ST. BRIGID CATHOLIC SCHOOL
“Live
Love
Learn
Light”
L.Papaloni…........Superintendent
905-890-1221
A. DaSilva…. ………..…Trustee
416 -709 -5679
An End of the School Year Prayer
V. Pugliese ……………Principal
Lord God,
You have blessed us
in our relationship with you
and with our friends.
Our school has shared many things
this past year.
We were linked by common tasks
and time together.
This month we say good bye
and end our school year.
It is a time of praise
and a time of thanks
Lord bless our students,
teachers and staff,
especially those we will not see again.
Keep each of us in your care
both during the coming summer
and throughout our lives.
Guide our steps
and strengthen our hearts,
until we gather once again
in your Kingdom.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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 :
Dismissal:
8:50
11:00 – 11:15
11:55 – 12:55
2:20 – 2:35
3:20
Message from the Principal
As we near the end of the school year, I wish to
take this opportunity to thank the community of
St. Brigid School for their tremendous support and for
allowing me the privilege of serving your children as
Principal of this school.
Virtue of the Month
I have been very fortunate to have had the experience of
working with such an incredibly talented and caring staff,
who work so diligently to provide the best possible
education for each of our students. Many thanks go out to
you all for the time and commitment given so graciously.
I would like to thank all staff members that will be leaving
us at the end of the school year, for their commitment to
St. Brigid School and ask for God‟s blessing to watch over
them and keep them safe.
In June, we are celebrating the
virtue of fairness. Fairness, the
belief that everyone deserves an
opportunity to succeed, is not
always about making things exactly
equal. Some people need a bit more
time, space, money, and support to
have an equal chance to succeed.
And they deserve that chance.
Throughout our school year we consistently benefited from
a very close association with our parish of St. Jerome. St.
Jerome Church is an integral part of life at St. Brigid
School. We thank Father Jan Kolodynski for his spiritual
support, guidance and leadership. His dedication and
commitment to the Catholic faith are an inspiration to us
all.
Thank you to our parent community for your continued
support, your hours of volunteering and the patience and
understanding that you have provided us throughout this
year. A very special thank you goes out to our Catholic
School Council who has worked so diligently over this
year.
Your dedication and hard work is truly
commendable. We thank you for the countless hours that
you have put into supporting the traditions and successes
of St. Brigid School.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express our
deepest thank you to Mississauga Brampton Central
Family of Schools Superintendent Lucy Papaloni and to
our Trustee Anna DaSilva, for their continued support to
the St. Brigid School community.
On behalf of the staff at St. Brigid, we wish all of the
school community a very safe and happy summer holiday.
V. Pugliese
End of the Year Mass
Please join the St. Brigid community as we
celebrate our End of the Year Mass on Wednesday
June 19th. Please note that we will be celebrating
our end of the school year mass at St. Jerome Church,
starting at 10:00. This is an opportunity to give thanks for
all of God‟s graces that we have received throughout the
school year. We are looking forward to seeing many of
our community parents, as we come together and celebrate
the Eucharist. Thank you to all of the teachers and
students who have prepared our liturgical celebrations this
year.
Fairness
Jesus spent a major part of his time
on earth showing us about the
preferential option for the poor and
weak. He spent an extraordinary
amount of time showing how to
follow God's rules, the rules of the
kingdom. The sick, the lame, the
blind, the bad sinners all need a fair
chance to succeed - to overcome
their disadvantages and disabilities
in order to succeed. In today's
terms, that could be called good
sportsmanship. A good sport makes
sure the rules of the game give
everyone an even chance to
participate. Not everyone has to
win. Everyone deserves a chance to
be in the game.
A Fair Person…
 Listens to all sides before
forming opinions
 Shows good sportsmanship
at all times
 Knows that the same rules
apply to everyone
 Refuses to twist rules to
avoid consequences
 Works to bring about
peaceful
solutions
to
problems
 Cheers on the successes of
others
 Can balance their own
rights and responsibilities
with those of others
Report Cards
The last day of school for students and staff is
Friday, June 28th. Report cards will be sent
home on Wednesday June 26th. If you wish to
discuss the report card, please contact your child‟s teacher
to arrange a mutually convenient time to meet on or before
June 27th. Please note that class placements will not be sent
home with the report cards.
