January 2011
PRINCIPAL:
K.J. Carey
VICE PRINCIPAL:
C. Klein
SECRETARY:
T. Crayden
SUPERINTENDENT:
C. Blanchard
STS. MARTHA AND MARY
PARISH TEAM:
Fr. E. D’Souza
905-625-5670
www.stsmarthaandmary.org
TRUSTEE:
M. Pascucci
Mississauga Wards 1 & 3
(905) 302-3096
(905) 890-0708, x20161
Fax: (905) 890-0888
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
www.trusteepascucci.ca
INSIDE
No Parking
Zone and
Kiss & Ride
Reminders
Lockdown
Drills
Winter
Reminders
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.
Come Holy Spirit,
Be with us today and always.
Amen
FAITH LIFE
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH:
SELF-CONTROL
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
JANUARY VIRTUE ASSEMBLY:
A school assembly took place on January
4th to congratulate students for their
compassion shown toward our neighbours
over the first term and to review the
January virtue of self-control.
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 2 Students
Tuesday, April 5th, 7PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
First Holy Communion for Grade 2 Students
Sunday May 1st, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
Confirmation for Grade 8 Students
Sunday, May 29th, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
PA-RUM-PA-PA-PUM
The Junior Advent Concert was an overwhelming success for our
children and a delight to everyone fortunate enough to witness it.
The audience truly enjoyed this celebration of Advent and the
journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem.
The young talents, voices and Christmas devotion of our junior
students raised the roof on December 7, 2010. We thank each and
every child, our primary division staff and especially Ms.
Loncarich, Mrs. Ciccolini and Mrs. Kelemen for bringing such
wonder and joy to the opening of our Christmas season.
There are so many wonderful projects
happening at Sts. Martha & Mary School
that students have embraced such as the
pop tab collection, milk bag mattress
movement,
ShareLife
fundraising,
Christmas shoebox campaign, mitten tree,
gift collection and food drive mentioned in
our December newsletter.
We recently received a letter from the
Society of St. Vincent de Paul and in this
letter they expressed sincere thanks to the
students for participating in the Christmas
Food Drive for the needy families in our
community. We provided 34 families with
hampers that were overflowing. Truly,
every kindness extended has a positive
rippling effect and we are together sharing
God’s message of love. Thank you.
Students are encouraged to continue their
good works as they live out the virtues.
This month especially, students are
encouraged to strive to demonstrate the
virtue of self-control.
STS. MARTHA & MARY PARISH SCHEDULE:
Sunday Mass Schedule:
 Saturday Vigil – 4:30PM
 Sunday – 8:30AM, 10:00AM, and 11:30AM
 Confessions – 3:30 – 4:15 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment
SAFE SCHOOLS
STUDENT INFORMATION:
For students who do take the bus:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Consult the GeoQuery website: www.stopr.ca
If possible, arrange for car pooling.
For late pick-up call Student Transportation 905-890-6000
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.
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 further transportation updates, please refer to the page,
“Integrated Ridership”, included in this newsletter.
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 8:00 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
Please do not escort students directly to
class; rather, report to the main office.
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.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
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. Also, parents are welcome to access
any available parking in the front of the school; however extra
caution is advised due to the high volume of traffic at arrival and
dismissal times. 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
GUESS THE BABY PHOTO
GUESSING CONTEST
The students at Sts. Martha
& Mary participated in
“Guess the Baby Photo
Contest” in December.
Staff members brought in a baby photo
to be placed in the display case in front
of the library and students paid $1.00
for ballots to guess the staff member in
the photo. The contest ran from Friday
December 3rd to Friday December 10th
and students raised $150 toward
ShareLife.
The winning classes had the option of a
pizza lunch or an hour in the gym
playing volleyball with Miss Addario.
