On Friday, November 2, Holy Cross teacher Shanna Whalen’s Grade 3/4 class and teacher Eva Scola’s Grade 3 class, set off to obtain some understanding of how difficult it is for those living in Africa. They took with them their water bottles, one huge jug, and a jerry can, to collect water from the water filling station on Countryside. Both classes have been learning about the poor water conditions in Africa, and how children there need to walk for 2 hours and 10 000 steps to get water- dirty water. Upon arriving at our destination, Ms. Scola lead the students in a water prayer, a prayer for those who do not have the wonderful, clean water that we do, and usually take for granted. On the way back to the school, the students took turns carrying the heavy containers of water. The two classes have been introduced to Ryan’s Well, and have been given the task of educating the whole school about the water conditions in Africa and how we can make a difference. They want to make others realize that they can be kids and think about Africa too.
Holy Cross Celebrates Official Grand Opening
On Thursday, November 1, 2012, students, parents, staff, and community partners gathered at 2997 Algonquin Road for a joyous celebration. Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School held its official grand opening and all in attendance were thrilled with the morning’s events. Bishop Plouffe began the ceremony with an opening prayer, and several invited guests spoke to the wonderful celebration and school opening including M.P.P. Rick Bartolucci and Mayor Matichuk. The entire group was welcomed by the school principal Louise Franklin as well as Director of Education Catherine McCullough. As part of the celebration, the school choir performed and a slideshow was shown highlighting the building and students now occupying the school. After the official ribbon cutting, the guests were invited to a reception and tour of the school facility.
Barry MacDonald, Chair of the Board was on hand during the celebration and was delighted with the morning celebration. “This is truly an occasion of great significance as its completion has occurred through the hard work of many dedicated individuals and strong community partners. This outstanding school was created with the communities of Corpus Christi, St. Theresa and St. Christopher coming together as one, and building on positive relationships,” MacDonald stated. “This new school’s commitment to excellence embodies the true spirit of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board positively supporting our students, and providing an outstanding and exceptional learning environment. On behalf of the Sudbury Catholic Board of Trustees, I congratulate all involved in this project, and look forward to the years to come watching the future growth of the school, and its students.”
Learning Handwashing Rules at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary
The grade one/two classroom at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School was the backdrop for a press conference put on by the Sudbury District Health Unit on October 22, 2012. On hand was public health inspector Miranda Berardelli and public health nurse Danielle Richard to talk about the prevention of spreading germs as we enter into flu and cold season. As part of their Infections Control Program, S.D.H.U. staff thought that a classroom would be a great fit for the media event, as the main message is that most infections that cause colds, flues, and a series of other illnesses, come down to hands, coughing and sneezing – with schools often prime locations for these illnesses. The students in the classroom were excited to share their knowledge of handwashing rules and had the opportunity to see the germs on their hands with ultraviolet light. As well, as part of the S.D.H.U. initiative, the students each received a musical handwashing timer to assist in the handwashing length of time. Students were encouraged to share what they learned with their friends, siblings, and other family members.
Louise Franklin, principal of the school was pleased to have Health Unit visiting the classroom. “What a great partnership we have with this community organization,” Franklin stated. “We are grateful to the Sudbury District Health Unit for taking the time to help educate our students about illness prevention, and encourage the entire school to follow these important hand-washing guidelines to ensure a healthy school community!”
Doors Now Open at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School
There were a lot smiles on students’ faces this past week at Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School. The brand new school for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has had a great first week opening its doors on September 4th, for over 410 south end students.
The JK to Grade 6 school is an outstanding new facility and incorporates a multitude of energy saving measures marking it as an extremely “green” school. As well, Holy Cross has implemented brand new technology features that will allow all the students to “be connected” on a variety of levels with computers, smartboards, ipads, amplification systems, etc. It is a dual track school with both regular English as well as French Immersion programming available starting off with four full day early learning classrooms (two regular English and two French Immersion).
