299 Landsbridge Street
Bolton, Ontario
L7E 2K4
Phone (905) 951-8788
Fax (905) 951-8798
October 2014
Principal: K. Barton
Vice Principal: F. Troiani
PRAYER FOR THE SEASON
OF THANKSGIVING!
Secretaries: L. Grant and
G. Odoardi
SERVING OUR
COMMUNITY
During this season of harvest, let us pray for those in need of food, for those who see that
others are fed, and for those who are made holy in the sharing of food.
SUPERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS
Thanksgiving
We bow our hearts to You and pray.
We give You thanks for all You've done
Especially for the gift of Jesus,Your Son.
For beauty in nature,Your glory we see
For joy and health, friends and family,
For daily provision,Your mercy and care
These are the blessings You graciously share.
So today we offer this response of praise
With a promise to follow You all of our days.
AMEN
L. Storey
905-890-1221
TRUSTEE
F. DiCosola
905-951-8898
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH
Rev. L. Leger and Rev. S.
Hernandez
905-857-1938
ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH: EMPATHY
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Judge your neighbours feelings by your own, and in every matter, be thoughtful.(Sir 31: 15)
TBA
During the month of October we will focus on the virtue of EMPATHY.
Please visit our
website at:
www.dpcdsb.org/JBAPT
Follow us on Twitter
@JBAPT_DPCDSB
An empathetic person...

listens when people speak

notices when someone is upset and tries to help

can name her-his feelings

can see a situation from another persons point of view

accepts that others have different perspectives

Our next Virtues assembly is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28th at 1:35 p.m.
Page 2
Volunteer All Star Reading Coaches
The All Star Reading Program provides opportunities for students to develop and to enhance their reading and thinking skills. The
students, who have previously participated in the program, have achieved very positive results. We really need volunteers to be All
Star Reading Coaches. This entails a half-day training session and then an hour to two hours per week commitment for ten weeks.
We are beginning our first week on October 27. We look forward to working with you to support our students’ reading. Please complete the form attached and return it to the school if you are interested in volunteering as an All Star Reading coach. Please contact
Ms. Cecchetto if you have any further questions. **Please complete the attached form if interested.**
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT
Welcome Back!
Whether it is your first time entering one of our schools or you are returning, we are very excited that you have chosen to be part of a
strong and vibrant Catholic school community.
The Brampton East/Caledon/Dufferin/Malton Family of Schools, are privileged to be supported by our local pastors, who in partnership
with the school staff, actively nurture the spiritual and academic development of our students. In addition, our Trustees - Frank Di
Cosola, Scott McLauchlan, and Thomas Thomas - are committed advocates of Catholic Education and the well-being and success of all
students.
The main theme for this year’s Catholic Education Week which is inspired by the work of Pope Francis and his “Joy of the Gospel” is
the biblical story of “The Road to Emmaus”, namely that we are all on a life journey of faith where Jesus reveals himself to us.
As we continue this sacred journey together, united by our faith, please know this is a covenant that all partners involved in your child’s
education make with great pride and a strong sense of responsibility and humility. We are privileged that we have the opportunity to
work with you to provide an excellent Catholic education for your child.
Thank you for believing in the importance of a Catholic education and best wishes for another successful school year.
Sincerely, L. Storey
Superintendent
Brampton East/ Caledon/Dufferin/Malton Family of schools
EQAO RESULTS
The Grade 3 and 6, Primary and Junior Division, EQAO assessments measure how well students have met the expectations in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 - 8. The assessments test what students know and how well they
apply their knowledge and skills in Reading, Writing and Mathematics in everyday situations by requiring students to
read and respond to passages, to write and to solve mathematical problems.
EQAO assessments combine performance-based activities, requiring written responses, with multiple-choice questions. The results are reported in terms of achievement from Levels 1 to 4, with level 3 as the standard, which represents a high level of achievement.
The results for St. John the Baptist Catholic School, stated as the % of students meeting the Provincial standard
(Achieving Levels 3 , 4) are as follows for the 2012-13 assessment.
