ST. TERESA OF AVILA
,
6675 MONTEVIDEO ROAD
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO
L5N 4E8
PHONE: (905)858-3462
FAX: (905) 858-1673
Website: http://www.dpcdsb.org/AVILA
November 2015 Newsletter
Principal
M. Sturge
Vice Principal
P. Basran
Secretary
J. Sequeira
Superintendent
Mississauga North
Family of Schools
T. Cruz
(905) 890-1221
Pastor
St. John of the Cross
Fr. J. Kalluvila
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe; To you from failing hands we throw
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies
Grow. In Flanders Fields.
John McRae
Trustee Ward 9
E. O’Toole
(905) 812-5163
ST. JOHN OF THE
CROSS PARISH
6890 Glen Erin Drive
Miss., ON L5N 2E1
Tel: (905) 821-1331
Fax: (905) 858-8486
Email:
stjohnofx@rogers.com
Website:
Conscience
Novembers Virtue
An empathetic person believes that we all share one Spirit; that we are many
parts of one body because we are all created in the image and likeness of God.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
October has been a very busy month at St. Teresa of Avila School. Thank you to
everyone for your interest, support and involvement in your child’s school. Our
Halloween dance was a wonderful success and enjoyed by students and staff.
www.saintjohnofthecross.com
MASS TIMES
Weekends:
Sat. : 5:00 p.m.
Sun. : 8:00 a.m., 10:00
a.m., 12:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m
Weekdays: 9:00a.m.
PASTORAL TEAM
Fr. Joseph Kalluvila, O.Carm
Pastor
Fr. Abraham Kulanjiyil, O. Carm
Assoc. Pastor
John Cannon, Deacon
Kate Watkiss, Pastoral Associate
On November 11th, we honour our fallen soldiers, grandparents and relatives who gave
their lives. We will be reflecting with all of our students on this theme leading up to
our Remembrance Day celebration at 10:50 a.m. in our gym on November 11 th. We
extend an invitation out to you and hope you can attend.
Finally we should remember that this month we celebrate the virtue of “Conscience”.
We will teach the students that a conscience is the voice of God within us that will
guide us when we make all of our decisions. We will be teaching our students that when
we listen to his voice, God helps us to be good people.
This month let us remember.
M.Sturge
Principal
FAITH COMMUNITY
Our Advent mass will be Thursday, December 10th at
7:00 p.m. at St John of the Cross parish. Our Advent
mass is a reminder of the importance of partnership
between the church, home and school as we all move
along our faith journey. Please join us to help
celebrate the real meaning of the Christmas season!
Angel Tree
During Advent, it is traditional for Christians to
prepare for the coming of Christ by sharing with those
less fortunate in our community. It is with this spirit
that we will have an ‘Angel Tree’ again this year. On a
tree, located in front of the office, will be tags
identifying the age and sex of a child. If you are able,
please choose a tag. Permission forms allowing your
child to take a tag will be sent home in advance. A
paper angel will be given out where your child can put
his/her first name on to be placed on the tree. Our
hope is to have all of the tags replaced with angels.
More detailed information will be sent home.
Remembrance Day
On Wednesday, November 11th, our students will
come together in the gym to commemorate
Remembrance Day by honouring Canadian veterans
and peacekeepers. The aim of our Catholic school
community is to become more peaceful and to engage
in peacekeeping activities that demonstrates
respect and concern for others. Please join us at
10:50 a.m. as we gather to honour those who
dedicated their lives to ensure others are able to live
a life that values freedom.
Life Essentials
Thank you for your generous donations to the life
essential drive run by our Faith in Action committee.
All donations were gratefully accepted by the St.
Vincent de Paul Society. Thank you to Mrs. Ako-Adjei,
Mrs. Flynn, Mrs. Farrell and our Faith in Action team
members for organizing this event.
Progress Reports & Interviews
First term progress report cards will be going home on
Tuesday, November 17th. If requested by parents or
teachers, interviews will take place on the evening of
Thursday, November 19th or at a pre-arranged time
that is convenient for the teacher and parent.
However, you are encouraged to contact your
child(ren)’s teacher at any time if you have questions
or concerns about student progress.
CATHOLIC CODE OF CONDUCT
The Catholic Code of Conduct sets standards of
behaviour that promote, encourage and foster a
shared commitment to gospel values in daily life,
respect for the dignity of persons created in God’s
image, responsible participation in the civic life of
the school community, peaceful conflict resolution,
respect for diversity, and a commitment to exemplary
conduct, conscientious work, and service to others.
