L.Kazimowicz…..Superintendent
905-890-1221
A. DaSilva…. ………..…Trustee
905-890-0708 ext. 20154
V. Pugliese ……………Principal
C. Bianchi ……….........Secretary
C. Dye…....School Council Chair
905-796-0037
PARISH
St. Jerome
8530 Chinguacousy Road
Brampton, Ontario
L6Y 5G4
Tel: 905-455-4260
Fax: 905-450-6326
Pastor
Fr. J. Kolodynski
School Hours
Start:
Recess:
Lunch:
Recess :
8:50
11:00 – 11:15
11:55 – 12:55
2:20 – 2:35
Dismissal: 3:20
Professional Development Day
Friday November 16 th
, 2012 is a Professional Development day. There will be no school for students on that day. School staff will be involved in Provincial
Priorities and Faith Development activities.
Principal’s Message
November is the month of Remembrance. For
Catholics this is a special time of year, as we are reminded of the importance of the Solemnity of
All Saints Day and the Feast All Souls Day.
All Saints Day , celebrated on November 1 st
, reminds our community of those men and women (both known and unknown) who have lived faithful lives in the
Church. On this day we remember our saints in our prayers and ask for their prayers and intercessions. The historical roots of this celebration have to do with those martyrs who died in the early Church. Later in 837 A.D.,
Pope Gregory IV declared this day to be the date we remember all who lived and died for their faith.
All Souls Day , November 2 nd
, is a Roman Catholic day of remembrance for friends and loved ones who have passed away. The day purposely follows All Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory. It is celebrated with masses and prayers in honour of the dead. While the Solemnity of All Saints is a day to remember the glories of Heaven and those there, the
Feast of All Souls reminds us of our obligations to live holy lives and that there will be purification of the souls of those destined for Heaven.
On November 11th, Canadians all across the country stop and honour those who have served their country, at home or overseas, in World War I, World War II, Korea and in all peace missions all around the world. Memorial services pay tribute to the more than 100,000 brave
Canadians who were killed in the service of their country.
The World War I Armistice was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. As such, we stop and remember on the 11 th hour of November 11th.
These three pivotal events help remind us as a Catholic school system of the importance of the celebration of our faith, and prepare us for the end of the liturgical year and the celebration of Advent, the beginning of our new liturgical year.
V. Pugliese
Remembrance Day Assembly
Sir Winston Churchill once proclaimed
“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Please join us on
Friday November 9 th
at 10:30, as we reflect, pray, and pay homage to the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in order to enshrine our many rights and freedoms. Our annual Remembrance Day Assembly will be held in the school gym. At 11:00 we will observe the customary moment of silence. As always, parents (and grandparents) are most welcome to attend this service.
Lest we forget.
During the month of November, we will be focusing on the virtue of conscience. God has given us the ability to know the right and decent way to act and then to act that way.
We trust that the common Spirit we share inspires us and guides us to make good decisions if we allow our conscience to be well formed. A person of conscience allows prayer and scripture to influence him/her.
A person of conscience …
Chooses to do the „right thing‟ and feels good about it
Can see how his/her actions may hurt others
Admits his/her wrong-doing and feels badly
Says „sorry‟ and tries to make up for mistakes
Keeps promises
Thanksgiving Food Drive
On behalf of St. Brigid School, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to the many families that very generously donated non-perishable food items for our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Through your generosity many families in our community were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving without worrying about how to put food on the table. Your donations were truly appreciated by the St. Louise Outreach Centre. We would also like to thank our Diversity Team for organizing the food drive.
St. Brigid School is a very giving, caring community, of which we should all be proud!
Catholic School Council News
Please join us at our next Catholic School Council meeting on Monday November 12 th
, at 7:00 p.m. We encourage parents to attend our School Council meetings and become actively involved in the school community. Your input is greatly welcomed and appreciated.
Chocolate Bar Fundraiser
We would like to thank our Catholic School Council
Fundraising Committee, for all their hard work in organizing the chocolate bar fundraiser. Committee members were at the school many hours, volunteering to organize the fundraiser, distribute chocolates, and count money. Their hard work is truly appreciated. We also want to thank our students and their parents for their work, who have given up their time in support of this fundraiser.
The money raised will be used to enhance St. Brigid
School.
