January 2012 PRINCIPAL: K.J. Carey SECRETARY: T. Crayden SUPERINTENDENT: C. Blanchard STS. MARTHA AND MARY PARISH TEAM: Fr. E. D’Souza 905-625-5670 STS. MARTHA & MARY Catholic School 1760 Bough Beeches Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2B9 905-624-9625 www.stsmarthaandmary.org CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES: M. Pascucci Mississauga Wards 1 & 3 (905) 302-3096 (905) 890-0708, x20161 Fax: (905) 890-0888 mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org www.trusteepascucci.ca 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 No Parking Zone and Kiss & Ride Reminders Lockdown Drills Winter Reminders 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 10, 2012 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, March 5, 2012, 7PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish First Holy Communion for Grade 2 Students Sunday, April 22, 2012, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish Confirmation for Grade 8 Students Sunday, May 27, 2012, 2PM, Sts. Martha and Mary Parish PA-RUM-PA-PA-PUM The Primary 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 during Advent. The young talents, voices and Christmas devotion of our junior students raised the roof on December 20, 2011. We thank each and every child, our primary division staff and especially Ms. Medeiros, Mrs. Tannus and Mrs. Marinuzzo 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, „Giving 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 numerous 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. 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 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY, CULTURE AND CARING 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 (available 24 hours a day). 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 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 over local radio and television networks. 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: • • • • 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. 5. ensure school emergency contact information is updated and accurate Listen to the radio for bus cancellations. Consult the GeoQuery website: www.stopr.ca If possible, arrange for car pooling. Parent inquiries call Student Transportation 905-890-6000 or 1-800-668-1140. 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 opportunities 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 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS! DPCDSB COMMUNITY PROGRAMS FROM ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION Winter 2012 DPCDSB Adult and Continuing Education program flyers arrive at your doorstep the week of January 2, 2012. You are invited to join in these exciting community programs. Computer ABC’s Day Program Car Maintenance for Women Secondary Night School Credit French as a Second Language Adult Coop and Credit General Interest Programs International Languages English as a Second Language Citizenship and ESL Classes Health and Fitness Much Much More Register now for lifelong learning opportunities! Call 905-891-9263 ext.0 or www.dpcdsb.org/cec/cne CASUAL FRIDAYS Have you noticed that staff dress in a casual manner each week on Friday? Through donations made by the staff, on these Fridays, we are supporting the 34 charities associated with ShareLife. Students also support ShareLife through various events and activities throughout the school year. Upcoming, in February, Intermediate students will have an opportunity to support ShareLife by participating in a Valentine’s dance. Other events our planned by the school ShareLife committee and promoted through morning announcements facilitated by our Student Leaders. Thank you for helping us to make a difference in others’ lives. INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ & BOYS’ BASKETBALL TEAMS The coaches of the Intermediate Girls‟ and Boys‟ Basketball teams, Mrs. Ford, Ms. De Simone, Mrs. Sim and Ms. Prajza continue to work with the respective teams to develop specific skills and team cooperation and sportsmanship. Girls’ Intermediate Basketball Team: Ania N. Erin C. Cassandra R. Emily A. Alex C. Bianca F. Amanda A. Melanie C. Juliana R. Dana C. Sara V. Alexa C. Jessica M. Boys’ Intermediate Basketball Team: David A. Matthew C. Matthew V. Daniel A. Bruno A. Andrew F. Spencer L. Christian W. Justin B. Jacob M. 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. 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 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAYS A reminder that Monday, January 16, 2012 is a Professional Activity Day. There will be no classes for students. Friday, February 3, 2012 is also a Professional Activity Day scheduled for Parent Student Teacher Conferences. Term 1 Report Cards go home Tuesday, January 31, 2012. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR OUTSTANDING EDUCATORS Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence celebrate educators and support staff who make remarkable contributions to Ontario’s education system. There are eight award categories: • Teacher of the Year • New Teacher of the Year • Early Childhood Educator of the Year • Excellent Support Staff • Excellence in Leadership • Lifetime Achievement • Team of the Year • Full-Day Kindergarten Team of the Year Nominations are open until February 6, 2012. Award recipients will be recognized at a special awards ceremony during Education Week in May. To learn more about the awards and how to nominate, visit www.ontario.ca/teachingawards. DATES TO REMEMBER: January 12: Grade 8 Information Night at Philip Pocock at 7 p.m. January 12: 7 p.m. French Immersion Meeting for parents of SK students at St. Gertrude Catholic School January 16: PA Day - Term 1 Assessment & Evaluation January 17: Information Night at the Dufferin-Peel Board Office for parents of special needs children entering school for the first time in Sept. 2012, 7 – 8:30 p.m. in room 301 January 18: R.A.I.D. (drug awareness) for Grade 6 class January 19: 7 p.m. Extended French Meeting for Parents of Grade 4 students at St. Thomas More School January 24: School Council 7 pm January 31: Term 1 Report Card sent home February 2: Parent/Teacher Interview Evening (Grs. 1-8) February 3: PA Day - Term 1 Reporting to Parents February 6: 7 – 9pm Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration February 7: Snow Date**Kindergarten Registration 7 – 9pm February 8: French Immersion forms due for SKs and Gr. 4s at Immersion sites by 2 and 3 p.m. respectively February 8, 9, 10: JK/SK Registration 9–11 am, 1–3 pm February 8: Mississauga East School Council at Corpus Christi February 14: Intermediate dance for ShareLife February 20: Family Day (no classes) February 22: Ash Wednesday liturgy 10:15 am (Lent begins) March 12-16: March Break MARLIE’S DAY AND FAMILY SKATE PARTY RETURNS! The Toronto Marlie’s hockey game will take place on Saturday January 28, 2012 at 3:00 pm at Ricoh Coliseum, Exhibition Place with the annual family skate party immediately following the game. Bring your skates and helmets and join in the fun! Ticket order forms will be sent home with students soon! (Please note that all children are required to wear a CSA approved helmet on the rink.) Toronto Marlies’s Bullying Awareness presentation will take place, at the school, Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. We are looking forward to this presentation as well as a visit by representative hockey players from the Toronto Marlies’ team. SCHOOL COUNCIL Upcoming School Council meeting: Tuesday January 24, 2012 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 “Giving 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 DixieBloor 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 2012 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. ‘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 our next meeting on Tuesday January 24, 2012 at 7 p.m. in the library. Junior & Senior Kindergarten Registration for 2012-2013 Registration for the 2012-2013 school year will be held at all Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary schools February 6, 2011 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. *Snow Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. February 8, 9, 10, 2012 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 1:00-3:00 p.m. Junior Kindergarten - Children born in 2008 Senior Kindergarten - Children born in 2007 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 2012. 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 Tuesday January 17, 2012 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.