Today we had the joy of celebrating Mac Gorrie-Martin as they were presented with the Catholic Student Award from the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario. Mac may be new to St. Albert Learning Centre this year, but they have already made such a positive impact. They show up with kindness, compassion, and a willingness to help wherever they can. Whether it is taking initiative with our recycling program, helping with our knitting project to create blankets for cancer patients, participating in student leadership, or encouraging younger students, Mac leads in a quiet but meaningful way. What we appreciate most is how Mac makes people feel. Their smile, positive attitude, and respectful nature help make our school feel welcoming, safe, and kind. We are so proud of you, Mac. Congratulations on this well-deserved award! Your St. Albert family is cheering you on. ❤️
One of the most beautiful highlights of Catholic Education Week at St. Albert Learning Centre was the culminating celebration of our Threads of Faith & Service: Students Knitting Hope & Healing project. What started as a small planning meeting between Angela Corsi-Raso from The Blanket Program and Lauren Raymond from Sweet Yarns became something far bigger than we ever imagined. From that first conversation, a beautiful community project began to unfold one that brought together students, staff, parish volunteers, families, and community partners in a shared act of faith, service, and love. This project was made possible through a grant received from the Michael Monk Award, and was created in memory of Rick Pelland, a beloved teacher at St. Albert Learning Centre who passed away. While Rick was receiving chemotherapy, he was gifted a handmade blanket to help keep him warm. That simple but meaningful act of kindness stayed with his family and with our school community. In Rick’s memory, our students and staff wanted to give back by creating handmade blankets for the Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre, so others could feel that same comfort, warmth, and care. With the support, patience, and encouragement of so many, our students created 21 handmade blankets, each one a symbol of compassion, hope, healing, and remembrance. We were so blessed to have Rick’s mother, Stella, and his sister, Lisa, join us for this meaningful celebration. Their presence made the day even more special and reminded us that every stitch carried love, memory, and purpose. Throughout the project, our students were supported every step of the way by the incredible volunteers from Christ the King Church, who came faithfully to spend time with our students, teach them, encourage them, and knit alongside them. We are especially grateful to Deacon Roland Muzzatti, Loretta Ronchin, and all of the volunteer parishioners who helped make this project possible. At our culminating lunch, the blankets were blessed by Deacon Roland, and in a deeply touching moment, so were the hands that made them. It was a powerful reminder that the work of our hands can become an act of service, healing, and love. We were also honoured to welcome provincial representation from OECTA, including Lisa Lacaria, 1st Vice-President of OECTA Provincial, and Chantal Rancourt, Provincial Staff Officer for OECTA, attending on behalf of Jaime Sauvé, Secondary Sudbury OECTA President. Their presence helped us celebrate the beautiful connection between Catholic education, service, and community. This project would not have been possible without the dedication of our students, the guidance of our staff, the generosity of our parish, and the support of our community partners. Together, they helped transform yarn into blankets, and blankets into messages of comfort, hope, healing, and remembrance. We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who was part of this project and to all those who attended our celebration, including: Angela Corsi-Raso — The Blanket Program, Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre Lauren Raymond — Sweet Yarns Christ the King Church Deacon Roland Muzzatti, Loretta Ronchin, and all the volunteer parishioners Joan Yawney — Religious Education and Faith Development Consultant Lisa Lacaria — 1st Vice-President, OECTA Provincial Chantal Rancourt — Provincial Staff Officer for OECTA Jaime Sauvé — Secondary Sudbury OECTA President Rick Pelland’s mother, Stella, and sister, Lisa Our incredible staff and students at St. Albert Learning Centre Catholic education calls us to serve, to walk with others, and to recognize the dignity and worth of every person. This project allowed our students to do exactly that. They learned new skills, built relationships, gave back through their time and talents, and discovered that even something as simple as yarn can become a powerful symbol of faith, hope, love, and remembrance. We are so proud of our students and so grateful for the community that wrapped around them to make this project shine. These blankets are more than blankets. They are threads of faith, service, hope, healing, and memory.