Grade Eight Graduation
The grade 8 graduation ceremony will take
place on Tuesday June 25th at 7:00 p.m., in the
school gym. We are very proud of our graduates and wish
them great success as they move on to new adventures and
experiences in high school next year. All members of the
St. Brigid community are invited to join us for the
commencement ceremony.
The Graduation luncheon and dance will take place at
Strate‟s Banquet Hall, on Thursday June 27th. Further
information will be sent home to graduate parents as the
date approaches.
Professional Activity Day
Please note that Friday June 7th, 2013 is a
Professional Activity Day. There will be no
school for the students on that day.
Confirmation
We wish to congratulate the grade 8 students who
received the Sacrament of Confirmation. This is
an important step in the lives of our children and
should be celebrated. As a Faith Community we rejoice.
We celebrate and we acknowledge them and those who
have devoted their time and efforts in supporting our
students along the way. The list includes teachers, parents,
volunteers and the parish team who worked hard in
preparing our students for this sacrament. We wish to
extend a special thank you to Father Jan.
Baptism for Children in School
Baptism is the first Sacrament of Initiation and it is the
sacrament that prepares us to celebrate First Communion
and Confirmation. If your child is not baptized or if your
child was baptized in another Christian Church (Anglican,
Lutheran, etc) and you would like your child to be a
member of the Catholic Church please call St. Jerome
Parish office at 905-455-4260.
ATTENDANCE
VERIFICATION
905-454-0316 PRESS 1
Flexible Boundary Policy
Many students attend St. Brigid School under the “Flexible
Boundary policy”. This offers convenience for many
parents who access daycare in the area. Parents who have
requested flexible boundary admittance for their children
must be aware that the policy will be considered on a
student-by-student, year-to-year basis taking into account
the class size of the students who are enrolling and the
resources available at the school. While we offer support
to all of our students, please understand that the
availability of the flexible boundary policy should never
negatively impact on the class size and school resources.
Parents requesting flex boundaries are asked to do so in
writing. Please feel free to call the school if you have any
questions regarding this policy.
Are You Moving?
We are in the process of planning classes and
staffing for the 2013/2014 school year.
If you are
planning to move anytime between now and September
2013, please inform the school at your earliest possible
convenience.
Health Alert
Thank you to all students and parents for your
sensitivity towards those students who have allergies
to peanuts and peanut by-products. It was greatly
appreciated that ingredients were checked and that you
avoided sending food that contained peanuts into the
school.
Please continue your efforts in this area
particularly since many children bring in treats to celebrate
the end of the school year. Rest assured that your
diligence is greatly appreciated by the parents and the
students who have these allergies.
Student Medication
We ask that all students who have medications stored in
the office pick up their medications on the last day of the
school year – June 28th. If your child's medical condition
changes over the summer, please inform the school in
September.
Dress Code
With the warmer weather upon us, we remind students that
St. Brigid School is committed to standards of neatness,
modesty and good taste. Students are encouraged to dress
modestly at school. We ask that students not wear: tank
tops, muscle shirts, halter-tops, short tops or short shorts.
Furthermore, we remind students that pants are to be worn
around the waist. These requests are directed more
towards our junior and intermediate students. A little more
latitude is given to younger students. T-shirts with
inappropriate or offensive language or pictures are not
allowed at school. Students who wear unacceptable
clothing to school may be asked to telephone their parents
to arrange to have a change of clothing brought
to school for them. We thank parents and
students for their cooperation.
We Are Silent
Child labour continues to be a serious issue throughout the
world. Many children are not afforded the right to go to
school and receive and education. Instead these children
are forced to work. St. Brigid would like to help these
children. WE ARE SILENT is a charitable event we will
be participating in. On June 20th 2013 all the students and
will be asked to remain silent for the morning. This means
NO talking at all from 8:50 to11:00. By taking the vow of
silence we are standing up for the children around the
world without a voice. Students are asked to collect
donations from family and family friends, All donations
should be brought to school on June 20 th. No donation is
too small. All the money will be donated to the Chalice
organization, to aid communities around the world that are
affected by child labour. Thank you for your support of
this project.
