Purple & Proud
June 2014
Principal's Message
Only a life lived for others is the life worthwhile.
Principal
Jeffrey Quenneville
Vice-Principals
Sharon Bolger
Jennifer Meier
Paul Nalli
Superintendent
David Amaral
Trustee
Peter Ferreira
Parish:
St. Joseph
Pastor:
Fr. Marc-André Campbell
Tel: 905.826.2766
- Albert Einstein
Reflecting on this, our 20th Anniversary year at St. Joseph, I am struck by the simple yet profound words above.
One of the greatest minds in human history – a man who transformed the very way in which we understand our
physical world – challenges us to transform the way in which we live our lives. Echoing the central message of
the Gospels, Einstein’s call for us to live a life of service is one that is clearly heard and honoured in our school
community.
Our students and staff have proven yet again this year that we are a family who understand what it is to live in the
light of Christ. We have raised thousands of dollars for a variety of causes; we have donated food and gifts to
help families in need enjoy a merry Christmas; we have collectively donated hundreds of hours of our time to
volunteer in a great number service projects. All of these efforts are testament to our school community’s desire
and commitment to answer the call of this year’s pastoral theme to live our lives “Serving in the Love of Christ”.
Our teachers have embarked on a new three-year improvement plan which has ignited many sparks of collaborative inquiry in our school, all centered on one vital, collective question – “How can we make our school and
classrooms places where success happens for all students?” Departments, individual teachers and other
professional learning teams have come together to continue building our school’s capacity for excellence in
Catholic education both in and out of the classroom.
As is often the case at the end of a school year, we have to say goodbye to a few of our staff and this year is not
different. Our Guidance Department Head, Mrs. Smits is leaving after many years of service to the St. Joseph
community and her mark on this school is deep and indelible. She has been the driving force behind many great
initiatives over the years, not the least of which is our PATH program which places almost 100 Grade 12 students
into Grade 9 and 10 classrooms where they “co-teach” with our teachers. The positive impact of this program,
on both our school and on the students who participate, is proven and tangible. We will miss you Mrs. Smits!
Another person who has spent the last three years keeping our school running in tip-top shape and ensuring it
is a safe, caring and inclusive environment for all students, Mr. Nalli will be moving to St. Thomas Aquinas to
assume the role of Vice Principal there and his absence will be felt here. The passion, commitment and vision he
has brought to his VP role here has been second-to-none and I am know he will continue to be an exemplary
administrator at his new school. Go up to Brampton and start collecting those hats and hoodies Paul!
We also have two staff who are moving into leadership roles in other Dufferin-Peel schools - Ms. DiGennaro,
who has coordinated and taught in our PIP program and Ms. Franks, who has taught in our Moderns, Religion
and Special Education departments. Both of these ladies have been members of the St. Joe’s family for many
years and we wish them well as they grow into their new roles as Department Heads at St. Martin’s and
St. Francis Xavier respectively. Our loss is their gain!
And on the home front, we congratulate two of our own teachers as they move into new roles as Department
Heads in our school. Mr. Simeone, who has been Acting Head of the Business, Technology and Cooperative
Education department for most of this year will assume the role of Head of that department in September and
Ms. Nay, a long-time member of our Guidance department, will move into the role of Guidance Department Head
at that time as well.
Finally, I want to personally congratulate our Graduates and wish them well in the next leg of life’s
journey and I also want to take this opportunity to thank the staff, students and parents of St. Joseph for making
this another wonderful year for me as the Principal of this amazing school! I wish everyone a safe, relaxing and
fun-filled summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in September for another awesome year at St. Joe’s!
Go Jags!
- Mr. Q
St. Joseph Secondary School
• 5555 Creditview Road, Mississauga, ON L5V 2B9
Tel: 905.812.1376 • Fax: 905.812.0812 • http://www.dpcdsb.org/JOESS/
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
The Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District
School Board
A Message from Peter Ferreira, Trustee
Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education
Over the years, Parents/Guardians who chose Catholic education for their children have told
us that they are overwhelmingly satisfied with the education their children receive in our DufferinPeel Catholic schools. Indeed, there are many ways to measure success, one of them being
standardized testing, such as EQAO assessments that are conducted across the province
each year. In these tests, Dufferin-Peel students have invariably met or exceeded the provincial average in virtually all areas year after year. This, combined with our high graduation rates,
variety of programming choices, the all-pervasive, spiritual, Christian Catholic faith-imbued
nature of our schools, high standard of excellence, committed and dedicated faculty and staff
and welcoming, diverse learning environments, make our schools places where extraordinary
lives begin to take shape. Hopefully, this has been your experience at your child’s school.
As trustees, we continually share good news stories about Catholic education in Dufferin-Peel
. at board meetings, school council and community meetings, through social media,
face-to-face conversations; essentially, wherever we go. While we connect, collectively, with
thousands of parents/guardians and family members, there are countless others who may be
unaware of what we have to offer.
Last summer, we embarked on an awareness campaign to enhance our board’s profile in a
variety of public spaces in the community. The campaign, which is ongoing, was labeled,
Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education. We took this simple message to all
corners of our jurisdiction using images that reflect our richly diverse community. You may
have seen our message in transit shelters, shopping malls, community newspapers and other
publications. Soon, you may spot our message displayed in colourful graphic design across
many of our board maintenance vehicles as they roll throughout the community. As parents/
guardians and stakeholders, we hope that you, too, will feel proud to be a part of our community and to also spread this message, based on your experience, through word of mouth and
other means at your disposal.
Our 20th Anniversary Banner
Over 200 Safe Space Pledges
It has been another incredible year. To highlight a few accomplishments:
• Sixth consecutive balanced budget
• Aggressive technology plan for our schools
• Full Day Kindergarten in every elementary school, in September
• Continuing reinvestments in Special Education
• Working towards Eco certification for all schools
• Vigorous schedule of renovations and repairs to schools
• Launched our dynamic new board and school websites
As we close out the 2013-14 school year, we can say that we have much to be pleased with
and proud about in our schools. Our students continue to perform at levels that meet or exceed
the provincial standards and average in most areas of EQAO assessments. This speaks to the
range of academic programs that are designed to meet the needs of the diverse range of
learners in our system. The recently concluded Catholic Education Week gave our students
and our schools the opportunity to highlight the incredible work that takes place each day and
provided a forum for our community to see this work firsthand.
Celebrating our Feast Day
If you would like to receive ongoing information from the board on school and board issues,
events and activities, consider signing up for eCommunity, a free information service provided
through the board website at www.dpcdsb.org or follow us on Twitter @DPCDSBSchools.
It has been my honour and pleasure to serve as your trustee this past year. To those whose
children are graduating and leaving our system, I hope your experience has been a positive
one that you will stay connected to Dufferin-Peel and continue to be a Catholic school
supporter. To those parents and guardians whose children remain with us, I look forward to
working on your behalf over the coming years in one capacity or another. To all, it is my hope
that you will have a safe and enjoyable summer and experience God’s richest blessings in all
that you do.
Page 2
Advent Elves taking a break
Jags at
Parliament Hill
Day of service at Canadian Food for Children
Chaplaincy Department
Serving in the Love of Christ with Faithfulness,
Humility, Compassion, Justice, Joy
This year’s school theme of “20 years of Serving in the Love of Christ” encompasses
what we are about as a Catholic School in the Streetsville community and who we are
as a member of the body of Christ. Daily, we remind our young people that they are
children of God, loved into creation and members of the Kingdom! Our students come
from all walks of life, diverse in culture and creed but unified in their choice to be a part
of a Catholic Education system.
As this is the final newsletter for the school year, I take the opportunity to thank our
young people, the staff, our families and the parish for their continued support of our
school pastoral plan. Enjoy the photos!
