November 27 marks the first Sunday of Advent for 2022. Together, we all await the birth of a baby boy, the light of the world, coming to transform us, so that we can transform the world. The month of December is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8th. The first 24 days of December fall during the liturgical season of Advent and are represented by the colour purple. During Advent it is fitting that we celebrate the virtue of patience, for we recognize that we are patiently awaiting Jesus’ coming.
Advent Prayer
Dear Lord,
Send down Your Spirit to guide me during Advent this year. May the Holy Spirit help me journey closer to You and lift me up when I feel down and led me when I feel lost. I may stumble at times, but I know my ultimate journey is to draw closer to You and build Your kingdom here on earth–a kingdom that Jesus’s birth, life and death helped secure.
Amen.
Candle The first Sunday of Advent represents the Candle of Prophecy and symbolizes Hope.
November 20th, 2022 is the beginning of Ontario’s 9th annual Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. This week allows school boards to focus the spotlight for one week on promoting safe schools and creating a positive learning environment.
Bullying prevention promotes the development of healthy relationships that involve respectful interactions between people, face-to-face and online. The goal is to help ensure that all students have healthy, safe, respectful and caring relationships with everyone in their lives.
Teachers, parents/guardians, and other adults support and act as role models for students by showing them how healthy relationships can work. Students’ positive relationships with other students depend on positive relationships with adults.
Students who have healthy relationships will be less likely to bully others, more likely to support students who are bullied and better able to reach their educational goals. Together, we are all invited to learn more about bullying by exploring reverent resources and participating in activities to identify and eradicate it.
A Robinson Huron Treaty delegation led by Ogimaa (Chief) Nootchtai, Ogimaa Toulouse, and Ogimaa Pawis was hosted at St. Benedict C.S.S and St. Charles College in honour of Treaty Recognition Week. The theme was “Restoring the Balance – Treaty Talks with Tomorrow’s Leaders”. At this gathering, Grade 6 students from St. James School, Holy Cross School, and St. Francis School had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the Robinson Huron Treaty with the Chiefs. Ultimately, students and staff walked away with a greater perspective on the importance of treaties and treaty relationships and some prizes! Chi-miigwetch! We are incredibly appreciative of the fantastic visit and educational opportunity.
See what students experience at the Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair. Talk to experts about the skilled trades as a rewarding career path for your child.
You’re invited to the Level Up Open House:
November 14, 2022 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Steelworkers Hall 66 Brady Street
Sudbury Catholic Schools was proud to host a professional administration day for education staff devoted to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) on October 24, 2022. The Board partnered with several local organizations to create engaging and innovative learning sessions.
Sessions included:
Cambrian College STEM tour: Educators had the opportunity to learn more about various STEM-based programming at Cambrian College, and how they can support showcasing STEM in the community. This day included a walking tour of the trades/ technology departments on campus, examples of hands-on learning activities and a workshop with Larissa Hoffman, VP of Edge Factor, who will provide an overview of their updated online platform and how Edge Factor can promote STEM careers to students.
Game Design Program at Cambrian College: Educators explored Game Design at Cambrian College with Professor, Program Director, and CBC Radio Tech Talk Host Aaron Langille. Participants got a glimpse of designing and developing commercial-quality game applications for a broad range of industries such as entertainment, health, education, construction, marketing, and mining.
Science North: Participants completed several activities including: SHSM workshops, turtle crossing Demo, Planetarium show and a bit coding workshop.
Connections Between Land and Art: Jessica Somers, an Indigenous Artist, guided participants through a land-based teaching about the Birch Tree and medicines. Participants were also guided through a painting workshop as they learned about the power of the spirit bear.
Outdoor learning at St. David School: Participants learned on the land as they were guided through an outdoor professional development session. Educators spent the day learning outside, connecting with nature, and exploring the various benefits that land based teaching can offer.
STEM Activities with Logics Academy: Educators had the opportunity to learn about robotics and Dash and how to integrate it into their classrooms!
