ST. BRIGID CATHOLIC SCHOOL
“Live
April
2016
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
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”
The Radiance of Easter
In the early morning hours, the day arises.
The first light glimmers.
There hasn’T been much Time To sleep.
Yet already there is nothing to see in this
tomb!
There is nothing to see in this tomb!
Like the earth in spring, it has broke open,
Given way to the first surges rising
Life has sprung forth, new, joyous, like a
first-born
There is nothing to see in this tomb.
Nothing to touch.
The Living One cannot be contained!
No living one can be contained!
Finally free, this life is now restored.
Free, it calls to us;
Free, it lifts us up out of fear!
There is nothing to see in this tomb!
Let the Good News spread like wildfire
Across the world!
Message from the Principal
Last week, Christians all over the world will celebrated
Easter. The contrast of the helplessness and sadness of
Good Friday with the joy and celebration three days
later is awe inspiring. Jesus is risen, Alleluia!
During the liturgical season of Easter, we are reminded that
while Lent consists of 40 days, the Easter season is comprised of
50 days. This is a season for rejoicing. Easter is the most holy
season for Catholics as it is the core of our faith; Jesus rose from
the dead on Easter morning. This is the greatest of days. It fills
us with life and with love. Easter is not a story of the past. Easter
is a story for today. Easter is the story for our reality! Catholics
all over the world solemnly recall the events that took place
between Palm Sunday and Easter. We believe that these are the
most important events in the whole of human history.
In His journey from being condemned to death outside the
Sanhedrin by Pontius Pilate, to His crucifixion on Calvary Hill,
Jesus suffered unbelievable pain and humiliation. We celebrate
the Way of the Cross with love, because Christ took these steps
out of obedience to his Father and of love for each one of us.
Paradoxically, we see in these awful events an amazing beauty.
Our Easter, our passage through death, is accomplished each
time we overcome the death of lies to reach the truth, each time
we overcome the death of bitterness to reach reconciliation and
each time we overcome the death of indifference to reach
compassion. Our Easter is accomplished each time we go on, no
matter what the cost, towards a life of Christ centeredness.
In our own quiet way we are called to experience the resurrected
Jesus and allow Him to enter into our hearts. The empty tomb is
a reminder to us that when it seems the most impossible, God
keeps His promises! And just as the stone covering His tomb
was pushed away, we too are called to roll away the stone, let
Jesus into our lives and see the glory of God.
On behalf of the staff at St. Brigid, I wish you a
peaceful and joyous Easter season, filled with the
love that Jesus showed us on the Cross.
Sacraments
First Communion
First Communion for grade 2 students at St. Brigid School will
take place on Saturday, April 23rd at 5:00 pm at St.
Jerome Church.
Confirmation
Confirmation for grade 8 students at St. Brigid School will take
place on Thursday May 26th, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Jerome Church.
If you have any questions regarding your child’s sacraments,
please contact the church office at (905) 455-4260.
E.Q.A.O. Testing -- Grades Three and Six
A reminder that this year the EQAO assessment for Grade 3 and
Grade 6 students will run from May 25th to June 5th. We ask that
parents of students in these grades ensure that their children are
in attendance during these weeks. Visit DPCDSB
on the web for Board and School profiles
http://www.dpcdsb.org/EQAO.
Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for 2016 - 17
We are now accepting registrations for Full-Day Kindergarten
and Grades 1 to 8, for the 2016-17 school year. The following
documents are required for registration:
Proof of age of the child (birth certificate or passport)
Original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate of child or
Baptismal Certificate from an Eastern Church in full
communion with the Holy See of Rome. If the child has
not been Baptised, 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 (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.
Class List Formation for 2016 - 2017
We will soon begin the process of making up the class lists for
next fall. This is a complex procedure which takes into
consideration not only the needs of the individual child, but
frames those needs in the context of the larger classroom group.
In each class we strive for a balance of learning styles, a balance
of gender, a balance of learning needs and a cross-section of
abilities.
The current teachers of a grade, support staff and administration
all take part in the process. If you wish to provide input into the
process, please take into consideration the following guidelines:
Input must be made in writing to the Principal no later than April
29th, 2016. Requests should be made in terms of educational
contexts, e.g. your child’s learning needs/strengths/style,
information not already known to the school, best learning
environment. Please do not make requests for specific teachers
as staffing is always tentative and changes can take place
between now and September.
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.
Are You Moving?
As noted previously, we will soon begin the
process of planning classes and staffing for the 2016/2017 school
year. If you are planning to move anytime between now and
September 2016, please inform the school at your earliest
possible convenience.
St. Brigid’s Got Talent
We are in the home stretch in our preparations for
our St. Brigid’s Got Talent, Talent Show. The
many students and teachers have been working
hard and are excited in anticipation of the performances. The
talent show will be performed on Thursday April 14th at 7:00
p.m. in our school gymnasium. These show is for the entire St.