Louise Franklin, Principal of Holy Cross was delighted with the first week and is excited to see both the students and staff settling into their classrooms. “It is wonderful how in only a few days, we have forged extremely positive relationships between staff, students and families in this new Catholic school community.” Franklin said. “We are so fortunate to be able to offer this outstanding facility, and exceptional educational opportunities to our south end families.”
Barry MacDonald, Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board echoed Franklin’s comments. “Holy Cross is an amazing school with myriad of cutting edge attributes including its green features, as well as its technology infrastructure. We are very proud of the hard work done by the staff and the board to ensure a smooth opening, and are excited to experience this brand new environment during this upcoming school year. What makes it exceptionally unique is the campus approach in the south end – servicing the needs of families for pre-school (daycare), elementary (Holy Cross) and secondary (St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School) students all on the same property – making it a truly full-service campus.”
Gathering Stone Ritual
On May 17 Father Jim Hutton and parent Brenda Cavallin travelled to three of the Sudbury Catholic District Schools that are closing in June – St. Theresa, St. Christopher and Corpus Christi. Students at each of these schools collected stones from the yard to symbolize something they wanted to bring to the new site of Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School opening in September. The stones will be placed in the yard but will represent the spirit of the school that have travelled from all three sites. With Father Him Hutton and Brenda Cavallin’s visit to each of the schools, students were invited to remember love, patience and the virtues they hold true at their school while holding onto the stone. The stones were then collected and brought to St. Patrick’s Parish to be stored until the students begin their new school year at Holy Cross.
Breaking Ground for Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School
Despite the cool weather, the rain held off as many gathered to take part in the historic groundbreaking ceremony for Holy Cross Catholic Elementary School. Under brilliant sunshine, staff from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board congregated alongside students, Principals and Parent Council Chairs from Corpus Christi, St. Theresa and St. Christopher to celebrate the first steps towards the creation of Holy Cross. Invited dignitaries included M.P.P. Rick Bartolucci and Mayor Rodriguez of which both had the opportunity to address the crowd about the importance of this mementous event. In his speech, Bartolucci spoke to the students specifically about the fact that this was all about them as they are “the future of Sudbury, the future of Ontario and will be the future leaders of our great country.” Bartolucci also focused on the Catholic Board’s logo of “Schools to Believe In” as he told the group that by having the vision to build Holy Cross, the board is doing just that – truly building a school to believe in.
Mayor Rodriguez asked the students to begin to transfer all of their commitment and enthusiasm from their current school to the new Holy Cross. He explained that they will be “embarking on a whole new set of experiences as they will be the very first students at a brand new school.”
Board Chair Jody Cameron concluded the address as he spoke of the school bringing a “renewed sense of community for the south end students, parents and community partners.” As well, he focused on the importance of remembering that it is the “collective heart and soul of the students that will carry it forward, and make Holy Cross a green school that will service the south end community for decades to come and serve as a beacon of education.”
The event finished with the official sod-turning with several people taking part including Mayor Rodriguez, M.P.P. Bartolucci, Catherine McCullough, Director of Education, Paula Peroni, Trustee, Jody Cameron, Board Chair, Louis Belanger, Architect, and Laura Kuzenko, Holy Cross Principal.
Sudbury Catholic Board Decides to Build Holy Cross Catholic School, JK to Grade 6
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board unanimously voted to make its newest high-tech green school a Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 elementary school. The Board’s Trustees made the decision at the December 15, 2009 Board meeting.
The trustees decided the new Holy Cross Catholic School in Sudbury’s south end would be a separate Dual Track JK to Grade 6 School, located near St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School. The new school will also include an early-learning daycare facility and a 4,000 square foot gymnasium.
“Holy Cross is going to be a fantastic new school,” says Board Chair Jody Cameron, “It will be high-tech, offering the latest in educational technology – while being an intimate, safe and personable environment for children ranging from our new full-day junior kindergarten program to Grade 6. It’s an exciting time.”
