Catholic Education: Building a Caring Community
HAPPY NEW YEAR! January 2016
PRINCIPAL:
VICE PRINCIPAL:
HEAD SECRETARY:
ASSISTANT SECRETARY:
ASSISTANT SECRETARY:
A. D’Agostino
V. Viola
M. Villella
A. Burt
M. Cafagna
January 2016
120 Harvest Moon Drive, Bolton, Ontario L7E 2W1 Phone: (905) 857-7582
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS:
TRUSTEE:
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH
PASTOR:
ASSOCIATE PASTOR:
L. Storey
F. Di Cosola
1-800-387-9501
905-951-8898
Fr. L. Leger
905 857-1938
Fr. D. Gikonyo, IMC
Fax: (905) 857-9353
ST. NICHOLAS CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
Co-CHAIRS: K. Foschia and L D’ Orazio
SCECRETARY: M. Pacek
Treasurer: L. Girimonte
Community rep- N. D’Emilio Parish Rep: J. Christie
SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM: Please remember to phone in your child’s absence: (905) 857-7582.
The answering machine is available 24 hours - Messages are picked up regularly.
For more information about school events, go to our school website: http://www.dpcdsb.org/NICHO
Student Faith Formation and Engagement: The Heart of All We Do
Happy New Year!
This New Year, let us pursue moments of contemplation. Look to
God for assistance. Ask HIM to help us to see in a deeper way to
become more aware of what speaks to us of beauty and truth. All of
our ordinary moments are means of entering into a more significant
relationship with God. In the midst of those very common
happenings, God is ready to speak HIS word of love to us. Take the
time to recognize God’s presence. See God, and ask for help to
enjoy being, to be present in the gifts that are ours.
Year of Mercy
The Holy Year of Mercy will be an opportunity to encourage
Christians to meet people's "real needs" with concrete assistance, to
experience a "true pilgrimage" on foot, and to send "missionaries of
mercy" throughout the world to forgive even the most serious of sins.
A Prayer for the New Year
Come Holy Spirit
Spirit of the Risen Christ be with us today
and always
Be our Light our guide and our comforter
Be our strength our courage and our
sanctifier
May this year be a time of deep spiritual
growth for us
A time of welcoming your gifts
A time for forgiving freely and
unconditionally
A time for growing in virtue and
goodness
Come Holy Spirit be with us today and
always
Amen
PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
begins January 18 and runs until
January 25, 2016. Finding ways to pray
together during this January week means
that we are in harmony with people
around the world, which brings its own
graces; in this way, we join with
SCHOOL LITURGY
St. Nicholas staff and students will celebrate
a liturgy on Wednesday January 20, 2016
during the Christmas liturgical calendar.
Parents are welcome to attend the liturgy in
the school gym either at 9:30 am or at
11:20 am.
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
Catholic Education: Building a Caring Community
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAY
January 18, 2016 is a P.A. day designated for Assessment and Evaluation
of Pupils, there will be NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS.
HEALTHY SCHOOLS SURVEY
Students, staff and parents will be participating in a
Healthy Schools Survey this month. St. Nicholas staff is
gathering data to support healthy living and learning.
Parents were emailed a surveys. Please take the time to
complete them to support our data collection.
FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAM: TALK.READ.PLAY.SING!
Free workshops for families offered by the Region of Peel at St.
Nicholas Catholic Elementary School
The Family Literacy Program is for families with children aged 0 – 6
years. Families come together for story times, snack, and activities.
Research from the University of Toronto has shown this program makes
an impact to a child’s Early Literacy skills along with family support.
The program will be held in the library on Thursday nights, February 2nd
to April 12th, 2016 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.; which is just 9 Tuesday’s.
We welcome all families with children under 6 years, as well as older
children in your family. Please register by visiting our website at
http://www.peelregion.ca/children/programs/family-literacy/register.htm
We hope to see you there. 
REPORTING – TERM 1
Report cards for first term for grades 1‐8
will go home on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2016.
