ST. BRIGID CATHOLIC SCHOOL
“Live
October
2015
Newsletter
L.Papaloni…........Superintendent
905-890-1221
A. DaSilva…. ………..…Trustee
416 -709 -5679
V. Pugliese ……………Principal
C. Rice ....……….........Secretary
C. Mexner - 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
Love
Learn
Light”
PRAYER FOR THANKSGIVING
O God of Love,
We thank you for what you have given us to enjoy;
For healthy minds and bodies,
for love, for family, for friendship;
for every gift of happiness.
We praise you for those that help us
by their example and encouragement,
especially those who dedicate their lives
to the cause of peace and love.
Help us to make their sacrifice worthwhile
by the way we live our lives in loving others.
Rekindle in the hearts of all people
the longing for peace
and the courage to build it into our lives
We ask this in Jesus’ name,
Amen.
School Hours
Start:
Recess:
Lunch:
Recess :
Dismissal:
8:50
11:00 – 11:15
11:55 – 12:55
2:20 – 2:35
3:20
Thanksgiving Day
Please note that Monday October 12th is Thanksgiving Day. As such, there will be
no school for students and teachers on that day.
Principal’s Message
It is hard to believe that we are already into the second
month of school. Our students have made wonderful
adjustments to their new classes and seem to be thriving in their
school work. I would specifically like to acknowledge the
students for their wonderful behaviour during our first month of
school.
I would like to thank all those parents who were able to take time
out of their busy schedules and come out to the school for our
Barbeque and Open House. It was nice to see so many families
in attendance. I believe this sends an important message to all
children about how much you, as parents, value school. Here at
St. Brigid School, we are always trying to find ways of further
strengthening the important relationship between the home and
the school. Open communication and dialogue are critical
factors. I would especially like to thank our school council for
their continued support and efforts to involve our school
community in all our events.
With Thanksgiving weekend just around the corner, it is
appropriate that we take time to reflect and give thanks for the
many gifts that God has placed in our lives. Let us not forget to
appreciate:
 the many staff, students and parents involved in
ensuring the school year started successfully;
 our volunteers, staff coaches/leaders and all other
persons who give unselfishly of their time to our
children and are sometimes taken for granted;
 our families and friends without whom there would be
no true celebration;
 Father Jan, our spiritual leader at St. Brigid.
Let us also remember to be thankful for all the little things in our
lives. Often large issues consume us and the little pleasures and
treasures are forgotten. It is in the little things that God’s graces
are often revealed. On behalf of the staff of St. Brigid School,
we hope that each and every member of our school community
has a truly wonderful Thanksgiving.
V. Pugliese
Thanksgiving Food Drive
As is the tradition here at St. Brigid, we
continually strive to bring the Gospel Values to
life by supporting our community charities.
Thanksgiving is a very special time of the year when we, as a
school community collect non-perishable food items to help
those in our community who are in need. We want to thank all
the students and their families for their unbelievable generosity
towards this cause. We will continue to collect food items until
Thursday October 8th. Collected food items will be delivered to
the St. Louise Outreach Centre in time for the Thanksgiving long
weekend. It is important for all of us to be grateful for all we
have and to show this by aiding those less fortunate. Many
families will benefit from your generosity. Again, we thank you.
We also want to thank our Catholic Youth Leaders, who have
organized and promoted this important event in order to feed the
hungry.
Terry Fox Run
A big thank you to parents, students and staff for your active
involvement in making our Terry Fox fundraising effort on
Friday, September 25th such a great success! We are thrilled with
the response of our community to such a worthwhile event. It
was truly an inspirational day for all as we joined together as a
school community to support this very worthy cause.
Catholic School Council News
Thank you to all the members of the 2014-2015 Catholic School
Council. Your hard work and dedication to St. Brigid School
was truly appreciated by all the staff and students. Our next
School Council meeting will be on Monday October 26th, 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.
