St. Monica School
60 Sterritt Drive
Brampton, Ontario L6Y 5B6
Tel (905) 454-6346 Fax (905) 454-6349
www.dpcdsb.org/MONIC
Dec. 2015
Advent is a period of simple living and extra prayer. It is a time to prepare for a new coming of Jesus
Newsletter
our Saviour.
Advent means ‘coming’. At Christmas we will remember Jesus’ first coming, and prepare our hearts for a new
coming.
Jesus is a loving and peaceful Saviour. He calls his followers to make the whole world loving and peaceful.
Advent is a time to reevaluate our priorities, to ‘wake up’ and to walk with God. It is a wonderful opportunity for
active service towards those who are poor in body and poor in spirit. It is a time to set aside differences and unite in
peace and love.
Advent beckons us to go beyond our own misgivings and to reach out to those less fortunate.
• Like the shepherds, let us show we love Jesus by our efforts to be with Him.
Mississauga Brampton
Central Family of Schools
L. Papaloni
Superintendent
P. Peroni
Principal
J. Vieira
• Like the Wise Men, let us not keep our wealth to ourselves but rather share it among those who have little.
Vice Principal
• Like the little drummer boy, let us shout to the world, “Gloria in Excelsis Deo.”
C. McIntyre
Our daily prayers and classroom activities act as reminders throughout Advent, the season for hope and for waiting is
upon us.
At school, staff and students are preparing for the season with Advent wreaths, Liturgies, Christmas stories, artwork,
Head Secretary
letters to Santa, songs, hymn practices and charitable assistance. Being together as a community with the children and
joyfully awaiting the birth of Christ is very special indeed.
Tish G., Vilma M.
Council Co Chairs
A. da Silva
Trustee
(905) 890-0708 (ext. 20154)
anna.dasilva@dpcdsb.org
Dates to Remember
December 3:
November 30: HOPE Candle
December 1: 9:50 Primary Advent Liturgy
December 4:
Gr. 2 Rosary-St. Augustine
St. Jerome’s Parish
9:30 a.m. Santa Photos
Fr. Jan Kolodynski
Peel Police Presentations
Pastor
Gr. 8 (G. McLeod) Junior Achievement
Gr. 6: Ripley’s, Boys VB OLOP
December 2: Girls VB Pauline Vanier
Peel Police Safety Presentations
December 8: PEACE Candle Primary Advent Liturgy
Brampton, Ontario
December 9:
905-455-4260
Rosary Apostolate
ADDITIONAL DATES: Pizza: Dec. 3, 10, 17 Mr. Sub: Dec. 16 Cookies: Dec.1, 15
December 10: Primary Christmas Concert Dress Rehearsal : 10:00 a.m.; Primary Concert 6:30 p.m.
December 11: 10 a.m. Mass St. Jerome Parish, Virtues Assembly 2:30 p.m.
December 15: JOY Candle Primary Advent Liturgy 9:50 a.m.; December 13-18 Christmas Spirit Week- Details to follow
December 8-11: Gift Of Warmth Collection; December 1-4: Share Life Store Collection
December 7-8: Share Life Christmas Store Shopping
December 1, 2, 4, 15, 16: Burton Manor Visits: SNSM, Hip Hop, Student Faith Ambassadors, Choir
December 14, 15: Peel Safety Village Safety Gr. 5
December 16: Movie Presentation Noon-2:00 p.m.
8530 Chinguacousy Rd.,
December 15: St. Jerome Parish Reconciliation 7:30 p.m.
December 17: Christmas Snow-A-Thon $2.00/$3.00 donation
Dancing Schedule: 9:30-10:40 Grade 1-Grade 3, 10:45-12:05 Gr.4-Gr. 6, 1:15-1:45 ELP-FDK, SNSM, 1:45-3:22 Gr. 7-8
December 19: Christmas Holidays Begin
Welcome Back Monday January 4, 2016 Happy New Year!
Website: www.stjeromeparish.ca
Principal’s Message:
We continue to appreciate your support in working
collaboratively with the school staff and in seeing that your
children carry out their responsibilities as Catholic students. If
you have any concerns about your child, you are encouraged to
contact the teacher immediately to discuss them. J. Vieira and
myself are also available to discuss any concerns or
compliments. We welcome L. Stott as our LTO in S.
