September Newsletter
St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic
Elementary School
430 Van Kirk Drive Brampton, ON L7A 0J2
Ph.: 905-458-7080 Fax: 905-458-1657
Board web site: www.dpcdsb.org
School web site: www.dpcdsb.org/bakhi
Principal
S. Boulanger
Vice-Principal
G. Johnstone
Head Secretary
M.Misasi
Assistant Secretaries
M. Jaques
C. Ruggiero
Principal’s Message
On behalf of the staff, we extend a warm welcome to you and your
children as we begin this new school year. A very special welcome is
extended to all new families, and to children beginning kindergarten
for the first time. We are sure you will find our school to be a caring
and supportive Catholic community.
St. Josephine Bakhita School will continue to foster the spiritual,
academic, physical, social and emotional growth and development of
all students. We eagerly anticipate a year of exciting and meaningful
learning opportunities for everyone. We look forward to the
opportunity this year to work collaboratively with you in this incredible
Catholic community.
Our student population is fluctuating on a daily basis; we currently
have approximately 760 students enrolled at the school. Therefore, all
staff assignments and student placements will remain tentative until
the end of the first two weeks of school. In the event that the school
has to be reorganized due to unpredictable enrolment trends, this will
take place on September 18, 2015.
Open communication between home and school is very important.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school at any time if you have
questions or concerns. In order to keep you informed of events at the
school, you will be receiving a monthly e-newsletter the first week of
every month. You can also visit our website which will be updated
regularly. If you have not provided us with an email address (or would
like to update it) or if you prefer to receive a hard copy of the
newsletter, please contact the office as soon as possible.
Looking forward to seeing you at our Open House (tentative date,
Thursday, September 24, 2015- more info to follow)
Superintendent
S.Steer
905–890–1221
Trustee
D. D’Souza
905–890-1221
Parish
St. Leonard’s Parish
187 Conestoga Drive
Brampton
Ontario, Canada
L6Z 3X8
(905) 846 – 5385
Mr. S. Boulanger – Principal
Mrs. G. Johnstone – Vice-Principal
Page 1 of 12
Together In Faith
Catholic Education in Ontario
In the 1950s, determined clergy and Catholic families across Dufferin and
Peel began to establish Catholic schools in their parishes. Until then, only
one parish had a Catholic school so most Catholic children went to public
schools and received religious instruction at home and in catechism classes
through the parishes. The Catholic population in Peel and Dufferin had
grown to the point that parishes had enough families and children to
warrant and support Catholic schools. One by one, parishes established
school boards and built schools. Parish by parish, clergy, religious sisters,
and parishioners laid the foundation of what became the Dufferin-Peel
District Catholic School Board, one of the largest school boards in Ontario,
and we are so grateful that they did!
Taken from Our Story. Our Traditions…
Virtue of the Month – FAITH
Faith is the great virtue of believing in God and trusting that God is with us.
A faithful person believes that we are created, guided by and destined to be
reunited with God.
A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe,
especially at school.
Special Welcome to…
A very special welcome is extended
to the following new members of our
school staff:
Ms. Reda- FDK
Mr. Mintz- FDK for Mrs. DiCarlo
TBA - Gr. 2 for Mrs. Barletta
Ms. Scaccia- Gr. 2 for Mrs. DeMasi
Ms. Farjou- Gr. 2/3 for Mrs. Lauria
Mr. Abbas- Gr. 7
Ms. Balthazar- DECE
Ms. Bonfini- DECE
Ms. Trasente – Pl. Time for Mr. George
A Faithful Person…
• Prays regularly and reverently
• Learns from Scripture stories
• Honours people’s God-given names
• Assumes that there is good in everyone
• Accepts the God-given worth of themselves and others
School Hours
Sacramental Preparation
The celebration of our faith is done in partnership with our school parish,
St. Leonard’s Roman Catholic Church. Sacraments are Parish events,
although initial preparation is done by the schools
through the religion program. The sacramental
preparation will be conducted through the Parish. For all
students interested in the sacrament of First Communion
& First Reconciliation as well as the sacrament of
Confirmation, please check the Parish for dates, we will
communicate the dates once they are received.