We want to thank and congratulate the following parents and
staff that make up the new Catholic School Council:
Chairperson:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
DRAPCE Representative
Parish Representative:
Teaching Representative:
Non-teaching Representative:
C. Mexner
G. DaSilva Sahadeo
R. Vizuete
N. Sahadeo
C. Dye
K. Duliunas
K. Italiano
Chocolate Bar Fundraiser
This year, we will be selling Lamontagne Chocolates as our
major fundraiser for the year. All chocolate items are nut free.
Under the direction of our Catholic School Council, our school
fundraiser began September 24th, with a very enthusiastic Kickoff Assembly. Students have been busily selling their chocolates
to their family and friends. We will continue with our fundraiser
until Friday October 16th. Please ensure all money/chocolates
are returned to the school by that date.
Many thanks to our Fundraising Committee, for all their hard
work in organizing this event. We also want to thank our students
and their parents for their work, and the many volunteers who
have given up their time in support of this fundraiser. The money
raised will be used to enhance St. Brigid School.
Pizza Days
The Catholic School Council will be offering pizza one Friday a
month for this school year from Moga’s Pizza. Again, we will be
offering Chocolate Milk and a cookie with the pizza.
The following will be pizza days for 2015:
 Friday October 30th
 Friday November 20th
 Friday December 11th
A few reminders:
 Please remember to put names on pizza order form
 Please provide exact change as we will not be providing
change
 Please check your math to ensure the correct amount of
money is given for the order
 Please fill out one pizza form for each child you have,
please do not fill out one form for 2 or 3 children as we
do not know who gets what
 In the event that your pizza order form is lost, you can get
another one from Mrs. Rice, as she has extra copies
Halloween
We will be celebrating Halloween at school with
our students. Our celebration will take place on
Friday October 30th, for students from
Kindergarten to Grade 8. Students may bring a costume to wear
or display on Halloween.
We ask for your support in ensuring that costumes either worn
or brought to school are appropriate. For safety reasons, masks
are not to be brought or worn at school. Also, please do not send
replica weapons to school. The length of some costumes can
also be an issue. If they are too long they may cause your child
to trip on the stairs. We ask that students refrain from wearing
costumes that are frightening or inappropriate in a school setting.
Younger children frighten easily and we want this day to be a
happy day for them. All students must check with their
classroom teacher for appropriateness of their costume.
Picture Retake Day
Pictures retakes will take place on Thursday, November 12th.
If your child was not at school on Picture Day, they will have
their individual pictures taken on November 12 th. Also, if
you were not satisfied with the pictures taken on
Picture Day, you may have your child’s pictures
retaken.
Intermediate’s Trip to Quebec City
The intermediate trip to Quebec City is scheduled for May 9 th to
12th, 2016. Students will be exploring many of the sites of
Quebec City including a visit to the Plains of Abraham,
Montmorency Falls and a visit to Ste. Anne de Beaupre. There
will be a parent information meeting on Wednesday October 14th
at 7:00 pm., where a representative from Brightspark
Tours and school staff will be available to answer
any questions that you may have.
Progress Report Interviews
Student Progress reports will be sent home on Tuesday
November 17th. Parents are reminded that these are not Report
Cards. Interviews will take place on the evening of Thursday
November 19th. Please note that it is not necessary that all
students participate in Progress Report interviews, however
parents are welcome to request an interview. It is only through
communication and working together that we will achieve the
ultimate success of your child. First term report cards will be
sent home on February 2nd and first term interviews will take
place on February 4th and 5th. 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/ce
c
1. A DISCERNING BELIEVER FORMED
IN THE CATHOLIC FAITH
COMMUNITY WHO:
 Illustrates a basic understanding of
the saving story of our Christian
faith.
 Participates in the sacramental life
of the church and demonstrates an
understanding of the centrality of the
Eucharist to our Catholic story.
 Actively reflects on God's Word as
communicated through the Hebrew
and Christian scriptures.
