I can hardly believe that December is already here and that 2019 is just around the corner.  This year has been marked with many successes and much to celebrate. All of this has been possible because of our students, parents, trustees, community partners and our amazing dedicated staff.  At this time of the year it is important to give thanks for our many blessings.  I thank all of you for all that you do and for making Sudbury Catholic the amazing organization that it is.  During this season, we prepare ourselves to welcome Jesus.  We light our Advent wreath as a reminder that we are called to be light to the world in our words and in our actions.  As we move through these final days of preparing our hearts and our homes, I wish you all a very blessed Christmas season and peace and love throughout the year. 

This year’s Christmas Card Design Contest winners Chloe from Pius XII School and the students in the Communications Classroom at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. We have such talented students, it is always a difficult choice!

For the month of December, I wanted to focus on the strategic pathway of innovation. In each of our schools, our staff and students work diligently each day to find new ways to be innovative thinkers and learners.

Over the past several years, our Board has focused on incorporating coding and robotics into learning – teaching students how valuable and versatile the skills truly are. I am excited to share with you how our schools are helping to prepare our students with the 21st century competencies they will require to achieve success.

Brian Aspinall brings his coding knowledge to Sudbury Catholic Schools! 

During the week of November 26, author, teacher and coding expert Brian Aspinall facilitated several learning sessions with our schools! Brian focused on both beginner and more advanced coding programs including Scratch and Makey Makey. Students loved being able to work with the technology and explore their coding skills! We hope Brian visits Sudbury Catholic Schools again soon!

Sudbury Catholic Schools take over LEGO Tournament at Science North! 

Several elementary schools took part in the city-wide First LEGO League tournament at Science North on Saturday, December 1. The schools of Holy Cross, Holy Trinity, St. Anne and St. James represented Sudbury Catholic Schools well at the tournament! We thank the students, their dedicated coaches and community sponsors who have helped grow the program over the years. Congratulations on an amazing effort by all! 

Sudbury Catholic staff and students participate in the Hour of Code

The Hour of Code was celebrated during the week of December 3 – December 7. All week our staff and students worked together to complete coding activities during the #HourOfCode! The Hour of Code is an international event that occurs in December promoting coding in schools and accross school boards. Board staff and educators worked together to teach our students (and themselves) how easy and fun coding can be! 

St. Benedict students take full advantage of unique coding room!

Students have the opportunity to use Ozobot’s, Ollie’s and Sphero’s every day at lunch in the coding room, located in the grade 7/8 wing at St. Benedict Catholic School.

The students can also work on coding and engineering using the Lego Mindstorm. The coding room is staffed at lunch and on nutrition break.

In addition to all the technology at their fingertips, the coding room also allows students the opportunity to develop team work and problem solving.

Bishop Alexander Carter Students gear up to race!

Mr. Facchini’s Grade 10 Technological Design course at Bishop Carter has begun constructing remote controlled cars, using cardboard for the frame and Arduino programmable circuit boards to control the motor, steering and radio communication. The car will receive the data and use it to control steering via servo and forward/backwards movement via motor.  Once the students have completed their cars, a race will be held in the gymnasium to put them to the test.  This project requires students to apply a variety of skills, including drafting in AutoCAD, prototyping, electrical wiring, and coding!

Get to know us!

This month, I am happy to introduce Jillian Ospina, our Technology Enabled Learning and Teaching Contact. She can often be found travelling classroom to classroom introducing students and educators to the world of coding and robotics. She believes that not only does coding help students develop critical thinking and analytical skills, it also provides the opportunity for students to become digital content creators instead of just digital consumers.

“Not many people can say they are lucky enough to be given the opportunity to learn about new educational technologies, philosophies and strategies and then see them in action through our staff and students in the classroom. I’m fortunate enough to be working for an innovative, forward thinking board that encourages teachers and students to use technology as the powerful learning tool it has become.” 

Our vision as a school board is Leaders in Learning and Faith. We embrace this vision fully, and work to nurture the mind, body and spirit of each and every student and staff member within our inclusive Catholic learning community. When we are able to lead by example, we create a positive domino effect, one that I am very proud to be a part of. I am very pleased to focus this blog on the work we have and continue to accomplish in enhancing out health and wellness as a system. 

To help us achieve our goals, a large system-wide project focused on health and wellness began in 2014.  We began our journey by conducting an employee survey in June of that year which identified culture as being the top priority.  With this information in hand, we established our Wellness Committee. The Wellness Committee’s current members include Heather Geverding, Pat Shewring, Chantal Rancourt, Lori Holden, Kim Taylor-Horeck, Melissa Anderson, Jean-Marc Joanisse, Mike O’Donnell, Laura Kuzenko,  Suzanne Dubien and myself. The committee meets regularly to find ways to promote staff health and wellness throughout the year. 

Since its inception in 2014, many activities promoting health and wellness focusing on the mind, body and spirit have taken place. These activities have included an annual system professional development day for all staff focused on supporting our faith and our health and wellness; an annual system-wide wellness day; workshops and training; efforts to recognize staff;  and revised policies and APGs focused on health & wellness.  

Last year, we held a system wide wellness day where staff and students at each of our school sites were encouraged to complete activities as a school community that promoted health and wellness.  They were encouraged to share these on their social media channels to encourage wellness as a way of life. Here are some examples of what our schools did during the 2018 wellness day!

We celebrate wellness as a system

During our Faith PA day last month, all of our staff participated in health & wellness activities. From yoga to painting, mindfulness activities to escape rooms, there were countless opportunities to choose from! All of the activities focused on developing a healthy, mind and spirit – essential to our success as a system.  

Health & Wellness in our schools is spreading 

Our schools are consistently promoting health & wellness as a community. Here is how they nurture the body, mind and spirit each and every day! 

St. Albert students ‘Dare 2 Dream’

Students in the PEACE program at St.Albert School recently embraced health & wellness with their trip to the Dare 2 Dream Alpaca Farm. This is the 2nd trip with the program. Students toured the farm and helped out with some farm chores. The day allowed students to get fresh winter air, learn about the importance of local farming and sourcing, and interacting and respecting the boundaries of unique animals.

Cool Kids Lead teaches St. Francis students about the power of emotions

Cool Kids Lead is an anti-bullying program hosted by Laurentian University. They travel to our elementary schools throughout the year to deliver powerful programs, tips and resources to help teach students the power of being a leader. This past month, the group visited St. Francis school to talk about anxiety. The group talked about different resources and tools to help manage anxiety in everyday situations. We love seeing Cool Kids Lead in our schools and can’t wait to hear about more exciting workshops with students! 

