We are very pleased to present the Director of Education’s Annual Report for the 2021-2022 school year.
We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.
Students from St Benedict Computer Science class and the SHSM Business students attended a fieldtrip to Hatch Engineering accompanied by our teachers Maurizio Depoli and Giuseppe Politi.
Our students had the opportunity to tour the new Hatch facility on Regent St to spark their interest in the many future careers that exist at Hatch and other engineering fields. The engineers at Hatch facilitated sessions for the students to introduce them to the world of electrical and mechanical engineering, while feeding them a delicious lunch too!
“The building was designed by their own architects; this is very cool thinking the employees got to create their own workspace.” – Anthony Gutscher
The students were also shown how machinery and engineering are used in mining. The presentation gave the students a glimpse of how technology is used in the workplace and how new technology is being developed to create a safer environment for all workers.
“This visit to Hatch showed me the ins and outs of engineering and I was inspired by this field of work.”– Katelyn Colasimone
Mr. Depoli along with our students will partner with Hatch to start our First Robotics Canada program. This exciting new venture will be great learning opportunity for our Bears!
Katie Martel, a St Benedict Alumnus, organized the day for our students to learn about how science can work in so many different ways!
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
Check out the poster for more details!
During the week of October 11-14, 2022, Sudbury Catholic Secondary students participated in the Trades & Tech events presented by Skills Ontario. The Trades & Tech Truck is a mobile unit equipped with 10 different activities and simulators, allowing youth to explore skilled trades and technologies in an engaging and hands-on experience.
Sudbury Catholic Schools continues to provide innovative experiential learning experiences throughout the year. Experiential learning encourages students of all ages to participate in activities to develop transferable skills and help prepare them for the future. Partnering with Skills Ontario allows the Board to bring unique opportunities such as the Trades & Tech Truck directly to students and schools.
“The Trades & Tech Truck provides students with a safe and hands-on experience. The truck is equipped with a welder simulator, heavy equipment simulator, painting simulator, electrical trainer, and several other interactive stations. Through this experience, we can help properly demonstrate the skilled trades and technologies, along with the message that they are viable, first choice career options,” said Hayley Mackay, Trades & Tech Truck Driver with Skills Ontario.
“I think these skills are important to know not only for academic purposes, but also in our day-to-day lives. Participating in Skills Ontario events is beneficial to show students what career options are out there, as well provide life skills that will be used outside of school,” said Finlee, Grade 10 student at Marymount Academy.
“The experience was very cool and realistic. It’s awesome to learn about the various career options and have an opportunity to try them out first- hand. I feel like I learned a lot at the Trades & Tech Truck,” said Santino, Grade 10 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.
Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to introduce students to Storwell, in support of their Foster Children Bursary Program.
Storewell offers an annual bursary of $2,000 in support of foster children to help them attend post-secondary schools and to offer a hand up as they make their way forward in life.
For details about the program and to complete an application, please visit the StorWell Bursary Application Webpage.
*Please Note: Applications for the 2021 program year are due on or before December 31, 2021.
Poster download
Skills Ontario and Edge Factor initiated 17 challenges for students in Ontario to explore the skilled trades and technology through a series of contests on Twitter. The challenges began in March 2020 and wrapped up in January 2021. Sudbury Catholic students, Kindergarten to Grade 12, eagerly participated throughout the series with incredible results. Overall, the Board is proud to have five students place provincially:
• Sofia Brine, Grade 1 student at St. John Catholic Elementary School, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Wacky Hair Challenge.
• Maili Jutila and Lylah Jebreen, Grade 7 students at Marymount Academy, placed first in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Construction Sector- Iron Worker- Tallest Marshmallow Towers.
• Milena Raso, Grade 12 student at Marymount Academy, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Service Sector’s Paper Dress 1920’s Style challenge.
• Owen Carpenter, Grade 6 student at St. Francis School, placed third in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge – Build a Fort.
• Brady Howard, Grade 12 student at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School, placed first in the #SkillsAtHome Challenge: Cake Decorating.
“It is with great pride that the Board congratulates our five provincially recognized winners who participated in the Skills Ontario Challenges that took place between March 2020 and this January,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education. “Their innovation and creativity is inspiring! We thank our dedicated educators as well as our families for guiding and continually supporting opportunities to challenge and engage our students .”
“The efforts and accomplishments made by our participating students are a testament to the enthusiasm and collaboration that our staff and students display year-round,” said Superintendent of School Effectiveness, Peter Prochilo. “Skills Ontario has been a great partner in supporting the exploration of the trades pathways and it is these opportunities that broaden horizons for our youth.”
Once again, a Sudbury Catholic Student places first in a Skills Ontario Challenge. Challenge #17 required students to bake and a decorate a cake. Participants were challenged to follow a decoration theme and use any materials they would like to present and decorate their cake.
Grade 12, St. Benedict, Specialist High Skills Major student & Sneaker Head Brady, created the Jordan 1 “UNC” that combined his passion for food & his business B-Hyped Kicks & Clothing!
