ST. SOFIA
Byzantine CatholIc School
Sharing, Caring and Preparing
ШКОЛА СВЯТОЇ СОФІЇ
St. Sofia School
3450 Havenwood Drive
Mississauga, ON L4X 1M9
Tel: 905-625-0823
Fax: 905-412-3073
Website:
www.dpcdsb.org/SOFIA
Twitter
@StSofia_DPCDSB
Virtue of the Month
A Christmas Prayer
HOPE
Principal
J. Dmytrasz
When the song of the angel is still
When the star in the sky is gone
When the kings and princes are home
When the shepherds are back with their flock
The work of Christmas begins:
Vice-Principal
I. Sauvé
Secretaries
N. Vereshchak
P. Trussler
Superintendent
T. Lariviere
905-890-1221
Parish Priests
St. Mary’s Church
905-279-9387
Rt. Rev. Mitred Archpriest Dr.
Roman Pankiw, Dean, Pastor
Rev. Roman Trynoga, Assistant
St. Elias Church
905-459-8888
Mitrophoric Archpriest Roman
Galadza, Pastor
Trustees
Brampton:
A. da Silva
D. D’Souza
S. Xaviour
Caledon:
F. Di Cosola
To find the lost
To heal the broken
To feed the hungry
To release the prisoner
To rebuild the nations
To bring peace among people
To make music in the heart.
Amen.
St. Philip’s Fast—”Pylypivka”
Pylypivka not only prepares us to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but gives us
416-706-5679
905-495-3377
416-705-1030
905-951-8898
hope for a more peaceful world. We experience how God comes into our
darkness and provides us with the light of hope. It is at this time that the
students and staff of St. Sofia engage in activities that promote hope.
Mississauga:
M. Pascucci
905-302-3096
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
S. Hobin
905-301-1210
A. Abbruscato
416-459-0126
T. Thomas
416-845-8225
L. del Rosario
905-542-8747
B. Iannicca
905-270-0536
E. O’Toole
905-812-5163
St. Nicholas Concert
FDK and Gr. 1—5:
Thursday, December 17th
(At St. Mary’s Church)
Details inside!
All are
DECEMBER
2015
WELCOME!
In this issue:
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December’s Virtue: HOPE
School Operations
Busing & Transportation
French Information
School Activities
Network Use & Security
Intermediate Volleyball
HOLODOMOR PANACHYDA
In 2009, the Province of
Ontario unanimously
passed Bill 147 — The
Holodomor Memorial Day
Act, which calls for the
fourth Saturday in
November to be a day of
remembrance. This year
marks the 81st anniversary
of the Holodomor genocide.
On Friday, November 27th, Right Rev. Dr. Roman Pankiw, led
a Panachyda to commemorate those who died in the
Holodomor of 19321933. All students and
staff attended. Our
Student Council, under
the direction of the and
Pahn Baran and the
Ukrainian department,
presented a montage
highlighting the tragedy
of the Great Famine in
Ukraine. Vichnaya
Pamyat. May their
memories be eternal.
ST. NICHOLAS CONCERT
Every year St. Sofia School
honours St. Nicholas with a
school concert. Our concert will
be held on Thursday, December
17th, 2015.
In the evening, there will be a
concert performed by the
students from FDK and Grades 1
- 5. This event will be held at
6:30 p.m. at:
Dormition of the Mother of God (St. Mary’s)
3625 Cawthra Road, Mississauga, Ontario
An admission fee of a non-perishable food item
and $2.00 will be collected to off-set the cost of
the concert.
Donations of warm winter clothing (hats, scarves,
gloves, mittens, etc.) will also be accepted. These will
be given to Syrian refugees arriving in Canada and
those families affected by war in Ukraine.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Catholic Community, Culture and Caring—Bullying Awareness & Prevention
“WE ALL WANT TO FEEL INCLUDED” is December’s
Message for Bullying Awareness and Prevention.
Focus: Developing empathy and building friendships.
Objective: Students will learn the meaning of
empathy and will explore feelings associated
with being excluded. Students will learn
friendship building skills and how to help
someone feel included.
What you’ll see at St. Sofia: The students are
creating posters with anti-bullying messages,
which will be posted throughout the school
hallways. Additionally, classes are cocreating anti-bullying pledges/oaths, making
announcements and performing skits! Ask
your child what his/her class is doing to raise
awareness about bullying!