St. Josephine Bakhita has two morning
and two afternoon recesses. This is
designed to reduce congestion in the
field and pavement area.
9:15 a.m.
Start Bell – School begins
10:38 a.m
Morning Recess (Grades 1 -3)
11:21 a.m.
Morning Recess (Grades 4-8)
12:16 p.m. – 1:16 p.m. Lunch
1:56 p.m. Afternoon Recess (Grades 1-3)
2:50 p.m. Afternoon Recess (Grades 4-8)
3:45 p.m.
Page 2 of 12
Dismissal
Safe School Initiatives
Reporting Absences:
Early Pick-Up
If you need to pick up your child prior to the end of the school day, 3:45 p.m.,
please send a note with your child in the agenda, advising the teacher when to
send him/her to the office. Please be prepared to sign your child(ren) out at the
Main Office.
All students are expected to attend
school regularly and punctually. In
the event that your child will be late
or absent, please call the school and
follow the prompts to leave a
message. This can be done 24 hours a
day. For students who are absent and
for whom a call is not received, we
will attempt to contact you.
Students Leaving School Property
Please make sure to inform your child’s teacher of regular lunch arrangements
for your child. If there is a change to the regular arrangements a note signed and
dated must be given to the classroom teacher. No students from grade 1-6 will
be allowed to leave the school property without first being signed out by a
parent/guardian. Students in grade 7 and 8 will be able to leave school property,
for lunch, if a note has been provided by the parent. NO permission will be
granted over the phone. Permission must be done in writing.
PLEASE CALL: 905-846-0078
Please leave the following
information:
Student Safety
Peanut and Other Life Threatening Allergies,
Sabrina’s Law Anaphylaxis Reaction
As we begin the new school year, we would like to inform you
that St. Josephine Bakhita School is an allergen aware school.
There are pupils in attendance at our school who suffer from severe and life
threatening allergies to certain foods, such as peanut and nut products.
Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe and life threatening
reactions. Anaphylaxis is a severe and life threatening allergic reaction. The
reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems. We would
appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT sending any
lunches or snacks that contain peanuts/nut products. We want St. Josephine
Bakhita Catholic School to be a safe environment for all students. Thank you for
your assistance with this initiative.
If your child has been diagnosed with this allergy and you have not notified the
school, please do so immediately. There are forms that must be completed.
A written communication will be sent to the parents of children notifying them of
the nature of a life threatening allergy when it is specific to their child’s
classroom. Your continued cooperation in support of our efforts to create a safe
and healthy learning environment for all is greatly appreciated!




Date of the absence
Student’s full name
Grade level and teacher
Reason for absence
All students who arrive after
9:15 a.m. or
1:16 p.m. must obtain a Late
Slip.
*Students are considered late if they
do not enter their classroom with
their classmates!
Respect for Self, Respect
for Others
As a staff, we continue to work
together to provide example and
consistency in modeling Jesus’
message to our students. We will
assist and remind students of the
importance of being respectful and
working together to create a safe,
caring, inclusive community.
Page 3 of 12
Student Safety continued…
Please do not send birthday snacks / cakes / treats into the school. There
are many alternatives such as stickers and pencils.
We appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community. We want St.
Josephine Bakhita Catholic School to be a safe environment for all students.
Medical Concerns
If your son / daughter has any medical concerns, please ensure that you inform
the school. Information may be shared directly with the classroom teacher /
office. If medication is required, forms will be sent for completion by parents
and the family doctor. All information is held in confidence.
Medication
School staff cannot administer medication, including aspirins and
Tylenol without a “Request and Consent for Administration of
Medication” form, completed and signed by a doctor. A properly
labeled container is required, including the instructions and
conditions that are to be followed for the administration of the
medication for the safety of the child.