“Not only is Brady a skilled player on the basketball court, he is just as talented in the kitchen. Way to go Brady!,” said Laura Kuzenko, Principal of St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.
Launched in 1994 by The Learning Partnership, Take Our Kids to Work Day is an experiential learning opportunity for Grade 9 students across Canada offering them the chance to see the world of work firsthand, explore a variety of careers and sectors, and look at what skills are important to thrive in the world of work. The goal is to ignite students’ curiosity and open the door for them to see what is possible for their future.
On Wednesday, November 4, students, their parents, educators, and schools had access to both pre-recorded and live virtual content to create an exciting learning experience. Over 200 Sudbury Catholic Grade 9 students participated in the event facilitated by consultants Daniel Levecque and Christina Raso.
Dan Levecque led students through the 5 easy steps to “Creating Your Own Personal Brand” followed by Christina Raso teaching the importance of “Managing Your Online Reputation”. Students then listened to a message of hope and resilience hosted by Erin Latimer RBC Olympian. Watch the video at : Your Future Now: Take Our Kids to Work 2020
The day ended with, four live breakout sessions hosted by industry experts in the area of the skilled trades, innovation & entrepreneurship, healthcare and technology & finance.
Throughout June, we challenged our students to complete the Daily Trivia Challenge! There were two different categories: a scavenger hunt themed challenge for Kindergarten to Grade 6 students and a trades trivia challenge for Grade 7 – Grade 12 students. 32 elementary students participated from six different schools and 50 secondary students participated from all of our secondary schools. Our two winners are:
• Addisyn Doherty from Pius XII School
• Esther Oseni-K. from St. Benedict School
The two winners were happy to complete the challenges and eager to get the correct answers for each day.
“The contest was a great opportunity for all students. I am glad to have participated in the contest because I had learned a lot from the experience. I would like to say thank you for organizing such a great trivia challenge contest,” said Esther.
“I really enjoyed completing the scavenger hunt, it was so fun to find the answer to the clue around my house each day!,” said Addisyn.
Thanks to all for participating in this fun and educational challenge!
Three St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School students have received business grants from the Government of Ontario through the program Summer Company. Students were required to submit an application which includes a business plan and cash flow. Once approved, the projects will receive a maximum grant of $3000 to cover start-up costs and complete program requirements. The students will also receive advice and mentorship from local business leaders to help guide them.
The founder of Active Soul, Mackenzie Coggins has followed her passion within the fitness industry, by developing a business that inspires confidence. Active Soul will be launching their first ever comfort fit resistance bands that will intensify workouts for anyone. Mackenzie has taken it upon herself to ensure these resistance bands are made out of eco-friendly cotton as well as a premium non-slip and comfort grip hand woven design. Active Soul bands benefit customers by building stronger, rounder glutes while also developing better posture by using scientifically proven movements. Active Soul bands can be found at: https://active-soull.myshopify.com.
Dante’s Custom Woodworking is a local start-up business that delivers elegant wood products to customers. The owner Dante Strangis has turned his passion for woodworking into something that all people can enjoy. Dante only uses the best materials, taking it upon himself to choose all materials by hand. Dante can also deliver custom wood engraving such as picture frames or plaques. He challenges himself to deliver the highest quality of products to all his customers and strives to meet their needs. You can text him at (705)-698-3864 and check out his website at https://dante2luigi.wixsite.com/mysite.
B-Hyped Kicks & Clothing is run by sneaker head Brady Howard. Inspired by his own passion, Brady wanted to create a business that allows people in North Ontario the opportunity to buy all of their “hyped” items and get them delivered right to their door, without having to worry about additional duty & custom fees. B-Hyped allows you to shop with confidence knowing that everything you buy will be 100% authentic or your money back guarantee. From new, used, and vintage, there is something for everyone! View more at: https://www.instagram.com/bhypedkicksandclothing/.
“As the business teacher, I’m really proud of these three students demonstrating such initiative. The business class at St. Benedict C.S.S has grown over the last few years, now offering students the opportunity to achieve a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) status. Along with the various field trips and co-op opportunities, I’m really excited to see these students demonstrate a youthful entrepreneurial spirit,” states Giuseppe Politi, Business Teacher from St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.
“It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the successful student finalists in the Summer Company program initiated by the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. With this great start along with their tenacity, drive and entrepreneurial spirit, I am certain that we will be hearing more from these three business stars in the years to come,” said Peter Prochilo, Superintendent of School Effectiveness for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
“On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, I would like to congratulate Mackenzie, Dante and Brady for their accomplishments in the Summer Company program,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board. “We are so proud of our students in whatever goals they accomplish but are especially delighted when students are able to follow their passion and showcase what they have learned in their classrooms. We also thank their dedicated educators for their ongoing support for student leadership and entrepreneurship. Once again, congratulations Mackenzie, Dante and Brady, we can’t wait to hear more about your successes and triumphs!”
For more information about the Summer Company program, please go to https://www.ontario.ca/page/start-summer-company-students#section-2.
