
Placing and Prize: Third/Troisième Place Medal & Certificate
Makaylah Kruk
Megan Ierino
Marymount Academy
Placing and Prize: First/Première Medal, Cash, Certificate
Sebastian Bisschops
Jordan Bisschops
St. Anne Elementary School
Placing and Prize: Third/Troisième Place Medal & Certificate
Emma Fraser-Ellott
Mackenzie Wickman
Marymount Academy
Cambrian College Award Special
Makaylah Kruk
Megan Ierino
Marymount Academy
Chemical Institute of Canada Award Special
Grace Woodliffe
Marymount Academy
Child Health Research Award Special
Julia Burns
Marymount Academy
Clean Air Sudbury Award Special
Makaylah Kruk
Megan Ierino
Marymount Academy
Collège Boréal Award Special
Adam Runciman
Sean Nickson
St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Jack Ceming Chemistry Award Special
Hannah Morningstar
St. James Elementary School
Laurentian University Earth Sciences Award Special
Hannah Morningstar
St. James Elementary School
Laurentian University Chemistry/biochemistry Award Special
Grace Woodliffe
Marymount Academy
Laurentian University Forensic Sciences Award Special
Grace Woodliffe
Marymount Academy
Laurentian University School of the Environment Award Special
Emma Fraser-Ellott
Mackenzie Wickman
Marymount Academy
Kai Nowak
Nathan Markic
St. James Elementary School
Ontario Power Generation Environmental Award Special
Emma Fraser-Ellott
Mackenzie Wickman
Marymount Academy
Grand Prizes
Prize Type: Trip to Canada Wide Science Fair in Charlottetown, Fredericton, New Brunswick, May 11th to 16th.
Sebastian Bisschops
Jordan Bisschops
St. Anne Elementary School
They’re coming to a door near you!
Students who attend St. Paul, St. John, St. David, St. Raphael, St. Andrew, Pius and St. Bernadette Catholic elementary schools are out in full force this week. Their mission is to collect cans for its food drive in collaboration with St. Charles College.
Students from the seven schools are going door-to-door to collect cans and other non-perishable food items to help the Sudbury Food Bank stock its shelves over the cold winter months.
Every year, the feeder schools team up with St. Charles College, Q92 and KISS 105.3 to Stuff a Bus full of food. The radio stations also broadcast live from the school parking lot during the week. The food is then transported to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.
Student can collect a combination of canned foods and cash. Last year, they surpassed their goal by collecting more than 112 thousand cans.
The food drive began more than 25 years ago and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his former high school.
Totals will be tabulated, with a wrap-up set for October 23rd.
Staff “En Pointe” for BACCSS’s Rooney and Dechaine Memorial Walk
As a result of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School’s successful Memorial Walk fundraiser in memory of former student Mackenzie Rooney (a student who died tragically in an ATV accident) and Dennis Dechaine, (a former teacher who lost his battle with cancer), both the principal and vice principal of the school had to honour their part of the challenge. Cassandra MacGregor and James Michaud, the school’s admin team showed up in their best ballerina wear as a result of the students fundraising exceeding their goal of $8000. To date, the school has raised over $9000 so far to go towards several different scholarship funds in both Rooney’s and Dechaine’s names, as well as to support several activities within the school that both Mackenzie’s parents and Dennis’s wife are involved with. To raise the money, the students canvassed the valley area over the past few weeks and the day of the walk involved a live broadcast from KICX radio, a prayer service, a Zumba warm up for the whole school, and an 8 km walk to celebrate the togetherness of the entire Bishop Carter school community. Joining them on the walk were members of both Mackenzie’s and Dennis’s families, as well as members of the Greater Sudbury Police Services. Principal Cassandra MacGregor was thrilled with the efforts of her students and staff. “We are a small school community with an enormous heart,” explained MacGregor. “We set our expectations really high when it comes to our students and staff, and they continually exceed these expectations! We are extremely proud of our students for surpassing our fundraising goal and it is wonderful that we can honour Mackenzie and Dennis, and their families with our outstanding efforts!”