May 2016
St. John of the Cross School
3180 Aquitaine Avenue, Mississauga, ON L5N 3S5
Tel. 905-824-3058 Fax 905-824-4413
Website: www.dpcdsb.org/JCROS
OUR DEAR MOTHER, MARY
Mary, Virgin Mother of Jesus, and our dear
Mother, too.
We give ourselves to you, that you may
protect us
and guide us to Jesus, your Son. Keep us
from all sin
as you always did. May we always enjoy
the help of your prayers, for you bring us life
and salvation
through Jesus Christ your Son.
May Newsletter
DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
that we may love Jesus with a pure love
Amen !
We Honour Mary During May!
During the month of May we honour and pay special tribute to Mary, the
Mother of God.
As a special devotion to Mary we will have our Marian Liturgies –
Crowning of Mary Celebrations on May 12. Our Liturgies are being
facilitated by the Rosary Apostolate this year. The Junior/Intermediate
‘Crowning of Mary’ will begin at 9:15 a.m. and the Primary grades JK - 4
will begin at 10:40 a.m. in the gym.
To All Mothers
Each year on Mother’s Day we celebrate our mothers, who have brought
us into life and have loved and cared for us. There are so many mothers to
honour - grandmothers, godmothers, adoptive mothers, stepmothers,
foster mothers and friends’ mothers. There’s Mary the Mother of God.
Jesus made her the mother of all people. Then of course, there’s Mother
Earth. This title for our planet is one way of saying that God has made the
earth a Holy home for all living things. In different ways, any one or more
of these mothers has earned our love. On Mother’s Day, think about how
much your Mother does to care for you and how much she loves you.
To all mothers in our school community, from all of us at St. John of
the Cross Catholic School, Happy Mother’s Day !
St. John of the Cross School
Principal
D. Scardicchio
Secretary
J. Gillis
School Council Co-Chairs
A. Cardamone
Dufferin-Peel CDSB
Personnel
Director of Education
905-890-1221
M. Mazzorato
Associate Director
John Hrajnik 905-890-1221
Grade 8 Graduation Information
Under the direction of Ms. Letterio and the Graduation Committee, plans are
underway for this year’s Grade 8 Graduation.
NOTE: THE MASS DATE HAS CHANGED DUE TO A CONFLICT
WITH TRACK AND FIELD
On Thursday, June 23rd at 10:15 am, all are invited to attend our
Graduation/Year End Mass at St. John of the Cross Church.
On Tuesday, June 28th, the Class of 2016 will enjoy a lunch at Mondello’s
Ristorante in Streetsville noon –1:00 pm, followed by a Dance from 1:00
to 3:00 pm. Arrival time at the restaurant is 11:30 am. Students will be
bussed to and from the event via school bus. On Wednesday June
29th, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, staff, parents, family and friends are once
again invited for our graduation Liturgy, Awards & Diplomas at St. John of
the Cross Church. We are looking forward to another fabulous
Graduation for 2016!
Associate Director
S. McWatters 905-890-1221
Superintendent
905-890-1221
Bicycle Safety
St. John of the Cross Church
It wonderful to see students bringing their bikes to school, however students are
reminded of the following regarding safe operation of their bicycle:
*Wear your helmet
*Obey all traffic rules when coming to school/going home
*Walk your bike when on school property … this is for your safety and the safety of
others
*Students are asked to park and Lock their bike on the bike racks at the front of the
school. A reminder that the school is not responsible for bikes gone missing.
6890 Glen Erin Drive
LIBRARY NEWS!
Mississauga, Ontario
The last week of book circulation this school year will be the week of May
30th. During this week, students will be allowed to sign out new library
books. All school library materials will need to be returned to school by
Wednesday June 6th.
T. Cruz
E. O’Toole
Trustee
905-812-5163
Parish
L5N 2E1
905-821-1331
905-858-8486 Fax
e-mail: stjohnofx@rogers.com
“Reading will give you lasting pleasure.”
Mrs Lichacz
- First Lady Laura Bush
Teacher Librarian
website: www.saintjohnofthecross.com
Pastoral Team
Fr. Joseph Kalluvila, O. Carm.
Fr. Sebastian Joseph, O.Carm.
Fr. Felix Anthony, O. Carm.
Kate Watkiss, Pastoral Associate
Mass Times
Weekends
Sat. 5:00 p.m.
Sun. 8:00 and 10:00 a.m.,
12:00 & 4:00 p.m.
Weekdays
Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m., First FriDay only-no morning mass 7:00 p.m.
First Communion and Confirmation
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of our Grade
2 and Grade 7 & 8 students who received the
sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation.