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences for students in
grades JK—8 will take place on the evening of
Thursday February 4th, and Friday February 5th, 2016. Parents are
asked to call the school on January 28 through February 3 to book
your conferences. More information regarding the conferences will be
sent home on January 22nd, 2016.
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION 2015-2016
2016-17 Kindergarten Registration
Registration for Kindergarten for the 2016-17 school year, will take
place on:
Monday, January 25, 2016
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.*
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday, January 28, 2016
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday, January 29, 2016
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
* Snow Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For more information about registration and the Kindergarten program,
call St. Nicholas at 905 857-7582 or visit www.dpcdsb.org.
SAFE SCHOOL PROCEDURES
Creating a safe and caring school environment in
which staff and students respect and trust each other
is an important focus at our school. Lockdown,
Fire-Safety, and Shelter in Place drills as well as
safety and anti-bullying education programs with Peel Police are part of
our ongoing procedures and programs that
take place each year with our students and
staff. We appreciate your compliance
with our school rules. Let us work
together to keep St. Nicholas a safe
environment.
SECURITY
A reminder that all visitors INCLUDING
PARENTS must come into the office,
sign in and pick up a visitor’s badge when
on a prearranged visit. Anyone not
wearing an identification badge will be
asked to return to the office immediately.
This procedure will help students and staff
recognize visitors to our school. For the
safety and security of your children
ONLY staff and assigned supervisors are
allowed in the school yard during all
recesses. Parents are kindly asked to NOT
go into the students’ play yard at the back
of school. If you need to speak to your
child during a recess, arrangements can be
made in the front office. We thank you for
your cooperation in supporting the safe
environment of our school.
ANAPHYLAXIS – IMPORTANT
REMINDER
As we transition into 2016 we would like to
again remind you that St. Nicholas School
is an ‘allergen aware school’. There are
pupils in attendance who suffer from severe
and life threatening allergies to certain
foods, such as peanut and nut products
and/or milk products. Exposure to the
smallest quantities can cause severe life
threatening reactions.
Anaphylaxis is a severe and life
threatening allergic reaction. The most
common allergen triggers are food, insect
stings, medications, exercise and latex. An
anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms
from two or more body systems.
We at St. Nicholas School would
appreciate the cooperation of the entire
school community by NOT sending any
lunches or snacks that could potentially
harm a pupil. Please make sure that all of
your children’s caregivers are aware of the
food restrictions. Please avoid sending
food for birthdays or special occasions.
There are many alternatives such as
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
Catholic Education: Building a Caring Community
stickers and pencils. If you have any questions please talk to your child’s
teacher or call the office. We look forward to your cooperation in making
this a safe year for all our pupils.
DRESSING FOR WINTER
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 bins are located on the
first floor. Please encourage your child to check these bins if they
are missing something.
SOCKS, BOOTS AND EXTRA CLOTHES
We are asking that all students have an extra pair of socks and clothes at
school at all times, just in case they get wet during recess. Waterproof
boots are also a necessity. Students need to have indoor shoes and must
wear shoes at all times. The halls get wet and it becomes a safety issue
when children have their outdoor shoes on inside. Due to the size of the
school it would be a challenge to call home for all students who get wet as
a result of outdoor play.
STUDENT ILLNESS - STAYING IN FOR RECESS
Students who are ill should be kept home where they are
most comfortable and can recover. 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.
STAYING HEALTHY
The best ways to reduce the risk of becoming ill or spreading flu
viruses include:
Wash your hands frequently: Wash your hands often with
soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer,
especially after you cough or sneeze.
Practise good hygiene: Cover your nose and mouth with a
tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the
trash after you use it. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or
sneeze into your sleeve or elbow. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or
mouth. Germs are spread this way.
Stay Healthy: Eat healthy foods, stay physically active and get adequate
rest to keep your immune system strong. [Also, no sharing food].
Monitor your health: If you develop flu-like symptoms (fever,
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and shortness of breath) stay home from
school and limit your contact with others while you are sick. Parents may
want to consider contacting their doctor or
call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000 if
symptoms get worse.
