March 2016
Sun
Mon
The Virtue for
March is
Tue
Wed
1
2
Dairy Milk
Presentations,
grades FDK-4/5
Poetry Slam
Competition
AYSP Parent
Engagement
Evening
Thu
3
Fri
4
Our Lady of Lourdes
Catholic Elementary School
Sat
5
Roseneath Theatre
Presents The
Money Tree, 9am
grades K-6
Crawford Lake,
Grade 3
25 Mount Royal Circle
7
8
9
10
11
School
Council Hot Dog
Day
12
Almighty and Everlasting God,
You have given the human race
Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of
humility.
He fulfilled Your Will by becoming Man
And giving His life on the Cross.
Help us to bear witness to You
By following His example of suffering
And make us worthy to share in His
Resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son.
Spirit Week - see page 4 for details, Easter Food Drive
15
16
17
18
St. Patrick’s Day
19
Earth Hour 8:30 to 9:30pm
MARCH BREAK—NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
20
21
22
World Down
Syndrome Day wear bright socks
23
24
25
Great Gulp
10:45am
Stations of the
Cross Presentation
Treat Day
proceeds to
World Down
Syndrome Day
Good Friday - no
school for students
Easter Food Drive
27
28
29
30
31
Easter Monday no school for
students
Hepatitis B,
Meningitis & HPV
Vaccinations,
Grades 7&8
Grade 7 & 8
Confirmation
candidates,
Session #5, 5-6
pm at St. Patrick’s
School Council
Meeting, 7pm
Virtue Assembly,
2:00pm
Treat Day
proceeds to
World Autism
Awareness Day
26
Upcoming Events
April
21
Loretta Penny - Forests Alive! Presentation, grades K-6
1
April Fool’s Day, Chess Tournament at Lester B. Pearson,
Wear Blue in Support of Autism Awareness
22
Earth Day
2
World Autism Awareness Day
27
Lunch Break Educate, grade 2, Susan Aguilo Author Visit
Grade 7 Confirmation, Mr. Costabile’s class, 7:00pm
6
Lunch Break Educate, grade 2
29
Virtue Assembly, 2:00pm, Class Placement requests due
7
Lockdown Drill
11
Professional Activity Day, No School For Students
12
Intermediate Basketball Tournament
2
Crowning of Mary Mass, 9:30am
13
Lunch Break Educate, grade 2, FitKids grades 4-6
3
Dental Screening (JK/SK & gr. 2), Waterworks Presentation
grades 1-5, Book Fair 3:15-7:00pm, School Council Bake Sale
15
Hepatitis B, Meningitis & HPV Vaccinations, Grades 7&8
4
Grade 7 Confirmation, Ms. Trentin’s class, 7:00pm
May
1-6
Catholic Education Week
School Council Hot Dog Day
20
Lunch Break Educate, grade 2, FitKids grades 1-3
School Council Meeting, 7:00pm
Amen
http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?
p=1115
Dress Loud Day for Hearing Impaired
DrumFit FDK Mother’s Day presentation
S. Rotino
Secretary
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’s not enough to say I will be
kind or I am kind. We must show that
we are kind by our words and our
M. Doria
~
Superintendent
D. Finegan-Downey
Trustee
S. Xaviour
Parish Priest
Fr. V. Marziliano
Visit our School Website:
CLASS LISTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2016
We will begin working on next year’s class lists in May. If your family will be moving from
our school area, please let the office know as soon as possible. If your child(ren) will be
returning to Our Lady of Lourdes School and there are particular learning needs that you
feel we should consider while we work on class lists, please put this in writing, addressed to
the Principal by April 29. Educational reasons will only be considered in this process. Please
do not make requests for specific teachers. We cannot guarantee your request however we
will consider your concerns along with other factors. Class placements will be tentative until
the second week of September when our staffing is confirmed.
