Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board ST. TIMOTHY CATHOLIC SCHOOL 2214 Cliff Road, Mississauga, ON L5A 2N9 TEL: 905-277-0990 FAX: 905-277-5570 School Website: www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE MARCH C. Serjeant Principal NEWSLETTER YEAR OF MERCY - LENTEN PRAYER FOLLOW US ON A. Aguilar Vice-Principal @StTimothyDPCDSB E. Dal’Bo Head Secretary C. Bissola Assistant Secretary T. Lariviere Superintendent of Schools, Mississauga East 905-890-1221 M. Pascucci Chair of the Board of Trustees 905-890-0708 X20161 Cell: 905-302-3096 mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org www.TrusteePascucci.ca B. Iannicca Trustee, Ward 7 Cell: 905-270-0536 bruno.iannicca@dpcdsb.org Fr. Camillo Lando Pastor, St. Catherine of Siena Parish 905-272-1454 www.stcatherine.ca L. Kostick Catholic School Council Chair linda@lindakostick.com P.L.A.S.P. Program 905-890-1711 2016 Lord, Jesus, our Saviour, By Your passion, death, and resurrection, You have set us free from sin and death. May Your grace renew our hearts during this holy season of Lent And help us to turn away from sin, repent, and be faithful to the Gospel. May we learn to appreciate more deeply the magnificence of Your love for us as You humbled Yourself and gave Your life on the cross that we might receive the gift of eternal life. Accept our prayer, fasting and acts of charity as we seek to draw closer to You during these 40 days of Lent as we prepare for the celebration of Your resurrection. Strengthen the faith of Your people so that we may be a sign of Your love to all the world. We ask this in Your sacred name. AMEN. PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE During the month of March, we continue to recognize the holy season of Lent. This 40 day preparation for the Feast of Easter that began with Ash Wednesday last month and ends with Holy Week and Easter this month is a time to deepen our relationship with God. The three pillars of Lenten observance are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (acts of charity). Our school-wide Lenten outreach initiatives include the collection of soap, salt, and candles for Dr. Simone’s charity, Canadian Food for Children, and the collection of loonies/toonies for our ShareLife Dress Up Day. We focus on the virtue of Kindness this month as we continue to foster a safe, caring, healthy, and inclusive school community. Our Grade 2 students celebrate their First Reconciliation at St. Catherine of Siena Church on March 9th. We wish them every blessing as they mark this important time to learn about God’s forgiveness. Thank you to our Catholic School Council and parent volunteers for their efforts in continuing their Shrove Tuesday tradition, as they prepared over 600 pancakes for the whole school. This led us into our Lenten journey with the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday with Father Lando. Ms. Aguilar and I continue to be appreciative of the wonderful staff at St. Timothy who give of their time to enrich the student experiences within and outside of the classroom. Aside from regular league athletic teams, we also have intramurals (e.g. handball), and numerous interest-based teams and clubs (e.g. Health Action Team, Eco Team, Chess Club, Lego Skills, Coding Club, Battle of the Books, Youth Faith Ambassadors, Student Council, etc.) As March Break approaches, may the St. Timothy staff, students, and families have a safe, restful, and enjoyable week! Spring is just around the corner! Sincerely, C. Serjeant Page 2 of 9 MARCH 2016 St. Timothy School Newsletter DATES TO REMEMBER For all holidays and PA Days, refer to 2015-2016 School Year Board Calendar in Student Agendas or visit www.dpcdsb.org MARCH BREAK March 14th - 18th, 2016 NEW P.A. DAY: Monday, April 11, 2016 In the month of MARCH, WE FOCUS ON THE VIRTUE OF KINDNESS God has given us the gift of friends and family to keep us company, love us, and help us out along the way. Every person in our lives carries the Spirit of God and so every person is our brother or sister through Jesus Christ so we all deserve to be shown concern for our welfare and our feelings. We have all been graced with the fruit of the Holy Spirit called Kindness. Kindness is seen through our words and our actions. MARCH 2016 1 2 4 8 9 - 10 9 10 11 14 - 18 21 22 23 24 25 Junior Girls’ Soccer Tournament Immunizations - Round 2 (HPV and Hep. B) Catholic School Council Meeting ~7:00 PM Intermediate Hockey Tournament Junior Boys’ Soccer Tournament Intermediate Hockey Tournament Grade 2 Reconciliation at Church ~7:30 PM Grade 6 Scientists in the School Grades 3-8 Lenten Confessions ~9:15 AM Junior Hockey Tournament (Blue&White teams) MARCH BREAK (inclusive) HOLY WEEK Begins / Earth Hour Assembly Grade 5 ShareLife Bible Read-a-thon Grade 4 classes at Ripley’s Aquarium Stations of the Cross in the Gym ~1:15 PM GOOD FRIDAY (school closed) 27 EASTER SUNDAY *Christ is Risen! Allelulia! 