Volume 4, Issue 8
April 2015
Inside this issue:
May We Live Strong In Faith
Glorious and eternal God,
Planning for 2015—2016
We bless you this Easter season
Mrs. Dodgson / Welcome to Kindergarten
For the saving sacrifice of your dearly beloved Son
Immunization / Sacraments/EQAO/Lates
Who died willingly on a cross that we might live.
Online Reporting Tool
Through his resurrection,
Pediculosis / Litterless Lunches
may we live truly convinced of your love
Dress Code / Virtue for April:Love / Bikes
and committed to your peace.
Kiss & Ride / Catholic Education Week
By the holy power of the Spirit,
Inserts: Math @ Home
make us strong in faith
that through our daily lives
others too may come to believe
St. Valentine Catholic School
5610 Heatherleigh Avenue
Mississauga, Ontario
L5V 2V7
that Christ is risen!
Alleluia!
Amen
Brenda LeClair,
Principal
Tom Prugo,
Vice-Principal
Principal’s Message
I wish everyone a beautiful, restful and Holy Easter! As a Catholic community, this is a
special time to pray and reflect upon our blessings. We are fortunate to be able to come
together to profess our faith. At Easter, we share in the grace of Christ as “children of
the light” and “sharers of the eternal glory”.
May all these blessing fill your hearts, today and always.
Thank you to all the parents who volunteer in the school to make us a better school. A
work very hard in partnership with staff to educate our children.
David Amaral,
Superintendent of Schools
905 890 0708
Trustee - Ward 6
416 528 6447
Karen Canlas,
School Council Chair
We are in the “home stretch” of the 2014-2015 school year and time is quickly going by, although it has been a long winter, spring has sprung.
Msgr. Edgardo Pan
Pastor
St. Francis Xavier Church
905 890 5290
It promises to be an exciting and fulfilling term at St. Valentine.
Learning
Secretary
Luz del Rosario,
particular thank you to our Catholic School Council and St. Francis Xavier parish who
Living
Franca Dodgson,
Praying
Volume 4, Issue 8
Page 2
Class Placement for September 2015
The staff at St. Valentine will meet during the month of May to begin discussing an appropriate placement for each student for September 2012. When
determining placement some of the criteria we consider are:
* Academic ability
* Work habits and study skills
* Maturity/date of birth
* Social factors, and
* Placement history.
If you have any concerns about your child’s class placement for September would you please put them in writing addressed to Mrs. LeClair. Please do not
make specific requests for teachers. Rather, you may wish to describe the way your child/children learn best (e.g. “hands on learning, structured environment,
language rich activities and so on).
Our decisions are made after careful consideration of all the relevant information and are based on the individual strengths
and needs of each child and, as such, requests for placement are not guaranteed. As well, class composition (i.e., combined
grades) may be necessary due to guidelines established by the Ministry regulating class size. All letters, however, will be considered.
Please send your letters by Friday April 24, 2015.
Planning for 2015 – 2016
Are you moving? To help
schools often have to reorganize classes in Sep-
us with our planning for next
tember due to unexpected fluctuations in popula-
September, it would be
tion.
appreciated if you could let us know now if you
will be moving out of our school area over the
summer. If you know of any families moving into
the area with children who plan to attend St.
Valentine, it would be helpful if you could alert us.
The more information we have, the better we are
able to organize staff and students for Septem-
ted under this procedure.

The students admitted under this procedure
do not automatically become eligible for the
Flexible Boundary Procedures—A reminder to
secondary school serving the school. A sepa-
parents/guardians of students that are at St.
rate request must be made to the secondary
Valentine School under the “Flexible Boundary”
school principal.
that the procedure is reviewed annually and permission is granted under the following conditions:

ber. In the absence of accurate information,
Mrs. Dodgson
If you would like to continue to be granted permission under this procedure for the 2015-16 school
Transportation is your responsibility. The
year, a letter will be sent home later this month for
Board will not provide either transportation
you to indicate your request..
or additional supervision for students admit-
Welcome to Kindergarten
April 22, 2014 is designated Administra-
On May 7, at 7:00 p.m. we will be running the “Welcome to Kindergarten”
tive Professionals’ Day. Although it is eve-
program for students new to kindergarten in September 2015. The even-
ryday that we recognize our secretary, we
ing will begin with a brief presentation by the current FDK educators.
would like to express our gratitude for the
Parents and children will then be part of
many “hats” she wears and for her
different inter-active activities in prepa-
patient and caring nature. Thank
ration for their start in kindergarten.
you Mrs. Dodgson for all that you
Each child will receive a bag of materials
do, on behalf of our students and
to support their learning.
the St. Valentine Community!
