St. André Bessette Catholic
Elementary School
NEWSLETTER
25 Riverstone Drive, Brampton, Ontario L6P 2V7
Tel: (905) 913-2567 Fax: (905) 913-2188
January 2016
Principal: V. Zaffino
Vice-Principal: N. Smith
Secretary: R. Hendry
Secretary: F. Antenucci
SERVING OUR
COMMUNITY
SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS
D. Oude-Reimerink
Happy New Year everyone!! As we ring in a new year, We hope that
everyone enjoyed a happy and healthy Christmas vacation and after a nice,
rejuvenating rest are eager to resume our learning journey together.
905-890-1221
TRUSTEE
Thank you to the parents and children for their generous donations toward
the Christmas baskets for the less fortunate families in our community.
S. Xaviour
ST. PATRICK PARISH
Rev. Vito Marziliano
905-794-0486
ROMAN CATHOLIC
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Chair
J. Balthazaar
On behalf of St. André Bessette Elementary School, we extend to you and
your family our best wishes for a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year!!!
The new year, like a new born child, is placed in our
hands as the old year passes away. The days and
weeks to come are God's gift; they carry God's
blessing. As a blessing we welcome them. Our hope
for the year ending is that all that was good in it
remain with us an all that was harmful be left behind.
St. André Bessette Feast Day
Wednesday, January 6th at 9:30 a.m.
God has given us the ability to
choose.
When we use self-control, we
can be sure that our school will
be a safe, caring and inclusive
place to live and to learn.
Parents are invited to join us in the school gym, for this celebration.
Please start your visit at the office when you arrive.
January 2016
Page 2
ST. ANDRÉ BESSETTE SCHOOL HELPS OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON!
We would like to thank you all for your spirit and support during our
Christmas Festivities. All activities were a huge success because of all
of you!
A special thank you to all who supported our “Helping Hands” initiative. We
raised $900.00 to support the purchase of gifts and food for families in need. Stay tuned for
upcoming events sponsored by our Youth Faith Leaders
Please be reminded that Monday, January 18th is a PA Day.
There is no school for students. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board has scheduled a PA Day for Term 1
Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil progress.
ATTENDANCE
Please call to register an absence – 905-913-2567, press 1 for the
attendance. You can call 24hrs. An answering machine is available
to take information. Please provide your child’s name, grade and
teacher’s name. If an absence is not reported, our policy is to
call home to verify student absenteeism. A parent or guardian
must sign out students who leave early. A reminder to parents
and students that an expectation set out from the beginning of
the year clearly indicated that all students must arrive to school
on time.
We have had an increase in the number of students who arrive
late. School starts at 8:15 a.m. Students should be at school
with enough time to line up with their classes. If students
arrive late, they must check in at the office and get an admit
slip.
Being consistently and continuously late interrupts the
classroom during lessons, creates delays in the office and sets
a poor example for those who do arrive on time. Please note
that issues with lates and absenteeism will be dealt with
strictly, and may involve the school’s Administration, Child
Youth Worker and Social Worker.
In the event that it is necessary to dismiss students
early or close the school during the school day, the
decision will be made before noon. Radio stations will
carry the announcement of this decision.
Occasionally, when a storm develops during the school
day, bus carriers will request early closure to ensure
home deliver of students.
At that time, parents with children will be notified.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT EMERGENCY CONTACTS
(ie/ neighbor, relative, family) ARE UP TO DATE. Send
a note with your child or leave a message on the
answering machine if there have been any changes
and/or additions.
Page 3
January 2016
Dear parents, students, staff and communities of our parish schools at St.
Patrick’s:
Greetings and Blessings to all. Best wishes for a holy New Year, filled with
goodness and love for you, your loved ones and the whole world. This is
indeed a blessed year as we celebrate the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, each
one of us invited to reflect on the great mercy and love of God and to become
ourselves bearers of love and mercy to all.
We are blessed at St. Patrick’s Church to hold one of the designated “Holy Doors”
of the Jubilee in our Archdiocese. We have already started witnessing people
coming from elsewhere to spend time in prayer in our church, and we will
continue to welcome many, praying with them and praying for them.
It is my hope that each one of you, as a family, may take the opportunity to come and spend a few minutes
in pilgrimage and prayer, thanking God for the blessings in your life, and seeking blessings for others and for
all. During the Jubilee Year our church will remain open every day from 7 a.m. To 9 p.m.
