January/February 2010
PRINCIPAL:
K.J. Carey
VICE PRINCIPAL:
C. Klein
SECRETARY:
T. Crayden
SUPERINTENDENT:
E. McGuire
STS. MARTHA AND MARY
PARISH TEAM:
Fr. E. D’Souza
905-625-5670
TRUSTEE:
M. Pascucci
STS. MARTHA & MARY
Catholic School
1760 Bough Beeches Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2B9
905-624-9625
Prayer for a New Year
Come Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Risen Christ,
Be with us today and always.
Be our Light, our Guide and our Comforter.
Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier.
May this year be a time
Of deep spiritual growth for us,
A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,
A time of forgiving freely and unconditionally,
A time for growing in virtue and goodness.
INSIDE
Come Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always.
No Parking
Zone & Kiss &
Ride
Reminders
Amen
Lockdown
Drills
Winter
Reminders
A MONTH OF VIRTUES: SELFCONTROL
The month of January will focus on the
virtue of Self-Control. God has given us
the ability to choose how we react to what
happens around us. Through prayer and
concentration, we can get better at
controlling our reactions. We can get better
at showing self-control.
A person with self-control…
• Is patient
• Knows how to wait his/her turn
• Can calm him/herself down and
think before reacting to situations
• Knows how to avoid physical
aggression (hitting, kicking, pushing,
fighting, etc.)
• Can think things through and do
what is best for everyone
The month of February will focus on the
virtue of Respect. God wants us to treat all
people with the respect they deserve.
A respectful person…
• Sees God’s presence in
themselves and others
• Uses a positive tone of voice and
body language
• Avoids gossip, swearing, namecalling, put-downs, and
inappropriate gestures
• Says ‘Excuse me’,
‘Please’,’ThankYou’
STS. MARTHA & MARY PARISH
SCHEDULE:
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION:
Sacramental preparations are well underway. Parents of students
receiving the holy sacraments have attended information meetings at
Sts. Martha and Mary Parish and are involved in preparation classes as
well as parish involvement.
Please note the following dates:
First Reconciliation for Grade
Tuesday, February 23rd, 7PM,
Parish
2 Students
Sts. Martha and Mary
First Holy Communion for Grade 2 Students
Sunday, April 25th, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
Confirmation for Grade 8 Students
Sunday, May 16th, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
PA-RUM-PA-PA-PUM
The Primary Christmas Concert was an overwhelming success for
our children and a delight to everyone fortunate enough to witness
it. The young talents, voices and Christmas devotion of our
primary students raised the roof on December 15th
We thank each and every child, our primary division staff and
especially Ms. Medeiros for bringing such wonder and joy to the
opening of our Christmas season.
SAFE SCHOOLS
STUDENT INFORMATION:
Sunday Mass Schedule:
 Saturday Vigil – 4:30PM
 Sunday – 8:30AM, 10:00AM, and
11:30AM
It is most important that
we have up-to-date
records of your address,
phone numbers, and
emergency contacts in the
event that the school
must contact you
regarding your child. If
there have been any changes and/or additions to this information,
please ensure that we have it by sending a note to school with
your child or leaving a message on the school voice mail.
EMERGENCY SCHOOL
PROCEDURES
There may be days during the
upcoming winter months when
inclement weather presents a potential
safety hazard to our students. It is
essential that parents and children
discuss the procedures that they wish to
follow for safe arrival at home.
For students that do not take the bus
please determine:
1. the best way to walk home;
2. with whom the child should
walk;
3. where the child should go if
there is no one at home;
4. how the child should seek help
if wind and snow are so strong
that they cannot see the way
home.
For students who do take the bus:
It is a fact that bad weather may cause
delays for student pick up at bus stops.
Please ensure that your child has a safe
place to go if the bus is late or does not
arrive. If you notice that a student is
stranded at a bus stop, please attempt to
contact the child’s parent. It is not
recommended that parents volunteer to
drive another child to school without
the permission of the child’s parent.
If you decide to transport your child to
school because buses have been
cancelled, please ensure that you have
made arrangements for their return
home at the end of the school day.
