Catholic Community
Newsletter
Spring 2016
Compliments of the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
Holy Family students selected to
attend national science fair
Three students from Hanover’s Holy Family
School were selected to attend the CanadaWide Science Fair in Montreal this spring.
Nick Muegge, Connor Maxwell, and Spencer
Whitehead all won gold medals at the regional
event in Owen Sound and the honour of
moving on to the national event in Montreal
where Connor received a silver medal and
Spencer received the Actuarial Foundation of
Canada Award.
and Feeding Patterns”, involved setting up a
series of trail cameras to determine seasonal
patterns in white-tailed deer movement.
He completed a detailed statistical analysis
of white-tailed deer movement in the area
and examined how their movement patterns
change throughout the year.
Bruce-Grey Catholic DSB welcomes input from focus group conversations on the
development of the next multi-year strategic plan.
Alone we are smart, together we are brilliant! – Steven Anderson, soccer player.
Strategic Planning initiative well
underway
As a follow-up to its “Strat Chat”
conversation, 51 individuals participated
in two focus group sessions hosted by
the Board over two evenings in early April.
Feedback from the groups supported the
Board’s previously-identified priorities of
supporting faith in action, maintaining high
levels of student achievement, and the
need to continue to develop community
partnerships. “Transformation” was a
recurring theme in the discussions.
Priorities for the Bruce-Grey Catholic Board
have been summarized as: Let’s Pray, Let’s
Inspire, Let’s Learn and Let’s Shine.
Staff will continue to shape the plan as they
identify and develop targets, monitoring
strategies, timelines, and responsibilities
to meet the goals they have been tasked
to achieve. A draft of the plan will be
presented to the Board of Trustees for
approval in June.
Bruce-Grey high school students
participate in Ontario Technological
Skills Competition
Keaton Rich, a student at Walkerton’s
Sacred Heart High School came away with
a silver award at the recent Ontario Skills
Competition.
From Sacred Heart High School in
Walkerton
Keaton was one of 21 students from
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board’s
two high schools who passed the Regional
Ontario Skills Qualifying Competitions at
Georgian College in Barrie and Midland
and went on to compete at the Ontario
Skills Competition in May at Waterloo’s
RIM Park.
Welding – Craig Klein, Zack Harper, Ben
Klages, Tait Hawken
From St. Mary’s High School in
Owen Sound
Photography – Hannah Plumbstead
Spencer studies body mass and run
times
Connor is interested in improving the
environment
Connor is a Canada-Wide Science Fair
veteran; he represented Bruce-Grey last year
in New Brunswick. His project this year, “From
Farmland to Filtration – Improving Water
Quality”, examined a variety of ways to filter
runoff and keep our water sources clean.
He developed and tested an economically
viable filtration system that can be installed
in culverts and that will effectively remove
contaminants. He also investigated the
permits necessary to build and install his
filtration system.
Building
relationships at
St. Mary’s
“Building relationships” is the theme
of a lunch and learning program at St.
Mary’s High School in Owen Sound.
The program’s goal is to learn more
about Indigenous culture and practices
while at the same time building healthy
relationships between students and
students, students and staff and
students and their environment. The
program’s organizers also hope that
students will be encouraged to engage
in their education.
Precision Machining – Keaton Rich, Matt
Spielmacher
Two-Man Construction – Dwayne Grubb,
Brent Schnurr
CNC Woodworking – Dalton Goetz
Nick is tracking deer
Culinary – Chris Klerks-Curtis
Nick has been tracking and photographing
white-tailed deer in the area for over a year.
His project, “White-Tailed Deer Movement
Small Powered Equipment – Lucas
Bulsink
Spencer’s project “Less Mass Run Fast”
examined the impact of increased mass
on runnng times. He and his test subjects
completed a series of running trials with
a randomized additon of weight. After
completing a number of tests, Spencer
calculated the linear regression and
determined that even a small increase in
mass has a definite impact.
The program features guest speakers,
outdoor field trips, and arts activities
that express First Nation, Métis and
Inuit culture.
