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 MAY 2016 Principal’s Corner – Sharing Some Thoughts It is hard to believe that the month of May is already here and spring is finally “blooming” all around us. Winter appears to have ended after some additional surprises of snow and cold, but we welcome the extra hours of daylight, the long awaited beautiful warmer weather and always the beautiful song of the birds. Spring definitely lifts all of our spirits and brings the promise of summer. May is also the month traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is a time of special prayer and devotion to the Mother of Jesus, who is the ultimate model of grace, modesty and devotion to God. We take time during May to pray the rosary and ask Mary to help us in our daily lives. Sharing Our Thanks and Blessings . . . We would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude for all the events, and especially the following . . . Celebrating MOTHERS’ DAY!! This is a special time to remember our mothers, those living and those who have gone to be with our Lord. We thank all our mothers for showing us their unconditional love, guiding us on our journey, and bringing us joy on a continual basis. We also honour in a special way, Our Heavenly Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all of our mothers in the St. Aidan Community – HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY - may you always appreciate and value the wonderful work you do everyday with your child(ren). Your devotion and love for your children does not go unnoticed. Thanks to all the Parents/Guardians/Family/Friends of the students who were able to join us for the sacraments of First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion and Confirmation. It has been a busy month of April. Your presence speaks greatly as to your support for your children and the school community. Thanks to all the Students who received the sacraments and Virtue of Love during the month of April. 1 CATHOLIC EDUCATION Virtue for May During the month of May, we will celebrate the virtue of ACCEPTANCE. With the students we will reinforce that an accepting person: Is friendly and open to all God’s people, regardless of age, beliefs, gender, culture and ability Sees the positive traits in all people even if he/ she disagrees with them Avoids judging or stereotyping others Understands that there may be more than one way to do things Sticks up for the “underdog” Our daily prayer for May will be . . . Let us pray for the virtue of acceptance-the strength to trust that God is at work in everyone’s life despite what we think. Amen Catholic Education Week “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” – Matthew 5:7 Each year, the Catholic community of Ontario engages in a week-long celebration of the unique identity and distinctive contributions of Catholic Education during Catholic Education Week. This year’s celebration entitled “Opening Doors of Mercy” is the week of May 1-6” There are five sub-themes for each of the five days of Catholic Education Week, to help students understand the rich meaning of this year’s greater theme: Monday – Mercy that Welcomes Tuesday – Mercy that Loves Wednesday – Mercy that Forgives Thursday –Mercy that Lives the Gospel Friday – Mercy that Rejoices During this week the Catholic community celebrates the unique and distinctive contribution that Catholic schools make to our students, our community and our province. Catholic Education Week is a welcome opportunity to celebrate the mission of our Catholic schools as they strive to integrate the gospel values of Jesus in every aspect of the school’s life and curriculum. Catholic Education Week begins on a Sunday to highlight the partnership that remains the foundation of Catholic education between our Catholic schools and local Catholic parishes. Throughout Catholic Education Week, we are asked to reflect on the significance of Catholic education’s presence and contribution in our church, and in our society. We invite all members of our community, to participate in the celebrations and activities that will mark the celebration of Catholic Education Week 2016 in our schools. Each year, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association provides our Catholic schools with a resource kit to help schools celebrate Catholic Education Week. Using these resources as well as our own developed activities, we have prepared various activities which will highlight this special week. WEEK DAY ACTIVITY Monday, May 2 Tuesday, May 3 Dance-a-thon Fundraiser Easter Mas @ 8:45 a.m. School-wide Retreat Crowning of Mary @ 9:00 a.m. Welcome to Kindergarten @ 6:00 p.m. (for new JK students) Open House 10:00 a.m. -11:24 a.m. BW Family Girls’ Basketball Tournament at St. Mary School Collection of items for Dr. Simone In-class activities In-class prayers/liturgies Daily Prayers Daily Announcements Wednesday, May 4 Thursday, May 5 Friday, May 6 Throughout Week the Putting Our Faith Into Action Congratulations to all the Grade 2 students who received the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion – a very important step in their faith journey. May God bless and be with you always! Congratulations to our Grade 8 students who received this wonderful sacrament on April 20. We ask that you continue to keep them in your prayers. We would like to extend a special thank you to Father Jan and the Guardian Angels Parish Team for all their guidance in the reception of the sacraments. 