January 2013
PRINCIPAL:
K.J. Carey
SECRETARY:
T. Crayden
SUPERINTENDENT:
C. Blanchard
STS. MARTHA AND MARY
PARISH TEAM:
Fr. D. Corkum
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
New Custodian
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
Student assembly this month to
congratulate students for their compassion
shown toward our neighbours over the first
term and to review the January virtue of
self-control and to set direction for the
remainder of the school year, taking time to
review school behaviour expectations and
the like.
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.
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 7, 2013, 7:00
p.m., Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
First Holy Communion for
Grade 2 Students
Sunday, April 28, 2013, 2:00 p.m.,
Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
Confirmation for Grade 8
Students
Sunday, May 5, 2013, 2:00 p.m.,
Sts. Martha and Mary Parish
Sacraments are celebrations of special moments of encounter
between God and human beings. They are not, obviously, the only
occasions when human beings consciously respond to God who is
forever offering His love and friendship, but they are times when,
the Catholic Church teaches, a person's relationship with God is
assuredly initiated or deepened or strengthened or healed.
STS. MARTHA & MARY PARISH SCHEDULE:
Sunday Mass Schedule:
 Saturday Vigil – 4:30 p.m.
 Sunday – 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
 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
and/or Hold and Secure” 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 2013 DPCDSB Adult and
Continuing Education program flyers
arrive at your doorstep the week of
January 2, 2013.
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 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’ BASKETBALL TEAMS
The coaches of the Intermediate Girls‟ and Boys‟ Basketball
teams, Mrs. Ford, Ms. De Simone, continue to work with the
team to develop specific skills and team cooperation and
sportsmanship.
Girls’ Intermediate Basketball Team:
Jessica M.
Amanda A.
Ania N.
Sara V.
Sara F.
Madelyn J.
Jackie E.
Olivia P.
Jordan H.
Erin C.
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 21,
2013 is a Professional Activity Day.
There will be no classes for students.
Friday, February 8, 2013 is also a
Professional Activity Day scheduled for
Parent Student Teacher Conferences.
Term 1 Report Cards go home Tuesday,
February 5, 2013.
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.
UPCOMING SCHOOL COUNCIL
MEETING
Parents are welcome to join School
Council for our next meeting:
Tuesday January 22, 2013 at 7 p.m.
in the library.
600,000 tons of aluminum
foil is produced every year in
America. A large amount of
electricity is used in
manufacturing foil.
More than half of the 100
billion cans sold in the U.S.
last year were land filled or
incinerated.
BANANA
As food decomposes in a
AND ORANGE landfill it generates harmful
PEELS
greenhouse gases such as
methane (try composting or
vermiculture)
JUICE BOXES Inorganic waste may take
hundreds of years to
decompose, or may not
decompose at all.
PAPER BAGS It is estimated that 17 trees
AND
are cut down for every ton of
NAPKINS
non-recycled paper
PLASTIC
Every year, Americans throw
BOTTLES,
away enough paper and
FORKS,
plastic cups, forks, and
WRAP
spoons to circle the equator
300 times.
STYROFOAM Styrofoam is very difficult to
recycle. The best way to
protect the environment is to
stop using it.
LUNCH
WASTE
FACTS
ALUMINUM
FOIL
ALUMINUM
AND TIN
CANS
NEW SCHOOL CUSTODIAN
We are happy to introduce, Mr. Pineda, to the school community
as our newly assigned custodian. Mr. Pineda has served a number
of years within Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and
will be a valuable member of our school staff. I know you will
join me in welcoming him and wishing him well as he continues
his work experience at our school.
Full Day Kindergarten Registration for 2013-2014
Registration for Full-Day Kindergarten for the 2013-14 school year, will take place at Sts. Martha and Mary
School on the following days:
Monday, January 28, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.*
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
* Snow Date:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For more information about registration and the Full-Day Kindergarten program, call Sts. Martha and Mary
School or visit www.dpcdsb.org
Junior Kindergarten - Children born in 2009
Senior Kindergarten - Children born in 2008
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 School
who are entering
Board forSchool
the first Climate
time in September
Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District
Board’stheCatholic
Survey
2012. The information session will
be
held
at
the
Dufferin-Peel
Catholic
District
School
Board
“Love one another as I have loved you”
Office, 40 Matheson Blvd. West, Mississauga (Northwest
John 15:12corner 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.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
40 Matheson Blvd. West
Mississauga, Ontario
L5R 1C5
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
The Ontario Ministry of Education directive on Safe Schools, Positive School Climate and its Equity and
Inclusive Education Strategy require that all schools across the province implement a School Climate Survey
for students every two years. Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board finds its direction and educational
mission in the teachings of Christ as revealed through Scripture, Church Tradition, and Church Teaching. The
board and its school communities are comprised of a faith-centred Eucharistic people who strive to form
communities of learning that are Christ-centred, inclusive and reflective of a culture that respects and cherishes
life for all. As a Catholic school board, Dufferin-Peel has applied its distinctive Catholic lens to the Ministry of
Education’s pillar: Community, Culture and Caring. A key component of this pillar in our board is the Catholic
Community, Culture and Caring School Climate Survey.
Beginning in mid-January 2013, and in support of the board’s Safe, Caring, Inclusive and Healthy School
Communities’ initiative, Dufferin-Peel will be administering its Catholic Community Culture and Caring
School Climate Survey to students, as appropriate, in Grades 3 to 12. The data from this survey will allow our
school to understand the school climate from the students’ perspectives.
The survey will be confidential and anonymous in nature, and will take approximately 20 minutes. The survey
contains questions about students’ general information (i.e., school name, grade, gender, years at the school),
general safety and inclusion (i.e., feeling safe, concerns, feeling welcome and included, etc.), general school
climate (i.e., friendly, accessible, inclusive, etc.) and will provide opportunities to identify bullying concerns
and/or pro-active supports in bullying prevention.
In addition to the student survey, parents/guardians are also invited to participate in an on-line survey. The
parent/guardian survey is intended to allow parents/guardians to share their child’s/children’s school climate
experience at school. There are two versions of the survey: one for parents/ guardians of students in elementary
school (Kindergarten to Grade 8) and one for parents/guardians of students in secondary school (Grades 9-12).
The parent/guardian surveys will be posted on the board’s website at www.dpcdsb.org between January 22 and
February 28, 2013. The survey links are:


Elementary: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCCCSurveyK8
Secondary: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CCCCSurvey9to12)
The surveys may provide opportunities for conversation with your son(s)/daughter(s) regarding inclusivity and
well-being at school. Please contact the school if you have any additional questions, concerns, or comments.
Thank you for your support of improved student achievement and well-being.
Sincerely,
K. J. Carey OCT, M. Ed.,
Principal