Return Canadian undeliverable addresses to:
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
799 –16th Avenue, Hanover ON N4N 3A1
Culinary – Elizabeth Bulsink
3-D Character Animation – Team of 2,
Derek Johnston and Mackenzie Hidman
Cabinetmaking – Brian Van Schepen
Carpentry Team of 2 – Christian Cayley
and Brendan Boers
Graphic Design – Alistar Moy
Prepared Speech – Molly Hilts
Website Development – Melissa Shields
Catholic Community Newsletter – Spring 2016
Keaton Rich
1
Catholic Education Week Roundup
“On that day the Holy Door
will become a Door of Mercy
through which anyone who
enters will experience the
love of God who consoles,
pardons and instills hope.”
– Pope Francis.
Opening Doors of Mercy
During the week of May 1 to May 6, the
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
(BGCDSB) celebrated the significant
contribution that Catholic education has made
to the community, to the province and to
Canada. Our Catholic Graduate Expectations
challenge students to articulate in society
those fundamental values that underpin
Catholic education.
The theme of this year’s celebration was
Catholic Education: Opening Doors of Mercy.
Pope Francis has declared 2016 a Holy
Year of Mercy as a way for the Catholic
church to “make more evident, its mission
to be a witness of mercy”. The Holy Year
began on December 8 of last year and will
be celebrated until November 20, 2016.
Throughout the year there will be a series of
jubilee celebrations on the theme of mercy
for teenagers, deacons, the sick and disabled,
prisoners, catechists and clergy.
In addition, the Pope opened the Vatican’s
Holy Door on December 8. The Holy Door is
opened to evoke the concept of forgiveness
which is the main focus of a Holy Year. The
theme of God’s mercy is illustrated in 15
of the 16 bronze panels that make up the
Vatican Door. There are seven such Holy
Doors in the world, with one located in
Quebec City.
This year’s Catholic Education Week combined
both the theme of mercy and the act of
opening doors of reconciliation, mercy and
forgiveness to all around us.
There were five sub-themes, one for each day
of the week, aimed at helping students and
staff reflect more fully on what Opening Doors
of Mercy asks of them: Mercy that Welcomes,
Mercy that Loves, Mercy that Forgives, Mercy
that Lives the Gospel, Mercy that Rejoices.
Catholic Education Week was marked by
special activities system-wide and in our
schools at all grade levels. Examples of some
of those activities follow.
Port Elgin pilgrimage
Grades 1/2 and 7/8 students at St. Joseph’s
School participated in a Corporal Works of
Mercy Pilgrimage Walk in Port Elgin. They
also visited the Salvation Army, a community
garden and the beach and joined in prayer
and reflection at each site.
Annual Applause Breakfast
The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
held its annual “Applause Breakfast Awards”
event on Monday, May 2nd at Klages Mill in
Chesley.
The “Applause Breakfast Awards” program
honours selected students and their parents
for their ongoing contributions to their
respective school communities.
“The ultimate success of our educational
system is dependent upon students, parents,
staff and our community partners,” said
Director of Education Jamie McKinnon. “We
believe that it is important to recognize those
students whose presence and actions are
foundational to our success...who are willing
to let their light shine before others.”
At the breakfast, two students from each
school were recognized before their parents,
principals, staff members and administration,
for exemplifying the Virtues and through their
actions, contributing to the Catholic Culture of
Deep Caring in our schools.
St. Anthony’s, Kincardine
Zack Eybergen
Samantha Castillo
Sacred Heart, Mildmay
Rhys Tiffin
Andrea Rejep
St. Basil’s, Owen Sound
Raven Howe
Hailey Wignall
Notre Dame School, Owen Sound
Erin O’Donoughue
Matthew Molinski
St. Joseph’s, Port Elgin
Sarah Heenan
Camden Ritchie
Mother Teresa, Walkerton
Tyson Clark
Jenna Thompson
The following students were presented with a
certificate and an award.
Mary Immaculate, Chepstow
Alex Ernewein
Jessica Eddyvean
Sacred Heart High School, Walkerton
Nikki Adams
Lawrence Filsinger
St. Peter & St. Paul’s, Durham
Luke Marshall
Jade Noble
The Board would like to thank the following
sponsors for their contributions to this event.
