MARCH 2016 Edition
Principal
W. Brunton
A Lenten Prayer
March ~ Kindness
Lord, Jesus Christ
Vice Principal
M. Boscarino
Head Secretary
R. Leonardo
Assistant Secretary
J. Lister
Superintendent
D. Amaral
905-890-1221
Trustees
S. Hobin
905-301-1210
M. Pascucci
905-302-3096
Parish
St. Mary Star of the Sea
Fr. Neil McMillian, Pastor
905-278-2058
St. Christopher
Fr. Scott Young, Pastor
905-822-1171
By Your passion, death and resurrection
You have set us free from sin and death.
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.
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their
echoes are truly endless.”- Mother Teresa
May Your grace renew our hearts this Lent
And help us to turn from sin in our lives.
May we learn to appreciate more deeply
the Sacrifice You made for us.
Accept our prayer, fasting and acts of
charity as we seek to draw closer to You
during this Holy Season.
Strengthen the faith of Your people
so that we may be a sign of Your love to
all the world.
From the Office:
As we continue to prepare for the death and resurrection
of Jesus let us try to keep in our minds and hearts how
we continue to grow following the teachings of Jesus.
Amen
As we approach Easter let us continue to use the period
of Lent to pray for peace and harmony in the world. Let
us pray that our students, families and staff will be able
to journey through Lent in health and with a renewed
sense of peace and faith.
PRINCIPALS
On behalf of the entire St. Luke Staff, we would like to
wish all the families a Holy and Blessed Lenten Season.
God Bless,
W. Brunton & M. Boscarino
PALS’
MESSAGE C
A special thank
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MARCH BREAK!
CALLING ALL GARDENERS!!
March Break will take place from
March 14 to March 18 and there will be no
school during this week.
St. Luke is proud to introduce the fun and educational
Organics Edibles Program. Grow your own organic
vegetables in individual pots. Choose from cucumbers,
tomatoes, green beans and more!! All order forms are
due back at school by Wed., March 9th, for delivery at
the beginning of April. Thank you for your continued
support.
NEW P.D. DAY
A new designated additional PROFESSIONAL
ACTIVITY DAY has been scheduled for
MONDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2016
ATTENDANCE
Please call to register an absence – 905-274-2760. You can call
24hrs. An answering machine is available to take information.
Please provide your child’s name, grade and teacher’s name.
If an absence is not reported, our policy is to call home to
verify student absenteeism. A parent or guardian must sign out
students who leave early. A reminder to parents and students
that an expectation set out from the beginning of the year
clearly indicated that all students must arrive at school on time.
ALL ST. LUKE PARENTS ARE WELCOME
A reminder to ALL parents who would like to volunteer at the
school this year, including those desiring to accompany classes
on Field Trips or Athletic events that a current criminal
reference check is now required. Forms can be picked-up at the
Office.
Please note that during busy times, it can take 6-8 weeks for the
Police to complete the check so plan ahead to avoid
disappointment.
Being consistently and continuously late interrupts classroom
learning activities, creates delays in the office and sets a poor
example for those who do arrive on time. Kindly note that issues
with lates and absenteeism will be dealt with strictly, and may
involve the school’s Administration, Child Youth Worker and
Social Worker.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
Our Catholic School Council Meeting dates for 2015-2016
are as follows:
Wed. April 20 th, Tues. May 17th, Tues. June 14 th
QSP FUNDRAISER
Thank you for supporting our QSP magazine sale!!
If you have any Questions, contact QSP customer service at
1-800-667-2536
Even though our deadline for sending in orders and getting
prizes has passed, you can still order online anytime at great
prices and our school still benefits!! Take advantage of QSP’s
great prices all year long, just go to www.qsp.ca and click
on “Shop Now” St. Luke code is 3716917.
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Gr.2 First Reconciliation & Holy Communion
Dates
ROSARY APOSTOLATE
St. Luke is proud to welcome the
Rosary Apostolate. Love and
reverence for the Mother of God
and teaching students how to pray
the Holy Rosary constitute an essential part of the
Christian formation. The Rosary Apostolate
strives to fulfill this essential need.
Grade 7 & 8 – Confirmation—Meeting for
Parent and Candidates
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Please join us for our Stations of the Cross Through
The Eyes of Mary Celebration on Holy Thursday at
1:00 p.m.
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION
It is important that our children continue to be exposed to our
Catholic Community through experiences at the parish.
