For the past two months, we have all been adjusting to the realities of COVID-19, including the closure of our schools and the need for social distancing. These weeks have presented many challenges, but I have to say how proud I am to be part of the Sudbury Catholic team. I want to thank all of you for your patience, incredible support, creativity and perseverance during these very difficult times. The Learn@Home program began on Monday, April 6 and it is absolutely amazing what has been accomplished since that time. One need only look at our social media for the many examples of engaging activities our students are undertaking, under the guidance of their teachers and caregivers. I am touched by the comments I am receiving from staff and parents about how our teachers are reaching out and staying connected with their students via a variety of platforms. It is through these efforts and the support from our exceptional central office staff that our students are continuing to learn the key concepts that they need to advance to the next year or graduate. In addition, to all you are doing to support their well-being.  

This month’s blog is a glimpse into the amazing learning opportunities being initiated through the efforts of our staff and families. Thank you for all that you do!

SCDSB Learn@Home Site

The SCDSB Learn@Home site was developed by our talented Learning Support Services for students and their parents and guardians. The resources on this site are designed to help support and to further enhance the teaching and learning that is taking place in our virtual classrooms. On the website, you will find specific learning resources by grade, as well as wellness supports and information pertaining to the chosen learning platforms.

We hope that these resources are helpful to you. Parents and students who are experiencing difficulties are encouraged to reach out to their teacher or email us at studenthelp@sudburycatholicschools.ca for support.

SCDSB Learn@Home Site

Students and Educators Embrace Online Learning Platforms

Students and teachers alike have been learning and growing together through online distance learning. Teachers are using online learning platforms such as Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams and vLE (Virtual Learning Environment) to plan and deliver lessons to our students. While we know our staff and students would rather be in their physical classrooms, the platforms have allowed educators to be in regular contact with students and parents, and to extend the learning that was started in the classroom.

St. Mark School students Connor and Ben have embraced distance learning and have enjoyed the opportunity to continue their learning online.

“I like distance learning because I don’t get distracted. Whenever I just need a break I just go outside for 10 minutes and then return to the job.” Connor, Grade 6 student.

“My work at home has been fun online!” Ben, Grade 3 student.

Carole Remillard, teacher at St. Mark School has enjoyed seeing her students succeed from the safety of their homes.

“My students really enjoy seeing their reading skills improve in such a short time through the Lexia program. They love receiving their certificate and positive feedback from the teacher. Students at St. Mark are also learning math concepts through the online Mathletics program. Both programs provide direct lessons which help students learn more independently” she explained.

St. Francis School teacher Lyanne Dupuis had not previously used Google Classroom. However, after using it for her class for distance learning, she has thoroughly enjoyed the flexibility and creativity that the program offers. She finds the students have been very engaged with the assignments and has enjoyed keeping communication open with parents. She even plans to incorporate the platform into the classroom when it is safe to return.

“Since launching my Google Classroom, I have been able to create a community within my online community. Most of my students are actively participating, and parent communication is ongoing and positive. My students remain engaged in meaningful tasks, and are navigating Google Classroom like pros!”

Griffin Whorley is a Grade 9 student at St. Charles College. He is currently completing his semester from the comfort of his kitchen table. He works each day alongside his mom who is also working from home. Griffin has been completing assignments for Religion, Foods, English and Geography. While he would rather be in class with his classmates and teachers, he is making the best of it and enjoying both the work he has been able to accomplish and the opportunity to spend extra time with his family!

Marymount Academy staff and students participated in the National Online Development and Peace THINKfast. Students and staff used Zoom for a 20 hour fast (11 hours on Zoom online). The group also used YouTube videos, online discussions, Kahoots, and participated in the Stations of the Cross to connect with people across Canada and the world.

Supporting Our Community

Our Board continually strives to contribute meaningfully in our community. In partnership with Laurentian University, we have put our 3D printers to good use during this time to help create frames for face shields which will be used to help protect front-line workers. Staff and students have volunteered to bring home the 3D printers from their schools and assist in this project. Response has been extremely positive!

Brady, a Grade 9 student at St. Charles College took it upon himself to learn how to make the face shield headbands. He said it took some time to figure out the design, but once he figured out how to produce the first one, he was able to replicate it fairly easily. He has produced 20 headbands so far and has a goal of producing at least 25 in total.

“I had never used the 3D printer at school but I thought I would give it a shot and try to do something to benefit our community,” he explained. “Since we’re a smaller community compared to the bigger cities like Toronto or Vancouver, we don’t necessarily get the same level of supplies. It was really cool to be part of a project that I know will help people! I would encourage everyone to do their part by staying home and look for ways that they too can help. We’re in this together!”

Lisa Levecque, a teacher at St. Francis School has also volunteered to produce the faceshield headbands. “I am very grateful to be able to help with the efforts to protect the front line workers in our community from the spread of the COVID-19. I jumped at the chance to volunteer for this project because I have used the printers in the past and have really enjoyed working with them!”

We are Stewards of the Earth – How SCDSB Celebrated Earth Day

Congratulations to all of our students who entered our Earth Day contest, making it such a success! We extend our appreciation to our staff and to our parents for encouraging and supporting our students. We received over 90 entries! With so many outstanding submissions, it was difficult for us to select our winners.

Special congratulations goes out to the following winners:

Kindergarten – Grade 3 Division

• Earth Day Video by: Jake M- Grade 1 and Cade M- JK, Immaculate Conception School (View video HERE)

• Earth Day Donuts Baked by: Sebastian N- Grade 1 and future kindergarten student Mason, Holy Cross School

Grade 4 – 6 Division

• The Future of Our Forest Video: Maggie P- Grade 5, St. Francis School (View video HERE).

