St. Bernard of Clairvaux
May 2016
3345 Escada Dr. Mississauga, ON L5M 7V5
Tel. 905-542-9203
Peace, Love, Service, Excellence
We Honour Mary
As we honour Mary and all mothers during the month of
May, we are reminded of the many blessings mothers
bestow upon their children each and every day.
May Newsletter
Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B.
The Memorare of St. Bernard
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it
known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy
help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired
by this confidence, I fly unto thee O Virgin of virgins, my
Mother. To thee I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my
petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen
Administrator Message
May promises to be another faith filled, busy month at St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Catholic Education Week began on Sunday to highlight the partnership that remains the foundation of Catholic
education between our Catholic schools and local Catholic parishes. The theme for Catholic Education Week is Opening Doors of Mercy. Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask you to
reflect on the significance and importance of Catholic Education’s presence and contribution in
our Church and in our society. We invite all members of our community to participate in the activities and celebrations that will mark the celebration of Catholic Education Week at our school.
We look forward to seeing you.
During the Month of May we will will be focusing on the virtue of Acceptance and continuing
to remember and live out that “We all belong to God’s family.” We will gather together to say the
Rosary. We will offer our prayers to those in need. Please encourage your son or daughter to
attend these prayer days that will be held once a week during the lunch hour. In the past we have
had excellent participation as our students truly do appreciate and understand the power of prayer.
May is also the month of Mary, the Mother of God. We will honour Mary with a special
Crowning of Mary Liturgy on Monday May 2nd, 2016. As we reflect on Mary, we are reminded
of the many blessing mothers bestow upon their children each and every day. Let us keep Mary
and all mothers in our thoughts and prayers so that the honour and respect that they deserve is not
limited to one day or month in the year. On behalf of our staff and school, we would like to wish
all of our mothers a wonderful Mother’s Day.
Finally, on behalf of the staff and students of St. Bernard of Clairvaux we would like to congratulate and wish Mr. Pullara well as he has accepted a secondment to the Ministry of Education
and will assume the role of Student Achievement Officer. We would like to thank Mr. Pullara for
his dedication and commitment to our community and his many contributions over the last two
years. We are very proud of his achievement and wish him many blessings in this new role. We
warmly welcome Ms. Isabel Sauve as the newly appointed principal of St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
Together in Faith
N. Podobnik
“Extraordinary Lives Start With a Great Catholic Education”
Our Virtue of the Month:
During the month of May we will focus on the virtue of Acceptance. God wants us
to make friends with everyone no matter how different they may look or act.
An accepting person is…




willing to treat everybody as a member of a group
avoids judging others
welcoming to those different than himself/herself
loving and happy with who he/she is
The virtue of ACCEPTANCE means we accept ourselves and others just the way
we are. Acceptance is the ability to respect the dignity and rights of people of all
ages, beliefs, genders, cultures, and/or abilities. God created all of us in His image,
and belonging to God’s family means that we love and welcome everyone as Jesus
did. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where it is easier to follow the
crowd than to stand up for what we know is right. Remember that everyone wants
to feel like they belong, and Jesus teaches us to accept everyone, even when it is
difficult.
For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself
more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have
many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are
many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We
have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Romans 12:3-6
Let us now pray...for the virtue of acceptance - the strength to trust that
God is at work in everyone’s life despite what we think. AMEN
Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES!

I am a peacemaker
 I am fair
 I am forgiving
 I follow rules and do my share
 I help the poor and care for people in need
 I stand up for what is right
 I know that all life is precious
 I respect and protect the world and all that is in it
Because I accept my responsibilities, I can make a difference, and will live my life like Jesus
St. Josephine Bahkita Parish
3600 Forest Bluff Cres. Mississauga, Ontario L5N 7W2
Phone: (289)-997-2105 FAX: (289)-997-2104
Email: parishoffice@stjosephonebahkita.ca
Website: www.stjosephinebahkita.ca
MASS SCHEDULE
At St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School
(3801 Thomas St. Mississauga Ontario)
Saturday Vigil Mass 5 p.m.
Sunday Mass 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday 7:30 a.m.
Wednesday/Friday 7:00 p.m.
At St. Peter’s Mission Church (just north of Britannia on the Ninth Line)
Sunday Mass 7:30 a.m.
Monday 7 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m.
Please Join Us…
We will be gathering as a school community on
Thursday May 26th, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. for our next
Virtues Assembly. We thank our grade 4 classes for
organizing this faith filled event for our students and
community.
Crowning of Mary
Our Crowning of Mary Liturgy will take
place on Monday, May 2nd, 2016 at
9:15 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. We thank our
grade 1 teachers and students for preparing this celebration, and look forward to gathering
together as a community of faith.
Sacraments
We encourage any new families to our school community to
contact the parish to inquire about registering for these
sacraments.