 Develops attitudes and values
founded on Catholic social teaching
and acts to promote social
responsibility, human solidarity and
the common good.
 Speaks the language of
life…"recognizing that life is an
unearned gift and that a person
entrusted with life does not own it
but that one is called to protect and
cherish it." (Witnesses to Faith)
 Seeks intimacy with God and
celebrates communion with God,
others and creation through prayer
and worship.
 Understands that one's purpose or
call in life comes from God and
strives to discern and live out this
call throughout life's journey.
 Respects the faith traditions, world
religions and the life-journeys of all
people of good will.
 Integrates faith with life.
 Recognizes that "sin, human
weakness, conflict and forgiveness
are part of the human journey" and
that the cross, the ultimate sign of
forgiveness is at the heart of
redemption. (Witnesses to Faith)
School Masses
Father Jan will celebrate our School Opening/Thanksgiving
Mass on Friday October 16th at 9:30 a.m. As with all special
events at school, parents and family members are welcome to
attend. The dates for our school masses this year have been
established. Please note the following dates on your calendar:
Opening/Thanksgiving Mass
October 16
Advent Mass (at St. Jerome Church)
December 9
Easter Mass
TBA
End of Year Mass (at St. Jerome Church) June 24
As always, your attendance at these masses is welcomed and
appreciated.
Catholic Education
When you choose to send your child to a Dufferin-Peel school,
we provide a holistic Catholic education. At St. Brigid we do this
through:
 Teaching excellent Religious & Family Life education in
each grade,
 living our faith daily through prayer, celebration and liturgy,
 building a safe, caring and inclusive community
 active involvement in charity and initiatives of social justice
from a Catholic context,
 participating in charity and social justice initiatives from a
Catholic context
 imbedding all that we do with Catholic values and content,
 working with the St. Jerome’ Parish team, Father Jan and
parents to prepare students for the sacraments
We consider our Pastor, Father Jan to be an integral member of
our school community.
Sacramental Preparation
Please be aware that sacraments are parish, not school
events. Preparation may be initiated by the school through the
Religious Education program.
However, the immediate
preparation is the responsibility of the parents and the Parish.
Registration for all Sacraments takes place at St. Jerome Church.
Parents of children who wish to have their child receive either
the sacrament of Holy Eucharist for the first time or the
sacrament of Confirmation are reminded that their child must be
registered at St. Jerome Church. Students may pick up a
registration package at any regularly scheduled weekend mass.
Please note that parents must attend a parents only
information session held at the St. Jerome Church.
First Communion Meeting – Tuesday October 27th at 8:00
pm.
Confirmation Meeting – Tuesday November 3rd at 7:30 pm.
First Communion and Confirmation packages must be
completed and brought to the meeting, along with a copy of your
child’s Baptismal Certificate. The deadline to pick up
sacramental registration forms is October 25th. If you require any
further information, please do not hesitate to call the church at
905-455-4260.
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 entrance to the school
driveway is restricted to busses only. 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.
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.
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.
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 of the school.
STOP
Child(ren) must exit your vehicle by the right hand side
door(s) only
Drive to the end of the Kiss ‘N Ride lane and cautiously
proceed into the Drive-Thru lane once all children have
left your vehicle
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 or on the street.
You
may
go
to
www.stopr.ca for daily
bus
cancellations or
delays.
French conversation fillers
Um... Well... You know...
Every language has its little "fillers" —
Things to say that don't actually mean anything, but are
used when you want to change the direction of the
conversation, when you don't want to give a direct
answer, when you encounter some awkward silence, or
when you're simply looking for the right word. "Well..."
"So..." "Anyway..." French is no different. Tuck a few of
these into up your sleeve for those occasions.
Allez
Alors
bon ben
c’est-à-dire
donc
eh bien / enfin
enfin bref
euh
tu sais
voilà
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
right then…
so, then…
well, anyway…
what I mean is…
therefore
well…
long story short, anyhow
er…
you know
there you go
Adapted from :
http://www.thefrenchexperiment.com/learnfrench/fillers.php
Pupil Accommodation Review Policy Public Consultation
The Ministry of Education released the new Pupil
Accommodation Review Guideline (PARG) in March 2015.