The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and the Eucharist is
at the heart of the Church’s life. “Sunday is the day on which
the Paschal Mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic
tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of
obligation in the universal Church.‟ [CIC, can. 1246 # 1]
Throughout the school year, students experience the mystery of
Jesus Christ through celebrations, liturgies and mass. We
encourage all of our families to maintain these traditions
and obligations throughout the year by attending Mass as a
family every Sunday.
YOUTH FAITH RALLY
On Wednesday, March 9th,
several of our Intermediate
Youth Faith Ambassadors will
be partaking in our annual
Youth Faith Rally at Pope John
Paul 11 Cultural Centre.
Students will participate in
various activities celebrating the
Jubilee Year of Mercy.
St. Mary Star of the Sea
First Reconciliation: Thursday, March 10, 2016 @ 7p.m.
First Holy Communion: June 4/5, June 11/12, June 18/19
First Holy Communion is the beginning of a deeper union and
friendship with Jesus and a deeper oneness with the Eucharistic
community.
St. Christopher Catholic Church
Gr. 7 Sacrament of Confirmation: May 10th/May11th
(TBD)
St. Mary Star of the Sea
Sacrament of Confirmation: Sunday, May 29 th, 2016 @
11:00 a.m. Mass.
Confirmation is the beginning of a deeper commitment to
Jesus and to the mission of the Church.
THE VIRTUES INITIATIVE
A key aspect of the Board’s strategic direction is the continued
development of safe, caring, inclusive Catholic school
communities. As a Catholic Community, we are called to
learn, grow and become more like Jesus. Catholic education
provides us the opportunity to integrate the virtues into our
students’ daily activity. The virtues will be celebrated every
month during announcements, in class during discussions, and
during the Living Our Faith Awards assemblies.
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September: Faith
November: Conscience
January: Self-control
March: Kindness
May: Acceptance
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October: Empathy
December: Hope
February: Respect
April: Love
June: Fairness
VIRTUE ASSEMBLY
On T u e s d a y , A p r i l 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 , St. Luke staff and
students will celebrate our Living Our Faith Awards of
the year for grades J.K - 8 students.
It is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our faith together by
highlighting the wonderful things your children do as a result of
hard work and perseverance. Parents will be notified by the
classroom teacher via a written note if their child will receive
an award. Please note the following times: K-4: 8:45 a.m.
& Grades 5-8: 9:45 a.m.
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SAFE SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
St. Luke is a Catholic community that respects
and promotes the uniqueness of all its
members. By following the teachings of Jesus, we
pledge to provide everyone with a safe, caring
and peaceful environment, which ensures the
respect and acceptance of all. Because of these
beliefs bullying will not be tolerated. Your
child deserves a safe environment in which to work, learn and
play. If you have any concerns, please contact us. Thank you
for supporting us as we support your child.
medical concern. The form requires information on the medical
issue, and a picture of the child. Parents are responsible for
ensuring that all medication and forms are updated annually. If
your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms
completed and returned with the medication to the office as soon
as possible.
A reminder that children are not allowed to keep ANY
medication on their persons, in their desk, backpack or
anywhere in their classroom, unless ordered by their doctor. In
such case, documentation is necessary. All dispensing and
storage of ANY medication must occur from the Office.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY RULES
ANGELS IN ACTION
This year our Grade 7 & 8 students will be leading our Angels
in Action team during all recesses throughout the day. A
dedicated team of over 30 grade 7 and 8 students have
volunteered their recess time to ensure St. Luke is a safe,
caring and inclusive school for all to play during recesses. Our
leaders will wear newly purchased yellow and black Angels in
Action jackets so they are visible to all students during recess
hours. As part of our safe schools committee, this team will
help other students at recess with fair play, co-operation, and
everyone being included. All Angel in Action leaders were
trained by the school Child and Youth Worker prior to starting
this initiative. A kick off assembly has taken place to inform
all students of this great initiative. We look forward to seeing
the many positive impacts our intermediate students will have
on the school.
ANAPHYLAXIS PLAN
We have a number of staff and students
in our school who have severe allergic
reactions to peanuts, peanut butter,
peanut oils, peanut by-products, pinenuts, shellfish, and
seafood. As in the past, we are asking you to not put anyone at
risk. Do not send any PEANUTS, PEANUT BUTTER,
PEANUT OILS AND ANY PEANUT BY-PRODUCTS,
PINENUTS, SHELLFISH, OR SEAFOOD INTO THE
SCHOOL. This includes products like Nutella as well as
Sushi. Please also be aware that some salad dressings contain
oyster juice which can cause a serious anaphylaxis response.
