ST. SOFIA
Byzantine Catholic School
Sharing, Caring and Preparing
ШКОЛА СВЯТОЇ СОФІЇ
Virtue of the Month
St. Sofia School
3540 Havenwood Dr.
Mississauga, ON L4X 1M9
Tel: 905-625-0823
Fax: 905-625-3124
Website:
www.dpcdsb.org/SOFIA
Twitter:
@StSofia_DPCDSB
KINDNESS
Principal
J. Dmytrasz
Vice-Principal
I. Sauvé
Our Lenten Prayer
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 of Central
GTA, Pastor
Very Rev. R. Trynoga, Assistant
St. Elias Church
905-459-8888
Mitred Archpriest, Roman
Loving God,
During the sacred season of Lent,
bring me closer to you.
Prepare a place in my home and heart
for silence and solitude, so that I may re-discover the
grace of a prayer-full life.
Help me to fast from those things that threaten the
well-being of body and soul and
remind me of grace and simplicity.
Enlarge my heart so that I give to those in need and,
in so doing, re-discover
the grace of gratitude and generosity.
May this season be a grace-filled time to rekindle
my love and faith in you.
AMEN.
Galadza, Pastor
Trustees
Brampton:
A. da Silva
D. D’Souza
S. Xaviour
Caledon:
F. Di Cosola
416-706-5679
416-528-8515
416-528-9622
905-951-8898
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
416-528-6447
B. Iannicca
905-270-0536
E. O’Toole
905-812-5163
MARCH 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Good Friday & Easter Monday
in the Gregorian Calendar.
SCHOOL is CLOSED.
P.D. DAY on APRIL 11, 2016—NO school for students
MARCH BREAK
March 14 — 18, 2016
The staff of St. Sofia wish you
a safe and enjoyable break!
In this issue:











Virtue of Kindness
The Great Lent
School Operations
Snow Stays on the Ground
Kiss and Ride
Transportation
EQAO News
Immunization
Public Speaking
Black History
Catholic School Council
LENTEN SEASON
March 14th is the First Day of Great Lent
For the worshipping faithful, Lent is the season of repentance. The familiar Sundays
of the Publican and the Pharisee, The Prodigal Son, and the Last Judgement,
prepare us adults for the spiritual journey of the Great Fast, a journey facilitated by
liturgical services, spiritual reading, Lenten missions, fasting and prayer. This
season of great challenges is hopefully followed by great rewards. What about our
children? What can parents do to help their children--even the littlest ones-experience the period of the Great Fast on a deeper level, a level that goes beyond
the usual writing pysanky and preparing a new outfit for Easter Sunday? How do we
root our children in the joyous discipline of this Great Fast so that it becomes for
them an absolutely essential part of the rhythm of their life? We must speak to them
about the mystery of their faith--about Christ’s death and resurrection, about
repentance and new life-- in the language they know best, the language of the
senses.
We must begin with a visual message. The Great Fast is a time for change. In
church, the colour of the altar vestments changes from bright to dark and festive
embroideries are put away. At home, the icon corner is tidied and pussy willows
(loza) from the previous year’s Palm Sunday are burned. The Prayer of St.
Ephraim is taped to the wall near the icons and pictures of deceased members of
the family to be remembered in prayer, might be placed the near the icon corner.
The television may be replaced with books or conversation and prayer. The
absence of familiar decorations in the home--is a reminder that this is a time of
year that is set apart for the very special purpose of refocusing our life on Christ,
who fills the emptiness in us.
Prayer of St. Ephraim:
O Lord and Master of my life, do not give me a spirit of idleness, curiosity,
love of power and idle talk. (bow) But grant to me Your servant, the spirit of
prudence, humility, patience and love. (bow) Yes, Lord and King, grant that I
may see my own faults, and to not judge my brother and sister, for You are
blessed now and always and forever. Amen. (bow)
Ideas for Lent
Work on managing one bad habit
Donate things to charity
No complaining day!
Do someone else’s chore
Buy a gift card for a homeless person
Call an old friend
Read from the Bible and reflect
Pay a few sincere compliments
Forgive someone
Stay off the internet
Refrain from TV, alcohol, parties, etc.
Tell someone you appreciate them
No shopping day
Light a candle and pray for someone
Write a “thank you” note
Confess a secret
Pray on your knees
Do a good deed; no one needs to know
Smile often and mean it!
Take a walk alone and reflect/think
Prepare for a good confession
FIRST SOLEMN HOLY COMMUNION and FIRST HOLY CONFESSION/RECONCILIATION
First Holy Confession/Reconciliation will be held on Thursday, May 12th. First Solemn Holy Communion Liturgy will be held
on Sunday, May 15th at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Mississauga. Please remember each of our
Grade 2 children and pray for them as they come to know and understand the compassion and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
March’s Virtue: KINDNESS
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” - Ephesians 4:32
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 out along the way.
A kind person…
 Says nice things about others so they feel good about themselves
 Sticks up for people who are picked on or need help
 Refuses to join others who are insulting, intimidating, mean or hurtful
 Watches and looks for ways to help those in need
REFLECTION…
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 is not enough to say I will be kind or I am kind. We must show that we are kind by our
words and our actions. Through prayer and concentration, we can get better at showing kindness to everyone
we meet.
A PRAYER FOR KINDNESS
Dear God, You have done such a marvelous job of creating us
and the world around us.
You have placed this creation, including all the people we meet, in our care.
We come to you now asking for the grace and strength to keep a sense of kindness.
We hope that by recognizing and honouring this fruit of the Holy Spirit,
We can contribute to making our school a safer, more caring, inclusive community.
May kindness, the fruit of your Spirit, help us to feel the courage to act
on behalf of people around us who are in need.
We ask this in name of Jesus, our brother, who lived to
show us your way. AMEN.
Books to read with your child about kindness:
 I See Kindness Everywhere by Shelley Frost
 Please Don’t Tease Tootsie by Margaret Chamberlain
 Good People Everywhere by Lynea Gillen
 Horton Hears a
Who by Dr. Seuss
 The Kindness
Quilt by Nancy E.
Wallace
 Nico and Lola by
Meggan Hill
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
The safety and security of our students is of utmost importance.
We ask that you follow the routines and procedures set by the school.
ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance is crucial to success at school. School begins at 9:15 a.m. and ends
at 4:00 p.m. When students arrive on time, they are ready to start their day of learning
with their classmates. When students are habitually late or leave habitually early, class
are interrupted, they miss critical learning time, feel disorganized and may miss important information. Punctuality is an important life skill that students learn and helps them establish good habits.
For safety reasons, it is extremely important for you to notify our school if your child is going to be absent or late. Communication is vital to ensure the safety of your child. If we do not hear from you, our school office will be calling to verify your child’s
absence. Messages may be left on our school voicemail. Please speak clearly when leaving a message. Thank you.