FIRST RECONCILIATION
The First Reconciliation Celebration for our students took place
on Tuesday February 23rd, 2016 at 9:00a.m. at Merciful Redeemer Parish. We would like to congratulate all students on
receiving this sacrament..
FIRST COMMUNION
First Communion for our grade 2 students
will be held on Saturday May 8th, 2016 at
3:00 p.m. at Merciful Redeemer Church.
CONFIRMATION
Congratulations to our grade 8 students who recently received
the sacrament of Confirmation. We would like to extend a sincere thank you to Father Mark and the parish team at St. Josephine Bahkita Church for their continued support. We would
also like to thank all the parents and Mr. Kostoff and Mr.
Gegeny, who worked to prepare the students. We thank Father
Vid and his parish team for their continued support and generosity as we work to build a church for our new parish community.
Confirmation for our grade 7 students will take place on
Friday May 13th, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith” Galatians 5:22
MAY IS THE MONTH OF MARY
MOTHER OF JESUS
Mary was a strong, yet a gentle woman. She had the courage to question, and then decide for herself. Her conscious awareness of God working within her gave her the strength to act without
embarrassment, shame or fear. Mary understood pain and suffering and during her aloneness, she
continued to respond and believe, to listen and to serve. She remained a contemplative in the
midst of service. Mary’s faith is a symbol for us all. She believed in God’s word when logic or
reason said it was impossible. Mary stood on God’s Word and God’s promise and took Him at
his word. Mary believed that she was greatly loved and that the Spirit was truly with her. This
was the source of her Faith. Mary has much to teach us today. All Christians are called to hear the word, to believe
that we are greatly loved and that the Spirit is within us, waiting our “yes” response so that we may be “filled with
grace” and to be open to God’s power released in love. We need only to “let go”. God wishes to send us into our communities and neighbourhoods to serve one another.
Papal Prayer Intention for May
That in every country of the world, women may be honoured and respected and that their essential contribution to
society may be highly esteemed. That families, communities and groups may pray the Holy Rosary for evangelization and peace.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DAY
Wednesday April 27th, 2016 was Administrative Assistant Day. The staff and students at
St. Bernard of Clairvaux would like to extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Mrs.
Keenan, Mrs. Yhip, and Mrs. Didio-Coletta for all that they do on a daily basis for all of us.
Not only do they tend to our busy office administration work but they provide first aid to
our students on numerous occasions throughout the day. Mrs. Keenan, Mrs. Yhip, and Mrs.
Didio-Coletta, we really appreciate and thank you for all that you do and we hope that your
day was extra special, just like you. Sincerely, The Staff and Students of St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK: May 1-6, 2016
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” Matthew
5:7
Catholic schools are Catholic communities. Catholic schools are faith
communities. We – parents, students, teachers, administrative and support staff –
walk and grow together in the faith which we received at our Baptism, and it is the
‘together’ that we grow. As we learn from nature, growth relies on sun and water
and nutrition. Otherwise, it may fade away and even die. Our growth is
primarily a relationship with God, who at our Baptism, called us by name. But the
response of each of us to that growth is both personal and communal. We grow in
our faith in the nurturing atmosphere of our Catholic community be that of our local
parish, our home, or our Catholic school community.
Our school community will celebrate Catholic Education Week May 1st—6th,
2016 in ways that are appropriate to our students’ age. A pamphlet will be provided
about the activities at our school during Catholic Education Week.
The sub-themes for Catholic Education Week 2015 are as follows:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
“Mercy that Welcomes” (Jesus and the Woman at the Well)
“Mercy that Loves” (The Good Samaritan)
“Mercy that Forgives” (The Prodigal Son)
“Mercy that Lives the Gospel” (Zacchaeus)
“Mercy that Rejoices” (Healing of the Paralytic)
Farewell As the school year slowly comes to an end, we will be saying goodbye to Mr. Pullara.
Mr. Pullara will
assume the role of Student Achievement Officer with the Ministry of Education. We would like to thank Mr. Pullara
for his dedication and commitment to our community and his many contributions to the St. Bernard of Clairvaux
community. We extend sincerest congratulations and wish him many blessings in this new role. We would like to
extend a very warm welcome to Ms. Isabel Sauve, the newly appointed principal of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. We
have also had to say farewell to Mrs. Craig and have wished her many blessings as she prepares to welcome the newest addition to her family. We welcome Mrs. Arruda-Oliveira to our school.
Safe Schools
St. Bernard of Clairvaux School is committed to providing a safe, caring and inclusive school. We continue to
encourage positive interactions and a community that welcomes and values healthy relationships, high academic standards, respect, gospel values and virtuous living. Together students, parents and teachers continue to
learn how to protect the community from a variety of forms of bullying while building student self esteem and awareness. We continue to encourage positive and healthy peer-to-peer relationships. Youth Education Officers work in partnership with the Dufferin
Peel catholic District School Board to create a positive and safe learning environment within the elementary school system. We
would like to thank Officer Mackin for her continued guidance and support.
WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY
Together We Can Make a Difference.
On April 4th, students, staff and visitors came together at St. Bernard of Clairvaux School to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day. For the eighth year students have learned about autism,
through stories, videos and announcements.
This year our school focus has been on promoting Acceptance, with the important message that
“We All Belong to God’s Family” Students created a blue chain link with messages highlighting
ways they could be a friend to someone with autism.
Students also helped to Raise the Autism Ontario Flag for the fourth year, collecting toonies for Autism Ontario to
help raise awareness and education of autism. This year Noah, a grade 7 student along with his family helped raise the
flag.
International Day of Pink
On Wednesday April 13th, staff and students participated in the annual
“International Day of Pink” event.
International Day of Pink began in 2007 when David Shepherd and Travis Price of
Berwick, Nova Scotia bought and distributed 50 pink shirts to classmates to wear
in order to show support after a grade 9 student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt
on the first day of school. Since then, hundreds of schools across Canada come
together on April 13th to celebrate Day of Pink, a day when we recognize and promote our individual differences.
Students created their own Pink promise on pink slips of paper that became our
Pink Promise Wall.
911 Water
The grade 5's of Mr. Salerno's class would like to thank the St. Bernard of Clairvaux community for making "911 Water" a water filled success. Because of the mercy that the St. Bernard of Clairvaux community has shown it is now
possible for the kids of Flint to have safer water to use for drinking, cooking and washing. The water bottles will be
taken to the United Way of Flint by Craig McNeill a concerned resident of Hamilton Ontario. The school community
brought in 1416 water bottles almost doubling the goal set by the grade 5 class. Remember "A water bottle a day
keeps the earth doctors away". Once again, we would like to thank the families for their continued support.
Our Sharelife campaign has come to an end. As a school community we participated in
a number of Toonie Tuesdays in support of ShareLife, as well as a Spirit “Gum” Day
and a number of staff luncheons in order to raise funds for Sharelife. Sharelife has a
long tradition of assisting the vulnerable and marginalized in our community dating
back to the 1840’s when our first Archbishop of Toronto, Michael Power, personally worked with immigrants who
were dying of typhus. Today we continue this tradition by extending an invitation to all Catholics to take part in continuing to care for the vulnerable among us. ShareLife supports a number of Catholic organizations within the community and Archdiocese of Toronto. We thank all families for their support of this very worthwhile campaign.
From the French Department
Bonjour! Great news! For the fifth year in a row, St. Bernard of
Clairvaux has been awarded a $1500 French as a Second Language Grant from our school board! With this
grant, we were able to take all of our Grade 4 students to see Gregg LeRock, a Juno-award winning FrenchCanadian singer, at the Mississauga Living Arts Centre on Monday April 25th, for FREE! The Grant was
able to cover the cost of the concert ticket plus Bus transportation fee for each student, allowing our Grade 4
students the opportunity to experience our French Language and Culture outside of the regular school setting. The
students had a great time singing and dancing to the songs along with Gregg! Mme Cosentino and Mme Fabbri
Music Monday at Celebration Square
We are pleased to share that Mrs. Boles' Grade 4 class will take part in Music Monday at Celebration Square, which is hosted by the Ontario Summer Games on Monday May 2nd, 2016. The students will be performing a bucket drumming piece at 10:40. What a great opportunity and experience for our students!!
GRADE 7 STUDENTS PRESENT MULTICULTURAL NIGHT AT ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX
Please join us in celebrating the varied and rich cultures and traditions of our Grade 7
students. Here at St. Bernard we are lucky to be able to learn about and honour many
cultures from around the world. Multicultural Night aims to highlight the unique and
varied cultural backgrounds and international origins of our Catholic faith. This
year, Multicultural Night will take place during Catholic Education Week on Thursday May 5th. We strive to help students develop a sense of pride in their own heritage, as well educate each other about the land and traditions of their ancestors. We
hope to see you there to enjoy our students’ hard work!
Junior Showcase
Our Junior Showcase took place on Tuesday April 19th, and
Wednesday April 20th. In our school gymnasium. The theme of
this year’s showcase was Stewardship of the Earth. We thoroughly enjoyed how each class represented this theme through the
arts. We thank all our staff, parents and students involved for
their time, energy and hard work in making this presentation possible.
The greatest gift that you can give to
others is the gift of unconditional love
and acceptance. Author unknown
A Visit from the Hospital
The Grade 1 classes had an opportunity in April to have volunteer guest speakers from Trillium
Health Partners who are volunteers from our region’s Hospitals come to our school to speak to our
classes about what it is like to be treated and to stay at a hospital. A video was shown and students got to experience some hands on interactive tools used to treat patients at the hospital. Sample x-rays were shown and a story was read to them. They even got to see and learn about the
inside of a human body through a book and through interactive learning materials. Students also
got to see what the doctor would wear if surgery was to take place. Overall, it was a very educational experience and the students really enjoyed the visit.