Customer Rebate Program
Don‟t forget to keep bringing in your Swiss Chalet receipts from the Swiss Chalet on Financial Drive. Swiss Chalet
(Financial Drive location) will give us a cheque for 10% of our school‟s total purchases before tax. All you have to do is remember to send in your receipt!
Operation Christmas Child
In past years, the staff and students of St. Brigid have participated in Operation Christmas Child. Once again, as the Christmas season slowly approaches, we are getting into the spirit of giving. Operation Christmas Child is a fun and simple hands-on project of Samaritan‟s Purse that brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations worldwide through gift-filled shoeboxes. We hope that many underprivileged children will have a gift to open and a smile on their face because we are once again choosing to share God‟s love. Classes will determine whether their gift will be for a boy or a girl, the child‟s age category and students can bring in small items (school supplies, hygiene items, small toys) to fill a shoebox. The project will need to be completed by November 16, 2012 in order for the gifts to be delivered in time for Christmas to these needy children in orphanages and war-torn countries in over 130 countries worldwide. Your support in Operation Christmas
Child will be greatly appreciated, making an eternal impact in the lives of these children. Thank You!!
Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for
2013-14
Registration for Full-Day Kindergarten for the 2013-14 school year, will take place at St. Brigid on the following days:
Monday, January 28, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.*
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 31, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Friday, February 1, from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
* Snow Date:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
For more information about registration and the Full-
Day Kindergarten program, call St. Brigid School or visit www.dpcdsb.org.
Elementary Progress Reports
Elementary Progress Reports will be sent home on
Tuesday November 6 th
. The Elementary Progress Report is designed to show a student‟s development of learning skills and work habits during the fall of this school year, as well as a student‟s general progress in working towards the achievement of curriculum expectations in all subjects.
Please be aware, the Progress Report is not a formal
Report Card. Students will not be receiving letter grades indicating achievement of overall expectations. As a result, an interview with parents is not mandatory during the Progress Report period.
First term report cards will be sent home on February 5 th and first term interviews will take place on February 7 nd and 8 th
. It is expected that all students will be participating in the interview process at that point.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Check out our school web site. Access the site through the School Board‟s website at http://www.dpcdsb.org/cec
Cross Country
Congratulations to the St. Brigid Cross
Country team, who participated in the
Mississauga Brampton Central Cross
Country meet at Erindale Park on October
23 rd
. The team showed great determination and skill, which resulted in 5 of our St. Brigid Bobcats advancing to the Board finals. These runners are; Wanda, who finished first in her race, Jaden who came in 10th, Jackson who finished 13th, Sebastian who finished 7th, and Deanna who finished 9th. A big congratulations to the entire team for their hard work and dedication to crossing the finish line. Their coaches Miss Schirripa, Miss Duliunas, and
Miss Melo are extremely proud of all of their accomplishments. Thank you to the entire team and to the coaches.
Intermediate Girls Volleyball
On October 24 th
, the Intermediate Girls
Volleyball team travelled to Our Lady of Peace
School to compete in their pool. The girls played as a team and demonstrated their true athleticism and sportsmanship. The team finished first in their pool and will now advance to the Mississauga, Brampton Central
Family of Schools Tournament on November 2 nd
at St.
Jude School. The team members are: Alaine, Stephanie,
Meggy, Claudia, Julia, Anna, Akilah, Chelsea, Tiziana,
Kaela, Emma, and Fiona. Their coaches Mrs. Balchand and Miss Duliunas are extremely happy with their girls' results and look forward to the Family Tournament. A special thank you to Mr. Fitzpatrick who attended and helped coach the girls at the tournament at Our Lady of
Peace and to the two coaches, Mrs. Balchand and Ms.
Duliunas.
Intermediate Boys Volleyball
On Thursday, October 25 th
, the Intermediate Boys
Volleyball Team participated in the Mississauga,
Brampton Central Family of Schools pod tournament held at St. Brigid School. Their skill level continued to develop throughout the season. The boys worked hard and represented St. Brigid with pride. Their coach, Mr.
Fitzpatrick was proud of their athleticism and their dedication to the team. The boys played well and finished the round robin in 4 th
place, beating St. Joseph and Our
Lady of Peace. In the semi-finals, they lost a hard fought game to St. Kevin in a close 3 set match. Team members include: Phaul, Dominik, Aidan, Nicola, Patrick, Daniel,
Yaw, Matthew and Greg. Thank you also goes out to their coach, Mr. Fitzpatrick.
