On Tuesday, November 17, Cassandra MacGregor, Principal of Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, along with teachers Robert Boucher and Marah Pardoe were presented with the Dr. Bette M. Stephenson Recognition of Achievement Award for 2015 from the provincioal Education Quality and Accountability Office at the Sudbury Catholic Board meeting. The group from Bishop had attended a recognition ceremony that took place on Wednesday, October 28, 2015, in Toronto. This recognition program was established by the EQAO board of directors in 2009, as a tribute to Dr. Stephenson’s lifelong commitment and contribution to education and public service. The award was given to Bishop ACCSS, one of the 18 elementary and secondary schools in the province to receive this honour, to recognize this school’s community for its efforts, over many years, at improving student achievement and for its use of EQAO results to improve student learning. Mike Young, Principal, School Support and Outreach for the E.Q.A.O. office was on hand at the board meeting to present the group with a plaque and to explain why Bishop was selected. According to Young, the school has used three important initiatives – using all human resources available, using technology in the classroom, and collaborating with the feeder schools. Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board for SCDSB congratulated the group for their efforts. “We want to publically recognize the hard work happening out at Bishop and congratulate them on their outstanding achievement,” stated Cameron. “We know this hard work is paying off, as our Bishop data is indicating, and we are very pleased to see that our teachers continue to make our students’ successes a priority.”
Category: Community
R/C Racing Back at BACCS
On October 8th, Bishop Alexander Carter hosted its 4th Annual BAC Traxx Invitational Remote Control car race. It was an afternoon of thrills, spills and high revving R/C action as the Bishop Carter drivers challenged the racers from École Secondaire Franco Cité. In all, well over 30 drivers competed in this year’s event. Adding to the excitement was the all new 2250 square indoor speedway that Bishop Carter teachers and students purpose built for R/C racing. On this track, cars are able to reach speeds in excess of 70km/h and fly over 10 feet in the air! Also adding to the excitement was this years “All Star” Shootout. Racers in this event included celebrity DJs Scott and Chrissy from KICX 91.7 and Nevena and Chloe from The New Hot 93.5. Also competing was Bishop Carter’s own principal, Cassandra MacGregor. It was definitely a memorable event that Bishop Carter is looking forward to hosting again in the future.
BACCSS Catches the Jays Spirit
Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School staff and students caught the Blue Jays spirit! Students took a break from hitting the books to watch and cheer for their favourite baseball team. The gym was adorned with blue and white and transformed into a mini stadium with its very own TD Comfort Zone couch. In September, students in the Bishop Elite Sports Training (BEST) program, as well as students in the Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM) in Fitness were able to use the Blue Jays training facility and toured their locker room and medical facilities.
Bishop Gives Back to the Community
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).
June 2015 OAPCE Newsletter
As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting our Sudbury Catholic parents, the SCDSB would like to provide a link to the latest newsletter from The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE).
This month’s newsletter comes in three parts:
Larocque and Taylor-Horeck – 2015 Chairperson’s Award Winners
Every year, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board of Trustees selects a recipient for the Board’s prestigious Chairperson’s Award – someone who embraces Catholic values, demonstrates initiative and ingenuity, and contributes positively to the lives of students and staff. On May 28, at the Board’s Retirement Dinner and Celebration for 25 year employees, two Sudbury Catholic employees were presented with this year’s Chairperson’s Award -Jean-Gilles Larocque, a teacher at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, and Kim Taylor-Horeck, the Board’s Attendance Counsellor.
Jean-Gilles has been with the Sudbury Catholic District School Board for over 12 years, and has been a teacher at Bishop ACCSS beginning September, 2003. He was nominated by staff for being a leader within the school, and for his dedication and ambition in setting the school apart. Larocque is also an outstanding coach and mentor, and encourages students to become involved in sports and extra curricular activities in the school. According to the school’s principal, Cassandra MacGregor, “Jean-Gilles fosters the search for meaning as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest in our students – he consistently encourages students to think, reflect and fully evaluate situations when solving problems. He models being a lifelong learner and encourages students to set and reach their personal goals and beyond.”
Taylor-Horeck, began with the Sudbury Catholic Board as an educational assistant in 1986 and then took on the role of Attendance Counsellor in 1993. Marymount Academy principal, Lucie Lapalm-Cullen nominated Taylor-Horeck as “Kim always has a very positive and compassionate way of dealing with our most sensitive students. She never gives up on them and is very patient, positive and professional. She will drop everything she is doing to help a student get their life back on track…” According to staff, Taylor-Horeck is quick to help line up students with the services and supports they need and does not “close” their file when she is done. Kim stays in touch with the students, checks in on them and continues to advocate for them.
Jody Cameron, Chair of the Board of Trustees presented both Larocque and Taylor Horeck with their awards. “ Jean-Gilles and Kim are very deserving recipients of this year’s Chairperson’s Award,” Cameron stated. “These two employees truly exemplify staff who embraces Catholic values, demonstrate initiative and ingenuity, and contribute positively to the lives of students and staff. We thank them both for their outstanding contributions to the Sudbury Catholic Community, and congratulate them for receiving this year’s award.”
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!
Indigenous Celebration Held
The Diocesan Centre is planning an inclusive day of celebration based on indigenous culture, and would love a big turn out at this event. All students, staff, families and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend! It looks to be a great day planned!
INDIGENOUS CELEBRATION
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Fielding Park
5:30 am. Sunrise Ceremony ~
8:00 am. Pancake Breakfast ~
9:00 am. Teaching Carousel – Stations will be set up to be rotated through – 6 stations with 20 minute presentations at each~
a) Children drumming station~
b) Craft – decade of the rosary with four/six colour beads + leather OR~leather bookmark
c) 7 Grandfather teachings
d) Legends – Elders telling the stories~
e) Medicines and Wheel
f) Sacred Elements (fire keeper, tobacco, stones, feather, pipe, drums, smudge, animals) ~
11:00 am. Healing Circle – prayers, scripture (trilingual), blessing~
1:30 pm. Feast – “pot luck”
3:00 pm Travelling Song/Blessing~
For more information and access to resources, please consult:
http://arise-ssm.weebly.com
BACCSS Students Tops at OTSC
The Ontario Technological Skills Competition (OTSC) is Canada’s largest skilled trades competition, hosting over 65 contests, 1,900 competitors and 20,000 spectators at RIM Park in Waterloo. One of those 65 contests is TV Video Production, and in order to compete at the OTSC, participants must first make it through a qualifying round. On Saturday, April 18th, 2015, Christine Harte and Autumn Millar, two Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) Information & Communications Technology (ICT) students at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School, travelled to Canadore College in North Bay to compete againstt other teams from various secondary schools around Northern Ontario. Only the top three competitors who received at least a 60% score in the qualifying round were permitted into the OTSC. The task was to produce a thirty-second public service announcement video on the theme of cyberbullying. Competitors had to complete their filming and editing within a specific amount of time, after which their work would be critiqued, reviewed and evaluated by a number of judges. When the results came in, Christine and Autumn were awarded first place, and will now be competing in Waterloo on May 5th for the provincial title. “Christine and Autumn are excellent students,” says Steven Facchini, the teacher of the SHSM ICT program at Bishop Carter. “Aside from video production, they’ve demonstrated excellence in 2D graphic design, 3D modelling, web development, game programming and various other media production skills I teach in my program. We are all extremely proud of them. They are undoubtedly looking forward to the OTSC in May.”