34 Buick Boulevard, Brampton, ON L7A 3B9
PRINCIPAL ………………
SECRETARY …………….
SUPERINTENDENT …….
TRUSTEE ………………...
F. Bernard
C. Moore
S. Steer
D. B .D’Souza F. DiCosola
Tel: 905-840-3042
Fax: 905-840-0820
VICE PRINCIPAL ………..
PASTOR ………………….
PARISH …………………..
WEBSITE ………………...
M. Moncur
Fr. J. Gogolewski
Guardian Angels
www.dpcdsb.org/AIDAN
Enlightened by Knowledge. Enriched by Faith.
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER #6
FEBRUARY 2016
Celebrating . . ..
Principal’s Message
During the month of February, Dufferin Peel Schools celebrate Black History Month. As Canadians, we welcome all opportunities
to celebrate our differences and to learn more about each other. Black History Month, which is celebrated during the month of
February, is one such opportunity. Through various activities, we will take time to develop greater awareness and understanding
about Black History and celebrating the many contributions of Black Canadians and others from around the world.
February is Psychology Month. The goal of Psychology Month is to generate grassroots activities that will raise Canadians’
awareness of the role psychology plays in their lives and in their communities.
We also celebrate St. Valentine’s Day. St. Valentine of Rome was a priest, possibly a bishop, in the third century. When the
Roman Emperor made marriage illegal (he was having trouble raising an army because he could not draft married men) Valentine
continued to marry couples in secret. That did not please the emperor so he had Valentine thrown into prison and then beaten
and beheaded about the year 269. Shortly before he was killed he sent a note to a young girl who had befriended him asking her
to remain faithful to God. He signed it "From Your Valentine." HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY EVERYONE!
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Sharing Our Thanks and Blessings . . .
We would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude for
the following . . .

Our Students who are taking leadership roles in
Library Helpers, Door Monitors, Office Helpers,
Choir, Green Team, Dance Team, basketball, and so
many more.

Our Staff for the additional time and efforts they
dedicate to the students in offering the cocurricular activities.

Our Parents who contact the teacher with a
compliment or concern – the partnership between
school and home is extremely important. Assist
your children in following our Code of Conduct.
•
Our Parents/Visitors who continue to respect our
Kiss and Ride procedures and are following our
safe school drive way practices.
•
CAT
GOODBYE AND BEST WISHES Mrs. Castellarin.
We hope your retirement will begin a brand new
chapter in your life filled with wonderful memories.
We thank you for the many years you have given to
the children and help them to develop and grow to
become caring and responsible citizens.
We
welcome Mrs. Agusta who will be teaching our Grade
4 class, to our school community.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Let us pray for the virtue of respect so that we will always
display good manners and that we treat others as we would
like to be treated.
Catholic Education – A Historical Look
For about 170 years, in the early 1800s there were separate
schools in many cities, towns and townships. In Peel, three
separate schools opened before Confederation
(1867): St. James in Malton in the 1830s, St. John’s
