ST. URSULA SCHOOL
February/March Newsletter 2016
“Where Wisdom Begins In Faith and Wonder”
The mission of St. Ursula school community is to ensure that home, Church and school are collaborative partners in
the building of an environment that reflects Catholic faith and values by celebrating each person as a member
of the Body of Christ and by challenging all to achieve excellence spiritually, socially and academically.
St. Ursula
11 Dwellers Road
Brampton, Ontario
L6X 5C1
Telephone:
905-454-5213
Fax:
905-454-7843
S. Wolfe
Principal
M. Miller
Vice-Principal
G. Galati
Head Secretary
C. Tavares
Assistant Secretary
S.Steer
Superintendent
905-890-1221
D.D’Souza
Trustee
905-840-2707
St. Anne Parish
905-453-1303
Pastor
Fr. J. Cherickal
Prayer for Lent
Jesus Christ, Lord and Redeemer,
We who have been baptized into your death
hope to be raised to a new life in you.
Send your Holy Spirit upon us this Lent,
so that we might have the courage
to take up our cross each day,
to fulfill our duties with great love
and to hope always in your word.
May this sacred season strengthen us to live
as men and women dead to sin and alive in you.
Help us to grow in faith so that we might be
witnesses of your love to the world.
Amen.
HEADLINES
January has been unusually mild in temperature without the snow we are used to.
With the arrival of February, we have the opportunity to meet once again at
parent/teacher/student interviews following the distribution of Term One Report Cards.
Thank you for your active involvement in your child’s education. Working in partnership
in the best interest of your children is vital.
February is a very important month as we celebrate Black History Month and the
important individuals who have played a key role in history and society. Each day the
students are learning about Black History and the contributions and sacrifices people have
made throughout the years.
Valentine’s Day brings with it a day of wearing red, pink and white, as we participate in
Share Life Valentine’s Dance on Friday February 12th. Students are asked to bring a
Loonie for this wonderful cause.
Ash Wednesday, February 10th, marks the beginning of Lent, a significant time in our
liturgical year as Catholics. During the forty days of Lent, our spiritual journey takes us
through a time of conversion; of fasting, almsgiving and prayer. This culminates in the
celebration of Easter, where we witness the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. During
the season of Lent, we encourage everyone to “give” to others, through kind words,
positive actions and generous offerings.
We also pray for Ms. Julie Bryce, a former principal at St. Ursula School. Ms. Bryce was
a very kind and generous woman who gave her all to St. Ursula and the St. Ursula
community. To this day the students remember her kindness and generosity. Ms. Bryce
passed away in February 2014. She is deeply missed and will be forever in our hearts.
S. Wolfe Principal
M. Miller Vice Principal
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
FAITH DEVELOPMENT
March Break
St. Valentine
Monday, March 14th to Friday March 18th is scheduled
for the March Break this year. Schools will be closed
for the week.
Every February, gifts, kind words and good deeds are
shared between friends and loved ones, all in the name
of St. Valentine. The history of Valentine’s Day, and
its patron saint is shrouded in mystery. However, we
do know that February has long been a month of love
and friendship. One opinion is that he was a Roman
priest, martyred for refusing to give up his Christian
faith. Other historians believe Valentine was a priest
who was jailed for defiance during the reign of
Claudius, for converting people to Christianity and for
marrying couples in secret. Claudius had banned
marriage, as he believed single men made better
soldiers, but Valentine continued even when
imprisoned. St. Valentine’s dedication to Christianity,
stand as a strong model of our Catholic faith.
Supervision
We remind parents to ensure your children arrive at
school no earlier than 8:45 a.m. Students in the school
yard prior to this time are unattended, until staff
supervision begins at 8:45 a.m.
Valuables
Students are requested not to bring valuables, items of
importance or money to school. The school cannot
accept responsibility for these valuables. We thank you
for your assistance in ensuring that these items are
being left at home. Personal items should always be
labeled, including shoes, coats etc. in the event they are
misplaced.
School Hours
We remind parents and students that St. Ursula start
time is 9:00 a.m. We encourage students to arrive
before 9:00 so they won’t be late to class. School ends
at 3:30 p.m. Please ensure students are picked up
promptly and met at this time or shortly thereafter.