DECEMBER’S VIRTUE: HOPE
This month, we will celebrate the virtue of HOPE.
We believe that God comes to us as a real human who can
show us the way of life.
We understand that both the world and its people are from
God and so are essentially good. Furthermore, God has given
us this season of the year in order to focus our minds and
our hearts on the good all around us. Year after year, we
are reminded that God chose to send his Son to us because
we are worth it. God knows how great we can be when we all come together.
When we look at the world through the eyes of God we see it becoming more and more like the
reign of God that Jesus describes.
People of HOPE…
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Keep up a positive attitude
Can bounce back from tough situations
Set and stick to their goals
See the good in others even when they make mistakes
Work to include others
Let others know that they are good people
A Prayer for Hope
Gracious and merciful God of all creation,
During this season of hope,
we remember how you sent your Son to be a beacon of goodness and light in the world.
Give us eyes of hope to see the good in everything and everyone around us.
Give us the grace and strength to be beacons of hope and light for all who enter this school.
Let all who visit share our hope that St. Sofia will remain a safe, caring, inclusive community.
May your virtue of hope guide our decisions for the service of all your people.
Let us pray for the grace and courage to be people of hope
— people who can see, participate in and contribute to God’s goodness emerging around us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son, who live to show us your way.
AMEN.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL 2015-2016
PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS!
Next meeting: 6:30 p.m.December 16th, 2015 is a very important meeting as
we will be preparing for the St. Nicholas Concert. Please join us to make this
day a special event for all of our children.
Upcoming meetings...

January 19, 2016
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Feburary 16, 2016
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April 19, 2016

June 14, 2016
MEETINGS begin AT 6:30 p.m. in the Library (2nd floor) - ALL ARE WELCOME!!
CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY presents THE BREMEN TOWN MUSICIANS
The Gr. 1—6
students will have
the opportunity to
watch a
performance by
the Canadian Opera
Company entitled, The Bremen Town Musicians.
Based on a tale by The Brothers Grimm, a donkey, a dog,
a cat, and a rooster set out on a journey to find
freedom and start a new life after being mistreated by their owners. On the way, they learn
about forgiveness, friendship, respect, self-confidence and find a new home in an unexpected
place.
This one-act opera is by Canadian composer Dean
Burry and was sung in English.
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
The safety and security of our students is of utmost importance.
We ask that you kindly respect and follow
the routines and procedures set by the school.
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is crucial to success at school. Our school has a late start. School begins at
9:15 a.m. and ends at 4:00 p.m. When students are habitually late or leave habitually early,
they miss critical class time, feel disorganized and may miss important information. Punctuality is an important life
skill that students learn and helps them establish good work habits for their future.
ARRIVALS
DISMISSAL
Buses drop students off at the St. Sofia’s northwest doors
and students enter the building directly where they are met
and supervised by staff. There is no outside area for
students to congregate prior to the 9:15 bell. If parents are
driving students to school, they must enter the Kiss n’ Ride
(between 9:00 and 9:15). If you arrive after 9:15am, park in
the south parking lot off Williamsport Drive and walk your
child into the school at the main doors (Havenwood Dr.).
Parents are reminded that dismissal time is 4:00 p.m.
In order to ensure that your child is safely dismissed,
we request that dismissal routines remain consistent
and don’t change on a daily basis.
Please do not come into the office to sign your children out
early UNLESS IT’S AN EMERGENCY.
This is disruptive to the students in the class and learning
that is taking place. Please also be reminded that if you are
signing out your child early, there is NO PARKING IN THE
Handicapped Parking in front of the main entrance unless
you have a valid parking pass.
Parents must park in designated spots only in either school
parking lot. Please DO NOT park in the Kiss n’ Ride area.
Cars are prohibited from passing buses or interfering with
the loading of students onto buses off the bus entrance
from Havenwood Drive— this compromises student safety.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Parents MUST NOT DRIVE with buses onto the school
driveway during bus arrivals.
The safety of our students and staff is of paramount
importance. It is imperative that ALL parents/guardians
driving their children to school adhere to these guidelines
and comply with the traffic and parking signage at school.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping keep your
children safe.
Dressing for the Weather
During the winter season, many parents
are concerned about school policy on
outdoor recess. It is generally accepted
that when the wind chill factor drops
below –25 C, students should not go
outside for recess. Dufferin-Peel CDSB
policy uses a wind chill of –20C as the
determining temperature for modified
recesses. At St. Sofia, students will remain
inside when the wind chill is reported to be –20C or lower
and we will modify the duration of lunch recesses when the
temperature reaches –18C. Please ensure children are
dressed appropriately for the cold weather.