Agricultural College (1861) and St. Patrick’s (1861), both in
Wildfield.
The Ontario government has always supported separate
schools – beginning with the United Legislature of Canada
East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now Ontario) during its
total life from 1841 to 1867. One of the first pieces of
legislation that was passed in 1841 was the Common School
Act, with a separate school.
The United Legislature of Canada East and Canada West
kept improving separate school legislation by responding to
Catholic parents, trustees, bishops and priests, editors of
the four Catholic newspapers, members of the business and
professional world, all of whom argued for legal and financial
rights for separate schools.
Even before Confederation, there was opposition to separate
schools - there were advocates of one school system.
Protestant spokes persons believed in the adequacy of the
common (now public) school’s basic non-denominational
Christianity, which constituted an important element of the
common school’s religion lessons and their readers. They held
that beliefs specific to certain religions should be taught in
the churches and homes.
Putting Our Faith Into Action
February’s Virtue – RESPECT
During the month of February, we will celebrate the virtue
of respect. With the students we will be reinforcing that a
person with respect:
 Sees God’s presence in themselves and others;
 Talks kindly about others and avoids gossip;
 Welcomes others with smiles and friendly
greetings;
 Looks for ways to encourage and praise others;
 Treats himself/herself and everyone else with equal
consideration and courtesy;
 Uses a positive tone of voice and body language;
 Avoids swearing, name calling, put downs, and
inappropriate gestures;
 Says “excuse me”, “please”, “pardon me”.
Our daily prayer for February will be . . .
Save These Dates–All Events to Occur at Guardian Angels
Church
April 4, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.
First Reconciliation
April 17, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.
First Holy Communion
April 20, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
Grade 7 & 8 Confirmation
ASH WEDNESDAY
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
in the school gymnasium at 1:00 p.m.
Please note - this is not a mass
All parents/guardians are welcome to attend.
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Lent is a forty-day period before
Easter beginning on Ash Wednesday.
We skip Sundays when we count the
forty
days
because
Sundays
commemorate the Resurrection.
Lent is a season that reminds us to
repent and get our lives centred and know our priorities. This
holy season offers us a new chance to say “Yes” to God. Lent
is a season of hope and with ashes on our forehead and hope
in our hearts, we go forth to love and serve others. As we
begin the Lenten journey, let us join to celebrate that
journey together as a community and prepare for Holy Week
and the Resurrection of Our Lord. In the spirit of this
month’s virtue of kindness, let us try to perform random acts
of kindness to all those we meet.
As a Catholic school, Lent will be highlighted in our school.
We will emphasize and remind the students often that this
is a "special" time of year. During the forty days of Lent, we
will turn to Christ to learn how to live as children of God. We
will encourage all staff and students to do the following
things as part of their Lenten preparation:

to listen carefully to the word of God in the gospel,
focusing on the gifts of forgiveness and compassion;

to pray more frequently, bringing all of their needs,
hopes, dreams, and gratitude to our Lord;

to participate in celebrations of reconciliation and
charitable works of social justice; and

to try to be helpful to everyone in every way without
seeking reward or recognition.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Catholic School Council Update
Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 17
at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. We thank our council
members for their on-going work for our students.
P
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
2015-16 School Year Calendar
Additional Professional Activity Day
Monday, April 11, 2016
Terms of the recent contract settlement between the
teacher federations and the Ministry of Educaton included
the provision of an additional Professional Activity Day for
the 2015-2016 school year for both elementary and
secondary schools. Recently, boards were directed to
schedule this additional Professional Development Day on or
before April 15, 2016.
In the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, the
designated additional Professional Activity Day has been
scheduled for Monday, April 11, 2016.
Therefore, there will be no classes for either elementary
or secondary students on Monday, April 11, 2016.
Thank you for your attention to this addition to the 2015-16
School Year Calendar.
Report Cards for Term 1
On Tuesday, February 2 report cards were sent home for all
sent home for all students from Grades 1 to 8.
Student/Parent/Teacher conferences were scheduled for
the evening of Thursday, February 5 and during the day of
Friday, February 6. Hopefully, everyone has been able to
meet with your child’s teacher.
Term #2 Will Begin
While students are learning, our staff is also developing. As
ongoing learners, we have targeted certain areas of the
curriculum to apply specific strategies in the hopes of raising
our achievement levels. We are looking forward to offering
more focused and effective instruction to improve student
success.
In order to increase student achievement, uninterrupted
time at school is absolutely necessary . . . and we have been
placing an emphasis on reducing interruptions and allowing
classes to continue. We ask that communication to the
school be done through a note, and reduce the late arrivals
and/or early leaving of the school.
Once again, we would like to reinforce that supervision on
the yard does not begin until 8:05 a.m. Please do not drop
off students prior to this time. Students before 8:05 a.m.
are not permitted in the building and are not under school
supervision.
E.Q.A.O. Testing Is Coming
This year, the EQAO assessment for Grade 3 and Grade 6
students will run from May 25th to June 8th. We ask that
NEW P.A. Day Coming
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parents of students in these grades ensure that their
children are in attendance during these weeks.
International Student Programs
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 at the Information
Night
February 23, 2016
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic Learning Centre
3566 South Common Court, Mississauga, ON
Full details of the various programs and opportunities will
be provided by several guest speakers and there will be an
opportunity to ask questions.
For more information, visit www.dpcdsb.org or call 905412-3341 ext. 31460 or email rita.borg@dpcdsb.org
to either end of the driveway, and entering our property at
these points. During the extreme cold days, we have
experienced an increase in the number of parents picking up
their children and using the Kiss N’ Ride.
When using the Kiss N’ Ride DO NOT GET OUT OF YOUR
CARS AND/OR LEAVE YOUR CARS UNATTENDED. If
you must get out, then park your cars in a parking space or
on the street and walk in.
Please be reminded if you are using the Kiss N’ Ride you
should not be getting out of your car to help a child exit, you
should not pop open your trunk to retrieve knapsacks, all
students must exit from the right passenger side of the car
for their safety.
Do not park or leave your car unattended along the sides of
the driveway.
The safety of ALL of children is our first priority – please
drive slowly and carefully at all times.
CAN YOU SPARE SOME TIME
VOLUNTEER TO HELP US
WITH KISS N’RIDE
SAFETY/SECURITY COMES FIRST
8:05-8:25 & 2:45-3:05
Please contact the office–your help to keep
our students safe would be greatly appreciated
SAFETY-No Snowballs Permitted
Throwing snowballs on school property is ABSOLUTELY
PROHIBITED. Although it may seem like a fun activity, our
experience has shown that serious accidents can and do
occur. Students have been reminded on a regular basis
through daily announcements and teachers that while out for
recess, snow (and ice chunks) stays on the ground and is not
to be thrown and or kicked at anyone or anything. It is for
the safety of all of our students and to prevent injuries that
this procedure is in place. Parents are asked to review and
reinforce this safety rule with your child. Consequences will
apply for students who disregard the school safety
expectation, and may result in a formal suspension from
school. Thank you for helping us to make the playground a
safe place for everyone.
Student Supervision
Please be reminded that student supervision begins at 8:05
a.m. on any day including rainy and inclement weather days.
Please do not drop off students or have them arrive at school
before this.
Safety – Driveway
Please do not cross the lanes of traffic at the front of the
school. These are live and moving lanes and are dangerous to
cross. We would appreciate parents walking their children
Street Proofing Our Students
It is always a good idea to review street proofing skills with
your child(ren) when they are traveling to or from school, or
are elsewhere in the community. We invite you to follow-up
with discussions with your children at home. Peel Police have
provided the following tips for parents, guardians and
caregivers:

Tell your children to never go anywhere with a
stranger, not to talk to strangers and to never take
anything from them. You have to teach what a “safe
stranger” is in case they need help. A safe stranger
includes a police officer, a fire fighter, a cashier,
etc.

Develop a ‘what if’ game for your children, to get
them thinking of how they would respond if they
felt threatened or afraid.

Know whom your children play with and where they
go. This includes keeping a list of their friends’
addresses and phone numbers.
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
Encourage your child to use a buddy system instead
of walking alone.

Know the route that your children take to and from
school, and tell them to go directly home or to their
babysitter after school.