Living
Learning
Praying
Volume 4, Issue 8
Page 3
Immunization
Peel Public Health has been reviewing immunization records of all students at our school between the months of February through April. Peel Public Health must have proof that your child has been fully vaccinated (immunized) according to the Ontario immunization schedule. During the record review, (Feb. – April) you will receive a letter from
Peel Public Health if your child’s record is incomplete. It will tell you what vaccinations your child needs to meet the
requirements for Ontario.
Immunization records are considered incomplete if:
• Peel Public Health has not received your child’s vaccination record or
• Your child’s record does not show that he/she has had all the required doses of vaccine (e.g. infant and booster doses) or
• You do not have a valid exemption from immunization for your child
If you receive a letter, please be sure your child has received the required vaccination(s), and then give the date(s) to Peel Public Health
immediately to update your child’s record.
For more information please call Peel Public Health at 905 799-7700 or visit www.immunizepeel.ca
We are on the web: http://www.dpcdsb.org/VALEN
Sacramental Celebrations
First Eucharist:
Our grade 2 students are currently preparing for the
Sacrament of First Communion at St. Francis Xavier Church.
EQAO Reminder
A reminder to all of our parents for Grade 3 and 6 that
EQAO testing will take place from May 25th to June
5th, 2015.
The date is Saturday May 2nd at 10:00 a.m.
Please continue to assist your child to
Congratulations to our grade 2s on this important
prepare for the test by reinforcing their
accomplishment in their faith journey.
literacy and numeracy skills and by ensuring that any medical appointments
Confirmation:
are not made during these particular
Our grade 8 students are currently preparing for the
weeks as the students prepare for the Ministry tests.
Sacrament of Confirmation. The celebration will be
held Thursday April 23rd at 7:00 pm at St. Francis
Depending on their grades, your child should start to
Xavier Church.
ensure that they have the following tools for the test: cal-
We look forward to witnessing the grade 8s make this
culator, pencils, erasers, protractors and coloured pencil
important step into young adulthood in our faith.
crayons.
A number of our students continue to arrive late daily. In some
Lates
instances, it is the same students arriving after 8:30 am without
Late arrivals cause disruption to the other students and also
parental accompaniment. This is a safety concern for us. Any
to the teacher who may have already begun his/her lessons
student arriving after 8:30 am is considered late and should be
for the day.
accompanied by an adult.
Developing good work habits and time management skills
Please make every effort to have your child/ren at school on
can maximize a child’s learning potential.
time. When a child is late, they not only miss opening prayer and
Living
the anthem, but they also miss valuable teaching time.
Let’s work together to develop these skills!
Learning
Praying
April 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
1
Fri
2
10:45—Stations of the
Good Friday
3
4
9
10
11
17
18
Cross
5
12
6
7
Easter Monday
13
Sat
8
EQAO Parent
Information Night
14
Rosary Apostolates
Skills Canada
15
16
Harmony Movement
Conference
Sir John A MacDonald Family of
Schools
Competition
19
20
21
22
Earth Day
Family Literacy Night
26
27
28
29
Gr 7s to Sheridan
College
23
7:00 pm—Confirmation
30
10:45—Virtues Assembly
Do not be afraid to love.
Do not be afraid to be tender.
Pope Francis
Living
Learning
24
7:00 pm—Movie
Praying
Night
25
Page 5
ST. VALENTINE SCHOOL
COMING SOON!
CHOCOLATE CHALLENGE 2015!
St. Valentine School Council asks for your support of our Lamontagne Chocolate fundraiser. This year
we plan to continue supporting various school initiatives, including faith development and sacramental sup-
Saturday April 11
port, the Arts, academic programs. As a result of your support from chocolate sales last year, the school
was able to have students in grades 1-8 participate in the Health and Wellness Week activities and all
students received virtues t-shirts! Also, we have been able to bring the community together in celebration
of a successful school year at our Spring Community Barbeque. In past years we have purchased sports,
gym, and playground equipment, computers, and subsidized various excursions.