Today was such a meaningful and engaging day at St. Albert Learning Centre. Our students had the opportunity to learn the art of beading with the guidance of our incredible school board Indigenous Support Workers, Lina and Kookie. From the moment the beads came out, the room was filled with focus, creativity, and a genuine sense of connection. Students were fully engaged—learning new skills, embracing culture, and creating pieces with care and intention. It was powerful to see their pride in their work and the way they connected through this experience. We are so grateful for this opportunity and are hopeful to welcome Lina and Kookie back to spend more time with our students. Experiences like this leave a lasting impact and continue to build understanding, respect, and community. 🧡
A heartfelt thank you to Dan Levecque, SHSM/OYAP/College Link/Co-op Secondary Consultant, for organizing such an incredible opportunity for our students! Today, our students attended the Women in the Trades Open House, presented by the Sudbury Regional Labour-Management Health and Safety Committee in partnership with organizations like IHSA, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and Cambrian College. This incredible event gave our students the opportunity to: 🔧 Learn more about careers in the skilled trades 🛠️ Try hands-on trade activities 👷♀️ Meet inspiring women working in the trades 🤝 Connect with mentors and like-minded students Experiences like this are so important in helping students explore pathways, build confidence, and see themselves in future careers they may not have considered before. We are grateful for strong community partnerships that continue to create meaningful, real-world learning opportunities for our students.
We were excited to welcome Ozzy from Ozzy’s Garage into our school this morning! He came in to meet one of our students, Landon—and the best part? Landon already knew exactly who he was. That immediate connection speaks volumes about the impact Ozzy is having with youth across our community. Ozzy’s Garage, founded by Rick “Ozzy” Osborne is a community-focused rehabilitation program that restores motorcycles while mentoring at-risk youth. Through hands-on training, students build trade skills, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose. Ozzy also brought along some pretty cool t-shirts (which were a big hit!), but more importantly, he brought his time, his story, and his commitment to helping young people find positive pathways forward. We are proud to be working alongside Ozzy’s Garage by creating opportunities for our students to get involved in his initiative and even earn a co-op credit while gaining real-world, hands-on experience.
💛 Thank you, Ozzy, for partnering with us and investing in our students. It truly takes a village.
For the second year in a row, under the leadership of our incredible secondary teacher Sandra Burch, four outstanding student leaders—Michael, Mac, Thalia, and Teagan—stepped up to make a meaningful impact. Our student leaders visited St. David School, where they planned and delivered a thoughtful lesson to Ms. Visentin’s class. Together, they guided students to reflect on one powerful question: What does home mean to you? From there, students expressed their ideas through poetry as part of the national Meaning of Home Contest. 🇨🇦 The impact of this initiative is incredible: ➡️ 19,065 entries submitted across Canada ➡️ $190,650 raised (and counting!) for local Habitat for Humanity builds ➡️ Every entry = a $10 donation to our local Habitat to help families in need And the prizes are just as inspiring: 🏆 Grand Prize: $30,000 grant toward building a Habitat home + iPad + pizza party 🥈 Runner-Up: $10,000 grant + tablet + pizza party ✨ Winners are still to be announced! Back at St. Albert, we celebrated our students by hosting a local contest. With so many powerful submissions, selecting winners was no easy task but we proudly recognized our Top 5 poems. Last week, Sandra and Christina had the honour of presenting each winner with: 🏆 A certificate 🖼️ A beautifully framed copy of their poem, which made a meaningful Easter gift to share with their families And to celebrate every participant… 🧢 Our secondary students designed and created custom caps for all 24 students because every voice and every story mattered. This experience is about more than a contest. It’s about leadership, compassion, and helping students realize that their words can truly make a difference. We are so proud of our students for leading with heart and showing us all the true meaning of home. 🙏 Thank you to Sandra, our amazing student leaders, St. David School for always welcoming us, and every student who shared their voice through poetry.
As we prepare to enter Holy Week, the most sacred time in the Catholic Church, our students at St. Albert Learning Centre took part in a meaningful hands-on tradition—creating palm crosses. With guidance from Deacon Roland and dedicated parish volunteer Carmen, students carefully learned how to weave palms into crosses. This was an experience that required patience, focus, and care. As you can see in these photos, what began as simple strips of palm quickly became something much more. Students were fully engaged, working side by side, learning a new skill, and quietly reflecting as they created each cross. These palm crosses will be returned to Christ the King Parish to be blessed on Palm Sunday, and then shared with the parish community. This experience is a beautiful example of: ✝️ Faith in action 🤝 School and parish partnership 🌱 Students contributing to something bigger than themselves With gratitude, we thank Deacon Roland, Carmen Gervais, and our partners at Christ the King Parish for walking alongside us in faith and community—this is what Catholic education is all about. Moments like these remind us that learning isn’t just academic, it’s spiritual, hands-on, and rooted in community.
