I am pleased to share the first Director’s blog for the 2022-23 school year. Our school year is off to an excellent start with increased student enrolment, enhanced facilities, new staff and so much more. While it is only October, so much has already taken place in classrooms, in the gym, on the field and beyond. Through your efforts we are living out our mission To realize each student’s potential within our inclusive Catholic learning community by nurturing and developing their mind, body and spirit.  I do wish you all a wonderful school year filled with opportunities, joy, excitement and many accomplishments. We are Stronger Together!

Stronger Together 

Our theme this year is ‘Stronger Together’. On September 1st and 2nd, Sudbury Catholic District School Board staff came together to celebrate during our first two Professional Activity days of the 2022-23 school year! It was wonderful to join together, in person, to see all of you and to celebrate our faith.  We were blessed to have Bishop Thomas Dowd join us for the Eucharist.   He shared his message on our theme, Stronger together, emphasizing the importance of each of us sharing our gifts, to build our whole community.   Thank you to all the staff who shared their gifts at our celebration, especially our music ministry. 

Together, we also had the pleasure of listening to several speakers, including two secondary school graduates who highlighted their teachers’ impact on their education. Their message was a reminder of the important work that you do every day, supporting our students through a strong, innovative, and vibrant Catholic education. 

As we enter into November, let us take a moment to reflect on how thankful we are for everyone who has dedicated themselves to being a part of Sudbury Catholic Schools. Every day, each staff member shares their own unique gifts, allowing our Board to achieve our vision of Leaders in Learning and Faith. Thank you for all you do! 

#SCDSBfirstday

To help capture the excitement of the first day of school, we asked our community to share photos of themselves on social media using #SCDSBfirstday.  

September Events

Secondary schools began the year by holding various opportunities to welcome families to our schools and to assist our students with the transition back to school.

St. Charles College – Grade 9 Day

Grade 12 students at SCC hosted a Grade 9 day. This event allowed Grade 9 students to have a fun day playing games and experiencing the life of an SCC student, while being guided by Grade 12 seniors. In addition, SCC welcomed 7 new international students by hosting a scavenger hunt to help get them become acquainted with the students and the school. 

Marymount Academy – Spirit Week

MMA students celebrated their annual Spirit Week and participated in events such as colour challenges where students wore their assigned colours to represent their grades and show off their school spirit. The week concluded with a Spirit Day at Queen’s Athletic field, where students enjoyed different activities led by senior students.

Bishop Alexander Carter – Welcome “BAC” BBQ

Prior to the start of school, Bishop Alexander Carter welcomed students back through their successful, Welcome “BAC” bbq. During the second week of school, Bishop Alexander held votes for student council positions and later, participated in their first spirit week of the year! The school also hosted a Carnival Day with events such as games, candy carts, races, and draws. “It was so great seeing so many of our new and returning students. We always look forward to events like these that allow us to acquaint ourselves with families and help support their learning goals.” – Stephanie Venturi, Principal of Bishop Alexander Carter CSS.

St. Benedict CSS – Sept. 27 House Assembly

St. Benedict students welcomed back their community by having an opening liturgy to kick off the school year. Various clubs also started up again, such as student council, house leaders, and the athletic association. At the end of the month, the school held their first house assembly on September 27.

Summer Projects 

So much has happened since June 2022! Our amazing facility and IT teams have been working hard to complete several capital projects over the summer. This includes classroom renovations, ventilation upgrades, roof replacements, and much more! The following summer projects were substantially completed by the Board in July and August for the start of the new school year.

• Marymount – Washroom Renovations and Ventilation Upgrades
• St Albert – Classroom/ Washroom Renovations, New Seminar Room and Roof Replacement
• SCC – Classroom Renovations, New Windows and Ventilation Upgrades
• Bishop Alexander Carter – Classroom Renovations, Roof Replacement and Ventilation Upgrades
• St Charles Elementary – Classroom and Washroom Renovations
• Holy Trinity – New Classroom
• St. Anne – Washroom, Corridor, Gym Renovations and Ventilation Upgrades
• St John/ St Paul/ Central Plant – Roof replacements
• Outdoor Classrooms
• New Furniture – Various locations

Outdoor Classrooms 

Over the summer, our facilities department completed a tremendous amount of work to enhance learning spaces in the outside environment. I am pleased to announce that new or expanded outdoor classrooms were established at St. John, Pius XII, St. Anne, Holy Trinity, and St. James elementary schools. Innovation is crucial to our Board – not only is it one of our strategic pathways, it is what helps our children grow and become leaders in learning and faith. These added spaces will help our students explore subjects in the natural environment while learning in a space that is dedicated to their growth and imagination!

“As part of a new initiative by the Board, the outdoor classrooms are a beautiful opportunity to offer a unique holistic approach to learning that will provide students with interactive possibilities to develop social skills and emotional literacy.” – Merrill Sanowar, Principal of Pius XII

“The classroom is a spectacular addition to our school, and one our students have enjoyed immensely.” – Colin Lapalm, Principal. 

2:1 Ratio – Chromebooks, Ipads, and other technology!    

Over the years, education has evolved, and technology has become more important than ever. There is an enhanced dependency on using technology, and we have supported this need by increasing the amount of technology and variety available in our schools.  

With this in mind, our goal was to improve our device ratio, and I am proud to share that after the summer, our Board has successfully moved from a 5:1 (five students per device) to a 2:1 (two students per device) device ratio. The additional technology is beneficial as it allows for more opportunities for students to complete work independently and in small groups. Greater access to technology in the classroom supports our educators in enhancing the delivery of programs, enriches the student experience and further develops the global competencies. We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Admin and our IT Dept. for their vision and support.

Connectivity At School 

Completion of CASP Project 

In addition to student devices in our schools (i.e., laptops, tablets, data projectors, multi-display control pods, interactive whiteboards, etc.), we have also invested significant funds and time in enhancing the network to strengthen Wi-Fi connectivity. Over the summer, Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s IT team purchased and installed 200 Wi-Fi access points to improve the wireless network performance in our schools. These additional access points help improve the connection and capability of technological devices and allow students and teachers to perform their work and learning tasks far more efficiently and effectively. We commend our IT department for their flexibility to pivot from face-to-face and online learning. We acknowledge their outstanding contributions and their impact on innovation and 21st-century learning.

Meet SCDSB’s New Superintendent – Louise Franklin!  

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Louise Franklin as Superintendent of School Effectiveness. Louise has been with Sudbury Catholic DSB for 25 years, 16 of which have been in administration. Louise’s experiences span the education spectrum from kindergarten to post-secondary. One of her proudest accomplishments was the opening of Holy Cross School in 2012. The breadth and depth of her experiences will support her future work in the role of Superintendent as she continues to serve the students and staff at Sudbury Catholic. Please join me in congratulating Louise and sending our best wishes to her for much-continued success. 

Student Voice at Sudbury Catholic Schools

Students’ voices are critical to informing policy decisions that best serve student well-being and academic success. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is privileged to have Student Voice represented at the Board table through our Student Trustees, Catena Hayden from Marymount Academy and Jack Gouchie from St. Charles College.

During the Oct. 18th Board meeting, the Student Trustees presented their monthly report offering an engaging recap of the various initiatives, events, and experiences impacting students at Sudbury Catholic Schools. Helping to compile this information is the 2022-23 Student Senate. Through monthly meetings, senate members meet to plan and discuss how they can further improve the student experience at Sudbury Catholic. Thank you to every student senate member whose vital contributions ensure we have a strong presence of Student Voice across our system!

Final Message 

That is all for fall! It’s hard to believe we have already concluded the first two months of the 2022-23 school year. As we continue throughout the year, let us rejoice in these new beginnings, new adventures, and new learning experiences! We are #scdsbstrong, and let us continue standing strong together in mind, body, and spirit. 

As we come to the end of another school year filled with opportunities, success and many blessings, I would like to say how thankful and grateful I am for our amazing school board community. We have so many reasons to celebrate, whether it is achieving success in a competition, surpassing a personal goal or graduating and moving on to another stage in life. This final blog of 2021-22 will provide a small glimpse into the many accomplishments achieved in our schools this past year.

With the excitement of summer on the horizon, our school board community is humming as our 2021-2022 school year takes its final bow. As we know, the month of June, while filled with fun and exciting activities, is without a doubt, very busy. I am pleased to present this blog as an opportunity to pause and celebrate outstanding achievements accomplished by our exceptional students and staff this past year! The Wellness Week theme was SCDSB Strong and these stories certainly demonstrate this in action.

Academic Achievements

St. Benedict Math Team Named Zone Champion for University of Waterloo Euclid Math Contest

Congratulations to the grade 12 students at St. Benedict C.S.S. who wrote the University of Waterloo Euclid Math Contest.

Completed by over 19,000 students worldwide every year, the Euclid Contest allows senior-level secondary-school students to tackle novel problems creatively using the knowledge they’ve gained in secondary-school mathematics. According to their website, the contest’s mix of short-answer and full-solution questions challenge students to practise communicating their thinking. The Euclid helps learners build perseverance, a key component of mathematical problem-solving.

The St. Benedict Team placed first overall in their zone and was named zone champion. This is an outstanding achievement, and the team should feel very proud. We extend a special congratulations to secondary student Yein Chung, who was awarded a medal and a certificate of distinction for her excellent performance in the contest.

Sudbury Catholic Teacher Receives Prestigious Math Award

In case you missed it in the news, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is very pleased to congratulate Bishop Alexander Carter CSS secondary teacher, Julie Denomme, who was formally recognized by the University of Waterloo and inducted into The Society of Descartes Medallists for her exceptional work in mathematics. SCDSB sends a huge congrats to Mrs. Denomme!

“We are so proud of Mrs. Denomme for her exceptional dedication to student learning. Her fearless approach to embracing new teaching and evaluation strategies makes a real difference in our school. She consistently uses her passion for evolving her instruction on important subjects and improving the way students learn to make a real impact on their education.” – Stephanie Venturi, Bishop Alexander Carter Principal

“It is a great honour to be chosen as one of the 2021 Descartes Medallists. Every day I learn something new that inspires me to keep going. While I think about all those around me – my colleagues, students, and family – I am motivated to make a difference. I express my deepest gratitude to them for believing in me on this path and allowing me to teach, innovate, and grow my knowledge daily!” – Julie Denomme, Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary Teacher.

