Summer 2013
Saint Aloysius
Gonzaga News
St. Aloysius Gonzaga C.S.S. 2800 Erin Centre Blvd. Mississauga ON, L5M 6R5
Phone: 905.820.3900 Fax: 905.820.3902
Marian Prayer
of St. Aloysius
Gonzaga
O Holy Mary,
my mother,
into your blessed trust
and custody, and into
the care of your mercy
I this day, every day,
and in the hour of my
death, commend my soul
and my body.
To you I commit all my
anxieties and miseries,
my life and the end
of my life,
that by your most holy
intercession
and by your merits
all my actions may be
directed and disposed
according to your will
and that of your Son.
Amen.
Administration:
St. Aloysus Gonzaga
Trustees:
Sharon Hobin (Wards 2 & 8)
Esther O’Toole (Wards 9 & 10)
Peter Ferreira (Wards 6 & 11)
(effective December 1, 2010)
Family Superintendent:
Tilia Cruz
Principal: Laura Green
Vice Principals:
Rosina Ariganello
John Dmytrasz
Debbie Duke-Kelly
Parent Council Chairs:
T. Stephan
L. Van Bokhorst
Letter from the
Principal
HELLO,
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT
THERE ARE ONLY A FEW
WEEKS LEFT BEFORE FINAL
EXAMS BEGIN ON JUNE 18TH.
May and June are extremely busy
months with not just culminating
activities in academics, but also
with the extra-curricular events.
In May we had our annual Fashion
Show, Film Festival, Spring Music
Concert and Coffee House. Each
event was a fantastic opportunity
for students, staff and families
to come together in celebration.
Esther O’Toole, one of our school
trustees, attended all of these
events. It never ceases to amaze me
the talent possessed by our student
body.
At the end of May, the Prefects
and the Junior Leaders of Gonzaga
organized our first annual House
Olympics. This event was a
fundraiser for the “Make a Wish”
charity and ShareLife. Students
were able to participate in a variety
of activities: soccer, hockey and
basketball tournaments, carnival
games, student vs. staff games
in soccer and hockey, and a
Peel Regional Police vs. student
Chaplain: Patrick Marcolla
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
basketball game. Thanks to the
Peel Police who donated their
time for the worthy cause. The
weather was fantastic and it was a
wonderful day for all participants.
With the end of the year comes
the time we say goodbye to some
of our colleagues. On behalf of
the students, staff and the whole
Gonzaga community, I would like
to wish Ms. P. Corradetti, Ms.
D. Galea, Mr. R. Ryan and Mr.
R. Michalko an enjoyable and
fulfilling retirement. Thank you for
your many years of dedication to
Catholic education and the positive
influence you have had on the
Gonzaga community.
As well, the end of June will
mark the end of my time here at
St. Aloysius Gonzaga. I am so
proud of the students and staff of
this school community. Year in
and year out, the members of this
community continue to demonstrate
our school’s motto, “For the greater
glory of God”. Thank you Gonzaga
for the fantastic experience of the
last 11 years. This community will
be in my heart during my travels
over the next year.
God Bless
L. Green
From Your Catholic School Trustees
Peter Ferreira, Sharon Hobin and Esther O’Toole
Extraordinary lives start
with a great Catholic education
Over the years, parents/guardians who chose Catholic education for their children have told us that they are overwhelmingly satisfied with the
education their children receive in our Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools. Indeed, there are many ways to measure success, one of them being
standardized testing, such as EQAO assessments that are conducted across the province each year. In these tests, Dufferin-Peel students have
invariably met or exceeded the provincial average in virtually all areas year after year. This, combined with our high graduation rates, variety of
programming choices, the all-pervasive, spiritual, Christian Catholic faith-imbued nature of our schools, high standard of excellence, committed
and dedicated faculty and staff and welcoming, diverse learning environments, make our schools places where extraordinary lives begin to take
shape. As your Trustees, we try to continually share good news stories about Catholic education in Dufferin-Peel …. at Board Meetings, School
Council, newsletters and community meetings, through social media, face-to-face conversations; essentially, wherever we go. While we try to
connect with thousands of parents/guardians and family members, there are countless others who may be unaware of what we have to offer.