Library News
Wow! Another fantastic year at the St. Brigid
Library is coming to an end. We enjoyed a
very successful Book Fair this year, raising
over $2100 worth of new books for the library. Coming up
is our highly anticipated “Red Carpet Event” which is the
grand finale to our participation in the Blue Spruce
Reading Program for the Primary Students. Thank you to
all of you for supporting all library programs and events.
A sincere thank you to all the students who made great use
of the library this year and to the many helpers who kept
our library organized throughout the year!!
As we get closer to the end of June, we ask that all parents
help their children find any lost library books at home and
return all books by June 10, 2013. If lost books are not
found by the middle of June, the school will be asking
parents for a reimbursement to replace the lost book
St. Brigid Diversity Team
Public Speaking Contests
During Education Week, we held our annual
Intermediate and Junior Public Speaking
contests. As usual, the speeches were varied, insightful,
educational and entertaining. Our students did not
disappoint! In our Intermediate competition, our first
place winner was Samantha and our second prize went to
Deanna. Congratulations also to Jason, Chelsea, Mikhail
and Joseph. In our Junior competition, first prize was
awarded to Haley, second to Nicole P, and third to
Leanda. Congratulations also to Noah H, Noah T, Noel,
Sydney, Timothy, Jonah and Nicole G. We are proud of
all of our contestants! Thank you to our judges,
timekeepers and our set up crew. A job well done by all!
Visitors to the School
For safety reasons, we are reminding the school
community that it is Board Policy that all visitors,
including parents, volunteer and former students, must
come in the front door and report to the office and sign in.
Visitors that sign in will receive a St. Brigid Visitor
sticker. Staff and students look for these identification
stickers when they see someone in our halls who they do
not recognize. If someone does not have a visitor sticker,
the office will be notified. If you are picking up your
child, please report to the office and your child will be
brought to you. At no time should parents be roaming the
halls.
Parents are also requested to remain outside the school
yard during school hours. Remember – to your child you
are the parent…to the other students you are a stranger.
We want our school to be a safe environment for all and
your support in this matter is greatly appreciated.
During the summer months, encourage your child to
continue reading by visiting your local public library or
simply having them engaged in reading newspapers,
instruction manuals, cook books, magazines or
downloading articles from the internet to read. Enjoy your
summer together and happy reading!!
Lost Books
The school provides your child with the regular school
materials such as pens, pencils, workbooks and textbooks.
Therefore, it is not necessary that you purchase any such
materials. However, it is important that children learn to
make proper use of these materials.
Every year we lose a number of textbooks. You will be
surprised to know that these losses add up to a significant
amount of money when looked at from a total school
perspective. Each text can cost as much as $50 to $75.
Many times these materials are at home and parents are not
aware that their child has not returned those items. We
respectfully ask that you assist your children in taking the
time during the month of June to look around your homes
to assist us in ensuring that all St. Brigid School material is
returned. This will help to eliminate calls home later this
month when we try to account for missing items.
Safety Drills
Throughout the year, students and staff participate in fire
and lockdown practices. During these drills students are
instructed on specific procedures to follow. Fire and
Lockdown practices ensure that students are aware of
procedures should an actual emergency occur. These drills
help to ensure the safety of all students, staff, parents and
community members that may be visiting the school.
St. Brigid Catholic School Council
Please consider joining our School Council next year. We
are always happy to have new members added to the
Council. Many hands and voices lighten the load for all.
We would like to thank our School Council for their
continued support of our students.
Their financial
contributions to the school this year have been amazing.
Swiss Chalet 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! Also, save your
receipts over the summer, and bring them to school in
September.
St. Brigid Night at Swiss Chalet
We would like to thank the parents and students who
attended our second annual St. Brigid Night at Swiss
Chalet. The evening was a huge success. Our St. Brigid
Staff were pleased to serve our students and parents. It
was an experience that we will never forget. We would
also like to thank Ernest Priess, the general manager of the
Swiss Chalet at 6970 Financial Drive, and his entire staff
for their generosity and patience. The magician provided
an extra special touch.