Winning classes from each division
chose to play volleyball during their
lunch break. The winning classes were:
Primary Division – Mrs. Ford’s Grade 3
Junior Division – Mrs. Copas’ Grade 6
Intermediate Division – Mrs. Boots’
Grade 7 class
STUDENT MONITOR POSITIONS
AVAILABLE
Sts. Martha & Mary School is accepting
applications for the position of Student
Monitor.
Part-time: 1.2 hours per day
The rate of pay is $11.45 per
hour plus 4% vacation pay
To be considered for the
position please contact Sts.
Martha & Mary School at:
(905) 624-9625
The successful applicant will be required
to submit a current criminal reference
check.
.
INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ & BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAMS
The coaches of the Intermediate Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball
teams, Mrs. Ford and Ms. De Simone, would like to introduce this
year’s team members.
Girls Intermediate Basketball Team:
Stephanie B.
Claudia E.
Tate P.
Bianca F.
Paula B.
Callan N.
Samantha S.
Cassandra R.
Boys Intermediate Basketball Team:
Bruno A.
Jacob B.
Jason D.
Daniel D.
Adrian F.
Spencer L.
Shaun R.
Nicholas S.
Pam B.
Abby O.
Alex C.
Dana C.
David A.
Justin B.
Daniel F.
Jacob M.
Michael T.
The teams 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”.)
WINTER INTRAMURALS
Intramurals will be offered over the winter months (January –
March) for all students. In January, interested Primary students
signed up to play beach volleyball every Monday and Wednesday
from 12:20 – 1 p.m., with the semi finals and finals taking place
the last week in January. Intermediate students will have the
opportunity to play scooter board soccer in February while Junior
students may choose to participate in Kings Court in March.
FRUIT FRIDAYS
As part of the school’s ongoing commitment to
health, nutrition and wellness, “Fruit Fridays”
was introduced in December and will continue
for the duration of the school year. Ms. Rossi,
Mrs. Marinuzzo, Ms. Addario, Mrs. Maxymiw, Mr. Mandarino and
Mr. Carey are members of our “Healthy School Committee”.
Students are encouraged to bring fruit as a snack to school every
Friday. Classroom teachers tabulate the number of students in
each class who bring fruit as a snack. Despite the name of the
program, vegetables will also be counted as a healthy snack on
Fruit Friday charts, so please feel free to bring in fruits OR
vegetables! Keep up the good work in trying
to reach the goal of 5 – 6 daily servings of fruit
and vegetables required for children ages 4 –
13 years old to maintain optimal health, growth
and development.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL HERITAGE
The history of Catholic schools in
Ontario since 1841 is one of dedication
and perseverance in the face of
financial hardship and adversity. Due
to the commitment of the religious
teaching Orders, the bishops and
priests, the teachers, parents and
students, our forebears have handed to
us a great gift – a fully funded public
Catholic school system.
The courts of Ontario and Canada have
reinforced the rights of the Catholic
school system with a number of
judgments which affirmed the rights of
separate school boards to:
(a) have their guaranteed powers in the
Separate School Act of 1863 improved,
(b) receive equitable funding,
(c) prefer Catholics when hiring
elementary and secondary school
teachers,
(d) have their own buildings,
(e) have an exclusive Catholic school
community.
The integration of religious truths and
values with life is one of the most
significant elements that distinguish the
Catholic school from other schools.
This is a matter of crucial importance
today in view of contemporary trends
and pressures to compartmentalize life
and learning and to isolate the religious
dimension of existence from other areas
of human life. The courts have
recognized, over the years that Catholic
education is not a subject but rather a
way to view the world that speaks to the
interrelationship between faith,
knowledge and action. The Catholic
school is a unique setting within which
this ideal can be realized in the lives
Catholic children and young people. In
our Catholic schools this reality can and
is lived out
DATES TO REMEMBER:
January 11: 7 p.m. Extended French Meeting for Parents of
Grade 4 students at St. Thomas More School
January 12: Mad Science presentations: SK
January 13: Mad Science presentations: JK
January 13: Grade 8 Information Night at Philip Pocock at 7 p.m.
