Principal: C. Athaide
Secretary: C. Ross
St. Dominic School
Superintendent:
Phone: 905.278.9821
Tim Lariviere
905-890-1221
V O L U M E
1 ,
I S S U E
6
Fax: 905.278.1153
F E B R U A R Y
2 0 1 6
F E B R U A R Y
2 0 1 6
Chair/Trustee:
M. Pascucci
905 302 3096
905 890 0708 ext 20161
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
www.TrusteePascucci.ca
Pastor: Fr. Philip Jones
The mission of the St.
Dominic School
Community is to promote
and foster Catholic
attitudes, values, and beliefs
in a supportive and caring
learning environment.
Together with dignity and
Diversity Prayer
We praise You, God, for the diversity
we see all around us.
We rejoice in the complex beauty of your creation.
Help us to celebrate the wonderful blend of cultures
and peoples in this world
by actively seeking solidarity with one another.
Amen
respect, we strive to inspire
life-long learning and
encourage students to
attain their full potential as
Christians.
Attachments :
Math Newsletter
Professional Activity Day
Please make sure you mark
your calendars and make
appropriate arrangements.
Friday, February 5 is a
Professional Activity Day for
Reporting. There will be no
classes for students
Family Day—February 15—Statutory Holiday
ENJOY THE DAY WITH YOUR FAMILY!
February is Black History Month, Psychology Month and
Heart and Stroke Month
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents/Guardians
January was an exciting month. We had our school Speech Competition for Grade 48 and our Grade 3– 5 students participated in the Fundamental Skate Program
offered through the Carmen Corbasson Community Centre.
February is the month we celebrate our differences as people of God and respect one
another. We are truly special human beings created by God and put on this earth to
do wonderful things. We all bring special talents and gifts to our community.
Without the uniqueness of each individual, our school would not be the same. Let’s
celebrate our differences, recognizing our brothers and sisters as special gifts from
God.
C. Athaide
St. Dominic Church News
First Communion Celebration – Saturday, April 23 at 5 pm Mass and Sunday,
April 24 at 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses
Parent/Candidate Meeting and Confirmation Registration
Confirmation Registration (Grade 7’s only)– Monday, March 7 at 7 pm
Confirmation Enrollment – Saturday, April 2 at 5 pm Mass and Sunday,
April 3 at 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses
Celebration of Confirmation for Grade 7’s – Saturday, May 14 at 5 pm
Mass and Sunday, May 15 at 9:30 am and 11:30 am Masses
School Council Update
Much appreciation is extended to the 2015-2016 Parent Advisory Council for all of
their hard work and dedication towards the betterment of
St. Dominic School community.
Our next meeting will take place on February 22, 2016 in
the Library.
All Parent Advisory Council Meetings will be at 6:30 p.m.
in the library on the following dates: March 7, 2016 April
18, 2016 May 30, 2016. Babysitting will be available. All parents are welcome!!
Also please mark your calendars for the night of April 11. The Parent Advisory
Council, with the use of their Progrant Funds, was able to book Dr. Karyn
Gordon who will be coming to our school to speak to parents about Building
Your Child’s Confidence. She is an excellent speaker. DON’T MISS THIS
EVENT!!! More information to follow next month about this event.
Virtue—Respect
This month we celebrate the virtue of respect. Every person in our lives carries the Spirit of God and so every person
is our brother or sister through Jesus Christ.
As brothers and sisters who share one Holy Spirit, we are all valuable to God. We all deserve to be shown courtesy,
consideration, sensitivity and thoughtfulness, which are different ways of saying respect. Respect should come first
and foremost from ourselves. We have to respect ourselves and then we will be able to respect others. We should
also be able to expect to be treated with respect by everyone we meet. Through prayer and concentration, we can
get better at respecting ourselves as well as respecting those around us.
A respectful person
 Treats himself/herself and everyone else with equal consideration and courtesy
 Uses a positive tone of voice and body language
 Avoids swearing, name calling, put downs, and inappropriate gestures
 Looks for ways to encourage and praise others
Black History Month
February is “Black History Month”. This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians, who throughout history have done so much to make Canada the culturally
diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is an opportunity for Canadians to
learn about the experiences of Black Canadian in our society and the vital role this community has
played throughout our shared history.
Public Speaking Contest
The annual St. Dominic School Public Speaking Contest was held on January 15, 2016. Representatives from each Junior and
Intermediate class were chosen to present their speeches to the student body, parents and a panel of judges. The
audience was held spellbound by the oratorical prowess of the finalists. After a very close vote count was tallied,
the top three students in each division were as follows: Junior—First place– Melissa M. (Grade 6), Second
place— Matea L. (Grade 6) , Third place— Olivia R. (Grade 5) Intermediate, First place– Ethan U. (Grade 8),
Second place — Ella U. (Grade 7) Third place— Ava C. (Grade 8). Congratulations to all the participants. Thank
you to Mr. Czernkovich for being the M.C. and Ms. Marentette for organizing this event and to our judges ( Mrs.