LATE BUSES
As the weather worsens please take into consideration that buses
may be delayed in reaching their stops. We don’t wish to see
students stranded out in the elements so, on inclement days,
please:
• Listen to the radio for bus cancellations.
• If possible, arrange for car pooling.
• For late pick-up call Student Transportation 905-890-6362 or
First Student 905-629-8200
Wait no more than 15 minutes for a late bus. Contact the school or
the above listed numbers if your bus has not arrived and wait for
information regarding arrival.
SNOW AND ICE
Snow is part of our winter life in Canada,
providing both frustration and enjoyment. We all
like to play in it; however, snow and ice can be
very dangerous. In fact, most injuries happen during wintertime.
For safety reasons, our school rule must be that snow stays on the
ground – no snowball throwing, kicking snow or any other
activity with snow or ice that could be harmful, which includes
sliding on slopes. Although the school hill offers lots of fun for
sledding, it is very difficult to ensure student safety when
numerous students are sliding at the same time. Thank you for
taking the time to reinforce these safety rules with your children.
OUTDOOR RECESS
Our students need to bring the necessary clothing and
shoes/boots with them in order to ensure that they are
dressed appropriately to meet the challenges of the
winter season. Warm clothes, snow pants, boots,
gloves, mittens, hats, scarves and coats are needed for outdoor
play. Having an extra pair of clean/dry socks and mittens is
always appreciated for children that play in the snow.
Please note that recess is part of our school day and all students
are expected to go outside for recess. If a student is too ill to
participate in all components of the school day, including recess,
please do not send him/her to school. If there are specific medical
reasons which should exclude a child from going outside, please
submit a doctor’s note to the office.
At times, the weather conditions will not allow students to go
outside for recess. This decision is made in accordance with the
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board Policy and Peel
Public Health Cold Weather Guidelines, which direct schools to
modify recesses when temperatures reach -20 ° C or colder
(with or without wind chill) and to keep children indoors
when the temperature reach -25 ° C or colder (with or without
wind chill). (At -20° C, students will be outside for both AM
and PM recesses and for not longer than 20 minutes during the
lunch recess.)
INDOOR SHOES:
All students are asked to bring a pair
of indoor shoes to school. Students are
to change into their indoor shoes when
in the building. This will assist in
keeping
our
classrooms
clean
and dry.
(Wet
floors can cause
slips and falls.)
Also, in the event of
a
fire
alarm,
students will not be able to stop to put
their boots on; therefore, it is critical for
students to wear shoes at all times.
VALUABLES AT SCHOOL
Please remember that Board policy
prohibits the use of personal electronic
devices at school, especially cell
phones.
During the school day, these
devices must be turned off
and kept in a secure location
such as a locker. Staff cannot be
responsible for any valuables that your
child brings to school. Although we do
our best to ensure that personal items
are kept safe, we cannot always monitor
money, jewelry, electronics, toys, etc. It
is best if these items are kept at home.
We also caution that MP3 players and
IPods are lucrative items that are easily
stolen on the way to and from school.
Please don’t put your children at risk
by allowing these items to come to
school.
USE OF SCHOOL PHONES
Our office is limited in the amount of
incoming and outgoing calls it can
accommodate. Telephone lines need to
be available for emergencies, daily
school business and parent calls.
Students will only be permitted to use
the school phone in cases of
emergency. An emergency is
considered to be an illness or injury.
STUDENT PUNCTUALITY
Punctuality is a necessary life skill that if practiced now, will be
beneficial in the future. Arriving early or promptly for your day at
work enables you to compose yourself and ease gently into your
environment. Children who arrive late are often out-of-sorts and
rushed into beginning their day. Their time to socialize and greet
their peers is lost in their hurried entry into the classroom.
