1060 White Clover Way, Mississauga, Ontario L5V 1G7 Phone: 905 501-9498 Fax: 905 501-9501
PRINCIPAL:
SECRETARY:
SUPERINTENDENT:
Mrs. M. Parker
Mrs. L. Magi
TRUSTEE:
PASTOR:
Mrs. L. del Rosario (905) 890-1221
Fr. J. Pottackal (905) 279-5742
Mr. D. Amaral (905) 890-1221 SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIR: Mrs. Gaspari
Advent Prayer
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
As we prepare our homes for Christmas please let us not forget the real reason for Christmas; Advent. As
Catholics we are asked to remember that Advent has already begun. It is a difficult season to celebrate because of the vast amount of commercialism of the secular world in which we live. At this time, we keep in mind people who are less fortunate. St. Bernadette School is helping to raise awareness of those less fortunate in our own school community by asking families who are able to voluntarily help support our Tree of Light by donating gift cards, non-perishable food items or an unwrapped gift. These activities help to instill within our students that we are all children of God and that we are all responsible for loving in the light of Christ.
According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year,
Advent has a twofold nature: It prepares us for
Christmas, when we recall Christ’s first coming among us, and it is also a time when we look forward to His second coming at the end of the ages. Advent is the season of joyful expectation. Our challenge, as Catholics, is to help our children to look beyond the materialism of
Christmas and focus on the spiritual preparation. As a school community, St. Bernadette staff and students will be exploring many avenues during Advent amidst the frantic energy of preparing for December 25. Each
Monday we will be lighting the candles on our Advent wreath, and praying and reflecting on the readings of
Advent during our morning prayers. How wonderful it is that as Christians, we do not liturgically celebrate
Christmas until December 25 and after, giving us the opportunity to focus our attention on the true meaning of the season!
May this Advent season bring you and your family the light of Christ. Many blessings be bestowed upon you during this sacred season.
God Bless,
Mrs. Parker
Principal
God our Father, we are getting ready for Christmas: buying presents, preparing for carol services, rehearsing plays.
We thank You for all the preparations
You made for the first Christmas.
Through the prophets You told people to get ready for Jesus:
You gave a baby, John to
Zechariah and Elizabeth,
You chose Mary to be Jesus’ mother and
Joseph to provide a home for them;
You called wise men from far away.
As we prepare to enjoy Jesus’ birthday, make us ready to listen carefully to the Christmas story and to make room for Jesus in our hearts.
Amen
Advent Season School Mass
St. Bernadette School will be celebrating our Advent
Season school mass on Tuesday, December 8 th , 2015 at
1:00 pm in our school gymnasium. Father Joyson will be here to preside over this most beautiful display of our
Catholic faith. We are extending an invitation to our school community to come and celebrate with us. Please wear Purple .
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH December is HOPE
People of Hope:

Keep a positive attitude

Can bounce back from a tough situation

Set and stick to their goals

See the good in others even when they make mistakes

Work to include others

Let others know that they are good people
The daily prayer of HOPE for December is:
Let us now pray...for the grace and courage to be people of Hope. People who can see, participate in and contribute to God’s goodness emerging around

BULLYING AWARENESS & PREVENTION WEEK
A TRUE SUCCESS STORY AT ST. BERNADETTE
During the week of November 18 to 22, 2015, St.
Bernadette School participated in a variety of activities to help increase awareness and prevention of bullying and support student well-being. Activities included an assembly by rapper Dwayne Gibson who delivered a message of hope to all who were bullied. Artwork, various lessons engaging students in bullying awareness, and classroom discussions all were centered on the theme of Bullying Awareness.
Please help us to support all our efforts in making St.
Bernadette a BULLY FREE school!
BUS DELAYS DUE TO WEATHER
With winter weather fast approaching, it is possible that buses may be delayed at times. Please be flexible in understanding that bus runs may be delayed due to poor weather conditions. We suggest that you please check www.stopr.ca for up-to-the-minute bus delay information.
BUS CANCELLATIONS and SCHOOL CLOSING
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 various radio and TV stations in the greater Toronto area. Kindly refer to the attached information sheet at the end of this newsletter for further details. It is suggested that this page be posted somewhere in your home for future reference. A further option is to contact the school as bus cancellation information will be recorded by 7:00 a.m. on our school’s answering machine.
UPCOMING EVENING CHRISTMAS
CONCERT
Please join us! On
classes here at St. Bernadette School will be performing at our evening Christmas Concert in our school gymnasium.
As well, we have planned a surprise for all in attendance.
Staff have generously given of their time to prepare students for what is turning out to be a very special evening. We encourage you to come out and support your children, their teachers and St. Bernadette School.
Santa will be available between 4:00 pm -5:45 pm for individual or family photos. For $10.00 you can order a 5 x 7 photo. Order form is attached. If you are interested in participating in this voluntary activity, please fill out order form and return with appropriate funds to the school no later than Thursday, December
10 th , 2015. These photos will be processed and sent home for your sharing, etc.
Students performing are asked to be here at the school between 5:45 or no later than 6:00 pm. They will go directly to their classrooms and wait for teacher instructions. Parent/Guardians are not to be in the individual classrooms. Your child can be picked up from their individual classrooms upon completion of the evening performance.
Parents/Guardians will NOT be permitted to reserve seats for family members. As an equitable community we must ensure that we respect the right of all to attend and have a just means to adhere a seat.
Gym doors will open promptly at 6:15 pm. Prior to that
Parents/Guardians after dropping off their child(ren) can wait in the front foyer until the gym doors are opened.
We want this to be a special evening for students, staff and parents/guardians. Please help us to make this a memorable evening .
KINDERGARTEN ENTRY PLANNING SEPTEMBER 2016
Registration for Full-Day Kindergarten for the
2016/2017 school year will take place at St. Bernadette
School on the following days:
Monday, January 25, 2016 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
SNOW DATE: Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Registration Week: Wednesday, January 27 to Friday,
January 29, 2016 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Parents/Guardians must bring the following documents when registering their child:
 Proof of age (birth certificate)

