MARCH 2016
ST. JOACHIM CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
435 Rutherford Road North, Brampton, ON, L6V 3V9
905-453-4472
www.dpcdsb.org/JOACH
14Sept
Principal
M. Di Nunzio
Vice Principal
I. Judd
Office Staff
E. Weseloh
Y. McCutcheon
Superintendent
D. Finegan-Downey
Family of Schools
Brampton North
East
Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
You have made the sun to light the day
And the moon and stars to light the night. Help us walk in your light.
During the season of Lent, renew us through the gift of your Holy Spirit. Help
us grow in faith, hope and love. During this special time, we remember that
Jesus died and rose from the dead, so that we might be free to love. Help us
grow to be the people you call us to be; letting go of old habits of selfishness,
forgiving those who have hurt us, giving quality tie to our families, spending
time in quiet prayer. Amen
Trustee
A. Da Silva
Parish
St. Anne
Parish Priest
Father J. Cherickal
Associate Pastor
Father F. Marrone
PPRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Parish Telephone
905 453-1303
…He is Risen (Matthew 28). We anxiously await these words at Easter, when we are
reminded that the Resurrection is the central mystery of the Catholic faith. It is
through this event that we are able to be with God forever. Our acts of sacrifice and
good deeds throughout Lent remind us that the journey towards eternal life can be
difficult, but we have God’s love to strengthen us in our faith.
“Through A
Celebration Of Our
Faith All Who Enter
Our School May
Grow Together As A
Christian
Community”
@StJoachimDPCDSB
As spring nears, we are excited by the change of the seasons and the breath of new
life preparing to emerge all around us. We continue to prepare for Christ’ death and
resurrection as a school community and we sincerely hope that the blessings of the
coming Easter will be celebrated with family, friends, and the Church.
St. Joachim is a wonderful community, we hope to see you here on Saturday April
2nd for a Swab Clinic in honour of our student Aaryan from 9 a.m. -2 p.m. Please see
more information in the newsletter.
Happy Easter!
Your Admin Team,
M. Di Nunzio & I. Judd
MARCH 2016
STUDENT COUNCIL
On February 24th, 2016, St. Joachim participated in Pink Shirt Day! On this memorable day, the
students, staff and community wore pink to show their united front against bullying and pledge to
Stand Up! Student council had daily announcements leading up to
the event and handed out hand prints to the students to write their
names on it and colour them pink. Student council made a collage
that is showcased on the windows facing the play yard as a visual
reminder that bullying is not okay but that kindness and acceptance is. In the
gymnasium, staff and students also got together to make the word 'Stand Up' as a sign
of commitment and belief that every child has the right to feel safe, secure and
accepted at school.
LENTEN RETREAT
On Thursday, March 24th, we will be participating in a school wide Lenten retreat. As we journey towards
Easter, this retreat will help us to deepen our relationship with God through participation in activities and
prayer. We thank our Adult Faith Ambassadors and our Student Faith Ambassadors for supporting us in
our journey of faith.
HOLY WEEK
To allow all families to participate in Holy Week preparations, there will be no scheduled after
school programs. Please see the insert included with this newsletter for St. Anne’s Parish
schedule. A reminder that there is no school on Good Friday, March 25, 2016 or on Monday,
March 28th, 2016.
VIRTUE OF KINDNESS
A kind person…
•
gives their time to help others
• stands by their friends in time of need
• shares with their friends
• is polite
• cares about other people’s feelings
God wants us to be kind to everyone we meet. Being kind is about more than
just pretending to be nice. It is about helping and playing with others because
we want to and not because we feel we have to. God helps us to be kind to
our family and friends because by being kind we are able to see God in every
one we meet.
From the perspective of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations, a person with respect...
