May 28 to June 3, 2023, is National AccessAbility Week!
National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) is an annual initiative that celebrates, promotes, and showcases the diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in our country, and highlights some of the important initiatives aimed at creating an accessible Canada. Since 2019, Easter Seals Ontario has recognized the Wednesday of National AccessAbility week as the Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion. Everyone is encouraged to wear a red shirt to raise awareness for accessibility and disability inclusion and make a pledge to help remove physical, attitudinal, and systematic barriers in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
Red Shirt Day is an Easter Seals initiative and was first celebrated in 2019. The 2023 Red Shirt Day takes place on Wednesday, May 31. Sudbury Catholic District School Board (SCDSB) students and staff are encouraged to wear red on Red Shirt Day to promote messages of support for people and families living with disabilities.
About Red Shirt Day
Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion is a day when people across Canada come together and wear red in schools, workplaces and spaces everywhere in order to create a visible display of solidarity: to show their support for persons and families of those who are living with disabilities, celebrate the achievements of people living with disabilities, and to pledge their commitment to help create a fully accessible and inclusive society that honours and values the contributions of people of all abilities in all aspects of life in Canada. Learn more!
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is gearing up for its annual week-long celebration of Catholic Education Week. This year’s theme is “Catholic Education: We are Many, We are One.” From May 1 to May 5, 2023, Sudbury Catholic Schools will join Catholic schools across the province to engage in a variety of activities and events that celebrate the unique identity and contributions of Catholic education.
The week will be divided into five sub-themes:
When we see
When we listen
When we reflect
When we learn
When we act
OCSTA Resources
The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) has developed and shared daily resources and lesson plans for classrooms to participate in. With the support of the OCSTA and the Catholic community, Catholic education in Ontario continues to thrive.
You can view the official Catholic Education Week song below:
Board-Wide Celebrations
Catholic Education Week is a special opportunity for the Catholic community in Sudbury to come together and celebrate the unique identity and contributions of Catholic education. From Toonies for Tuition Day to the Catholic Education Week Mass, there are a variety of activities and events that we have planned for this special week.
Toonies for Tuition Day
On May 1st, schools are encouraged to dress up like a bee or wear yellow and black to participate in Toonies for Tuition Day. Staff and students are encouraged to bring a toonie to support Toonies for Tuition, which will be donated to the Canadian Catholic School Trustees’ Association Endowment Fund for distribution to Catholic families in need.
Catholic Education Week Mass
A Catholic Education Week Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins, will be celebrating the Mass. Schools across the province are invited to participate virtually in this celebration of the Eucharist.
May 1-5th is also Children’s Mental Health Week. Members of the Mental Health team will be completing activities in schools to engage staff and students. Schools will also be encouraged to wear green on Thursday, May 4, to promote children’s mental health.
Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions
Thirteen secondary students from St. Charles College and two students from Bishop Alexander Carter will compete in the annual Skills Ontario Provincial Competitions at the Toronto Congress Centre from May 1-3.
Registration is now open for Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s (SCDSB) annual Carousel Event hosted by the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)! Learn about different topics, network with others, and engage in great conversation.
When: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Address: 2993 Algonquin Drive
Carousel topics will include:
Supporting Mental Health & Well Being, Cyber Safety, Building Resiliency, Homework Support, Special Education, Coding, Preparing Your Child for Post-Secondary, Literacy: Supporting Reading @ Home, and Learning About Secondary Programming. Click here to view our session descriptions!
Save the date for Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s (SCDSB) annual Carousel Event hosted by the Parent Involvement Committee (PIC)! Learn about different topics, network with others, and engage in great conversation.
When: Tuesday, May 2nd, 2023, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School
Address: 2993 Algonquin | Sudbury, ON | P3E 6K2
Carousel topics will include:
Supporting Mental Health & Well Being, Cyber Safety, Building Resiliency, Homework Support, Special Education, Coding, Preparing Your Child for Post-Secondary, Literacy: Supporting Reading @ Home, and Learning About Secondary Programming.
In preparation for our budget discussions, we invite our staff, parents/guardians, community partners and students to provide feedback regarding our programming and resources. Your feedback is important to us to ensure that we are representing your priorities as we engage in the budget process. We are asking that you identify areas that have been working well and your top priorities for the next school year. We are using ThoughtExchange so that everyone has a chance to share their perspectives and understand what’s most important to the group. These thoughts will help guide our discussions before we move ahead together.