This guideline sets expectations for all school boards on
managing and reviewing underutilized school space, including
potential school closures, and for the greater coordination and
sharing of planning related information between school boards
and other community partners.
The guideline requires all school boards in the province to
develop or revise Pupil Accommodation Review Policies and to
invite public input into the policy before it is finalized.
A survey to collect feedback on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board’s draft amended Policy 6.51 Pupil
Accommodation Review will be available for review and
comment on the Board’s website at www.dpcdsb.org until 4:30
pm on Friday, October 16, 2015. Supporting documents will
also be available for reference and review. Please consider
reviewing and providing input on this policy.
Twitter
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and
information, follow us @DPCDSBSchools.
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 mid-November in order for the gifts to be
delivered in time for Christmas to these needy children in
orphanages in 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!
MEDICATION AT SCHOOL:
Please be advised that for reasons of safety, no child
should bring any form of medication to school without
prior approval from the office. The school will store and
distribute necessary medication, if a Request Form
(available in the office) has been filled out and signed by the
parents/guardians; and when authorized by a physician; and
when medication must be provided during school hours.
Please note, all students who require Epi-pens (except those
in kindergarten) are required to wear them during the school
day. Please check with your local pharmacist for locations to
purchase pouches for Epi-pens.
Nut Allergies
St. Brigid Catholic Elementary School is an allergen aware
school. We have a number of children in our school who have
severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, peanut
butter, peanut oils and any peanut by-products. For some
children, even the smell of nuts can bring on a severe attack. We
need your cooperation! We do not want to put any child at risk,
therefore ask that NUTS, NUT BUTTER, NUT OILS AND
ANY NUT BY-PRODUCT NOT BE BROUGHT INTO THE
SCHOOL.
Please do not send any lunches or snacks that contain
nuts/peanuts or nut by-products.
Support Catholic Education
Did you know that unless the municipality is notified, the school
support designation on your property taxes, 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. To
find out about your school support designation, or to receive
more information, call our Admissions Department at 905-8900708 ext. 24512.
School Day and School Yard Supervision
Yard Supervision begins at 8:35 a.m. For safety reasons, please
do not send your child to school until then. Our supervisors wear
orange vests 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. If there are any changes
to dismissal arrangements, please contact the office or with a
note to the teacher.
Remembrance Day
Please join our school community in our gymnasium at 10:30
a.m. on Wednesday November 11th for thoughtful reflection,
prayers and remembrance as we honour those who paid the
ultimate sacrifice to enshrine our many rights and freedoms. As
always, your attendance is welcomed and
appreciated!
ATTENTION PARENTS OF GRADE 8
STUDENTS!
Parents of current Grade 8 students are invited to
the St. Augustine Grade 9 Information Night, on
Wednesday November 18th, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
This evening is planned for those students
interested in attending Grade 9 in the fall of 2016.
Parents of current grade 8 students will have the
opportunity to visit and tour St. Augustine, and
learn about their programs. In the forum, course
offerings, academic levels, athletics, academic
support, daily schedule, school bussing and
summer camp will be discussed.
ATTENDANCE
VERIFICATION
905-454-0316 & PRESS 1
Emergency Information
It is most important that we are able to contact you during
school hours. We should have on record: telephone
numbers for home, work, cell and an emergency contact person
and number. In order to keep our records up-to-date, please
inform the office of any changes that may be relevant.
