As we come to the end of another school year filled with opportunities, success and many blessings, I would like to say how thankful and grateful I am for our amazing school board community. We have so many reasons to celebrate, whether it is achieving success in a competition, surpassing a personal goal or graduating and moving on to another stage in life. This final blog of 2021-22 will provide a small glimpse into the many accomplishments achieved in our schools this past year.

With the excitement of summer on the horizon, our school board community is humming as our 2021-2022 school year takes its final bow. As we know, the month of June, while filled with fun and exciting activities, is without a doubt, very busy. I am pleased to present this blog as an opportunity to pause and celebrate outstanding achievements accomplished by our exceptional students and staff this past year! The Wellness Week theme was SCDSB Strong and these stories certainly demonstrate this in action.

Academic Achievements

St. Benedict Math Team Named Zone Champion for University of Waterloo Euclid Math Contest

Congratulations to the grade 12 students at St. Benedict C.S.S. who wrote the University of Waterloo Euclid Math Contest.

Completed by over 19,000 students worldwide every year, the Euclid Contest allows senior-level secondary-school students to tackle novel problems creatively using the knowledge they’ve gained in secondary-school mathematics. According to their website, the contest’s mix of short-answer and full-solution questions challenge students to practise communicating their thinking. The Euclid helps learners build perseverance, a key component of mathematical problem-solving.

The St. Benedict Team placed first overall in their zone and was named zone champion. This is an outstanding achievement, and the team should feel very proud. We extend a special congratulations to secondary student Yein Chung, who was awarded a medal and a certificate of distinction for her excellent performance in the contest.

Sudbury Catholic Teacher Receives Prestigious Math Award

In case you missed it in the news, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is very pleased to congratulate Bishop Alexander Carter CSS secondary teacher, Julie Denomme, who was formally recognized by the University of Waterloo and inducted into The Society of Descartes Medallists for her exceptional work in mathematics. SCDSB sends a huge congrats to Mrs. Denomme!

“We are so proud of Mrs. Denomme for her exceptional dedication to student learning. Her fearless approach to embracing new teaching and evaluation strategies makes a real difference in our school. She consistently uses her passion for evolving her instruction on important subjects and improving the way students learn to make a real impact on their education.” – Stephanie Venturi, Bishop Alexander Carter Principal

“It is a great honour to be chosen as one of the 2021 Descartes Medallists. Every day I learn something new that inspires me to keep going. While I think about all those around me – my colleagues, students, and family – I am motivated to make a difference. I express my deepest gratitude to them for believing in me on this path and allowing me to teach, innovate, and grow my knowledge daily!” – Julie Denomme, Bishop Alexander Carter Secondary Teacher.

Marymount Academy Shares & Celebrates Student Success!

Student success, and the display of achievements, are a large part of what the Interdisciplinary Studies course at Marymount does. Interdisciplinary Studies is unique in its teaching method for the independence it provides to students. Offering an alternative study opportunity that expands learning beyond the classroom setting, students are supported by a teacher who provides feedback and instruction through weekly meetings. These teachers work tirelessly to celebrate their students’ success, and an example of this was witnessed at the POL (presentation of learning) night on May 31st.

On this occasion, the Interdisciplinary Studies class gathered in the gym to present projects to their family and friends. These projects ranged from topics on artwork, music, poetry, business, and much more. As this event is focused on student success, students and their loved ones were able to enjoy the night as a visual celebration of what each person is capable of when linking their ideas, to their post-secondary goals for the future.

“As a student going into the English field, I was thrilled with how this night proceeded because it showcased student talent and perseverance. This course has helped me become more confident and organized and prepared me well for university.” – Sarah Aiello, MMA Secondary Student

“The students who have taken the course are so happy to present their projects at the end of the year. In an independent study course, we see how student success can be celebrated to a greater extent when we have an opportunity such as POL night to showcase their hard work to their loved ones.” – Kim Coluzzi, MMA Vice- Principal.

Dual Credit Students Receive Welding Certification! 

Dual Credit Programs allow eligible secondary students to take college or apprenticeship credit courses that count towards their high school graduation. Sudbury Catholic District School Board partners with Cambrian College to offer an excellent program for students to learn and grow, which not only gives them confidence in who they are as learners but also encourages them to pursue higher education goals. 

