St. Bernard of Clairvaux
February 2016
3345 Escada Dr. Mississauga, ON L5M 7V5
Tel. 905-542-9203
Love, Service, Peace, Excellence
Love
Love is patient, love is kind
Love is not envious or boastful or
Arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
It is not irritable or resentful;
It does not rejoice in wrong doing,
February Newsletter
Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B.
But rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things, believes all
things,
Hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends.
Administrator Message
We have had an excellent start to the new year. St. Bernard of Clairvaux continues to be a vibrant, active,
faith filled community and the month of February will bring us many opportunities to celebrate, reflect, grow,
and pray as we look forward to learning more about Black History Month, celebrating National Flag Day, St.
Valentine’s Day, and preparing ourselves to enter into Lent. We have said goodbye to Mrs. Ariganello. We
wish her well. We welcome Mrs. S. Ruta to our staff. As we focus on the virtue of respect, we would like to
pause to acknowledge and express our gratitude for the following:
OUR STUDENTS for all of their enthusiasm, laughter and spirit, for assuming leader ship r oles, for
their participation in the life of our school, for their continued hard work, determination and perseverance.
OUR PARENTS/VISITORS who contact teacher s with a compliment or concer n —the partnership between school and home is extremely important, for assisting your children in following our Code of Conduct,
for supporting your children with their academic progress, for ensuring students arrive to school on time, for
calling in your child’s absence, for volunteering in our school for the benefit of the students, for signing in at
the office and getting a visitor’s sticker, for staying out of the yard to ensure a safe environment for all children, for continuing to respect our Kiss and Ride procedures and following our school driveway practices.
OUR STAFF for their endless dedication and har d wor k in suppor t of student achievement and wellbeing, for their hard work, dedication, talents, and efforts in ensuring that our students are learning in a safe,
caring and inclusive Catholic environment, for the additional time and efforts they dedicate to the students in
offering co-curricular activities, clubs, and teams.
OUR OFFICE STAFF for addr essing the daily needs of our par ents, staff and students, for showing
genuine care and concern when students get hurt, for ensuring safety of our students, for answering many
questions and concerns.
OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF for their effor ts to ensur e that our school is safe, clean and looking gr eat
OUR TRUSTEE OF THE BOARD, E. O’Toole, and OUR SUPERINTENDENT, T. Cr uz for their
continual guidance and support.
OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL who have wor ked so har d at pr oviding valuable and positive
enhancements that help in the students’ learning, for pizza days, sub days, dances and pancakes, for facilitating our fundraiser and continuing to provide for the needs of the school community.
OUR PARISH TEAM AND FATHER MARK for their spir itual guidance and the celebr ations that
they share with us.
Together in Faith
B. Pullara
N. Podobnik
“Do for others what you would like them to do for you.
This is the summary of all that is taught in the law and the
prophets.” Matthew 7:12
Our Virtue of the Month:
During the month of February, we will focus on the virtue of Respect.
God wants us to treat all people with the respect they deserve.
A respectful person……




sees God’s presence in themselves and others
uses a positive tone of voice and body language
avoids gossip, swearing, name-calling, put-downs, and inappropriate
gestures
says ‘Excuse me’, ‘Please’, ‘Thank You’
We all deserve to be treated respectfully by others. However, in order to be
respected, it is important to RESPECT ourselves. Everyone has a right to
go to a school where they feel safe and included – without gossip, namecalling, and put-downs. We should expect to be treated with respect by
everyone we meet – our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Mutual respect is the
way we live in harmony with one another. Respect for others, their
property, and the environment is our responsibility.
Let us now pray ... for the virtue of respect so that everyone we meet will
feel like we are their brother or sister in Christ. AMEN.
We would like to thank you for supporting our efforts at home in reinforcing with our children the 10 virtues which can be found in your child’s
agenda.
Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
I AM A LEARNER FOR LIFE!
