St. Julia Catholic Elementary School
6770 Historic Trail, Mississauga, Ontario L5W 1J3
905-795-2706 or fax: 905-795-9096
Volume: 1
Issue: September, 2015
Principal
P. Nichols
Vice Principal
D. Linardic
Secretaries
A. Charette
S. De Carli
Superintendent
Mississauga Brampton
Central
L. Papaloni
Trustee
Luz Del Rosario
Luz.delrosario@dpcdsb.org
Parish
St. Joseph Church
5440 Durie Road
905-826-2766
Pastor
Fr. Marc-Andre Campbell
School Hours
Start: 8:45 a.m.
Lunch: 11:45 to 12:45
Dismissal: 3:15 p.m.
Attendance Verification
Line
905-795-2706 press 1
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@DPCDSBSchools
@saintjulia2015
BEGINNING OF SCHOOL YEAR PRAYER
Lord Jesus,
We ask for Your help as we begin this new
school year. Allow us to experience Your
presence in the many blessings You put before
us. Open our eyes to the new challenges and
exciting opportunities that this new school year
brings. Open our heart and mind to new friends
and new teachers. Give us a generous spirit to
be enthusiastic with our studies and courage to
accept new opportunities. Help us to be attentive to one another and let us experience Your
presence in our new friends. Jesus, inspire us to
do our best this year!
Amen
Dates to Remember
September 2015
8
1st Day of School—Welcome Back!
18
P.A. Day—no school
29
Opening Mass @ St. Joseph’s Parish
October
16
OPEN HOUSE &
CURRICULUM EVENING
This year our Open House will be held on
Thursday, September 24, 2015. This will give
you an opportunity to meet and greet your child's
teacher as well as look around our beautiful
school. Teachers will be involved in Curriculum
presentations from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
LIBRARY NEWS
The Scholastic Book Fair is set for
Friday, October 2 - Thursday, October 8.
School wide book circulation will begin after
Thanksgiving on Tuesday, October 13th.
CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION
Parent Registration for Confirmation will take place
on Thursday, October 1, 2015 @ St. Joseph’s
Parish from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION REGISTRATION
Parent Registration for First Holy Communion will
take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 @
St. Joseph’s Parish from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. or
Saturday, October 10 @ 10:00 a.m. to 11:30. a.m.
RUN FOR RUTH
Our annual Run For Ruth will be held on
Friday, October 9, 2015. Pr oceeds will go towards
Share Life, our Peace Garden and the Cancer Society.
More information will follow closer to the date.
Picture Day
PICTURE DAY
Life Touch Photography will be at the school taking
individual student pictures on Friday, October 16,
2015. Lifetouch Photography will be provided with
class lists containing students names, grades and
homerooms. These lists will be returned when the
photography sessions are completed. If you do not
wish your child’s personal information to be shared
with Lifetouch Photography or you do not wish your
child to participate in the actual taking of the
photographs, please send a note specifying this to
Mrs. Nichols, prior to October 16.
SCHOOL COUNCIL INFORMATION
Please consider serving on the School Council for
the 2015-2016 school year.
 Self-nomination forms will be available for pick
up at the school office from Friday, September 11 to
Friday, September 18, 2015
 Deadline for submitting nomination forms is:
Monday, September 21, 2015 @ 4:00 pm
 If required, publication of profiles of nominees
will be posted on the School Website from
Tuesday, September 22- Tuesday, September
29
 Election (if required) will be:
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. to
7:30 p.m. in the Conference room.
 Publication of new council members names will
be on: Wednesday September 30 (if all nominees acclaimed); or Friday, October 2 (if election required).
 First School Council meeting: Tuesday, September
29 @ 7:00pm
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Welcome Back!
I would like to welcome our students and families back for
the 2015-2016 school year. A warm welcome is extended to
those students and families who are new to our Catholic
community and our Junior Kindergarten students who have
started school for the first time! I am certain that this year
will bring many rewarding experiences for our students,
whether they are spiritual, academic or extra-curricular.
Being part of the St. Joseph’s Parish Community allows us
to work in partnership with Father Marc Andre and the
parents to prepare our students for the sacraments of First
Reconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation. Our
first mass will be held at St. Joseph’s Parish on Tuesday,
September 29 @ 10:00 a.m. Permission forms will be sent
home soon by the classroom teachers. All parents are
welcome to attend. As in the past, there will be many
exciting things occurring at St. Julia. I will keep parents
informed of these through biweekly or monthly bulletins. If
you have not done so in the past, please sign up for email so
that the updates can be sent to you electronically. In an
effort to be environmentally conscientious all school
communication will be posted on the St. Julia website. You
can view our website through the following process:
www.dpcdsb.org
Click on: Elementary Schools >St. Julia
Important school information will be posted on our website
throughout the school year.
