St. Monica School
60 Sterritt Drive
Brampton, Ontario L6Y 5B6
Tel (905) 454-6346 Fax (905) 454-6349
www.dpcdsb.org/MONIC
Oct. 2015
THANKSGIVING
May an abundance of gratitude burst through
Newsletter
As we reflect upon what we have received.
Mississauga Brampton
Central Family of Schools
May thanksgiving overflow in our heart,
L. Papaloni
and often be proclaimed in our prayer.
May we gather around the table of Your heart,
Superintendent
May the harvest of good actions bring forth plentiful fruit each day.
P. Peroni
May our basket of blessings surprise us with its rich diversity of gifts and its
Principal
opportunities for growth.
J. Vieira
May all that nourishes our lives bring daily satisfaction and renewed hope.
Vice Principal
May we slow our hurried pace of life so that we can be aware of, and enjoy,
C. McIntyre
what we too easily take for granted.
Head Secretary
May we always be open, willing and ready to share our blessings.
And may we always remember the generous One who has allowed us to have all that we have.
SUPPORT OUR FOOD DRIVE Oct. 1-7, 2015
L. Boyd
Office
Tish G., Vilma M.
Council Co-Chairs
A. da Silva
Trustee
Dates to Remember
October 14:
Rosary Apostolate
(905) 890-0708 (ext. 20154)
October 2:
Student Council Elections
October 14:
Junior Boy Volleyball St. Brigid
anna.dasilva@dpcdsb.org
October 5:
World Teacher’s Day
October 15:
CCCSC 5:30 p.m. SFX
St. Jerome’s Parish
October 6:
See-Hear Clinic
October 16:
Gr. 8 St. Roch Presentation
Fr. Jan Kolodynski
October 8:
Opening/Thanksgiving Mass 10 a.m. Gym
October 16:
Cross Country Competition
Pastor
October 9:
Junior Girls Volleyball St. Brigid
October 19:
Spook-A-Thon Pledges sent home
8530 Chinguacousy Rd.,
October 12:
Happy Thanksgiving-No School
October 19:
Elections Our Gym
Brampton, Ontario
905-455-4260
ADDITIONAL DATES
Oct. 5, Nov. 2: Newsletters Go Home
October 6, 20: Cookie/Popcorn Sales
October 19-23: Waste Free Lunch-See attachment
October 25: Final Day to pick up registration packages First Holy Communion/Confirmation at St. Jerome Parish
October 8, 15, 22, 29, November 5: Pizza days
October 2, 9, 16, 23: Friday Fitness
October 22:
October 26: Silver Creek : L. Marasco
Hep B Clinic
October 27: Virtues Assembly-Gym 1:30p.m.
October 27: ECO Conference
October 27: St. Jerome Parish 8:00 p.m. Parent Information Session First Holy Communion
All Gr. 2 parents MUST attend-Parents ONLY
October 28: Mr. Sub Day School Council
October 30: Spook-A-Thon
October 29: Picture re-take Day
$3.00 Intermediate, $2.00 FDK-6
Website: www.stjeromeparish.ca
Principal’s Message:
At St. Monica School, we will
continue to do our best to
promote the spiritual, academic, physical, social
and emotional growth of our students throughout
the school year. 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.
On September 8, staff and students participated in an
opening day liturgy and review of school
expectations. Students are commended for their
excellent behaviour. We were fortunate that we did
not have to re-organize this year, status quo. Thank
you to our school community for attending our Open
House, Book Fair, Technology Information session,
and classroom visitations held on September 23rd.
The response and attendance was wonderful! It was
also a great opportunity for staff and yourself to
meet, review initiatives, and see your child(ren's)
work displayed in classrooms. Thank you to all our
families who came out to participate. Special thanks
to Anna Da Silva our trustee who also came out to
support. Our Technology presentation was very well
received, and many parents complimented us for
offering this.
Due to enrolment numbers we are losing our half
time secretary. J. Iruthayarajah was with us as our
part time secretary for the last four weeks. We
thank her for her contributions and wish her well as
she pursues her career goals. On October 8, we will
welcome L. Carlini as our .2 planning time teacher,
her skills and experiences will make her a valued
member to our already excellent teaching staff.
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH: EMPATHY
This month we are focusing on Empathy.
Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another’s
shoes and the capacity to feel what the other
person is feeling.
