November 2015
Volume 7 Issue 3
ST. RITA CATHOLIC SCHOOL
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30 SUMMER VALLEY DRIVE, BRAMPTON, ONTARIO L6Z 4V6
PHONE 905 595-0911 FAX: 905 840-3467
WEBSITE HTTP://WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/RITAE
PUTTING OUR FAITH INTO ACTION
PRINCIPAL
U. Fromm
VICE PRINCIPAL
C. Zeni
SECRETARIES
V. Molinaro
C. Egan
D. Sandiland
SUPERINTENDENT
S. Steer
905-890-1221
ST. LEONARD CHURCH
905-846-5385
Father Nosan
TRUSTEES
D. D’Souza (Ward 2)
905-579-0126
F. Di Cosola
(Caledon/Dufferin)
905-951-8898
Each month we will focus on a specific virtue.
MPPs
Brampton-Springdale
M. Harinder
905-495-8030
Dufferin-Caledon
Sylvia Jones
905-951-9382
Virtue of the Month: Conscience
School Hours:
9:00 Supervision begins
9:15 Entry Bell
10:55 Morning Recess
12:00 Lunch Recess
12:40 Lunch
1:00 Afternoon Bell
2:40 Afternoon Recess
3:45 Dismissal
A virtue is a habit or established capacity to perform
good actions according to a moral standard.
God has given us the ability to know the right and decent way to act and then to
act that way. We trust that the common Spirit we share inspires us and guides
us to make good decisions if we allow our conscience to be well-formed. A person of conscience allows prayer and scripture to influence him or her.
A person of conscience:
 chooses to do the ‘right thing’ and feels good about it
 can see how his or her actions may hurt others
 admits his or her wrong-doing and feels badly
 says ‘sorry’ and tries to make up for mistakes
 keeps promises
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A very special thank you to all of the parent volunteers
who attended last months Catholic School Council Meeting. We are very blessed to be supported by such a large
number of parents. Thank you for giving of your time to
support the community of St. Rita School. Please feel
free to join us at the next staff meeting on Tuesday
November 19th, 2015 at 7:00pm.
We thank all parents and other visitors who are respectful of the school and Board policies of reporting to the office when entering the school and refraining from the use of cell phones in the building.
Most of all, this month we thank all of the parents
and guardians who are abiding by the school traffic
rules regarding safe arrival and dismissal procedures
in the parking lot and Kiss & Ride.
During the winter months, inclement weather may
cause disruption of regular school operations. A decision to close schools or cancel busses is usually
made by 6:00 a.m. You can obtain information by
listening to the following radio stations:
CKFM 99.9
CFTR 680
CFTO
CJCL 590 CHFI 98.1 FM CBC
CFNY 102.1
CHIN 100.7
EZ Rock
CFRB 1010
CJMR/CHWO 1250
CKFM 99.9 CITYPULSE
CHUM 104.5 FM
CHUM 1050
FOXY 88.5 FM
CJBC (Fr.) 860
WEATHER NETWORK
Make sure the announcement is for the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board. If transportation is cancelled, the schools will remain open. If
buses are cancelled and parents or guardians choose
to bring their child to school, it is also their responsibility to pick them up at the end of the day. Under
extraordinary circumstances an announcement may
be made which indicates that all Dufferin-Peel
schools are closed.
Website: www.dpcdsb.org
Twitter: @DPCDSBSchools
Board's phone message system: 905-890-1221
The STOPR website http://businfo.stopr.ca allows
parents to check their child’s transportation information:
 click “student login”
 enter your child’s OEN number as their ‘student
ID’ (the OEN is noted on your child’s report
card)
 enter your address, school name and child’s
grade
 Click “login”
Daily information regarding bus cancellations and
specific bus delays is also available on the STOPR
website.
Changes to your child’s bus number or bus stop
must be arranged and approved by STOPR. For
STOPR insurance purposes, and in the event of any
type of busing emergency, it is critical that the
STOPR’s, bus driver’s and school’s bus lists are accurate at all times. Students should never take a bus
for which they are not officially registered. Occasionally stops are changed and students maybe transferred to another Bus to accommodate route and run
changes. When this occurs we will send a notification home to inform you of the changes. Please be
aware that we are in no way permitted to make
changes at the school level. All changes are made
via the transportation department and STOPR.