We wish them the very best on their spiritual
journey
Dance Maxx
The students from grades JK to 8 had the opportunity to learn a variety of
dances taught by the experts from the company “Dance Maxx” from Monday
April 18th to Friday April 22nd. The students are now ready to do a presentation
for parents and to come and observe their child’s dancing talent on Friday,
May 6th at 9:20 to 11:45 a.m. A separate letter and schedule will be sent out to
parents/guardians. Thank you to the Catholic School Council for funding this
wonderful opportunity!
May is Asthma Awareness Month!
Safety First when dropping
students off at school
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 The safety of all children and staff must be
learn about asthma so that we can all work together to create asthma considered as paramount at all times when
friendly places.
dropping students off at school.
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 airways 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.
The number of serious incidents related to
traffic circulation at the front of the school and
in the Kiss and Ride area during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal has risen. These
incidents include vehicles entering the site in
the wrong direction, parking and pulling out of
no parking zones, parking in bus lanes, to
name a few.
It is imperative that all parents and guardians
who drive their children to school adhere to
the traffic circulation plan and comply with the
traffic and parking signage on the site. It is
equally imperative that all drivers follow the
direction of staff managing the traffic circulation on the school site.
Thank you for your consideration and cooperation with this important matter.
Spring Plant Sales
Reminder: Plant pick up on
Contact the Lung Association’s Asthma Action Helpline at 1(800) 668-7682 for
Thursday, May 19th
free resources and support in managing asthma.
TIME: 3:15 to 7:00 pm
Skin Protection
Overexposure to the sun can cause skin damage. We remind students to take precautions to
protect their skin during recess times. The following are some suggestions to help protect the
skin:
*Wear protective clothing to cover the skin;
*Wear a hat to protect the eyes and the skin
*When possible, stay out of direct sunlight
*Know your skin type; wear sunblock protection
*Wear sunglasses, and avoid looking directly at the sun
*Drink water throughout the day to avoid becoming dehydrated.
Parents are encouraged to review and reinforce these strategies for sun protection with their
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Catholic Education Week 2016 will be the week of May 2nd – 6th.
As always, Catholic Education Week begins on Sunday to highlight the parish-home-school partnership that remains the foundation
of Catholic education. We are pleased to announce the theme for 2016 is “Opening the Doors of Mercy”.
There are five sub-themes for each day of Catholic Education Week.
Monday - Mercy That Welcomes
Tuesday - Mercy That Loves
Wednesday - Mercy That Foregives
Thursday - Mercy That Lives The Gospel
Friday - Mercy That Rejoice
During this week the Catholic community celebrates the unique and distinctive contribution that Catholic schools make to our
students, our community and our province. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the mission of our Catholic
schools as they strive to integrate the Gospel values of Jesus Christ in every aspect of the school’s life and curriculum. Throughout
Catholic Education week, along with many activities taking place, teachers will also be using a resource kit prepared by the Ontario
Catholic School Trustees Association.
CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS REQUIRED FOR
ALL PARENTS VOLUNTEERING ON SCHOOL
FIELD TRIPS!
IF YOU INTEND TO VOLUNTEER AS A TRIP
SUPERVISOR NEXT YEAR, PLEASE PICK UP A CRC
FORM IN THE SCHOOL OFFICE!!
If you have already completed a CRC, please remember to
complete the 2016 Annual Declaration if you have not
already done so. Forms are available in the main office.
Volunteers
We have been fortunate within our school community to have a
dedicated group of volunteers who give of their time to make our
school environment a better and safer place for
all of our children. Thank you to all who have
assisted over the course of the school year. You
have helped to make it a great year at St. John
of the Cross School.
P.A.L.S.
The program called P.A.L.S. – Playground Activity Leaders
in the School – is beginning again at St. John of the Cross.
Trained P.A.L.S. leaders will work with primary students
leading playground activities during afternoon recesses.
EQAO Dates for Assessment
In May, the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) will
conduct its annual province-wide testing of knowledge and skills in reading,
writing and mathematics of grade 3 and 6 students throughout the publicly
funded school systems. The EQAO tests will be administered during the period
of May 25th —June 8th. Parents are encouraged to schedule appointments etc.,
outside of the assessment period.
Our Primary Assessment for Grade 3 students will take place on May 25th,
May 26th and May 27th.
Our Junior Assessment for Grade 6 students will take place on June 1st, June
2nd and June 3rd.