Over the past few months, our secondary students at St. Albert Learning Centre worked incredibly hard preparing 50 handcrafted PEACE Pens for a special opportunity. After countless hours of designing, turning, polishing, and finishing each pen, our students are now enjoying a well-earned March Break while their work is being showcased this weekend. Under the leadership of our amazing Shop Boss, Lynn, students spent many hours in the workshop carefully crafting each pen with pride. Their dedication truly reflects the power of hands-on learning and student entrepreneurship. This opportunity came from the wonderful idea of Secondary Teachers’ Union President Jaime Sauve, who encouraged us to bring our PEACE Pens & Beyond student-led business to the provincial OECTA Annual General Meeting in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle, which welcomes over 600 teacher delegates from across Ontario. On Thursday, Jaime and her daughter Ellora picked up the finished pens to bring them to Toronto, helping ensure our students’ work would be proudly represented at the conference. A special shout-out to Ellora, a Grade 5 student and aspiring future Marymount student, who also helped run the booth and gained early experience in entrepreneurship while seeing first-hand how creativity and hard work can turn into something meaningful. A heartfelt thank you to Lynn and our secondary students for the many hours of preparation that went into this event, and thank you to Jamie & OECTA for providing a platform to showcase the talents of our students across the province. When educators come together to support students, powerful learning happens and our students rise to the occasion every time.
Today at St. Albert Learning Centre, our schools was filled with creativity, curiosity, and the beautiful spirit of cultural sharing during a special Henna Art lesson. The idea began with Brier, one of our Cambrian College placement students, who envisioned an activity that would bring students together through art and cultural learning. With the expert guidance and mentorship of Parul, one of our talented Get SET instructors, the lesson quickly blossomed into something truly special. Together, Parul and Brier co-planned the experience, thoughtfully preparing a learning opportunity that was both engaging and meaningful. Parul created a beautiful slideshow that introduced students to the history of henna, the significance of this traditional art form, and the many styles and designs used across cultures. It was the perfect way to begin, grounding the hands-on activity in knowledge and appreciation. Students listened with interest and excitement as they learned about the traditions and meanings behind the designs. To make the experience even richer, Parul invited a very special guest; her sister-in-law, Anuradha, whom she described as the family’s henna expert. With warmth and passion, Anuradha shared her knowledge and demonstrated the delicate techniques behind this intricate art form. Students eagerly experimented with stencils or challenged themselves to try free-hand designs, carefully tracing patterns and creating their own beautiful works of art. What made the moment even more special was seeing our entire education team joining in, learning and creating side by side. This experience was a wonderful reminder of what makes St. Albert Learning Centre such a unique and welcoming place. We believe deeply in inclusive education, where learning goes beyond textbooks and where cultures, experiences, and talents are celebrated and shared within our community. We heard our students loud and clear! They want to learn even more about the different styles and designs of henna art. So stay tuned… this may just be the beginning of more creative cultural learning ahead! A heartfelt thank you to Parul and Brier for bringing this beautiful idea to life and for creating such a memorable learning experience for our students. And a special thank you to Anuradha for generously sharing her knowledge, passion, and culture with us. Today was more than an art lesson. It was a celebration of creativity, connection, and community, which is truly the heart of learning at St. Albert.
Today we proudly celebrate an extraordinary group of individuals who have answered a true calling to care, to serve, and to lead with compassion. Our Winter 2026 Personal Support Worker graduates have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone. They balanced quizzes, demanding placements, deadlines, long days, and emotional nights and through it all, they grew not only in skill, but in heart. As our valedictorian so beautifully shared: “Moments that reminded us that this career is not just about skill, it’s about humanity.” That truth was evident in every placement, every interaction, and every act of quiet kindness. These graduates learned that sometimes the smallest acts, holding a hand, listening, preserving dignity can mean everything. In her graduation address, Principal Christina Raso encouraged the class by reminding them: “You are stepping into a profession where your compassion is just as powerful as your competence.” And they have proven they are ready. To our dedicated instructors, Dawn-Marie and Lynn, thank you for shaping not only knowledgeable healthcare professionals, but strong, ethical, and compassionate caregivers. Your mentorship leaves a lasting legacy. To the families and friends who supported these graduates, you walked this journey alongside them. Your encouragement mattered more than you know. And to our graduates; you did more than pass. You persevered. You transformed. You became the light in someone’s darkest moment. Congratulations, Winter 2026 PSWs. The world is better because you are ready.