Grade 3
Grade 6
Reading
69%
81%
Writing
81%
86%
Math
61%
44%
School results on the EQAO Grades 3 and 6 assessments indicate that Writing continues to be a strength for our school and is
well above the Provincial averages. Our Reading score in grade 3 has slightly increased this year. Recent school initiatives such
as the delayed first recess allows a continuous two hour literacy block for optimal learning. The reverse lunch implementation
results in less lost teaching time in the afternoon which will help us to achieve our goals. We will also continue our “All Star Reading” and “Empower” program for “at risk” readers this year. Parents are encouraged to have their children reading for a minimum
of thirty minutes every night. The Kinders-grade 3 will continue with RAZ Kids (web-based leveled reading). The more students
read, the more improvement we will see in reading levels. Math will continue to be a school, board, and provincial wide focus this
year in order to see gains for following years. Our teachers will be using Prodigy (online math program) with their students. Also,
all administrators will be part of a Math Congress and teachers will take pare in PD around Math. It is important to emphasize
that these results should not be used to compare or rank schools, they are intended for the purpose of improving teaching and
learning for all students.
Page 3
TERRY FOX EVENT
Our school Terry Fox charity event was
a huge success on Wednesday, September, 24th. Student awareness of the
work of the Terry Fox Foundation was
heightened and our school raised money that will be forwarded to the Terry
Fox Foundation. The exact total collected will be reported in next month’s
newsletter. Sincere thanks are extended
to Mrs. O’Donnell, Mrs. Rosa, and Mrs.
Marchi for their assistance with this
event and to all the students, parents
and staff who contributed to the fund
raising effort.
SCHOOL MASS
We will be celebrating mass on Thursday,
October 2 at the times stated below:
9 a.m. for the following classes: Zambito,
Locantore, Morizio, Russo, Hamill, Modugno,
Richards, Vandervoort, Rosa, Rago, S.Viola, and
D. Viola
10:20 a.m. for the following classes: Zeni,
Vassallo, O’Donnell, Donnelly, Campanelli,
Pitcher, Watson, Ough, Cosmo, D’Onofrio,
Cocco, Lancia, and Quarato
Note: Kindergartens will not be attending mass until
December.
Need extra help in Grade 7 or 8 math?
Visit the Homework Help website for free help from Ontario certified teachers. On this
site, students have access to live chat rooms between the hours of 5:30-9:30 from Sunday
to Thursday and 24/7 resources such as videotaped lessons and interactive tutorials.
Homework Help is ideal for understanding homework, reviewing lessons, studying for
tests, and searching math topics.
Register today at https://homeworkhelp.ilc.org/.
All you need to register is your student OEN number which is found on your report card.
If you have additional questions, please contact your classroom teacher.
ALLERGY ALERT!
As part of our ongoing efforts to provide a safe and healthy environment
for all of our students, parents are reminded to please not bring or send
any food items to school with your children for distribution to
other students. The most common examples of this situation are students bringing food for class events or parties or for birthday events.
Please keep these activities for “at home” occasions. Students may bring in
pencils, stickers, etc. Thank you for your cooperation!
St. John the Baptist is now on Twitter!
* Follow us on Twitter @JBAPT_DPCDSB for
school information, events, and all the
great things happening in and around
the school.
Picture Day is Coming!
Mark your Calendar for our School Picture Day on
Thursday, October 23!
Picture Day information forms will be sent home with all students.
Please review the information form and send it back with your child on Picture Day.
Picture retake day is: November 10, 2014
INTRODUCING…
St. John the Baptist staff, students, and community would like to welcome
Mrs. Campanelli (PlanningTime), and Ms. Peragine (French) to the school.
Thank you for all your hard work towards supporting our students.
Page 4
OCTOBER 13TH
IS
THANKSGIVING
DAY
NO SCHOOL
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
St. John the Baptist’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive is now
running. Please send in non-perishable food items (breakfast
items, juice, children’s school snacks, etc.) with your
son/daughter or visit our school lobby to drop items off. Our
final day of collection will be on October 14th. All donations will
be given to Caledon Community Services.
Thank you for your continued support in assisting those in need!
Enrichment Testing
Challenge testing for all grades 4 students will take
place the week of October 20, 2014. If you would like
additional information on this test, please contact Mrs.
