On April 24, St. David Catholic School hosted a “Wellness Day” focusing on supporting students to lead healthy, well-balanced lives. The morning kicked off with motivational student-created videos, acknowledgement of community partners and introductions to the day’s wellness workshops. The grade 4-8 student participants were divided into groups and attended two out of six sessions of their choosing. All students participants were given the opportunity to choose which sessions they wanted to attend.
The day consisted of various healthy habit-forming activities and coping strategy workshops which included yoga, outdoor education team building, “What’s your Spark”, tae kwon do, dance, and healthy cooking options. The school hosted presenters from a number of community agencies within the city including the Sudbury District Health Unit, Better Beginnings-Better Futures, Killarney Outdoor Education Centre and several wonderful student teachers from Laurentian University.
Katie-Ann McLean, grade 8 student at St. David School, described the day as “an opportunity to learn how to relax your mind, body and spirit” .
St. David Catholic School accessed a community grant from Breakfast Club of Canada to host this special day. “For over twenty years, Breakfast Club of Canada has been nourishing children’s potential by making sure as many of them as possible have access to a healthy morning meal before school, in an environment that allows their self esteem to grow and flourish”. Thank you Breakfast Club of Canada, and Better Beginnings-Better Futures for all that you do for St. David Catholic Elementary School, and so many other schools.
St. David Catholic School and the Grade 12 Marymount Leadership Class Encourages The Love of Reading in Kindergarten Students
The Full Day Kindergarten class at St. David Catholic Elementary School recently partnered with the grade 12 Leadership Class at Marymount Academy to begin a new reading initiative to support reading achievement for FDK students. The classes first met at the local MacKenzie Street library and now visit each others classrooms twice a month to read together. “I super duper love to read with my buddy, its fun and we get to have name tags that are the same” said Lexus Dumas, FDK student. The initiative will continue until June when the classes will get together for a reading party to celebrate their partnership and reading success.
St. David School Partners with Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services to Better Support Student Achievement
In order to better support student success academically as well as support families to access services available in the community, St. David Catholic Elementary School and the Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services Department partnered to provide all students with a free vision screening at school. Students at St. David Catholic School had their vision screened by a Registered Optician and support staff from the Real Canadian Superstore Optical Services Department. After the screening, all students were provided with a healthy snack compliments of the Superstore.
Amber Fournier, Superstore Optician, and her team, screened for things such as colour blindness, depth perception, visual acuity and strabismus (eye turning in/out). This screening did not replace a complete eye examination from a Doctor of Optometry. But, was the first step to support students experiencing any vision issues.
By protecting your children’s eye health and vision, parents are enabling them to play, learn, socialize and fully experience everything that life has to offer. Eye problems can even lead to developmental difficulties at school. In fact, one in five children has a vision disorder. Not knowing any differently, many of these children accept poor vision and other eye ailments as normal. If a vision problem was detected during the school screening, an Optometrist referral letter was sent home directly to the parent with their child.
In Ontario, it is recommended that children 19 years old and under have their eyes examined. This exam is covered with their health card (OHIP) every year. Eye sight and eye health are critical to a child’s development. According to Elizabeth Trembly, parent from St. David School, “I am glad that the school and the Superstore provided this opportunity for my son. As it turns out, he did require further testing and was experiencing vision difficulties. He is doing well and is enjoying his new glasses”.