St. Pio of Pietrelcina Elementary School Newsletter
June 2015
4765 Huron Heights Dr., Mississauga, On. L4Z 4G9 Phone: 905 361 1327 Fax: 905 361 0165
Principal:
Vice Principal:
Secretary:
Superintendent:
Trustee:
J. Lavalle
R. Patterson
B. Petricca
T. Lariviere
A. Abbruscato
Pastor: Father Sol
Father Charles
Parish: Sts. Peter and Paul
4070 Central Pkwy. E.
905 273 6630
Principal’s Message
It is hard to believe that June is here already. There is an excitement in the
air that is contagious as the weather begins to feel like summer! It has
been a year of learning, growing and reflecting not only for students but
for my 1st year as your principal. I have loved every minute of my time
here at St. Pio. The students are incredible as well as the staff and
community members. Thank you for all of the support and patience
provided to me over this past year.
I would like to extend a sincere thank you and good luck to Mrs. Majic,
ERW, who is retiring this year. Her professionalism and dedication to
student learning is recognized and respected. We wish her well as she
begins a different phase of her life.
I would also like to take this opportunity to send a huge thank you to our
St. Pio School Council for all that they have done for our students and
school community. The parents are incredibly giving of their time and it is
all done to enhance the experiences of our students throughout the year.
Best wishes to our grade eight students who will soon be graduating. I
wish them all the best in the next stage of their schooling. John Cabot
Catholic School is a great place to begin your secondary education!
Parents, please encourage your children to read and keep up with
practicing their math facts over the summer months. This will help
students to strengthen and maintain the skills they have worked so hard to
gain over this past year.
God Bless and have a safe and happy summer,
J. Lavalle
Thank You Lord
Lord, we thank you for making us
life-long learners.
We have finished another year of
education and we thank you for
all the opportunities you have
given us to expand our
knowledge.
We thank you for our parents,
teachers and clergy from whom
we learn.
This summer, help us to relax, to
enjoy our families and friends
and to have fun.
Help us to remember to
play safely;
Help us to learn from our
summer experiences;
And most of all,
Help us to speak with You frequently especially when we encounter You in Your wonderful
creation.
Amen
Volunteer Appreciation
We will be hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Tea on
Tuesday, June 16h at 8:30a.m. to honour our school
volunteers. We look forward to the opportunity to
thank you for the time given to help with school trips and
events. Invitations have been sent home with students. If you
have any questions, please contact the school office.
P.A. DAY
Monday, June 8th
(No school for students)
Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. St. Pio of Pietrelcina
This month we celebrate the Virtue of
Fairness
We are made by God to live together, to share and to help each other. You can’t be a Christian alone. Christianity is
all about living together in community – ideally, one big happy family. Fairness, the belief that everyone deserves the
opportunity to succeed, is not always about making things exactly equal. Some people need a bit more time, space,
money, and support to have an equal chance to succeed. They deserve that chance.
A Fair Person:
Listens to all sides before forming opinions
Shows good sportsmanship at all times
Knows that the same rules apply to everyone
Works to bring about peaceful solutions to problems
Warm Weather Dress /Sun Protection
Farewell
Now that the warm weather is here, we would like to
remind our students of the expectations that are in place
regarding appropriate dress. Although sleeveless tops are
permitted, we do not permit tank, halter or crop tops. Tshirts with offensive wording or pictures are not
permitted. The midriff must not be
visible.
Shorts and skirts must come
to mid thigh. Colour ed bandanas ar e
not permitted. Students should always
wear appropriate footwear to ensure their
safety and beach sandals are not
encouraged for this reason.
Hats and sunscreen are very much encouraged
during recess breaks to protect students from the
harmful rays of the sun.
We bid farewell to M. Caserta, G. D’Souza and M.
Kosec who leave St. Pio for a new assignment. We thank
them for their many contributions to St. Pio and wish
them much happiness and best wishes as they continue
their educational career.
Confirmation
End of Year Mass
The grade 8 students received the Sacrament of
Confirmation on May 24th and May 31st at Sts. Peter
and Paul Church. Our congratulations and prayers go
out to them and their families!
Our final school wide mass will be held on June 9th at
9:15 a.m. in the school gym. All parents/guardians are
welcome to attend.
Report Cards
Your child(ren)’s final Report Card will
be sent home on Wednesday, June 24th.
The last day of classes will be Fr iday,
June 26th. Students will be dismissed at
the regular time of 3:15 p.m.
School Council Update:
Our School Council members were very busy this year organizing various fundraising activities, community nights, and
volunteering their time at school events - all for the good of the students and parents of the St. Pio community. We
can’t thank them enough for all that they do and look forward to working together with them again in the new school
year! Their fundraising efforts supported the following this year: Agendas for every student, Artists in the School
presentations, Raz Kids Program, balls for outdoor play, Play Day refreshments, sacramental gifts, Grade 8 graduation,
and pavement painting in our school yard! In addition, School Council organized the following activities for our community: Open House BBQ, Halloween Dance, Photos with Santa Claus, Pancake Tuesday, Freezies for Play Day, Sub
Day, Ice Cream Sandwich Day and Family Math Night!