Marchi.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS TO PARENTS
NO DOGS on school property
Just a reminder to parents that we have many students
who have allergies to dogs at the school. We also have
students who are scared of dogs. Dogs are NOT allowed
on school property. If you are walking with your dog in
the morning, you must remain on the path at the park,
which is not on school property. Thank you for your assistance.
Kindergarten Gate Drop off in the Morning
Parents, please do not block the gate access into the kinder yard. Young students get scared to enter the gate when they see crowds of parents blocking
the path. Please have your child go through the gate, and then all parents must
move to the long side of the fence closest to the park. Parents are not allowed inside the gated area. Please do not stand by the fence side near the
gate. Thank you for your cooperation.
Parents at Recess
From time to time parents have been gathering by the fence near the parking
lot at recesses. Parents are reminded that they should NOT be at the fence
area during recesses or around the school property. This is permitted
ONLY in the mornings for drop off and at the end of the day. While your
child knows you, you are a STRANGER to everyone else. Your child needs
time to socialize and play with other children. If you have a concern about
your child’s socialization, please contact your child’s teacher.
WALK TO SCHOOL WEDNESDAYS!!!
The Eco Team is back, up and running for another exciting year of
doing our small part to cleaning up the planet. Already we are back at
Terracycling, Goos Paper promotions (after all, last week was National Tree Week), reviving the Caledon Crunch, launching the STEPS
program and more! What is the STEPS program? The Region of Peel, via our
school nurse, Alicja Petruccelli, is promoting healthier ways of getting to school:
walking, cycling, long-boarding, etc. On Wednesday, October 8th, we will kick
off the STEPS programme in a big and fun way. Leave the car at home that day,
come and meet us in front of the school and you’ll be welcomed with music, treats
and special guests. On that day, sign up for the STEPS program for the year, by
collecting your STEPS card: check off every walk to or from school, and after 10
walks, hand your card into the EcoTeam. Look for Madame de Groot or other Eco
Team members every Wednesday to hand in filled cards, and get new ones! We’ll
add your walk to your class total and submit your card to a ballot box. In December and in June, we will draw 10 lucky winners! The class with the most walks by
June will win a PRIZE! See you (and NO car) on the 8th!!!
LUNCH DELIVERIES
When delivering your child’s lunch to school, please advise
your child in advance that you will be doing so and write
his/her name and the teacher’s name on the bag. A table to
accommodate these lunches has been set-up in the front foyer
of the school. We ask for all parents to leave the lunch on the
lunch table. Lunches must be dropped of by 11:45. Fast
food lunches such as McDonalds and Tim Hortons are not
compliant with our Peanut/Nut-Free Policy. Please do not
send McDonalds and Tim Hortons lunches to school. Thank
you.
For security reasons, please do not gather and wait inside
the front vestibule as you wait for your child to pick up
their lunch.
GOING HOME FOR LUNCH
Students going home for lunch leave by the back door of
the school. Parents can meet their child at the black fence.
WALKING IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES
As a Catholic school community we are called
to live out our Virtues. This month, in celebration of EMPATHY, we recognize the theme
"Walking in someone else's shoes". The grade 7
classes will be collecting gently used shoes to
be donated to children AND adults in need.
Please send in your shoes or boots throughout
the month of October. There will be a table
outside the office where they can be left. Your
continued support and generosity is greatly appreciated!
TUTORS
Please be advised that the school policy is that information
about your child is ONLY shared directly from the teacher to
the parent. We do not share personal or academic information with anyone outside of the custodial parents. Tutors
are welcome to provide a list of questions to the parent to
discuss with the teacher. Please note that the school does not
recommend one tutor or tutoring agency over another.
Page 5
Please be advised, our school medication policy is that ALL medication including Aspirin, (all headache medication) benadryl,
puffers etc, needs to be administered by the student and kept in
the office for safety reasons. We are required to fill out a log
with this information, so it is important that you discuss with your
child to come to the office for this purpose. For puffers, students
can have one in their school bag, but must also have one in the
office for us to access in an emergency. A Board form needs
to be filled out if your child uses a puffer or any other medication.
You can obtain this form from the office. Please be advised we do
not have the facilities to store medication, like antibiotics in a
fridge, and parents must make arrangements for themselves/
family member to bring the medication to school when it needs to
be administered . It only makes sense that if a student is having
trouble breathing or is in pain, as the Principal, I want to know that
this is happening for the safety of your children. Should you have
any questions, please speak to myself or Mr. Troiani, the Vice
Principal.