Reminder: Children who are
too ill to go outside are too ill
to come to school. There is no
supervision for children to
remain indoors for recess.
Snow Stays On the Ground
Snow is part of our winter life in Canada, providing
both frustration and enjoyment. We all like to play in it;
however, snow and ice can be very dangerous. In fact,
most injuries happen during wintertime. For safety
reasons, our school rule must be that snow stays on
the ground – no snowball throwing, kicking snow or
any other activity with snow or ice that could be
harmful, which includes sliding on slopes or icy
patches.
Thank you for
taking the
time to
reinforce
these safety
rules with
your children.
REVISED TRANSPORTATION CONTACT INFORMATION
The school office closes at 4:30 p.m. After that time there is no one available to answer phone calls. We recognize that it is
important for parents to know the whereabouts of their child if the bus is delayed to due weather, traffic, etc.
Contact either STOPR at (905)890-6000 or check their website at www.stopr.ca or the bus company directly. Once the school
buses leave the school this is the best method to locate them.
Bus # 1
Bus # 2
Bus # 3
Bus # 4
Bus # 5
Bus # 6
Bus # 7
Bus # 8
Bus # 9
Bus # 10
Bus # 11
Bus # 12
Bus # 13
Bus # 14
Bus # 15
Bus # 16
Bus # 17
Bus # 18
SOF. 101
SOF. 102
SOF. 103
SOF. 104
SOF. 105
SOF. 106
SOF. 107
SOF. 108
SOF. 109
SOF. 110
SOF. 111
SOF. 112
SOF. 113
SOF. 114
SOF. 115
SOF. 116
SOF. 117
WSO. 190
Rte. 0313 Switzer-Carty
Rte. 0374 Attridge
Rte. 0005 First Student
Rte. 0026 First Student
Rte. 1435 First Student
Rte. 0006 First Student
Rte. 0283 Switzer-Carty
Rte. 0022 First Student
Rte. 0015 First Student
Rte. 1410 First Student
Rte. 0012 First Student
Rte. 0298 Switzer-Carty
Rte. 0036 First Student
Rte. 0220 Switzer-Carty
Rte. 1418 First Student
Rte. 1414 First Student
Rte. 1108 Switzer-Carty
Rte. 2442 Attridge
(905) 276-2224
(905) 855-7771
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 276-2224
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 276-2224
(905) 270-0561
(905) 276-2224
(905) 270-0561
(905) 270-0561
(905) 276-2224
(905) 855-7771
INCLEMENT WEATHER - CANCELLATIONS
Once again the prospect of inclement weather is upon us. A decision to cancel
school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and
will be announced on radio and television stations. The greatest confusion
occurs when announcements affect transportation for certain geographic areas.
If the announcement says: “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED” This
means that ALL transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board including buses and vans have been cancelled for the
entire day.
If the announcement says: “THE SCHOOL AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED.” This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board schools and offices are closed to all staff and students.
If the announcement says: “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARDS BUSES AND THE PEEL
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED.
This means that ONLY BUS #10 and #16 are cancelled.
Notification: Information regarding bus cancellation and other emergency information announcements can
be obtained by visiting www.stopr.ca or businfo.stopr.ca
A bus cancellation and/or school closure message will also be available online at www.dpcdsb.org.
Parent/student general inquiries, please call 905 890-6000 or 1-800 668-1140.
EXTENDED FRENCH INFORMATION
Meeting for Gr. 4 PARENTS
Parent(s)/guardians, who wish to enroll their child in
a Grade 5 Extended French class for September 2016
are invited to attend an information meeting on:
Thursday, January 14, 2016, 7:00 p.m.
at
St. Thomas More Catholic School
3270 Tomken Road, Mississauga
(905) 279-6472
The deadline for submission of completed
applications for the Extended French program for
the 2016-2017 school year will be
by 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 16, 2016.
