Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Category: Staff

“Just a Little Off the Top Please”

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Lucy Gautheir, a Grade 7/8 teacher at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School had her hair shaved in support of cancer research on Friday. Cheered on by the school’s entire student body, Linda Lamothe (owner of RAY-ZOR Cuts) went about the delicate task of cutting Mrs. Gautheir’s hair while students shouted for a “Mohawk cut.” In the end they settled for a “close shave.”

Mrs. Gautheir challenged the students that if they raised $2,000 during the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope held at their school the previous week, she would shave her hair. Through hard work and determination and an incredible fundraising effort, the students at
St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School raised an amazing $9,188.32 and as result Mrs. Gautheir’s hair is now history.

“Super Intendent” Tries Out New Hi-tech Fitness Centre for Kids

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Rossella Bagnato, Superintendent of Academic Programs for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board dropped by KidsFIT, the City of Greater Sudbury’s newest high-tech fitness centre for kids recently and was put through the paces by Fitness Instructor, Joelle Martel. KidsFIT is an innovative, exciting and educational fitness facility that focuses on improving the lives of children by encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

This state-of-the-art fitness facility combines the latest technology such as Interactive Fitness Bikes, Hydraulic Circuits and DDR Dance Pads with physical fitness programs to improve muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. “At KidsFit we offer children the opportunity to improve their quality of life while building self confidence and esteem through exercise and play,” states Karen Hastie, President of KidsFit, Sudbury. “Our unique programs are designed to ensure that every child has the opportunity to experience all the components of physical fitness.”

Bagnato in turn identifies a unique opportunity to involve students
from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in the KidsFit program. “KidsFIT is an innovative, safe and fun method of introducing children to the world of fitness,” stated Bagnato. “It also coincides very nicely with our Board’s mandate to nurture the body, mind and soul”.

Visit the KidsFIT website at http://www.kidsfit.ca for more information.

SCDSB Receives Funding For New Library, Text Books

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Thanks to a recent funding announcement by the Ministry of Education, Sudbury Catholic District School Board students will start the new 2005 school year off with new library and text books. Mr. Rick Bartolucci, MPP for the City of Sudbury delivered the good news to representatives of the four Sudbury area school boards at press conference held at St. Francis Catholic School on Thursday morning. “To provide every student with the learning environment they need to succeed, Ontario’s publicly funded schools are taking deliver of new text books, library books and other learning resources in time for the start of a the new school year,” stated Bartolucci. Providing learning and library resources, teaching resources and professional development and professional development opportunities is a key component of the McGuinty government’s commitment to improving literacy and numeracy achievement among students. “The government’s goal is that 75 per cent of 12-year-olds meet the provincial standard in reading, writing and math by 2008. This new allocation of dollars will go along way toward achieving that goal,” concluded Bartolucci.

The McGuinty government is entering its second full year of an $8.3 billion four-year investment in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. Part of this investment, announced in May 2005, includes an additional $61 million for new textbooks, other learning resources (such as magazines, computer software and multi-media resources, including CD-ROMs and DVDs) and library resources. Every school — regardless of its size or geographic location — will benefit from the investment. The total funding for all 4 boards amounted to $1,159,635 with the breakdown as follows;

• Sudbury Catholic District School Board will receive $236,473
• Conseil scolaire du District du Grand Nord de l’Ontario will receive $ 119,739
• Conseil scolaire du District catholique du Nouvel-Ontario will receive $285,712
• Rainbow District School Board will receive $ 517,711

Hugh Lee, Superintendent of Business and Finance for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board was on hand for the morning presentation. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome the infusion of new money into our system at this time,” stated Lee. “The expert panel reports indicate that a well-stocked library contributes greatly to the development of students’ literacy skills. New money for textbooks will go a long way to ensure that the quality of Catholic Education will be maintained.”

E-Learning Introduced to Classrooms by SCDSB

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Jody Cameron, Project Manager of mysudbury.ca, recently introduced Sudbury Catholic District School Board teachers to an electronic learning management tool. E-Learning using Microsoft Class S provides teachers with learning-management features to help manage curriculum on-line, assess students’ achievements againstt curriculum standards, and generate reports on the results.

“What is unique about Class S is its ability to create assignments that are aligned with the school’s curriculum standards,” stated Cameron. “Teachers can use this new electronic technology to grade assignments and evaluate a student’s work, even if the work is submitted on paper or as an oral presentation. Many types of questions, such as multiple choice or fill in the blank, can be automatically graded (autograded) in Class S,” concluded Cameron.

After the assignment has been graded, teachers can use the reporting feature to get a high-level view of the whole class or specific students within the class. These reports can also help identify individual student needs. Microsoft Class S will be introduced to Marymount Academy and Pius XII Catholic School this fall.

SCDSB Appoints New Superintendent of Education

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The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Jean McHarg as the new Academic Superintendent of Education and Pathways to Success Program for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board effective September 1, 2005.

Mrs. McHarg is a true northerner, born and raised in Nakina, Ontario. She achieved her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, as well as a Bachelor of Education and Masters of Education through Lakehead University in Thunder Bay. She possesses both Principal and Supervisory Officer qualifications. Previous to her appointment with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, Mrs. McHarg held the position of Student Success Leader with Superior North Catholic District School Board in Terrace Bay and was the principal of two schools simultaneously, St. Brigid’s in Nakina and St. Joseph’s in Geraldton.

