St. Joachim
435 Rutherford Rd North Brampton, ON L6V 3V9
Telephone: 905.453.4472
Fax: 905-453-8615
Principal:
A. Alonzi-Peever
Vice-Principal:
M. Di Nunzio
Head Secretary:
J. Sequiera
Secretary:
Y. McCutcheon
Superintendent:
M. Vecchiarino
Trustee:
A. Da Silva
Pastor:
Fr. James Cherickal
Associate Pastor:
Fr. Paul Magyar
“Through A
Celebration Of Our
Faith All Who
Enter Our School
May Grow Together As A
Christian
Community”
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
Inside this issue:
Prayer of Return
O Lord, we return from a time of rest, vacation, visiting.
We return from camps, travels, cottages.
Thank You Lord for the summer.
It eases the mind,
Relaxes the body,
Soothes the soul.
We return to work, school, routines.
We return to meetings, sports, lessons.
Thank You Lord for our students, teachers, parents.
Guide all who learn.
Lord keep us from getting so organized that there is
not time left for You.
Let us seek and serve You in everyone we meet,
Everywhere we go and everything we do.
As we return to our routines,
Let us not forget who sends us on this journey.
Amen
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Welcome back as we gather together as a community of
students, parents, teachers and church. We welcome all
our new students and families to our school community. A
special thank you to Mr. Coretti, Mr. Decena and Mrs. Mederios for getting our school building prepared for our students and staff; also, Mrs. Sequeira and Mrs. McCutcheon
for getting our office ready. As per the notice in June, the
school has been undergoing some changes to the building. Unfortunately there is still some outside work to be
completed. The work will be done after school hours or on
the weekends.
On behalf of all staff, we extend our best wishes to everyone for a successful school year; one filled with new and
exciting opportunities and one in which we can grow together guided by God’s love.
Virtue of the Month: FAITH
-Bussing
-Opening School Mass
-Lost Articles
-Staffing Updates
2
-Greetings from Max
Vecchiarino
-School Visitors
-If Your Child is Not Baptized
3
-Election Process for St.
Joachim Catholic School
Council
-Possible Staff Reorganization
4
-Keep us Informed/
Medication
-Student Attendance Verification
-Volunteers! We Need you!
-School Agendas
5
-School Hours, Parking and
Kiss & Ride
-Open House
-Crossing Guard
6
-Positive School Climate
-St. Joachim Website
7
- Student Accident Insurance
-Dates to Remember
8
Forms to be signed and
returned:
-Student Accident
Acknowledgement
-Walking Excursions
-Media Release
-Lunch Hour Information
Inserts:
-Catholic School Trustee
News
-Elementary School Organization Plans for 2012-13
A virtue is a habit or established capability to perform good actions according to a moral
standard. In other words, a virtue is a habit that shows people and God that we are good
people.
This month we celebrate the virtue of Faith.
Let us pray for the grace and strength to be people of faith, people who can truly believe
that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe at school.
Page 2
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
BUSSING
Please be advised that St. Joachim School is only eligible for Kindergarten and
some grade one bussing. Transportation is provided only for students who reside more that the following distances:
OPENING
SCHOOL MASS
Please join us for our
opening school mass
on
Wednesday
October 3rd, 2012
1:30 p.m.
at St.
Joachim School for
grades 1 to 8 students.
Parents
are
encouraged to join us
as we pray as a school
community.
JK – Grade 1
residing more than 1 km from designated school of attendance
Grade 2-4
residing more than 1.6 km from designated school of attendance
Grade 5-8
residing more than 2 km from designated school of attendance
All students who rode the bus under the “Courtesy seat” policy last year, MUST
REAPPLY for a Courtesy seat at the office no sooner than October 3rd, 2012.
Younger students are given priority. Decisions about empty seats will not be
made until late October as school admissions/demissions are not stable until this
time. Parents are required to make alternate arrangements for their child
until this time. Often parents find an older “buddy’ for their child to walk with, or
collaborate with other parents to drive a group of students to school. Please keep
in mind we have only ONE bus available.
Students who are assigned a courtesy seat will receive a permission package to
be signed and returned before they can start riding the bus.