Fong, Ms. Somers, and Ms. Marentette).
Lenten Faith Activities
The liturgical season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, celebrated this year on February 10,
2016. You are welcome to join us and Queen of Heaven School at St. Dominic Church for mass
and distribution of ashes at 9:15 a.m.
During Lent we imitate Jesus, who spent forty days in the desert in prayer and fasting before
beginning His public ministry. Lent provides us the opportunity to pause, reflect and refocus on
our faith. In observance of this most Holy Season, please encourage your child to take extra time
to pray, and to make a deliberate effort to give and share. This can be done by helping with tasks at home; performing a kind
act for a classmate each day; or donating part of their allowance to the Church or a Catholic charity. These are just a few suggestions. The possibilities are endless.
Lenten Journey...Things you can do in your home or with your family:
Pray the Stations of the Cross
Attend mass on Sunday
Perform an act of kindness, think of what Jesus would do
Read, meditate, contemplate or pray
Family Friendship Fun Skate with Queen of Heaven
On Saturday February 20th at 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. St. Dominic School and Queen of Heaven School will be hosting
a FRIENDSHIP SKATE at Carmen Corbasson Community Centre. Followed by refreshments at the St. Dominic
Church Hall. Thank you to the Parent Advisory Councils from both Queen of Heaven and St. Dominic schools and
Father Phil for organizing this event. Please bring your family and friends out for a FUN evening. It's a great way to
meet and socialize, or just reconnect with other parents and children from our school neighbourhood! This is a
FREE!!
Science Presentations
This year once again every class at St. Dominic will have an opportunity to participate in a science workshop
through Scientists in the School. These workshops will reinforce the science curriculum through hands on
presentations and experiments. A special thank you to the Parent Advisory Council who support this initiative
and provide the funds to make it happen.
VOLUME
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ISSUE
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PAGE
Important notice for Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of students in SK/Year 2 Kindergarten:
The French Immersion Online Application System is now open for submissions. To apply, go to www.dpcdsb.org. Applications
will be accepted until February 14, 2016.
Reminder:
• All eligible submissions are accepted and, in the event that the number of applications is greater than the number of spaces available at a French Immersion school, a centralized, computer-generated lottery will be held at a date yet to be determined.
• Some French Immersion schools offer Grades 1 to 8 and others offer Grades 1 to 4, with Grade 5 to 8 offered at a nearby
school. Please refer to the Board website for more information.
• Parents and guardians of students registered in the program are responsible for providing transportation for their child(ren) to and
from their registered French Immersion school. *****Please note that for students living inside the regular school boundaries of a
French Immersion school, eligibility for student transportation is based on the policies established by the school board.*****
• A successful placement in the French Immersion School does not guarantee placement of younger siblings in future years.
If more details are required, please review the board website for up-to-date information. You may also contact your child's present school, the principal of the French Immersion school in your area, or the board's French as a Second Language Consultant at
(905) 890-0708 extension 24307.
EQAO Results
Last spring, an assessment of reading, writing and mathematics was conducted in all grade 3 and 6 classes in Ontario by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO). This assessment is considered a “snapshot” of the children’s performance
based on their respective grade level expectations. Individual student results were sent home with our grade 4 and 7 students
earlier this school year. St. Dominic School will continue to focus on math strategies to meet the needs of our students however
overall we continue to be proud of the school’s results.
Reading
Writing
Mathematics
School
89%
100%
92%
Board
71%
76%
64%
School
76%
76%
38%
Board
81%
82%
53%
School, Board and Province
2014-2015 EQAO Results % of
students at or above Level 3,4
Grade 3
Grade 6
Great Websites to Enhance Mathematics
The following websites helps students practice math skills and there are also useful information tools for parents.
Math Prodigy (A Free Website) Ever y single math question in Pr odigy is fr ee. You can lear n over 300 fr ee math skills for
Grades 1 to 8 and never pay a penny. https://www.prodigygame.com
Mathies is OAME (Ontar io Association for Mathematics Education) site designed for Ontar io K -12 students and parents.
http://oame.on.ca/mathies/index.
Language Website
Bookflix for K-Grade 3
The Ontario Ministry of Education has purchased an annual subscription to Scholastic‘s BookFlix—an interactive online literacy
website! This subscription includes remote access so students can use BookFlix at home or anywhere else there is an Internet connection!
To login from home: Username: duffpeel, Password: duff7878
Safety First
Thank you to those parents who are following procedures in the morning and at dismissal time. Please remember not to park in
the bus lane as it makes it difficult for the buses to enter and exit the school safety. Please par k your vehicle in a designated spot and walk your children to the yard.
A reminder to parents that supervision in the yard begins at 8:15 a.m. Students should not be at the school prior to that time and
students will not be permitted to enter the school building prior to 8:30 a.m.