Brigid Community. Come out and support our students and
enjoy an evening of fun and music. Tickets order are now being
accepted. Please note that tickets are not numbered and there
are no reserved seats. Tickets are only $5.00 each! Snacks will
be sold prior to the performance and during intermission.
Each year the Catholic community of Ontario engages in a weeklong celebration of the unique identity and distinctive
contributions of Catholic education during Catholic Education
Week. Catholic Education Week will be celebrated from May 1st
to May 6th, 2016. Pope Francis has declared 2016 a “Holy Year
of Mercy” as a way for the Catholic Church to “make more
evident its mission to be a witness of mercy”. Catholic
Education Week 2016, combines both the theme of mercy and
the act of opening doors of reconciliation, mercy, and
forgiveness to all around us. Catholic Education: Opening Doors
of Mercy
The sub-themes for Catholic Education Week 2016 are as
follows:
Monday: Mercy that Welcomes – (Jesus and the
Woman at the Well)
Tuesday: Mercy that Loves – (The Good Samaritan)
Wednesday: Mercy that Forgives – (The Prodigal Son)
Thursday: Mercy that Lives the Gospel – (Zacchaeus)
Friday: Mercy that Rejoices – (Healing of the
Paralytic)
Catholic Education Week begins on a Sunday to highlight the
partnership that remains the foundation of Catholic education
between our Catholic schools and local Catholic parishes.
Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask you to reflect on
the significance of Catholic education’s presence and
contribution in our Church, and in our society. We invite all
members of our community, to participate in the celebrations and
activities that will mark the celebration of Catholic Education
Week 2016 in our schools.
Catholic School Council News
In April we reflect upon the virtue of Love. Let’s show our love
for our Sponsored Child, Daniel by writing to him and showing
him how much he is a part of our St. Brigid School Community.
Please send in all written cards and drawings from your family
to the Main Office.
Parent Workshop: Please join us on April 20th for a special
lecture on Social Networking Safety –with Guest Speaker, Mr.
Paul Davis. The evening begins at 6:30 pm. and goes until 8:00
pm. Babysitting and refreshments will be provided.
Refreshments provided
We need your help. We are in the process of creating Our First
Edition of Our Multicultural School Recipe Book to be created
by you and your family. We need: your grandma’s secret
recipes - Traditional cultural recipes, typed out, with a limit of 1
or 2 pictures. We would like at least 1 recipe per family. If you
would like your child’s picture in the book – make sure you sign
the media release forms.
Please use the link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NXBCXX6 to submit your
recipe. We will be publishing our recipe book as a take home
for $5.00 at the end of the school year. More information to
follow…
Our next meeting will be on April 18th 2016. We would love to
hear your ideas! All are welcomed!
Pizza Days
The Catholic School Council Pizza Committee is continuing to
offer pizza from Moga’s Pizza. The following are the pizza days
for the remainder of the school year:
 Friday April 29th
 Friday May 20th
 Friday June 17th
Again, we will be offering Chocolate Milk and a chocolate chip
cookie with the pizza. .
Twitter
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news and
information, follow us @DPCDSBSchools.
7. A RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN WHO:
 Acts morally and legally as a person
formed in Catholic traditions.
 Accepts accountability for one's own
actions.
 Seeks and grants forgiveness.
 Promotes the sacredness of life.
 Witnesses Catholic social teaching by
promoting equality, democracy, and
solidarity for a just, peaceful and
compassionate society.
 Respects and affirms the diversity and
interdependence of the world's peoples
and cultures.
 Respects and understands the history,
cultural heritage and pluralism of today's
contemporary society.
 Exercises the rights and responsibilities
of Canadian citizenship.
 Respects the environment and uses
resources wisely.
 Contributes to the common good.
Peel Public Health - Immunization
Peel Public Health has reviewing immunization records of all
students at our school. Peel Public Health must have proof that
your child has been fully vaccinated (immunized) according to
the Ontario immunization schedule. If you receive a letter,
please ensure that your child has received the required
vaccine(s), then give the date(s) your child received these
vaccine dose(s) to Peel Public Health immediately to update your
child’s record.
For more information, please call Peel Public Health at 905-7997700 or visit www.immunizePeel.ca. Translation services are
available.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Check out our school web
site. Access the site
through the School
Board’s website at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/ce
c
Please note that Monday April
11th, 2016 is a P.A. Day. There
will be no school for students
on that day.
Public Speaking:
Here at St. Brigid School we have a long tradition of
excellence in public speaking. This year, our Intermediate
contest will be held on Tuesday May 3rd, followed by our
Junior contest on Friday May 6th. Both presentations shall
commence at 9:15 a.m. in the gymnasium. Please join us for
both competitions; you will undoubtedly be both entertained and
informed by our young speakers!
Chess Tournament
Congratulations to our primary, junior and intermediate chess
teams. Our students completed in this year’s Mississauga
Brampton Central Family of Schools Chess Tournament on
Thursday March 31st at St. Gertrude School in Mississauga.