Empathy God wants us to care about everyone’s
feelings. Thank you for your support in reenforcing these virtues.
When we act out the virtues we will continue to
focus on this year, we are making the presence of
God visible in the world around us. We will be
participating in our own prayer that:
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth
as it is in heaven. (Mt 6:10)
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”
We continue to
look forward to
working with Fr. Jan on the
faith formation of students,
families and staff this new
school year. Fr. Jan and I
have been reviewing many
faith formation initiatives.
We will keep you posted. This month our students will be
learning about the rich Catholic traditions of devotions and
prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We look forward to
celebrating our Opening/Thanksgiving mass on Oct. 8, at 10
a.m. in our gym, all are welcome.
ALL PARENTS ARE EXPECTED TO ATTEND
FIRST COMMUNION PARENT ONLY MEETING
Tuesday October 27-8:00 p.m. St. Jerome Parish
CONFIRMATION PARENT ONLY MEETING
Tuesday November 3-8:00 p.m. St. Jerome Parish
FIRST COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION
PACKAGES MUST BE PICKED UP AT THE
PARISH AFTER ANY SATURDAY/SUNDAY MASS,
FILLED OUT AND BROUGHT TO THE MEETING
WITH A COPY OF YOUR CHILD’S BAPTISM
CERTIFICATE.
DEADLINE FOR PICKING UP REGISTRATION
PACKAGES IS OCTOBER 25th.
Remember to try to be kinder than necessary, for
everyone we meet may be fighting some kind of battle.
Emergency Evacuation Center
Students have been involved in emergency evacuation
procedures/fire drills practices at the school. You may want
to review rules and practice evacuation procedures with your
family at home. Our emergency evacuation center is Burton
Manor or St. Augustine Secondary School. Please ensure that
in the office we always have the most updated home and work
phone numbers, addresses and emergency contact names and
phone numbers.
Behaviour Expectations
At St. Monica School, we strive to provide an
environment where all students feel safe, happy and
respected. Pupils of St. Monica School are expected to
behave in a manner that reflects a Christian attitude.
The question ‘What would Jesus do?’ provides guidance
for making positive behaviour choices.
Behaviour
expectations for respectful, safe, conduct and
consequences for inappropriate behaviour are reviewed
regularly with students. All students are expected to
work in cooperation with staff, peers, parents and the
parish to build a safe and caring learning environment.
They are expected to follow our school rules:
Respect God,
Respect yourself,
KISS ‘N RIDE
For those parents who use the
Kiss ’N Ride program,
Congratulations and thank-you!
Our only observation is the
parents who are letting their child
out on the driver’s side as
opposed to the passenger side.
Please have your children exit
from the passenger side of your car and not from the Driver’s
side. Children must have their knapsacks and belongings with
them, they should not be getting things from the vehicle’s
trunk, as this is not only unsafe, but also slows down the Kiss
‘N Ride process. Children must exit from the right side of
the vehicle, on their own, and proceed towards the school on
the walkway. Following afternoon dismissal, parents who wish
to pick up their children should enter the Kiss ‘N Ride lane
and wait in their car for their child to board their vehicle from
the bicycle rack area. If you are using the Kiss ‘N Ride in the
morning or the afternoon, it is imperative that you never leave
your car unattended. As an ECO School, we are asking that
you do not idle your car. If you are interested in volunteering
during the Kiss ‘N Ride, please let the office know. There
will be no access to the north parking lot, this area is
restricted for STAFF PARKING only and for Bus
Loading and Un-Loading. Thank you for your continued
co-operation. As a reminder, there is NO LEGAL parking in
front of our school. We have no control if parking control
drives by, as you may have noticed, parking control has been
at our school quite often these past few weeks.
Respect others,
Respect the environment
These rules apply anytime and anywhere throughout the
school: in the classroom, on the playground, in the
neighbourhood, on the bus and on educational excursions.
Pupils are reminded of the importance of behaviours such as:
• cooperating with staff • not hitting, teasing, bullying or
hurting others • playing safely during recess times • entering
and exiting the school in a safe and orderly fashion • taking
care of school property • leaving valuables at home •
following our PEDS requirements • not play fighting or playing
tackle sports • not throwing snowballs during the winter and
regularly dressing appropriately for a Catholic school setting.