Grade 7-8 Division

• This is Our Planet Poem by: Emma B- Grade 7, St. Charles College (See poem HERE)

Grade 9 -12 Division

• Earth Day Poster by Janessa Smania- Grade 9, Marymount Academy
• Earth Day Rap Song Written by: Gabriel C, Jeremy H & Brady H-  Grade 11, St Benedict (View video HERE)

Keeping Wellness in Our Days – Body, Mind and Spirit

We know this is a stressful and uncertain time for our families. As a parent, there’s a good chance you’re juggling a lot right now, while dealing with your own thoughts and emotions. As a student, the change in routine might be scary, frustrating and challenging. Try to treat yourself with compassion and gentleness, as you would a dear friend.

Our SCDSB Learn@Home site has many resources and activities geared toward supporting your wellness. Click HERE to access those resources.

Our schools have also promoted wellness with their families through their learning platforms and on social media. The School Mental Health team produces Wellness Wednesday videos to provide support to students during this uncertain time. Indigenous Support worker Robyn Lafortune shares her thoughts about the benefits of bullet journals and staying organized. View her video HERE and view all Wellness Wednesday videos HERE.

Indigenous Education at Sudbury Catholic strives to establish an educational environment that honours the Indigenous culture and language in a meaningful and purposeful way. Together with our partners, we are committed to ensuring that all students and staff have knowledge and appreciation of contemporary and traditional First Nation, Métis and Inuit studies and culture. 

We continue to grow together through cultural activities and experiential learning and work with all partners towards equitable outcomes for all students. This month we are pleased to share a glimpse of the activities and programs in our schools.

Teaching Anishinaabemowin (Native Language) in our Schools

Many eager students across our Board have been excited to be given the opportunity to learn Anishinaabemowin. Schools such as St. James, St. David, Holy Trinity, Pius XII, Marymount Academy and St. Charles College have embraced this student learning opportunity.

“Language connects us to our culture, history and our belief systems. These areas are critical in ensuring best practices for student success,” said Dominic Beaudry teacher at St. James School and Anishnaabemowin Language Facilitator.

Through this learning initiative, students have been given countless opportunities to showcase their Native Language skills. Both St. James School and Pius XII have performed the National Anthem in Ojibwe to open Sudbury Wolves and Sudbury Five games.

At Sudbury Catholic, we are so fortunate for the many community partnerships that have been developed, allowing us to provide the best possible opportunities for our students. One such partnership is the Police Mkwa Opportunity Education Circle which creates learning opportunities for Indigenous students in greater Sudbury and surrounding area who may wish to pursue a potential career in law enforcement. The program works to develop meaningful relationships between students and law enforcement officers.  St. Benedict student, Ethan Soucy is grateful for the learning opportunity. “The Mkwa program provides a massive opportunity to build relationships with the regional police and to understand that they are regular people too.  I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity I have been given,” he explained.

Cultural Spaces and Teachings

Many of our schools have created cultural spaces where students and staff feel welcomed. Bishop Alexander Carter School has recently opened their Cultural Room. Robyn Lafortune, the school’s new Indigenous Support Worker was very pleased to join the school community to help open this unique space.

This room has been named the “Sacred Room” and the hope is to create a safe place for students to work, talk, learn and connect with one another. The students will have the opportunity to help design the space and support with future mural projects. Robyn looks forward to exploring the space with students and hopes students will learn from each other.

“It is important for students to understand the trauma inflicted on Indigenous people, the effects it has had on our communities and what we are doing now to start the healing process.”

Students at Marymount Academy have been working on ribbon skirts alongside their Indigenous Support Worker Tina Trudeau. Students are given the opportunity to learn about the significance of the ribbon skirt in the Anishinaabe culture and then fulfill the process of making their skirt.

“We acknowledge the land we are on everyday, but we also need to learn about it, the history of it, and its Indigenous people to close the gap in the education system,” said Tina Trudeau.

 Students at St. Albert Learning Centre have been learning about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls of Canada. Students discussed the effects of the Indian Act and policies that were developed around the act such as Residential Schools and the Sixties Scoop. They also discussed awareness campaigns that open the discussion into MMIWG, focusing on the Red Dress Project and the Walking With Our Sisters Campaign.

Following the presentation students were given the chance to participate in designing a red dress or a pair of vamps (Moccasin Tops). The artwork has been posted on the walls of St. Albert to show their dedication to raising awareness of the initiative.

Elementary students across the Board are given the opportunity to learn and understand the Indigenous culture through the White Buffalo Circles program. The White Buffalo Circles program addresses the belief that young people who have self- respect and self- confidence are better prepared to cope with negative influences and peer pressure. Joel Agowissa, Indigenous Support Worker, works with students at the Kindergarten level as well as with students for the lunch time program. He also assists with Grade 8 students as they transition into secondary programming. Joel is one of four (4) Indigenous Support Workers sharing their teachings and helping us to grow in understanding. They are an amazing team, filled with passion and heart.

The “Elders in the School” program provides opportunities for teachers and students to work with traditional First Nation Elder Vince Pawis. For students and staff, the “Elders in the School Program” actively promotes an increased awareness, understanding and appreciation of the rich histories, cultures and perspectives of First Nation, Métis and Inuit peoples to staff and students in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. Vince Pawis visits classrooms to share traditional Anishinabe knowledge and world views.

Teachers were given the opportunity to complete professional development on land based cultural teachings. Teachers were shown the positive impact that land based learning has on students and themselves as educators. Participants thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to experience land based learning first hand and understand how to integrate it into their own classrooms!

Get to know us!