Thanks you to their coaches, Miss Finaldi and Mrs. Serrentino.
Welcome to Kindergarten
All new junior kindergarten students that will be attending St.
Brigid School in September 2016, are invited to join us (along
with their parents) in our Welcome to Kindergarten evening, on
Thursday May 5th, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Welcome to
Kindergarten is an orientation program, where families
participate in activities that will help junior kindergarten students
prepare for school. Please note that activities are only for our
new Junior Kindergarten students.
We have 2 remaining Mr. Sub Days in April: April 5 th and 19th.
We will continue to offer subs during May and June.
Individually packaged 6” sub, drink and snack will be delivered
for students that ordered Mr. Sub sandwiches. All subs are
compliant with the new Ministry of Education Food Guidelines
and will be prepared and delivered fresh to the schools. The
following will also be Sub days:
 Tuesday May 3rd, 17th and 31st
 Tuesday June 14th and 28th
PLAYGROUND SAFETY RULES
The safety of all students at St. Brigid is our
number one priority. We remind students daily of
playground expectations. Please review the
following rules with your child:
 Keep your hands and feet to yourselves
 No verbal insults or inappropriate
language
 Treat all people with respect
 Respect school property
 Play only no contact games
 Stay on school property at all times
 Rocks, gravel and snow stay on the
ground.
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.
At no time should parents 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.
End of the Day Parking
Dismissal time is a very busy time of day and the safety of our
students must be our number one priority. As such, please be
aware that at the end of the school day pylons are placed at the
entrance of the school driveway. This is done to prevent vehicles
from driving on school grounds while students are exiting the
school grounds. The gates at the parking lot are also closed at
this time, and will not be opened until our students and busses
have left school grounds. If you are parked in the parking lot,
we ask that you respect our policy and wait until our gates are
opened by a staff supervisor. Also, please be aware that our drive
way is one way, with the entrance at the east end of the school.
Please do not enter the school grounds through the exit drive at
the west end. We thank you for your cooperation.
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.
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.
ATTENDANCE
VERIFICATION
905-454-0316 & PRESS 1
You
may
go
to
www.stopr.ca for daily
bus
cancellations or
delays.
Movie Day
On Monday May 2nd staff and students will be going to see the
nature film, Enchanted Kingdom. This is the annual movie that
our school views for Earth Day. We would like to thank our
Catholic School Council for financially supporting this event.
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.
Dogs on School Property
Dogs are not allowed on school property. A dog’s
behaviour and response around strangers can be unpredictable;
for example, dogs may jump on visitors or children. Although
dogs can be good pets for some, they can be scary to others, and
pose an allergic response to others. Therefore, dogs must not be
exercised on school property or brought to school when dropping
off or picking up students.
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.
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.
Dates to Remember
Apr. 1
Pizza Day
Peel Water Story Presentation –
Junior/Intermediate
Apr. 4
After School EQAO Tutoring
Apr. 5
Mr. Sub Lunch
St. Brigid @ Raptors game
Crawford Conservation Area – Gr. 3
Apr. 6
Lunch Moms
After School EQAO Tutoring
Apr. 7
Rosary Apostolates
Apr. 11 P.A. Day
Apr. 13 Lunch Moms
After School EQAO Tutoring
Talent Show – dress rehearsal
Apr. 14 Talent Show – 7:00 pm.
After School EQAO Tutoring
Apr. 15 Intermediate Girls Basketball Tournament @
St. Monica
Apr. 18 Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
After School EQAO Tutoring
Apr. 19 Mr. Sub Lunch
Apr. 20 Lunch Moms
After School EQAO Tutoring
Paul Davis – Cyber Safety presentation
Apr. 21 First Communion Retreat @ St. Jerome Church
Apr. 22 Earth Day
Apr. 23 First Communion – 5:00 pm.
Apr. 25 After School EQAO Tutoring
Apr. 26 Autism Awareness Lunch
Apr. 27 Lunch Moms
After School EQAO Tutoring
Confirmation Retreat
Apr. 28 Family Photo Day
Apr. 29 Pizza Day
May 2
Enchanted Kingdom Movie
After School EQAO Tutoring
Catholic School Council Mtg. – 7:00 pm.
May 3
Intermediate Speeches
Mr. Sub Lunch
May 4
Lunch Moms
Visual Arts Experience – Hill
After School EQAO Tutoring
May 5
Rosary Apostolates
Welcome to Kindergarten – 6:30 pm.
May 6
Junior Speeches
May 9-12 Intermediate Trip to Quebec City
May 9
After School EQAO Tutoring
May 11 Lunch Moms
After School EQAO Tutoring
May 13 P.A. Day
May 16 After School EQAO Tutoring
May 17 Junior Trip to ROM
May 18 After School EQAO Tutoring
Lunch Moms
May 20 Pizza Day
May 23 Victoria Day – No School
May 24 After School EQAO Tutoring
May 25 After School EQAO Tutoring
May 25 – Jun. 8 EQAO