Girls and Boys Night In
Girls and Boys will be participating in a great evening of fun, activities and dinner, all
the while focusing on our school’s initiative this year of Acceptance. At St. Bernard of
Clairvaux School we are a safe, inclusive and accepting environment. Acceptance is seeing with your
heart, not your eyes. More information to follow.
Please see below for the date and time for each event.
Girls Night In
Boys Night In
Date
Tuesday May 24
Date
Wednesday June 8
Time
3:30 pm-7:00 pm
Time
3:30 pm-7:00 pm
Location
St. Bernard of Clairvaux School
Location
St. Bernard of Clairvaux School
“We All Belong to God’s Family.”
Take Me Out to the Ball Game!!
St. Bernard of Clairvaux C.E.S has extended an invitation to all members of our school community to join us for an afternoon with the Blue Jays. Game day is Saturday May 28th, 2016.
The game begins at 1:07. We will meet at the school and board the bus together to make our
way down to the Rogers Center at 11:00 a.m. Forms were sent home and tickets were sold and granted on a first
come, first serve basis. We have now sold our 100 tickets. We are looking forward to this wonderful community
event.
Volunteer Appreciation Gathering
We have been blessed with a number of wonderful volunteers at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
School. As a way to say thank you for all your time and effort, we will be hosting an end-ofthe-year appreciation event on Thursday June 16th, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. in our school library.
An invitation will be extended to those who have helped out with the many varied activities
at the school. If by chance, you have volunteered or attended our Catholic School Council
Meetings and did not receive an invitation, please come out and join us. Once again thank you very much for
enriching the lives of our students. Please remember many hands makes for light work and we look forward to
working with you next year.
P.A Day
Cyber-Safety
Friday, May 13th, 2016 is a Pr ofessional
Activity Day for staff. There will be no school
for students. Staff will be involved in activities
regarding provincial
priorities in a
catholic context.
children and adults. They can use it to research, communicate with
others, and play interactive games. Sometimes that access can pose
hazards. One area that we are seeing an increase in abuse is in the
use of social media. That's why it's important to be aware of what
your children see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and
what they share about themselves online. Just like any safety issue,
it's wise to talk with your children about your concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and keep a close eye on their
activities.
The Internet can be a great resource for
PLANNING AHEAD - Class Placements
In arriving at the decision for placement for your child for the upcoming year, every consideration is given to individual needs. This decision is made in collaboration with all staff
who have been directly involved in your child’s education this year. If you feel that there
are specific needs which should be addressed in determining the placement of your child,
please feel free to use the template provided to advise us of your concerns. We ask for all
submissions to be sent to the office no later than Friday, May 27th, 2016. Your request will be considered at our
grade promotion meetings. We remind you that it would not be appropriate to request one teacher over another as
placements are subject to change. However , if ther e is other infor mation r egar ding your child’s lear ning style,
or other considerations of which we ought to be aware, please advise us of these facts in your letter.
“Welcome to Kindergarten”
Moving
Kindergarten registrations for next fall are still being
accepted at the school office. Parents and newly
registered kindergarten students for 2016-2017 are
invited to attend a Welcome to Kindergarten evening at
the school on Thursday May 19th, 2016 from 6:30—7:30.
On that evening, families will participate in a variety of
fun activities and will receive a gift bag of resources to
help their child successfully transition to life at school.
More detailed information regarding the Welcome to
Kindergarten Evening will be forthcoming.
If you will be moving out of
the St. Bernard of Clarivaux
area between now and
September 2016, please inform the school
as soon as possible. This information assists with our
planning, organization of classes, ordering materials,
etc. for 2016-2017. Updated records are also important
in the event of an emergency and if we are required to
contact you immediately. Thank you for your
cooperation
May Statutory Holiday
There will be no
school for students
on Victoria Day,
Monday, May 23rd,
2016
The Online Reporting Tool
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board has developed a new way to help nurture a safe, caring and
inclusive school environment. The Online Reporting Tool is intended for students in grades 3 – 8 who become aware
of bullying incidents and negative behaviours. The student can simply ‘click’ on the link found on our school’s
website to fill out the report. The report will then be directly emailed to the principal and/or
vice principal and will be dealt with accordingly. The online reporting tool link is posted on
our website.
It is important to recognize that the Online Reporting Tool is an alternate reporting option. It
is best practice to speak directly with a responsible adult at home and/or in the school.
EQAO-Coming Soon
Once again this year, Grades 3 and 6 students will participate in Provincial Education Quality
and Accountability Office testing (EQAO). The testing will take place between May 25th—
June 8th. Looking ahead to these assessments, we ask that you try to schedule
medical or other appointments at another time if it means that a student in these grades is required to be absent or late.