St. Charles College students Quinton McCauley and Dilyn Cote are recent successful participants in this program. Both students were enrolled in a Dual Credit Welding Class. Recently on June 22nd, the students participated in the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Practical Testing Day to receive their CWB certification – a mandatory element of all projects covered by the National Building Code of Canada and the related Provincial building codes. Both students successfully received this important welding certification by putting their learning to the test. 

“Dilyn and Quinton are excellent students who deserve to be applauded for their hard work on this achievement. Watching them earn these honours for themselves was nothing short of amazing – but what is even more exciting is how far they’ve come during the program. The confidence and trust they have in themselves have positively evolved; we are thrilled for them!” – Megan Murphy, St. Albert Principal

The opportunities provided through dual credit continue to expand, making us excited to see what it holds for the future. Congratulations, Quinton and Dilyn, on passing your welding certification exam. We commend the two of you on a job “Weld” done! 

• 

• 

• 

Athletic Achievements

A Touchdown for Girls in Canada – St. Benedict Girls Tackle Football Team Makes History!

The extraordinary young ladies at St. Benedict with the support of Coach Labrosse and the entire exceptional coaching staff have recently helped transform the sport and pave the way for more schools to do the same.

St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School has made history this year by being home to Sudbury’s first all-girls high school tackle football team. The team is only one of three in Ontario and is the first team representing the North. Recently the team has made headlines for their historic game against St. Mark Catholic School from Ottawa, where they hosted and played in the first official all-girls tackle football game in Canada.

The team, which consisted of females students from Grades 9-12, was cheered on as football fans, media, parents, and friends gathered on Wednesday, May 18th, at James Jerome Field in Sudbury. Although the Bears lost 17-14 to the Lions, students were beyond excited to play. Jasmine Howell said the feeling on the field was “truly electric” and that the experience helped create a bond of sisterhood that they will never forget.

Recently, Jasmine Howell and Hayley Deschenes were able to take part in the Youth Speak News Special, where the girls reflected on their experience as feature writers for the Catholic Register and provided insight about their experiences with the team.

In their article, the girls wrote that the event “displayed the friendship involved in girls tackle football and the connections these women made along the way…. This inaugural game has proved that football isn’t just for boys, but something that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy.” – Jasmine Howell and Hayley Deschenes

Traditionally, men have played tackle football in Canada for generations, but only in 2022 have girls had an opportunity to participate on this all-girls team. Seeing these talented and enthusiastic young girls in action is an inspiring step for women in sports. Let us all extend a well-deserved congratulations to the players, the coaches, the faculty and the administration who made history for our Board, Sudbury, Northern Ontario, and all of Canada. Our community is eager to witness how this sport continues to develop. We wish the St. Benedict girls tackle football team the best of luck on the next leg of their unbelievable journey!

SCDSB Secondary Schools Soar At OFSAA!

On the topic of sports and athletic achievements, secondary students at various Sudbury Catholic Schools had an amazing experience participating in different sports at the 2021-2022 school year City’s, NOSSA, and OFSAA Championships.

Marymount Academy & St. Benedict Secondary School

At Marymount Academy (MMA) and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, it was a memorable sports season right from the very start. Gr. 12 Student Jake Dubowsky from St. Benedict placed first overall in Golf at NOSSA and finished his season strong at OFSSA, coming in 14th out of 42 athletes. Gr. 9 student Lucia Salmaso from MMA represented Sudbury by competing in the November 2021 OFSAA Cross Country Running Championships. She ran against 179 contestants in the Novice Girls category and after an amazing race, finished in 9th place.

Joining Lucia at Cross Country OFSAA in November were Gr. 10 students Katelyn De Poli and Georgia Lepage from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

“This was my first time competing as a high school student due to the pandemic. It was a fun experience, and as a grade 10, I am expecting more next year now that I know what the competition was like.” – Katelyn De Poli

This spring, both MMA and St. Benedict saw athletes achieve success at track and field! Lucia (MMA) and Georgia (St. Benedict), ran up a storm once more by qualifying for the June Track & Field OFSAA Championships. Lucia qualified in not one, not two, but three events (800m (13th place), 1500m (23rd Place), and 3000m), while Georgia took part in the 3000m Junior girls’ event and placed 20th.