Parish Stations of the Cross
With faithfulness we have come together daily in prayer and to celebrate the sacramental.
With humility we have worked tirelessly for the voiceless, never seeking reward or accolades.
With compassion we have reached out to each other, the community and the world.
With justice we have marched, signed action cards, joined a mission trip and
fundraised for the poor and vulnerable.
With joy we have celebrated our 20 years as a school and the successes
of our students and staff.
I will be taking a sabbatical during the academic year of 2014-2015 to pursue some
personal goals and wish all of you a blessed summer. I will miss you all dearly. To all
the students and staff returning to us in September, please take an active role in the
faith life of the school through the Chaplaincy department. Continue to ensure that we
are a beacon for Christ!
YFA Rally Leaders
The following three organizations would like to welcome you as a summer volunteer:
St. Jude’s Academy of the Arts-416-740-7187 (working with special needs young adults)
Good Shepherd Center-416-869-3619 (helping to sort food, make beds, etc.)
Canadian Food For Children-if you are volunteering as a group of 10+ (club,sports
team, etc.) please e-mail: cffc_studentgroups@hotmail.com;
otherwise, the warehouse is open Mon.-Friday from 8 a.m.-noon.
Please stay in touch with our Chaplaincy department through our school website and
through twitter (@jagchaplaincy)
With love,
Ms. D. Pereira
Board-wide
Lenten Pilgrimage
Bring Back our Girls
Page 3
Cops for Cancer
Guidance Department
University Information
Applicants who have not received an offer of admission can inquire about possible openings at other Ontario universities
through the OUAC Admission Information Service from June 5th to August 29th 2014. This information can be found at
www.ouac.on.ca or call (519) 823-1063. To be considered for admission, applicants must have completed the OSSD
including six 4U or 4M courses by late August 2014. Admission averages for available programs will be posted.
Any applicants planning to do summer school must contact the universities to which they have applied and inform them
that an official transcript will be submitted to the university and to the OUAC by the student personally as secondary
schools are closed in the summer.
College Information
Applicants who have registered to take a summer school course must submit an official transcript of their marks to each
college personally as soon as it becomes available. As well, if you were unsuccessful in your efforts to be admitted into
a program for September 2014, it is to your benefit to continue to access the Ontario Colleges website for programs that
are still accepting applications.
Summer School
For students who still have not registered for a summer school course yet, you will have one final opportunity to register
via a walk-in registration on July 2nd at all summer school locations from 2:00PM-4:00PM, or until courses are full . Get
there early! You will only be able to register if space is available in the summer school course.
Alumni Link – 13th Annual
This year, we had an overwhelming 50+ alumni visit our grade 11 and 12 classes to speak to them about “life after St.
Joe’s” and what they can expect. Our former grads are always graciously welcomed by both teachers and students. The
alumni are very excited to come back to their home school and eager to share their post-secondary experiences. The
graduates come back from all different pathways – university, college, apprenticeship and the workplace. The presentations cover topics such as: “how well was I prepared for post-secondary”, “what would I do differently, knowing what I
know now”, “managing your finances”, “living in residence vs. at home”, etc. Our senior students thoroughly enjoy these
presentations since they can relate to their peers. We thank all alumni who took time out of their busy schedules to come
and inform our current students of what they can possibly expect in the near future. There is an open invitation to our
current grads who might be interested in being part of “Alumni Link – 2015” to come forth and give their name and
information to Mrs. Jamieson in the Guidance Office.
Applying to American Universities and Colleges
Students who are interested in pursuing an education in an American post-secondary school should begin planning for
this no later than grade 11. American schools require students to write a specialized exam called the SAT at
www.collegeboard.com or ACT at www.act.org, the dates of which are posted outside of the Guidance and Career
Education Office. Students can write the exam more than once and the best scores are the ones that are counted.
Student-athletes interested in applying to American universities or colleges should register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
to submit their academic records in order to determine their eligibility.
Some SAT Prep Sites/ Workshops (fees may apply):
Page 4
www.kaptest.ca (Kaplan Test Prep Site)
www.collegepreparationinternational.com
www.prepskills.com
St. Joseph welcomes
Elly Gotz – Holocaust Survivor
St. Joseph’s Grade 10 History students welcomed Mr. Elly Gotz on June 3rd. Mr.
Gotz is a retired engineer, businessman and a Holocaust Survivor. He spoke to
our students about his experiences during 4 years of living in a Nazi Ghetto and
Concentration Camps, including Dachau from the age of 13 to 17 years old. Mr.
Gotz inspired us with his life after the war, his passion for the education he was
denied as a child and his motivation to work hard and achieve success in life. He
taught us about tolerance and understanding the conditions that bring about
genocide. Mr. Gotz gave us a moving and inspirational presentation of survival,
perseverance, and the strength of the human spirit.
San Francisco Trip
On May 15th - May 19th, a group of St. Joseph students
travelled to San Francisco and the Bay Area. On our first day
after a quick bite at In-N-Out Burger, we had the opportunity
to explore San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, including
Pier 39 which is lined with all kinds of shops, restaurants and
barking sea lions. We took a wild ride on San Francisco’s hilly
streets on a cable car, looking down on Lombard Street, the
crookedest street in the world. Our first night included a San
Francisco Giants vs. Miami Marlins baseball game. We had
awesome seats at the A T & T stadium, which is right next to
the ocean watching the Giants come back to win the game 6
to 4.
The following morning we took a boat ride to the infamous
island jail of Alcatraz, where we had a self guided tour through
the prison. We took in some amazing views of San Francisco
from the top of the Twin Peaks and the lush beauty of Golden
Gate park before heading out to the Golden Gate Bridge. Our
evening concluded with some shopping at Union Square and
dinner in Chinatown.
On our third day, we headed down to Monterey, where we
climbed out onto the rocks at Lover’s Point beach, and watched
the seals just a few feet away from us. We then spend some
time on Cannery Row, exploring the shops and restaurants
before going to the famous Monterey Aquarium.
Before heading back to San Francisco on our last day, we
made a stop at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Amusement Park. We had an opportunity to go on the rides or relax
on the beach and watch the dolphins swim by.
We had a fabulous time exploring the beautiful city of San
Francisco and the Bay Area.
Page 5
Breakfast of Champions
Students Nominated
Abankwa, Desmond
Adome, Darlington
Aggarwal, Rakhi
Aguilar, Sydney
Aires, Gloria
Al-Haji, Yasameen
Angco, Arrvy
Barone, Alana
Barrett, Aguan
Bolanos, Leo
Bonnici, Angelica
Brooks, Naitajia
Burgess, Jovan
Burzese, Christian
Bustamante, Robert
Carcary, Monica
Cunha, Tyler
D’Alessio, Anthony
Dri, Sarah
Edward, Rakesha
Elmahdy, Reem
Evangelista, Michael
Farrugia, Lauren
Felgus, Cristiano
Fenech, Ryan
Fernandes, Kelsey
Freitas, Brittany
George, Akshara
Gibbs, Sade
Gregoris, Vanessa
Griffith, Clythus
Haddad, Matthew
Hall, Brandon
Hector, Isaiah
Hinds, Gregory
Howarth, Taylor
Huang, Cheng
Hyatt, Jordanae
Iwanski, Elaine
Iyirhiaro, Owen
Page 6
King, Joshua
Krzyczewski, Sebastian
Lacey, Malcolm
Lopez, Alexis
Lopez, Renee
Lopez, Xavier
Macayan, Mark
Mac Isaac, Matthew
Malatesta, Antonio
Marchese, Melissa
Martins, Jordan
Mateo, Christian
McDowell, Emily
Morales Campino, Paola
Natale, Daniela
Noronha, Abrielle
Oraha, Ishtar x 2 nominations
Ponte, Jesse
Rana, Fiaza
Rojas, Denilson
Sajjad, Mohammed
Sajol, Jeandel
Salinas, Gabriela
Sawicki, Nicholas
Scola, Natalie
Shakespeare, Matthew
Shea, Brendan
Siddiqui, Aras
Simone, Julian
Siu, Joyce
Smiciklas, Nicole
Tashian, Steven
Thibault, Darnell
Tome, Justin
Tran, Cinde
Turalinski, Adam
Vila, Lyka
Villanueva, Ethan
Yousif, Sandra
Perfect Attendance
Good attendance is important for success.
