September 26, 2002 -
As Chair of the Sudbury Catholic District School, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff, students, parents, volunteers and community partners for a very successful start to the 2002/2003 school year. On the positive side, our initial enrolment numbers are very encouraging given the fact that students continue to register in our elementary schools on a daily basis and our secondary enrolment is higher than expected. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all students, especially those who are new to our Catholic System. We wish you the very best, and much success as you pursue your academic journey. There can be little doubt, however, that this coming academic year will pose a major challenge to all school boards across Ontario with respect to the Provincial Government’s funding formula. I, along with my fellow Trustees and Senior Board Administration share concerns regarding the present funding model.
The Sudbury Catholic District School Board applauds the efforts of the Minister of Education, Elizabeth Witmer for establishing in June 2002 the Education Equality Task Force. Dr. Rozanski, head of the Task Force, stated that he will be looking for ways to strengthen Ontario’s four publicly funded school system and ways to improve fairness, certainty and stability for our schools and our students. The Sudbury Catholic District School Board in conjunction with the Catholic Teachers Federation, the Sudbury Catholic Principals’ Council and the Sudbury Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1369 presented a list of recommendations to the Task Force on Monday, September 23, 2002 in North Bay to insure the continued protection of Catholic legal rights as well as to address shortcomings of the current Student Focussed Funding Model. The Board encourages all community partners to make their views known to the Task Force by visiting www.edfundingreview.on.ca Your on-going support is vital for the continued access to equal quality educational opportunities for all our Catholic students.
From the Sudbury Catholic District School Board perspective, the purpose of education is not only the transmission of knowledge but also the formation of the whole person that brings students to a personal integration of faith and life. Our Catholic schools are responsible for imparting Christian values in faithful and systematic ways in order to initiate students into the fullness of Christian life and to elicit in response a personal commitment to that way of life.
| 
