Students at St. David Catholic Elementary School celebrated Family LIteracy Day on January 27 with visits from many different special guests. Local celebrities and community partners joined the different classes and read together to celebrate the joy of reading. Some of the guests included Tony Ryma from CTV News, Constables Grant Dokis and Ryan MacKay, three Sudbury Wolves players, as well as board staff including Joan Yawney the Religious Education, Family Life and Faith Formation Consultant and Maurizio Visentin, Guidance Program Leader at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. The students also enjoyed visits from their own family members and different staff family relatives. The St. David’s community was thrilled with their special guests and look forward to future visits!
St. David Catholic Elementary School Students Creating Cultural Crafts
Students in the Native Studies class as St. David Catholic Elementary School have been working very hard the last few days creating sage pouches with their teacher Mrs. Hardwick. The children worked meticulously as they knew the importance of what they were making. Annie Wemigwans, a grade 5 student explained why it was important to have this sage pouch. “The sage pouch is to remind you of everything you learned during your life and when you die and go to the spirit world it is a reminder of everything you learned when you were on earth” said Annie. Mrs. Hardwick also said that these pouches, or shkimod, were very important because when you smudge with sage, it is cleansing and this cleansing then allows you to have positive thoughts.
Sudbury Regional Police Supports St. David's
The Greater Sudbury Police Services Admin. Chief, Deputy Chief and Inspectors went to St. David’s recently to spread the gift of the Love of Reading with the students and staff of St. David Catholic Elementary School. Each school day for one week, a member of the Greater Sudbury Police Services senior team took time out in the classrooms and read Christmas tales of peace, joy an giving. Students were inspired and enthused after the police services visits and were looking forward to sharing a good book with their mentors in the new year!
A Sharing of Culture and Support for St. Joseph and St. David
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.
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.
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St. David Catholic School Takes Home the Gold in the SCC Basketball Tournament
St. David Catholic School Wins Schoolyard Makeover Contest
St. David Catholic School is the winner of this year’s annual ‘Ugliest Schoolyard Contest’. The innovative contest reinforces and supports local efforts to provide shade for children in school yards through planting trees and shrubs, thereby reducing the strength of the sun’s rays.
As part of the winning package for the Ugliest Schoolyard, St. David will receive trees and shrubs, courtesy of Canadian Tire, Saturn of Sudbury will provide a reading corner containing large trees, sod and benches with Hollandia Landscaping and INCO donating top soil for the project. ALLMAC Tree Service will plant the trees, sod and shrubbery with the help of the students, staff and parents at St. David Catholic School.
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’.