Students are reminded of the importance of reporting
inappropriate conduct or concerns to a teacher. They should
not take matters that could result in a physical altercation,
into their own hands. We continue to educate pupils and
inform parents about bullying prevention and virtuous living,
and to work through a progressive discipline model with
appropriate consequences. Please see student agenda book for
more information about progressive discipline.
“Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall be called
the children of God.” (Matthew 5-9)
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.
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.
Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations Adapted Version for Elementary Students
Catholicism's Core Understanding of the
Human Condition Distinctive expectations
for graduates of Catholic schools are determined and shaped
by the vision and destiny of the human person emerging from
our faith tradition. This Christian anthropology or world view,
reveals the dignity and value of the person. Our tradition tells
us God creatively and lovingly calls each of us into the wonder of life, sustaining us by the power of the Holy Spirit,
throughout the human journey, into life eternal. We
acknowledge that the journey includes moments of brokenness and sin. We recognize in the person of Jesus, the risen
Christ, the human face of God sharing our life in order to heal
us of our brokenness and liberate us from sin. This Christian
vision of the human journey is best understood within the
context of relationship. It is accomplished in community, in
solidarity with brothers and sisters in the Church and beyond.
Catholic education views human life as an integration of
body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual
and academic quest. The expectations of Catholic graduates,
therefore, are described not only in terms of knowledge and
skills, but in terms of values, attitudes and actions.
Vision of the Learner The Graduate is expected to be:
A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery
of God's presence through word, sacrament, prayer,
forgiveness, reflection and moral living.
An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in
light of gospel values.
A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves
problems and makes responsible decisions with an
informed moral conscience for the common good.
A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.
A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity
and vocation in work which respects the rights of all
and contributes to the common good.
A caring family member who attends to family, school,
parish, and the wider community.
A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the
sacredness of human life.
.
Thanksgiving Food Drive St. Monica will be holding its annual
Thanksgiving Food Drive. Donations of non-perishable food
items will be accepted until Wednesday October 7, 2015. This is
a great opportunity to make a difference in our community. This
month’s virtue is EMPATHY, so as a part of this Catholic Family,
lets us show that we can identify with and feel the needs of those
around us. Thank you!
“AND I WILL WALK 500 MILES..” On Sept. 25th
our school participated in the Terry Fox Marathon
of Hope. Our students were educated at an assembly about this important cause and we are
proud of their support and enthusiasm.
Insurance
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.
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.
EPI-PENS Must be worn in a pouch/fanny pack on the student requiring an EPI-Pen.
MEDICAL CONCERNS
If your son/daughter has any medical concerns, please ensure
that you inform the school . Information may be shared directly
with the classroom teacher or with the office. All information is
held in confidence. Parents are responsible for ensuring that all
medication and forms are updated annually for any students who
require medication to be administered at school. If your child requires medication, please have the necessary forms (including
R.E.A.C.T.) completed and returned, along with any medication to
the office as soon as possible. This is Board policy. Thank you
for your cooperation.
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!
PEDICULOSIS
A problem, which seems to occur in most
schools, is pediculosis or head lice. Head lice are
parasites and they are not connected in any way
with uncleanliness. If a case is found, we shall inform all parents of
all children in that class. We ask that you periodically check your
own children. If you find that your child has pediculosis, please
ensure that they get the proper treatment. Even if cases are not
reported from the school, it is a wise precaution to check your children periodically. If your children are infested, we will be asking
you to keep them out of school until after they have been treated
with the correct shampoo and their heads are entirely clear of both
lice and nits (eggs). If we all cooperate in these procedures, we
may not entirely escape outbreaks, but we will be able to bring
them under control quickly.
Dress Code
We ask for your support for a dress code that is accompanied by standards of sensitivity, politeness, and decorum.
Students are expected to be dressed in a clean, neat, and
appropriate manner conducive to the school environment.
Clothing must be free from offensive or questionable language and pictures. Hats/caps must be removed in the
school building. Appropriate footwear must be worn at all
times. Make-up, if worn at all, must be natural looking. Appropriate clothing must be worn for physical education classes (i.e. running shoes, shorts, t-shirts).
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. The school is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
AFTER SCHOOL SECURITY
Students must be diligent in gathering all materials prior to the end
of the school day. Once dismissed, there is no supervision provided to the students. Students/parents must not be returning to
school after school hours to retrieve books/belongings. In order to
ensure the safety of the workplace, no students or parents will be
able to enter any classroom after school.
