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SNCDSB #Highlights April 2022

"For it is in giving that we receive." – St. Francis of Assisi⁠

Monthly Virtue: Stewardship

Easter Prayer Service and Stations of the Cross at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School

Mrs. Fairbrother's French as a Second Language Grade 3/4 students at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School did a beautiful job reading about Holy week; bravo les amis!

For the first time in over two years, the entire school of Our Lady of Fatima was able to attend mass together. Thanks to Father Gerard for leading the staff and students in a celebration of Easter.

Autism Acceptance Spirit Week

Each year, we celebrate autism acceptance during April - with special recognition on April 2nd. As a catholic school, it is important that we are not only aware but are also accepting of all people.

During the first week of April, special activities were held across schools at Superior North Catholic, including the remote learning program. The week started with Magnificent Mind Monday. Autism is a neurological variation which means the brains of autistic people work differently than the brains of allistic (non-autistic) people - and that's amazing! Celebrating how amazing it is that all our minds work in different, wonderful ways, students were encouraged to wear a fun hat and/or wild hair!

On Neurodiversity Tuesday, students and staff were invited to wear rainbow and/or tie-dyed clothes to school to celebrate the beauty in the diverse spectrum of the human mind.

One characteristic of autism is to show an incredibly focused passion for topics of interest, and on Wednesday, students highlighted what they are passionate about. On Thursday, Autism Acceptance Day, students and staff wore red or gold to show their support and acceptance of autistic individuals.

The week concluded with Sensory Friendly Friday. Autistic people often have a variety of sensory sensitivities. Staff and students dressed up in their most comfy clothes.

During Autism Acceptance Spirit week, remote learning students listened to “All My Stripes.” They learned how everyone is unique; everyone is with their stripes, both students autistic and non-autistic students.

Earth Day

St. Martin Catholic School after school program students share what earth day means and how we all can make a difference 🌍

Our kindergarten friends at St. Edward Catholic School learned about the solar system, ways to protect our earth, and planted some flowers to grow in our classroom! 🌎🌱🌷

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The Grade 4 class at St. Edward Catholic School usually does a short walk (depending on the weather!) each and every day.....but on this particular day, they decided to bring their shovels in their hands!

The class had a very grateful neighbour....our kids enjoyed some cookies and were gifted with a card of appreciation!

Holy Angels Catholic School Kindergartens made it back out to their Outdoor Learning Space. They checked a few of their birdhouses the found one to be full of a nest. It wasn't a bird nest though, it was a Flying Squirrel nest!

Grade 5&6 Math Displays

Holy Angels Catholic School Math Wall

All Grade 5 & 6 classes have been taking part in bi-weekly virtual EQAO sessions with Math Lead, Karly Baker. She has been presenting the students with a variety of mathematical skills and concepts that have been part of previous EQAO assessments. Mrs. Baker set up these 45-minute sessions to be fast-paced and highly engaging, by using a variety of teaching methods: Kahoot Vocabulary game, math picture books, colour by number with metric conversions and many more. After each session was complete, students and teachers were left with extension activities and additional materials to help students “Get EQAO Ready!”

In late January, one of these tasks encouraged the Grade 5 & 6 classrooms to create a Classroom Math Display. You might think that January is a bit too early for preparing our classroom environments for EQAO, but Karly thinks the sooner the better! EQAO will be administered a bit differently this spring (virtually) and some guidelines have changed. As an example, classroom displays were previously taken down from classroom walls, covered up or modified. This is no longer the case.

Holy Saviour Catholic School Math Wall
St. Joseph Catholic School Math Wall
St. Edward Catholic School Math Wall
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School Math Wall

Karly believes the longer the display is made available to students the more confident and comfortable students will have to access it. On these displays, students can find many math strategies, vocabulary, graphic organizers, examples and math tools. Intentionally and purposefully using classroom environments as a teaching resource can assist students in their day-to-day learning and with their EQAO assessment. Ultimately, all homeroom teachers want the students in Grade 6 to be resourceful by looking at all classroom displays if they are struggling at any time during their learning.