A reminder that busing decisions are no longer made at the school level. Any
questions or concerns in regards to transportation should be directed to
the Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) 905-890-6000. Please
visit www.stopr.ca for policies and procedures.
Please note that riding the bus is a privilege and students who do not abide
by the rules of the bus and bus driver will be removed from the bus and
parents notified.
STAFFING UPDATES
LOST ARTICLES
Each year a great
number of misplaced
items are found. We
try to return these
items to their rightful
owners, but it is often
difficult because they
are not labeled. We
are asking you then,
to label articles of
clothing, lunch bags,
boots etc. which could
be lost in the school
area. If this is done,
then we have a much
greater chance of returning the lost items
to their owners.
Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to St. Joachim:
J. Sequeira
Head Secretary
A. DeFrancesco
Kindergarten Teacher
N. Salameh
Kindergarten Teacher
A. Dyba
Grade 3 Teacher
K. Mattei
Grade 3 French Immersion
N. D’Souza
Grade 5 French Immersion
F. Sanna
Grade 7 Teacher
J. Stuart
Educational Resource Worker (ERW)
J. Philip
Educational Resource Worker (ERW)
We welcome our Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECE) who will be working in our Full Day Kindergarten classes:
S. Cabral-Gallant, G. Nascimento, A. Oliveira, G. Palczewska and M. Scarcello
Welcome back to E. Napoli our Grade 6/7 teacher and J. Russo our JK/SK teacher.
Congratulations to Mrs. Lugtu on the birth of her son Oliver!
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
Page 3
Greetings from Max Vecchiarino
Superintendent – Brampton North-East Family of Schools
September 2012
Welcome, and welcome back to another exciting school year! I offer special greetings to those who, like
me, are new to the Brampton North-East Family of Schools. As Superintendent, I am excited to be a part
of this vibrant and diverse community. The Brampton North-East Family consists of twenty-two schools –
four secondary and eighteen elementary – working together with our six parishes to support our students’
faith formation, learning and well-being. Four trustees represent our family: Anna Da Silva, Frank DiCosola, Scott McLauchlan and Linda Zanella, each a strong advocate for our schools and for Catholic
Education. It is our collective hope that you find your school to be a safe, caring, healthy and inclusive
Catholic learning environment. It is our aim to provide excellence in Catholic education for your children.
Our Catholic teachers work to ensure that our young people become more and more appreciative of the
gifts of our Faith and realize their distinctive promise as Catholic citizens. As parents and educators, you
are witnesses to the wonder and anticipation that nourishes each child’s faith formation and work to support these young people in their journey.
Education is a co-operative endeavour. As parents and guardians, you play a foundational and essential
role in your children’s success. We ask you to join us in setting high expectations for your children’s academic achievement. A parent’s expectations of success become a driving force to motivate a child, in
terms of grades, study habits and overall participation in the life of their school. You are, as well, always
encouraged to be involved and walk alongside your children as they work to achieve to their fullest potential. There are many ways to do this: supervising homework, fostering reading at home, limiting disruptions and talking with your children about the importance of education.
Our faculty have worked hard in preparing for the upcoming school year. The administrative team is prepared to ensure that programming and safety are paramount. We also welcome your involvement, support and suggestions, as we strive, together, to form an ever stronger home and school partnership.
I wish all our students a successful school year and all of God’s blessings to the community as a whole.
SCHOOL VISITORS
As a precaution against trespassers and to ensure the safety of all
students and staff, the Dufferin–
Peel Catholic District School
Board requires that all visitors
must identify themselves at the
office when entering the building.
Parents are asked to go directly
to the front office by the front
door only to register. No parents
are allowed to enter the school at
other entrances or to go directly
to a teacher’s room. Remember,
your child knows you, but you
are a stranger to other children.
Thank you for your cooperation
with this policy
IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT BAPTIZED
As a Roman Catholic School, we are charged by the Catholic community and the Church to create an atmosphere in which your child
will be able to experience and express our Catholic Faith. We also
assist the parishes with preparing students for sacraments. If your
child is not baptized, he/she is unable to receive any of the sacraments, which are celebrated as a school community with the local
parishes. The Catholic Church has a program for school-aged children, which will assist you in baptizing your child. You are encouraged to visit your parish Priest or contact the school for additional
information.
