Bishop Alexander Carter CSS held its annual Memorial Walk on September 30th. Partial proceeds from the walk is given back to the community. Once again this year, a cheque was presented to Chrissy and Scott from KICX radio to support their KICX for Kids Campaign. Presenting the cheque are two students, Kianna (Grade 12) and Jacob (Grade 9) and Cassandra MacGregor (Principal).
Category: Character Development
Bishop ACCSS Students and Staff Break Break Together
Once again this year, the boys from grade 9 participated in Bishop Alexander Carter’s Wolf Project. The Wolf Project is designed to help the boys transition into positive and productive young men. The boys participated in various activities throughout the school year, and each activity focused on one of the seven Aboriginal teachings of Respect, Courage, Humility, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth and Love. The boys in the program had the opportunity to practice Humility and Truth by preparing lunch, and then serving it to someone else. That someone else was mystery staff member. As our Saviour taught us to be humble and to serve others, so did the boys as they spent the entire morning in the kitchen preparing a delicious lunch for their mystery staff member. While they put together a succulent menu of vegetable soup, salad, sausage or chicken salad sandwiches, as well as chocolate chip cookies, the boys also learned some basic kitchen skills. Then they sat down and broke bread with their mystery staff member. Many of the boys came back pleasantly surprised to have learned that teachers have lives, interests and hobbies outside of school. Staff commented on the great food, but most of on how pleasant and polite the boys were while serving them lunch and during their lunch chat. This activity was beneficial for all as it allowed both the students and the staff to see each other in a different light.
Amazing Race… Hanmer!
Just like in the famous Amazing Race Canada, grade 9 Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School students in teacher Rachel Emond’s French Immersion and Core French classes participated in “La Coupe Franco”, Monday, May 4th, 2015. All hopeful candidates auditioned by preparing a video complementing their strengths and pride in becoming the next winner of “La Coupe Franco”. All 25 pairs had to defeat physical and mental challenges in French as they solved problems, ran obstacles races, reconstructed puzzles and so much more! A celebration of the winners was followed with pizza and cake in the afternoon. A huge thank you goes out to all the Grade 11 French Immersion students for preparing all the activities and stations. Go Gators!
Staff En Pointe for BACCSSs Rooney and Dechaine Memorial Walk
As a result of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School’s successful Memorial Walk fundraiser in memory of former student Mackenzie Rooney (a student who died tragically in an ATV accident) and Dennis Dechaine, (a former teacher who lost his battle with cancer), both the principal and vice principal of the school had to honour their part of the challenge. Cassandra MacGregor and James Michaud, the school’s admin team showed up in their best ballerina wear as a result of the students fundraising exceeding their goal of $8000. To date, the school has raised over $9000 so far to go towards several different scholarship funds in both Rooney’s and Dechaine’s names, as well as to support several activities within the school that both Mackenzie’s parents and Dennis’s wife are involved with. To raise the money, the students canvassed the valley area over the past few weeks and the day of the walk involved a live broadcast from KICX radio, a prayer service, a Zumba warm up for the whole school, and an 8 km walk to celebrate the togetherness of the entire Bishop Carter school community. Joining them on the walk were members of both Mackenzie’s and Dennis’s families, as well as members of the Greater Sudbury Police Services. Principal Cassandra MacGregor was thrilled with the efforts of her students and staff. “We are a small school community with an enormous heart,” explained MacGregor. “We set our expectations really high when it comes to our students and staff, and they continually exceed these expectations! We are extremely proud of our students for surpassing our fundraising goal and it is wonderful that we can honour Mackenzie and Dennis, and their families with our outstanding efforts!”
Memorial Walk Held at Bishop Alexander Catholic Secondary School
Prayer, celebration and remembrance was the theme of the day on September 25th at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School. The school held their Memorial Walk in memory of Mackenzie Rooney, a student who died tragically in a ATV accident and Dennis Dechaine, a former teacher who lost his battle with cancer last year. The day started off with a live broadcast from KICX radio, a prayer service and zumba warm up by Zumbavibe. The 8 km memorial walk was an opportunity for students to celebrate the “togetherness” of the Bishop Carter community. The family members of both Mackenzie and Dennis participated in the event. The afternoon students enjoyed karaoke and a flag football team with the girls team competing againstt the teachers. It was an amazing day! Thank you to all the sponsor who helped in this event including the Sudbury Police, Tim Hortons (Val Caron and Hanmer), Neil Independent Grocer and Kings Sportswear. Proceeds from the walk go towards scholarships in Mackenzie and Dennis’ honour, KICX for kids campaign and other activities that support the interests of Mackenie and Dennis.