Please do not send any food products to mark a child’s
birthday. Student birthdays can be acknowledged by sending
non-food items such as a pencil or pen to celebrate a child’s
birthday with his/her peers. Thank you for your co-operation in
this very important matter.
The conduct of individual students on the
bus directly affects the safety of all the
students on the bus. The driver’s
attention needs be on the road. We are
requesting that all parents/guardians
reinforce the School Bus Safety Rules
with their child(ren). All Students
Should:
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Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to their stop time.
Never play close to the road.
Be ready to board the bus by waiting in an orderly line.
Board the bus in single file, use the handrail and sit down
in their seat as quickly as possible.
Listen to the bus driver.
Always remain seated while the bus is moving.
Do not throw anything out of the window.
Keep the aisles clear of objects (backpacks, lunches, etc.).
Do not shout or cause any other unnecessary noises.
Be very attentive at railway crossings.
Never put any part of your body out an
open window.
Be sure to look all ways before crossing the road.
Do not damage the bus in anyway.
Do not throw garbage on the floor.
Do not consume any food or drink on the bus.
Bus privileges will be revoked if need be. Thank you for your
support in ensuring that our students journey safely to and
from school.
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
We sent home Emergency Allergy Alert
Forms for parents to fill out in the event that your child has a
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SHROVE TUESDAY !!!
DONATE YOUR SKATES!
A BIG THANK YOU goes out to St. Louis Catholic Elementary
School for providing some of our Grade 1 students with gently
used skates for their Grade 1 skating trip. Please kindly bring in
any used skates to the office and we will donate them to St. Louis.
We’d like to extend a BIG thank you to all of our parents
who cooked the most delicious pancakes for our students!
We can’t do it without you!!
BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING
DUE TO BAD WEATHER
CHESS UPDATE
Grade 1-8 students have had the opportunity to participate
in the Chess club. They have been meeting every week
since January in preparation for the chess tournament to
be held on March 30th at St. Luke. 5 students from each
division will be chosen to represent St. Luke at the Family
Chess Tournament.
EARHTH HOUR
This year Earth Hour will be held on Saturday, March 19 th
at 8:30 p.m. Earth Hour is an annual environmental
campaign that brings attention to the effects of climate
change. It was famously started as a lights-off event in
Sydney, Australia in 2007. Take part by switching off
your lights at home!! St Luke will be participating in Earth
Hour on Friday, March 18th.
The prospect of inclement weather is upon us. During the winter
months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus
transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel
school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by
6:00a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and
television stations:
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VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9
CHUM AM1050
CFTR AM680
NEWSTALK 1010AM
CHFI 98.1
CJBC (FR) AM860
EZ ROCK FM97.3
CBC 99.1
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540
FM Z103.5
FM Q107
GLOBAL NEWS
CITYPULSE
CTV
CANADA AM
You can also visit the Board website at www.dpcdsb.org or
any Dufferin-Peel Catholic school website, where a yellow
ALERT banner at the top of the page will advise of any
cancellations or other relevant alert messages.
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Personal Electronic Devices (PED’s)
Personal Electronic Devices on Board Premises
and/or Board Sanctioned Events for educational
Purposes:
The EQAO testing of our Grade 3 and Grade 6 students will
take place from May 25th –June 8th. Please avoid scheduling
any doctor’s appointments or anything else that will take your
child out of school during these testing dates. Tests and
materials cannot be given out to parents prior to or during the
testing. A letter to grade 3 and Grade 6 parents with further
information will be sent home closer to the testing dates.
C.O.D.E
The Council of Ontario Directors of Education recognize the
importance of parents supporting their child’s learning in math.
For further information and access to video modules and support
materials visit:
http://www.ontariodirectors.ca/parentengagement-math
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District Board
acknowledges the value of the use of
technology for learning. Students will be
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. Students may
register their PED for the purpose of connecting
to the board wireless network. Students will be
required to adhere to the student “Personal
Electronic Device Used with WI-FI Network
Student Agreement” (GF066). 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.
In this regard, all cell phones must be kept out of sight,
turned off and not used within school premises or during
school sanctioned activities.
At St. Luke Catholic School we ask that students leave ALL
electronic devices and games at home as the school cannot be
responsible for their safe keeping. Cell phones are permissible as
long as they are turned off and not used in or on school property.
Please keep your child’s valuables at home. Staff cannot be
responsible for any valuables that your child brings to school.
Money, jewelry, electronics, toys, etc., should be kept at
home.