Student ENTRY—9:00am– 9:15am
Student DISMISSAL—4:00pm
Upon arriving students are to enter the school immediately via
the northwest doors (FDK’s enter via the west FDK gates).
Parents dropping off, PLEASE SAY GOODBYE AT THE KISS N’ RIDE
AREA OF THE SCHOOL AND ALLOW YOUR CHILD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP INDEPENDENCE WITH THEIR PEERS,
AND ENTER THE SCHOOL ON THEIR OWN.
Thanks go out to all the parents who have been following the
entry and dismissal procedures. It has greatly reduced congestion
in the halls and school yard at these times.
If you are picking up your child at a time other than regular school
dismissal, we ask that you report to the office. Arrangements will be
made for your child to be sent to the office. If you intend to send
someone else to pick up your children, please inform the office.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ‘EARLY’ SIGNOUTS MUST BE DONE BEFORE 3:30
PM, AS AFTER THIS TIME, CLASSES ARE BUSY WITH END-OF-DAY AND
DISMISSAL ROUTINES.
PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS TO PRESENT A NOTE
FROM PARENT/GUARDIAN TO THE TEACHER IF THERE ARE TO BE
ANY CHANGES IN DISMISSAL ROUTINE.
NEITHER STUDENTS NOR PARENTS SHOULD BE MAKING ALTERNATE
ARRANGEMENTS REGARDING BUSING (E.G. SWITCHING BUSES TO GO HOME
WITH A FRIEND). THIS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
At dismissal time, we ask that you do not go to the back of the school
property but instead arrange to meet your child at the Kiss n’ Ride
area. Thank you.
VISITORS
Students are not to enter the school by the front doors, unless
arriving LATE. Students arriving late must report to the office
and get an admit slip.
ALL visitors, INCLUDING PARENTS, should NEVER enter the
school without first signing in at the school office and obtaining
a visitor sticker. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Anyone not wearing a visitor sticker will be asked by staff to
return to the office to sign in and pick one up.
We thank you for your
cooperation in supporting a
safe environment at St.
Sofia.
Our desire is to extend a hospitable welcome to all of our
visitors and to also maintain a
safe learning environment. In
the interest of safety, we
must have the same
expectation of everyone who
visits the school.
We ask that you do not go
unannounced to the door of
your child’s classroom. We will be happy to assist you in the
office.
Although it may be tempting and convenient to pop in and ask
a quick question or assist your child, it is not always a time
when the teacher or child can proceed with his/her duties or
carry on an uninterrupted conversation. At the beginning and
end of the day, it is especially important that we minimize
distractions so that teachers and students can direct their
attention to their studies, organization and safety.
STUDENT SAFETY
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, in a school
playground environment, snow and ice can present a real danger. In
fact, most injuries happen during wintertime.
Every child in our school is made aware of the importance of our
school rule: “Snow stays on the ground” as a measure to prevent
injury to others.
For safety reasons, our school rule means that snow/ice/slush stays
on the ground — no snowball throwing, kicking snow, throwing ice/slush, or any other activity with snow/ice/slush that
could be harmful, this also includes sliding on ice or on the snowplow hills.
A “Snowball Letter” will be sent home for parent signature when a student breaks this school rule.
Students are encouraged to constructively use the snow that winter brings to build snowmen, forts, snow sculptures, etc.
Please assist us by reviewing with your child, the dangers of not following this rule in a school playground setting and the
importance of preventing injury to other children. Together, we can create a school yard which is safe for all during winter.
Thank you for your support in keeping ALL our students safe.
Kiss & Ride: Safety before Convenience!
It must be understood that parents using the Kiss & Ride lane may NOT leave their vehicles at any time,
and must remain in their vehicle when dropping off or picking up their children.
Please also be aware that all lanes other than Kiss & Ride (entrance and exits) must allow access to emergency vehicles and needs to be respected. DRIVERS WHO LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES UNATTENDED IN THE
KISS & RIDE LANE SERIOUSLY JEOPARDIZE PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT ONLY BLOCKING THE FIRE ROUTE, BUT
ALSO BY CREATING A TRAFFIC BACKUP ONTO THE STREET. PARENTS WHO WISH TO PARK MAY DO SO
ON THE STREET (HAVENWOOD DRIVE OR WILLIAMSPORT DRIVE).
At the end of the day, the same requirements remain in place and parents picking up children will want to choose a
safe and regular place to do so. Please only park in places designated by signage to do so. Violators can be fined by the
City of Mississauga Parking Control.
Please support and assist us in maintaining safe access for all our students
and safety vehicles by NEVER parking your vehicle in the Kiss & Ride lane or
stopping to pick up your children at the school driveway entrance and exit.
Also, please have your child ready to exit your vehicle as soon as you pull
up to the Kiss & Ride lane. By getting out of your vehicle to assist your
child exiting the vehicle, greater traffic backup is then generated. Please
refrain from this practice. If you must assist your child, please park on
Havenwood Drive or Williamsport Drive.
Thank you for your continued support and spirit of cooperation in these
important matters!
TRANSPORTATION
Please remember to have your child at their bus stop a minimum of 10 minutes prior to your scheduled stop time. Riding
the bus is a privilege. Please remind your children of the importance of following the safety rules that were outlined at
the beginning of the year.
Bus Safety Rules are very important in order to ensure the safety of all students. Please review the following Bus
Safety Rules with your child(ren).







