As part of the soccer focus class at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, the students had the opportunity to travel to Montreal May 6-7 to watch a Montreal FC versus Toronto FC professional soccer game. Students at St. Benedict can register for this phys-ed soccer-focused course to learn and experience the various aspects of soccer – from playing, to training, to coaching, to refereeing, to nutrition, to strategy, etc. St. Ben’s teacher and coach Giuseppe Politi explained, “Having the students get the opportunity to watch this level of soccer allows them to see first hand the strategies and level of play that they aspire to. It is an exciting and impactful way for them to learn even more.”
Month: May 2015
St. Ben’s Soccer Students in Montreal for FC Action
As part of the soccer focus class at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, the students had the opportunity to travel to Montreal May 6-7 to watch a Montreal FC versus Toronto FC professional soccer game. Students at St. Benedict can register for this phys-ed soccer-focused course to learn and experience the various aspects of soccer – from playing, to training, to coaching, to refereeing, to nutrition, to strategy, etc. St. Ben’s teacher and coach explained, “Having the students get the opportunity to watch this level of soccer allows them to see first hand the strategies and level of play that they aspire to. It is an exciting and impactful way for them to learn even more.”
St. Ben’s Business Students in Beantown
Students in enroled in the St. Benedict Business Studies program travelled to Boston, Massachusetts from May 13-17. The group plans a major field trip each year to bring to life concepts including marketing, leadership, budgeting, international business, accounting, entrepreneurship and concept development. During their visit, the students toured MIT- Sloan School of Management, Harvard Business School, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and even the Boston Marathon Finish line among other stops. “This was a great city for the business students to visit,” explained teacher Giuseppe Politi. “Boston is really a wonderful area that highlights successful schools of business and entrepreneurship. The students were excited to see such historic and important institutions that demonstrate a true understanding of how successful businesses respond to needs, wants, supply and demand.” The previous two years have had the students visiting New York and Chicago.
Walking with Everyday Heroes
On Monday, May 25 the students and staff of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School went for a walk – a walk to honour and support those fighting Cystic Fibrosis. As May is Cystic Fibrosis Month, and there are currently three students enroled at St. Benedict with the disease, the school campus decided show their support with the theme of the day being superheroes. The students and staff were encouraged to dress up as their favourite superhero while participating in the walk – the only two schools in Canada to be hosting their own. Member of the local Cystic Fibrosis organization were on hand to take part in the event with the group as well as families of some of the students. The two schools raised $1000 through a buy-out to
“Mrs. Catalano “The glue that holds our school together.”
St. Benedict parent, Alice Allison Catalano, is the recipient of the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education parent award. According to the students and staff of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, she is someone “we all can go to and talk openly with. She is someone who we would describe as completely selfless and the most caring and compassionate person amongst the school community. She is a trustworthy, hard working, motherly figure to us all and the work she does for our school is out of this world! She spends a substantial amount of her valuable time volunteering at our school and not a moment that passes with her is ever forgotten or not appreciated by any student or staff. We feel that Mrs. Catalano perfectly embodies the definition of a selfless Samaritan. Mrs. Catalano has the special ability to see the best in everyone and no matter how tough the situation is, she is willing to lend a helping hand and devote 100 percent of herself. We can recount hundreds of times that she has given up her time and selflessly devoted herself for the well being of a student. Not only does she volunteer her time but also her wisdom of real life. She is always willing to help a student by giving valuable advice and sharing life experiences with us. She’s the star of this school and we all hope to be half the person she is! Thank you Mrs. Catalano.”
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