Due to weather conditions and in the interest of safety all school related transportation services for English catholic and English public schools and French catholic and French public schools, operating in the District of Sudbury are cancelled today. All schools will remain open, however, NO transportation will be provided. All staff is expected to report to work.
Category: Staff
Sudbury Catholic Board Places Schools Under Accommodation Review
In accordance with the its Pupil/School Accommodation Review Regulation BR 10, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is in the process of conducting an Accommodation Review for its South/Central and North/West family of schools. Schools were selected for review purposes based on their potential for growth over the coming years (given the present trend) and the possibility that they may qualify for funding to build new schools under the Ministry of Education’s Prohibitive to Repair grants. Sudbury Catholic Schools Director of Education, Catherine McCullough will recommend an action plan to Trustees on the meeting of May 6, 2008.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is committed to providing a full range of educational opportunities equitably distributed across a broad and diverse geographical area. Due to ever-changing factors such as mobile population, changes in funding, new legislation, changing in educational objectives, community aspirations and physical limitations of buildings, the Board is mitigated to monitor and evaluate all schools on a regular basis.
Given the present state of its priorities, the Board will be focussing its attention on the “South/Central” and “North/West” schools planning areas for the purpose of this Accommodation Review which will include the following schools;
South/Central Elementary:
Corpus Christi, Marymount Academy (Elementary),
St. Christopher, St. David, St. Francis, St. James, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Theresa
South/Central Secondary:
St. Benedict CSS, Marymount Academy (secondary)
North/West Elementary Schools:
Immaculate Conception, St. Anne, St. Charles (elementary), St. Mary
North/West Secondary:
Bishop Alexander Carter CSS
The School Accommodation Review may result in such changes as boundary adjustments, major additions, renovations and alterations to school buildings, blending or twinning arrangements for school organization and/or programs or school consolidations
The Board is in the process of informing parents, staff, school councils, and school communities of the logistics and time lines regarding its Accommodation Review. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has hired the firm of CN Waston and Associates, (one of Canada’s leading economic firms) to prepare population, household, employment and student enrolment forecasts in the City of Greater Sudbury and more specifically in the planning areas of the schools under review. This information will greatly assist the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in assessing opportunities for long term growth and development and help guide the Board in the implementation of accommodation strategies that will serve to enhance student learning.
Accommodation Review Committees (ARC’s) will be created to provide the Sudbury Catholic District School Board with information re School Valuation Framework and applying this framework to the schools under review, giving consideration to the value of the students, community, school board and the local economy.
The members of the ARC’s will include representative membership from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, each school, school community and a municipal representative from each of the local municipalities in which the school(s) under review are located.
George Middleton, Chair of Sudbury Catholic Schools welcomes the Accommodation Review. “The Accommodation Review is a process that all Board’s in Ontario undertake in order to continually update their long term capital plans,” stated Middleton. “It provides our board with the opportunity to update student enrolment perspectives and assess long term capital expenditures to provide optimum programs and facilities for our students. This is the start of a year long process and decisions will be made only after an extensive review is conducted. Through consultation, a plan will be developed to benefit students and a business case will be presented for funding from the Ministry of Education whether it be for expansion of some schools or to build new school(s).
Marymount Academy Kicks Off 25th Bowl for Kids Sake
Students from Marymount Academy joined Honorary Chair, Deputy Police Chief Frank Elsner in helping to kickoff the start of the 25th Bowl For Kids Sake for Big Brothers Big Sisters in the City of Greater Sudbury at Pep Rally this morning. On March 1, 2008 The Bowl For Kids’ Sake will take place at Plaza Bowl from 1:30 p.m. through to midnight. This year’s theme year is “PAJAMA PARTY.” Students paid $2 for a pancake breakfast and the privilege of wearing their pyjamas to school with proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
For every $200 in pledges Big Brothers Big Sisters will enter your name into a draw for a weekend for two at the Delta Sherwood Inn. Pledge incentive prizes are also being provided by Ramakko’s Adventure World and Montana’s Cookhouse.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sudbury encourages you to pull your team of 4 to 6 bowlers together and get in on the fun. Additional prizes will be handed out at the bowl, including awards for the loudest team cheer, best dressed team and much more. So grab some of your friends, dust off your bowling shoes and have a great time while supporting a worthwhile cause.
The “25th Bowl for Kids Sake” at the Plaza Bowl, Saturday, March 1 from 1:30 p.m. to midnight.
Wear your pyjama’s!!!
Sudbury Catholic Schools Celebrate Lent!
The word CELEBRATE means to make something unique. It means to hold up to the world in a unique way something in which we believe. With this in mind, students and staff of our Sudbury Catholic Schools will join Catholics around the world in celebrating the beginning of Lent on February 6, 2008 – also known as Ash Wednesday.
The Lenten season is a gift of healing and renewal. Like our Hebrew ancestors, we sometimes struggle with desert experiences for a long time. Before Jesus started his public ministry, he withdrew into the desert. Like his ancestors, his experience was a struggle. Being in the desert is not easy. One would not call it a celebration, but if a celebration holds up to the world a belief in a unique way, then these desert experiences are truly celebrations. Both the Hebrews and Jesus discovered a gift. They discovered something about themselves, their relationship with God and their relationship with others. They discovered that God is constantly calling us to live in a relationship. God presents us with many opportunities to grow in this relationship. Time and again we might fail but time and again God offers us the opportunity to renew this relationship . . . Lent is such a time . . .
