Catholic Education in Dufferin-Peel
REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY - FALL 2015
Message from Mario Pascucci, Chair of the Board
We are now well into the opening weeks of the 2015-16
school year and I trust that it has been a positive start
for parents, guardians and students alike. On behalf of
the Board of Trustees, I welcome those of you who are
new to our Dufferin-Peel Catholic school community, as
well as those whose children are returning. I also welcome
those who do not have children in our system, but are
Dufferin-Peel supporters. We appreciate your continued
interest in, and support for, Catholic education.
NEW for the 2015-16 school year!
Dufferin-Peel unveils enhanced outdoor
learning environments for early learners
This document will give you a glimpse of some of the work done within our
system over the past few months. As well, it features some of the many
recent successes we have experienced as a system during this time.
As trustees, we take pride in our students, schools and distinctly Catholic school
system. We look forward to meeting you during the upcoming months. We
encourage you to be involved in your child’s education and engaged in the
life of your child’s school by attending school activities and events, including
Catholic school council meetings.
I encourage you to visit our Board website at www.dpcdsb.org and follow us on
Twitter @DPCDSBSchools to keep abreast of happenings across the Board.
May God bless you and continue to keep you and your family during the coming year.
Message from John B. Kostoff, Director of Education
This publication, along with our Twitter feed, regular
trustee and school newsletters, Director’s Annual Report
and other communications, are all part of our effort to
keep the community apprised of the many successful
events and activities that are taking place in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
This publication demonstrates the success this Board
has had in many areas. We all know that Catholic
education is both a choice and a unique gift to the
community. This publication demonstrates what we provide to the
community, and to your children, each and every day. Thank you for
choosing Catholic education - it is an investment in your child’s future
and a worthwhile one.
As this will be my last report to the entire school community, due to my
retirement, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Dufferin-Peel
community for the opportunity to serve and lead Catholic education in our
region. It has been an honour and privilege to serve the students, community
and staff of Dufferin-Peel over these many years, and in doing so, witness so
many outstanding accomplishments as an education system.
Kindergarten students at 25 Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary schools
are enjoying newly enhanced outdoor learning environments in their
Kindergarten playground areas.
The playgrounds include several different areas and elements that stimulate creative and active learning, including: a large sand area, classroom
area with blackboard and tree trunk seating, wooden gazebo with seating and flower boxes, paved areas with bike paths and other markings,
and storage. A centerpiece to each outdoor learning environment is an
animal indigenous to Ontario (i.e. bear, raccoon and owl) that has been
carved from reclaimed wood.
These new outdoor learning areas are part of Phase 2 of a multi-year
initiative. An annual process has been put in place to create outdoor early
learning environments at the remaining elementary schools.
Fostering a culture of excellence
Dufferin-Peel
students
continue
to meet or
St. Sofia
School celebrates
official
reopening
exceed provincial EQAO averages
William G. Davis Athletic Field
On September 8, the St. Sofia School community in Mississauga
celebrated the official reopening of the school following a one-year
renovation project, which included an eight classroom addition,
expansion of the gymnasium, installation of a barrier-free lift, as well
as improvements to the Kiss ‘n Ride, parking areas, washrooms and
mechanical systems.
Board opens two new Child Care Centres
Cardinal Leger Secondary School in Brampton unveiled its new athletic
playing field, named after the Honourable William G. (Bill) Davis with
a blessing and dedication on September 22. Mr. Davis is a long-time
Brampton resident and Catholic education supporter, who served as
Ontario’s 18th Premier from 1971-1985. The field is an engineered
soccer field which conforms to FIFA Standards allowing a professional
level of soccer competition.
Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District
School Board
Dufferin-Peel opened two new child care centres this school year at
St. Peter School in Orangeville and St. Raphael School in Mississauga. The child care centres are operated by YMCA of Greater Ontario
(St. Peter) and PLASP Child Care Services (St. Raphael). Each site
will serve 31 toddlers and preschool aged children. Parents who are
interested in registering their child should call the child care operator directly.
Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education.
Working strategically and purposely to provide quality Catholic education
New Confirmation Program
Technology
Within the Archdiocese of Toronto, preparation for the sacraments is the responsibility of the parish, family and the school
working in collaboration with one another.
Schools look after the remote preparation
(the background information about the
sacrament), while the parish does the immediate preparation. Parents and guardians
play a pivotal role in the sacraments by
their living example and daily witness to the
sacraments and prayer life.