Alve’s/C. Thornton’s FDK Class. S. Alves will be at home
on bed rest until the arrival of her second child. We wish her
and her family all the best as they await the new addition to
their family. L. Stott has been in the classroom and is
familiar with the students and the program, her strengths,
talents are appreciated and we are certain you will make her
feel welcome at our school
THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
“Catholic Schools aspire to a holistic influence in that they
seek to infuse the whole curriculum and the ethos with the
Catholic unifying vision. The Catholic character of a school
is not something extra appended to the otherwise neutral
content of the curriculum, to the otherwise instrumental
process of teaching and the otherwise non-ideological
climate of the school. The distinctively Catholic inspiration
of a school leaves, on the contrary, its internal mark on the
whole curriculum and the ethos of that school.”
Stefaan E. Cuypers A Journal of Catholic
Education and Practice “The Ideal of Catholic
Education in a Secularized Society” June 2004
This is the moment to continue
to teach our faith! In Catholic
schools we provide space and
time for the holy.
Remember to try to be kinder
than necessary,
for everyone we meet may be
fighting some kind of battle.
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH:
HOPE
We believe that God comes to us
as a real human who can show
us the way of life. We
understand that both the world
and its people are from God and
so are essentially good.
Furthermore, God has given us
this Advent season year after
year in order to focus our minds
and our hearts on the good all
around us. Year after year, we are reminded that God chose to
send his Son to us because we are worth it. God knows how
great we can be when we all come together. People of
Hope….Are patient, Know how to wait his/her turn, Can calm him/
herself down and think before reacting, Know how to avoid
physical aggression (hitting, kicking, punching, fighting, etc.)
PARISH NEWS
St. Jerome’s Parish
Tel: 905-455-4260, Fax: 905-450-6326
E-Mail: office@stjeromeparish.ca
Homepage: http//www.stjeromeparish.ca
Sunday Eucharist: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m.
Fr. Jan “Our Good Father”
On November 3, Fr. Jan had an informational session for parents/
guardians of our Gr. 7 & 8 students, the parental attendance reaffirms our
Catholic faith and true partnerships.
We continue to work with Fr. Jan on the faith formation of students, families
and staff. As a school we continue to work on mass responses, and
appropriate protocol. We look forward to having him preside over our
Advent Mass on Dec. 11th at 10 a.m. at St. Jerome’s Parish. All are
welcome.
St. Jerome Parish Youth News
The youth group meets weekly on Tuesday evening from 7:30-9 p.m. Feel
free to join in at the 7 p.m. mass before the meeting. Each week the
students explore their faith, have fun and explore many topics that are
important to teens. New members Gr. 8-12 are always
welcome.
The Advent Wreath
The season of Advent is upon us and Fr. Jan is sharing an
explanation of the Advent Wreath. The Advent Wreath is one of the
oldest traditions of the Church, probably dating back to the Germanic and
Scandinavian peoples. The circular wreath represents the cycle of thousands of
years from Adam to Jesus, during which the world awaited the arrival of the
Messiah. THE CIRCLE, without beginning or end, teaches us that God 's love and
eternal life are both never ending. THE EVERGREEN is the symbol of life and
hope. It teaches us that the Lord Jesus is our hope for salvation as green is the
Church's colour for hope. The evergreen never changes just as God's love for us
will never change. THE CANDLES symbolize the light of grace given to all peoples
when our Saviour is born. The candles have no meaning unless they are lit. Their
flame gives us light, life and warmth. As Jesus' coming draws near, the brightness
of their light increases each week. The purple candles, like the purple vestments
worn by the priest remind us that this season is penitential, as we make our hearts
ready to celebrate once again, the birth of Christ and hopeful, as we wait with great
anticipation for the Feast of Christmas and the final coming of the Lord. The rose
candle reminds us of joy because we know the Lord is near. The white candle in
the centre represents Christ, our Light. Each of the candles also represents the
following: Candle 1 - purple - Hope and the Patriarchs, Candle 2 - Purple - Peace
and the Prophets, Candle 3 - Rose - Joy and John the Baptist, Candle 4 - Love
and Mary, the Mother of Christ, Candle 5 - Christ, the light of the world.