Jean and her husband Bob will be relocating to the Sudbury area in the near future and are looking forward to becoming a member of the Sudbury community and a local parish. Mrs. McHarg’s appointment will also bring them closer to their two grandchildren and extended family living in the Toronto area.

“We are very pleased to have Mrs. McHarg as our new Academic Superintendent of Education and Pathways to Success Program,” stated Paula Peroni, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “We are confident that Mrs. McHarg has the necessary experience in Catholic Education and will be very successful in the position of Academic Superintendent as she shares our vision, our values and our dedication to the children entrusted to our care, ” concluded Peroni.

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is also looking forward to Mrs. McHarg’s appointment. “Jean is dedicated to continual learning for herself as well as staff and students. We are pleased that she will be part of our Media ReleaseBoard’s Senior Administration team. We share her enthusiasm for the Student Success Initiative and look forward to her continuing to develop our students into valued and responsible citizens who will fulfill the mandate of our Catholic Graduate Expectations,” stated Zubac.

OECTA Elementary School Teachers Ratify Agreement with SCDSB

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The Sudbury Elementary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have ratified a new four year collective agreement (retro-active) from
September 2004 to August 2008. The OECTA membership voted in favour of the contract by 98.3 percent. The new agreement includes a wage parity adjustment on August 31, 2004 and annual increases totaling 9.5 percent over a four year period. The agreement ensures that the stable and co-operative work environment will continue at the Board’s 20 Catholic elementary schools.

Gary Kingerski, OECTA President, Sudbury Elementary stated that “when both parties began negotiations there was a willingness on both sides to come to an agreement without having to resort to work interruptions, a strike or lockout and/or arbitration. With this recent agreement, our elementary students can be assured that there will be no labour interruptions in the education sector.”

Paula Peroni, Chair of the Board’s negotiating committee and Board Chair is pleased with the fact that the contract has been ratified by the membership, stating that, “the fact that the OECTA membership ratified the agreement by such a large majority is extremely encouraging. Both parties during negotiations were looking to ensure that the interests of students were at the forefront of our discussions.”

OECTA Secondary School Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement with Board

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The Sudbury Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have reached a tentative agreement with its Catholic secondary school teachers. The OECTA negotiating team will present the details of the tentative agreement to its members on Tuesday, June 7. It is recommending acceptance of the contract. A membership vote on the contract will take place on Monday, June 13. The Board’s salary negotiation committee will bring the tentative proposal forward to the Trustees with a recommendation for approval on Tuesday, June 21. Paula Peroni, Board Chair, and Chair of the Board’s negotiation committee and Dan Charbonneau, OECTA Secondary Unit President, stated that both parties were pleased with the outcome of negotiations.

SCDSB Receives $2.5 M in Additional Funding

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Rick Bartolucci, MPP for the City of Sudbury was in town Monday morning to make a major funding announcement to the four area school boards for the 2005-06 school year and to reaffirm the McGuinty government’s commitment to spend more than $20 million for Sudbury Schools to support the New Era of Student Progress. “Area school boards will this year receive budget increases totaling $20,019,921,” stated Bartolucci at a Press Conference held at North Eastern Elementary. The money, which is part of a second full year of an extraordinary province-wide $8.3 billion, four-year increase in publicly funded schools will help ensure stability and a new era of progress for kindergarten to Grade 12 students.

• Sudbury Catholic District School Board will receive an additional $2,496,840 (projected increase of 4.3%)
• Conseil scolaire du District du Grand Nord de l’Ontario will receive $2,981,983 (projected increase of 8.2 percent)
• Conseil scolaire du District catholique du Nouvel-Ontario will receive $4,153,910 (projected increase of 5.1 percent)
• Rainbow District School Board will receive an additional $10,387,188 (projected increase of 8 percent)

“The McGuinty government has increased funding by more than $900 per pupil since taking office to provide smaller class classes, more individual support, new resources and more opportunities for high school students. Funding for more than 3,100 new teachers leads the expansive list of new investments this year,” announced Bartolucci. “Province-wide, the increase for 2005-06 will total $820 million, including $50 million in reinvestments generated by savings paid for by reforms in the funding formula. This boost, combined with ongoing funding, will bring our total education investment this year to $17.2 billion. Targeted investments will support more results for students in strategic priority areas, including literacy and numeracy skills for elementary students and more help for struggling high school students,” concluded Bartolucci.

Hugh Lee, Superintendent of Business and Corporate Affairs for the SCDSB welcomes the $2.5 million in additional funding. “The infusion of the $2.5 million for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is of great significance. It means more money for our Grade 9 One to One Laptop Program, for Early Literacy and Junior Literacy Programs and Teacher Development,” stated Lee.

OECTA Elementary School Teachers Reach Tentative Agreement with SCDSB

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The Sudbury Elementary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have reached a tentative agreement with its Catholic elementary school teachers. The OECTA negotiating team is recommending acceptance of the contract. The Board’s salary negotiation committee will bring the tentative proposal forward to the Trustees with a recommendation for approval on Tuesday, June 21, 2005. Paula Peroni, Board Chair and Chair of the Board’s negotiation committee and Gary Kingerski, OECTA Elementary Unit President, stated that both parties were happy with the positive result of negotiations.

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