On November 18th, St. David Catholic Elementary School welcomed parents and family members into the school community to enjoy a morning of math games with their children. All family members started their sessions off with a coffee and a warm welcome from the school principal and vice principal, who explained the school’s math improvement goal and how each family could support their children at home become successful, confident students of mathematics. All family participants received a “math gift bag” to encourage the continuation of math games at home. Each bag not only included some basic math tools and activities, but also included the Ministry of Education parent handbook entitled, “Doing Mathematics with Your Child – a Parent Guide”.
Families enjoyed a variety of simple math games with their children as well as used the time in the school to help build community and model what a trusting school / home relationship looks like. Laughter could be heard throughout the building as well as student and parents’ growing confidence in mathematics. “It is important for our families to understand the math curriculum and the simple ways that they can support their child’s success at school. Our students set goals for themselves in literacy and mathematics and when we all work together to provide safe and accepting learning environments their goals are reachable. It is vital that all students see themselves as successful math learners and that families and school staff work as a team to support student confidence building and academic success” stated Megan Murphy, St. David Catholic School Vice Principal.
St. David Catholic School; Lest We Forget
St. David Catholic Elementary School staff and students remembered the brave men and women who have given their lives for freedom around the world. Deacon Roland Muzzatti led the school in a prayer service celebrating the precious gift of peace. Deacon Muzzatti spoke about everyone’s responsibility for ensuring peace exists in our everyday lives. He engaged in a school wide conversation about peace and real world, kid friendly ways students can promote peace in their everyday lives. The school prayed for those families personally affected by war and those who have family members currently serving in the military. The students learned that they all have the power to be peacemakers in their lives and that they can be role models and leaders in their community.
Louis Mailloux, St. David School Core French teacher stated that, “Today’s celebration was a powerful remembrance of how important it is for people to be reflective and take time to honour those who have died for our freedom. Students need direct instruction on our history as nation and the sacrifices that have been made by previous generations. Deacon Muzzatti spoke eloquently about the importance of peace in our world and the importance of prayer to our community”.
Cards Do It – Largest Single Donation to the Sudbury Food Bank for a Five Day Drive
The goal was to raise 60 thousand cans in five days. The result was astounding. Students and staff, along with the support of its feeder schools and the community raised 125, 452 cans to line the shelves of the food bank heading into the holiday season.
The breakdown is twenty thousand dollars in cash collected and 25, 000 cans. Students will spend the day assisting with the transport of the food to the food bank warehouse.
The St. Charles College food drive started thirty years ago and has been a yearly tradition with its feeder schools – St. David’s, Holy Trinity, Pius XII, St. John and St. Paul schools.
Principal Patty Mardero says “in thirty years this is the largest donation to date. The students really upped the ante for next year.”
Cards ‘can’ do it!
Members of the St. Charles College Student Council are selling tees in the main foyer of the school this week to support the Sudbury Food Bank. The t-shirts which are retailing for twenty dollars go to supporting the school’s annual food drive. That means the sale of one shirt equates to 100 cans to line the shelves at the food bank.
The blue shirts were designed by students in teacher Beverly Belanger’s leadership class. Student Jordan Sutton designed the image on the front of the shirt while Tyler Michaud came up with this year’s slogan: “Cards ‘can’ do it! 60, 000.”
The goal for this year’s food drive is to collect sixty thousand cans and they are doing it with the support of feeder schools – St. David’s, Holy Trinity, Pius XII, St. John and St. Paul schools.
The food drive is an annual tradition dating back to almost thirty years ago.
Celebrating and Giving Thanks at St. David
During the month of October, English Catholic schools in Sudbury celebrate the value of Faith. St. David Catholic Elementary School teaches that faith is an attitude that encourages people to involve and develop a relationship with God. The school staff and students marked this Thanksgiving season by gathering as a community and celebrating the Liturgy of the Word. Deacon Roland Muzzatti, from Christ the King Parish officiated the school wide service. Deacon Muzzatti stressed to the students the importance of giving thanks not only for our material possessions, but also for our freedoms, special gifts, talents and families.
Mrs. Melody Henry, a school volunteer and choir director lead the school in song during the service. “It was a beautiful celebration of our Faith. The students were extremely attentive and engaged in the conversation with Deacon Roland. It was especially meaningful when the students proudly shared what they were thankful for this Thanksgiving.” Teachers, Nancy Costanzi and Natasha Folino, with the help of student volunteers, organized the celebration with the intention of deeply discussing our gratitude for all good things in life and sharing the notion that hard things can happen, but through our resilience and belief in God we can overcome these obstacles with dignity and perseverance.