EQAO Parent Tips
Stay Positive


Always celebrate your child’s successes and hard work each day.
Remind your child that the assessment will have questions asking them things that they have already
learned in class.
 Please avoid scheduling appointments during EQAO.
 Be sure your child receives enough sleep every night so that they are rested.
 Continue to ensure that your child eats a healthy full breakfast and remembers to keep a positive and
relaxed attitude in the home environment.
 Do not force your child to study for these tests. They are already working hard at school.
For additional information on grades 3 and 6 testing visit the EQAO website at
www.eqao.com and click on “Parent Resources”.
Something to Remember:
Although EQAO offers important information about your child’s learning, it is only one part
of the puzzle. The levels achieved on EQAO will not be a part of your child’s report card.
The results of your child’s EQAO scores will be provided to each family in the fall.
Tutoring Program
The Board has made available after-school tutoring sessions for students in grades 3 and 6 who are
working toward the provincial standard of achievement. We currently have three grade 3 groups
and three grade 6 groups involved in this 10 week program that will end before the EQAO
assessment.
Let’s Wash Our Hands
Appropriate Dress
Hand washing when done correctly is the single most
effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases
such as the flu. Please help us to
reinforce the proper techniques
with your child.
School Board Policy states that all
students are expected to dress to
standards of neatness, cleanliness, modesty and good
taste. Certain items i.e.: shirts with inappropriate
logos/ wording, exposure of undergarments or
midriffs, tight or torn clothing, short skirts/shorts, are
contrary to both the philosophy of our Catholic School
teachings and to the standards we set as parents and
educators. With warmer weather soon on its way, we will
remind all students of dress code expectations. Your
assistance in ensuring that your child is dressed
appropriately is appreciated.
1) Wet our hands.
2) Soap our hands.
3) Wash our hands.
4) Rinse our hands.
5) Dry our hands.
6) Use paper towels to turn taps
off.
Bikes, Scooters and Rollerblades: Safety First
A safety reminder to all students that bikes, scooters and roller blades are to be walked both on and off the school
property. Bikes ar e to be locked in the bike r acks. We do not have facilities to stor e or secur e r oller blades or
scooters, so there is an added risk of damage or theft and they are not encouraged to be brought to school. The school
is not responsible for these items. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Safety in the School Yard
Children need frequent reminders that name-calling, put-downs and violence are never appropriate responses to disagreements or arguments, regardless of the provocation. Parents are urged to rehearse assertiveness skills with their
children such as saying firmly, ― “Please Stop”, “I don’t like it when..” “Leave me alone”
Playground Safety Rules
 Respect each other by being polite, friendly and co-operative
 Keep hands and feet to yourself
 Allow others to join in your games
 Play fairly and safely
 Play with acceptable toys and equipment
 Respect school property
 Line up quietly till bell rings
Avoid conflicts and injuries
 NO standing in the middle or walking through active games
 NO leaving school property
 NO name-calling or making fun of others, using inappropriate language or gestures
 NO fighting, pushing, tripping, lifting, grabbing, body-checking, scratching, pinching, spitting or biting
 NO unsafe or rough games: wrestling, tackling, play fighting
Remember to: Walk Away, Ignor e, Use your Wor ds, Seek Assistance
Sun Safety
With summer approaching and the warmer weather we are reminded about sun safety. Overexposure to the sun can
cause skin damage. We remind students regularly to take precautions to protect their skin during recess times and to
take precautions to be safe in the sun. The following are some suggestions when working and playing in the sun:

Drink cool water. Anyone in a hot environment should drink cool water in small amounts frequently—one cup
every 20 minutes. Avoid caffeinated soft drinks which cause dehydration.
 Dress Appropriately. Wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing
 Wear a hat to protect both the eyes and the skin
 When possible, stay out of direct sunlight
 Know your skin type; ie: fair skinned people are more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation
 Wear sun block; the higher the protection factor number, the greater the protection.
Parents are encouraged to reinforce these strategies with their children regularly.
MAY IS ASTHMA AWARENESS MONTH!
More than 1 in 8 children are diagnosed with asthma and it is the leading cause
of missed school days. Therefore, it is important for everyone to learn about
asthma so that we can all work together to create asthma friendly places.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a breathing condition that affects the airways-the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. Certain
triggers cause these air-ways to become red, swollen and filled with mucus. When this happens people with asthma
may experience symptoms such as cough, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, wheeze and/or shortness of breath.
Follow these tips to help create asthma friendly places:
If your child has asthma make sure you tell the school. Include information about asthma triggers, warning signs
and medications.
Be aware of common asthma triggers (colds/flu, strong smells, dust, furry animals, smoke, extremes in temperature) and make efforts to reduce them whenever possible.
Encourage all children to be physically active, especially those with asthma. Speak to your child‘s doctor if asthma is interfering with physical activity.