Feel free to include as many thoughts as you like. Click the Participate button to share your thoughts and then rate at least 20-30 of the thoughts that others have shared. Your participation is confidential, so no one will know who shared or rated which thoughts. Please come back often until April 14 to rate new ideas.
High ratings tell us you strongly support the idea and low ratings tell us you strongly do not support the idea; both are important.
Quick Tips:
1. This exchange is confidential. Your thoughts will be shared, but not your identity.
2. Please be polite and respectful as you share and rate thoughts.
3. If you see a thought that is rude, hurtful or identifies a person or group, you can report it by clicking in the upper right corner of the thought.
4. You do not need to rate all thoughts in this exchange. It is appreciated and recommended that you rate about 30 thoughts over the time the exchange is open.
On Tuesday, February 21st, Sudbury Catholic District School Board celebrated Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, as a way to prepare for the start of Lent. Shrove Tuesday is traditionally a time for repentance, forgiveness, and reflection in the Catholic faith, and is marked by the consumption of pancakes made with rich ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar.
By celebrating Shrove Tuesday, Sudbury Catholic Schools help students understand the spiritual significance of the Lenten season and encourage them to reflect on their own faith and actions.
In celebration of this day, Sudbury Catholic District School Board is pleased to share some highlights from the celebrations that took place at various schools. We would like to thank all our volunteers for their help in and out of the kitchen. Your generosity and kindness have made this day even more special for our Sudbury Catholic community. We are grateful for your support and for helping us celebrate this important tradition.
School Highlights
St. Joseph
What’s better than pancakes? Pancakes with a cause! On Pancake Tuesday, St. Joseph school opened its doors for a community-wide Shrove Tuesday feast. Attendees enjoyed fluffy pancakes, sizzling sausages, and a topping station where they could create their own stack.
But this wasn’t just any pancake breakfast. St. Joseph school also took this opportunity to give back to the community by raising donations for the Northern Ontario Families of Children With Cancer. This incredible organization supports families who are dealing with the challenging realities of childhood cancer, providing them with vital resources and support during this difficult time. The event was a huge success, with attendees not only enjoying a delicious meal but also coming together to support a cause that is close to our hearts.
Pius XII
On the joyous occasion of Shrove Tuesday, Pius XII Catholic School was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly made pancakes, thanks to a group of dedicated volunteers. Individuals from the Knights of Columbus, Sudbury Catholic Schools, and Holy Redeemer Church all joined forces to prepare a scrumptious breakfast for students and staff alike. Pius XII Catholic School is grateful for the generosity and kindness of these volunteers, who embody the spirit of community and fellowship that makes the school so special.
Holy Trinity
The warm and welcoming atmosphere of Holy Trinity’s Kindergarten classroom was made even more special by the efforts of early childhood educators who gave their time and energy to create a memorable Shrove Tuesday experience for all. Mme. Jessica, Mme. Angele, Mrs. Yasko, Mr. Vicedomini, and Ms. Casey put their flipping skills to the test and treated Kindergarten students with their very own pancake party.
Marymount Academy
Marymount Academy students celebrated Shrove Tuesday at their school with a hearty pancake breakfast. In addition to indulging in stacks of pancakes, the students learned about the spiritual significance of this special day in the Christian calendar. The breakfast was made possible thanks to the culinary expertise of staff, including Mrs. Shewring, Ms. Coluzzi, Ms. Tenbergen, and many others, who ensured that the pancakes were piping hot and ready for the students when they arrived. Overall, it was a fun and educational event that left everyone feeling satisfied and enriched.
St. Benedict C.S.S
In the Southend of Sudbury, students and staff at St. Benedict kicked off the week in grand style with a delicious pancake feast in honour of Shrove Tuesday! This feast was made possible thanks to the outstanding efforts from staff volunteers at the school. Mr. Pappin, and Mr. Sipos went above and beyond to make enough pancakes to feed the whole Bear family!
