ST. BRIGID CATHOLIC SCHOOL
“Live
Love
Learn
Light”
June
2015
Newsletter
L.Papaloni…........Superintendent
905-890-1221
An End of the School Year Prayer
A. DaSilva…. ………..…Trustee
416 -709 -5679
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.
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
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 Thursday June 11 th.
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.
Professional Activity Day
Please note that Monday June 8th, 2015 is a
Professional Activity Day. There will be no school
for the students on that day.
Report Cards
The last day of school for students and staff is Friday,
June 26th. Report cards will be sent home on
Wednesday June 24th. 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 26 th. 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 23rd 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 25th. Further information will be
sent home to graduate parents as the date approaches.
Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for 2015-16
We are now accepting registrations for Full-Day Kindergarten
and Grades 1 to 8, for the 2015-16 school year. The following
documents are required for registration:
Proof of age of the child (birth certificate or passport)
Original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate or
Baptismal Certificate from an Eastern Church in full
communion with the Holy See of Rome. If the child has
not been baptized, then the Baptismal Certificate of a
parent is required.
Updated immunization records
Proof of Canadian Citizenship (birth certificate, passport,
permanent resident status)
Proof of home address (any 2 of the following: Property
tax bill, current utility bill, real estate document or
Government of Canada issued forms)
Please call the school at 905-454-0316 if you require any further
information
Confirmation
We wish to congratulate our 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.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Check out our school web
site. Access the site
through the School
Board’s website at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/ce
c
Are You Moving?
As noted previously, we will soon begin the process of planning
classes and staffing for the 2015/2016 school year. If you are
planning to move anytime between now and
September 2015, please inform the school at your
earliest possible convenience.
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.
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 News
St. Brigid Catholic School Council thanks you for your support
of our chocolate Fundraiser. With the funds raised this past year,
we planned and successfully continued to support various school
initiatives, including faith development and sacramental support,
the Arts and academic programs, and subsidized various
excursions. Thank you to all the families who sold chocolates to
support our school!
Our Family Fit Karate Night on Tuesday, May 26 th 2015 was a
great hit and kick for our students and parents on self-defence
and the respect shown with this martial art. A special thank you
to Shodan Shotokan Karate for your continued support to St.
Brigid School. We would like to thank all our Volunteers that
helped with the event.
In the new Academic school year, we will introduce our Family
Technology Education Night for Parents to understand and learn
about our latest technology that our children use, along with our
Family Fit Fun Nights!
Our Sponsored child – Daniel has written to our students! How
exciting. He has also sent us some illustrations! Please check
the display out, the next time you’re in the school.
Our FDK classes did a wonderful picture display for us to look
at for their Butterfly project that Council sponsored. The
students experienced the complete metamorphosis of a butterfly
in transition from Egg to Caterpillar to Chrysalis to an adult
butterfly.
As we end our school year with our Virtue of Fairness…
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.
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 26th. If your child's medical condition changes over the
summer, please inform the school in September.
Hands Off Policy
As a School council – this is one of our goals – for our School
community to “succeed”…
We could not end the year without thanking the staff for all of
their support throughout the school year! We also want to
highlight the collaboration between Council and the school
through the efforts of Mrs. Bianchi, our school’s Head Secretary.
She has always been there to answer questions and assists where
she can! Finally, Mr. Pugliese, our Principal, has been there to
support us day and night to ensure that our voice is heard and
that our efforts and initiatives are a success! It has been a true
collaboration and we all work well together!
We would like to take this time to say wish you all a very safe
and Happy Summer Holiday! Looking forward to working with
you towards a fun filled 2015-16 school year!
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.
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 Monday June
15th. If you have volunteered your time throughout the year, drop
in any time between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. for some refreshments.
Notes for September
First Day of School
The first day of the new school year for students is Tuesday,
September 8th, 2015. 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 31st. New registrations can take place
between Monday August 31st and Friday September 7th.
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
Transportation eligibility information for 2015-2016 will be
available on our website. To confirm the transportation
eligibility status for your child for the 2015-2016 school year,
please access our website at www.stopr.ca.
Go to www.stopr.ca for
daily bus cancellations or
delays.
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 2015-2016
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.
ATTENDANCE
VERIFICATION
905-454-0316 PRESS 1
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.
Track & Field
The St. Brigid Track & Field Team will be
participating in the Mississauga Brampton Central
Family of Schools Track & Field Meet on Tuesday
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
19th, also at St. Marcellinus Secondary School.
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
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.
Safety First when dropping students off at school
The safety of all children and staff must be considered as
paramount at all times when dropping students off at school. The
number of serious incidents related to traffic circulation at the
front of the school and in the Kiss and Ride area during morning
arrival and afternoon dismissal has risen. These incidents include
vehicles entering the site in the wrong direction, parking and
pulling out of no parking zones, parking in bus lanes, to name a
few.