Please consider becoming an active member of your Catholic School Council. Information will be coming home
in September, 2015. Our first meeting will take place Tuesday, October 6th, 2015.
Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Intermediate Girls and Boys
Soccer
Good luck to the Intermediate Girls and
Boys Soccer teams who will be participating
in the Mississauga East Tournaments on June 9th and
11th respectively. We wish them all the best as they prepare to take part in this challenging event. Special thanks
to Mrs. Gonano for coaching our girls and to Mr. Fahn for
coaching our boys this year!
PIZZA DAYS
We would like to say “thank you” to everyone who ordered pizza. We appreciate your commitment in supporting
our pizza day this year. Your contributions have made
such a difference to our school. Our pizza sales raised over
$6500.00 so far this year. We would also like to offer a
sincere thank you to our pizza volunteers – M. Dowding
and E. Attard for giving of their time and effort.
Lost and Found
We often find lost items at St. Pio of Pietrelcina School.
Items such as shoes, hats, jackets, gloves, etc. are collected
and placed in the lost and found box. Please have a look to
see if any items belong to your child. At the end of the
school year, all remaining items will be donated to charity.
Medications at School
If your child requires medication to be stored at school,
please contact the office as you will be required to fill out
forms for the 2015-16 school year.
EPI-PENS
Epi-pens that are stored in the office will go home on the
last day of school with forms to be completed for the 2015
-16 school year. Please ensure that an epi-pen comes to
school on September 8th with your child.
Battle of the Books
A huge congratulations goes out to St. Pio of Pietrelcina Battle of the Books Team! The members are Alyssa
C., Emma Z., Micah B., Evan B., Trisha N., Alex A.,
Nicole O., Gabrielle A., Shekayna W., and Andew W.
With great enthusiasm, dedication and cooperative
spirits, these junior students participated in Mississauga East's Battle of the Books Competition at St. Alfred
School on Wednesday May 6th. Thank you for your
hard work and passion for reading from your coaches
Mme Eagles and Mme Ferreira. Be sure to check out
the Battle of the Books plaque the next time you visit
our library! An extra special thank you to Mme Eagles and Mme Ferreira for their hard work and dedication.
Missing Text Books and Library
Books
Each year, some books are lost
or go missing. It is the student’s
responsibility to ensure that
all books are returned to the
school. All library books must
be returned to school by the week
of June 8th. Please assist your child in locating all
texts and library books in the home. In the event
that your child is unable to locate the book, you will
be notified regarding the cost to replace the book.
We appreciate your support in keeping losses to a
minimum and in teaching your child a sense of responsibility.
Thank you…
To the St. Pio Choir who has done a wonderful job of
singing at our many school celebrations. Well done!
Thank you to Mr. Fahn for always preparing them!
Talent Show and Year End Assembly
We will be holding a Year-End Talent Show on Tuesday, June 23rd at 9:00a.m.. Please join us as we
celebrate the diverse talents of our students here at St. Pio.
Parents are also welcome to join us for our final assembly on Thursday, June 25th at 9:00 a.m. in the
gym as we honour our graduates and take a look back at our year.
Criminal Reference Checks for Volunteers at School
It is the policy of Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board that all school volunteers are required to produce a
Criminal Reference Check or Criminal Offence Declaration prior to being accepted as a volunteer. Please note that all
parent volunteers going on school trips must have a completed Criminal Reference Check. It is strongly
recommended that anyone wishing to support school programs in this way, begin this process as soon as possible. All
volunteer Criminal Reference Checks are free of charge. Further information and forms are available through the main
office.
Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. St. Pio of Pietrelcina
Track and Field
Play Day for Primary Classes
On Wednesday, June 17th, St. Pio will be sending a team
of grade 5, 6, 7 and 8 athletes to compete at the Mississauga East Track & Field Meet at St. Marcellinus Secondary School. We wish all team members and coaches a
great day. A big thank you goes to all the teachers who
generously gave of their time to prepare our students for
this competition: Mrs. Badali, Ms. Chi, Mrs. Fernandes,
Mrs. Paccione, Mr. Siddall and Mme. Sroczynska. .
Play day for students from grades 1 to 3 will take
place on Friday, June 19th from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.
The Kindergarten students will have their play day in
the afternoon. If it rains, play day will be on Monday,
June 22nd. Please make sure to wear sunscreen and a
hat that day.
Gr.8 Graduation
Graduation Luncheon/Dance will take
place on Wednesday, June 24th at 12:00 p.m.
at Le Treport.
Graduation Mass and Awards Ceremony will take
place on Tuesday, June 23rd at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish
at 7:00 p.m.
September Start—up Routine
All classroom placements for September will be
TENTATIVE in light of enrollment changes and/or the
Ministry of Education Primary Class Size Cap, which may
result in an increase in Combined / Split Classes. The
Ministry of Education Primary Class Size Cap is a mandate which ALL schools in the province must follow.