The following students had perfect attendance
for semester one 2013-14.
Mohammed Al-Ubaidy
Brian Alagheband
Trisha Alfonso
Sarah Alligood
Eberechi Anele
Ryvin Angco
Kevin Araujo
Sonia Atre
Vin Bharadwaj
Angelica Bonnici
Robert Bortolus
Alexander Brandy
Maria Annette Bronce
Jared Brynczka
Andrew Cabral
Charmaine Calosa
Rowell Catacutan
Angela Cescato
Jordan Chan
Renee Chan
Kelvin Cheng
Danielle Colalillo
Monique Cornelio
Daniel Crawford
Spencer Da Silva
Stephanie Daher
Janelle Demello
Megan Dinis
Patryk Dlugosz
Sanuel Dri
Sarah Dri
Angelica Elamparo
Anthony Jan Encenales
Georgees Essa
Leisha Fernando
Alen Fistric
Peter Fu
Cassandra Godinho
Nikhil Gupta
Nicole Hernandez
Gurkaran Kochhar
Bartosz Kosakowski
Joachim Kosakowski
Brandon Kwakye-Longdon
Jacob Kwiecinski
Carolynne Le
Anyka Lobo
Ann Margaret Lopez
Antonio Malatesta
Angelo Mangubat
Cayene Manlulu
Kwabena Mantet-Bonsrah
Patryk Marcinkiewicz
Marielle Dionne Martinez
Ashley Medeiros
Allison Nguyen
Michelle Nguyen
Conner Orozco
Angel Oswald
Khushmanjot Pamma
Ashley Patag
Rohit Patel
Marthena Phan
Miguel Posadas
Mark Erwell Protacio
Angela Pullokaran
Caitlyn Rajkumar-Sahadath
Toni Reginio
Kirandeep Rehal
Kayle Rodrigues
Jeandel Sajol
Gabriela Salinas
Carlos Santos
Joshua Sawicki
Keisha Coleen Segne
Jan Szaflarski
Jason Tamayo
Jessica Tamayo
Nicholas Tavares
Sagar Thomas
Jamie Townshend
Cinde Tran
Kent Tran
Allison Tubosa
Felischia Tulagan
John Vairo
Priscilla Valentino
Sian Lyka Villa
Katherine Wong
Ray Xu
Matthew Zajdel
Daniel Zucchet
Cross Panel Collaboration
Promotes Student Success
St. Joseph Secondary School has implemented a variety
of initiatives to support student transitions from the
Elementary to the Secondary panel. To build on the
success of these traditional methods, and in response to
a biotechnology initiative designed by our Student
Success Teacher (SST), a partnership was made between
St. Joseph S.S. and the grade 8 classes and teachers
from St. Valentine.
On March 6, 2014, St. Valentine students participated in
an inquiry based lab experience at the academic level
led by the Grade 9 science teachers at St. Joseph S.S.
The transitioning students quickly recognized the
demands of the secondary academic science program,
however assessment data demonstrated a 75% increase
in students’ success.
Teachers involved in the cross panel collaboration
developed a clearer understanding of effective evidence
based instructional strategies that promote success for
the transitioning student. It encouraged discussion and
renewed teacher’s commitment to strengthening practices
and experimenting with new strategies through coplanning, co-teaching and co-learning.
The partnership between St. Joseph S.S. and St.
Valentine E.S. confirmed that early and sustained involvement of transitioning students in the secondary school
community increases the students’ confidence in their
abilities to succeed and encourages connections with a
caring adult.
Moving forward, St. Joseph S.S. has plans to involve a
wider participation from the community feeder schools in
a variety of core subjects designed to promote authentic,
relevant and meaningful student inquiry. These students
will experience firsthand the demands and expectations
of the academic and applied levels, thus allowing them to
make informed choices regarding their grade 9 course
selections.
Page 7
St. Joseph S.S. Theory of Action Collaborative Inquiries
St. Joseph Catholic
Secondary School
St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School
Implementation of Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies to Enhance Student
Achievement
St. Joseph Secondary School’s Professional Learning Community has built on its rich tradition of creative
collaboration. In 2013 our PLC activities were captured at http://stjoesintheknow.webnode.com/. Rooted
in research and classroom observations of students’ needs we developed a Theory of Action which honours and supports teachers’ collaborative practices - identifying students’ needs, exploring and selecting
rich evidence-based instructional strategies, developing and implementing these strategies and assessing
their value in support of student achievement. We supported capacity building in the areas of collaborative inquiry, evidence-based instructional strategies (Differentiated Instruction Educator’s Package 2010,
Adolescent Literacy Facilitator’s Guide, Hattie’s Evidence Based Strategies , Tate’s Professional Learning Strategies, ELL Instructional Strategies, Focus on Five, Experiential
Learning) and communication through Microsoft Office 365 .
ENGAGING THE LEARNER…THROUGH WELLWELL-BEING
Strengths in Education
St. Joseph is piloting a Strengths in Education PLC. Our
goal is to find ways to help at-risk students develop selfconfidence through attempting to focus on their strengths
as well as creating a more positive learning environment in
which to thrive. We are Piloting this through a Theory of
Action which includes:
• Creating lessons and class activities for Jag Success
students as well as a grade 9 applied English class, which
focuses on the strengths that the students have that are
not necessarily academic. We are making sure to
integrate different intelligences that the students have.
In some cases, students will be discovering these
intelligences during the lessons.
• Girls Circle is a 9-week discussion group for grade 9 and
10 girls which meet once a week. There are a total
of 30 girls that are flagged by Guidance.
- Discussions and activities were intended to foster selfesteem and enhance communication and relationships
- Our goal:
For girls to have an opportunity to further develop
positive healthy ways to becoming assertive young teens
i.e. coping with stress. We also identified a need for girls
to be able to voice their thoughts/opinions in a safe place.
It also gave our girls an opportunity to connect with other
girls and staff members.
Moving forward:
We want to implement this with
the grade 9 students of next year.
Page 8
Theory of Action:
If teachers increase their
use of evidence-based
instructional strategies
then student achievement
will be enhanced.
Departments, Professional
Learning Teams and
Administration
constructed Theories of
Action which addressed
the needs of students
school-wide through EBIS.
What we learned:
Teachers appreciated their role in identifying students’ needs and creating
their Theories of Action and many teachers and administrators engaged in
the collaborative inquiries. Microsoft Office 365 has been an effective tool
for collaboration. The sharing of our collaborative inquiry theories of action
at our May Staff Meeting was valued. Data collection is ongoing.
Question(s) we still have:
How will we further develop data collection practices to assess the effects
of EBIS on student achievement? How will we augment our deliberate and
intentional use of EBIS in support of student achievement next year? How
may we strengthen our instructional practices through use of student voice,
student inquiry and experiential learning?
St.
Joseph
SS
Learning Community information for
Project
URL
orProfessional
Contact Information:
2013-14
compiled
on2013-14
St. Joseph
School’s
St. Joseph SSis
PLC
information for
is availableSecondary
through St. Joseph
Secondary School’s Microsoft
Office
365
Theories
of
Action
sites.