CONSIDER having your own Advent wreath at home, whether purple and rose, or
simple white candles. Lighting the Advent Wreath as a family each night (at
supper?), dispelling the winter darkness as we prepare to celebrate the feast of
Christmas, can be a focus of prayer for your family this year.
(Please do not leave lit candles unattended!)
I suggest you gather the materials you will need and decide on a place in your
home for your Wreath. BLESSING ON THE SECOND ADVENT FOR YOUR
ADVENT WREATH AT HOME
Dear God
Who by your word created light from darkness, and breathed life into all
your creatures. Bless this wreath and those who use it.
May its light remind us of your presence in our lives. May its green
branches remind us of your faithfulness that never ends.
ST. JEROME ADVENT RECONCILIATION
7:30 P.M. TUESDAY DECEMBER 15
ST. JEROME CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
CHRISTMAS EVE DECEMBER 24
5:00 P.M., 7:30 P.M., 9:30 P.M., 12 MIDNIGHT
CHRISTMAS DAY DECEMBER 25
10:30 A.M., 12:30 P.M.
SOLEMNNITY OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD
(HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION)
DECEMBER 31, 5:00 P.M.
SOLEMNITY OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD
(HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION)
JANUARY 1, 2016
FULL DAY Kindergarten Registration for 2016-17
Registration for Full-Day Kindergarten for the 2016-17 school
year, will take place at St. Monica on the following days:
Monday, January 25, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Friday, January 29, 2016
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.*
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
10:30 A.M., 12:00 P.M.
* Snow Date:
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
CHOIR
For more information about registration and the Full-Day
Kindergarten program, call St. Monica School or visit
www.dpcdsb.org.
Our committed choir members continue
to practice for our Advent Mass, and
their visits to Burton Manor to cheer the
residents this Christmas Season. All of
this is made possible through the
dedication and time provided through their teacher leaders; D.
Doyle, M. Manalo, M. Hamilton and C. Thornton. Thank you to
the directors and the students for their continued commitment.
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Extended French Information Meeting
Grade 4 parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enrol
their child in a Grade 5 Extended French class for
September, 2016 are invited to attend an
information meeting at:
School: St. Monica School
STUDENT FAITH AMBASSADORS:
Thanks to J. Conway, C. Briganti, and T. Collier, for leading our
Faith Ambassadors, congratulations to the following students
who are committed to the youth ambassador group; Moises C,
Joelle A, Izaiah T, Luna A, Jerome W, Ayanna G, Lola A, Tristan Q, Israel G,
Anjelica G, Ciara P, Manny P, Ivana T, Mark N, Ronan J, James T, Daniella
A, Darwin G, Jada R, Shezan A, Salena G, Alissa L, Shilore G, Khari W,
Adam S, Sarah M, Emily H, Justin K, Dylan F, Dominic A, Peter P, Emma V,
Natalie K, Alyssa F, Catherine M, Ella S, Justine C, Belen F, Veronica T,
Yasmine A, Kenya L, Danielle R, Delaine P, Anthony M, Anthony T, Yulia K,
Devontay J, Rovic Q, Alex L, and Christina J. Their lead with our
Advent initiatives and Refugee family are highly appreciated.
Student Council
Thanks also to our Student Council for their lead with Our
Christmas Tree Of Warmth. We thank them for all their
involvement throughout the school.
Address: 60 Sterritt Dr.
Brampton, L6Y 5B6
Date:
Time:
Thursday January 14, 2016
7:00 pm.
Applications will be accepted at our school until
3:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 16th, 2016.
GOING GREEN
Thanks to the numerous families whom submitted your e-mail
address for GOING GREEN. Newsletters, forms, messages
etc., will be sent electronically. If you have not already signed
up for going green, you still can, please contact the office. We
will still send out paper copies of newsletters to the youngest
and only for those families whom did not sign up for this option.
ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK
Please be aware that there are a number of students at St.
Monica with a severe life-threatening food allergy
(anaphylaxis) to peanuts, nuts and fish. This is a medical
condition that causes a severe reaction to certain allergens
and can result in death within minutes. You have been notified if this affects your child’s class directly, please send
foods with your child that are free from
peanuts, nuts and/or fish or any other
severe food items that may cause serious distress, as already notified by
your child’s teacher. Thank you for
your understanding.