At St. Teresa of Avila we continue to work together
to provide a safe, caring, inclusive and healthy
Catholic school community for all.
Virtue Assembly
Our next Virtue assembly will be held on Friday
November 27th at 10:45 a.m. At this time we will be
presenting the certificates for “Conscience”. All are
welcome!
Student Information
It is important that we have up to date records of your
address, phone numbers, and emergency contacts in
the event that the school must contact you regarding
your child. Please inform the office or your child’s
teacher if any information changes throughout the
year.
Student Absence and Arrival Time
We ask that parents continue to call to notify the
school if their child will be absent and/or late. Your
phone call to the school saves us time trying to
ensure your child is safe. Remember that you can call
the school twenty-four hours a day to report your
child’s absence at 905-858-3462- option 1. Upon
reaching the school answering service please leave
the following information: a) Date of absence
b)Student’s full name c) Grade level and teacher d)
Reason for absence e) Date of return.
Students who are late must report to the office
and sign in. School staff is on duty at 8:15 a.m.
in the morning. There is no supervision for
students before 8:15 a.m. and students should not
be dropped off prior for safety reasons. Students
should arrive at 8:25 a.m. to line up and enter the
school with the rest of the class and avoid being
late. Please continue to call on each day that your
child is absent.
Parking Lot Safety/Kiss and Ride
As always, student safety is a priority at St. Teresa
of Avila School. Please continue to use the available
parking spaces or park in the designated areas on the
street when picking up or dropping off your child. As
indicated in a letter sent out earlier in September,
the Mississauga Parking Enforcement will issue
tickets for those who are illegally parked. The Kiss n
Ride should be constantly moving to prevent a back
log of traffic. Children should not be walking
across the parking lot unattended in front of cars
or buses and will be directed to use the walkway in
front of the school. Please do not leave your
vehicle unattended in the Kiss and Ride. Thank you
to everyone who are using the Kiss and Ride safely.
We are asking for everyone’s patience and
cooperation to ensure that all of our students arrive
and leave school safely.
Storage and Administration of Medication
Parents are responsible for ensuring that all
medication and forms are updated annually for any
student who requires medication to be administered
at school. If your child requires medication please
have the necessary forms completed and return
them, along with any medication, to the office as soon
as possible. Forms are available at the school office.
Medical Alert-Anaphylactic shock- Nut
Allergies
Please be aware that there are students in our school
with a severe life-threatening food allergy
(anaphylaxis) to NUTs and PEANUTs. This is a
medical condition that causes a severe reaction to
certain allergens and can result in death within
minutes. Although this may or may not affect your
child’s class directly, please send lunches and snacks
to school with your children that are free from
peanuts or nut products. We ask that you do not send
in food products for the whole class to celebrate
birthdays or social occasions. A donation of a book or
game to the classroom is a safe alternative to food
products and will be enjoyed so much longer by the
children. Please feel free to contact your child’s
teacher if you have any concerns or questions. We
thank you for your co-operation and attention to this
health watch.
Pediculosis
Although it is early in the school year, it is important
to bring your attention to a problem that occurs in
most schools. Head lice are parasites which have been
common among human beings for centuries. They are
not in any way connected to uncleanliness. If a case is
found in our school, we shall inform parents of the
students in that classroom. If your children do
become infested, we will be asking you to keep them
out of school until after they have been treated with
the correct shampoo and their hair is entirely clear
of both lice and nits(eggs). We ask that you check
your own children regularly. If we all cooperate in
these procedures, we may not entirely escape
outbreaks, but we will be able to bring them under
control quickly.
PED Policy
Personal Electronic Devices on Board Premises
and/or Board Sanctioned Events for Educational
Purposes:
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
acknowledges the value of the use of technology for
learning. Students are permitted to register and use
personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises
and/or board sanctioned events for educational
purposes, under the direction of staff and only with
parent/ guardian permission (GF 066- Network User
Application and Agreement, completed at initial
registration). Students may register their PED for
the purpose of connecting to the board wireless
network. Students are required to adhere to the
student “Personal Electronic Device Used with WI-FI
Network Student Agreement” and the “Network User
Application and Agreement.” The student agreement
GF 337 will need to be signed before students can
use the WiFi network.