Room 180 provides a safe place for students at St. Charles College 

Room 180 was put in place to provide a safe non-judgemental space for students to come socialize, relax, get extra emotional support, as well as building healthy relationships. In this room Mrs. McIndoe (Mrs. M) focuses on helping students achieve personal goals and support them emotionally through difficult situations and everyday challenges. She runs different workshops based on student needs and requests such as anti- bullying, anxiety, time management, diversity, and peer mentoring. The room is designed to bring people together and allow students to be themselves free of judgement, it has a welcoming atmosphere that promotes relaxation. Room 180 is open to all students at any grade level. They do different activities such as potlucks, secret Santa, support a local family and painting projects around the school. We believe that this also helps students feel a sense of belonging and we are looking forward to all the benefits Mrs. McIndoe and this room bring to our school. 

Breakfast club at St. Benedict aims to keep bellies full so the focus can turn to strong academics 

Like in most of our schools, every morning at St. Benedict starts with apples, bananas, yogurt, bagels, cereal or cereal bars.

The sentiment is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it provides fuel after the overnight fast, hence the term “breakfast”.  As the site shakeupyourwakeup.com suggests, “without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!”

The Benedict Bears breakfast club is run out of the foods’ classroom in the secondary panel and the cafeteria for those students in grades 7 and 8. It’s led by Chaplain, Rob Pappin, along with Educational Assistant Christina Punkari.  They purchase and prep the food each morning with a little help and input from students along the way. Each day at St. Benedict, about half the students in the building tap into the breakfast club program.  The club is thankful for the financial support of Better Beginnings, Better Futures.

Pappin says “it just makes sense to ensure the students have an opportunity to have a solid first meal of the day so they can focus their energy on their academics”.   More than that, it is also a gathering place for students to share breakfast, and talk about school and other activities outside of school.  The social dimension is an important aspect of the club. 

Bullying Prevention and Inclusivity Week

November 19 – 13 marked Bullying Prevention and Inclusivity Week in Canada. Our schools each participated in a variety of activities – here are just a few examples!

During the month of October, we focus on the virtue of Faith. It is a time to ask ourselves how we live out our faith each day in our lives. It is also a time to give thanks for the many blessings that we have. We began the month with Thanksgiving, and we ended our month with the annual Faith PA day, where we gathered as a system to celebrate our faith and learn ways in which we can nurture our Mind, Body and Spirit.

Every Child Matters

Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. Orange Shirt Day recognizes the harm the residential school system did to children’s sense of self-esteem and well-being, and is an affirmation of our commitment to ensure that everyone around us matters.

There are so many wonderful stories to share from our schools this month! Take a look at the many ways in which our system embraces faith each and every day. 

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board participated in Orange Shirt Day on October 1, 2018. Special shirts were made to commemorate this important day. The shirts were designed by Erika Poirier and Marja Frederiksen, grade 11 students from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.  The logo designed was used for t-shirts, banners and other promotional materials. Staff and students throughout the system participated by wearing these shirts or their favourite orange shirt as a reminder of the importance of this day. 

Giving Thanks – Sudbury Catholic Schools celebrate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to spend time with those who matter most, and to be grateful for everything that we have. Our schools honoured Thanksgiving by participating in liturgical celebrations, community fundraisers and other gatherings!

Giving back to our community

Many of our schools participate in fundraisers in October to give back to the community. Here are just a few examples of what our staff and students accomplished this month!

Bishop Alexander Carter raises ‘Rice and Beans’ for students in Tanzania

To help their sister school in Tanzania, students began a rice and bean campaign. The partnership was created by a St. Anne School graduate and has been positively received by staff and students in the BAC community. Each 5 cents raised can feed 3 students for a day at their sister school. So far, the school has managed to raise $280. This will help feed 600 children for a month. Way to go Gators!

St. Charles College hosts another successful canned food drive!

St. Charles College’s annual food drive brought in 133,000 food items for the Sudbury Food Bank this year. This food drive helps feed our community and helps students learn how to be leaders. It teaches them the value of hard work and allows them to empathize with others who are less fortunate. The students spent their evenings and weekend at various grocery stores bagging groceries and collecting cans. Other students went door-to-door to collect.

Feeder schools, Holy Trinity, St. Paul, St. John, Pius XII, St. Francis, and St. David also played a big role in collecting cans. They support the food drive every year and they are a huge part of its success.

Learning about Faith in the classroom

St. Mark students learn about the Rosary

Students at St. Mark school are learning about the Rosary! Mary Love, a community member comes to their classroom once a month and explains the rosary and the meaning of each bead to students. Students have loved the lessons and working with Mary Love!

“It’s fun and I like to read the Mysteries!” Calvin, a student at St. Mark.

Pius XII Students prepare for their First Communion

To help prepare students for their First Communion in the Spring, staff from Holy Redeemer Parish come to Pius XII School! Through this initiative, students will learn about First Communion and reconciliation with their classmates at school, allowing them to learn and grow together! In their first session, students learned about what reconciliation is, how God shows his love for us and the importance of forgiveness! Working with our parish partners and teaching staff is a blessing that we are very grateful for. Our students are excited to continue the lessons throughout the year!

Sudbury Catholic Schools come together to celebrate faith and wellness

All Sudbury Catholic District School Board staff gathered together on October 26 for the annual Faith PA day celebration! The day started with a Mass led by Bishop Marcel Damphousse. A Choir made up of SCDSB staff also joined in, providing us with many wonderful songs to complete our Eucharistic celebration. Following the Mass, Dr. Ian Manion, provided a thought-provoking and powerful presentation about the importance of mental health and wellbeing.

The afternoon consisted of breakout-sessions for all staff focused on the mind, body and spirit. Sessions ranged from yoga and physical fitness activities, sports games, mental health and wellbeing talks!

We thank all staff who attended the day and fully embraced the theme of wellness, and all those who helped organize the events and activities! This was a great day of learning for all.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Thank you for all that you do!

October is also an important month to thank our staff for all the hard work that they do each day. We were honoured to celebrate three different awareness days this month!

Get to know us!

This month, we are happy to highlight Bishop Marcel Damphousse. He was first ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Boniface on June 28, 1991, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Bishop Damphousse as the sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. His role as a bishop is to sanctify, teach and govern not only the Catholics but all the people that live in the territory of what is called the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie (which covers 265 000 square kilometers). The Bishop strongly believes that Catholic schools play an important role within the mission of the Church. Schools and Parishes must work together to ensure students and their families are provided with all the academic, pastoral and spiritual needs they need. We thank Bishop Damphousse for his support and leadership.