• Relates to family members in a loving, compassionate manner
• Values and honours the important role of the family in society
• Examines, evaluates and applies knowledge of interdependent systems for the
development of a just and compassionate society
• Promotes the sacredness of life systems for the
OUR DAILY PRAYER FOR MARCH
Let us now pray...for the virtue of kindness so that everyone we meet will feel like we are looking out for their good. AMEN
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
Plans are underway for our fundraising Dance-a-thon. This is our one major fundraising event of the
year. If you have gift certificates or items you wish to donate as prizes, please contact Mrs. NeuwirthMills, the Council Chair. The dance-a-thon will be held on April 15th. More information will be sent
home shortly.
The next Catholic School Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12th, 2016. We
welcome all members of our school community to come out and get involved in whatever capacity they can.
THE GREAT BIG CRUNCH
The Great Big Crunch is a special day of good food education, ending with a massive, synchronized bite
into a crunchy apple to celebrate. Together on Thursday, March 10th at 2:00, we will join students,
teachers and individuals from across Canada as we all take a bite of a crunchy apple to salute healthy and
local eating.
MARCH 2016
ENVIRONMENT CLUB NEWS
The Great Gulp ... A Toast to Tap Water!
The Region of Peel and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board have invited all staff and students to
celebrate Peel tap water by taking part in a school wide synchronized drink of tap water. Clean and
refreshing water is available at any tap in the Region of Peel. Tap water is inexpensive, good for your heath
and a wise choice to reduce waste and protect the environment. Our school’s Great Gulp event will take place on
Wednesday, March 30th, 2016. Help support this initiative by sending your child to school with a reusable water bottle or
cup so that they can make a toast to tap water. As a participating school, we will be entered into a draw for a water refill
station for the school or reusable water bottles for each student. When thirsty, remember that tap water is a safe, clean,
convenient choice that is good for you and the environment. To learn more about Peel tap water visit
www.peeltapwater.ca.and remember that ... St. Joachim continues to accept 4L MILK BAGS as well as printer cartridges,
cell phones, laptops and digital cameras. By bringing these items, we are helping to keep non-biodegradable items out of
our landfills. Thank you for your help.
This year, to honour Earth day, we will once again be sending home blue bags for our Bag2school
program. This program allows students, staff and parents to work together to contribute previously
enjoyed clothing and textiles that are then weighed and exchanged for cash at the current market rate.
The proceeds raised will go towards our eco initiatives including spring plantings. The items will be
shipped overseas and sold as quality used clothing, boosting affordable clothing markets in developing
countries. DO NOT SEND IN CLOTHING NOW. WE WILL SEND HOME BAGS JUST PRIOR TO EARTH WEEK.
GOOD BYE, THANK YOU & WELCOME
It’s time to say good bye to Mrs. Rigato in Kindergarten as Mrs. Rossi joins us
after returning from maternity leave. We thank Mrs. Rigato for her
contributions to the St. Joachim community and wish her well as she
continues her teaching career. Mrs. Rossi will be in Room 1 starting March
1st. Please join us in welcoming her to our community. We also welcome Ms. Paglia who will be in
Grade 1 until the end of June as Mrs. Lugtu has had a beautiful baby boy.
EQAO
Each year, all Grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario are assessed in reading, writing and mathematics.
Developed by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) and after consulting with more
than 1,000 teachers, as well as parents and the broader community across Ontario, these assessments
go beyond traditional tests of the past. Their ultimate purpose is to improve student achievement.
EQAO assessment is scheduled to be administered during the weeks of May 25th – June 8th.
We ask that parents of students in these grades ensure that their children are in attendance during these weeks.
Visit DPCDSB on the web for Board and School profiles at http://www.dpcdsb.org/EQAO. HOUSE– ST. JOHN BOSCO\\
STUDENT ABSENCES
Thank you to all of the parents who are using the Attendance line to report their child’s absence. It’s as
simple as calling the school at 905 453-4472 and pressing ‘1’. Just give your child’s name, the teacher’s
name and the reason for the absence.
DROPPING OFF AND PICKING UP STUDENTS
Once again, we are reminding all parents that students should not be dropped off at the front of the school. Please help
your child by arriving at school on time. They should be entering their classroom with their classmates
from the school yard.
