MAY
Principal’s Message
2016
98 Wanita Road
Mississauga ON,
L5G 1B8
Phone 905.891.7619
Fax 905.278.6539
Trustees
Mario Pascucci,
Bruno Iannicca,
Sharon Hobin,
Esther O'Toole,
Luz del Rosario,
Anna Abbruscato,
Anna Da Silva,
Thomas Thomas,
Darryl D’Souza,
Frank Di Cosola,
Shawn Xaviour
Superintendent
T. Lariviere
Principal
Loving God,
as a Mother gives life and
nourishment to her children,
so you watch over your Church.
Bless these women, that they
may be strengthened as Christian
Mothers.
Let the example of their faith and
love shine forth.
Grant that we, their sons and
daughters, may honour them
always
with a spirit of profound respect.
Grant this through Christ our
Lord.
Brian Diogo
May God Bless You,
Amen
Secretary
A. Litster
School Council
Co-Chairs
D. Rookwood
J. Richards
Spring is here and it’s one of my favourite times
of year. There’s an energy of new growth and
rebirth in the air as we shed our ‘winter layers’
and continue to live the Easter promise. I see
this energy alive and well at St. James as we
move into the last portion (hard to believe!) of
the year. There is a ‘busy excitement’ in our
community as the students long to enjoy the
beautiful weather during recesses and participate in the wide range of extra-curricular activities available such as the crochet club, flag football team, the virtues assemblies, eco club, track
and field, Tribute to Broadway and much
more. Thank you to all the teachers who contribute time beyond the instructional hours to
offer these enriching opportunities for our students, you are a very special group. Thank you
to the parents for their on-going support that
enable their children to participate in these
worthwhile activities. Just like spring, it’s this
spirit of co-operation that makes St. James the
special school it is . . . A good place for children
to learn and grow!
B. Diogo
Principal
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Living Our Faith
2
PYP
2/3/4
MYP
5
School Council
6
Jayhawk News
7/8
Take Note & Upcoming Dates
9
P.A. DAY
There will be a P.A. Day on
Friday May 13th, 2016.
Please note that there will be
NO SCHOOL
PAGE
2
Living Our Faith
Virtue Corner
MAY ~ ACCEPTANCE
This month we will celebrate the virtue of ACCEPTANCE.
A person with acceptance…
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PYP
As a Catholic school we emphasize the virtues program along with the IB learner attributes and attitudes. Together we encourage our students to be responsible citizens. A responsible citizen gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace
and justice by being responsive to the needs and the
sacredness of human life. This month will celebrate
the virtue of Acceptance.
Are friendly and open to all God’s people;
Sense God’s presence in people of all ages, beliefs, genders, cultures, and/or abilities;
Avoid the temptation to judge negatively or stereotype others;
Look for the positive traits in others;
Understand there may be more than one way of
doing things;
Stick up for the disadvantaged;
Notice who is left out and include them.
You are invited to
The Crowning Of Mary Celebration
Hosted By The FDK Classes
On Friday May 27th, 2016
In The Gym at 1:15 p.m.
ALL ARE WELCOME
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
The IB Attribute for this month is open-minded.
Someone who is open-minded appreciates their own
culture and the views, values and traditions of other
individuals and cultures. Being open-minded gives
people the opportunity to consider different points of
view.
The IB Attitude for this month is Tolerance. Being
tolerant means accepting, understanding and appreciating the differences in others. People who are tolerant are responsive to the needs of others.
PAGE
PYP
3
PYP
The Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
How the World Works
Vision of the Learner:
The graduate is expected to be a responsible citizen.
A responsible citizen is someone who:
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accepts accountability for one’s own actions
seeks and grants forgiveness
respects and affirms the diversity and interdependence of the world’s peoples and cultures
respects the environment and uses resources
wisely
St. James Catholic Global Learning
Centre 3nd Annual Exhibition
What is the Exhibition?
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The Exhibition is a celebration of learning for
students.
It is a culminating project that involves a collaborative inquiry that students are interested in exploring.
The Exhibition is meant to reflect what students
understand of the inquiry process and other PYP
elements such as the attributes of the learner profile that they have been developing over the
course of their studies.
The Exhibition is an opportunity for students to
demonstrate independence and responsibility for
their own learning. They will be able to take
their learning from the previous units of inquiry
and demonstrate how they can take action as a
result of their learning.
Ms. Maier’s Grade 5 students will be participating in
this year’s Exhibition. The transdisciplinary theme
they will be focusing on is:
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the
interaction between the natural world (physical
and biological); how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and
the environment.
The students will showcase their Exhibition
projects on Wednesday, June 8th from 11:00 a.m.