End of the Day Dismissal
Please try to co-ordinate end of the day pick up
arrangements with your child(ren) prior to 3:20. The
office often receives calls just before the 3:20 bell rings,
asking us to notify students of changes in their normal
dismissal patterns. The end of the school day is often a
very busy time in the office. Please be aware that calls just
prior to the bell do not allow office staff much time to
contact classroom teachers. Where possible, a note in the
student‟s agenda would be of great assistance. While we
are aware that there are always special circumstances, preplanning pick-ups would be a great help to us.
Parking Enforcement
City of Brampton Parking Enforcement
officers have been vigilant in enforcing city parking bylaws in the area around the school. Please be aware of
where you park your vehicle. There are fire hydrants and
other No Parking / No Stopping areas that need to be
observed.
Please note that vehicles in the Kiss „N‟ Ride lane or Bus
lanes should not be left unattended, as they could be
ticketed. Please do not park in the Kiss „N‟ Ride or Bus
Lanes and walk your child to their entry point. If you wish
to walk your child, we request that you park on the street
and escort your child. Cars parked in the Kiss „N‟ Ride or
Bus lanes create a very dangerous situation and also
impede the flow of traffic.
When in the Kiss „N‟ Ride lane, please have your child
exit your vehicle from the passenger side. It is very
dangerous to exit out into the “Drive Through Lane”.
Also, we ask that all vehicles move to the front of the Kiss
„N‟ Ride lane prior to letting out students.
Also, please be aware that only vehicles that have a
handicap sign displayed in their vehicle are allowed to
park in the handicap parking spots in the school parking
lot. Under no conditions should vehicles without a
handicap sign park in these designated areas.
We respectfully request your co-operation when driving
and parking on school grounds.
Late Arrivals
We continue to have a number of students
arriving at school after the bell has rung.
School begins promptly at 8:50 am. Parents
are encouraged to have their children at school at least five
minutes before the bell. Children who are late must report
to the office and sign in. Younger students should be
accompanied by their parents to the office. Parents are
asked to please inform any caregiver that may escort their
children to school of this requirement.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Check out our school web
site. Access the site through
the School Board‟s website
at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/cec
Notes for September
First Day of School
The first day of the new school year for students is
Tuesday, September 3th, 2013. School begins at 8:50 a.m.
Signs will be posted around the school directing children
to their grade level meeting place. Our hours of operation
will continue to be the same as this year, 8:50 a.m. – 3:20
p.m. The school will open its doors the week of August
26th. New registrations can take place between Monday
August 26th and Thursday August 29th.
School Agendas
Student
Agendas
are
an
excellent
communication tool between the school and
parents. Also, used daily, the agenda helps to
organize time and prepare for upcoming
assignments, as well as inform parents on
what is happening in the classroom and in the school.
School agendas will be available for purchase in
September.
Transportation
Bus routes will be posted at our school during the
last week of August. If there is any new
information that needs to be shared, we will also post that
alongside the transportation schedules.
Eligibility
Transportation is provided for students who reside more
than the following distances by road, path or walkway
from the school they are eligible to attend:
Early Learning Program 1.0 km
Grades 1 - 4
1.6 km
Grades 5 & 6
2.0 km
Grades 7 & 8
3.2 km
Please go to http://businfo.stopr.ca/ and click the
Transportation Eligibility link to see if your child is
eligible for transportation.
Courtesy Rider Policy
Every year we get numerous calls from parents who do not
live within the transportation areas as established by the
Board, requesting permission for their child(ren) to ride the
bus by accessing the Courtesy Rider Policy. In accordance
with Board Policy, we will not be giving permission for
students to ride the bus until October. Requests for
students to access the bus via the Courtesy Rider program
should be made in writing, dated and addressed to the
school administration. Please note: If new students, who
are entitled to transportation register, and the bus is loaded
to capacity, then students that have accessed the bus via
the Courtesy Rider Policy may be removed from the bus.