Last summer, we embarked on an awareness campaign to enhance our Board’s profile in a variety of public spaces in the community. The
campaign, which is ongoing, was labeled, Extraordinary lives start with a great Catholic education. We took this simple message to all corners
of our jurisdiction using images that reflect our richly diverse community. You may have seen our message in transit shelters, shopping malls,
community newspapers and other publications. Soon, you may spot our message displayed in colourful graphic design across many of our
Board maintenance vehicles as they roll throughout the community. As parents/guardians and stakeholders, we hope that you, too, will feel
proud to be a part of our community and to also spread this message, based on your experience, through word of mouth and other means at your
disposal.
It has been another incredible year for our School Board. To highlight a few accomplishments:
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Sixth consecutive balanced budget
Aggressive technology plan for our schools
Full Day Kindergarten in every elementary school, in September
Continuing reinvestments in Special Education
Working towards Eco certification for all schools
Vigorous schedule of renovations and repairs to schools
Launched our dynamic new Board and school websites
As we close out the 2013-14 school year, we can say that we have much to be pleased with and proud about in our schools. Our students
continue to perform at levels that meet or exceed the provincial standards and average in most areas of EQAO assessments. This speaks to the
range of academic programs that are designed to meet the needs of the diverse range of learners in our system. The recently concluded Catholic
Education Week gave our students and our schools the opportunity to highlight the incredible work that takes place each day and provided a
forum for our community to see this work firsthand. At St. Aloysius Gonzaga we were blessed to attend some of the many activities that took
place over the week. We thank the Catholic School Council, the many volunteers and the teachers who give so much of their precious time to
the students. We wish Principal Laura Green the very best as she takes a leave of absence/sabbatical and thank her for her many contributions to
the school over these many years. We also thank Vice-Principals Ariganello, Dmytrasz and Duke-Kelly for their leadership and guidance.
If you would like to receive ongoing information from the Board on school and Board issues, events and activities, consider signing up for
eCommunity, a free information service provided through the Board website at www.dpcdsb.org or follow us on Twitter @DPCDSBSchools.
It has been our honour and pleasure to serve as your Trustees this past year. To those whose children are graduating and leaving our system, we
hope your experience has been a positive one that you will stay connected to Dufferin-Peel and continue to be a Catholic school supporter. To
those parents and guardians whose children remain with us, we look forward to working on your behalf over the coming years. To all, it is our
hope that you will have a safe and enjoyable summer and experience God’s richest blessings in all that you do.
“I have learned that people will forget what you said,
people forget what you did
but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
OSAID
Prefects
OVER THE PAST YEAR GONZAGA’S ONTARIO STUDENTS
AGAINST IMPAIRED DRIVING (OSAID) HAS BROUGHT
AWARENESS TO FELLOW STUDENTS HERE AT GONZAGA
ABOUT THE DANGERS OF IMPAIRED DRIVING. We have
organized many events throughout the past school year to remind
and educate students about the negative impact impaired driving
can cause. In October, we had a guest speaker, Albert Veira, who is
a representative from the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
organization. He spoke to all the students about the horrific accidents
that are caused by driving while impaired and showed clips of some
people whose lives were affected by such accidents. These people
told their tragic stories about their loved ones who were killed in car
accidents involving an impaired driver and the grief it caused them
and their families. The video was very graphic and emotional but did
convey a strong message across to students.
At the beginning of November, we had our OSAID week.
From Tuesday to Friday of that week, our group sold black and white
rainbow loom bracelets to help raise money for our charity (MADD).
During that week we also had a “Be a Lifesaver” pledge event where
students signed their name on a buoy pledging that they will never
drink and drive, they also received a lifesaver candy for pledging.
We also sold tickets for our Movie Night where we played The Great
Gatsby which occurred on Friday after school, it was a great turnout.
Now that prom is upon us, we are preparing for our final
event, Choose Your Ride that is going to be held on Friday May 23rd,
2014 during 3B lunch. The event will provide an opportunity for
students to talk to firefighters, police officers and paramedics about
the dangers of drunk driving. We will also be getting a wrecked car
to show students the result of what can happen when driving under
the influence. This is targeted to all students, especially the grade
twelve’s with prom coming up days after this event. A week prior
to the event, students will have the opportunity to go to Menchies
across the street and buy frozen yogurt of which 20% of the proceeds
will go towards our charity.
This has been a successful year for OSAID and we would
like to thank our teacher supervisor, Mrs. Theriault for helping us run
such great events. We would also like to thank Mrs. Green as well,
for her support in allowing us to run the events. Finally we would
like to thank our members for their hard work and staying with us till
the end!