HEAD INJURY POLICY
When a student receives an injury to the head, it is the Board Policy
that we inform parents. We will try to notify you, or leave a message
even when it is a minor injury.
Page 4
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
Election Process for St. Joachim Catholic School Council
The purpose of the St. Joachim Catholic School Council, which is mandated by the Ministry of Education, is through active participation of parents, to improve pupil achievement and to enhance the accountability of the education system to parents.
Parents must hold the majority of seats on School Council. A “Parent” is anyone who is the parent
of a pupil in the school where the child is enrolled. A person is not qualified to be a parent member of a
school if:
 he / she is employed at the school or;
 he / she is employed by the Board at another school location and fails to take reasonable steps to
inform voters of the employment before the vote.
St. Joachim Catholic School Council is comprised of parents, 1 teacher representative, 1 community
representative, 1 parish representative, 1 member of non-teaching staff, the principal, and 1 member of
OAPCE.
The School Council meets monthly but is mandated by the Ministry of Education to hold a minimum of
four meetings a year. All meetings are public meetings and opened to the parent community of St.
Joachim School.
Nominations forms for parents/guardians representatives for School Council 2012/2013 school year will
be available in the main office from Wednesday, September 5th to Tuesday, September 25th inclusive.
Completed nomination forms must be received in the main office by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, September
25th.
If an election is needed, it will be held on Monday, October 1, 2012 by secret ballot. Eligible voters must
vote in person. If anyone is interested in being part of an Ad Hoc Election committee, please inform the
office by September 17th. Only those not running for council may be part of the committee.
The first meeting is on Wednesday, October 3 at 7 p.m. in the school library. At this time, as always,
all parents and guardians are welcomed and encouraged to attend.
School Councils are advisory in nature but have a tremendous impact on both the quality of education
and day-to-day activities within the school. The school council works co-operation with our school administrators in providing the best educational experience for our students. We hope that you will decide
to join the School Council Team and join us in our commitment to Catholic Education and the future of
our children.
POSSIBLE STAFF REORGANIZATION
St. Joachim staffing for 2012-2013 is based on a “projected” student enrollment that is calculated
each spring. This projected student enrollment number attempts to take into account any new students who are moving into our school as well as any students who may be moving out of the area.
There is a possibility of some class reorganization occurring before the end of September, due to a
difference in our “actual” versus “projected” student enrollment number. We will inform you in the
event that any class reorganization is required.
ALLERGIES
The safety of all our children is our number one priority at St. Joachim. We have many students and teachers who suffer from severe allergies to nuts and nut products. Even if someone in the class doesn’t have the allergy, there are many students who visit different classrooms and left over residue can cause them to have a life threatening reaction. Therefore,
it is the school policy that food not be given out to the class for any special occasions
(e.g. birthday, class parties). We suggest bringing pencils or erasers, or some other
non-edible treat for the students instead of food.
Page 5
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
HELP KEEP US INFORMED/MEDICATION
If your child has any health problems, allergies, etc, of which the office is not aware, please notify us as
soon as possible. Note, we cannot administer or store medication for your child (such as antibiotics, aspirin etc.) without board policy forms that have to be filled out by a doctor. Should your child get sick,
please pick up the appropriate forms at the office before you go to the doctor (also available on
school website), should medication need to be administered/or stored at the office.
Every year, medical forms for puffers, epi-pens, or other medication has to be filled out by the
doctor for renewal. All medication(s) and new forms were given to students on the last day of
school in June last year. These forms must be returned to the office before medication can be
administered.
Also, if you have had a change of address, telephone number, babysitter or place of employment, please
call the office to update your files. Accurate and up to date information is key to your child’s safety.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
VERIFICATION
In the interest of your child’s safety, it is very important
to inform us if your child will be late or absent from
school. We have a 24 hour answering machine for parents to leave this information at any time. It is the
school’s safe arrival program that necessitates that
the school will call your home or business if a message is not left on the machine explaining the absence.
To record your child’s absence:
Please call 905 453-4472 (24hrs) and leave the following
information in your message:
1) Your Child’s name
2) Your Child’s teacher’s name
3) Date and time of absence
4) Reason and duration of absence
VOLUNTEERS! WE NEED
YOU!
