St. Charles College

Sudbury Catholic Schools welcome new international students

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board (SCDSB) is pleased to welcome three international students to its school communities for the second semester. One student from Vietnam and one student from China are attending St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School while another student from Japan is attending St. Charles College.

The SCDSB has successfully hosted international students and exchange students in the past; however, these new students are a direct result of the school board’s recent international recruitment efforts. Recruitment initiatives aim to boost enrollment as well as enrich the educational experience of all students by affording them the opportunity to interact and learn with students from varied countries which will help them to become more global citizens. The SCDSB also hopes that its recruitment initiatives will attract newcomers to the Greater Sudbury community as students may decide to pursue a post-secondary education in the city and someday make Sudbury their home.

The majority of international students stay with local families and pay a monthly amount for room and board. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board utilizes the services of the Canada Homestay Network in order to find and assess suitable host families. The SCDSB currently has students who have applied to study for the 2017-18 school year and will need more families to host these students. For more information on how you can host an international student, please contact Michelle Kindt from the Canada Homestay Network at 1-705-479-2314 ext.2010 or by email at sudburyinfo@canadahomestaynetwork.ca. To learn more about Canada Homestay, and our International Education program, visit cometostudy.ca.

View the press release

Board visits Chongqing #37 Secondary School in China

On November 11th 2016, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board had the pleasure of visiting Chongqing #37 Secondary School in China. We visited a class, the grounds, the bridge of success and had the privilege of witnessing the morning daily physical activity.

This school offers a high quality education to over 4,000 students from grades 7 to 12. Hopefully, some of the staff from the school will come to Sudbury to visit our schools and to discuss the possibility of a “sister” school partnership in the future. The school celebrated it’s 60th anniversary in 2015 and we are convinced that it will continue to grow in the next 60 years thanks to its dedicated and competent staff, as well as its visionary leadership.

View the photo album of our visit.

Connecting to the land

Recently our secondary schools students had an opportunity to attend a sweat lodge building and ceremony as part of the “Bundle Roots Program”. The event was hosted by Indigenous Education Secondary Support staff & teachers. At this event we had students from various cultures take part. The turnout was great and the weather was wonderful. There were three secondary schools that took part in this activity. The Sweat lodge was held on Atikameksheng Anishnawbek territory.

The sweat lodge is a structure, which is dome shaped made using natural materials given to us by the land. sweat lodges are used by Indigenous people on Turtle Island for ceremonial prayers. The ceremony and traditions associated with the sweat lodge vary from region to region but are similar in nature.

Students were able to partake in constructing the sweat lodge which was a rich learning experience for all staff and students. All the young men and women took part in constructing the sweat lodge. The Elders were both helpful and insightful for the youth and the staff, and shared their knowledge.

We completed our very full day with a very delicious feast, along with a spirit plate given back to our sacred helpers during this ceremony.

Dancing under the sun

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board hosted a secondary Powwow on June 1st 2016 at St. Benedict School. This was an opportunity for our Indigenous community to share their culture with non-Indigenous community members. Some of the dancers at the Powwow were secondary school students who attend our schools. It was exciting for our participants to see the dancers. Students were also able to share their culture and the style of dance. Those who partook in this event were able to celebrate Indigenous tradition and culture.

Through SCDSB we integrate First Nations, Métis, and Inuit cultures, history and perspectives in our curriculum. As an indigenous support worker we try to bridge gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. Having a celebration like this brings people together.

The Pow wow celebration was our first this year for our Catholic secondary schools. Many of those who attended the Powwow have never experienced a cultural activity such as this. It is with hope that with the continued support of secondary staff we can strive for more exposure of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Culture. Our students and faculty were given the opportunity to see dancers in full regalia. The students shared songs and the drumming was breathtaking Miigwetch.

Youth Mental Health Walk-in offered for secondary students

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in partnership with the Child and Family Centre is offering a unique service to all our secondary students. We will have a Youth Walk-In Service available on Tuesdays from 10:30am to 6:00pm (last one hour session at 5pm). Starting tomorrow!

Where do you go to see a clinician? Go to the Guidance Area at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. This service is open to all secondary students, not just those from St. Benedict.

For more information please call 705-525-1008.

Remember: You don’t have to face your problems alone.

