Sts. Martha and Mary
School
1760 Bough Beeches Blvd.
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2B9
905-624-9625
Welcome Package
Supported by School Council through ‘Parent Reaching Out Grant’
Ontario Ministry of Education
Revised 2011
Visit our website: http://www.dpcdsb.org/MMARY
Sts. Martha and Mary Welcome Package
Welcome to Sts. Martha and Mary Catholic School!
We‟ve all experienced it at one time or another – being the “new kid” at school. Well for
every “new kid”, there is a “new parent” backing them up. The School Council wants to
provide parents/guardians new to St. Martha and Mary School with a handy reference
guide. It is intended to supplement, but not replace the valuable information provided in
the school newsletters and official policies and rules that come from the School Board.
To simplify the wording in this welcome kit, when the word “parent” is used, we are
referring to “parents and guardians”. The use of the word “child” or “student” is used
instead of the longer “child/children”.
School Day & Bells (times may vary refer to September newsletter)
8:45 am
9:00 am
11:30 am
12:00 pm
12:20 pm
1:00 pm
3:30 pm
Supervision in the yard begins (students are not to arrive before this
time)
Morning bell
Morning Recess 15 minutes
Morning Kindergarten dismissal
Lunch
Lunch Recess
Afternoon Bell
Afternoon Recess 15 minutes
Dismissal
School Year Calendar
At the beginning of the school year, students will bring home with them the
school calendar which lists the School Holidays, and Professional
Development Days. This information is repeated and when necessary,
updated in the school newsletters that students receive on a regular basis.
School Agendas
For a nominal fee students will be provided with an Agenda that is used to develop their
organizational skills as well as facilitating communication regarding
homework, deadlines and special events. Starting on page 2 of the
Agenda is a guide to the rules and responsibilities from the Principal
and from the School Board, the Catholic Code of Conduct. Please take
some time to look over the agenda with your child. It is particularly
important to emphasize that the agenda is to be used daily to assist
your child in organizing his/her time and to keep parents informed on what is happening
in class and in the school. It is a great vehicle to jot down a short note to the teacher and
the teacher can respond in the same way.
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Grade Divisions
The school is divided into three divisions as follows:
 Primary Division: Junior Kindergarten through to Grade Three
 Junior Division: Grade Four through to Grade Six
 Intermediate Division: Grades Seven and Eight
Visitors to School
For the safety of everyone in the school, all visitors, including
parents and former students are to check in at the main office
before proceeding to any school area. When you arrive at the
school you are required to sign the visitor book and obtain a visitor
pass. Visitors are requested to enter the school through the front doors. If you bring a
forgotten lunch or book to school, you are asked to leave it at the school office, where
staff will ensure it gets to your child. For safety reasons, visitors are not to escort
children to the classrooms.
Absenteeism/Lateness
Parents are responsible to inform the school of your child‟s absence from school. Please
phone the school at 905-624-9625 and press “1” for attendance before 9:00 a.m. and
provide the following information:
 Date of absence
 Your child‟s full name
 Grade and teacher‟s name
 The reason for absence (please be specific)
 Date of return
Please continue to call on each day that your child is absent. When your child returns to
school please provide the teacher with a note regarding the specific reason for the
absence.
Picking Up Students/Early Dismissal
There may be times when you need to pick up your child before the end of the school
day. If you know this in advance, please write a note in your child‟s agenda letting the
teacher know when your child will be leaving. When you arrive at the school you are
asked to report to the office. Arrangements will be made for your child to meet you at
the office. If you intend to send someone else to pick up your child, please inform the
classroom teacher.
Parents wishing to meet their children at the end of the school day are asked to either wait
outside the school boundaries at a pre-determined spot off student play areas. The school
has initiated an area where parents can wait for their children without interrupting play or
being mistaken as a school supervisor. Parents are asked to remain off the playground
and field areas, remaining behind the fence gate or pathway on the north side or if on the
south side are to remain off tarmac.
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Busing
The School Board currently provides busing for students who
are eligible based upon their age and board determined
distance from school. There is limited access to „courtesy
seats‟ based upon specific criteria. Parents interested, must
apply to the school in the fall, with rides beginning midOctober.