PEDS
Many families have signed the consent forms for students to
use their PEDS at school. Those who do not wish to bring
or use their own Personal Electronic Devices will still have
access to technology to enhance the curriculum. As a reminder PEDS will be used under the discretion of the teaching staff. We are not responsible for lost or stolen devices.
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act (M-FIPPA) sets out the general rules which school boards must
follow regarding the collection, use, disclosure and retention of
personal information. Please be aware that recording of students
through printed form (photographs), on film, by electronic means
(video taping) or by any other means is considered a “collection of
personal information” and therefore certain rules apply for its collection, use, disclosure, etc. While the privacy rules in the Act are
strong, signed parental consent forms may or may not be required
in ALL situations. The photographing/recording of students would
not be permitted without the required informed parental consent.
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. DPCDSB discontinues eCommunity
email service Over the last year, the board has gradually phased
out our eCommunity email service. You are encouraged to follow
board updates on Twitter @DPCDSBSchools and to visit
www.dpcdsb.org for the latest board news, events and announcements.
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
Casual Fridays
Throughout the course of the year, you may observe the
staff in casual dress on Fridays. We are supporting the
charities sponsored by the United Way and Share Life.
POP TABS
Last year our school started collecting pop tabs as a community service project. Altogether we collected 60,300 pop
tabs, with a weight of approximately 38 lbs. Way to go St.
Monica! The pop tabs were delivered to Burton Manor in
June. We are continuing this initiative and asking that you
continue to collect them so that we can exceed last year's
collection.
EXTRA CURRICULAR
Thanks to the exceptional staff who go over and above, we
are proud to offer numerous extra-curricular activities, all
students are invited to participate in any of our clubs, activities , athletics pending their age. Just a reminder all
clubs/activities require a signed parental/guardian permission
form. FYI-all students who participate in any extra-curricular
etc., will receive a St. Monica ribbon at our awards assembly
in June in recognition of their participation.
CHOIR
D. Doyle, M. Hamilton, M. Manalo, and C. Thornton are the
choir directors. Students are welcome to join our choir
which practices during recess. Members are welcome from
Gr. 4-8
PRIMARY GLEE CLUB
ECO CLUB
Students have been exceptionally busy this year with promoting
numerous ECO initiatives; waste audits, daily reminders about our
environment, litterless lunches, and Lights off initiatives under the
lead of S. Figliuzzi, L. Marasco and S. Guilherme.
HEALTH AND FITNESS CLUB
A.Tac and S. Guilherme are the leads with this club, we are looking
forward to Friday Fitness, during Friday lunch hours specific divisions can participate in a fitness program, First Friday of the Month
-FDK-Gr.2, Second Friday of the Month Gr. 3-5, Third Friday of the
Month Gr. 6-8.
SPEED STACKING
Thanks to J. Posa, S. Perruzza and L. Gredi this club is offered
once again, we are aiming to participate in the Guinness Book Of
Records Speed Stacking later in the fall.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY PATROLLERS
During the 2015- 2016 school year, our bus monitors; Danielle R.,
Kesiah B., Emilia L., Anthony M., Devontay J., Yulia K., Yasmine
A., Declan B. Under the lead of D. Porter they attended Bus Safety Patroller training. BRAVO!
SOCCER
A.Tac is our lead director, students in Grades 1-3 are invited
to join our Glee club which meets during recess and/or
lunch.
Our girls and boys have been practicing under the guidance of J.
Conway, M. Manalo and L. Nunes. We are hoping to hear about
their tournament in the near future. Team members will be announced in the next newsletter.
STUDENT COUNCIL
CROSS COUNTRY
Thanks to M. Heitzner, L. Gredi and A. Tac, we continue to
have a student council, our student council is active in many
areas throughout the school, your son/daughter may already
have been nominated as a class rep., or soon will be.
Thanks to G. McLeod, A. Attinello, L. Gredi and A.
Tac, our Cross Country team continues to practice
on a consistent basis, we wish them well at their
competition on October 16.
STUDENT FAITH AMBASSADORS
JUNIOR VOLLEYBALL
Under the lead of J. Conway, T. Collier, and C. Briganti,
students are invited to join our student faith ambassador
team and be a lead with faith initiatives throughout the
school. Our student ambassadors will lead our Thanksgiving food drive Oct. 1-7.
