ST. CHRISTOPHER CATHOLIC SCHOOL
1195 Clarkson Rd
Mississauga, Ontario L5J 2W1
Phone: 905. 822-0721
Fax: 905. 822- 0214
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CHRIS
School Newsletter
February 2016
Principal
C. Bova
Virtue of the Month:
Vice-Principal
A.J. Hilario
Head Secretary
K. Romani
Superintendent
D. Amaral
(905) 890.1221
We all deserve to be treated respectfully by others.
However, in order to be respected we also have to
respect ourselves. Everyone has a right to go to
school/work free of gossip, name-calling, and
putdowns. We should expect to be treated with
respect by everyone we meet – our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Our Daily Prayer for February:
Let us pray for the virtue of respect so that everyone we meet will feel like we are their
brother or sister in Christ. AMEN
Trustee
S. Hobin
Bus: (905) 890.1221
Cell: (905) 301.1210
sharon.hobin@dpcdsb.org
Parish
St. Christopher’s
Catholic Church
1171 Clarkson Road
Mississauga, ON L5J 2W1
Phone: (905) 822-1171
Fax: (905) 8221311
www.stchristopher.on.ca
Pastor
Reverend Scott Young
School Council Chair:
G. Patricio & P. Robson
RESPECT
From the perspective of the Catholic Graduate Expectations,
a person with Respect…
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Has a confident, positive sense of self, respect for the dignity, welfare of others
Honours the rights, responsibilities and contributions of self and others
Values and honours the important role of family in society
Values the environment and uses resources wisely
Honours the faith traditions, world religions and life journeys of all people of goodwill.
A Message from the Administration Team: Feb 10th, Ash Wednesday marks the
beginning of Lent and we are celebrating with Mass on this day at 12:30 pm over at
the Church. This is the season before Easter which comes together with Holy
Thursday Mass. Holy Thursday begins The Easter Triduum, which lasts from Holy
Thursday to the Evening Prayer of Easter Day. However, Lenten fasting and
penance continue until the end of Holy Week, and all of Holy Week is included in
the traditional 40 day Lenten fast. The purpose of Lent is to be a season of fasting,
self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, simplicity and alms giving. Lent
can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and
then cleaning out those things which hinder our personal relationships with Jesus
Christ and our service to him.
Staff and students at St. Christopher are preparing for Easter in a variety of ways
and we encourage you to discuss with your child how they might be willing to
"sacrifice" or give up some things at home. Suggestions that have come from our
students could be to limit Facebook time, internet access, gaming devices and
texting. Junk food and chocolate have always been a favourite but you may also
want to place a focus on positive actions rather than giving up something. Donating
time at our local food bank, raising funds for a charity of your choice or doing their
siblings chores are all good examples of positive actions.
Peace,
Mrs. Bova and Mrs. Hilario
Principal
Vice-Principal
LITURGICAL DATES
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THESE DATES
February 4 & 5
1st Term parent and teacher conferences
February 5
PA DAY: Conferences(no school for students)
February 10
Ash Wednesday
February 12
Valentine Dance-a-Thon for ShareLife
February 15
February 24
Please join us when you can.
Feb. 10
Ash Wednesday Mass 12:30pm
April 5
Easter Mass 12:30 pm
Family Day Holiday – NO SCHOOL
June 2
Year End Mass 12:30 pm
June 27
March 4
Huddle up for Bullying: WEAR PINK and
Virtues assembly 1pm
Virtues Assembly (a.m.)
Graduation Mass &
Ceremony 7:00 pm
March 14 - 18
March Break
March 25
Good Friday – NO SCHOOL
St. Christopher’s Catholic Church
Phone: (905) 822-1171 www.stchristopher.on.ca
March 28
Easter Monday – NO SCHOOL
April 11
P.A.Day **New recently announced
May 2-6
Catholic Education Week
May 13
PA Day – NO SCHOOL
May 23
Victoria Day – NO SCHOOL
June 30
Last Day of School
REPORT CARDS
The report card for Term 1 has gone
home on Tuesday, February 2, 2016.