“Catholic education is a benefit not only for students but for the whole of society because I believe we build a better world with people who live according to Gospel values.” Bishop Marcel Damphousse.

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year! We look forward to another year of learning surrounded by amazing staff and students. Our value this month is respect. When we respect others, we see goodness in them, just as God created them to be. Let us continue to work together to create a positive, supportive and safe environment that nurtures mutual respect and cooperation between individuals.

The summer certainly has flown by, and we have many successful stories to share. Our school facilities look amazing thanks to our wonderful custodial and maintenance staff who take great care in ensuring that our facilities are clean and safe as we welcome students, staff and families to a new school year. Our educators have also started the new school year off with some important professional development sessions further demonstrating our commitment to being leaders in learning and faith. The 2018-2019 school year is off to a great start. As always it is an absolute blessing to be part of the Sudbury Catholic School Board Community.

Learning Program at Sudbury Catholic Schools continue to benefit students during summer months!

Ninety-five students between Kindergarten and Grade 5 completed the three-week Summer Learning Program at St. Francis School from July 9 to July 27.

The students were divided into six classrooms, and included a numeracy and literacy session as well as a literacy and indigenous education session. Along with the six classroom teachers, there were also 12 robotics literacy tutors and eight Focus on Youth Camp counsellors present, providing a full educational team to provide rich learning opportunities for participating students.

Students were able to use the latest in technology to enhance their learning. Students learned the basics of robotics and practiced their numeracy skills by using Ozo Bots, Dash bots, and other coding activities. Students worked on their literacy skills through a reading computer program called Lexia. New this year, the group also completed a Lego challenge design which was a great success. What a great way to learn, great job campers!

Sudbury Catholic Schools Welcome 30 International Students

Our International Student program is certainly flourishing! Over the summer, 56 international students completed the three-week summer camp program. It was an excellent opportunity for the participating students to improve their English proficiency skills in an engaging learning environment. The camp also allowed students to participate in a variety of activities including leadership building, Indigenous drumming and hiking.

We are also very proud to welcome 30 international students to our International Student program for the 2018-2019 school year. The students arrived from the countries of China, Japan, Spain and Vietnam and are attending St. Benedict Secondary, Marymount Academy and St. Charles College. The students and their host families were greeted by school and board administration in a welcome barbecue which took place on September 6 at Marymount Academy.

Holy Cross School will also be hosting international students this month. Forteen students and two teachers from Hangzhou Green Town are visiting the school for three weeks from September 16 to October 5, 2018. A sister school agreement is also in development with Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School, with a trip for students being planned for February.

We are always looking to add to our community of host families with Canada Homestay Network. If you or someone you know is interested in hosting a student on a long-term or on a temporary basis, please contact them at hostinfo@canadahomestaynetwork.ca or 1-877441-4443 ext. 2176.

School Readiness Program helps our future students succeed!

Future Kindergarten students successfully completed the School Readiness program during the week of August 20 to August 24 at Holy Trinity School, St. Francis School, St. James school and St. Charles School in Chelmsford.

The week-long program helped introduce children entering Kindergarten to the school and provided them with opportunities to further develop school readiness skills. The program also allowed parents to gain greater understanding about what Sudbury Catholic Schools offer as they support their child in the exciting transition to our schools! We look forward to supporting our new learners on their educational journey this year and beyond.

Educators at Sudbury Catholic Schools gather together for network learning sessions!

The Network Learning sessions were created to bring K-8 educators together in same-grade groups at the beginning of the school year for a full day of learning focused on our “Achieving Excellence” chart. Each day, our educators deepened their understanding of effective learning environments. We learned more about assessment practices with a focus on learning goals, success criteria and descriptive feedback. We explored pedagogy and instructional strategies, with updates related to Health and Fully Alive, Religious Education, Social Studies, and Mathematics. We also looked closely at 5 literacy strategies that work best. Participants learned more about the services available through Special Education and key aspects of the Individual Education Plan (IEP).

All participants were able to spend time in self-directed learning, exploring carousels created by Learning Support Services (LSS) with information related to nurturing and developing the mind, body and spirit of our students. With topics including mental health, attendance, Indigenous education, assistive technology, Autism Spectrum Disorders, ELL and more, participants were able to meet members of the LSS team, inquire about supports and gather information that would support their instructional practice and set the foundation for success.

Sudbury Catholic Teachers put their math skills to the test!

This school year, secondary math teachers, Principals, and Vice Principals are learning about Building Thinking Classrooms with Dr. Peter Liljedahl, a professor of mathematics education at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, B.C. Dr. Liljedahl is the recent recipient of the Cmolik Prize for Enhancement of Public Education in B.C. and the Margaret Sinclair Memorial Award for Innovation and Excellence in Mathematics Education.

Many secondary classrooms have been renovated to facilitate this innovative approach, and other classrooms are using a variety of surfaces to enable students to learn through this research-based method. In our thinking classrooms, last year and this fall, students have provided positive feedback around these practices, indicating that they find this style of learning both engaging and helpful.

SCDSB secondary math teams are looking forward to two more sessions with Dr. Liljedahl in late October and again in early December!

Summer 2018 Renovations

As indicated above a special thank you is extended to our custodial and maintenance staff for ensuring the highest quality service for our schools. This summer our team was hard at work once again helping to support the continued revitalization of our schools to ensure the best possible, modern learning environments for our students. Below are some of this summer’s major classroom finishes and school renovations.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Photo 1: St. Charles College Gym Floor Replacement. Go Cards Go!
Photo 2 -3: Classroom and Furniture renovations at Pius XII
Photo: 4-5: Immaculate Conception has seen a whole school refresh over the past couple of years, including this past summer.
Photo 6-7: Marymount Academy main lobby, hallways and classroom renovations

Get to know us!

“People think that we inspire students when in fact they inspire us” Tessa Jewell, Teacher at Holy Cross School.

As our new school year begins for students, it also marks a new beginning for teachers. Tessa Jewell began her new position as Intensive Support Facilitator at Holy Cross School. She has worked at St Charles College in the 7/8 wing and St. Benedict where she taught math and science. She also took part in the STEM club, where she helped coach students to win the Clean Air Sudbury living wall contest at Science North last Spring. Tessa loves the supportive and encouraging learning environment that our schools provides, especially in their focus of 21st Century skill learning. She loves teaching and learning alongside her colleagues and students. She is looking forward to continuing to develop skills through professional development, working with students and colleagues and to contributing to the school’s social media platforms.