Harvesting Sweetgrass at St. David School
This fall, St. David Catholic Elementary School resumed it’s 2015 “Project Impact” community initiative entitled, “The Regreening of St. David School Yard with Sweetgrass”. As part of the project, funded through the Coalition for a Livable Sudbury, Local First Nation artist and parent of a student of the Donovan area school, Will Morin, continued his work with the students and staff. Mr. Morin supported the school in planting sweetgrass seeds in the spring of 2015 and is now teaching the schoolbody about harvesting sweetgrass. According to Mr. Morin, “This autumn harvest season rekindles the project’s plan of regreening the new school site for St. David School with native plants specifically sweetgrass, a traditional Anishnabe medicine. The growing of sweetgrass is an ongoing set a teachable moment from planting to harvesting”.
During the presentation, two young female students were asked to water the plants before the sweetgrass was cut. It was explained that water is the first medicine and vital for survival of all life.
Two young boys then gave offerings of tobacco in order to give back before the students take from nature. “We have to give back to the earth. This is done to maintain balance” stated grade 4/5 student Ethan Thompson.
According to kindergarten student, Kadence Legarde, “My Papa grows sweetgrass so I can have sweet dreams.” Mr. Morin’s message reached all students and staff regardless of age. Prior to braiding the sweetgrass Mr. Morin demonstrated the strength of many compared to the strength of one – which echoes the value of inclusion and the importance of coming together as a community to be our strongest selves.
St. Charles Cards on Annual Mission to Fill Sudbury Food Bank Shelves
This week, students at St. Charles began visits to feeder schools to get students amped up and motivated about this year’s food drive.
The goal is to raise 60, 000 cans for the Sudbury Food Bank, along with support from its feeder schools – St. David’s, Holy Trinity, Pius XII, St. John and St. Paul schools.
The food drive began almost thirty years ago with the student council at the time initiating the drive. Founder, Jim Szilva continues to help the school each year with the annual mission. The school is also supported by Kiss 105.3 and Q host Melanie Dahl on the airways.
In the past, donations from St.Charles College each fall have made for the largest single donation in Sudbury Food Bank history.
The drive wraps up on October 27th when final results will be tabulated and unveiled at the assembly.
Seven Year Partnership Continues in their Support of the Community
St. David Catholic School welcomed community partners into their school to support the planning of a local conference on Cultural Safety and how First Nation culture is shared and promoted. The Best Start Aboriginal Hub’s Agency Advisory Committee, which includes the Child and Family Centre, the Metis Nation of Ontario, Aboriginal People’s Alliance of Northern Ontario, N’Swakamok Native Friendship Centre and the Jubilee Aboriginal Daycare were all at the table to plan the November 20th interagency conference on Cultural Standards in Our Community. According to Jim Eshkawkogan, program manager, “We all have a responsibility to share the culture in the inclusive way it was intended.”
St. David Catholic School and the Aboriginal Best Start Hub have had a 7 year partnership supporting the needs of the community. It is through positive partnerships, with an emphasis on relationship building, that continues to be the foundation of student success and well-being both within the school and the community.
"Why Yes, it's HAT DAY at St. David School!"
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. This is a great time for schools and families to create awareness about pediatric cancers.
St. David Catholic Elementary School started its year off right with a fun-filled HAT DAY at the end of the first week of school. The students and staff wore crazy hats and ball caps during the school day to emotionally and financially support a former student battling synovial sarcoma cancer. Students donated funds for the privilege of wearing their hats during the school day. The school raised almost $400.00 to help provide support for the family. The school would like to publicly thank everyone who participated in this event!
Dylan Fay, a former St. David student, now a St. Charles College grade 8 student, was diagnosed this summer with synovial sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. His family spent most of the summer at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto. This fall, Dylan will be going back and forth from Sick Kids to the Sudbury Cancer Center for treatment. During the month of September, St. David School will continue to support the Fay family through pray and fundraising efforts. “It is important that we support our school families in every way possible. We are asking for donations to support Dylan’s family during this time, but more importantly we are praying for his full recovery. We know every little bit counts and want to provide as much support as possible — in any form they need.” stated Lindsay Michel, kindergarten teacher at St. David School.
St. David School Parents "Show Off" their "Love of Reading"
Parents and Grandparents flooded the hallways of St. David Catholic School to share their love of reading with the students in the school. Family members were welcomed into St. David School for breakfast and to read a book with their children. Parents and grandparents learned about the developmental reading assessment program (DRA) the school uses to assess student reading levels and skills they can use at home to support their children improve in reading.
As a parent, reading to your child is one of the most important things you can do to ensure school success. Even after children learn to read by themselves, it’s important for families to read aloud together. By reading stories that are interesting, but alittle beyond a child’s reading level, parents can motivate their children to improve their skills.
“One of our school improvement goals is to motivate our students to read so they will practice reading and become fluent readers. This happens when they enjoy reading and continue to read for pleasure” states St. David Learning Strategies Teacher, Cathy Dore.