Parent Evening to Support the Transition of Children with Differing
Abilities into Kindergarten 2016
There will be an information session for parent(s)/guardian(s)
of children with differing abilities including vision, hearing, autism,
physical/medical and/or developmental delays who are transitioning
to Kindergarten in September 2016. The information session will be
held at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board -- Catholic Education Centre, Room 301 on Tuesday, January 12,
2016, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Snow date, Wednesday, January 13, 2016, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Parent(s)/Guardian(s)
are also reminded to register their child at their school. Official
registration dates are Monday, January 25th from 7:00 p.m. to
9:00 p.m. The Snow Date for the evening registration is Tuesday, January 26th, 2016, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Additional
registration dates are January 27th, 28th and 29th, 2016 from 9:00
a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
EPI-PENS Must be worn in a
pouch/fanny pack on the student requiring an EPI-Pen.
ExtraCurricular
Insurance
Stack-AThon
With all the activities that take place at school in the playground, the gym and in sports, accidents happen. Dental
injuries can occur when 2 children accidentally bump heads
or fall. The school board does not carry accident insurance for students. Fall outdoor activities, extra-curricular
and excursions are an additional reason you may wish to buy
student accident insurance. An insurance package was sent
home with your child(ren). This is optional for families. You
may purchase coverage for your child at
www.insuremykids.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-463KIDS (5437). Please direct your questions to a Reliable Life
Insurance Representative.
Congratulations to the St.
Monica StackA-Thon Club
who participated in the
World Record
Competition
for the most people Speed Stacking at the same time for 30 minutes
straight! Our participants were Maya F., Adam F., Austyn Y., Nina S.,
Ava S., Halle T., Emmanuella S., Tiago O., Carter O., Ethan R.,
Vanessa A., Katarina K., Mark Anthony L., Toby P., Declan B., Ariel W.,
Kylie C., Angelo G., Isabella U., Josiah M., Jacob S., and Daniel J.K.
Thanks to J. Posa, S. Perruzza and L. Gredi for guiding and practicing
with the students.
Outdoor/Indoor Shoes
Parents/Guardians! We need your help to keep our school
safe, clean and dust-free. Please send an indoor pair of
shoes. If you require assistance please contact the school.
REPORTING ABSENCES
If your child/children are going to be absent or late for school,
we ask that you call the school office and leave a message
(905) 454-6346. Let us know on a day to day basis if your
child will continue to be absent. As a safety precaution we
will always try to contact parents by phone if we have not
received any messages. Your continued cooperation is
greatly appreciated.
VOLLEYBALL: On November 24 our Intermediate Boys Volleyball team travelled to Our Lady Of Peace to compete. They
demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and placed first and are
moving on to the next level. Congratulations to Abraham K., Tiago O., John M., Adam F., Angelo G.,
Jesse F., Jayden M., Jayden S., Luke
C., Dimron P., and Graham M. for representing us, special thanks to their
coaches G. McLeod and A. Attinello.
On November 27 our Intermediate Girls Volleyball team competed
at our school. The girls worked hard placing first and represented St. Monica with pride. They will be moving on to the next level.
Congratulations to Girlie D, Danielle R, Savanna L, Erica L, Kyla
I, Chelsea Y, Delaine P, Veronica D, and Emily H. Special thanks
to their coaches T. Collier and N. Leo.
SCHOOL HOURS: 9:15-3:45
Bell to Bell, Time on Task
Arriving late for class means that a pupil misses a very important part of the day - the time
when instructions for the day’s activities are given, discussed and teaching begins. Entering a classroom late is
embarrassing for a child. It interrupts the lesson for both the
teacher and the other pupils. The habit or custom of punctuality is one that should be established very early in a child’s
school life. School attendance and punctuality are legal
requirements. We ask for your co-operation in ensuring
your child’s regular attendance by arriving before 9:15 a.m.
Bell to Bell, Time on Task!
Lost and Found Items
Ask your children to check our tables in the hallway for missing items by Friday, Dec. 11. All unclaimed items will be
donated to charity after this date.