Students Walking to School
Please encourage your child to use the crossing guards at:
 Fieldgate and Bough Beeches
 Bough Beeches at Sts. Martha and Mary School
 Fieldgate and Rathburn
Kiss n’ Ride
Moving cars and children just don‟t mix unless there is a system in place. In order to
provide a safe method for dropping off/picking up your child, the Kiss n‟ Ride System
has been established. Parents who drive their children to school in the
morning are to enter the school driveway from the west end and proceed
to the Kiss n‟ Ride drop off area. Once there, staff supervisors will
monitor the child‟s safe exit from the vehicle and the child will then
proceed directly to the schoolyard. Drivers are requested not to exit the
vehicle; rather the child is expected to exit independently to help reduce
further commotion in the Kiss n‟ Ride, bus/fire and drive through lanes.
How Kiss n’ Ride Works
There are three lanes, each with a designated purpose.
Lane 1 is closest to the school building and is the Bus Lane and a Fire Lane. This lane is
only to be used by school buses either dropping off or picking up students. Vehicles
found parked in this lane are subject to fines and removal.
Lane 2 is the middle lane and is the lane that parents use to drive in to drop off their
child. Drivers are asked to stop beside a staff supervisor. Students are to exit from the
passenger side of the vehicle only.
Students are taught that they are not to leave their vehicles until a staff supervisor has
indicated to do so. Please be prepared and have the child‟s backpack with them, and not
in the trunk of your vehicle. There is no parking or leaving your vehicle from this lane.
If you need to go into the school, please park on the street and walk. Vehicles found
parked in this lane are subject to fines and removal.
Lane 3 is the closest to the street and immediately beside the parked teachers‟ cars. This
is a drive through lane. Students should not be exiting from their vehicles from this lane
as other drivers are not anticipating this unsafe behaviour. Vehicles found parked in this
lane are subject to fines and removal.
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Inclement Weather
During the winter season, many parents are concerned about board
policy on outdoor recess. It is policy that when the temperature
drops below -25°C, with or without wind chill, students should not
go outside for recess and a modified recess will take place when
temperature drops to -20°C. Students also remain inside during
rain or thunder. Please ensure your child is prepared for the extremes of Canadian
weather.
Lunchtime
Students in grades 1-8 have twenty minutes to eat their lunch in
their classrooms before going outside for the second recess. At the
beginning of the school year your child is sent home with a
permission form where you fill out whether your child will be
going home for lunch, on a daily basis, or staying at the school
during the lunch period. No students are allowed to leave school
property at lunch hour unless they have a written note of
permission, signed by the parent.
Allergen Awareness
School can be a very frightening environment for a child with a severe
food allergy, such as to peanuts or nut products and there are a growing
number of our students with these allergies. In an effort to promote a
safe and secure environment for all students we ask your support in
implementing school-wide allergen awareness. Also for safety reasons
students are not allowed to share their lunches with classmates. We ask
that you place careful consideration to school lunches and snacks and
refrain from sending in items that are made of, or contain traces of nuts
or peanuts.
There may be children with other severe food allergies in your child‟s classroom and in
these cases your child‟s teacher will inform you. We offer our heartfelt thanks for your
support.
Storage and Administration of Medication
Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medication and
forms are updated annually for any student who requires
medication to be administered at the school. If your child
requires medication, please have the necessary forms completed
by your physician and return the forms, along with any
medication, to the office as soon as possible. Forms are available at the school office.
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Use of School Phones
School telephones are for emergency purposes only. Students are expected to come to
school prepared for all learning and/or extra-curricular activities. In order to reduce
disruption to the student‟s day, we ask that parents ensure all required materials are
packed and ready for school each day.
Report Cards/Teacher Interviews
Progress Report is sent home in November, an interview is
conducted for students who need extra assistance or progressing
with some difficulty. Report cards are issued two times per year,
February and June at the end of the school year (exact dates can
be found in the school newsletters that are prepared monthly).
First term interviews are scheduled in January/February for all
students, along with their teachers and parents to discuss the
student‟s progress and goals. At any time during the school year
a meeting can be scheduled between parents and teachers when
the need arises.
