We extend a warm welcome to all of our students, staff and parents/guardians as we begin the 2020-2021 school year. It is certainly a unique time for us all. Over the summer, our team has been hard at work planning for the safe and welcoming return of our students.  Whether our students have chosen face to face or remote learning, our staff continues to provide an engaging and innovative learning environment where our students can learn and grow.

The reopening of our schools, following the closure last March has required a team approach and it is important to recognize the amazing contributions of all our staff and our Board of Trustees in making this happen.  From our custodial staff that have had to respond to the new demands for cleaning and our secretaries that are very adeptly fielding questions and concerns, our school administrators for their leadership and positive outlook, our support staff for their continued focus on supporting our students, the IT Dept for doing their very best to ensure that our students and staff have what they need, working into the evenings to get devices into the hands of our students, to our education staff both face to face and online for welcoming students and prioritizing their mental health, well-being and their academic needs.  To all of you who are now involved in remote learning, thank you so very much  for embracing this new opportunity, to our central office staff for all of your ongoing support, to the Senior Team who always advocates for our staff and students and who show such care and concern for their work and for this system, to our Board of Trustees for their ongoing vision and support and to all of our students and parents/guardians for their patience and their commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Thank you EVERYONE!  You really have made this start up a success. 

It is important to celebrate all of the amazing practices taking place in our schools and we are pleased to highlight some of these practices in this month’s blog.

Welcoming Students Back to Our Classrooms!

Throughout the Board, our schools eagerly welcomed students and staff back into physical and remote classrooms this month. There is a true sense of community present in each of our schools as everyone works together to keep each other safe and healthy this school year.

Many schools showcased videos and photos in advance of the first day of school to show students the various health and safety protocols in place:

St. Anne School shared photos on their social media to show students, parents and staff how classrooms are set up and how hallways are divided to ensure proper physical distancing.

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Holy Cross School Welcome Back Video!

Julie Denomme, teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter, teaches her secondary class with students both in-class and remote. She says that Google Classroom allows the opportunity for students to be more independent as they watch the videos posted and can quickly review the provided feedback. Student engagement is high in this rich learning environment. We thank Ms. Denomme for her creativity and for embracing this new way teaching and learning.

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Sudbury Catholic’s Remote Learning School: Trailblazers in Education

The Remote Learning School operates as an online school where elementary students (Kindergarten to Grade 8) who have chosen the remote model join other classmates from across the system in a virtual classroom. Educators work out of a home school where they deliver synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities for students.

“The Remote Learning School offers students, as well as staff, many unique opportunities during such an uncertain time,” said Megan Murphy, Principal of the Remote Learning School. “With students being able to learn remotely, they are learning from all over Greater Sudbury – offering a unique opportunity to meet and make friends with those they may not have been able to interact with otherwise. Teachers are creating engaging learning communities, as they learn to navigate and adapt to this new model of teaching and learning. Together, we will uncover new territory, try new things and adjust to student needs as the year progresses.”

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Get to Know Us!

Guy Mathieu, Principal at Immaculate Conception School said that it was ‘all hands on deck’ during the first week of school but that staff were certainly up to the challenge!

The school produced a warm ‘Welcome Back’ video which was shared widely on the school’s social media showing eager staff and educators welcoming students back. Communication with parents is key, Guy explains.

“We welcome and value feedback from parents; we use this data to inform our practice and improve the experience the students receive at our school. As we move forward, each parent will receive a weekly personalized e-mail called ‘5 Things You Need to Know this Week’. Information changes very quickly, parents are extremely busy, and we believe that a short message that highlights the 5 most important things to know each week will help promote key messages so parents can support their children at school!” he says.

Guy believes that students and staff have adjusted remarkably well to the changes and that students have shown great resiliency in the face of the ‘new normal.’

Here are some examples of parent feedback the school has received so far:

• “Thank you to you and your team of teachers for all your efforts/preparations to make today as warm and normal as possible.”
  
• “We are fully confident in your school and the boards efforts to adjust to the new Covid world. Thanks for all your work over the nice summer days to get the school set up for 2020/21.”
  
• “You are doing a fantastic job with the distancing and keeping our children safe with the rules set in place. I was a little worried about how everything was going to go this year, but my daughter is happy, and everything is going well. I just wanted to say thank you for a great return to school.”
  