Holy Family, Hanover
Kelly Lembke
Joel Mackay
Students decorate doors to celebrate Jubilee year
“This Year of Mercy,” said Board’s Family Life and Religious Education Consultant, Amy Keiffer,
“is an invitation to love, to kindness and unbounded generosity. It is about opening doors and
encountering the incredible mercy of God.”
At Mary Immaculate School in Chepstow
(photo), Sacred Heart School in Mildmay and
Ecole Immaculee Conception, Formosa.
Sacred Heart, Teeswater
Liam McKinnon
Lily Batte
St. Mary’s High School, Owen Sound
Noah Cyr
Christian Cayley
Immaculate Conception, Formosa
Emma Fortney
Lauren Dillon
Living Rosaries…
Al Reich’s Construction
Allen-Hastings Ltd.
BDO Financial Services
Borden Ladner Gervais
Built Wright Fencing
County Line Diner
Cuneo Interiors Ltd.
D.J. Peat Roofing/Sheet Metal
Durrer’s General Contracting
Emke Schaab
Eric Cox Sanitation
Excel Business Systems
H. Bye Construction
Harley’s Pub & Perk
Hicks Morley
Holst Office Pro
Keel Cottrelle LLP
Kunkel Bus Lines
Martin’s School Bus Transit
Prestige General Contracting
SRM Architects
Wayne’s Electric
WSP Canada Inc.
Meditation
A whole school meditation started the day for
students at Immaculate Conception School in
Formosa.
Sacred Heart High School
At Walkerton’s Sacred Heart High School,
home room classes filled in messages
starting with “Catholic schools are ...” on
symbols such as doves, bibles, fish and
crosses. The messages were then displayed
on the We are Catholic Education banner.
Kincardine students write
postcards
St. Anthony’s School in Kincardine focused on
three Acts of Mercy: Feed the Hungry (Food
Drive), Clothe the Naked (Clothing Drive) and
Console the Afflicted where students wrote
more than 300 postcards with messages of
hope to teenagers living in Attawapiskat.
Sacred Heart
The photo depicts a collection of 20 doors decorated by students in Kindergarten to Grade 12.
Sacred Heart High School students collected
clothing donations, made bagged lunches and
delivered them to the Toronto Street Ministry
Program.
2
Catholic Community Newsletter – Spring 2016
As a way of learning about, and celebrating, the Jubilee Year of Mercy, each of the Bruce-Grey
Catholic schools was invited to artistically represent a theme of mercy on a door.
Director’s Message
up for a strong finish as well as planning for
next year.
In my first year as Director here at
BGCDSB I have witnessed an incredible
level of commitment and engagement of
community, parish, parents, students, and
staff in serving and leading in the Catholic
community. This newsletter will highlight
many of the experiences and learning
opportunities shared by students and staff.
It is hard to imagine that another school
year cycle has made it round to June again.
As an educator in Ontario I have often
been asked (usually beginning the long
weekend in May) “you must be winding
down for the summer?” I would chuckle
inside and politely respond that there was
still much to do. The reality is that June has
approximately 20 instructional days and
although there may be a couple of days for
celebrating and sharing learning, we have
20 more days to make a difference. The
conclusion of a school year is truly gearing
We have been blessed to celebrate
this Jubilee Year of Mercy as all school
community members joined in to witness
both spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Our inaugural Bishop’s Dinner in support
of local Syrian refugee efforts was an
overwhelming experience of community
commitment. Our participants, hosts,
sponsors, and guests – joined together for
nourishment in mind, body, and soul as
we were entertained by students and live
auctioneer action, raising 10,000 dollars
in support of the cause. This was but one
of many opportunities to gather with our
community partners to celebrate Catholic
education and our commitment to “…
let our light shine before others, that they
may see our good works and give glory to
God…” (Matthew 5:16)
We continue to lead provincially, and are
proud to have the Chair of the BGCDSB
Board of Trustees, Beverly Eckensweiler,
elected as Vice Chair of the Ontario Catholic
School Trustees Association (OCSTA). Bev’s
commitment to learning and support for
Catholic Education will be an asset at the
provincial table.