Interviews took place on the evening of
Thursday, Feb. 4 and the day of Friday,
Feb. 5. Thank you to all parents and teachers for their
invested time and commitment to our student success.
FAMILY DAY: No School for Students!
A reminder to parents that Monday, February 15, 2016 is designated as Family Day. This is a
holiday and there is no school for all.
EXTENDED FRENCH APPLICATIONS
Extended French applications are available for pick up in the main office. All applications are
due back at the school no later than Tuesday, February 16th at 3:00pm (firm). If there is a
need to go to lottery, all applicants will be called. The lottery will take place on Wednesday,
February 24th, 2016 at 3:00pm. Students accepted will be notified by phone.
HUDDLE UP ASSEMBLY: FEBRUARY 24 On February 24 all are welcome to join the students and staff as we welcome the Toronto Argonauts Huddle Up Bullying Prevention Assembly at 1pm. We will have staff from the Argos here, along with our Huddle Up committee ‐ don't miss this exciting event! We ask all students, staff and visitors to wear PINK shirts to support this initiative. A TRIBUTE TO BROADWAY: Rehearsals are starting for our concert "A
Tribute to Broadway". Students who want to participate in the group numbers for
Grades 1 to 6 and Grades 7 and 8 are still welcome to sign up if they have not
already done so. Looking forward to spending the next few months singing and
dancing!! LEGO BRICKS NEEDED: Please donate! We are hoping to begin using Lego bricks in various
programs throughout the school. If you have some extra pieces, or sets that you are no longer
using at home, would you consider donating these to the school? We will collect them at the
main office, thank you! KISS AND RIDE: Thank you to the many School Council parent volunteers who helped out with our Kiss
and Ride program over the past month. We are all focused on student safety and their participation in our
awareness program made a great difference.
According to a recent report in the Toronto Star:
“The most dangerous part of a kid’s day may be during morning school drop-off. Rushed parents’ litany of
driving don’ts — from stopping in the middle of the road to let their children out or even on the opposite side of
the street, forcing them to jaywalk amid busy traffic — puts young pedestrians at an increased risk of being hit
by a car, a study by York University and the Hospital for Sick Children has found.”
For the rest of the article please access the following link:
http://m.thestar.com/#/article/yourtoronto/education/2016/01/20/parents-dangerous-driving-at-drop-off-areasputs-students-at-risk-study-finds.html
MEDICATION
A reminder that students are not allowed to bring any medication to school. This includes
prescription and non-prescription medication. As per Board protocol, all medication must be stored
in the office, accompanied by appropriate paperwork and a doctor’s signature. Please note that this
includes Advil, cough medication, cough drops, etc. We thank you for your co-operation in this
matter. As always, we care about the safety of all our students.
STUDENTS ARRIVING LATE TO SCHOOL
We have had an increase in the number of students who arrive late to school in the
mornings. Especially as more wintery weather approaches, it is very important that
students arrive to school on time and ready to work, as late arrivals disrupt instructional
activities and classroom routines. School starts at 8:15 am and student supervision
begins at 8:00 am. Students should be at school with enough time to line up and enter
with their classes. Please note that if they do not arrive on time to make it to their line as
the bell rings, they need to enter through the front doors and check into the office to pick
up an admit slip before going to class.
STUDENT INFORMATION: It is vitally important that we have up-to-date records of your
address, phone numbers and emergency contacts (and email addresses if you prefer) in the
event that the school must contact you regarding your child. If there have been any changes, or
updates, please ensure that you send in a note with the information to the classroom teacher
and the office. The student agenda is also a place where you can add information for your child to have.
ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION
As part of our Safe Arrival Program we ask that you notify the school if your child
will arrive late or will be absent from school for any reason.
We ask that you inform us by calling the school at 905-822-0721 and leaving
details regarding the absence. The answering machine is on 24 hours daily so
your information may be relayed at any time.
This practice will greatly assist us to track and verify student attendance at school.
WINTER WEATHER
During the winter season, the school receives calls from concerned parents as to how we
determine when children will or will not be allowed outside for recess. Dufferin‐Peel
CDSB Policy uses a Wind Chill factor as the determining temperature. Students will not
be sent outside for recess if the wind chill dictates.
