On Friday, February 11th, the Marymount ski team competed in the city championships held at Adanac ski hill. Team members include Kate Palkovits, Tori Jewell, Mackenzie Webber, Lyndsay Greasley, Danielle Burla, Brittany Major, and Vanessa Bulfon. Under beautiful sunny skies, the team showed once again this year that they are a force to be reckoned with. Led by Gr. 11 student Kate Palkovits, Marymount finished in first place among all Level One skiers. There were record numbers this year for the female racers, so this was quite the accomplishment. On Tuesday, February 15th, the team moved on to compete at the Northern Ontario level and after some unbelievably competitive skiing by girls from all over Sudbury and North Bay, Marymount once again proved that they were #1 and captured the overall Level One NOSSA title. Level One skiers are those who have never received any club racing training beyond the Nancy Green Level. The team now moves on to OFSAA, to be held at Blue Mountain in Collingwood on February 28th & March 1st. This is the second year in a row that Marymount has represented Northern Ontario at the provincial level. Some individual NOSSA results include:

Kate Palkovits:
2nd Place – Giants Slalom
1st Place – Slalom
1st Place – Overall Combined

Tori Jewell:
3rd Place – Giant Slalom

Mackenzie Webber:
5th Place – Giant Slalom

On Friday, February 11th, the Marymount ski team competed in the city championships held at Adanac ski hill. Team members include Kate Palkovits, Tori Jewell, Mackenzie Webber, Lyndsay Greasley, Danielle Burla, Brittany Major, and Vanessa Bulfon. Under beautiful sunny skies, the team showed once again this year that they are a force to be reckoned with. Led by Gr. 11 student Kate Palkovits, Marymount finished in first place among all Level One skiers. There were record numbers this year for the female racers, so this was quite the accomplishment. On Tuesday, February 15th, the team moved on to compete at the Northern Ontario level and after some unbelievably competitive skiing by girls from all over Sudbury and North Bay, Marymount once again proved that they were #1 and captured the overall Level One NOSSA title. Level One skiers are those who have never received any club racing training beyond the Nancy Green Level. The team now moves on to OFSAA, to be held at Blue Mountain in Collingwood on February 28th & March 1st. This is the second year in a row that Marymount has represented Northern Ontario at the provincial level. Some individual NOSSA results include:

Kate Palkovits:
2nd Place – Giants Slalom
1st Place – Slalom
1st Place – Overall Combined

Tori Jewell:
3rd Place – Giant Slalom

Mackenzie Webber:
5th Place – Giant Slalom

St. Francis school gym was the scene of the “South End Family Dance”. Students, parents, and teachers from St. Francis, St. Michael, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi and St. Christopher schools came together to dance to the tunes of DJ Bill McElree. Many thanks to all the parents, students and teachers who attended to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Thank you to the St. Theresa’s Cathoic School Council for funding the evening. Families came together to unite the school communities after many months of review and uncertainity. With a plan in place and the interest of students put first, this was time to celebrate and move forward. A wonderful evening of dance and fun was celebrated by all. Can food items were collected for those in need and will be forwarded to the “Inner City Home”

Have you ever wanted to tell someone what a wonderful friend they are? St. Anne’s Student Council members used February 14th as a way to let students and staff do exactly that. Candy-o-gram messages were sold by the council for a week previous to Valentine’s Day. Each candy-o-gram was purchased for $1.00 and then forwarded to classmates and family members throughout the school. Every message was attached to a small Valentine treat. Student council members from the Intermediate grades will continue to raise funds during school spirit events. Proceeds will go towards school activities.

Mr. Joe Cormier, Federal Liberal Candidate for Nickel Belt came to Capreol to speak to students and staff about the recognition of our Canadian Flag, on Flag Day. February 15th is National Flag of Canada Day. He spoke about the history of how the flag came to be. He spoke of the involvement of the Honorable Lester B. Pearson who, while Prime Minister, informed the House of Commons of the government’s desire to adopt a distinctive national flag for Canada. Our recognizable single leaf design was inaugurated at an official Parliament Hill ceremony on February 15, 1965 in the presence of the Governor General, His Excellency General the Right Honorable Georges Vanier, the Prime Minister, the Right Honorable Lester B. Pearson, members of Cabinet and Canadian parliamentarians. Mr. Cormier also brought a flag with him, through the efforts of his wife, Monique, that once flew on Parliament Hill. Students and staff alike, while singing O Canada, had the opportunity to hold and raise the flag. Mr. Cormier shared these words from the Honorable Maurice Bourget, Speaker of the Senate: “ The flag is the symbol of the nations’s unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion.” Students have the opportunity to participate in a special art project – drawing the Canadian Flag in a setting of their choice. Students will have a chance to win a Canadian Flag of their own, along with a copy of a book signed by The Hon. Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Opposition.

The students in Early Learning Kindergarten at St. Raphael School celebrated the 100th day of school with pomp and pageantry.

Students made books about the number one hundred. They also brought in collections of 100 items from home. The students also made ties to literacy by reading 100 books and even sang songs for the 100th day celebration.

Teacher Rosemary Tripodi and Early Childhood Educator Domenic Vicedomini also got into the spirit by wearing blazers with 100 colourful pom poms attached. They also decked out their classroom with 100 colourful balloons.

Vicedomini says “the day brought number awareness to such a large number”.

Tripodi says “it was also an opportunity to celebrate accomplishments and growth because this is the first year of school for many of the students”.

The day will continue with the creation of 100 Fruit Loop necklaces, and opportunities for the students to present their collections of 100 items.

Elementary schools around the province are celebrating the “100th Day of School” this week. Teachers use this celebration day to reinforce required elementary numeracy skills such as — fun, hands on activities that focus on how to count to 100 by ones, twos, fives and tens, as well as sorting and classifying objects into groups. Literacy skills are reinforced by the presentation of thematic books and centres with a focus on oral communication.

At St. David School, the kindergarten class celebrated the day by reading the book “The 100th Day Worries”, created crowns with 100 objects pasted to them — then wore the crowns to celebrate during the day. The celebration ended with the creation of “fruitloop necklaces” — with 100 fruits loops on each.

St. Charles Catholic School and the Chelmsford Best Start HUB are pleased to be offering a six week session of Family Math. The session began at the school on Wednesday, January 26, and will run in the evenings until February 23rd. This is a six week program for families with children from 4 to 6 years of age.

Research shows that students do better at school when their parents are involved in their education.

Six St. Benedict students were privileged to attend a SPAD presentation by CFL Commissioner, Mark Cohon, with the event proceeds supporting The Joe MacDonald Youth Football League. Mr. Cohon is a big supporter of youth in football, and his motivational message was that the game of football is not only fun, but it helps to build confidence, and to teach players the skills they will need in life. By teaching them how to play as a team, they learn how to work as a team later in life. This is a great foundation for any future career.