Marymount Academy Shares & Celebrates Student Success!

Student success, and the display of achievements, are a large part of what the Interdisciplinary Studies course at Marymount does. Interdisciplinary Studies is unique in its teaching method for the independence it provides to students. Offering an alternative study opportunity that expands learning beyond the classroom setting, students are supported by a teacher who provides feedback and instruction through weekly meetings. These teachers work tirelessly to celebrate their students’ success, and an example of this was witnessed at the POL (presentation of learning) night on May 31st.

On this occasion, the Interdisciplinary Studies class gathered in the gym to present projects to their family and friends. These projects ranged from topics on artwork, music, poetry, business, and much more. As this event is focused on student success, students and their loved ones were able to enjoy the night as a visual celebration of what each person is capable of when linking their ideas, to their post-secondary goals for the future.

“As a student going into the English field, I was thrilled with how this night proceeded because it showcased student talent and perseverance. This course has helped me become more confident and organized and prepared me well for university.” – Sarah Aiello, MMA Secondary Student

“The students who have taken the course are so happy to present their projects at the end of the year. In an independent study course, we see how student success can be celebrated to a greater extent when we have an opportunity such as POL night to showcase their hard work to their loved ones.” – Kim Coluzzi, MMA Vice- Principal.

Dual Credit Students Receive Welding Certification! 

Dual Credit Programs allow eligible secondary students to take college or apprenticeship credit courses that count towards their high school graduation. Sudbury Catholic District School Board partners with Cambrian College to offer an excellent program for students to learn and grow, which not only gives them confidence in who they are as learners but also encourages them to pursue higher education goals. 

St. Charles College students Quinton McCauley and Dilyn Cote are recent successful participants in this program. Both students were enrolled in a Dual Credit Welding Class. Recently on June 22nd, the students participated in the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Practical Testing Day to receive their CWB certification – a mandatory element of all projects covered by the National Building Code of Canada and the related Provincial building codes. Both students successfully received this important welding certification by putting their learning to the test. 

“Dilyn and Quinton are excellent students who deserve to be applauded for their hard work on this achievement. Watching them earn these honours for themselves was nothing short of amazing – but what is even more exciting is how far they’ve come during the program. The confidence and trust they have in themselves have positively evolved; we are thrilled for them!” – Megan Murphy, St. Albert Principal

The opportunities provided through dual credit continue to expand, making us excited to see what it holds for the future. Congratulations, Quinton and Dilyn, on passing your welding certification exam. We commend the two of you on a job “Weld” done! 

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Athletic Achievements

A Touchdown for Girls in Canada – St. Benedict Girls Tackle Football Team Makes History!

The extraordinary young ladies at St. Benedict with the support of Coach Labrosse and the entire exceptional coaching staff have recently helped transform the sport and pave the way for more schools to do the same.

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School has made history this year by being home to Sudbury’s first all-girls high school tackle football team. The team is only one of three in Ontario and is the first team representing the North. Recently the team has made headlines for their historic game against St. Mark Catholic School from Ottawa, where they hosted and played in the first official all-girls tackle football game in Canada.

The team, which consisted of females students from Grades 9-12, was cheered on as football fans, media, parents, and friends gathered on Wednesday, May 18th, at James Jerome Field in Sudbury. Although the Bears lost 17-14 to the Lions, students were beyond excited to play. Jasmine Howell said the feeling on the field was “truly electric” and that the experience helped create a bond of sisterhood that they will never forget.

Recently, Jasmine Howell and Hayley Deschenes were able to take part in the Youth Speak News Special, where the girls reflected on their experience as feature writers for the Catholic Register and provided insight about their experiences with the team.

In their article, the girls wrote that the event “displayed the friendship involved in girls tackle football and the connections these women made along the way…. This inaugural game has proved that football isn’t just for boys, but something that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy.” – Jasmine Howell and Hayley Deschenes

Traditionally, men have played tackle football in Canada for generations, but only in 2022 have girls had an opportunity to participate on this all-girls team. Seeing these talented and enthusiastic young girls in action is an inspiring step for women in sports. Let us all extend a well-deserved congratulations to the players, the coaches, the faculty and the administration who made history for our Board, Sudbury, Northern Ontario, and all of Canada. Our community is eager to witness how this sport continues to develop. We wish the St. Benedict girls tackle football team the best of luck on the next leg of their unbelievable journey!

SCDSB Secondary Schools Soar At OFSAA!

On the topic of sports and athletic achievements, secondary students at various Sudbury Catholic Schools had an amazing experience participating in different sports at the 2021-2022 school year City’s, NOSSA, and OFSAA Championships.

Marymount Academy & St. Benedict Secondary School

At Marymount Academy (MMA) and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, it was a memorable sports season right from the very start. Gr. 12 Student Jake Dubowsky from St. Benedict placed first overall in Golf at NOSSA and finished his season strong at OFSSA, coming in 14th out of 42 athletes. Gr. 9 student Lucia Salmaso from MMA represented Sudbury by competing in the November 2021 OFSAA Cross Country Running Championships. She ran against 179 contestants in the Novice Girls category and after an amazing race, finished in 9th place.

Joining Lucia at Cross Country OFSAA in November were Gr. 10 students Katelyn De Poli and Georgia Lepage from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

“This was my first time competing as a high school student due to the pandemic. It was a fun experience, and as a grade 10, I am expecting more next year now that I know what the competition was like.” – Katelyn De Poli

This spring, both MMA and St. Benedict saw athletes achieve success at track and field! Lucia (MMA) and Georgia (St. Benedict), ran up a storm once more by qualifying for the June Track & Field OFSAA Championships. Lucia qualified in not one, not two, but three events (800m (13th place), 1500m (23rd Place), and 3000m), while Georgia took part in the 3000m Junior girls’ event and placed 20th.

“This was my first time competing as a high school athlete. I came 15th in cross country and 20th in track at OFSAA. I continue to train with Track North for cross country and for triathlons. I am going to try and qualify for the Canada Games and the Junior Summer Games this summer. And I will be ready for both seasons next year for even better results!” – Georgia Lepage

Also representing Marymount was Gr. 9 student Kayiesha Thomas who qualified for Shot Put, and Javelin and Gr. 11 student Tara Guse who qualified for the Junior Girls 300m Hurdles. They were joined by Gr. 9 student Marin O’Malley from St. Benedict who competed in the 100m Novice Girls race. All athletes did an amazing job with Kayiesha placing 13th in Shot Put and 14th in Javelin, and Tara finishing in 20th with a personal best time. Both athletes worked hard and finished strong, helping to represent Sudbury.

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Bishop Alexander Carter CSS & St. Charles College

Bishop Alexander Carter (BAC) and St. Charles College (SCC) also had an impressive showing during this year’s track season. Students, James Scott and Adam Urso from SCC were excellent competitors. Competing in the Javelin event, James won gold at NOSSA, and his stellar performance in June at OFSAA led him to secure 5th place. Adam who qualified for the 400m ran like the wind and finished the season in 10th place. Well done!

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At Bishop, we saw 11 students compete in the following events at track:

Event	Student	OFSAA Result
Junior Girls 100m Dash	Aimie Remillard	19th
Junior Girls – Triple Jump	Aimie Remillard	20th
Novice Girls – Shot Put	Cameron O’Daiskey & Caedene Troscinski	23rd & 24th
Novice Boys – Shot Put	Isaac Jeanveau	23rd
Senior Girls – 400m hurdles	Sierra Boyuk	24th
Junior Girls – 4 X 100m relay		22nd
Junior Boys – 4 X 100m relay		22nd

St. Charles College is always focused on teamwork and working in collaboration to achieve success. This year the school had many teams represent Sudbury Catholic in athletics. For example, the Sr. Boy’s Soccer Team had an impressive soccer season and was named the NOSSA representative at OFSAA. Blake Rosener (Gr. 11) & Farrah Farstad (Gr. 11) qualified and competed in the Mixed Doubles OFSAA Badminton. And last but not least, SCC’s Baseball team had an especially great year, finishing 5th Overall at the OFSAA Championships with their record-breaking performance of three wins and two losses.

Congratulations to all our athletes who participated in school sports this year. We want to extend our gratitude and appreciation to all coaches who helped these athletes on their journey to a game, at a tournament, and big events such as City’s, NOSSA, and OFSAA. Thank you as well to our parents for their support and to our athletes for their determination, commitment and good sportsmanship.

Community Achievements

Secondary Schools Participate in Ontario Mock Elections!

Student Vote is a program of CIVIX, a national charity dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic education. To provide an educational experience around democracy, Student Vote uses elections as a teaching tool and enables teachers across Ontario to bring democracy to life in their classrooms. 

On Wednesday, June 2nd, secondary students from Ontario were invited by Student Vote to register and participate in a mock vote for the Ontario provincial elections.  Encouraging students to learn about the election, the political parties and representatives involved, and challenging their thoughts on politics, has been an essential way our schools have been able to further prepare students for their futures.

Having our secondary schools participate provides all our high school students with a hands-on learning experience that invites them to experience the voting process firsthand and cast ballots for the official candidates running in the election.

According to the Student Vote website, “90% of parents said the program allowed their family to learn more about politics, and 77% of students said they plan to vote when eligible.” 

This year, we are excited to congratulate Bishop Alexander Carter CSS. In their election, Bishop Alexander students voted by a landslide for France Gelinas, and they were right! What they might not have expected was to take home this year’s CIVIX School Award for being the school that received the most registrations in Ontario for the elections. 

For a school to be awarded this top award in Ontario, it is quite significant. We are proud to commend Bishop staff and students on their hard work, and enthusiasm leading to this award.

“I would like to thank all our staff, and students for being a part of this, for it has taken all of us coming together and working as one to lead to this success. When we care about something – there is no limit to what our Gator family can accomplish. This is proof that the awareness and involvement from everyone at our school is stronger than ever.” –  Monika Jost, BAC Vice-Principal

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Bishop Alexander Carter Student Selected as Ontario Easter Seals Ambassador!

Easter Seals provides programs and services to help kids with physical disabilities develop greater independence to break out into the world and carve their own path. Every year, inspiring young people are selected to represent Easter Seals Ontario as Provincial Ambassadors. This year, we congratulate 16-year-old Sebastien Parent, a secondary student from Bishop Alexander Carter CSS, who was appointed in March and has been using his voice to help change the lives of kids with physical disabilities!