4
St. Dominic
ECO SCHOOL NEWS
National Sweater Day
On Thursday, February 4th, 2016, St. Dominic School will be participating in
National Sweater Day! The goal of National Sweater Day is to help the environment by conserving energy. The temperature in the school will be reduced (by
one or two degrees), so students should wear a sweater to keep warm! You
could wear your favourite sweater or warm fleece sweater. It is suggested to
wear layers that can be removed easily. This is a message courtesy of your
school Eco-Team.
Reusable Water Bottles
During the month of February, our ECO Team will be reminding students and teachers to bring in their
reusable water bottles. As part of the renovation, our school has a water bottle filling station which
makes it easier to fill all water bottles. Our goal is to kick the plastic bottle habit, as it is harmful to our
environment. Our ‘Nature Defenders’ will be challenging all classes to eliminate all plastic bottles.
Eco-Team Update Join Us on the Winter Walk
Wednesday, February 3rd is Winter Walk Day. Students in schools all across Ontario
will be participating in this event. You should join the fun, but remember to dress
warmly because it's getting colder! Make sure you wear a hat, a scarf, a jacket, mittens and boots. On your way to school, be careful to avoid black ice! We hope you
join this event! This message is brought to you from your school Eco-Team.
Book Fair News from Ms. Somers…
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Our Scholastic Monster Book Fair is coming to our school! This spook-tacular reading event takes place on
Monday, February 1, 2016 to Friday, February 5th (Morning Only) and everyone is invited!
Students will be given a flyer which contains a special Family Event Draw ballot that students can deposit during school hours after purchasing an item. You could win $50 in books – $25 for your family PLUS $25 for
your child’s classroom!
This special literacy event will be open during Interview Night (Feb. 4th) from 3:15 to 7:30 p.m. and on the
morning of Friday, Feb. 5th. We look forward to seeing you during our Monster Book Fair and thank you, in
advance, for believing in books and the importance reading has on your child’s future.
Don’t hide under the bed; hurray to the book fair!
Sincerely,
Ms. Somers
Teacher-Librarian/Planning Time Teacher
St. Dominic
Winter Weather
Now that winter is here, we ask that students dress appropriately i.e. hats, gloves, boots etc. When students are
dressed warmly, they are better prepared to participate in outdoor activities during recess. In the colder weather,
we receive requests to allow children to remain indoors when students have a cold, flu, etc. Please note that we
cannot comply, as we neither have the facilities or the staff to supervise the students.
On extremely cold days, when the wind chill factor lowers temperature considerably we will limit the
amount of time that students spend outdoors. Dufferin—Peel C.D.S.B.Policy uses a wind chill factor of
–25 C as the determining temperature for having students remain inside. We will monitor the weather
conditions daily and make decisions based on weather conditions.
Bus Cancellations/School Closing Due to Bad Weather
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation and regular
school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by
6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio stations:
VIRGIN Radio 99.9
CHUM 1050
CFTR 680
CFNY 102.1
CJCL 590
CHFI 98.1
CFRB 1010
EZ ROCK
CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS
CBC
CFTO
Buses which are cancelled for Caledon or Dufferin County do not pertain to our area.
Dates to Remember
February 1-5
February 2
February 3
February 4
February 5
February 8
February 9
February 10
February 11
February 12
February 14
February 15
February 15
February 18
February 20
February 21
February 22
February 23
February 25
February 24
February 28
February 29
March 3
March 7
March 8
March 10
March 14-18
Book Fair
Reports Go Home
Winter Walk to School Day
Sweater Day
World Cancer Day
Interview Night
Interview Day
Chinese New Year
Shrove Tuesday
St. Dominic and Queen of
Heaven School Mass -9:15 a.m.
(ASH WEDNESDAY)
Curling Event for six classes
Curling Event for six classes
Valentine’s Day
First Week of Lent
Family Day
National Flag Day
Rosary Apostles here at 9:00am
World Day of Social Justice
Second Week of Lent
International Mother Language Day
Parent Advisory Council Meeting
Primary Classes going to Living
Arts Centre to see Cat in the Hat
Grade 7&8 Vaccinations
Pink Shirt Day
Third Week of Lent
Grade 2 Scientist in the School AM
Go Transit Presentation about
Safety on the Railway tracks –AM
Parent Advisory Council Meeting
Gr 7&8 Presentation at St. Paul’s
Movie Night
March Break
Lakeview Library
Remember to check out your local librray !!!
Drop-In Family Storytime – AM
Join us for FUN! stories, FUN! songs, FUN! games and so much
more!
Every Friday at 10:15 am FREE for all ages
Stay after the program for a special interactive STAY AND
PLAY session – games, puzzles, dress up, colouring, etc.
St. Dominic Twitter handle has changed to
@StDominicDP
Please follow us and see the new picture of the school
and other information.
DPCDSB is now on Twitter!
For the latest board news and information,
follow us @DPCDSBSchools