Are You Ticked?
Please check your property tax bill to ensure
your support is directed to your local Catholic school
board, in our case, the Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B. You can
verify your support by contacting our Admissions
Department at (905) 890- 0708, ext. 24511 or 24512,
or your local municipal office. By ensuring that you are
a Catholic school supporter, you give a powerful
message to the government about the level of support
for publicly-funded Catholic education in Ontario.
P.A. Day & Family Day Reminder
Friday February 5th is scheduled as a
Professional Activity Day, dedicated to Reporting to
parents.
Monday February 15th is Family Day
There will be no classes for students on these days
Virtue of Respect
As brothers and sisters, we share one
Holy Spirit; we are valuable to God. We all deserve to
be shown courtesy, consideration, sensitivity and
thoughtfulness; all different ways of saying “Respect”.
A respectful person: treats themselves and everyone
else with equal consideration and courtesy, and uses a
positive tone of voice and body language, avoids
gossip, put-downs, name-calling and inappropriate
gestures. Our students are being encouraged to
demonstrate respect for themselves, and in return, to be
treated with respect by everyone they meet.
Virtue of Kindness
In March we celebrate the virtue of “Kindness”. God
has given us the gifts of friends and companions to
keep us company and to help us 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. As brothers and sisters who share one Holy
Spirit, we are all valuable to God. We all deserve to be
shown concern for our welfare and our feelings. We
have all been given the fruit of the Spirit called
kindness. Kindness can only be seen through actions.
It’s not enough to say I will be kind or I am kind. We
are called upon to show this through actions and words.
Ash Wednesday Service and Lenten Season
Lent will begin with an Ash Wednesday service on
Feb. 10th where ashes will be distributed. Parents are
welcome to attend. All students will be receiving ashes.
During this solemn time in our Faith we are called to
make sacrifices and/or engage in almsgiving.
FAITH DEVELOPMENT (cont’d)
First Communion will take place on Saturday April
16th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anne Church. Grade 7 & 8
confirmation will take place on Wednesday May 18th at
6:00 p.m. at St. Anne Church. Please make sure you
mark these important dates on your calendar. If you
have any further questions please call St. Anne’s
Church at 905-453-1303.
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
HEALTH & SAFETY
Medication at School
If a child is required to bring medication to school, this
can only be permitted when requested by parents/
guardians; authorized by a physician; and when
medication must be provided during the school day.
Appropriate forms, available from the office must be
completed prior to students having medication at school.
Medication must not be kept in the child’s possession i.e.
pocket, backpack etc. or in the classroom.
EQAO
All grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario will again be
participating in these provincial assessments scheduled
to take place from May 25th to June 8th. We ask that
parents try to avoid medical or dental appointments
during the assessment periods as much as possible.
Watch for more details coming in May.
Kindergarten Registration
Full Day Kindergarten registration took place during
the week of January 25th. If you know of anyone who
plans on registering their child for September, please
encourage them to complete the paper work at the
school as soon as possible. If you have not yet
registered your child please contact the office
immediately at 905 454-5213.
St. Ursula Elementary School/ French Immersion
The French Immersion Program at St. Angela Merici
Elementary School was established as a Grades 1 to 4
program with St. Ursula as the sister site that would
continue the program for students in Grades 5 to 8. We
were excited to welcome the Grade 5 French students
from St. Angela Merici students to meet up with the
Grade 6’s who were here last year. Working closely
with Administrators and Staff at St. Angela Merici, the
transition for these students and families went very
smoothly. In September 2016 we will welcome more
Grade 5 students from St. Angela Merici, thus having a
Grade 5, Grade 6 and a new Grade 7 French Immersion
program in the school.
Report Cards
With the Ministry of Education changes in reporting,
Term 1 reports will be sent home on February 2nd. As
this is the first formal report card of the year, staff will
be scheduling parent/teacher/student interviews for all
students in their class on the evening of Feb 4th and
the daytime of Feb 5th (P. A. Day –no classes for
students). Please watch for the letter coming home
soon regarding the scheduling of the interviews. We
ask that you return the forms promptly in order that we
can make every effort to arrange interviews that are at
common times for your children. Every effort will be
made to accommodate your requests, recognizing that
each teacher is scheduling interviews for all students.
