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.

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.”.