St. Albert Learning Centre
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Category: Adult Education

A Day We Will Never Forget Class of 2026

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On Wednesday, June 24th, St. Albert Learning Centre proudly celebrated our 34th Annual Graduation Ceremony at Holy Redeemer Church. The Church was filled with graduates, families, friends, staff, and community members—all gathered to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

We extend our sincere thanks to Father Sam for allowing us to use his Church, and Deacon Roland from Christ the King Parish for leading the opening prayer, closing prayer, and blessing.

We were honoured to welcome greetings from Trustee Ray Desjardins on behalf of the Sudbury Catholic District School Board and an inspirational address from Superintendent Dr. Paul Nalli.

A special thank you to Joey Gagnon, a St. Albert graduate, for returning to encourage this year’s graduates and wish them success as they begin their next chapter.

Our Principal, Christina Raso, reminded graduates that hope is more than wishing for a better future. It is having the courage to believe that tomorrow can be different than yesterday. She encouraged graduates to continue aspiring to great things, knowing they have the power to make a difference in the lives of others.

A sincere thank you also goes to PSW Clinical Instructor Dawn-Marie Brunet, who did an outstanding job serving as our Master of Ceremonies and guiding us through this special celebration.

Perhaps the most memorable moments of the afternoon came from our two inspiring valedictorians.

Ryan Parker-Joyes OSSD Valedictorian, reminded us that “showing up mattered more than what grade you could get.” He shared that because the staff believed in him, he rediscovered a love of learning and will be studying Biochemistry and Education this fall with the goal of becoming a high school teacher—hoping to give future students the same opportunity St. Albert gave him.

Chanique Wilson, our Double Graduate (OSSD & PSW) Valedictorian, captured the spirit of the graduating class when she shared, “If this journey has proven anything, it’s that we are capable of hard things… Ready to care. Ready to grow. And ready to make an impact, one person at a time.”

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Your stories are proof that perseverance, determination, and believing in yourself can open doors you once thought were closed.

It’s never too late to graduate!

✨ Building Pathways Through Trades, Training & Education ✨

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Today, our Principal, Christina, was honoured to be invited to speak with the new cohort of students in the Community Builders Trades & Diversity Training Program — a 12-week paid training program designed to launch learners into meaningful careers in the skilled trades.
Christina shared the importance of training and education as powerful tools for long-term success. She explained that for students who have not yet earned their OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma), St. Albert Learning Centre can support them by registering co-op credits through our partnership with Community Builders, allowing students to gain hands-on construction experience while earning credits toward graduation.
She also introduced students to PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) — a process that recognizes learning gained through life and work experience, helping mature students earn credits for what they already know and can do.
In addition, Christina shared that even students who already have their OSSD can continue their journey with us. St. Albert Learning Centre offers free prerequisite courses to support pathways into the trades, apprenticeships, and post-secondary programs, removing barriers and opening doors to future opportunities.
Congratulations to the new Community Builders cohort on choosing to explore careers in construction and the skilled trades; a field built on hard work, growth, and opportunity.
A special thank you to Paige for the invitation and for actively supporting students through the process of becoming St. Albert Learning Centre students, helping them register, understand their options, and take meaningful steps toward graduation and future training. We are grateful to the entire Community Builders team for their ongoing partnership and shared commitment to student success.

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✨ Pilgrims of Hope – Our School Community Walk ✨

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Today, our school family came together for a very special event — our Pilgrims of Hope Walk — in celebration of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.
As part of this province-wide initiative, we journeyed together from our school to the beautiful Grotto, stopping at five prayer stations along the way. Each stop was an opportunity to reflect on the five guiding principles of this year’s theme: Honouring Human Dignity, Caring for Creation, Responding to the Poverties in Our World, Serving in Solidarity, and Living as Peacemakers.
The Pilgrims of Hope theme calls us to embrace compassion, resilience, and faith and today, we truly lived that out together.
What does hope mean to our students?
When we asked, they shared heartfelt answers:
🌱 “Hope is second chances.”
🌱 “Hope is trusting good things will come.”
🌱 “Hope means never giving up.”
🌱 “Hope is having Jesus in our lives.”
🌱 “Hope is to wish for a better tomorrow.”
🌱 “Hope means love.”
🌱 “I hope to graduate.”
A special thank you to everyone who made this day possible:
• Our staff and students who walked, prayed, and reflected together
• Special guests: Director of Education Morris Hucal, Deacon Roland from Christ the King Parish, Superintendent Natasha Folino, and Joan, our Religious Education & Faith Development Consultant
• Everest and Lynn for preparing and serving the warm, delicious soups
• Sini, Lubna & Robin, our Cambrian College placement students, for organizing a fun and meaningful scavenger hunt at the Grotto after lunch.
Today’s walk was more than just a physical journey, it was a spiritual pilgrimage that reminded us that, even in challenging times, we are called to walk in hope, together.

Thinking about finishing your high school diploma? At St. Albert, it’s never too late!

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If you’re 18 or older, you can return to school and with the help of PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition), you may be closer to graduation than you think.
PLAR allows us to recognize your life and work experience—granting you up to 10 senior secondary school credits toward your OSSD.
Check out this incredible student who met with our principal this morning to review his portfolio. It was filled with rich life experiences, and because of the hard work he put into documenting it, he’s now that much closer to graduation.
What an amazing accomplishment!
With PLAR, graduation could be within your reach in as little as 6 months.
Your journey starts here—walk through our doors and let us help you reach your goals!

The Gagnon Family Honours St. Albert Learning Centre at Book Launch

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St. Albert’s staff and students may remember Joey, one of the first graduates of our Cleaner Program. His dad, Pierre Gagnon, has just launched a new chapter of his own—literally! After retiring, Pierre wrote a book to share his secrets of business and life success. 

