An agreement between the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and the Child and Family Centre will see a qualified child and youth treatment worker assist students with emotional and behaviourial problems at St. David’s and Pius XII elementary schools.

During the first Board meeting of the new school year, Trustees voted in favour of continuing with the project that was piloted last year at St. David elementary school. “Their decision will now be presented to the Board’s Special Education Advisory Committee,” said Michael Csinos, Superintendent of Education for the Catholic Board. “This type of program will serve to enhance our Special Education Plan, “continued Csinos. “as it provides a framework for teachers to work within when dealing with students displaying aberrant behaviour.”

The Board is hopeful that the Early Intervention Behaviour Program will be incorporated into the Special Education Plan. Csinos stated that, “Last year, the pilot program worked very well with the children and parents at St. David school involving 25 families and 51 students who were actively involved in the project. This September, school personnel, including principals, teachers and Special Education teachers at St. David and Pius XII, will work with the Child and Family Centre to create plans designed to fit the individual needs of students.” The Early Intervention Behaviour program focuses on students’ social skills, peer mediation, problem-solving skills, anger management and family work. Students and their families participate in the program on a volunteer basis. The treatment worker’s time will be equally divided between the two schools and children from Kindergarten to Grade 8 from September 2002 to June 2003.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Rossella Bagnato as the new Superintendent of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. Rossella Bagnato replaces Zandra Zubac, who vacated the position to assume the role of Director of Education with the Board in July.

Miss Bagnato possesses a Master of Education degree from Ottawa University and has 16 years of experience in the field of Education, both as a teacher and administrator. She is well suited to her new position as Superintendent having spent 9 years as a vice-principal and principal, most recently as the Principal of St. Bernadette School. In assuming her new position as Superintendent Miss Bagnato stated that, “I am excited to be part of the Senior Administrative Team that promotes within the Sudbury Catholic District School Board the goals of academic excellence, spiritual growth and community service. I am also very dedicated to the Board’s mission statement to develop the spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical talents of each student in an atmosphere of faith within the home, Church and school.”

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board stated that “It is with a great deal of pleasure that the Board announces Miss Bagnato as our elementary academic Superintendent of Education. Miss Bagnato not only possesses the academic, curriculum and administrative skills necessary for this position but she also has brings with her a deep commitment to Catholic Education and is extremely passionate regarding the Board’s support of teachers and administrators as they guide students in their spiritual and academic journey.” Zandra Zubac, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic Board echoed Mr. Cameron’s comments stating that, “I have known Rossella Bagnato both personally and professionally for several years and I am thrilled to have her join our senior administrative team. She is a dynamic and enthusiastic individual who will bring a great deal of energy, inspiration and leadership to our Board. Her love for students and her dedication to academic excellence make her a valuable asset to our Catholic educational community.”

Miss Bagnato assumes her new position with the Board effective July 29, 2002.

Other moves and appointments at the Sudbury Catholic Board include; Tony Chezzi, Principal of Pius XII school; Sharon Oliver, Principal of St. Andrew school; Lucie Cullen, Principal, St. Anne school in Hanmer; Ed Burla, Principal of Immaculate Conception, Val Caron.

Trustees with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board proved successful in passing a balanced budget for the 2002-2003 school year. The Board approved a budget of $54.7 million in its last meeting before the summer break on Thursday, June 27.

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board, stated that, “the whole process of bringing in a balanced budget for 2002-03 was not an easy task by any means. Some very difficult and tough decisions had to be made in order for us to meet the bottom line of a zero deficit. However at the end of the day we are confident that we were able to come up with a financial document that we all could live with. The Board and Trustees were of the same mind from the outset that cuts would have to be made as equally and fairly as possible across the system.

Associate Director – Corporate Services and Treasurer of the Board, Robert Boucher added that the Board managed to balance its budget by adopting a number of creative and cost-saving measures, some of which include; a more efficient employee fringe benefits and employee annual deposit plan; reducing material and equipment purchases by drawing on existing inventories, not replacing 12 full-time equivalent positions because of declining enrolments, and finally, by drawing $447,000 from reserves in order to maintain teacher professional development days, a curriculum support teacher, recognition events for 25 years of service and retiring employees. This draw also ensured that there would be no cuts in classroom textbooks and supplies and allowed St. Anthony’s school in Gatchell to remain open. Mr. Boucher also noted that the Board, “will continue to petition the Ministry of Education to address the inadequate amount of funding for Catholic elementary and secondary education.”.

