Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Staff

Sudbury Community Foundation Sponsors St. Michael School Seedling Event

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Staff and students from St. Michael Catholic School are making the City of Greater Sudbury a better place to live thanks to the donation of sprouts from Deborah Viisimaa and The Sudbury Community Foundation. “The sprouts” were distributed to each child and staff member to be taken home to be nurtured and planted at a later date.

“By taking part in this sprouts project, we are officially champions for the environment,” stated school principal, Sandra St. Denis.

Through the sprouts project the students learned that “each tree that they planted will grow to consume harmful carbon dioxide and give back the oxygen required to sustain life.”

St. Theresa Catholic School Students Fit for the Challenge

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St. Theresa Catholic School is the winner of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s 2006-2007 Fitness Challenge. The goal of the program is to lower the resting and exercise heart rates of the Board’s students over the course of the school year. Staff and students in the Junior Division participated in this program under the supervision of Mr. John Tarini, Coordinator of the Fitness Challenge for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.

The heart rates of the students were measured three times during the 2006-2007 school year. Throughout the year students participated in various activities such as intramural sports, outdoor exercises and the “School Fit Program” to improve their physical fitness. The school whose students displayed the “lowest average increase in heart rate” from the “resting to the exercise mode” was deemed the winner of the Fitness Challenge.

Students from St. Theresa Catholic School received a plaque and a small token of appreciation from Sudbury Catholic District School Board Vice-Chair, George Middleton during a recent board meeting for winning the Fitness Challenge.

“We Are Called”
Sudbury Catholic District School Board Celebrates Faith Day

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Sudbury Catholic District School Board students, parents, teachers, vice-principals, principals, staff, trustees and clergy joined support staff from the SCDSB school communities in Faith Day celebrations St. Charles College on September 28, 2007.

This year’s theme “ We Are Called” was a celebration of community and Catholic education. In Catholic Education we are called on many levels, depending on our responsibility, but the foundation call for all of us — is the call of our Baptism, a call that is our common bond with the whole Church. The call of our Baptism is a call to discipleship with Jesus Christ.

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SCDSB Celebrates Technology

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board celebrated its first technology session by dedicating an entire evening to showcasing the authentic works of the Board’s Grade 7 and 8 students with respect to its brand new “1 to 1 learning with laptops program” at
St. Charles College recently. Students, parents, teachers, and staff along with SCDSB Trustees and Senior Administration were treated to a host of high tech presentations in the form of movies, podcasts, interpretations of creative poetry, and historical events.

Lisa Samuels, Curriculum Coordinator for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Laptop program stated in her opening remarks to the audience that even though the Sudbury Catholic District School Board was the first and only board in Ontario to take on such an innovative project and faced numerous challenges, the students responded quite admirably and succeeded beyond the Board’s expectations. “When we started this journey in September, I don’t think any of us knew where this path would take us,” stated Samuels. “We had no road map as no other board in Ontario has implemented a 1 to 1 laptop program system wide. Like the voyageurs who explored what was to become Canada, we set out into unfamiliar territory to learn how to effectively use the technology. Our goals were simple: increase student engagement, increase student achievement, provide every student with access to digital resources, and provide our students with learning experiences that are inquiry based in nature and foster what are called 21st century skills.”

The Board’s laptop program provided its students with an opportunity to explore the Ontario curriculum differently by allowing them to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. The project also afforded the students a great deal of flexibility in demonstrating their creative and innovative talents while working collaboratively as team. To assist and support the project, the Board sought the services and expertise of Apple Canada and its access to skilled educators who have been working with the laptop program for more than 15 years.

The evening showcased the authentic work from 5 schools, 8 teachers, and 200 students who were engaged with the Board’s laptop program over the last year which included, multimedia poetry interpretations, mini documentaries on the opening of the west, a video diary of a science experiment, and public service announcements about the choices facing teenagers today.

