May 28 to June 3, 2023, is National AccessAbility Week!
National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) is an annual initiative that celebrates, promotes, and showcases the diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in our country, and highlights some of the important initiatives aimed at creating an accessible Canada. Since 2019, Easter Seals Ontario has recognized the Wednesday of National AccessAbility week as the Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion. Everyone is encouraged to wear a red shirt to raise awareness for accessibility and disability inclusion and make a pledge to help remove physical, attitudinal, and systematic barriers in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
Red Shirt Day is an Easter Seals initiative and was first celebrated in 2019. The 2023 Red Shirt Day takes place on Wednesday, May 31. Sudbury Catholic District School Board (SCDSB) students and staff are encouraged to wear red on Red Shirt Day to promote messages of support for people and families living with disabilities.
About Red Shirt Day
Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion is a day when people across Canada come together and wear red in schools, workplaces and spaces everywhere in order to create a visible display of solidarity: to show their support for persons and families of those who are living with disabilities, celebrate the achievements of people living with disabilities, and to pledge their commitment to help create a fully accessible and inclusive society that honours and values the contributions of people of all abilities in all aspects of life in Canada. Learn more!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Registration is now open for Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s (SCDSB) annual Carousel Event hosted by the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)! Learn about different topics, network with others, and engage in great conversation.
When: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Address: 2993 Algonquin Drive
Carousel topics will include:
Supporting Mental Health & Well Being, Cyber Safety, Building Resiliency, Homework Support, Special Education, Coding, Preparing Your Child for Post-Secondary, Literacy: Supporting Reading @ Home, and Learning About Secondary Programming. Click here to view our session descriptions!
Save the date for Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s (SCDSB) annual Carousel Event hosted by the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)! Learn about different topics, network with others, and engage in great conversation.
When: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Address: 2993 Algonquin | Sudbury, ON | P3E 6K2
Carousel topics will include:
Supporting Mental Health & Well Being, Cyber Safety, Building Resiliency, Homework Support, Special Education, Coding, Preparing Your Child for Post-Secondary, Literacy: Supporting Reading @ Home, and Learning About Secondary Programming.
In preparation for our budget discussions, we invite our staff, parents/guardians, community partners and students to provide feedback regarding our programming and resources. Your feedback is important to us to ensure that we are representing your priorities as we engage in the budget process. We are asking that you identify areas that have been working well and your top priorities for the next school year. We are using ThoughtExchange so that everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the group. These thoughts will help guide our discussions before we move ahead together.
Feel free to include as many thoughts as you like. Click the Participate button to share your thoughts and then rate at least 20-30 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Please come back often until April 14 to rate new ideas.
High ratings tell us you strongly support the idea and low ratings tell us you strongly do not support the idea; both are important.
Quick Tips:
1. This exchange is confidential. Your thoughts will be shared, but not your identity.
2. Please be polite and respectful as you share and rate thoughts.
3. If you see a thought that is rude, hurtful or identifies a person or group, you can report it by clicking in the upper right corner of the thought.
4. You do not need to rate all thoughts in this exchange. It is appreciated and recommended that you rate about 30 thoughts over the time the exchange is open.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board held their annual Science Fair on February 28, 2023, at St. Charles College. The fair was open to Grade 7 and 8 students.
The winners of this year’s Science Fair were as follows:
First Place/Best in Fair
Indoor Air Quality, Victoria Leigh, Marymount Academy
Do Different Music genres effect reading? Lila Ricker, Marymount Academy
Second Place
La Chaleur Contre le sol, Mila Kidd and Ayla Falcioni, Marymount Academy
Third Place
Klean Machine, Olaterere Awosika, St. Benedict C.S.S
EZ-Drain, Thomas Reich and Costantinos Urso, St. Benedict C.S.S
Sèche mains germé, Leah Serre et Paytyn Farmer, Marymount Academy
La croissance des plantes, Samantha Chow, Marymount Academy
Reveillez-vous, Leah Diotte, Marymount Academy
Most Creative
Steer Clear: The Breakaway Steering Wheel, Maggie Polischuk, Marymount Academy
Lequel est moin sale? Aven Thompson, Marymount Academy
Lumière sans électricité: Ampoule bouteille solaire, Megan Leclair, Marymount AcademySont les masques nos ennemis? Abigail Debruyn, Marymount Academy
15 minutes de cardio, Kiana Smith et Fae Flanagan, Marymount Academy
Best Presentation
Can climate change ruin our ski hills for good? Annabelle Richardson et Isabella Palladino, Marymount Academy
Spherification, Lua Schiewek and Louisse Apilan, Marymount Academy
Tok Tok: Germes sur les portes… Mia Dufresne, Marymount Academy
All projects listed above will proceed to the Sudbury Regional Science Fair on April 1 and 2, 2023 at Laurentian University.
Louise Franklin, Superintendent of School Effectiveness with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board said that the Fair was a fantastic way to encourage students to participate in science-based activities on a large scale.
“Our Science Fair offers students the opportunity to participate in a formal judging process alongside their peers. With an emphasis on innovation and scientific inquiry, the Science Fair allows students to develop projects through critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. A great deal of time and commitment went into these projects and all students should be extremely proud of their efforts. We would like to thank the members of the Science Fair Committee, Chris Polischuk, Martha Facchini, and Loretta Cuda, for their dedication to providing such opportunities for students at Sudbury Catholic. We are excited to see what the selected students will accomplish at the Regional Science Fair,” she said.
