St. Basil Catholic
Elementary School
Fasting and Feasting March 2016 PRINCIPAL: M. TOMCZAK SECRETARY: M. SWEENEY SUPERINTENDENT: T.Lariviere 905‐890‐1221 PASTOR: Fr. Darrin Corkum (905) 625‐5670 CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES: M. PASCUCCI (905) 302‐3096 Mario.Pascucci@dpcdsb.org ST. BASIL SCHOOL 4235 Golden Orchard Dr., Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 3G1 Phone: (905) 624‐4529 Attendance Line (905) 624‐4529 Press 1 Fax: (905) 624‐0155
Lent can be more than a time of fasting. It can also be a season of feasting. A time to…. Fast from judging others; feast on Christ living in them. Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life. Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light. Fast from thoughts of illness; feast on the healing power of God. Fast from discontent; feast on patience. Fast from pessimism, feast on joy. Fast from worry; feast on trust. Fast from guilt; feast on freedom. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from anxiety and fear; feast on faith. Fast from stress; feast on self‐care. Fast from discouragement; feast on hope. Fast from apathy; feast on enthusiasm. Fast from suspicions, feast on truth. Fast from gossip; feast on spreading good news. Fast from words that wound; feast on words that heal. Fast from talking; feast on listening. Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire. Fast from problems that overwhelm us; feast on prayer. Fast from everything that separates us from God; Feast on everything that draws us to God. (Adapted from a prayer by William Arthur Ward) A Prayer for Lent Lord of heaven and earth, You lead us up the mountain to show us something new. You show us the beauty of life, And the fun of good friends. You ask us to let go: Of pride, selfishness and meanness. You invite us to open ourselves: To gentleness, to love, to You. Lead us up the mountain this Lent And back home to you this Easter. Amen In This Issue • Lenten Prayer • fevrier en francais • Parish News • PSYCHE 5 • Extended Absences •Lenten Prayer • Stations of the Cross • Virtue of the Month • Family Skate Night • Big Gulp/Big Crunch • Kiss n’ Ride • Library News • School Council • EQAO information Christ has no other hands today but ours.
Information Update
Parish News
The grade two students of St. Basil Catholic Elementary school received the Sacrament of Reconciliation on February 23rd, 2016. Congratulations to the grade two students as we continue to pray and guide them through their journey. Students also had an opportunity to tour the Church on February the 9th, followed by the Sacrament of First Holy Communion on Sunday, April 10, at 2:00 at Sts. Martha and Mary Parish. Stations of the Cross
Holy week begins on March 20th with Palm Sunday. On Holy Thursday, March 24th we have a beautiful tradition of prayer and reflection on the Stations of the Cross. With the leadership of our Youth Faith Ambassadors each class is invited to come to the gym at a scheduled time for prayer. Parents are invited to come and join us at any time during the day. This month we will celebrate the virtue of kindness……. A kind person… • Says nice things about others • Sticks up for people who are picked on or need help • Refuses to join others who are insulting, intimidating, mean or hurtful • Watches and looks for ways to help those in need Dear God, You have done such a marvelous job of creating us and the world around us. You have placed this creation, including all the people we meet, in our care. We come to you now asking for the grace and the strength to keep a sense of kindness. We hope that by recognizing and honouring this fruit of the Holy Spirit, we can contribute to making our school a safer, more caring, more inclusive community. May kindness, the fruit of your Spirit, help us to feel the courage to act on behalf of people around us who are in need. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our brother, who lived to show us Your way. Amen Family Skate Night Admission is Free Wednesday April 6th‐ 7:00 p.m. Tomken Twin Arenas A bag with a healthy snack, water and healthy recipes will be available to students, free of charge (St. Basil Community only, outsiders are not permitted. Families must say in the arena.) Have a fun night of skating with your family and friends!! For safety reasons, helmets are mandatory, for children and adults, for Dufferin‐Peel Catholic District School Board events. Christ has no other hands today but ours.
