The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Dave MacDonald as the new Academic Computer Instructor effective December 2, 2002.

Mr. MacDonald’s major duties and responsibilities will be to develop, design and maintain an online support site for students and staff of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and to provide current curriculum development information and resources. Mr. MacDonald’s other duties will include, designing and delivering workshops to school staff and students and assisting the curriculum team in assessing and improving current technology based teaching and learning practices.



Mr. MacDonald is well qualified for the position of Academic Computer Instructor having been involved in this area for many years in his previous role as a Course Instructor at Nipissing University and as a Department Head of the Computer Science Department at St. Charles College. He also possess an Educational Specialist Certification in Computer Studies in the both the elementary and secondary panels. Mr. MacDonald’s extensive background in multi media presentations and as a workshop instructor for educators will serve him well in this position. In assuming his new role as Academic Computer Instructor MacDonald stated that, “I am very happy to be joining our curriculum team and taking on this new and exciting challenge. I have had the privilege of working with many of our talented teachers in our computer workshops and I now look forward to actively working with them in their schools.”



Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic School Board is pleased with Mr. MacDonald’s appointment stating that. “I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Dave MacDonald for many years in his previous role as a teacher and vice-principal. His passion for learning and teaching combined with his in-depth knowledge of computers make him a definite asset to this Board.”

The Sudbury Secondary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have ratified a new two year collective agreement effective September 2002 to August 2004. The new agreement includes adjustments to benefits and wage increases of 1.2 percent effective September 2002, an additional 1 percent in February 2003 and September 2003 and 1.5 percent in February of 2004. The agreement ensures that the stable and co-operative work environment will continue at the Boards four Catholic secondary schools and the St. Albert Adult Learning Centre.

Given the current political and financial milieu that exists between school boards in Ontario and the government, it is a major coup that both parties were able to come to an agreement despite the shortcomings of the provincial funding formula. Both the Board and the OECTA bargaining committee decided not to wait until the government completed its review of the funding model to embark upon the task of working together to reach a contract settlement. The Board approved the agreement last week and the teachers accepted the new contract by voting 82 percent in favour of ratification.

Dan Charbonneau, OECTA President stated that “when both parties began negotiations in early June, 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 secondary students can be assured that there will be no labour interruptions in the education sector.”

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic School Board 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. With labour peace, our students transition to post secondary because of the double cohort will happen seamlessly.”

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis L. Kennelly as the new Faith Animator effective October 23, 2002.

The Faith Animator provides leadership in the spiritual direction and faith formation of Board personnel, and trustees. Mr. Kennelly’s other duties include guiding the school chaplains, facilitating celebration through prayer, sacrament and non Eucharistic liturgies, the provision of spiritual counseling and liaising with the Diocese and local parishes.

Mr. Kennelly is well qualified for the position of Faith Animator. He is a graduate of The Toronto School of Theology and possesses a Baccalaureate in Theology and a Masters of Divinity.

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board stated that, “the position of Faith Animator is critical to our faith-based Catholic school system. Mr. Kennelly will not only act as a resource person to the entire system in assisting staff to better understand the spiritual needs of the school community but he will also continue to guide the Sudbury Catholic School Board in its mandate to strengthen the partnership of school, parish and home. ”

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic School Board is also very pleased with Mr. Kennelly’s appointment as the new Faith Animator. “Through personal example, counseling and special projects Mr. Kennelly will continue to encourage the faith held in common by our Catholic community. A warm welcome is extended to Dennis and we look forward to his contribution to our administrative team,” stated Zubac.

Recent results from the Ontario School Literacy Test indicate Grade 10 students from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board scored extremely well with an 11 percent improvement over 2001. The test, conducted in February 2002, consisted of both a reading and writing component, the purpose of the test being to show whether or not students meet the basic literacy standard across the province. While the provincial average showed an increase of 7 percent from the previous year, the Sudbury Catholic Board’s figures jumped from 69 percent to 80 percent of students that passed the test.

Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic Board is thrilled with the efforts of the students. “We are extremely pleased with the test results of our Grade 10 students in our Catholic system,” stated Mrs. Zubac. “The results from the Province of Ontario’s EQAO Assessment testing indicate that our plan is working and reflects admirably on our students, teachers, principals and parents.” Jody Cameron, 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 80 percent pass rate which is an 11 percent improvement over last year is proof that we are on the right track and will continue to improve on these results,” stated Cameron.

Visit our EQAO Assessment section to read the full report.