Importance of Indoor Shoes
As we wait for the season of spring to
arrive, we remind students and parents of the importance
of continuing to have indoor shoes at school to keep the
floors inside as dry as possible as the snow melts. It is
vital that staff and students are always prepared to exit
the building in the event of an emergency evacuation.
Allergies
Thank you to everyone for helping us respect those who
have life threatening allergies. We have many students
who are allergic to foods such as shellfish, nuts and
peanuts requiring an epi-pen, if they come in contact
with any of these food items. We thank you for
continuing to send in food without any products that
could result in a life threatening situation.
COUNCIL’S CORNER
School Council Meeting Dates
Please join us for our school council meetings on
Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in our Library. All
parents are welcome. Our next meeting date is
Wednesday February 17th 2016.
AROUND THE HALLS
“100” Day
The Primary halls are brimming with excitement as
students will display wonderful creations of projects
designed with only one hundred pieces. This is in
celebration of reaching “100” day of school which takes
place on February 11th. Many opportunities are provided
to integrate Mathematical Numeracy throughout the day,
reinforcing the learning that has been taking place
throughout the year.
Guest Speaker & Performer Errol Lee
On February 19th Errol Lee will be coming to present to
all of the students at 1:15. Through music, dancing, and
motivational speaking Mr. Lee shares his message of
positivity for the youth of today. Errol’s positive message
is reaching thousands of people of all ages. The students
and staff welcome Mr. Lee to St. Ursula and look
forward to his presentation.
AROUND THE HALLS
Grade 4 Girls Club
“Royals” Hockey Team
Tryouts for the The “Royals” hockey team took place
on January 26th. The tournament at Cassie Campbell
will be taking place at the end of February.(TBA)
Many teams from the Brampton West Schools will
participate They are all very eager . We thank the boys
in advance for representing St. Ursula School. Thanks
to Mr. Cioffi, Mr. Briganti for all your great coaching
Jr. Basketball Tournaments
Our Junior Girls and Boys Basketball Teams are busy
practicing for their upcoming tournaments. The Junior
Boys Team will be playing during the week of
February 16th and the Junior Girls Team will be
playing on February 22nd .Dates and times will be
confirmed. Thanks to the Coaches, Mr. Atkinson and
Ms. Lesinski.
Walk to School Day
On Wednesday February 3rd it is National Walk to
School Day. St .Ursula School is partnering with Peel
Police and Peel Health to promote safety and healthy
living. The walk will take place before school at 8:30
a.m. Parents can drop their children off at either;
Whitewash Parkette ( intersection of Whitewash Way
and Culture Crescent) or Homestead Park ( south of
Homestead School.) Staff and Police Officers will be
situated along the way to guide the students in the walk
to the school. Students all over Canada are encouraged
to walk to school to promote a healthy living and
fitness while supporting an eco-friendly environment.
We at St. Ursula are encouraging all families to support
our National Walk to School day. 
National Sweater Day
National Sweater Day will take place on Thursday
February 4th. All schools in Canada will take part in this
event. National Sweater Day gives Canadians the
opportunity to show their commitment to the planet by
turning down their thermostats and wearing a sweater.
Please wear your coziest sweater to school to show your
support!
School Play
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown
This year the St. Ursula is proud to announce that they
will be performing “You’re a Good Man Charlie
Brown.” The show dates are Tuesday February 23rd at
1:30 pm. & 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday February 24th at
1:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be available soon.
Mrs. Boyle and the grade 4 girls have started meeting
once a week for their “Girls Club”. Girls club is an
environment where girls can feel comfortable
discussing such topics as self-esteem, media images,
peer pressure and managing stress.
Mrs. Policelli and the grade 8 girls have started
meeting once a week for their “Girls Club” as well.
Here the girls meet and discuss topics much the same
as the grade 4 girls. Then both girls meet from time to
time and meet and discuss various topics or work on
projects together. Thanks to Mrs. Boyle and Mrs.
Policelli for making the girls club a huge success.