InformationUpdate
THE BIG CRUNCH th
On Thursday, March the 10 , all students are invited to participate in this event that happens across Ontario: “The Big Crunch.” Students are asked to bring a crunchy fruit or vegetable to school. At 2:30 p.m. all students in our school will gather in the gym to participate in “The Big Crunch.” Looking forward to crunching with you! THE BIG GULP On Tuesday, March the 22nd all students will participate in the “Big Gulp.” Students are asked to bring in their reusable bottles filled with water and we will take the “big gulp” at 2:30 p.m. in the gym as a school community! Février en Français! This past month, students at St. Basil were celebrating the month of February en français! Grade 4's, 5's and 6's performed wonderful french plays for the rest of the students at our café français on February 18th and all students and staff indulged in some delicious croissants! In the spirit of carnaval, St. Basil was honoured to have Helene Nicole perform a « concert francophone » for the students on February 23 to celebrate french carnaval! Our surprise guest Bonhomme stole the show and our hearts! Quel temps magnifique! Kiss ‘n Ride Safety Please put the safety of every child first. Use our Kiss n’ Ride lane if your child is able to exit the car independently. If you wish to walk your child to the playground, please park on the street. Do not at any time drive in the bus lane; students from the Kiss n’ Ride are walking across to get to the playground. The staff parking lot nor the parking at the front of the school are a safe place to drop off or pick up your child. Although there may be empty parking spaces, we ask that you not drive into the staff parking lot, pylons are placed there for that reason. It is unsafe for you to use this lot as students too are making their way to the playground. We want to keep all of our students, staff, parents safe at all times. Traffic in and out of the parking lot in the times before and after school is dangerous to our children’s safety. These rules are in place for the safety of all our students, parents and staff. Our children look to us, the adults for direction and guidance. I wish to thank those parents that consistently follow these rules, model and set an example for our children. EXTENDED ABSENCES
If your family is making plans to travel which will involve an extended absence from school, please send a letter to Ms.Tomczak in advance of the trip. While family time and travel are very worthwhile, it is not encouraged other than at times when students have a scheduled holiday. There will be valuable learning that is missed during an extended absence. Library News
Ms. Brady would like to thank the parents of the Catholic School Council for helping out at the Book Fair. It was a great success and Ms. Brady was able to purchase approximately $1,600 worth of new books and library accessories to spruce up our library. The Battle of the books members are continuing to read new and interesting materials daily in preparation for the upcoming competition in May. Christ has no other hands today but ours.
Information Update
Psych 5 to Thrive
Schools and families share a common goal: ensuring student success. Psychology staff at Dufferin‐Peel work together with schools and families to promote student achievement, mental health and well‐being. Our new PSYCH 5 TO THRIVE initiative offers 5 strategies to help students thrive at school and at home. Each one called by name (Isaiah 43:1)
Healthy Sleep, Happy Child Getting a good night’s sleep can help you and your child be your best at work and play. Here are 5 tips for healthy sleep for the whole family! Follow a routine: Go to bed and get up at the same time each day—
even on weekends! Create a regular nighttime routine—it lets your body know it’s time to go to sleep. If you have to take a nap, try to make sure it ends before late afternoon. Watch what you eat and drink: Avoid caffeine (coffee, black or green teas, chocolate, pop, etc.) 6‐8 hours before bedtime. Don’t go to bed with a stomach that is too empty or too full—both can interfere with sleep. Relax: Listen to relaxing music, read alone or together, or try relaxation exercises (e.g., muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and imagery). Take a warm bath 90 minutes before bedtime. The heat will raise your body temperature, and when it drops again it will help you feel sleepy. Stay Active: Get regular exercise—it improves restful sleep. But avoid rigorous exercise right before bedtime. Unplug: Keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and cool. Electronic devices can interfere with sleep. The light cues your brain to wake up. Turn devices off at least one hour before bedtime. EQAO Update This year the EQAO assessments for students in grades 3 and 6 will take place between May 30 and June 10. We ask that you please avoid booking dental, doctor appointments or vacations during this time. Go to www.eqao.com to access parent resources. March Break March Break is from Monday, March 14th to Friday, March 18th, 2016. A reminder that school is closed during this week. We hope that everyone has a safe, restful and joyful March Break. Your Catholic School Council
On Wednesday, April the 8th, we will once again gather at Tomken Arena from 7‐8pm to skate the evening away. This event has always been a great success in the past. We enjoy meeting up with other families in the community for some fun and exercise! Please be reminded that all; students and parents that are planning on skating, must wear a helmet. SPRING FLING AND SPIRIT WEEK Friday, March 4th School Council is hosting a “Spring Fling” here at St. Basil. We will be celebrating spring with a dance party for every grade. Monday, March 7 to Friday, March 11 SPIRIT WEEK. Check out the attachment to the newsletter for more information. Dates to Remember
March 4 Spring Fling Dance March 7‐11 Spirit Week March 10 Big crunch March 12 “Big Crunch” March 14‐18 March Break March 20 Holy Week Begins‐ Palm Sunday March 24 Holy Thursday‐ Stations of the Cross ‐ gym March 25 Good Friday – No School March 27 Easter Sunday March 28 Easter Monday‐ No School March 29 Easter Liturgy April 6 Skate Night at Tomken Arena April 10 Sacrament of First Holy Communion April 11 P.A. Day April 14 Sacrament of Confirmation – 7:00 p.m. April 15 Diversity Conference @ St.Philip Pocock Christ has no other hands today but ours.