WELCOME
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new
staff members for 2015-2016:
 Ms. Exouzidis, ERW
 Ms. Singh, Junior teacher
 Ms. Jenkins, Junior teacher
 Mr. Di Costanzo, Junior teacher
 Ms. Nasato, Primary teacher
 Ms. Roach, DECE
GOODBYE
We wish the following staff members well:
 Ms. Coscarelli who has accepted a position at
Lester B. Pearson school
 Ms. S Beaty and Ms. J. Beaty as they pursue
LUNCH PROGRAMS
St. Julia will continue with Pizza day on Tuesday and Sub day on
Friday for the 2015-2016 school year. Lunch moms will also run
their lunch program on Monday and Wednesday. Order forms for
the lunch programs will go home later on in September.
GRADE 7 & 8 CONFIRMATION 2015-2016
Please be aware that this year, the Archdiose of Toronto has
changed Confirmation to grade 7 therefore, in the Spring both
the grade 7 & 8 students will have their Confirmation
celebration. In the subsequent years the sacrament will be
celebrated during the grade 7 year. Please refer to the St.
Joseph Parish website for more information.
P.A. DAY—FRIDAY, September 18, 2015
No school for students.
REORGANIZATION
Staffing and class placements are tentative and based on school
enrolment. In the event that enrolment fluctuates from projections,
adjustments may need to be made to staffing and student placement.
If reorganization is necessary and your child is affected, you will be
notified by Friday, September 18,2015. We have taken into
consideration parent input regarding learning styles and work habits that
were submitted last school year in planning for the upcoming academic
year, therefore requests are no longer being accepted. These same
requests will be considered in the event of reorganization.
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL
Parents and visitors are welcome and are required to report to the
front office and sign a Visitor Log. You will be asked to wear a
visitor's badge prior to accessing other areas of the school for
special events, masses or celebrations. If you are picking up your
child early, you must report to the office and sign him/her out.
Your child will then be called to the office to meet you. If you
wish to speak to a teacher please arrange for an appointment as not
to interrupt class time.
TRANSPORTATION
All students who are eligible for bussing, based on the boundaries
set forth by Student Transportation, should be assigned their buses
prior to the first day of school. Details can be checked on the
STOPR website ( www.stopr.ca ). If there is any problem with
eligible riders, please contact stopr.ca, or call (905)890-6000. If
your child is not eligible for transportation but wishes to have a
spot on a bus, you must petition the school in writing. Seats will
be assigned according to the Region’s “Courtesy Seat” policy.
Please write your request to Mrs. Linardic under the topic of
“Courtesy Seat Request.” Requests may be submitted beginning
on the first day of school. Unfortunately, Courtesy Seat requests
will not be processed until the middle of October. Students who
are awaiting a courtesy seat will have to make their own arrangements for transportation until then. Students who have been granted a courtesy seat will be notified at that time, and will be given a
bus pass. We regret that all students who apply will not be granted
seats. This is a limitation based on the availability of bus seats.
We thank you in advance for your understanding.
If your child is eligible for seat but does not require that spot,
please let the office know, so that the seat may be given to a
courtesy rider.
STUDENT INSURANCE
As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education,
the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board annually
provides parents with information about cost-effective student
accident insurance coverage via student courier. Enrolment in this
program is voluntary, however the board encourages parents to
take advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage, especially if
their child/children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or,
if parents do not have dental insurance coverage. The Board does
require that parents confirm that they have invested in accident/life
insurance for the 2015-2016 school year for their child to
participate in out-of-school excursions and/or extra-curricular
sports activities.
ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK
As we begin a new school year we would like to inform you that
St. Julia is an Allergen Aware School. There are pupils in
attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies
to certain foods, such as peanut and nut products. Exposure to
the smallest quantities can cause severe life threatening
reactions. Please avoid sending lunches or snacks that contain
nut products. For class celebrations such as birthdays,
Christmas & Valentines please consider non-edible treats.
STORAGE AND ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
Please be advised that there is a Board policy on the storage and
administration of medication. If your child requires daily
administration of medication, please contact the office as soon
as possible so that the appropriate forms can be sent home.
Students are not allowed to carry medication. It is stored in the
office.
