The line ‘Teach me goodness’ is an integral part of the St. Charles College motto. This week, the students at the school learned about goodness and shared the fruits of their labour.
The secondary school students, coupled with children in the feeder schools canvassed together for the largest school food drive in the city. The goal was to raise 60 000 cans for the Sudbury Food Bank and the Cardinals surpassed that goal with a new all-time total of 125 080 cans. This is the single biggest contribution in history to the Sudbury Food Bank.
The secondary school has hosted a food drive for twenty-seven years. It is supported by students at St. Bernadette, St. Raphael, Pius XII, St. Andrew, St. David and St Paul and St. John.
St. David Catholic School Celebrates National Tree Day by Visiting Proposed New School Site
September 26, 2012 marks the third National Tree Day in Canada. National Tree Day is a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us – clean air, reducing energy demand, wildlife habitat and connecting with nature. National Tree Day is the celebration of trees and forests in all neighbourhoods across Canada. As part of National Tree Day, the grade 3 and 4/5 classes from St. David Catholic School, in the Donovan, took their classrooms outdoors to visit the proposed site of their new school to observe trees in the area. Students were able to identify and describe the various trees that they saw incorporating language and science into their outdoor activities. The outdoor lessons focused on how the natural environment functions and how as human beings we can live in balance with nature as long as we remain committed to responsible behaviours and actions that protect our local ecosystems.
"We Stand Up to Bullying at St. David Catholic School"
September 28 is International STAND UP to Bullying Day. To date more than 3100 schools and workplaces representing more than a million people have taken part in this celebration. St. David Catholic School celebrated STAND UP TO BULLYING day by asking all students and staff to wear pink. School staff reinforced that bullying can be verbal, social, physical or can happen on the internet. Students were reminded that if they witness any bullying in the school yard, it is important that they report it to their teacher or school staff immediately. Teachers reinforced how to protect yourself from being bullied and how to support friends who are victims of bullies. “Wearing pink today represents our school message to all bullies: We are standing up as a community againstt bullying –so we are wearing our pink shirts with pride and confidence recognizing that each of us has the power to make a difference”, stated Mrs. Jennifer Gran, St. David School grade 4/5 teacher.
St. David Catholic School Welcomes the "Outdoor Classroom"
Staff and students at St. David Catholic Elementary School continue to embrace the outdoor classroom concept. Last June, the primary and junior grade teachers and their students planted tomatoes, cucumbers, purple beans, squash, lettuce & nasturtium flowers in large planters around the school yard. During the warm summer months, the Better Beginnings Better Futures summer program took care of the garden boxes by weeding and watering the vegetables. This September, St. David School students were able to harvest tomatoes, cucumbers and nasturtiums from the garden boxes.
“The students were so excited to be able to make and eat a salad that they had grown themselves. The school purchased the lettuce to add to the student’s salad. We were also able to harvest broccoli, carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes from the community garden at Victory Park. We worked in partnership with the community to help plant the Victory Park garden in the Donovan. Our students could not get enough of the vegetables that they had grown themselves. I am very proud of their initiative and their excitement and positive energy was contagious”, stated Terri Lynn Lepage, St. David School grade 3 teacher.
In other exciting ‘green’ news at St. David School, the grade 1 & 3 classes were able to harvest the worm casings from their vermicomposters and will be using that to fertilize the school garden boxes this fall! The school continues to compost as an entire school community including the Best Start Aboriginal HUB and Better Beginnings Better Futures After School Program. The school continues to work in partnership to reduce, reuse and recycle.
St. David Participates in Police Week
Students at St. David Catholic School were very excited to have Constable Lapalme visit the school. The students were welcomed by Constable Lapalme first thing this morning in the school yard, he then assisted with the Breakfast Program and had the opportunity to speak with all students in the classrooms. Ms. Lepage, Gr.2/3 students were very thrilled to sit in the police cruiser, sound the siren and look at the radar and other devices in the vehicle. Police week runs from May 13-19 and is dedicated to increasing community awareness and recognition of policing services and strengthening partnerships between police and the community. ” What a great experience for students to interact with the police in a positive way” says Grade 1/2 teacher, Eleanor Anderson.
St. David Running Club Takes Part in the Sudbury Rocks Walk, Run, Race For Diabetes
As part of their ongoing commitment to fitness, St. David students participated in the 1K Strong Kids Fun Run at the recent Sudbury Rocks Walk, Run, Race For Diabetes. During education week the students collected pledges and raised approximately $100 dollars. The running club has not only been running but have also been reading once a week with community volunteers and reflecting on their running in their running journals as a way to promote literacy and physical fitness.
Sudbury Catholic Students Participate in a Water Walk
On Friday, May 4th, over 50 students from St James, St Benedict Catholic Secondary School, St Charles College and St David in collaboration with Atikameksheng Anishinawbek participated in a Water Walk. According to Anishinaabe traditions women are responsible for the stewardship of water. Anishinaabe Grandmother, Josephine Mandamin reminds us of our responsibility through her actions of walking around the Great Lakes in bringing awareness and protection for the water. Sudbury holds their own Water Walk annually around Lake Ramsey. This Water Walk is to honour the water and to bring awareness to how critical it is to do our part in protecting it. In May we celebrate Mother’s Day and it is the Month of Mary. Anishinaabe people refer to Mother Earth as Shkagamik Kwe and the full moon as Nookomis or Grandmother Moon. The next day Nookomis was reported at her fullest for the 2012 calendar. Julia Pegahmagabow, Atikameksheng Anishinawbek member, started the morning with teaching the group of mostly young women about their role as women and their responsibility to take care of themselves and the water. The group then started the 7km walk to the Traditional Grounds of the Atikameksheng Anishinawbek located on Whitefish Lake. On the shores of the lake we ended our ceremony and celebrated with a traditional feast. Participants left with a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Community Clean Up at St. David Catholic Elementary School
On Friday, May 4, St. David Catholic Elementary students from grades 2-8 participated in the Donovan Elm West Community Clean Up while JK-1 students did their part by cleaning up litter in the school yard. Students did a wonderful job of demonstrating that they really can change the world with their own two hands. This was one of many activities that students participated in as part of the SCDSB Dearness Conservation initiative.
Dog-Bite Prevention at St. David Catholic Elementary School
Sudbury District Kennel Club’s Bite Prevention Program and St. David Catholic School worked in partnership to teach students about fear biting and aggressive biting dogs. The grade 2/3 and 4/5 classes learned how to approach a dog, what to do if they are being chased by a dog, and how to protect themselves if they are ever attacked by a dog. This presentation is highly recommended to all teachers and students.
Celebration of Earth Day at St. David Catholic Elementary School
Jamayla Czaja from the grade 2/3 green team work with community volunteers from the Donovan Elm West Community Action Network to plant seedling for the Victory Park Garden. This is the second year that St. David’s students participate in this program. In celebration of Earth Day, St. David’s will be planting seeds for their school garden that they will share with Better Beginnings Better Futures and Aboriginal Best Start Hub.