At the end of the day, it is very busy as well. Some parents have started picking up their children
before 3:30. This is disruptive to your child as well as the classroom. Teachers are continuing to
provide instruction until the end of the day as well as establishing routines around getting ready to go
home such as completing agendas and packing up belongings. When children leave early, it interupts
the learning of all of the students as the teacher supports your child in getting ready. While it is
sometimes necessary to have your child leave school early, please try to schedule appointments after school hours so that
your child can get the most out of their school day.
NO LEFT TURN
Just a reminder that the Kiss and Ride does not allow for a left turn. As inconvenient as this is to many, it is to
help keep the flow of traffic moving. If a car is trying to turn left, it does not allow for any other cars to make
their way in or out of Kiss and Ride. Please keep our students safe by turning right out of the driveway.
MARCH 2016
NEW CONTACT INFORMATION?
If you have changed your cell phone number, home phone number, address or email
address, please notify the office immediately. It is extremely important that we have all up
to date information in the event that we need to contact you.
FLEX BOUNDARY REQUESTS
If you currently live outside the school boundary, and are attending St. Joachim on a flex boundary request, you will need
to request flex boundary for next year. The “Flexible Boundary” procedure is reviewed annually. Please note that flex
boundaries will be looked at on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed from year to year. If you are requesting flex
boundary, please note that transportation is your responsibility. The Board will not provide either transportation or
additional supervision for students admitted under this procedure. Note also that the students admitted under this
procedure do not automatically become eligible for the secondary school serving the school. A separate request must be
made to the secondary school principal. If you would like to be considered for flex boundary for the 2016-2017 school
year, please submit your request in writing by March 30, 2016. Please include the reason(s) for your request. These
requests are only for students who will be in grades 1 to 8 next year.
NEW HOURS – ONTARIO EARLY YEARS
The Ontario Early Years will have new hours effective March 28th. The new hours will be
Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:15 0 12:00 noon and Tuesdays from 9:15 – 12:00 and
1:00 – 3:00. Parents and Caregivers with children 0 – 6 can drop in to play and learn at the centre
or participate in a program. All programs and services are FREE! As always, please enter through
the doors from the Kindergarten yard. For more information about Early Years Programs, please
call 905-495-3431 or check out our website www.mpcrc.ca. The entrance to our centre is behind
the black fence, to the left of the front doors.
MATCH4AARY.COM – SWAB CLINIC DATE CHANGE
As we have shared before, one of our students, Aaryan, has been diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia. It
is estimated that there are 2 to 12 new cases of Aplastic Anemia per million population per year. It
occurs in both adults and children. Aplastic Anemia is a condition that occurs when the body stops
producing enough new blood cells. The disorder leaves you feeling fatigued and with a higher risk of
infections and uncontrolled bleeding. A rare and serious condition, Aplastic Anemia can develop at
any age. Aplastic Anemia may occur suddenly, or it can occur slowly and worsen over a long period
of time.
Treatment for Aplastic Anemia may include medications, blood transfusions and/or bone marrow (stem cell) transplants.
Aary’s best chance of beating Aplastic Anemia is a bone marrow transplant within the next few months.
Testing to see if you are a match is as simple as a swab of the inside of the cheek. It will take approximately 12 weeks from
your cheek swab to be added to the registry. When you donate to OneMatch (Canada) or Be the Match (US), you are not
matched specifically to Aary, you can be matched to any patient and bring hope to families anywhere in Canada or around
the world. St. Joachim will be hosting a Swab Clinic on Saturday, April 2, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. We welcome
anyone who may be able to come out to be tested. Please see the newsletter insert included.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Pizza Day
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Rosary Apostolate
Thursday, March 10, 2016
The Great Big Crunch
MARCH BREAK – no school for students
March 14 – March 18 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Pizza Day
Thursday, March 24, 2016
School Wide Lenten Retreat
Friday, March 25, 2016
Good Friday – school is closed
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Easter Sunday
Monday, March 28, 2016
Easter Monday – school is closed
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Sub Day
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
The Big Gulp
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Swab Clinic – www.match4aary.com 9:00 – 2:00
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Pizza Day
Friday, April 8, 2016
Grade 8 Grad Photos
Monday, April 11, 2016
PA Day – no school for students
Ready to register?