And guess who’s on the cover? It’s a joyous picture of Joey and our education staff, celebrating with confetti blasters! 

Pierre’s book launch was a heartwarming event, with several of Joey’s teachers from elementary to secondary school invited to join the celebration. 

Pierre’s generosity was on full display as he donated copies of his book, asking guests to contribute to St. Albert Learning Centre instead. 

Thanks to the Gagnon family, we received nearly $3,000 in donations! 

We are incredibly grateful to Pierre, Sue, and Joey for their support and advocacy for our students with special needs. Your kindness truly makes a difference in our community. 

St. Albert Students Participate in Brain Buster Quiz with Let’s Talk Science

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On day four of Catholic Education Week, students at St. Albert Learning Centre participated in a special Brain Buster Quiz show organized by the team at Let’s Talk Science.  

Students tested their knowledge about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a fun and engaging activity. Students learned new vocabulary such as “umami” all while earning points and having a great time!  

At the end of the game, students were given the opportunity to ask questions to game host Nick Butt about his experience studying STEM. Nick is the Outreach Delivery Coordinator at Let’s Talk Science who studied physics at Memorial University of Newfoundland and then earned his masters degree in Educational Research specializing in Curriculum and Learning.  

We would like to thank the team at Let’s Talk Science for organizing this event, sharing their passion about STEM but most importantly for celebrating Catholic education week with us! 

Congratulations goes out to Fisher, Curtis and Kayla for earning the highest scores and winning gift cards!

It’s never too late to get your high school diploma or train for the job you love!

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Since 1992, St. Albert Learning Centre (SALC) in Sudbury has been providing learners with opportunities in an alternative setting. Programs aim to meet each individual’s needs while providing flexibility of time, which allows for greater success when compared to traditional classroom settings.  

SALC is a unique, inclusive learning environment that offers a variety of programs to accommodate different needs and learning style. SALC prepares learners for their future goals in the workplace, post-secondary or an apprenticeship role.  

At SALC, the programs and learning environment align with its mission, vision and values.

Man works on his laptop

Mission:

We are committed to providing a Catholic, caring and supportive environment meeting learners where they are in their educational journey and helping them achieve their goals. 

Vision:

We welcome all learners and provide flexible programs to meet the needs of diverse students and the community, as a whole. 

Values: 

We are committed to providing: 

  • Real world experiences; 
  • Flexible programming needs; and 
  • A supportive environment. 

As well, one-on-one counselling allows SALC to determine the fastest route to achieving educational and/or career goals.  

SALC takes a two-fold approach to learning: 

  • To identify and meet the academic needs of adults returning to school; and 
  • To provide on-site and off-site community supports and services to manage the challenges of returning to school. 

SALC is proud to have helped thousands of people graduate and enter post-secondary education or find meaningful employment. There are a few different options to consider including for those 18+.  

One such option is the PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) Challenge for Credit and for Mature Students. This program allows adult students to use their life and work experience to earn credits towards an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.   

What makes the PLAR program unique is that it recognizes skills and/or experiences people have had in their lives and grants high school credits for these experiences. If you worked in an industry and have pay stubs or a letter from the employer indicating your role and job description, you may be able to obtain credits.  Learners can also earn credits for being a parent and managing a household.  

“St. Albert Learning Centre offers a wide variety of programming. From upgrading skills, to earning credits for a high school diploma, or getting you job ready in one of our specialized programs such as PSW or cleaner training program, we will help each learner achieve their goals,” says Principal Cassandra Tenbergen. “St. Albert offers a warm and welcoming environment, and we want each learner to achieve success, whatever success means to them. We will help people achieve their goals.” 

Debra R. receives support through the Ontario Disability Support Program. Debra struggled with addiction and at age 15, dropped out of school. Now 50 years old, Debra would like to earn her Gr. 12 diploma in a year and secure a part-time job. “With the PLAR process, one-on-one assistance from my teacher and possible co-op placement, I will be able to achieve my goal!” 

Women studies from her notes

Maria R. is a retired entrepreneur who ran four local businesses over a span of 30 years. Without a formal education, she immigrated to Canada when she was 16 years old and worked full-time at a bakery and convenience store. After ten years of working, she decided to attend Cambrian College as a mature student, to complete a three-year degree and graduated with honours. She says, “I found out that through the PLAR process I could be granted equivalency credits for my college education and would only need to take one senior-level course to earn my secondary school diploma. I will be graduating in June 2023 with my Gr. 12 diploma!” 

Women works on her laptop

Other programs for students 18+ include: 

  • PSW (Personal Support Worker) – join an information session to learn more; 
  • New eight-week certificate programs with on-the-job training: Cleaner, Retail Worker and Cook’s Helper; and 
  • English as a Second Language (ESL) for credit courses – speaking, listening, reading and writing, to give students a well-rounded understanding of the English language.  
  • One on one credit counselling for immigrants to support them in attaining their Ontario High School Diploma  

Want to learn more? Visit the SALC website for more information or contact SALC today and get ready to start your journey – it’s never too late! Registration is now open. Onsite daycare services available.  

Success for Each; A Place for All 

St. Albert supporting Health Sciences North

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Kaitlin Taylor, Continuing Education teacher at St. Albert Learning Centre, has been producing masks using the school’s 3D printer since the middle of April. So far, she has produced over 70 masks. All of these that have been given to Health Sciences North. Kaitlin is ‘happy to be working with fellow staff and students of Sudbury Catholic Schools in producing these much needed resources for Health Sciences North’.

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