 I use my gifts and talents given to me by God
 I always do my best
 I build on my strengths and weaknesses
 I set goals
 I accept change
 I am proud of the good things I do
 I am thankful for the gifts of others
Because I am a learner for life, I can reach for my dreams, by living
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
Friday February 26th, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. for our next
Virtues Assembly. We thank Miss Rukavina, Mr.
Salerno and Miss Woods for organizing this faith
filled event for our students and community.
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 will take
place on Tuesday February 23rd, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Merciful
Redeemer Parish.
FIRST COMMUNION
The Lenten Season
First Communion for our grade 2 students will
be held on Sunday May 8th, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.
at Merciful Redeemer Parish.
CONFIRMATION
The Liturgical calendar
This year our grade 7 and 8 students will be receiving the sacracontinues to move forward and
ment of Confirmation. Confirmation for our grade 8 students
we will soon begin the season of
will take place on Friday April 22nd, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. ConfirLent. Lent is the 40 day period
mation for our grade 7 students will take place on Friday May
of fasting, penitence, and sorrow,
13th, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. The sacr amental celebr ations will
leading up to the feast of Easter, recalling Jesus’ 40
continue to be held at Merciful Redeemer Parish. We thank Faday fast in the wilderness. Lent begins with Ash
ther Vid and his parish team for their continued support and
Wednesday. Lent is a time to turn to God in
generosity as we work to build a church for our new parish comsimplicity and sincerity, as we prepare to celebrate
munity.
the joy of Easter. Our hearts feel heavy as we
“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
remember our sins, but we are also confident in
gentleness, goodness, faith” Galatians 5:22
God’s mercy and forgiveness. We will also have the
opportunity to celebrate the virtue of Kindness that
guides our prayers and celebrations during the month of March.
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent starts. It’s a day of penitence, to clean the soul and a day of celebration as the last
chance to feast before Lent begins. Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up, and of giving of ourselves more.
Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself and to use up the foods that aren’t allowed in Lent. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of shriving that Christians used to undergo in the past. In shriving, a person confesses
their sins and receives absolution for them. During Lent there are many foods that some Christians historically and today would not eat: foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs and milky foods. So that no food was wasted, families would
have a feast on shriving Tuesday and eat up all the foods that would not last the forty days of Lent. The need to eat up
the fats gave rise to the French name “Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday”; pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as
they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.
Celebrating Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
On Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 thanks to our Catholic School Council, all of our students will
be provided with pancakes. We will enter the season of Lent together on Wednesday, February
10th, 2016 with our Ash Wednesday Liturgy which will take place at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome.
Professional Activity Day
Family Day
Friday, February 5th, 2016 is a Pr ofessional
Monday, February 15th, 2016 is FamiActivity Day for staff. There will be no school
ly Day and there will be no school for students and
for students. Staff will be involved in reporting to parents on
staff. We hope that you enjoy the day with your family
evaluation of pupil progress.
and loved ones.
March Break
Youth Education Officer Visits
Please be reminded that this year, March Break will be from
Monday, March 14th, 2016 to Friday, March 18th, 2016. Officer Mackin will be visiting with
Students and staff will return to school on Monday, March some of our classes on Monday, Feb21st , 2016 at 8:45 a.m.
ruary 1st, 2016 and Tuesday February
2nd, 2016.
Report Cards
First term report cards for students in Grades 1-8 will be sent home on Tuesday, February
2nd, 2016. Along with the r epor t car d, you will r eceive a confir mation time for your
interview. Interviews will take place the evening of Thursday, February 4th, 2016 and Friday, February 5th, 2016. J unior and Senior Kinder gar ten students will r eceive their
report cards in June.
Catholic Ratepayers —Check Your Tax Bill To Ensure Proper Tax Support:
If you are a Catholic ratepayer, we urge you to check your property tax bill to ensure that your
support is directed to your local Catholic school Board, in our case, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board. If you are a tenant, you can verify your support by contacting our
Admissions Department at (905) 890-0708, ext. 24511, 24512 or 24519, or your local
Municipal Office. By ensuring that you are accurately recorded as a Catholic school supporter,
you can help deliver a powerful message to the government about the level of support for
publically-funded Catholic Education in Ontario. Also, in order to be eligible to vote for your
local Catholic school board Trustee, you must be registered as a separate school supporter.