2015-2016 SACRAMENTAL DATES
 Grade 7 & 8 Confirmation candidates, Session #5 Mar. 30




6
Principal
A PRAYER FOR LENT
Earth Hour
14
FAX (905) 913-2918
ROM, Grade 4
CWL Intermediate
Speech
Competition
13
Phone (905) 913-1703
March 2016
Easter Food Drive
6
Brampton, Ont. L6P 1W3

from 5-6 pm or Apr. 2 from 10-11 am at St. Patrick’s
church
Meeting for First Communion, Sat., Apr. 2, 3:00 pm at St.
Patrick’s church
Gathering of sponsors and grade 7 Confirmation
candidates, Apr. 10, 1:00 pm mass, followed by meeting
at 2:00 pm at St. Patrick’s church
Sacrament of Confirmation Grade 7 Costabile: Wed., Apr.
27, 7:00 pm at St. Patrick’s church
Sacrament of Confirmation Grade 7 Trentin: Wed., May 4,
7:00 pm at St. Patrick’s church
Sacrament of Communion: Sat., May 14 at St. Patrick’s
church
2015-2016
LITURGICAL DATES
 Stations of the Cross –
Para liturgy/
Presentation: Thurs.,
Mar. 24, 1:30 pm
 Easter Liturgy: TBA
 Crowning of Mary
Liturgy: Mon., May 2,
9:30 am
 Year End
Liturgy: Tues.,
June 28, 9:30
am
www.dpcdsb.org/lourd
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For
the latest board news and
information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
www.connect2ENDviolence.ca
March 2016
Our Lady of Lourdes
EASTER 2016
The days of Easter weekend this year are
as follows:
March 21 to 25 Holy Week
March 25 Good Friday
March 26 Holy Saturday
March 27 Easter Sunday
March 28 Easter Monday
There is no school on Good Friday or Easter
Monday.
LUNCH AND TREAT DAYS
LunchBox days are on Mondays
Pizza days are on Wednesdays.
Rainbow Lunches are on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Treat Days will be offered on Thursdays and students have the
opportunity to purchase popcorn, baked chips and Terra Cotta
cookies for $1.00 each.
Dear students, parents, staff, administrators, support staff and friends of School
Communities in St. Patrick’s Parish:
Blessings to all of you, your families and loved ones. Many opportunities will be
offered during the month of March to help us further understand and celebrate the
love of God for us all. As per every year, the March Break will gift us the opportunity
to spend time together as family, friends, and neighbours. A time to relax and enjoy
the company of people we love. Be safe in your travels. Be aware of how precious
the gift of “togetherness” truly is, as you visit family and friends.
Holy days will mark our calendar this month: March 17 – Feast of St. Patrick; March
19 – Feast of St. Joseph; March 20 – Palm Sunday; March 24 – Holy Thursday; March
25 Good Friday; March 27 – Easter Sunday. In all these days, and beyond these
days, we celebrate the Jubilee of Mercy.
Our parish at St. Patrick’s, as you know, is one of the 9 churches in the Archdiocese of
Toronto, to hold the DOOR OF MERCY. Many individuals and groups are coming
through the Holy Door of our parish church, in thanksgiving to God for the gift of God’s
love and grace. Perhaps as a family you may wish to journey to our church
specifically for a time of personal prayer and thanksgiving. Invite your neighbour and
your relatives to join you and to celebrate how every day, moment by moment, God
grants us the grace to move forward. Every day is for us all, an opportunity to begin
anew; to strengthen our relationship with God and with one another.
You are always in my prayers and remembered in the Eucharist.
Happy March.
Please support our
food drive with
nonperishable food
items from
March 2 to 23, 2016.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Think about coming out for
a School Council Meeting.
This is the time of year that
we discuss such things as
lunch programs for next
year and possible “extras”
for students with surplus
funds. It will also provide
an opportunity for you to
hear about upcoming
events and allows for you
to ask any questions you
might have. We want to
make our school a great
place for our kids! The next
council meeting will be held
Wednesday, March 30 at
7:00pm. All are welcome!
