The Sudbury Catholic District School Board was the host site for the CBC-TV’s nightly news program, The National with Peter Mansbridge recently. Mansbridge (surrounded by a group of techies) recorded the news live from the back of a 5-ton truck in the board’s parking lot as part of the CBC’s mandate to take the National on the road to various cities in Canada.

Featured in this particular “Road Story” was the City of Greater Sudbury’s impressive environmental recovery and regreening record from the 1970’s to the present. “Sudbury is a logical fit for a series of shows revolving around the environmental restoration,” Mansbridge stated to the media before arriving in Sudbury to do the show. “The massive efforts made to put green back in the city’s landscape will serve as an example to the rest of the country.”

The one-hour news cast surveyed much of Sudbury’s mining history and its effect on the ecology from the 1960’s when the landscape was considered to be unappealing due to the effects of acid rain to the present day Sudbury that has made major inroads in the environmental restoration. Laurentian University environmentalist, David Peterson who was also a guest on the National News program noted that over the last 30 years the City of Greater Sudbury in conjunction with CVRD INCO has undertaken major efforts to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions and has planted millions of shrubs and grasses to restore the environment and regreen the city. “Impressive efforts have been made to restore the natural environment following decades of industrial damage,” stated Mansbridge. “The (City of Greater Sudbury) is showing that there are solutions for some of these issues and is on the road to recovery.”

Word that the CBC’s National News program was coming to Sudbury created a great deal of excitement in the city as crowds of spectators gathered around the CBC’s remote trucks and mobile units to watch the program live at 9:00 p.m. and to meet Peter Mansbridge. Mr. Mansbridge took the opportunity to explain why it was important for the CBC to take the news program on the road to visit cities such as Sudbury. His interaction with his outdoor audience included answering numerous questions, signing autographs and posing for photo opportunities.

Through Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian Humanitarian Organization, the students at Immaculate Conception School in Val Caron have been busy collecting as many items as possible to fill 100 gift boxes to be transported all over the world through the Christmas Shoe Box Campaign, Operation Christmas Child.

Each of the classes at Immaculate was responsible for collecting items ranging from basic toiletries to small toys that will be distributed to less fortunate children so that they too may have the joy of opening a Christmas present this holiday season.
Congratulations to Immaculate Conception students, staff and parents in making Operation Christmas Child such a huge success.

Msgr. Dennis Murphy, (a celebrant and keynote speaker) was in Sudbury recently to address more than 400 teachers, principals, vice-principals and staff at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Faith Day activities held at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

Msgr. Murphy spoke about the challenges facing Catholic educators today. In his presentation, he stressed the fact that the ministry of education in the Catholic school system is rooted in Faith and responding to the call of the Spirit empowers teachers, parents, students and staff to meet numerous challenges. Msgr. Murphy also pointed out that each person in the system must find his/her own path to spirituality in order to lead students to an experience of God, Jesus and the Spirit.

During the afternoon, teachers went back to their schools with questions for discussion with the purpose of developing an approach to spirituality in schools that could assist students grow in Faith and serve in the Spirit.

New teachers were invited to attend an after-school seminar on ‘Creating a Classroom Behaviour Plan’. The workshop is the first of several in service sessions in accordance with the government initiative “New Teacher Induction Program” (NTIP).

All new teachers that have been hired since January 1, 2006 will be given a volunteer mentor to work with and will receive in service on several timely topics. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has hired 46 teachers of which 32 are new to the teaching profession.