Parents of children with life threatening medical concerns/allergies are asked to
notify Mrs. Misasi in the school office and fully complete an Emergency
Medication Protocol form each September and return it to the school as soon as
possible. All medication is stored in the office area. The only exception to this
requirement has to do with any child who, because of life threatening allergies,
must carry medication.
Student Supervision
School yard supervision does not begin until 9:00
a.m. every morning. Please, for the students’
safety, do not drop students off at the school prior
to 9:00 a.m. unsupervised.
Visitors to the School
We would like to thank all of our
parents and other visitors to the
school
for
respecting
the
designated waiting areas outside
your child’s exit door. In the event
you have an appointment or are
volunteering, please be reminded
that all visitors to the school are to
report to the office, sign in and wear
a visitor’s sticker. This helps to
ensure the safety and security of all
students.
Emergency Information/
Parent Consent Form
A printout and attendance card for
each of your children containing the
most current emergency contact
information we have in our
database will be sent home for
verification.
Please review the
information and return it to school
no later than Monday, September
14, 2015 to your child(ren)’s teacher
indicating any changes. It is critical
that we have current and accurate
contact information on file in the
event your child becomes ill or in
the rare case of an emergency.
Thank you in advance for your
attention to this important matter.
Page 4 of 12
Student Safety Continued…
For student safety, we would like to remind all parents and visitors to please use designated waiting areas outside the
school yard from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. These measures will help to protect the security of all students as well as help
to reduce the congestions at busy drop off and dismissal times. Remember you are a stranger to most students!
Kiss and Ride
Parents/guardians who drive students to and from school are requested
to use the Kiss and Ride lane to drop your child off at the sidewalk.
Students must exit the vehicle on the sidewalk side for safety. Parents
who are dropping Kindergarten children will be allowed to park at the
south parking lot only. Do not use the reserved parking area or the parking
lot. There are limited parking spots so if there are no spots remaining
please park elsewhere (observing all posted city signs) and walk your child
to school. Parents using Kiss and Ride are not permitted to park and leave
their vehicles unattended.
When using Kiss and Ride please:
 Drop your child off at the sidewalk
 Be patient with other cars as they drop off students. Some are younger students and require more time.
 Drive slowly on school property at all times.
 Pull up as close to vehicle in front to accommodate other parents.
 When pulling out to drive by other stopped cars, proceed with caution.
 Always be polite with other parents. They may not be familiar with school routines.
 Please do not leave your vehicle unattended to walk your child to the school yard. If you wish to walk your
child, find a parking spot and that may be off school property.
 Students must disembark on the sidewalk side, if you have a child seat on the wrong side please consider
moving it to accommodate safety in the future.
Volunteers- Criminal Reference Check
We are pleased to welcome our volunteers for another year to support learning in our school. We appreciate your
commitment and support and look forward to a great year.
In accordance with the Safe Schools Act, all volunteers, including those going on one day school trips, must have a
Criminal Reference Check.
Page 5 of 12
Student Safety Continued
Crossing Guard
As a matter of safety, students and adult escorts are
reminded to use the cross walks. The City of Brampton
Crossing guards are on duty:
Burnt Elm at Van Scott Drive (Uncontrolled intersection)
7:50 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
NO LUNCH.
2:40 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.
3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Wanless at Van Kirk Drive (Traffic Signals)
7:50 – 9:15 a.m.
NO LUNCH.
2:40 p.m. to 3:10 p.m.
3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Van Kirk Drive at Games Creek Crescent
8:45 – 9:20 a.m.
NO LUNCH.
3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Please continue to instruct your child regarding safe passage to school; i.e.
crossing with the guard, and/or at signed locations, walking with a friend, and to
always watch out for vehicles. Use side-walks and avoid crossing or walking
along the centre of the parking lot.