SNOWBALLS
It is of importance to remind
students that for the safety of all,
the throwing of snowballs is not
permitted. An unsuspecting
snowball, often in the form of ice,
can cause serious injury. Students
have been made aware of this school
expectation. Students who are seen
throwing snowballs will be issued a
snowball letter and other possible
consequences.
SNOW FORTS
At St. Nicholas 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
have implemented a ‘Snow Fort Code of
Ethics’ which has been posted in each
classroom and reviewed by staff with their
students. 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.
Please review it with your child(ren) so
they have a clear understanding of it.
SNOW FORT CODE OF ETHICS
At St. Nicholas, we enjoy building snow
forts. We will abide by the following
agreements:
 We do not destroy snow forts.
This agreement is in effect during
and after school hours.
 Everyone who builds a fort has to
agree to changing it or breaking it
down.
 We need an invitation to go into a
snow fort.
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD
Catholic Education: Building a Caring Community

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.
WHAT’S IN YOUR CHILD’S
LUNCHBOX?
During the year please assist us in
promoting healthy eating by encouraging
your child and/or caregivers to pack
healthy snacks and lunches. Research
shows
that good health is a pre-requisite for good learning. It is also a vital
component of children’s growth and development. It is a fact: a healthy
mind depends on a healthy body. Students
who eat healthy food are better prepared to learn and are more likely to
succeed in school. For more information about Ontario’s healthy schools
initiatives visit;
www.ontario.ca/healthy schools
GRADE 8 GRADUATION PHOTOS
Photographers will be in on Thursday, January 28th,
2016 to take graduation photos for our Grade 8
Students. A letter will be sent out prior to this date with
more information.
2016 INCENTIVES FOR OUR TREEHUGGERS!
1. Waste Free Wednesdays! Treehuggers are handing out
ballots to those students who bring in a waste free lunch
for a draw.
2. Lights off Thursdays! Every Thursday we are
encouraging energy conservation.
3. Ink Toner Cartridges! Treehuggers are encouraging
all students to bring in their empty ink cartridges to
school to place in our reuse/recycle box.
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH: SELF
CONTROL
God wants us to do what we know and feel
is right.
A person with self-control …

Is patient

Knows how to wait his/her turn
 Can calm him/herself down and think before reacting to
situations
 Knows how to avoid physical aggression
 Can think things through
Self-Control helps us to resist the temptation to do something that we
will regret. It also helps us to resist the temptation to do something that
will harm ourselves or others. Each time we exercise self-control we
grow stronger in the Lord and invite peace to settle in our lives.
BULLYING PREVENTION
Everyone faces conflict in daily life and through it we can learn to
negotiate and build relationships. Bullying is a form of violence that
leaves no room for negotiation and seeks to
tear others down rather than build
relationships.
Tips for parents:
‐help your children apply the definition
of bullying to determine if a situation
is bullying or conflict.
‐use teachable moments and “what if’
scenarios with your child to help them
differentiate bullying and conflict
-talk to your children about the difference
between being passive, aggressive or
assertive
‐use ‘I messages’
VIRTUE AWARDS
Congratulations to our December
Virtue Catch the Spirit Award
Recipients!
Kindergarten – Matteo D.
Primary – Milena A.
Junior – Mia P.
Intermediate – Matteo F.
These students received a Virtue T - Shirt
for demonstrating and living the virtues at
St. Nicholas school.
DATES AHEAD
JANUARY
4
First Day Back at School
6
The Epiphany
7-8 FDK - grade 2 dental screening
14 Catholic School Council meeting 7pm
18-25 Waste Free Lunch Challenge
18-25 Prayer for Christian Unity
18 Term 1 Assessment and Evaluation
of Pupils (No school for students)
19 Rosary Apostolate Visit pm
20 School Liturgy 9:30 and 11:20 am in
the school gym
25 FDK registration 7pm - 9pm
27 FDK Registration 9am - 3pm
28 FDK Registration 9am - 3pm
28 Grade 8 Graduation Photos
28-Feb3 Conference calls in
29 FDK Registration 9am - 3pm
FEBRUARY
2
Reports go home
4
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences evening
5
PA Day Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
15 Family Day
PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD