St. Bernadette School DUFFERIN-PEEL CDSB 1060 White Clover Way, Mississauga, Ontario L5V 1 K9 TEL: 905 501 9498 FAX: 905 501 9501 "Faith, Discipline, Excellence" M A R C H , Principal: M.J. Vowles Lenten Reflection… A Different Kind of Fasting 2 0 1 3 VIRTUE FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH Secretary: M. Trigiani Superintendent: C. Saytar 905 890 1221 Fast from negative thoughts about self or others… Feast on Christ dwelling in each of us. Fast from seeing differences… Feast on the Spirit in all life. Trustee: Peter Ferreira 905-890-1221 416-805-7110 peter.ferreira@dpcdsb.org St. Martins of Tours Church Fr. J. Pottackal 905 279 5742 Fast from discontent Feast on gratitude. Fast from useless fears… Trust in God‘s providence. Fast from anger… Feast on patience. Fast from bitterness… Feast on forgiveness. C.S.C. Co-Chairs: P. Gaspari J. DeCosta School Hours 8:30 - School Entry 10:30- Recess 11:00-Kindergartden Dismissal 11:30 - Lunch 12:30 -Afternoon Start 1:55-Recess 3:00 Dismissal Fast from discouragement… Feast on hope. Fast from complaining… Feast on appreciation. Fast from hostility… Feast on non-violence. Fast on the need to always be right… Feast on compassion for others. As we continue on our Lenten journey, let us pray for the strength and courage to be the people God created us to be. PRINCIPAL MESSAGE Follow us on Twitter @DPCDSBSchools - for the latest news and information about the board, schools, programs and services. Our Lenten season began with a school Liturgy on February 13, 2013 and the distribution of ashes. The Lenten season gives us a chance as Catholics to renew ourselves and our relationship with God. Our virtue for this month is the Virtue of Kindness. Students are challenged each day to do kind deeds for others. If each does their part it will truly make St. Bernadette an even better place to be. We’re on the Web! http://www.dpcdsb.org/BERNA FOOD DRIVE INDOOR SHOES/CHANGE OF CLOTHES Thank you in advance, for your donations of non perishable items for the St. Vincent de Paul food bank following the March break. Announcements will be made at school to remind the students. Your generosity to those in need is much appreciated. Please ensure that your child comes to school prepared to go outside for recess and lunch hour breaks. It is the expectation that each child comes dressed appropriately to go outside to enjoy the weather and get some fresh air and exercise. If your child is prone to getting wet during recess, please send a change of clothes, especially socks ad sweat pants. Please ensure that your child brings a pair of indoor shoes to school. Please label the shoes for our primary students. Running shoes are preferred because they are safe and can also be used for gym. Please ensure that the shoes have non-marking soles. We appreciate your continued support. EQAO GRADE 3 AND 6 TESTING The EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office) testing of our Grade 3 and 6 students will take place from May 27th through to June 6th. Please try to avoid scheduling any doctor‘s appointments or anything else that will take your child out of school during the testing dates. Tests and materials cannot be given out to parents prior to or during the testing. Previous media accounts revealed that some parents and children become anxious about this test. Please try to keep this testing in perspective for your child. A night will be set to meet and share more information about the testing procedure with parents. A letter to grade 3 and 6 parents with further information will be sent home closer to the testing dates. EQAO TUTOR CLUB St. Bernadette School is happy to offer parents of grade 3 and 6 students the opportunity to have their children participate in after school tutoring sessions to better prepare students for EQAO. Teachers will send letters home with students they feel will benefit from this opportunity. PLANNING AHEAD - Class Placements In arriving at the decision for placement for your child for the upcoming year, every consideration is given to individual needs. This decision is made in collaboration with all staff who have been directly involved in your child‘s education this year. If you feel that there are specific needs which should be addressed in determining the placement of your child, please send us a letter to advise us of your concerns. We ask for all submissions to be sent to the office no later than Friday, April 19th. Your request will be considered at our grade promotion meetings. We remind you that it would not be appropriate to request one teacher