St. André Bessette Catholic
Elementary School
NEWSLETTER
25 Riverstone Drive, Brampton, Ontario L6P 2V7
Tel: (905) 913-2567 Fax: (905) 913-2188
April 2016
May we go into the day to share the love
Principal: V. Zaffino
Vice-Principal: N. Smith
Secretary: R. Hendry
of the risen Christ,
May the light of God shine on us,
Secretary: F. Antenucci
May the light of Christ shine in us,
SERVING OUR
May the light of the Spirit shine through
COMMUNITY
SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS
us,
Jesus Christ is risen and has given us new
life.
D. Finegan-Downey
905-890-1221
Thanks be to God,
TRUSTEE
Alleluia, Alleluiah! Amen.
S. Xaviour
Easter Mass
ST. PATRICK PARISH
Rev. Vito Marziliano
905-794-0486
Thursday, April, 7 @ 9:30 a.m.
Parents are invited to join us in the school gym.
ROMAN CATHOLIC
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Chair
J. Balthazaar
Prayer for Springtime!
O God, Creator of the seasons,
We thank you that Spring has come at last.
We thank you for the warm air that will awaken sleeping buds
And fill our world, once again, with colour.
Love is not about us—it is about
forgetting ourselves and looking
out for the good of the other.
We ask you to be with us as we celebrate this season.
We believe in Spring, the fairest of seasons,
The green season of HOPE, the cool season of LIFE.
April 2016
Page 2
CLASS LISTS FOR SEPTEMBER
2016
Each year Grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario are assessed in
reading, writing and mathematics. This year the dates for
this assessment are: May 25th to June 8th. Please keep
this in mind when booking appointments. Specific dates for
each grade will be sent home to parents of Grade 3 and 6
students in the near future.
We will begin work on next year’s classes in May. If your
child(ren) will attend St. André Bessette School next year and
there are any learning needs that you think we need to
consider in making up classes (this does not include requests
for specific teachers), please put this in writing to the principal.
Letters requesting specific teachers will not be considered.
Educational reasons will be factored into the decisions which
will be made by teachers, resource staff and the school
administration.
Letters must be signed and submitted to the Principal PRIOR to
April 15th.
If parents would like to have their children practice EQAO
questions at home prior to the test, they may go to
www.eqao.ca, click English, then go to parent information.
There are assessments available from previous years as well
as exemplars for marking.
We cannot guarantee your request but we will consider your
concerns and reasons along with all other factors.
As always, class placements will be tentative until the end of the
second week of September when our staffing is confirmed.
Please make sure your children understand this process.
Gr. 2 First Communion Retreat
Friday, April 8th at the school
First Communion will take place on
Saturday, April 30th
12:00 and 2:00 p.m.
Gr. 7 & 8 Confirmation Retreat
Took place Thursday, March 28th
at Teen Ranch
Confirmation for Gr. 7 and students who did not
receive it earlier in the year will take place on
Monday, April 25th
7:00 p.m.
R e c e s s
R e m i n d e r s
We continue to reinforce the need for students to
play games and activities safely. At St. André
Bessette, we ask students to keep their hands and
feet to themselves. This means that activities such
as contact sports, tackling, play fighting, tripping,
pushing, pilling on and any rough play are not
permitted. Students are consistently reminded of
these rules by staff, supervisors and administration.
We recommend parents have conversations with
their children about the types of games they play at
school. We need your help to reinforce with
them the dangers and consequences of rough play
and the importance of notifying staff on duty of any
problems during recess time. The health and
safety of our students is always our priority at St.
André Bessette School.
Directly supported…. by 2.4 million ratepayers, Ontario’s
English and French Catholic schools annually educate approximately
670,000 students – a third of all students in the province. Catholic
education is an essential pillar in Ontario’s
publicly-funded education system, which is admired around the world. The distinctive partners in the system
work cooperatively, creating a stronger whole.
Page 3
April 2016
Dear friends of our parish school communities. HAPPY EASTER.
CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Easter is more than one day. Liturgically it is FIFTY days, culminating with the Feast of Pentecost.