January 13: 7 p.m. French Immersion Meeting for parents of
SK students at St. Gertrude Catholic School
January 14: PA Day - Term 1 Assessment & Evaluation
January 20: Boys (Home) vs. Canadian Martyrs @ 4 p.m.
January 21: Mad Science presentations: Grade 4
January 21, 22: Girls Pocock Tournament
January 24: Boys Home Game vs. Blessed Teresa
January 25: Double Header at Vincent de Paul @ 4 p.m.
January 25: School Council 7 pm
January 26: Information Night at the Dufferin-Peel Board
Office for parents of special needs children entering school
for the first time in Sept. 2011, 7 – 8:30 p.m. in room 301
January 28: Mad Science presentations: Grade 6
January 31: Boys (Away) vs. St. Basil @ 4 p.m.
February 1: Term 1 Report Card sent home
February 1: Gr. 7 Hepatitis B and Gr. 8 girls HPV vaccinations
February 3: Parent Teacher Interview Evening (Grs. 1-8)
February 4: PA Day - Term 1 Reporting to Parents
February 7: Double Header (Away) at St. Pio @ 4 p.m.
February 7: 7 – 9pm Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration
February 8: Snow Date**Kindergarten Registration 7 – 9pm
February 9: French Immersion forms due for SKs and Gr. 4s at
Immersion sites by 2 and 3 p.m. respectively
February 9, 10, 11: JK/SK Registration 9–11 am, 1–3 pm
February 10: Double Header (Home) vs. Garnier at 4 p.m.
February 14: Girls (Home) vs. St. Basil at 4 p.m.
February 17: Mrs. Ciccolini’s class at Silvercreek
February 21: Family Day (no classes)
February 23:Family Tournament@Philip Pocock(Girls A.M. Boys P.M.)
February 24: Ms. Sanfilippo’s class at Silvercreek
March 1: Facebook & Twitter Presentation, 7 – 8:30 at St. Philip
Catholic Elementary School
March 3: Facebook & Twitter Presentation, 7 – 8:30 at St.
Edmund Catholic Elementary School
March 14-18: March Break
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Upcoming School Council meeting:
Tuesday January 25, 2011
Our meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Library.
SCHOOL COUNCIL CORNER
HATS, MITTENS & SCARVES
Thank you to all who participated in
this wonderfully successful program.
Through your generosity,
our
Christmas tree was covered in new hats,
mittens and scarves that School Council
was able to share with those in need in
our community.
CHRISTMAS GIFT TAGSANOTHER SUCCESS STORY!
An overwhelming number of Christmas
gift donations were received for this
year’s “Tree Tag” initiative, which truly
showed that the spirit of giving was
alive and well at Sts. Martha and Mary
School. School Council was thrilled to
deliver so many gifts to deserving little
boys and girls in Dixie-Bloor
community. Your generous donations
helped make their eyes sparkle with joy
on Christmas morning.
NUTRITION NUGGETS
“Nutrition Nuggets” is a commentary
segment being introduced this year into
the School Council Corner section of
newsletters to help parents navigate
through the often confusing and
contradictory maze of nutrition
information that is pervasive in our
media.
This month’s “nugget” relates to the
New Year’s resolution to lose weight
and get into shape that is so often
uttered on December 31st. There is a
wide body of research that indicates
that our New Year’s resolutions often
lose momentum by the end of January.
Anybody who has joined a gym in
January knows that it’s next to
impossible to access equipment during
that month, but that come February, you
are practically the only one there!
Healthcare professionals see this trend
year after year and recognize that the
root of the problem is not in making a
resolution, but in the commitment that
the resolution entails.