KISS AND RIDE
Kiss and Ride has become a wonderful community building
opportunity. We are pleased to greet many of the staff, students and
parents each morning. However, we always try to keep in mind that
the primary goal is to achieve greater safety for all students arriving at
the school. To that end, we invite parent volunteers to help with our
Kiss and Ride program. Many hands make light work! The safety of
this program depends on parents, staff and students adhering to the
lane markings. The lane closest to the building is the bus lane, and at
no time, are cars to pass into this lane or block the entrance of the busloading zone. For those parents who use the Kiss and Ride program,
we would like to review how it works. The traffic flow through our
side parking lot is one-way only. The entrance is clearly marked
through the side parking lot. The right curb indented lane, marked
“Kiss and Ride” is reserved for the drop off of students. Be careful of
handicapped vans which will be dropping off special needs students in
this area. Children must exit from the right side of the vehicle, and
proceed to the school playground. Following afternoon dismissal, we
have many buses which need to be organized to transport children
safely home. Bus students will exit out the front doors, however,
walkers and students being met by parents will be dismissed from the
back area. Please remain on the parking lot side of the fence bordering our school yard and do not enter the school yard. Please allow
buses to have access to the driveway in order to pick up students. Students should not be dropped off at the school before supervision is
provided in the yard at 8:30.
CONCUSSIONS
Concussions are brain injuries caused by excessive, rapid movement
of the brain inside the skull. This movement causes damage that
changes how brain cells function, leading to symptoms that can be
physical (headaches, dizziness), cognitive (problems remembering or
concentrating), or emotional (feeling depressed). A concussion can
result from a blow to the head or body in any number of activities
including receiving a check in hockey, falling from a jungle gym, or
slipping on an icy sidewalk. All head injuries can be difficult to
diagnose, however, a concussion is the most difficult head injury to
diagnose. Brain scans cannot determine if a concussion exists. The
school calls parents whenever a child has hit their head. It is important
that parents also keep the school informed if their child has had a head
injury during an extracurricular activity. The school will work with the
family to set up a plan (in line with the Board’s protocol) to assist the
student in returning to normal physical activity.
EMERGENCY DRILLS
In accordance with Ministry and Board regulations, 3 fire drills, 1
Shelter in Place and 2 lockdown procedures are conducted at the
school. During a lockdown procedure the bells will constantly ring
inside and outside the school. Please note at this time only Emergency
Personnel are permitted to enter the school. Practicing these drills is
important for student safety in case a real emergency occurs. We will
continue to prepare students in a judicious and conscientious manner.
For safety reasons, we ask that students wear proper footwear at all
times.
UNITED WAY & SHARE LIFE
You will see staff “dressing down” on Fridays in support of the
United Way and Share Life. Each staff member has made donations
to these charities.
VOLUNTEER CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS
In accordance with the Safe School Act, 2000, the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board has the responsibility to
provide for a safe learning environment for its students and
employees. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board will require a Criminal Record Check (CRC),
including a Vulnerable Sector Search for all volunteer s in
the school, including excursion supervisors. If you intend to
volunteer, please pick up a CRC form from the front office.
It needs to be completed and brought to Peel Regional Police.
As you volunteer your time to our community, there is NO
cost to you. Once you receive your CRC from Peel Police,
please drop it off at the school and we will house it in a
secure location, with the utmost respect to the confidential
nature of the material. Each subsequent year, our volunteers
need to complete a Criminal Declaration which is kept on file.
If you have not completed one, please contact the office.
Our volunteers are an integral part of the many activities that
our students are so fortunate to participate in. Volunteers do
make a difference. Thank you for giving of your time and
talents to the St. Julia School community.
PARKING ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
Please note that the parking lot at the side of the school is
for staff parking only. We request that parents do not park
in any of these spots. We have 3 Visitor parking spots at
the front of the school available for parents. As you can
appreciate, with the Full Day Kindergarten “staggered entry”, more parents are driving their children in to
school. Under no circumstances are parents to park or
leave their car unattended in the Kiss and Ride. For the
safety of all students, they must exit from the right side of
the vehicle, and proceed to the school playground.
FRONT DOOR MONITORING SYSTEM
Our school has a front door speaker/buzzer/video monitoring
system. Visitors may gain entrance by pressing a buzzer mounted on the wall outside the building, beside the front door. The
buzzer activates a two-way speaker and camera
system. The Office will then be able to determine who is at the
door, by observing on a video monitor. This will enable better
regulation of visitor access to the school.