Practically, it is EVERY DAY. Our journey as Christians is a journey with CHRIST. Day be day, in our homes,
our places of work, our schools, everywhere we go, with everyone we meet, in every circumstance of life,
THE RISEN LOIRD IS PRESENT. We are called to give witness to his life and his love in the simple actions of
daily living. Let us remember that we are in his company especially in moments and situations that make us
feel alone, lost or misunderstood. The Lord is also sending us, each one of us, to help others understand this
truth as well. Not only when we are present at a religious celebration, or opening the Scriptures or standing
before a Crucifix or a sacred image, but in the words and actions of daily living. Christ is there and we are all
ambassadors of his love.
Over the next few weeks young friends from our schools and parish community will be celebrating their First
Holy Communion. Others, their Confirmation. Let us pray with them. Let us pray for them and for their
families. Let us welcome them to theTable and to the mission of giving witness.
My prayers are with all of you as I thank you for whatever each and everyone does to give witness to the
faith. May the Risen Lord continue to bless your families, your neighbourhood, and everyone you love.
With prayerful best wishes,
Fr. Vito Marziliano,
Your pastor.
Page 4
April 2016
April 2016
Page 5
Please send a note with your child or contact the school office and leave a
message if you will be moving over the summer! Also, if you know of any families
who will be moving into the area, please have them contact us.
We require this information so we can accurately start making our class lists for
next year!
Mississauga Central, Brampton, Malton, Caledon & Orangeville —11 th Annual Dance Event
to be held at The Rose Theatre
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.
Tickets will go on sale April 8th, 2016 at 10 am through the ROSE THEATRE BOX OFFICE
Ticket Price: $10.00
Tickets will be available by phone or in person.
BY PHONE
Brampton Theatres Box Office: 905.874.2800
IN PERSON
1 Theatre Lane, Brampton ON L6V 0A3
DOES YOUR CHILD ARRIVE ON TIME?
Students who arrive at school late are out of sorts and
rushed into beginning their day. This also disturbs the
class and interrupts lessons. A late arrival for your
child is not healthy. It places them in a rushed frame of
mind for the remainder of the day. In addition,
students who arrive at school late lose out on time to
socialize and greet their peers
prior to the bell ringing at 8:15
a.m.
We suggest that parents have
children get their school items
(homework, shoes and lunch)
ready the night before. By
placing their bags at the door
ready for a quick morning
departure, students are ready to
School Starts at 8:15 go!
PUDDLES IN THE
YARD!!!
As we are hopefully moving toward spring, water
and mud around the school yard is inevitable.
Although we direct our students to stay away
from pools of water, accidents do happen. If
students get wet, our school approach is to
contact parents to bring dry clothing. We suggest
you place an extra pair of socks and track pants in
your child’s backpack in the event that a change
of clothes is necessary.
April 2016
Page 6
St. André Bessette is gearing up for spring as we plan more activities to keep us
active and healthy. Thank you to Food Share Toronto, a non-profit community
organization, which has been running the Great Big Crunch as part of its Field to
Table Schools program for the past five years. At 2:30, on March 10th, the staff and
students of St. André Bessette crunched down on an apple along
with 150, 000 other students across Ontario.
We encourage all our student to “snack
healthy”!
Foods can be thought of as “everyday foods” or “sometimes foods”. The key to
healthy snacking is providing variety and a balance of healthy food choices that your
children can enjoy. Limiting foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt
is an important step towards better health.
Available on the School Website…
Online Reporting Tool
Click here for Online
Reporting Tool
April 2016
Page 7
Your child may have a vision problem.
And with 80% of their learning being done through their eyes, vision issues can have a severe impact on
your child’s ability to learn.
Parents will not often be able to detect a problem. Signs and symptoms can be subtle. Children rarely know
that they have a vision problem, and they can’t always tell you what they see. Make sure they can see to
the best of their ability by getting them a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist.
Eye exams and follow-ups are covered under OHIP for children under 19 years-old, so there are no out-ofpocket costs. Just show your Ontario Health card.
For this year’s Year One Kindergarten students, the Eye See…Eye Learn® program offers one complementary pair of glasses with their OHIP-covered eye exam, if prescribed by a participating optometrist.