Late Arrivals
There have been a number of children coming into school after
the bell has rung. School begins promptly at 8:50am. 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. Your child is missing valuable learning time.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Personal Electronic Devices and Wifi
At St. Brigid Catholic School we recognize the value of using
Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) to enhance learning and
curriculum delivery. As such, we support the responsible and
ethical use of PEDs in keeping with the Catholic Code of
Conduct and the DPCDSB’s Policies and General
Administrative Procedures. Through the authority of the
principal or designate and under the direction of staff, students
are permitted to use the school board’s wireless network and
their registered PEDs for educational purposes. Policy and
guidelines will include, but are not limited to the following:
 PEDs may be used only with permission from a staff member
 Students need to be diligent about safely storing their
PEDs. St. Brigid Catholic School is not responsible for
lost, stolen and/or damaged PEDs
 Students are to keep their personal information private (e.g.
age, address, phone numbers, usernames, passwords)
 Students are to use good judgment in accessing material on
the internet, and report concerns
 The Catholic Code of Conduct and academic integrity apply
to the use of technology when students are accessing
information
 Any communication with your child (i.e., personal phone
call, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through
the main office
 The board will not be responsible for any cost incurred
through the use of personal data plans
 It is the student’s, and/or parent/guardian’s, responsibility to
address normal and reasonable security measures such as
maintaining anti-virus protection and security patches for
software for the protection of those sharing the wireless
network
 Students should not expect privacy with respect to any of
their activities when using the board’s wireless network and
agree to and accept that access and/or wireless network
activity may be monitored in order to identify usage patterns,
security issues, etc.
 Photos, videos or images of an individual/group are not
permitted to be taken without expressed consent. Expressed
consent must be obtained from the individual(s) - over the age
of 18—or parental consent (for those under the age of18).
 No school and/or board data can be stored on a PED
Inappropriate use of board technology and/or PEDs may result
in confiscation of the PED, discipline, suspension or termination
of these services, or police involvement
Dates to Remember
Oct. 1
Oct. 5
Oct. 6
Oct. 7
Oct. 8
Oct. 9
Oct. 12
Oct. 13
Oct. 14
Oct. 15
Oct. 16
Oct. 19
Oct. 20
Oct. 21
Oct. 22
Oct. 26
Oct. 27
Oct. 28
Oct. 29
Oct. 30
Oct. 31
Nov. 2
Nov. 3
Nov. 4
Nov. 9
Nov. 11
Nov. 12
Nov. 16
Nov. 17
Nov. 18
Nov. 19
Nov. 25
Rosary Apostolates
RAID Program – Gr. 6
Mr. Sub Day
Lunch Moms
Picture Day
Thanksgiving Food Drive Ends
Junior Girls Volleyball Tournament
Thanksgiving Day – No School
Student Vote Assembly
Lunch Moms
Junior Boys Volleyball Tournament
Parent Mtg. for Quebec Trip – 7:00 pm.
Student Vote
Thanksgiving Mass – 9:30
Chocolate Fundraiser Ends
Cross Country @ Chinguacousy Park
Federal Election Day
RAID Program – Gr. 6
Mr. Sub Day
Lunch Moms
Michael Wade Presentation
Hep. B, Menactra & H.P.V. Immunizations –
Gr. 7 & 8
RAID Presentation – Gr. 6
Golf – Gr. 6, 7 & 8
Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
Cross Country - Board
Lunch Moms
Dairy Presentation - Primary
Halloween Dance – Intermediates
Halloween
RAID Presentation – Gr. 6
Golf – Gr. 6, 7 & 8
Brampton Beast Assembly – 1:15 pm.
Mr. Sub Lunch
Gr. 8’s visit St. Augustine
Lunch Moms
Golf – Gr. 6, 7 & 8
Remembrance Day Assembly
Lunch Moms
Picture Retake Day
Golf – Gr. 6, 7 & 8
St. Augustine Guidance Dept. visit Gr. 8’s
Book Fair
Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
Book Fair
Jack in the Beanstalk presentation
Mr. Sub Lunch
Progress Reports Sent Home
Book Fair
Lunch Moms
Gr. 8 Parent Night 6 – 8 pm. @ St. Augustine
Book Fair
Reporting Evening
Lunch Moms