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.

With the sun shining and the grass beginning to show, Spring may finally be upon us!

In this month’s blog we explore music and the essential role it plays in the education of our students. Through participation in the arts (dance, drama, media arts, visual arts and music) our students develop many important skills and attributes including creativity, self-awareness, team work and a sense of well-being that are essential to success. Dedicating a blog to celebrating the gift of music allows us to highlight the amazing talent in our schools and to THANK the educators who nurture, encourage and provide the opportunities that allow this talent to grow. We thank our staff for the hours of dedication that made these accomplishments possible!

Sudbury Catholic Schools Shine at Kiwanis Festival

The 74th Annual Kiwanis Festival took place from March 23 – April 5, 2019. Students participated in several categories including concert band, jazz ensembles and choirs. We are thrilled to see so many success stories come out of this year’s festival!

Marymount Concert Band Achieves Diamond

The Senior Concert Band at Marymount Academy was able to achieve a diamond result! The band also received a scholarship for having the highest mark of all senior bands at the Kiwanis festival and received an invitation to the recorded provincial level of Kiwanis.

The Concert Band is made up of 31 students from grades 8 to 12. The group competes at three festivals each year: the Northern Ontario Music Festival in March, Kiwanis Music Festival in April, and this year, the Atlantic Band Festival in Halifax, in May. Brittany Goldsborough, band instructor and music teacher, believes that music festivals offer more than simply a placement or result. Festivals also offer participants feedback which allows the band to continue to improve and grow together.

“A festival prompts a new learning cycle as the feedback is for both me, the conductor and the students, our musicians, on what we should work on to continue our development of musical expression. Of course, we are always excited to hear the result of our festivals, but what’s more important overall is that we are always growing and moving toward a higher standard of performance.”

Brittany also believes that music education is one of the best places our students can work on soft skill development.  Through music, students learn about improving skills such as: Leadership, confidence, collaboration, initiative, resiliency, discipline, work ethic, time management, self efficacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and self awareness.

In addition to the diamond achievement, Marymount Academy also won awards in the following categories:

• Secondary School Jazz Ensemble –SILVER
• Secondary School Brass – GOLD
• Secondary School Woodwind Duo – GOLD and SILVER
• Elementary School Concert Band – SILVER

St. Charles College sees gold in multiple categories!

St. Charles College was successful in several categories at this year’s festival:

• Percussion Ensemble – Gold
• Junior Concert Band – Silver
• Senior Guitar Ensemble – Gold
• Secondary Concert Choir – Gold
• Elementary Concert Choir – Gold
• Elementary Band – Gold

In addition to the wonderful results, Mrs. Demore’s Percussion Ensemble, Mr. Bubalo’s Guitar Ensemble and Ms. Coyle’s Choir received honorary music awards at this year’s Annual Kiwanis Awards Ceremony held on April 15.

Sudbury Catholic School Elementary Concert Band Achieves Gold

The Sudbury Catholic School Elementary Concert Band was also a recipient of a Gold ranking at this year’s Kiwanis festival! The Sudbury Catholic Elementary Band is currently made up of grade 7 and 8 students from St. Charles College and St. Benedict and is directed by Leanne Urso and Danielle Conti.  In addition to the Kiwanis Festival, the band will be joined by students from St. Anne, St. James, St. John and St. Charles in Chelmsford for a series of Spring Concerts at each school, as well as a performance at the Canada’s Wonderland Music Festival.

Full list of 2019 Stars of Excellence at the Kiwanis Music Festival

St. James Students connect through ukuleles

Mrs. Moores and Mr. Maloney are embracing music with their classes at St. James School. The two teachers at St James are teaching students how to play ukuleles. The school invested in a class set of instruments so that all students within the classes would be able to learn. The school also has a ukulele club so that other students have the chance to learn as well!

Pius XII Students Explore Instruments

Students in Grade 2/3 at Pius XII have been exploring the ways in which different instruments are used around the world. Each student investigated an instrument and then made it out of materials found at home! We think we have some great future musicians in this mix!

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Julia Burns and Emily Bona are two members of the Senior Concert Band at Marymount Academy that helped achieve a diamond ranking at Kiwanis. The girls are both in Grade 12 at Marymount.