“This was my first time competing as a high school athlete. I came 15th in cross country and 20th in track at OFSAA. I continue to train with Track North for cross country and for triathlons. I am going to try and qualify for the Canada Games and the Junior Summer Games this summer. And I will be ready for both seasons next year for even better results!” – Georgia Lepage

Also representing Marymount was Gr. 9 student Kayiesha Thomas who qualified for Shot Put, and Javelin and Gr. 11 student Tara Guse who qualified for the Junior Girls 300m Hurdles. They were joined by Gr. 9 student Marin O’Malley from St. Benedict who competed in the 100m Novice Girls race. All athletes did an amazing job with Kayiesha placing 13th in Shot Put and 14th in Javelin, and Tara finishing in 20th with a personal best time. Both athletes worked hard and finished strong, helping to represent Sudbury.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Bishop Alexander Carter CSS & St. Charles College

Bishop Alexander Carter (BAC) and St. Charles College (SCC) also had an impressive showing during this year’s track season. Students, James Scott and Adam Urso from SCC were excellent competitors. Competing in the Javelin event, James won gold at NOSSA, and his stellar performance in June at OFSAA led him to secure 5th place. Adam who qualified for the 400m ran like the wind and finished the season in 10th place. Well done!

• 

• 

At Bishop, we saw 11 students compete in the following events at track:

Event	Student	OFSAA Result
Junior Girls 100m Dash	Aimie Remillard	19th
Junior Girls – Triple Jump	Aimie Remillard	20th
Novice Girls – Shot Put	Cameron O’Daiskey & Caedene Troscinski	23rd & 24th
Novice Boys – Shot Put	Isaac Jeanveau	23rd
Senior Girls – 400m hurdles	Sierra Boyuk	24th
Junior Girls – 4 X 100m relay		22nd
Junior Boys – 4 X 100m relay		22nd

St. Charles College is always focused on teamwork and working in collaboration to achieve success. This year the school had many teams represent Sudbury Catholic in athletics. For example, the Sr. Boy’s Soccer Team had an impressive soccer season and was named the NOSSA representative at OFSAA. Blake Rosener (Gr. 11) & Farrah Farstad (Gr. 11) qualified and competed in the Mixed Doubles OFSAA Badminton. And last but not least, SCC’s Baseball team had an especially great year, finishing 5th Overall at the OFSAA Championships with their record-breaking performance of three wins and two losses.

Congratulations to all our athletes who participated in school sports this year. We want to extend our gratitude and appreciation to all coaches who helped these athletes on their journey to a game, at a tournament, and big events such as City’s, NOSSA, and OFSAA. Thank you as well to our parents for their support and to our athletes for their determination, commitment and good sportsmanship.

Community Achievements

Secondary Schools Participate in Ontario Mock Elections!

Student Vote is a program of CIVIX, a national charity dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic education. To provide an educational experience around democracy, Student Vote uses elections as a teaching tool and enables teachers across Ontario to bring democracy to life in their classrooms. 

On Wednesday, June 2nd, secondary students from Ontario were invited by Student Vote to register and participate in a mock vote for the Ontario provincial elections.  Encouraging students to learn about the election, the political parties and representatives involved, and challenging their thoughts on politics, has been an essential way our schools have been able to further prepare students for their futures.

Having our secondary schools participate provides all our high school students with a hands-on learning experience that invites them to experience the voting process firsthand and cast ballots for the official candidates running in the election.

According to the Student Vote website, “90% of parents said the program allowed their family to learn more about politics, and 77% of students said they plan to vote when eligible.” 

This year, we are excited to congratulate Bishop Alexander Carter CSS. In their election, Bishop Alexander students voted by a landslide for France Gelinas, and they were right! What they might not have expected was to take home this year’s CIVIX School Award for being the school that received the most registrations in Ontario for the elections. 

For a school to be awarded this top award in Ontario, it is quite significant. We are proud to commend Bishop staff and students on their hard work, and enthusiasm leading to this award.

“I would like to thank all our staff, and students for being a part of this, for it has taken all of us coming together and working as one to lead to this success. When we care about something – there is no limit to what our Gator family can accomplish. This is proof that the awareness and involvement from everyone at our school is stronger than ever.” –  Monika Jost, BAC Vice-Principal

• 

• 

• 

Bishop Alexander Carter Student Selected as Ontario Easter Seals Ambassador!