Schools of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board held special services today in honour of the Holy Cross and World Youth Days that will take place in Toronto later this summer. Students packed the schools’ gymnasiums to pray, sing and celebrate the renewed spirit that this special Cross has brought to Catholic youth.

The World Youth Day Ceremonies were spearheaded by Don Hopkins, Local Chair of the Catholic Principals of Ontario who arranged for the schools to pray in solidarity with the young people who will be attending World Youth Day in Toronto. Sister Trina Bottos, Faith Animator for the SCDSB composed a special Prayer Service that was celebrated simultaneously by all Catholic Schools belonging to the Board. “In each of our schools at 11:30 this morning, students teachers, and staff gathered to reflect upon the challenge Pope John Paul has issued to the World’s young people to be, Salt of the Earth and Light of the World,” stated Bottos. Sister Bottos also mentioned that today’s ceremonies are very important with respect to the timing of the World Youth Day Celebrations that only weeks away. “We prayed today for all those involved with preparations for this event and for those who will be traveling to Toronto to participate in World Youth Day. This unique event is really about the young people who will be gathering from many different countries to celebrate our Faith. It is hoped that they will become closer to other members of the world community and grow in respect and understanding of one another,” concluded Bottos.

The Holy Cross began its pilgrimage Palm Sunday, 2001 when Pope John Paul II presented the World Youth Day Cross to a delegation of young Canadians in St. Peter’s Square in Rome at a special ceremony. The Cross then came to Ottawa to begin its journey across the country visiting various communities and cities along the way to Montreal and finally Toronto in time to celebrate World Youth Day, July 21st to 28th.

For more information on the World Youth Day Cross, contact the Website at www.wyd2002.org

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Zandra Zubac as the new Director of Education of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board effective July 1, 2002.

Mrs. Zubac has 25 years of experience with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board; 11 as a teacher, 9 as a Principal and 5 years as a Superintendent of Education, a position she is now vacating to take on her new role as Director of Education. Mrs. Zubac replaces Robert Boucher who was appointed as the Board’s Interim Director of Education last July. Mr. Boucher resumes his previous position with the Sudbury Catholic Board as Associate Director of Corporate Services and Treasurer of the Board.

Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board stated that “It is with a great deal of pleasure that the Board announces Mrs. Zubac as our new Director of Education. Mrs. Zubac is well suited to the task as the new Director. Her qualifications, in all reality speak for themselves,” said Cameron. “She is not only well versed in the day to day curriculum but also possesses a great deal of academic and classroom experience having worked her way through the academic system as a Teacher, Principal and Superintendent. Her personality will be greatly appreciated and valued by all who will work with her and most importantly she has gained a great rapport with students, teachers and fellow administrators who will benefit by her positive contribution to Catholic Education.” Mr. Cameron continued on to say that, “Mrs. Zubac replaces Mr. Boucher who was the Interim Director of Education since last July and on behalf of the Trustees and the Board I would like to thank Mr. Boucher for a job well done in what has been a most challenging yet rewarding school year. We extend our deepest appreciation to Mr. Boucher and welcome Mrs. Zubac to her new role as Director.”

At a special meeting held to review the Marymount enrolment issue on Tuesday, April 30th, Trustees of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board passed a motion directing the administration to increase enrolment at Marymount Academy for the 2002-2003 and future school years. Trustees reviewed a number of different enrolment scenarios presented to them by Mr. Robert Boucher, Director of Education for the SCDSB and in the end decided to pass a resolution that would increase the number of Grade 7 students from 78 to 92 for September 2002 and from 52 to 90 for September 2003, plateauing at 90 for each following year. The Grade 7 and 8 programs will have a total enrolment of 180 pupils, with six classrooms of 30 students each. In addition, renovations inside the school totaling approximately $110,000 will be undertaken as needed to create up to one an extra classroom for 2003-2004, two more in 2004-2005 and one more in 2005 ?2006.