Try-outs for Junior Volleyball have begun, and have been completed thanks to coaches L. Marasco, T. Collier, J. Mason, and L.
Nunes. Our teams are comprised of Lara D., Jada S., Courtney Y.,
Mackenzie B., Daniela A., Jamila B., Dennise D., Nina S., Amy H.,
Maya F., Iverson O, Myles J, Kyle G, Anthony A, Daniel K, Jamauri
N, Matthew M, Jed O, Nathaniel L. We wish them well on their
respective tournaments at St. Brigid School; October 9: Girls
October 14: Boys. Thanks to all our parent volunteer drivers. We
wish our teams great success. Go Gators Go!
CONFLICT MANAGERS/PALS
S. Perruzza, and J. Posa are the leads with this group who
will be trained to assist in our yard with various activities to
build team work, co-operation and continued respect.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES STIILL TO COME
Junior and Intermediate Hip-Hop, Primary Dance, Primary
Art Club, Junior/Intermediate Art club, KOC Hoops, KOC
Hockey Challenge, KOC Soccer Challenge, Hockey Team,
School Dance Committee, Chess, Intermediate Volleyball,
Junior/Intermediate Basketball, Softball, Track and Field,
Beach volleyball, Intermediate Digital Yearbook, Gr. 7 Diversity Club, Skills Canada, and various other initiatives as
they arise throughout the year. Once again, this would not
be possible without the lead of our great staff.
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Thank you to all members of the
school council. Out first meeting
of the St. Monica 2015-2016
School Council was held on Septh
tember 15 . At this meeting we reviewed priorities, shared
suggestions and held our elections.
2015-2016 School Council
Co-Chairs: Tish G., Vilma M.
MILK PROGRAM
We will be continuing our milk program at St. Monica
School. Thanks to M. Hamilton and our student volunteers
for co-ordinating and distributing.
POPCORN
We will be having Popcorn and Cookie biweekly Tuesdays. Bring your toonies and enjoy a bag of
Kernels popcorn or for a loonie enjoy a cookie. Thanks to
M. Zarkovic, N. Leo and Gr. 8 students and student council
for coordinating.
Co-Secretaries: Vilma M., Tish G. (Unless we have a new volunteer)
Co-Treasurers: Suzy U., Finuzza B.
Parish Rep: T. Collier, OAPCE Rep: Yarlene F.
Community Rep/Communications: Nancy M.
Roles: Catered Lunches: Poutine: Alan M., Mr. Sub: Tish G.
Year End Barbecue: Steven A., Finuzza B., Jeff C.
Dance-A-Thon: Sandra S., Steven A., Finuzza B.
Awards/Ribbons: Vivette F., School Tee Apparel: Elizabeth C.
Sponsorships/Donations Sandra S. etal
Teacher Rep: M. Hamilton, S. Silva, Non Teaching Rep: T. Collier
Vice-Principal: J. Vieira, Principal: P. Peroni
PIZZA
Pizza days will continue every Thursdays.
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.
School Council & Community Bulletin Board
Located in our front foyer. Feel free to check the bulletin
board regularly for School Council Updates, School/Board
Updates and Community events.
Volunteers
We encourage parents to become involved in various aspects of school life. If interested in sharing your talents and
time, please inform the office. School Council also requires volunteers to assist with their many initiatives at our
school, specifically our major fundraiser. Please come out
and share your talents. Many hands make light work!
Don’t forget to get your required Criminal reference Check.
This is free for volunteers if you pick up a form in the office
signed by myself.
Additional Non-Voting volunteers: Anthony F., Luana F., Sarah M.
We have a great group of parents and are always looking for
more volunteers and new ideas, please consider coming
out and being an active part in your son/daughters
school. Next Meeting Tuesday November 10 at 6:30
All are welcome!
THANK YOU LUANA
As she steps down from council, we sincerely
thank her for her lead with many council executive roles, initiatives and volunteer opportunities
through 10 years. Luana’s organizational skills,
training of many new council members, welcoming new administrators, creator of many excellent templates, flyers, forms, writer of the council “LINK” newsletter-yes 45 editions,
organization PRO grants, annual reports, survey completion throughout the years, dance-a-thon/school ribbon assistance, spirit wear new
vendor/logo, establishment of council e-mail, by-law review/
adaptation, catalogued council’s historical documents, volunteering
on trips, reading programs etc., highlight some of Luana’s commitments throughout the years. Her giving personality , love, leadership,
talents, presence will be missed.