Please use discretion in keeping your child at home
if they are ill. A child who is coughing, wheezing,
etc, is not in a state to learn and will only infect others. At times we receive requests to allow students to
stay indoors for recess when they have a cold, flu,
etc. Please note that we are unable to accommodate,
as we do not have the staff or facilities to supervise
these students. Health officials indicate that as long
as students are dressed warmly, fresh air is not
harmful. If your child is too ill to go outside for recess, we kindly request that they remain home until
they are healthy enough to join in the regular activities of the school. On extremely cold days, as indicated by the wind chill factor, we will be limiting the
time spent outside by students. Except on these rare
occasions, we expect all students to go outside for
recess and the lunch break. We ask that students
dress appropriately (i.e, coats, mitts, boots etc.). If
they are dressed warmly, they are better prepared to
participate in outdoor activities during recesses and
the noon hour. Where possible, please put your
identification (your child’s initials) on your child’s
belongings. A great idea for our younger students is
to send an extra set of clothes for wet or muddy day
accidents. The heat has been turned on in the
school, so layering the children’s clothing is also a
good idea.
Visit our website: www.dpcdsb.org/ritae
only with
A special thank you is extended to all staff members
for supervising, coaching and facilitating the many
and varied extra-curricular activities at St. Rita.
Teachers and support staff often give up their free
time and lunch hours to contribute to these programs. We are very proud of all that we have to offer
our students. Students are encouraged to listen carefully to daily announcements to know when to attend
meetings, clubs, try-outs and practices. All students
from Gr 4-8 are eligible to participate on athletic
teams providing they are fulfilling their academic
responsibilities.
Our school Advent Masses will be held at
St. Leonard Church on Thursday, December 8th at 10:00 and 1:30. All students
from Grades 1 to 8 will be bused to/from
the church. Permission forms will be sent
home later this month, specifying which Mass your
child’s class will attend. This is a wonderful way to
capture the true meaning of Advent. All families are
most welcome to celebrate with us.
As per Ministry of Education direction, the Duffernin Peel Catholic District School Board has a
Concussion Protocol in place. Students who sustain
a head injury will receive a Concussions Are Serious
pamphlet to take home. We ask parents/guardians to
review this pamphlet and seek medical attention for
your son/daughter if you feel it is required. As in
previous years, all head injuries will be logged and
reported to parents/guardians directly. We ask that
you please inform the school as soon as possible if
and when your son/daughter sustains a concussion as
a result of a school incident or as a result of an activity outside of school. Questions or concerns regarding this new policy should be directed to the Main
Office. Your cooper ation and assistance in this
regard are appreciated.
Students are now permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises
and/or board sanctioned events for educational purposes, under the direction of their teacher and
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parent/guardian permission. Students may r egis
ter their PED for the purpose of connecting to the
board wireless network. Students are required to adhere to the student “Personal Electronic Device Used
with WI-FI Network Student Agreement” (GF 337)
and the “Network User Application and Agreement.” (GF066) Please be advised that the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board will not be
responsible for any cost incurred through the use
of personal data plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with learning; their use must comply with the
Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and procedures. Any personal communications (i.e., phone
calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through the main office. Failur e to comply
with these guidelines may result in a loss of PED
privileges and/or any other consequences deemed
necessary by school administration.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during school
-sanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces and/or in common areas.
Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs at all times. The Board assumes no
responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.
Grade 4 parents/guardians who wish to enroll their
child in a Grade 5 Extended French class for September, 2016 are invited to attend an information
meeting at:
Brampton Students:
St. Anne School
124 Vodden St, Brampton
Wednesday January 13, 2016
7:00pm
Caledon Students:
Thursday January 14, 2016
Holy Family
905-905-1300
61 Allan Drive Bolton – L7E1P7
7:00 p.m.
At the present time, the above mentioned schools are
the designated centres for our area. Applications
will be accepted at that centre until 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 16, 2016.