Easter Seals provides programs and services to help kids with physical disabilities develop greater independence to break out into the world and carve their own path. Every year, inspiring young people are selected to represent Easter Seals Ontario as Provincial Ambassadors. This year, we congratulate 16-year-old Sebastien Parent, a secondary student from Bishop Alexander Carter CSS, who was appointed in March and has been using his voice to help change the lives of kids with physical disabilities!

“This experience has been a dream. I’m excited that I can get to advocate for kids with disabilities because I think it’s important to treat everyone equally and with respect. We’re just like regular kids and deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.” – Sebastien Parent, BAC Secondary Student

The Easter Seals Ambassador Program offers young people the opportunity to build self-confidence and develop leadership and public speaking skills. Sebastien is one of two young people in 2022 chosen to represent the organization as the Provincial Ambassador for Ontario.

Recently Sebastien took part in the annual Easter Seals – Dancing With The Stars Event in Sudbury as a judge! You can see more of Sebastian and what he gets up to in his duties as an ambassador by tuning into the Easter Seals Facebook page.

Cards Crush Cancer Event Raises Over $20,000 for Northern Cancer Foundation!

We want to extend our congratulations to St. Charles College, which recently held its annual fundraiser, “Cards Crush Cancer,” to help raise money for the Northern Cancer Foundation in Sudbury. The event, which raised over $20,000, took place on Tuesday, May 31st. Teacher facilitators Amanda Montgomery, Jennifer Humprey, and Jessica Demore deserve special praise for their time and hard work, having spent months organizing this event. Like the weather, the event was a sizzling success and one the school community should be incredibly proud of. Way to go, Cardinals!

“We are extremely happy with the success of this year’s incredible event. Cards Crush Cancer is in its 4th year, one of St. Charles Colleges’ newest traditions. The school came together to support a local cause near and dear to so many. All monies raised stay here in the North, this is what drives us to keep this tradition going. Despite a two-year hiatus, when it comes down to it, the students showed that we can truly achieve anything when we come together – This is what St. Charles College does best. We are looking forward to another successful event next year.” – Jessica Demore, St. Charles College Secondary Teacher

Artistic Achievements

Marymount Academy Students Take Part in Annual Film Fest Gala

Celebrating its tenth anniversary, Marymount’s Annual Film Fest Gala is an awards show where students can create, submit, and advertise short films they made throughout the year. It is an event that everyone in their school community looks forward to for months, where filmmakers of all grades and expertise can enjoy popcorn and celebrate the achievements of their community’s creative filmmakers.

The theme for this year’s gala was ten years, and after ten years, it is still expanding and gaining more support. This year, the school was delighted to have over 100 films submitted, a massive achievement for Marymount Academy because it is the most the school has ever received in the entire event’s history.

On this occasion, 70 films were nominated, with award categories ranging from best voice-over, cinematography, or costumes. We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Jutila and Ms. Kolppanen, who are the staff leaders of Film Fest. Their guidance and support allowed students to enjoy this unique opportunity. Special gratitude is extended to student photographer Chimdinma Kingsley-Emereuwa, who took the photos of the event included here.

“It isn’t just about winning; it’s about coming together as a community to celebrate and recognize everyone. As a grade 12, I wanted to touch back on my roots of film fest, by making a prequel to my first ever film where I interviewed teachers and asked math questions. This year, however, I did a spelling bee. I was honoured to be nominated and win awards, including the end-of-night award for Best Picture.” – Katherine Brown, MMA Grade 12 Student

“The night is always an excellent celebration of student success. It showcases talent across all disciplines, and gives students the freedom to transform the campus gym into a glamorous theatre style venue. With students’ meticulous attention to detail, and being given creative liberty over the event, it always turns out to be a night to remember for everyone involved.” – Cassandra Tenbergen, MMA Principal

Immaculate Conception Students Win Young Author’s Awards/Prix Jeunes Ecrivains

Earlier this year, two students in Mme. Mundy’s grade 5/6 class participated in the Young Author’s Awards/Prix Jeunes Ecrivains, where they submitted writing pieces in French and English. The awards celebrate the writing talents and accomplishments of students who submit short stories, poems, and nonfiction articles (e.g. reflection or report).

There are three levels of competition including School, Unit, and Provincial. The awards function by the first place winners at the School level advance to the Unit level, and the first place winners in each Unit advance to the Provincial competition. After a panel of judges have reviewed the works, a collection of winning entries is published in a book form each year.