Sudbury Catholic District School Board Chair, Paula Peroni is quite proud of the efforts of her students and the initial results of Board’s laptop program. “Laptops have become a tool to learn with and not solely a tool to learn from,” states Peroni. “Over the last several years the Board has committed itself to the expansion of the wireless laptop program into our Grade 7 and 8 curriculum. In June 2006, our Board purchased eleven hundred wireless laptop computers for every grade 7 and 8 student in our system. The wireless laptop program has had a dramatic impact on student learning and student achievement. This evening has been dedicated to showcasing the creative talents of the Board’s students as they embrace the technology they will be using in their upcoming careers.”

SCDSB Appoints New Director of Education

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Catherine McCullough as its new Director of Education. Previous to her appointment as Director with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Mrs. McCullough was the Superintendent of Education for the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.

Catherine McCullough obtained her Catholic Leadership Certificate from the University of Toronto (2004), and her Supervisory Officer Certificate (1998), she also holds a Masters of Education in Curriculum Development from Brock University (1995). Mrs. McCullough began her career in Catholic education 25 years ago with the Dufferin Peel Roman Catholic Separate School Board. Building on a lifelong commitment to faith-filled learning, she served with the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District Board for the past 17 years. She is an active member of many education related groups including the Board of Directors and Provincial Representative for the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officers’ Association (OCSOA), the Institute for Educational Leadership for OCSOA, the Canadian Association of School Administrators, the Children’s Coalition Table, Community Partners with Schools (COMPASS), the Canadian Safe Schools Network, Women in Education in Ontario and is a member of the Advisory Group for Lakehead University, Orillia Campus. In these various capacities, Mrs. McCullough’s focus has always been on advancing student learning and on promoting Catholic education.

“I am honoured to assume the role of Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board,” stated Mrs. McCullough upon accepting her new position. “I am looking forward to continuing the excellent standard set by the Board’s Senior Administrative Team and the Board of Trustees.”

“It is with a great deal of pleasure that the Board announces Mrs. McCullough as our new Director of Education,” stated Sudbury Catholic District School Board Chair, Paula Peroni. “She is well suited for the position given her previous experience as a teacher, consultant, vice-principal, principal and Superintendent. Catherine McCullough is a highly experienced and passionate advocate for Catholic education and will be a credit to our board.”

Mrs. McCullough and her husband Mike have two children who are enroled in university. She officially assumes her position as Director of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board effective, August 1, 2007.

SCDSB Proud Partner in “Books for Ethiopia” Campaign

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Some 20,000 educational books no longer being used in area schools are being shipped to Ethiopia this summer thanks to the generous support of local donors.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in partnership with the Rainbow District School Board and numerous individuals in the Sudbury Community have donated excellent used educational materials for the Books for Reading program. The books are being sent to a brand-new school of 250 children in Ethiopia with very few resources. Thanks to the generosity of the two English school boards and through the support of local Sudbury businesses and volunteers these badly needed books will be in the hands of the students over the next two weeks.

CVRD Inco donated $5,000 to help cover the costs of shipping the books. The Rainbow Local of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) contributed $600 toward the project and Taylor Beange Doors and Frames provided space to store the books and also donated $800 toward the shipping costs.

“Thanks to the generous contribution of many participants, this literacy project will assist in breaking the cycle of poverty for many children for generations to come,” said Guy Campeau, Director for The Mission of Tears, Northern Ontario region. “We are most grateful to the schools who donated their surplus books for this program. We are also grateful to CVRD Inco, ETFO and Taylor Beange Doors and Frames for their collective contributions.”
To date, local schools have provided in excess of 80,000 surplus books to third world countries. The books include teacher resource guides that have since been updated by the Ministry of Education.

The Books for Reading program is spearheaded by the Northern Ontario region of The Mission of TEARS.

SCDSB Balances Budget for 2007-08 School Year

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Trustees with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board proved successful in passing a balanced budget for the 2007-2008 school year at the last board meeting before the summer break. The approved budget of $72,230,115 will sustain the positive momentum that has been achieved in the Board’s new initiatives and programs such as the “Learning with Laptops” program and complies with the objectives set by the Ministry of Education with respect to the reduction of class sizes in the primary classes.