We are hopeful she will be able to find some time to join us and assist at some events as her schedule permits.
Columbian Squires St. Patrick Circle 2041
The Columbian Squires would like to invite Catholic Boys between the ages of 10-18 to join us!
The Columbian Squires are the youth arm of the Knights Columbus and are involved in active participation in our Community.
We meet weekly at our Squires Activity Night at St. Monica
School from 7-9pm where we meet in brotherhood to play sports,
pray and learn about our faith, and have executive meetings to
discuss how we can help our church and community through our
charitable actions. For more info please contact Brother Knight
Domenic Rutigliano at 905 459 0488 or email dmrdistributing@aol.com.
Our first Activity Night Started Thursday September 24, the
next meeting times are October 1, and October 8, continuing
every Thursday at our school.
Catholic Education
When you choose to send your child to a Dufferin-Peel
school, we assure you a holistic Catholic education. We do this through . . .
Teaching excellent Religious & Family Life education in each grade,
living our faith daily through prayer, celebration
and liturgy,
building community and “retreat”,
active involvement in charity and initiatives of social justice
from a Catholic context,
everything we do is imbedded with Catholic values and
content,
And working with St. Jerome’s Parish team with the preparation of students for the sacraments further highlights
our partnership with our parish.
We consider our Pastor, Father Jan to be integral member
of our school community.
Pupil Accommodation Review Policy Public Consultation
The Ministry of Education released the new Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG) in March 2015. This
guideline sets expectations for all school boards on managing and reviewing underutilized school space, including
potential school closures, and for the greater coordination
and sharing of planning related information between school
boards and other community partners.
The guideline requires all school boards in the province to
develop or revise Pupil Accommodation Review Policies
and to invite public input into the policy before it is finalized.
A survey to collect feedback on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board’s draft amended Policy 6.51 Pupil
Accommodation Review will be available for review and
comment on the Board’s website at www.dpcdsb.org until
4:30 pm on Friday, October 16, 2015. Supporting documents will also be available for reference and review.
Please consider reviewing and providing input on this policy. Attachment enclosed.
Are You Ticked? – Catholic Ratepayers Have You Checked
Your Tax Bill to Ensure Proper Tax Support?
Help us to maintain our right to publicly funded Catholic Education – if you
are a Catholic ratepayer, we urge you to check your property tax bill to ensure that your support is directed to your local Catholic school board, in our
case, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
If you are a tenant, you can verify your support by contacting our Admissions Department at 905-890-0708 ext 24511, 24512 or 24519 or your local
municipal office. By ensuring that you are accurately recorded as a Catholic
school supporter, you can help deliver a powerful message to the government about the level of support for publically funded Catholic school board
trustee, you must be registered as a separate school supporter.
Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation Consent (See attachment)
As noted last year, we went Green in regards to newsletter etc. We
will continue to Go Green with this newsletter. Our goal is to have a
majority of our families involved and sign up for this. Thank you in
supporting our environment, and signing up for GOING GREEN!
You
Make A Difference!!!
Thank you to all parents/guardians who:
•attended our Open House, book fair, technology information session
and visited your child’s classroom
•financially supported our book fair while promoting literacy with your
children
•inform us of lunch, dismissal routines and follow all safety procedures; i.e. staying out of our playground, and informing us of any
concerns
•contact the teacher or office with a concern or compliment
•volunteer on a regular basis or quick notice basis and support all
efforts of our school council
•assist your children in following our Code of Conduct, and safe bus
procedures
•appreciate and respect the Transportation Policy re: Courtesy Seats
•understand the flexible boundary procedures and have made accommodations for the arrival and dismissal of your children during
school hours 9:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
•respect our Kiss and Ride procedures and are adhering to this practice
•have completed all forms; student agendas, student verification,
emergency evacuation, physical education participation, attendance
cards, insurance understanding, etc.etc.etc...
•supported our Terry Fox run, assembly, and charitable donations for
this worthy cause
•will be supporting our Thanksgiving Food Drive
Going waste-free for a week
Dear Parent/Guardian:
In an effort to engage students in small environmental initiatives that can
have a big impact, our school is participating in the week-long Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge that begins Monday October 19th to Friday October 23rd.