The Indigenous Education Advisory Committee (IEAC) is made up of nearly 25 members that includes our elder Vince Pawis as well as representatives from the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, Wahnapitae First Nation, Métis Nation, community agency partners such as Cambrian College, Laurentian University, Better Beginnings Better Futures, Greater Sudbury Police and the Liaison program Coordinator for the Sudbury Family Information Liaison Unit, as well members of the Sudbury Catholic staff. IEAC meets throughout the school year to discuss the needs of the Indigenous community and how to address those needs within our schools.

“The Indigenous Education Advisory Committee plays a crucial role in connecting us with our community stakeholders. Through this consultation, the voice of the community helps set priorities for student well-being, academic achievement and increased learning opportunities.” said Ginette Toivonen, Indigenous Education Facilitator.

To continue to encourage the growth of critical and computational thinking skills, all Grade 4 students across the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have the opportunity to participate in the CS First Coding Program by Google. The Program is aligned with the Ontario Elementary curriculum. For example, one of the coding activities is called “Adventure on the High Seas”, where students animate an ocean wave and then tell a story that takes place on the high seas. This lesson addresses grade 4 curriculum expectations in Mathematics, Language and the Arts in a hands-on, interactive and engaging manner.

I asked our TELT-C, Jillian Ospina why implement Google’s CS First Program in our classrooms?

Coding teaches students to use computational thinking, an approach to problem-solving that involves breaking down large, complex problems into smaller more manageable parts.  It teaches students to find patterns, or trends in problems to identify the general principles that create these patterns.  When students can identify the trends they can develop a step by step way to solve the problem.  This translates into problem-solving with different kinds of problems in different settings. This way of thinking/problem solving is the basis of computer science and can be applied to all areas of the curriculum. 

Students are often consumers of digital information. It is imperative that they learn the skills in order to be active contributors within our digital age.  They need to know the basics of computer science in order to understand the digital world they are growing up in, the same way that they need to understand basic mathematical, scientific and humanitarian concepts/theories.

Coding is FUN!  It’s engaging, relevant and hands-on. It also provides an opportunity for students to learn a number of skills that are essential to their long-term success. Every student deserves the opportunity to explore and succeed in computer science.

We are very excited to offer this unique program to our Grade 4 students. The CS First Coding program is an excellent way to promote innovation to both our students as well as our dedicated staff. The implementation of this program is the result of the hard work completed by our IT department, Learning Support Services team and the many educators who help bring the program to life! Teachers at SCDSB understand how important it is to provide a variety of learning opportunities for our students. Their ongoing hard work and dedication to this program is evident, based on the excitement and enthusiasm generated by the students participating.

We appreciate everyone for their openness to learning and for providing these essential opportunities for our students.

Teachers Receive Training Provided by Google

To help prepare teachers for the launch of the program, a full day of professional learning was provided by Google. Teachers were shown how to access, use and implement the program. Teachers were also provided time to plan the integration of the CS First Coding Program into their current classroom programming.

Grade 4 students excelling in Coding Program!

The program launched in November 2019 in Grade 4 classrooms across the Board. The students have learned about the benefits of coding, how coding is used and have begun completing coding assignments. Students began with a one-hour introductory lesson which was followed by a series of hands-on lessons. Below are student testimonials from various classrooms as students work on building their own superhero using Scratch.

St. David School

St. John School

St. James School

Get to know us!

Michelle Thiessen is the Intensive Support Facilitator at St. James School. She has helped teachers initiate the Google CS program. Together, the team has not only implemented the curriculum for students, but they have also integrated coding into other lessons within the classrooms.

Michelle believes that the coding program has benefited students by teaching them to self regulate, problem solve and become more creative.

“It’s really interesting to see the dynamic of the students as they learn with each other. They have learned to lean on each other to problem solve. There is also an opportunity for them to showcase what they are working on to younger students which allows them to be more confident in not only coding but also in their oral presentation skills. I think it will be quite fascinating to watch them become the next innovators of the world,” she explained.

Michelle also believes that the coding program will help better prepare students for the future – perhaps even for jobs that do not yet exist.

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.

We are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community. Our staff and students live out this pathway year after year through their various community projects and fundraisers. During this past month, there were numerous examples of this pathway in action.

Celebrating the Advent Season

Staff and students across the system celebrated the Christmas season by taking part in various advent celebrations!

Students at Holy Trinity School visually demonstrated the themes of hope, peace, joy and love.

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St. Paul School gathered as a school community to celebrate the advent season in a mass led by Father Celestine.

For their Christmas campaign, staff and students at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S are collecting “wellness items” for the CMHA Off the Street Emergency Shelter campaign. Father Ken Gauthier helped celebrate mass and delivered a beautiful message about joy and the importance of knowing Jesus.

Father Dennis presided over a mass at St. Charles College where staff and students came together to celebrate and reflect.

St. Benedict Students Complete Another Successful TD Toy Drive

St. Benedict students have once again demonstrated the Catholic School Graduate Expectations by giving back through their annual TD Toy Drive. The Bears brought in over 600 toys throughout the Advent season which will be given to families who are in need of extra holiday cheer!

The toys will be delivered to the Salvation Army who will distribute the toys. St. Benedict school has participated in the Toy drive initiative for many years. Staff and students always look forward to contributing to the cause and continuing to grow the numbers.

Way to go Bears!

Marymount Students Prove They Have Warm Hearts!

Students at Marymount Academy braved the cold temperatures to participate in the Warm Hearts for Warm Soup initiative this month. The students and staff covered Elgin Street and formed a human chain to pass over 200 containers of soup to the Samartian Centre to help feed those in need.

“What a fantastic experience for Marymount Academy to come together with members of the downtown businesses to serve the most vulnerable members of our community. It was great to see all staff and students living out the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations!” said Principal Lori Holden.

“I am so happy that I was able to participate in this special event. I feel so good about helping others!” said Anna Weiler Grade 12 student.

Parent Council representative Shannon Morin was also thrilled to participate! “ I was honored to be part of the Warm Soup for Warm Hearts campaign. I am looking forward to participating again next year.”

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The Student Senate Makes the Community of Sudbury a Little Warmer this Winter!

The Student Senate at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has helped make winter a little warmer for our community! Throughout the month of October, the Student Senate spearheaded a campaign to collect gently used winter coats in all sizes. The Senate, which is comprised of 15 secondary students, encouraged all schools to participate in this initiative.

Together, Sudbury Catholic Schools collected over 574 coats and winter accessories, surpassing last year’s number of 200 coats and winter accessories. Working with Derek Cashmore of Cooper Equipment Rentals, the coats will be donated to those in need throughout the Greater Sudbury community.

“The Student Senate are seen as leaders and innovators not only in their schools but across the Sudbury Catholic District School Board,” said Amanda Barry, Teacher Facilitator of the Student Senate. “They are truly difference makers and I am honoured to work alongside them year after year.”

“It was amazing to see our schools all come together and support such a wonderful cause,” said Ryan Scarpellini, Student Trustee and member of the Student Senate. “We are excited to continue to grow the campaign year after year and continue to make a difference in our community.”

Inaugural Meeting Held

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board held its annual Inaugural meeting on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.

At the meeting Michael Bellmore was re-elected Board Chair and Ray Desjardins was re-elected Vice-Chair of the Board.

“I am thrilled to be re-elected as Board Chair,” said Michael Bellmore, Chair of the Board of Trustees. “It is inspiring to sit on a Board that encourages diversity, collaboration and leadership. I thank our Trustees for their continued work and guidance and look forward to continuing to work alongside them during this term.”

The meeting began with a mass which was officiated by Father Samuel D’Angelo. Board meetings take place on the third Tuesday of each month during the school year at 6 p.m. and are open to the public.

During the Spring of 2019, I was fortunate to visit each of our schools. While visiting, I was able to meet with students from Grade 4 to Grade 12 to discuss what they appreciate about their school and what they think can be improved upon. Students were thoughtful, respectful and fully engaged in the conversation. These conversations are crucial to ensuring that our priorities are aligned with our students thoughts and needs. Student input was gathered using Thoughtexchange which is an online collaboration tool and is being used to guide our Board and school Improvement Planning processes. The result of student input will help to make our system even better. I am very pleased to be part of a system that is developing a culture that promotes student voice and that shares ownership for learning with its students.

Elementary School input!

Our elementary students always have amazing ideas on how to improve their own schools. I enjoyed the opportunity to speak to each and every participating student and hear what they think about their school.

Elementary top five thoughts on suggested improvements:

1. School yard
2. Gymnasium
3. Field trips
4. Electronics
5. Lockers

Here is what some of our elementary students had to say when asked what could be improved upon at their school:

• “Comfy seating. We need comfortable chairs so that we can focus and be in a comfortable place to learn.”
• “We should have more gym time. It’s important because physical fitness is important.”
• “Laptops. We need more laptops because they are great learning tools and they are very helpful for slideshows and more.
• “If there is a new person here, we could assign them a buddy to show them around the school. I think it’s important because new students need to know their way around school .”
• “I think there should be more school outings and field trips, their unforgettable memories. Kids should experience and learn on field trips more often, making it fun and a chance visually to learn something.”

Elementary top five thoughts on what is appreciated:

1. Teachers and/or staff
2. Sports and/or activities
3. Field trips
4. Electronics
5. Friends

• ” I appreciate all of our staff members and teachers and Early Child Educators. I think it’s important because they are all so nice and they help us.”
• “I like how there are many sports teams. It is important because I know that many people are talented so these teams can help them express themselves. “
• “Another thing I appreciate is the fact that our schools offer so much help and support to children with learning disabilities. It’s extremely important because everyone needs a great education no matter the case or disability.”
• “Our school is starting to improve the space we have by renovating our library to make our Learning Commons. “
• “I like that we get to use iPads and laptops for projects and other school related things. it’s important because it saves time from having to work on it at home.”

Secondary School Input!

When visiting with the secondary students, I was eager to hear what they had to say on what they appreciate and what can be improved upon. Spending a full day at each site allowed us to engage in deep dialogue and to identify those areas that we appreciate and to talk about how each school could be improved.

Secondary students top five thoughts on suggested improvements:

1. Updates to building (renovations, ventilation…)
2. Specific classes and/or programs
3. Student opinions
4. School environment/spirit and participation
5. Uniforms

Here are what some of our students had to say when asked how their school can be improved:

• “Give students opportunities to explore career paths and begin education for these career paths in high school. For example there are Co-ops and SHSMs. Another way is uniting with post-secondary schools such as NOSM to give students experience and training.”
• “Focus on the environment! We should start an initiative to help our world. First, start with having a recycling box near the trash can. The saving lights, then the world!”
• “More classes dedicated to the real world.”
• “Act more upon students’ voices, or at least attempt to. For example when students ask if they could form a club, see if teachers are willing to lead the students in it such as a robotics club for high school.”
• “Think of ways to increase student participation.”
• “More knowledge about how to apply for programs going into college or university. It’s a big decision and it should not take a short amount of time. “

Secondary top five thoughts on what is appreciated:

1. Teachers and/or staff
2. Programs
3. Activities/Clubs/Sports
4. Learning/school environment
5. Academics

Here are what some of our students had to say about what they appreciate about their school:

• “The programs teachers have taken their time to put together for us (for example SHSM). This gives students a chance to further their learning by doing hands on activities with a group. It lets students explore their interests!”
• “I think our academics are important because it helps me be a stronger student and be more successful.”
• “Offering extra services for help with classes and homework.”
• “I like how involved teachers are in school sports, clubs and other activities.”
• “Our school’s mental health awareness and counselling.”
• “They have a breakfast club for kids who forgot to have breakfast or can’t afford it.”

Students Complete Videos to Reflect Renewing the Promise

Secondary students also had the opportunity to create videos that reflected faith and Renewing the Promise within their school community. Here are just a few examples!

St. Benedict Student Video

St. Charles College Student Video

Bishop Alexander Carter Student Video

Get to know us!

Ryan Scarpellini, a Grade 12 student at St. Charles College is our Student Trustee for the 2019-2020 school year. He believes that student voice is incredibly important and benefits both the students and the Board.

“Student voice is important because it focuses on improving the education and experience for the students. It’s crucial that our educators and Board staff know what students need to learn and to succeed,” he explains.

“It’s really great to have people such as our Director of Education come to speak to students to see what we think about our schools and how we can move forward as a system. It shows that the Board really cares about its students, and I hope all students feel that their voices will be heard.”

A focus on ensuring that our students develop the global competencies that they require for success has remained our focus as we work toward the achievement of our strategic pathway: We are called to promote Innovation. Throughout the system there is evidence of innovation in practice that is helping our students develop key competencies, including effective citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking, while also attaining the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations. I am thrilled to provide you with a glimpse of the wonderful work happening in our Sudbury Catholic Schools and thank students and staff for all that we are achieving.

LIPP Projects Promote Coding and STEAM

Sudbury Catholic District School Board provides the opportunity for all employees to apply for funds to lead a LIPP project (Learning Innovation Project Proposal) which encourages innovation and creativity in order to either create a transformational practice within our system, or to facilitate the use of technology as a tool for learning within the classroom.

We were lucky enough to receive 32 applications for the 2019-2020 School Year, with seven of them being selected. As of October, three projects were already in place to enhance student learning!

St. David School Creates STEM Club!

Through the LIPP project, St. David School is implementing a Science-Technology-Engineering-Math (STEM) program with the objective of strengthening student engagement in science and math, with a focus on hands-on problem-solving skills. Particular STEM activities also work to develop visual memory, visual perception, and fine-motor skills. The school also wanted to provide extra programming to improve student attendance.

Cassandra Visentin, Intensive Support Facilitator, and Louis Mailloux, grade 4/5 teacher, created the St. David STEM Club during the 2018-2019 school year. It generated tremendous interest with about 100 students in grades 3-6 signed up. The club focused on grade appropriate STEM challenges and activities that supported the curriculum.

Through the LIPP project, the school planned to run weekly STEM club programming twice a week during lunch for students throughout different grade levels. The STEM program aims to offer students an opportunity to learn and engage interactively with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields and practices. Through the STEM club, the school has been able to deliver high-quality, hands-on opportunities in a welcoming environment for all of our students, independent of the barriers they may otherwise face.

St. James Features STEAM Kindergarten Class

In September 2018, Carolyn Hagen’s grade one French Immersion classroom at St. James School was transformed into a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) classroom. Carolyn initally applied for the LIPP grant in hopes of providing a more natural transition between the Kindergarten play-based learning approach and the traditional grade one classroom. The more natural transition was successful by incorporating interactive, as well as exploration-based STEAM activities.

STEAM learning happens naturally everyday as children explore, play and try new things. One of the main goals of STEAM is to prepare students to solve authentic problems “through innovation, creativity, critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration and ultimately new knowledge” (Quigley & Herro, 2016, p. 1).Having a STEAM classroom at St. James inspires all educators to incorporate STEAM related projects in their own classrooms and helps to provide an avenue to embrace the 21st Century Competencies.

“Since the implementation of my STEAM classroom, students work collaboratively with each other, develop their problem-solving skills and feel comfortable doing hands-on learning activities. They feel safe to express innovative and creative ideas, and enjoy taking ownership of their learning. I truly hope, that in the years to come, my students continue to be increasingly curious about the world around them and feel empowered to change it for the better,” said Carolyn.

St. Benedict Supports Students with Coding Room

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School set up a coding room to support their elementary students. Through the LIPP project, Staff were able to purchase iPads, laptops and other tools to enhance the technology within the coding room. This allowed the project to be more accessible to students and their growing needs!

Both staff and students worked collaboratively in deciding what equipment to include in the coding room enhancement. Teacher Sarah Belle believes that the Coding Room has allowed all students to experience coding and technology, regardless of their skill level.

“Students have been able to help build our small coding room into something larger that they are proud to call their own,” she explained. “The students are in the room discovering more about coding and also building various projects We are also able to accommodate more students that do not have their own devices due to the increase in both ipads and laptops.”

IT Devices Get a Refresh

Over the past year, our Information Management Services department has been deploying devices to ensure that our staff and students have access to the latest technology to encourage student learning and growth.

During the 2018-2019 School Year, the following devices were deployed to our schools:

• 37 Intermediate iPads
• 133 Intermediate Laptops – Dell Latitude Tablet
• 79 Dell Latitude Tablets for Learning Commons
• 192 Secondary Laptops – Dell Latitude Tablet
• 5 Secondary Bretford Laptop Charging Carts
• 200 SEA iPADs
• 72 School purchased iPads
• 58 LIPP assets (such as iPads, robots etc.)
• 13 L4ALL Pure Charge Stations
• 19 Printers
• 17 Projectors
• 6 SHSM laptops

As of October 2019, IT supports well over 4000 end-user devices, approximately 370 digital projectors and 390 printers. This would include:

For Staff

• 851 mobile devices
  • 279 Staff iPads
  • 572 Staff laptops

For Students

• 3197 Mobile devices
  • 2334 Student iPads (308 are SEA iPads)
• 863 Student laptops
  • 161 Mac student laptops (55 SEA laptops)
  • 702 Windows student laptops

We thank the IMS department for their work and dedication toward providing our staff and students with accessible and innovative technology!