As we continue to work toward more
students graduating, more students reaching
beyond provincial standards, improving math
skills, embedding technology in our learning,
building on inclusive communities, living up
to Truth and Reconciliation commitments,
and building pathways to success for all,
we never lose sight of our commitment to
developing the whole child in mind, body, and
spirit.
These themes will be further revealed in
our new Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020 to be
released in September. Thank you to all who
contributed on line or in focus groups – Let’s
Pray, Inspire, Learn, and Shine will be the
mantra of our work into the future, we look
forward to sharing in the journey with you.
God Bless, and may you enjoy the long warm
days of summer surrounded by the love of
family and friends.
Jamie McKinnon
Fund-raising dinner an unqualified success
Prior to the event, Director of Education
Jamie McKinnon had described the recent
“Mercy that Welcomes” evening as “an
event unlike any we have planned in the
past”. He can now say that it was one of
the most successful events the Bruce-Grey
Catholic District School Board has ever held.
On the evening of April 19, 200 guests met
at the Walkerton Knights of Columbus Hall
where they were entertained by musicians
and guest speakers, had an opportunity to
meet special guest Bishop Douglas Crosby
of the Hamilton Diocese, sat down to a
roast beef dinner, and participated in live
and silent auctions.
“The evening was a huge success,” said
Jamie, “and when all proceeds from the
dinner and auctions were tallied, we raised
over $10,000 which will be distributed to
local groups that are supporting refugee
families.”
I love my Catholic School…
Students at Immaculate Conception School
in Formosa were asked to fill in their words
after the phrase, “I love my Catholic School
because...”
The evening began with a happy hour with
cultural appetizers prepared by students at
Sacred Heart High School (SHHS) under the
direction of Alison Rowe and Nora Cowe.
Hoity Toity Cellars and MacLean’s Brewery
donated a portion their proceeds to the
event.
Entertainment featured Kincardine’s Marc
Glipo, a SHHS student, the Notre Dame
School band, First Nations drumming and
Liturgical Dancers from SHHS.
The roast beef dinner was served by the
Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary.
Keynote speaker, Andy Foster, who is
currently running an ESL program in Owen
Sound, shared the heartwarming tale of her
experiences both locally and internationally.
Her stories provided a real reminder of how
difficult life can be for some people in the
world.
Participation in the silent auction was
intense and SHHS teacher Dave Metcalfe, a
qualified auctioneer, kept interest high with
several live auctions.
Master of Ceremonies Dan Pitre, Acting
Principal at St. Peter & St. Paul’s School,
kept the sell-out crowd engaged and the
evening flowing. Guests had an opportunity
Students serve appetizers prior to dinner.
to view 20 doors decorated by students in
Kindergarten to Grade 12 from all BruceGrey Catholic schools.
“This event was a wonderful example of our
Catholic Education Week theme – Opening
Doors of Mercy” said Jamie. “It was a
celebration of inclusion and welcoming every
stranger as a friend. My sincere thanks go
out to all who attended and participated in
the fund-raising auctions, to the numerous
individuals, businesses and organizations
that donated auction items and financial
support, and to our students and staff who
worked so hard to bring it all together.”
Seniors at St. Mary’s participate in Transition Day
St. Mary’s High School student trustee
Lindsey Marck, organized a “Transition Day”
for senior students at her school to ease the
transition from high school to post secondary
studies. She describes the program, in her
own words.
Doors of Mercy
In addition to the Board’s system-wide
project each class decorated their door at
Immaculate Conception School in Formosa
and at St. Anthony’s School (photo) in
Kincardine.
Seniors’ visits
Students from Holy Family School in Hanover
and St. Peter & St. Paul’s School in Durham,
visited residents of local nursing homes.
Catholic Community Newsletter – Spring 2016
Transition Day organizer Lindsey Marck.
“The goal of the day was to try to relieve
the stress and anxiety associated with
moving on after high school. Many roles and
responsibilities are thrown on students that
they may not have expected and therefore
are unprepared for.
“SMHS students who have graduated and
taken different pathways spoke about their
recent experiences moving on from high
school, and told students about what they
wish they had known prior to leaving high
school.