Remain seated at all times on the bus (the most common reason for “Pink” slips)
Refrain from any eating / drinking on the bus
Speak using indoor voices —> no yelling or screaming
Be respectful to the bus driver —> no attitude
Keep arms, head etc. inside the bus
Get on and off in a controlled manner
Do not use profane or rude language —> also a
common reason for Pink slips
 Obey directions from the driver promptly. —> safety
is always the priority
 Refrain from any activity which may be injurious to other students. —> use common sense!
Please consult the STOPR website, www.stopr.ca or call (905)890-6000 for any questions or concerns with regards to your child’s
bus transportation information. Information about late and cancelled buses as well as contact phone numbers can be found on this
website, on our school website and a hard copy from our school office. Contact numbers of the bus providers was made available
to parents earlier this year.
NOTE: Information regarding bus cancellation and other emergency information announcements can be obtained by visiting
STOPR’s website: www.stopr.ca or businfo.stopr.ca
Bus cancellations and/or school closures will also be online at www.dpcdsb.org or by calling (905)890-1221.
Please do not call the school to find out if buses are cancelled or if schools are closed.
The most up-to-date information will be available by contacting STOPR or our board website.
EQAO UPDATE: Primary and Junior Assessments
Each student in Grade 3 and Grade
6 in the province of Ontario will be
assessed in Reading, Writing, and
Mathematics for a period of three
days beginning May 25, 2016 to
June 8, 2016 inclusive. You are
kindly asked to avoid booking dental, medical, and other
appointments during this period. If you have a child in either
Grade 3 or Grade 6, you will received specific communication
and information regarding the Provincial Assessment just
prior to the testing period.
St. Sofia will be hosting an EQAO Parent Night where the Gr.
3 and 6 teachers provide further information about the
assessment. A flyer will be sent home with students
providing further details of this evening.
Please visit DPCDSB on the web for Board and School profiles:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/EQAO
IMMUNIZATIONS
Important IMMUNIZATION message from the Peel Public Health:
Peel Public Health will be reviewing immunization records of all
students at our school beginning in March 2016. Peel Public Health
must have proof that your child has been fully vaccinated (immunized)
according to the Ontario immunization schedule. If you receive a letter,
please ensure that your child has received the required vaccine(s), then
give the date(s) your child received these vaccine dose(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.ImmunizerPeel.ca Translation services are available.
Junior & Intermediate Public Speaking Competitions
On Tuesday, February
23rd, students
representing Junior and
Intermediate classrooms
participated in St. Sofia
School’s annual Public
Speaking competition.
Results in the Junior
Division:
1st place—Julia N. on
Bullying
2nd place—Anastasia H.
on Google
3rd place—Krystina S. on
Winning the Lotto
Results in the Intermediate Division:
1st place—Mark K. on Global Warming
2nd place—Zorianna P. on Animal Testing
3rd place—Olena C. on Pro-Life
Congratulations to all students for developing their
speaking skills and to all teachers, Pani Babicky, Pahn
Baran, Pani Tetrault, Panna Ostapiuk, and Pani
Czurylowicz for preparing their students!
Thank you to all the judges: Pahn Dmytrasz, Panna
Ostapiuk, Pahn & Pani Bobyk, and Panna Shlarp!
A very special thank you to Pani Neave for her great
organization of this event, and to Pani Czurylowicz
for her assistance on the big day!
Black History Month Activities
On Friday, February 19th, the Gr. 1 to Gr. 8
students participated in an interactive
performance with the group HOZA!
21st Century Learning comes alive in Action