I wish to extend my congratulations to the families of those students who have been confirmed, and look
forward to continue preparing and celebrating with those yet to be confirmed, and the children preparing
for the Sacraments of First Confession and First Communion.
We are also happy to welcome in our midst a refugee family from Syria. We ask you to pray for them and
for all who suffer worldwide. May everything we do for one another truly receive God’s blessings upon each
one us and upon all our families. Once again, a blessed New Year to all.
With friendship,
Fr. Vito Marziliano,
Pastor.
January 2016
Page 4
Kindergarten Entry Planning for September 2016
(Autism, Developmental, Hearing, Physical/Medical or Vision)
Tuesday, January 12th
7:00—8:30 p.m.
At
Dufferin-Peel Catholic Education Centre, Room 301
40 Matheson Blvd West, Mississauga
Information will be provided regarding school entry planning for students entering JK and SK
Kindergarten programs. Please remember to register at the school on dates above if you plan on
having your child attend St. André Bessette Elementary School in September.
January 2016
Page 5
January 27th is Family Literacy Day!!!
All it takes is 15 minutes a day!
Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is crucial to a child’s development.
Even just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically, and can help a parent
improve their skills as well.
Here are some great ways to get started:
Write a joke book with your family.
Read a bedtime story to the grown-up putting you to bed.
Make up a new recipe together and post it online.
Tell knock-knock jokes together while doing the dishes.
Organize a book swap at your school.
Make up riddles and tell them to your friends.
Create a family book club.
Build a drum with your family.
Surf the Internet and learn about your favourite animal.
Make up a song about your day to sing to your family at
dinnertime.
Write messages to your family on sticky notes and post them
around the house.
Create a story about what you’ll be doing for Family Literacy
Day.
Play a board game together.
Build an acrostic poem using your hero’s name.
Make an origami boat and see if it will float.
Visit: abclifeliteracy.ca for more information and activities!!!
Beginning this month, the primary students (FDK to Grade 3) will be participating in the
Ontario Library Association’s Forest of Reading—Blue Spruce Program
The Blue Spruce Award program brings recently published Canadian children’s
picture books to children between the ages of 4 and 8.
This program promotes reading for enjoyment and begins to develop a child’s skill in evaluating a picture book
based on story, text and pictures. The winner will be announced at the Festival of Tree in Toronto in May.
Butterfly Park by Elly Mackay
The Cardinal and the Crow by Michael Moniz
Fishermen Through and Through by Colleen Sydor
Henry Holton Take the Ice by Sandra Bradley
If Kids Ruled The World by Linda Bailey
In a Cloud of Dust by Alma Fullerton
Sam’s Pet Temper by Sangeeta Bhadra
Stop, Thief! By Heather Tekavec
Super Red Riding Hood by Claudio Davila
We’re All Friends Here by Nancy Wilcox Richards
Scholastic Book Fair is coming during the week of
February 1 to 5, 2016
App of the Month
Our App for the month of December is: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr.
Morris Lessmore. This wonderful App introduces the world to Mr. Morris
Lessmore and explores our love of books. Please download this App and
enter the world of e-reading with your child!
January 2016
Page 6
Do you have a concern?
We recognize that a close working relationship between school and parents/guardians is essential to
fostering and maintaining a strong learning environment. We understand that there may be times when
students or parents may feel aggrieved about something that is happening at the school. Sometimes
students are involved in conflicts with other students, other times students may feel a situation was not
resolved. We try our best to deal with all situations that are brought to our attention, however, we want
to make sure our students feel heard. Please keep us informed. Many times a quick “heads up” will make
us aware of issues.
Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher or the staff member directly involved in any issue. That is
always the best place to start. All our staff have voice mailboxes which are checked frequently. They may
not return your call the same day but will attempt to do so in a timely manner. Of course, because of the
seriousness of some situations you may contact the school office and speak directly with the principal.
Always leave your name and contact information. We cannot address any anonymous concerns.
Parents are not advised to approach children or members of other families regarding a school related
situation. This is often a sensitive area and in order to protect all the
parties involved it is advisable to work through the relevant teacher and/
or principal.