You may
go to
for daily bus cancellations or delays.
The key bullying prevention message for the month of November is that “Everyone Needs to Learn How to Live in Peace.” At St. Brigid
School we strive to be peacekeepers. We need to learn how to resolve our conflicts safely and appropriately. It is okay to disagree about various things, but we must get our message across peacefully.
Tips for parents:
help your child learn to recognize early signs that they are becoming agitated or upset
create a calming space or reflection area in your home
Chess Club
Once again, Mrs. Turner has started up the primary, junior and intermediate chess clubs. The clubs will meet by division, every Wednesday in the computer lab. All students are welcome to join and to learn the skills of this game. The respective teams shall be chosen in January.
Scholastic Book Fair
Get ready, get set, Read!!! “Every Reader is a Star” is the theme of this year’s Book Fair. It will take place in the St.
Brigid School Library from Tuesday November 6, 2012 to
Thursday November 8, 2012. Our Special Family Event
Evening will be held on Parent-Teacher Interview Night,
Thursday November 8, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m. What a great way to start off the new school year and get your Christmas shopping done early. Last year the money raised from the fair allowed us to purchase new books for the library and the children were super excited.
Your support and enthusiasm for this school fundraiser in the past has been wonderful and we hope you can once again join us and participate in the Scholastic Book Fair and spread the news that “Every Reader is a Star!”
Picture Retake Day
Pictures retakes will take place on Thursday, November
8 th
. If your child was not at school on Picture Day, they will have their individual pictures taken on November 8 th
.
Also, if you were not satisfied with the pictures taken on Picture day, you may have your child‟s pictures retaken.
Athletic Wear
In November, St. Brigid School will be offering parents and students, school crested athletic wear for purchase. A variety of items will be available, such as T-shirts, full zip hooded sweat tops, shorts, sweat pants, baseball caps and toques. All items are made of quality materials and are very reasonably priced. Some of the items will be in the display case, by the school office.
Athletic wear is a great way to show school pride and team spirit.
End of the Day Parking
Dismissal time is a very busy time of day and the safety of our students must be our number one priority. As such, please be aware that at the end of the school day pylons are placed at the entrance of the school driveway. This is done to prevent vehicles from driving on school grounds while students are exiting the school grounds. The gates at the parking lot are also closed at this time, and will not be opened until our students and busses have left school grounds. If you are parked in the parking lot, we ask that you respect our policy and wait until our gates are opened by a staff supervisor. Also, please be aware that our drive way is one way, with the entrance at the east end of the school. Please do not enter the school grounds through the exit drive at the west end. We thank you for your cooperation.
Kiss ‘N Ride
Please note that it is extremely important that parents drive slowly and cautiously while on school grounds. The lane closest to the curb is for BUSSES ONLY.
The Kiss „N
Ride lane is the middle lane. Please follow the procedures outlined below when using the Kiss „N Ride lane:
Drive your vehicle in this lane and proceed to the furthest point closest to the front doors.
STOP
Child(ren) must exit and enter your vehicle by the right hand side door(s)
Drive to the end of the Kiss „N Ride lane and cautiously proceed into the Drive-Thru lane
Do not park in the Kiss „N Ride lane. If you need to enter the school, please park your vehicle in the school parking lot
Please to not park in the Bus Lane,
Please be aware that City of Brampton Parking Control may ticket violators.
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
Milk Bags for Haiti
St. Brigid School is continuing to collect Milk Bags for
Haiti. We collected almost 2,000 bags last year in a short period of time, so this year we are aiming for a higher number of bags to be sent to Haiti. Our donation of bags was very much appreciated. They will be woven into beautiful sanitary and comfortable sleeping mats for those in need, so they don‟t have to sleep on the ground.
Instead of throwing out your milk bags (outer big bag), which take approximately 15 years to breakdown in landfill sites, collect them and send them to St Brigid.
Please ensure that the bags are clean and flattened. Fold the bags in half before sending them in. All the bags will be collected by Mrs Mastragostino. You can check out the following web site for more information: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/video/146530
Please join us on Wednesday November 21 st
, at 1:15 for a presentation by Dale Cimolai. Ms. Cimolai has been to
Haiti and has been instrumental in promoting and implementing the Milk Bags for Haiti program.