Here we are in the last week of school for the 2017-2018 school year and I am working on our final blog for the year.  We have accomplished so much this year including the launch of our new strategic mission, vision, values and pathways. This blog is reserved as a celebration of some of these accomplishments.  Featured are stories that demonstrate our achievements in many areas including highlighting the accomplishments of some of our grads.  Our accomplishments are measured by the success of our students and we have much to be proud of.  I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your many contributions.  We are a team (parents, educators, support staff, students, administrators, trustees) in which each member plays an important role in creating the conditions for student success. The stories this month have been organized to demonstrate how we are supporting the achievement of our strategic pathways.  Wishing you all a well-deserved break this summer.  I hope that you are able to take some time to relax, refresh and rejuvenate.  I look forward to our continued work in September.  Thank you for all that you do!

Strategic Pathway #1: We are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community.

Chairperson’s Award Recipients Chosen for 2018

Our three recipients for this year’s Chairperson’s Award fully embody the Board’s vision as leaders in learning and faith. They strive to support their school community in any way they can and have helped to shape the unique culture present within their schools. Deacon Steven Callaghan is the chaplain at St. Charles College and also serves as Deacon at his home parish of St. Kevin’s. Steven leads two Antioch retreat weekends annually. These provide leadership opportunities, often resulting in changed lives for many of our students. Steven reaches out to marginalized students and gives them a voice and promotes and nurtures the faith life which is fundamental to our Board. Julie Hammond is the administrative assistant at St. David’s school. Julie is the first person that greets all who enter St. David. She is warm, inviting, genuinely caring and concerned for the well-being of all. She embraces Catholic values and models them on a daily basis in all of her actions and interactions. Paola Stefanuto of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary is a lunch room supervisor and parent extraordinaire. She wears many hats at Holy Cross, including: parent, volunteer, lunch supervisor, book fair chairperson, snack coordinator, chair of the fun fair committee, parent council member, and helps run the Christmas concert silent auction. She is a passionate fundraiser for the school, always looking for opportunities to provide the school with funds for new equipment, books, or learning materials.

Congratulations to all three recipients and thank you for being leaders in learning and faith!

Retirees and 25 Year Employees Honoured at annual dinner

Our annual Retirement Dinner was held on May 31, 2018. Together, we honoured those employees who have given 25 years of service and those who are retiring this year. It was an opportunity to recognize those individuals who have made and will continue to make a difference in helping to make Sudbury Catholic Schools, the wonderful organization that it is. We wish those who are retiring continued success in this next phase of their lives!

Strategic Pathway #2:  We are called to promote innovation.

Secondary Students Dominate at Skills Ontario Competition

Sudbury Catholic Schools were well represented in this year’s Skills Ontario Competition. Listed below are the students who participated in this year’s events:

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School: Cameron Howe and Carter Poirier (Carpentry team of 2) mentored by teacher John Doyon and Aivan Apan (Culinary Arts) mentored by Mike Sipos.

St. Charles College: Anthony Sherrington (Automotive Service Technician) mentored by William Duncan.

We are very pleased to highlight that St. Benedict’s Cameron Howe and Carter Poirier brought back a Gold medal in the Carpentry team of 2 competition under the supervision of teacher John Doyon.  Congratulations and thank you to all involved in making this opportunity available to our students! Special thanks is extended to Michel Grandmont for being a great champion of our students and programs. 

The future looks bright – what our Grads will be up to next year!

Our secondary schools are filled with bright, young students eager to take on the world. As we approach the end of the school year we wanted to share what some of the students from the 2018 Graduating class will be up to next year!

St. Benedict student will make her mark in Ottawa

Laura Rinaldi currently works in Paul Lefebvre’s, office MP for Sudbury since accepting a summer student contract last year.  She assists people with passport applications and other matters related to the federal government.

Come this fall, she will be moving to Ottawa to study Public Affairs and Policy Management (PAPM) at Carleton University. The four-year program will include a paid co-op in her second year which will allow her to work on Parliament Hill— one of her post-secondary career aspirations. 

Laura is very fortunate to have received two scholarships: one from the PAPM program for having a high school average of over 95 percent.  The other scholarship is the Richard Lewar Scholarship, a prestigious scholarship in the amount of $21, 500 for students who are highly involved and have top academic marks.

“I have a collage of pictures from high school memories like semi, athletic banquet with room for grad and prom pictures this year.  I plan to hang it near my bed to showcase the people who helped me along the way,” Laura Rinaldi.  She will be missed and the students and staff at St. Benedict wish her the best of luck!

Marymount students to shine bright in the Fall

Marymount Academy has an exceptional group of grads once again this year, these are just two examples! Student President Dayna Rachkowski, received a President’s Scholarship at Guelph University for $42,000! She will be taking the Environmental Governance program in the Fall. 
 
The Girls’ Athletic Association President, Carlie Parker, received a President’s Scholarship from Guelph University for $20,000, where she will study Human Kinetics! ““I’ve always been the type of person who thrives in the midst of challenge and change. I’m excited to begin a new chapter of my life in a new city and school. This experience will give me the opportunity to grow and fuel the passion I have for my future.” – Carlie Parker.

Good luck to both grads, we know you’ll go on to do amazing things!

Bishop Grad receives hockey scholarship in Minnesota

Parker Savard, a Grade 12 grad at Bishop Alexander Carter has received a sports scholarship for hockey and will be attending Dakota County College in Minnesota.  He will be enrolling in the Sports Management program.  Parker started his hockey career with the Nickel City Sons and moved up to play for the Sudbury Wolves Major Midget AAA team for the past two years.  Most recently he played for the Sudbury Wolves where he was selected 86th in the U-18 draft.

His talent in athletics also extends into baseball and he has played for the Sudbury Voyager U18 team for 2 years as well as the Ontario Yankees Baseball in Ajax Ontario.  While attending Bishop, Parker participated in the Bishop Elite Sports Training (BEST) program as well as the Specialist High Skills Major in Fitness.  Parker has proven that he has the ability to balance the workload of playing Elite AAA hockey while maintaining academic excellence. Way to go Parker!

St. Charles College student has big dreams!

Max Cull is a graduate at St. Charles College. During his time, he fully embraced the school community, participating in sports teams, clubs and theatre productions. As part of the curling team, he was able to see three City Championships be won. He was also able to compete in the Canadian Championships in 2017 and 2018 as part of the Northern Ontario team. He acted in school plays in leading roles in all four years of his high school career. Max loved learning, and especially loved participating in his biology classes. He will be moving on to Laurentian University, studying biomedical biology. He hopes to one day attend medical school and be a doctor! Max has this to say about being involved in your school: “Get involved! That’s the best way to get the best experience. Get involved with different clubs and sports teams, meet new people and be a part of the school community!” Good luck in the future, Max!

