Sudbury Catholic District School Board

Tag: Skills Ontario

St. Charles College Student Participates in Skills Ontario Canada Competition with Special Guests Premier Doug Ford and Minister Stephen Lecce

Posted on by Erin Kendall

St. Charles College student competitor Rena Flarity had an exciting opportunity this morning as she participated in the Skills Ontario Canada competition. Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce were guests at the event, which took place next to Rena’s Graphic Design presentation boardroom.

During the event, Premier Ford and Minister Lecce met and spoke with Rena and her teacher, Ms. C. Thompson, about the rapidly evolving media industries. Premier Ford shared insights from his background in the print business, having worked with companies in both Canada and the US. Minister Lecce highlighted the swift evolution of media and shared anecdotes from his recent visit to Sudbury. He also took a moment to discuss Rena’s dream of becoming a teacher, showing support and encouragement for her future endeavours.

St. Charles College and St. Benedict students are participating in two events at the Toronto Congress Centre. Today, students are competing in the Skills Ontario Canada competition in Construction (led by Mr. Kohut), Automotive (led by Mr. Duncan), and Media (led by Ms. C. Thompson). Additionally, students are attending the FMNI (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Initiatives) Conference with Indigenous Studies Teacher, Ms. Petahtegoose, and Indigenous Graduation Coach, Mrs. Agowissa.

Make sure to keep your eyes peeled on St. Charles College’s social media for more information and photographs regarding their events!

SCC Facebook
SCC Instagram
Rena with Minister Lecce
Rena with Premier Ford

St. Benedict School Students Soar to Second Place in Skills Ontario Competition!

Posted on by Erin Kendall

In an exciting display of innovation and teamwork, St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School Grade 7 students have secured a remarkable achievement in the Fall of 2023. Caleb Charbonneau, Alex Lamarche, Austin Girouard, and Eli Burke, participated in the Skills Ontario Paper Glider Challenge. Their mission? To craft a glider capable of defying gravity and staying airborne for the longest duration possible.

Facing off against competitors from across the province, the students rose to the occasion with their ingenuity and dedication. Their creation, a creatively designed cylindrical glider, soared through the air with remarkable grace and efficiency, surpassing the three-second mark—a feat that earned them a well-deserved Second Place in the overall standings.

This outstanding achievement is a testament to the passion, perseverance, and collaborative spirit embodied by St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. Congratulations to Caleb Charbonneau, Alex Lamarche, Austin Girouard, Eli Burke, and all those who supported them on this remarkable journey. Way to go Bears!

‘Together We Lead’ – First Blog of the 2023-24 School Year

Posted on by Erin Kendall

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is delighted to share the first blog of the 2023-24 school year, “Together We Lead.”

This blog is a celebration of the remarkable stories and experiences that unfolded throughout our community during the past two months. In this edition, you’ll find inspiring accounts of collaboration, leadership, and dedication from students, teachers, staff, and community partners.

Highlights from September include: 

  • Honouring Terry Fox – Features stories from St. Paul, Pius XII, St. Francis, and Holy Trinity.
  • Marymount Academy’s Fundraiser for NOFCC
  • Franco-Ontarian Day Celebrations – Features stories from St. Charles, St. James, and Immaculate Conception.
  • National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Initiatives – Features stories from St. Charles College, St. Albert, and St. Anne.

Highlights from October include: 

  • Learning Disabilities Awareness Month – Features Holy Cross Raising the Flag with the Learning Disabilities Association of Sudbury at James Jerome Field.
  • International Day of the Girl – Features Grade 7 and 8 students at Skill’s Ontario’s Women in Trades Conference.
  • Jill of All Trades Event – Features Secondary Schools and SCDSB Scholarship Winners.
  • International Heritage and Language Classes at St. Albert

We invite you to read the full blog, where the incredible stories of leadership, collaboration, and community spirit come to life.

Click Here To Read Blog!