This year Immaculate Conception students Noah Maxwell, and Abigail Ouimet were chosen as the local winners that proceeded to the provincial judging. We are proud to announce that after seeing their amazing submissions, the panel was blown away and they were chosen as the provincial winners in their category.

Abigail, won the award for the Grades 5/6 Poem category with her poem, titled Souvenir. While Noah, won the nonfiction category for his piece, titled Les Marmottes en guerre. Abigail and Noah’s written works can be viewed on the online publication here.

As part of their winnings, both students received a certificate, a plaque, a gift card as well as a copy of the 2022 Young authors Awards publication featuring their winning works.

“This is a wonderful honour, and we are happy to applaud Noah and Abigail for their hard work. Both of them have more than earned this extraordinary achievement with their inspiring stories and passionate words. All of us at Immaculate Conception school are filled with pride!” – Jason Michelluti, Principal Immaculate Conception

Elementary Achievements

PIUS XII Students Celebrate Virtues of Stewardship and Gratitude!

The kindergarten students in FDK-A at Pius XII have been actively engaged in the virtues of stewardship and gratitude this spring. Regularly visiting the courtyard garden has given many opportunities for the children to flex their green thumbs as they learn to appreciate and care for the flower garden, trees and plant and animal life in this space.

Their next project is planting a sacred medicine garden to provide a hands-on opportunity to experience the knowledge gained during their White Buffalo Circle sessions with our Indigenous Support Worker, Joel Agowissa.

“Naturally, our penguins loved having a beautiful outside area to interact in. Spending time outside, they learned to value their time in the outdoor classroom while discovering more about nature and what they were doing to help care for it. This helped teach them to be grateful for the earth and their learning. Not only is what they are doing fun, but it’s also impacting them. They learned how to care for and nurture something, teaching them to grow as stewards of the earth! Overall it has been a very positive experience and we loved seeing our students explore!” – Louise Franklin, Pius XII Principal.

• 

• 

St. David School Participates in Moose Hide Campaign!

St. David School regularly provides students experiences to strengthen their understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of Indigenous culture in their education. For National Indigenous History month, which takes place in June, their school participated in various activities and initiatives to celebrate and honour Indigenous people living in Canada.

This year, St. David School participated in the Moose Hide Campaign and on June 19th, elementary students in grades 3 and 4 were each given a moose hide pin to wear.

The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement of men, boys and all Canadians standing up to end violence against women and children. It is recognized nationwide as an anti-violence movement, with thousands of participating communities, schools and organizations. By wearing the Moose Hide pin, St. David students are making a commitment that visually demonstrates their devotion to honour and respect women and girls and work together to end gender-based violence.

After receiving their pin, students sat down for a special in-class lesson that allowed them to discuss the significance of the pin and what it means. During their class, students had the time to reflect and speak about the true importance of love and respect and how they can look for healthy role models in their community to teach them about kindness.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the students who have participated in this campaign. The moosehide pin is just one way our wonderful kids show love for Mother Earth and for each other. Since starting in 2011, the Moose Hide Campaign has distributed over 2 million pins to schools across Canada and North America! By wearing it, St. David’s students are joining other students in honoring their commitment. Way to go, Dragons!” – Dawn Wemigwans, St. David Principal

• 

• 

• 

Conclusion

This June has been particularly special as we once again gathered for sporting events, field trips, assemblies, religious celebrations, proms, graduations and so much more.

As our school year comes to a close, it is my pleasure to once again thank our entire school community. Our staff, community partners and parent/guardian partners never cease to amaze me. Again you have gone the extra mile to passionately serve and support our 6000-plus students, and we are very blessed to have such a fantastic team at Sudbury Catholic. We kicked off the year by demonstrating resilience, optimism and strong leadership, and in 2022 we stayed #SCDSBstrong by encouraging each other and helping one another reach our full potential. I know that I speak for the entire team when I say thank you. We are so fortunate to be part of an amazing, strong team that works together to ensure the success of all.

For some of us, this time of year may signal a goodbye, and for some it may signal a new beginning. No matter where you are on your journey, it is my hope that the knowledge, experiences, and memories provided by Sudbury Catholic supports you in every chapter of your life. Wishing you a safe, restful, and fun filled summer. Stay #SCDSBstrong!

I am pleased to share a final message from our graduating Student Trustee, Kylie MacGregor. She did an amazing job of representing!