If possible, go with your child to the bus stop and
meet them when they return from school.
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
FAMILY DAY
School will be closed for everyone.
This is a provincially
mandated holiday
Enjoy the day with your family!
14 with information and support to make informed choices
about a wide range of healthy lifestyle practices while openly
discussing current and pressing issues facing our young girls.
Due to the high demand, Go Girls will run in two sessions.
February is Psychology Month
Every February, Psychology Month is celebrated to teach
Canadians how psychology works to help them live healthy
and happy lives, help their communities flourish, help their
employers create effective workplaces, and help their
governments develop good policies. Each week the Board’s
Psychology Department will post an article in the Resources
section of its website. There is some very enlightening
information posted.
Late or Cancelled
Bus Information
Updated and posted on
http://www.stopr.ca
KEEPING HEALTHTY
The Power of An Hour! Be an In-School
Mentor!
Make a difference in the life of a child in as little as one hour
a week by volunteering to be an In-School Mentor. Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Peel in partnership with the
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board matches
elementary girls and boys with a caring adult mentor.
Matches meet for one hour each week from September June during school hours and on school property to share in
fun activities such as playing board games, baking or playing
sports. The result – increased self-esteem, better grades
and improved relationships with family and peers.
Children are in need of mentors in our schools and we need
your help. You can make a significant difference by
volunteering or encouraging your friends and family to
mentor a child in a school in their neighborhood. Call 905457-7288 or visit www.bbbspeel.com for more information.
GO GIRLS: EAT & PLAY & LIVE SMART
We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to offer the
GO Girls program in our school. This girls’ group is a Big
Sister mentoring program designed to provide girls ages 11-
Immunization Updating
You must report all immunizations that your child receives to
Peel Public Health Online at www.immunizepeel.ca or call Peel
Public Health at 905-799-7700. If you receive a letter
requesting updates, please respond immediately, in order to
avoid future actions.
Not Feeling Well
Cold and Flu season is upon us. We remind parents to please
use discretion in keeping your children home to recover. A
child who is coughing and sneezing is not capable of learning
— and is in the position of infecting other children. If your
child is well enough to attend school, it is expected that they
are well enough to go outside for recess.
On extremely cold days, we limit the amount of time that
students spend outside. We use the weather information
provided by Environment Canada and adhere to School Board
Weather Guidelines.
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ECO School Initiatives
Mark Your Calendars
Our school has continued to promote
initiatives which help to protect our
environment. Some of these include:
 National Walk to School Day we encouraged
everyone to walk in order to reduce gas emissions
and also for the children’s physical health. Research
indicates that walking and physical activity is
positively lined to physical and mental health as well
as academic performance.
 Sweater Day was a way to learn about the
importance of saving energy and inspire us to use
less heat throughout the winter.
 Our constant reminders to use Kiss N’ Ride safely,
reducing traffic congestion and finding alternative
ways of getting to school.
 Turning off lights whenever we are able to safely.
Our Green Team under the direction of Mrs. Cataldo, Mrs.
Agusta and Mrs. Novak will continue to promote an ECOfriendly school.
February 1
February 1-5
February 2
February 4
February 5
February 9
February 10
. . . AND FINALLY
I Leave You with this Thought. . .
February 15
February 19
February 29
March 8
March 8
March 14-18
March 24
March 25
March 27
March 28
April 11
April 17
April 20
April 22
April 29
May 1-7
May 4
May 13
May 23
May 25
May 30
June 13
June 27
June 29
June 29
June 30
Term #2 begins
Book Fair Week
Reports sent home
Interview Evening
P.A. Day set aside for interviews
Shrove Tuesday
Ash Wednesday – Season of Lent begins
Ash Wednesday Liturgy @ 1:00 p.m.
Family Day – no school
Lenten Mass at 9:00 a.m.
Virtue of Respect assembly
Grade 8 Grad Photos in the morning
Sibling Photos in the afternoon
March Break – no school
Stations of the Cross
Good Friday – no school
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday – no school
New P.A. Day
First Holy Communion at Guardian Angels
Church
Confirmation at Guardian Angels Church
Earth Day
Virtue Assembly
Catholic Education Week
Welcome to Kindergarten – full new JK &
SK students
P.A. Day
Victoria Day – no school
Rooftop Photo Day
Virtue Assembly
P.A. Dau
End of the Year Mass
Virtue Assembly
Grade 8 Graduation
Last day of school
Please check your child’s agenda nightly
for important dates & information
Attachments


Math Insert
A Letter of Gratitude from Ste. Louise Outreach
to the Community
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