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.
Parking Enforcement
City of Brampton Parking Enforcement officers
have been vigilant in enforcing city parking by-laws 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.
Personal Electronic Devices Pilot Program
St. Brigid School will be part of a Board pilot project which will
allow students to bring and access their personal electronic
devices at school. Students will be completing two surveys and
will be using their PED’s for educational purposes only.
Personal Electronic Devices on Board Premises
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board acknowledges
the value of the use of technology for learning. Students are
permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs)
on board premises and/or board sanctioned events for
educational purposes, under the direction of staff and only with
parent/guardian permission (GF 066, Network User Application
and Agreement). Students may register one PED for the purpose
of connecting to the board wireless network. Students are
required to adhere to the student “Personal Electronic Device
Used With WI-FI Network Student Agreement” and the
“Network User Application and Agreement.” Please be advised
that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will not
be responsible for any cost incurred through the use of
personal data plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with
learning; their use must comply with the Catholic Code of
Conduct, board policies and procedures.
Any personal
communications (i.e., phone calls, text messages, etc.) will
continue to be directed through the main office. Failure to
comply with these guidelines may result in a loss of PED
privileges and/or any other consequences deemed necessary by
school administration. Student should not expect privacy with
respect to the use of PEDs while on Board property or during
school related activities. The Board reserves the right to
review, retrieve, read and disclose any files, messages or
communication that are created, sent, received, or stored on a
student’s PED used on school premises or during school
related activities. Prohibited use may result in disciplinary
action, including confiscation, discipline, and/or police
involvement.
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.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of
personal electronic devices during school-sanctioned activities
for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces
and/or in common areas.
We respectfully request your co-operation when driving and
parking on school grounds.
Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs
at all times and the Board assumes no responsibility for lost,
damaged or stolen devices.
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.
Twitter
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and
information, follow us @DPCDSBSchools.
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, pre-planning
pick-ups would be a great help to us.
Thank you for Choosing a Dufferin-Peel Catholic
Education
Dear Parents and Guardians:
It seems that, all of a sudden, summer weather is upon us and so,
incredibly, is the end of the 2014-15 school year. As we reflect
back over the year, we can see that it was, in fact, a very
successful year for Dufferin-Peel students in terms of
achievement, success and well-being. With steadily rising
EQAO scores, matching or surpassing the provincial standard
and averages in most assessment areas, and graduation rates that
are among the highest in the province, this board continues to be
defined, in part, by our high levels of success and achievement.
Yet, we are much more than that. Our commitment to helping
each student fulfil their potential, through the Ontario Catholic
School Graduate Expectations, means that our students graduate
with the tools to become good, solid contributing members of the
communities in which they will live.
As trustees, we see the contribution of dedicated teaching and
support staff, administrators and senior management working
together with trustees facilitate conditions that we can to
facilitate success. We also see, firsthand, the important role of
our parents/guardians, working in concert with the school and
the parish in fostering conditions for success and well-being.
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. Irving and Ms. Middleton. 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.
So, as we complete the final leg of the journey that is the 201415 school year, we thank parents/guardians for choosing a
Dufferin-Peel Catholic education for your child(ren) and for
entrusting them into our care. It is a responsibility for which we
are grateful and one that we cherish very much. To our students,
thank you for all you have done to contribute to the life of your
school. For those who are graduating and moving on to postsecondary education or the world of work, may God continue to
go with you and bless you on your journey. To our returning
students and families, we look forward to seeing you in
September.
Dates to Remember
Blessings and best wishes for a peaceful and restful summer.
June 15
Darryl Brian D’Souza
Trustee
Brampton, Wards 2, 5, & 6
June 16
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.
June 18
June 19
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
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 1
June 2
June 3
June 4
June 5
June 8
June 9
June 10
June 11
June 17
June 21
June 22
June 24
June 25
June 26
Sept. 8
PED’s Assembly – am.
Mr. Sub Lunch
Lunch Moms
Beach Volleyball Tournament
The Ned Show Assembly
Professional Activity Day
Blue Spruce Presentation
Lunch Moms
End of the Year Mass – 10:00 @ St. Jerome
Church
End of the Year BBQ
Volunteer Social – 2:00 pm.
Catholic School Council Meeting – 7:00 pm.
Mr. Sub Lunch
MBC Track & Field @ St. Marcellinus
Lunch Moms
End of the Year Kindergarten Celebration
Sound of Music – Gr. 7 & 8
Pizza Day
Primary Play Day – am.
Board Track & Field @ St. Marcellinus
Father’s Day
Fire Fighters and Police presentation –
Kindergarten
Grade 8 Graduation
Mr. Sub Lunch
Report Cards Sent Home
Lunch Moms
Grade 8 Graduation Luncheon @ The
Mandarin
Travelling Critters – Gr. 5 & 6
Last day of classes
First Day of the New School Year