On Tuesday September 8th, 2015 the following will occur:
 Senior Kindergarten students will assemble in the Kindergarten yard and at bell time will meet their teacher.
(Junior Kindergarten students do not start school as a class
until Friday Sept.11/15. Parents will be contacted by their
child’s teacher regarding the entry program for Junior Kindergarten students.)
 Grades 1 to 8 students will assemble in the school yard
at their designated entrances. Teachers will have a sign
and will call out the names of each student in their class.
 If inclement weather occurs, Grades 1 to 8 students
will meet in the gym and Kindergarten students will meet
in their classrooms.
MUSIC MONDAY 2015: Trumpeter
Guy Few And Bassoonist Nadina
Jackson Wowed St. Pio Audience
Students at St. Pio of Pietrelcina School were treated
to a virtuosic performance by two Canadian classical
music icons on Music Monday. Guy Few, trumpet,
and Nadina Jackson, bassoon, performed music either
written or arranged for their respective instrument
from the Baroque period to jazz/blues of the 20th century. They also spoke about the history of the instruments and demonstrated the various techniques unique
to the trumpet and bassoon. The highlight of the program was a performance of a “TRIO” arranged by
Guy in which he played the trumpet with his right
hand and piano with his left, and Nadina on her bassoon. You could hear a pin-drop during this unbelievable demonstration of versatility. Guy and Nadina can
often be heard on CBC Radio and concert halls across
Canada and the United States. A special thank you to
Mr. Fahn for coordinating this enjoyable presentation.
Sharelife
Thank you to the St. Pio of Pietrelcina
community for raising approximately
$2600.00 towards Sharelife this year! Thank you also
to Mme. Eagles, Mrs. Ferreira, Mrs. Szeto, Mme.
Naccarato, Miss Caserta, Miss Campbell and Mme
Batista who along with our Youth Faith Ambassadors,
planned and carried out fun events such as Spirit Days,
Lenten
bracelets,
Yard
Sales
and
Peel
Police/student/teacher volleyball games. As always,
the continued generosity of this community is very
much appreciated.
Are You Moving?
To help us with our planning for September 2015, it would
be appreciated if you could let us know now
if you will be moving out of our school area
over the summer. Please contact the school
at 905 361 1327.
Have
a
fabulous
summer!
Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. St. Pio of Pietrelcina
The Power of an Hour Volunteer today to be an
In-School Mentor
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel in collaboration with the Dufferin-Peel District School
Board matches elementary girls and boys with
a caring adult mentor. Matches meet for one
hour each week during school hours and on
school property to share in fun activities. The
result -- increased self-esteem, better grades
and improved relationships with family and
peers. Children are in need of a mentor in
schools in your area.
Volunteer today! Call 905-457-7288 or visit
www.bbbspeel.com
Dates to Remember
June 1-3 – Gr. 3 EQAO
June 3 – First Communion Luncheon
June 4 – Gr.5-8 Battlefield House Museum Trip
June 8 – P.A. Day – Assessment & Evaluation
June 9 – Year End Mass @ 9:15a.m.
June 9 – Mississauga East Girls’ Soccer Tournament
June 11 – Mississauga East Boys’ Soccer Tournament
June 12 - Ice Cream Cookie Fundraiser
June 16 – Volunteer Appreciation Tea @ 8:30a.m.
June 17 – Mississauga East Track & Field Meet
June 19 - Gr.1-3 Playday
June 19– Board Track & Field Meet
June 23 - Talent Show @ 9:00 a.m.
June 23– Grade 8 Graduation @ 7p.m. Sts. Peter &
Paul Parish
June 24 - Grade 8 Graduation Luncheon/Dance
June 24 – Report Cards go home
June 25 - Closing School Assembly @ 9:00 a.m.
June 26– Last Day of Classes
September 8 – First Day of Classes
September 18– PA Day – No school for students
PLASP Child Care Services operates Before and
After School Programs for children up to 12 years
of age at this school.
The Before School Program operates from 7:30 a.m.
until school start. A nutritious breakfast is served
daily.
The After School Program begins once school is
dismissed and goes until 6:00 p.m. Children participate in recreational activities, are served a nutritious
snack daily and have time for homework.
Before and After School Programs for Full Day
Kindergarten Children
PLASP Before and After School Programs, at this
school, follow the Kindergarten curriculum based
on children learning through play. Breakfast,
snacks and age appropriate activities are provided
daily.
Fee assistance is available.
Visit www.plasp.com and register your child online
today.
This Summer Take Four!
Did you know that by reading just FOUR books over
the summer, kids can help avoid the “summer slide,”
or the loss of academic skills that tend to occur over
the summer. Also, kids that read just 25 books a year
score in the top 2% on standardized tests. To help
make reading a reality over the summer try the following:
 Let kids choose their own books (In a recent Scholastic survey 91% of kids were more likely to finish a
book they chose themselves);
 Read over breakfast;
 Always carry a book;
 Have a family reading time;
 Set individual goals.
(Adapted from Scholastic Instructor Magazine, Summer 2011)
Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. St. Pio of Pietrelcina