The challenge is a province-wide program of the Recycling Council of Ontario. School lunches are a major
source of waste in Ontario – the average student’s lunch generates a total of 30 kilograms of waste per
school year, or an average of 8,500 kilograms of waste per school per year. With your assistance, we can
make a great contribution to reducing waste, every day.
Please help your child pack waste-free lunches for our event and help us fulfill a number of goals:
Celebrate and learn about Waste Reduction Week using a “3Rs” approach to reduce, reuse and recycle so
that less waste is created from school lunches.
Reduce the cost of waste disposal so the school’s resources can be put to better use.
Encourage fresh and nutritious lunches (many pre-packaged lunch items contain significant amounts of sodium, preservatives and fat).
Broaden the understanding of materials that we can recycle, how recycling works and promote recycling in
school and at home.
Help you reduce the cost of lunches: a waste-free lunch can cost as little as $2.50 per day, whereas a regular lunch containing pre-packaged items can cost $4.50 or more per day.
Parents and Guardians are invited to visit www.wastefreelunch.com to download various resources and to
watch instructional videos about how to shop for and pack a waste-free lunch and for other resources.
Please see the back of this note for more tips on creating waste-free lunches. We look forward to your support and hope you will consider packing waste-free lunches on a regular basis following the Waste-Free
Lunch Challenge.
Sincerely,
St. Monica’s Eco-Team and Healthy Schools Team
WASTE-FREE LUNCH TIPS
Get children to help pack their lunches with healthy foods.
Only pack as much food as your child will eat.
Use a reusable lunch bag/box for carrying a lunch.
Use a refillable bottle for drinks
If you choose to use a single-serving container, please make sure it is recyclable.
Put sandwiches, muffins, etc. in reusable containers, instead of plastic bags. Label them with your child’s
name so they have a better chance of coming home.
Avoid pre-packaged, single-serve portions of snacks.
Put re-usable napkins in your child’s lunch box.
Prepare extra food at dinnertime and use the leftovers for lunches. Minimize the morning rush by packing lunches the night before and refrigerating overnight.
Yes please
No thanks
REUSABLE lunch container
SINGLE-USE paper or plastic bags
REUSABLE food containers or thermos
DISPOSABLE plastic wrap, foil, wax, or
REUSABLE drink bottle or thermos
styrofoam
SINGLE-USE, and non-recyclable containers
CLOTH NAPKIN to wash and re-use
PAPER napkins
CUTLERY/SILVERWARE to wash and re-use
PLASTIC forks/spoons
HEALTHY snacks!
OVER-packaged snacks
It’s Hearing and Vision Screening time!!!
School Screening Association will be visiting our school this year on October 6, 2015 to conduct their clinic
Your child’s hearing and vision should be screened every year
Growing children are very susceptible to middle ear problems and one of the best ways to prevent hearing loss is
early detection of middle ear function issues.
 A visit to an audiologist costs upwards of $50.00 and is not covered by O.H.I.P. However, if your child is referred to a
hospital clinic by your doctor, the cost is covered by O.H.I.P.

Your child’s hearing is not being monitored unless they are being seen by an Audiologist or and E.N.T.

A Free vision screening is included with the Hearing Clinic. Eye Examinations are covered by OHIP.
A fee of $15.00 is collected to help offset the cost of bringing this clinic to our school
A permission form was sent home with your child. Please fill out the form, include $15.00 fee and return to the school
prior to the clinic date. If you have concerns about the fee, please contact the school principal.
Good Grades start with Good Hearing and Vision
Peel Public Health provides dental screening in Peel elementary schools as required by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
A Registered Dental Hygienist will be visiting your child’s school to provide dental screening in select grades.
What is a Dental Screening?

A dental screening is a quick visual check of a child’s mouth.

Dental screening consists of a look in the mouth using a separate, sterilized mouth mirror for each
child.

You will only be notified if your child requires dental care. Your child will bring home an important
letter about their dental care needs. If you cannot afford to take your child to the dentist, your child
may be eligible for Peel Public Health Oral Health Programs.

A dental screening does not replace regular dental visits.

If you DO NOT wish to have your child participate in the dental screening, fill in the School Screening
Exemption form (which will be given out by your child’s teacher), and give completed form to your
child’s teacher.
For more information, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or visit
www.peelregion.ca/dental