EQAO
DATES
Grade 3 & 6 students
will be participating
in province wide testing from May 25th - June 3rd, 2016. It is
very important that students’ attendance is
punctual. We ask that parents of students
in these grades ensure that their
children are in attendance during these
weeks. Thank you for your cooperation.
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 pr ovides 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
National Walk to School Day
Pope Francis’ latest Encyclical on the environment invites us to be ‘Stewards of the Earth’. The National Walk to
School Day on February 3 provides an opportunity to reduce gas emissions and answer our Catholic call to care for
God’s Creation. Traffic congestion continues to be a concern in many of our schools; health and safety of our students
are paramount concerns in these times. Dufferin-Peel has worked with a variety of community partners such as Peel
Regional Police, Peel School board, Peel Health, Bike Brampton, to promote walking and biking to school with continued momentum. The benefits of walking and physical activity is positively linked to physical and mental health as well
as academic performance.
2015-16 School Year Calendar
Additional Professional Activity Day: Monday, April 11, 2016
Terms of the recent contract settlement between the teacher federations and the Ministry of Education included the provision of an additional Professional Activity Day for the 2015-2016
school year for both elementary and secondary schools. Recently, boards were directed to
schedule this additional Professional Development Day on or before April 15, 2016.
In the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, the designated additional Professional Activity Day has
been scheduled for Monday, April 11, 2016.
Therefore, there will be no classes for either elementary or secondary students on Monday, April 11, 2016.
Thank you for your attention to this addition to the 2015-16 School Year Calendar.
Descriptive Feedback
The practice of providing feedback to students has been highly investigated in educational research. Black and Wiliam, in their landmark study on formative assessment, state that “descriptive feedback is the most powerful tool for
improving student learning” (2003). The way teachers provide
feedback to students determines how effectively the feedback can
be used by students to improve. When teachers provide feedback
to students about what they are doing well, what they need to improve, and how to improve, student achievement improves significantly. There is conclusive evidence to show that when students
receive specific, timely, descriptive feedback, their achievement
does in fact improve. Descriptive feedback helps the learner answer the questions; where am I going, where am I now, and how
can I close the gap?
When teachers are involved in assessment for learning, they:
 share their learning goals and success criteria with their students
 use questions to determine what students are thinking
 provide meaningful feedback during the learning
 and engage students in peer and self assessment.
These practices work together in an integrated fashion to help students learn and improve.
http://www.edugains.ca/resourcesAER/VideoLibrary/Feedback/AssociatedFiles/Feedback_VideoSeries_Transcript.pdf
National Flag Day
February 15th, was declared National Flag of Canada Day in 1996. It marks when the
maple leaf flag was first raised over Parliament Hill in Ottawa and indeed, hundreds of
communities across Canada. Red and white were designated as Canada‘s official colours in
1921 by His Majesty King George V. Check out the story behind our greatest national
symbol at Canada.gc.ca/ flagday
Celebrating Black History Month
We are privileged to live in a city as diverse as the Greater Toronto Area. As Canadians, we welcome
all opportunities to celebrate our differences and to learn more about each other. Black
History Month, which is celebrated during the month of February, is one such opportunity. During this month, we will take time to develop greater awareness and understanding about people from other cultures.
“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the
color of their skin but by the content of their character: I have a dream today”.
St. Valentine
In the month of February we celebrate Saint Valentine’s Day. Saint Valentine was a bishop who bravely died for his faith. The name Valentine means “Valiant” or “Strong”. This
day is connected with love because of the legend that birds pick their mates on February 14th. Secret
notes of love and friendship sent on this day are called Saint Valentine’s notes or valentines.