Please
sharon.bolger@dpcdsb.org
.
Microsoft Office 365 Theoriescontact
of Action
sites.
Administrative Team
Our administrative team conducted a collaborative inquiry into issues pertaining to Grade 9 and 12 Culminating Preformance
Tasks. Administration and department members engaged in a review of currect CPTs and have developed plans for
continued development of creative, rich tasks which align with our school goals. We will continue our efforts to schdule
CPTs in a manner which reduces students’ anxiety, supporting their achievement.
Business/Cooperative Education/Technology
The need to produce financially literate students is more important than ever as sound financial decisions can help students meet their goals and help them avoid financial hardships.
Many Canadians lack the financial acumen to make important financial decisions that can
have a huge impact on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. To this end, the Business
Studies, Cooperative Education and Technological Education Department has created a Theory
of Action that will allow students to improve on their financial literacy skills by doing specific
projects and assignment within their discipline. The ultimate goal is to show students that
having a solid understanding of financial literacy can have a great impact on whatever job or
task they work on whether in business studies, hair and aesthetics, construction, transportation, computer engineering, photography, culinary or any other discipline.
English Department
The teachers in our English Department identified areas of need for the
students in their classes. They then worked collaboratively to determine
what evidence-based instructional and literacy strategies they could implement to address these needs and enhance student achievement. Each
teacher conducted an individual Theory of Action. On-going discussion and
collaboration related to these inquiries took place at department meetings
and was shared with staff.
Moderns Department
The Moderns Department based our Theory
of Action on the topic of vocabulary acquisition.
We were finding that students did not achieve
as well in the THINKING category as they
did in KNOWLEDGE. We were interested
in finding ways to improve their achievement.
We decided to try using Differentiated Instruction techniques to reach each type of learner. We used games, flashcards, poster
assignments and other techniques with great success! Generally speaking, achievement in the THINKING category improved
which caused the students’ overall achievement to improve.
All in all, out Theory of Action was a positive experience that we will continue to work on in the coming school year.
Religion Department
The Religion Department’s Theory of Action is based on the terminology that is taught in our religion classes. As a department, we
wondered why students scored lower on knowledge and communication questions. We also wondered why answers to higher level
thinking and application questions were so vague. Our action plan
was to put more emphasis on theological vocabulary. For example, in various religion classes, we focused on the implementation
of word walls, flash cards, and games.
We strongly believe that these strategies will help students to understand the terminology and use it in the proper context. Thus
far, it is evident that through the word walls, flash cards, and games,
students have a higher comfort level and were able to have a better understanding of the terminology. Furthermore, students were
able to make connections to their own lives. As a department, we
will be reviewing marks from first semester versus second semester to look at how students scored in the various categories.
The Social Science and Guidance Departments'
Theory of Action
The grade 10 Career Education teachers have created a comprehensive CPT implementing the myBlueprint.ca software.
This assists students in researching their career options based
on their interests, aptitudes, career and post-secondary program opportunities. By measuring student career awareness
before and after the grade 10 Career Education course, we
anticipate an improved sense of preparedness regarding both
course selection in high school, as well as with applications to
various university and college programs.
If students effectively use myBlueprint.ca for researching their
interests, aptitudes, post-secondary programs and/or career
opportunities, then they will be more prepared during course
selection time and when applying to OUAC and OCAS.
Page 9
Mathematics Department
This past year has been a very busy year for the Mathematics
department.
In January and in June, all students working toward a credit in
Grade 9 Academic or Applied mathematics participated in the
Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics. This test evaluates
how well students are meeting the curriculum expectations of
the Grade 9 Academic or Applied Mathematics courses from
The Ontario Curriculum. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) releases an individual report as well as
provincial, school board and school results. Parents should
look for these results the following school year.
In addition to working with students in class throughout the
year, incorporating EQAO-type questions on every class
assessment, and providing students with an EQAO preparation booklet and other on-line resources, the Mathematics
department initiated an after school program called “Freezies
and Cram”, designed specifically to provide one-on-one
assistance to students preparing for the assessment. “Freezies
and Cram” was so successful that the Mathematics department
hopes to expand its premise in the next school year.
Our Mathematics students also participated in the Mathematics Contests run by The Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing at the University of Waterloo. The aim
of the Contests is to provide an opportunity for students to
develop their mathematical problem solving ability through a
written mathematical activity. Students who have an appreciation for a rigorous mathematical challenge should be encouraged to participate in these annual contests. Previous contests
provide excellent practice materials. Copies of past contests
and solutions, as well as other resources, are available free of
charge at www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca . Contest dates are also
posted on the website. Interested students for next year are to
pay close attention to in school announcements for registration
deadlines, or visit the Math department for more information.
The Mathematics department worked fervently in integrating
SMART board technology into almost every mathematics
classroom. The interactive whiteboard allows students to
explore moving letters, numbers, images, and diagrams with
the touch of a finger. This technology has the flexibility to
engage all learning styles in a dynamic mode of exploring and
analyzing the concepts learned. We look forward to continuing
to remodel learning experiences so that they capitalize on
SMART board technology in order to provide students with a
more captivating and engaging mathematics experience.
The Mathematics department continued this year a Ministry of
Education initiative providing online help in mathematics called
Homework Helper. This initiative allows grades 9 and 10
students access to one-on-one, confidential live tutoring
sessions with Ontario certified teachers, Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The online tutors are always ready
and willing to help with any math homework question. The Homework Help website is free and available all year long.
In addition, students in grades 9 to 12 can access excellent
online learning resources contributed by the Ministry of Education and Ontario teachers from across the province through the
Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB). The OERB
Page 10
provides students/parents with access to thousands of
resources that range from interactive multimedia pieces to
lessons and activities. To access the OERB, visit
http://resources.elearningontario.ca .
It is our hope that these initiatives, together with our
in-school resources, such as the After School Math Help
room (open Tuesday to Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30),
PATH (Peer As Teacher Helper), and peer tutoring, will
help students achieve a more rewarding experience in
mathematics. We wish our students success!
The Mathematics department also spent much time this year in
collaboration to critically reflect over program design in hopes
of finding ways to implement changes to improve student
engagement, learning, and achievement. The Mathematics
department, through collaborative inquiry, developed a plan of
action to begin redefining their practice.
Our process of critical reflection led us to the understanding
that the technological changes of the twenty-first century
require that students today have a completely different set of
job skills than those needed even a decade ago. The kinds of
skills that translate into success in current times include critical
thinking, problem solving, information literacy, quantitative
literacy (numeracy), and self-reliance as well as the ability to
work independently and collaboratively. We need to equip
students with the skills and attitudes they need to live and work
in such an environment. We need to prepare students to live
and work in a world where they will encounter complex
problems on a daily basis. Our plan of action beginning in
the 2014/2015 school year is grounded in incorporating
problem-based learning into each of our courses.
Problem-based learning is based on the idea that students
learn best by doing rather than simply by listening. It is
based on the idea that knowledge is best acquired through the
research and exploration of various strategies with the end goal
of developing practical, logical, and relevant solutions to
problems. This way students learn to approach mathematics
with a commonsense attitude, understanding not only how but
also why skills are applied. The skills students gain from taking
part in problem-based learning activities are essential for their
future success. The technological changes in today’s society
make it critical for students to develop the ability to
conceive of ideas and solutions to problems and situations that
may be unfamiliar to them.
We will start slowly . . .
Our plan is to incorporate at least two problem-based learning
experiences into every unit of study in each of our courses. As
the world becomes increasingly dependent on technology only
those individuals who have the skills to work collaboratively as
well as independently, who are good communicators and able
to make informed decisions, and who successfully demonstrate
the skills of critical thinking and problem solving will succeed.