Experiential Learning Team Continues to Create Opportunities for Students

As defined by the Ministry of Education, experiential learning “puts students at the centre of their own learning, vieiwing them as the architects of their own lives. Students are encouraged to discover who they are, explore opportunities, pursue their passions, and design personal pathways to success.” (Creating Pathways to Success, Page 7). Two Sudbury Catholic employees are leading the experiential learning portfolio, and both are new in their roles.

Peter Prochilo began his role as Superintendent of School Effectiveness in August 2019. He works with our Secondary Schools and is also the lead for the International Education program. New to the role and the Board, Peter originates from Thunder Bay where he served as Principal at the Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to serve as the new Superintendent of School Effectiveness with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. Each day provides an opportunity to improve outcomes for our students by focusing on our strategic pathways through collaboration with our dedicated staff , supportive community partners and our vibrant school communities. Experiential Learning fosters global thinking through local action. Our goal is to broaden horizons for students by illuminating pathways to post -secondary education and careers. This is achieved through supporting our teachers and providing real-life experiences and opportunities for our students that enhance global competencies.”

Christina Raso is new to the position of Experiential Lead, however she is no stranger to our Board. She previously served as the Special Education Consultant for the past 12 years and is now excited to venture into the world of experiential learning.

“I look forward to learning and sharing opportunities and pathways to success for our students,” she said.

The team, which is supported by various members from our Learning Support Services department hopes to continue to progress experiential learning opportunities for students. They hope to partner with industries, open doors to various pathways for our secondary students. For elementary students, the team hopes to bring the world of experiential learning to them directly, showing them what is possible in their future.

The overall goal of experiential learning at Sudbury Catholic is to expose students to diverse opportunities and support student success whether students are venturing off to college, university or heading straight to the work force. Our secondary schools in particular offer various specialized programs geared toward experiential learning. Full programming can be found at the following link.

To promote innovation and learning for all, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is currently calling for proposals from teachers that encourage schools to develop innovative, experiential learning opportunities that support student achievement, student engagement and well-being.

It is the beginning of another school year for our students and staff and we are so excited to welcome back our students and staff and to also welcome our new students and families to Sudbury Catholic Schools. We look forward to working with all of you to create the best possible experiences for our students.

Calling all parents – here’s how you can get involved!

Catholic Parent Council

Make a difference in your school community by joining the Catholic School Council. Talk to your school about how to get involved! Find out more information about parent involvement here.

Volunteering

Volunteers are a valued resource in our schools and assist with a wide range of activities and services. These activities may include: Assisting with day excursions/supervising field trips, school projects (concerts, etc.), book fairs, nutrition programs, homework club, celebration of faith and coaching sports. Interested volunteers can contact our schools directly for opportunities.

School Year Calendars

The school year can get busy for both students and families as well as our staff. Interested in seeing how the 2019-2020 year looks? Our school year calendars are accessible online at the following link.

Our Mission

To realize each student’s potential within our inclusive Catholic learning community by nurturing and developing their mind, body and spirit.

Our Vision

Leaders in Learning and Faith

Our Values

Modelling Jesus in the world through:

• Faith
• Respect
• Community
• Innovation
• Learning

Our Strategic Pathways

We are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community.

We are called to promote innovation.

We are called to advance leadership and learning for all.

As the school year draws to a close, it is a good time to reflect on the many accomplishments we have achieved as a system during the 2018-2019 school year. Our staff and students have propelled themselves to new heights and reached new goals. Whether it was academic success, athletic stories, the arts or staff celebrations, it is clear that this school year has been an impactful one guided by our three strategic pathways: We are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community; to promote innovation; and to advance leadership and learning for All. This blog highlights a few of these accomplishments. For more information on past accomplishments we encourage you to revisit past blogs and the many news stories found on our website. Our thanks is extended to all who contributed to our successes this past year, our amazing staff, students, families and community partners. Wishing you a restful summer filled with laughter and joy.

St. Benedict School recognized by EQAO

Each year, EQAO recognizes schools that support student achievement in Ontario and use EQAO data to develop action plans to increase student achievement over time. For the 2018 year, EQAO is celebrating schools that support student success in mathematics. As a recipient of this award, St. Benedict has fostered a positive mindset toward math over the last three school years.

By creating a culture of inquiry and collaboration, St. Benedict built a positive attitude toward mathematics, working with staff and students to expand math vocabulary, understand concepts from various points of view and evaluate student work in a team setting. All of these strategies have paved the way for growth for both staff and students.

“I have had the pleasure of working with both the elementary and secondary math teams for a number of years focussing on strong math instruction,” said Laura Kuzenko, Principal at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. “It is clear that our grade 7 and 8 math model works and that it creates not only collaboration with the staff but also students who are comfortable in their respective math classes and working at their full potential.”

Bishop Alexander Carter Receives Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario Michael Carty Award

The Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario awards grants to schools as part of the Michael Carty Award. The objective of the award is to improve and develop Catholic education as part of the school’s culture. This year, Bishop Alexander Carter was a recipient of the award!

As part of the 2018-2019 school improvement plan, the group of teachers at Bishop focused on developing a school culture that inspired and developed Christian leadership.

“Their goal, was to align our culture to our vision and values of the school.  It also involves a lot of work with parents, staff and students.  Receiving this award not only recognizes their hard work over this past year, but it also allows them to continue their work into the following school year,” said Cassandra MacGregor, Principal of Bishop Alexander Carter.