Strategic Pathway #3: We are called to advance leadership and learning for all.

Marymount Academy walk, bikes and runs to raise funds!

Marymount Academy loves being involved in the community! They held their first ever Walk, Bike or Run event on Saturday May 5 at Kivi Park alongside Maison McCulloch Hospice. The event was a lot of fun and a huge success, bringing in $11, 432 in funds. It was then matched through the generosity of Lily Fielding, bringing the total to $23,000! Funds raised will be split between Marymount and the Hospice. Amazing work Regals!

Sudbury Catholic Schools take a stand against cancer!

Both St. Charles College and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School held events this past month that helped provide funds and support for cancer.

St. Charles College completed their first ever Cards Crush Cancer event in support of the Northern Cancer Foundation! The school raised funds by selling custom made t-shirts and bracelets. Students participated in a day of fun and games, while giving back to the worthy cause and learning about the importance of giving. The event brought in over $12,000 to go toward the cause!

Laura Rinaldi, a grade 12 St. Benedict student organized her very first Relay for Life in support of the Canadian Cancer Society on June 1. Students, teachers and our grade 6’s from Holy Cross came out to show their support and commitment to beat cancer! The group was able to raise $4408 to go toward cancer research and treatment!

Elementary Schools jump for a cause!

Many of our elementary schools participated in their annual Jump Rope for Heart events! Students gathered together for a day of fun with their classmates, all while raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Our students love being outside and having fun with their classmates.

Some standout fundraisers include Holy Trinity and St. Paul school who both had excellent turnouts and participation! Great work from all participating schools, you have proven that Sudbury Catholic Schools are full of heart!

Get to know us!

Graduation is a special time for our staff, our students and our families. This month, it is my privilege to introduce to you our very first graduates from our International Student program!

Xuan (Loc) Tran arrived at St. Charles College in 2017. He completed two semesters throughout the 2017-2018 school year and has really enjoyed the overall experience! He loved being able to work on his English proficiency skills and participating in advanced math classes such as advanced functions and calculus. The staff and students at St. Charles College have provided a welcoming environment for Loc to learn in! In his spare time, Loc liked to explore the outdoors with his host family. Loc graduated this month, and is entering post-secondary education in the Fall, where he will study at Fanshawe in the Electrical Engineering Technician program.

Khoa Pham began his journey with Sudbury Catholic Schools in February 2016 at St. Benedict School. He completed three semesters with us so far. He really enjoyed learning about science, especially physics because of its hands-on learning environment. Khoa thoroughly enjoyed his experience at St. Benedict, where he created lifetime friendships with his classmates.

He loved the supportive atmosphere that the teachers and staff at St. Benedict provided and enjoyed being able to explore Sudbury. Some of his favourite memories include completing an Outdoor Education canoe trip in the French River area, and camping with his host family (the Bennetts) on Long Lake. Khoa will be returning in the Fall at St, Benedict to complete a semester before attending Seneca College for the Computer Support Technician program.

What a year it has been, I can hardly believe it is already May! The weather has certainly warmed up, bringing with it the promise of longer days and more time spent outdoors with our friends and families. In our schools, we continue to focus on addressing our strategic pathways both inside and out of the classroom environment. One of our strategic pathways is to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community. There are many ways in which this is accomplished throughout the year. One of our most cherished traditions as a Catholic school community is to celebrate Catholic Education Week.

During May 6 to May 11, our schools embraced Catholic Education Week, engaged in various activities, events and lessons that showcased our Catholic values in unique ways. The theme this year was ‘Renewing the Promise’. Catholic Education Week 2018 combined the themes of reconciliation, solidarity, love, justice and ecology.

We are very proud to share with you how each of our schools are living out our values of faith, respect, community, innovation and learning.

“For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” Acts 2:39

Faith

Immaculate Conception celebrates ‘May is for Mary’

Holy Trinity hosts beautiful school-wide Mass

Students at Holy Cross School visit St. Patrick for annual Catholic Education Week Mass

Pius XII has fun with faith for Catholic Education Week

Respect

St. David School helps proclaim Children’s Mental Health Week

St. James students ‘bear witness’ to Jordan’s Principle

St. Charles School creates a wellbeing tree!

Bishop Alexander Carter students put their health first

Community

Students at St. Joseph school visit their local grocery store and library

Staff and students at St. Anne school give to Toonies for Tuition

St. Benedict and St. Charles College host pow-wows to celebrate Indigenous culture

Innovation

Students at Marymount Academy showcase their best work at annual Film and Festival Gala

St. Paul School completes fun family math game night!

St. Albert students get inspired at Skills Ontario competition

Learning

Young students at St. Mark School explore their environment!

St. John FDK students complete reading and sing-along afternoon with their families

St. Francis presents their hard work to families through student-led portfolios

Get to Know Us!

This month it is my pleasure to highlight the Chair of our school Board, Michael Bellmore. Mr. Bellmore was born in Sudbury and is a proud alumnus of Sudbury Catholic Schools and attended both Immaculate Conception and St. Charles College. He is the father of Miles, age 11, Grace, age 14 and a grandfather to Corey, age 6, all of whom attend our Catholic schools.

He was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2010 for a second time, having served on the Board from 1994 to 1997. Mr. Bellmore’s desire to preserve and maintain our publically funded Catholic education system inspired him to not only serve locally but to also be an advocate at the provincial level where he proudly serves as the Director at Large, Northern Ontario for the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association.

Mr. Bellmore is indeed very committed to Catholic education and is extremely supportive of all of our students and staff. He along with his colleague Trustees are very proud of Sudbury Catholic and work very hard to serve and guide the Sudbury Catholic District School Board community. Through his role as Chair of the Board, Mr. Bellmore provides leadership and direction which helps us to create the best possible system. It is my pleasure to work with such a committed Board of Trustees.

The hope of spring is upon us! The birds are returning and the crocuses will soon be sprouting.  There is excitement in the return of sunshine, warmth, and longer days, bringing colour to our world. Everywhere we look, God’s presence surrounds us. As spring gently overcomes the cold, let us too be renewed and truly embrace the joy as we continue through the Easter season. 