IT’S
All the best!
Christine Chin
and Marissa
Myers,
OSAID Executives
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
BEEN
ANOTHER
SUCCESSFUL YEAR
for the Gonzaga Prefect
and Student Leader
Organization. We started
the year strong by welcoming our grade
9 students to the Gonzaga community on
Orientation Day and the Grade 9 Retreat Day.
Our group of 130 student leaders strong have
been able to plan and host multiple school
events and activities such as our Fall-Fling
Dance, Halloween Week and Haunted House,
Christmas Week, and Semi-Formal. Hosting
intramural hockey, basketball, and volleyball
tournaments have been exciting and have
provided students with some fun, friendly
competition amongst each other. Prefects
have also shown outstanding dedication to
our fellow peers through our peer-tutoring
program which has academically supported
students who need it.
In the last couple of months we will be
busy trying to make our school year end with
a bang with three exciting events to come.
Gonzaga student talent will be showcased at
this year’s Coffee House, an annual tradition.
Our first-ever Gonzaga House Olympic Day
will take place at the end of May. This final
fundraiser for our Make-a-Wish sponsored
child Brooklyn will be an action packed day
of sports tournaments, carnival and arcade
games. At our annual House Gala, this year’s
winning House will be crowned champions of
the 2013-2014 school year. We look forward
to seeing Gonzaga continue its tradition of
success in our community!
Your Head Prefects,
Nick and Diana
BRAVO, BULLDOGS!
GONZAGA WINS BIG AT DPCDSB CONCOURS ORATOIRE
A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR’S DUFFERINPEEL CONCOURS ORATOIRE, an annual French public speaking contest where competitors not only have
the opportunity to become Dufferin-Peel champions but may also advance to provincial or even national levels
of competition. After months of preparation and practising with coaches Mlle Finelli, Mme Fiorelli and Mme
Palinic-Jezerinac, the hard work and dedication of five Gonzaga students greatly paid off and Gonzaga walked
away with four awards! Congratulations to Klaudia Wojtanowski (Grade 11), Asany Piragasanathar (Grade 11),
Juliana Markelj (Grade 9), Sydney Liao (Grade 9) and Alex Wu (Grade 10) for their outstanding performances
among some very stiff competition. Both Asany and Juliana were awarded second place in the Senior
Immersion and Junior FSL Plus categories respectively, while
Sydney took home third prize in the Junior Extended French
category. A first place finish was awarded to Alex Wu for his
speech on the potential health hazards of cellular phones and
wireless technology. Both Asany and Alex will advance to the
Provincial competition at York University on May 10. Way to
go, Bulldogs!!!
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
Guiding Gonzaga
THE GONZAGA GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN QUITE BUSY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
2014. With feeder school visits, supporting our grade 12’s with post-secondary applications, assisting grade
9, 10 and 11 students with course selections, and organizing a number of grade 8 transitional programs, the
Guidance Department has worked hard to keep Gonzaga moving ahead. Currently, the Guidance Department
along with administration and the SAC committee, are working on developing a master schedule for our
students for the 2014-15 school year. We are looking forward to a number of other events and activities between
now and the beginning of next year. Grade 9 students will have their grade 9 Orientation Day on Monday
August 25th at 9:00 am. Grade 10, 11, and 12 students will also have their orientation day scheduled for the last
week of August where they can pick up their first semester schedules. Students and parents are also reminded
that summer school and summer on-line applications are available in the Guidance Office. Please speak to
your Guidance Counsellor for more information regarding summer programs and due dates. In the meantime,
with exams right around the corner, students are reminded to see their Guidance Counsellor for Peer Tutoring
support. On behalf of all the counsellors and support staff, we wish students the best of luck in their courses and
exams and wish the entire Gonzaga community a safe and restful summer holiday.
The following is an alphabetical division for each counsellor:
Mr. Jason Eagles
Ms. AnneMarie Thuss
Mrs. Liza Santin
Mrs. Donna Lajoie
Mrs. Lori Zanatta
- letters A-C (ext. 70016)
- letters D-H (ext. 70013)
- letters I-Me (ext. 70014)
- letters Mi-R (ext. 70012)
- letters S-Z (ext. 70011)
GLE = Helping Others
GLE (Learning Strategies) offers many exciting learning opportunities
and school or community-based experiences in which students
participate. Volunteering is aligned with our Catholic values and graduate
expectations, and a mandatory part of the high school experience. It has
been an area of focus for GLE students this semester. Fifteen GLE students volunteered in the
preparation for - and on the day of - the “Inside Ride”. The “Inside Ride” event had over 30
teams of students and staff all coming together to raise money and awareness for cancer. GLE
students prepared posters, made donations and took part in the exciting event activities in many
different ways. In May, these same fifteen students, along with teachers Mrs. Jones and Mr.