If you can spare some of your time to:
-read to children
-assist children with publishing their work
-provide assistance in the literacy room
Please leave a message for Mrs. Heslop at
905 453-4472 (office number)
All volunteers must complete a criminal reference check before they can work in the
school. This measure is to ensure the safety
of our students. Please see Mrs. Sequeira in
the office for more information.
SCHOOL AGENDAS
Each student from grade 1 to 8 will receive a school agenda to assist with the development of organizational and time management skills. This is an important tool to facilitate communication between home
and school. We ask that parents sign the agenda every day and return it to school. This is important to
keep parents informed of homework and important events, as well as to keep your child organized.
Please see the agenda for information in regards to school dress code and other important information.
PEDICULOSIS
Head lice have become increasingly common throughout North
America. It is wise to check your
child’s head periodically and contact your doctor and pharmacist.
Please inform the school if you
know your child has lice as students will not be readmitted to
class without having been
checked at the office to ensure
there is no presence of nits.
P.E.D. POLICY (Personal Electronic Devices)
All PED’s (cell phones, cameras, games) must be kept out of
sight, turned off and not used within school premises (including
portables) or during school-sanctioned activities such as retreats,
field trips, sports events, etc.
To prevent the loss or damage of PED’s, we encourage students to
leave their PEDs at home or in the bottom of their school bag turned
off. Failure to comply with this policy may result in the confiscations
of the PED and disciplinary action as outlined in the Catholic Code
of Conduct.
Page 6
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
SCHOOL HOURS, PARKING AND KISS & RIDE
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY
DAY
8:45
9:00
11:06 – 11:21
12:01 – 12:21
12:01 – 12:41
12:41 – 1:01
1:01
2:24 – 2:39
3:30
Friday September 14th, 2012
has been designated as a professional activity day for Faith
and Reorganization. There will
be NO school for students on
this day as teachers will be involved in meetings and possible
reorganization.
Supervision in the yard to drop students off
Start time for grades JK – 8
Morning recess for Grades 1 - 8
Kindergarten lunch
Lunch recess for Grades 1to 8
Lunch for Grades 1 to 8
Classes start in PM for Grades 1 to 8
Afternoon recess for Grades 1—8
Dismissal
Please keep in mind there is NO supervision before 8:45 in the morning and students should not be dropped
off before this time. If you are bringing your child to school, we encourage parents to walk their children only
to the fenced in area of the school yard. We have ample supervision by teachers within the school yard available. The safety and security of our students is our number one priority, and it is difficult for our supervisors to
monitor the yard when there are many parents. Remember, other parents are strangers to your child. When
picking up students in grades 2 to 8 at the end of the day, we ask that parents remain on the public pathway
away from the immediate school doors and pavement. For parents of grade 1 students we have a “hand to
hand” policy, so those parents may meet their child at the door. Students will be told to meet their parents/
guardians at the pathway.
Parents are reminded that there is no parking in the staff parking lot. We do not have the staff to monitor
the parking lot for safety. Parents are asked to park on side streets or in the few spots available at the front of
the school, or in the spots where the Kiss and Ride is located. Parents can walk their child to the fenced area,
where teachers are there to supervise the students.
The quickest and safest way to drop your child off at school is to use the Kiss and Ride lanes. Parents starting
at 8:45 can drive up the Kiss and Ride lane where teachers will monitor your child getting out of the car and
direct them safely into the school yard where they are being supervised.
Please be advised the Kiss and Ride lane is extremely busy in the morning, but from 8:45 to 8:50 is the
best time to drop off your child as it is the least busy period of time. We appreciate everyone’s patience and
cooperation for the safety of all students.
If you are driving your child to and from school, please be aware that the parking lot and driveways are very
busy places at arrival and dismissal times. Please park only in designated areas. Do not park along the front
sidewalk, as this is a Fire Route Only. Do not park your car in the Kiss and Ride Lanes as you can be
fined by the City of Brampton Parking Authority as this is also a designated fire route. Please consider
parking on a side street or walking to school.
OPEN HOUSE
The St. Joachim Open House will be held on Monday September 24th, 2012 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30
p.m. It is a wonderful opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher and learn about your child’s program.