“This experience has been a dream. I’m excited that I can get to advocate for kids with disabilities because I think it’s important to treat everyone equally and with respect. We’re just like regular kids and deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.” – Sebastien Parent, BAC Secondary Student

The Easter Seals Ambassador Program offers young people the opportunity to build self-confidence and develop leadership and public speaking skills. Sebastien is one of two young people in 2022 chosen to represent the organization as the Provincial Ambassador for Ontario.

Recently Sebastien took part in the annual Easter Seals – Dancing With The Stars Event in Sudbury as a judge! You can see more of Sebastian and what he gets up to in his duties as an ambassador by tuning into the Easter Seals Facebook page.

Cards Crush Cancer Event Raises Over $20,000 for Northern Cancer Foundation!

We want to extend our congratulations to St. Charles College, which recently held its annual fundraiser, “Cards Crush Cancer,” to help raise money for the Northern Cancer Foundation in Sudbury. The event, which raised over $20,000, took place on Tuesday, May 31st. Teacher facilitators Amanda Montgomery, Jennifer Humprey, and Jessica Demore deserve special praise for their time and hard work, having spent months organizing this event. Like the weather, the event was a sizzling success and one the school community should be incredibly proud of. Way to go, Cardinals!

“We are extremely happy with the success of this year’s incredible event. Cards Crush Cancer is in its 4th year, one of St. Charles Colleges’ newest traditions. The school came together to support a local cause near and dear to so many. All monies raised stay here in the North, this is what drives us to keep this tradition going. Despite a two-year hiatus, when it comes down to it, the students showed that we can truly achieve anything when we come together – This is what St. Charles College does best. We are looking forward to another successful event next year.” – Jessica Demore, St. Charles College Secondary Teacher

Artistic Achievements

Marymount Academy Students Take Part in Annual Film Fest Gala

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Marymount’s Annual Film Fest Gala is an awards show where students can create, submit, and advertise short films they made throughout the year. It is an event that everyone in their school community looks forward to for months, where filmmakers of all grades and expertise can enjoy popcorn and celebrate the achievements of their community’s creative filmmakers.

The theme for this year’s gala was ten years, and after ten years, it is still expanding and gaining more support. This year, the school was delighted to have over 100 films submitted, a massive achievement for Marymount Academy because it is the most the school has ever received in the entire event’s history.

On this occasion, 70 films were nominated, with award categories ranging from best voice-over, cinematography, or costumes. We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Jutila and Ms. Kolppanen, who are the staff leaders of Film Fest. Their guidance and support allowed students to enjoy this unique opportunity. Special gratitude is extended to student photographer Chimdinma Kingsley-Emereuwa, who took the photos of the event included here.

“It isn’t just about winning; it’s about coming together as a community to celebrate and recognize everyone. As a grade 12, I wanted to touch back on my roots of film fest, by making a prequel to my first ever film where I interviewed teachers and asked math questions. This year, however, I did a spelling bee. I was honoured to be nominated and win awards, including the end-of-night award for Best Picture.” – Katherine Brown, MMA Grade 12 Student

“The night is always an excellent celebration of student success. It showcases talent across all disciplines, and gives students the freedom to transform the campus gym into a glamorous theatre style venue. With students’ meticulous attention to detail, and being given creative liberty over the event, it always turns out to be a night to remember for everyone involved.” – Cassandra Tenbergen, MMA Principal

Immaculate Conception Students Win Young Author’s Awards/Prix Jeunes Ecrivains

Earlier this year, two students in Mme. Mundy’s grade 5/6 class participated in the Young Author’s Awards/Prix Jeunes Ecrivains, where they submitted writing pieces in French and English. The awards celebrate the writing talents and accomplishments of students who submit short stories, poems, and nonfiction articles (e.g. reflection or report).

There are three levels of competition including School, Unit, and Provincial. The awards function by the first place winners at the School level advance to the Unit level, and the first place winners in each Unit advance to the Provincial competition. After a panel of judges have reviewed the works, a collection of winning entries is published in a book form each year.

This year Immaculate Conception students Noah Maxwell, and Abigail Ouimet were chosen as the local winners that proceeded to the provincial judging. We are proud to announce that after seeing their amazing submissions, the panel was blown away and they were chosen as the provincial winners in their category.

Abigail, won the award for the Grades 5/6 Poem category with her poem, titled Souvenir. While Noah, won the nonfiction category for his piece, titled Les Marmottes en guerre. Abigail and Noah’s written works can be viewed on the online publication here.

As part of their winnings, both students received a certificate, a plaque, a gift card as well as a copy of the 2022 Young authors Awards publication featuring their winning works.

“This is a wonderful honour, and we are happy to applaud Noah and Abigail for their hard work. Both of them have more than earned this extraordinary achievement with their inspiring stories and passionate words. All of us at Immaculate Conception school are filled with pride!” – Jason Michelluti, Principal Immaculate Conception

Elementary Achievements

PIUS XII Students Celebrate Virtues of Stewardship and Gratitude!

The kindergarten students in FDK-A at Pius XII have been actively engaged in the virtues of stewardship and gratitude this spring. Regularly visiting the courtyard garden has given many opportunities for the children to flex their green thumbs as they learn to appreciate and care for the flower garden, trees and plant and animal life in this space.

Their next project is planting a sacred medicine garden to provide a hands-on opportunity to experience the knowledge gained during their White Buffalo Circle sessions with our Indigenous Support Worker, Joel Agowissa.

“Naturally, our penguins loved having a beautiful outside area to interact in. Spending time outside, they learned to value their time in the outdoor classroom while discovering more about nature and what they were doing to help care for it. This helped teach them to be grateful for the earth and their learning. Not only is what they are doing fun, but it’s also impacting them. They learned how to care for and nurture something, teaching them to grow as stewards of the earth! Overall it has been a very positive experience and we loved seeing our students explore!” – Louise Franklin, Pius XII Principal.

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St. David School Participates in Moose Hide Campaign!

St. David School regularly provides students experiences to strengthen their understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of Indigenous culture in their education. For National Indigenous History month, which takes place in June, their school participated in various activities and initiatives to celebrate and honour Indigenous people living in Canada.

This year, St. David School participated in the Moose Hide Campaign and on June 19th, elementary students in grades 3 and 4 were each given a moose hide pin to wear.

The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement of men, boys and all Canadians standing up to end violence against women and children. It is recognized nationwide as an anti-violence movement, with thousands of participating communities, schools and organizations. By wearing the Moose Hide pin, St. David students are making a commitment that visually demonstrates their devotion to honour and respect women and girls and work together to end gender-based violence.

After receiving their pin, students sat down for a special in-class lesson that allowed them to discuss the significance of the pin and what it means. During their class, students had the time to reflect and speak about the true importance of love and respect and how they can look for healthy role models in their community to teach them about kindness.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the students who have participated in this campaign. The moosehide pin is just one way our wonderful kids show love for Mother Earth and for each other. Since starting in 2011, the Moose Hide Campaign has distributed over 2 million pins to schools across Canada and North America! By wearing it, St. David’s students are joining other students in honoring their commitment. Way to go, Dragons!” – Dawn Wemigwans, St. David Principal

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Conclusion

This June has been particularly special as we once again gathered for sporting events, field trips, assemblies, religious celebrations, proms, graduations and so much more.

As our school year comes to a close, it is my pleasure to once again thank our entire school community. Our staff, community partners and parent/guardian partners never cease to amaze me. Again you have gone the extra mile to passionately serve and support our 6000-plus students, and we are very blessed to have such a fantastic team at Sudbury Catholic. We kicked off the year by demonstrating resilience, optimism and strong leadership, and in 2022 we stayed #SCDSBstrong by encouraging each other and helping one another reach our full potential. I know that I speak for the entire team when I say thank you. We are so fortunate to be part of an amazing, strong team that works together to ensure the success of all.

For some of us, this time of year may signal a goodbye, and for some it may signal a new beginning. No matter where you are on your journey, it is my hope that the knowledge, experiences, and memories provided by Sudbury Catholic supports you in every chapter of your life. Wishing you a safe, restful, and fun filled summer. Stay #SCDSBstrong!

I am pleased to share a final message from our graduating Student Trustee, Kylie MacGregor. She did an amazing job of representing!

Sudbury Catholic is committed to continuing to increase the inclusion of technology into our classrooms and schools as essential to the future success of our students. From Chromebooks, laptops, platforms such as Google, digital textbooks, to video-conferencing tools, students of all ages are now more connected than ever before, and have greater opportunities to explore various technologies on a daily basis. As new technologies emerge, and learning evolves, we update our teaching methods to provide relevant experiences that best serve each student. In this blog, we are pleased to focus on how our staff is developing the Global Competencies through the use of Technology.

As we highlight this important and timely topic, we would like to thank our staff for taking an open to learning stance, for readily adopting new practices and for continuously refining and adapting their teaching practice to meet the needs of all learners. They are risk takers and bring innovation and creativity into their classrooms.

Mersive Technology At Bishop Alexander Carter 

The new grade 7 and 8 wing at Bishop Alexander Carter is taking learning to the next level using Mersive technology! 

The newly renovated elementary classrooms at BAC were equipped with two 65 inch, high-definition televisions, Chromebooks and Mersive technology. Through the use of Mersive technologies, students and staff are able to interact with each screen from their own desk, using a laptop, tablet, or mobile device. Teachers and students can now wirelessly connect and share their work directly onto one of the monitors. 

The learning environment enhances student engagement and fosters a more collaborative classroom, which promote the achievement of the global competencies as described in New Pedagogies for Deep Learning. We look forward to bringing this technology and innovative practice to other schools across the district.

The learning structure in the classroom allows for more freedom because of the placement of two televisions on the walls.  It permits students to collaborate in groups, similar to an adult working space, while continuing to be engaged in the lesson.  The use of a Wacom tablet has allowed a smoother link between in-person and virtual learning, especially within the math curriculum.” – Jody O’Daiskey, Bishop Alexander Carter Teacher

“I really like that the new technology lets me screen share my work, and the work of others.  It helps us see that every person has different solutions to open ended questions. I also like using Chromebooks in our classroom because we don’t have to bring technology from home.” – Myra Balfe, Bishop Alexander Carter Student

K-12 STEM & Robotics Kits

To support the development of 21st Century Skills, and to create environments where experiential learning flourishes, and supports coding in the Mathematics and New Science curriculums, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has purchased K-12 STEM/Robotics Kits for each of our schools. With the help of the technology kits already available in our schools and a budget of $100k, our Board has ensured that our students have access to: 

• Beebot kits for FDK to Grade 2
• Dash and Dot kits for Grades 3 to 6
• LEGO Mindstorm EV3 kits for Grades 7 & 8
• LEGO Education SPIKE kits for Secondary students in Grades 9 to 12. 