over another as placements are subject to change. However, if there is other information regarding your child‘s learning style, or other considerations of which we ought to be aware, please advise us of these facts in your letter. NO letter will be accepted after this date. MARCH BREAK Parents please be advised that this year the March Break will be the week of Monday, March 11th to Friday, March 15th. Students will return to school on Monday, March 18th, 2013. We wish everyone a safe and relaxing break! LOST & FOUND We have a large amount of winter clothing in our Lost & Found. There are a large number of jackets, snow pants, gloves and hats that are unclaimed. Please ask your children to look in the box to claim their missing items. The box will be emptied at the end of March and all unclaimed items will be sent to Goodwill. SHARE LIFE/UNITED WAY Students and staff of St. Bernadette will be donating a toonie in support of Share Life. The donations will be collected after March break. Students will receive a Share Life bracelet to thank them for their donation. Thank you for supporting Share Life. Let’s wash our hands! Hand washing when done correctly is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as the flu. Please help us to reinforce the proper techniques with your child. 1. Wet our hands. 2. Soap our hands 3. Wash our hands 4. Rinse our hands 5. Dry our hands 6.Use paper towels to turn taps off Dates To Remember March 6 -Dance Classes start March 10-15, March Break March 20 - SEE HEAR Screening March 20 - 10:00 a.m. Lent/Easter Mass March 25 - HOLY WEEK April2 -Dental Screening, grades JK/SK/2/8 April 10 –Skills Canada Competition April 12– Gr. 4-8 Rose Theatre trip April 15 - St. Bernadette Feast Day April 16 - Gr. 8 Grad Photos April 18 - Confirmation Rehearsal & Confessions April 19 - Gr. 4 Scientists in the School April 19 - 7 pm, Confirmation @ St. Martin of Tours Church GRADE 8 CONFIRMATION Dance-a-thon The Grade 8 Confirmation this year will be held at St. Martin of Tours Parish on Friday April 12th at 7:00 p.m. You must be registered with the church to receive Confirmation this year. On Thursday, February 14th, St. Bernadette School enjoyed our annual Dance-a-thon. Students from Junior Kindergarten to grade 8 all participate in this event. The theme of this year‘s dance was ―Friendship‖. The children all enjoyed dancing to the hip-hop beats of the twenty-first century and they danced their way to raise funds for our school Outdoor Recreation and Leisure project. CLOTHING This year the school raised $4, 600.00, these funds will be used to purchase: new trees, re-paint our playground games and add much needed plants and flowers to our Peace garden. Thank you St. Bernadette School Community for helping with this event! The Winter is not yet over, the Spring is not yet here. It is a difficult time for dressing your child. Please be sure you send your child dressed in layers so they are ready for heat or cold. Students should have boots for rain and snow and indoor shoes for every day. Raincoats and boots work well for wet Spring days. BAN THE BOTTLE Clean, refreshing tap water is available at St. Bernadette, so why not turn on the tap. Starting after the March Break the ECO team is encouraging all students to ban their water bottles and use reusable containers with water from the tap at home or at school. Tap water is convenient; good for your health; a smart idea to reduce waste; and more importantly protect our environment. PALS PALS (Playground Activity Leaders in Schools) will continue to run after March Break. PALS is in the primary yard every lunch hour from 11:50-12:30. It is run by grade 5 and 6 students. The objectives of PALS are to increase physical activity in the yard, decrease conflict and incidences of playground bullying and provide our students with leadership opportunities. Students who are in grades 1-3 are encouraged to participate to learn new games and get active. SAFETY IN THE GYM Students are reminded that they must wear proper indoor shoes for gym and appropriate gym clothes. Jewelry must be removed when in gym class or during sports activities. Students are not allowed to wear their ―outside‖ shoes in the gym. GRADE 8 GRADUATION PICTURES A reminder that grade eight graduation pictures will be taken on April 16, 2013. Further information from the photographer will be sent home closer to the date. GRADE 2 FIRST COMMUNION The celebration of the Sacrament of First Holy Communion will be at masses on Saturday, April 13th at 10:30 a.m., Sunday, April 14th at 2:00 p.m. or Saturday, April 