We have exciting incentives for our sellers! The three top selling families will receive:
CCCSC 2015 Conference:
Exploring Paths of Joy:
1. $250 Gift certificate for Great Wolf Lodge
Recognizing Jesus in the
2. Space Scooter
3. Movie Pass for Family of Four
Breaking of the Bread
4. Limo and Mandarin Lunch for 10
We have exciting incentives for our sellers! and new this year will be various prizes for participation in the
fundraising event!
Keynote Address by
We hope that—as in past years—you will be able to support our school and programs offered to enrich the
Anne Jamieson,
educational experience of your children!
Director of Catechesis,
Archdiocese of Hamilton
Lunch Lady
“HOT” Home style lunches
prepared fresh daily
Visit their website at www.lunchlady.ca
School Id: 3738960
Living

Healthy snacks

Individually labeled lunches

Milk included

3 entrée choices each day
Learning
Praying
Volume 4, Issue 8
Page 6
Online Reporting Tool
During the month of April, Dufferin-Peel is initiating an Online Reporting Tool. The link can be
found on the St. Valentine webpage. The reporting tool is intended for students who become aware
of bullying incidents and negative behaviours impacting the school community. It is designed to provide information that will help promote a positive school climate. The tool is intended for student use.
Students are not required to leave contact information, however it is not an anonymous tool. There
is no guarantee of privacy as students may be identifiable based on the nature of the incident and
those involved. The school administration will review all cases reported and investi-gate as appropriate. It is important to recognize that the Online Reporting Tool is an alternate option. It is best practice to speak directly with a responsible adult at home and/or in the school. Thank you for your support in ensuring that St. Valentine School is a safe, accepting and inclusive school.
Pediculosis
As you may know, schools often experience cases of pediculosis (head lice) throughout the year. When pediculosis is discovered within the school, we may check the children in the immediate surrounding area of the affected student as well as that student’s classroom playmates (especially in the younger grades). Students who
have been infested are not permitted to return to school until treatment has been applied and their heads are
clean of all lice and nits (eggs).
We thank you for your co-operation in checking your child(ren) and also in following through with treatments if
your child(ren) has been affected.
Boomerang Lunches
In addition to litterless lunch we will
include Boomerang Lunches every Monday beginning March 23.
At St. Valentine School we have
adopted a Boomerang Lunch
policy to help make a difference in
our environment. The boomerang
lunch program focuses on important objectives! We hope to reduce
knowledge of the eating habits and preferences of the child. By bringing
home the leftovers you will see what’s been eaten or not. Teachers see a
huge amount of uneaten food go into the garbage day after day. This is not
only wasteful but expensive.
Boomerang lunches work!
St. Valentine prides itself in being a leader in the way we treat the Earth.
We currently hold a silver level Ecoschool status as part of the Ontario
waste and encourage students and their families to review and rethink
Ecoschool’s program. The boomerang lunch program is another area where
about the way they prepare and package lunch and snack foods.
we can show our respect for our environment. We know this program will require families to re-think food preparation and student actions. Our hope is
HOW IT WORKS
that informative discussions will take place at home and school and habits will
All pre-packaged waste from your child’s lunches and snacks will be
change. Packing a waste-free lunch not only helps the environment, it can also
returned home in their lunch bags. This includes any packaging, plastic
bags, wrapping, fruit peelings and uneaten crusts of sandwiches.
A boomerang lunch also provides parents with first hand
Living
contain significant amounts of salt, preservatives, sugar and fat. There is also
a cost savings as lunches made of prepackaged items cost significantly more
Boomerang lunches enable parents to see what their children are actually eating during the day.
result in healthier, more nutritious snack/lunches as many prepackaged foods
than buying larger quantities and serving them in re-usable containers.
Thanks you for your support with this very important initiative.
Learning
Praying
Volume 4, Issue 8
Page 7
Dress Code
As we prepare for the warmer weather, we would
like to remind our students of the expectations
that are in place, especially our older students,
regarding appropriate dress. Sleeveless tops
are permitted but not halter, tank or short tops.
school attire. Special outfits can be enjoyed after
school and on weekends.