NATIONAL SWEATER DAY
On February 4th, 2016, St. Bernard of Clairvaux will
join other Dufferin-Peel Elementary and Secondary
Schools in the Board-wide National Sweater Day. This
day provides an opportunity for all employees and
students to learn about the importance of saving energy,
while at the same time reminding us to use less heat
throughout the winter. The heating in schools will be
turned down by 2° on February 4th, 2016 and everyone
is encouraged to wear a sweater to support this
important Board initiative
DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC INSTITUTE FOR
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board in collaboration with the Canadian Education Exchange Foundation, University of Toronto Mississauga and Newcomer Centre of Peel is
pleased to invite students, parents, guardians, teachers and administrators to an International Education information session
on February 23, 2016 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Location: St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Learning Centre, 3566 South Common
Court, Mississauga. Information regarding the International
Student Program, the new Summer ESL Credit Program for
International Students, our Student Exchange Program, and
community supports available to newcomers, will be shared.
Full details of the various programs and opportunities will be
provided by several guest speakers and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Our current International Students and
their families are encouraged to attend. For more information,
contact Rita Borg at 905-412-3341 ext. 31460.
Grade 5 Trip to Peel Police Children's Safety Village
On Friday, January 22nd, Ms. Rukavina's Grade 5 class visited the Peel Police Children's Safety Village for a wholeday session on Cyber Safety, as part of the Peel Police Youth Cyber Safety Program. The students had the opportunity
to experience a setting much like their own living spaces, while learning about how easy it is to give away personal
information when you are comfortable and unsupervised online. As well, the students engaged in a thorough exploration and discussion of the similar - and differing - angers and consequences of negative and/or rash actions committed in both the real and online worlds, and acquired the positive actions and mindsets they can adopt so
as to avoid any issues.
On behalf of all of us in Ms. Rukavina's class, we would like to thank the Peel Police Constables, Officer Lee-Ann and
Officer Mark, and our parents who accompanied us on the trip!
Always remember to T.H.I.N.K. (Is it True? Is it Hurtful? Is it Illegal? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?) before you post
anything online!
Karate Kids
We are excited to announce that the Karate Kids program will be starting
again this winter term for the grade 4's and 5's and any grade 3's that did
not have a chance to sign up for first term. This 40 minute class will run
during the lunch hour recess on Thursday's in the gymnasium and combines fun fitness activity, character education
lessons and non-contact basic martial arts movements. The class is designed to build self confidence, self discipline
and fitness levels in a safe, non competitive environment. The 17 week program will run every Thursday starting
February 4th until June 2nd. Enrolment forms will be handed out to the students Tuesday January 26th.
This is highly regarded program that is currently running in over 95 schools across Ontario. You are invited to visit
their website for more detailed information at www.karatekids.ca or call 416 482-8198.
Skating
Students in grades 4 and 5 were the given he opportunity to go skating at Erin Mills
Twin Arenas. They had the opportunity to skate twice. Our grade 4 and 5 students
enjoyed their trips to the rink, whether a beginner or an experienced skater, everyone
had a great time on the ice. Our grade 6 and 7 students will be skating on Friday
February 12th, 2016 and Friday February 26th, 2016. All students will be expected
to wear a helmet for safety. We are looking forward to this fun skate.
We All Belong to God’s Family
St. Bernard of Clairvaux is continuing to work on our focus of acceptance. At our recent virtues assembly
members of our BEARS Squad (Believing, Encouraging, Accepting, Respecting, Safe School Squad) talked
to the students about being accepting; “the way you look, your background or interests don’t matter. We
are all God’s children”. We continue to be a caring, safe, inclusive and accepting community. Students
joined together in reciting our school pledge and singing our theme song “We are Family”. Each student
will have the opportunity to share what acceptance means to them and how they show acceptance. These
images will then be placed all around the school to demonstrate how we, as a community, are accepting
every day.
Concussions
Appropriate Dress - Cold Weather
A concussions is a type of traumatic brain injury. Concussions are caused by a bump or blow
to the head. Even what seems to be a mild
bump or blow to the head can be serious. You
can’t see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of
a concussion can show up right after a head injury or may
not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion,
or if you notice the symptoms yourself, seek medical attention right away. If your child has suffered a concussion please let the office know before sending them to
school. Students who sustain a head injury at school will
be given an information pamphlet to take home.