St. David
St. David Catholic Elementary School always finds creative ways to make every occasion special and Shrove Tuesday was no exception. The staff at St. David went above and beyond to create a mouthwatering pancake breakfast that left the entire school of Dragons grinning from ear to ear! The school’s dedication to creating fun and memorable experiences for its students is a testament to its commitment to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment.
Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception Catholic School students celebrated Shrove Tuesday in true style with stacks upon stacks of pancakes. The breakfast spread was the perfect way to kick off the Lenten season, a six-week period leading up to Easter. As the school community gathered to celebrate this joyous occasion, they were reminded of the importance of sharing in each other’s joy and coming together in times of celebration. Immaculate Conception Catholic School is proud to carry on this delicious tradition year after year, and looks forward to many more pancake-filled Shrove Tuesdays to come!
Ash Wednesday is an important day for the Catholic community, and we are honoured to commemorate it annually at Sudbury Catholic Schools. This year, on February 22, 2023, our students, faculty, staff, and parish partners will come together for Mass to receive ashes on their foreheads, symbolizing the beginning of the Lenten season.
As we embark on this journey together, we encourage our community to concentrate on meaningful themes, such as the gift of life and showing kindness, generosity, and compassion towards others.
During Lent, we place a special focus on “almsgiving,” where we donate money or goods to those in need and perform other acts of charity. Though these acts of service are conducted year-round, we encourage everyone in our community to reflect deeply on how they can show more compassion and generosity towards others during the Lenten season leading up to Easter.
As a Catholic school board, we believe that faith is a fundamental aspect of our lives, and we are committed to nurturing the spiritual growth of our students. We strive to instil a deep respect for Christ’s teachings and inspire them to live according to his values. On this Ash Wednesday, let us renew our faith and commitment to God and unite in love, compassion, and kindness as a community.
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.
The Lunar New Year is a time for celebration and renewal, and it is an important cultural event for many around the world. This year, the Lunar New Year falls on January 22nd, 2023, and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit.
In Chinese culture, the rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity, so it is regarded that 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
Many of our schools find unique ways to celebrate this holiday, and we look forward to seeing how they will incorporate the celebration of Lunar New Year into the classroom by teaching students about the holiday and its history through activities.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and diversity, and celebrating Lunar New Year is one way to accomplish this. By celebrating Lunar New Year, we promote understanding and acceptance of different cultures, and foster a sense of community within our learning environments.
Wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year! May the Year of the Rabbit bring good luck, prosperity, and hope to all.
To raise awareness of the importance of open dialogue surrounding mental health, Sudbury Catholic District School Board invites students, staff, and community members to wear blue and white on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023. By wearing blue and white (symbolic colours for the Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign), our hope is for our Board community to unite and visually and emotionally show our support for mental health initiatives.
Share With Us!
The Sudbury Catholic School community is encouraged to share their actions with our Board by tagging us on social media and sending pictures, captions, and highlights to info@sudburycatholicschools.ca
About Bell Let’s Talk Day
Bell Let’s Talk Day is an important event celebrated annually worldwide and is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and breaking the silence around mental illness.
Sudbury Catholic recognizes the importance of mental health and well-being for our students. Mental health is a critical component of overall health and well-being, and it plays a vital role in the success of our students both in and out of the classroom.
We also acknowledge the importance of reducing the stigma around mental illness and encouraging open and honest conversations about mental health. The more we talk about mental health, the more we can help those struggling and support them in getting the help they need.
That is why we encourage all of our students, staff, and families to participate in Bell Let’s Talk Day activities. Whether it’s through social media, in-school events, or one-on-one conversations, every action counts in the fight against mental health stigma.
This year’s Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign highlights ways we can all create meaningful change and take action by doing one or more of the following:
Choose a mental health organization to learn about or support
Help a friend struggling with their mental health by learning how to support them
Ask about how your school, workplace or community is creating change for mental health
Nurture your own well-being by practicing and learning mental health strategies
Get involved in a mental health initiative or organize an event to support mental health
Engage in conversations about mental health to fight stigma
On January 25th, let’s continue to work together to create a safe and supportive environment for all our students. Let’s break the silence around mental health and support each other in promoting mental wellness.
To learn about the activities and events planned for Bell Let’s Talk Day, and view a variety of resources, check out our Bell Let’s Talk Day 2023 resource page.