These are the skills, attitudes, and abilities students need for
success in this twenty-first century, and these are the skills
developed in problem-based learning.
The journey will be long and arduous, but we are excited,
motivated, and inspirited to begin its course!
We wish our students a safe summer holiday and hope they
return with renewed spirit in September.
Music News
“Eye of the Jaguar” Concert at the Living Arts Centre
Congratulations to all students who performed to a full house at the
Living Arts Centre on May 29th. Performing ferocious hits were the
Grade 10 Vocal Class, Grade 10 Band, Grade 9 and 10 Beginner
Band, Grade 10 and 11 Guitar Classes, Marching Band, Jazz Band
and the Cast of “Saving Paradise.” We are very proud of you and
look forward to the next concert in the Fall.
Marching Band at the Bread and Honey Festival Parade
On June 7th, the Marching Band performed at the Bread and Honey
Festival Parade in Streetsville. According to spectators, we looked
and sounded quite professional, but had fun. This is the fourth
parade St. Joseph Secondary has performed in, and we look
forward to many more!
St. Joseph Green Team – Ontario Eco-School Update
Last year, St. Joe’s had a very successful ‘Green’ year after being recognized as an Ontario
Eco-School ‘Silver Status’ for the second year in a row. The 2013-2014 school year has
been another successful year for St. Joe’s and Environmental initiatives! St. Joe’s and the
Green Team are proud to announce that we have recently been updated to GOLD STATUS.
This year, the Green Team had many successful events including:
• Monthly Community Cleanups to Marc Diab Park
• A whole school EARTH HOUR on March 28th
• A Bottle-Water Free Campaign
• Environmental Art created by the Green Team – St. Joe’s Wasted Springs water bottle
• Earth Day Assembly with Guest Speaker from Ecosource
• Earth Week Activities run by Student Council
– key members Prime Minister – Vin Bharadaj,
Minister for the Environment – Jessica Punzal and Minister for Faith – Justin Roska
• Two whole-school waste audits – one in each semester
• Energy Audits conducted each semester
In addition, recycling continued in full force this year, continued by our PIP students! They
have been doing a fantastic job keeping things clean around the school. Next year, the
Green Team plans to work with the construction class to build a pergola in the Peace Garden
with a bench for the students body to enjoy!
Page 11
Visual Arts
IMAGES 2014
Secondary Student Art Exhibition
at the Mississauga Civic Centre
This year, we included the work of over 20 student
artists at IMAGES 2014, the annual art exhibition
of secondary students in the Dufferin-Peel CDSB.
On view at the Mississauga Civic Centre were the
works of our junior and seniors artists. New this
year was the People’s Choice Award, our student
Francesca Castro won an Honourable Mention for
her graphite portrait of Jennifer Lawence. Thank
you to all of you who came to the show, and to those
who made it out to the Artist Reception, your
support is very encouraging for our young artists.
Artists showcase their Visions
at Leisure World
The artwork of our grade 10 and 11 art students
added aesthetic interest and sparked conversations
and memories with their paintings at the local
nursing home. This exhibition rotates rotate twice
a year. Thank you to the semester 1 grade 11s for
their Streetsville Paintings and to the semester 2
grade 10s for their water themed paintings and the
grade 11 abstraction paintings.
Busy Semester for St. Joe‘s Art Council
Thank you to Marielle Martinez for designing our
new Visual Arts Hoodie. We love it!
Thank you to Alessya Pulera for her time and
talent creating the banner for our 20th Anniversary.
Thank you to all the students who helped out at
Artsapalooza, we couldn’t do it without your help.
Thank you to all the students who regularly attended
the Art Council sessions to complete our projects
especially Anne Marie Wasilewski, Jamie
Townshend and Kelvin Cheng.
Thank you to all the students who helped to paint
the set for the school play, especially Matthew
Skypas for his leadership, and Marielle Martinez
and Juliene Lopez who gave up eight class session to paint the sets and the coffin prop.
Thank you to Hannah Viega whose leadership
guided the Art Council in the creation of Carnival
masks for a local charity.
Thank you to Leanne Baird for taking the initiative
with the Prom arch. I know your peers will cherish
the photos taken under for years to come.
Page 12
Art Field Trips
Grade 9 students went to the ROM (Royal Ontario
Museum) to make connections between their art
projects, art history of the Early Civilizations.
Grade 11 Art students learned about the opportunities available to them in the arts in the city of
Mississauga including VAM (Visual Arts Mississauga),
LAC (Living Arts Centre) and AGM (Art Gallery of
Mississauga). They were also introduced to the
Mississauga Arts Council and Limelight, which provides numerous opportunities for youth to participate
in and earn volunteer hours at local events. A special
treat was having our students pose around the geometric sculptures of former St. Joe’s art student Laura
Marotta at the Art Gallery of Mississauga.
The visit to OCADu (Ontario College of Art and
Design University) was once again a very inspiring
experience. Congratulations to Mark Gallardo, a
former student and OCAD grad, who had his design
work showcased in an interactive display. It was wonderful to see your process and progress, although we
always knew you were extremely talented.
Shout out to Anime Fans (FANIMES)
The tenth year of the Anime Club has come to an end.
The dedicated fans of Japanese animation and manga
comic books will have to wait until next year to share
their passion and drawing skills. Throughout the year,
members contributed their ideas and skills in creating
drawings and Manga style comic strips to highlight
their many talents. Lastly, a big round of applause for
our leaders Lindsay Soares-Aires, Rachel Alessio,
Denise Bermejo, and Kirsta Colonello for all their
hard work making the Anime Club such a success.
A special thanks goes out to Clarissa, who was
voted the most dedicated member and Rachel,
who was voted most valuable member by the teacher
supervisors.
Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the
Certificate of Concentration in the Arts:
Leanne Baird, Ivana Radman, and Stephanie Leite
planned out their 4 years of high school in order to
take a minimum of six arts related courses. Each one
of them was a top student in their respective classes,
completing each credit with a high level of commitment and success. Congratulations!
Thanks you to all the students who contributed to the
two poster contests: Stand Up Against Homophobia
and Only you can Stop Cyberbullying. Congratulations
to Amanda Jolley and Chris D’Penha for their
posters that won a board-wide contest to end
Homophobia.
Page 13
Artsfest 2014
Artsfest 2014, held in the Arthur R.
Steffler Memorial Library since 1996,
was a huge success featuring a
variety of performers, including
singers, musicians, dancers, and
spoken word artists. The show
includes students from all grades and
backgrounds. Each student shares
their gift in their own unique way, while
contributing to each other’s success.
The Artsfest annually hosts over 1000
students over a two day period, which
this year was scheduled on May 15
and 16. The show raises money and
food in support of St. Vincent de Paul.
This year, the Artsfest raised 17 boxes
of food and $700, which is of great
assistance to families during the
summer months when food banks are
depleted. The success of the show
would not be possible without the
supervision and assistance of Mrs.
Ruffell and Ms. Soares.
Business Corner:
Investor Club
School Stock Market Competition
This year, our savvy financial students
set out to win a School vs School
Stock Market Competition, called
Target Alpha. This new and exciting
format gives each school $100,000 of
online fictitious money and pit the
investing prowess of various high
schools against each other. When the
dust settled and after 8 months of
adventure, St. Joseph’s earned a
3.5% return and finished 6th place in
the competition. The students not only
gained insights about the vicissitudes
of the market but also learned how to
work together and make decisions as
a group. St. Joseph is looking forward
to next year’s Investor’s Club and to
best the 6th place finish. Way to Jags
and good luck!