Julia plays trombone in both the concert band the jazz band and also performed in two solo pieces at Kiwanis achieving gold. Emily plays the alto saxophone in both the concert and jazz band. Music, they say, has provided them with skill sets that positively influenced both their education and their personal mindsets.

“Being in band has allowed us to connect through music and learn to work together as a team. It is also is a great way to meet new people who share the same interests,” said Julia. Emily agreed. “It’s a great outlet for stress too. When my other schoolwork seems difficult and frustrating, I know I can come to band and feel better.”

The girls say that their success in recent years is due to the band acting as a team and putting the work in. They felt prepared and confident going into the competition season.

The bands wrap-up their year with the Halifax Atlantic Band Festival taking place in May. Good luck, Regals!

This month, we explore the topic of student voice. Student voice encourages our students to work together on projects, collaborate and present a vision for what they want to see at Sudbury Catholic Schools. Today I had the pleasure of spending the day engaged in conversations with student representatives at Bishop Alexander Carter. Students shared their thoughts on what they appreciate about their school and how it might be improved. Through very respectful conversations their ideas will help to inform our work at the school and system levels. I look forward to many more such visits over the next two months. As a system, we are proud to encourage and promote student voice and engage students as partners in learning.

St. James Student Council organizes Winter Carnival to encourage physical activity

The Student Council at St. James School recently organized a Winter Carnival for students and staff. The goal of the event was to promote outdoor physical activity. All students from Kindergarten to Grade 8 participated in the event. Grade 7 and 8 students ran the activities/games while Grade 6 students served as team leaders.

There are currently 12 students who sit on the St. James Student Council and they plan fun activities and games year round. What a fun and engaging way to promote student voice in the schoolyard, way to go Bears!

St. John Student Council work together to create change!

St. John Catholic Elementary School has an active student council made up of students from Grade 4 to Grade 6. The group meets five to six times a year and works together to plan events and brainstorm ideas to further improve their school!

This year, the Council has worked together to plan candy gram fundraisers and cupcake day fundraisers in support of the SPCA, school dances and just this month organization a special Ash Wednesday celebration. The Council even got a chance to go through a formal election process with a mock election. As the weather warms up and the season changes to Spring, the group is now turning their attention to playground safety; they will brainstorm ideas as a group of how they can ensure students are safe and being active in the school yard.

This is what our students had to say when asked about the importance of student voice and the Student Council at St. John:

• “Student Council is a lot of fun, but it’s also a big responsibility!”
• “Student voice means that we’re able to give our opinion about certain issues and find a solution that fits everyone.”
• “I like being a student rep at my school.”

Great job St.John, we can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

St. Mark students showcase their crafting skills

St. Mark students are embracing student voice in a creative way! The students are currently working together with the help of parent volunteer Denise to create a quilt for their local Church. The quilt will then be auctioned off.

Funded through the social action grant Imagineaction, the students are also creating a second quilt to help fund their transportation to track and field events. Both projects encourage student voice and creativity!

Bishop Alexander Carter students give back to their sister school

Bishop Alexander Carter supports a sister school in Tanzania, East Africa. Students hold various events throughout the school year designed to raise money for the school and its community. It all began when Grade 12 students heard from a former St. Anne Student, Tracy Pepper who battled ovarian cancer at an early age (Grade 5).  This impacted her life greatly and when in her 30s, she set a goal of climbing Mount Kilimajaro. After her successful climb, she spent some time in Tanzania and fell in love with the people. She saw first hand the horrible conditions of the schools and noticed that children were not often able to attend school because of the cost.  Tracy started a non-for-profit organization to help children attend school.

Tracy spoke to Grade 12 students about her journey and her non-for-profit organization.  The students decided to adopt one of the schools and began working on events and fundraisers to raise funds and support for the school. The students started with a beans and rice campaign at Thanksgiving.  Five cents will feed three children beans and rice for the day.  Students have also organized a taco Tuesday lunch, bake sale and will be hosting a floor hockey tournament in April to raise money for the high school in Tanzania that is run through Tracy’s organization. It is so amazing to see what student voice has the power of doing!

International Students share their experiences in scholarship contest!

Three current International students participated in an activity about their experience in Canada and with Sudbury Catholic.

Zihao Wang, Grade 11 Student at St. Benedict from China has been in Sudbury for two years. In his video he spoke of how much he loves living in Sudbury and going to school at St. Benedict.  Last semester, he took Visual Arts with Mr. Timpano and really enjoyed the course.