Figures with all of the creativity and energy for
which HOZA! is renowned. Performed by Kevin
Fell and Derek Thorne, the participatory format
includes drumming and dance aimed at
challenging each student to become the Action
Figure in their life, family, school and
community. The show explores the “HOZA!
Way”: STOP, START, CHANGE with the emphasis on STARTing to think or act differently.
Many thanks to our school Settlement Worker, Hanaa Ali and our ESL teachers, Panna
Ostapiuk, Pani Dowhal and Pani Neave for planning and organizing this great event!
Gr. 3’s First Nations and Métis Communities
In Grade 3 Social Studies, students are introduced to some of the diverse
communities that existed in Canada between approximately 1780 and
1850.
Students are exploring what life was like for different groups of people
during that time period and are comparing the lives of these people to those
of present-day Canadians. They are using primary sources such as
journals, letters, maps, and paintings to investigate how people in early
Canada responded to challenges in their lives.
Students will are also learning about the
physical and municipal regions of Ontario.
They will explore the relationship between
the natural environment, land use, and
employment opportunities, and how
different uses of land and resources affect
the environment.
Students continue to develop their spatial
skills, extracting information from graphs,
globes, and maps, constructing print and
digital maps, and using mapping programs to
help them determine the relationship
between the environment and land use in
both the past and the present.
On Monday, February 29th, the students
received a special visitor, “Miss Emille
Corbier”, a First Nations woman who gave
the students a better understanding of the
life of the First Nations and Métis peoples
and how they lived many, many years ago.
She brought with her artifacts like beads,
pictures, animal hides and skins of beaver,
rabbit, fox and more! She also brought with
her some traditional bread called “bannock”.
The students
had a
wonderful
experience
and were
thrilled to
have Miss
Emille visit
them! Many
thanks to
Pani
Moskalyk
and Pani Mazur for inviting her!
Our Catholic School Heritage
Catholic schools exist to inform, form and transform students according to the
message of Jesus as it comes to us through scripture and the living tradition of the
Church. Fundamental to Catholicism is the belief that parents are the primary
educators and that education is holistic.
All elementary students participate in the Religious Education Program and the
Family Life Program, written and approved by the Catholic Bishops. In elementary schools, the teaching of Religion as a
subject discipline occurs daily. Preparation
for the sacraments, in collaboration with
the local parish, is an integral part of the
Grade 2 program at St. Sofia. Religion and
Family Life Programs are intended to
provide instruction in the faith and the
skills needed for moral decision making.
These are life skills which will serve our
students long after their formal education
has been completed.
Perhaps what most distinguishes a Catholic
school from that of others is its broad curriculum. All subjects and all activities are taught from the perspective of faith. At
its core, curriculum in any subject reveals fundamental beliefs and values about the nature, task and specific character of the
educational enterprise. It presupposes and involves a definite understanding of what it means to be human, of how to live
together, and the wisdom necessary to sustain life on this planet. Indeed, in its broadest sense, Catholic curriculum is a
worldview shaped by the Catholic conversation about life’s meaning and purpose. Education that is Catholic, analyses all
truth and knowledge (literature, history, geography, science, technology, mathematics) through the lens of faith.
Framed by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE), our graduates will be:

Effective communicators

Reflective thinkers

Lifelong learners

Collaborative contributors

Caring family members

Responsible citizens

Discerning believers
YOGA—Health and Wellness Starts in FDK!
By Miss Battiston and Panna Czoli
Part of our day in FDK includes
taking time to stretch and move our
bodies. We also take the time to
make sure we stop and relax for a
bit, and that includes slowing down
and breathing.
Some days we do yoga stretches,
and other days we just get creative
and let our imaginations guide us.
Other days, we like to use our
Smart Board to find new and
exciting ways to stretch and stay
active.
—————
BENEFITS: Yoga and meditation have been
shown to be an effective form of stress
reduction and has the potential to improve
quality of life and decrease health care
costs.

Yoga promotes concentration, self-discipline and develops inner strength and clarity.

Breath control is an integral part of yoga and meditation. Children learn to value their breath
and be calm and inward focused. These are valuable skills that they can utilize their entire
lives.

Children also benefit by building cooperative skills and good social behaviour by working with a
partner or in a group.

Yoga can promote positive communication and good listening skills which foster self-respect,
compassion and respect for others.
St. Sofia Singers at the Brampton Beast Hockey Game
The St. Sofia Singers had a great opportunity to sing at the
Brampton Beast Hockey Game on February 21, 2016. The
students sang the Canadian and American national anthems with
great pride in front of many excited family and friends!
It was also a day of free popcorn and many give-aways like
toques and hotdogs. After the game, the students and their
families got the opportunity to have a free-skate with the
players, get their autographs and photos with the players!
We look forward to our next game on
Sunday, March 27th at 2:00 pm when
the Brampton Beast will be playing the
Toledo Walleye! We hope to get more
students, families and teachers out to
support us! Watch out for the next
notice coming out to students.
An amazing time was had by all!
Thank you very much to Pani Dowhal and Pani Holyk for coming out to support our students!
Thank you also to our Catholic School Council members, Pahn Holyk, Pani Iwanuria and Pani Pinchak for
their support!
St. Sofia Catholic School Council
Please join us for our next Catholic
School Council meeting on April 19,
2016 at 6:30 p.m. in our school
library.
All parents are welcome to attend!
OAPCE-Toronto is proud to
announce that they will be hosting
the 77th Annual OAPCE Conference
on May 6 and 7, 2016!
The theme for the Conference will be “Different Gifts: One Voice”
this is in conjunction with the new TCDSB three year pastoral plan
“Together With One Voice--Harmonizing Faith in our Families,
Parishes and Schools".
Understanding the Mathematical Processes
Context – Why it is important to
engage students in mathematical
processes
Even if you’ve stopped growing physically,
you certainly haven’t stopped growing mentally
and emotionally. Nor do you stop learning after
you finish school, not as long as there are
opportunities for learning and growth all
around us. Learning also comes in many—and
often surprising—forms. But no matter how it
appears, learning is forever and learning is for
the future.
(Ontario Prospects 2002: Ontario’s Guide to Career Planning)
It is important that
students see
mathematics as sensible, useful, and doable. Teachers take every opportunity during
the instructional/learning process to help students develop a positive disposition
towards mathematics. By focusing on
mathematical process skills, teachers
empower students
mathematically.
Mathematical Process
Expectations
The seven mathematical process
expectations describe the actions of doing mathematics. They support
the acquisition and the use of mathematical knowledge and skills. They
can be mapped to three of the categories of the Achievement Chart –
Thinking, Communication, and Application. The fourth category, Knowledge and Understanding, connects
to the content of each course/program. Students apply the mathematical processes as they learn the content for
each course/program.
Knowing facts and procedures is an impor tant aspect of mathematics education. At each gr ade level
students learn basic facts – mental mathematics skills and the use of standard algorithms and procedures.
Conceptual understanding is another key component of mathematics education. Students with conceptual
understanding see mathematics as a related whole. Applying and representing mathematical ideas in
different ways for different situations, and
connecting procedures and concepts are some
indicators of conceptual understanding. The
mathematical processes are integral to problem
solving. Students deepen their knowledge and
understanding as they develop, refine, and use
these processes in doing mathematics.
SCHOOL REORGANIZATION for 2016-2017
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
School organization for next year is in the planning stages.
Timelines for making decisions about the number of classes and
teacher assignments will be tentatively determined by the end of
June. To help us with our planning for September 2016, it would be
appreciated if you could let us know now if you will be moving out
of our school area over the summer.
CREATING CLASSES FOR NEXT YEAR