St. Charles College Cards come together to crush cancer

The Cards have a longstanding tradition of completing a Spring fundraiser to raise funds for the Cancer foundations. This year, the school community participated in the Cards Crush Cancer event to support the Northern Cancer Foundation. Staff and students produced custom t-shirts to sell throughout the year, and organized a day-long outdoor concert, complete with music, activities, food vendors and much more! The school was ecstatic to present the Northern Cancer Foundation with a cheque in the amount of $13,500!

Marymount Academy wraps up the Regals Fight MS Campaign!

Regals wrapped up their semester-long campaign to support the MS Society of Canada. Students contributed to the cause by selling customized t-shirts , participating in buy-outs and canvassing throughout the community in teams. Students even set up lemonade stands to donate to the cause!

The campaign was student driven, with students organizing the many events to support the campaign. The school looks forward to contributing to more organizations during the next school year!

Secondary Students excel in athletics

Secondary students represented Sudbury Catholic well at the various athletic events held during the school year!

Bishop Alexander sent several students to NOSSA in track and field this year. Highlights included:

• Paige Savard participated in the 100m and 200m. She placed 5^th in 100m and 3^rd in 200m with a personal best!
• Abigail Calvank participated in running long jump.
• Hailey McAuhey participated in javelin.
• Tiffany Fahey participated high jump and triple jump.
• Cody Therrien participated high jump and placed 3^rd.

The boys softball team also had a fantastic season, taking the City Championship for the third year in a row!

St. Benedict took home its first OFSAA gold medal banner in Alpine Skiing this season.

OFSAA Alpine skiing was held in Collingwood at Osler Bluff Ski Club under adverse skiing conditions.  The first day of racing got cancelled due to weather conditions, and the second day brought white out conditions.  But the athletes prevailed and brought home the first OFSAA banner after competing at this level for a number of years. 

The results are as follows:

Individual Tony Piro       

• Silver Medal High School Level Giant Slalom

• 4^th Place High School Level Slalom

Team Gold Banner         

• High School Level Giant Slalom

Team Silver                      

• High School Level Slalom

Members included Tony Piro, Alex Madden, Vincent Palladino, Elijah Jeffery, Nikolas Donato. The team was also coached by teachers John McDonald and Monica Dailey.

St. Charles College continued their athletic success, sending over 100 athletes to OFSAA this school-year. Erik Struk, in particular, has been an important and integral part of SCC track and field program for the past four years. He has medaled in all 4 years at both SDSSAA and NOSSA meets in sprint distances. In his final grade 12 year, Erik has surpassed his personal goals and reached new best times in all aspects of his sprint training. Erik recently added the 400m race to his repertoire and excelled. He won SDSSAA goal and NOSSA silver. Qualifying for OFSAA, he met excellent competition but raised up to the challenge. Erik had a personal best time of 52.17 at OFSAA and made St. Charles College extremely proud.

Marymount Academy had 14 athletes competing at various OFSAA events this year. Some highlights included:

• Abby McDonald (Swimming) – Gold Medal (100 Meter Butterfly) also 3- time gold medallist in three OFSAA Championships!
• Angelina Lam (Badminton) – Bronze Medal (Girls’ Doubles)
• Mackenzie Watkins (Badminton)  – Bronze Medal (Girls’ Doubles)
• Tyanna Soucy (Wrestling) – Bronze Medal
• Angelina Lam (Wrestling) – Bronze Medal

St. Joseph Students win Poetry Award

The students at St. Joseph School in Killarney won the Young Authors Award contest this year for the Catholic Teachers Association. The group submitted a poem entitled Beautiful Birds. The poem was awarded because of its beautiful and descriptive language! The winning students were also awarded gift cards to Chapters to continue their positive relationship with reading and writing. Congratulations St. Joseph students!

St. David Students complete weekly class outside for the entire school year!

Every Wednesday from September until the end of June, regardless of weather, Ms. Lepage’s Grade 3 class has taken their learning outdoors.

Participating in land-based learning has resulted in increased student engagement and attendance. Students also developed a greater ability to self-regulate and problem solve.

Throughout the year, and with the support of staff and community partners, students were able to:

• Work at meeting the curriculum expectations through hands-on learning
• Learn how to identify a variety of trees
• Create their own maps of the St. David trail system
• Prepare herbal teas using plants they gathered in the forest
• Create dream catchers
• Track a variety of animals
• Snowshoe
• Keep nature journals
• and they created their very own field guide!

Congratulations Dragons, what a wonderful way to learn and get in touch with nature!

Staff Honoured During Employee Recognition Night

On Wednesday, June 5, we honoured our employees who are retiring this year as well as those who have been with us for 25 years. We also honoured the recipients of this year’s Chairperson’s Award. It was truly a special evening of recognition as we celebrated the many accomplishments. We are thankful for all those individuals who have dedicated their work and service to Catholic Education. Your commitment to Sudbury Catholic Schools inspires us all to be better educators, stewards and leaders. 

Get to know us!

St. Charles College student Ryan Scarpellini has been appointed as the Student Trustee for the 2019-2020 School Year.

Ryan has been enrolled in the French Immersion program for 13 years and is passionate about the Francophone culture that is present at both St. Charles College and at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. He hopes to one day have a career in the education field, teaching French Immersion at the secondary level. Ryan is also very involved within the school community of St. Charles College. He is a member of both the Student Senate and the Student Council, which has allowed him to help organize food drives, cancer fundraisers and other school functions.

“I feel extremely blessed and proud to have been selected as the next Student Trustee of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board,” said Ryan Scarpellini, newly appointed Student Trustee. “ The thing I am most looking forward to next year as Student Trustee is spreading more information about mental health through the community. Mental health is a very important part of my life, and I look forward to promoting this topic as Student Trustee. ”

This month, we highlight the value of partnerships. A good partnership is where both parties strive to reach a similar goal and are each positively impacted. Sudbury Catholic Schools are fortunate to have engaged partnerships with various organizations within our community, providing unique opportunities for both staff and students. These partnerships strengthen our ability to provide the best possible education for our students. We are indeed better together and as such we thank all of our partners for their contributions to our system.