Lent is a time of healing. It is a time to remember and to embrace memories. By embracing memories, we open our hearts to healing. The good memories are easy to recall and relive but we would rather forget the painful ones. Memories of being isolated, neglected, ridiculed, unloved, misunderstood or devalued are part of all our personal stories. Our willingness to be open to the wounds is a way of taking ownership of the truth and in doing so we that can start the journey of healing. Taking ownership of the wound helps personal healing and it can help individuals to become the instrument of healing to others.
But Lent is not the end! Lent is a celebration which prepares us to celebrate the feast of feasts, EASTER. With God, life and love have the final word. As St. Paul said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans. 8:38-39)
Enjoy the celebration!
SCDSB Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament Results
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to congratulate the following teams on their excellent performance at the recent SCDSB Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament:
Championship Round
Corpus Christi (A) – First Place
Corpus Christi (B) – Second Place
Consolation Round
St. Christopher – First Place
St. Francis (A) – Second Place
Partners in Spirit: From the Desk of Director of Education Catherine McCullough (Vol. 1 Number 1)
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the first Sudbury Catholic District School Board newsletter, Partners in Spirit. This newsletter is dedicated to celebrating the new and exciting
events that continue to take place at our Board and in our schools each and every day…
A Wish for Jordan
Jordan Primeau, a Grade 1 student at St. James Catholic School in Lively will have his wish of a lifetime granted through the generosity of the Children’s Wish Foundation and the Sports Television Network, (TSN). Jordan and his family will travel by limousine to Toronto on Monday, January 21, 2008. On Tuesday, Jordan will have the opportunity to practise and play with his favourite hockey team – the Toronto Maple Leafs and will also attend a Maple Leaf hockey game on Wednesday, January 23 at the Air Canada Centre.
Since Junior Kindergarten, Jordan has bravely battled childhood leukemia and as a result of treatments is visually impaired. But whether he is 400 kilometres away at the Hospital for Sick Children or sitting in the classroom with his friends and classmates, Jordan is always in the hearts and minds of the school community.
St. James Catholic School students and staff keep Jordan in their daily prayers and have also undertaken a number of fundraisers for Jordan and his family to help offset the costs of accommodation and transportation to and from Toronto.
On Tuesday morning, James Duthie, a Reporter for TSN along with a camera crew from Toronto visited Jordan in his
Grade 1 class to give him the exciting news that “his dream to practise and play with the Toronto Maple Leafs had come true.” The interview along with Jordan’s story will be featured on national television (TSN) during the intermission and breaks of the Toronto Maple Leaf Game on January 23, 2008.
Students and staff at St. James School were asked to wear Maple Leaf attire to help celebrate Jordan’s surprise. Jordan’s parents, Dan and Shannon Primeau along with his younger brother Zachery were also on hand to share in the moment with him.
Jordan gives his mom a big hug upon hearing the great news.The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in conjunction with the students and staff at St. James Catholic School would like to thank the “Children’s Wish Foundation” and TSN for making a special wish come true for a very special little boy.
Sudbury Catholic Schools Mark Christian Unity Week
This year, January 18 to 25, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of Christian Unity Week. In 1908 at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement held the first Church Unity Octave and have prayed for Christian unity, “without ceasing,” ever since. Christians around the world celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity together, with the encouragement of the World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Jesus prayed that all might be one as He and the Father are one. Jesus broke down barriers which separated people from each other. He gathered around him people from all walks of life. St Paul teaches that in Jesus there is neither male or female, master or slave, Greek or Jew. Paul became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and he encourages us to “pray without ceasing.” This is the theme for this year’s Christian Unity Week. This is a great time to turn to God and ask for His Spirit to unite us, not only with Him but also with each other.
How can we promote Christian Unity? We can pray. Never doubt the efficacy of prayer if it is entered into with a sincere heart. Jesus told us, “Ask and it shall be given to you. Knock and the door will be open.” We can be attentive to others. We can listen to others. We can take time to learn something about another’s faith. We can take time to be with others and pray and celebrate together.
During the week of prayer for Christian Unity, attend a prayer service. Services, along with other Christian Unity resources, are listed on the Christian Unity section of the DSSM website.
To further reflect on Christian Unity Week 2008, visit http://www.weekofprayer2008.org, or order the Novalis resource ‘Pray Without Ceasing’.
SCDSB to Hold Annual Secondary School Open House/Information Nights
Sudbury Catholic District School Board Secondary Schools are hosting “Open Houses and Information Nights” in January and February 2008 at the following dates and times:
St. Charles College: Tuesday January 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Marymount Academy: Thursday January 17 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Bishop Carter CSS: Tuesday February 5 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
St. Benedict CSS: Tuesday February 12 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Staff and student representatives from each of the secondary schools will be on hand to answer any questions during the “Open House” sessions.
All Grade 8 students and their parents or guardians are welcome to attend.
For more information, please contact Jean McHarg, Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board at 673-5620 ext: 301.