Please be advised that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board will not be responsible for
any cost incurred through the use of personal data
plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not
interfere with learning; their use must comply with
the Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and
procedures. Any personal communications (i.e.,
phone calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to
be directed through the main office. Failure to
comply with these guidelines may result in a loss of
PED privileges and/or any other consequences
deemed necessary by school administration.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during
school-sanctioned activities for a specific designated
purpose outside of instruction-al spaces and/or in
common areas.
Students are responsible for the safety and
security of PEDs at all times and the Board
assumes no responsibility for lost, damaged or
stolen devices. More information will be forthcoming
regarding Personal Electronic Devices and the
aforementioned process.
Picture Taking
Picture taking is not permitted by the public or media
without signed parental consent. Please be aware that
no pictures of students are to be posted on the internet. Parents are reminded that due to confidentiality
and privacy laws, pictures should NOT be taken at
school events such as concerts, sports games, or
liturgical celebrations. Your cooperation and support
is greatly appreciated.
Visitors to our School
All visitors and parents are asked to enter the building
through the front door and report the office. Please
sign in and obtain a visitor’s sticker if you plan to
remain in the building, as a volunteer or to watch a
performance, during school hours. If you wish to sign
your child out, he/she will be brought to the office.
Criminal Reference Checks
Anyone working in our school as a new employee or
volunteer must have a Criminal Reference Check
completed by the Peel Police. Criminal Reference
Checks are free of charge for volunteers. If you
are considering volunteering for a school trip during
the school year, please get a form in the school
office. Thank you to those who are able to share
their gift of time.
School Council
All parents are invited to attend our next meeting on
November 5th at 6:30 p.m. in the library.
Toonie for Terry Fox Walk
Thank you for your generous donations to this worthy
cause. We have raised a total of $1032.10 for this
event!! Thanks to everyone for their support.
Custody of Children
On rare occasions, we are faced with difficult
situations in which non-custodial parents arrive at
school asking to visit their child or to take their child
home after school. We are best able to serve and
protect students when we are made aware of legal
custody arrangements, visitation rights and other
special instructions. If legal custody matters affect
your family, please ensure that our office and
classroom teachers are aware of any custodial
arrangements that may affect your child during
school hours.
Student Insurance
As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of
Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board annually provides parents with information
about cost-effective student accident insurance
coverage via student courier. Although enrolment is
voluntary, the Board encourages parents to take
advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage
especially if your child participates in sports, excursions/field trips, or if parents do not have dental
and medical insurance cover-age. Enrolment in writing
is required. There are two options for enrolment: 1)
Complete the traditional form and mail it in or 2)
Photocopy the form and fax it to Reliable Life at 1905-522-7211 or 1-800-463 KIDS (5437). Parents
alone have the right to insure their children.
This information is also posted on the Board’s
website under the “Student & Parents”,
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Students+and+Parents/.
Pupil Accommodation Review Policy Public
Consultation
The Ministry of Education released the new Pupil
Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG) in March
2015. This guideline sets expectations for all school
boards on managing and reviewing underutilized
school space, including potential school closures, and
for the greater coordination and sharing of planning
related information between school boards and other
community partners.
The guideline requires all school boards in the
province to develop or revise Pupil Accommodation
Review Policies and to invite public input into the
policy before it is finalized.
A survey to collect feedback on the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board’s draft amended Policy
6.51 Pupil Accommodation Review will be available for
review and comment on the Board’s website at
www.dpcdsb.org until 4:30 pm on Friday, October 16,
2015. Supporting documents will also be available for
reference and review. Please consider reviewing and
providing input on this policy.
Front Door Monitor System
For visitors and parents to our school, in order to
assist you better:
 Please stand facing the camera and ring the
bell once.
 Please wait for a response….remember,
schools are busy places!

For the safety of our students, we ask that
you always state the reason for your visit.
We also ask for your patience and understanding if it
is during prayers and announcements and if our
secretary is away from her desk for photocopying
etc. For students arriving between 8:00 a.m. & 8:15
a.m. for the Breakfast Club, please ring the bell once
and wait for a response: Doors will not be open
when prayers and announcements are taking place
from 8:40a.m.to 8:50a.m Thank you for your
cooperation and support!
SCHOOL EVENTS & NEWS
Pizza Days
Forms have gone home and money has been collected.
Pizza is available for $3.00 a slice on pizza day should
you wish to purchase it for your child. Thank you to
our parent volunteers for running this program.
Cross Country
Junior and Intermediate students participated in the
Board meet at Centennial Park on Monday October
26th and represented our school proudly. Thank you to
our parent volunteer and to Ms. Lotesto for
accompanying the students.