The decision to allow increased enrolment in Grades 7 to Grade 12 will bring the school’s enrolment to 620 students. It also follows through on the mandate of parents, teachers and Marymount’s School council who had asked Trustees to create more classrooms and to increase the enrolment at the Academy. The approved solution continues to meet the established mission of providing quality education in an all girls Catholic school for advanced academic, and enriched programming only.

The enrolment of Marymount will grow from 419 to 491 in September 2002 to 556 in

September 2003 and stabilizing to approximately 620 in September 2004. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to have been able to provide a responsible and balanced system solution, which will ensure a solid enrolment of 180 Grade 7 and 8 elementary students and 440 Grade 9 to 12 secondary students at Marymount Academy.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce the opening of its new Catholic Secondary School in Valley East as Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School. The parents and registered students of the school were involved in researching and evaluating various names in a “name the school project” to finally bring forward this recommendation. Future activities will include selecting the colours and style of the new uniforms, the school mascot and more.

Phase one of the board’s plan is already underway with renovations of its one-year temporary site at the River Road Campus (formerly St. Kevin’s school) in Val Caron. The registrations for September 2002 now count 57 grade nine students and are growing as more students continue to register. The second phase of the plan is to transform for September 2003, the former St. Anne’s school in the tradition of Catholic education in Sudbury, into its permanent most technologically advanced state of the art secondary school in Valley East, known as Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has also selected Mr. Guy Mathieu to be the principal of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School in Valley East. Born and raised in Valley East, Mr. Mathieu has strong ties to the community and to his home parish St-Jacques in Hanmer. He also possesses an extensive educational background in both the secondary and elementary panels. With reference to the role that he will play in helping to mould the new institution, Mr. Mathieu stated that, “The creation of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School in Valley East is an idea whose time has finally come. I am very excited about being a member of the team that will assist in shaping this new faith-filled learning community. Our vision for the school is to establish a safe environment for learning that is visibly Christ centred and academically student focussed”

In establishing Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School in Valley East, the board is following through on its mandate received from 89% of the respondents of an exhaustive consultation survey of all Catholic supporters in Capreol and the Valley over the last year. According to Mr. Jody Cameron, Chairperson of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, “The Catholic Board has never wavered from its commitment to provide quality, Catholic education for the students in Valley East and Capreol.” Mr. Robert Boucher, Director of Education, further adds that, “After months of preparation, we are now ready to move forward with our plan to offer equal educational opportunities to our Catholic Secondary students in Valley East. The selection of Mr. Mathieu as a qualified and dynamic individual with the experience to take on the challenges as principal of this new school was an integral part of our plan. We have every confidence in his abilities to lead this school to a great success”

With respect to future growth and expansion of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, Mr. Boucher stated that, “The Sudbury Catholic Board has the confidence the Catholic supporters, parents and students to continue to be involved in determining and shaping the unique identity of the new Catholic Secondary School as it grows one grade at a time”.

Secondary School Teachers from the Sudbury Catholic Board were given the opportunity to take part in the last of four training sessions run by Cambrian College’s Glenn Crombie Centre for disability services. Cambrian College announced the pilot project in April of last year with a grant of $149,000 from the Federal Government. The aim of the Adaptive Technologies Access Project is to increase the success of transitional activities for students in secondary schools who have disabilities into post secondary or employment activities. The project utilizes advanced technologies in assistive technology, Internet and Broadband Wireless.



Several area secondary schools and their teachers are participating in this pilot project. The adaptive work stations and technology training provided will assist teachers in preparing disabled youth for entry into post secondary education or workplace environments. The project is developed around youth with disabilities, their families, peers and teachers. The realization of the outcomes will raise awareness of the value of these new learning technologies, locally, provincially and globally. Through partnerships with school boards and service providers, the effectiveness of this project can be duplicated anywhere there are schools and learners. It is estimated that several hundred students with learning disabilities will benefit from the interventions of this pilot project providing them with employment and educational opportunities. The project itself will promote life-long learning and continual access to the information required for the quality of life. By establishing sites at several secondary schools, youth in the school community can decrease isolation and improve access to the Internet through specialized devices, training and support throughout the two-year pilot project.

Partners in this project include Cambrian College; the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation through the Ontario Trillium Foundation; Human Resources Development Canada through the Office of Learning Technologies; The Easter Seal Society; and Absolute Abilities as well as the local English Language School Boards.