It is the school expectation that instruction begin at 9:00 a.m. and
1:00 p.m. Late arrival disturbs the class and interrupts lessons. For
those parents that ensure early arrival for their children, thank
you. For those who are regularly late, please make every effort to
arrive between 8:45 and 8:55 a.m., and prior to 12:55 p.m. If by
chance students are late, we ask that they obtain a late slip from
the office. This late slip is not meant as a punishment but an
important link in our safe entry process. When a child is alerted
to the office as absent, the secretary cross-references to students
who have entered late before making calls home to confirm a
child reported as absent.
Intermediate students, who are continually late, cause
additional concern. Secondary schools begin classes at 8:20 a.m.
This means that students who are in the habit of arriving between
9:10 – 9:20 a.m. will be at risk of missing and perhaps failing their
first period class. The skill of punctuality must be instilled early.
Children do not necessarily understand or respect the
consequences of tardiness. Please help us help them.
SCHOOL LOCKDOWN DRILL
It is a policy of the Dufferin-Peel CDSB that all schools conduct a
practice of “Lockdown Procedures” at least twice a year. This
procedure will be initiated should an emergency exist on school
property or in the surrounding neighbourhood.
Listed are the procedures that our students have been trained to
follow. Teachers regularly practice this precautionary drill with
their classes and the school has held two formal practices this
winter.
Upon hearing the announcement “Initiate Lockdown Procedures”:
 The lockdown bell sequence will be repeatedly rung.
 All students and staff inside the building will remain in their
classrooms.
 Students in the hallways or washrooms will go to the closest
classroom.
 Students in classrooms will remain in their locked classroom,
in a corner of the room which is out
of the sightline of all windows and
doors.
 All students and staff who are outside
the building are to move quickly to
our evacuation site of Sts. Martha and
Mary Parish and remain there until further direction.
 The announcement “Lockdown Procedures complete” will
indicate the completion of the drill.
VISITOR AND PARENT SIGN IN…
A MUST
It is important for the safety of all
students in the school that parents wear
a visitor’s sticker. Please always sign
in at the office and obtain your visitor’s
sticker. It takes only a minute to help
keep your children safe. Students and
staff feel safer when a visitor’s sticker
is visible on unfamiliar faces as well as
familiar ones.
Thank you so very much to those
parents who always take the time to
sign in. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
SMOKE-FREE CAR
LEGISLATION REMINDER:
As of January 21st, 2009, smoking in
vehicles with children less than 16
years of age is against the law. This
amendment to the Smoke-Free Ontario
Act protects children who are especially
vulnerable to the health effects of
second-hand smoke.
Why is Smoke-Free Car Legislation
Important?
• Children are especially vulnerable to
the harmful effects of second-hand
smoke.
• Children exposed to second-hand
smoke are more likely to get ear
infections, bronchitis, pneumonia and
other respiratory tract infections. It can
also trigger or worsen asthma.
• Second-hand smoke can reach very
high levels inside small spaces like
vehicles.
• There is no safe level of exposure to
second-hand smoke for children or
adults.
Call 905-799-7700 or visit
www.smokefree-peelregion.ca for more
information.
LOST AND FOUND
We often find lost items at Sts. Martha and Mary School. Items
such as shoes, hats, jackets, gloves, etc. are collected and placed
in the lost and found box. Please have a look to see if any items
belong to your child. At the end of the school year, all remaining
items will be donated to charity.
KISS & RIDE LANES ….SAFETY BEFORE
CONVENIENCE: A.M. & P.M.
It must be understood that parents using the Kiss & Ride may not
leave their vehicles at anytime, but must remain in the vehicle
while dropping off or picking up their children.
Please also be aware that all lanes other than the Kiss & Ride
center lane i.e., entrance, exit and bus zones must allow access to
school buses and emergency vehicles and need to be respected.
Drivers who leave their vehicles unattended in the lane seriously
jeopardize public safety, not only by blocking the fire route, but
also by creating a traffic backup onto the street.
Parents wishing to park may do so either east or west of the
school on Bough Beeches. The parking lot next to the school
building is designated as staff and visitor parking only.
At the end of the day, parents picking up children will want to
choose a safe and regular place to do so. Please note that there is
“No Parking” allowed on Bough Beeches Blvd., directly in front
of the school and in front of the house just west of the school.