The days continue to be cold and wintry. We ask that
students dress appropriately with coats, hats, gloves,
mitts, boots, snow pants etc. If they are dressed warmly,
they are better prepared to participate in outdoor activities during recess and the lunch hour. For health reasons
and to help keep the school
clean, we ask all students to have
indoor shoes. Please note that in
the event of an emergency evacuation, students will not have the
opportunity to put their boots on.
Thank you for your support in
this matter.
Winter Weather
During the winter season, the school receives calls from concerned parents as to how we determine
when children will or will not be allowed outside for recess. On extremely cold days, we limit the
amount of time that students spend out of doors. We obtain our weather information from the Environment Canada Weather Information Line and follow School Board guidelines. Board Guidelines indicate that students will generally be outside for lunch and recess when temperatures do not fall below
- 20 degrees Celsius, with the wind chill. With the exception of these occasions, all children will go out for recess and
the lunch break. We remind all students to dress appropriately for the weather. If the weather is inclement at 8:30
a.m., the doors by the kindergarten yard will be open for students to enter the school.
Extra Clothes for the Winter Season
Often during the winter season we have students, for various of reasons, coming to the office with wet clothes from
playing outside during recess. We recommend, for the younger students, that you place an extra pair of
pants, a shirt and socks in their back packs. This would help to avoid bothering parents at work when
these situations occur. It is also recommended that students bring appropriate snow gear to school during these winter months (snowsuits, boots, gloves, mitts, hats).
Snow and Ice
Throwing snowballs and sliding on the ice are prohibited in the school yard. Although it may seen like a fun activity,
our experience has shown that serious accidents can and do occur. Students have been and are reminded on a regular
basis through daily announcements and teachers, that while out for recess, snow and ice stay on the ground and we do
not slide on ice. It is for the safety of all of our students that these expectations are in place. Please reinforce this safety rule with your child. There will be no snowballs, kicking snow or any other activity with snow or ice that could be
harmful.
Student Illness—Staying in During Recess Cold and Flu season is upon us.
We re-
mind parents to please use discretion in keeping your children home to recover. A child who is too ill to
go out for recess is too ill to be at school. Your co-operation to keep your child home when he/she is ill is
greatly appreciated.
Be Prepared
There may be days during the upcoming months when inclement weather presents a potential safety hazard to our students.
It is essential that parents and children discuss the procedures that they wish to follow for safe
arrival home.
For students that do not take the bus please determine:
1. The best way to walk home;
2. Who the child should walk with;
3. Where the child should go if there is no one at home;
4. How the child should seek help if wind and snow are so strong that they have trouble seeing;
5. Ensure school emergency contact information is updated and accurate.
For students who do take the bus:
It is a fact that bad weather may cause delays for student pick up at bus stops. Please ensure that your child has a safe place
to go if the bus is late or does not arrive. If you notice that a student is stranded at a bus stop, please attempt to contact the
child’s parent. It is NOT recommended that parents volunteer to drive another child to school without the permission of the
child’s parent. If you decide to transport your child to school because buses have been cancelled, please ensure that you
have made arrangements for their return home at
the end of the school.
Classroom Interruptions
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.
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.
Inclement Weather, School Closures and Bus Cancellations
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption to bus transportation and regular school operations. A
decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced
on the following radio stations:
CKFM 99.9
CFNY 102.1
CJCL 590
CJEZ EZ Rock 97.3
CHIN 100.7 FM/1540 AM
FOXY 88.5 FM
CHUM 1050
CFTO
CHFI 98.1
CJBC (FR) 860
Weather Network
Global News
CFTR 680
CBC
CFRB 1010
Z103.5
CJMR/CHWO
CityPulse
1250
The message usually takes the following form: “All buses for the Peel District School Board and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board have been canceled.” This means that buses are cancelled for the entire day.
Or, to indicate school closures: “The schools and offices of the Peel District School Board and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board have been closed.”
Should the announcement refer to cancellation only in the COUNTY OF DUFFERIN, this does NOT affect St. Bernard of Clairvaux.
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, and 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.