Learn more at www.EyeSeeEyeLearn.ca.
St. André Bessette was thrilled to offer a “Boys and Girls Night In,” for grade 6
students on March 31st.This empowering night allowed for the interaction with peers
and engagement in discussions of issues that are relevant to their age group and fun
activities promoting active living. We were very happy to welcome Ramona Milano,
a well-known Canadian actress, and Parks and Recreation. The students were engaged in a night of improve,
yoga, boot camp, cooperatives games, a discussion on living a healthy lifestyle, and enjoyed a healthy snack
which they helped to prepare. Along with these speakers, many of our staff helped make this event a
success.
We would also like to thank the Ministry of Education for the
Speak Up Grant approval that helped fund this night.
Monday May 4th is Music Monday!!!
Music Monday is a celebration of music
education in schools across Canada
sponsored by the Coalition for Music.
This year, musician and songwriter Connor Ross was the winner of the Music Monday Anthem Search.
Connor’s song “We Are One” is this year’s official Music Monday music.
Beginning Wednesday April 1st during morning announcements the Music Monday song “We Are One” will
be played. Students and Staff will be encouraged to sing along in order to prepare for this exciting event!!!
April 2016
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The Barefoot World Atlas is an educational app that gives children an interactive look at
animals, indigenous people, and other topics of interest around the world. By spinning,
pinching, and zooming, kids can find something that interests them and learn more about
it through descriptions and photos.
We are excited to announce that on Friday April 29th Big Kid Entertainment
Inc. will be visiting our school to perform Hansel & Gretel to the FDK---Grade 5
students. Their program is based on curriculum themes and compliment the
Safe School Act as dictated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Each class has access to lap top or Ipads in their
classroom. There are many wonderful apps and
websites that are best experienced with full sound.
We are encouraging students to bring in
their own earphones to keep at school for
their own personal use on the shared
classroom devices.
April 2016
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A BIG thanks to all of the students, staff and families who
have been supporting our on-going and new campaigns.
Throughout our Litterless Lunchbag Monday campaign, we
have tracked recycling and waste habits. Over the past few
months, we have noticed the impact that this campaign has
made! We ask for your continued support with our efforts
and hope that this habit can be extended to a daily one! Last
year, our waste audit indicated that if we don't reduce waste,
each student can make up to 34 lbs. of garbage per year!!!!
We ask for greater participation and hope for even better
results in the next few months.
W O R L D WAT E R D AY/ T H E G R E AT G U L P
Our school participated in the Great Gulp (of tap water), on March 22nd. A
staff member from The Region Of Peel, visited our school and photographed
a group of students participating in this event! Please continue to send in
reusable water bottles as to support waste reduction, and to enjoy the many
benefits of drinking tap water.
To honour EARTH HOUR which took place over the
March Break, St. Andre Bessette School, along with all
members of The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board participated in an Earth Hour/Lights Out event.
On March 30th, lights were turned off.
April 2016
Page 10
St. André Bessette Catholic
Elementary School
April 2016
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
2
7
Easter Mass—9:30
a.m.—please join
us!
8
9
Movie…
Coming May
4th….
Buy your tickets
starting April
12th!
3
4
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
Dairy Presentations
10
11
PA Day—No
school for
students
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
17
18
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
5
6
Toonie Tuesday
Lunch Moms
Sub Day
Gr. 2 Communion
Retreat
Dairy Presentations
Dairy Presentations
12
13
14
15
Toonie Tuesday
Lunch Moms
PALS Training
Sub Day
19
20
21
22
Toonie Tuesday
Lunch Moms
16
Tickets go on sale
for May 4th Movie
Night… Inside Out
23
Sub Day
Dance Competition
at Rose Theatre
Earth Day
Villages Activities
24
25
Hot Dog Day
Gr. 7 confirmation
7:00 p.m. @ St.
Patrick Church
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
26
27
Toonie Tuesday
Lunch Moms
28
29
30
Big Kid
Entertainment—
Presentation in the
gym for
Kindergarten to
Gr. 5 students
First Communion—
12:00 and 2:30 p.m.
at St. Patrick Parish
for students who
are registered!