Dear Teachers of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board:

October 5th is World Teacher Day and on behalf of the Board of Trustees I would like to take this moment to acknowledge the vast contribution that you as teachers have made in awakening potential and fostering the fundamental capacity of our students to seek knowledge, to disseminate information and to share your collective wisdom.

As the backbone of the education sector, you assume responsibility for a very challenging assignment – that of developing the potential of our Catholic children as they set out on their individual paths “to learn”, “to do”, “to be” and “to live together”. You as teachers are instrumental in giving children that unique first glimpse of the possibilities of life and in perpetuating the quest for knowledge through lifelong learning.

On October 5th, I invite you to recognize the indispensable, often difficult and self-sacrificing role played by yourselves in providing quality education. We encourage all of you to take pride in your vocation and to continue working within your chosen profession. Through your unceasing quest for greater knowledge, for improvements in the quality of your teaching and for enhancing the learning outcomes of your pupils, you all are vivid exemplars of lifelong learning.

As we move towards the creation of learning and information societies, the role model provided by all of you is as relevant and important as ever.

Thank You!



Jody Cameron

Chair

SCDSB

Representatives of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, the Catholic Teachers Federation, the Sudbury Catholic Principals Council and the Sudbury Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1369 (left), presented a list of recommendations to the Education Equality Task Force, (EETF) in North Bay on September 23, 2002 to address shortcomings regarding the current Student Focused Funding Model. While the present funding model’s principles and structure are sound and the model is not broken the Sudbury Catholic Board feels that it does, however, require an adequate level of funding immediately to work as intended. Dr. Rozanski, head of the Task Force thanked the SCDSB for putting together a presentation that was very informative, well co-ordinated and involved all partners in education.

As Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff, students, parents, volunteers and community partners for a very successful start to the 2002/2003 school year. On the positive side, our initial enrolment numbers are very encouraging given the fact that students continue to register in our elementary schools on a daily basis and our secondary enrolment is higher than expected. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all students, especially those who are new to our Catholic System. We wish you the very best, and much success as you pursue your academic journey. There can be little doubt, however, that this coming academic year will pose a major challenge to all school boards across Ontario with respect to the Provincial Government’s funding formula. I, along with my fellow Trustees and Senior Board Administration share concerns regarding the present funding model.



The Sudbury Catholic District School Board applauds the efforts of the Minister of Education, Elizabeth Witmer for establishing in June 2002 the Education Equality Task Force. Dr. Rozanski, head of the Task Force, stated that he will be looking for ways to strengthen Ontario’s four publicly funded school system and ways to improve fairness, certainty and stability for our schools and our students. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in conjunction with the Catholic Teachers Federation, the Sudbury Catholic Principals’ Council and the Sudbury Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1369 presented a list of recommendations to the Task Force on Monday, September 23, 2002 in North Bay to insure the continued protection of Catholic legal rights as well as to address shortcomings of the current Student Focussed Funding Model. The Board encourages all community partners to make their views known to the Task Force by visiting www.edfundingreview.on.ca Your on-going support is vital for the continued access to equal quality educational opportunities for all our Catholic students.

From the Sudbury Catholic District School Board perspective, the purpose of education is not only the transmission of knowledge but also the formation of the whole person that brings students to a personal integration of faith and life. Our Catholic schools are responsible for imparting Christian values in faithful and systematic ways in order to initiate students into the fullness of Christian life and to elicit in response a personal commitment to that way of life.

Guy Mathieu, Principal of the new Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School (BACCSS) in Valley East looks on as Julie Hillson, Manager of R. J. McCarthy’s clothing store on Lasalle Blvd, (left) helps Ashley Boucher, Grade 9 student at BACCS select her new uniform for returning to school. Phase one of Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s plan includes renovations of its one-year temporary site for Bishop Alexander Carter CSS at the River Road Campus (formerly St. Kevin’s school) in Val Caron. Registrations for September are growing each day as more students continue to register. The second phase of the plan is to transform the former St. Anne school into its permanent technologically advanced secondary school in Valley East. Catholic supporters, parents and students continue to be involved in creating the new Catholic secondary school as it grows one grade at a time.

Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted unanimously in favour of making changes to Procedure By-Law 98-1 during the regular board meeting held last night. The changes result in one monthly meeting of the Board, on the first Tuesday of every month and the creation of a Finance and Property Committee which will meet on the third Tuesday of every month. Effective immediately, the next regular meeting of the Board will be held on October 1st at 7:00 p.m. and, the first Finance and Property Committee meeting will be held on September 17th at 7:00 p.m. at the business office of the Board, 165A D’Youville Street, Sudbury. These changes were made in line with the SCDSB’s mandate to streamline its governance and more effectively service its Catholic Community.