The removal procedure will be based on a last on - first off
basis.
Criminal Reference Checks/Declaration Forms
In keeping with the Safe Schools Act, all volunteers must
have a Criminal Reference Check. If you have the time or
inclination to be a volunteer, assist with school trips, drive
for sports events, assist with our fundraiser(s), be an active
member of school council-dealing with children in any
capacity, please contact the office for a criminal reference
check form, for the 2013-2014 school year and deliver it to
Peel Regional Police Headquarters. The check is free of
charge for volunteers, but will assure the safety of all
students at St. Brigid Catholic School. If you already have
a Criminal reference check on file at the school, please
complete the Criminal Offence Declaration form. Please
have your check or declaration completed so you can
continue to be an important and valued member at our
school. Once you receive your criminal check please
submit it to the school.
For the 2013-2014 school year, volunteers without a
criminal reference check will not be allowed to assist with
special lunches, volunteer in the class, or go on excursions.
There will not be any exceptions. So please pick up a form
as soon as possible, from the office so we can continue to
have educational excursions, presentations and special
luncheons for our students, your children.
Volunteer Social
We have been blessed with a number of wonderful
volunteers at St. Brigid School. As a way to say thank you
for all your time and effort, we will be hosting a volunteer
social on Tuesday June 18th. If you have volunteered your
time throughout the year, drop in any time between 2:00
and 3:00 p.m. for some refreshments.
Track & Field
The St. Brigid Track & Field Team will be
participating in the Mississauga Brampton Central
Family of Schools Track & Field Meet on Friday
June 14th at St. Marcellinus Secondary School. Students
from grades 6 to 8 will be participating in the day‟s events.
The Board wide Track & Field Meet will be taking place
on Friday June 21st.
You
may
go
to
www.stopr.ca for daily
bus cancellations or delays.
Farewells
As we come to the close of another chapter of our journey,
it is appropriate to acknowledge those staff members that
will be leaving us at the end of the school year. Their
dedication and inexhaustible contributions have helped to
make St. Brigid a very special school for learning, making
friends and to have fun. We will, however, miss them
tremendously. We wish the following staff good luck as
they face the challenges of new locations and/or roles:
Mrs. Duke and Miss Duliunas. We thank you for the
guidance and support that they so generously extended to
our students. They truly will be missed!
To our graduates, some of which have been at St. Brigid
for ten years, we wish you success and happiness as you
embark on a new chapter of your lives. To all the students
and their families who will be leaving St. Brigid during the
summer, we wish you happiness and success in your new
schools. You will always be part of the St. Brigid
community.
On behalf of the staff of St. Brigid, we wish
you a very safe and happy summer holiday.
Lost And Found
Our Lost and Found Box is filling up quickly. Please have
your child check the lost and found box for any items that
may have been misplaced.
Bullying Prevention Corner
The focus for June is on communication skills
– particularly assertive communication.
Assertive communication is defined as
behaviour that demonstrates an ability to stand
up for oneself, express feelings and exercise
rights while respecting the rights of others.
Assertive communication skills help students
deal independently with conflict, prevent
situations from becoming bullying and stand
up for others who are not assertive.
Safety Notice
Please note that children playing in and around storm
sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through
the outfalls, and entering storm sewers through access
covers is dangerous and can lead to a fatality. Children
should be made aware that:



Water flows in storm sewers and watercourses
are unpredictable and may change quickly
Tragic falls could take place
Access is restricted and therefore, rescue
attempts are dangerous.
Parents are asked to remind their children to avoid all
storm sewers and watercourses.
Protecting the Skin
Overexposure to the sun can cause skin damage. We
remind students regularly to take precautions to protect
their skin during recess times. The following are some
suggestions to help protect the skin:
Wear protective clothing to cover the skin.
Wear a hat to protect both the eyes and the skin.
When possible, stay out of direct sunlight.
Know your skin type; for example fair skinned
people are more sensitive to ultraviolet radiation.
Wear sun block; the higher the protection factor
number, the greater the protection.
