The staff and students at St. David Catholic School have been working all year to enhance and support the School Board’s Dearness Conservation Environmental Challenge. The school’s “green” initiatives started as a project led by grade 3/4 teacher Terri Lynn Lepage. Lepage stated that, “I started the school conservation project because I live my life within the principles that we all have a responsibility to care for the earth and care for the next generation who will inherit the earth. Once I started to speak with the students about the importance of conservation and how simple things can make a huge difference, for example turning off the lights at lunch each day, our students, staff and community partners jumped on board and have been doing things differently – to make a difference”.
The school now makes environmental responsibility a part of the daily curriculum. Students have banded together to create a “green team”. The school’s “green team” leads the project. According to grade 1 teacher, Maria Cimino, “students teaching students is an excellent way to foster leadership and responsibility at St. David. Kids listen to their peers. Our students teach their parents and families about conservation and environmental issues – they actually teach us. It is a wonderful paradigm shift to be a part of.”
The student “green team” researches interesting environmental facts and strategies for taking care of the planet and then reads it as part of the school’s daily announcements. They promote litter-less lunches and reward~ students who bring reusable containers with pencils and the opportunity to win water bottles, reusable lunch bags other prizes that are good for the earth.
The junior kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 3/4 classes have started vermi-composting in the classrooms. Vermicomposting, or worm composting, is an excellent way to convert student's biodegradable lunch garbage into nutrient rich fertilizer. Composting with specialty worms known as Red Wigglers is a clean and environmentally friendly way to save tones of waste from going into landfill.
Local counsellor, Evelyn Dutrisac graciously donated 2 outdoor composting bins and kitchen catchers to St. David School so that the entire school community can take turns composting food scraps.
The school turns lights out everyday at lunch time whenever possible and teachers and students use natural light whenever possible. According to Lepage, “conservation can be as simple as, we used reusable cups for the winter carnival instead of paper or styrofoam”. Even the school parent council has taken an active role in this project by hosting a monthly ” community closet”. Parent council chair, Clara O’Campo stated, “we feel great supporting our community by offering people slightly used clothing and household items, and feel even better knowing it helps conserve waste in the world”.
Over the past week the school had been preparing for David Suzuki's virtual birthday party. During the party, students wore green to represent and remind them that everyone shares one planet. Several students submitted questions that David Suzuki answered on line during the virtual birthday party. During the party, some students participated in the video component while others planted marigold seeds that will eventually be planted outside the school – and everyone eat birthday cake!
St. David School future plans include working towards starting a community garden in the school yard this spring and harvesting the crops in the fall with a harvest festival. Lepage ended the birthday party by challenging the students to continue to spread their message in the community. She stated that “David Suzuki received a great birthday gift from St. David School – he would be proud their efforts to create a world that cares about the earth and works to keep it healthy.”

Students from St. David’s Catholic Elementary School joined together on Friday, March 25 to celebrate their community’s cultural diversity by holding their first Italian Day.
To begin the day, students listened to “Canto Degli Italiani” which is the national anthem of Italy. Festivities that followed included mask making, a parade and a tarantella dance competition, in honour of Italy’s annual Carnevale. Students had the opportunity to buy pasta and meatballs prepared by the Caruso Club and staff’s family members (mothers, aunts, grandmothers etc.) also baked homemade Italian cookies for the entire student body. Diana Colilli, professor at Laurentian University and President of the Caruso Club attended the school’s celebration and donated a book she authored entitled “Italian Faces” to the school. School Vice-Principal, Tina Timpano helped coordinate the day’s events and spoke of the importance of embracing the community and its diverse culture. “ At St. David’s we encourage our students to learn about each other’s cultures and family histories,” Timpano said. “Through these types of celebrations, we are encouraging equity and inclusivity in our school and in our community – and we are thankful for community partners like Diana Colilli who help us make our celebrations so special for our students.” Students and staff embraced their Italian theme by dressing in green red and white, painting Italian flags on their cheeks, showing slideshows of Italian images and listening to Italian music. Teacher Maria Cimino also helped in the coordination of the day’s event and was thrilled by the students’ enthusiasm. “At St. David’s we really embrace cultural diversity, and our community partners – like the Caruso Club, have really supported our efforts and for that we are very thankful.” Seeing as the entire school enjoyed the day’s events so immensely, the staff has already begun brainstorming for the next culture day at St. David’s.

N.O.A.H. (New Opportunities and Hope), a committee made up of citizens who reside in the Flour Mill and Donavan areas of the city and the Greater Sudbury Police Service Neighbourhood Policing Unit worked in a pro-active capacity to host a fun filled day on the ice for over 100 pre teens and families. The purpose of the “winter safety” event was to provide an opportunity for youth who are from the Flour Mill and Donovan areas of Greater Sudbury to participate in a planned snowmobile ride and to participate in a variety of winter safety workshops.
Approximately 50 community minded snowmobilers provided area youth the opportunity to go for a snowmobile ride which was coordinated by members of the Greater Sudbury Police Service and S.T.O.P. officers. Following the ride, the snowy and frozen landscape served as a classroom where the youth participated in practical winter safety workshops and activities including first aid, healthy lifestyle choices, pre-trip planning, outdoor survival skills, risk and prevention of frostbite/hypothermia and winter water hazards. Participants will witness a live water ice rescue.
Jennifer Gran, grade 5 teacher at St. David Catholic School, stated that she was “impressed by the volunteerism, high level of community organization, and basic emphasis on fun and laughter throughout the day”. Gran stated.” My students learned valuable lessons in winter safety, were able to see local police as their friends and allies and were able to enjoy the winter weather while laughing and learning all at the same time”.

Outgoing Sudbury Mayor John Rodriguez was honoured by local school community in the Donovan area. Rodriguez visited St. David Catholic School during one of their HOUSE activity days. It was during this school assembly that Rodriguez was presented with a school sweatshirt signed by every child, teacher and staff member in the school to thank him for his many hours of dedication to the community, both as the mayor of the city of Sudbury and as the past vice principal of the school.
Rodriguez addressed the students during the celebration and thanked the community for their support and generosity. Rodriguez told students, “they have a responsibility to care for each other and through the HOUSE program they have the opportunity to learn how to be part of a team. Teamwork and responsibility are important skills that we all need to be successful in our world.” He gratefully accepted the gift of appreciation and was proud that the HOUSE program started by him during his days as vice principal of the school still is alive and well in the school today.
The students continued to cheer and sing even as Rodriguez left the gymnasium. St. David Catholic School community was honoured to have the opportunity to display their spirit and give back to a member of the community that has given of himself for the good of others so many times in the past!