This month we highlight and share our schools achievements in the Arts.  Education in the Arts is essential to developing students’ intellectual, social, physical, spiritual and emotional growth and well-being. Through dance, drama, music, and visual arts, students can achieve their potential as learners and develop the skills they require for success.  At Sudbury Catholic, we are proud to support and encourage the Arts.  Whether it be a musical instrument, a dance program or theatre production, our students thrive in an environment where creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and innovation is encouraged! I am so pleased to share some of the many examples of Arts in action throughout the Sudbury Catholic system.  A focus on the Arts allows us to achieve all 3 of our strategic pathways:  We are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive and equitable community; We are called to promote innovation; and We are called to advance leadership and learning for all.

Elementary schools use music to teach new skills

To encourage creativity and improve upon skills, our elementary schools use music and instruments within their lessons! We are very proud to offer many varied opportunities for our students to develop skills in the Arts, including offering all Grade 7 and 8 students Instrumental music classes with very skilled and passionate teachers. 

The music is alive at Holy Trinity!

Students at Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School have been enjoying ukulele lessons with instructor Dave Carlson each week during the month of April. Although this is a new instrument for both students and educators, many teachers have taken the initiative to grow as music educators by taking online tutorials and embracing the opportunity to learn alongside their students. 

Ukulele lessons are helping students build a growth mindset.  Students are having fun, learning the importance of patience and perseverance and developing coordination and motor skills.  For many students, this is the first instrument they have ever played and a wonderful opportunity to develop rhythm and listening skills.   

 “We are so lucky to have this opportunity to learn to play the ukulele with Dave, he is not only giving students a chance to learn a new instrument, but he has been supporting me as an educator as I embrace this learning opportunity!” N. Bellemare-Perron, Gr. 3 French Immersion Teacher.

Pius music lessons and Ojibwe

Pius XII students have been learning and practicing the National Anthem in Ojibwe for the past few weeks.  The students’ overall skills have improved drastically, and they will be singing O’ Canada on Wednesday mornings at Pius XII School!  On May 11, students will be performing the National Anthem at the St. Charles College Powwow. In the future, the students hope to perform the song live as part of opening ceremonies for various events at the school level.  The Arts are an important element of learning languages and provides students with a deeper appreciation of their culture!

Elementary Instrumental Band remains successful in competition!

The Sudbury Catholic Elementary Band was formed 8 years ago under the direction of JoAnne Comisso and Leanne Urso.  The initial schools involved in the band were St. Francis, St. Raphael and Pius XII with approximately 25 to 30 band members in total.  Over the years, the band has grown, and now includes 5 schools (St. Benedict, St. Charles College, St. Anne, St. John and St. James) and over 100 band members! The band has seen a lot of success over the years, and has given students the opportunity to learn new skills in a professional atmosphere. This past year has been no exception! On March 1st, the band performed at the Northern Ontario Music Festival and received a Silver standard.  On March 27th, the band performed at the Kiwanis Music Festival and received a Gold standard. Additionally, the band received the Top Elementary School Concert Band Award at the final awards night on Monday, April 16th! 

The band is directed by JoAnne Comisso, Leanne Urso, Eric Miron and Jody O’Daiskey.  Band members practice each week at their own schools and get together once or twice before performances to put the whole band together.

“It is quite an accomplishment for so many young players to be able to come together with such a cohesive sound after so few full-ensemble practices.  The band is currently preparing for their Spring Concerts at each of their home schools and a trip to the Canada’s Wonderland Music Festival in May,” L. Urso.

Secondary Schools are ready to put on a show!

Our Secondary Schools put on a variety of plays each year for our community! The staff and students involved work incredibly hard throughout the year to make these events a success! Take a look to see what creative shows and programs our schools have in store for you this spring!

Annie at Bishop Alexander Carter

Orphan Annie wants nothing more than to be reunited with her parents and escape the run-down orphanage and Miss Hannigan. She gets the chance of a lifetime to escape when billionaire Oliver Warbucks invites Annie to stay at his mansion for the holidays. Bishop Alexander Carter invites you to join this large New York play right here in Sudbury this May! The Senior Dramatic Arts students present Annie being performed on May 17 and 18 at BAC!

Fly away on a magic carpet this May with St. Charles College!

When street rat Aladdin frees a genie from a lamp, he finds his wishes granted! However, he soon finds that the evil Jafar has other plans for the lamp — and for Princess Jasmine. Can Aladdin save Princess Jasmine? St. Charles College is proud to present Aladdin Jr. the musical this spring! Directed by Christina Thompson, Patty Demore and Blaire Michaud, this play will hit the stage on May 1, with performance occurring until May 5 2018. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door!

Into the Woods: a Marymount Academy play

What do Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and his beanstalk and Witch all have in common? You can see them all on stage at Marymount Academy! Based on the retelling of classic Brothers Grimm fables, this musical tells the story of a baker and his wife who want to have a child of their own. When the witch casts a curse on them, they set off a journey to break the curse but find their lives may never be the same!  Marymount Academy’s adaption of Into the Woods will take place on Friday April 27, at 6:30 p.m.!

Sudbury Catholic Students dance it out!

While St. Charles College is already well known for their arts department and clubs, Patricia Demore, an Art teacher at the school, thought of one component that was missing from the programs.  With such a passion for the arts, music and dance, she wanted to bring dance to the SCC school community.  Through hard work and dedication from staff and students, the St. Charles College dance team was born!  

During the past 9 years, the team has performed at the St. Charles College Annual Christmas Concert, Sport Pep Rallies, The Sudbury Christmas Parade, Holy Redeemer Church (Performing for the Parishioners enjoyment), the SCC Relay for Life and this year has marked the 8th year on the Sudbury Christmas Telethon! The team consists of dancers from a variety of skill levels including beginner and competitive level dancers.

“I am so proud of their dedication, commitment and hard work that the team puts in each practice and performance they do! They have a true passion for dance and I love seeing students light up from being given new opportunities to learn and grow as an individual and performer!” P. Demore.

Holy Trinity students are also having fun, enjoying some physical activity and embracing their artistic abilities in Dance Club. With the support of teacher Kelsey Franklin, students have been meeting bi-weekly to learn new moves and create a dance performance for the school’s talent show happening later this spring!

Get to know us!

This month it is our pleasure to introduce you to two inspiring and talented students – Hannah Frattini and Taylor Dixon. 

Inter-disciplinary courses (IDC) place capable students in visible leadership roles within our schools. At St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, two students have used visual arts to develop critical and creative thinking. Students Hannah Frattini and Taylor Dixon hope to inspire others with their visual arts projects!