– 12:00 p.m.
Mrs. Oteiza’s Grade 4 class is using
the theme How We Express Ourselves to inquire into the rights and
responsibilities in the struggle to
share finite resources with other
people and with other living things; communities
and the relationships within and between them;
access to equal opportunities, peace and conflict
resolution.
During this unit the students are focused on understanding the central idea that light and sound are
used as a means to express a culture’s heritage and
traditions around the world.
The lines of inquiry that are being used to focus
the students’ learning and deepen their understanding include:
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Light is used as a means of expression
How light is used around the world to impact
personal safety and society
Light and sound impact artistic expression
PAGE
PYP
4
PYP
To begin this unit, the students posted their wonderings about the central idea and lines of inquiry as
then began to explore the properties of light and
sound through a variety of collaborative tasks with
their peers. Linking this unit to the arts curriculum,
the students were assigned an instrument inquiry
task. They had to choose an existing instrument they
were interested in build a model of it. They also had
to inquire how it uses the properties of sound and
how the sound can be modified. In order to link the
task back to the central idea, the students were also
asked to discover how their instrument is used
around the world in different cultures and for different traditions.
The students learned about
Shadow Dance - a dance in
which shadows of the dancers
are cast on a screen. They
watched examples of this type
of dance performed by Gruppe
Pilobolus and worked collaboratively with their
peers to try and recreate different a variety of images
or movements. This type of dance allowed students
to learn more about the different ways of using light
while showcasing their creativity through dance and
movement.
During this unit the students also created shadow art.
They built sculptures of people in creative poses out
of tin foil and then used a projector to create a shadow of their sculpture to copy.
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
As a means for the students to apply their new
learning about light and sound as a means of artistic expression, the students engaged in a workshop
called Me and My Shadow from The Hamilton
Children’s Museum. The students enjoyed learning
about the science behind light and sound, as well
as how these properties can be expressed through
the arts.
PAGE
MYP
5
MYP
May Feature:
Year 1 / Grade 6:
Individuals & Societies
Our Year 1 students are preparing to engage in a
new inquiry – Canadian Communities: Past and
Present. Focus points will include:
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Individuals and Societies is more commonly known
to as Social and Environmental Studies (SES), History and Geography – a subject area our students
have been engaged in for years.
In this subject area, students discover, interpret and
reflect on information from present and past. Connections to different historical periods and how they
have impacted present conditions are uncovered.
Study in Individuals and Societies requires students
to apply the Learner Attribute of open-mindedness.
It deals with some culturally sensitive information
and various opinions are often present in the inquiry.
Students investigate global relationships and our responsibility as Catholic Canadian citizens to act and
respond to situations around the world. We explore
landscape and how society has chosen to use the
land. Societal and environmental impacts of such
decisions are also reviewed and debated.
Goals of the subject matter include:
“. . . helping students appreciate critically the diversity of human culture, attitudes and beliefs”
“. . . helping students to develop their identities as
individuals and as responsible members of local and
global communities”
(I & S Guide, 2014).
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
contributions to Canadian identity
differing perspectives on historical and contemporary events, communities and interactions between groups
Year 2 / Grade 7:
History will be our next
focus, looking at the development of early Canada, specifically in New
France and British North
America.
Students will:
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compare present day lives with those living in
the 18th century
inquire into the significant events of the time
frame and the shifts in power associated with it
discover people of influence and outline their
contributions
Year 3 / Grade 8:
Year 3 students will also be engaging in a historical inquiry. Their focus will lay during the mid19th century, investigating:
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social, political and economic factors contributing to the creation and development of the
Dominion of Canada
e.g., Confederation,
Canadian Provincial Railway, British North America
Act, etc.
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6
School Council
School Council
Mark Your Calendars
Healthy Eating Education Program
Please join us for the final Catholic School Council
meeting of the year. Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. and
childcare is provided.
Our nutrition education program was a great success! Over several weeks during March and April, students measured their fruit and veggie intake and showed
big improvements by the last week of the program. To
help teach children that eating healthy can be fun and
delicious, Chef Warren of Great Food (www.gfood.ca)
held cooking classes for all students. Students got to
make and sample foods like granola, vegetable fried rice,
and chicken skewers. Parents also had an opportunity to
attend an 'Eating on the Go' workshop, where Chef Warren talked about the importance of raw foods and healthy
grains (like quinoa). The parent workshop ended with a
sampling of some yummmy dishes, many prepared by
our own St. James students.