PALS
Our school will be running a PALS (Playground
Activity Leaders in Schools) program to support the
primary students. PALS leaders received training
with Mr. Grave, our Child and Youth Worker as well as
a Public Health nurse, C. Rampal. The PALS program
provides leadership opportunities for the Grades 4, 5
and 6 student leaders as they interact with younger
students and plan and lead fun and safe activities on
the playground. The PALS motto is, “There’s always
room for one more.”
Winter Weather
During the winter season, many parents are concerned
about school policy on outdoor recess. It is generally
accepted that when the wind chill factor drops below
-25°C, students should not go outside for recess.
Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B. Policy uses a wind chill factor of
-20° C as a determining factor for modified recess.
We ask that students come dressed appropriately with
hats, gloves, mittens etc. Where possible, please put
identification on your child’s belongings. Please note
that all students should have indoor shoes during the
winter months so that the classrooms are kept as clean
and dry as possible. During the winter months,
inclement weather may cause disruption of bus
transportation and regular school operations. A
decision to cancel transportation and/or close schools
is usually made by 7:00 a.m. and will be announced on
the Board website and the following radio stations:
French Immersion Information Meeting
Year 2 Kindergarten parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish
to enroll their child in a Grade 1 French Immersion
class for September, 2016 are invited to attend an
information meeting at:
French
Immersion
centres
Session
location
Date and time
St Gertrude
St Pio of
Pietrelcina
St Pio of
Pietrelcina
Tuesday,
November 10,
2015
7:00 p.m.
Our Lady of
Providence
St Angela
Merici
St Joachim
St Angela
Merici
Wednesday,
November 11,
2015
7:00 p.m.
Divine Mercy
St Margaret of Thursday,
St Elizabeth
Scotland
November 12,
Seton
2015
St Margaret of
7:00 p.m.
Scotland
Full Day Kindergarten Registration
Monday, January 25, 2016 from 7:00 pm – 9:00
p.m.
SNOW DATE: Tuesday, January 26, 2016
VoilaLearning.com
Full Day Kindergarten Registration
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Thursday, January 28, 2016
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Friday, January 29, 2016
pm
9:00 am – 3:00
Parent Evening to Support the Transition of
Students with Differing Abilities into
Kindergarten
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 – CEC Room 301, 7:00 pm –
8:30 p.m. (Snow Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2016)
The following documents must be brought to the
school when you register your child(ren):
-Proof of Age (Birth Certificate or Passport)
-Original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate (for
child and/or parent/guardian)
-Updated Immunization Records (Immunization Card,
Peel Health Form or Letter of Exemption)
-Proof of Canadian Citizenship (Birth
Certificate/Passport) or permanent resident status
-Proof of Home Address
Please be sure to bring complete documentation with
you when you register. Admissions are open to
Catholic children and children of Catholic parents.
Kindergarten students must be at least 4 years of
age by December 31, 2015.
For more information about registration and the
Full-Day Kindergarten program, call 905-8583462 or visit www.dpcdsb.org
Extended French Information Meeting
Grade 4 parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enroll their
child in a Grade 5 Extended French class for
September, 2016 are invited to attend an information
meeting at: St. Therese of the Child Jesus at 6930
Forest Park Drive, Mississauga, L5N 6X7. It will be
held on January 14, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
At the present time, the above mentioned school is the
designated centre for our area. Applications will be
accepted at that centre until 3:00 p.m. Tuesday,
February 16th, 2016.
This year, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB has
purchased a license with VoilaLearning.com which
provides an online-tutoring service. The license was
purchased based on the number of French Immersion
students in the board; however, the service is
extended to all FSL students, including Extended and
Core French students. For instructions on joining the
service, follow these instructions:
 Go to http://voilalearning.com/en/if-yourschool-board-has-registered/
 Parents register in order to gain access to an
online tutor.
Dates to Remember
November 1
All Saint’s Day
November 2
All Soul’s Day
November 3
Michael Eisen parent workshop
6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
November 4
Rosary Apostolate
November 5
School Council Meeting at 6:30
p.m. in Library
November 11
Remembrance Day liturgy at 10:50
a.m.
Pizza Day
November 13
Picture Retake days
November 17
Progress reports sent home
November 19
Intermediate Speech Competition
at 1:00 p.m.
Interview evening (as needed)
November 25
Pizza Day
November 26
Family Speech Competition
November 27
Virtue Assembly at 10:45 a.m.
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@DPCDSBSchools.