December 2015 Newsletter
and have an opportunity to wish each other
a blessed and joyful Christmas.
Operation Christmas Child
Pauline Vanier
Catholic School
56 Oaklea Blvd,
Brampton, Ontario,
L6Y 4W7
Phone:
905-455-1001
Fax: 905-455-3406
Website:
http://www.dpcdsb.org//
pvani
Principal:
I. Maas
Superintendent
L. Papaloni
Trustee
A. daSilva
D. D’Souza
905-890-0708
Head Secretary:
T. Winckler
St. Jerome’s Parish
8530 Chinguacousy
Rd. Brampton
Phone:905-455-4260
Fax: 905-450-6326
Website: http//
www.stjeromeparish.ca
Pastor:
Fr. Jan Kolodynski
Advent Prayer
Jesus, you are light even in the
darkest places.
Help us to trust in you when we are
lost or lonely.
Shine hope into our hearts we pray.
Amen.
Advent
Advent is a time of waiting for the birth of
Jesus. During Advent we prepare our
homes and ourselves to welcome the
newborn king. Advent traditions such as
the Advent wreath serve as visual reminders of this time of waiting and preparing.
The Advent wreath is a popular custom that
originated in Germany hundreds of years
ago. It is a wreath of evergreen branches
holding four candles, one for each week of
Advent. The wreath is circular to remind us
of the unending love God has for us. The
evergreen branches also remind us of this
gift. The wreath was an ancient symbol of
victory and symbolizes the glory of Christ’s
birth. The candles remind us that we were
waiting in the darkness until Jesus, the
Light of the World, was born.
School Advent Mass
School Council Chair
K. LaNave
Thank you to all our families who participated in our Operation Christmas Child
outreach project. The 93 shoeboxes that
were collected will be sent to Haiti, Central
America or the Philippines. Thank you to
S. Grasman and the Youth Faith Ambassadors for assisting with this project.
Christmas Mass Schedule for
St. Jerome’s Parish
The schedule for Masses at St. Jerome’s Parish for Christmas are as follows:
Christmas Eve
December 24th 5:00 p.m., 7:30 p.m.,
9:30 p.m., 12 Midnight
Christmas Day
Dec. 25th
10:30 a.m.,12:30 p.m.
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
(Holy Day of Obligation)
You are all cordially invited to attend our
school’s Advent Mass on Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 9:30 am in our school gym.
We hope that many will be able to join us to
celebrate our faith, pray as a community,
December 31st
5:00 p.m
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
(Holy Day of Obligation)
January 1, 2016
Learning and Growing Together with God
10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
Fall Food Drive

Thank you for all the donations to our Fall Food Drive. The
food will be given to Peel Regional Police as part of their
Cram-a- Cruiser campaign. A big thanks goes out to the
Youth Faith Ambassadors for organizing and promoting
the food drive and to the families who donated so generously.
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