Registration information is available in
the school office
or through the CCCSC website:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC/
Alternatively, you may complete the
Survey Monkey™ to register
using this URL:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M9BFLTY
Saturday, April 9, 2016
AGENDA
8:30 a.m.
Registration, Refreshments,
Vendor Market Place
9:00 a.m.
Liturgy and Opening Remarks
9:30 a.m.
Keynote Address:
Dr. Susan Williams, Psychologist.
A Parent’s Guide to Reducing Stress and
Increasing Resilience in Children
10:30 a.m.
Refreshment Break
Vendor Marketplace
MOVE TO WORKSHOP SESSIONS . . .
11:00 a.m.
Workshop Sessions [Attend one of eight sessions]
12:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks and Door Prizes
12:15 p.m.
Vendors open to Conference
participants until 12:45 p.m.
ExtraordinaryLives
StartwithaGreat
CatholicEducation
For more information on the Central
Committee of Catholic School Councils
in Dufferin-Peel CDSB,
visit http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC/
CENTRAL COMMITTEE
OF CATHOLIC
SCHOOL COUNCILS
PRESENTS
Opening Doors of Mercy
“Blessed are the merciful, for
they will receive mercy.” –
Matthew 5:7
Conference & Marketplace
St. Joseph Catholic
Secondary School
5555 Creditview Road, Mississauga, ON
Located on Creditview Road,
north of Bristol Road south of Britannia
for Dufferin-Peel CDSB
Catholic School Council
Chairs, Members &Volunteers
Saturday, April 9, 2016
St. Joseph Secondary School
5555 Creditview Road, Mississauga
KEYNOTE SPEAKER 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
Dr. Susan Williams, Psychologist
Children who are excessively stressed or anxious can underachieve
in school, have low self-esteem, be angry, sad and lonely, have
difficulty with schoolwork and have difficult family and peer
relationships. Parents have a significant impact on how well children
respond to stress and anxiety. Therefore, it is important that we, as
parents, teach ourselves healthy ways to deal with stress and anxiety
so we can pass on this knowledge to our children. We also need to
follow some fundamental parenting principles so children learn how
to self-regulate when stressed and anxious. Healthy habits learned
in childhood promote lifelong healthy habits and a happier and more
productive life.
This presentation will describe some reasons why children are more
stressed and anxious than before and help parents develop
resilience, reduce stress, improve their child’s overall well-being and
create a happier home. The presentation will be followed by a
question and answer period.
Introducing our Keynote Speaker
Dr. Williams is currently the Director of the
Halton Centre for Cognitive Therapy and
Stress Reduction in Oakville.
She
maintained an appointment for 8 years as
Assistant Professor (PT) in the Department
of
Psychiatry
and
Behavioural
Neurosciences at McMaster University
where she conducted research on
prevention and intervention with anxious
and depressed children, provided treatment in the child, adolescent,
and adult hospital programs, and trained residents and interns in
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). She has worked on the CBT
Unit at the former Clarke Institute of Psychiatry in Toronto (now
CAMH), at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre at St. Joseph’s
Healthcare in Hamilton, the Mood Disorders program at the former
Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, the Adolescent Program and Eating
Disorders Clinic at McMaster University Medical Centre, and the Child
and Family Centre at Chedoke Hospital, Hamilton.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
A Parent’s Guide to Reducing Stress and
Increasing Resilience in Children
Overview of the Keynote Address
WORKHOP SESSIONS
A
Being Catholic is Cool!!
