Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Marymount Academy Introduces New OSAID Mascot to Community

Marymount Academy was the scene of a very special event on October 26, 2009 as “Barney” the Bear and new OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving) Mascot was introduced to the Sudbury Community for the very first time.

Barney arrived by police escort accompanied by Ms. Nicole LaCroix, a member of the Provincial OSAID, Board of Directors.

Barney, an Issue Awareness Development Campaign Project, is starting his province-wide journey in Sudbury. Students at Marymount will be Barney’s first official ‘owners’-they will look after him, blog of his whereabouts on the OSAID website and post photos of Barney on his travels and pass him on the new ‘owners’ in other OSAID member schools.

Barney will travel from school to school, community to community and around the province. Where he goes is entirely for his ‘owners’ to decide.

Marymount Academy hosts “Breakfast with Parents”

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s all-girl Grade seven to twelve school, Marymount Academy hosted a “Breakfast with Parents” on October 15, 2009. The school received Ministry funding to support parent involvement at the regional level. Marymount decided to host a breakfast to allow parents to come and meet their children’s teachers and also network with community partners such as the United Way, Cambrian College, the local Health Unit, and the Marymount Catholic School Council. Cassandra MacGregor, Vice-Principal of the school was pleased with the excellent turn out from the school community. “Breakfast with Parents provides parents with the opportunity to see their children in their school setting,” says MacGregor. “Not everyone can attend meetings and other school events in the evening and this is just another way to welcome parents into our school and engage them in their daughters’ education.”

Board staff: Jennifer Connelly Technology Integration Mentor, Dawn Wemigwans Aboriginal Lead, and Joan Yawney, Religious Education and Faith Consultant were on hand to highlight programs offered at Marymount such as the Grade seven and eight One to One Laptop program, Native Language and the Virtues program. Lucie Cullen, Principal of Marymount Academy was also very happy with the turnout. “It is inspiring and energizing to see hundreds of parents turn out for the breakfast. We are so pleased with the response from our parents and plan to continue to build on this positive relationship,” stated Cullen.

Many parents expressed their wishes for more of these opportunities to start the day off with their daughters’ educators. This event was so successful that the Marymount School Catholic School Council is planning another “Breakfast with Parents” in the spring. The staff at Marymount Academy would like to thank all those who helped make the event such a success as well as all the parents who took the time to attend this special school event.

St. Charles College Creates New Aboriginal Award in Honour of Grand Council Chief

A visit from Grand Council Chief John Beaucage has inspired St. Charles College to dedicate an award in his name at its most recent graduation ceremonies. The Chief John Beaucage Award is presented each year to an outstanding graduating student of Aboriginal ancestry who demonstrates leadership, a positive attitude, extra-curricular involvement, and pride in cultural identity. The student must also exemplify the St. Charles College motto of “Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge” and holds in high regard the Seven Grandfather Teachings- Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth.

St. Charles College is proud to announce that the 2009 Chief John Beaucage Award was presented to Brent Toulouse. Brent is both a football player and a basketball player at St. Charles College and demonstrated his dedication to extra curricular activity by coaching his little brother’s football team in the Joe MacDonald football league over the summer.

Brent is a graduate of the Mkwa Police Mentorship Program offered at St. Charles College, and aspires to be a police officer. He is also a strong advocate with respect to restoring and resurrecting his Native culture and heritage by stating very strongly and humbly that he would like his language, Anishinabemowin, taught in his school. He is a leader in his Native Studies and Outdoor Education classes. Brent Toulouse is truly deserving of the Chief John Beaucage Award.

Chief John Beaucage was deeply honoured to have the award presented in his name. The school is planning to set up a visit with John Beaucage and the students again in the fall.

“If I Don’t Finish, We Need to Continue”

Terry Fox’s words “If I don’t finish, we need others to continue. It’s got to keep going without me,” have inspired St. James Catholic School to participate in the annual Terry Fox Marathon of Hope. More than 350 students will participate in the walk at St. James Catholic School in Lively with voluntary donations going to the Terry Fox Foundation. Whereas Terry Fox made a monumental impact on the world, St. James Catholic School students hope that they can, in their own small way, help with cancer research.