• “Thank you for your hard work and dedication during these uncertain times. Our family would like to extend our appreciation to all of you!”

Laura Kuzenko Principal of St. Benedict School applauds her staff who have all worked hard to ensure that proper protocols and procedures are followed.

In lieu of grade level assemblies which normally take place at the beginning of the school year, Laura and her Vice Principals spoke to each class to welcome students back and ensure they were comfortable with the new health and safety measures. Through social media, the school has also communicated several reminders and changes to students and parents on a regular basis.

Recognizing the challenges of wearing masks all day, St. Benedict staff have initiated a “mask break” to give students a few minutes in the middle of each period to relax from wearing the mask and enjoy fresh air while maintaining physical distancing.

The school had an opportunity to complete a virtual September Liturgy through Zoom so that all students were able to participate (regardless if they were a face-to-face learner or a distance learner).

“I have to give credit to my staff for truly going above and beyond to promote health and safety while also ensuring that St.Benedict remains a welcoming and friendly learning environment for all,” she explains.

Emma Carpenter is a Grade 11 student at Bishop Alexander Carter and is participating in remote learning this year. Emma has truly enjoyed the online learning experiences so far and the unique opportunities it provides. While learning remotely, Emma is able to attend regular classes virtually while also completing assignments and projects at her own pace. Emma is thankful for her teachers and the guidance and support they have shown throughout the process.

“My teachers have been awesome! They have provided all of the necessary resources and supports and I know if I’m having trouble with something that I can always reach out to them,” she explains.

Emma’s mother, Jennifer, has also been very impressed with the remote learning and the support given to her daughter. She feels confident that Emma is receiving the education she needs and is happy to receive communication from teachers when needed. While not tech savvy herself, Jennifer is enjoying learning alongside Emma.

“I am grateful to the teachers and the school for the approach they have taken to remote learning. I also feel that I am learning alongside Emma as we navigate the new platforms and technology together. It’s been a really amazing opportunity for our whole family to get involved in!”

As the 2019-2020 School Year comes to a close, we take the time to reflect on the many accomplishments achieved by our staff and students. It was certainly a memorable school year as we continued to focus on our values of faith, respect, community, innovation and learning. Student voice continued to be a focus, as evidenced by our Student Senate which organized several events, including a coat drive and a fundraiser to support the Australian bushfire relief. In living out the value of innovation we saw our Grade 4 teachers and students participate in the CS First Coding Program by Google which provided tremendous learning opportunities and engagement for our students and staff.

During March, COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic which resulted in the closure of our schools. Our Board quickly responded by developing the Learn@Home program. Though not without its challenges, I am so proud of each and every staff member that was involved in deploying necessary technology to families, creating learning platforms and resources and continually finding ways to support our families and students during these difficult times. My gratitude also goes out to our Trustees, Senior Team, school administration and all of our staff and students for working together as we all navigated these challenging times. As I look back at all that was accomplished and at how quickly we were able to adapt we can all be very proud of our resilience, creativity and our openness to trying new things.

In preparing this blog, we asked our schools to share a highlight of this past year. Below is just a glimpse of the wonderful events and activities that took place at Sudbury Catholic Schools.

Highlights From Our Schools

Highlights From the Board

Each year, the Catholic community of Ontario engages in a week-long celebration of the unique identity and distinctive contributions of Catholic education. This year’s celebration is titled, “Catholic Education: Igniting Hope” and was celebrated the week of May 3 – May 8.

This year’s theme, Catholic Education Week: Igniting Hope, is timely as the pandemic calls us to adjust to new routines and to adapt to changes in many aspects of our lives. Despite the school closure, our creative educators and staff organized activities to be completed virtually which allowed us to celebrate as a school board community. Schools focused on lesson plans and daily activities that reflected the five sub themes and engaged both students and families throughout the week. Please see below examples of how our schools chose to celebrate Catholic Education Week and ignited hope throughout the community!

Messages of Hope From Our Community

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ahKvnucK8&feature=youtu.be

https://vimeo.com/420285048

Our Hope in Christ

https://www.facebook.com/St.JosephKillarney/videos/250135756184355/

The Hope Within Us

The Hope Among Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11ok_lAATrI&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1p8KPBarIoM5WjmpO6d5CjOHkzZ0Q1D0crP1tzFcstkvNJXjdlP3k918I

Hope For The World

A Future Full Of Hope

https://vimeo.com/419016367

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.