Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Staff

Advent: Let the Play Begin

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Everyone likes a good play. A good play draws you in. It keeps you perched on the edge of your seat wondering how things will turn out. A good play has characters that you cheer or jeer. A good play fills you with a sense of excitement and wonder and resolves itself in a way that leaves you feeling satisfied. I am sure everyone reading this article can or has by now filled in the blank with their own good play and recalls all of the feelings it evoked.

Advent is the beginning of a good play. It is the beginning of the story of Jesus. Like a good beginning, Advent draws us into the mystery of the story through all of our senses. Music, candles, gestures and symbols create an atmosphere that tells us something different is happening. Stories about surprising events of births unexpected tell us that we are about to enter into a time that is very different. Voices from the past fill us with hope as we struggle with challenges of poverty, violence and exclusion. The beginning of the play seems to hold out a promise of better times to come.

Advent is only the beginning. The drama unfolds as we move from the birth of Jesus to his young adulthood, baptism and ministry of preaching and healing and ends with his passion, death and resurrection. The drama of Jesus is retold during the year and in different ways we are drawn into this drama and encouraged to see the drama as our own story. Participants are uplifted, saddened, inspired, challenged and comforted as we sing, pray, listen to stories and reach out to others in service.

There are high points in the drama such as Christmas, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, the Triduum, Pentecost and Ascension Sunday but each Sunday is an opportunity to relive the whole drama and here once again the gestures, symbols, music and stories are a means of pointing to a deeper reality as a good play should.

What makes drama engaging is that in some way we recognize our own story in
The Story. The more we recognize our story in the Jesus Story, the more engaged we will become in the drama. Each of us has experienced times of insecurity, exclusion, doubt and fear. Jesus experienced all of these but his essential message which he called the good news of the kingdom confronted all these feelings and provided a radical alternative to a way of live which drags us down.

So, let the play begin. Become engaged in the drama making the Story your story. Take time to see how the events in the life of Jesus parallel your own life events. Take heart knowing that there is a resolution which will leave you satisfied much more than you could ever have expected.

SCDSB Proud Participant in Sudbury Elementary Volleyball League

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St. Raphael, Marymount and St. Francis are proud participants in the Sudbury Elementary Volleyball League. The league includes more than 350 athletes and is in it’s 7th season. Boasting 19 girls’ teams in two divisions and 13 boys’ teams in a single division, the league develops Sudbury athletes throughout the area from all four local school boards.

Teams have competed over 4 Saturdays from the beginning of the school year, and at the end of league play going into playoffs SCDSB teams are ranked as follows:

Boys:
St. Raphael – 3rd
St. Francis – 6th

Girls Division 1:
Marymount A – 1st
St. Francis – 6th
St. Raphael – 10th

Girls Division 2:
Marymount B – 7th

The Sudbury Elementary Volleyball League is organized by Diables Sports Club – a non-profit organization. They take care of all scheduling, stats, hosting and other organizational duties.

SCDSB Launches Year Two of “Dearness Conservation Program and Challenge”

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board recently launched the 2007-2008 Dearness Conservation Program and Challenge. The School Conservation Challenge was created by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to increase the participation in the Dearness Conservation (DC) initiative that was introduced into all of the Board’s schools in 2001. Since the inception of the DC program, the Board has been able to achieve substantial utility savings by educating teachers, students and staff and providing them with the necessary resources through this program.

The Dearness Conservation Program is geared toward both secondary school and elementary schools. The program consists of an in-school presentation/workshop and seeks to incorporate all students in the school in its conservation efforts.

The DC in-school program launch consisted of two components:

Part 1: A viewing of the widely acclaimed environmental movie trailer, An Inconvenient Truth followed by a “Changes” and a “Choices” presentation which focused on the choices that students have to make with respect to the environment. Discussion also centred around the key aspects of the Board’s Conservation Challenge.

Part 2: A conservation trade show was held on energy efficient technologies. Students learned about energy and water saving technologies, how to perform technical audits, and how to run campaigns to involve all students and staff in energy, water and waste reduction.

Workshops are being presented in all secondary and elementary schools over the next two weeks, and all SCDSB Dearness Schools, Classes and Clubs are invited to participate in the “Conservation Challenge” which will run from October 30, 2007 to May 1, 2008.

The winner of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s 2007-2008 School Conservation Challenge will be awarded a Grand Prize of $500.00 (toward an approved greening/grounds improvement project) and the right to display the “SCDSB School Conservation Challenge Champions” banner for a year.

For more information on the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s DC Program and Challenge please contact, Mark Gervais, Energy Coordinator at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

SCDSB Proud Partner in RISK WATCH

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Educators at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board work hard to help students prepare for a bright and challenging future. For this reason, teaching children the skills and strategies they require to make educated decisions to avoid preventable injury and death has always been of paramount importance.

Students from Ms. Marcon’s Gr. 5/6 class at St. Michael Catholic School learned first hand how to minimize their risks through a presentation on “RISK WATCH” delivered by the City of Greater Sudbury’s Fire and Police Services recently.

Leo Frappier, Public Safety Officer, Greater Sudbury Fire Services and Denise Fraser, School Liaison Officer, Greater Sudbury Police Force presented the theme of personal safety through the use of the innovative “Hazard House.”