Original Catholic Baptismal Certificate of the
Roman, Greek or Ukrainian Rite, for parent
(one) and child (if the child has not been baptized, a letter counseling with the parish priest, to complete the process will be accepted)

Updated immunization records
 Proof of Canadian citizenship or of Landed immigrant status
 2 documents for proof of address which may include:
1.
Property tax bill
2.
Real estate document (i.e. purchase agreement/rental agreement)
3.
Current utility bill
4.
Government of Canada – issued forms (i.e.
Passport, Service Canada documents which state your current address and name)
For more information about registration and the Full-
Day Kindergarten program, call 905 501-9498 or visit www.dpcdsb.org
.

Dufferin-Peel Hosts Parent Evening to Support the
Transition of Students with Differing Abilities into
Kindergarten
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s
Special Education and Support Services Department will host a Kindergarten entry planning information session on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at the Catholic Education Centre (Room 301) – 40
Matheson Blvd. West, Mississauga (Hurontario and
Matheson.
STUDENT ILLNESS-STAYING IN FOR RECESS
Students who are ill should be kept home where they are most comfortable and can get better, sooner. A child who is too ill to go out for recess is too ill to be at school. Your co-operation to keep your child home when he/she is ill is appreciated.
If your child can come to school but cannot go out due to an injury, please ensure that the school receives a medical note from the attending physician.
SNOWBALLS/ SNOW FORTS
Now that the snow has arrived, it is of importance to remind students that St.
Bernadette has a strict rule of forbidding the throwing of snowballs. Every student has been made aware of the importance of this rule in the preventing of injury to others. A snowball that hits another student and causes injury can be seen as a weapon. Students have been informed about the consequences for throwing snowballs and that ignoring this rule can result in suspension. We have also had issues with students building snow forts. Many students have gotten into various arguments and fights over who owns which snow fort and who is allowed into it. Students will be made aware of the Snow Fort Code of Ethics. Those failing to follow the simple rules will be given consequences for their actions.
INDOOR FOOTWEAR
Students are expected to wear shoes in the school building at all times. Please note that in the event of an emergency evacuation, students will not have the opportunity to put on shoes, boots, clothing articles, etc.
Please ensure that your child has an extra pair of shoes at school at ALL TIMES, labelled with your child’s name, to keep their feet dry and warm during snowy weather.
INCLEMENT WEATHER REMINDERS
Our winter season is here! At this time we would like to remind all students to dress appropriately for the season by wearing the proper winter attire which should include hats, gloves/mitts, winter coats and boots. When students are dressed properly for the winter conditions, they can go outside and enjoy some fresh air and activity in comfort. There will be a few times during the course of the year where a recess may be shortened or held indoors due to extreme cold temperatures. Our school board policy states that although consideration should be given for keeping students indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches –20 C, students are to be kept indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches –25 C. In the colder weather, we receive numerous requests to allow children to remain indoors when students have a cold, the flu, etc. Please note that we cannot comply, as we neither have the facilities nor the staff to supervise these students. Moreover, the health officials indicate that the fresh air is good for children….not harmful as long as they are dressed appropriately.
ATTENDANCE and PUNCTUALITY
ALL students are expected to attend school regularly and punctually. In the event that your child will be late or absent, you are asked to please call the school and follow the prompts to leave a message. For students who are absent and for whom a call is not received, we will contact you as part of our Safe Arrival program.
905-501-9498
Please call by 8:15 am if your child is going to be away for any reason.
VISITORS TO ST. BERNADETTE
Parents are welcomed to St. Bernadette
School throughout the year, however, for the safety of all children, parents and visitors must use only the front door for entry and must sign in at the office and receive a visitor’s sticker each and every time you visit the building. As a reminder, we are now required to keep all outside doors locked, including the front doors. The only access point will be via the front doors and visitors will require entry through a buzzer system. Please be patient as there will be times when
Mrs. Magi will need to be away from her desk and may not be able to admit you as soon as you ring the buzzer.
At no time are visitors permitted to go to the classrooms as this is a disruption to student programming and may pose a safety concern. Since the hallways are busy during pick up times, siblings and parents are asked to arrange with your child, a meeting place outside of the school. Messages and deliveries (keys, lunches, etc.) are handled through the office. Please remember: to most students in the school, you are a stranger.
If your child is enrolled in our Family Day Childcare here in our school, please note that school aged children will be dismissed from the daycare at 8:15 am where they will join their friends at the back of the school. There is
NO access from the daycare into the school at any time.
If parents/guardians of daycare children need to come to the office they will need to walk around and come in through the front doors.
Thank you for making St. Bernadette School safe.

