Both elementary and secondary school students and staff across the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board have begun responding to the calls for assistance. These calls are all the more poignant for students and staff who have participated in service learning trips to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic over the last few years. Paraphrasing Matthew 25, "When you were hungry, or sick, or homeless ... you gave me what I needed."

Click to see what our schools are doing to help.

Theresa-Harper Dubé has been named one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2010 by The Learning Partnership. She is the Principal of Loyola, School of Continuing and Adult Education, with campuses in Kingston, Belleville, Trenton, Picton and administrative offices in Napanee. Loyola educates students over eighteen years of age. Loyola also educates 1,000 federal inmates incarcerated in Ontario federal correctional facilities. There are eight institutions in the Kingston area and the remaining facilites are scattered throughout the province.

Ms. Harper Dubé was nominated because she is a collaborative, visionary leader who is committed to her students, staff and professional colleagues. “One of the most compelling traits of Theresa as a leader is that she is compassionate and committed to students who struggle,” wrote Lynn Wallace, Superintendent of School Effectiveness, who nominated Theresa. “Many of her students have faced challenges in their personal lives and in their education. School has not always been a place where they feel successful. They come to Loyola with the hope of improving their lives and making better opportunities for their families. Theresa works tirelessly to ensure that her staff is sensitive to the needs of Loyola students by providing a welcoming and respectful atmosphere.”  Read More...

Kindergarten students go about their class work as Director of Education Michael Schmitt comments on the announcement of one Early Learning class in Trenton. The ALCDSB has identified eight classes of full-day every day Early Learning in five schools.

A kindergarten class was the setting as M.P.P. Lou Rinaldi made the announcement of Early Learning school sites. Joining him were Chair Carl Pitman, HPEDSB, Trustee Sam Clements, HPEDSB and Trustee John Brisbois, ALCDSB.

Starting in September 2010, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board will begin phasing in full-day learning for four- and five-year olds in select schools. The ALCDSB will be offering eight classes of full-day Early Learning for the 2010-2011 school year.

The ALCDSB has identified eight full-day every day Early Learning classes in five schools throughout the school district.

The selected schools are:

• St. Peter Catholic School (Trenton)
• Sacred Heart Catholic School (Marmora)
• J.J. O’Neill Catholic School (Napanee)
• St. Peter Catholic School (Kingston)
• St. Patrick Catholic School (Harrowsmith).

As well, the board will be working with our community partners to facilitate the establishment of new before- and after-care programs at schools where there is sufficient registration. There will be a reasonable fee for these programs if families wish to enrol, and the government is offering subsidies for some families, based on financial need.

“We appreciate the leadership that the Ministry of Education has taken in providing full-day early learning to our youngest students. The benefits to their learning will be significant,” said Tom Dall, Chair of the Board.

There were a number of factors to be considered by the school board and the government in order to determine where full-day learning programs would first be offered, including:

• Availability of space
• Community need
• Existing day-care programs – availability of reasonably priced child-care and before- and after-school programming
• Student achievement

The ALCDSB has been a pioneer in recognizing the importance of early learning and has funded full-day senior kindergarten programs in several schools since 2003.

The Ontario government has committed funding to support the creation of full-day learning programs for approximately 15% of the junior/senior kindergarten-aged students to start, and expanding in stages until full implementation by 2015-16.
Teachers and qualified early childhood educators will work side-by-side during the regular school day to help young students learn and grow.

The ALCDSB continues to consult with schools, employee groups, child-care providers, municipalities and coterminous school boards over the introduction of full-day learning in our school district.