Director’s Corner – Together We Lead

Three Sudbury Catholic Students Receive Bronze Medals at Skills Ontario 2023 Competitions!

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

A big congratulations goes out to St. Charles College student Parker Tilbury and Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S students Blake Rushton and Kaiden Filiatrault who received Bronze medals in the individual carpentry and two person carpentry categories respectively at the 2023 Skills Ontario competition.

A total of 15 students represented the Sudbury Catholic District School Board at the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1 –3, 2023. Contests included Carpentry, TV/Video Production, Graphic Design, Auto Service Technology and Photography.

“Congratulations to all our participating students and especially to our bronze medal winners – Parker Tilbury, Blake Rushton, Kaiden Filiatrault!” says Peter Prochilo, Superintendent of School Effectiveness for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “These achievements are a testament to the hours of hard work and determination from our students and their mentors. Our students continue to prove that they are leaders and innovators within their chosen industries, and we are very proud of their efforts. We would like to acknowledge all our teacher mentors for passionately supporting our students as they explore and ultimately pursue careers in the skilled trades. We especially thank teachers Kirk McKee and Chris Kohut for mentoring and coaching our medal winners.” 

Blake Rushton and Kaiden Filiatrault with their teacher mentor Kirk McKee.
Parker Tilbury with his teacher mentor Chris Kohut.

Catholic Education Week: We are Many, We are One

Posted on by Erin Kendall

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is gearing up for its annual week-long celebration of Catholic Education Week. This year’s theme is “Catholic Education: We are Many, We are One.” From May 1 to May 5, 2023, Sudbury Catholic Schools will join Catholic schools across the province to engage in a variety of activities and events that celebrate the unique identity and contributions of Catholic education.

The week will be divided into five sub-themes:

  • When we see
  • When we listen
  • When we reflect
  • When we learn
  • When we act

OCSTA Resources

The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) has developed and shared daily resources and lesson plans for classrooms to participate in. With the support of the OCSTA and the Catholic community, Catholic education in Ontario continues to thrive.

Access CEW Resources Here

You can view the official Catholic Education Week song below:

Board-Wide Celebrations 

Catholic Education Week is a special opportunity for the Catholic community in Sudbury to come together and celebrate the unique identity and contributions of Catholic education. From Toonies for Tuition Day to the Catholic Education Week Mass, there are a variety of activities and events that we have planned for this special week.

Toonies for Tuition Day 

On May 1st, schools are encouraged to dress up like a bee or wear yellow and black to participate in Toonies for Tuition Day. Staff and students are encouraged to bring a toonie to support Toonies for Tuition, which will be donated to the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association Endowment Fund for distribution to Catholic families in need.

Catholic Education Week Mass

A Catholic Education Week Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins, will be celebrating the Mass. Schools across the province are invited to participate virtually in this celebration of the Eucharist.

Live Stream

Children’s Mental Health Week

May 1-5th is also Children’s Mental Health Week. Members of the Mental Health team will be completing activities in schools to engage staff and students. Schools will also be encouraged to wear green on Thursday, May 4, to promote children’s mental health.

Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions

Thirteen secondary students from St. Charles College and two students from Bishop Alexander Carter will compete in the annual Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions at the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1-3.

Marymount Students Take First Place in Skills Ontario Challenge

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

Grade 7 Marymount students Annabelle Richardson, Isabella Palladino and Mila Kidd placed first in the Popsicle Stick House Challenge; an event hosted by Skills Ontario as part of the International Day of the Girl Virtual Challenge Series. 

To celebrate International Day of the Girl (which was held on October 11, 2022), Skills Ontario hosted several events including the For Girls, By Girls conference, a virtual celebration, and the virtual challenge series. 

Students were assigned the task of building a house entirely out of popsicle sticks. Along with the structure, students were required to list and describe the various trades required to complete a project such as this. They then submitted a video of their project. 