With respect to curriculum, the 2006-2007 level of support for curriculum services including special education, professional development, special assignment teachers and secondary school co-ordinators, as well as the level of teacher support in curriculum in-service has been maintained. The budget allows for the retention of the Faith Animator position and provides for a chaplain in each of the board’s four secondary schools. There will be no reduction in the amount of the support from technology and school-administrative lines.

Rossella Bagnato, Interim Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased with the budget. “I am very happy with the fact that the Board was able to bring in a balanced budget,” stated Bagnato. “The new budget will allow us to meet Ministry of Education regulation and obligations and we will continue to deliver quality services and programs to our students in order that they may achieve their maximum potential.”

Board Chair, Paula Peroni is also pleased with the budget. “Over the past few months, Trustees and Senior Administration have worked extremely hard to bring in a balanced budget that addresses some of the key priorities of the Board and its stake holders. This new budget will allow us to move forward on present initiatives such maintaining our Special Education Program, the reduction of class sizes in our primary grades and the upgrading of our wireless laptop program in Grade 9 from I-books to Macbooks which are state of the art and more efficient.”

SCDSB Hosts Character Development Symposium

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board was the host of a special forum designed to review the Ministry of Education’s new initiative “Finding Common Ground, Character Development in Ontario’s Schools, K-12.” Representatives from the Ministry of Education’s Student Achievement Office, Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat guided Directors of Education, principals, teachers, students and the Board’s Partners in Catholic Education on an overview of the “key beliefs and principles” outlined in the Ministry’s discussion paper during the full day session.

Ann Perron, Senior Executive Officer, for the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat noted that many school boards already have character development programs in place and that this component is inherent in Catholic Boards through their “faith-based” learning and it’s Catholic Graduate Expectations.

Over the last three years, the government of Ontario through the Ministry of Education has introduced a series of initiatives designed to enhance academic achievement for all students in Ontario’s publicly funded elementary and secondary schools. Through the Character Development Initiative the government addresses a complementary and equally critical aspect of student success, focused on developing the whole student as a learner, an individual, and an active member of the school and broader community. The concept of character development is rooted in the belief that parents, schools and communities share in the responsibility for, and the benefits of the development of young people as caring, empathetic and involved citizens.

The Ministry of Education realizes that “developing character” in students is a shared responsibility. There is a need for families and schools to engage cooperatively to encourage students’ learning and maturing as social beings. Family and school alliances are necessary to create a web of support for continuous improvement in schools. Character development, at its best permeates the entire life of the school as it is woven into policies, programs, practices, procedures and interactions. It is a way of life as it recognizes that a respectful, safe and orderly school climate enhances learning.

Sudbury Catholic District School Board Encouraged by Students’ Scores on Recent Provincial OSSLT’s

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Grade 10 students from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board continue to score well on Ontario Secondary School Literacy Tests (OSSLT) written in March 2007. The Board’s overall success rate of 89 percent for “Fully Participating Students” was consistent with previous scores surpassing the Provincial average of 84 percent. Marymount Academy lead the charge with a 100 percent success rate for “Fully Participating Students” followed closely by St. Benedict CSS with 91 percent, St. Charles College with 88 percent and Bishop Carter CSS with an 83 percent pass rate.

The OSSLT, introduced in 2002, measures whether students are meeting the minimum standard for literacy across all subjects to the end of Grade 9, according to the expectations set out in The Ontario Curriculum. Meeting this standard is a requirement for obtaining an Ontario Secondary School Diploma and positions students for success in their life beyond high school.

Rossella Bagnato, Interim Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic Board is thrilled with the efforts of her students. “We are extremely pleased with the test results of our
Grade 10 students,” stated Bagnato. “The results from the Province of Ontario’s EQAO Assessment testing indicate that our OSSLT plan is working and reflects admirably on our students, teachers, principals and parents.”

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic Board is also encouraged by the Literacy Test results stating that, “Our mandate as trustees in conjunction with senior administration at the Board has always been and will continue to be, to provide our students with the tools ands resources that they require to receive the best education possible. The very fact that our secondary schools show an 89 percent pass rate which is 5 percent higher than the Provincial average is proof that we are on the right track and will continue to improve on these results.”

Full details of these results are available at www.eqao.com.

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