Meantime, the Catholic Board also decided it will offer Grade 7 to 12 programming next door at the existing St. Benedict’s Catholic Secondary School. This will include the construction of new classrooms and a third gymnasium. The renovations will also include a new “cafetorium” (which is a combination of a cafeteria and auditorium) to serve both the elementary and secondary students. It could seat as many as 500 people for concerts, plays, presentations, guest speakers, and other special events.
“These two projects are exciting for students, parents, and teachers in our Catholic schools,” says Board Director, Catherine McCullough, “It’s a great decision which will continue to enhance our community partnerships. These students who already benefit from programs like our nationally-recognized laptop learning program will now have even more educational tools at their fingertips to help them have a balanced educational experience and go on to succeed in life.”
The Board Trustees made the decision after extensive consultation with the school communities impacted. The new Holy Cross Catholic School will open in September 2011. The new and improved St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School will also be ready for the fall of 2011. Both projects combined are projected to cost $16.2-million with $11.7-million coming from the provincial government – while the Board has agreed to contribute $4.5-million.
Accommodation Review: Director’s Recommendations
The Accommodation Review Process for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board came one step closer to conclusion last night with Director of Education, Catherine McCullough’s recommendations to Trustees with respect to the North/West and South/Central Planning Areas.
Before making her recommendations to the Board, McCullough thanked the members of the Accommodation Review Committees for their commitment to a lengthy process that began in February 2008. McCullough also acknowledged the valuable input of Watson and Associates Economists Ltd., as an ARC Facilitator in providing counsel to the ARC Steering Committee within the framework of the Ministry of Education’s Pupil Accommodation Review Process.
With respect to the North/West Planning Area, the Director recommended the following elements may proceed, subject to Board funding:
(1) At this time, the value of the St. Mary Elementary School to the students, the Board, the economy and the community of Capreol, outweighs the financial benefit of closure.
(2) That the St. Mary Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming be consolidated into St. Anne Elementary School commencing September 2009.
(3) That a section of the current St. Mary Elementary School be demolished, using Facility Renewal Program (FRP) funding, to best serve the needs of JK to Grade 6 programming.
For future planning McCullough also proposed that the following recommendations be incorporated in the Board’s Long-Term Capital Plan subject to Board funding:
(1) That the Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School facility be renovated to allow for the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at a date to be determined.
(2) That the implementation of Grade 7 to 12 programming at Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School include the construction of a Multi-Media Resource Centre.
(3) The St. Anne Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming would then be consolidated into Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.
With respect to the South/Central Planning Area, the Director recommended the following elements may proceed, subject to Ministry funding:
(1) That the current school communities are ‘grandfathered’, when implementing the new enrolment boundaries for this planning area.
(2) Construction of a new “Green” Dual-track JK to Grade 8 Elementary School and a Multi-Media Technology Plaza on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site, to include all of Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Schools, and all of the current JK to Grade 6 students from St. Theresa and St. Christopher Elementary Schools.
(3) Renovation of the existing St. Francis Elementary School with Dual-track JK to Grade 6 programming to include all of the current students from St. Francis, Corpus Christi and St. Michael Elementary Schools.
(4) Renovation of the existing St. David Elementary School with Regular JK to Grade 6 programming, to include further community partnerships aimed at the expansion of the current programming within a holistic service model. Contingent upon consultation with the school community, the participation in the Grade 7 to 12 programming at the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School campus may be re-examined.
(5) That the revised boundaries apply to all new families within this planning area.
Director of Education, Catherine McCullough noted in her presentation that Sudbury Catholic District School Board staff will develop an implementation plan for the school consolidations in the South/Central Planning Area. “This implementation plan will include consultations with all stakeholders. The completed plan will then be communicated to all school communities prior to initial implementation. The recommendations herein are intended to provide the students under our care with a Catholic Education that is of the highest quality possible,” concluded McCullough.
