Sudbury Catholic Schools...
Creating hopes and dreams through excellence.

We are pleased to inform you of the outcome of the Accommodation Review Process for the South/Central and North/West Planning Areas. This letter outlines the decisions made by the Board of Trustees at the Special Board Meeting held at Tom Davies Square on May 26, 2009.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board will be creating a new 550 pupil place, “dual track,” quality teaching and learning environment in the City’s South End. The new school will also include a Multi-Media Technology Plaza based on an education village model, one-site, JK to Grade 12 campus.

Trustees for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board voted in favour of closing four south end schools (St. Christopher, St. Theresa, Corpus Christi, and St. Michael Catholic Schools). The motion to close the four schools, three of which are PTR Schools (Prohibitive to Repair), allows the Board to apply for Ministry funding to renovate St. Francis Catholic School and to build this new school.

Current students from St. Christopher and all of the Grade 7 and 8 students from St. Francis and St. David Elementary Catholic Schools will be consolidated into the “new green school” on the St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School site. Current students from St. Michael Catholic School will be consolidated into the St. Francis Catholic School (JK to Grade 6). St. Theresa and Corpus Christi Catholic School students will have the option of attending either St. Francis Catholic School or the new school (flexible boundaries). However, once the transition of the current students of Corpus Christi and St. Theresa is completed to either the new school or St. Francis, new boundaries will apply to new families.

Trustees also voted in favour of renovating St. David Catholic School with regular JK to Grade 6 programming to include further community partnerships focusing on a holistic service model to serve the needs of this community.

With respect to the North/West Planning area, Trustees passed a motion to consolidate St. Mary Elementary School Grade 7 and 8 students and programming into St. Anne Elementary School commencing September 2009. The Board also adopted a long-term vision for grade 7 to 12 programming and a multi-media centre for Bishop Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School.

We will develop an implementation plan for the school consolidations which will include “focus group” sessions. Parents, school communities and all stakeholders will be involved in the consultation process in designing the new campus.

The recommendations maintained the integrity of the accommodation review process. Below are some of the highlights of the supporting rationale

1. JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS permits increased opportunities for professional development, teacher collaboration and staff specialization

2. JK to Grade 12 on the one site at St. Benedict CSS creates more opportunities for cooperative education, peer tutoring, “fast tracking,” interventions for at risk and disengaged students, and seamless transition for French Immersion students wishing regular programming

3. Two large elementary schools with dual track programming are beneficial to the Board as it provides parents and students with more options

4. A renovated St. David School would enhance partnerships with First Nations communities within the Board’s jurisdiction.

The Multi Media Resource Centre would provide equipment for students to have a more hands-on style of interaction encouraging new learning opportunities. This Centre would enable the Board to provide both elementary and secondary students with 21st Century skills and learning opportunities directed toward all career pathways.

The creation of a new “green school” and the renovations to St. Francis and St. David Catholic Schools will enhance educational programs within these facilities which will provide the students under our care with a Catholic education that is of the highest quality possible.

Thank you again for your support, participation and professionalism during this process.

Sincerely,

Catherine McCullough
Director of Education
and the Senior Team