Phillip Tran’s video featured vignettes about his host family, his life at Sudbury Catholic and he also spoke about loving nature and fresh air. Phillip also indicated that he asked his host parents if he could call them “mom and dad” because he feels so at home in their household.  Phillip joined St. Benedict this year from Vietnam.

Anh Nguyen from Marymount Academy also shared her video which described her positive experience at her school, with her host family and her love of being outdoors!

Anh Nguyen’s video

Zihao Wang’s Video

Phillip Tran’s Video

Marymount Charities Council gives back to MS Society

The Marymount Academy Charities Council is currently made up of 12 student members who organize fundraisers for both the global and local community. Each year, they select an organization that they want to focus their efforts on. Upon hearing that one of their own school community members had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), the students took action and organized events to raise funds for MS Society.

The students have worked together to create and sell branded crew neck sweatshirts and t-shirts. The group has also organized a penny table at Marymount’s upcoming craft table and is currently working on finalizing a buy-out for students to participate in. The council will finish their fundraising efforts with their annual canvassing event this Spring.

Amy Godin, Grade 12 student and President of the Charities Council at Marymount, feels that the Council serves a very important purpose when promoting student voice.

“I think that student voice means that it provides us with the opportunity to speak passionately about what matters most. The Charities Council is the perfect example of this. We serve on the Council because we want to give back to our community and we want to help others!”

SCC takes on New York at the Model United Nations Conference!

The students at St. Charles College celebrated God’s mystery through reflection and moral living when they debated with over 5000 students from around the world in New York City. Our very own youth assembled together to take on the role of a United Nation’s Delegate in order to help resolve International crisis and bring about peaceful solutions.

Under the leadership of Jaime Sauve, law teacher at St. Charles College, 23 students had the opportunity to participate in the world’s largest United Nation’s Conference, to discuss current global issues in a real world context. St. Charles College was one of only 8 Canadian schools who participated in this influential conference and the only Northern Ontario School.

Students were deliberate in their discussions and showed integrity in their ability to persuade others to make morally acceptable decisions. They were unwavering in their tenacity to make positive changes for the wellbeing of mankind. This experiential learning initiative has supported students in working on their various skills, which were displayed through critical thinking, compromise, negotiating, public speaking, writing, and research. 

Students also had the chance to meet with the Australian Ambassador and attend the opening ceremonies held at the United Nation’s Headquarters!  We are very proud of all our students who participated this year as it not only challenged students to take on a leadership role, but it also fostered global awareness and resiliency within students.

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Our Student Senate is made of student representatives from each of our four Secondary Schools. They are seen as the leaders within their school communities and work to amplify the voice of students, bringing it into the boardroom.

This year, Student Senate has organized many different events and initiatives to help support our community! They began their year by participating in our Faith PA day in October, presenting the importance of Renewing the Promise. They then organized a very successful coat drive in December, contributing over 150 coats to those in need. The group also gave back to their community by participating in a day at the soup kitchen, serving meals and building relationships with an important local organization. All of these events, they said, promote leadership, networking and above all, student voice.

“Student Senate is the ultimate example of student voice,” said Kira Gouchie, Student Trustee. “Each school is represented and the system allows students to have a platform at the Board level, something that is really important to all of us.”

The Student Senate will close out their year with another visit to the local soup kitchen and will help organize the Model UN conference being hosted at St. Charles College in May. Students from all four of our high schools will come together to discuss and find solutions to difficult International problems.

February is all about keeping our hearts healthy! We are focused on activities that improve our overall physical health and well-being. All year, our schools promote and encourage physical activity for both staff and students. Research supports that physical activity helps to improve academic achievement and does help us to reduce stress and anxiety. At Sudbury Catholic with the support of dedicated staff and coaches we are focused on helping all of our students create a lifelong habit of physical activity. We are proud that all of our schools offer a wide range of activities both intra-mural and extra-mural that encourage our students to be active.

Here are just a few examples of how our staff and students are keeping heart health top of mind!

Elementary Schools Prepare for the Great Outdoors!

Brad Blackwell, our Outdoor Education Project Leader has been working with schools all month to promote physical activity outdoors during the Winter months.