Inspiring Our Children to Deepen their Faith
Presenter: S. Byrne, Chaplaincy Leader
This workshop will explore different avenues of the Church which
your child will find attractive. How do you encourage your child to
attend Mass? How about the value of reconciliation and support
for youth in the Archdiocese of Toronto? This workshop will give
you all the tools to talk to your child about the beauty and value of
our Church
B
Empowering Youth to be Leaders and Achievers
Presenter: Miguel Martinez
This 45-minute workshop is called "Speaking Their
Language." This workshop does not aim to perfect you, but rather
to give you insight into your loved one's mind. This workshop will
enable you to understand and communicate better with your
youth. Results will be based on your effort and diligence in
applying the knowledge and techniques you learn. I will teach you
the power of music and movement and how you can harness that
power in order to understand and connect with the young people
in your lives.
Mental Well-Being: Supporting Students Experiencing
Stress and Worry Sponsored by the Dufferin-Peel
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Presenters: J. Golla, Principal, Bishop Scalabrini School,
Mississauga; Dr. S. Sweet, Clinical Child Psychologist & Mental
Health Liaison for DPCDSB; S. Wessler, Social Worker, DPCDSB
C
Special Education: A Ministry of Education
Perspective on Supports for Students with Differing
Abilities Session sponsored by Dufferin-Peel Special
Education Advisory Committee (SEAC))
Ministry of Education Presenters: M. Wallace - Education Officer,
Toronto and Area Regional Office, Z. Xu, Education Officer,
Special Education Policy and Programs Branch
This session is provided for parents/guardians of students with
differing abilities including special education learning needs.
Staff from the Ontario Ministry of Education's Regional Office and
Special Education Policy and Programs Branch, along with
Dufferin-Peel Staff, will bring a provincial context for special
education and support services aligned with Board programs and
services.
D
The New Ontario Health and Physical Education
Curriculum
Presenter: Shelagh Peterson, Coordinator of Religious
Ed & Faith Formation, DPCDSB
Ms. Peterson is the Coordinator of Religious Education and Faith
Formation for the Dufferin-Peel CDSB. She has been part of the
provincial team compiling Catholic resources to support our
schools in the implementation of the new Health and Physical
Education curriculum. With over twenty years teaching religious
education in Dufferin-Peel, she is well versed in the elementary
Fully Alive program and the secondary religious education
material.
E
F
21st Century Supports for All Students
Presenter: Joseph Marquis
In response to the Ministry of Education’s Mental Health and
Addictions Strategy aligned to the Catholic Board Learning Plan
(CBLP), Dufferin-Peel is committed to creating safe, caring,
inclusive and healthy school communities. Through a team
approach, an administrator, psychology staff, and social work staff,
will facilitate a workshop on the needs of the student experiencing
stress and worry. This session will provide an overview of
worry/anxiety and the team process educators/parents/caregivers
may use to support students facing particular challenges.
Mr. Marquis will focus on technology to support all students in
the classroom as part of our Dufferin-Peel Universal Design for
Learning Suite. He will also provide handouts to support home
downloads of selected software.
Peel Health Nurses will outline the importance of a healthy
lifestyle for young children.
Presenters will discuss the
importance of making appropriate food choices, increasing
exercise and proper rest. Focus in these areas can effect a
child’s behaviour, growth and development, both mentally and
physically
G
Healthy Bodies Nurture Healthy Minds
Presenters: Hardev Sohi (PHN), Julia Pilliar (Dietician)
ST. ANNE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
Brampton, Ontario
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE 2016
Saturday, March 19
9:45 a.m.
PALM SUNDAY
Sat/Sun., March 19 & 20
p.m.
Lenten Reconciliation/Confessions
(Several priests will be available for individual confessions)
5:00 p.m. 8:00 am, 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. & 1:00
EASTER TRIDUUM
HOLY THURSDAY
March 24
7:30 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper and
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
in the Stephenson room until midnight
GOOD FRIDAY
March 25
Passion
HOLY SATURDAY
March 26
10:30 a.m. Children’s Station of the Cross
11:15 a.m. Portuguese Pilgrimage
3:00 p.m. Solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s
7:00 p.m. Lifeteen Stations of the Cross
7:30 p.m. EASTER VIGIL MASS
RCIA Sacraments of Initiation
EASTER SUNDAY
March 27
MASSES:
8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
(1 p.m. Mass cancelled)