Bicycle Safety
With the warmer weather students are able to ride their
bicycles to school. We expect that every student who rides
a bicycle to school follows these rules:
 walk bicycles on school property and
sidewalks
 Lock bicycles in the bicycle parking area for
the day
 Obey all bicycle safety rules
 Wear a helmet
Please ensure that your child complies with these rules.
Tips for parents:
 Help your child practice using
assertive behaviours (stand tall, make
eye contact, speak clearly, use “I”
messages)
 Role model assertive behaviour in your
relationships with family and friends
 Encourage your child to be assertive
but continue to report bullying to
adults and get adult help when needed
Hands Off Policy
St. Brigid School has a Hands Off policy. In addition to
the daily reminders at school, we ask that parents review
this policy with their child(ren), In all instances, students
are expected to keep their hands and feet to themselves.
Students who are being bothered by other students are
reminded to call on a supervisor for assistance.
Twitter
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest
board news and information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
PLASP Child Care Services operates Before and After
School Programs at this school. The Before School
Program operates from 7:30 a.m. until school start. A
nutritious breakfast is served daily. The After School
Program runs from the end of the school day until 6:00
p.m. Children participate in recreational activities, are
served a nutritious snack daily and have time for
homework. Registration is currently taking place for
September.
Fee assistance is available. To register
your child, visit the PLASP Program
Director, Before or After School. For
further information, call 905.890.1711 or
visit the website at www.plasp.com.
Insurance
With all the activities that take place at school in the
playground, the gym and in sports, accidents happen.
Dental injuries can occur when 2 children accidentally
bump heads or fall. The school board does not carry
accident insurance for students. Extra-curricular and
excursions are an additional reason you may wish to buy
student accident insurance. An insurance package was
sent home with your child(ren). This is optional for
families. You may purchase coverage for your child at
www.insuremykids.com or by calling toll free at 1-800463-KIDS (5437). Please direct your questions to a
Reliable Life Insurance Representative.
Student Accident Insurance Brochures are sent home with
students at the beginning of each year. Participation in all
extra-curricular activities or excursions will require
acknowledgement of receipt and awareness of Student
Accident Insurance available for purchase.
Dates to Remember:
June 5
June 7
June 10
June 11
June 12
June 13
June 14
June 17
June 18
Direction of school support has long been an issue for
Catholic school boards in Ontario. The fact is that, unless
the municipality is notified, the school support designation,
for assessment purposes, automatically defaults to public
school support when an individual or family moves to a
new address.
This may have an impact on students‟ eligibility to attend
Catholic elementary schools, trustee representation on
school boards, and on government perception of support
for Catholic education.
We want to bring a greater awareness around this matter
and have created the Are You Ticked? campaign as the
communication vehicle for this awareness.
If you would like more information on school support
designation or would like us to help you check or change
your school support designation to the Catholic system,
please call (905) 890-0708, ext. 24512.
June 19
June 20
June 21
June 24
June 25
June 26
June 27
June 28
July 1
Sept. 2
Sept. 3
Sept. 13
Sept. 27
Lunch Moms
Beach Volleyball Tournament
P.A. Day
End of Year Kindergarten Celebration –
Duliunas in am. & Irving in pm.
Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
Operation Christmas Child Assembly – 9:30
Blue Spruce Assembly – 11:00
Lunch Moms
Kindergarten Flex Boundary Lottery – 6:00 pm
MBC Track & Field Meet @ St. Marcellinus
Drum Clinic
Drum Clinic
Volunteer Social – 2:00
Year End Mass @ St. Jerome Church – 10:00 am.
Year End Barbeque
Lunch Moms
Day of Silence
Lip Dub
Pizza Day
Silvercreek – Mrs. McPhee
Silvercreek – Mrs. Balchand
Mr. Sub Day
Gr. 8 Graduation – 7:00 pm.
Report Cards sent home
Intermediate Dance Presentation
Gr. 8 Graduation Luncheon and Dance
Last Day of Classes
Canada Day
Labour Day
First Day of Classes for the New School Year
P.A. Day
Terry Fox Walk