Tuesday May 10th final meeting
Update on the St. Mary Star of the Sea Refugee
Family
Thank you to all the families who have offered donations for the Refugee family that our Parish is sponsoring. While the family has been selected and processed,
they have still not yet landed in Canada. Once they arrive and are settled, we will reach out with a list of other
items we may need to support them (little girls clothing,
baby items, etc). In the meantime, please keep them in
your prayers for a speedy and safe arrival in Canada.
Reminder: Dress Code Town Hall
Monday May 9th, 7:00 - 8:00pm (babysitting available)
Come out and learn more about the dress code that is
being proposed for the next school year. This is your
opportunity to hear the details and to ask your questions.
Following the town hall meeting, one voting ballot per
family will be sent home. Once the ballots are returned,
they will be counted by the school staff. Should at least
75% of the families registered at the school vote in favour of it, the dress code will be put in place for the
school year starting September 2016. It is worth noting
that, in accordance with DPCDSB guidelines, the school
cannot vote on this matter again for 5 years.
Proposed Dress Code (can be purchased from any retailer)
Shirts: solid white, navy or light blue, or spirit wear
Pants / skirts / shorts / dress: solid navy
Sweater / vest / blazer/ hoodie: solid navy or spirit wear
(purchased through school supplier)
Socks* / hosiery* / footwear / hair accessories / hats /
scarves: excluded from the dress code
(*socks or hosiery worn with skirts, dresses or shorts
must be navy or white)
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
To help fulfill the requirements for the two grants which
funded this initiative, a feedback survey will be sent out
shortly. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on
this program.
Recess Equipment Bins
There is extra excitement at the school during recess
these days, as the students play with their new skipping
ropes, tennis balls, basket balls etc. This initiative has
been a great success so far. Thank you to everyone who
has been involved with all aspects from the initial proposal through council approval to the implementation of
these fabulous new bins!
Recently Funded Items
Big Crunch Event
EQAO Student Breakfast
Nutrition Workshops
Stay In Touch
For meeting minutes and other council information, visit
us at www.dpcdsb.org/JAMEE/Parents/
We welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions.
Please e-mail us at stjamesCGLCcouncil@gmail.com.
To stay in touch more informally, please join our Facebook group. This group only speaks for the parents and
not the school. To subscribe, please search Facebook under: St. James CGLC Parent Council and click on "join".
PAGE
Jayhawk News
7
Jayhawk News
EQAO
Trip Permission Forms
Our Grade 3 and Grade 6 students will be participating in the Provincial EQAO Assessments. EQAO
will take place on May 26th, 27th, 30th, 31st, June
1st and 2nd during the morning only. We ask that
parents do not book vacations or appointments during this period to ensure your child is in
school during this test taking time.
A friendly reminder that for your convenience, we
are providing back-up copies of our school event/
field trip permission forms on our website. If your
son/daughter has misplaced a form please proceed
to http://dpcdsb.org/
jamee to print and sign a
copy to be submitted.
Changing Weather
You will find the copies
kept under Quick Links –
Trip Permission Forms.
Students are asked to ensure that they have a pair of
indoor shoes at school. We ask that children change
their footwear when they come inside in an effort to
keep our classroom floors clean. Children are expected to participate in recess activities and are reminded to dress
for the weather. It is highly recommended that all children have a
change of clothing at school in the
event that they get wet while playing outdoors.
Are You Moving?
We are in the process of planning staffing and organizing classes for the 2016-2017 school year. If
you are planning on leaving St. James School, please
give the office a call to make arrangements for a student transfer form to be prepared
and sent home. The transfer form
will serve as an introduction to your
new school and will enable the receiving school to request student
records from us.
Dress Expectations
We would like to remind our students of the expectations that are in place, especially for our older
students, regarding appropriate dress. Sleeveless
tops are permitted however; halter, spaghetti
straps, off the shoulder and shrink tops are not permitted. Tank tops are allowed but the strap must
be three fingers wide. The midriff must not be visible. Boy’s tank tops should not have wide under
arm openings. Short shorts, short skirts and clothing of a suggestive nature, including offensive
wording or pictures are not appropriate school attire. As a guideline, shorts and skirts should be no
shorter than 10 centimeters/ 4 inches above the
knee. Boys are to wear their pants at the waistline.
Clothing that is suitable for a six or seven year old
may not be appropriate for an older student.
Victoria Day
Welcome To Kindergarten
There will be an information evening for parents
and children coming to kindergarten for the first
time. The meeting will be Monday May 30th, 2016
at 6:30 p.m..
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
There will be no school for the
students on Monday May 23rd.
The school will be closed for the
Victoria Day Holiday.
PAGE
Jayhawk News
Summer Literacy Camp - Grades SK to 6
Literacy Reinforcement & Enhancement Program
July 11th - July 29th, 2016
3 week program
Fee-for-service
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Students recommended by the Principal
No transportation provided.