Kindergarten Registration for
2016—2017
Registration for Full-Day Kindergarten for 2016-2017
will take place at St Sofia on:
Monday, January 25, 2016— 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.**
Wednesday, January 27, 2016— 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 28, 2016— 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Friday, January 29, 2016— 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
** SNOW DATE: January 26, 2016—7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
For more information about registration and the
Full-Day Kindergarten program, call 905-277-0990
or visit www.dpcdsb.org
GRADE 1 FRENCH IMMERSION
As a parent/guardian of a child in Dufferin-Peel, Year 2 Full-Day Kindergarten
classroom, parents may wish to consider the French Immersion program as a
possibility for Grade 1 in September 2016. French Immersion is a program in
which 90% of the Grade 1 instruction is delivered in French. Instruction in
English is added in later years.
Transportation is NOT provided for students. It is the responsibility of
parents/guardians to transport their children to and from the French Immersion
Centre.
A letter was sent home with Year 2 Full-Day Kindergarten students inviting families to apply for their child’s
placement in French Immersion Grade 1, beginning September 2016. French Immersion sites are located in
various schools in Dufferin-Peel. Please check this letter for further details about the application process and
deadlines.
Information Session for Students with Differing Abilities
Entering Kindergarten in September 2016
There will be an information session for parent(s)/guardian(s) of children with differing abilities including vision, speech,
hearing, autism, physical/medical and/or developmental delays who are transitioning to Kindergarten in September 2015.
The information session will be held at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board—Catholic Education Centre, Room
301 on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Snow date Wednesday, January 13, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. to
8:30 p.m. Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are also reminded to register their child at our school office. Official registration dates
are Monday, January 25, 2016 7:00—9:00 p.m. The Snow Date for evening registration is Tuesday, January 26, 2016 from
7:00—9:00 p.m. Additional registration dates are January 27, 28, and 29, 2016 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, please call Laura Conte at 905-890-0708 extension 24011 or email: laura.conte@dpcdsb.org
LIBRARY NEWS from PANI NEAVE: BOOK FAIR A RESOUNDING SUCCESS!!!
On November 23, 24, 25 and 26th, the students at St. Sofia had the
opportunity to attend our annual Book Fair!
 A Scholastic Book Fair is a literacy event for the whole
community!
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Our St. Sofia community demonstrated its dedication to reading
and literacy by participating in our school’s Book Fair.
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Every book purchased at our Scholastic Book Fair helps put great
new books and teachers' resources in our school's library.
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Giving children easy access to fun, engaging reading material is the best way to develop their love of reading.
Scholastic Book Fairs is like a mini travelling bookstore: it brings the latest and greatest children's books right
to our school!
Special thanks to our community members: Pani Nezowij, Pani Bortkewicz, Pani Petruk, Pani Nyczyk, Pani
Lachmaniuk, Pahn Kolodij for helping us and donating their time for our children!

Special thanks to teachers Panna Ostapiuk, Pani Chaplia, Pani Czurylowicz, Pani Monosky, Pani Semczuk,
Pani Konopada, and Pani Vereshchak for their help! Special thanks to our Gr. 6, Gr. 8 and ESL students too,
for their help!
AUTISM AWARENESS
Each one called by name...(Isaiah 43:1)
To be nourished, to be sustained, to grow, to the fullest extent of his/her gifts
and abilities
From Dufferin-Peel
Responding to God's call, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
fosters and nourishes a safe, caring and inclusive education community rooted in tradition and scripture. Our
Catholic culture, supported through the home, parish and school community including trustees, staff and/or
community associations invites students into a deeper relationship with, and understanding of, Christ.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools provide a spectrum of programs and services to meet the needs of all students.
Keeping the student at the centre, practice is rooted in the home school community and supports students by
promoting accessibility, honouring diversity and mutual respect and by demonstrating transparency and fairness.
From Autism Canada
Each person with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is unique and will have different abilities. Symptoms caused
by ASDs might be very mild in one person and quite severe in another.
Individuals with severe autism conditions may have serious cognitive disability, sensory problems and symptoms of
extremely repetitive and unusual behaviours. This can include tantrums, self-injury, defensiveness and aggression.
Without appropriate intervention, these symptoms may be very persistent and difficult to change. Living or working
with a person with severe autism can be very challenging, requiring tremendous patience and understanding of the
condition.
Individuals with mild autism conditions, however, may seem more like they have personality differences making it
challenging to form relationships.
The primary symptoms of autism include problems with communication and social interaction as well as repetitive
interests and activities.
INTERMEDIATE BOYS VOLLEYBALL
The intermediate boys volleyball team has been practicing for more than 2 hours a
day for 2 months emphasizing discipline, hard work, the importance of academics
and team work as vital components of being a complete and virtuous person both
now and throughout their lives. The hard work has paid off both on and off the
court.