Violators can be fined by City of Mississauga Parking
Control. The area in front of the school, on Bough Beeches, is
for drive through pick up at 3:30 p.m. To promote quick and
safe pick-up students have been asked to wait at the furthest point
of the pick-up area, closest to the east driveway. If the child or
children you are picking up are NOT standing directly in front of
this Kiss & Ride area; we ask that you simply go around the
block (Chalkdene Grove) as many times as necessary. We would
also ask that once you have picked up your child/children; please
refrain from doing “U” turns or turning around in neighbouring
driveways. Please be aware of parking signs that have been
placed along Bough Beeches and observe the restrictions when
looking for a place to park your vehicle. Please assist us in
maintaining safe access for buses and safety vehicles by never
parking your vehicle in the Kiss & Ride lanes/area or stopping to
pick up your children at the school entrance/exit.
We would also like to remind parents that schoolyard supervision
does not begin until 8:45 a.m. Students should not be arriving
before this time, as the playground is not supervised.
AROUND THE HALLS
CHESS CLUB:
From December to February, students
in grades 3 – 8 have been invited to join
Mr. Mandarino on Thursdays and
Fridays during the lunch hour to learn
the game of chess and to participate in
round robin tournaments. The school
Chess team will be chosen in the next
couple of weeks in preparation for the
Family Chess tournament that they will
participate in at St. Pio of Pietrelcina
School on Thursday February 4th.
INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGES
Elementary international language
Saturday morning classes are available
to students in grades JK to 8. No prior
language experience is necessary.
International Language programs
comply with the Ministry of Education
curriculum. Please contact the Adult
and Continuing Education Office at
905- 891-9263 for information
regarding language offerings at specific
IL Sites and registration information as
well.
PUBLIC SPEAKING
The Public Speaking contest for the
grade 7 and 8 students is up and
running. The school contest will take
place on Friday February 12th in the
afternoon. The first place finisher of
this event will proceed on to the Royal
Canadian Legion competition held on
Sunday, February 28th. Although we
celebrate all our winners, only the
student taking first place may represent
Sts. Martha and Mary at the Royal
Canadian Legion Competition.
COMMUNITY OFFICER
We welcome Constable Jackson into our school and classrooms.
She has worked with students in our Grades 1 to grade 8 classes to
discuss the issues of bullying, street proofing and community
partners. We are lucky to benefit from her unique talent and
commitment to community service. Constable Jackson will be
returning to our school on March 30th to speak with our
Kindergarten, Grade 4 and Grade 6 students.
INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TEAM
The coaches of the Intermediate Girls’ Basketball teams, Mrs.
Ford and Ms. De Simone, would like to thank each team member
for a wonderful season thus far. All the players have shown great
sportsmanship, skill and determination.
Our team will be involved in league play games and pending the
outcome of the season, may be involved in the Family and Board
tournaments. (See: “Dates to Remember”.)
FRIENDSHIP STRATEGIES
Parents can be helpful in addressing positive behaviours that will
allow their child to build lasting friendships. Helping children
understand how to treat one another and how to value and make
friends are important, positive steps in eliminating isolating
behaviours.
The Top Ten Ways To Keep Your Friends
1. Show them kindness and respect.
2. Stick up for them.
3. Be supportive when your friends need help and advice.
4. Tell the truth but be kind about it.
5. If you hurt a friend, say you’re sorry.
6. If you make a promise, keep it.
7. Put some effort into your friendships; otherwise your friends
might feel neglected.
8. Don’t try to change your friends; accept them the way they
are.
9. If a friend hurts you and apologizes, accept the apology.
10. Treat your friends the way you want them to treat you.
SCHOOL COUNCIL CORNER
AN INVITATION TO PARENTS:
All parents are invited to attend this
year’s Mid Winter presentation
facilitated by CCCSC. Central
Committee for Catholic School Schools
(CCCSC) Presents:
Carole Bertuzzi Luciani
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
at 7:00 p.m.