This past summer was a busy one for the Board’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) staff. Among technology-related projects:
Configured 600 iPads
for Special Education
Implemented mobile
carts in schools with
over 400 devices
(laptops and iPads)
Refreshed over
4,000
computers
Commencing in the fall of 2015, parishes within the Archdiocese of Toronto
will be offering preparation to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation for
students in Grade 7. Traditionally, the sacrament had been received in Grade
8, but in a move to separate it as a “graduation” ritual, it is moving to Grade 7.
Students will then have a year of elementary school to reflect on the gifts of
the Holy Spirit and how best they can use them in the service of others.
To assist teachers with the preparation for this sacrament, a resource program was developed by the Board for implementation this fall. The program
will be used in conjunction with the current Religious Education book, Stand
by Me. It is designed to give students an overview of Confirmation, information on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, an update on Creed and prayer, and how
they can use these as they live a Christian life. Scripture citations, vocations
resources, and material on saints, fruits of the Holy Spirit round out the
curriculum package.
Revised Health and Physical Education Curriculum
Adult and Continuing Education
In February, the Ministry of Education released
its revised curriculum for Health and Physical
Education.
Dufferin-Peel’s Adult and Continuing Education
centres offer a range of programs for students
of all ages, including: secondary night school,
adult credit courses, professional and language
training, and general interest classes. Over the
past summer:
We are working with the Assembly of Catholic
Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) and the Institute
for Catholic Education (ICE) to ensure that
the content taught in our schools is delivered
through our distinctly Catholic lens in a way
that is faithful to our Catholic teachings.
As is our practice, the component on Human
Development and Sexual Health will be taught
as part of our Fully Alive Family Life/Religious
Education program in the spring of 2016.
14,739
learners enrolled in
Continuing Education courses
1,100
learners enrolled in
Adult Credit programs
The Fall 2015 Course Guide is now available online
at www.dpcdsb.org. Registration is now open.
Fostering a culture of excellence
Our students continue to meet or
exceed provincial EQAO averages
Dufferin-Peel students continue to meet or exceed provincial EQAO
averages. Results from Education Quality and Accountability Office
(EQAO) assessments of reading, writing and mathematics have
climbed consistently and steadily over time; the proportion of
Dufferin-Peel students who are achieving at, or above, the provincial
standard in Grades 3, 6 and 9 assessments, as well as the Ontario
Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT), continues to meet or exceed
provincial averages.
This can be attributed to the culture and tradition of excellence that is
fostered through all areas of Dufferin-Peel. This culture of excellence
includes the hard work of teachers, support staff, administrators,
senior management and trustees, whose vision, guidance and
allocation of resources provide our students with ongoing opportunities
for success.
Results from the spring 2015 EQAO assessments will
be released in late September.
Dufferin-Peel graduation rate continues to climb
Dufferin-Peel students continue to graduate from secondary school
at a higher rate than the provincial average. To support the diverse
learning needs of all students, a variety of programming options are
available, including Specialist High Skills Major program, Ontario Youth
Apprenticeship program (OYAP), International Baccalaureate program,
Dual Credits, Pathways, eLearning and Blended Learning. These opportunities help to ensure that students complete their journey to becoming Ontario Catholic School Graduates.
Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education.
Ministry System Review
Approval of Capital Priorities
Transportation Audit
The Board’s Capital Priorities were submitted to the Ministry of Education on
July 15. We anticipate that the Ministry will announce funding for approved
projects sometime in the fall/winter.
Over the past several months, Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR),
along with two other transportation consortia, were subject to a provincial
audit that focused on the overall scope of operations and compliance with
safety agreements. The audit report is expected to be released in late
September.
Regional Internal Audit Team (RIAT)
Special Education & Support Services
In 2014-2015, Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s Special Education
and Support Services Department participated as one of three audits under
the Regional Internal Audit Team (RIAT) process. The Special Education and
Support Services Department has oversight over key activities, allocates
resources, manages student service delivery using appropriate information
to inform ongoing decision making.
In general, findings demonstrate that programs and services were
supportive of students with diverse learning needs including Special Education
needs. A summary of the report’s key findings was received over the summer
and will be brought forward to the Audit Committee in November 2015.
BPS and Payroll System
RIAT also performed audits on the Board’s compliance with the Broader Public
Sector Expense Directive (BPS) and internal controls related to the Board’s
payroll system. These audits reflected compliance and effective processes
and controls, respectively.
Facility Renewal Projects/Site Preparation
Seventy-two facility renewal projects were initiated over the summer.