Know how to recognize worsening asthma and what to do in an emergency.
Visit www.asthmainschools.com for more information about Asthma Friendly Schools.
Contact the Lung Association’s Asthma Action Helpline at 1(800) 668-7682 for free resources and support in
managing asthma.
Safety Drills
During the second term, a second lockdown drill has already been completed and three fire drills , as well as a hold and secure drill will also be
practiced with staff and students as per Board Policy. In the event of an actual evacuation or
emergency situation, it is extremely important to be well prepared.
STOPR (Student Transportation of Peel Region)
STOPR is providing bus transportation services for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board. The STOPR website address is www.stopr.ca. This website provides access to up to date
information regarding delayed buses and bus cancellations due to inclement weather. To check for
eligibility for transportation, please access the following website: businfo.stopr.ca.
STOPR Telephone Contact Information: 905-890-6000
Safety in the Gym
Pediculosis
Students are reminded that they must
wear proper indoor shoes for gym and
appropriate gym clothes. Jewelry must
be removed when in gym class or during sports
activities. Students are not allowed to wear their
“outside” shoes in the gym.
some time in most schools. Head lice are parasites which have been common among human beings for centuries. They are not connected in any
way with dirt or neglect. If a case is found in our schools, we shall inform
parents of the students in that classroom with a letter. In the past, we have
had a number of cases so we ask that you also check your own children
regularly. If you find them to be infested, please notify the office. For
more information go to the following link http://www.peelregion.ca
Reporting Student Absences
Daily attendance and punctuality are
very important. Thank you to all
parents who have been calling the
school when your child has been absent
due to an illness or an appointment. Please continue to report student absences to the school office by calling 905-542-9203 and pressing 1 for
attendance. Please indicate the date, your child’s
name, teacher and grade when leaving a message.
Head Lice is a common problem which occurs at
Classroom Interruptions
The office often gets requests from students to make phone calls
home to ask parents to bring forgotten items such as running shoes,
agendas or textbooks/homework. We are reinforcing with students
that it is their responsibility to bring all necessary items to school
and to arrange in advance their out of school
activities. Also, please make after school
arrangements with your children prior to
school. We make every attempt to minimize
interruptions to classes.
Sewers & Watercourses Safety Concerns Parents are asked to remind their
children to avoid all storm sewers and watercourses. Children playing in and around storm
sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access covers are all very dangerous activities, and can lead to a fatality. Children
should be aware that:

Water flows in storm sewers and watercourses are unpredictable and may change quickly.
Tragic falls could occur.
 Access is restricted and therefore, rescue attempts are dangerous.

Swim to Survive
The Grade 3 Students are participating in the Swim To Survive Program at the Erin
Meadows Pool. This Program is offered free of charge, by the city of Mississauga
and teaches the students the basic survival skills needed to keep them floating in
deep water, should accidents occur. The students are very excited about the program
Allergies/Anaphylactic Shock
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is an allergen aware school. We have a number of students in our school who have severe allergic life threatening r eactions to peanuts, peanut butter , peanut oils, any peanut/nut by-products and dairy
products. As in the past, we are asking you to not put any child at risk, therefore, are
requesting that PEANUTS, PEANUT BUTTER, PEANUT OILS, ANY PEANUT/NUT BY-PRODUCTS NOT
BE BROUGHT INTO THE SCHOOL. WE ASK THAT YOU READ THE
LABELS OF ALL FOOD ITEMS SENT TO SCHOOL. A letter was sent home in
September which addressed this issue for each particular class. We are asking parents not
to send food items to school when celebrating your child’s birthday since there are many
alternatives such as pencils, stickers, etc. We thank you for your continued
understanding.
Storage/Administration of Medication
Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medication and forms are updated annually. If your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms completed and returned with the medication to the office as soon as possible. A
reminder that children are not allowed to keep any medication in their desk, backpack or classroom (with the exception
of an epi-pen if allergies are severe). All dispensing of medication requires medical permission and must be stored in
the office.
Student Safety
Parents, please note yard duty
supervision begins at 8:30. Students
should not arrive before supervision
starts. We welcome all parents at St. Bernard of
Clairvaux but continue to request that parents/visitors check
in at the office. In order to ensure the safety of our students,
we can not have parents or visitors visit classrooms or walk
through the hallways. If you need to sign out your child,
please do so at the office. In the event that you need to drop
items off for your child, please check in at the office. If your
child arrives late we ask that you NOT accompany them to
the classroom. We thank you for continued understand and
support in keeping out students safe.
Summer Programs
Summer Literacy Camp: SK to Grade 6
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board offers summer literacy camps for students in SK to grade 6, during
the month of July. This is a fee-for-service program. No
transportation is provided. Dates and times are July
11th—29th., 9:00 am to 12 noon. Registration information for the summer 2016 session is now available at
St. Bernard of Clairvaux School.