Immunization Updates
Peel Public Health will be reviewing immunization
records of all students. Peel Public Health must have
proof that your child has been fully vaccinated
(immunized) according to the Ontario immunization
schedule. If you receive a letter, please ensure that your
child has received the required vaccine(s), then give the
date(s) your child received these vaccine
doses(s) to Peel Public Health immediately
to update your child’s record.
To update: call Peel Public Health at 905799-7700, fax at 905-565-0426 (Att: Immunization Records) or online at
www.ImmunizePeel.ca.
Translation services are available. Thank you!!
Lost and Found
Our Lost and Found box is overflowing! We often find many lost items at our school.
Items like shoes, socks, hats, jackets, gloves, etc. are
collected and placed in the ‘lost and found’ box. All
items have been placed on tables in our hallway. Please
look through to see if any items belong to you. At the
end of the school year, all remaining items will be donated to charity.
REGISTERING YOUR CHILD FOR SCHOOL…
Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for 2016-2017
Last week was Kindergarten Registration. If you did not have an opportunity to register your child
at St. Bernard of Clarivaux School, please come in to the office as soon as possible so we have an
accurate count of classes to accommodate for September.
For more information about registration and the Full-Day Kindergarten program, call our school office or visit
www.dpcdsb.org.
Our School Website
We have updated our website. This site will be continually updated and has infor mation 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/BRNRD. A special thank you to Mrs. Marano for overseeing this site.
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, especially in the morning, 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 reserved 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 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.
We thank you for your continued support in making our kiss and ride a safe and
effective process.
Farewell and Welcome
We would like to congratulate Mrs. Ariganello and wish her well in her new position at St. Herbert School. We thank Mrs. Ariganello for her many contributions to our St. Bernard of Clairvaux community. At this time we would like to
welcome Mrs. S. Ruta who joins our school as a planning time teacher. We look
forward to our journey together.
Sports, Intramurals, and Extra Curriculars Alive and Well: GO BEARS!!!
Junior Boys and Girls Basketball
Our junior boys and girls basketball teams are hard at work developing their skills and practicing for their
upcoming season. We thank coaches, Mr. Pullara and Mr. Dietz, Mrs. Putzu and Mrs Medeiros for coaching our teams this season. We are looking forward to cheering the teams on and we wish them the best of
luck as they represent our school proudly. GO BEARS!!
Indoor Soccer Champions of Dufferin-Peel
On Wednesday January 27th, the Intermediate Boys soccer team participated in the Our Lady of Providence invitational tournament at the Brampton soccer centre. The morning started with convincing 8-1
and 11-0 wins against Metropolitan Andrei and Lester B. Pearson. Next, the Bears played St. Rita to determine first place in their group. In this game, the boys demonstrated that the team could also play defense by winning
1-0. In the Quarter Finals, the Bears won 6-2 against St. Herbert before defeating our neighbours from St. Sebastian 4-2
in the Semi Finals. The Finals was a match between the top team in Brampton, Father Michael McGivney and the top
team in Mississauga, St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Once again, the Bears would jump out to an early lead and would never
look back winning 4-1 in the Finals. The boys finished as Undefeated Champions scoring an impressive 34 goals whole
allowing only 5 goals in the tournament.
Mr. Kostoff would like to thank all the boys for their dedication and hard work over the last month at practices
and at the tournament. Each of the boys were committed to the TEAM approach which in the end led the Bears to victory. Together Everyone Achieves More. Also, a special thank you to all the parents who provided transportation so that
their sons could participate in this tournament. You were a wonderful cheering section in the stands.
Players: Michael A., Ethan A., Bassem H., Karim H., Joshua J., Bassel K., Jacob M., Danny M., Shivraj M., Ethan N.,
Ryan O., Shyon O., Marko P., Simeon S., Samuel V.
Intramurals
Intramural basketball has started for our junior students during the lunch hour. Students are learning all about, and having fun playing basketball every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the lunch hour.