Lunch Routines
Transportation
Information pertaining to
Transportation can be accessed
online at www.stopr.ca. You can
also go to the board website
www.dpcdsb.org and use the link for
student transportation.
Courtesy Seating requests cannot
be processed until October. If you
are interested in requesting courtesy
seating please contact the office after
September 28, 2015.
Please ensure that for those children
who are transported via school bus,
they know which bus and which stop
is theirs. If you wish to change the
bus stop please make your request in
writing. Parents are reminded that
it is their responsibility to ensure
that kindergarten and grade one
students are met at the bus. If the
bus driver does not see a parent or
sitter at the scheduled stop, the child
will be returned to the school.
If you have any questions or concerns
If you are delivering your child’s lunch to school, please
please feel free to contact Mrs.
do so between 12:00 p.m. and 12:15 p.m. When lunches
Johnstone (Vice-Principal).
are delivered late, it reduces the amount of time that
students have to eat. Please also write your child’s name
on his/her lunch bag and place it on the table by front entrance. Thank you for your support.
For safety reasons, if a student is going home for lunch, a written request signed and dated
in your child’s agenda or a separate note from you is required for each occurrence.
Unless you have indicated that your child goes home every day.
s.
Page 6 of 12
P.E.D.s (Personal Electronic Devices)
It is the policy of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School,
that Personal Electronic Devices such as mobile phones and mp3 players, be kept out-of-sight, turned off and not used
on school premises or during school-sanctioned events. Students who are using these devices in school or on school
property may face consequences.
Dress Code
Students at St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School are expected to dress appropriately to promote a positive
learning environment which reflects our Catholic beliefs and values. Recreational wear such as tank tops, halter tops,
muscle shirts, tube tops, spaghetti straps, short shorts, cut offs, hats/ headgear, wallet chains and shirts with
inappropriate logos/symbols are not to be worn to school. These items are contrary to both the philosophy of our
Catholic schools and the standards that we set as educators.
Student Accident 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 their child/children
participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if parents do not have dental insurance coverage.
You may purchase coverage for your child at www.insuremykids.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437).
Please direct your question to a Reliable Life Insurance Representative
Community Corner
JOIN US!
You are invited to attend our Open House with your child(ren) on Thursday,
September 24, 2015.
• The classrooms will be open from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. to visit your child’s teachers.
• Our School Council will have a table set up. We are looking for volunteers.
Page 7 of 12
Community Corner continued…
In the Community
Terry Fox Run
Picture Perfect
The school photographer will be continue to be Edge Imaging.
Photographs of students will take place on Thursday
September. 24, 2015. All JK to Grade 8 students will
have their picture taken in the morning or afternoon.
If your child should happen to be absent that day, picture retakes will take place on:
Thursday, October 29, 2015.
Dress Down Days
St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School faculty participate in Dress Down
Fridays. The staff will donate money to the United Way/Share Life charities so that
they may wear business casual clothes to school on Fridays.
Clubs, Teams and Sports News
On Friday, September 30th, 2015,
St. Josephine Bakhita will be
participating in a school initiative to
help collect donations for the Terry
Fox Foundation to support Cancer
Research. Nominated as one of
Canada’s greatest Canadians, Terry
Fox has been able to fulfill his ultimate
dream of raising funds for cancer
research toward finding a cure for
cancer.
St. Josephine Bakhita students and
staff will have an opportunity to help
carry out his Marathon of Hope. An
outline of the day’s activities will
follow.
Students are asked to wear red and
white to represent our Canadian
heritage. If you would like to volunteer
to walk with the classes, please let the
classroom teacher know.
As part of our EcoSchools pledge,
we will not be sending home pledge
forms this year, instead please
follow the link which will take you to
our Schools Fundraising Page.
Information on the many clubs, teams and sports available at St. Josephine Bakhita
Catholic Elementary School will be sent home within the next few weeks. Please
support your child in coming out and trying out for the numerous teams and being
a part of the many clubs.
There are many opportunities for students to get involved in our school!
