Student Erica Bichel was Marymount Academy’s principal on Friday December 14, 2012. Erica won much praise and prizes for having raised the most funds for her school’s extra-curricular programs through chocolate bar sales. Erica nominated her close friend Chiara Salvador as the vice-principal for the day. Erica and Chiara came to the school ready to tackle a school administrator’s work dressed not in their regular uniform but rather in professional attire. The young administrators did classroom; visits, health and safety inspections, P.A. announcements, rewarded students who demonstrated exceptional school spirit with cup cakes they baked, tested the equipment in the fitness room, prepared material for the S.I.S. (Sisters In Spirit) Christmas lunch activity and relaxed the school uniform for their peers. They also kidnapped and hid a teacher, made the teachers dance the chicken dance and made two teachers rap a math song to grade 12 students. After all of that hard work, they were treated to lunch by the real principal Lucie Cullen and Office Supervisor Pat Shewring. It was a fun filled day for everyone!
Month: December 2012
Marymount Students Earn Top Prizes in Remembrance Day Contest
Several Marymount Academy students were presented with certificates, medals and monetary prizes on Tuesday, December 11, 2012. President of the Legion Branch 76, Dr. Fred Starr visited the school to congratulate the winners of a variety of categories for their annual Remembrance Day contest. Lucie Cullen, principal of the school was thrilled with the work the students had produced for the contest including posters, poems and stories. “As always, our students work very hard, and I am so pleased and proud that they have represented our school with such outstanding work!”
SCDSB Teacher Launches Third Book of Poetry
Marymount Academy English teacher Kim Fahner is a bundle of nerves. Even though this is her third time, she is having a hard time keeping her anxiety at bay. On Friday, December 7, 2012, Fahner will be launching her third book of poetry, “The Narcoleptic Madonna”. “Each time I launch a book I get so nervous,” Fahner said. “For the week or two before the launch, I get extremely anxious leading up to the day.” Her previous books, “You Must Imagine the Cold Here” (1997) and “Braille on Water” (2001) are, according to Fahner much different than her new book of poetry. “ “This new book is a collection of poems from the last twelve years. It deals with very personal issues like falling in and out of love, taking care of aging parents and, ultimately, coming to terms with mortality. It is a much more mature collection of poems. My inspiration has come from traveling – both physically, spiritually and emotionally. By traveling, I often find that I get to know myself better, and better understand my place in the world.” A teacher for the Sudbury Catholic District School Board for 12 years, the majority at Marymount Academy, Fahner tries to teach her students that poetry is not a scary thing – that, in fact, she makes it her job to reverse their fear of this writing style. It is her hope that they leave her class with an interest in poetry. Fahner considers herself a poet who teaches, and frequently brings in other poets into the classroom to help inspire her students. “When you find creative people who can educate, it really brings out the creativity in kids,” Fahner states. “I think it is important to have artists as teachers in the classroom.” Interested readers can also check out Fahner’s writing on her online blog entitled The Republic of Poetry. (http://kimfahner.wordpress.com/) Here she writes her thoughts and reflections on her own life as well as events around her. From musings from her travels, to her inner dialogue when trying out new things, “The Republic of Poetry” gives her readers a glimpse into the thoughts and observations of life.
Fahner tapped on the creative talents of her fellow SCDSB teacher and friend Trish Stenabaugh for the artwork for her new book. Stenabaugh is a teacher at St. Charles College as well as a gifted artist so Fahner thought it would be a perfect fit for the artwork for her book cover. “Trish’s artwork is really vibrant. I am inspired by her as an artist and a friend.” Both ladies will be at the book launch which will be taking place on Friday, December 7 at the Ernie Checkeris Theatre at Thorneloe University. Some of Stenebaugh’s art will be on display and Fahner will be reading selected poems from her new book. Reading will begin at 7:00 p.m.