The education apps required to build and code the EV3 and the SPIKE robots have been successfully deployed for the LEGO Robot kits. They are now easily accessed with the recent infusion of Chromebooks deployed to schools.

Coding Curriculum 

Coding, also known as computer programming, is the language we use to communicate with computers. We use code to tell computers what actions we want them to take to help us achieve a desired outcome. Writing code is like creating a set of instructions and learning how to write. It allows us to gain valuable global competencies that are essential for future success. By incorporating coding as part of the curriculum it helps students prepare for the future and develop their confidence in communication, creativity, math, writing, and so much more. 

St. David School is Buzzing with Bee-Bots!

Coding is great to teach students of all ages and can be done through many ways. Ms. Visentin’s Grade 2 students had fun learning about coding using a collection of Bee-Bot robots provided in their SCDSB Experiential Learning kits. Bee-Bot robots are designed for use by children as they are colourful, easy to operate, and a perfect tool for teaching sequencing, estimation, & problem-solving. The lessons that these engaging robots provides are important for enhancing students understanding of numeracy and critical thinking skills. 

St Charles College Elementary Students Design Desktop Retro Video Game Consoles

This year, the grade 7s at St. Charles College have the opportunity to participate in an innovative coding and design project. Taking place within each grade 7 class, students have been working in small groups to create a desktop retro video game console that will run an original video game designed and coded by the students themselves. This exciting project not only helps students meet the expectations outlined in the new math curriculum, but it also allows students to learn about many different subject areas. This includes a structures unit in Science, a design elements unit in Art, as well as topics like digital safety and online security through the completion of an educational breakout game called, “Think Before You Post” which is part of the Health curriculum. At the end of the project, students in grade 8 will be invited to play the new games and also learn a little about what the students in grade 7 learned. 

“We are well aware that we live in an ever-changing world and believe in providing students with learning opportunities that will help them develop the skills, attitudes and mindset to become active, productive members of the global, digital world they are immersed in daily.” – Secondary Teacher, J. Ospina

Throughout the project students are learning and reflecting on the 6Cs of education. The 6Cs of education are a set of core competencies that students need to thrive in an ever-changing global world. These include: 

• critical thinking
• creativity
• citizenship
• character
• communication
• collaboration

At the end of the project, students in grade 7 will be able to reflect with grade 8 students on what they have learned about the 6Cs through coding, building, and designing a retro video game in small cooperative groups.

Grade 7 student, Zion Abiodun-Olaoke thoroughly enjoyed the whole learning opportunity and says, “My favourite thing about the class was the fact that you could make your own game from your imagination, and you had to make your own goals to work to make your ideal game.”

Step 1: Creating the Consoles

The first part of the project involved students working with Mr. Kohut in the woodworking shop. Students measured, cut, assembled, and primed a desktop retro video game console. The students also had the opportunity to review and learn about safety procedures within the shop. They also completed various STEM activities to prepare them for the main project. After building the consoles, they were painted with an original design. 

“Though many of the students in grade 7 had very little experience using tools, this was a perfect experiential opportunity to explore and learn how to use a variety of tools such as cordless drills, impact drivers, jigsaws, and tape measures.” – SCC Vice-Principal, Beverly Belanger 

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Step 2: Video Game Design Workshops

After creating the console, students were invited to participate in a series of retro video game design workshops with Mrs. Ospina. Students learned about game design, collaboration and communication and how to code different video games. For example, maze games, race games, launcher games, escape games and platform games. 

Step 3: Coding the Game 

Following the workshops, students began to code their video games. Students were guided through an iterative process that allowed them to design, playtest and then redesign their games. After this process finishes, students will use a Raspberry Pi to run their games (i.e. a small computer the size of credit card used to help learn programming skills, and build hardware projects.)

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Marymount Academy Students Learn Using 3D Printers

3D printing technologies are a wonderful tool used to facilitate enhanced learning of various skills. Not only does 3D printing spark creativity and collaboration in solving problems, but it is also an excellent tool to increase student and teacher engagement.

This past month, Marymount Academy students in Mr. Thomson’s design technology class worked to create their own 3D model of a boat in their “3D Printed Boat Design Challenge.” The students used their knowledge and learning of the Engineering Design Process to research different designs, designed them and then used the 3D printer to create their own Prototype. 

In the end, the winning boat design “The Box,” created by Maddy was crowned the winner of the challenge. The students were engaged, had fun and gained a great experience that enhanced their learning.

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Investments in Chromebooks  

Over the past two years we have included the use of Chromebooks in many classrooms as an additional learning tool for students. We began by outfitting all Grade 7 and 8 classrooms and are now providing Chromebooks in all Junior classrooms. 

In total we have purchased 1230 Chromebooks, bringing our student to device ratio from 5:1 to 2:1.

The additional technology is beneficial as it allows for more opportunities for students to complete work independently, as well as in small groups. Greater access to technology in the classroom supports our educators in enhancing the delivery of programs, enriches the student experience and further develops the global competencies. 

Connectivity At School 

In addition to the student devices in our schools (i.e., laptops, tablets, data projectors, multi-display control pods,  interactive whiteboards, etc.), we have also invested significant funds and time in enhancing the network to strenghten Wi-Fi connectivity.  

By the end of the summer of 2022, Sudbury Catholic District School Board will increase the connectivity for all our schools by enhancing our Board’s Wi-Fi. To accomplish this task, the Board will increase wireless network performance by purchasing an additional 200 Wi-Fi access points, equipping every regular classroom. This will allow the Board to triple the number of devices that are able to connect to the school Wi-Fi network. In previous years, access points were set up in hallways of schools, limiting the bandwidth it could provide to each device. Having an access point in each regular classroom will not only improve the connection and capability of these devices, but it will also allow students and teachers to perform their work and learning tasks far more efficiently and effectively. 

Parent and Educator Virtual Series: Cyber Safety With Danny Pehar

Though there are generations who can remember a time when technology was less prevalent and even non-existent, the reality is that children today are growing up in a highly virtual world and may not understand how things are rapidly changing and how they can protect themselves. On March 23rd, the Parent Involvement Committee held a virtual session for Parents and Educators on Cyber Safety. We were fortunate to have one of the tech industry’s foremost cybersecurity experts, Danny Pehar, as our keynote speaker. During the session, Danny led an engaging presentation on what steps and strategies to take to help us understand how to stay safe from virtual threats. At the end of the session, we learned that as we continue to become more technologically savvy, we must also be mindful about both the risks and dangers inherent in the technology. 

“When we talk to our kids and the things they do online, it’s not just about keeping them safe, but it’s also about keeping all of us safe.” – Danny Pehar. 

When we think of technology in the classroom, we might picture students staring at screens. However, we know that technology goes far beyond computers and mobile devices and can enhance learning in many ways.

By ensuring that our educational environment create engaging learning opportunities, Sudbury Catholic Schools can provide students with an understanding of the current technology available while giving them the time to develop the fluency they need to adapt to new technologies as they are developed. As a school board we are committed to ensuring that our students have access to the technology they need to enhance the learning experience and to be prepared for success once they leave the school system. With a focus on our third strategic pathway – We are called to promote innovation, it is our goal to ensure that all students develop the essential global competencies of:  critical thinking, creativity, citizenship, character, communication and collaboration.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment where students and staff can thrive while maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing. Through initiatives such as Bell Let’s Talk, Bullying Awareness Day and regular activities like universal classroom sessions, that are created for building capacity and using a common language, staff, students, and families can develop the tools they need to achieve success personally, emotionally, and academically. Please save the date for upcoming parent/educator sessions held by Zoom from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. – March 23 with Dan Pehar on Cybersafety; May 3rd with Sam Demma – Small Actions can Make a Big Impact; and May 18 – Mental Health and Wellbeing. Details will be posted at sudburycatholicschools.ca

Connecting Virtually

The Mental Health Commission of Canada has indicated that winter can often be a difficult time for different people with the ongoing challenges of cold weather and the holiday season. With COVID-19 affecting how we live and learn, this time of year may be even more difficult. Keeping these challenges in mind it is essential to support our community and provide opportunities to connect and address mental health and well-being. Throughout the months of January and February, we have offered engaging webinars and virtual presentations, along with many events and practices that took place in our schools. 

Coping with Stress Wellness Webinar 

On Wednesday, Jan 19, SCDSB hosted a wellness webinar. At this presentation, two guest presenters, Alina Rukkila MSW, RSW and Jessie Jones CYW, discussed dealing with the different types of stress and provided healthy coping strategies that individuals could use to help them cope successfully. Though stress has a connotation of being negative, this presentation helped demonstrate that this is not always the case. We explored positive types of stress that can help with focus, motivation, and goal setting; and harmful types of stress that cause a whirlwind of negative emotions, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and emotionally and physically vulnerable. Ultimately, the presentation effectively demonstrated the importance of identifying the causes of daily stress and offered coping strategies that our community can incorporate to improve how we manage it in life.

Bell Let’s Talk Day 

The Mental Health Team provided school resources and opportunities to encourage educators to participate in initiatives that tackle and address the importance of Mental Health. On January 26th, 2022, our schools participated in Bell Let’s Talk Day – an awareness day centred on helping to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. 

Bell Let’s Talk Day aims to help create a safe place for students and staff to join the conversation on talking about mental health and how it impacts us. At Sudbury Catholic Schools, we emphasize the importance of talking about mental health and well-being as a year-round topic. We use Bell Let’s Talk Day as a platform to help demonstrate the services students can access and what we continue to provide within our schools to bring greater awareness towards Mental Health no matter the time of year. 

In preparation for the day, the Board’s entire Mental Health and Wellness team came together to create a video and toolkit with various activities and helpful resources for schools to use throughout the week. The video and toolkit provided an excellent learning opportunity for staff and students that helped further educate them on how to speak and address situations with respect to other people’s thoughts, feelings, and needs.