Snow season is here. Please ensure that your child is properly dressed for outdoor play in a Canadian
winter. It is a school expectation that all students go outside for recess for exercise and
fresh air. Students should come dressed appropriately for weather (hats, mitts, warm jackets,
boots, etc.)
In the colder weather, we receive numerous 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 nor the staff to supervise these students. If your child is not feeling well we encourage you to keep
them home to avoid the spread of illness. A child who is coughing, wheezing, etc. is not in
a state to learn and will only infect others. The expectation at our school is that all children
will go outdoors for recess and the lunch break.
We would also appreciate your support in reinforcing the school rule that all snow stays on
the ground. For everyone’s safety we do not allow snowballs, kicking snow, or any other
snow\ice activity that could lead to potential harm or injury.
DRY FEET, DRY CLOTHING
As the wintery season gives way to slush and snow, all students are reminded to bring an
extra pair of shoes to wear indoors during the winter months. Fire regulations dictate that all
students must have footwear on at all times. In anticipation of a cold and snowy winter, we
would also like to advise parents to send an extra set of clothes (track pants, sweatshirts,
socks) to school in the winter. These clothes can be kept at the school to be used when the
child is wet from playing in the snow.
FIRE DRILL\LOCKDOWN DRILLS
St. Christopher is required to practice fire drills and lockdown procedures throughout the
school year. We hold 6 fire drills each year as well as 2 lock down drills.
During fire drills, students are asked to move safely and quickly to the nearest exit, and
proceed to their designated class area outside the building. If an exit were to be blocked,
students are to leave the building via an alternate exit. This is what we practice during the
drills. In a lockdown, students are alerted over the PA that the school is “initiating a
lockdown.” Students are directed to move away from all windows and doors. Classroom doors and windows
are secured. Students remain this way until the alert is cancelled. Discussing these procedures with your child
will help highlight and support the importance of these safety measures.
February will be a very busy month for our members of Student Parliament. We are
busy preparing for our Share Life Dance-a-thon on February 12. We have cut out
hearts so that students who donate can have their name printed on a heart. We are
hanging these on the main floor. We are also preparing the music and prizes for the dance. Please support
our Share Life Dance-a-thon in any way you can! The members of our Athletic Council are busy with the
Huddle Up program. The assembly will be on February 24 and the students and staff of our school will be
wearing pink t-shirts or anything pink for the assembly. The Athletic council is also busy with Primary games
held every Friday in the Gymnasium. The Youth Faith Ambassadors and members of parliament will be
starting rehearsals for the presentation of the Stations of the Cross on Holy Thursday this month as well. At
our January meeting all members of parliament received a yellow t-shirt for all the hard work they do for our
school. That’s it for now, more news in March!
At St. Christopher We are an Eco-School!
Milk Bag Mondays: Bring in your milk bags to be used for mats in the 3rd World
Tupperware Tuesdays: Bring your lunch in re-usable containers to cut down on waste.
Water-bottle Wednesdays: Buy / use your St. Chris water bottles!
No Throw Thursdays: Return all waste to be properly disposed of at home.
Lights Out Fridays: Turn off the lights to conserve energy.
Weekly Mass Times
Sunday Mass Times: Saturday: 5:00 pm Sunday: 8:30am, 10:00am, and 12:00 noon
Weekday Mass Times: Monday - Saturday: 9:00am
Reconciliation: Saturday: 10:00am
Next SCHOOL COUNCIL Meeting:
Wednesday, February 18 at 6:30 p.m.
Special Guest: Mrs. Sharon Hobin
our Catholic School Trustee
All parents/guardians are encouraged to come
out to meetings and participate.
Thank you to all who supported our Voluntary Donation appeal in the Fall. As a school community, we were
able to raise $13574.00. Through the fundraising efforts of the School Council and the voluntary donations we
are able to enhance student programs here at St. Christopher. The money raised has helped to offset
technology and we are proud to say that every classroom in our school now has a smart board. We were also
able to purchase a school barbeque; subsidize arts programs in the school; subsidize school trips; add to the
musical instruments at our school; contribute to the athletic programs by topping up equipment; and we have
enhanced the school through beautification plans. Thank you to all who were able to contribute and to the
efforts of the Council—every little bit helps to make for a better learning experience for our St. Christopher
students. Much appreciated!