With prayerful best wishes,
Fr. Vito Marziliano,
March Break is from Monday, March 14 to Friday, March 18 and the
school will be closed. Classes will resume on Monday, March 21, 2016.
Geometry
Becoming familiar with shapes and
spatial relationships in their environment will help children grasp
the principles of geometry in later grades.
Web Resource: (all grades)
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
http://nlvm.usu.edu/
Developing Mindsets that Promote Growth
Tips for Fostering a Growth Mindset:
Tip # 6. Use Failures as an Opportunity
for Reflection and Growth
Ask: “What can you learn from this experience? What could you try differently next
time?”
The power of “yet” (e.g. When you think
you can’t do it, remind yourself that you
can’t do it YET.”
Family Math Activity K – 3
Shapes of different dimensions and their properties can
be described mathematically.
Use shape stickers to have them make a shape picture.
Try to use as many different shapes as you can. Describe your picture and the shapes in it. Ask why they
used those shapes.
Family Math Activities 4-6: Symmetry

With your child, identify all the symmetrical capital
letters. Have your child sort the capital letters
according to the number of lines of symmetry they
have.

Go on a symmetry hunt. With your child, find
shapes, objects, patterns and designs around your
home that have lines of symmetry. (e.g. Look at
wallpaper, floor tiles, pictures and designs on
packaging
What do we mean by
“mindset”?
Mindsets change is not about
picking up a few pointers here
and there. It’s about seeing
things in a new way… changing from a “judge and bejudged” framework to a
“learn-and-help learn” framework.
– Carol S. Dweck
Grades 7 & 8: Continuing the Conversation about
Financial Literacy!
Let’s discuss how “Advertising” affects our money
decisions…
Which of the following advertising techniques do you
think is the most effective at influencing your child’s
opinion of a product or service? Do they agree?
1. Economic Appeal – this type of ad presents the
“great deal” (e.g. unlimited texting after 6pm).
Read the fine print.
2. Comfort and Enjoyment – attempts to present a
product in relation to something that, although
enjoyable, is largely unrelated to the
product/service. The purpose of the ad may simply
have been to get your attention.
3. Scare Technique – the ads portray awful
consequences. (e.g. smoking ads highlighting illness,
acne creams before and after photos)
SERIOUS ALLERGIC REACTIONS (ANAPHYLAXIS)
There are pupils in attendance at our school who suffer from severe and life‐threatening allergies to certain foods, such
as peanut and tree nut products. Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe and life‐threatening reactions.
Anaphylaxis is a severe and life threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergen triggers are food, insect stings,
medications, exercise and latex. An anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems.
We require your continued cooperation in sending foods to school with your child that are free from peanuts, nuts or their
by‐products, and nut‐substitute products. We cannot guarantee that any classroom is nut free, but we are attempting to
minimize exposure and keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible. We appreciate your help and support in this
important issue. We ask you to please refrain from sending birthday and special occasion edible treats into your child’s
class. Instead, perhaps you could recognize a special event by sending in a non‐edible treat e.g., pencils, stickers, or a
game or book for the class to enjoy. Thank you in advance for your support and
understanding.
Your continued cooperation in support of our efforts to create a safe and healthy
learning environment for all is greatly appreciated!
March 2016
Our Lady of Lourdes
Past Events
During the month of February, the Eco-Team and the Our Lady of Lourdes
community were involved in a variety of eco-friendly activities. Thank you to
everyone who participated in “National Sweater Day” and “Winter Walk
Day.” Additionally, we would like to thank those who have been encouraging
us with our initiative of “Ban the Beads”. It has become important to some
members in our own government to look into this problem and maybe we will
see some positive outcomes in our near future. Please check out the link below
for a recent article in the Toronto Star about banning microbeads.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/07/31/canadian-governmentmoves-to-ban-microbeads.html. You can also gather more information of your
own to learn more about this important cause.
Upcoming Events
 Throughout the month of March we will continue our eco-friendly activities
such as “Walk/Wheel to School Wednesdays,” “Waste-Free Fridays,”
and “Flick off Fridays,” and the Eco-Team will be conducting an Energy
Audit of our school.