Link Crew is Back at BAC!
Bishop Carter Catholic Secondary School is the only school in the Sudbury area that participates in the North American Link Crew Program, a program whose purpose is to help grade nines feel more comfortable as well as help them achieve success in their high school years.
The Link Crew grade nine orientation and transition program is designed to both welcome and support grade nines by assigning them a senior Link Leader as a mentor. The Link Crew leaders attended mandatory training days in August where the students were trained by teacher coordinators. This preparation was put to use on orientation day, Thursday, September 4 as the now-trained leaders were confident in facilitating their small group instruction with the energetic grade nine students.
The Link Crew leaders and teacher coordinators are now focussed on planning some exciting events and academic activities for the grade nines to keep this momentum moving throughout the 2014-2015 academic school year.
Yellowfish Road at Bishop ACCSS
Bishop Alexander Carter is participating in Trout Unlimited Canada’s Yellowfish Road Program to educate and remind our community about their responsibility to reduce storm-water pollution.
Bishop students are taking a stand and becoming leaders in the community by informing people in the Valley about the pollution that enters our local bodies of water through the storm drains.
The students have painted yellow fish beside the storm drains near their school with the message “rainwater Only”. This is to remind community members of their responsibility to reduce storm water pollution which is one of the largest sources of freshwater pollution. People often forget that water from their drive-ways, yards and sidewalks, are washed into storm drains and re-enter our rivers, streams and creeks. This means that any chemicals used or spilled make their way to local fishing holes, beaches, well systems, etc. Students also hung yellow fish-shaped brochures on doors in the neighbourhood to better inform the public of these issues.
The City of Greater Sudbury also warns that an influx of water drainage from our residential homes may lead to flooding due to the fact that the storm drain system was never meant to filter out any hazardous chemicals/materials that homes may be washing down their drains. For the protection of all, household waste must be properly drained into the City’s Sewage system.
BACCSS Celebrates World Wildlife Day
Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School students participated in a Global Project through the Hivees organization. In order to recognize the importance of March 3, the official World Wildlife Day, students created informational posters to spread awareness in the school about the issues surrounding the world’s flora and fauna. They then braved the cold to form the letters WWD, while holding up their posters. These photos were sent to Hivees who then compiled all pictures and videos globally into one compilation for the students to view.
Bishop Students Walk for Mackenzie Rooney
The entire student body of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School has much to be proud of. Over the past couple of weeks, the students have rallied to kick off the Mackenzie Rooney Memorial Scholarship Fund. Mackenzie Rooney was a Bishop Alexander CSSS student who passed away last year. The students and staff wanted to do something in Mackenzie’s name to keep her legacy alive.
Beginning with a pep rally hosted by the New Hot 93.5’s G-rant – the students were challenged to raise $20,000, and proceeded to raise as much money as they could through a series of fundraisers and community canvassing. To end off the event, the students, joined by Mackenzie’s parents, participated in a memorial walk from the Metro parking lot in Valley East back to their school – approximately 8.3 km. All donning pink toques as it was Mackenzie’s favourite colour, the students were led by staff from Zumba-Vibe for a pre-walk warm up, and then the Greater Sudbury Police Services escorted the group back to their school. Once they had returned, the students enjoyed a barbeque and revealed the grand total raised to go towards the fund.
“For our students to have raised well-over $16,000 for this fund is absolutely incredible,” Cassandra MacGregor, Principal of the school explained. “The entire Bishop ACCSS community united together for a great cause, and I am so proud of their efforts. I am sure that Mackenzie would be just as proud. I am so privileged to work with such an incredible staff, and with such an enthusiastic and passionate group of students.”
Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School Principal “Arrested” for School Fundraiser
On Wednesday, October 23, Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School principal Cassandra MacGregor was taken away in handcuffs by their school liaison officer, Victor LaRoux. As part of the school’s memorial fundraiser for Mackenzie Rooney (a BACCSS student who passed away on August 6, 2012 at the age of 16), MacGregor was met at the school by LaRoux, handcuffed and taken to the Greater Sudbury Police Station and booked. MacGregor had to raise at least $1000 in order to be release as part of her own fundraising challenge for the fundraiser. By the end of the day, MacGregor suppassed her goal of $1000 by collecting $$1243.15 to add to the school’s collective total as the students and staff have been canvassing their neighbourhoods for the past week. The group is capping off this fundraising drive on Tuesday, October 29 with a entire school Zumba session in the Hanmer Metro parking lot and then just over an 8 km walk back to the school. The students will be joined that day by Mackenzie Rooney’s parents.