“We really wanted to win! It was a lot of fun to work together and build our popsicle house. We worked hard all week on our submission,” said Annabelle. 

“The theme of this year’s event was girls can do anything – and I think we proved that! We really like completing these challenges because we’re given the opportunity to work on technical skills and collaborate as a team!” said Isabella. 

The three students also agree that partnering with Skills Ontario and participating in experiential learning opportunities helps prepare them for the future! 

“I want to be an architect – coming to Marymount has been awesome because there are so many opportunities and programs that focus on trades and technology. I really enjoy completing Skills Ontario Challenges and look forward to completing more in the future,” said Mila.

For more information about International Day of the Girl events, please go to https://www.skillsontario.com/idg. 

St. David Families Learn to Make Hot Chocolate Balls Together!

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

Students and their families from St. David Catholic Elementary School were invited to join Skills Ontario’s Winterfest Celebration. Last night, families had a fun evening of learning how to make Hot Chocolate Balls led by Skills Ontario expert and Summer Camp Program Manager Kayla Bezarie. 

Families learned the technique of tempering chocolate while trying out the skills of a Patisserie or Pastry Chef.

Students also learned the virtue of patience and the rule that if at first you don’t succeed, try again! 

A parent, Amanda Tyson said, “We enjoyed making the hot chocolate bombs! Although we need some more practice, we still had fun!”

“Oh what fun we had tonight with this project. Thanks to Skills Ontario Winterfest for a new challenge. We had some failures but managed to complete 6. Look forward to trying more during the holidays.”stated Taryn Gorrie, another parent.

Check out our Patisseries from St. David School!

Jessica, Grade 2
Mac, Grade 6

Sudbury Catholic Students in grades 7-12 join Skills Ontario’s Discovery Day

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

Over 250 Sudbury Catholic Students in grades 7-12 joined Skills Ontario’s Discovery Day to learn about the incredible career opportunities that exist in skilled trades and technologies. Through the virtual  conference,  students were able to visit exhibitor booths and hear from local industry, educational and community service provider experts about careers, pathways and government incentives. 

Kent MacNeill Grade 7 & 8 teacher at St. James Catholic Elementary school shared, “I feel that it’s important to engage students with the trades at an early age so that they may choose courses and take advantage of programs like OYAP.  As a student at Manitouwadge High School, I was fortunate enough to be able to take Co-Op with the ambulance service and that led me to obtain certification and be employed at the age 18 as a part-time paramedic”.

Dan Levecque, OYAP and COOP coordinator for Sudbury Catholic Schools, was one of the education panelists who explained the benefits of employment in the skilled trades, as well as the variety of educational programs at Sudbury Catholic that prepare our students for their career destinations.

To learn more about the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Specialized High Skills Major, Dual Credit and Cooperative Education programming at Sudbury Catholic Schools visit our website at: Secondary Specialized Programs or contact daniel.levecque@sudburycatholicschools.ca

Students at St.Anne Prepare to Compete in Skills Ontario’s Junk Draw Races!

Posted on by Carlee Vendramin

Last week, a call out was made to all grades 2-6 at St Anne students to see if they were interested in participating in the first-ever Skills Ontario’s Junk Drawer Races!  Over 100 students attended the first planning meeting. Due to the overwhelming response, the school has organized their own tournament with local winners advancing to the regional competition.

Each challenge nicely aligns with the grade specific science curriculum expectations. This is an excellent opportunity to integrate the curriculum while giving our students fun and engaging hands-on learning experiences. 

There is still time to register your class, the deadline is:

November 16th at 4:00pm.

We are hoping to have representation from each of our schools and will provide a small budget for the extras that might be required for our students to participate.  In addition, Dan and myself will be available to present the challenges with the specific details to individual classes or to a group of classes via Zoom.

If you require further information or support with this initiative please contact  daniel.levecque@sudburycatholicschools.ca or christina.raso@sudburycatholicschools.ca

Register Now! E-mail Copied to Clipboard