20th at 10:30 a.m. You must be registered with the church to receive First Communion this year. SCIENTIST IN THE SCHOOLS WORKSHOPS Beginning in April, all classes from kindergarten to grade 8 will be participating in "Scientists in Schools' workshops. These workshops are half day workshops that are directly linked to the Ontario Science curriculum and involve interesting hands-on activities. We would like to thank our Catholic School Council along with all of our students, and their friends and families for the great support of our fund-raising efforts in order to make these workshops possible. DRAMA CLUB The Drama Club is currently working on a small play called, "Zach and Zena and the Sack of Gold". Members are currently working on their lines and costume creation. if anyone is interested in helping with costumes please contact Mrs MacRury. Invitations will go out in May when the production is ready. THE BIG CRUNCH This Thursday, March 7 is our Big Crunch. St Bernadette will participate again in taking a bite out of healthy eating. The assembly will take place at 2:10 and will be run by Student Council. CAMP MUSKOKA SPEECHES The Intermediate and Junior Divisions held their Public Speaking Competitions at St. Bernadette School in February. This year, from February 19-22nd, the grade 7 and 8 students of St. Bernadette School went on a trip to Camp Muskoka. Camp Muskoka is an outdoor excursion site filled with a variety of activities that are a joy to participate in. We did many exciting things such as snow shoeing, night hikes, leaned how to build fires, and even an aerial park that ended off with zip lining 90 ft. off the ground. Over the course of the trip, everyone learned things about themselves and made bonds that will last a lifetime. Camp Muskoka was a wonderful experience and we all would love to be able to go again…...By Cassandra F. STAY HEALTHY SCHOOL INITIATIVE As part of our Stay Healthy School initiative, Mrs. Bermudez Grade 6 class have been engaging the school in a morning Health Hustle. Groups of her students join each class after morning announcements to lead students in several exercises to music. Look for Moving on the Spot Family fun in Five Minutes exercise sheets to come home, so you too can engage your families in a fun and active lifestyle. CYBERBULLYING Parents—please take time to become involved with your children as they are engaged in computer activities. Be sure the computer screen is visible to you. Remember your child is a minor and you are responsible for their actions. Children in the St. Bernadette community have been receiving unsavory messages. It is recommended parents call the police if this is happening to their child. You will want to monitor the messages your child sends to ensure they are appropriate. SHROVE TUESDAY A GREAT BIG Thank You goes out to our Catholic School Council, for organizing, cooking and serving delicious pancakes for all our students (K-8) and staff on Shrove Tuesday. Thank you also to all the parents who donated juices and fruits for that day as well. Smiling from ear to ear our children enjoyed every last sticky bite. Yum, Yum!!! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! On Tuesday, April 16,2013 St. Bernadette CSC will host a Career Night. This is a great opportunity for you and your older (gr. 6,7,8 +) Secondary School children to find out more about potential future careers. Intermediate Division Kelly F. was awarded first place for her outstanding delivery of her speech on, ―Why Lady Gaga is a good person.‖ Claudia C. was awarded second place for her inspiring speech on, ―Paparazzi.‖ Erica R. was awarded third place for her great speech on, ―Why we shouldn‘t eliminate the penny.‖ Junior Division Jenny N. was awarded first place for her excellent delivery of her speech on, ―Stereotypes.‖ Lily N. was awarded second place for her informative speech on, ―Cyberbullying.‖ Elaine S. was awarded third place for her wonderful speech on, ―Life in Indonesia.‘ ―Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.‖ …….. Oliver Wendell Holmes SOCIAL WORK WEEK MARCH 4-8, 2013 “Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.” Martin Luther King Jr. Areas in which School Social Workers can assist Social Workers are knowledgeable and trained to assist students, families, and school communities to address concerns related to issues such as: MENTAL HEALTH: • Anger and Stress Management • Anxiety Disorders (i.e. Social Phobia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) • Childhood Disorders (i.e. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism) • Drug, Alcohol, and Substance Misuse • Eating Disorders (i.e. Bulimia Nervosa, Anorexia Nervosa) • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome • Mood Disorders (i.e. Bipolar Disorder, Depression) • Personality, Schizophrenia and other Psychotic Disorders • Self-Harm Behaviour • Suicidal Ideation • Trauma FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS: • Bereavement • Blended Families • Child Abuse and Neglect • Dating and Healthy Relationships • Domestic and Family Violence • Divorce/Separation/Reunification • Financial Challenges • Gender and Sexual Identity • Parenting Support EDUCATION: • Attendance • Bullying and Cyber Bullying • Discrimination • Learning Disabilities • Sexual Harassment • Suspension and Expulsion (OASW, School Social Worker Pamphlet, 2012) PEDICULOSIS (Head Lice) PSYCHOLOGY MONTH A problem which seems to occur throughout the school year is pediculosis, or head lice. Head lice are parasites which have been common among human beings for centuries. They are not connected in any way with uncleanliness. Anyone can become infested with them. Unfortunately, in recent years they have become quite common throughout North America. In order to control these pests we shall do the following and we request your full cooperation. If a case is found in a classroom, we will check the students and send a letter home asking that you please check your child(ren) as well. It is a wise precaution to check your child(ren) periodically and advise the school immediately should you detect head lice. Proper treatment may be obtained from your pharmacist or by contacting the Region of Peel Health Department. Thank you so much for assisting us with this very important issue, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the school. February is Psychology Month across Canada. This year, the Dufferin-Peel Psychology Department is continuing the ―iPsych Apps for All‖ theme and will be posting weekly ―apps‖, or fact sheets, on topics of interest . STUDENT SAFETY - Please review with your child Students are reminded of safe practices when walking to and from school. Walk in groups. Be on time so you are not walking to school or home alone. Never go with a stranger ANYWHERE Don‘t get in cars without your parent‘s permission Don‘t approach an unfamiliar car. Go straight home. Be sure your parents ALWAYS know where you are. If someone asks you to do something that seems strange— don‘t do it. Let your parents or an adult you trust know if something seems wrong or something happens to you. PARKING LOT PROTOCOL The articles are: Stress and Worries: Too Much of a Good Thing Is It More Than Just the Winter Blahs? Your Child in Full-Day Kindergarten For more information, please visit our website at www.dpcdsb.org/psychology NUTRITION CORNER GREENHOUSE PEPPERS The most common type of pepper grown is the 4-lobed, blocky, sweet bell pepper. The peppers become different colours as they mature during growing. Red, yellow and orange are the most common colours grown with red being the most popular. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin A. Peppers originated in Central and South America and were started in the Niagara region in the mid 1980‘s. There are approximately 90 acres devoted to pepper production in Ontario (about 60 acres in the Leamington area). They can be eaten raw, stir-fried, baked, grilled, or stewed. LIGHTLY ROASTED ONTARIO TRI-PEPPER SALAD Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Servings: 6 Ingredients: We would like to thank parents who remember to use the front Kiss ‗n Ride Area only for student pick up and drop off. It is a fire route and so if you leave your car unattended in this area, even for a moment to drop off a lunch, you can be ticketed. The parking lot at the side of the school is designated as staff parking. For student safety there is no thru traffic from the staff parking from 8:15-8:30 and 3:00-3:15. Parents should not be using the staff parking for dropping off or picking up students before or after school. The Kiss ‗n Ride lane is the only lane to used for dropping off and picking up students. The bus lane is for buses only. Use the Drive thru lane for exiting Kiss ‗n Ride area. Please be sure the bus has the right of way when entering the drive thru. 2 each red, yellow and orange Ontario Greenhouse Peppers 3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic or red wine vinegar 1 clove garlic, minced Salt and pepper 1/4 cup (50 mL) torn fresh basil leaves Staff photo by Fred LoekStaff photo by Fred LoekStaff photo by Fred Loek\\\\\\\\