We are very pleased to present the Director of Education’s Annual Report for the 2021-2022 school year.
We thank our Board of Trustees, Senior Administration, staff, students, families, volunteers, community partners, and our parishes for their continued support and commitment to Sudbury Catholic. Together we are providing a caring, progressive, high quality Catholic school system that is nurturing our students – mind, body, and spirit.
Staff and students at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board raised $1,923.10 to support the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee. Leaves of Change: Binaakwe Giizis is a fundraiser which took place on October 14, 2022, to promote environmental stewardship.
The goal of the fundraiser is to engage in civic and environmental responsibility by bringing attention to climate change and better understand how we can protect the earth for future generations. Throughout the day and the month of October, students and staff are encouraged to make more sustainable efforts. This includes cleaning green spaces by picking up trash and litter, recycling, using a reusable water bottle and reducing day to day waste, where possible.
In addition, October is known as Binaakwe Giizis – Moon of Falling Leaves. The fundraiser also served as an educational opportunity to understand, acknowledge, and respect Indigenous perspectives on caring for Mother Earth (Shkagamik Kwe).
“As a school board, it is our responsibility to create opportunities that teach the importance of protecting the earth for future generations.Environmental degradation affects the health and well-being of all peoples of North America and the world in many ways. By participating in this fundraiser, and the many planned activities, we help our community engage in volunteerism and create hope through environmental restoration,” said Joanne Bénard, Director of Education for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board.
On Friday, October 14th, 2022, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is inviting students and staff from all sites to increase their civic responsibility by participating in a fall fundraiser that gives back to the local green space!
SCDSB Leaves of Change will recognize climate change during the changing season, as well as provide a teaching opportunity for Indigenous Education and caring for Shkagamik Kwe (mother earth). On this day, students/staff are encouraged to wear fall colours (red, yellow, orange, green, purple, and/or brown) and donate a toonie, where possible, to support the continued efforts of the Junction Creek Stewardship Community in Sudbury. The Junction Creek Stewardship Committee is an integral part of the Greater Sudbury community, working to improve the health of the unique urban waterway that connects us all and to promote the livability and value of our natural environment.
The goal of the fundraiser is to help our community engage in civic and environmental responsibility by bringing attention to climate change and how we can protect the earth for future generations. Throughout the day and the month of October, students and staff are encouraged to make more sustainable efforts. This includes cleaning green spaces by picking up trash and litter, recycling, using a water bottle, etc.
October is also where we honour Binaakwe Giizis – Moon of Falling Leaves. As this event is taking place during Binaakwe Giizis – it also serves as an educational opportunity to understand, acknowledge and respect Indigenous perspectives on caring for Mother Earth (Shkagamik Kwe).
As a school board, it is our responsibility to create opportunities to teach the importance of protecting the earth for future generations. Environmental degradation affects the health and well-being of all peoples of North America and the world in many ways. For instance, industrial contamination and disruption of wildlife habitats combine to reduce the supply and purity of clean drinking water, traditional foods, and medicines. In addition, environmental degradation erodes the quality of life dependent on the purity of the land, water, flora and fauna. Further, this disruption greatly affects Indigenous peoples culture, languages, spiritual health, and well-being along with the life of all living things. By participating in this fundraiser, we help our community engage in volunteerism and create hope through environmental restoration.
St. James students are looking after feathered friends to learn how to care for them! Dedicated Kindergarten teachers go to the school on Saturdays and Sundays to take care of the chicken, duck and quail eggs in the classroom incubators. The students have begun to spend time with the chicks in their classrooms and are excited to interact with them more in coming weeks!
Grade 2 French Immersion students at St. James spent the day learning about nature and how to protect our planet. Earth Day was celebrated in Mrs Bozic’s class and students are spreading the message that we all need to be stewards of the Earth. They made beautiful bookmarks as well.
Miss Cuda (grade 8 teacher) along with the Grade 7 and 8 students as St. James Catholic planted a native species garden at the front of the school. Financial support was received for this action project through the EcoLeague™ Program at Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF).
During the month of April, Sudbury Catholic Schools celebrate the virtue of Stewardship. At St. James Catholic School students are promoting a variety of environmental friendly initiatives in hopes of reminding everyone that the Earth is a gift to us from God who has entrusted the planet to us.
The grade 8 students are promoting a unique opportunity for all students to become a steward of the Earth by launching a school version of EARTH HOUR. During EARTH HOUR all classrooms are encouraged to turn off their lights during the lunch hour. Students hope that this one initiative is mindful of our ongoing responsibility to take care of our planet. EARTH HOUR is just one of many environmental projects taking place at St. James.
Young students at St. James Catholic School were fascinated by a presentation about local frogs and toads that inhabit Junction Creek. In collaboration with the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee the students learned about the different types of frog and toad calls and how to identify different types of frogs and toads both by sound and by sight. The presentation ended with an interactive frog calling session when the students created a chorus of different frog calls using their voices and other objects such as balloons, combs, and elastic bands.
