ST. BRIGID CATHOLIC SCHOOL “Live L.Papaloni…........Superintendent 905-890-1221 A. DaSilva…. ………..…Trustee 416 -709 -5679 V. Pugliese ……………Principal C. Bianchi ……….........Secretary L. Clark ... School Council Chair 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 Love Learn Light” An End of the School Year Prayer 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. This 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. 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. 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. 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 Friday June 20th. 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. Please note that our Catholic School Council will be providing a hot dog lunch for our students once they return to the school. Fairness 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. 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 27th. Report cards will be sent home on Wednesday June 25th. 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 Wednesday 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 will take place at The Mandarin Restaurant, on Thursday June 26th. Further information will be sent home to graduate parents as the date approaches. Professional Activity Day Please note that Monday June 9th, 2014 is a Professional Activity Day. There will be no school for the students on that day. First Communion We wish to congratulate our students who received the Sacrament of First Communion. 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. Confirmation Confirmation for grade 8 students at St. Brigid School will take place on Friday June 13th, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Jerome Church. This is an important step in the spiritual lives of our students. We ask that you keep them in your prayers. If you have any questions regarding your child’s sacraments, please contact the church office at (905) 455-4260. 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. OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOL HERITAGE: Final Words The history of Catholic schools in Ontario since 1841 is one of dedication and perseverance in the face of financial hardship and adversity. Due to the commitment of the religious teaching orders, the bishops and priests, the teachers, parents and students, our forebears have handed to us a great gift – a fully funded public Catholic school system. The courts of Ontario and Canada have reinforced the rights of the Catholic school system with a number of judgements which have affirmed the rights of separate school boards to: a) Have their guaranteed powers in the Separate School Act of 1863 improved b) Receive equitable funding c) Prefer Catholics when hiring elementary and secondary school teachers d) Have their own buildings e) Have an exclusive Catholic school community The integration of religious truths and values with life is one of the most significant elements that distinguish the Catholic school from other schools. This is a matter of crucial importance today in view of contemporary trends and pressures to compartmentalize life and learning and to isolate the religious dimension of existence from other areas of human life. The courts have recognized, over the years, that Catholic education is not a subject but rather a way to view the world that speaks to the interrelationship between faith, knowledge and action. The Catholic school is a unique setting within which this ideal can be realized in the lives of Catholic children and young people. In our Catholic schools this reality can and is lived out. From: A Historical Understanding of Key Issues Related to Catholic Education, March 2009 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. 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, yearto-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. St. Brigid Night at Swiss Chalet We would like to thank the parents and students who attended our third 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 Robin Uppal, the general manager of the Swiss Chalet at 2 Country Court Blvd., and his entire staff for their generosity and patience. The clown provided an extra special touch. Are You Moving? We are in the process of planning classes and staffing for the 2014/2015 school year. If you are planning to move anytime between now and September 2014, 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 nuts, peanuts and their by-products. It was greatly appreciated that ingredients were checked and that you avoided sending food that contained these products 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. Students that have Epi Pens are reminded that they are expected to have their Epi Pens on them at all times. 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 27th. 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. Public Speaking Contests During Catholic 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! Congratulations to all our contestants. We are extremely proud of them! Thank you to our judges, timekeepers and our set up crew. A special thank you to our Catholic School Council for supporting this endeavor and to Mrs. Turner for organizing both contests. A job well done by all! Student Vote With the recently called provincial election, our junior and intermediate students will be participating this month in Student Vote. This initiative provides students with simulated voting experiences; students learn that inherent within the rights of democracy is the responsibility to vote. Learning about the various parties, platforms, and voting procedures will, hopefully, provide our students with this important life skill. An assembly will be held on June10th to instruct the students, and official voting will occur a few days before the provincial election. 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 2nd, 2014. 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 25th. New registrations can take place between Monday August 25th and Thursday August 28th. 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: FDK – Gr. 1 1.0 km Grades 2 - 4 1.6 km Grades 5 - 8 2.0 km Effective June 1st, transportation eligibility information for 2014-2015 will be available on our website. To confirm the transportation eligibility status for your child for the 2014-2015 school year, please access our website at www.stopr.ca. Access the “Am I Eligible for Transportation?” icon, select 2014-2015 and enter the required address, 2014-2015 grade level, and program information to obtain the transportation eligibility status for your child. 