First Aid/CPR training for #SNCDSB staff.
First Aid/CPR training for #SNCDSB staff.

Snowshoeing with Dilico

On Friday, April 8th, Jenna Brown from Dilico came to work with the St. Hilary Catholic School Grade 1-8 students. She taught them the history of snowshoeing and what they were traditionally used for and what they were made from. They then had the opportunity to head outside for some snowshoe races. After their races were finished they enjoyed some hot chocolate and fresh-made bannock.

This marked the first opportunity since COVID that St. Hilary Catholic School students were able to host a school-wide, hands-on, experiential learning opportunity with a community partner.

21st-century learning and exploring at St Joseph Catholic School

St. Joseph Catholic School is learning and exploring how 21st-century learning tools can support the delivery of the Ontario curriculum. Ms. Fauvelle, the project lead, has been working with classroom educators in Grades 1 - 6 to identify specific science and mathematics learning goals and curriculum expectations to deliver engaging lessons using 21st Century learning tools. The Technology Enabled Learning Teacher with Superior North Catholic District School Board (SNCDSB) has been supporting the school team to learn how to use these tools and support them with planning lessons.

The team has had the opportunity and privilege to learn from Lisa-Anne Floyd as she has been providing lessons and guidance for the lessons involving Scratch and Makey Makey. The mathematics curriculum goals have focused on the new coding expectations and including spatial sense expectations as students explore the attributes of 2-D shapes including angles, sides and vertices.

The project will continue throughout the school year and include learning tools such as Squishy Circuits, Dash robotics and Makey Makey. Students have been engaged in learning using 21st-century tools while developing their global competencies. A special thank you to Ms. Fauvelle for spearheading the project and Lisa-Anne Floyd for providing her expert knowledge, her collaboration with SNCDSB is greatly appreciated.

The Grade 5-8s at St. Martin Catholic School explored using Minecraft Education in French class. Students started creating tourist sites in various cities that connected to their French culture learning. So much excitement!
Our Grade 5 LU Lakehead Achievement Program students at St. Hilary Catholic School had the opportunity to learn about and create ball and socket joints and tied this learning back to what they would have the opportunity to learn more about if they wanted to pursue courses in Anatomy or Kinesiology in University.

SNCDSB Grade 5/6 and 7/8 classes joined together virtually to learn more about Confederation College and the programs they offer.

Medicine Pouch Making

The JK/SK and Grade 1/2 students at St. Hilary Catholic School participated in making their own medicine pouches so that they can carry the sacred medicines with them in a good way.

The students were provided with the teachings about each of the four medicines (cedar, tobacco, sage, and sweetgrass) and how important each of these medicines are to the land and people of Turtle Island.

St. Martin Catholic School invited drummers and dancers from Pays Plat First Nation to give Indigenous teachings to their students.

Teachings included smudging, dancing, jingle dresses, drumming, animal calls, the process of how to make the drum and many stories

A special thank you to everyone who came out and made this event such an amazing experience for the kids.

Miigwetch

The Superior North Catholic District School Board Virtual Summer Learning program will run from July 4-22 and will focus on numeracy and literacy skills and learning real-world STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). Students will be connecting to their peers and educators learning virtually using Google Classroom and Google Meet.

Municipal Election 2022 - Monday, October 24, 2022

Make Your Vote Count in the Upcoming Municipal & School Board Elections!

Parents/guardians and members of the community are invited to check or change their direction of school support in time for the upcoming municipal and school board elections this year!

Help protect and preserve Catholic education by ensuring you are registered as an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter. To ensure that you are an English (Catholic) School Supporter, check the VoterLookup.ca list or review the assessment section of your Tax Bill or Property Assessment Notice from the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation.

By ensuring that you are accurately recorded as an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter, you can vote for Catholic School Trustees on election day and be counted as a supporter of Catholic Education in our communities and in Ontario.

Credits:

Apple Wagon Films, #SNCDSB Schools