The staff and students of St. David Catholic School would like to publicly acknowledge Mr. Louis Belanger and the staff from Yallowega Belanger Salach Architecture for the donation of 50 evergreen trees for the new school site.
The staff at Yallowega Belanger Salach Architecture spent a morning preparing the soil for new trees and assisting the students in re-greening the new St. David School surroundings. The school would also like to thank school board trustees, Ray Desjardins and Nancy Deni for assisting the students in the tree planting activity.
Planting day started with heavy clouds and light rain. Once all trees were planted, a huge rainstorm ensued. The trees were naturally watered, the students, staff and community members were still dry and everyone felt wonderful about their contribution to the new school environment! The school’s next environmental project will be the creation of “Woodworking Club”, who will be building raised garden beds for the upcoming spring’s planting season — thank you Mr. Mailloux!
The sky is the limit for canned food collecting at St. Charles College
Since the mid eighties, St. Charles College student council has been organizing a fall food drive in support of the Sudbury Food Bank. Every year it just gets better and better.
The students were given the task of collecting sixty thousand cans this year. Teacher leaders Paola Gutscher and Bev Belanger were happy to report that the students smashed their goal with raising more than 126 thousand cans. Year after year, it has become the largest single donation to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.
The leadership students cannot do this alone. It is supported by all the 7-12 students at St. Charles College along with feeder schools — Holy Trinity, St. Paul, St. John, St. David and Pius.
The wrap-up event today highlighted the accomplishments of the students but also the staff had to hold up its end of the bargain complete with staff pie in the face showdowns, shaved heads, dyed heads and waxed legs.
Principal Patty Mardero says it is also important to recognize the citizens of Sudbury who graciously donated to the drive when the students knocked upon their doors. The food collected over the course of the last week was delivered to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse today. Mardero says “This visit to the warehouse to unload is critical in helping students see the fruits of their labour as they lift each box of canned food and fill the shelves of the warehouse”.
St. David School celebrates the accomplishments of Terry Fox and raises money for cancer research
St. David Catholic School would like to thank all family members, staff members and community partners who supported St. David students in collecting funds to support the annual Terry Fox Walk at St. David School. Over the past 10 years St. David School students have raised over $5000.00 for cancer research.
The Terry Fox Walk is an annual school event where students raise money for cancer research in Terry Fox’s name. It is a day of celebrating Terry’s legacy, learning about the importance of helping to find a cure for cancer and working together as a community to support those in need.
St. David students learn about the gifts of indigenous plants
Local artist and educator, Will Morin and parent of St. David School grade 1 student, M’Komii-Nodin Morin, facilitated the transplanting of traditional First Nation medicines, sweetgrass and sage, at the new St. David School in the Donovan.
Mrs. Cimino’s grade 1 students received traditional teachings on the importance of water and our relationship with the plant world. These same students one year ago, participated in traditional teachings by Morin where they planted sweetgrass seeds and nurtured the seedlings while waiting for the new school to be built. These traditional plants, sweetgrass and sage, are sacred medicines to the Anishinabek, Ojibwe people.
“Planting the seeds of inclusively in the world of education calls upon educators, parents and community members to literally plant seeds. Schools must work together and invite community into the school to share the their gifts and knowledge”.
“To Indigenous peoples, all plants are medicine, but so is education. With St. David School having such a large Indigenous student population and the school incorporating traditional knowledge throughout the curriculum all students, both Indigenous and non Indigenous, get to learn in an environment that is culturally inclusive and rich for positive learning experiences.” stated Morin.