St. Benedict Makes Wellness Toolboxes for Bell Let’s Talk Day 

In preparation for and celebration of Bell Let’s Talk Day, Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Caldwell’s Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) classes created “Wellness Toolboxes.” These boxes were filled with “tools” such as messages and images that were made to help raise students’ spirits when they were not feeling well. 

In addition to this, each Friday leading up to Bell Let’s Talk Day, their classes participated in discussions and activities around health using a Medicine Wheel model. The Medicine Wheel represents the four areas of our health: Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical. The Medicine Wheel teaches students about walking the earth peacefully and helps to pursue healthy minds. The class began by focusing on the “Medicine Wheel Within”. It reflected on the good habits that help them maintain balance and wellness, and later, students wrote what they appreciated about one another. Other classes at St. Benedict participated in mindful activities such as colouring, drawing, as well as creating kindness walls with uplifting posters that provided suggestions on things people can do that is good for their health and well-being.

Holy Cross Students Stay Positive for Bell Let’s Talk Day! 

For Bell Let’s Talk Day, Holy Cross embraced and explored new ideas for staying positive and hopeful. Based on the book “How to Get Unstuck from the Negative Muck” by Lake Sullivan, Holy Cross School engaged students in a school-wide effort that supported students from FDK and grades 1-6 to explore what keeps them positive when they are stuck in a negative rut—in other words, stuck in bad thoughts. In addition to creating excellent mind maps, students also had the opportunity to make posters, videos and morning announcements on the topic. 

Sudbury Catholic Schools Practice Mindfulness!

Mindfulness helps students take time to pause, improves their concentration and emotional intelligence and helps them to have a greater ability to relate to others and oneself with kindness, acceptance and compassion. Our schools strive to create different activities that practice mindfulness. Here we provide a sample of those activities:

Holy Trinity

Madame Chanda’s Grade 1/2 FI class learned and put into practice a few healthy strategies to help improve their mental health. The class participated in therapeutic drawing, listened to relaxing music, while discussing mindfulness and why it is important to have time for oneself. 

St. John

Grade 2 Students at St. John discussed stress while making their own homemade stress balls. By working together, they were able to help relieve tension and give them a tool to reduce stress.  

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St. David

St. David encouraged students to practice mindfulness by introducing a variety of self-aware activities. In Kindergarten students took time to pause their growing bodies and brains by meditating. Older students in Ms. Bowles’s class participated in beading projects that helped students clear their minds and focus on using motor skills and creativity to complete a fun task. Beading activities were also completed in kindergarten as well.

“Beading supports the development of fine motor skills, visual perception, visual motor, and cognitive skills and provides students with a sense of accomplishment and pride of workmanship. As students have really enjoyed the opportunity of becoming more mindful through these different activities, our school is looking forward to offering more experiences like this in the future.” – Dawn Marie Wemigwans, St. David Principal

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Student Senate Introduces Fulfilling February Campaign

Throughout the month of February, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board Student Senate members have been busy sending school ideas for their latest campaign and feel-good initiative… “Fulfilling February.”

The Fulfilling February Campaign is a weekly social media campaign that helps to inspire individual action in areas such as healthy eating, exercise, reading, self-care and personal wellness.

The initiative was created with the intention to provide inspiration to our secondary school students by giving them different ideas they can do for themselves throughout the month of February to ‘feel good’. The initiative is shared through social media along including the Student Senate’s Instagram and Twitter accounts and took place Monday to Friday every week.

Fulfilling February Posts

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Helping Learners Reach Their Potential by Encouraging Positivity in the Classroom

Sudbury Catholic District School Board takes the role of physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual health and development seriously. To succeed in the classroom, an education must encourage and support students in understanding that they are their own person with their own gifts that make them unique. To do this, our schools create learning experiences that expose students to the world’s beauty, helping them understand the endless opportunities that await them.

Holy Trinity Kindergarten Students Learn About Growth Mindset

This month, Mrs. Yasko, Mr. Vicedomini & Ms. Casey’s Kindergarten class at Holy Trinity School introduced the “Growth Mindset” concept. This model was put in place to help their young learners better understand their own capabilities and encourage them to put forward their best effort when dealing with new classroom challenges.

To do this, the school’s educators have transformed their classroom environment, using phrases , reading uplifting and encouraging stories such as ‘Giraffe’s Can’t Dance’, and portraying themes such as self-esteem, teamwork, and encouragement.

Sometimes we focus on factors that limit us rather than what makes us special and unique. Even when we struggle, we should remember that we are all God’s children. Through these opportunities we help all learners reach their full potential.  

“Listening to the students say ‘I can’t do it yet’ as opposed to ‘I can’t do it’ is very encouraging. A sense of confidence has started to take hold in our class. This is reinforced by the understanding that mistakes will be made, yet we can work together to create a more positive outcome. In the future, the class will focus on setting goals. We’re excitedly looking forward to seeing how these growing leaders tackle their next project.” – Domenic Vicedomini, Early Childhood Educator

Sudbury Catholic Schools Embrace Getting Outside! 

Outdoor education initiatives are essential in helping promote well-being. They have demonstrated a meaningful impact on student mental health, by lowering stress and supporting better focus. While some people embrace wintry weather naturally, others need some help to warm up to the idea. Through January and February, educators were able to further support students by creating opportunities for classes to get outside and appreciate the incredible winter landscape that northeastern Ontario offers. Schools welcomed various winter activities including:

• Snowshoeing
• Fire Building
• Snowman-Making
• Making Cedar Tea
• Forest Therapy Walks
• And More!

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Marymount Academy – Adventure 2 the Yukon 2 

Built on the resounding success of last year’s challenge, and in the face of an ongoing pandemic, on Jan 14, 2022, MMA officially launched Adventure 2 the Yukon 2: The Off-Road Ultra Expedition. 

In the winter of 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Marymount’s senior leadership class created Adventure 2 The Yukon (A2Y), a school-wide challenge to promote outdoor activities and an active lifestyle. The challenge achieved resounding success, with many members of their school community joining the “travel”.

Together staff, students, parents, community and parish partners, covered the distance by participating in various outdoor activities like skiing, skating, walking, hiking, and tobogganing and then tallying up the total to virtually travel the distance.

Without any idea of how fast or far their school community could go, MMA took the most direct route from Sudbury to Whitehorse, Yukon (4890 km) and was able to accomplish their goal in three months’ time. To up the challenge this year, MMA is heading back to the Yukon, but will be travelling a bit different this year.

“As the name implies, we’re upping the challenge by taking an eastern route, through the rest of the provinces, up through the Northwest Passage, and visiting each of the territories of Canada with a brief stop in Greenland to reach Dawson City, Yukon. Last year 2/3rds of our school participated, but this year, we’re urging EVERYONE in our school to join this challenge to cover the 10935 km!” – Kim Coluzzi, MMA Vice-Principal

School members have expressed their excitement regarding the return of this school-wide challenge but have indicated it provides more than just fun.

Creating A Network of Support For Secondary Schools

Valuing academics and understanding that well-being is key to every student’s success is a priority. It’s essential to provide students with the necessary tools and resources to help support their mental health and well-being throughout the year to be the best version of themselves both in and out of the classroom. At SCDSB, we support student well-being at our Secondary Schools by creating a support community that uses different strategies, services, and activities to help empower students and staff.

St. Charles College

Our educators work tirelessly to teach students how to be responsible members of society regarding their health and well-being and how they can contribute positively to the collective health and wellness of those around them. SCC takes a holistic approach to student learning by enriching their environment through inclusive, mental, emotional, and social programs and supports. 

Recognizing the importance and the diversity of the needs of all students, the school brings forwards a specialized team that works together to ensure that the needs of all Cards are considered and met. Together the Mental Health, Indigenous and Attendance Support Workers, are here to support Cards in being the best they can be!

Mental Health Staff 

At SCC, there is a team of specialized mental health staff including Mrs. Breau, Ms. McWhinnie, and Mrs. Renaud available to discuss with educators specific student supports and to plan for social-emotional programming to be run in classrooms. 

Indigenous Support Worker 

Alongside mental health supports, the school’s Indigenous Support Worker Mrs. Dokis Gagnon provides a meaningful presence in creating a safe environment for students and staff. Her presence helps create opportunities for all indigenous and non-indigenous students to participate in group or individualized sessions that help the school grow to become more inclusive and respectful and encourage students to achieve their greatest potential. 

Attendance Support Worker 

Lastly, the school’s attendance support workers, work collaboratively to help bring all supports together and work with all staff to assist with attendance challenges they may be facing. They ensure to help students, staff, and families create supportive transition plans for safe and smooth integrations back to the classroom. 

St. Benedict – #BearsStayStrong Campaign

During remote learning, St. Benedict shared two positive quotes a day on social media to motivate students to stay strong. This initiative is a part of their #BearsStayStrong campaign, where students participate in daily spirit days and set the tone for a relaxed environment. 

Sabrina Grossi, the Mental Health Clinician at St. Benedict Secondary School, believes that it is essential to engage in initiatives like #bearsstaystrong to provide students, educators, and administrators opportunities to connect, support, and identify with one another. It builds a strong school community that allows everyone to come together, which is important in creating a healthy, supportive and prosperous school environment.

“Schools must create opportunities for students to nurture their mental health and wellness because we know they are vital in maintaining one’s overall well-being. Initiatives such as #bearsstaystrong are effective school inclusive approaches to help us foster a welcoming and supportive school environment where everyone can feel valued, heard, safe & accepted. Teaching students about mental health, giving them the skills, and providing mental health support will carry them throughout their lives, so they are equipped for whatever life brings. Additionally, it builds resilience, self-awareness and decreases the stigma around mental health.”

 “Every Day, we strive to create a culture that allows students to feel comfortable in talking about their feelings. They can email the admin team directly to share their mental health concerns and referrals can be made to a mental health clinician. The students support team which consists of the guidance resource, student success and chaplain are always available to support the mental health needs of our students.” – Merrill Sanowar, St. Benedict Vice-Principal

Mental Health and Well-Being Resources

The Board’s Learning Support Hub for educators and parents offers various resources to support students, parents, and staff in both their education and their mental health and well-being. We encourage students, families, staff, and community members to access these mental health resources and take a few minutes to discover our Hubs. 