Atikameksheng Anishnawbek Promotes Indigenous Teachings

Mr. Beaudry’s Anishinaabemowin language class at St. James School had the opportunity to create traditional hand drums. With support from Elders Frank and Julie Ozawagosh, the community of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, the Child and Family Centre, Better Beginnings Early On Aboriginal Hub as well as members of the Indigenous Education team, students and community members worked together to create hand drums made of deer hide and cedar. The materials donated by the Child and Family Centre supported St.James Catholic school in being able to participate in this learning opportunity. Students learned about respecting the animal and the trees that were harvested with the understanding that all living things should be honoured even when they are transformed into something new.

Hand drums are significant because their sound represents the heartbeat of Mother Earth. The beat also represents the sound of the heartbeat in the womb of our own mothers. So, the drum is a reminder that all things on Mother Earth are connected and sacred. Students and partners learned that because the drum is made of natural materials, it has a life and a spirit which is why it is important to have patience and good thoughts during the building.

After the completion of the drums, students gathered once again with community partners to birth and feast their drums. The drums were birthed through a traditional ceremony of tobacco offering, the cutting of the umbilical cord and a song led by Elders Frank and Julie, Natalie Lacasse from Laurentian University’s Indigenous Sharing and Learning Center, and Bev Malone from the Child and Family Centre. Once all the drums were birthed, they were then feasted with strawberries-also known as heart berries. The students and community members joined in singing a traditional  Welcome song, using their new drums to celebrate the new life of the drums. The ceremony ended with a shared feast of wild rice, corn, meatballs and strawberry water prepared by Hiawatha Catering. This wonderful learning opportunity would not have been possible without the support and commitment of our community partners. Chi-Miigwech.

Cool Kids Lead at Holy Cross School

As a school board, one of our strategic pathways is to advance leadership and learning for all. Cool Kids Leads is a partnership that does just that! Cool Kids Lead is an anti/bullying program facilitated by Laurentian University Campus Recreation. The goal of the program is to provide leadership and wellness development through interactive games to build student success, while fostering a bully free culture. Student athletes and concurrent education students serve as role models and qualified coaches for leadership, wellness and development skills.

Cool Kids Lead has visited many of our elementary schools over the past few years, including Holy Cross School! Staff and students at the school are passionate about exploring the teachings from the program every day.

“The Kindergarten students truly enjoyed playing various games with the Cool Kids Lead leaders. Their confidence truly grew with every visit. My students still talk about how much fun they had!” said Mme Merotto Kindergarten Physical Education Teacher.

Students also love when Cool Kids Lead comes to visit:

• “ I liked when we gave high 5’s.” Aria
• “I like playing with the parachute. Doing the waves was fun.” Harrison
• “They were showing good games.” Ethan
• “The big kids were kind.” Charlotte
• “It was fun because I saw them at Laurentian and I like seeing them at my school.” Charles

Thank you Cool Kids Lead and Laurentian University for your ongoing support to our schools!

Art Gallery helps PEACE students express their creative side!

The PEACE program at St. Albert Adult Learning Centre has created various community partnerships. One of the student’s favourite partnerships is with the Art Gallery of Sudbury. Sara from the Art Gallery visits the class bi-weekly with dynamic art projects ranging from spray painting to painting outdoor scenery live at Onaping Falls. Students find painting very relaxing and appreciate that they can earn credits via non-traditional experiential learning.

St. Benedict Students get active!

The grade 7 French Immersion class at St. Benedict has partnered with Active Sudbury and Laurentian University for a physical literacy mentorship program this year.

Active Sudbury aims to improve physical literacy in the city which includes play groups and school mentor programs.

Madame Salem, who is the grade 7 F.I. teacher says “the students have had the opportunity to work with experts in the field such as educators and Masters students to learn some fundamental skills such as running, hopping, overhand throwing, balancing and how to properly kick a ball with the use of fun materials like agility ladders.”

The students have all been assessed and now new skills are being taught as part of their physical education curriculum ensuring continued improvements. 

Get to know us!

Roots of Empathy is a classroom-based program, where infants are brought into a classroom on a regular basis over the course of a school year in order to allow the students to observe the infants’ development and emotions. Once a month a baby and their parent come and visit with Kindergarten classrooms.

There are 9 themes that classrooms concentrate on throughout the school year:

1. Meeting the baby
2. Crying
3. Caring and Planning
4. Emotions
5. Sleep
6. Safety
7. Communication
8. Who am I 
9. Goodbye and Good wishes

Two Early Childhood Educators have seen first hand the positive influence this partnership has had in their classrooms.

Samantha Theriault is an Early Childhood Educator at St. David School. Their Kindergarten classroom receives visits from baby Harper and her mom Ashley. Ms Theriault feels that the program has allowed the students to begin to learn about empathy.

“I think it is important to teach empathy at a young age. The children can see that others have feelings and emotions that need to be respected. The program has taught our students to be patient and to understand that everyone masters milestones when they are ready. ” she explained.

Domenic Vicedomini is an Early Childhood Educator at Holy Trinity School. He, too, feels that the Roots of Empathy program offers a unique experience for our early learners.

“By having the ‘Roots of Empathy’ program in our class, the students enjoy the baby visits and look forward to the many milestones the baby may reach over the course of the year.  The students are engaged and attentive listeners when the baby starts to crawl, roll, and eat new foods. It is important to have this program in the early years as it sets the foundation for a positive caring environment for all students.