Summer School for Gr ade 7 and 8 students for Liter acy and Mathematics will take place in the month of July,
specifically, July 4th —July 22nd between the hours of
8:30 am -12:30 pm. Classes this year will take place at St.
Faustina Catholic Elementary School.
More information can be obtained from your child’s classroom teacher or by contacting the Adult and Continuing
Education Department at 905-891-9263.
Dogs on School Property
From 8:30 a.m.—3:30 p.m. dogs are
not allowed on school property.
This includes small dogs being carried. Please be respectful of the fact
that some of our students have a
fear of dogs. We thank you for
your continued understanding and
support.
Our School Website
We have updated our website.
This site will be continually updated and has information for parents regarding school
calendar information, newsletters and school updates.
Visit www.dpcdsb.org and link onto the Elementary
site at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Elementary School @
www.dpcdsb.org/BRND. A special thank you to Mrs.
Marano for overseeing this site.
Newsletter Distribution
If you have not provided the office with your email
address and would like to receive school information
via email, please contact the main office to be added
to the distribution list.
Twitter
Follow us @StBernardDPCDSB. You
can also follow us on Twitter at @DPCDSBSchools
Kiss and Ride
Please follow these guidelines when using the Kiss and Ride Program at St. Bernard of
Clairvaux School.
The Do’s:

Children are to be dropped off or picked up, using the drop off lane between the hours of 8:30 - 8:45 am and 3:15
– 3:30 pm. Due to the high volume of cars, and dependent on weather conditions, please consider arriving early.

As cars enter the school driveway, please proceed in a slow and cautious manner, around the perimeter of our
parking lot. The drop off and pick up lane is directly in front of the kindergarten yard. Students are not
dropped off or picked up in front of the school. This lane is r eser ved for buses only.

Please drive up to the very top of the kiss and ride lane to drop off and pick up your children to facilitate a steady
flow of traffic.

Children are to exit the car in a safe and careful manner, with their backpacks
ready to avoid a long wait time in the drop off lane. Children are to exit the
vehicle on the right side of the car, onto the landing, for safety purposes
and proceed to the school yard.

Cars are to exit the driveway in a slow and cautious manner and must turn right
in order to ease the flow of traffic.

Cars may park in the parking lot in available spaces only.
The Dont’s:






Cars are not to enter the Kiss and Ride drop-off lane with any speed-they must proceed in a very slow and cautious manner.
Do not cross through the drive through lanes from the parking lot with children. Proceed to the crosswalk
Do not park or leave your vehicle unattended in the Kiss and Ride Lanes.
Cars are not to stop at the turn point of the driveway and let children out-this is a very dangerous and unsafe
practice. It also causes a back log of cars.
Please do not attempt to move into the drop-off lane from the drive thru lane.
Under no circumstances ar e car s to access the bus lane or par k in the bus lane; if you need to enter the
school, please use the parking lot.
Grade 8 Trip to Ottawa
Plans are underway and the students and staff are
gearing up for the Grade 8 trip to Ottawa. Parents/Guardians can expect an itinerary soon.
Students who will not participate in the trip will be involved in exciting activities at the school.
Grade 8 Graduation
The Grade 8 Graduation Luncheon & Dance will take place on Monday June 27th, 2016 at
Otello’s Banquet and Conference Center during the day. Parents will be invited to attend the
evening Graduation Ceremony that will take place at 7:00 p.m. at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
School in our gymnasium. .
Sports, Intramurals, and Extra Curriculars Alive and Well: GO
BEARS!!!
Boys and Girls Basketball
We’d like to acknowledge the following members of the Junior Girls’ Basketball team: Katarina
T., Isabella L., Doris E., Eleeza M., Kaitlin T., Hailey U., Jenna S., Ashly E.,
Ana R., Isabel T.. The girls are to be congratulated for their hard work and
sportsmanship. The girls were successful in making it to the Mississauga
North Family of Schools Tournament. Despite their best efforts they fell
just short of a position in the Board level tournament. The junior girls displayed our Bears’ spirit and positive attitude throughout the season. A special thanks goes out to
our junior “coaches-in-training : Julia T., Hailey M., Halle A., and Denise F. for sharing their talents and demonstrating leadership.
We would like to also congratulate the Intermediate Boys and Girls Basketball Teams for a very successful season. Their determination, hard work, and good sportsmanship was evident at all times. We
thank Mr. Kostoff, Mr. Gegeny, Mr. Dietz, and Ms. Shamon and Mr. Salerno for offering their time,
talents and skills in coaching.
Upcoming Sports
As we move into May and June a number of opportunities for our intermediate students to participate in team sports
continue. Students will be invited to try out and play on our Intermediate Co-Ed Soccer Team, our Intermediate Co-Ed
Softball Team, Co-Ed Flag Football and students in grades 5—8 will be invited to try out and participate in representing
our school for a variety of Track and Field Events. We look forward to these exciting activities.