We do not destroy snow forts/structures. This agreement is in effect during and after school hours.
Everyone who builds a fort/structure has to agree to
changing it or breaking it down.
We need an invitation to go into a snow fort.
We do not take snow blocks from other group’s structures unless we have their permission.
We do not take over other group’s snow
forts/structures.
Assessment and Evaluation Day
On Monday, January 18th, 2016 staff will be involved in
assessment and evaluation activities. There is no school for
students on this day.
School Yard Safety
Dressing For Winter
We continue to remind our students regularly that they are
to choose activities that do not involve “body contact of
any sort.” We are finding that most of our students are
becoming more aware of the meaning of this and we encourage that you discuss this rule with your child(ren) at
home as well.
Snow
Please assist us in encouraging the children to dress adequately for this weather. Except when the weather is extremely cold or wet, the students will be going outside during the recess and lunch periods.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School policy states that
consideration should be given for keeping students indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches –20C.
At –25C students will be kept indoors. Playing outdoors
is a pleasant and healthy activity when students are wearing suitable clothing. For the younger students, it would
be helpful if parents were to label items of clothing with
their child’s name, so that each person can more easily locate his/her own clothing. The Lost and Found bin is located on the first floor between the gym and library. Please
encourage your child to check these bins if they are missing
something.
As the winter weather begins, students are reminded that
“Snow is not to be thrown or kicked”. Every child in the
school was made aware of the importance of this rule in
preventing injury to others. Please assist us by reviewing
with your child the dangers of throwing snowballs and the
importance of preventing injury to other children.
Snow Fort/Structure Code of Ethics
At Pauline Vanier we encourage students to spend their
recess breaks engaged in healthy, safe, and productive activities. Students typically spend time engaged in a variety
of activities, including the building of snow structures or
forts during the winter months. In response to concerns
evolving from the building of these structures, we will be
continuing to implement a ‘Snow Fort Code of Ethics’. The
code is intended to serve as an on-going reminder to all
students to continue to value and respect the efforts of others, and sets clear guidelines around these structures so
students can continue to enjoy recesses building snow
forts. The Snow Fort Code of Ethics is as follows:
Snow Fort/Structure Code of Ethics
At Pauline Vanier, we enjoy building snow forts and structures. We will abide by the following agreements:
Bus and School Cancellations
If you have access to the internet, you may check the Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) website for
cancellation and/or to see if your child(ren)’s bus is delayed
and by how long it is delayed. The STOPR website is
www.stopr.ca. Parents and Guardians can now sign up to
receive automatic e-mail notification of delay and cancellation for their children’s bus run. If you are interested,
please go to www.stopr.ca and click on my child’s bussing
information. Type in their OEN number which can be
found on any of their report cards and provide the other
information that is requested. Your child's busing information will appear and underneath this information, is the
area you enter your email address. (Parents of JK students
who do not have a report card can call the school and request the OEN.)
Student Illness—Staying in During Recess
Students who are ill should be kept home where they are
most comfortable and can get better, sooner. A child who
is too ill to go out for recess is too ill to be at school. Your
co-operation to keep your child home when he/she is ill is
appreciated.
Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for 2016-17
Registration for the 2016-17 school year will be held at Paulin Vanier on the following dates.
Monday, January 25, 2016 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.*
*Snow Date: Tuesday, January, 26, 2016- 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, January 27th, 28th and
29th , 2016
9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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 Center, Room 301 on Tuesday, January
12, 2016 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Snow date Wednesday,
January 13, 2016, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Parents and
guardians are also reminded to register their child at their
school office . Please see above for details on Kindergarten
registration
Extended French Information Meeting
St. Monica will be hosting an Extended French Program
Information meeting for parents/guardians of Grade Four
students who wish to register for the program. The extended French Program starts in Grade Five, with students receiving 50% of curriculum instruction in the French Language. Parents are encouraged to speak to your child’s
classroom teacher and French teacher to discuss the suitaFor more information, call Pauline Vanier at 905-455-1001 bility of this opportunity for your child.
Interested parents and students are invited to this presentaYear One -Children must be 4 years old by December 31,2016
tion on Thursday, January 14th, 2016 at 7 pm at St. Monica
Year Two- Children must be 5 years old by December 31, 2016
School. (60 Sterritt Drive, Brampton L6Y 5B6) Applications will be accepted at St. Monica until 3:00 pm on TuesParents/Guardians should bring the following documents
day, February 16th, 2016.
when registering their child:

proof of age of the child (birth certificate or passport)
original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate (for
parent/guardian and/or child) or Baptismal Certificate of other rites in communion with the Holy See
of Rome
updated immunization records
proof of Canadian Citizenship or Landed Immigrant -status
Two (2) items that prove home address (utility bill,
property tax bill, real estate document (i.e. purchase and sale agreement or a rental agreement)
for schools in Caledon and Dufferin County: emergency rural address numbers for identifying your
property
proof of English Separate School Support (may be
Minimizing Disruptions to Classes
We appreciate continued parental help and support in minimizing disruptions to classes, whenever possible. By trying our best not to disturb classes, except in very important
situations, we are reducing disruptions to quality teaching
and learning time. To this end, we ask the following:

 If you wish to discuss something with your child’s

teacher, we ask that you set up an appointment with
the teacher. Approaching the teacher before, during

and/or after school makes it difficult for the teacher to
focus on her/his students. This also becomes a safety
issue. Please leave a message with the office and the

teacher will call you back.
 If your child is late please have him/her report to the
office. PLEASE DO NOT ESCORT YOUR CHILD TO

CLASS.
done at the time of registration by completing an Appli Send a note in advance to your child’s teacher when
cation For the Direction of School Support and/or a Separate
School Lease Agreement available at the school)
your child needs to be picked up early, then meet them
in the office and sign them out.
2016 Entry Planning for Students with Differing Abilities  If delivering lunches to your child at school, write your
Transitioning to Kindergarten
child’s and teacher’s names on lunch bags and leave
them on the lunch table in the front foyer. This would
There will be an information session for parent(s)/
be greatly appreciated.
guardian(s) of children with differing abilities, including
vision, speech, hearing, autism, physical/medical and/or

Please Don’t Be Late!
December Virtue of the Month is HOPE
Recently we have noticed an increase in the number of students arriving late for school and classes. All students
from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, should start school
on time. This prevents interruption of classes and loss of
information for the students. Please encourage and assist
your child(ren) to recognize that punctuality is a responsibility, which all students should be developing. A reminder that school begins at 8:40 am in the morning and 12:25
p.m. in the afternoon.
People of Hope:
 Keep a positive attitude
 Can bounce back from a tough situation
 Set and stick to their goals
 See the good in others even when they make mistakes
 Work to include others
 Let others know that they are good people
The daily prayer of HOPE for December is:
Let us now pray...for the grace and courage to be people of
Hope. People who can see, participate in and contribute to
God’s goodness emerging around us.
Amen
Bullying Prevention Corner– We All Want to
Feel Included
In December the focus during morning announcements
and lessons is on including and accepting others. The message, “we all want to feel included”, underscores the idea that
all of us desire the same thing and we all have some responsibility in creating an atmosphere that is inclusive.
Students will hopefully learn the meaning of empathy and
explore feelings associated with being excluded. Research
shows that bullying behaviours demonstrate a lack of empathy toward others. Through ongoing efforts at the
school, students will also look at how to help someone feel
included and examine ways of strengthening their friendship building skills.
Tips for parents:
-talk with your child(ren) about ways to build friendships
with others
-reinforce the message that even if we aren’t good friends
with someone we can still be friendly, considerate and welcoming
-use teachable moments (family situations, media, and
movies) to explore empathy with your child(ren) and help
them relate to and understand how others are feeling.
The Online Reporting Tool
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board has developed a new way to help nurture a safe, caring and inclusive school environment. The Online Reporting Tool is
intended for students in grades 3 – 8 who become aware of
bullying incidents and negative behaviours. The student
can simply ‘click’ on the link found on our school’s website
to fill out the report. The report will then be directly
emailed to the principal and/or vice principal and will be
dealt with accordingly.
It is important to recognize that the Online Reporting Tool
is an alternate reporting option. It is best practice to speak
directly with a responsible adult at home and/or in the
school.
P.A.L.S.
Pauline Vanier School is pleased to announce the return of
P.A.L.S. leaders (Playground Activity Leaders at School)
These leaders have been leading the primary students in a
variety of games during recesses on Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday. The motto for P.A.L.S. leaders is,
“There is always room for one more”. Please encourage
your child(ren) in the primary grades, to join in the many
fun, safe and social skill building activities. Thank you to
all P.A.L.S. leaders and the staff for assisting with this initiative.