Mr.Blackwell has been teaching students about various wildlife found outdoors, as well as fun physical activities for students to participate in such as hiking and snowshoeing.

St. Charles Elementary freshens up their uniforms

The St. Charles Chelmsford community gave their athletic wear a re-fresh! Seeing that students could benefit from some new uniforms, the Catholic Parent Council and the school raised funds over the past few months! New uniforms were purchased for volleyball, basketball and the hockey teams. The students and staff were thrilled to show off new uniforms in the various games and tournaments taking place this winter! Go Rams!!!

Student Trustee gives her B.E.S.T at Bishop!

Bishop Alexander Carter is home to a unique program called B.E.S.T (Bishop Elite Sports Training Program). The program is designed to achieve greatness in academics, leadership and fitness and allows students to meet goals that will pave the way for a lifelong commitment to good health.

Kira Gouchie, our Student Trustee for the 2018-2019 school year, took part in the B.E.S.T program during the pilot year. The program provided her with courses and classes to help her expand her knowledge about the human body and physical fitness as a whole. The teachers and staff involved in the program have all been committed to the progress, and during the pilot acted as extra support for students as they improved both their fitness regime and academics!

Kira, who desires to work in the medical field one day, felt that the program was an excellent resource for her to learn about the human body, and improve her confidence and leadership skills within her school community!

“The BEST program provided me with the knowledge and confidence needed for my post-secondary endeavors. The encouragement to try new things and the confidence I gained from this extraordinary program allowed me to flourish in my academics in a nurturing environment, as well as properly maintain my physical and mental well-being. I would strongly encourage other students to participate within this life-changing program,” Kira Gouchie, Student Trustee.

St. Charles College students dance their way to health!

The dance team at St. Charles College is comprised of dancers ranging from grades 7-12. The team takes part in various dance events through the year, including: performances at the CTV Lion’s Telethon, annual school pep rallies, Christmas Arts Spectacular Concert, Sudbury Santa Claus Parade as well as community parishes.

The dance team is one of many teams at St. Charles College that promotes improved physical health! Dance team coach and teacher, Patricia Demore explains the health benefits: “Regular dance practice with my students has increased my students’ flexibility, range of motion, physical strength and stamina. Dance lessons also help to spark creativity in students and help them to develop an appreciation for the arts. Dance encourages our students to foster a more positive attitude and explore their own self-expression.”

Participating students on the dance team enjoy the experience because it improves their overall health in a fun an energizing way! They also love that everyone is included and provides an excellent outlet to de-stress!

Athletic Council at Marymount Academy provides inclusive environment for students

Marymount Academy has many clubs and councils for eager students to participate in. One of their biggest and most enthusiastic is the Athletics Council. The Council is made up of 18 students from grades 7-12.

Their responsibilities include organizing the annual Goals for Girls event, a floor hockey fundraiser which helps promote athletics, Spirit Days, their Winter Carnival event in which students can choose from various physical activities and their annual athletics banquet in the Spring.

Co-Presidents Cassidy Burton and Brady Martin feel that the council offers an inclusive and supportive environment for students to participate in. “Athletics are a huge part of our school! At Marymount, we’re used to being part of a team and we feel that the Athletics Council is another great way to get everyone involved in sports or physical activities without fear of judgement!”

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Two athletes from St.Benedict were recently featured in the Athletes of the Week feature in the Sudbury Star! Jordan Pincivero and Colleen Zilio are both Grade 12 students who currently play on the boys’ and girls’ hockey teams respectively.

Jordan has played on the hockey team for his entire high school career, even dating back to Grade 7! His coach, teacher James Eaton has coached Jordan since he came to St. Benedict. As a result, the two share an important coach-athlete dynamic which has brought them both much success!

“When you’re a coach, you see a different side of the students. The heart they have as athletes is something special to see. Jordan is a very skilled hockey player. He might be the smallest member of our team in stature, but he also has the greatest determination!” James Eaton, Coach.

“We have the same goal in mind. We are both on the same page and we know what needs to be done. There is a certain level of respect on both sides which is important as well,” Jordan Pincivero.

Colleen Zilio is a left wing on the girls’ hockey team. She has played hockey for all four years of high school. Teachers Christina Punkari and Adriano Simonato are in their first year of coaching Colleen. All enjoy the team environment and are proud of their hard work this season.