Mississauga Convention Centre,
75 Derry Road, Mississauga
Invigorating
and
innovative
presentations are her specialty. Through
her experience in Education, Recreation
and Healthcare Public Relations, Carole
Bertuzzi Luciani successfully develops
programs to meet the needs of today's
challenged society. Her humour is
engaging, her wisdom is enlightening
and her style is entertaining. Carole has
spoken to hundreds of thousands of
individuals in North America since
becoming a professional speaker in
1985. She successfully uses her
background to develop programs that
are fun, informative and guaranteed to
get your attention. Each is designed to
enhance the workstyles and lifestyles of
the individuals she reaches. With the
blend of storytelling and creative
problem solving techniques to everyday
issues, Carole easily relates to every
audience.
She has the ‘pulse on
parenting’ and infuses her own
experiences into her presentations as a
way to engage the audience.
Her meaningful messages are delivered
with a dynamic communication style
and are balanced with common sense
and creative applications. As Carole
sprinkles each session with her
infectious brand of humour, audiences
cannot help but 'get the message'!
Please register your desire to attend
through your school office.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
January 26: School Council 7 pm
January 26: St. Paul Secondary Skills Program
Open House at 7:30 pm
January 27: Extended French Meeting for Parents of
Grade 4 students
7 pm at St. Thomas More School
January 27: French Immersion Meeting for SK students
6:30 pm at St. Margaret of Scotland
January 28: French Immersion Meeting for parents of
SK students, 6:30 pm at St. Gertrude School
January 29: Mad Science presentations: Grade 1
February 2: Girls BBall vs. St. Basil at 4 pm (home game)
February 3: Information Night at the Dufferin-Peel Board
Office for parents of special needs children
entering school for the first time in Sept. 2010
February 4: Girls BBall vs. St. Alfred at 4 pm (home game)
February 4: Family of School Chess Tournament at St. Pio
February 8: Girls BBall vs. St. Thomas More at 4 pm at St.
Thomas More
February 8: 7 – 9pm Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration
February 9: Snow Date**Kindergarten Registration 7 – 9pm
February 10,11,12: JK/SK Registration 9–11 am,1–3 pm
February 11: Girls BBall vs. St. Sophia at 4 pm at St. Sophia
February 12: School Public Speaking competition in pm
February 15: Family Day (no classes)
February 16: School Council 7 pm
February 16: French Immersion Applications for SK Students
Due by 2 pm at Immersion sites
February 16: 2011 JK/SK Final Registration Information due to
Sts. Martha & Mary School Office
February 23: Sacrament of Reconciliation at 7 pm
March 1:
Professional Activity Day:
(Assessment & Evaluation of Pupil Progress)
March 7:
Marlies Hockey Game and Family Fun Skate
March 15-19: March Break
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Upcoming School Council meeting:
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Our meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Library.
Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration for 2010-2011
Registration for the 2010-2011 school year
will be held at all Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary schools
February 8, 2010 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
*Snow Date: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
February 10, 11, 12, 2010 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Junior Kindergarten - Children must be 4 years old by Dec. 31, 2010
Senior Kindergarten - Children must be 5 years old by Dec. 31, 2010
Parents/Guardians should bring the following documents when registering their child:
 proof of age
 original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate (for parent and
 child) or Baptismal Certificate of other rites in communion with the Holy See of Rome (if the
child has not been baptized, a letter of counseling with the parish priest, to complete the
process will be accepted)
 updated immunization records
 proof of Canadian citizenship or of Landed Immigrant status
 proof of address (utility bill, bank or credit card statement)
 for schools in Caledon and Dufferin County: emergency rural address numbers for
identifying your property
PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS:
There will be an information session for parents of children with special needs such as vision,
hearing, physical, developmental or autism who are entering the Board for the first time in September
2010. The information session will be held at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
Office, 40 Matheson Blvd. West, Mississauga (Northwest corner of Hurontario Street and Matheson
Blvd., south of Hwy. 401) Room 301 on Wednesday February 3, 2010 from 7:00-8:30 p.m.
For more information, contact your local Catholic school or call the Admissions Department
at 905-890-0708 ext. 24500.