The boys managed to win every single game
they played and will be looking to win
another Mississauga East championship,
while plans are underway for the boys to mentor some of
the younger students in the upcoming months. Great job
representing St. Sofia boys!
Team members are Vlad K., Daniel L., Theodore I., Adrian H.,
Michael T., Dennis F., Marko Z., Roman K., Roman D.,
Matthew T., Peter B., and Maksym K.. A very special thanks
go out to Madame Constantino-Dinis and Pahn Kopach for
their effort and dedication.
INTERMEDIATE GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
The Intermediate Girls Volleyball team members practiced with a lot of
dedication and perseverance throughout the month of November, developing
both their individual skills and team play as the month went on. The team played
several competitive matches against very skilled teams, and the improved game
play and skills displayed by our team was clearly evident from game to game.
Our Sabre girls capped off their season with a very exciting, nail-biting win,
leaving the court with
their heads held high!
Congratulations, girls!
Special thanks to coaches Pani Babicky and
Pahn Baran who are very proud of the
progress you made this season!
This year's Intermediate Girls Volleyball
team members are: Julia H., Christina T.,
Olena C., Larysa C., Zorianna P., Natalie D.,
Nicole M., Ivanna S., Sophia S., Yulia T., Anna
S., and Sarah H.
REMBEMBRANCE DAY—November 11th—Lest We Forget
On November 11th,
the students of St.
Sofia took time gather
together and
remember the many
sacrifices the men and
women of our country
gave during the great
World Wars I and II as
well as the wars that
followed.
Special thanks to the students of Ms. Grabowski and Mrs. Violo
who were able to capture the solemnity of the occasion with a moving
presentation that included song, music, tableaux and prayer.
“They shall not grow old, as
we that are left grow old, age
shall not weary them nor the
years condemn, at the going
down of the sun and
in the morning,
we shall remember them.”
ST. SOFIA GREEN TEAM
The GREEN TEAM continues their mission to make St. Sofia an ECO-FRIENDLY school
and want to share some eco-friendly tips to keep in mind during the Christmas season.
Eco-friendly tips for the Christmas season:
1) Plant a rooted Christmas tree in your garden to help offset CO2 emissions
2) Turn Christmas lights off overnight and when you're not at home
3) Christmas dishes can be a nightmare but waiting until you have a full load in the
dishwasher and using a low energy or economy programme will help keep costs down.
4) At night, draw curtains to keep heat in the room
5) RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE things like wrapping paper, boxes, and cards.
Remember that shiny paper, crumpled paper, ribbons, tissue paper cannot be
recycled.
6) Be creative and re-use paper like the comics section from the newspaper in lieu
of wrapping paper.
STUDENT COUNCIL—PYLYPIVKA PROJECT
Pylypivka has begun! During this 40-day period of reflection, fasting, and sacrifice, we all endeavor to prepare ourselves spiritually for the approaching celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ! As a school community, we
take it upon ourselves to also practice the virtue of charity and give generously
to our community in order to aid those less fortunate than ourselves during
this season of giving!
This year, Student Council is inviting all St. Sofia families to take part in our
annual Pylypivka project in several ways.
Firstly, this Friday, December 4, we will be inviting a donation of $2 from all
students, a collection that will be donated to our parishes of St. Mary’s Church
in Mississauga and St. Elias Church in Brampton. It is important that we, as a
school community, support the churches that provide us with so much spiritual
guidance throughout the school year.
Secondly, throughout the remaining three weeks before the
Christmas Break, we will be running a Food Donation Drive for
Mississauga Food Bank. By donating non-perishable food items,
we support Mississauga Food Bank in its vital mission to provide warm, nutritious meals to those who need them most in
our local community! All donations of non-perishable (dried or
canned) are welcome, including the following types of items:
canned baked beans and kidney beans, canned diced tomatoes, breakfast cereal, powdered milk. Please donate as many
food items as you can, so that we might fill our classroom
food donation boxes with the bounty of our generosity!
Finally, Student Council is inviting St. Sofia families to extend their charity to the many thousands of people
that have been effected by war in their homelands. The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine has left many
children and families impoverished and distressed. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of Syrian families have
been forced to flee their homeland to seek refuge from the atrocities of war and terror. Canada has opened
its arms to thousands of Syrian refugees, who will begin arriving on our shores within the next several
weeks. As those affected by war embrace the coming winter, we invite all St. Sofia families to provide them
warmth by donating warm mittens, gloves, scarves, and toques.