Our International Students were treated to a Sudbury Five game! They were joined by members of their host families, school staff and School Board staff as they watched the game, had fun dancing and a few lucky students even won some pizza!
It was a great way for the students to continue to build community and connection – and they sure had fun! View some of the photos below.
On Tuesday, February 21st, Sudbury Catholic District School Board celebrated Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, as a way to prepare for the start of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is traditionally a time for repentance, forgiveness, and reflection in the Catholic faith, and is marked by the consumption of pancakes made with rich ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar.
By celebrating Shrove Tuesday, Sudbury Catholic Schools help students understand the spiritual significance of the Lenten season and encourage them to reflect on their own faith and actions.
In celebration of this day, Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to share some highlights from the celebrations that took place at various schools. We would like to thank all our volunteers for their help in and out of the kitchen. Your generosity and kindness have made this day even more special for our Sudbury Catholic community. We are grateful for your support and for helping us celebrate this important tradition.
School Highlights
St. Joseph
What’s better than pancakes? Pancakes with a cause! On Pancake Tuesday, St. Joseph school opened its doors for a community-wide Shrove Tuesday feast. Attendees enjoyed fluffy pancakes, sizzling sausages, and a topping station where they could create their own stack.
But this wasn’t just any pancake breakfast. St. Joseph school also took this opportunity to give back to the community by raising donations for the Northern Ontario Families of Children With Cancer. This incredible organization supports families who are dealing with the challenging realities of childhood cancer, providing them with vital resources and support during this difficult time. The event was a huge success, with attendees not only enjoying a delicious meal but also coming together to support a cause that is close to our hearts.
Pius XII
On the joyous occasion of Shrove Tuesday, Pius XII Catholic School was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly made pancakes, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers. Individuals from the Knights of Columbus, Sudbury Catholic Schools, and Holy Redeemer Church all joined forces to prepare a scrumptious breakfast for students and staff alike. Pius XII Catholic School is grateful for the generosity and kindness of these volunteers, who embody the spirit of community and fellowship that makes the school so special.
Holy Trinity
The warm and welcoming atmosphere of Holy Trinity’s Kindergarten classroom was made even more special by the efforts of early childhood educators who gave their time and energy to create a memorable Shrove Tuesday experience for all. Mme. Jessica, Mme. Angele, Mrs. Yasko, Mr. Vicedomini, and Ms. Casey put their flipping skills to the test and treated Kindergarten students with their very own pancake party.
Marymount Academy
Marymount Academy students celebrated Shrove Tuesday at their school with a hearty pancake breakfast. In addition to indulging in stacks of pancakes, the students learned about the spiritual significance of this special day in the Christian calendar. The breakfast was made possible thanks to the culinary expertise of staff, including Mrs. Shewring, Ms. Coluzzi, Ms. Tenbergen, and many others, who ensured that the pancakes were piping hot and ready for the students when they arrived. Overall, it was a fun and educational event that left everyone feeling satisfied and enriched.
St. Benedict C.S.S
In the Southend of Sudbury, students and staff at St. Benedict kicked off the week in grand style with a delicious pancake feast in honour of Shrove Tuesday! This feast was made possible thanks to the outstanding efforts from staff volunteers at the school. Mr. Pappin, and Mr. Sipos went above and beyond to make enough pancakes to feed the whole Bear family!
St. David
St. David Catholic Elementary School always finds creative ways to make every occasion special and Shrove Tuesday was no exception. The staff at St. David went above and beyond to create a mouthwatering pancake breakfast that left the entire school of Dragons grinning from ear to ear! The school’s dedication to creating fun and memorable experiences for its students is a testament to its commitment to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception Catholic School students celebrated Shrove Tuesday in true style with stacks upon stacks of pancakes. The breakfast spread was the perfect way to kick off the Lenten season, a six-week period leading up to Easter. As the school community gathered to celebrate this joyous occasion, they were reminded of the importance of sharing in each other’s joy and coming together in times of celebration. Immaculate Conception Catholic School is proud to carry on this delicious tradition year after year, and looks forward to many more pancake-filled Shrove Tuesdays to come!
Ash Wednesday is an important day for the Catholic community, and we are honoured to commemorate it annually at Sudbury Catholic Schools. This year, on February 22, 2023, our students, faculty, staff, and parish partners will come together for Mass to receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing the beginning of the Lenten season.
As we embark on this journey together, we encourage our community to concentrate on meaningful themes, such as the gift of life and showing kindness, generosity, and compassion towards others.
During Lent, we place a special focus on “almsgiving,” where we donate money or goods to those in need and perform other acts of charity. Though these acts of service are conducted year-round, we encourage everyone in our community to reflect deeply on how they can show more compassion and generosity towards others during the Lenten season leading up to Easter.
As a Catholic school board, we believe that faith is a fundamental aspect of our lives, and we are committed to nurturing the spiritual growth of our students. We strive to instil a deep respect for Christ’s teachings and inspire them to live according to his values. On this Ash Wednesday, let us renew our faith and commitment to God and unite in love, compassion, and kindness as a community.