2 Crowning of Mary Celebration – come join us as we honour our Blessed Heavenly Mother Mary in a special way – Wed. May 4 @ 9:00 a.m. in our school gymnasium. OurEasterMass Come join us, the school & Father Jan to celebrate our faith, pray as a community and have an opportunity to rejoice in a blessed and joyful Easter & celebrate Catholic Education Week in St. Aidan School’s gymnasium Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 8:45 a.m. CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS Catholic School Council Update Next Meeting Date Our next Catholic School Council Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 6:30 p.m recommendations. This remedial program is funded by the Ministry of Education is designed for students whose achievement in language and mathematics indicates that they are likely to experience difficulty in achieving the following grade’s expectations. There is no fee for these sessions and bus transportation is provided for qualifying students. Please contact your child’s teacher for more information on these programmes. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY Faith Development & Provincial Priorities in a Catholic Context May 13, 2016 No school for students E.Q.A.O. Coming Later This Month This year, Grades 3 and 6 students will once again participate in the mandatory Provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) testing. The province has designated a time period at the end of May and beginning of June as the time for administering EQAO provincial assessments. During May 25th – June 8th, the grade 3’s and grade 6’s will be writing these assessments. Since attendance will be extremely important during these periods, we ask parents to refrain from arranging doctor or other appointments during this time. Much Music/Hawaiian Dance-a-thon Fundraiser On May 2, the Catholic School Council is hosting is a dancea-thon fundraiser. Please refer to the flyer and pledge sheet that went home with your child(ren). For those interested in more information about these assessments, there is a website made available by the province: www.eqao.com. The website has parent resources, samples of assessment questions for providing practice and support for your child, and other related information. Please encourage your child to do his/her best on this important assessment of their achievement. PROGRAM & CURRICULUM SAFETY/SECURITY COMES FIRST Summer School 2016 Programmes Students might like to take advantage of the Summer Literacy Camps being offered by Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board for Grades SK to 6 students. This program reinforces and enhances oral language, reading, writing and foundational skills. There is a fee for these camps and transportation is the responsibility of the parent/ guardian. Registration is available through teacher referral. Summer School sessions are available for Grades 7 and 8 students through Principal, teacher and parent Concussion Policy, Guidelines and Protocol Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has developed a Concussion Policy and Guidelines for students who have been diagnosed with a concussion by either a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. School staff cannot diagnose a concussion. Anytime a student reports to the office with a head injury, the parent/guardian will be contacted and the incident will be entered into the school’s “Documentation of Head Injuries” log. Your child may be given an information pamphlet entitled “We want to give you a heads up…Concussions are serious.” This pamphlet outlines the 3 signs and symptoms of concussions. It also includes information about what to do if you suspect your child has a concussion and how a concussion is treated. Guidelines have been developed by Dufferin-Peel CDSB to support a 10phase “Return to Activity” process following a diagnosed concussion. These guidelines include 5 phases for “Return to Learn” followed by 5 phases for “Return to Play”. With parental consent, school administration will work collaboratively with school psychology staff to monitor your child’s progress through the 10 phases. Protective measures such as hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are strongly encouraged for protection against dangerous UV rays. Students are reminded that their hats and sunglasses need to be removed upon entering the school building. Warm Weather Coming: Dress Code, Sun Protection & Fluids Students who come to school in unacceptable attire may be given spare clothing that we have stored at school or asked to phone their parents to arrange for a change of clothing to be brought to the school and/or spend time in the office. The warm weather is showing some signs of arriving and