Accommodation Review Process Continues to Move Forward at Sudbury Catholic Board
The Sudbury Catholic District School is currently undertaking the Accommodation Review Process in its North/West and South Central Planning areas. It is considered a best practise among school boards to hire a demographer that has the expertise in long term capital planning and enrolment projections. The board hired the reputable firm of Watson and Associates to assist with the Accommodation Review process under the following directives;
• to identify pupil enrolment projections and sustainable enrolment levels
• to Determine Capital Expenditures Needs and Costing Analysis
• to propose recommendations of Overall Accommodation Strategies
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board’s Accommodation Review Process has been ongoing since September 2008. This process has been and continues to be an open and transparent process where information is shared with the public and their input is sought.
This Accommodation Review Process is outlined in legislation and is currently taking place in the majority of boards across the province. The final outcome of the Accommodation Review Process is such that the Accommodation Review Committee will make recommendations to the Director of Education. The Director will then in turn make recommendations to the Board.
It must be made very clear that no decisions can be reached until the integrity of the process has been carried out. The final decisions will be made by the Board’s Trustees by the end of May 2009.
Sudbury Catholic Board Places Schools Under Accommodation Review
In accordance with the its Pupil/School Accommodation Review Regulation BR 10, the Sudbury Catholic District School Board is in the process of conducting an Accommodation Review for its South/Central and North/West family of schools. Schools were selected for review purposes based on their potential for growth over the coming years (given the present trend) and the possibility that they may qualify for funding to build new schools under the Ministry of Education’s Prohibitive to Repair grants. Sudbury Catholic Schools Director of Education, Catherine McCullough will recommend an action plan to Trustees on the meeting of May 6, 2008.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board is committed to providing a full range of educational opportunities equitably distributed across a broad and diverse geographical area. Due to ever-changing factors such as mobile population, changes in funding, new legislation, changing in educational objectives, community aspirations and physical limitations of buildings, the Board is mitigated to monitor and evaluate all schools on a regular basis.
Given the present state of its priorities, the Board will be focussing its attention on the “South/Central” and “North/West” schools planning areas for the purpose of this Accommodation Review which will include the following schools;
South/Central Elementary:
Corpus Christi, Marymount Academy (Elementary),
St. Christopher, St. David, St. Francis, St. James, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Theresa
South/Central Secondary:
St. Benedict CSS, Marymount Academy (secondary)
North/West Elementary Schools:
Immaculate Conception, St. Anne, St. Charles (elementary), St. Mary
North/West Secondary:
Bishop Alexander Carter CSS
The School Accommodation Review may result in such changes as boundary adjustments, major additions, renovations and alterations to school buildings, blending or twinning arrangements for school organization and/or programs or school consolidations
The Board is in the process of informing parents, staff, school councils, and school communities of the logistics and time lines regarding its Accommodation Review. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board has hired the firm of CN Waston and Associates, (one of Canada’s leading economic firms) to prepare population, household, employment and student enrolment forecasts in the City of Greater Sudbury and more specifically in the planning areas of the schools under review. This information will greatly assist the Sudbury Catholic District School Board in assessing opportunities for long term growth and development and help guide the Board in the implementation of accommodation strategies that will serve to enhance student learning.
Accommodation Review Committees (ARC’s) will be created to provide the Sudbury Catholic District School Board with information re School Valuation Framework and applying this framework to the schools under review, giving consideration to the value of the students, community, school board and the local economy.
The members of the ARC’s will include representative membership from the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, each school, school community and a municipal representative from each of the local municipalities in which the school(s) under review are located.
George Middleton, Chair of Sudbury Catholic Schools welcomes the Accommodation Review. “The Accommodation Review is a process that all Board’s in Ontario undertake in order to continually update their long term capital plans,” stated Middleton. “It provides our board with the opportunity to update student enrolment perspectives and assess long term capital expenditures to provide optimum programs and facilities for our students. This is the start of a year long process and decisions will be made only after an extensive review is conducted. Through consultation, a plan will be developed to benefit students and a business case will be presented for funding from the Ministry of Education whether it be for expansion of some schools or to build new school(s).