Extra Curricular Life at St. Bernard of Clairvaux
There continue to be many opportunities for students to get involved and join a club or activity at St. Bernard of Clairvaux. Many of our students are members of the primary and junior/intermediate choir. Students continue to
participate in dance club, guitar club, and the robotics club. Our junior games club has gotten off to a great start and we
look forward to continuing to have fun, practicing our skills and meeting new friends, all while playing various board
games. Chess for primary, junior and intermediate students is also well underway. We are thankful to our staff who
give their time and talents to providing our students with so many enriching activities.
Eco-School Update
February 4th – National Sweater Day
National Sweater Day will be observed board-wide on Thursday, February 4th, 2016. Heating makes up 80% of all energy used in homes and schools across Canada. If every Canadian home and school turned down the thermostat by 2 degrees during the winter for four
months, that would save enough energy to close an entire coal-powered plant or reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by about 4 megatons – that’s equivalent to shutting down a 600
mega-watt coal-fired power station or taking nearly 700,000 cars off the road! That is why
we’re turning down the heat on February 4th and putting on a sweater to keep warm,
providing an opportunity for employees and students to learn about the importance of saving energy, while at the
same time, reminding us to use less heat throughout the winter. Staff and students will be encouraged to wear
their favorite sweater and tell us about what makes it special. Every sweater has a story. Further interesting facts
about energy conservation and National Sweater Day are available on the World Wildlife Federation website at:
http://www.wwf.ca/events/sweater_day/. Let’s join together in protecting the gift of creation by wearing a sweater on February 4th to show we respect and care for this precious gift - See more at: http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/
News/Events/#sthash.iAkvVoFU.dpuf
St Bernard of Clairvaux
School
Catholic School Council
Roses are red and God is above, please protect the family and friends that we
Principal: B. Pullar a
love. It is sent with a smile, and sealed with a kiss, Happy Valentine’s Day to all
Vice-Principal:
who are reading this.
N. Podobnik
Secretaries: P. Keenan,
J. Iruthayarajah, A. Didio
-Coletta
Pizza Day and Subway Day:
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
Coordinator:
R. Hercules
905-647-267-2400
Just a reminder that session one Pizza and Subway orders will be ending on
February 9th for Subway and February 10th for pizza. The first scheduled session 2 for subway delivery is February 16th and for pizza will be February 17th. As we
observe the beginning of Lent this month, all Pizza orders on February 10th will be
cheese. We would like to express our thanks to all the volunteers who have helped with
the distribution of pizza and subs every Tuesday and Wednesday. Your contribution is
very much appreciated. We would love more volunteers. If you can devote a small portion of your time to help, simply contact the school to let us know. Just a reminder that a
current Criminal Reference Check is required.
Shrove Tuesday:
To celebrate the final day before the commencement of Lent, the Catholic School Council is hosting a pancake breakfast for Shrove Tuesday on February 9th. Forms
for students to participate in this celebration have been sent home. As pancakes and milk are distributed to each classroom, volunteers are very much
appreciated. If you are interested in helping in any way, and have a valid Criminal Reference Check, please advise the office or indicate your availability on the permission form.
Valentine’s Dance:
As tradition continues, our yearly Valentine’s Dance is scheduled for Friday, February
12th. Students will have a chance to dance to tunes provided by DJ John and
will also receive a special valentines cookie to remember the day.
Next Council Meeting:
Our next council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday April 6, 2016 at 7pm in the school
library. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend. We would love to see you there!
Sincerely,
Your Catholic School Council
This Lent…
Give up complaining.....focus on gratitude.
Give up pessimism...become an optimist.
Give up harsh judgments...think kind thoughts.
Give up worry......trust Divine Providence.
Give up discouragement.....be full of hope.
Give up bitterness......turn to forgiveness.
Give up hatred.....return good for evil.
Give up negativism.....be positive.
Give up anger......be more patient.
Give up pettiness.....become more mature.
Give up gloom.....enjoy the beauty that is all around you.
Give up jealousy....pray for trust.
Give up gossiping.....control your tongue.
Give up sin.....turn to virtue.
Give up giving up....hang in there!!!!!
Wishing you a Prayerful and Reflective Lenten Season.