HOCKEY NEWS
CONGRATULATIONS!
A huge congratulations goes out to the Intermediate Co-Ed Hockey Team for their Tier 1
Silver medal finish in the All Saints Invitational tournament. St. Christopher finished second out of 32 teams!
Our best finish ever! The coaches were extremely impressed with their hockey skills, sportsmanship and team
effort. Once again, congratulations to: Reegan; Avery; Connor; Liam; Damon; Maximus; Noah; Aidan; Jack;
Tyler; Nicholas; Daniel; Andrew; Michael; Patrick. Thanks to the time and dedication on part of our
FABULOUS Coaches: Perdue, Halchuk and Wos! Go Crusaders!
SPECTATORS AT EXTRA CURRICULAR GAMES
We appreciate that some students may want to support and cheer on their classmates as
they participate in extra-curricular (after school) games against other schools, but our
teachers are there to coach and cannot supervise these spectators. Therefore, we ask that
only those spectators who are accompanied by their parent(s) will be permitted to stay
and watch.
NATIONAL FLAG DAY
February 15, 1966 was declared National Flag Day of Canada. It recognized the day in 1965
when our red and white maple leaf flag was raised over Parliament Hill in Ottawa, and in
communities across Canada. Red and white were designated as Canada’s official colours in
1921 by His Majesty King George V. More information can be found at:
www.canada.gc.ca/flagday
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAY: MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2016
Terms of the recent contract settlement between the teacher federations and the
Ministry of Education included the provision of an additional Professional Activity Day
for the 2015-2016 school year for both elementary and secondary schools. Recently,
boards were directed to schedule this additional Professional Development Day on or
before April 15, 2016. In the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, the designated additional
Professional Activity Day has been scheduled for Monday, April 11, 2016.
Therefore, there will be no classes for either elementary or secondary students on Monday, April 11,
2016. Thank you for your attention to this addition to the 2015-16 School Year Calendar.
EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office) testing of our grades 3 and
6 students will take place from May 30th to June 10th. Please try to avoid scheduling any
appointments or anything else that will take your child out of school during these dates. A
letter to grades 3 and 6 parents will be sent home closer to the testing dates.
SEVERE WEATHER : BUS CANCELLATIONS
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation
and regular school operations. Notification: Parents/guardians, students and school staff
are asked to monitor the following radio/television stations after 6:00 a.m. to receive bus
cancellation/school closure information. Should the announcement refer to cancellation
only in the COUNTY OF DUFFERIN, this does NOT affect our school.
Check with these Radio or Television Stations:
RADIO: VIRGIN RADIO FM 99.9
CHFI FM 98.1
FM Z 103.5
CHIN FM 100.7
CJBC (FR) AM 860
EZ ROCK 97.3 CBC 99.1
CFNY FM 102.1
CJCL AM 590
CFTR AM 680
CHUM AM 1050 CFRB AM 1010
FM Q107
FM 93.1
AM 640
TELEVISION: CITYTV, CTV, GLOBAL NEWS,
CANADA AM, CFTO
A bus cancellation and/or school closure message will also be available online at www.dpcdsb.org
or by calling 905- 890-1221.
Volume 3
February
Operations:
Numbers are used to describe
quantities, to count, and to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide. It is
important to recognize when each
operation is appropriate to use and
which tool and/or strategy is most
helpful when solving problems.
Web Resources:
Developing Mindsets that Promote Growth
What do we mean by “growth mindset”?
Growth mindset is a belief system that suggests that one’s
intelligence can be grown or developed with persistence,
effort and a focus on learning.
- Mary Cay Ricci
Tips for Fostering a Growth Mindset:
Tip # 5. Praise Effort, Practice and Process – Not Outcome
 When your child succeeds, talk about the work that went
Nelson Math has a home connect for grades 3-8
http://www.mathk8.nelson.com/companion.
html
H
into the success (e.g., “You worked hard on the project
and I’m so happy you did well.”)