Deadline for applications: May 27th, 2016
Mississauga
Brampton
Father Daniel Zanon
St. Bernard Clairvaux
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Gregory
St. John of the Cross
St. Louis
St. Pio of Pietrelcina
St. Jean-Marie Vianney
Lester B. Pearson
St. Angela Merici
Ven. Michael McGivney
Bolton
St. Nicholas
Contact Ms. Webster for more details: 905-891-7619
Elementary Summer School - Grade 7 & 8
8
Jayhawk News
Earth Week
April 18th–22nd
Last month, the students and staff at
St. James participated the following
events to celebrate Earth Week.
Monday – Litterless Lunches
Tuesday – Lights Out Lunch Hour (LOL)
Wednesday –Water Bottle Free Wednesday
Thursday – Pitch-In Clean Up Event
Friday – Earth Day and Green Day/Blue
Day
Thank you to everyone for their continued
support!
Gardening Club
As the weather gets nicer members of our Eco
Team will begin to plant flowers and help maintain
the gardens around the school.
Remedial Literacy & Numeracy
July 4th - July 22nd, 2016
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Students recommended by the Principal
Busing provided at home school pick up points
Deadline for applications: May 27th, 2016
Mississauga Location: St. Philip Elementary School
345 Fairview Rd. W.
Contact Mr. Carreiro for more details: 905-891-7619
MAY
2016
NEWSLETTER
Your support with our environmental initiatives in
honouring and protecting the gifts given to us from
God is greatly appreciated.
Be sure to visit our school website. All newsletters and other pertinent information are always updated.
http://dpcdsb.org/jamee
St. James is now on Twitter! For the latest news
and information, follow us @StJamesDPCDSB
PAGE
9
Take Note
Take Note
Parents In The Yard
Visitors
For your child’s safety we request that he/she not be on
school property until supervision begins at 8:45 a.m.
Please do not drop your child off at the school prior to
8:45 a.m.
We would also like to remind you that parents should
drop off/pick up their children outside the school gates.
Parents are not permitted to be in the school yard at any
time. Although you may be known to your own child
you are a stranger to the other students in the yard.
Anyone entering the school must come to the office
right away. The school is a very busy place and we
have many visitors/parents dropping in for a variety
of reasons. To ensure we maintain the integrity of
the classroom program by avoiding interruptions, and
for the safety of our students, all visitors must come
to the office. We ask that you also convey this
information to older brothers and sisters of our
students. This way we know that anyone in the halls
or in the school yard an authorized visitor. All
students leaving the school early will be released
through the front office as they must sign out. If
Kiss and Ride
The safety of our students and parents is of great
concern to us here at the school.
Please drive SLOWLY through the Kiss and Ride lane
as well as the drive through lane.
Please do not block the Kiss and Ride zone and areas
that would hinder the movement of cars.
Cars cannot be left in the lanes at any time.
Student Absences/Lates
Please use our 24 hour answering service to inform the
school of late or absent students. We must hear
from a PARENT or GUARDIAN if a
student will be absent, arriving late or
leaving early. Phone 905-891-7619
If a pattern of unexcused lateness or absents
becomes apparent, parents will be contacted by
the school.
your child arrives late we ask you to
NOT accompany them to class.
Snack and Treats for Students
We are asking that all parents please refrain from
bringing in eatable snacks and treats to the
classrooms. Several students in our school suffer
from a severe food allergy to all nuts, peanuts and all
nut products. There is also a Ministry PPM where
the purpose of this memorandum is to set out
nutrition standards for food and beverages in publicly
funded elementary schools in Ontario. For more
information about the new PPM please visit, http://
www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/150.html. If
you would still like to do something special for the
classroom, a small non-eatable gift for each student
or perhaps a classroom gift, i.e. board game for
inclement recess, may be a great alternative. Again,
we thank you for your co-operation.
UPCOMING DATES
May 6 -
Appleby Strings Presentation in a.m.
May 17 - Gr. 2 Communion Retreat with Gr. 7/8
May 6 -
Mothers Day Celebration 1:00 p.m.
May 19 - Gr. 6 to 8 Baseball Tournament
May 10 -
Battle of the Books
May 26/27/30/31 - Gr. 3 & 6 EQAO
May 11 & 12 - Musical Performance 1:30/7:00 p.m.
May 27 - Crowning of Mary Celebration 1:15 p.m.
May 13 -
May 30 - Welcome to Kindergarten 6:30 p.m.
MAY
2016
P.A. Day, No School
NEWSLETTER