Visit our website: www.dpcdsb.org/ritae
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FRENCH IMMERSION INFORMATION MEETING
Year 2 Kindergarten parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enroll their child in a Grade 1 French Immersion class
for September, 2016 are invited to attend an information meeting at:
French Immersion centres
Session location
Date and time
St Gertrude
St Pio of Pietrelcina
St Pio of Pietrelcina
Tuesday, November 10,
2015
7:00 p.m.
Our Lady of Providence
St Angela Merici
St Joachim
St Angela Merici
Wednesday, November
11, 2015
7:00 p.m.
Divine Mercy
St Elizabeth Seton
St Margaret of Scotland
St Margaret of Scotland
Thursday, November 12,
2015
7:00 p.m.
As cold and flu season approaches, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board continues to be vigilant in ensuring that our schools are clean and that our school communities are educated regarding good hand hygiene and cough
etiquette. These practices are promoted on an ongoing basis, but as the prevalence of colds and flu increases, our
board increases the cleaning of contact surfaces, as well as reminds schools to review cold and flu prevention with
students and staff. Many resources are utilized from our regional health units.
A reminder, as well, that communicable diseases can be contracted in public places throughout the year. For example, cold-related viruses, such as Enterovirus, are transferred from person to person through hand contact. Cold and
flu viruses typically peak from December through February, but can start as early as October.
Regional Health Unit Resources
Please assist us by reviewing good hand washing procedures, as well as other preventative measures, as outlined in
the various Peel Health and Wellington Dufferin Guelph (WDG) resources available to you through their websites. As
always, children who are unwell, should be kept at home.
Flu Clinics
Also available on the Peel Health and WDG websites, are the schedules of local Flu Clinics.
For more information, visit the health unit websites:
Peel Health website: http://www.peelregion.ca/health
Wellington Dufferin Guelph Health website: www.wdgpublichealth.ca
Direct links to the above information can be found in the Parent Section of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board website at www.dpcdsb.org
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Our Eco Initiatives:
St. Rita does many Eco friendly activities. We have boomerang Litter less lunches on Mondays and flick off lights Fridays. The
rest of the week is bring your reusable water bottles and remember to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!!
Park cleanup:
I
In October, St. Rita’s Junior and Intermediate classes
cleaned up Summer Valley Park, across the street from St. Rita School. The Primary classes cleaned up our St. Rita field and
yard. We had a substantial amount of litter collected from the park. We took it back to school, and deposed of it properly! We are
very proud of the dedication you all put into cleaning up Summer Valley Park! Great job St. Rita School!!
Park Stewardship:
Tree
Planting
On Friday October 23rd, St. Rita school partnered with the City Of Brampton Parks Division and students walked to St. Rita Valley Park, across the street and participated in numerous educational activities from creating mud ball seeds for pollinators to planting and learning about trees. This event was a huge success!
We received Park Hero T-shirt and our own special Park Hero Plaque to hang in the school!
St. Rita Eco Team:
Rita School has a diverse Eco Team made up of dedicated students, teachers, parents, office staff, custodians, and administration. During the month of October the Intermediate students carried out Recycling
Practices and mentored younger students. Students surveyed Recycling and Garbage bins. A whole school
assembly was organized and City of Brampton Waste Management representatives educated us about the
importance of not contaminating our Recycling. Posters are in place in classrooms to direct students what
goes in the Recycling Bins and what goes in the Garbage.
Future Initiatives:
Marker drive: We will be diver ting mar ker s fr om going to the landfills.
Whole school waste audit and Energy Conservation pr actices.
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HOMEWORK HELP
Free Online Math Tutoring Available
Have a child in Grade 7 or 8 who doesn’t quite understand how to add fractions? Or maybe your teenager is
struggling with a geometry assignment? Extra help is
now availa-ble. Check out Homework Help, where certified Ontario teachers are online 20 hours a week to provide free math tu-toring for the Grade 7 to 10 math students in the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School
Board.