Upcoming Pizza Days:
May 5, 12, 19, 26
June 2, 9, 16 and
June 23 - Last Pizza Day
Upcoming Sub/Wrap
Days:
May 3, 10, 17 and 24
P. A. Days - No
School for Students
Friday, May 13th
(Provincial Priorities/Faith
Development)
Monday, June 13th
(Term 2 Assessment and
Last sub/wrap orders for June Evaluation of Student
will be distributed at the end Progress)
of May.
M A Y 20 1 6
Are You Moving?
At this time, next year’s school population has been projected at 243 students. As planning has
begun with respect to formulating classes and general school organization for the 2016-2017
school year, please inform the office as soon as possible if you are planning to move between now and
September 2016. Also, if you have already moved and not informed the office of your new address, please do
so immediately as our school records must be accurate at all times.
W.A.V.E .CONFERENCE
The Gr. 7 & 8 students will be attending the W.A.V.E. Conference at the Living Arts Centre on Tuesday May
3rd.
Sports News
Track & Field
On Wednesday, May 11th the students in grades 4 through 8 will be participating in a Track & Field
Day. Students will be able to try out for events during the course of the day. Students may be selected for the
Track and Field Team based on their performance. The Mississauga North Track & Field Meet will take
place on Tuesday, June 21 at St. Marcellinus SS. GO, MUSTANGS, GO!!!!
Special Thank You to Ms. Perruzza who is organizing this ‘special day’ for the Jr. and Int. Students.
School Council Presents - Parent Engagement Night - May 4th
SJOC School Council invites students, parents and family members for fun-filled evening with 2 very engaging individuals:
6:00 pm (Library) Billy Bridges is a Par alympic Gold Medalist in the spor t of Sledge Hockey and will
speak about achieving his Olympic dream and engage students in an interactive Q&A. Learn more about
Billy’s outstanding achievements at http://paralympic.ca/billy-bridges
7:00 pm (Gym) Miguel A. Martinez is the Founder and Head Coach for MTCLife and will use his high
energy, enthusiasm and passion for music and dance (get ready to Zumba with Miguel!) to highlight leadership, empowerment and self-confidence. Learn more about Miguel and his team at http://www.mtclife.com/
team.html
8:00 pm - Refreshments
Welcome Bob Delaney
Welcome to Kindergarten!
He will be speaking to the Grade 5 Students Our Welcome to Kindergarten evening for new students starting
about the Mechanics of Government and the in the Full Day Learning Program for September 2016, will be
Page Program on Friday May 6th at 1:30 pm. held on Thursday, May 12th from 6:30—7:30 pm in the kinder-
garten rooms.
Hats Off 2 Kids Walk
Thursday, May 5th at 9:30 a.m.
(rain date: May 9th)
Students are asked to wear a baseball cap as a sign of support for children living with leukemia and the effects of chemotherapy. All donations will go toward the support of Leukemia Research for the Hospital for Sick Children and Sick Kids Foundation.
M A Y 20 1 6
Eco Team News
We have worked hard this year on many eco-initiatives and have just finished our Eco-schools
application for the year. We are hoping to certify our school as GOLD! Last year we certified
SILVER! We will find out after our site visit in June and keep you updated!
Congratulations!
During the week of April 18th – 22nd the Eco Team led Eco Bingo and an Eco Quiz with the whole school as
a part of our Earth Week activities.
During our Earth Week activities the whole school participated in ECO-BINGO. The two
winners were Ms. Letterio’s grade 8 class and Mrs. Power’s grade 1/2 class. Both classes will
be receiving a pizza party! Thank you Mr. Scardicchio!!
Anthony S. in Mr. Boryszko’s class won the Jelly Bean count!
April Showers bring May flowers
In the month of May we will be refreshing our front gardens by adding some new native plants
and mulch to accent the butterfly garden planted last year.
Please continue to send in those waste-free lunches and
help keep garbage out of our landfills.
D. Meany/ M. Hogan
Eco-Team Leaders
Heads Up !
Junior and Intermediate Heads Up Teams!!
Congratulations to the Junior Heads Up Team; Emily W., Matthew P., Aiden D., Ainsley
T.., and Nicholas W. on a job well done! They demonstrated true sportsmanship and exhibited great school spirit. As a result of their efforts, they won the Family Championship. Thanks to Mrs. Power
and Mme. Colangelo for volunteering their time to prepare the students and who are proud of the student’s
commitment and hard work.
We are very proud of our Intermediate Heads Up Team; Erica S., Jace S., Oliver C., Chiara M., and Miya S.
These grade 7&8 students represented our school at the Mississauga North academic competition at St. Edith
Stein school on April 20th. The team did well with two wins and a tie out of the 4 games they played. Well
done Mustangs! Thanks goes to Ms. Perruzza for working with the team!
M A Y 20 1 6