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LUNCH POLICY
Thank you for completing the Lunch
Permission Form and returning it to your
child’s teacher. This will ensure that the
school is aware of where you prefer your
child(ren) to be over the lunch hour. Any changes to the
agreement throughout the year must be submitted in writing to
the teacher and/or office. Thank you for your cooperation in
this matter.
Once children have arrived back at school, they must remain
on school property. They are not permitted to leave school
again without written permission.
A table has been placed outside the office for lunches. Lunches
should only be dropped off on rare occasions. If you are
dropping off a lunch for your child please clearly label your
child’s name and teacher’s name on the outside of the lunch
bag/container and place it on the lunch table. Classes are not
to be interrupted for students to pick up lunches. Please advise
your child(ren) to expect a lunch to be dropped off. They will
be allowed to come down and pick up their lunch at 11:30 a.m.
PIZZA DAYS
This year pizza days will be weekly.
Pizza will be distributed every Friday.
We wish to thank our Parent Council for organizing
our pizza days.
SUB DAYS
Subs will be distributed every Monday starting
Oct. 19th and ending on June 27th.
LUNCH MOMS
Lunches ordered through Lunch Moms will be delivered on
Tuesdays and Thursdays.
CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES ACT
In April 2000, the Child and Family Services Act was amended
and a new law came into effect concerning our obligation to
report concerns about children who may be “in need of
protection”. As per Board’s practice, we will continue our duty
to ensure your child’s safety this year. Within our school
system, every person who has reason to believe that a child is
or may be abused or neglected must report his/her suspicions
directly to the Children’s Aid Society.
The definition of “child in need of protection” because of
suspected child abuse or neglect has been expanded for
Children’s Aid Societies. The law says:
• School staff do not have a choice if they suspect that a
student is or may be in need of protection. Staff must report
their suspicions to a Children’s Aid Society.
• Staff can be fined $1,000.00 for failing to report that a
student is or may be in need of protection.
• It is not the school’s responsibility to investigate suspicion,
evaluate the situation or assign blame.
• When a report is made to Children’s Aid Society, school staff
are required to share information about their concern which
might otherwise be confidential.
• Parents and guardians need to be aware that it is not
necessary for school staff to be sure or to have proof “that a
student is in need of protection”. The law says that school staff
must only have reasonable grounds to suspect child abuse or
neglect. “Reasonable grounds” is defined as being what the
average person would expect given his or her training,
background and experience.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is committed
to meeting the legal requirements of the Child and Family.
VISITORS/VOLUNTEERS
We wish to thank everyone who faithfully
reports to the Office and signs in when
visiting or volunteering at the school. A reminder to all visitors
INCLUDING PARENTS that they must come to the office
first so they can sign in and pick up a visitors tag. Anyone not
wearing an identification badge will be asked to return to the
office to sign in and pick one up. This procedure will help
students and staff in recognizing our many visitors at the
school.
If you are picking up your child at school at a time other than
regular dismissal, we ask that you report to the office.
Arrangements will be made for your child to be sent to the
office. If you intend to send someone else to pick up your
children, please inform the office. If you are staying to
help/volunteer, then you must sign in at the office and obtain a
visitors tag that you must wear at all times while you are in the
school.
If you wish to meet with a staff member, please call the school or
drop in at the office to make an appointment.
We thank you for your co-operation in supporting a safe
environment at St. Luke School.
EMERGENCY EVACUATION
We have a detailed emergency and fire
evacuation plan. In the event that we do have to
evacuate, our first destination will be Tecumseh
Public School.
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FLU SEASON
We are heading into the flu season. Being parents ourselves, we are keenly aware of the work pressure you
experience when providing care at home for your child who is ill. Nevertheless, aside from being the best course
of action for your child, keeping your sick child at home may also serve to limit the spread of influenza in the
community of school children and staff.
WINTER WEATHER
Please continue to remind and encourage your child(ren) to dress appropriately for the weather with warm hats,
mittens, coats and boots.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 3rd- Grade 3 trip to Legoland
March 9th- Grade 7 & 8 Golf Lessons in the gym
March 11th- Rosary Apostolate
March 14th-18th- March Break
March 21st-25th- Holy Week
March 24th- Stations of the Cross Celebration in the gym @ 1:00 p.m.
March 25th- Good Friday
March 28th – Easter Monday
March 31st- Mississauga South Chess Tournament @ St. Luke
April 5th Grade 3 Eco Presentations
April 7th- Big Kids Presentations in the gym
April 12th- Easter Mass in the gym
“What can we do to stop our heart from going numb? Go forth and
proclaim the Joy of the Gospel!”
Pope Francis
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