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. Get your Newsletter Delivered Right to Your Inbox We’re going to do our bit to help the environment right here at St. Brigid School! We’d like to drastically reduce the amount of paper we use in the form of monthly newsletters and other notices. We’re in the process of making it possible for all of our families to be part of a direct email notification system. Not only will you be able to receive your monthly newsletters in a timely fashion but you’ll be able to receive notification of other important notices as well (e.g., public health notices). Once you sign up we’ll stop distributing hard copies of newsletters and notices to your child(ren). And as an added bonus, you’ll never have to go hunting for a newsletter or information again…it’ll be a few short mouse clicks away! Please complete the following information and return it to your child’s teacher: Family Name: _________________________ Name(s) of Child(ren) and Teacher: Yes, I wish to receive direct email notification of newsletters and other notices from the school. Email address: _________________________ _________________________ (please print neatly) No, I do not wish to receive paper copies of newsletters and other notices from the school. 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 2014-2015 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. Once you receive your criminal check please submit it to the school. 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 17th. If you have volunteered your time throughout the year, drop in any time between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. for some refreshments. 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. Lunch Time Monitors We are in need of Lunch Time Student Monitors. If you are interested in becoming a Lunch Time Student Monitor (either on a full time or part time basis) at St. Brigid School and are available during the lunch hour, please come into the school office and fill out an application form. Twitter DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and information, follow us @DPCDSBSchools. 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. 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. 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 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: Ms. Risavy and Ms. 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. Any items not claimed by the end of the school year will be donated. 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 $2200 worth of new books for the library. Our highly anticipated “Red Carpet Event” in the Blue Spruce Reading Program, revealed Oddrey by Canadian author Dave Whamond as the winner. 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 9th, 2014. 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 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. 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. 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 should not be left unattended, as they could be ticketed. Please do not park in the Kiss ‘N’ Ride 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 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. Parents should remain in their vehicles while in the Kiss ‘N’ Ride lane. 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. Safety First when dropping students off at school It is imperative that all parents and guardians who drive their children to school adhere to the traffic circulation plan and comply with the traffic and parking signage on the site. It is equally imperative that all drivers follow the direction of staff managing the traffic circulation on the school site. Track & Field The St. Brigid Track & Field Team will be participating in the Mississauga Brampton Central Family of Schools Track & Field Meet on Monday June 16th 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 20th. School Day and School Yard Supervision Please remember that school yard supervision does not begin until 8:35 a.m. For safety reasons, please do not send your child to school until then. Our supervisors wear orange vests when they are in the school yard, so that they can be easily visible to a child in need. For reasons of safety, students are expected to go home at the end of the school day, unless supervised by a parent or staff member for a scheduled school activity. Go to www.stopr.ca for daily bus cancellations or delays. 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. 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. 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.co Dates to Remember: June 4 June 5 June 6 June 9 June 10 June 11 June 12 June 13 June 16 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 June 17 Insurance With all the activities that take place at school in the playground, the gym and in extra-curricular activities, accidents happen. Student Accident Insurance is available for parents to purchase. June 23 June 25 Student Accident Insurance Brochures are sent home with students at the beginning of each year. Participation in all extracurricular activities or excursions will require acknowledgement of receipt and awareness of Student Accident Insurance available for purchase. June 18 June 19 June 20 June 26 June 27 July 1 Aug. 28 Sept. 1 Sept. 2 Sept. 12 Sept. 26 Beach Volleyball Competition Lunch Moms Intermediate Golf – am. Confirmation Rehearsal @ St. Jerome Church P.A. Day Dance Presentation – 1:15 pm. Student Vote Assembly – 2:20 pm. Student Vote Lunch Moms Provincial Elections Pizza Day Confirmation – 7:00 pm @ St. Jerome Church MBC Track and Field @ St. Marcellinus S.S. Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm. FDK Year End Celebration – pm. Volunteer Social – pm. Mr. Sub Lunch Primary Play Day – am. Lunch Moms Virtue Assembly – 1:15 pm. Intermediate Golf – am. Primary Play Day Rain Date – am. Year End Mass – 10:00 am @ St. Jerome Church Year End BBQ DPCDSB Track and Field @ St. Marcellinus Silvercreek – Mrs. Balchand Report Cards Sent Home Gr. 8 Graduation – 7:00 pm in gymnasium Graduation Luncheon – 11:30 @ the Mandarin Last Day of Classes Canada Day Gr. 9 Orientation Day @ St. Augustine Labour Day First Day of Classes for the New School Year P.A. Day Terry Fox Walk