Students from St. Joseph and St. David’s Catholic Elementary Schools joined together for the day at St. David’s schools to build links between the two communities. The students’ teachers, Irene Dembek from St. Joseph and Christina Kilby from St. David’s brought their classes together as part of their multi-school project to build knowledge and understanding of the history and traditions found in Aboriginal culture. It is their hope that their project would begin building supportive relationships for Aboriginal students and illicit parent involvement in order to assist students in their embracing of their cultural background. Will Morin, a local artist and story teller was invited in to the school to share his stories and his expertise in Aboriginal culture with both the Aboriginal students as well as the general student population.
Chapters & Coles and the Greater Sudbury Police Service “ADOPT” St. David Catholic School
Chapters, Coles and the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation along with the Greater Sudbury Police Service launched a two-week fundraising drive in October to help transform the library at St. David Catholic School.
The passionate commitment to learning through the love of reading a St. David Catholic School inspired the team at Chapters to select the local school as the recipient of the first Indigo Love of Reading Adopt-a-School Fundraising Drive in Sudbury. All funds raised at Chapters through in-store donations were directed to St. David Catholic School. The Indigo Love of Reading Foundation was established in 2004 to address Canada’s literacy crisis and help give Canadian Schools in severe need access to new books and education resources. Since its inception, the Foundation has made a total contribution of more than $7.5 million to more than 70 schools nationally.
Chapters and Cole’s staff raised $2,297 by asking the public to donate to the special campaign with the Greater Sudbury Police Services providing an additional $2,000 under the “Youth for Chiefs” program for a grand total of $4,297. “With these funds, we can purchase at least one book for every child at St. David Catholic School,” stated Kim Stephenson, ACEM, Chapters Book Store on the Kingsway. The JK to Grade 8 teachers at St. David Catholic School will visit Chapters Bookstore to purchase books for each of their grades. The books will be catalogued and housed in the St. David Catholic School Library.
St. David School Celebrates Safe Neighbourhoods
Verna Hardwick, Native Language Teacher and her Grade 5 to 8 Native Language students joined local Aboriginal Artist, Will Morin, Ward 5 Councillor, Jocelyne Landry-Altman and local community members for the grand unveiling of a 15-foot sculpture made of recycled playground rockets. The sculpture was entitled “Strong Woman” and is located at the top of the green stairs near Marymount Academy and the downtown area.
The students and their teacher proudly drummed for the celebration singing the song “Strong Woman”, a song that celebrates the beauty and life giving nature of all women. In Aboriginal culture, women are to be honoured and respected for their role in keeping our world healthy and strong. The students of St. David Catholic Elementary School are proud to have been invited to be a part of this celebration for safe neighbourhoods.
Awarding Winning Best Selling Canadian Métis Author David Bouchard to Address Students on the Importance of Reading
On Thursday, November 27, 2008 award winning best-selling Canadian Métis author David Bouchard will be speaking to Sudbury Catholic Schools’ students about the importance of literacy for life long success.
Mr. Bouchard will be at St. Raphael Catholic School and St. Andrew Catholic School for two speaking engagements. David Bouchard’s presentation, entitled “For the Love of Reading” will inspire students, parents, and teachers by addressing real literacy issues in our schools and promoting reading as a tool for success.
In addition, as part of Sudbury Catholic Schools Aboriginal Initiative, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be hosting an inspirational evening for parents, students and community members with David Bouchard at the Community Centre (Reserve Road) Whitefish Lake First Nation starting at 6:00 p.m. David’s message is spelled out in his books, The Gift of Reading and For the Love of Reading. A former teacher and principal of 28 years,
Mr. Bouchard offers parents, teachers and administrators a concrete and realistic plan to promote reading and fight illiteracy.
Minister of Education Visits St. David Catholic School to Announce Increased Support for Aboriginal Students
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to have three Cabinet Ministers in the McGuinty government visit St. David Catholic School on September 9, 2008. Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne along with Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Michael Bryant and Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Rick Bartolucci were in the City of Greater Sudbury to meet the students and teachers at St. David Catholic School and to make a very special funding announcement in support of the Board’s Aboriginal students.
Read more and view pictures…
St. David Catholic School Celebrates Aboriginal Culture and Heritage by Forming a Human Medicine Wheel
Students and teachers at St. David Catholic School in the Flour Mill area, celebrated Earth Day by creating a human Medicine Wheel to recognize the interconnectedness of all life on this planet. Through the teachings of the Medicine Wheel the students learn to walk on the earth in a peaceful and good way, respecting Mother Nature and all the wonderful gifts she offers us.
Sudbury Wolves Visit St. David Catholic School
The grade four class was treated to a visit from Sudbury Wolves players Stevan Manojlovic and Brandon Greenside. The players spoke to the students about the importance of education and setting short-term and long term goals. The students were full of questions and excited to have some of our “local boys” come to St. David.
Mayor John Rodriguez Commissions St. David Catholic School Yard
Students, parents, teachers and staff at St. David Catholic School could hardly contain their excitement as they waited for Mayor John Rodriguez to cut the ribbon that would officially announce the opening of their brand-new play ground and school yard recently. In
June 2006, St. David Catholic School was proclaimed the winner of the ‘Ugliest School Yard Contest’ and over the course of the last 12 months, the students, parents and staff at the school have worked alongside local suppliers and representatives from the Sudbury business community to re-green their playground.
As part of the winning package for the Ugliest Schoolyard, St. David received trees and shrubs, courtesy of Canadian Tire, Saturn of Sudbury provided a reading corner containing large trees, sod and benches with Hollandia Landscaping and CVRD INCO donating top soil for the project. ALLMAC Tree Service helped to plant the trees, sod and shrubbery.
The St. David entry was selected from fifteen schools that participated in the contest with the criteria consisting of submission of letters from the students, photos from staff, and a walkabout of the school by the panel of judges as to why their school should win the /Ugliest Schoolyard Contest./
St. David Catholic School would like to thank the following donor’s who made the re-greening school yard project possible; Saturn Sudbury, Canadian Tire, James St. John Landscape & Design, Freskiw Farms, CVRD INCO, Hollas Produce and Greenhouses, Hollandia Land & Environmental Solutions, Botanix Azilda Greenhouses, Brown’s Concrete, Gisele’s Greenhouses, Sudbury Horticultural Society, White Water Greenhouses & Yard Centre, Sudbury Master Gardeners, Adam & Eve Garden Centre,Ashley Landscape Supplies, WD Tree Removal, Southview Green Houses and Evans Lumber.
St. David Catholic School Takes Home the Gold in the SCC Basketball Tournament
St. David Students Spread Valentine Cheer on 100th Day of School
Grade 1 students at St. David Catholic School will be making 100 Valentines today to be given to the residents at Pioneer Manor. The class project celebrates the 100th day at school and brings some cheer to the residents as they have not been able to have visitors due to the flu outbreak.