Skills Ontario- Walking Robots Challenge: Katie Cameron, program facilitator for Skills Ontario introduced teachers to Skills Ontario and their variety of programs and services. In addition, teachers learned about the Junk Drawer Races competition. This program promotes sustainability of re-using common items found at home or in a classroom.
Let’s Talk Science : Teachers heard valuable information from Lindsay Shaw. Lindsay is the Program Development Manager for the Professional Learning team at Let’s Talk Science. In her role, she manages the development of the Learning Pathways program. She introduced teachers to Live STEM broadcasts, learning pathways and live events.
STEM Storytime: Primary teachers met Ryan Kahue. Ryan is a Program Support Coordinator for the Youth and Volunteer Experience team at Let’s Talk Science. His program of focus is STEM Storytime. STEM Storytime is a weekly series offered on Tuesdays at 1pm! Each week a Let’s Talk Science Outreach student along with Ryan will read a storybook followed by a hands-on activity.
STEM Club: Junior teachers met Nick Butt. Nick Butt is an Outreach Coordinator with Let’s Talk Science. He is manager, developer, and host of STEM Club. Each week, Let’s Talk Science, features a different hands-on activity using minimal, easy-to-find materials. Students will also have the chance to learn from and ask questions to inspire STEM role models.
We would like to thank all partners who helped create hands-on sessions and provided our educational staff with learning opportunities that can be recreated in our classrooms!
At Sudbury Catholic Schools, we are called to strengthen our faith-based, inclusive, and equitable community. In preparation for Treaties Recognition Week – an annual commemoration which will be honoured on November 6-12th, 2022, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board community is participating in learning opportunities that teach and uphold the importance of treaty rights and relationships to both indigenous and non indigenous communities.
What is Treaties Recognition Week?
In 2016, Ontario passed legislation declaring the first week of November as Treaties Recognition Week. This annual event honours the importance of treaties and helps students and residents of Ontario learn more about treaty rights and relationships.
We look forward to honouring Treaties Recognition Week at Sudbury Catholic Schools every year, and 2022 is no exception. In Ontario, treaties are as much a part of today as when they were first created. They are living documents and legally binding agreements that set out the rights, responsibilities and relationships of First Nations and the federal and provincial governments. Furthermore, we also acknowledge that Indigenous Nations had Treaty Agreements with one another before Europeans arrived, and that treaty-making itself, precedes North American settlement.
Whether Indigenous or not, treaties matter to everyone in Canada; we are all Treaty People. They represent a mutual commitment to building a prosperous future for everybody and Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities are responsible for knowing and upholding Treaty obligations. In between the personal activities being planned by our schools, we’re pleased to share that Sudbury Catholic’s Indigenous Education team has curated resources and materials to help students, staff, and community members commemorate this important week. A summary of these resources is provided below.
It is our pleasure to share that the Robinson Huron Waasiidamaagewin is offering virtual presentations during Treaty Week. Their website contains event agendas that identify the variety of virtual presentations that will be offered throughout each day. To access these resources, visit the Robinson Huron Waawiindamaagewin Treaty Week resource page.
In addition to online presentations, Sudbury Catholic Schools have been provided with a wide range of video resources suitable for different grade levels to provide students with an opportunity to hear from Indigenous Elders or knowledge keepers. In these activities, students will learn about treaties and their importance in an age-appropriate way that’s flexible for teachers’ lesson planning. This opportunity allows Indigenous speakers to share their knowledge about the importance of treaties, treaty relationships and rights in Ontario.
The Government of Ontario has also supplied a number of teaching resources that can expand upon this topic. This includes a Treaties in Ontario infographic (PDF), which shows the number of treaties in Ontario, the regions they cover and the populations within treaty areas.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is proud to announce the appointment of Will St. Amant as Chair and Sage Thorne as Vice Chair of the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) for the 2022-2023 school year. They were appointed to their positions during the first PIC meeting of the year, held on October 27, 2022.
Will St. Amant has two children who attend St. John School in Grade 3 and Grade 6 and a stepdaughter who attends St. Charles Chelmsford in Grade 3. In addition to his placement on PIC, he is also the Vice Chair of the School Council at St. John and is eager to learn more about the system. He looks forward to working alongside the Board to advocate for students.