French Carnival & French Performance
Our French Carnival took place on Wednesday January
20th for grades 4 to 8. There were indoor and outdoor
activities reflecting that of a traditional Carnival.
Bonhomne, the traditional French snowman, made a
visit to join in the festivities and fun was had by all!
On Thursday January 21st a French performance took
place for all grades in the gym at 1:15 to 2:15. Thanks
to Madame McCallen for organizing the Carnival and
all the teachers who helped out as well.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Dates to Remember
February 2nd
February 3rd
February 4th
Report Cards go Home
National Walk to School
National Sweater Day
Interview Evening
February 5th
PA day-Interviews, No School
For Students
February 9th
Shrove Tuesday
February 10th
Ash Wednesday
February 12th
Valentine’s Dance
February 14th
Happy Valentine’s Day
February 15th
Family Day- Schools closed
February 17th
School Council Meeting
th
February 19
Errol Lee- Guest Speaker
February 22nd
Intermediate Trip Parent Info Night
February 23rd & 24th School Play 6:30 p.m.
February 26th
Intermediate Speech Contest
March 9th
School Mass
March 11th
Crazy Hair Day
th
March 14-18
March Break- No School
March 21st
Back to School
March 25th
Good Friday- No School
March 28th
Easter Monday- No School
Volume 3
February
Operations:
Numbers are used to describe
quantities, to count, and to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide. It is
important to recognize when each
operation is appropriate to use and
which tool and/or strategy is most
helpful when solving problems.
Web Resources:
Developing Mindsets that Promote Growth
What do we mean by “growth mindset”?
Growth mindset is a belief system that suggests that one’s
intelligence can be grown or developed with persistence,
effort and a focus on learning.
- Mary Cay Ricci
Tips for Fostering a Growth Mindset:
Tip # 5. Praise Effort, Practice and Process – Not Outcome
 When your child succeeds, talk about the work that went
Nelson Math has a home connect for grades 3-8
http://www.mathk8.nelson.com/companion.
html
H
into the success (e.g., “You worked hard on the project
and I’m so happy you did well.”)
 Praise persistence and perseverance (e.g., “I’m so proud
of you for not quitting.”)
Family Math Activities K-3
Big Bi
Ideas
There are many situations to
which an operation is applied,
and there are many
procedures, (algorithms) for
each operation.
 Three people shared some grapes. They all had
the same number of grapes. How many might
there have been? How many do you think there
might not have been? Discuss with your child.
Measurement from 4-6
Big Idea: There are many situations to which an
operation is applied, and there are many
procedures, (algorithms) for each operation.
 There are two types of bread (white and
brown) and 3 types of cheese (cheddar, swiss
and mozzarella). How many ways can you
combine them to make different sandwiches?
Discuss the operations used with your child.
Grades 7 & 8: Continuing the
Conversation about Financial
Literacy!
Let’s discuss how “Advertising” affects our
money decisions…
Discuss with your child which of the following
advertising techniques do you think is the most
effective at influencing your opinion about a
product or service?
1. Repetition – repeating their message over
and over again in an ad or a series of ads
over time. (eg: “I’m lovin’ it”, “Just do it!”)
2. Conformity – aims to have you “get on
board”, be “in” and “get with it”.
3. Imitation – using a celebrity associated
with the goods or service. The advertiser
hopes that those who like and respect the
celebrity will imitate the behaviour by
using the product.
“Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.” Luke 6: 29-30
INTERNATIONAL
Student Programs
Welcoming students from around the world
INFORMATION NIGHT
February 23, 2016
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Learning Centre
3566 South Common Court, Mississauga
Information regarding the International
Student Program, Summer ESL Credit
Program for International Students,
Student Exchange Program, and community
supports available to newcomers, will be
shared. Full details of the various programs
and opportunities will be provided by
several guest speakers and there will be an
opportunity to ask questions.
Kindergarten to Grade 12
High Academic Standards
and Achievement
Catholic Values
Wide variety of specialized programs
Full access to ESL and support services
Located in the Greater Toronto Area
Direct access to public transit
Easy access to world renowned
colleges and universities
For more information, visit www.dpcdsb.org
or call 905-412-3341 ext. 31460 or email rita.borg@dpcdsb.org