Need to Talk?

Apply To Become The SCDSB Trustee! Application Deadline – March 23, 2016

What is a student trustee?

Student trustees bring the student perspective to the board and help to ensure that the school board is acting in the best interest of the students. The Student trustee can influence school board and provincial education policy. Student trustees are responsible for representing students; adult trustees represent all taxpayers. Student trustees are also members of their Student Senate. Student trustees may suggest motions to advance issues and may cast a nonbinding vote.

What role does the Student Trustee play?

Student representation forms an important basis for Board decisions that affect students. The student representative participates at the Board table and/or committee meetings however their vote is not binding (under subsection 55(3) of the Education Act). A Student Trustee is elected by student peers to represent the student voice.

For more information and to apply now download the application form.

June 2015 OAPCE Newsletter

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our Sudbury Catholic parents, the SCDSB would like to provide a link to the latest newsletter from The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE).

This month’s newsletter comes in three parts:

June 2015 Part 1
June 2015 Part 2
June 2015 Part 3

SCDSB Celebrates Sixth Annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards

Invited students, parents, teachers and invited guests gathered together on May 6, 2015 to take part in the Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Sixth annual Turning Points Essay Contest Awards ceremony. This essay contest is an initiative that stems from the Learning Partnership, which is an organization that champions a strong public education system to deliver innovative programs, credible research, policy initiatives, executive leadership and public engagement across Canada. Turning Points is a character development and literacy program that allows students to reflect on their fundamental values and, through a process of self-reflection and dialogue, write a narrative essay about a significant event, or turning point in their lives. The Turning Points Essay Contest is a powerful character development and literacy program that all 4 of our secondary schools, as well as the intermediate students at St. Anne participated in this year. There are 3 divisions, Grade 7/8, Grade 9/10 and Grade 11/12. Cash prizes were awarded for secondary essays and all essays will also be published in an annual anthology that will be sent to students and participating schools next year. The 
students that took part in this contest and authored the winning essays were awarded plaques, a copy of the publication, as well as monetary awards at the celebration.
 Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Board was on hand for the celebration and awarded the students their prizes. After hearing the students read their essays, Bénard was visibly moved by their words and experiences. “I want to thank these students for sharing with us your strength and resiliency, and for being able to see the shining light in your experiences,” Bénard stated. “You have shown us that everyday is a blessing by sharing your emotional stories of strength and courage, accounts of laughter and tears, your deepest secrets, greatest fears, and biggest triumphs. What emerges as these essays take shape is just magic, and it reminds us all of the goodness and beauty in all of our students.”

Top Winners include:

Grade 11/12 Division

First Place – Mia Tullio
Second Place – Emily Brohart
Third Place – Taylor Emery

Grade 9/10 Division

First Place – Jenna Hoolans
Second Place – Julia Moore
Third Place – Alexis Gunther

Grade 7/8 Awards

First Place- Madison Penrose
Second Place – Amy Lucas
Third Place – Kaylee Kruk

Indigenous Celebration Held

The Diocesan Centre is planning an inclusive day of celebration based on indigenous culture, and would love a big turn out at this event. All students, staff, families and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend! It looks to be a great day planned!

INDIGENOUS CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Fielding Park

5:30 am. Sunrise Ceremony ~

8:00 am. Pancake Breakfast ~

9:00 am. Teaching Carousel – Stations will be set up to be rotated through – 6 stations with 20 minute presentations at each~

a) Children drumming station~

b) Craft – decade of the rosary with four/six colour beads + leather OR~leather bookmark

c) 7 Grandfather teachings

d) Legends – Elders telling the stories~

e) Medicines and Wheel

f) Sacred Elements (fire keeper, tobacco, stones, feather, pipe, drums, smudge, animals) ~

11:00 am. Healing Circle – prayers, scripture (trilingual), blessing~

1:30 pm. Feast – “pot luck”

3:00 pm Travelling Song/Blessing~

For more information and access to resources, please consult:

http://arise-ssm.weebly.com

OAPCE Monthly Newsletter

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our Sudbury Catholic parents, the SCDSB would like to provide a link to the latest newsletter from The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE). To read this month’s newsletter, click here: Parent Partner Newsletter – Easter 2015

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