shopping for new clothing is a possibility. We ask that you review the dress code and appropriate dress for the school day as a place of learning. Students are expected to dress in a manner and attire which instills the values of cleanliness, neatness, and good taste, while within our Catholic school environment. Here are guidelines: Students are allowed to wear sleeveless tops, provided they are tight to the underarm. Shorts may be worn when the weather warrants it, so long as they are not too tight or too short. Cut-off or ripped jeans may not be worn. Length of shorts and skirts must go past the bottom of the students’ fingertips when hands are relaxed at their sides. The top of the pants must meet the bottom of the shirt with no exposure of midriff or undergarments at anytime, even when they lift their arms. Muscle shirts, tank tops, halter tops, tube tops, spaghetti strap tops or tops that reveal a bare back or midriff (even when they lift their arms) or undergarments are not permitted at school. We highlight the need to maintain good coverage, both for sun protection, as well as for moral reasons. Tops must have a minimum of 5 cm (approximately width of 3 adult fingers) at the shoulder. Clothing with offensive, suggestive or inappropriate slogans or pictures or violent symbols are not permitted. Tight, revealing acceptable. and/or spandex clothing is not Shoes or sandals with backings must be worn at all times for obvious health and safety reasons. With students involved in many active games and activities, it is highly recommended that open-toed shoes not be worn to school. Please do not send your child with flip flops – these are usually not very safe in a school setting. Bottles for water are allowed in the classroom only not outside in the schoolyard. Bottles coming from home and going home at the end of the day need to be inside a backpack – not exposed. Your co-operation is appreciated if we need to contact you in the event that your child is required to change their attire. We ask for your support and co-operation in assisting students to make appropriate clothing choices. Bicycle Safety With the nicer weather, students may be riding their bicycles to schools. We expect students to follow these rules when riding their bikes to school: Bicycles must be walked on any part of school of the school property. Lock bicycles on the bicycle parking area/rack. Obey all bicycle safety rules. Wear a helmet to and from school – this is the law. Please ensure that your child complies with these rules. Also note, that the school will not be responsible for any bicycles left on school property or during the day. Safety Drills During the second term, a second lockdown drill will be completed and three fire drills will be practiced with staff and students as per Board Policy. In the event of an actual evacuation or emergency situation, it is extremely important to be well prepared. SCHOOL OPERATIONS Traffic Safety - First Students Off at School When Dropping The safety of all children and staff must be considered as paramount at all times when dropping students off at school. Thank you to the many drivers who do follow the safety directions for traffic on school property. 4 Some serious incidents related to traffic circulation at the front of the school and in the Kiss and Ride area during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal are still occurring. These incidents include parking and pulling out of no parking zones, parking/stopping in bus lanes, parking and leaving vehicles in Kiss N’ Ride Lane, children coming out on the wrong side of the lane, vehicles entering the site in the wrong direction, to name a few. In addition, please don’t ask your child to cross through the live lanes of the driveway. Have them walk around to the sidewalk areas. It is IMPERATIVE that all parents and guardians who drive their children to school adhere to the traffic circulation plan. It is equally imperative that all drivers follow the direction of staff managing the traffic circulation on the school site. Student Supervision Times We continue to remind you that teachers are on supervision duty 15 minutes before the start of the school day. We ask that your child NOT ARRIVE at the school before 8:05 a.m. as supervision is not available until that time. Also, please ensure that your child is picked up promptly at 2:50 p.m. when the bell rings at the end of the day. You are invited to visit your child’s classroom On Thursday, May 5, 2016 Between 10:00 a.m. – 11:24 a.m. Hope you are able to come. CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK OPEN HOUSE Criminal Reference Checks Volunteers are not permitted to assist at our school without having a Criminal Reference Check (CRC) on file with us. In order to assist with any type of activity at school and/or go on excursions, we must have a Criminal Reference Check – there are no exceptions to this policy. If you have not yet provided us with a CRC and would like to volunteer for 20162017, please pick up a form from the office. The form must be signed by the principal before it is submitted to Peel Regional