Projects included roof repairs, painting, plumbing, electrical, accessibility
enhancements and flooring. Maintenance staff also completed 76 projects
related to outdoor space. Work included new signage, fencing, landscaping
projects and upgrades to existing playfields.
St. John XXIII School in
Mississauga was one
of the facility renewal
projects undertaken by
the Board. Director of
Education, John Kostoff,
recently visited the
school.
SUMMER 2015
Summer Programs
The Board’s summer programs successfully supported 10,000
elementary, secondary and adult students in a variety of programs, including: elementary literacy camps, Focus on Youth
summer camps, mathematics programs, international study
tours, mission trips, secondary summer school, Co-operative
Education, eLearning and Adult general and credit programs.
Summer Institute
This year marked the 20th
anniversary of Dufferin-Peel’s
Summer Institute, which
provides an opportunity for
educators to grow professionally through self-selected
professional development.
This year’s institute offered 97
professional development
sessions to over 1,800
participants.
Korean Teacher Training
51 teachers from Korea received training in
English instruction through the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic Institute for International Education.
Have you seen us around town?
The Board is continuing to build public awareness of our Catholic
schools with the branding of our maintenance vehicles with vehicle
wraps featuring our students and tagline…Extraordinary lives start
with a great Catholic education.
Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education.
Board of Trustees
Anna da Silva
Brampton Wards 1, 3 & 4
Mission
Darryl D’Souza
Brampton Wards 2, 5 & 6
Shawn Xaviour
Brampton Wards 7-10
Frank Di Cosola
Dufferin/Caledon
(Vice Chair)
The mission of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board, in partnership with
the family and church, is to provide, in a
responsible manner, a Catholic education
which develops spiritual, intellectual,
aesthetic, emotional, social, and physical
capabilities of each individual to live fully
today and to meet the challenges of the
future, thus enriching the community.
Profile
Mario Pascucci
Mississauga Wards 1 & 3
(Chair)
Sharon Hobin
Mississauga Wards 2 & 8
Anna Abbruscato
Mississauga Ward 4
Thomas Thomas
Mississauga Ward 5
Student Trustees
• one of the largest and most diverse school boards in Ontario
• 149 schools
• 83,000 students
• 47,000 Adult and Continuing Education learners
• 11,000+ employees
• $922.9 million budget
Jana Anderson
(Iona C.S.S.)
Lexie Hesketh-Pavilons
(St. Michael C.S.S.)
Luz del Rosario
Mississauga Wards 6 & 11
Bruno Iannicca
Mississauga Ward 7
Esther O’Toole
Follow us on Twitter
@DPCDSBSchools
Mississauga Wards 9 & 10
Watch us on YouTube
@DPCDSBVideos
Senior Management
John B. Kostoff
Director of Education
Associate Director, Instructional Services - Sheila McWatters
Associate Director, Corporate Services, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer - John Hrajnik
Superintendent of Early Years, Community Relations & Partnerships - Marianne Mazzorato
Superintendent of Human Resources & Employee Relations - Clara Pitoscia
Superintendent of Financial Services - Julie Cherepacha
Superintendent of Planning and Operations - Daniel Del Bianco
Superintendent of Program/Adult & Continuing Education - Max Vecchiarino
Assistant Superintendent of Program - Deborah Finegan-Downey
Superintendent of Special Education and Support Services - Shirley Kendrick
Assistant Superintendent of Special Education and Support Services - Eric Fischer
Superintendent of Special Projects, Strategic Planning & Policy - Charles Blanchard
Family of Schools
Superintendent – Brampton East/Caledon/Dufferin/Malton - Les Storey
Superintendent – Brampton West - Sue Steer
Superintendent – Brampton North East - Denise Oude-Reimerink
Superintendent – Mississauga East - Tim Lariviere
Superintendent – Mississauga North - Tilia Cruz
Superintendent – Mississauga South - David Amaral
Superintendent – Mississauga/Brampton Central - Lucy Papaloni
Support Catholic Education - Are you ticked?
Did you know that unless the municipality is notified, the school support designation
on your property taxes, for assessment purposes, automatically defaults to public
school support when an individual or family moves to a new address. This may
have an impact on students’ eligibility to attend Catholic elementary schools,
trustee representation on school boards, and on government perception of
support for Catholic education.
To find out about your school support designation, or to receive more information,
call our Admissions Department at 905-890-0708 ext. 24512.
Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District
School Board
40 Matheson Boulevard West
Mississauga, ON L5R 1C5
905-890-1221
www.dpcdsb.org