In addition to the Learning Hubs, the Board has a dedicated Mental Health and Well-being page under Safe and Accepting Schools. Page resources consist of contact phone numbers, third-party websites, and smartphone apps that support and align with the SCDSB Mental Health Strategy and priorities. These resources are continually updated to support mental health and wellbeing for youth, families, and staff in our community. 

A Message of Gratitude

A special thank you is extended to the members of our IT department whose swift actions and preparation made the transition to remote learning possible and to our mental health and human resources teams for leading us and supporting us through this difficult time. In addition, we sincerely thank our incredible community partners, including our amazing priests, deacons, and other faith partners, who support us and help us to grow in our catholic faith. By working with one another, we have been able to contribute to the collective health and wellness of everyone around us. Thank you for all that you do. Smile it Forward Everyone!

In December, we celebrate the virtue of patience as we wait for the arrival of Jesus. We light our advent candles with anticipation, recalling the journey that Mary and Joseph experienced as they reached Bethlehem to fulfill God’s plan. December is also a time of giving back to those in our community that are in need. It is a time to be grateful for what we do have, and to strengthen the community around us. At Sudbury Catholic, we value the strong partnerships that we have with our community partners and applaud our schools for cultivating those important relationships. These connections are extremely valuable to SCDSB as they provide social and academic benefits to our students and are mutually beneficial to our schools and the community as a whole. 

We thank all of you for nurturing these relationships and express our gratitude to our many partners, who devote their knowledge and time to building lasting connections with our students and staff. Through your efforts and commitments, our learning environments are enriched, as we empower our students to excel in a changing world and learn the importance of making a difference.  You are helping us to live out our vision of Leaders in Learning and Faith. Thank you! 

Why are Community Connections Important in Schools? 

We believe the quality of education depends on the strong connections that exist between Sudbury Catholic Schools and the community. These valuable partnerships provide the opportunities and experiences children need to learn in and outside of the classroom.  We are called to advance leadership and learning, and these community connections are a critical component to this success.

Partnerships between schools and community groups present many benefits. The most striking is how these collaborative efforts enhance the learning opportunities for our students by providing resources, experiences, and environments they would not otherwise have. 

Marymount Academy – Regals Helping Women 

The Marymount Academy Catholic Charity Council started as a small group of students. However, in a few short months, it has grown to a team of 50! One of the fantastic initiatives we see this Council currently participating in is their “Regals Helping Women” campaign. 

Throughout the fall, the council has helped organize a collection campaign that partnered with The Sudbury Women’s Centre to encourage the school and neighbouring community members to donate essential hygiene products to the Centre to support women in need. 

The Sudbury Women’s Centre is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing information, referral, and support services to women who have been impacted by violence and/or difficult life circumstances. Their organization believes in fostering a safe place to support women on their journey in getting from where they are to where they want to be

The Women’s Centre continues to face a critical demand for necessary items to help struggling women in Sudbury. The Centre has allowed Marymount Academy to bring greater awareness surrounding women’s issues by providing tools, resources, and support. 

Emma Godin is a grade 12 student and the Council president leading the campaign with the Women’s Centre. According to Emma, women’s issues are a primary focus in their all-girls school community, and it is their job as students to understand how they can help. 

Donation Gallery

Emma believes that students have a social responsibility to acknowledge the issues going on in the community, and to be involved, as it can also help students discover their identity and develop practical skills.

As Emma mentions, the benefits of school-community partnerships also provides professional development opportunities for students by giving them opportunities to learn from experienced professionals and real-life experts. These partnerships allow students to gain access to mentors and other resources to support their learning. 

St. Francis Catholic Elementary School – Junction Creek Stewardship Committee

This autumn, St. Francis Catholic Elementary School partnered with the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee to explore the community impact on Junction Creek and its adjoining trail system. Students walked along the creek and the trails to observe and collect data about its environment.  They are planning to continue their investigations throughout the changing seasons. 

St. Francis students have inquired about the living organisms in and around the creek and explored further by collecting water samples and participated in a garbage study to understand its impact on the creek. With the support of the Stewardship committee, students will continue to observe and experiment with the changes that occur in the creek over the various seasons.

As education continuously evolves, we understand that the knowledge-based opportunities offered through community experts allow us to better support our students and to also make a difference for others in our community.

Tree of Hope – St. Charles College

Recently St. Charles College participated in the first official, Tree of Hope, Tree Lighting for Sudbury, Ontario. This event was held in partnership with the Greater Sudbury Police services to bring awareness and recognition towards the tragic issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit in Canada (MMIWG2S). 

Christopher Kohut’s technology class worked together with the Greater Sudbury Police and their school’s Indigenous Support Worker, Lina Dokis Gagnon to create a traditional Indigenous eight-point star to sit atop the tree in downtown Sudbury. The work conducted on the star was an opportunity for the students to learn more deeply about this problem and to address a complex issue surrounding the current situation which many Indigenous peoples face in Canada. 

Event Gallery

SCDSB – OSAID & Action Sudbury 

This past month, a collection of different students in various schools were part of the Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) program. Students from Marymount Academy, St. Charles College, Bishop Carter Alexander, and St. Benedict’s were hard at work with Action Sudbury to raise awareness and address the importance of safe driving.  Action Sudbury is a non-profit community organization comprised of individuals and agencies with a common goal to eliminate the tragedies caused by impaired driving.  

In addition to this, allowing students to work with other age groups and individuals that aren’t directly a part of the school community helps them grow into leaders who can work collaboratively with others to help achieve a mission and address issues facing the community. 

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Parish Connections

Due to the challenges of the current pandemic, it has not been easy for us to join together. We miss our parish families visiting our schools. We miss our parish partners visiting our classrooms. Yet, faith is present!

As we move into the season of Advent, we are grateful for our parish partners, as we continue to work together remotely to share weekly virtual celebrations that mark our commitment to faith. These virtual services are co-celebrations that allow our school communities, homes, and parishioners to come together each week over Zoom and unite our efforts with a common goal of helping to spread God’s love to all.

The strong relationships we have with our parish partners continually provide opportunities for our children to grow both their faith and their life. The collaborative opportunities organized by the parish and schools build upon and extend the learning that helps celebrate our Catholic faith with students and their families wherever they may be located.

Celebrating the Holiday Season by Giving Back

We are blessed at SCDSB in so many ways. One such blessing are the ways our students, staff, administration, and schools come together to help others at this time of year. Christmas is a season of love and a season of giving. Together we can celebrate Christmas’s true meaning by participating in various charitable actions that focus on spreading cheer to those in need in our community.

St. Charles College

On December 3rd, 2021 St. Charles College concluded their annual SCC Canned Food Drive with amazing success. Their hard work and effort shone in the results, with a final total of 106,623 cans collected and $17,250 raised to help the Sudbury Food Bank. Special thanks to organizers Mrs. J. Demore, Mrs. Humphrey and Mrs. Montgomery and our students for their leadership in continuing to support this longstanding and very important tradition at SCC.

St. Benedict

St. Benedict concluded their staff Diaper Campaign on Friday, Dec 10th, with a total of 44 boxes! Special thanks to teacher John Doyon and school Chaplain Rob Pappin for their organization and leadership! The collected diapers will be donated to Pure Country’s diaper drive and passed on to the Pregnancy Care Centre, Infant Food Bank to go to families in need in our city. 

Holy Trinity & Bishop Alexander Carter

Students, staff, admin, and community members at Holy Trinity and Bishop Alexander Carter Schools filled a crib as part of their participation in the Infant Food Bank “All I Need for Christmas Campaign.” The Infant Food Bank is a not-for-profit charitable organization funded solely by individual donations and food cards from the Sudbury Food Bank. With this campaign, both the Gators and Redbirds filled cribs with baby essentials to assist the Infant Food Bank in providing for families throughout the holidays and all winter long.

Marymount Academy

December 2021 marked the 31st year Marymount Academy has held an annual Christmas dinner for the clients of SACY, aka Sudbury Action Centre for Youth. This tradition holds one of the longest on-going community relationships that Marymount has. Matthew Wiecha, a former teacher who started the initiative in 1989, believed that it taught the true meaning of Christmas to senior students and provided a much-needed service to those who might otherwise not get a Christmas dinner.

https://youtu.be/zlmZ5t0gNLk

SCDSB Student Senate

In November, the SCDSB Student Senate kicked off their Can Tab Drive.

Once a month, tabs are collected from each high school and the Board Office and dropped off at Deluxe Hamburgers. We invite the community to continue donating their tabs to help SCDSB Student Senate and Deluxe Hamburgers in this ongoing campaign. 

All proceeds from the collected tabs will be donated to Health Sciences North to support the continued services they provide to patients and people in need in our northern community.   

As we continue to celebrate how our schools have connected with the community, we thank all of Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s community partners and educators who have worked with us in supporting our students and our community. The relationships we have with our partners in the community provide a valuable opportunity to share meaningful experiences, learn from each other, and help us collectively achieve our goals and to make a difference. This blog only touched upon a fraction of the ways in which our schools contribute to the community and the amazing partnerships that continue to be nurtured.

On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic community, we wish everyone a joy filled Christmas surrounded by family and friends and many blessings in 2022. May the true spirit of Christmas fill your hearts and your homes. Merry Christmas!

2021 Christmas Artwork Contest Winners

Artwork by A. Fisher

Grade 6 Student at St. Paul

Artwork by M. Coutu

Grade 11 Student at Bishop Alexander Carter

Artwork by C. Wrigglesworth

Grade 7 Student at Marymount Academy

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The reintroduction of school athletics at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board (SCDSB) has been met with great enthusiasm by our students, staff, parents and community. In this month’s blog, we highlight the important role sports play in education and more specifically in our schools. Sport provides many advantages to our students such as increased confidence, mental alertness, team work, leadership skills and overall physical health and wellness. What students learn on the field, on the court, in the gym are skills that can be applied in all aspect of life at school and after graduation. We extend our appreciation to our coaches who volunteer countless hours throughout the year to ensure that our students have many opportunities to grow both as students and as athletes. Through their support they are able to improve their skills and help them to achieve their goals. Thank you for fostering our students’ emotional, social, and intellectual growth through athletics.

Our Student Athletes

Grade 9 Student, Lucia Salmaso from Marymount Academy has been running all her life, and at NOSSA, she surprised herself by taking home gold! “I was really proud of myself with how I did. I didn’t expect to win. I was just hoping to place in the top 10!”