The following are also part of our protocol:
All outside doors are locked and entry can be gained only
through the front door. All visitors, including parents/guardians
must sign into the office and wear a Visitor’s badge.
Access during busy office times such as the lunch hour may be
delayed depending on the availability of staff who are
required to monitor the new system. The co-operation and
understanding of parents/guardians will be an important factor in
the success of our new protocol. In this regard,
parents/guardians are encouraged to:
Arrive at school on time to allow children to enter with their
classmates to avoid front entry lates. Students ar e encour aged to join their class line for entry in the morning. Send lunch
with your child in the morning to limit traffic in through the
front door at lunch time. If you are dropping off a lunch
please do so prior to 11:45 am.
Sometimes the grade 6-8 students eat lunch at 11:45 due to
scheduling or inclement weather.
CURRICULUM CORNER
Experts agree that the early years sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior, health and well-being and that early
brain development is stimulated through experiences and interactions with responsive adults. Students in the Full Day
Kindergarten program will interact with both a teacher and a
Designated Early Childhood Educator who will work together
throughout the day to help your children learn. During the
school day children are involved in many different kinds of
activities designed to help young learners explore, discover
and grow. They will have opportunities to initiate learning
and play, as well as participate in more structured play-based
learning under the guidance of an educator. Research demonstrates that play-based learning leads to greater social, emotional, and academic success. Experts recognize that play and
academic work are not distinct categories for young children:
creating, doing, and learning are inextricably linked. When
children are engaged in purposeful play, they are discovering, During morning prayers we are in quiet reflection and the
creating, improvising, and expanding their learning.
door monitor will be answered once prayers are concluded.
Adapted from: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/kindergarten/
Morning announcements being at 8:50 am in the Fall and at
8:55 am during the Winter months.
ST. JOSEPH’S PARISH INFORMATION
Student Masses —All Welcome:
1. Opening Mass, Tuesday, Sept. 29 @ 10:00 am
2. Advent Mass, Friday, Dec. 4 @ 10:00 am.
3. Lenten Mass, Tuesday, Feb 23 @ 10:00 a.m.
4. End of the Year Mass, Wednesday, April 13 @
10:00 a.m.
5. Graduation Mass, Wednesday, June 22 @ 10:00
a.m.
Please check the St. Joseph Parish website at www.
For important information regarding registration for
First Communion and Confirmation.
We respectfully request that you limit your visits to the school
during the daytime as much as possible in order to protect the
instructional time and reduce interruptions.
PHONE CALLS DURING SCHOOL TIME
The office often gets requests from students to make phone
calls home to ask parents to bring forgotten items such as
running shoes, agendas or textbooks/homework. We are reinforcing with students that it is their responsibility to bring all
necessary items to school and to arrange in advance their out
of school activities. Students will not be given permission to
use the phone to make such calls. Also, please make after
school arrangements with your children prior to school. We
make every attempt to minimize interruptions to classes.
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board
40 Matheson Boulevard West, Mississauga, ON, L5R 1C5, Tel: (905)
891221
September 8, 2015
Dear Parents/Guardians:
RE: Elementary School Organization Plans for 2015-2016
As you know, the provincial government has imposed a cap on the maximum number
of students that may be enrolled in primary classes (Grade 1 to Grade 3). Primary classes are capped at 20 students. For many schools, this will mean smaller primary class
sizes. In rare instances a small number of classes may have a maximum of 23 students.
The exception to this cap, of course, is the Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten Program. The Board average in such classes is 26 students.
The provincial government also requires that the size of Grades 4 to 8 classes not exceed a board-wide average of 24.5 students. Because this is an average, not a cap,
some classes in these grades will have more than 25 students, and others will have less.
Parents/Guardians should know that grade/class reorganization for September will be
necessary in order to meet these government-mandated requirements. While lowering
class size is positive, this initiative can lead to a number of combined grade classes in
many schools. Teachers will be provided with the resources needed to ensure appropriate curriculum delivery for all students assigned to their classes.
All school organization plans are subject to review in early September, based on actual
enrolment. Where a need to adjust class plans is identified due to unanticipated enrolment fluctuations, reorganization will be implemented effective September 18, 2015.
The effect of school reorganization may result in your child moving from one class to
another. Where such is the case, your principal will keep you duly informed.
The Ministry of Education publication “An Introduction to Combined Grades” provides
information for parents/guardians regarding combined grade classes and is attached
for your additional information and reference.
Kindly be assured that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will continue, as
always, to provide quality education for all students entrusted in its care.
Yours sincerely,
Sheila McWatters
Associate Director, Instructional Services