This year,
instead of vowing to jog 10 miles a day and eat nothing but
grapefruit, consider committing to an easier resolution such as
taking a family walk every evening around the neighbourhood for
15 minutes and eating more fruit and vegetables. It’s much more
difficulty and anxiety-provoking to stick to one lofty goal than it
is to a few small alterations in your daily lifestyle! Here are some
examples of practical and manageable resolutions that can
promote a healthy lifestyle in 2011 for you and your family:
1) Cut up a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables and store in Ziploc
bags in the fridge for easy access to healthy “grab and go”
snacks every day.
2) Invest in the Dietitians of Canada (www.dietitians.ca) or
American Dietetic Association (www.eatright.org) cookbook
that boasts healthy and easy recipes that are Registered
Dietitian approved!
3) Food is to our bodies what fuel is to our vehicles, yet so few of
us pay attention to the type of fuel that we consume! To help
remind you to eat the proper proportions of “fuel” daily
according to your gender and age, post a copy of Canada’s
Food Guide for Healthy Eating on your fridge. You can access a
pdf copy from http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guidealiment/index-eng.php
4) Make a commitment to read nutrition labels and buy breads
and grains that state “100% whole wheat” or “whole grain” on
the label. This will increase your fibre intake, promoting bowel
health and decreasing blood cholesterol. Avoid products that
list “wheat flour”, “enriched wheat flour” and “enriched flour”
as first ingredients as these are other names for white flour
which is devoid of fibre and nutritional value.
5) Plan to attend the free upcoming nutrition seminar called “The
Secret Life of Sugar” that will be presented at the school in
April 2011. Dates and times will be posted in future
newsletters!
‘Nutrition Nuggets’ is written by Andrea Olynyk, Registered
Dietitian and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Guelph;
Andrea is a School Council member devoted to promoting
community nutrition, and in particular, to educating children,
young adults and parents on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Stay
tuned to upcoming newsletters where Andrea will explore
“nuggets” about general nutrition, food facts and myths, and tips
on helping your children develop and maintain dietary habits that
will result in lifelong health.
UPCOMING SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING
Parents are welcome to join School Council for their next meeting
on Tuesday January 25, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the library.
Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration for 2011-2012
Registration for the 2011-2012 school year
will be held at all Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary schools
February 7, 2011 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
*Snow Date: Wednesday, February 8, 2011 - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
February 9, 10, 11, 2011 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Junior Kindergarten - Children born in 2007
Senior Kindergarten - Children born in 2006
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 home address (utility bill, bank or credit card statement)
 Proof of English Separate School Support (may be done at the time of registration by
completing an Application For the Direction of School Support and/or a Separate School
Lease Agreement available at the school)
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
2011. 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 January 26, 2011 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.
INTEGRATED RIDERSHIP – SCHOOL NEWSLETTERS
The school board’s bus transportation services are operated by Student Transportation of Peel Region
(STOPR). This is a consortium, or partnership, between the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and
the Peel District School Board.
The Ministry of Education requires school board bus transportation
consortiums to improve efficiency.
One initiative promoted by the Ministry of Education, that is designed to improve efficiency is known as
integrated ridership. In integrated ridership, students from both Dufferin-Peel and Peel schools will ride on the
same buses, where feasible. A number of school boards across the province have successfully implemented
integrated ridership. All eligible students continue to be transported on runs where integrated ridership is
implemented.
Integrated ridership is designed to create a more effective and efficient operation of service, is more
environmentally friendly and reduces traffic in our communities. Integrated ridership may also result in higher
transportation funding levels for school boards. Integrated ridership works best in situations where schools are
located close to one another and the number of students involved helps achieve better organized bus runs.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has approved the implementation of integrated ridership,
where feasible, starting September, 2011. During the next few months, STOPR staff will be looking at areas
where integrated ridership would work best. It should be noted that integrated ridership does not work well in
all areas and, as a result, there may be only a few areas that will have this program.
STOPR will provide additional information regarding the selection of schools where integrated ridership will be
implemented. Once a school is selected, a possibility exists that school start and dismissal times may be
altered from the current times. STOPR will keep you informed through regular updates in school newsletters
over the upcoming months.