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”.
OAPCE Monthly Newsletter
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our Sudbury Catholic parents, the SCDSB would like to provide a link to the latest newsletter from The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE). To read this month’s newsletter, click here: Parent Partner Newsletter – Easter 2015
Elementary Food Drive Wraps Up, Just as the St. Charles College Drive Begins
Students who attend St. Paul, St. John, St. David, St. Raphael, St. Andrew, Pius and St. Bernadette Catholic elementary schools have wrapped up their food drive collection efforts. Now the focus is on the students at St. Charles College.
Students from the seven schools spent last week going door-to-door to collect cans and other non-perishable food items to help the Sudbury Food Bank stock its shelves over the cold winter months.
Now the St. Charles College students begin their drive starting with their kick-off next Monday. Every year the high school teams up with Q92 and KISS 105.3 to Stuff a Bus full of food. The radio stations also broadcast live from the school parking lot during the week. The food is then transported to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.
Student can collect a combination of canned foods and cash. Last year, they surpassed their goal by collecting more than 112 thousand cans.
The food drive began more than 25 years ago and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his former high school.
Totals will be tabulated, with a wrap-up set for October 23rd.
Theyre coming to a door near you!
Students who attend St. Paul, St. John, St. David, St. Raphael, St. Andrew, Pius and St. Bernadette Catholic elementary schools are out in full force this week. Their mission is to collect cans for its food drive in collaboration with St. Charles College.
Students from the seven schools are going door-to-door to collect cans and other non-perishable food items to help the Sudbury Food Bank stock its shelves over the cold winter months.
Every year, the feeder schools team up with St. Charles College, Q92 and KISS 105.3 to Stuff a Bus full of food. The radio stations also broadcast live from the school parking lot during the week. The food is then transported to the Sudbury Food Bank warehouse.
Student can collect a combination of canned foods and cash. Last year, they surpassed their goal by collecting more than 112 thousand cans.
The food drive began more than 25 years ago and its founder, former student Jim Szilva still takes part in the drive with his former high school.
Totals will be tabulated, with a wrap-up set for October 23rd.
St. David Catholic School Gladly Welcomes Full Day Kindergarten
This September, St. David Catholic Elementary School implemented full-day junior and senior kindergarten. It is the fifth and final year of full-day kindergarten in schools across the province. “We are very excited to have the FDK program at St. David. It is a wonderful addition to our school community,” said Jennifer Gran, FDK teacher.
This new kindergarten program employs not only classroom teachers, but also early childhood educators. The teachers and the ECE’s work as a teaching team to support child development, behaviour and improved academic achievement. “Our goal is to give each child the best start possible in school. We work together with the community to build our student’s confidence and provide a solid foundation for their learning.” states Angela Ross, St. David School ECE.
The FDK program encourages children to learn through play and small group instruction. Learning through play and in small groups assists children in developing positive self regulation skills, age appropriate problem solving strategies and a general love of learning.
St. David Catholic School invites all FDK students and their families to meet their new teachers and early childhood educators at the school’s open house on September 30 at 4 pm.
St. David Celebrates Their Hubby Award with a Video
St. David School is the proud recipient of the 2014 Edgar Burton Youth “Hubby” Award in
Education. This award is awarded to deserving individuals or organizations as a public
acknowledgment of their compassion, dedication, integrity and hard work for the people of
Greater Sudbury. The “Hubby” is a uniquely Sudbury Award. Award receivers are decided on criteria’s of giving, commitment, and belief in the people and City of Greater Sudbury.
The award is in memory of Hub Bray who was 60 when he died of cancer, leaving behind family and a city to mourn him. Hub Bray was a popular community leader and local lawyer who tended to avoid the limelight, but worked hard behind the scenes to improve
life in the city. He was president of the Sudbury Food Bank, which has organized the Annual Hubby Awards in his memory. The school created this video to celebrate their award and each other! Enjoy!
Smudging Ceremony For New School Site
On Tuesday, June 10, the entire St. David Catholic Elementary School joined their community partners at the location for the new school’s site. Just off of Frood Road, between the Spectrum and CTV buildings, approximately 250 students and staff joined Sudbury Catholic board staff as well as other community organizations to smudge the new site with elder Vince Pawis. Dawn Wemigwans, principal of the school welcomed all the students, staff and guests, and after a prayer by student Czesh Malik, the group listened to student singers/drummers while Pawis smudged the site to bring good feelings to the space. Wemigwans explained to the group that, “today we are smudging the space for our new school. We are doing this to clear any negative energy and bring only good thoughts and prayers into the building of our new school.”
Michael Bellmore, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees also addressed the crowd during the ceremony. “It is very exciting for us to be part of such a unique building opportunity that embraces the natural space around it, and incorporates nature as a focus in its design,” Bellmore stated. “We are so pleased that the architects’ design for the school is so forward thinking – having both nature and culture taking centre stage, and allowing for a distinct and remarkable space for our students.”
The new school is scheduled to be open in September, 2015, and will be a Full Day Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school.
Art Club Blossoming at St. David School
The teachers and staff at St. David Catholic Elementary School appreciate that good education is based in holistic instruction. Art develops the whole brain. Art strengthens focus and increases attention, develops hand – eye co-ordination, requires practice and strategic thinking and involves interacting with the material world through different tools and mediums. Art builds self esteem, increases motivation and can strengthen our relationship with the environment.
Mrs. Elissa Zuliani, the school’s primary prep teacher offers her time each week after school for those students interested in expanding their knowledge of visual arts. The St. David School Art Club is offered every Wednesday from 3 – 4 pm. Participating students work with various mediums (paint, oil pastels, marker, etc.) and learn about famous artists and their styles. All students bring their artwork home at the end of the program in a portfolio after it is showcased in the school. Healthy after school snacks and drinks are provided to all student participants each week. To date, the students have learned about Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinski, and various Inuit artists.
According to Mrs. Zuliani, “Art is good for the soul and anyone can paint. This is our motto. We welcome all grade 2 and 3 students at all levels of ability and celebrate each other’s talents”.
Spring Chicks are Back at St. David School
The St. David Catholic Elementary School junior kindergarten classroom has been filled with anticipation and excitement over the last couple of weeks. Lindsay Michel, the school’s junior kindergarten teacher organized the hatching of chickens in her classroom.
Mrs. Michel’s aim was to provide a thrilling educational experience for her young inner city students. St. David School is located in the Donovan area of the city. Mrs. Michel wanted her students to experience the joy of life while learning to build empathy for other forms of life. The students watched patiently as their eggs hatched and new born chicks emerged from their shells.
The St. David junior kindergarten program meets the needs of young inquisitive learners by providing them with the opportunity to participate in hands on, child centred, inquiry based learning. It is through a relationship building focus that the school creates an environment that supports student engagement and real world learning experiences.