Every Friday between now and the Christmas Break will be a civvies day for all students who participate in our Pylypivka charity
campaigns! On these days, students are invited to donate towards our causes, and show true compassion during this season
of giving.
We thank you kindly in advance for your contribution
towards this year’s Pylypivka project!
God bless us, everyone!
Web Resources:
Primary
www.funbrain.com
Junior: Polygon Sort and Patch Tool
www.mathfrog.ca
Intermediate: Transformations
www.wiredmath.ca
Geometry
The ability to identify and describe shapes, sizes, positions,
directions, and movement is important in many work situations, such as construction and design, as well as in creating
and understanding art. Becoming familiar with shapes and
spatial relationships in their environment will help children
grasp the principles of geometry in later grades.
Family Math Activities
Full-Day Kindergarten to Grade 3
Bake Christmas Cookies. Use a variety of shapes to make sugar cookies. Talk about how to get the most
out of the dough by moving the shapes around.
Play "I spy", looking for different shapes. "I spy something that is round." "I spy something that is
rectangular." "I spy something that looks like a cone."
Hide a toy and use directional language to help your child find it. Give clues using words and phrases
such as up, down, over, under, between, through, and on top of.
Build structures using blocks or old boxes. Discuss the need to build a strong base. Ask your child,
“which shapes stack easily, and why?”
Ask your child to draw a picture of your street, neighbourhood, or town for Santa. Talk about
where your home is in relation to a neighbour's home or the corner store. Use directional words and
phrases like beside and to the right of.
Grades 4, 5, 6
Ask your child to help you wrap. Take note of the features of the different shaped boxes (number of
sides, how many are the same, different, hardest to wrap, why?)
Look at the wrapping paper. Take note of the patterns, do any of the shapes rotate, translate or
reflect (turn, slide or rotate)?
Grades 7 and 8
“Geometer’s Sketchpad”Ministry Licensed Software
Dynamic Geometry® Software for Exploring Mathematics
The Geometer's Sketchpad is a dynamic construction, demonstration, and exploration tool that adds a powerful
dimension to the study of mathematics. You and your son or daughter can use this software program to build and
investigate mathematical models, objects, figures, diagrams, and graphs.
Please go to http://www.keypress.com/gsp/download to download and install the Sketchpad application.
License Name: ONTARIO DUFFPEEL STUDENT 2012-2013
Authorization Code: UAF7HU-1GQERM-DHGY7U-BPFMR3
GRADE TWO CLASSES VISIT THE BRADLEY MUSEUM
This past month, theGrade Two classes got a
unique opportunity as part of their Social Studies
curriculum to visit the Bradley House Museum in
Mississauga. The students got to experience 19th
century living in Ontario where they learned about
the everyday life of early settlers.
Special thanks to our teachers Pani Solowy,
Panna Kraw, Pani Waschuk, Ms. Grabowski, Pani
Dowhal for their work with the students.
A special thank you also goes to our
parent volunteers for all their help with
supervision in accompanying the students. They
had a great time!
For more information, please visit:
www.mississauga.ca/portal/discover/bradleymuseum
RESPONSIBLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOL: NETWORK USE & SECURITY
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) has developed a
robust, secure, safe, and reliable system-wide network that is pervasive in virtually all
areas of the Board. The network is used to provide authorized stakeholders with
access to a variety of systems and services. Some examples include employee e-mail,
the student information system, the transportation system, the finance system, the
human resources and payroll system, the Safe Schools application, the business
intelligence system, published and virtualized applications for instructional and
administrative use, user and shared data, the telephone system, and the Internet. The
network facilitates access to resources that can assist Teachers in transforming pedagogy so that they can
engage and motivate their students to be active learners in an ambience that is highly conducive to learning.
Through the effective use of networked technology, students are encouraged to be well prepared for the global
workplace of the 21st century. The School Board’s networked resources also facilitate workplace efficiencies for
its employees.
At all times, staff and students of the Board will abide by all rules and regulations, including the Catholic
Code of Behaviour and the Employee Code of Conduct on the use of network resources. In the spirit of its
Mission Statement, DPCDSB’s Wide Area Network connects all of its sites together. It must be noted, however,
that the School Board does not have control over the information that is accessible on other networks, nor can it
erect barriers that completely limit access to the full range of information available. Information available on
the Internet may be objectionable in that it may contain matter which is illegal, defamatory, pornographic,
inaccurate, or opposed to the Mission Statement of the Board and the Board’s vision of students.