“We had a keynote speaker, David Shorey,
who spoke about the overall experience
after high school. He touched on how it is
a big change but great things, including
making more friends and becoming more
independent stem from that change. Shine
McKnight spoke about the importance of
budgeting and finances when taking on
the cost of college and university education.
Melissa Barfoot, an OPP officer, emphasized
the importance of taking precautions and
staying safe in a bigger centre with more
freedom. She enlightened students on ways
to protect themselves.
“We also had Chef Jason Merton from
Georgian College give a presentation on
cooking for one and preparing healthy,
inexpensive meals using a crock pot. As well,
at lunch, students had the opportunity to
go to various booths regarding employment,
OSAP, student resources at post secondary
and maintaining healthy mental health.
Students also had the opportunity to tour
Georgian College.
“Overall, the day was very educational and
informative. I believe students could take
away many things and ideas to help them
transition stress-free.”
3
St. Mary’s students Liam Sargo, Rachel Bonhert, Natasha Szulist and Heather Braeker, and
teacher Patrick Hrycak accept cheque from Suzanne Caniglia of EF Tours.
St. Mary’s High School trip gets
boost from scholarship
St. Anthony’s students
fast and think
Some 30 students at St. Anthony’s
School in Kincardine participated in
the Development and Peace 25 hour
THINKfast in March. From 3 p.m.
Wednesday until 4 p.m. Thursday
students could only consume liquids
such as water, milk and juice.
Students from St. Mary’s High School in Owen “Our history students have been learning
Sound are celebrating after winning a $1,000 about Canadian soldiers as they pushed
classroom scholarship for their 2017 tour to
through Italy during the last days of the war,”
Rome, Italy.
said Patrick. “This includes soldiers from the
Owen Sound area who have left testimonials
St. Mary’s French Immersion History teacher
of their experiences in resources such as the
Patrick Hrycak had entered a competition for
Memory Project online. Many of our students
the scholarship after leading several tours
have also studied the thousand-year-old
for students to Europe. When he heard his
monastery founded by St. Benedict at Monte
application had won, “I couldn’t wait to tell the
Cassino, which became a key feature of a
travellers, and I emailed them that afternoon,”
German defensive line preventing the advance
he said. “We will be sure to use the
of the Allied Forces.
scholarship to select some tour improvements
that all the travellers can enjoy.”
“We’re all looking forward to visiting this holy
site as well as the Canadian War Memorial
The scholarship comes from EF Tours Canada
built near there,” he added. “The look on their
which accepted entries from teachers across
faces when we set foot on these historical
Canada who described the educational
sites ... I can’t wait to see that.”
opportunities they have in store for young
people who engage in student travel. After
the top entries were selected, the Ontario
winner chosen was St. Mary’s High School.
The school’s entry highlights links to Canadian
history and the battle at Monte Cassino during
the final stages of the Second World War.
On Thursday evening, St. Anthony’s
community of parents and grandparents,
CWL, and Knights of Columbus prepared
a much-appreciated Solidarity Dinner
for the participants and organizers of the
event.
“The proposal Mr. Hrycak submitted was
exactly what our company had in mind for
this award,” said Suzanne Caniglia of EF Tours.
“A trip to Europe with a connected study in
Canadian history is a wonderful way to open
a young person’s eyes to the benefits and
advantages of international travel.”
We Care event
Students make
pilgrimage walk
Some 90 students from Grade 9 to 12
religion classes at Walkerton’s Sacred
Heart High School (SHHS) walked
from the school to the courtyard of the
former Walkerton jail to pray for those
around the world who are imprisoned.
They then travelled to the cenotaph and
on to Sacred Heart Parish for reflections
of mercy and for the opportunity for
reconciliation.
St. Anthony’s
students become
chefs for a day
Core French students in Grades 6/7E
and 7/8E at St. Anthony’s School in
Kincardine, competed in a Le Petit Chef
competition in April.
Local chefs were invited to judge the
students on their creative Poutine
recipes. Mystery judge, M. Wright, kept
the students on their toes as he posed
various questions about their food
preparation – in French.
The teachers and chefs all remarked
on the creativity and enthusiasm of the
student chefs, and in particular their
ability to converse in French. The school
expressed special thanks to Chef Chris
from Tramonto’s and to Chef Kirk from
the Bruce Steakhouse for taking the
time to judge the “action-oriented core
French task”.
