“Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!” This was the phrase the English Early Learning Kindergarten students at St. Anne School in Hanmer had being practicing as they used the story of the “Gingerbread Man” to practice story retelling. A culminating activity was to actually bake their own gingerbread cookies. Imagine their surprise when they discovered that their baked cookies had run away just like the cookie in the story!
An all points bulletin was aired over the school’s p.a. system by the Kindergarten children. They then proceeded to design and post lost and found posters. With the entire student body and staff eagerly searching for the fun away cookies, the children received a phone call from Mr. Thomson, an Intermediate teacher within the school. The run away cookies had fled to Mr. Thomson’s classroom. When asked why he thought the cookies would run to him, Mr. Thomson was quoted as saying, “Everyone knows I like cookies and I also like to say ‘Hello’ to the littlest people within our school, so I guess my classroom was the perfect place to go.” The Kindergarten children were ecstatic and relieved at the same time. Mr. Thomson received a gingerbread cookie as a reward for helping the students and providing a very happy and yummy ending to this tasty fairy tale mystery!
St. Anne Staff “Pied” for School Challenge
Students at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School were issued a challenge. The school takes part every year in the Jump Rope for Heart Event but Vice Principal Laura Stirrett felt that this year, they could do more. Stirrett set a few fundraising goals for the students and asked them to try to outdo what they had done in the past. If they met these challenges, then certain staff members would have to take part in some interesting challenges of their own.
The goals set for the students were as follows:
Bronze challenge – if the students raised $1000, then Vice Principal Laura Stirrett and Custodian Daniel Sauve would have their hair spraypainted different colours for the day.
Silver challenge – if the students raised $1500, Vice Principal Laura Stirrett and Custodian Daniel Sauve would have pies thrown in their face as well as have their hair spraypainted.
Gold challenge – if the students raised $2000, then the the Vice Principal and Custodian would have their hair spraypainted, pies thrown in their face… and would be subjected to a silly string attack.
Platinum challenge – after these challenges went out, Vice Principal Laura Stirrett threw down the final gauntlet and said that if these challenges were not only met but surpassed and the school raised $3500, then the students could subject not only herself and the custodian, but St. Anne Principal Guy Mathieu as well!
Well, the students surpassed all fundraising challenges and managed to raise an amazing $6300 in just one week. To the delight of students and staff, top fundraising students took the opportunity to spraypaint hair, throw pies and spray silly string at the Principal, Vice Principal and Custodian without consequences. In the gym the students screamed with excitement as the three staff members could do nothing but sit and take the abuse. Congratulations to all of the students and staff at St. Anne for taking on such a great challenge with fantastic school spirit!
St. Anne’s Parent Going Above and Beyond to Support School Community
At all of the schools at the Sudbury Catholic District School Board, one can find many parents who go that extra mile to ensure that the students and staff have all that they need for great, fun, safe school days. One such parent that fits this bill is Todd Connors. Connors is a parent of a grade 8 student at St. Anne Catholic Elementary School in Hanmer and is the Regional Operations Manager of Perkins Restaurants. Todd is continuously supporting St. Anne not only with different supplies, but also by finding time to fit volunteering at the school in his busy schedule. As Regional Operations Manger of Perkins, he often donates many different food supplies to the school including pancake mix, muffin mix, crackers, soups, juice etc and in large enough quantities to feed the entire school! As well, he has donated season tickets to the Sudbury Wolves games for the school to enhance their student recognition programs such as “I caught you doing something good”. Laura Stirrett, Vice Principal of the school feels that Connors is an excellent example of positive parent involvement as well as a great example of how community can work together with schools building strong partnerships. “Mr. Connors is an important part of our school.” said Stirrett. “With his generous donations, he has helped eased some of the fund-raising burdens on students especially during these difficult financial times. We are very grateful for all that Mr. Connors has done and does for our school!” Cheryl Macrury, the JK/SK teacher at the school had her students write a letter to Mr. Connors on behalf of the school to express their gratitude for all that he has done for them. St. Anne’s would like to thank Mr. Connors and Perkins Restaurant for really making a difference in their school community.
The letter includes these lines from the JK/SK students:
Dear Mr. Connors,
Thank you for the pancake mix and syrup
for our pancake breakfast. They were EXCELLENT!!
They tasted YUMMY!!! You always give us awesome
treats for our special celebrations. We wan to thank
you for everything you do for our class and for our school.
We love it and we love YOU!
Love,
JK-SK
A Diamond in the Rough; St. Anne Catholic Schools Re-Greening Efforts Transform School Yard
St. Anne Catholic School was runner up in the VETAC Ugliest School Yard Competition last spring. The school received a cash prize from Xstrata Nickel to help in its re-greening efforts. The funds were used to purchase sod for the playground, benches, trees, and materials for two large brick agricultural beds in which students from Mrs. Wuksinic’s Grade 2/3 class Ms. MacRury’s JK/SK class planted flowers.
St. Anne Catholic School would like to extend its deepest appreciation to the many families, staff and students who helped make this amazing idea a reality. Thank you also to the local businesses who donated items and/or services. St. Anne Catholic School would also like to recognize and thank Jamie Beauchamp from Xstrata Nickel along with representatives from the business community including Peter Vanderkooy from Botanix Azilda Green Houses and Myrna Bechamp from Ashley’s Landscape Supplies who visited St. Anne Catholic School to view the “final product” and to wish the students well.