28 Easter Monday (school closed) 29 Grade 4 classes at Silvercreek Outdoor Ed. Ctr. 30 Great Big Crunch and Great Gulp APRIL 2016 1 4 5 5-6 6 7 9 Mississauga East Chess Tournament Intermediate Hockey Tournament Junior Hockey Tournament Intermediate Hockey Tournament Grades 4 and 5 classes at Rose Theatre Catholic School Council Meeting ~7:00 PM Grade 6 at Rose Theatre Central Committee for Catholic School Councils Conference / Vendor Marketplace at St. Joseph Secondary School (SATURDAY) 11 12 * NEW * P.A. DAY Skills Canada Board-Level Tech Competition 22 Earth Day / Community Movie Night LUNCH PROGRAMS Mondays Pizza Days Wednesdays The Lunch Lady ** HOT DOG DAYS ** on Thursdays during LENT Mon.—Fri. Milk Program COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE Page 3 of 9 MARCH 2016 St. Timothy School Newsletter Grades 2 & 7 SACRAMENTAL DATES PARENT ENGAGEMENT EVENTS Hosted by the Dufferin-Peel Central Committee for Catholic School Councils, a Board-wide Parent Engagement Event will be held on the morning of Saturday, April 9th , 2016 at St. Joseph Secondary School at 5555 Creditview Road. “Opening Doors of Mercy” is the theme of the Parent Conference which will feature an extensive Vendor Marketplace and a keynote address by Dr. Susan Williams, Director of Halton Centre for Cognitive Therapy and Stress Reduction in Oakville. Further information about the keynote, the workshops, and the marketplace is available in the attached flyer or by visiting http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC/ Alternatively, you can go to the following link www.// surveymonkey.com/r/M9BFLTY to register. Hosted by the Mississauga East Family and Mississauga/Brampton Central Family of Schools, an interactive Parent Engagement Event will be held on the evening of Tuesday, May 10th , 2016 at our school. Next Generation Learning is the theme of the Parent Conference which will feature informative and interactive workshops facilitated by teachers from the Families of Schools. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks. Students in Grade 2 who are currently enrolled at St. Catherine of Siena Church for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation will receive this sacrament on Wednesday, March 9th, 2016 at 6:45 PM at the Church. The Grade 2 students who are participating in the Sacramental preparation classes at the church will celebrate their First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 14th, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the Church. The Grade 7 students who are participating in the Sacramental preparation classes at the church will celebrate their Confirmation on Tuesday, May 31st, 2016 at 6:00 PM. WHAT MINDSET DO YOU HAVE? CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL Communication between home and school is greatly enhanced by parental involvement with the Catholic School Council. All Council Members and parents/ guardians are encouraged to come out to meetings and participate. Our next School Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:00 PM in the school library. All parents welcome! Grades 3 & 6 EQAO / TUTORING Future Meeting Dates April 6, 2016 May 25, 2016 Minutes (approved) from the previous meetings are posted on our school website. Trustee Bruno Iannicca joined us for our February meeting and we thank our Trustee for his commitment to Catholic Education and our school. We also thank all of our Catholic School Council members and the Chair, Linda Kostick, for their ongoing support of our school initiatives (i.e. sacraments, trips, school initiatives and presentations, pizza/milk days, All Star Reading, gym equipment, extracurricular activities, team uniforms, etc.) The provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has designated the dates for the Primary and Junior Divisions Assessments of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. We request that parents of Grades 3 and 6 students refrain from booking vacations or other appointments that would result in their child(ren) being away from school during the