Risk Watch is an injury prevention program from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). “It is our hope that all students within the Sudbury Catholic District School Board will learn and reinforce behaviours to prevent injury,” states Sandra St. Denis, Principal of St. Michael Catholic School. The program also provides parents and caregivers with additional information about injury prevention.

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary Presents “Stepping Into Secondary School”

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St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School extends an invitation to all grade 7 and 8 students, parents and guardians to attend an information night entitled ‘Stepping Into Secondary School’ on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the school located at 2993 Algonquin Road, Sudbury.

The evening will provide information on the secondary school Catholic curriculum and allow students and parents the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the various programs that the school has to offer and how it may impact on their son’s or daughter’s career plans.

For additional information on “Stepping Into Secondary School,” please contact Mr. Maurizio Visentin, Program Leader, Academic Services, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School at ph. 523-9235.

“Absolute Leadership” Presentation hosted by St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School

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St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School has invited the grade 7 and 8 students from St James, St Francis and St David Catholic Schools to join the grade 9 and 10 students at the Absolute presentation on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the St. Benedict Catholic School gymnasium.

Absolute Leadership Development is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools to help students realize their incredible value and potential – and be empowered to change their world. This leading in-school presentation inspires students with a relevant message that their lives have purpose and value. Not just a speech; not just a screen: the Motivational Experience combines young motivational speakers, live bands, and video segments with professional audio and lighting to create a very high-end multimedia production. Absolute’s high energy presentation covers key youth issues such as bullying, self-worth, and social responsibility in an engaging and positive manner.

St. Benedict Science Teachers and Laurentian Students Represent Ontario at National Science Competition

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St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School students were treated to edge-of-their-seat action and suspense at the Ontario Iron Science Competition which was held at Science North on November 3, 2007. Bearing signs and banners, St. Benedict students cheered on two of their own science teachers, Mr. Aaron Barry and Mr. Michael Sipos, who were competing againstt another local and two Southern Ontario teams for the Ontario championship title.

The Iron Science Competition is held across Canada with the intention of increasing the appeal of science and scientific experiments to students and the general public. The goal was undoubtedly met as the crowd which consisted of both students and adults responded to the scientific displays with incredible enthusiasm. Each ten minute presentation was based on the “secret ingredient” in the human body. The teams were judged by a panel of scientists, teachers, and local media.

St. Benedict Catholic School teachers, Mr. Barry and Mr. Sipos, teamed up with two graduate students from the Laurentian University/Science North Science Communications program, Lisa Lambert and Brandi Chuchman. Together, they formed the “Ferral Nerds” and solved the baffling mysteries of the human body. The sinuses were explained through the use of a “Booger Cannon” and the steps of the Digestive System were demonstrated with a larger-than-life working model. Their presentation impressed the crowd and judges alike, and their supporters were delighted with their scientific antics. After lengthy deliberation, the “Ferral Nerds” were crowned the champions of the Ontario Iron Science Competition for their unparalleled originality, delivery, entertainment value, overall knowledge of scientific principals and general “nerdiness.” St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School received a Smart Board as the top prize which will benefit all students in the science classrooms.

The “Ferral Nerds” will represent the province at the National Iron Science Competition in Calgary, Alberta on November 22, 2007. The entire event will be webcasted live at 12:00 p.m. local time from www.ironscience.ca.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board would like to congratulate the “Ferral Nerds” on their excellent achievement in winning the Ontario Iron Science Competition and wish them the best of luck as they represent St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, Laurentian University, and Ontario on the national stage.

SCDSB Launches School Conservation Challenge for 2007-2008

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is hosting year two of its School Conservation Challenge and is inviting all SCDSB Dearness Schools, Classes and Clubs to participate. The “challenge” will run from October 30, 2007 to May 1, 2008.

The School Conservation Challenge was created by the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to increase the participation in the Dearness Conservation (DC) initiative that was introduced into all of the Board’s schools in 2001. Since the inception of the DC program, the Board has been able to achieve substantial utility savings by educating teachers, students and staff and providing them with the necessary resources through this program.

To help revitalize the program in 2006-2007, senior administration decided that a “Conservation Challenge” would be an excellent way to enhance the effectiveness of the program in addition to acknowledging the “Environmental Champions.” The selection of the School Conservation Champion involves a point system based on three categories; (i) an unannounced site visit by the SCDSB’s Facility Services Department during the school year (ii) an interview to be conducted with the principal from each participating school (iii) in late May, schools will be asked to submit reports dealing with Lifestyle Conservation Campaigns and other relevant materials such as videos/newsletters/announcements and presentations. Schools will be awarded points based on the above three categories.

The school that attains the most points will be deemed the winner of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s 2007-2008 School Conservation Challenge and will be awarded a Grand Prize of $500.00 (toward an approved greening/grounds improvement project) and the right to display the “SCDSB School Conservation Challenge Champions” banner for a year.

Catherine McCullough, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board supports the board’s new initiative with respect to the far reaching positive effects and implications this program will have on students and the environment. “The SCDSB School Conservation Challenge provides our students with an opportunity to integrate the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations into their lives in an authentic manner,” states McCullough. “This Conservation Challenge invites all students to become responsible citizens and stewards of creation by respecting the environment and using the earth’s resources wisely.”

For more information on the SCDSB School Conservation Challenge please contact, Mark Gervais, Energy Coordinator at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

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