Ultimately, parents and guardians, supported by the School Board and its staff, are responsible for setting
and conveying the standards that their children should follow.
DPCDSB’s network has been designed to allow access to, and promote the use of, a vast amount of
information and other resources that are available both within our organization and on the Internet from
anywhere in the Board. Remote access for Board employees is also available through DPCDSB’s Virtual
Private Network (VPN).
The School Board will make every
reasonable effort to protect its
network from malware infestations
and other security breaches and
ensure that access to the negative
aspects of global communications
are limited. To that end, the
following regulations have been
developed
For the complete document,
please go to www.dpcdsb.org
and look under Policies.
RESPONSIBLE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOL: What we are doing at St. Sofia
We are working to reducing the
risks….
The following guidelines offer general
strategies to help teachers and parents
reduce the risks associated with students'
Internet use.

Learn everything you can about
the Internet. Find out how the Net
works and how to find your way around
it. Last year our school invited internet
expert Chris Vollum to make
presentations to teachers, students and
parents about the appropriate use of the
internet and responsible internet use.

Making sure that monitor screens
are visible. Teacher s wor k to ensur e
that students' computers are arranged so
that they can see all screens as students
are working.

Keeping parents informed. Teacher s ar e wor king to send home a letter to par ents, letting them know that they'll be
exploring Internet issues at school. Some handouts will be discussed in class, and then sent home.

Parents are asked to familiarize themselves with our school board's Network Use and Security policy. Get to know
the responsibilities of teachers, students and parents, as outlined in our board's
policy.

Teachers are working to create a classroom online agreement. Teacher s
are in the process of creating a classroom agreement that indicates which
types of sites students are allowed to visit, and which areas and activities are
off-limits. Students will co-construct this agreement with their teachers.

Having a recommended list of resources for class and homework
assignments. Teacher s ar e having students bookmar k safe, educational
and relevant sites.

Teaching students to never to give out personal information online. The
most important online safety rule for kids is protecting their personal privacy.
Students should never give out their name, email address, street address,
phone number or picture without a parent's or teacher's permission. Caution
students about giving away too much information when filling out online
registration forms.

With older students, they are encouraged to engage in an open dialogue
on Internet conduct. These students tend to be adventur ous and cur ious,
seeking out sites and activities that may not be appropriate for them. Parents
are asked to keep the lines of communication open so they know what their
children are doing online - and so they'll feel comfortable coming to you if
they get into trouble.
Report any online content or activity that you suspect is illegal. You or your
child may encounter online situations that should be reported to your Internet
Service Provider and/or the local police. These include online hate; harassment,
cyberstalking or attempts to lure a child; dangerous activities such as bomb-making,
terrorism or obtaining illegal weapons; child pornography; and physical threats.
ONTARIO CATHOLIC
SCHOOL
GRADUATE EXPECTATIONS
Adapted Wording for Elementary Students
Developed by Huron-Perth CDSB and St. Clair CDSB
I AM A BELIEVER!
I AM A TEAM PLAYER!
-operate with others in all that I do
prayer
and the seven Sacraments
make it a better place
Because I am a team player, I know that 'Together is Better', and we will live our lives like Jesus.
Because I am a believer, I will live my life like Jesus.
I HAVE A VOICE!
I CARE!
community, and the world
Because I care, I pray for all my families, and I will live my
life like Jesus.
Because I have a voice, I will use it lovingly, and I will live my
life like Jesus.
I HAVE IDEAS!
I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES!
-maker
Because I have ideas, I have a purpose, and I will live my life
like Jesus.
I AM A LEARNER FOR LIFE!
Because I am a learner for life, I can reach for
my dreams, by living my life like Jesus.
Because I accept my responsibilities, I can make a difference, and will live my life like Jesus
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“For to us a child is born,
To us a son is given;
And the government shall be upon his shoulder,
And his name shall be called
Wonderful counselor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6
For all students and families who celebrate Christmas on December 25th
(Gregorian), we wish you every blessing from God
as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
May you be filled with love, joy, and peace.
Enjoy happy times with all those you hold dear.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
From the staff at St. Sofia Byzantine Catholic School