period of May 25 to June 8, 2016. More specific dates, times, and information for our school will follow closer to the assessment time. Visit www.dpcdsb.org/EQAO for Board and school profiles. NEXT COMMUNITY EVENT COMING SOON: MOVIE NIGHT at the School on APRIL 22, 2016 Information regarding FREE EQAO TUTORING sessions offered after school will be sent home in the coming weeks. www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY Page 4 of 9 MARCH 2016 ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY It is an expectation that students are to be on time for all classes and events and arrive to school prepared for learning. According to research, attending school regularly and being on time, are deemed to be two of the most important keys to student success. However, in the event that your child(ren) will be absent or late, parents/guardians are requested to notify/call the school. This greatly assists with our safe arrival program and also applies to days when busses are cancelled. The Attendance Line is available 24 hours to report absences. Please call 905-277-0990 and Press 1 for Attendance. For students who are absent/late, and for whom a call/note is not received, it is Board policy that the school must attempt to contact the parent/ guardian. Leave the following information on the voice-mail: date/length of absence student’s full name grade and teacher reason date of return All students who arrive after 9:00 AM or 1:04 PM must report to the main Office to sign-in and get a late slip prior to going to their classroom. Similarly, for students leaving school prior to 3:30 PM, the school must be informed and the parent/guardian must sign out the child in the Office Log Book. St. Timothy School Newsletter PARENT TOOL KIT Visit http:// www.ontariodirectors.ca/ parent_engagement.html for more information. The Parent Tool Kit is a resource in which parents can find activities and suggestions that they can use to help their children succeed in school. The Parent Tool Kit describes hands-on activities and key messages about what parents could do to support their children in doing homework, making real life connections to the classroom, and developing healthy relationships. This Tool Kit is for parents of Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 students. Research shows that learning at home is one of the most beneficial ways to help your child succeed. The Tool Kit is intended to support parents as you help your children at home, and includes ideas and tips in the following areas: BE A COACH: includes specific suggestions for providing at-home help for success at school BE A MENTOR: includes suggestions for helping with homework and the supportive role parents can play BE AN ADVOCATE: deals with parent-school communication and ideas for helping students present them-selves well STAY INFORMED: deals with reinforcing classroom learning at home FITTING IT ALL IN: provides tips to help with at-home organization that supports success at school CONTACT INFORMATION Please also ensure that the Office is promptly advised of any CHANGES IN CONTACT INFORMATION. It is extremely important that our records be current and upto-date. In the event of an emergency, we must be able to contact a parent/guardian immediately. Your cooperation in the matters listed above is greatly appreciated by Ms. Bissola and Ms. Dal’Bo. THE TEENAGE YEARS: focuses on talking to your secondary school student about school and provides tips for raising responsible digital citizens. Many of the activities used in the Parent Tool Kit and Guidebook are based on the research of Dr. Joyce Epstein and her work with the National Network of Partnership Schools. COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE Page 5 of 9 MARCH 2016 PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES (P.E.D.’s) We would like to remind parents and students of the Dufferin-Peel Personal Electronic Devices policy which states: To promote respect for the dignity of all members of our school community and to enhance student achievement and safety, the use of a PED is strictly prohibited in the school (including portables) or during school related activities (such as retreats, field trips, sports events, etc.) Failure to comply with this policy may result in the confiscation of the PED and/or disciplinary action as outlined in the Catholic Code of Conduct. The school and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board assume no responsibility for the loss, recovery, repair