Police. The CRC is free for volunteers. If you wait until the activity or the excursion, then it is too late to volunteer, since it requires some time to receive a CRC. If you already have a current Criminal Reference Check for this current year on file, you will receive a letter from me in the near future about Criminal Reference Declarations. Moving? Kindergarten Students Ready School? Keep Us Updated and Informed for We are in the process of planning staffing and organizing classes for the 2016-2017 school year. If you are planning on moving out of the St. Aidan School area, or simply changing address within our boundaries, please let the office know as soon as possible. We ask anyone with school-age children and who live within our school boundaries who need to be registered to please contact our office. We continue to remind parents to provide us with updated contact numbers. This is extremely important in cases where the school needs to contact a parent immediately regarding their child. Welcome to Kindergarten All new Junior Kindergarten students who will be attending St. Aidan School in September are invited to our Welcome to Kindergarten evening on Wednesday, May 5th at 6:00 p.m. This is an orientation program where the parents and child participate in activities that will help the JK child prepare for school. Victoria Day Monday, May 23t , 2016 NO SchooL – Enjoy the holiday KEEPING HEALTHY Going Green - Eco Team St. Aidan has a very active Green Team composed of students who are very interested in making our world a better place for everyone. Thank you to Mrs.Cataldo who leads the Eco Team. Our Eco Team has been instrumental in educating the school as well as leading many initiatives such as turning off the lights, yard clean up, the Great Gulp, encouraging recycling, and others. Extracurricular Activities Dance Team – Congratulations to the St. Aidan Aces! Our school dance team performed at the afternoon showcase for Dufferin Peel on April 19th. The team lit up the stage at the The Rose Theatre. Coaches Mrs. Pittman and Mrs. Pereira are extremely proud of the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by the team over the last four months. Way to go!! 5 Chess Tournament – Junior and Intermediate teams represented St. Aidan at the Brampton West Chess Tournament at Guardian Angels School. They played intensely with every move they made. Superb teamwork. Thank you Mr. Gill for coaching the teams. Sports – Students have been participating in a number of Junior and Intermediate Boys and Girls Basketball teams. Their teamwork and sportsmanship have allowed them to play extremely well at all their games. The Intermediate Girls’ Basketball will go on to play at the Family Basketball Tournament. Thank you to their coaches Mr. Gill and Mr. Braga . . . AND FINALLY I Leave You With This Message May the Blessed Mother come into your life today with a special blessing for you. May you always be grateful for the Blessed Mother. Without her we would not have Jesus, Our Savior. May 4 May 4 May 4 May 4-10 May 5 May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May 15 May 18 May 23 May 25 May 25-June 8 May 30 June 1 June 2 June 8 June 13 June 22 June 24 June 27 June 27 June 28 June 28 June 29 June 29 June 29 June 30 Please check your child’s agenda nightly s for important dates & information Salve Regina Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. Hail my life, my sweetness and my hope! To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To you do we send up our sighs; mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward me, and after this, our exile, show to us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus Christ! Clement, loving, sweet Virgin Mary! Amen. Welcome to Kindergarten Night Crowning of Mary Youth Education Officer Presentations Mental Health Week Open House Mothers’ Day Youth Education Officer Presentations Youth Education Officer Presentations Youth Education Officer Presentations Canada Health Day P. A. Day – no school for students International Day of Families Catholic Education Council Meeting Victoria Day – holiday for everyone School-wide Rooftop Photo @ 10:00 a.m. EQAO sessions Virtue of Acceptance Assembly Dental Screening for grades JK, SK, 2, 8 Dental Screening continues Catholic School Council Meeting – final one P.A. Day – no school for students FDK Celebration Playday End of the Year Mass Grade 8 Trip to Niagara Falls Report cards sent home Playday raindate Virtue of the month assembly Grade 8 Luncheon and Dance Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony Last day of school Attachments Included with this Newsletter May 2016 Math @ Home Sheet 2016-2017 School Year Calendar Summer School Information flyers DPCDSB is on Twitter! For the latest Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board news and information on schools, programs, in-services, follow: Mark Your Calendars May 1-6 May 3 May 3 Catholic Education Week Easter Mass School-wide retreat For the latest information on St. Aidan follow St. Aidan Twitter - @StAidan_CES OR St. Aidan Website – www.dpcdsb.org/AIDAN 6