Hannah wishes to pursue a degree in business. Hannah uses the creative process to organize her ideas in order to successfully communicate them with administration; asking for permission to pursue her projects around the school, much like pitching a business plan to future employers, investors or clients.

Taylor has been accepted into Laurentian’s School of Architecture. She uses concepts, skills, models, resources and technology to plan out the various projects, either on a small scale or for the entire school!

IDC students are trusted to work independently utilizing the resources and workspaces available to them. The work of the students is overseen by St. Benedict’s Visual Arts teacher, Bruno Timpano. The role of Mr. Timpano is that of an advisor and mentor using his experience of project implementation to guide Hannah and Taylor through the creative process. Mr. Timpano will often remind his students “Your job is to be awesome. My job is to facilitate you being awesome.”  While our students are awesome so are our teachers!

It’s Holy Week, that sacred time from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday when we commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus’ life on this earth. We remember His actions, reflect on His messages, and recommit to living as His disciples in the world today. As we celebrate Easter, we also welcome Spring.  Soon the snow will melt and our school yards will be filled with vibrant colours and the sun will warm our faces. Spring brings with it a renewed energy and enthusiasm.  For the fifty days of the Easter season, let us radiate this joy as we embrace our calling as His disciples, for we are His hands and His feet, sharing Jesus’ eternal love with the world.

This month I want to focus on our third Strategic Pathway:  We are Called to advance Leadership and Learning for All with a particular focus on Mathematics.  As many of you are aware, throughout the year, our schools have turned to a variety of methods that focus on improving our math and numeracy skills and increase student engagement and overall confidence! Our staff is very dedicated to continuously reviewing and improving their practice.  Their energy and commitment to student learning creates positive environments that support our students and helps them to be successful.  I extend my thanks to all of them for all that they do each and every day. 

Looking into our elementary schools

Our elementary schools have a Math Leadership Network which includes a Principal or Vice Principal, SERT (Special Education Resource Teacher), the school’s facilitator and all Grade 3 and Grade 6 teachers. Participating teachers and educators are given access to online professional development tools and resources to support math learning and teaching within the classroom. Throughout the year, educators have also participated in a variety of learning opportunities, job-embedded learning and school-based learning.

Collecting and unpacking student work helps us notice the progress our students are making as they learn strategies, models and big ideas. Here are how our elementary schools have been tackling the math curriculum in unique ways!

Pius XII receives achievement award from EQAO!

We were excited and very proud to hear about the recognition that Pius XII Catholic Elementary School received last month from EQAO.  The school is a recipient of this year’s Dr. Bette M. Stephenson Recognition of Achievement Award. Each year, EQAO recognizes schools in Ontario that have demonstrated significant improvement in student achievement. This year, EQAO has chosen to highlight schools that have worked to strengthen their strategies surrounding achievement for students with special needs.

As a recipient of this award, Pius XII has shown incredible dedication to improving the levels of success for all of their students over the last several years. Through ongoing monitoring and data collection, collaboration, targeted accommodations, and building a safe and caring school environment, the staff at Pius XII has seen a significant increase in both measurable results and overall student achievement. 

“This recognition award means a great deal to all of our staff. It gives us an opportunity to celebrate the success of our students, which is also our own success. We know that all students can learn and achieve high levels given the right supports over time. This achievement award motivates us to continue setting targets and goals that help every student reach their full potential”, said Laurie Zahra, Principal at Pius XII School.

St. Charles Elementary school embraces a complete growth mindset!

Using the online course “Mathematical Mindsets’ by Stanford University Professor Jo Boaler as their inspiration, the staff at St. Charles school in Chelmsford have devoted themselves to improving their school community’s growth mindset and applying it to mathematics!

The course helps participants build a positive relationship with math and allows them to learn the strategies they need to find solutions and successfully help students develop a growth mindset. While the staff has worked through the course, the students have also completed growth mindset exercises. Working together in the school’s gymnasium, students watched videos and discussed their understanding of both growth mindsets and mathematics. Together, the staff and students develop solutions to solve Math problems. When the Olympics ran in February, the classes embraced this as well and used edits of the film ‘Cool Runnings’ to demonstrate the process of growth mindset. Since studying Growth Mindset as a school community, students have really demonstrated that they aren’t afraid to make mistakes, that they will persevere with a problem and that they are anxious to ‘grow their brain’ by trying something new.  The school is looking forward to seeing how the students continue to improve their math skills throughout the Spring and beyond!  A growth mindset really sets the foundation for successful learning in all areas of the curriculum. 

Holy Cross creates concrete maths solutions for their Kindergarten students!

To help their youngest learners better grasp the math curriculum, Kindergarten teachers Michelle and Jessica have incorporated concrete items into their lessons. Students work in small groups and move along the classroom to complete problems. Using items such as feathers, rocks and other familiar items, students are able to visually see the math problem and understand what needs to be done to reach the solution! This creative method has resulted in an exciting classroom filled with students eager to learn and solve math problems.   

The teachers were inspired by the White Buffalo Circles teachings that occur in our elementary schools. They use the colours and shapes from the Indigenous culture and infuse it into their math lessons.

“Our staff and students at Holy Cross are very inspired and supportive of the Indigenous education programming. We try to incorporate it as much as possible into our own lessons. The symbols have become very familiar to the students, and make it easy for them to work with when solving numeracy problems.” M. Thiessen, teacher at Holy Cross School.

Students and Educators at Immaculate Have Embraced the new Mathology Program

The new comprehensive and interactive Mathology program by Pearson enables educators to plan and implement meaningful, differentiated math learning experiences for all grade 1 students.   Through print and digital media, educators are delivering the lessons and activities by engaging students in various types of group work allowing for numerous accommodations and extensions to occur.  Mrs. Hayden, Mme Martin as well as other educators have noticed increased student engagement, self-confidence and perseverance.  The use of Mathology little books and classroom activity kits encourages Math conversations, the use of manipulatives and multi-step problem solving.  Other educators in the building are looking forward to the release of future Mathology kits.

Looking into our Secondary Schools

Math teams at the Secondary School level have been working on collaborative projects to improve student learning and understanding. From vertical surface teaching to using assessment and observational tools, our students are benefitting from classroom settings that are innovative, hands-on and built to meet their needs!

Vertical classrooms transform learning environment at St. Charles College

To help improve participation and concentration in math, St. Charles College has incorporated the use of vertical classrooms. In a vertical classroom set up, students stand at white boards in groups of three and work through unfamiliar problems to come up with solutions. The students work together to brainstorm ideas and apply their knowledge of mathematics to the problem.