Litterless Lunches
Did you know that the average student‟s lunch creates about 30 kg. of waste per year. This means that an average school can produce 8,500 kg. of waste per year, just from students‟ lunches. Our
Green Team wants to do something about this, so we have begun our “Trashless Tuesdays” program.
On Tuesdays, students are encouraged to bring a totally trashless lunch. Students that do bring trashless lunches will receive a voucher and have their names placed in a draw at the end of each month. Also, the classroom that receives the most vouchers at the end of the month will win the
“Golden Garbage Can” for the following month.
Pope John XXIII
Vatican II
This year we celebrate the 50 th
anniversary of Vatican II.
On October 11, 1962, after nearly four years of preparation by the Roman Curia, a procession of Bishops and
Cardinals made their way through Vatican City into St.
Peter‟s Basilica, to mark the opening of the Second
Vatican Council. This council would have a profound effect on the lives of Catholics worldwide.
The Second Vatican Council was the 21 st
council in church history and was so named because it was the second council to be held at the Vatican. The Acts of the Apostles records the church‟s first official council; the Council of
Jerusalem in 51 AD.
In an address to several cardinals on 25 January 1959,
Pope John XXIII announced his intention to assemble a
Council as soon as it was possible. Its task would be the completion of the work of the First Vatican Council, which had been suspended formally by Pope Pius IX in October
1870, following the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in
July 1870 and the occupation of Rome by the Italian state in September of that year. As with the First Vatican
Council, this Vatican II was to deal with the contemporary problems of the rising influence of rationalism, liberalism, and materialism, as well as to further define the Catholic doctrine concerning the Church of Christ.
Vatican II would have three main aims: the better internal ordering of the Church; the promotion of world peace; and unity among Christians. The Pope stated that the council
“would be the means to open the windows of the Church to let in the fresh air of the Holy Spirit,” and he further hoped that it would represent a new Pentecost.
The world was a much different place in the 1960‟s than it is today. The world was divided and was in constant turmoil. Communism was flourishing in Eastern Europe.
The Berlin Wall had been built and symbolically divided the free world from the communist world. Revolution was common in many African, Asian, Central and South
American nations as they gained their independence. The
U.S.A. was at war in Viet Nam and in 1963 President
Kennedy was assassinated. The Catholic Church was facing pressures from the world around it and from within.
It was against this background that Pope John XXIII hoped to revitalize the Catholic Church.
In total 2,860 Bishops from all over the world attended one or more of the Vatican II sessions. Of those who took part in the council, four have become pontiffs to date: Cardinal
Giovanni Battista Montini, who became Pope Paul VI;
Bishop Albino Luciani, the future Pope John Paul I;
Bishop Karol Wojtyła, who became Pope John Paul II; and
Father Joseph Ratzinger, who was present as a theological consultant and became Pope Benedict XVI. Several communist countries refused to allow Bishops to attend the council. Some Bishops living under repressive regimes were afraid that if they left their countries they would not be allowed back in. As a result, at least 275 Bishops could not take part in the council. It also marked the first time that a large number of non-Catholics (Protestants, Eastern
Orthodox Christians and Jewish religious leaders) were invited to attend, as well as women (lay and religious).
While Pope John XIII did not live to see the completion of the council, as he died on June 3 rd
1963, his successor
Pope Paul VI continued the work of the council, which closed on December 8, 1965. The council produced sixteen immensely inspirational documents in all, with the impact of its teachings touching every aspect of contemporary Catholicism. One of the most novel aspects of the council was the fact that it did not confine itself to theological, religious and disciplinary matters internal to
Catholicism. It deliberated on social issues, questions of war and peace, and justice in the world. Moreover it stretched out its hand, not only to Catholics the world over, but it also sought better relations with Judaism, with people of others faiths and with humanity in general.
The Catholic Church emerged from the Second Vatican
Council with a new focus. The council developed and expanded upon 5 main themes for the Church:
The Church as a Sacrament – the Church is called to be a visible, communal sign of the renewing presence of God in the world.
The Church as a People of God – The Church is first and foremost people. The Church is all of us, baptized in Christ.
The Church as Servant – The mission of the
Church includes service to human needs – social, economic and political, as well as the preaching of the word and the celebration of the sacraments.
The Church as Communion – there is a communion between God and ourselves, and a communion of ourselves with one another, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Church as Ecumenical – embracing the whole wide world of Christians.