**DAYCARE**DROP OFF
Parents/guardians are reminded that drop off should be between 7:00 am and 8:15 am in order to reduce the interruption and possible injury of parents/children who are being walked or driven to school for our 8:30 am start time. There will be NO access to the staff parking lot from 8:15 am and 8:30 am. Negative response/actions towards teachers who are doing their jobs to ensure the safety of St. Bernadette students will not be tolerated. Pylons are put up to offset congestion in the parking lot and possible physical injury. If you are late dropping your children off, consider parking your car on the road and walking them into the daycare.
KISS ‘N RIDE STUDENT SAFETY
Attention parents! There is only one safe crossing point for your students when they are left off at the Kiss ‘n Ride.
Teachers are there to escort the students safely across.
Please let your child off close to the front doors of the school in the Kiss ‘n Ride lane so that they are safe crossing with the teacher on duty. No student is to be let out of a vehicle before approaching the teacher on duty.
We also have a teacher on duty to supervise student safely into the yard in the am starting at 8:15 pm and again upon dismissal time. We ask that you remind your child (children) to be cautious at the end of this sidewalk where the driveway begins as cars and busses are entering our parking lot. We ask that your child does not walk on the school driveway, but rather on the sidewalk portion.
REMINDER – when using the Kiss ‘N Ride lane, please keep moving up once children have entered the car in front of you. We want children to be picked up where the teacher on duty stands at the front of the school and not at any other area in the Kiss ‘N Ride lane. There should never be cars parked and left unattended in the
Kiss ‘N Ride lane please.
Thank you for helping us keep children safe.
PEANUT AND NUT ALLERGIES
There are students in our school who have severe peanut or nut allergies, which are threatening. Allergic people exposed to life peanuts, nuts and their by-products, or residues are at risk of suffering a serious reaction. Some children are so sensitive that even the smell of peanut butter or nuts can cause problems and could be fatal.
Because of the seriousness of this condition, everyone’s continued cooperation is needed in not sending foods to school with peanuts, nuts or their by-products. In the event that a child accidentally brings a lunch or snack with peanuts, nuts or their by-products, this student will be sent to eat their lunch in the office or in another room.
They can invite a friend to eat lunch with them.
Following are some strategies that parents, students and staff can use to help keep our school safer for children with peanut or nut allergies. • Avoid sending foods from home that may contain nuts or nut products such as peanut oil, peanut butter, peanut sauce, peanut meal, mixed nuts, ground nuts and mandalona nuts.
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein may also contain peanuts and is not considered safe for people with peanut allergies. • Read food labels carefully. Avoid products that do not carry a list of ingredients. It’s important to read food labels each time you buy a product that will be eaten by a child with a nut allergy, or by a child in the same classroom, because products and production facilities often change. • Clean hands and face immediately after eating peanut butter or nut containing products before heading off to school or at school; if brought by accident. • Avoid sharing snacks and drinks. Thank you for your on-going cooperation in helping to make our school safer for students with peanut/nut allergies.
Further to this, as part of “Sabrina’s Law”, we are no longer permitted to allow treats for sharing with other students. On special occasions (Halloween, Christmas) teachers will advise students what foods they can bring for their own consumption. To acknowledge your child’s birthday, if you would like to send something, items such as pencils or “dollar store treasures” that are not edible would be appropriate. Thank you for your consideration and co-operation in making our classrooms safer for students
ST. BERNADETTE CATHOLIC
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Next Council Meeting is January
13, 2016 at 6:30 pm.
Please see attached update from school council.
Scholastic Book Fair
Ms. Silveira would like to thank all of the students, volunteers, staff and community members who helped to make November’s Scholastic book fair a huge success. We not only reached our goal of $2500 worth of sales, but we surpassed that goal. Thanks to the outstanding amount of book fair materials that everyone purchased, we will be receiving over $1300 worth of new books for the library. Congratulations everyone and happy reading!
REPORTING HEAD INJURIES
Even when it may appear to be insignificant, we inform parents of ALL head injuries at school which are reported to us. We do this in recognition of the potential danger of any injury involving the head area. We are not intending to alarm you, rather to keep you informed.
Please remind your child to let a staff member know if they bump/injure their head at school.