or replacement for any PED brought unto school property. It is the policy of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board that PEDs are to be kept out-of-sight, turned off and not used on school premises or during school-sanctioned events, unless permitted by the teacher, for educational purposes. St. Timothy School Newsletter CYBER ACADEMY Spring class: May 3 - May 24, 2016. The crime prevention experts at Peel Regional Police have developed a unique cyber-related course for parents, caregivers, educators and other professionals. The Cyber Academy is delivered over four evenings, 2.5 hours each evening for a total of 10 hours of instruction and is designed to teach participants how to avoid the risks on the following: COMPUTER SECURITY: (passwords, home networking, malware, viruses, spam) CYBER-FRAUD: (identity theft, phishing, recognizing a scam) INTERNET CHILD EXPLOITATION: (child pornography ,online luring) MEDIA DISTRACTION: (mobile devices, accessing media outside the home, law enforcement perspective) SOCIAL MEDIA: (positive & negative aspects of social media, safer online strategies) CYBER-BULLYING: (bullying on digital mediums, recognizing the signs, resources) MEDIA ADDICTION: (Are you hooked?) Space is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to some subject matter, registrations are available to anyone 18 years of age & older who live, work or play in Peel Region. Only registered guests are permitted to attend. Proficiency in the English is essential & some computer skills are beneficial. www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY Page 6 of 9 MARCH 2016 SOAP, SALT, and CANDLES LENTEN OUTREACH th th From February 29 – March 11 , the Grade One classes are collecting soap, salt, and candles for Dr. Simone’s Charity. Dr. Andrew Simone is the co-founder of Canadian Food for Children (CFFC), a registered, nonprofit charitable organization which collects food, clothing, soap and emergency supplies for povertystricken children and families around the world. This initiative is part of our school Lenten acts of charity (almsgiving) and the Grade One “Faith in Action” component of the new Religious Education program. The classes are also integrating Math and Language Skills (e.g. tally, graphing, writing, media, etc.) as they collect the items from the classes. This year, each division is asked to bring in different items: FDK students bars of soap Primary students boxes of salt Junior students candles Intermediate students soap, salt and/or candles Why SOAP? Lack of hygiene is a major cause of disease in developing countries. People are not keeping clean because they can't afford soap. Donating soap to these less fortunate countries will help them stay healthy and clean! Why SALT? Underprivileged countries lack iodine, a substance commonly found in our salt. Iodine deficiency is one of the main causes of childhood brain damage. Donating salt is an easy way to help promote healthy brain development! Jesus told us we are “salt of the earth” because salt is used as a preservative and a flavour enhancer, just as we are called to preserve our faith and enliven it. Why CANDLES? Many impoverished parts of the world do not have electricity. It is important that we share and spread “God’s Light” with everyone. As an additional incentive, each division will be awarded with a pizza party for the class that brings in the most items in their categories. Thank you for supporting our Lenten outreach initiatives as our school community “opens doors of mercy” by helping those in need. St. Timothy School NewsletONLINE SCHOOL LIBRARY Did you know that you can now view the school library from home? Just visit the following link to see what the library has to offer: http://library.dpcdsb.org/ uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/?ps=rWNkseB06q/ TMTHY/20820002/60/1182/X You can access the online school library from our school website’s homepage by clicking on the “Library” tab on the navigation bar at the top. USEFUL MATH WEBSITES HOMEWORK HELP is a free online math help resource for students in Grades 7 - 10. Homework Help provides free, live, one-on-one tutoring from Ontario teachers Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 - 9:30 PM. It is funded by the Ontario government and administered by TVO's Independent Learning Centre. Students must have thein OEN number to login. https://homeworkhelp.ilc.org/index.php? gclid=CjwKEAiAveWnBRCzjqf4zpuUkGYSJABcoZbHECxRF9zY 6sKxGrWH97FzZCDqwLHFg0UC6jFlzbG7bRoCuUXw_wcB