This method increases communication and critical thinking skills as all students within the classroom work and participate in a positive group setting!

“The students really love this concept. It allows them to work and ask questions without having to be embarrassed. I have seen the confidence of all students soar since the transformation of this classroom. It seems like every day I get requests to visit the vertical classroom!” B. Belanger teacher at SCC. We are very excited that by the Fall of 2018 all of our Grade 9 and 10 Mathematics classrooms will be transformed to promote collaboration and effective pedagogical practice.

Bishop Alexander Carter teachers work together to improve student results

With an overall goal of improving results, Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary School created a co-teaching environment in their Grade 9 Applied Math classes. A co-teaching model can take many forms, so Bishop chose a method that would work best in their school community.

One teacher teaches and coordinates the main lesson at the front of the class with the second teacher circling the students to ensure they understand the material. The second teacher will also quietly answer questions throughout the lesson without distracting the other students. This teaching technique has allowed the teachers to truly see if students are grasping the material and to see where they might need extra help. For students, it allows them to ask questions and get the help they need in a one-on-one environment.

The teachers are eager to see how this technique will improve results and attitude toward math throughout the remainder of the year!

Get to know us – Krista Sarmatiuk

Krista Sarmatiuk is our Kindergarten to Grade 12 Math Facilitator. She leads our math teams and encourages our schools to continue to push the envelope and try new teaching methods and concepts. Krista is constantly working with our schools to see what methods are working and where the gaps in the classrooms are.

Krista believes that with the rise of technology, we must change the way we teach math to suit needs. Using things like Skype, iPads and programs such as online courses and screen share options allows both our staff and students to learn in a different way.

“People find math scary, so we try to help make it less scary. What I really like about working with the Board is that we are a community. We create positive relationships that focus on learning and growing. That’s very important to have when we’re talking about math and numeracy development,” K.Sarmatiuk.

February marks a very important time in our liturgical calendar. On Ash Wednesday, our CEC staff and schools communities gathered together in prayer.  Ash Wednesday is one of the most important holy days in the liturgical calendar as it opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.

February also marks a new semester in our schools. As we move forward in the 2017-2018 school year, we must continue to strive to keep our body, mind and spirit nurtured. We emphasize the value of respect for ourselves and the community that surrounds us.  Our staff and students work together to provide support, resources and activities that help keep our spirits high and our hearts full throughout the year.

Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday

We celebrated both Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday this month in honour of the Lenten Season. Our staff and students across the Board worked hard to put together pancake breakfasts. I am reminded of the giving spirit and generosity that is present throughout our Catholic learning community!

Custodial Staff engages in wellness day

Our hardworking and dedicated custodial staff were able to participate in a day-long Professional Activity day focused on health and wellness! The breakout sessions included a wellness presentation by nursing student Julie, and team building exercises led by Operations Assistants Nancy Bellmore-Perron and John Jamieson! We thank our custodial and maintenance staff for keeping our schools and spaces clean and safe. The day was met with lots of laughs and participation from this fun-loving group. Way to encourage wellness in a big way team!

How CEC incorporates the ‘FISH philosophy’ into the workplace

At Sudbury Catholic Schools, we believe that we make the most impact when we build each other up! You may see a unique display of colourful fish at the reception area of the Catholic Education Centre. Through the “Fish Philosophy”, our wonderful staff expresses their gratitude and enthusiasm for other members of our Catholic community. Be it the way they were greeted at a meeting, or to thank one of our colleagues for their hard work on a project, there is always something to be grateful for! If you catch someone having fun, being present, making someone’s day, choosing a positive attitude ask for a fish the next time you’re visiting the CEC and continue to spread the good vibes!

Holy Trinity creates total growth mindset experience for students

In January of 2018, the Kindergarten classrooms at Holy Trinity School introduced the “growth mindset” concept. This model will help their young learners to better understand their own capabilities and encourage them to put forward their best effort when dealing with new classroom challenges.

The teachers have transformed their entire classroom environment, using phrases from key visuals, and reading encouraging stories such as ‘Giraffe’s can’t dance’, portraying themes such as self-esteem, teamwork and encouragement. Through this framework, students have already begun to make connections to things they had trouble completing at the beginning of the year to skills they can do now, such as writing their own name.

“Listening to the students say ‘I can’t do it … yet’ as opposed to ‘I can’t do it’ is very encouraging. A sense of confidence has really started to take hold in our class. This is reinforced by the understanding that mistakes will be made. We work together creating a more positive outcome.” Kindergarten teacher D. Yasko and Early Childhood Educator D. Vicedomini explain.

The classes will next learn to focus on goal setting! We can’t wait to see how these growing leaders tackle their next project.

Students at St. Albert take time for self-care

The PEACE Program students at the St. Albert Adult Learning Centre practice mindfulness on a regular basis by engaging in yoga and meditation. Trisha, a teacher with the PEACE program has noticed a difference in the students’ overall wellness since incorporating mindfulness activities into their daily routine.

“Our students come in each day carrying with them their entire experience. Their thoughts and actions are more influenced by their own state of mind than by anything else. By incorporating a short mind-body practice into our program, students shift to a state of calm and self-awareness that is necessary for emotional and academic success,” T. Teale.

Wellness Resources – get in the know!

Living a healthy, balanced life can be difficult. We can all get so busy with our work and responsibilities that we forget to look after ourselves. Part of our mission as a Board is to nurture not only the mind and body, but the spirit of every individual. Check out this collection of apps that will assist us on our journeys to better health.

Get to know us! 

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board Wellness Committee’s mission is to improve the overall health of our workplace and subsequently the wellness of all employees by developing, implementing and evaluating an inclusive workplace wellness plan, to support and nurture the mind, body and spirit of all staff. 

Our committee includes representation from our Senior Management, Principals, members from the Joint Health and Safety Committee, Human Resources, unionized and non-unionized employee representatives and our mental health lead.  The Committee works to improve our surroundings by liaising with the community, often working with resource specialists to gain advice and input on specific programs, goals and initiatives.

The Wellness Committee at Sudbury Catholic District School Board meets every month to improve our health and wellness strategy. Your Wellness Committee representatives are: Joanne Bénard, Suzanne Dubien, Patti Beltrame, Laura Kuzenko, Chantal Rancourt, Maurizio Depoli, Diana Salvador, Heather Geverding, Jean-Marc Joanisse, Kim Taylor-Horeck and Melissa Anderson. 

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board community thanks Patti Beltrame for her leadership and dedication to health and wellness. Patti served as the Chair of the Wellness Committee since its inception.