With her eye’s now set on OFSSA, she explains that she’s nervous but is just happy to be doing a sport she loves! Congratulations, Lucia and best of luck ahead! Thank you to MMA Coach Rob Van Mierlo and Coach Tammy Jutila for the effort and dedication they’ve contributed to cross country running this year!

Grade 12 Student Jake Dubowsky from St. Benedict also has a lot to smile about. Placing first overall in Golf at NOSSA and 14th at OFSSA, he’s no stranger to the game, having played since he was young. Special thank you is extended to St. Ben’s Golf Coaches, Mrs. Colasimone and Mrs. Kowaluk for their help and support!

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“Golf is a big mental game. It takes a lot of practice and patience. I can’t focus after a bad shot; I learned to concentrate on moving forward. I find playing builds my mental strength and has helped me learn how to manage my stress. The best feeling is that rush I get when I hit a good shot.”

Well said Jake!

Athletics at SCDSB

Basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, baseball, football, cross country, golf, are in full force throughout our schools. 

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As previously mentioned, these opportunities are made possible through our incredible faculty and community partners. Their determination enables our students to participate in unique opportunities that have positively impacted their school experience. We have many amazing coaches in all of our schools and one such coach is Darren Michelluti. His commitment and positive approach in nurturing student development is a great example of the many faculty and community partners we have throughout the system.

Darren Michelluti is the Athletic Director for St. Charles College and the Lead of the Hockey Skills Academy; a hockey program partnering with the Hockey Canada Foundation to help kids of all different skill levels pursue their interest on and off the ice. This year alone, 100 kids have signed up to participate in the program. A record-breaking number! 

“When students found out they would be able to play sports again this year, they were very excited. Last year it was difficult not to have the opportunity to have sports, but this year we have more kids trying out for teams and wanting to participate. It’s at an all-time high for our school. Sports like baseball, football, and flag, along with our Hockey program, are seeing a lot of interest, and it’s a credit to our amazing crew at SCC!” 

Importance of Sport in Education

Getting students involved in some aspect of school athletics is an important element for their growth. The importance of sports in schools goes beyond the game itself by providing students with a constructive outlet to help them socialize, make friends, and ultimately encourage academic excellence. 

Leadership, communication, goal setting, perseverance, teamwork, responsibility, and respect are qualities that a student can develop through playing sports, according to the latest study by OFSSA. 

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“Because of the social aspect sport provides, I find students have a more positive attitude when they’re in the classroom.” Say’s Christina Baril, a Grade 7 teacher and coach at Bishop Alexander Carter Elementary School.

Christina explains that school sports provide students with opportunities to develop skills that will translate into other areas of their lives. “We’re seeing that because of sports, students want to come to school, they want to be able to participate on a team, and they’re happier because of it.”

The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations 

At SCDSB, our sports programs focus on helping children learn the skills and attitudes that will make them better citizens within the school and community. Creating unique opportunities to help encourage growth and professionalism through sport is more crucial than ever to ensure we’re helping each student reach their full potential. A focus on the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations helps teach our students about being good citizens and is a foundation in all our athletic programs. 

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“We try to capitalize on these crucial expectations so we can teach students how to not only represent themselves well within school amongst their grades, but when they go on into the community that they’re being role models and setting a good standard for others no matter where they are.” – Darren Michelluti, Teacher, Athletic Director and Lead of the Hockey Skills Academy

Thank you to everyone who has gone above and beyond to make sure we are offering opportunities for our children to move, socialize with their peers, and be a part of a community inclusive of every ability and skill level. It is truly extraordinary to see our athletic programs flourish this year, and we know it will positively impact our communities. We want to thank all who are involved in making these programs happen and wish everyone an engaging and healthy school year ahead.

GO SCDSB GO! 

September is no stranger to new beginnings. It brings about new opportunities, a renewed excitement, and energy that creates an atmosphere that is bursting with life. It’s exhilarating to experience, and we couldn’t be happier to be back this fall to embrace another September as a school board community. Our theme this year is Back to School with Gratitude, Hope, and Success for All. To support our system in a mentally healthy return to school we are all reminded of the following:

• We need to work with compassion, and empathy. We need to take care of ourselves so that we are better able to support one another, and our students, with compassion, understanding and empathy.
• We need to acknowledge the varied COVID-19 experiences of staff and students during the time of school closures. Each person will carry a unique story as we return to school, and this story will impact the way each of us approaches this time of transition.
• Schools are an excellent place to promote and protect student mental health. Together, we welcome students warmly, build their mental health self-care and social-emotional skills, reduce stigma, and encourage help-seeking. 
• We have strong mental health foundations to build on. Now more than ever, we need to leverage the knowledge and skills of our team and the work we have been doing within our mental health strategy. Our board is well-positioned to support student mental health and well-being through the return to school.

There are many unknowns and we don’t have all the answers, but we know that a challenge this big requires us to work together.  All system and school leaders, educators, support staff, school mental health professionals, parents/families, and community partners have a shared responsibility to prepare and support students for the return to school. Let us always be there for one another.

In this first blog of the new school year, I want to highlight the opening of our grade 7 and 8 wing at Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School. This is a very exciting time, as now all of our secondary schools offer Grade 7 and 8 programming which brings so many new opportunities for our students. Special recognition for making this possible is extended to our Board of Trustees, Alan Levesque (Manager of Facilities), James Morgan (Facilities Administrator), Steve Odette (Head Custodian – BST) and the custodial team at BAC, Gerry Robillard (Manager of IMS), Ron LeClair (IMS team), Darren Smith (IMS team), Tara Large (Procurement Coordinator) and both the School Leadership and the Senior Administrative Team. Thank you as well to our teaching and support staff, as they are the difference makers in making such an endeavour a success.

Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School Welcomes Grade 7 and 8 Students

On Tuesday, September 28th, 2021, the official opening of the new Grade 7 & 8 wing was held. The occasion was highlighted with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to honour this event. To open the celebration we were greeted by student Jade Prentice and Grandmother Sandra Corbiere who invited us to smudge. The celebration also included opening remarks from Principal Stephanie Venturi, Chaplaincy Lead Jennifer Geddes, and Chair Michael Bellmore, along with a very impactful prayer and song by Grandmother Sandra Corbiere and blessing by Deacon Steve. It was a beautiful ceremony to welcome amazing staff, students and families to the Gator community.

Teachers & Staff

The new wing brings further advantages for modern learning. Specifically, Bishop’s newly added technological resources provide further opportunities to enhance teaching and learning.  

“The new technology that we have in our classroom is wonderful. We’ve been given stunning, new Chromebooks which is incredible because it adds excellent resources for students to grow and expand their knowledge.” Says Grade 8 Teacher, Jody O’Daiskey.

We’re proud of all our educators for embracing this new opportunity and seeing the potential it has to further enhance teaching and learning. In addition to the technology, this new wing offers facilities that according to Bishop’s Principal, Stephanie Venturi provide a “precious opportunity for us to enhance learning in all areas of the curriculum and to help our students achieve the 21st-century skills they require to be successful”.

Students

But what have Bishop’s newest students enjoyed most at their new school?! 

• New lockers
• A beautiful, newly renovated gym 
• Larger classrooms
• Club and sport participation 
• Comfortable uniforms with many options
• New laptops
• Big screen TVs in all classrooms
• Creative learning opportunities 
• Awesome staff
• And so much more. 

Particularly, many students expressed their enthusiasm towards being able to participate in Bishop’s intramural volleyball league at lunchtime in the school’s modern gymnasium.  

Many people in our community have found themselves adjusting to a bustling schedule of school activities, but as one student puts it “even though it’s a different school, it still feels the same.” 

This comment reinforces what is really at the heart of what we do… our students. 

No matter where they are, at SCDSB we want them to feel like they’re at home. Even though it’s a new experience and a new setting, it’s filled with the same love, high-quality teaching, and helpful support we have at every school. 

As we begin this new school year, some of us may have new classes, friends, and educational pathways we are discovering, and others could be finding themselves learning, growing, and teaching in a new place entirely. Regardless of where we are, we should always remember that we are a part of one family at SCDSB. Let us embrace change as this promotes growth and learning and allows us to be Leaders in Learning and Faith, which is at the heart of what we do. Wishing everyone another successful school year.

Photo Gallery

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I think that we can all agree that this past year has been extraordinary, not simply because we find ourselves in a pandemic, but it has been extraordinary because of how our staff, our students, our parents, guardians and community have responded to this reality.  Over this past year and half, you have demonstrated resilience, optimism and strong leadership. You have lifted each other up and helped one another through these challenging times.  Our staff with our parent/guardian partners have gone the extra mile to passionately serve and support our 6000 plus students and we are very blessed to have such an amazing team at Sudbury Catholic. While it certainly is not the year we all envisioned, I can’t help but feel immensely proud to be part of the Sudbury Catholic School community. We do have much to be thankful for, whether that is achieving success in a competition, surpassing a personal goal or graduating and moving on to another stage in life. In this month’s blog we have included a few examples, among many of the accomplishments this past year calling us to say thank you and to look back and celebrate.

https://vimeo.com/568617391/71995ba7d6

Sudbury Catholic Students & Staff are part of a Guinness World Record! 

In May 2021, Skills Ontario invited Ontarians to participate in setting out to attain the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS achievement for Largest Online Video Chain of People Passing and Using a Screwdriver. The record attempt was open to anyone, any age across the province, with a minimum goal of receiving 251 video submissions. A call out was made to Sudbury Catholic students, families and staff.

“We truly enjoy partnering with Skills Ontario as they always have innovative and fun ways to promote the skilled trades and technologies to our students. We were especially excited to be able to join this initiative as a community.  We are ecstatic to know that we made history!” said Christina Raso, Experiential Learning Consultant.

Peter Prochilo, Superintendent of School Effectiveness gives a tremendous round of applause and a sincere word of thanks to all of the students and staff that participated in the Skills Ontario Guinness  World  Record Breaking event.  “All of the participants from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board once again rose to the challenge and had a hand in surpassing the goal of 250 linked individuals with a final count of 381 submissions!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0R2wFVjujTk

Jump Rope for Heart – Holy Cross School

Students at Holy Cross school once again participated in the ‘Jump Rope for Heart’ campaign – this year they found a way to hold the event virtually. Students and families came together to raise $5,521, almost doubling their initial goal! Well done Cubs!

