St. Benedict Student Appointed as Sudbury Catholic Schools Next Student Trustee

Posted on April 26, 2024April 26, 2024 by Erin Kendall

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that Grade
10 St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School student David Madiba Akero was appointed as
Student Trustee for the 2024-2026 term by the Board of Trustees at their April 16th meeting.

David is a passionate student leader, with a strong work-ethic, determination, and desire to help
others through leadership. He has served as the Grade 8 Valedictorian and has been the
recipient of the RJ. McCarthy Award, the 2023 Grade 9 honour roll student and Soccer
Coaches Award, the 2024 Milk-Up Ontario Soccer Leadership Award, and has been a NOBEEP
Entrepreneur Feature. David is deeply involved in community service, volunteering over 70
hours of his time to support youth groups, and collaborating with the Kenyan Canadian
Association to launch a new initiative that promotes community engagement through soccer.

David’s unwavering commitment to community service is further exemplified through his steady
involvement in the Northern Ontario Black Economic Empowerment Program (NOBEEP). In
addition to being featured as an entrepreneur/client in NOBEEP, David is an active volunteer
and continues to support their work of providing assistance and resources to Black
entrepreneurs and business owners to help foster economic growth and inclusion in Northern
Ontario.

David is a strong advocate for student voice and believes it is necessary for student
development and growth. He hopes to bring more attention to elevating post-secondary support
within schools in order to further empower students in building their post-secondary portfolios
and navigating their educational and career pathways effectively.

“I am honoured to be chosen to represent the Sudbury Catholic District School Board as the
next Student Trustee. I wish to serve as an example to people of all backgrounds and show how
we as students, have both the capacity and the opportunity to shape their learning experience. I
believe that student voice and involvement are crucial elements for an effective education
system. When students are engaged, schools have a better understanding of their needs and
can continue to implement changes and updates that coincide with generational developments
that help students excel in their education.” Said David Madiba Akero, Student Trustee.

“We are immensely proud to have David Madiba Akero represent the Sudbury Catholic District
School Board as the Student Trustee,” said Michael Bellmore, Chairperson of the Board of
Trustees. “David’s exceptional leadership skills, dedication to community service and student
involvement make him an exemplary ambassador for our community. We have full confidence in
his ability to advocate effectively for the voices and interests of fellow students and are excited
to have him join us at the Board table next year.”

David Madiba Akero will officially assume his role as Student Trustee alongside fellow Student
Trustee Julia Parenteau on August 1, 2024. His appointment reflects the Sudbury Catholic
District School Board’s commitment to fostering student leadership and engagement, ensuring
that student voices are heard and valued in the decision-making process.

David Madiba Akera and SCDSB Chairperson Michael Bellmore

Bishop Student Appointed to Student Trustee at Sudbury Catholic Schools

Posted on May 5, 2023May 5, 2023 by Erin Kendall

Grade 10 Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S. student Julia Parenteau has been appointed as the newest Sudbury Catholic District School Board Student Trustee for the 2023-2025 terms. The appointment took place at the April 18, 2023 Board meeting. Julia will join fellow Student Trustee Catena Hayden beginning August 1, 2023.

Julia is a devoted leader both on her school’s Student Council and on the Student Senate. Seen as an active member of the community, Julia spends much of her time volunteering at her local church and serving as a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul Committee. She has also devoted time to serving food to veterans and their families and volunteering at various events for the Maison Sudbury Hospice.

Julia is strong advocate for student voice and believes it is a necessary for student development and growth. She hopes to bring more attention to mental health and well-being within schools and create resources to help students and school environments navigate appropriate solutions.

“I believe it’s important for students to be involved in their education because, with an absence of involvement, their lives and our school communities would lack growth. When a student is involved in their education, they ask questions and make a point to self-assess their progress and attitude towards school. It’s these kinds of students who not only better themselves but also their school environment because they set examples and show good habits that other students may feel they need to pick up on,” said Julia Parenteau.

“Julia is a passionate and dedicated individual. Her commitment to bettering our school system and helping her fellow students is inspring not only to her peers but to us as well. We look forward to working alongside her, as we continue to champion Student Voice at the Board table ,” said Michael Bellmore, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

Student Voice Matters: We Want to Hear From You

Posted on November 1, 2022November 2, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

Reminder to all Sudbury Catholic families who have not yet submitted their responses to please help our Board make a difference by completing our online Student Voice Matters survey!