Page 14
Semester 2 PATH Students' Program
This Semester’s PATH (Peer as Teacher Helpers) class has been very
busy. Their Pre-Placement activities took place during the semester one
Exam period and therefore allowed them to start semester two in the classes
they would be assisting with. Since then, they have participated in a retreat
at Silvercreek and a Literacy Workshop conducted by the Board’s Literacy
Consultants Chris Clarke and Audrey Alvaro. They will extend their learning
further when they visit York University after the March Break. During this
visit, they will meet with members of the Faculty of Education, receive a tour
of the campus and sit in on a lecture. This semester’s PATH class includes:
Yasmeen Al-Haji, Alicia Alvares, Leanne Baird, Fatima Butt,
Melanie Cardona, Alyssa Caterina, Lan Dam, Karen D’Souza,
Nathan Espinas, Jacob Esposito, Elaria Fahmy, Craig Fernandes,
Kelsey Fernandes, Daniella Floridia, Bjorn Hanks, Kyle Hilson,
Miranda Indovina, Jacob Iskander, Monica Gabriele, Bev Gavino,
Jennifer Kan, Emily Kerry, Richard Lam, Denise Mangubat,
Sandy Luong, Danielle Lyle, Alma Maqbool, Stephanie Miranda,
Khushmanjot Pamma, Ivana Radman, Olivia Rajczyk, Amy Rehal,
Crystal Rosas, Justin Roska, Rhea Sabharwal, Dilu Seneviratne,
Sandra Yousif, Monika Zaborowski, Allyson Zarate
News from Moderns!
Congratulations to George Padeigis for winning First Place at the Board-wide
French Speaking Contest in April. George placed first in the core French Grade
11/12 category. He impressed the judges with his amazing French speaking
skills, with his humour, and great confidence. He worked really hard preparing
for the competition. In May, he moved on to compete at the provincials at York
University. Although he did not place, he represented St. Joseph with great
enthusiasm, knowledge, and passion for learning a second language. In his
own words:
“And so the speeches began, one by one, each with a unique twist. I was
impressed, I was humbled, I was inspired to live in a bilingual country where
events like these are possible. I tried my best and performed well, but there
were students truly at another level (of fluency, nativity, and style), even
those who weren’t native were the cream of the crop, and each speech had
lots of meaning and were exciting to watch. I did not win an award or a
trophy, but I represented Dufferin-Peel, St Joseph’s, and most importantly
the hard work between a wonderful mentor and her student with pride.”
Thank you George for accepting this challenge. You are our winner!
We are proud of your hard work and effort.
Au restaurant…..Le Papillon on Front
Earlier this semester, the Grade 11 French class students had the opportunity to eat an exquisite 3 course
French meal at Le Papillon restaurant in Toronto. This
was a great experience for the students, as they were
exposed to an authentic French learning environment
courtesy of the native French speaking staff. It was wonderful to observe the students in action as they tried
hard to speak only French when placing their orders.
One does not have to travel far in Ontario to see the
advantage of knowing a foreign language. It was the
perfect opportunity for the students to see those verbs
and vocabulary memorized in class, come to life.
Join our French Program and receive a French Certificate for having completed 4 years of French. Having
knowledge of a foreign language has professional,
cultural and social advantages!
Some Facts:
(http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t16740.htm):
• “About a third to a half of basic English words come
from French, including pedigree, surf, view, strive,
challenge, pride, staunch and war.”
• “In Canada, 300,000 children are enrolled in French
immersion programs, and 3 million adults whose
mother tongue is not French speak French as a
second language.”
Page 15
Business SHSM Students
Reach Ahead
Making Connections in History
By Monica Carcary, Grade 10 History Student
We were given a project to research a World War I soldier
who fought for Canada. We would then have to write letters
as if we were that soldier. I went home and asked my family
if we had any family members that fought in World War I. My
cousin told me that we had one soldier, who would have
been my Great-great Uncle, but he fought for Newfoundland
which was not a part of Canada
at the time. It was alright with my
teacher, Mrs. Price, but I had to
find his records. I couldn’t use
the same online archives and
databases as everyone else, but
I did find his information on The
Rooms website, which is the
main archive for Newfoundland.
As I was looking through his
records I found out that he had
received an award for saving
men by going into “no man’s
land” and retrieving the
wounded. He also went missing,
meaning he died in the battle of Monchy-Le-Preux. It was
very interesting for me to find a “receipt” saying the delivery
of his medal to his father, which his father signed but his
father had been dead for a year. I assumed that it was his
brother signing it because he had the same name as his
father. My cousin will be heading to Monchy-Le-Preux and
will be burying my letters where our ancestor would have
died. This project was a lot of fun for me to research my
ancestor. I encourage students to ask their family if they know
of anyone who served in the World Wars.
Page 16
Our Biz$mart SHSM students had the opportunity to
travel in style as the headed west to visit Wilfred Laurier
University. As part of the Specialist High Skill Major
program, students are able to attend reach-ahead opportunities that will allow them to experience life in a
post-secondary setting. Students participated in the
Leadership In Business Conference. Many St. Joseph
students continue to choose Laurier for their outstanding Business program. A special Thank You to
Ms. Cunningham & Mr. Simeone for their commitment
to student success.
Mock Trial Team
This year’s Mock Trial team consisted of Lawyers:
Richard L., Karen D., Stephanie P., and Paulina G., and
witnesses Andrea A. and Natasha A. Our team was
supported by our alternates Wilson T. and Joshini J. as
well as helpers Zamil S. and Sabrina P. Our team
worked extraordinarily well together, putting together
convincing cases as both the Crown and Defence.
Congratulations to our Mock Trial team for representing St. Joseph with pride at the Peel Region Mock
Trial Tournament.
Social Science News
Grade 12 Environment &
Resource Management and
Grade 11 Physical Geography
This semester, Mrs Cipriano’s senior
Geography classes went on two field trips,
first to the Riverwood Conservancy and
then to the Toronto Zoo. At Riverwood,
students earned a certificate in Field
Studies as they tested the quality of the
water at three places along the Credit
River. The sun came out on this chilly
day finally and students measured the
age of the trees in the surrounding forest.
The Toronto Zoo allowed students
to investigate the different endangered
species that were studied in class. Overall,
both trips were both interesting and fun.
Thanks to all classes for demonstrating
a positive attitude and representing
St. Joe’s in a way we can all be proud of!
Page 17
Science Department
As the school year quickly draws to a close, the Science Department has been hard at work meeting all those deadlines
before the summer break. April and May saw several science contests. Congratulations go out to Fady Abdelmalek,
who scored within the top 25% of all entrants nationally, on the Michael Smith Challenge. This is an exam for grade 9 and
10 students that tests their ability to problem solve. Congratulations to Jonathon Panuelos, who scored in the top 5% of
all entrants nationally on the University of Toronto’s Biology Exam.
On Wed. April 23rd the Environmental Science class went to the Peel Integrated Waste Management Facility in Brampton
to learn how recyclables and compost are sorted after being collected through the blue bin and green bin programs in
Peel Region. Using a worm composter, they have been using the rich black earth to fertilize bean plants they have been
growing. These beans provide a healthy nutritious snack during classtime. Meanwhile, over in the Grade 10 science
class, students have been growing radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers and carrots. There’s nothing better than
home-grown vegetables in your lunchtime salad!