In keeping with the Board’s Mission Statement and
Catholic teachings, each school is committed to stand-
Short shorts and skirts and clothing of a sugges- ards of neatness, cleanliness, modesty and good taste
as specified in the appropriate Dress Code Policy of
tive nature or displaying offensive wording/
images are not allowed. Also, headbands, sweat- the Board— “Students are required to dress in a
bands or bandanas worn across the forehead are manner and attire suitable for the occasion and appronot permitted.
priate to the school environment. Failure to comply
Administration has the final decision regarding
tion…” (Catholic Code of Conduct)
with this expectation shall result in disciplinary ac-
Virtue for April —Love
This month we will celebrate the virtue of love. God has given us many guidelines and examples of how to live our lives. He
sent his Son Jesus to make sure that we could see what life could be like. Jesus made one lesson clear above all other
lessons – the lesson to love. Love is not about us – it is about forgetting ourselves and looking out for the good of the
other. That’s what Jesus did – he forgot about himself on purpose. He chose to give up his life for the good of others –
us! Becoming a truly loving person is challenging. It takes prayer and concentration to get used to making little sacrifices
for the good of others. Making little sacrifices on purpose so that others will have a bit of food, a bit of shelter, a bit of
peace, a bit of quiet, a bit of fun, a bit of friendship. Through prayer and concentration, we can get better at showing love
to everyone we meet.
ON REFLECTION…
What would happen if I chose to give away something I own to make someone else happy?
OUR DAILY PRAYER FOR APRIL
Let us now pray… for the virtue of love so that we will never be satisfied until all are satisfied.
AMEN
Students Riding Bikes
As the warmer weather approaches,
many students are choosing to ride
Kiss and Ride
We have had ongoing safety concerns with the area around St.
Valentine School—Kiss N Ride and drive through lanes.
Some of the issues have included parking
their bikes to school. We do have a
in Kiss N Ride lanes, parking / stopping
bike rack located at the north side of
bus lanes in the school driveway .
the school. Please keep in mind that
students are not to ride their bikes on
school property, including pathways,
and do ride their bikes at their own risk. The school cannot be responsible for any lost or damaged bikes. Students are strongly encouraged to
lock their bikes and bring their helmets inside the school.
in the drive through lanes and parking in
Authorities from the City of Mississauga
have asked that we remind parents of the following rules for Kiss
N Ride and parking at our school:
Kiss N Ride functions only during entry time between 8:15 am and
8:30 am.
Cars are restricted from parking in the Kiss N Ride area, drive
through lanes and bus lanes AT ALL TIMES.
Parents are also reminded NOT to drop students off from the
Please remember that skateboards, rollerblades and “wheelie shoes” are
not allowed inside the school.
drive through lanes at the front of the school.
We continue to need volunteers to help with the monitoring of
Kiss N Ride. If you are able to help, please contact the school.
Living
Learning
Praying
Volume 4, Issue 8
Page 8
The Last Word
Catholic schools are Catholic communities. Catholic
schools are faith communities. We – parents, students,
teachers, administrative and support staff – walk and grow
together in the faith which we received at our Baptism.
And it is the ‘together’ that we grow. Our growth is primarily a relationship with God, who at our Baptism, called
us by name. But the response of each of us to that
growth is both personal and communal. We grow in our faith in the nurturing atmosphere
of our Catholic community be that of our local parish, our home, or our Catholic school
community.
Our school community will celebrate Catholic Education Week 2015 in ways that are
appropriate to our students’ age. We invite you to participate in one or other of these
activities as your personal time and work schedule may permit.
There are five sub-themes for each day of Catholic Education Week:
Monday – Walking Together and Sharing Our Stories
Tuesday – Opening the Scriptures
Wednesday – Welcoming Others to the Table
Thursday – Recognizing Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread
Friday – Proclaiming the Good News
Every year, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) provides our Catholic schools with a resource kit to help schools prepare for Catholic Education
Week. Using these resources as well as our own developed activities we have prepared a series of activities which will highlight
how our school is ‘Exploring Paths of Joy’.
We hope to see many of you during our school celebrations.
We are on the web: http://www.dpcdsb.org/VALEN
Living
Learning
Praying