The following has recently been designed to also support Grades 3 - 6 students with developing their math skills. http://homeworkzone.tvokids.com/hwz/math RAZ-KIDS The RAZ-Kids™ (Reading A to Z) Online Reading Program is being aimed at our primary students as a means of supplementing our school Literacy Program, with enriching reading activities that can be done at home. All primary students have received their instruction packages, including their password, so that they can participate in the reading program at home. We encourage parents/guardians to spend some time with their child and the Raz-Kids™ reading program. If you have any questions please contact your child’s teacher. COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE Page 7 of 9 MARCH 2016 St. Timothy School Newsletter PRODIGY MATH Teachers have access to a variety of reports that allow them to see how students are doing. They can also create assignments designed to reinforce skills that are being taught in the classroom. / OTHER TEACHER APPROVED WEBSITES FOR WEBSITE NAME WEBSITE URL ADDRESS Hooda Math http://www.hoodamath.com/ Academics http://www.academics.com/ Khan Academy http://www.khanacademy.org/ Math Game Time http://www.mathgametime.com/ AAA MATH http://aaamath.com/ Figure This! http://www.figurethis.org/ Top Marks http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games Math Playground http://www.mathplayground.com/ National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE Page 8 of 9 MARCH 2016 St. Timothy School Newsletter JUNIOR GIRLS’ & BOYS’ BASKETBALL *NEW* CODING CLUB The Junior Girls’ had an amazing season winning three of their five games. All the games were fast-paced and competitive. The Junior Boys had a great season winning three of five games, and qualified to advance to the Family tournament. The boys showed heart and dedication and gained good court experience in playoff games. Congratulations and thank you to all the team members who are as follows: GIRLS: Cicilija G. Malina M. Alexia A. Emily S. Coding Club has arrived at St. Timothy. In January, students were introduced to coding literacy and computer sciences during Friday lunchtime Coding Club meetings in the computer lab. Coding teaches students to think critically using mathematical and high level thinking skills and provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively. Intermediates participated in January, while Juniors were given the opportunity in February, and Grades 2 and 3 this month. Students have been learning to code using Blockly™. Thank you to Ms. Morgado for her initiative in organizing this fun and worthwhile learning opportunity for our students. Simone B. Kryzelle P. BOYS: Keanu C-P. David T. Eliab D. Griffin D. Mya M. Emilio T. Marc M. Veselja T. Alessandro F. Tommaso C. Also, a very special thank you to Ms. Dzikowski, Ms. Zivkovic, Ms. Giovinazzo, and Ms. Colaco for their amazing commitment and coaching guidance! SCHOOL / CLASS TWITTER ACCOUNTS JUNIOR & INTERMEDIATE HOCKEY Congratulations to our Junior White and Intermediate Hockey Teams. The Intermediate team won the Dolphin Senior Hockey Tournament at Iceland Arena, while the Junior Team came second. At the Intermediate All Saints Tournament, we won the Tier 1 Gold Consolation Championship, finishing 5th out of 32 teams. The Junior Blue and White Teams also competed at the All Saints Junior tournament last month. Thank you to Coaches Mr. Riopel and Mr. Allen! GO TITANS GO! Intermediate Team Members Join our over 500 followers @StTimothyDPCDSB Parents can get in-the-moment updates on current happenings and upcoming school events by following St. Timothy on Twitter! Also, be sure to check with your child(ren)’s teacher(s) as many of our staff also have a classroom/clubTwitter account. Want to get updates on your smartphone? Go to https://about.twitter.com/products/list and download the appropriate application for your device. Francesco A., Hayley B., Natalia D., Alex D., Daniel D., Louis M., Luc M., Connor O., Ryan O., Philip P., Lucas P., Mark P., William P., Liam S., Quinn T., Justin G. (Student Coach) Junior White Team Members Marco A., Jaiden C., James D., Daniel D., Griffin D., Daniella D., Joseph D., Daniel M., Marc M., Aiden O., Tyler O., Matteo P., Liam S., Daniella S., Luca V., Olivia V., Daniel W. Junior Blue Team Members Mac B., Kaitlyn C-R., Lauren C-R., Mackenzie C-R., James D., Tomas H., Jack J., Rocco L., Jack L., Christian M., Mya M., Kate R., Daniella S., David