On Friday, May 30, over 150 of the Grade 11 and 12 St. Joseph’s physics students made their way to Canada’s Wonderland for their annual Physics Day Field Trip. The weather was much improved over last year’s rainy mudfest; sunny,
warm 30-degree weather gave our students ample opportunity to investigate the Physics of Canada’s biggest Amusement Park. Our Physicists took along their instruments and measured velocities, accelerations and g-forces of several
of the Park’s iconic thrill rides, including the Behemoth, the Leviathan, the Psyclone, the Drop Tower, the Vortex, and of
course the Xtreme Skyflyer. Each student calculated the physical parameters of various rides at the park, using the
equations of kinematics and dynamics. New thrill rides this year included the Wonder Mountain Guardian, where our
students entered a 5-storey, 4 dimensional Medieval world inside the Canada’s Wonderland Mountain, and battled
dragons for prizes. This ride has the longest interactive video screen in the world, a full 500 feet long, and was a big hit
with our students. Too soon the day was over and we exited the park to the waiting buses. Although heavy traffic resulted
in an hour-long delay returning to the School, the students certainly enjoyed their time at Canada’s Wonderland, and
look forward to next year’s outing.
The Grade nine students spent a beautiful sunny day at the Toronto Zoo on Tuesday, May 20. There they learned about
species at risk and enjoyed the many wild animals. They are now deep into their Astronomy Unit, studying spectral lines,
and discovering what chemicals burn in the heart of the stars. During the last week of classes, they will perform a four
part CPT, where they will do experiments in biology, chemistry, electricity, and space science.
Our Department was graced this semester by three young teachers who will be leaving us at the end of this year. Their
efforts were greatly appreciated, and they made many friends among both staff and students in their time at St. Joseph’s.
We wish Ms. Czyrka, Mr. Policiardi, Ms. Krosel, Ms. Macedo all the best in their future endeavours. We also congratulate
Ms. Krosel on her upcoming nuptuals at the end of June.
Our prayers and thanks go out to all our students who have put so much hard work into their courses this year. Special
congratulations go out to all our graduating class, and we want to let you know, as you enter college and university, that
you are always welcome back here at St. Joseph’s, for you are why we are here. God Bless you All, and Have a Great
Summer.
Page 18
Writers Share Fairy Tales
Mrs. Kerr’s Writer’s Craft class had the privilege of sharing their
fairy tales to the kindergarten classes at St. Raymond Elementary
School. The senior writers worked tirelessly on their stories for
over a month going through the writing process of brainstorming,
rough drafts, editing, illustrating and publication. The Grade 12’s
were very excited to have the opportunity to expose their original
tales for the first time. The kindergarten students were exceptionally attentive and thoroughly enjoyed each tale. Our Writer’s Craft
class would like to thank Ms. Orsini from St. Raymond Elementary
School for helping to organize our class visit.
Page 19
Legislative Assembly of Ontario Trip
In May, the Social Science Department’s Civics classes ventured
to Queen’s Park, as an extension of their study of the institution
of the Provincial Government. A guided tour of the location
provided a historical overview of the history and building architecture, in addition to the sundry practices and responsibilities
of the government and opposition. Students also had the
opportunity to witness a real-time manifestation of the evertumultuous Question Period from the visitor’s gallery.
Students, Parents and Guardians,
Please Follow Us On Twitter
@StJosephSSMiss
Page 20
Saving Paradise: The Story of Our Lives
Saving Paradise wasn’t just a musical, it was a life journey that taught many lessons along the
way. The 45 talented students didn’t just ‘rehearse’ everyday, they learned. They learned about
themselves, they learned about others, but most importantly they learned what it meant to give
their heart and soul to something in order to achieve greatness. They began this journey with
the courage to audition and ended it with a life-changing experience that will be etched in their
hearts forever. I feel truly honoured and blessed to have been in the company of this amazing
cast for the last five months. Their work ethic, dedication, and willingness to sacrifice was
second to none, and truly inspirational.
The essence of this musical touched on love and loss, but the deeper more important message
is that of Passion. We need our kids to discover passion, so they in turn, know what in their life
is worth Saving. For those of you lucky enough to watch this musical, you witnessed
passion in the eyes and hearts of every single person on stage. Another element of the show
was believing in yourself, so when others try to put you down just remember “Don’t listen to a
word they say” “You’re better than that” and “They’re just a bunch of bullies that no one likes.
They don’t like themselves so they put others down”.
To Paul Lamarche, once again your musical genius has outdone us all. I am truly blessed to
work with someone who is the very definition of Passion. Thank you for creating “Free to Fly”
and “Last Thing I Said”. Not bad for a hockey playing drummer from Welland.
To Jadelyn Morrison, your kind heart and musical talent are second to none. I’m so thankful you
were able to bring this musical to life.
To Linda Cunningham, not only are you irreplaceable, because no one else will work with us,
you are a pillar of trust, patience and kindness in times of instability. Thank you for your friendship, devotion and understanding.
To Fatima, Kelsey and Rhea, as you move on from the halls of St. Joseph please do not leave
your passion for performance behind. Society might try to tell you there is no future in the Arts,
but the truth is without the Arts, there is no future. Everything that is beautiful and magnificent
in this world is derived from the creativity of people like you. Don’t ever let society stop you from
being free to fly.
To the Cast, as I’ve said many times before, you are truly the inspiration for this
musical. Without you, there would be no words, no script, no song to sing, and no
Paradise to Save. I thank you all for sharing yourselves with me and for being a part
of my life. The tears you shed after your final bow showed everyone that Saving
Paradise wasn’t just a show, it was a living entity that you created out of love. Just
remember that the story of your life is unwritten, and it’s up to you, to write it. I can’t
wait to see the next chapter.
Forever grateful,
S. Kelleher
Page 21
Athletic Banquet
On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, 450 athletes and coaches traveled to the Mississauga
Convention Centre to attend the 21th Annual St. Joseph Athletic Banquet. The
athletes had dinner, saw several slide shows and a video that highlighted the year’s
accomplishments and then received over 120 awards. Congratulations to all of our
athletes for representing St. Joseph so well over the course of the year. Special
mention goes to our Junior and Senior Letter award winners as well as our Christian
Athlete and Athlete of the Year winners. They are:
Junior Letter:
Lois Boateng, Monika Roska and Jonathan Sivakumar
Senior Athletic: Leanne Baird, Paulina Gadomski, Lucas Glowacki, Gurgant Singh
Award of Excellence:
Denyse Mangubat, Emma Zammit
Junior Girls Christian Athlete of the Year:
Monika Roska
Junior Boys Christian Athlete of the Year:
Daniel Zucchet
Junior Girls Athlete of the Year:
Michelle Amponsem
Junior Boys Athlete of the Year:
Clythus Griffith
Senior Girls Christian Athlete of the Year:
Leanne Baird
Senior Boys Christian Athlete of the Year:
Joshua King
Senior Girls Athlete of the Year:
Denyse Mangubat
Senior Boys Athlete of the Year:
Lucas Glowacki
Page 22
Junior Girls Soccer
The Junior Girls Soccer Team had an amazing season this year placing 3rd in Tier 1. Having
played tier 2 the past few seasons, the junior girls decided to challenge themselves physically
and mentally by competing in the top tier. It was a close season with their playoff fate being
determined in the LAST game of the season. The Lady Jags missed the playoffs by two points.
The ladies were dedicated throughout the season and even participated in Team Unbreakable
to support mental health. Coach Krosel and Coach Czyrka are extremely proud of the hard
work, commitment and positive attitude the Lady Jags brought to the team.
Girls Slo-Pitch
This year, the Lady Jaguar Slo-pitch team had a fun season. Their spirits remained
high playing most of the season in chilly, rainy weather. This season, the Lady Jags
missed a play-off spot by 1 run! The season was filled with homeruns, grand slams,
double plays and great catches from our girls. Special mention goes to Elisa Gregoris
who earned the team’s MVP award, and Danielle Colalillo who earned the Coaches
award at this year’s Athletic Banquet. The team will be saying a sad farewell to our
graduating players who include: Elisa Gregoris, Leanne Baird, Ivana Radman,
Denyse Mangubat, Elizabeth Laratta, Emma Zammit, Daniela Bono, and Hannah
Veiga. It has been great to have these ladies as leaders for our team, and we wish
them the best of luck in their future endeavors. The coaches look forward to next year
for another fun filled season with our returning players: Danielle “Coco” Colalillo,
Emily Porcellato, Alessia Francioni, Andrea Perera-Ortega, Madeleine Borg,
Danielle Marsala, Emily “Red” McDowell, Rachel Liotta, Anne Marie Wasilewski,
and Vanessa Gregoris. Have a great summer ladies!