We often commend You, the families of our school community, who are
always openly receptive and cooperative with maintaining our goal to
provide our students, and your children, with a balanced support and
positive influence. We are confident that together, we need to continue
to model appropriate Catholic behaviour in our encounters and in dealing
with unpleasant situations as we know that teaching by example is the
most effective kind.
Donation of New or VERY Gently Used Games
For indoor recess would be greatly appreciated. Some suggestions are: Battleship, Operation,
Connect 4, Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who, Cards, etc. Games that can be easily played by a
different aged students in approximately 20 minutes.
Please send donations to the office & we will gladly distribute them!
PARKING LOT REMINDERS
When dropping off your children, please use our Kiss ‘N Ride lane at the side of the school. Move all the way up and have children exit only on the
passenger’s side.
PLEASE…. DO NOT DROP OFF STUDENTS AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL IN THE BUS LANES—THIS IS A FIRE LANE!
DO NOT STOP OR LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL
January 2016
Page 7
a history of success...
ONTARIO’S CATHOLIC SCHOOLS go back as far as the 1600s. A
formal system was established in 1841, and the Scott Act of
1863 gave the Catholic community the right to establish and operate publicly funded Catholic schools. Since then, Catholic
schools have made a tremendous contribution to the vitality and
success of Ontario’s education system, which ranks among the
best in the world. Today, Ontario’s Catholic education system
consistently produces high levels of student achievement. Further, graduates are taught the virtues and values of the Catholic
faith – including community, responsibility, accountability, collaboration, caring and family – making them not just good students, but good citizens.
KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE
Sign up TODAY!
We would like to take this opportunity to
remind parents that there are several
students in the school with life threatening
allergies to various food products. A letter
informing individual classes in which
students have allergies went home earlier
in the school year. Birthday celebrations
and festivities for special occasions are
part of the educational experience, but we
are requesting that parents consider alternative treats to send in
to the class. Stickers, loot bags or other non edible products
ensure the safety of all of our students. Parents are reminded
that Tim Horton’s products and Supermarket cupcakes cannot be
guaranteed to be nut free.
Parents and guardians of Dufferin-Peel Catholic
students can stay up-to-date with the latest board
news and information by joining the Dufferin-Peel
eCommunity. Members will receive the latest news
and information by email, including news releases,
school activities and events, board meeting highlights, school and bus cancellations, plus useful
tips for parents and students. Sign up online at
www.dpcdsb.org.
Ensuring student safety on the bus is very
important.
Do we have your updated email address?
Please go over the following safety rules
with your children:
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Listen to the bus driver at all times, they are the adult in charge
Go directly to your seat when you get on the bus and remain
seated until the bus stops at your intersection
Never eat, drink, fight horseplay or swear on the bus
Do not open or close windows
Do not vandalize bus seats or any other part of the bus
Respect private property while you are waiting for the bus
If someone is misbehaving on the bus, tell the bus driver – do not
take matters in your own hands
If you get hurt on the bus or you see someone get hurt on the
bus, let the bus driver know right away and inform the school
If you would like to receive school
information via email, please send the
following information to the school office:
Student Name:__________________
Teacher Name: ________________
Email Address:
______________________________
January 2016
Page 8
St. André Bessette Catholic
Elementary School
Januar y 2016
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
Saturday
2
Christmas Break
3
4
5
Happy New Year!
6
Toonie Tuesday
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
17
11
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
18
Lunch Moms
Sub Day
Join us!
12
13
Toonie Tuesday
14
15
25
Sub Day
Gr. 8 Ambrozic
Parent Information
Night—6:30 p.m. to
9:00 p.m.
20
Toonie Tuesday
21
22
23
Lunch Moms
Sub Day
26
Kindergarten
Registration
Toonie Tuesday
7-9 p.m.
Kindergarten
Registration SNOW
DAY only! 7-9 p.m.
Litterless/
Boomerang Lunch
16
Lunch Moms
Parent mtg for new
kindergarten
students with
special needs
Term 1: Report
Writing Day—
Assessment &
Evaluation of
Pupil Progress
24
9
9:30 a.m.
19
PA Day
8
St. Andre Bessette
Feast Day
Celebration
Back to School
10
7
27
28
29
Lunch Moms
Kindergarten
Registration
9—11 a.m. &
12-2 p.m.
30
Hot Dog Day
Kindergarten
Registration
9—11 a.m. &
12-2 p.m.
Kindergarten
Registration
9—11 a.m. &
12-2 p.m.