Agnew, will be volunteering at the ROPSSAA Special Olympics Track and
Field Meet. These students are learning the valuable lesson first-hand that
by helping others we help ourselves.
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
March for Life
BY SABRINA DASOUKI AND PATRYCJA WILCZEWSKI AND JERMIN SHINUDA
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO
ON MAY 8TH, THE CITY OF OTTAWA HELD ITS ANNUAL MARCH
FOR LIFE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PROTECTION AND
PRESERVATION OF ALL LIFE AT PARLIAMENT HILL. This year’s theme
is “RU-4LIFE” because of the controversy surrounding the human “pesticide”
called RU-486. The drug is a chemical abortion pill that women take orally in
order to kill a developing human being in the womb. With the growing amount
of controversy and division between pro-life and pro-choice, we felt privileged
to be at the forefront of the recent reintroduction
of an ongoing debate and be able to take a
stand for what we believe in.
We did not know what to anticipate but when we
arrived at Parliament Hill, we were overwhelmed
with Canadian pride. We were also astounded by
the sheer number of youth. 23,000 people came
to this event supporting the unborn child. It was
a beautiful sunny day, from the morning Mass
celebrated by Cardinal Thomas Collins to the heartfelt speeches
delivered by post-abortion witnesses, we saw a diverse mass of
people. Even the Pro-Choice enthusiasts did not deter us as we
stood united.
We studied morality and bioethics in our Grade 12 Theology class
and with that came the discussion of abortion. The arguments that
arose in our class interested us immensely. As young Catholics
ourselves, it was a wonderful opportunity to bring into action our
Catholic beliefs. We got a chance to practice what we preach and to
strengthen our values in solidarity with our fellow peers from other
high schools in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.
As Grade 12s, Gonzaga has given us the opportunity to link our
curriculum with social justice issues. This is one of the many
experiences we will take with us when we graduate. The March for
Life was an excellent experience. We were proud to be Canadian,
proud to be Catholic and proud to represent Gonzaga.
We will miss you Gonzaga!
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
a
No Limits
ON MAY 1, 2014, SEVERAL OF GONZAGA’S SPECIALIST
HIGH SKILLS MAJOR STUDENTS ATTENDED THE
“NO LIMITS” CONFERENCE, held at the Fairmont Royal
York Hotel in Toronto. The conference was sponsored by
the International Chartered Accountants Organization.
Participants included 550 students, and teachers from over
60 schools across the GTA. Students participated in Team
building activities and got to converse in a round robin fashion
with several CPA’s from many sponsoring organizations. In
addition, students were taught a lesson on how to “Dress for
Success”. Overall the day was very enjoyable, students were
well fed and engaged as well as being entertained and educated
by the Master of Ceremonies, comedian James Cunningham.
This is one of the reach ahead activities included in Gonzaga’s
Accounting and Innovative Management Special High Skills
Major program.
FRANCE AND ITALY:
MARCH BREAK 2015
Thank you to all students who signed up for next year’s trip to France and Italy in March 2015.
At this time, the trip is officially sold out! Travellers, stay tuned to the morning
announcements in September 2014 for further details and meeting dates.
Enjoy your last month of school, good luck on your exams
and have a wonderful summer!
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
Build a D.R.eam 2014
ON APRIL 26, 2014, TWENTY-SEVEN STUDENTS AND FIVE TEACHERS FROM ST. ALOYSIUS
GONZAGA S. S. EMBARKED ON AN OUTREACH PROJECT TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Our
mission was to build a home for a family in need. In the midst of work we came to deepen our understanding
of another culture, the bonds of a compassionate community, and what it means live in hope.
The original house was a small shack covered by a rusted corrugated tin roof. When it rained the roof
leaked and the home often flooded. This unsafe home belonged to Alejandrina, a grandmother and her two
granddaughters, Dawilka (7) and Maria Jose (3).