“I am excited to increase my knowledge of the Board alongside the other members of the Parent Involvement Committee and help provide further support to students who need it most. Together, we will continue to advocate for students and families across the system,” he said.
Sage Thorne is a costume designer and is guardian to her nephew who attends St. David School. Both Sage and her nephew have enjoyed their time at St. David School; Sage also serves as Co-Chair for School Council. As Vice Chair of PIC, she looks forwarding to helping other parents get involved, and provide more supports for families.
“I am eager to find alternative ways to interact with families throughout the Board. Though PIC, I hope to provide resources and supports that make information more accessible to parents and families,” said Sage.
Chanie Wenjack died at 12 years old while trying to flee the Residential School he attended in Kenora, Ontario on October 22, 1966. He was trying to make it more than 600kms home.
On Tuesday, October 18th, 2022 the St. Benedict Bears participated in the Walk For Wenjack as part of their commitment as a Legacy School with the Downie Wenjack Fund. St. Benedict CSS became a Legacy School is 2021. The school’s inaugural Walk For Wenjack was blessed having Chanie Wenjack’s niece and DWF Board Member Harriet Visitor join last year.
The St. Benedict Walk includes signage that teaches the Students about the history of Residential Schools, about Chanie Wenjack’s story and shares about the Spanish Residential School where many First Nation People of the area attended, only about an hour drive west from the City of Greater Sudbury. The signage ends with a Challenge to #Do Something to take Reconcili-Action and to remind every Student that they are valued, are important and have a voice.
This year’s walk in 2022 was given a challenge to complete 600 kms, (1 Km per Student), that would have brought Chanie home. With two classes that had been studying the Secret Path, (the story that describes what happened to Chanie), St. Benedict completed their challenge on October 27th, 56 years to the day Chanie was laid to rest. The Secret Path music is also played during the walk, adding to the experience of telling Chanie’s story. Using clothing buttons, a count was kept of every kilometer placed into a jar.
Many Staff and Students assisted to make the event a success including Mr. Sipos and his class who assisted in the Fry Bread and Bologna fundraiser for the DWF. The Diversity Club assisted with giving out cedar tea, strawberry and offering smudge. Ms. Mardero’s class also created an Every Child Matters woven fence art piece.
Adding to the Reconcili-Actions, on September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or Orange Shirt Day, Mr. Labrosse’s St. Benedict Senior Boys Football team was playing a game and assisted in supporting with wearing orange arm bands and by displaying a large Every Child Matters banner behind their bench. Invited to toss the coin at the game that day, was Residential School Survivor Bernard Petahtegoose’s son Barry Petahtegoose. Barry and his Sons are avid football fans like their Dad/Grandpa Bernard (who attended the Spanish Residential School and passed away in 2020). You could feel the respect and energy of the day, the referees also supported wearing an orange band.
Also, on September 30th, classes of Ms. Briscoe and Ms. Mardero’s had opportunity to attend the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre. A thought-provoking play and artistic film, “Truth. Resiliency. Hope.” featuring Indigenous storytelling, music and dance was presented. The event was put on by the Indigenous Community Collective with many community partners. Many Students wore their Orange Shirts in support of learning the Truths that happened here in Canada about Residential Schools and those who attended and were left thinking about what the next era of Canada could look like if we keep doing the work, leaving a message of hope, if we do the work together.
Many thanks to all the Helpers, both Staff and Students alike that have been helping with these events, to make them happen, to prepare and support the Students in your classrooms before and after, for wearing Orange, for participating in the fundraiser, for offering to help. St. Benedict has truly shown their respect to the Survivors and to those who never made it home from those institutions. #EveryChildMatters #WalkForWenjack #reconciliACTION #LegacySchools #DoSomething
Starting Nov. 1st, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be looking for submissions for our annual Christmas card artwork contest.
Year after year, we have the pleasure of seeing the creativity and imagination of our students flourish through this annual tradition and we are excited to see what beautiful artwork 2022 will bring forward.
Submissions will be accepted until November 18, 2022 at 4:30 p.m.