Catholic School Learning Plan
We believe that every student is a unique individual created by
God and for God. To this end our respect for all learners is embedded in the learning process to help all achieve to their potential
considering the various needs, diverse talents, heritage, background, areas for growth. Co-operation, tolerance and acceptance
are requirements at St. Monica School. With this premise in mind,
staff have been diligent in working through our Catholic School
Learning Plan in the areas of Literacy, Mathematical Literacy,
Technology, Catholicity, Anti-Racism, and Safe-Caring Schools.
These plans include specific OUTCOMES , inclusive of action
plans and indicators of success. Staff are highly commended for
analyzing data, looking at our demographics and planning appropriately for all our students. You can review our plan on our web
site this December.
EQAO
Lunch
Please note, if you are delivering lunch to your child, just a
reminder you are to deliver the lunch to the main office. We
do not have supervision for students to pick up their lunch in
the parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring
the safety of all.
The results of our 2014-2015 results are on our website, as
well, here is a snapshot. Students have received their individual scores. We are reviewing our results and planning for
continued growth.
2014-2015
Gr. 3 Reading
VALUABLES
Just a reminder that students should not bring to school items of
value. These may be things of sentimental value or monetary
value. This is, also, not the place where cards or any other collectibles are traded. Cell phones, cameras, i-pods and other electronic devices should not be visible at school. The school is not
responsible for lost or stolen items.
School
Board
Province
49
71
No Data
Gr. 3 Writing
School
Board
Province
49
76
No Data
School
Board
Province
51
64
No Data
Gr. 3 Math
Columbian Squires St. Patrick Circle 2042 The Columbi-
Gr. 6 Reading
an Squires are the official youth organization of The Knights Of
Columbus. The Squires program develops leadership by allowing
the Squires to plan and carry out activities with advice, suggestions and encouragement from Knights Leaders. Squires also
have fun and bond while helping their Church and community
through service. St. Patricks Circle 2041 would like to extend an
open invitation to all Catholic boys age 10-18 to meet with us every Thursday night from 7-9pm at St. Monica School for our weekly
activity night where we play sports like basketball, soccer, floor
hockey and dodgeball. Every week we meet together to not only
play but to learn how to strengthen our Catholic Faith through
prayer, reading the gospel and learning how to pattern our lives
around the Youth Christ. For more information please contact
Knights Of Columbus Youth Director Domenic Rutigliano at 905
459 0488 or by email at dmrdistributing@aol.com
School
Board
Province
78
81
No Data
School
Board
Province
63
82
No Data
School
Board
Province
26
53
No Data
Gr. 6 Writing
Gr. 6 Math
Our scores in our junior division continue to remain relatively consistent in Reading. Our math scores are much lower than expected. We continue to look at individual student achievement data
and plan our school focus accordingly. We continue to support our
Special Education needs through assistive technology to enhance student learning and achievement. Numeracy will continue to be a focus
this year.
MILK PROGRAM
We will be continuing our milk program at St. Monica
School. Thanks to M. Hamilton, C. McIntyre and our student volunteers for co-ordinating and distributing.
POPCORN
We continue to have Popcorn and Cookie Fridays. Bring your toonies and enjoy a bag of
Kernels popcorn or for a loonie enjoy a cookie.
Thanks to M. Zarkovic and Gr. 8 students and student
council for coordinating.
PIZZA
Pizza days will continue every Thursday.
Thanks to D. Doyle, J. Conway, and the Gr. 8’s for coordinating and all staff for coordinating orders, as well as all
families for submitting forms on time and appreciating this
special luncheon.
Mr. Sub Lunches
Wednesday December 16th is Mr. Sub Lunch.
Thanks to Tish G. and the school council for coordinating and offering this additional lunch option.
School Council
Next Council meeting will be on January 12, 2016, 6:30 p.m. All are
welcome.
YOU Make A Difference!!!
Thank you to all parents/guardians
who:
•attended our school council meeting and
provided valuable input
•volunteered to coordinate /assist with the Mr. Sub luncheon; Tish
G.
•drove students to their tournaments; i.e. volleyball
Early to Bed….Early to Rise
Getting enough sleep is crucial to school success with academics, attitude, behaviour, social adjustment, effort, contentment and well-being. Research indicates that consistency in this routine is extremely important for success
at school.