We spent seven amazing days building a new, drier, sturdier home in an attempt to improve the lives of
Alejandrina’s family. We worked alongside professional contractors, mixing cement, carrying cinder blocks,
sifting sand, smooth-coating and painting the walls of the new home. We were also gifted with the opportunity
of meeting the welcoming people of Arroyo Secco, Alejandrina’s community. Local school children did not shy
away from playing alongside our own students, during breaks.
Dominican families graciously allowed us into their homes to experience a “Day in the Life”, a program that
opened our eyes to the daily challenges of living in poverty. As we walked into their homes the “mammas”
taught us how to cook, wash dishes, and do laundry the traditional Dominican way. This experience enriched
our view of how fortunate we are in Canada. Interacting with the local people also allowed us to appreciate the
beauty and simplicity of relationships. Often our preoccupation with materialism clouds our understanding of
how to live in authentic ways with others.
Thanks go out to the financial support of Merciful Redeemer Parish, student participants, and funds
collected by Gonzaga students, Reuben Corriea and Marcel Canzona. Alejandrina’s family was provided with a
bed, table and chairs, a washing machine and a stove.
On our final day, we bid a tearful goodbye to the family and handed them the keys to their new home.
Alejandrina spoke to the group about a dream that she had about anticipation and hope. The local pastor, Fr.
Garcia, reminded the people of Arroyo Secco in attendance that the family’s health and safety will continue to
improve through the continued generosity of her supportive community.
The students and teachers
of Gonzaga will never forget
their experience in Arroyo
Secco. This is the 4th home
Gonzaga has built for a family
in need in the DR. This mission
provided us with tremendous
motivation to be a voice for
Christian social justice both
locally and globally.
“Never doubt that a small group
of thoughtful, committed citizens
can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has”
– Margaret Mead
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
Poverty Summit 2014
THE SECOND ANNUAL GONZAGA POVERTY SUMMIT TOOK PLACE ON
THURSDAY MARCH 20TH, 2014 AT ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA SECONDARY
SCHOOL. It is an event that is organized by the Gonzaga Chaplaincy Team and over 250
students from 15 secondary schools came together to learn about material and spiritual poverty.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Darlene Ciuffetelli-Parker, associate professor of education
at Brock University. Other workshops held at the Summit were facilitated by Covenant
House, Sancta Maria House, Father Frank Portelli from the Office of Catholic Youth, Angie
Carboni from St. Jude’s Academy of the Arts, Emma Kendrick, a student from St. Paul’s
Secondary who represented Canadian Food for Children, Catholic Family Services of Peel,
and Generation Life. More than 250 students attended the Summit and they left with a greater
awareness of the social, physical and spiritual effects of a life lived in poverty. A grand total
amount of $1,790.00, was donated to various charities, in addition to 40 boxes of salt and 100
packages of soap to Dr. Simone’s Canadian Food for Children missions to the developing
world. At the end of the day, students left with a renewed desire to help those in need: “We
all have our own calling and the opportunity to make a difference in the world. It’s up to us
to make a conscious effort to support the people in our community”. It is our hope that all
participants will return to their school community and work together to support those in need.
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/
Lieutenant Governor Award
ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014, SPENCER REED OF ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA S.S. WAS THE
PROUD RECIPIENT OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR AWARD FOR YOUTH ACHIEVEMENT IN
NATURAL HERITAGE. The ceremony took place at Queen’s Park where Spencer was recognized for his
volunteer work with the Humanitarian Environmental Leadership Program (H.E.L.P) led by James Scott Neil
including activities such as tree planting to preserve river beds, assisting the Riverwood Conservancy in the
ecological study and preservation of a forest right beside Burnhamthorpe, removing invasive plant species
from Jack Darling Park, and performing garbage clean-ups and park maintenance at many locations throughout
Mississauga.
In addition, on Wednesday, April 23rd in the City of Mississauga Council Chambers, Mayor Hazel McCallion,
and the Director of the Ontario Heritage Trust Dawn Bennett presented Spencer and the H.E.L.P. program their
awards and congratulated them on their outstanding community engagement and leadership.
“The experiences that I had in the H.E.L.P program with the mentorship provided by James Scott Neil were life
changing. They made me more
aware of social injustices, world
and environmental issues and
gave me the skills to personally
make change and have a
positive impact. I also feel very
blessed to be a student of such
a supportive and academically
strong school as St. Aloysius
Gonzaga S.S. where I now
apply the skills I have learned.”
Spencer Reed.
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GONZA/