Marymount Students Advance to Provincial Business Challenge

Marymount Academy students will be competing at the Provincial Business Challenge this November in Thunder Bay. Carley Cummings and Jennifer Roy, both in Grade 12, will be representing the City of Greater Sudbury. This past June, the girls won first place and were awarded $9,000 in bursaries, cash and advertising credits at the Sudbury Regional Business Challenge.

Their business plan, “Rally Yer’ Spirits” rally towels, promote excitement and enhance school spirit at sporting events. In addition to winning first place, Marymount Academy students placed 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th at the Regional Business Challenge.

Sudbury Catholic Board Principal Receives Principal of the Year Award

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that Mrs. Sharon Oliver, Principal of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School is the honoured recipient of the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario (CPCO), 2009 Principal of the Year Award for Outstanding School/Community Leadership and for her contributions to Catholic Education.

Mrs. Oliver was presented with the award at the Annual Conference, Gala Dinner in Toronto. Sharon has been a school administrator for twelve years and has shared her time and talents with her colleagues from across the province as Chairperson of the CPCO’s Professional Development Committee and was a member of the CPCO Policy Committee for one year.

$12,000 for Jump Rope For Heart, from St. Paul Catholic School Students

Students at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School raised more than $12,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation during their annual Jump Rope for Heart and Hoops for Heart campaign. The kickoff to this year’s campaign included a video from The Heart and Stroke Foundation and a demonstration from the Chelmsford Public School Dragonfire team.

The St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School student body fundraised by taking part in various skipping and basketball events organized by the grade 7 and 8 students. Once again, the students received tremendous support from the families and friends for this fundraising event.

St. Paul would like to thank all the pledge donors in their school communities, which include Coniston, Minnow Lake and Wahnapitae. Over the last four years the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic School community has raised more than $50,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. This is certainly one physical activity that has many benefits. The students stay active and help a great cause.

St. Charles Elementary holds 5th annual ‘Johnathan Hetu Walk’ for cancer

St. Charles School in Chelmsford once again had their Johnathan Hetu walk. This is the fifth year of the walk in remembrance of Johnathan Hetu, a student who passed away from cancer. This year the walk was able to raise $3200. This puts our 5 year total at $22 175. Both of Johnathan parents were able to join us in the walk and channel 10 news was also there to do a story, which is now appearing on Channel 10 news.

St. Christopher Catholic School Bestowed with the Honour of ‘School on the Move’

St. Christopher Catholic School joins an elite group of schools across Ontario that have been recognized by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat as a School on the Move. Only 35 schools (30 English, 5 French) throughout the province of Ontario were selected as Phase 4 Schools on the Move. During the four years of this initiative, of the 4,000 elementary schools in the province, 142 have been awarded this distinction.

The Schools on the Move initiative highlights schools that are making substantial progress in raising student achievement and have sustained this progress over several years.

In order to become a School on the Move St. Christopher School had to meet several criteria, which included:

– EQAO scores in reading, writing and mathematics have improved in both Grades 3 and 6 over a three year period

– Staff being able to articulate what they did and how they implemented changes

– Staff being able to provide evidence of growth in student achievement

– Strategies the school identified are supported by research evidence

– Collaborative culture, with teachers working together, constantly learning, challenging and supporting each other

– Doors being open and parents being partners

St. Christopher is the first school in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board to be nominated and to be selected as a School on the Move. Effective teaching and learning practises at St. Christopher are making a difference

Committeed to educating all children to the highest possible level, St. Christopher and all Schools on the Move have overcome challenges and are now achieving success. These schools are invigorating education in Ontario, increasing student achievement, narrowing gaps and gaining the confidence of their communities.

The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat states, “With a sense of collective pride, we present this year’s Schools on the Move. For us, these schools are ambassadors for energizing Ontario education.”

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