In addition to our regular activities, our school will also be participating in
“The Great Gulp” on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016. “The Great Gulp” is
an event that raises awareness about the importance of drinking our tap
water in the Region of Peel. On March 23rd, all students in the school will
take a synchronized gulp of our school tap water to show our support for
Peel Region tap water.
Our school will also be participating in Earth Hour on Thursday, March
10th. For 1 hour all lights and electronics will be turned off to help
conserve energy and raise awareness about climate change. We
encourage families to turn off all lights and electronics at home on
Saturday, March 19, 2016 from 8:30 - 9:30 pm for international Earth
Hour. For more information on Earth Hour 2016, please see the following
link: https://www.earthhour.org
We now have a place to deliver our milk bags again. Thank you for your
patience as we were looking into a new place to donate the bags. You
can now bring milk bags to school and deliver them to Mrs. Deputat’s class.
Please make certain the outer coloured bags are clean and dry before
sending them to school. Thank you for supporting this initiative from our
Eco-Team.
DRESSING FOR THE WEATHER
The cold weather is still upon us we respectfully remind you to ensure that your
children come to school dressed warmly to participate in recess activities. When
weather conditions are severe we may reduce the outdoor play time, or have
indoor recess entirely, however fresh air and exercise are vital components for
successful learning, so we will endeavour to have children play outside
whenever possible.
Help your children by having them come to school appropriately dressed with
snow pants, scarves, hats and mittens. As well, all students should have indoor
footwear at school. This is essential in case of an emergency
evacuation. The students will not have time to change their
footwear. We also recommend that students keep extra clothing
such as socks and pants at school in case their original clothing gets
wet. Last but not least, please label your children’s items so that our
Lost and Found bin stays empty!
CHESS CLUB
WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY
Members of our chess club are still
practicing at lunch recesses! We will
hold an in-school tournament for all
chess club members to determine
which students will participate on the
Our Lady of Lourdes Chess Teams.
These students will then represent our
school at the Family level competition.
The Brampton North East Chess Finals
will be held at Lester B Pearson
Catholic School on Friday, April 1,
2016. Thank you to Mme.
Mas tr a nge lo , M me .
Bzdyk and Ms. Ignoto for
running the club and
coaching the team. Good
luck to all our players!
MARCH 10 - WEAR GREEN
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself
during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions
of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children,
their families, communities and societies.
Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the
rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with
developmental disabilities. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the
fundamental principle of universal human rights for all.
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared April 2
as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help
improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the
disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.
At Our Lady of Lourdes, we will donate the proceeds from the treat
day on Thursday, March 31 to go towards supporting World Autism
Awareness Day on April 2. Our support will show our respect for
individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and our
commitment to help them realize their potential.
On April 1, please remember to wear the colour
blue to school, in support of those with Autism
Spectrum Disorder.
On March 10, students and staff are asked to
wear green, in recognition of both St. Patrick and
ShareLife. ShareLife is the charitable fundraising
arm of the Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto.
ShareLife agencies help more than 225 000
people in a number of program areas, including:
children and youth, families at risk, women in
need of shelter and abuse counseling, services
for single and teen parents, the elderly and
refugees. ShareLife relies heavily on fundraising
efforts to maintain their level of service.
Please send in a donation in any amount, on
March 10 or 11 in support of this charity.
Cheques, in amounts of $10 or more, PAID
DIRECTLY TO SHARELIFE, will be issued a tax
receipt from ShareLife. All students
who donate money will receive a
green ShareLife bracelet. With
thanks in advance for your
generosity to this wonderful cause.
EQAO TESTING
Administration of Grade 3 and 6
Assessment of Reading, Writing and
Mathematics 2015-2016 will be held
May 25–June 8, 2016. Specific dates
will be forthcoming.
Please try to avoid vacations or the
booking of appointments for your
grade 3 or 6 child during this
assessment period.