“Colleen is such a dedicated player. She’s knowledgeable, follows directions well, and she’s always willing to give it her best! She makes our job fun because she’s coach-able and enjoyable to be around,” Christina Punkari and Adriano Simonato explain.

In addition to hockey, Colleen plays football, basketball and soccer. She hopes to continue to play sports and be physically active long after she’s done school!

“I like sports because they keep me healthy and they give me a chance to make new friends and be social outside of class!” Colleen Zilio.

I can hardly believe 2019 is already here! January has been an opportunity to reflect on our goals for the year, adjust if necessary and to sharpen our focus.

Growth mindset has become a shared language in our schools for both ourselves and our students. The concept was first introduced by Dr. Dweck in 1988 and showed that a person’s mindset paves the way for the achievement of our goals. Essentially those who believe that their abilities can grow and develop are more likely to embrace challenges and persist despite failure. At Sudbury Catholic we have been encouraging mindfulness and growth mindset for our students and ourselves in our quest to achieving our goals. In this Blog I am very pleased to share some recent examples of our staff and students embracing a growth mindset, along with the application of mindfulness in helping to build resilience and self-regulation.

St. Anne students build resilience through mindfulness activities

St. Anne School’s grade 7 and 8 students are taking part in the 16 week Inhale/Exhale pilot program through Public Health Sudbury and Districts.  Students are learning about the importance of being aware of their thoughts, emotions and surrounding environment.  Recently, students learned about mindful breathing.  Students used finger traps to focus their breathing and relax their bodies allowing them to loosen the finger traps. 

“Our students have so many pressures. Mindfulness is an important concept for us all to learn and have the opportunity to practice, so when tough times come, we have the skills required to be resilient,” said Jody O’Daiskey, Gr. 8 Educator. 

Christian Meditation helps Holy Trinity students create positive self-regulation skills

Positive mindfulness is key at Holy Trinity School!  Being healthy encompasses not only our physical well-being but also our emotional and mental well-being.  It’s with this in mind that students and teacher Nancy Bellemare-Perron engage in daily guided Christian meditation.  Meditation allows students to use strategies that help develop positive self-regulation skills.  After the meditation sessions, students have made comments such as:

“I feel like God has spoken to me.”

“I was feeling a little bit of anxiety and now I feel calmer.”

Holy Cross students learn about the power of mindset

Students at Holy Cross have been participating in yoga and guided meditation through the stories of the 7 Habits for Happy Kids. Instructor Taryn Cothill retells the stories with students using yoga poses and reflection.  The students have enjoyed being able to learn about the power of meditation and apply the strategies they have learned to persevere in their work.

St. Charles Washrooms get a makeover!

Last Spring, the Catholic Parent Council members at St. Charles Elementary initiated a project to enhance grown mindset in the school! The group donated their time and artistic talent to paint growth mindset quotes on the washroom stall doors. The beautiful doors are now full of inspirational messages and the students love seeing the positive reminders! Way to go Rams!

St. Charles College embraces vertical learning environment

Teachers at St. Charles College have adopted a growth mindset as they apply the thinking classroom model to enhance student learning and develop communication and critical thinking skills. 

A thinking classroom is a classroom that is not only conducive to thinking but also occasions thinking, a space that is inhabited by thinking individuals as well as individuals thinking collectively, learning together, and constructing knowledge and understanding through activity and discussion.  This is  based on the research of Professor Peter Liljedahl from Simon Fraser University.

This model has proven to help students build confidence in their abilities, increase engagement, and improve overall results. 

Secondary Schools create positive and encouraging learning environment!

Our secondary students began their exams for the first semester at the end of January. To help encourage these students and promote general wellness, our secondary schools have incorporated animals and wildlife to engage students.

Both St. Benedict and Bishop Alexander Carter offered pet therapy for students as they approached their first semester exams. It has been scientifically proven that therapy dogs can help people who are depressed and have anxiety.

“The importance of a growth mindset is clearly visible in our schools. We know that learning is not static and that our brain grows when we make mistakes. Students and staff know that we can learn if we truly believe in ourselves and in our abilities.  Our brain’s elasticity allows us to grow in our knowledge and understanding. This belief truly sets us free to make mistakes and learn,” Nicole Bédard, Superintendent of Effectiveness at Sudbury Catholic Schools.