Think Papers/ Conduct Reports
At Pauline Vanier we use a variety of techniques to deal
with misbehaviour. One technique that staff use is a Think
Paper. The think paper is a tool that requires your
child(ren) to reflect on what they have done and what they
should/would do the next time a similar situation were to
occur. The think paper is then brought home to parents to
share and be returned the next day signed. It is our hope
that you would discuss the situation with your child. If a
child receives three or more think papers, the staff member
would then complete a Conduct Report. If your child receives a conduct report, they have a conversation with the
principal of the school. They will then be given an appropriate consequence and you would be notified. Teachers
can also complete a conduct report if the behaviour is very
serious and needs parental involvement and attention
right away.
Dates to Remember
Lost and Found
There are a great number of items in our Lost and Found Wednesday, Dec. 2
box. These items will be on display from Dec. 9th to the
19th, 2015. Parents are encouraged to come and check the
Thursday, Dec. 3
Lost and Found. If you are coming during the school day
please check into the office before proceeding to the Lost Saturday, Dec. 5
and Found display. All unclaimed items will be donated to
charity after December 19th, 2015.
Sunday, Dec. 6
Christmas Carousel
Tuesday, Dec. 8
You and your family members are invited to join us for a
fun filled evening of Christmas activities on Thursday, December 10, 2015, between 6:00-8:00 pm, at Pauline Vanier
School.
Some events include: a visit from Santa Claus, crafts, carol
singing and more. Refreshments will be provided by our
Catholic School Council.
Please bring your own camera if you would like a photo
with Santa Claus.
Wednesday, Dec. 9
Thursday, Dec. 10
Sunday, Dec. 13
Tuesday Dec. 15
Thursday Dec. 17
Friday, Dec. 18
Council Update
Thank you for your donations to our upcoming
“Christmas Market for Kids”. The marketplace is an opportunity for students to shop for their loved ones at a
price point they can afford! We will continue to accept donations until December 7th, 2015.
Please join us for some Christmas cheer on the evening of
the Christmas Carousel on Thursday, December 10, 2015
in the gymnasium.
Merry Christmas and blessings to you all from your
Catholic School Council
Sunday, Dec. 20
Monday, Jan. 4
Wednesday, Jan. 6
Saturday, Jan. 9
Sunday, Jan. 10
Tuesday, Jan. 12
Thursday, Jan. 14
Catholic School Council
The next Catholic School Council Meeting will be held on
Monday, February 1, 2016 at 6:45 p.m. in the library. As
always all parents are welcome to attend all Catholic
School Council Meetings.
Christmas Break
Friday, Jan. 15
Monday, Jan. 18
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Monday, Jan. 25
Wednesday, Jan. 27
Thursday, Jan. 28
Friday, Jan. 29
Christmas break will commence on Monday, December 21,
2015. The last day of school will be on Friday, December
18, 2015. School will commence in the New Year on Monday, January 4, 2016.
-FDK Trip to Mountsberg
-St. Alphonsa Open House St. Augus
tine (27 Drinkwater Rd.) 6:00 –8:00 pm
-Advent Mass at 9:30 am in the gym
-Hot Lunch
-First Communion Enrollment
-Final Day for Global Learning Center
North Survey (www.dpcdsb.org)
-First Communion Enrollment
-Second Sunday of Advent
-Christmas Marketplace for Kids
-Pizza Lunch
-Lost and Found on display
-Christmas Carousel from 6–8 pm
-Sub Lunch
-Third Sunday of Advent
-Pizza Lunch
-FDK Movie in the Library
-Hot Lunch
-Final day for Lost and Found items
-Pajamas and Movie Day for 1-6
(Do not send food or refreshments to share for the event.)
-Grade 7 and 8 Dance in the afternoon
(Do not send food or refreshments to share for the dance.)
-Last Day of Classes
-Unclaimed Lost and Found donated
-Fourth Sunday of Advent
-First Day of Classes
-Rosary Apostolate Visit
-Confirmation Enrollment
-Confirmation Enrollment
-Entry Planning for Students with
Differing Abilities Transitioning to
Kindergarten 7:00 pm CEC
-Extended French Information Session
at St. Monica School at 7 pm
-Grade Nine Registration forms due
-Assessment and Evaluation of
Student Progress Day (no school)
-Term 2 begins
-Kindergarten Registration 7-9 pm
(snow day Tuesday January 26th)
-Kindergarten Registration 9-11am
and 1-3pm
-Kindergarten Registration 9-11am
and 1-3pm
-Kindergarten Registration 9-11am
and 1-3pm
Inserts
STOPR Bus Cancellations Notice
Global Learning Center North