ABOUT THIS SURVEY?

Ontario school boards are required to conduct a census to identify and address systemic barriers and discrimination. Under the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan, school boards must collect data using a student census and report on the results. In support of the provincial requirement, as well as our commitment to providing, safe, equitable and inclusive environment SCDSB will be collecting voluntary, demographic and identity-based data through a voluntary student census survey, called Student Voice Matters.

We will be asking questions as identified in the Ontario Human Rights Code. These include: Indigenous identity, race, ethnic origin, religion, first language, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, status in Canada and socioeconomic status.

Student Voice Matters is being launched this year for Kindergarten to grade 12. For students in K-8 surveys will be sent to parents/guardians to be completed with their child. Students in grade 9-12 will complete the survey on their own.

If at any point parents or students feel uncomfortable with the question content, they will have the option of skipping and moving on.

What Will the Results Be Used For?

At Sudbury Catholic Schools, we are committed to identifying and removing barriers so all students can achieve excellence in faith-filled, loving, safe and inclusive schools.

The results of the survey will be used to:

continue to identify and eliminate systemic barriers to student success
create more equitable and inclusive school environments
improve student achievement and well being
better understand the needs of our students

How to Complete this Survey?

On November 2nd, 2022, families who have not yet completed this survey will receive a reminder email from our IMS team that contains the survey link! Please contact your school if you have any issues accessing the survey.

Thank you for your participation and for your ongoing support of Catholic Education.

Student Senate Collects 127 Items for Their Annual Winter Clothing Drive

Posted on October 27, 2022October 27, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

The Student Senate was able to collect 127 winter clothing items for their annual winter clothing drive! The campaign ran from October 7 – 21 and all four secondary schools and the Catholic Education Centre participated.

“It was a very successful campaign. Every school was able to contribute something, and we crushed our goal of 86 items by 41, with a final total of 127. It is always great to see what our school board community can accomplish. I would like to say thanks to our Student Senate members and Tracey Adams for helping promote this campaign. Also, a big thanks to those who were able to contribute,” said Jack Gouchie, Student Trustee.

“This coat drive is such an important campaign and is an amazing way for us to give back to our community. I am so proud that the Student Senate was able to donate 127 winter clothing items this year,” said Catena Hayden, Student Trustee.

Bishop Alexander Carter Participates in School Wide Municipal Student Vote Event

Posted on October 24, 2022October 24, 2022 by Carlee Vendramin

16 schools within the Sudbury Catholic District School Board have registered with the Student Vote Ontario program which runs parallel with the Municipal Election. As part of the program, the entire student population at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S participated in a school wide mock election on October 20, 2022.

Student Vote is a program created by CIVIX; a national charity dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic education. Schools may offer a Student Vote event to a single class or to the entirety of the student body. Students engage in activities surrounding government and the electoral process and are provided necessary tools to stage a mock election in their school.

Last year, Bishop Alexander Carter had the highest percentage of students registered during the Provincial Student Vote event and were awarded the CIVIX School Award. The school has continued to be an active member of the program during the 2022 Municipal Election.

“Student Vote is a program that our entire school community remains passionate about. As a direct result of the hands-on and realistic approach this program offers, many students have chosen to exercise their right to vote once eligible. We want to thank Student Vote Ontario for providing us with the necessary tools and materials to stage these mock events during election periods,” said Stephanie Venturi, Principal of Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S.

“This exercise provided us with the opportunity to research the candidates and make an informed decision. I really enjoyed the event. Participating in the mock election has given me the confidence to vote in a real election once I am eligible,” said Gracie Auger, Grade 12 Student at Bishop Alexander Carter C.S.S.

Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased with the enthusiasm that the schools have shown toward promoting student voice during the election.

“One of our goals as a School Board is to continue to engage in activities that advocate for student voice,” she explained. “Student Vote programs afford students the opportunity to learn about the electoral process, research, and practice analytical skills in a hands-on scenario. We are proud to partner with Student Vote Ontario and provide our students with tools that promote citizenship and civic duty.”

For more information about Student Vote Ontario, please visit https://studentvote.ca/onmuni2022/.