Information will be sent home regarding our school BBQ shortly.
CROSSING GUARD LOCATIONS AND TIMES
A crossing guard will be at the following locations and times:
Rutherford at Williams Parkway
7:55 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
2:55 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Winterfold Road at Walkway
7:55 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.
2:45 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
Rutherford at Winterfold
7:55 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.
12:30 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.
2:45 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
Page 7
POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE
We would like our students to be happy coming to school. We are beginning to implement Tribes in our
school. The Tribes TLC® process is the way to do it.
Students achieve because they:
 feel included and appreciated by peers and teachers  are respected for their different abilities, cultures, gender, interests and dreams  are actively involved in their own learning  have positive expectations from others that they will succeed. The clear purpose of the Tribes process is to assure the healthy development of every child so that each
one has the knowledge, skills and resiliency to be successful in a rapidly changing world.
Tribes is a step-by-step process to achieve specific learning goals. Four agreements are honored:
 attentive listening  appreciation/no put downs  mutual respect, and  the right to pass  Students learn a set of collaborative skills so they can work well together in long-term groups (tribes).
The focus is on how to:
 help each other work on tasks  set goals and solve problems  monitor and assess progress  celebrate achievements. The learning of academic material and self-responsible behavior is assured because teachers utilize
methods based upon brain-compatible learning, multiple intelligences, cooperative learning and social
development research. The teachers and administrators in a Tribes school or district also work together
in supportive groups. They too enjoy the participatory democratic process and creative collegiality. For
more information please visit the website: http://tribes.com/
We are encouraging our student to “THINK” before they speak and act:
T~ is it true? H~ is it helpful?
I~ is it inspiring? N~ is it necessary? K ~ is it kind? When students are faced with conflicts we are asking them to use their WITS
Walk away
Ignore
Talk it out
Seek help
Taken from http://web.uvic.ca/wits/
ST. JOACHIM WEBSITE
Please visit our school website at www.dpcdsb.org/JOACH
We have listed upcoming events, school information, school hours, newsletters and links to other websites
you may find helpful.
Volume 2 Issue 1—September 2012
Page 8
TO:
Parents/ Guardians/ Students
FROM:
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
DATE:
September 4, 2012
SUBJECT: Student Accident Insurance
Important notice to parents, guardians regarding insurance for students who participate in
out-of-school excursions and extra-curricular sports activities.
Effective September 2012 the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board requires that parents, guardians and adult students provide written acknowledgment that they have received information regarding
Student Accident Insurance especially for those students participating in out-of-school excursions and/or
extra-curricular sports activities.
Attached please find the ‘insuremykids’ student accident insurance brochure.
Although the Board takes every precaution to provide a safe learning environment for students, accidents
can and do happen. Some accidental injuries result in medical, dental and/or other expenses that are not
covered by the provincial health care or employer group plans. As the parent, guardian or adult student
you become responsible for these expenses. Some families have private accident insurance which is able
to respond to costs arising from injuries however many families do not.
Under the Education Act, an Ontario school board may “provide, by contract with an insurer under the
Insurance Act, accident and life insurance for pupils, the cost of which is to be paid on a voluntary basis by
the parents or guardians. R.S.O. 1990, c.E.2, s.176, par.4.”
As required under the Education Act, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board arranges for the distribution of student accident insurance brochures (i.e., ‘insuremykids’). However, please be advised that
the Board assumes no responsibility for the cost of the plan, applications, premium payments or claims;
nor does the Board receive any remuneration from the Reliable Life Insurance Company. Furthermore,
DATES TO REMEMBER
September
14 – PA Day
24 – 6:30 Open House
26- National Tree Day
October
1 to 5 – Thanksgiving Food Drive
3 – 7 p.m. School Council Meeting
4 –Picture Day
5 – World Teacher’s Day
8-Thanksgiving
16-Gr. 7 Immunization & Gr. 8 HPV
November
2- Picture retakes
6- Progress Reports go home
8- Interview Evening as needed
16 – PA Day Provincial Priorities
December
5-8 Intermediate Camp Brebuef Trip
December 24 to January 4 –Christimas Break