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Be Kind T-Shirt Campaign – St. Charles College

Deep in the heart of the pandemic, when the world was growing weary, the staff and students in Mrs. Allen’s Learning Support Classroom launched and executed an innovative idea: the Be Kind t-shirt campaign. The class of 11 originally anticipated 50 shirts would be sold but then they had requests from all over the world – they were fulfilling 550 orders! The students were involved in the design, creation, marketing, selling, and shipping components. Educational Assistant Mrs. MacDonald described the classroom in March as an assembly line.

Today, students can be seen wearing their shirts in class and out in the community. The team is already in the process of developing a new plan for the fall and once again, all funds raised will go to life skills programming in the areas of cooking, crafting, gardening and novel studies all the while sprinkling the world and community they live in with some much needed upbeat positivity.

Success at Skills Ontario Competition

Veronica Zulich, a grade 11 student enrolled in the Hospitality & Tourism SHSM program at St. Benedict C.S.S competed in her third Skills Ontario cooking competition on May 4^th, 2021. 

In Part 1 of the competition, Veronica demonstrated her competency in some fundamental cooking skills including recipe conversions, precision vegetable cuts and a whole chicken breakdown.  She also prepared a French Rolled Omelet stuffed with Brie and Mushrooms accompanied by a side Salad in an Emulsified French Dressing.  The French omelet is considered to be a cornerstone skill that every chef should be able to demonstrate. For Part 2, Veronica prepared a Thai Style Chicken Stir-fry, with Green Curry Sauce, accompanied by Brown Rice Pilaf.  It is during this stage that Veronica showcased her creative plating skills to “wow” the judges. Her teacher at St. Benedict, Mike Sipos and restauranteur Mark Gregorini of Verdicchio Ristorante have mentored Veronica virtually throughout her preparation and practice sessions. 

At the provincial level competition May 4th, Veronica achieved first place! She then moved onto the National competition which was virtually held on May 28^th, 2021, claiming the silver medal in cooking! Congratulations on your achievements Veronica! Yum this meal looks delicious!

Isaac Chandler, a Green Industries SHSM student at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S also competed in the Skills Ontario competition in the CNC Woodworking category where he achieved gold! View his award winning woodworking project below. Congratulations Isaac, we are so proud of you!

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Honouring Our 2021 Grads

The end of the school year is a welcome time for our elementary and secondary graduates and truly a time for celebration and joy as they reflect on their accomplishments and look toward the future. While our schools were unable to hold traditional graduation ceremonies, they found unique ways to honour and celebrate our students! Here are a few ways our schools honoured our graduates!

Marymount Academy created a photo opportunity which allowed graduates and their families to come pick up their diploma in their formal attire and take a few photos to remember the occasion!

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St. David School hosted a drive-by celebration so that Grade 6 students and their families could come to the school and receive a celebration package, take photos and say goodbye to their teachers and St. David staff members before moving on to St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School!

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St. Charles elementary school celebrated their Grade 6, 7 and 8 students with special photo opportunities throughout the end of June. They also celebrated with graduate profiles which were showcased on the school’s social media.

SCDSB Staff Take Part in Walking Challenge – Completing Enough Steps to Walk to Australia!

During the month of May, the Board launched the SCDSB Staff Walking Challenge which encouraged staff members to create a team of four and track their steps each week. 46 eager teams of competitors participated in the challenge walking a total of 29, 941, 502 steps which is the equivalent to 22, 815 KM! This would take us from Sudbury, Ontario to Adelaide, Australia. We congratulate all participants! The challenge served as a reminder of the importance of making our health a priority and instilling habits that we can use beyond the school year.

A message from our Student Trustees

As we conclude the 2020-2021 school year, we say goodbye and thank you to Rosaria Nero and we welcome Jack Gouchie to the Board table.

Rosaria Nero, Grade 12 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, served as a Student Trustee for the 2020-2021 term. Throughout her term she enjoyed interacting with the other members of Student Senate, organizing events and initiatives and representing student voice at the Board table. Here, she leaves a message of thanks to the Sudbury Catholic community.

https://vimeo.com/565596020/9da60eee70

Jack Gouchie is currently a Grade 10 student at St. Charles College. He will join fellow Student Trustee Kylie MacGregor for the 2021-2022 School Year. He looks forward to working alongside Kylie and learning more about the Board and Board of Trustees while working throughout the year to provide support to his fellow students.

During May 2 – May 7, 2021, Sudbury Catholic Schools celebrated Catholic Education Week. Each year, we are very fortunate to be able to join the Catholic community across Ontario in a week-long celebration of the unique identity and distinctive contributions of Catholic education. Together we celebrate all that is best and most beautiful about the Catholic school system and to give thanks for the gift of a faith-filled education.

The theme for 2021 is ‘Nurturing Hope,’ which is so fitting considering that it is faith and hope that has provided us with the spiritual nourishment to weather the challenges we have all faced this year.

Throughout the week, we were thrilled to see our students and staff engaged in various activities, lessons and virtual events to celebrate and honour Catholic Education Week. We also shared activities with families and invited them to participate.

The five sub themes for this year were:

 Preparing the Earth 
Sowing Seeds of Gratitude 
Cultivating Relationships
Harvesting New Fruit 
Marvelling in Wonder

Certainly a highlight was the Mass celebrated by His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins on Wednesday, May 5. Across the province we joined together in prayer. We were all moved by his words: “See the Lord more clearly, Love the Lord more dearly, Follow the Lord more nearly”.

Other activities included:

• A Cyber Security Presentation geared toward staff, parents and guardians and was presented by cybersecurity expert Danny Pehar.

• Launching of Young Entrepreneur Contest. Students will create a business plan (as required by the Ontario government) and pitch their business idea for a chance to win a prize pack.
  
• Career Day:  Partnership with Skills Ontario which offered a variety of activities that promoted the skilled trades and technologies for K-12.

“People often comment that when they enter a Catholic school they feel a special presence. This does not come from the building or even the religious symbols that are an important witness to our faith. The presence comes from Christ who is proclaimed by word and example, and is evidenced in the way people care for one another — “see how they love one another.” Catholic schools witness to Christ and by doing so help to reveal Him to others.”  (Renewing the Promise p. 9). In this month’s blog we are sharing many examples of our faith lived out.

Preparing the Earth 

Our week began with a message from Bishop Thomas Dowd who reflected on the overall theme of Nurturing Hope:

https://vimeo.com/557196530

Holy Cross School began Catholic Education Week with their virtue assembly, allowing the entire school to gather virtually and honour both the monthly virtues and the start of Catholic Education Week! View the assembly below:

https://vimeo.com/557200936

St. James School worked with our Indigenous team to produce daily sub theme videos to share with students and families throughout Catholic Education week!

https://vimeo.com/557262123

Sowing Seeds of Gratitude 

As a demonstration of sowing seeds of gratitude, kindergarten students at St. Francis School each received and planted a yellow bean seed. The class discussed what gratitude means to them and will observe the growth of their plants throughout the Spring!

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Grade 5/6 students at St. Charles School in Chelmsford completed an activity reflecting on what they are grateful for and their symbols of hope for the future! This offered students an important lesson on what nurturing hope truly means.

Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S created visual prayers and messages of hope to share with students and families. For Sowing seeds of gratitude, the school focused on giving thanks to the front line health workers.

Cultivating Relationships 

To understand what cultivating relationships may look like, Grade 4/5 French Immersion students at Holy Trinity School were given the challenge of cooking a Malawian cultural dish. The students also watched “The Boy who Harnessed the Wind” and discussed the importance of nurturing hope for a better tomorrow (especially for those who may not be as fortunate as we are in Canada). Pictured here is student Simon who cooked the dish alongside his family. Simon shared that the dish was really easy and fun to make and that his family enjoyed participating in this challenge!

Grade 2/3 Pius XII students created “a garden of hope” cards for family members or neighbours who are alone – showing that while we may not be able to gather physically, we can still cultivate meaningful relationships.

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Mr. Pappin organized a liturgy for the entire St. Benedict school community. His message was incredibly meaningful for staff and students. Beautiful messages were also shared from Shannon Agowissa, Indigenous Support Worker.

Harvesting New Fruit

Immaculate Conception students reflected on the theme of Nurturing Hope by writing their own poems! Here are a few examples of their work:

Grade 7 English students at Marymount Academy have been working on creating children’s books that are inspired by Nurturing Hope and the five daily themes of Catholic Education week. Students have connected their learning and stories to the inspiring true story of William Kamkwamba, who wrote The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Below are a few examples of their completed books.

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Marvelling in Wonder 

St. David students had the opportunity to work with Skills Ontario to construct their own birdhouses. The activity was enjoyed by all as they learned valuable experiential learning skills and reflected on the sub theme of Marvelling in Wonder.

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Inspired by our Catholic Education Week theme of “Nurturing Hope,” Mrs. Whitman and Mrs. Thomson’s Kindergarten students at St. John School spent the week learning the prayer/song “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” They talked a lot about how God created everything (“all creatures great and small”) – including themselves! They then created beautiful self-portraits to demonstrate their learning!

To end Catholic Education week, Grade 9 Instrumental students at St. Charles College created posters demonstrating how they nurture hope through the sound of music!

Sudbury Catholic Schools #GetReal with Children’s Mental Week

In addition to Catholic Education Week, May 3 – 9 was also Children’s Mental Health week. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Week was #GetReal and focused on tuning into our feelings by naming them, and not numbing them.  The power of identifying what you are feeling and allowing yourself to sit with your emotions can lighten the load and help them to feel less intense.  Students learned that when we name our emotions, we give our feelings space, and allow ourselves permission to feel whatever we are feeling; the good, the bad and the ugly. 

This week appropriately coincides with the theme of Catholic Education Week: Nurturing Hope. While we are celebrating the unique identity and distinctive of Catholic education it is important to recognize that our faith is also an important part of the Sudbury Catholic Mental Health Plan’s proactive strategy. Faith brings a sense of community and teachings, when done in a supportive way, that assist incorporating healthy practices, for the mind, body and soul, which positively influences mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Throughout Children’s Mental health week, our Mental Health team provided schools, students and parents/guardians with various activities and resources.

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, please visit https://mentalhealthweek.ca