Inclement Weather Conditions (See attachment)
On the days when the weather is extremely hazardous or
conditions seem to be deteriorating throughout the day,
parents may decide to keep their children home in the
morning, or not have them return after lunch, for reasons of
safety. On days when the weather is extremely hazardous,
please listen to a radio station for information regarding the
operation of school buses. If the bus does not run in the
morning, there are no buses in the afternoon.
•contact the teacher or office with a concern or compliment
•volunteer on a regular basis or quick notice basis
•assist your children in following our Code of Conduct, and safe bus
procedures
•support all efforts of our school council
•will be supporting through volunteering at our Advent Mass at St.
Jerome’s Parish
•continue to respect our Kiss and Ride procedures and are adhering to this safe practice
•working hard to secure sponsorships and prizes for our February
Dance-A-Thon; Vivette, Finuzza, Anthony, Yarlene
•coordinated and collated our St. Monica Spirit Wear-Elizabeth C.
•promoting education in Africa through book collection-Francoise
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Volunteers
We encourage parents to become
involved in various aspects of school
life. School Council also requires
volunteers to assist with their many
endeavours at our school, specifically
our major fundraiser –Dance-A-Ton, Mr. Sub and Poutine
Lunches. Please come out and share your talents. Many
hands make light work! Don’t forget to get your required
Criminal Reference Check.
“Guided by the Spirit…growing as a family”
ONTARIO CATHOLIC GRADUATE EXPECTATIONS
Vision of the Learner This Month:
Effective Communicator
AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR: Presents information and ideas clearly and honestly and with sensitivity to others. Writes and speaks fluently one or both
of Canada's official languages. Uses and integrates
the Catholic faith tradition, in the critical analysis of the
arts, media, technology and information systems to
enhance the quality of life.
DPCDSB is now on
Twitter! For the latest
Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board
news and information
on schools, programs,
in-services, follow us on
Twitter
@DPCDSBSchools
Child’s Prayer for Advent
How dark outside!
but see -- a star's in the sky;
Mary and Joseph are passing by.
So let's light a candle to welcome them
as they go on their way to Bethlehem.
We'll light a candle in church each Sunday,
We'll light one candle each week and pray.
O God,
as light comes from the candle,
may the blessing of Jesus Christ come to us,
warming our hearts and
brightening our way.
May Christ our Savior bring life
into the darkness of this world,
and to us, as we wait for his coming.
We'll light a candle in church each Sunday,
We'll light one candle each week and pray.
INFOpage - an online resource for information about awards, scholarships, fundraising
opportunities, educational resources, professional development opportunities, parent/
guardian resources and community events. To
access the INFOpage, visit www.dpcdsb.org.
You
may
go
to
www.stopr.ca for daily bus
cancellations or delays.
“Guided by the Spirit…growing as a family”
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
Advent Mass
Please join our school for this special mass at 10 a.m. on Dec. 11th at St. Jerome’s Parish.
This is a great way to celebrate this special liturgical season.
Student Faith Ambassadors
During Advent our students will be collecting money for our school to contribute towards Refugee Relief. For every toonie collected, a paper rosary bead will be distributed to decorate, we will see how many rosaries we complete.
All classes have received an Advent calendar with Daily Advent Challenges, ask your son/daughter to share some of these
challenges at home.
Our Manger will be set up in the foyer, where teachers will bring students to fill the crèche with hay for every good deed.
Gifts Of Warmth Dec. 8-11
We are continuing with our St. Monica School “Gifts of Warmth” tradition. To help those in need this winter
we will be collecting NEW mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, winter headbands, earmuffs, socks, jackets,
snowsuits and neck warmers. The hallways on the first floor will be decorated with yarn. For each new
item a student, community member or staff bring in, they will decorate a cut out mitten and print their name
on it to acknowledge their kind and generous donation. We will give our gifts of warmth to those in need
through St. Vincent De Paul Society or St. Louise Outreach. Special thanks to M. Heitzner, M. Scalise, T. Gratton and the Student Council for coordinating.
Share Life Christmas Store
This year we are continuing with our Christmas Store for Share Life. J. Posa, T. Spremulli, S. Guilherme
and our student faith ambassadors are coordinating this. From Dec. 1-Dec. 4 staff and students will be
donating new or gently used items for our community to purchase for friends and families for Christmas.