Students can log in Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to
9:30 p.m., for one-on-one confidential help. There are
interac-tive discussion rooms for each grade where they
can view to the current lesson, watch tutors draw on the
whiteboard — and then type their own question for onthe-spot help. To access http://HomeworkHelp.ilc.org,
your child will receive a Board access code, as well as
help setting up an account from their teacher at school.
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HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
Vatican Basilica
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Saturday, 11 April 2015
The greeting of the Risen Christ to his disciples on the evening of Easter, “Peace be with you!” (Jn 20:19),
continues to resound in us all. Peace, especially during this Easter season, remains the desire of so many
people who suffer unprecedented violence of discrimination and death simply because they bear the name
“Christian”. Our prayer is all the more intense and becomes a cry for help to the Father, who is rich in mercy,
that he may sustain the faith of our many brothers and sisters who are in pain. At the same time, we ask for
the grace of the conversion of our own hearts so as to move from indifference to compassion.
Saint Paul reminds us that we have been saved through the mystery of the death and resurrection of the
Lord Jesus. He is the Reconciler, who is alive in our midst offering the way to reconciliation with God and
with each other. The Apostle recalls that, notwithstanding the difficulties and the sufferings of life, the hope
of salvation which Christ has sown in our hearts nonetheless continues to grow. The mercy of God is poured
out upon us, making us just and giving us peace.
Many question in their hearts: why a Jubilee of Mercy today? Simply because the Church, in this time of great
historical change, is called to offer more evident signs of God’s presence and closeness. This is not the time
to be distracted; on the contrary, we need to be vigilant and to reawaken in ourselves the capacity to see
what is essential. This is a time for the Church to rediscover the meaning of the mission entrusted to her by
the Lord on the day of Easter: to be a sign and an instrument of the Father’s mercy (cf. Jn 20:21-23). For
this reason, the Holy Year must keep alive the desire to know how to welcome the numerous signs of the
tenderness which God offers to the whole world and, above all, to those who suffer, who are alone and
abandoned, without hope of being pardoned or feeling the Father’s love. A Holy Year to experience strongly
within ourselves the joy of having been found by Jesus, the Good Shepherd who has come in search of us
because we were lost. A Jubilee to receive the warmth of his love when he bears us upon his shoulders and
brings us back to the Father’s house. A year in which to be touched by the Lord Jesus and to be transformed
by his mercy, so that we may become witnesses to mercy. Here, then, is the reason for the Jubilee: because
this is the time for mercy. It is the favourable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all
those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer
everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation.
May the Mother of God open our eyes, so that we may comprehend the task to which we have been called;
and may she obtain for us the grace to experience this Jubilee of Mercy as faithful and fruitful witnesses of
Christ.
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Visit our website: www.dpcdsb.org/ritae
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November2015
2015empathy
conscience
October
Sun
Sun
Mon
Mon
Tue
Tue
Wed
Wed
Thu
Thu
1
2
3
4
51
62
Virtues
AssemVirtues Assembly
bly PM
7
3
8
9
10
11
12
8
Picture
Retake
Day
14
15
16
4
5
6
7
Paul Davis
Presentaion
18
17
Progress Re12
13
14
ports go home
No School
Catholic
Thanksgiving Day
School Council
19
20 Mtg 7pm
21
11
18
22
23
25
26
School Council
24
Budget Meeting
Fri
Fri
13
9
School Mass
19
20
Progress Report
15
16
Interviews
Family of Schools
Council Meeting
22
Bus Driver Ap25preciation Day
26
Sat
Sat
10
21
17
Picture Day
23
24
Terra Cotta Cookie
27Dough Orders
28
Christmas
Tree
LAST DAY
Set Up 4:00
29
First Day of
Advent
30
First Aid Session For Gr 2
and 3
27
School Council
Meeting 7:00pm
28
December 2015
Sun
Mon
29
30
31
hope
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
3
4
5
9
10
11
12
6
7
8
Advent Mass
@ St.
Leonard’s
Church
13
14
15
16
Catholic
School Council
7:00pm
17
18
19
Last Day of School
20
21
22
23
24
Christmas Eve
25
Merry Christmas
27
28
29
30
31
New Years Eve
Happy New Year!
26