At the beginning of the school year, the school holds a curriculum night where parents
have the opportunity to visit their child‟s classroom, meet their teachers and tour the
school.
How Best to Contact Your Child’s Teacher
Parents are asked to call the school (905-624-9625) and either leaves a message with the
school secretary or leave a message on the voicemail machine, or you can write a note in
your child‟s agenda with your contact information. Our voicemail is set up to receive
messages 24 hours a day.
Recess “Playground Procedures”
Recess is a great time for students to burn off some excess energy, get some exercise and
socialize. They will be instructed in the playground rules in the
classroom. Children are encouraged to play with grade level peers.
Given the range of ages of students at the school, the playground is
divided up so that the very youngest are not in the midst of the very
oldest. This may mean that siblings will not necessarily see each
other during the school day. Please remind your child that school is not a place to bring
or store valuable belongings, such as jewelry, money, hand-held electronic devices or the
current popular trading cards or toys and the like.
Indoor Shoes
Students need to have a pair of running shoes or other appropriate
footwear that are left at school so that during inclement weather,
they change from the outdoors shoes/boots before entering their
classrooms. This will allow their feet to remain dry and clean at all
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times as well as helping to keep the classrooms clean.
Lost and Found
A lost and found box is kept in the stairwell near the northwest exit doors. Parents and
students are encouraged to check this box if something has been misplaced. Smaller
items are kept in the office. As mentioned earlier in this guide, please do not allow your
child to bring valuable items to the school. Reminder, all visitors are to report to the
main office.
Pizza Days
The School Council has traditionally facilitated Pizza lunches
once a week, and this fundraiser initiative is determined annually
by School Council in the fall. Proceeds of the Pizza days help
fund various School Council initiatives. To eliminate the need to
have students bring in exact change every week (and to lessen
the workload on the parent volunteers who generously donate their time to come in every
week to organize the pizza orders for each classroom), there are pizza coupon order
sheets. The Pizza Coupon Order Sheet allows you to purchase a sheet of coupons for $20
per sheet. (10 coupons per sheet and each coupon is equal to one slice of pizza). All food
items sold at the school must meet Provincial School Food and Beverage Policy
requirements.
Here is how the system typically works:
 Orders for pizza coupons are pre-purchased
 Students hand their filled-out coupon order sheet with exact payment to their
teachers, who pass it along to the School Council Pizza Committee.
 Payment can be made by cash or cheque (made out to “Sts. Martha and Mary
School Council”)
 On designate Pizza lunch day, the students bring in their filled-out coupons (one
coupon is equal to one slice of pizza). Students may choose Pepperoni or Cheese
(during Lent, the pepperoni pizza is substituted with vegetarian pizza or cheese).
School Faith and Virtue Education
Early in the school year your child will bring home the Pastoral Plan
for each of the grade divisions. In addition, each monthly newsletter
will contain information of special programs and liturgies that will
take place in the school and parents are welcome to attend. Each
month we celebrate a different virtue, demonstrating Jesus‟
model of discipleship, through our daily interactions.
Sacramental Preparations
During the course of the year, our school has the privilege of assisting
the priest in preparing students for three sacraments:
Reconciliation and Holy Communion
Grade 2
Confirmation
Grade 8
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Although the school plays a major role in sacramental preparation, parents, as the
primary instructors of faith, are key in preparing their children to receive these
sacraments. Students may be invited to attend preparatory classes at Sts. Martha and
Mary Church at 1870 Burnhamthorpe Road East, Mississauga, 905-625-5670.
Student Activities outside the Classroom
At the generosity of the staff, there is a wide variety of activities for students to
participate in, including:
 School Sports Teams
o Boys and Girls Junior/Intermediate Volleyball
o Junior/Intermediate Cross Country Teams
o Boys and Girls Junior/Intermediate Basketball
o Boys and Girls Intermediate Soccer
o Track and Field
 Student Leadership
 Choir
 Mississauga East Chess Tournament
 Band
Students are made aware of these activities through their teachers and morning
announcements. All extra-curricular activities are tentative and dependent upon
voluntary teacher support; therefore, some events may not occur in a given year.