Items will range from 25 cents to $10.00. Students will have the opportunity to purchase Christmas Gifts
on Dec. 7and 8. (A gift wrapping station will also be available.) If you care to donate Christmas bags or
wrapping paper that would also be appreciated. ALL PROCEEDS will go to Share Life.
Burton Manor
On December 1, 2, 4, 15, 16 our SNSM class, Hip Hop teams, Student Faith Ambassadors, and Choir will visit Burton Manor to
sing , perform, visit and distribute Christmas Cards for the residents. We are fortunate that we have the support of our families
and the dedication of our staff and students in providing Christmas joy to the Burton Manor residents.
Thank you for assisting us, please enjoy this reflection from your St. Monica Family!
Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened, I had just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself
stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out.
"What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was
gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.
He then answered me with a simple statement. "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled; what did he mean? He anticipated my question,
and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.
As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas
has forgotten."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green colour of
the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a
symbol of man’s thoughts turning toward heaven."
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago.
God promised a Saviour for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world,
and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the
real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."
He then pulled from his bag and ornament of HIMSELF. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolize the generosity and good will we
feel during the month of December."
He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn
by our Saviour. The red holly berries represents the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave..." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We
should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents
the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol
that we are our brother's keeper."
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious
news of the Saviour's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest on earth peace and good will toward men. "
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep
are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return. Santa
looked back and was pleased.
He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, Jesus Christ our Lord,
our God."
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
NEWS FLASH FROM THE GREEN GIANTS
(formerly known as the Eco Team)
BAN THE BOTTLE…
WHY YOU ASK?
Our inquiry question for this term is…if plastic water bottles are recyclable, then why are they
bad for the environment? Our research to this question has inspired us to start the BAN THE BOTTLE CAMPAIGN.
What we found…
Most plastic water bottles end up in the landfill and can take up to
700 years to decompose
It uses a lot of oil…17 million barrels of oil are used in the production of
plastic water bottles per year
Plastic is killing the ocean and its inhabitants
Once you bottle and pack all that water it needs to be transported,
adding to pollution and global warming
It uses a lot of energy
We are encouraging St. Monica students to
bring in reusable water bottles.
WASTE/ LOL INSPECTIONS
The Green Giants regularly check each class’ garbage and recycling, as well as
make sure that they are LOL-ING at lunch recess. On the last day of each
month, we create a bar graph to show the school how their class is doing in
terms of waste. Here are our results from the month of October. This bar graph
shows the number of times each class had perfect garbage and recycling. At
St. Monica, LOL= LIGHTS OUT LUNCHES. This allows our school to make use of the
natural light coming from the windows in our classrooms.
VIRTUES ASSEMBLY
The Virtues Assembly on Friday December 11th will have an Eco theme. Please
join us in celebrating the
liturgy, as well as watching
the Green Giants perform the Lorax and the 12 Days of Eco Christmas.
EARTH RANGERS
The Green Giants would like to thank Earth Rangers for coming into our
school. We learned a lot about the importance of protecting biodiversity in Canada.
It’s Cool to Be an Eco-School! This message is proudly brought to you by the Green Giants.
STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF PEEL REGION (STOPR)
BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO BAD WEATHER
2015 – 2016 SCHOOL YEAR
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 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television stations:
VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9
AM680
CHUM AM1050
CFTR
CFNY FM102.1/AM640
FM98.1
CJCL AM590
CHFI
NEWSTALK1010 AM
EZ ROCK FM97.3
FM Z103.5
FM93.1
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540
CBC99.1
GLOBAL NEWS
CTV
CJBC (FR) AM860
FM Q107
CITYPULSE
CANADA AM
We will be communicating one of six standard messages to the radio stations. The six announcements and their effect on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that the highlighted
text only will be communicated by the radio stations).
“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING
ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND
R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND PEEL
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.
This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the Town of
Caledon are cancelled for the entire day.
“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN
ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.
This means that all runs listed under announcements #l and #2 are cancelled.
Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation affects their school.
“THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the City of Mississauga are cancelled for the entire day.
“ALL DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
This means that ALL transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board, including buses,
vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.
“ALL BUSES ARE CANCELLED AND THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE
DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED”.
This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel District School board schools and offices are closed to all students and staff.