NEIGHBOURHOOD HALLOWEEN SAFETY
Please remind your children of safety guidelines for Halloween:
1.
Do not wear a facemask, so your child will be able to see clearly.
2.
Wear light coloured clothing, so drivers can see them.
3.
Carry a flashlight, so your child will be able to see on dark streets.
4.
Go out with an adult or an older brother or sister if under the age of 10.
5.
Stay away from cars, and friendly strangers in cars.
6.
Watch for cars, and look both ways when crossing the street.
7.
Wear costumes above the shoes so they will not trip.
8.
Do not eat treats until they are home, and parents have checked the candy.
9.
Do not damage other people’s property
10.
Start trick or treating early and be home by 8:30
Thank you for your cooperation and support,
Costumes for Halloween
Students can wear their costumes on Halloween Day. We ask that
your child come to school already dressed in their costume. Please
keep in mind that we are a Catholic school and students need to be
dressed appropriately even at Halloween. No masks or replica
weapons and knives are allowed.
PEDICULOSIS CAPITIS - “HEAD LICE”
KISS AND RIDE
Thank you to all our parents who are respectful of our Kiss and Ride and
of the parking signage. Caledon By Law Enforcement officers do regularly
enforce the signage both at school and on the roads near the school.
Do not PARK your cars in the Kiss and Ride lanes as this causes unnecessary traffic backlog. If you require more time, please park your car.
Please do not drop off your children in the drive through lane.
Students should exit from the right hand side of the car. It is dangerous to have students cross the drop off lane. Our number one concern
is the safety of our students. We appreciate your assistance in this matter.
HEAD INJURY OR CONCUSSION OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
Parents/guardians are required to inform school administration in the
event of any serious injury to the head or concussion sustained outside of
school. Parents/guardians will then be provided with a form that ensures
the students have been seen by a doctor. Symptomatic students may require active supports and accommodations to return to school. Based on
medical documentation, the school team will review the impact of the
concussion on the student’s cognitive, physical and academic abilities. This
may require the development of a plan to facilitate returning to the classroom.
HEAD INJURY DURING SCHOOL POLICY
When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however
minor), it is a Board Policy that we inform parents. A phone call
will be made to one of your contacts and a message will be left if
we are unable to reach you. It is up to the parents to either
pickup their child and assess them or send them back to class.
This is precautionary only and we ask that you check your child
when they get home for any signs of a concussion or illness.
As we enter the fall season, we would like to be
proactive in advising you that lice can often occur. It is
important at this time of year, to check your children regularly for lice, in order to help stop the spread within the
classroom and school. Individual classroom letters are sent
out with the students when an occurrence of lice is found.
Names of students are never given. Siblings are also given
a letter to help prevent the spread. If your child has “head
lice” please report this to the school secretary immediately
and please keep your child at home until all of the live lice
have disappeared. If there is another situation we should
be aware of, such as students who are in the same daycare, then please let us know, so letters can be sent to all
classrooms affected. In some cases a classroom check may
be required if there is more than one case of lice reported.
Lotions and shampoos containing 1% permethrin often
work well. They can be bought at the store without a prescription, see a pharmacist. If these do not work, a doctor
can give you a prescription for stronger medicine.