Adapted from Vatican II (Scarboro Missions), January –February, 2012
Extended French Information Meeting
Grade 4 parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enrol their child in a Grade 5 Extended French class for September, 2013 are invited to attend an information meeting at:
School: St. Monica School
Address: 60 Sterritt Dr.
Brampton, L6Y 5B6
Date: Wednesday January 16, 2013
Time: 7:00 pm.
At the present time, the above mentioned school is the designated centre for our area. Applications will be accepted at that centre until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday,
February 6th, 2013.
Green Team
Eco Talk: We are excited to announce that St. Brigid will be registering for Eco Certification through the Eco
Schools Ontario program. We are challenged to develop both ecological literacy and environmental practices to become responsible citizens. Programs will focus on reducing energy, minimizing waste, designing school grounds and changing current behaviours and attitudes towards sustainability of our environment. We will be visiting each classroom to review how to use blue and white bins located in the classroom.
We want to thank you in advance for your support of our upcoming campaigns.
Weather Cancellations
During the winter months, inclement weather and/or poor road conditions may cause the disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. In these cases, parents/guardians should develop alternate care/transportation arrangements.
A decision to cancel bus transportation and/or to close schools is made by 6:00 a.m. Decisions are based on several factors including precipitation, air temperature and road conditions. A decision to cancel bus transportation may be system wide (where all buses in Dufferin County and the Region of Peel are cancelled) or municipality specific (where buses in one or more municipalities are cancelled).
If buses are cancelled in the morning, they will not operate in the afternoon. Therefore students transported to school by parents require the same transportation home.
Parents/guardians are asked to monitor the following radio/television stations after 6:00 a.m. to receive bus cancellation/school closure information:
CKFM 99.9 CHUM 1050 CJCL 590
CHFI 98.1
CFRB 1010
CFTR 680
CFNY 102.1
CJBC (FR) 860 AM
CJEZ EZROCK97.3
FOXY 88.5 FM Z103.5
93.1 FM
CJMR/CHOW 1250
CHIN 100.7 FM / 1540 AM
CFTO Global
The Weather Network
CP 24
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
On Tuesday December 18 th
, Santa Claus will be visiting St. Brigid School. Students from
Kindergarten to Grade 8 will be spending some quality time with Santa. Santa will be telling stories, singing songs and playing games with our students.
Please note, there will be photo opportunities for students in Junior and Senior Kindergarten.
Nov. 1 All Saints Day
Nov. 2 All Souls Day
MBC Intermediate Girls Volleyball tournament @ St. Jude
Nov. 6 Progress Reports Sent Home
Nov. 6 Book Fair
to 8
Nov. 7 Gr. 8‟s visit St. Augustine S.S.
Lunch Moms
Nov. 8 Picture Retake Day
Board Cross Country @ Centennial Park.
Interview Evening
Nov. 9 Remembrance Day Assembly – 10:30 am.
Virtue Assembly
Nov. 12 Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
Nov. 14 Lunch Moms
Nov. 16 Last day to Donate to Operation Christmas
Child
Professional Activity Day
Nov. 21 Lunch Moms
Dale Cimolai Presentation – 1:15 pm.
Nov. 27 Mr. Subs Day
Nov. 28 Lunch Moms
Nov. 30 Pizza Day
Dec. 2 First Sunday of Advent
Dec. 3 Virtue Assembly – 1:15 pm.
Advent Paraliturgy
Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
Dec. 5 Silvercreek – Ms. Schirripa
Lunch Moms
Dec. 7 Advent Mass – 9:30 am.
Dec. 9 Second Sunday of Advent
Dec. 10 Advent Paraliturgy – 1:15 pm.
Dec. 12 Lunch Moms
HPV and Meningitis Vaccines – Gr. 7 & 8
Dec. 13 Christmas Sing a Long – 7:00 pm.
Dec. 14 Pizza Day
Dec. 16 Third Sunday of Advent
Dec. 17 Advent Paralitrugy – 1:15 pm.
Dec. 18 Santa Claus visits St. Brigid
Dec. 19 Lunch Moms
Dec. 21 Last Day of Classes
Dec. 23 Fourth Sunday of Advent
Dec. 24 Christmas Eve
Dec. 15 Christmas Day
Dec. 31 New Year‟s Eve