FIRE DRILLS & LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
In accordance with Ministry regulations, Fire drills will be conducted during various times during the school year. While we hope that a real fire situation never arises, this practice helps prepare students in the event of a real fire. In addition, our School Board has established lockdown procedures should a high risk incident involving weapons occur in the school, or on school property, that could endanger the lives and/or the safety of students and/or staff. We will practice the
with pupils two times during the school year and review it from time to time.
ECO NEWS
The St. Bernadette Eco- team is now up and running for the
2015-2016 school year. Our pillars for this year are energy conservation and waste reduction. Some of the initiatives we will be continuing for this year are the following:
Mondays- Blinds up, lights off day-Blinds go up when the sun is out, blinds go down when the day is done.
Tuesdays
- all lunches and snacks that are not eaten are to be returned home and composted or saved for another day. No untouched fruit or vegetables are to be thrown out. They can be saved for another day.
Wednesdays
Walk or bike ride, to and from school.
Thursdays- we encourage students to “
” and avoid bringing in juice boxes or bottled water, we would like to see more re-usable water bottles.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are also pizza days and we would like all students to bring in a re-usable dish for their pizza to avoid the amount of paper plates that are being thrown into the garbage once your child is done eating his/her pizza.
Fridays-
, absolutely NO GARBAGE in the lunch bags. All items are to be in resealable/reusable containers. The class with the least amount of garbage for the month will be awarded the “golden lunch box”.
As always, we will continue with
to avoid plastic consuming our landfills and killing our wildlife.
We also encourage parents to download or simply view our newsletter online, this will avoid a paper copy from being put in the trash, which as a result affects our ecosystems. We will also be sending our notes and letters through the youngest and only child to support our efforts in conserving our forests by using less copy paper.
GOOS bin (Good on One Side), bins are in all classrooms, this paper is used by our students to colour, write rough drafts and to do math problems.
Thank you to Mrs. Montanaro and Mrs. Mills for their time in leading our ECO students in their endeavours to keep St. Bernadette ECO friendly.
Christmas and New Year’s Mass Schedule
Christmas Eve Thursday, December 24 th , 2015
5:00 pm, 7:00 pm, 9:00 pm, 12:00 Midnight
Christmas Day Friday, December 25th, 2015
10:00 am 12:00 pm
New Year’s Eve Thursday, December 31 st , 2015
5:00 pm 7:00 pm
New Year’s Day Friday, January 1 st , 2016
10:00 am 12:00 pm
All are welcome to celebrate our Catholic faith during this season of light and hope.
CLOSING CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
Advent is a beautiful time in our Catholic faith whereby we prepare ourselves for the birth of Jesus. It is a time of waiting. For many, waiting is difficult because we are used to getting things when we want them. At this time let us stop and reflect. Let us ask God to help us become better at waiting. Help us to see how You wait for us
the time: You wait for us to turn away from sin and follow You. You wait for us to remember to say our prayers. You wait for us to speak only words of kindness.
Thank you for being so patient with us during this busy season that at times causes us to forget the true meaning of Christmas. Thank you for being the light of world for all of us.
ATTACHMENTS

Catholic School Council News
 Mr. Sub Order Info

Trustee L. del Rosario Newsletter
 EQAO information

Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline
 Catholic School Support-Are You Ticked

Student Transportation Bus Cancellations
 Santa Photo Order Form
CALENDAR
LOOKING AHEAD
January 1 Happy New 2016 Year!!!
January 4 Classes resume
January 18 P.A. Day: Assessment and Evaluation
(no classes)
January 13 School Council Meeting 6:30 p.m.
January 25 Kindergarten Registration Evening