4
Sacred Heart Church in Walkerton has
been designated an official pilgrimage
site for the Year of Mercy. On the first
Friday of each month, pilgrimages take
place across the country to celebrate
this special year.
SHHS students also participated in
another walk later in the spring.
Theology on Tap
Two Theology on Tap events were held this
spring for teachers and administrators of the
Bruce-Grey Catholic DSB. The events are
billed as “An evening of music and spirituality”
and feature a guest speaker, guest musicians
and food and beverages in a relaxed setting.
Legacy Ridge Golf Club in Owen Sound was
the venue on May 19 and featured Father
David Roche, a priest, teacher, hockey player,
violinist, magician and tour leader, speaking
on the topic, the Resurrection Narratives.
Father David has been a priest for 37 years in
Toronto and teaches scripture at the Seminary.
Together, the school community not only
raised awareness of those less fortunate
in our world, but also more than $700 for
Development and Peace.
The Grey Bruce We C.A.R.E. Project
hosted its 2nd annual Share Event,
May 13 at the Durham Community
Centre, featuring Youth & Adult
Engagement Workshops. The keynote
speaker was Kevin Breel, a 22 year
old writer, comedian and activist for
mental health. Kevin’s TED talk, entitled
“Confessions of a Depressed Comic”
became one of the most viral videos,
and is one of the most watched TED
talks ever with over three million views.
Some 350 participants attended
the event. Highlights included a “We
Care” song written and performed by
Tandem, BGCDSB alumni Sam Glasier
and Keith Hundt, and visits from the
St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. The
day was made possible through the
sponsorship of Bruce Power and the
Ministry of Children and Youth Services,
along with 14 community partners
including school boards, mental health
services and police services. For more
information about We Care visit their
website at www.wecaregreybruce.ca
Music for the evening was provided by Pick
Up Game, a three-piece rock and alternative
rock cover band from the Owen Sound area.
On Friday, June 3, Theology on Tap was held
at MacLean’s Brewery in Hanover where
Father Toby Collins provided the message.
Father Toby is a priest with the Congregation
of the Resurrection, Ontario-Kentucky
Province, and is currently the Vocation
Director. His mission is to engage youth every
day in their calling to God’s vision of their
lives.
Music was provided by Tandem, comprised
of Keith Hundt and Sam Glasier, graduates of
Sacred Heart High School in Walkerton.
Board Chair elected
to provincial
organization
Bev Eckensweiler, Chair of the BruceGrey Catholic District School Board, has
been acclaimed as Vice-President of
the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’
Association (OCSTA).
“I am deeply honoured and humbled
and I will do my very best to promote
and protect Catholic Education,” she
said of her new responsibility.
Founded in 1930, OCSTA is the
provincial voice for publicly funded
Catholic Education, and represents the
interests of Catholic school boards that
collectively educate some 550,000
students in Ontario. In addition to its
executive, OCSTA’s Board of Directors
includes 15 regional directors elected
by trustees in each membership region
of the province.
“Our Board has been blessed with
Bev’s leadership and now the
province will also be impacted by
her commitment and passion for
Catholic education,” said Director of
Education Jamie McKinnon, in making
the announcement. “Together we look
forward to the challenging work ahead.”
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Catholic Community
Newsletter
Produced by the Bruce-Grey Catholic District
School Board to inform ratepayers about
news and activities.
Editor: Terry K. Diggle & Associates
Catholic Community Newsletter attempts to
provide an overview of the accomplishments,
the challenges and issues for the Bruce-Grey
Catholic system as a whole.
Comments may be directed to:
519-364-5820
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
799 –16th Avenue, Hanover ON N4N 3A1
www.bgcdsb.org
The Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
can issue tax receipts, in the full amount, for
any financial donations made to its schools.
Cheques should be made payable to the
Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board
Charitable Trust and the name of the school
should be noted in the memo line. Check to
be sure – if your taxes are not directed to the
Catholic school system, you can’t vote for
Catholic trustees in the next election.
Catholic Community Newsletter – Spring 2016