Intramurals
Soccer is alive and well for our primary students. Our students have an opportunity to get together and play
soccer two days a week. They have fun, develop friendships and learn more about soccer. We thank our staff
for organizing and supervising this worthwhile activity for our students.
Extra Curricular Life at St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Spotlight
YOGA
The St. Bernard Yoga Club is up and running. Students are enjoying a lunch time treat for their minds and
bodies every Wednesday in the library. Miss Hughes, Miss Taylor, and Mrs. Ruta are thrilled with the benefits
of practicing yoga that they have witnessed in their students. More are always welcome!
HEADS UP
Heads Up is a curriculum based trivia competition where teams of five students compete head to head against
each other to answer the most questions and gain the most points. Congratulations to the students who participated in the Mississauga North tournament. We thank you for your efforts.
CHESS
We are proud of our students who participated as members of the Junior and Intermediate Chess Teams. All
of our students worked really hard and were able to represent St. Bernard of Clairvaux both at the family and
board tournaments. Thank you for your dedication and love of chess. We also thank Mr. Gegeny for coaching the teams.
St Bernard of Clairvaux
School
Catholic School Council
One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one. One day we crossed the street, and you held
Principal: B. Pullar a
my hand tight. Then, you were my baby, and now you are my child. To all the mothers out there
Vice-Principal:
whether past, present or soon to be. May your day be filled with love, joy, and laughter.
N. Podobnik
Happy Mother’s Day
Secretaries: P. Keenan,
Spring Fling 2016
M. Yhip, A. DidioColetta
Parish Corner
St. Josephine Bakhita
Parish: Temporarily
located at St. Joan of Arc
S. School
3801 Thomas St.
Pastor– Father Mark
Villaneuva
289-997-2105
Trustee
E. O’Toole
905-812-5163
Dufferin-Peel CDSB
Personnel
Director of Education:
M. Mazzorato
905-890-1221
Associate Director,
Instructional Services
S. McWatters
905-890-1221
Associate Director,
Corporate Services,
Chief Financial Officer
& Treasurer
John Hrajnik
905-890-1221
Superintendent:
T. Cruz
905-890-1221
YMCA
Your St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic School Council is hosting the seventh annual Spring Fling
picnic on Thursday, June 9, 2016 from 4-7pm. This popular event offers parents, guardians and
students from our school community an enjoyable evening of fun & games, a barbecue dinner,
music, face painting and much more! To help make this evening a success, we encourage anyone
available to help, to please contact the school office. Like last year, we will have hamburgers,
hotdogs and drinks available for pre-order. Forms with additional information including how to
order food will be sent home the week of May 9th. We hope to see you there!
Have you considered joining our Catholic School Council? Parent/guardian involvement is one of many ways we can contribute to the success of our children. Our Catholic
School Council (CSC) consists of enthusiastic volunteers who work together towards the same
objective – helping students reach their full potential. We’re inviting you to consider joining us
for the upcoming school year.
What does CSC do? Often times when we think of our Catholic School Council we think of
fundraising, but we do so much more than that: we act as a liaison between school staff and parents; we share information with parents and the school community; we offer advice with regards
to student support and school development; we work together to organize and execute events such
as our annual Halloween dance, Christmas donations in support of parish families, Valentine’s
Day dance, pancake breakfast on Shrove Tuesday, Spring Fling, staff appreciation and much
more!
Who can join CSC? Parents or guardians who have a child or children registered at St. Bernard of Clairvaux are welcome to put their name forward to join CSC. All CSC members are either a Catholic elector of a Catholic elector’s spouse, and have a valid Criminal Reference Check,
or be in the process of obtaining one.
When can I join CSC? New CSC members are elected in late September or early October of
the upcoming school year. Each term runs from September to September. (There is little to no
activity during the summer months.)
How do I join CSC? Traditionally, nomination forms are sent home in mid-September with
a request that completed forms be submitted to the office for review by either the Principal or one
of his delegates. Elections and appointments take place during the October CSC meeting.
If you have specific questions about CSC involvement please feel free to speak with one of our
current council members, review our approved meeting minutes which are available on the St.
Bernard of Clairvaux web page or inquire in the school office.
We hope you’ll consider joining us next year!
Next Council Meeting:
Coordinator:
Rashida Hercules
647-267-2400
Our next council meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday May 11, 2016 at 7pm in the school libr ar y. All par ents and
guardians are welcome to attend. We would love to see you there!
A PRAYER FOR MOTHERS
God our Creator, we pray:
For new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
For expectant mothers, wondering and waiting
For those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
For those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
For those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
For those whose children have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities;
For those who raise children on their own;
For those who have lost a child;
For those who care for the children of others;
For those whose children have left home;
And for those whose desire to be a mother
has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their lives may be deep and tender,
And that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
Living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
AMEN