 Praise persistence and perseverance (e.g., “I’m so proud
of you for not quitting.”)
Family Math Activities K-3
Big Bi
Ideas
There are many situations to
which an operation is applied,
and there are many
procedures, (algorithms) for
each operation.
 Three people shared some grapes. They all had
the same number of grapes. How many might
there have been? How many do you think there
might not have been? Discuss with your child.
Measurement from 4-6
Big Idea: There are many situations to which an
operation is applied, and there are many
procedures, (algorithms) for each operation.
 There are two types of bread (white and
brown) and 3 types of cheese (cheddar, swiss
and mozzarella). How many ways can you
combine them to make different sandwiches?
Discuss the operations used with your child.
Grades 7 & 8: Continuing the
Conversation about Financial
Literacy!
Let’s discuss how “Advertising” affects our
money decisions…
Discuss with your child which of the following
advertising techniques do you think is the most
effective at influencing your opinion about a
product or service?
1. Repetition – repeating their message over
and over again in an ad or a series of ads
over time. (eg: “I’m lovin’ it”, “Just do it!”)
2. Conformity – aims to have you “get on
board”, be “in” and “get with it”.
3. Imitation – using a celebrity associated
with the goods or service. The advertiser
hopes that those who like and respect the
celebrity will imitate the behaviour by
using the product.
“Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.” Luke 6: 29-30
PSYCHOLOGY MONTH 2016
Department of Psychology, Dufferin-Peel CDSB
HOW TO TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT TRAUMATIC EVENTS
It seems that every day, something tragic happens
somewhere in the world, such as school shootings, fatal car collisions,
extreme weather conditions and terrorist attacks. Children's lives are
touched by trauma on a regular basis, no matter how much parents or
teachers try to keep the "bad things" away. Instead of shielding
children from the dangers, violence or tragedies around us, adults
should talk to kids about what is happening.
The conversation may not seem easy, but taking a proactive
stance, discussing difficult events in age-appropriate language can
help children feel safer and more secure.
As much as adults may try to avoid difficult topics, children
often learn or know when something sad or scary happens, because of
their exposure to media, such as TV, Facebook, or Twitter. If adults
don’t talk to them about it, a child may overestimate what is wrong or
misunderstand adults’ silence. Be aware because difficult news and
tragedies are happening regularly. So, be the first to bring up a
difficult topic. When parents tackle difficult conversations, they let
their children know that they are available and supportive.
Guiding the Conversation

Find a quiet moment. For parents, this could be after dinner or while making the next day’s lunch. For teacher’s, it could be
after recess or lunch if a student seems troubled. This is time and place where your children can be the center of your
attention.

Find out what they know. For example, there was a shooting at a school or a bomb set off in another country. Ask them
"What have you heard about this?" And then listen. Listen. Listen. And listen more.

Think about what you want to say or how you want to respond. Some advanced planning may need to take place to make
the discussion easier. If you do need to think about it, acknowledge the child’s concerns and get back to them soon. You
don’t always have to respond off the top of your head.

Share your feelings with the child. It is OK to acknowledge your feelings with children. They see you are human. They also
get a chance to see that even though upset, you can pull yourself together and continue on. Parents and teachers hear it
often: Be a role model. This applies to emotions, too.

Tell the truth. Lay out the facts at a level they can understand. You do not need to give graphic details. For example, young
children may not fully understand what death means and you may have to explain it in a way they can understand, such as
no longer feeling anything, not hungry, thirsty, scared, or hurting; we will never see them again, but can hold their
memories in our hearts and heads). Remember, it is OK to say, "I don’t know." Sometimes the answer to the question is "I
don’t know." "Why did the bad people do this?" "I don’t know" fits.

Above all, reassure. At the end of the conversation, reassure the child that you will do everything you know how to do to
keep them safe and to watch out for them. Reassure them that you will be available to answer any questions or talk about
this topic again in the future. Reassure them that they are cared for.
Source: American Psychological Association, Psychology Help Center