SPRING CLEANING
Remember while you are cleaning out
your closets this spring, that we
always have a need for gently used
games. Games such as Trouble,
Snakes and Ladders and Checkers
can always be used in our
Classroom’s
Indoor
Recess
Bins!
PARENT ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITY
Central Committee of Catholic School Councils Presents:
Opening Doors of Mercy
Conference & Marketplace
for Dufferin-Peel CDSB Catholic School Council Chairs,
Members &Volunteers
Saturday, April 9, 2016
St. Joseph Secondary School, 5555 Creditview Road, Missisauga
Keynote Address: Dr. Susan Williams, Psychologist, speaking about
Reducing Stress and Increasing Resilience in Children
Registration information is available in the school office or through
the CCCSC website: http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC/
Alternatively, you may complete the Survey Monkey™to register
ST. JOHN BOSCO GIFTED
INFORMATION NIGHT
Information Evening for Self
Contained Gifted Class candidates
will be held @ St. John
Bosco on March 3rd,
4:30 pm– 5:30 pm.
using thisURL: www.//surveymonkey.com/r/M9BFLTY.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” – Matthew 5:7
WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY
March 21, 2016 marks the 11th anniversary of
World Down Syndrome Day and each year the
voice of people with Down syndrome, and those
who live and work with them, grows louder.
Down Syndrome International encourages friends
all over the world to choose activities and events
to help raise awareness of what Down syndrome
is, what it means to have Down syndrome, and
how people with Down syndrome play a vital
role in our lives and communities.
At Our Lady of Lourdes, we will donate the
proceeds from the treat day on Thursday, March
24 to Down Syndrome International, which will
go towards outreach training programmes in
developing countries dedicated to making a
difference in the life opportunities for people
with Down syndrome.
We are asking everyone to wear two different
coloured socks on March 21. Wear brightly
coloured socks, long socks, printed socks, 1
sock…maybe even 3 socks for 3 chromosomes. If
you don’t normally wear socks then wear them.
When people ask you
why you are wearing
different coloured socks,
tell them about World
Down Syndrome Day.
Thank you for your
support.
March 2016
Our Lady of Lourdes
PEDICULOSIS
Thank you to all the students who made the dance a success.
Thank you as well to Daniel Valente who provided the music
Students had the opportunity to win jars of candy in the “Valentine
Candy” contest. Students made their guesses on Thursday,
February 4 & 11.
Wear your Our Lady of Lourdes Spirit Wear every Friday
during February!
Spirit Week - March 7-11
Monday
Jersey Day
Tuesday
Superhero Day
Wednesday
Lourdes Spirit Wear Day
Thursday
St. Patrick’s Day & ShareLife Green
Friday
Pajama & Movie Day
WHAT IS BULLYING?
On February 24, we wore pink in
support of those who are bullied.
JOIN IN THE FUN!
Tuesday, May 24
During the day, students in GRADES 2 to 7 will
be participating in MATH FUN & GAMES
In the evening, YOUR FAMILY is invited to
THE FAMILY EDITION of Mathletes
Pizza Dinner 5:45 ~ Math Games 6:15 - 7:45
Please RSVP to the office to register for the
event! Your presence will help to make this event
a success…please join us!
Younger & older siblings are welcome to play
alongside you and your MATHLETE!
Did you know…?
Bullying must meet five criteria:
1.
2.
3.
4.
involves an inappropriate behaviour
has a negative impact
is typically repeated
the victim is unable to use any antibullying strategies
5. and there is a power imbalance
between the people involved
If you feel you are being bullied, make
sure you let an adult know.
Make it a family night to remember!
LENTEN CHALLENGE
On Ash Wednesday, all
students were given a purple
arm band to wear for the 40
days of Lent. They were
asked to do something kind
every day for 40 days to
remember the sacrifice Jesus
made for us on Good Friday
and to record their good
deeds to share with their
families at Easter.