Educational Excursions
Classroom teachers may choose to organize educational excursions during the school
year. These trips help to augment and enhance student learning and apply curricular
expectations to life experiences.
Volunteering at the School
The Ministry and Board Policy require that all volunteers (including
class trips) provide the school with a Criminal Reference Check before
they begin working with students. Parents who have previously
volunteered at Sts. Martha and Mary School are required to complete an
Offence Declaration form before beginning their duties at the school.
Both of these forms can be obtained at the school office.
Opportunities to volunteer include:
Rosary Club
Pizza Days
Library Resource Centre
Classroom Helper
Special Education
All Star Reading
School Council
Educational Excursions
Please call the school office (905-624-9625) to enquire about volunteering. Not all
volunteer position requires that you are available during school hours. There‟s room for
everyone to pitch in.
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Catholic School Council
School Councils are advisory bodies established in every Dufferin-Peel Catholic school.
The mandate of the Council is to provide advice to the school Principal or Board on
matters such as school code of student behaviour, the response of school or school board
to achievement in provincial and board assessment programs, school budget priorities,
curriculum and program goals and priorities and development, implementation and
review of board policies at the local level. The Council is open to the school community.
Elections are conducted in September of each school year.
All parents are welcome. School Council is a wonderful way for parents to become more
actively engaged and informed.
Elections of the School Council take place in September (forms will be sent home with
the monthly newsletter). Parents are eligible to self-nominate. If you don‟t wish to be on
the Council, you are welcome to attend the meetings regardless (you just won‟t be able to
vote on motions).
The positions of the Council are as follows:
 Chair (or co-chairs)
 Secretary
 Treasurer
 Teacher Representative (staff member)
 Non-teaching Representative (staff member)
 Parish Representative (appointed by parish priest)
 Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (O.A.P.C.E)
 Council members without a specific portfolio
The Council meets approximately 6 times a year and meetings are open to all parents.
We regret that children cannot be accommodated at the meetings as supervision is not
provided.
School Council facilitates a number of events including Annual
BBQ, Pizza Days and a major fundraiser that helps support
initiatives in the school. Your support of the School Council,
through active participation at the meetings, and/or the various
initiatives is appreciated.
Central Committee for Catholic School Councils
The mission of the Central Committee for Catholic School Councils, is an organization
dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Catholic Education, and is to foster open
communication and engage parental involvement at all levels. Each year, the
Mississauga East family of schools gathers to nominate a parent representative to attend
and participate in the Central Committee for Catholic School Councils. Parents interested
in developing a more global perspective of the board may wish to consider this position.
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Fundraising and Community Events (may vary each year)
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Scholastic Book Fair – organized by our Teacher Librarian, and a team of
volunteers. The book fair is typically held in November of the school year and
the profits raised go directly to support school initiatives.
Terry Fox Walk is typically held in September of the school year.
Halloween Dance-a-Thon is typically held on the last Friday in October facilitated
by School Council. Funds raised through this event will be used to support school
initiatives.
Food Drives – Fall, Christmas and Easter (as needed)
Christmas Giving Tree facilitated by School Council
Mitten Tree facilitated by School Council
ShareLife (registered Catholic charity serving 34 community agencies supported
by School Council and facilitated by staff and students)
Foster Child facilitated by students
and more….
The Sts. Martha and Mary community is a very active and generous one as demonstrated
by the number of initiatives that the School Council supports. Items/activities that the
Council has traditionally supported but may vary annually include:
 Hush-ups (similar to tennis balls, these are placed around the feet of chairs to
quiet the sound made by scraping chairs)
 Instrumental Music Program
 Sound Field Systems (each classroom has a sound system that allows the teachers
to amplify their voices, which helps the students hear as well as assisting the
teachers‟ voices)
 Community Needs (by the Principal‟s discretion)
 School Presentations by outside groups, such as Mad Science, dramatic
performances and the like.
 Primary and Junior/Intermediate Literacy Centre and All Star Reading
 Parish Donation
 Agendas
 Play Day (held near the end of the school year)
 Recess Bins (activities, equipment used by the students for outdoor and indoor
recess)
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