T., Veselja T., Johnny V. Don’t have a Twitter account? Simply go to https://twitter.com In the sign up box, enter your full name, email address, and a password. Click: Sign up for Twitter. On the next page, you can select a username. Click: Create my account. Follow the prompts to complete your profile. Once complete, type @StTimothyDPCDSB into the “search Twitter” area at the top of your screen and Tweet us! COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE Page 9 of 9 MARCH 2016 St. Timothy School Newsletter WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS FRESH SNACK ATTACK / MINDFUL MOMENTS GREAT BIG CRUNCH The 2016 Great Big Crunch will be taking place on Wednesday, March 30th, 2016. We are encouraging EVERYONE to help us make the biggest crunch yet! St. Timothy School will celebrate healthy eating by taking a giant, synchronized bite into a crunchy apple together! Wellness Wednesdays have begun at St. Timothy! Since last month, the Health Action Team has been encouraging St. Timothy staff and students to eat fresh healthy snacks, especially on Wednesdays. A Snack of the Week has been highlighted each week and students are learning about its health benefits. On Wednesdays, students have the opportunity to enjoy a fresh snack made possible by our Metro Green Apple Grant. Stay tuned for our Healthy Lunchbox Twitter Contest. Follow us - @StTimothyHAT for healthy eating tips and to view our Wellness Wednesdays photographs. Join us as we celebrate Nutrition Month in March to: promote, celebrate and enjoy healthy snacking highlight availability of local produce all year round use fruits and vegetables as the centerpiece for activities on cooking and tasting, nutrition, soil and composting, sustainability, community development and more! GREAT GULP The Region of Peel and the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board have invited all students to celebrate Peel tap water by taking part in a school- wide synchronized drink of tap water. St. Timothy’s Great Gulp event will also take place on Wednesday, March 30th, 2016, the same day as the Great Big Crunch. Parents are asked to please help support this initiative by sending your child(ren) to school with reusable water bottle(s) so that they can make a “Toast to Tap Water!” As a participating school, we will be entered into a draw for a water refill station for the school or reusable water bottles for each student. Peel tap water is a safe, clean, convenient choice that is good for your health and the environment. To learn more about Peel tap water visit www.peeltapwater.ca. Our Mindful Mondays initiative has now become part of art of Wellness Wednesdays, and we now have our “Mindful Moments” on Wednesdays after last recess. BATTERY RECYCLING PROGRAM In partnership with Call2Recycle, St. Timothy will participate in the EcoKids Battery Busters: Spring Cleaning Contest! Our whole school community is invited to collect as many used household batteries as possible for the chance to win prizes that will help support future environmental initiatives at our school. Our School EcoTeam will be collecting the old batteries as we continue to practice being good stewards of the Earth and take care of God’s creation. Batteries should be placed in plastic Ziploc bags to prevent any leakage of chemicals during the collection. From April 1 – 29, 2016 look for R2D2 who will be located at the front of the school. Start saving your batteries for our "Out of this world" campaign. May the Recycling Force Be With Us! www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA PARISH INFORMATION HOLY WEEK Schedule Confessions Parish Mission Mon., Mar.14 6:30—7:00 PM & after Mission 7:00 PM Tues., Mar. 15 6:30—7:00 PM & after Mission 7:00 PM Wed., Mar. 16 9:30—11:00 AM; 4:00—6:00 PM& after Mission 7:00 PM ________HOLY THURSDAY 8:00 PM Mass of the Lord's Supper 9:15 PM Parish Holy Hour 11:00 PM Church closes ________GOOD FRIDAY 12:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:30 PM 8:00 PM 9:15 PM Stations of the Cross Celebration of the Lord's Passion Stations of the Cross Celebration of the Lord's Passion Stations of the Cross Celebration of the Lord's Passion ________Holy Saturday March 24th___________ March 25th__________ (Spanish) (English) (English) (English) (Italian) (Spanish) March 26th__________ 8:00 PM Easter Vigil Mass ________EASTER SUNDAY 8:30 AM (English) 10:00 AM (Italian) 11:30 AM (English) 1:00 PM (English) 4:30 PM (English) 6:00 PM (Spanish) MASSES March 27th ________