Pediculosis, although not a health problem, is one of the most common childhood diseases. Incidents of pediculosis occur in
any school. As a reminder, we are asking that parents inspect their children’s hair, especially if persistent itching and
scratching of the scalp is noticed. Please inform the school if you discover an infestation.
It is important that all nits be removed before returning your child to school! Your pharmacist can give you treatment
information if required.
Remind your child that it is not appropriate to share other children’s combs or headgear (hats, helmets etc.). Your cooperation
is an important part of completely controlling the incidents of pediculosis in our school.
IMMUNIZATION RECORDS
SPORTS NEWS
Peel Public Health will once again be reviewing
immunization records of all students at our school.
Peel Public Health must have proof that your child
has been fully vaccinated (immunized) according to
the Ontario Immunization schedule. During the
record review, you will receive a letter from Peel
Public Health if your child’s record is incomplete. It
will tell you what vaccinations your child needs to
meet the requirements for Ontario. Immunization
records are considered incomplete if:
The Junior Boys and
Girls competed in the
Brampton North East
Mini
Basketball
Tournament
on
Thursday, February
18. They played well
and showed true Our Lady of Lourdes spirit and sportsmanship.
The boys placed second in their tournament and the girls placed
first, advancing to the Family Level tournament held on Thursday,
February 25 at St. Anthony’s school, where they placed first
overall and brought home a banner. As a result, the girls
competed in the Board Level Tournament on Thursday, March 3
at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School in Mississauga
and brought home the banner! Congratulations to this year’s
best junior girls basketball team in the board!
A special thank you to Mr. Talamo, Ms. Ignoto and Mrs. Malfara
for coaching the teams.
 Peel Public Health has not received your child’s
vaccination record or
 Your child’s record does not show that he/she
has had all the required doses of vaccine (eg.
Infant and booster doses) or
 You do not have a valid exemption from
immunization for your child
If you receive a letter, please be sure your child
received the required vaccination(s), then give the
date(s) to Peel Public Health immediately to update
your child’s record to avoid processing delays.
Failure to do so will result in a school suspension!
ISSUES WITH LATES
We continue to have a problem with students arriving late to school. Arriving
at school on time makes a big difference. Your children learn the importance
of punctuality from the example you set.
Students should be arriving at school 5-10 minutes before the bell rings in
the morning. The time spent in the school yard before school is a transition
time that allows your child to reconnect with classmates and to refocus on
school issues. Lining up to enter the school with the rest of the class allows
your child to become part of the group and to ease into school routines.
The first few minutes in the classroom are critical. During these minutes the
teacher deals with the many issues that individual students share. There are
routine opening activities that help ease the students into the business of
learning. When your child arrives even five minutes late, you would have
missed some important information and you might feel a little ‘outside’ the
group.
For more information please call Peel Public Health
at 905 799-7700 or visit www.immunizepeel.ca
Translation services are available.
On Tuesday, April 12, the Intermediate Boys’
and Girls’ Basketball teams will compete in
the Brampton North East Mini Basketball
Tournament. Good luck to the players. A
special thank you to Mr. Talamo, Mrs.
Stewart and Ms. Ignoto for coaching the
teams.
LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
SPEECH COMPETITION
SHROVE TUESDAY
During this term we will continue to
practice the Emergency Lockdown
procedures with students.
These
procedures have been established by
our school board in the event that a
high risk incident involving weapons
should occur in the school or on school
property. Our next
drill is scheduled
for April 7.
On Wednesday, February 24, our
Intermediate students participated in
a Speech Competition in the gym.
Two students were chosen to
represent our school on Thursday,
March 10 at the CWL Public
Speaking Contest. These two students
will compete against the winners from
three other schools. We
wish them all luck and
thank
them
for
representing our school.
Shrove Tuesday (also known as
Shrovetide Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday
and Pancake Day) is the day
preceding Ash Wednesday, the first
day of Lent. The expression "Shrove
Tuesday" comes from the word shrive,
meaning "confess". Families from our
community gathered on
Shrove Tuesday to share
a meal in the gym. Thank
you to the School Council
for organizing the event.