Page 8 of 12
School Council Information
Elections for the new 2015-2016 School Council will take place
on September 23, 2015. Parents/Guardians may pick up
nomination forms in the office prior to the election date. Any
parent/guardian of a student attending St. Josephine Bakhita
School may seek to be elected as a council member, as long as
they are not employed at the school. There are generally 6
meetings throughout the year that usually run about two hours
in length. All parents/ guardians seeking a position must fill out
a nomination form.
HPV/ HEP B/ Vaccinations/ SEE HEAR
It’s easy being
GREEEN!
NEWSLETTERS
As part of our continued support of
Eco Schools Initiatives, parents will
have the option to receive the
monthly newsletters electronically.
We will be collecting email
addresses in early September as
part of our student information
verification process. Please
consider receiving the newsletter
electronically to help lesson our
Ecological Footprint.
HPV and HEP B Vaccinations will take place during the month of November,
information will be sent home in the month of October.
PLASP Child Care Services operates
Before and After School Programs at
St. Josephine Bakhita School.
Library News:
Welcome to a new school year – the library is up and running! There are lots of
new books to read and discover. We will also be having a Scholastic Book Fair
soon – details will be shared shortly. All monies raised help to make the library
an even better place! Thank you!
The Before School Program operates
from 7:30 a.m. and continues until
school begins. A nutritious breakfast is
served daily.
The After School Program begins once
school is dismissed and operates until
6:00 p.m. Children participate in
recreational activities, are served a
nutritious snack daily and have time for
homework.
Registration is currently taking place.
To register your child, visit the PLASP
Program Director, Before or After School.
For further information, call 905 890-1711
or visit the website at www.plasp.com.
Page 9 of 12
Labour Day
September 7, 2015 – No School
First day of classes
September 8, 2015
PA DAY/ Re-organization
September 18, 2105 (No classes for students)
Catholic School Council Elections
September 23, 2015 @ 6:30
Catholic School Council Last/First Meeting
September 23, 2015 @ 7:00
Terry Fox Walk
September 30, 2015 (morning)
Open House/ Curriculum Night
September 24, 2015 (6:30-8:00 pm)
Terry Fox Walk RAIN DATE
October 2, 2015
Picture Day
September 24, 2015
Page 10 of 12
Introducing the Staff at St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School
2015-2016
Reda, R
JK/SK
Aylward, S
JK/SK
Tassone, A
JK/SK
Mintz, S
JK/SK
Faye, M
JK/SK
Mendonca, P
JK/SK
Caputo, I
Grade 1
Spadafora, C
Grade 1
Biffis, C
Grade 1
Rabiega, G
Grade 1/2
Sanna, M
Grade 2
Bartucci, A
Grade 2
Scaccia, P
Grade 2
Farjou, D
Grade 2/3
Protomanni, G
Grade 3
Pyczek, Z
Grade 3
Jones, A
Grade 3
Wozniak, M
Grade 4
Paluch-Berthiaume, B Grade 4
Commisso, M
Grade 4
LTO
Grade 4/5
West, J
Grade 5
Basciano, M
Grade 5/6
De Caro, F
Grade 6
Bascoe, S
Grade 6
Prospero, N
Grade 6
Abbas, S
Grade 7
Christine, H
Grade 7
Poropat, G
Grade 7
Fullan, S
Grade 8
Pacheco, N
Grade 8
Bartucci, L
Grade 8
Golic, Z
Amodeo, D
Blake, M
Casimiri, M
Zivcic, M
Cunningham, N
Balthazar, D
Poku, E
Sarria, A
Bonfini, J
Boudreau-Gigante, T
Ramirez, N
DeSario, A
Rodrigues, C
Delembert, P
Levy, N
Walsh, M
SERC/ ESL/ PT
SERT/ PT
SERT
ESL
SERT
DECE
DECE
DECE
DECE
DECE
French
French
French/ PT
PT
Library
PT
ERW
Page 11 of 12
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