Coaches: Mr. McDowell, Mrs. MacLachlan, Mrs. McCann
Page 23
Jaguars of the Week
Each week we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of significant students
on our athletic teams and extra-curricular activities within our school community.
Here is a list of the winners since our January publication of the Purple and Proud.
Athletes of the Week
Gordon Chau ............... Table Tennis Team
Ann Le .......................... Table Tennis Team
Leanne Baird ................ Senior Girls Volleyball Team
Paulina Gadomski ........ Senior Girls Volleyball Team
Emma Zammit ............. Girls Hockey Team
Jennifer Lavery ............ Girls Hockey Team
Daniel D’Souza ............ Swim Team
Mark Di Giacomo ......... Swim Team
Jay Lee ........................ Swim Team
Tomek Konefal ............. Swim Team
Anthony Machado ........ Swim Team
Dimitri Lim .................... Senior Boys Basketball Team
Christopher Bon ........... Senior Mixed Curling Team
Sara DiMichelle ............ Senior Mixed Curling Team
Emily Kerry .................. Senior Mixed Curling Team
Andrew MacIsaac ........ Senior Mixed Curling Team
Chrystal Rosas ............ Senior Mixed Curling Team
Julia Spina ................... Senior Mixed Curling Team
Shady Bishay ............... Senior Boys Basketball Team
Hamza Sharif ............... Senior Boys Basketball Team
David Szot.................... Badminton Team
Planning for Independence Class
Sandeep Layam ........... Senior Boys Cricket Team
Jennifer Lavery ............ Senior Girls Soccer Team
Dhwani Agrawal ........... Girls Cricket Team
Abbrielle Noronha ........ Girls Cricket Team
Oge Nwoko .................. Junior All Star Basketball Team
Clythus Griffith ............. Junior All Star Basketball Team
Wislon To ..................... Badminton Team
Oleg Telishchuk ........... Badminton Team
Talha Khokhar .............. Senior Boys Cricket Team
Durwin Lobo ................. Senior Boys Cricket Team
Desiree Falcao ............. Girls Cricket Team
Wynona Falcao ............ Girls Cricket Team
Reshaun Walkes .......... Junior Boys Soccer Team
Nick Carter ................... Senior Boys Soccer Team
Edan de Souza ............ Senior Girls Soccer Team
Daniela Bono ............... Senior Girls Soccer Team
Joycelynn Brar ............. Senior Girls Soccer Team
Leanne Baird ................ Senior Girls Soccer Team
Kevin Araujo ................. Track and Field Team
Lois Boateng ................ Track and Field Team
Greg Hinds ................... Track and Field Team
Christina Valentino ....... Track and Field Team
Michaela Tokar ............. Senior Girls Soccer Team
Samantha Kosmacaj .... Senior Girls Soccer Team
Shanay Gosling............ Senior Girls Soccer Team
Bobbie Alvernaz ........... Junior Girls Soccer Team
Katarina Curcija ........... Junior Girls Soccer Team
Alessia Del Medico ...... Junior Girls Soccer Team
Dominic Marc ............... Junior Boys Soccer Team
Wayne Shepherd ......... Track and Field Team
Monika Roska .............. Track and Field Team
Jessica Melo ................ Track and Field Team
Elisa Gregoris .............. Girls Slo-Pitch Team
Danielle Colalillo ........... Girls Slo-Pitch Team
Denyse Mangubat ........ Girls Slo-Pitch Team
Jessica Kitala ............... Senior Girls Soccer Team
Paulina Gadomski ........ Senior Girls Soccer Team
Onika Robinson ........... Girls Cricket Team
Tamania Majeed ........... Girls Cricket Team
Manuela Rivera ............ Track and Field Team
Ife Nwoko ..................... Track and Field Team
Neesha Gandhi ............ Track and Field Team
Meriel Paras ................. Track and Field Team
Oge Nwoko .................. Track and Field Team
Nadia Pajnic ................. Track and Field Team
Co-curricular Jaguars of the Week
Bavly Fahmy .................... Table Tennis Club
Jordan Chan .................... Table Tennis Club
Faris Khater ..................... Table Tennis Club
Joshua Oh........................ Table Tennis Club
Jenna Piitz ....................... Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Vanessa Nogueira ............ Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Jehnae Davis ................... Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Antonette Manalac ........... Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Brianne Blanco ................. Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Maelynne Medina ............. Official Volleyball Scorekeeper
Owen Israel ...................... Sports Photographer
Matthew Regulado ........... Sports Photographer
Mellanie Medina ............... Sports Photographer
AJ Feria............................ Sports Photographer
Natasha Andrade ............. Sports Photographer
Lannie Dam ...................... Sports Photographer
Sandy Luong .................... Sports Photographer
Jennifer Kan ..................... Sports Photographer
Alexandra Raptopoulos.... Team Unbreakable
Akshara George ............... Liturgical Reader
Zoe Nathaniel ................... Liturgical Reader
David Pham ..................... Liturgical Reader
Justin Roska .................... Liturgical Reader
Jeandel Sajol ................... Liturgical Reader
Richard Lam ..................... Mock Trial Team
Karen D’Souza ................. Mock Trial Team
Stephanie Pellos .............. Mock Trial Team
Paulina Gadomski ............ Mock Trial Team
Andrea Amores ................ Mock Trial Team
Natasha Andrade ............. Mock Trial Team
Wilson To ......................... Mock Trial Team
Joshina Joseph ................ Mock Trial Team
Sabrina Pinto ................... Mock Trial Team
Zamil Soomra .................. Mock Trial Team
Alyssa Caterina ................ Skills Canada Competitor
Rebecca Manson ............. Skills Canada Competitor
Ivana Radman.................. Skills Canada Competitor
Stephanie Leite ................ Skills Canada Competitor
Sherv Alaghehbandi ......... Skills Canada Competitor
Bjorn Hanks ..................... Skills Canada Competitor
Matthew Vairo .................. Skills Canada Competitor
Aaron Alberto ................... Skills Canada Competitor
Christian Mallon ............... Skills Canada Competitor
Robert Kerry .................... Skills Canada Competitor
Thonoj Thangarajah ......... Skills Canada Competitor
David Chechelski ............. Skills Canada Competitor
George Padeigis .............. French Speech Competition
Weight Room Club
Gr. 10 Drama Students .... Stations of the Cross Dramatization
Youth Faith Ambassador Rally Leaders
St. Joseph Secondary School Life Team
St. Joseph Parish Life Teen Program
Chris D’Penha .................. Board-wide Poster Contest Winner
Amanda Jolley ................. Board-wide Poster Contest Winner
St. Valentine’s Prayer Team
Board-wide Interschool Pilgrimage and Mass Participants
Natasha Andrade ............. Athletic Council Photographer
Matthew Regalado ........... Athletic Council Photographer
Owen Isreal ...................... Athletic Council Photographer
Sabrina Pinto ................... Athletic Council Photographer
Jenna Piitz ....................... Athletic Council
Vanessa Nogueira ............ Athletic Council
Maelynne Medina ............. Athletic Council
Matthew Ashmeade ......... Athletic Council
Antonette Manalac ........... Athletic Council
Brianne Blanco ................. Athletic Council
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Angelica Petrucci ............. Athletic Council