2014 - 2015 School Year Calendar
First day of classes elementary and secondary schools Tuesday, September 2, 2014
First Day of classes Semester 2 Secondary Friday, January 30, 2015
School Year ends Elementary and Secondary Schools Friday, June 26, 2015
Number of school days for the 2014 – 2015 school year 194
Number of Instructional Days in Elementary Schools 188
Number of Instructional Days in Secondary Schools 188
Number of Professional Activity Days in Elementary Schools 6
Number of Professional Activity Days in Secondary Schools 6
School Holidays for the 2014-2015 School Year
Every Saturday and Sunday
Labour Day Monday, September 1, 2014
Thanksgiving Day Monday, October 13, 2014
Christmas Break (inclusive) Monday, December 22, 2014 to Friday, January 2, 2015
Family Day Monday, February 16, 2015
Mid-Winter Break Monday, March 16, 2015 to Friday, March 20, 2015 (inclusive)
Good Friday Friday, April 3, 2015
Easter Monday Monday, April 6, 2015
Victoria Day Monday, May 18, 2015
Elementary Schools – Professional Activity Days
1. Friday, September 12, 2014 Principal’s Day: Re-organization/Faith Development
2. Friday, November 14, 2014 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
3. Monday, January 19, 2015 Term 1 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress
4. Friday, February 6, 2015 Reporting to Parents
5. Monday, May 11, 2015 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
6. Monday, June 8, 2015 Term 2 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress
St. Sofia Only
1. Friday, November 14, 2014 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
2. Wednesday, January 7, 2015 Principal’s Day: Curriculum/Faith Development
3. Monday, January 19, 2015 Term 1 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress
4. Friday, April 10, 2015 Principal’s Day: Curriculum/Faith Development
5. Monday, May 11, 2015 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
6. Monday, June 8, 2015 Term 2 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress
Secondary Schools – Professional Activity Days
1. Friday, September 12, 2014 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
2. Friday, November 14, 2014 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
3. Thursday, January 29, 2015 Principal’s Day: Semester Turnaround
4. Wednesday, June 24, 2015 *Principal’s Day: Year End Reporting and Activities
5. Thursday, June 25, 2015 *Principal’s Day: Year End Reporting and Activities
6. Friday, June 26, 2015 *Principal’s Day: Year End Reporting and Activities
*Semester and year end evaluations and school wide promotion meetings; contact parents with summer school recommendations, OSR and report
card preparation; inventory management of books, equipment, learning materials; curriculum development for new course outlines; goal setting for
the upcoming school year.
Secondary Schools – Examination Days
Semester 1: January 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 2015 January 28, 2015 – Instructional Day – Examination Review
Semester 2: June 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 2015 June 23, 2015 – Instructional Day – Examination Review
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
ALL STAR READING COACHES
The All Star Reading Program provides opportunities for students to develop and to enhance their reading and thinking
skills. The students, who have previously participated in the program, have achieved very positive results. This term
we will implement the Program with our Grade 2’s. We really need volunteers to be All Star Reading Coaches. This
entails a half-day training session and then an hour to two hours per week commitment for ten weeks. We are beginning our first week on October 27, 2014. We look forward to working with you to support our students’ reading. Please
complete the form below and return it to the school if you are interested in volunteering as an All Star Reading coach.
Please contact Ms. Cecchetto if you have any further questions.
Please note:
All new coaches require training that will take place at the school. The date of the training will be forwarded to
you. If you were a coach in previous years you do not require training.
ALL STAR READING PROGRAM
I would like to volunteer to be an All Star Reading Coach.
Full Name:____________________________
Telephone Number: (Home)________________________
(Work) ________________________
Name of child(ren) in the school __________________________________
Days and Times you are available_________________________________
I am a new coach and require training
______
I have coached previously and do not require training
________
OCTOBER 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1 Hot Lunch
2 Opening Mass at 3 Immuniza9 and 10:20
tion Gr 7&8
4
LEGO at lunch
5 World
6 National Walk
Teachers’Day to School Week
7
8 Walk to School
Wed. Kickoff!!
10
11
Safety Presentation
Pizza Day
12
13 Thanksgiving Day
-NO SCHOOL
14 FINAL day of
Thanksgiving Food
Drive
15 Hot Lunch
16
17
18
19
20
21
22 Pizza Day
23 Picture Day
24
25
26
27 Election Day in
Gym
28 Virtues Assembly
at 1:35
29 Gr. 3 to Crawford Lake
30
31 Much Music
Halloween Video
Dance-a-thon!
Hot Lunch
november 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1 All Saints
Day
2
3 Kyle Dine
Presentation
4
9:00, 9:45
9
10 Picture Retake Day
5 Gr. 8s to St.
Michaels
6
7
8
13 Parent Interview Night
14 P.A. Day -
15
Pizza Day
11 Remembrance
Day
12 Hot Lunch
NO SCHOOL
Progress Reports
come home
16
17
18
19 Pizza Day
20
21
22
23
24 Virtues Assembly at 1:35
25
26 Hot Lunch
27
28
29