We are beginning the process of creating class lists for the 2016-2017 school year this April. This is a complex
process, and is done in consultation with this years’ teachers, support staff and administration. In each class
we strive for a balance of learning styles, a balance of gender, a balance of learning needs, and a cross section
of abilities.
If you as a parent wish to provide input into the process, please take into consideration the following
guidelines:
Input must be in written form to Pahn Dmytrasz no later than Wednesday, April 6th, 2016.
Frame your request in terms of educational contexts e.g. your child’s learning needs/style;
information not already known to the school; tips on what has worked best for your child in the past
Please be advised that letters which cite the names of individual teachers, or names of children you
wish to be placed with your child will not be considered.
There is no guarantee that requests will be fulfilled, but all will be considered.
HAVE YOU MOVED?
If you have changed your phone number(s), address or workplace it is imp erative that you notify the school
promptly. It is extremely important that our records be current and up-to-date. In the event of an emergency,
we must be able to contact you immediately.
VIRTUE’S CERTIFICATES for RESPECT
Students and staff were excited to
attend the Virtue Assemblies for
February’s virtue of RESPECT. The
assemblies were done by Panna
Kraw’s Gr. 2 students for the Gr. 1-4
assembly and by Pani Desimone’s
Gr. 5 students for the Gr. 5-8
assembly.
Thank you students for continuing to
demonstrate our virtues, keep up the
wonderful work!
RIGHT: The Gr. 1-4 Virtue Certificate recipients
THE GREAT BIG CRUNCH! - MARCH 10, 2016 @ 2:15pm
The Great Big Crunch is a special day of good food education,
ending with a massive, synchronized bite into a crunchy apple to
celebrate.
On Thursday, March 10th, St.
Sofia will once again be
participating in The Big Crunch.
On this day, all students will be
called to the gymnasium to participate in The Great Big
Crunch. Apples have been ordered for all students and
staff, and will be distributed in the gymnasium. We will be
given a count down, and at exactly 2:15p.m., along with
many other schools across Canada, we will all be biting into
our apples simultaneously!
Since 2006, over 750,000 people have joined the Great
Big Crunch, an annual moment of anti-silence where
everyone gets together and bites into crunchy fresh local
produce in unison. The symphony is loud, whether you
munch on apples or carrots. From coast to coast to coast,
celebrate and enjoy healthy snacking with your class,
colleagues or friends. Using vegetables and fruits as stars
in recipes and fun activities helps to make students cherish
the local bounty around us all.
Thank you to Panna Maxymiw and Pani Mazur for getting
our apples and organizing this wonderful event!
PRIMARY INTRAMURAL SOCCER
Under the leadership of Pahn Kopach, the primary students are having the opportunity to learn
and develop their indoor soccer skills through intramural play. After the announcement was made, over
100 students signed up to play against each other in friendly, non-competitive games. The students
were divided up into teams such as the Wolves, Grizzlies, Dolphins and Huskies. They are supported by
the intermediate students who willingly participate
as coaches and referees.
All games take place at lunch time recesses
and the excitement and enthusiasm of all involved
is contagious! Many thanks to Pahn Kopach and all
the teachers who have contributed their own time,
for helping to generate school spirit and pride and
also promoting healthy, active living!
ANTI-BULLYING AWARENESS AND PREVENTION
BULLYING PREVENTION & EDUCATION
What to Do If A Child Is... Being Bullied
 Believe what they say, listen and try to understand their feelings
 Involve children in community activities to help them make friends
 Contact the school to talk about the problem and get support
WITNESSING BULLYING
 Talk to children about issues such as bullying and listen to what
they think/feel
 Help children plan what they will do if they see someone being
bullied
 Get involved in working to prevent violence in your school and
community
BULLYING OTHERS
 Let children know, by your words and actions, that bullying is not okay
 Teach children to act in ways that show they respect themselves and others
 Acknowledge what is happening and accept help if needed
COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT.
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO TALK WITH CHILDREN.
Visit Region of Peel Public Health site:
http://www.peelregion.ca/health/topics/injury/bullying/index.htm
INTERMEDIATE BOYS BASKETBALL
Under the leadership of Pani Tetrault, we
were pleased to have so many of our intermediate students come for tryouts this
season.
The coaches will be selecting team members and begin
skill development;
family of schools
games begin in
the near future.
Fast and Feast
Fast from judging others—Feast on the goodness in them
Fast from words that pollute—Feast on phrases that purify
Fast from discontent—Feast on gratitude
Fast from anger—Feast on patience
Fast from pessimism—Feast on optimism
Fast from worry—Feast on divine order
Fast from complaining—Feast on appreciation
Fast from negatives—Feast on affirmatives
Fast from bitterness—Feast
on forgiveness
Fast from self-concern—Feast
on compassion for others
~ William Arthur Ward