280 Kingsbridge Garden Circle, Mississauga, ON L5R 1L2
PRINCIPAL ………………
SECRETARY …………….
SUPERINTENDENT …….
WARD 4 TRUSTEE ……...
F. Bernard
N. Russo
L. Papaloni (905)890-1221
A. Abbruscato (905)890-1221
Tel: 905-890-6898
PARISH …………………..
PASTOR ………………….
COUNCIL CHAIR ……….
WEBSITE ………………...
Fax: 905-890-7611
Cristo Rei (905)270-1133
Fr. C. Macatangga
N. Rampersad
www.dpcdsb.org/MATHW
Be the Difference Live the Difference
COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2014
WE WISH YOU A:
Buon Natale
Feliz Navidad
Joyeux Noel
Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia
Weso ychs'wia
Maligayang Pasko
Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Eid Milad Majid (‫)مج يد م يالد ع يد‬
God Jul
Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
Sheng Dan Kuai Le (圣诞快乐)
. . . Merry Christmas to all!
Principal’s Corner – Capturing the Memories
Christmas is Coming! It is hard to believe that December has arrived – the months have gone so quickly. As we prepare for the
wondrous glory of our Lord’s birth, we have a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon the incredible gift that God has given us –
our children. As parents, guardians and educators, God has asked all of us to guide the way for our children. When we stop and
think of what to buy our children for Christmas, let us think of the gifts that come naturally – our undivided attention and love.
May our preparations for Jesus’ birth lead us to renew our love and involvement in each others’ lives. May we rediscover
the magic of Christmas that we felt so long ago when we were children ourselves. Let’s rediscover the magic of
the Lord’s peace and love that entered our hearts as children so as to be able to share that peace and love with
our children in our thoughts, words, and deeds. During this Advent Season, we pray that we may all bring the
peace, joy, and love of Christ that is present in each of us to all of our families.
On behalf of my staff and myself I would like to wish each and everyone in our St. Matthew School community a Happy and
Blessed Christmas. May Jesus hold you close to His heart during this Holy Christmas season and fill you with His joy, love and
peace. Enjoy this special time with your family and friends and God bless.
May the good Lord also bring you and your family a very healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year 2015!
Blessed Mother Teresa stated:
It is Christmas every time you let God love others through
yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand
Celebrate the Wonder of Christmas
1
Sharing Our Blessings and Thanks…
Advent comes from a Latin word meaning
“the coming”. During the Advent season,
Christians everywhere prepare for the
celebration of the coming of the Lord. It is
a time to celebrate light coming in the
midst of darkness as symbolized best by
the Advent wreath.
During Advent the staff and students of St. Matthew are
taking time to get ready and prepare for Christmas and the
celebration of the coming of the Lord with a number of
events and opportunities. Some of the activities planned
are as follows:

Songs, prayers, poems, and stories relating to the
Advent/Christmas season and to our December virtue
of hope will be shared on the school’s P.A. system and
within classes;

Our students will participate in Advent celebrations
during each week of Advent as they “celebrate the
wonder of Christmas”;

Staff and students are invited to continue to build the
Christmas spirit by participating in the many special
events that have been prepared for Christmas spirit;

Advent Wreaths have been set up in each classroom.
Each grade level will be invited to do weekly Advent
celebrations. Staff will also hold weekly advent prayer
celebrations in the foyer. We hope you will also
consider placing a wreath in your home;

Christmas Giving Projects – It is through giving that
children gain a sense of responsibility towards others.
In an effort to reach out to others during this season
of giving, we have encouraged students to donate
through the Operation Christmas Child boxes. Thank
you to the Youth Faith Ambassadors, Mrs. D’Rosario
and her grade 5/6 class who organized and carried out
this project. The boxes have been delivered.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION





Can bounce back from tough situations;
Set and stick to their goals;
See the good in others even when they make
mistakes;
Work to include others; and
Let others know that they are good people.
We pray for the grace and courage to be people of hope –
people who can see, participate in and contribute to God’s
goodness emerging around us.
The Season of Advent
On Sunday, November 30th, the Season of Advent began.
Advent is a period of simple living and extra prayer. It is a
time to prepare for a new coming of Jesus, our Saviour.
The first coming was at Bethlehem, and will not happen
again. At Christmas we will remember that first time, but
every time Jesus comes, it surprises us. It is never exactly
the way we expect it to be.
Some people want the Saviour to come with great power to
reward them and wipe out their enemies. But Jesus is a
loving and peaceful Saviour and calls his followers to follow
in this example. During Advent, we prepare our homes and
our lives for Jesus, the King of Glory and the Prince of
Peace.
Advent is a time to re-evaluate our priorities, to ‘wake up’
and to walk with God. It is a time to thank God for saving
us through Jesus.
Putting Our Faith Into Action
Sacramental Preparation – The grade 2
students have been preparing to
receive the blessed sacrament of Reconciliation.
On
December 4th , they will receive this special
sacrament. We continue to pray for each student on their
special journeys. We also pray for our grade 8 students
who are preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation.
Please keep all these students in your prayers, that the
Holy Spirit will guide them in their journeys.
December’s Virtue – Hope
This month we celebrate the virtue of hope. We believe
that God comes to us as a real human who can show us the
way of life.
People of hope . . .
 Keep up a positive attitude;
2
Our Advent Mass
Come join us to
celebrate our faith,
pray as a community
and have an opportunity to
wish each other
a blessed and
joyful Christmas
at St. Matthew School’s gymnasium
Wednesday, December 9, 2014
at 10:00 a.m.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Catholic School Council Update
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13,
2015 at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. We would like to
acknowledge our appreciation for all the members of the
Catholic School Council who have worked so hard at
providing valuable and positive enhancements that assist in
the education of the students – the students are the true
benefactors of all your great time and efforts. Thank you!
Come Join Us for . . .
Movie Night
Muppets Christmas Carol
Friday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
Kindergarten Registration for 2015-2016
Registration for Junior and Senior Kindergarten for the
2015-2016 school year, will take place at St. Matthew
School on the following days:
Monday, January 26, 2015
7:00 pm-9:00 pm
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Thursday, January 29, 2015
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Friday, January 30, 2015
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Tuesday, January 27, 2015 is the alternate snow date for
Monday, January 26th.
For more information about registration and the Full Day
Kindergarten program, call St. Matthew School at 905890-6898 or visit www.dpcdsb.org.
French Immersion
Senior Kindergarten parents/guardians who wish to enroll
their child in a Grade 1 French Immersion class for
September, 2015 are invited to attend an information
meeting at:
For the French Immersion centres at St. Gertrude and St.
Pio of Pietrelcina
Date: Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Time: 7:00 pm
Location of Session: St. Gertrude
Extended French
Grade 4 parents/guardians who wish to enrol their child in a
Grade 5 Extended French class for September 2015 are
invited to attend an information meeting:
San Lorenzo Ruiz
100 Barondale Drive
Mississauga, ON L4Z
Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 7:00pm
At the present time, the above mentioned school is the
designated centre for our area.
Applications will be
accepted at this centre until 3:00 pm Tuesday, February
17th, 2015.
Interactive Parent Math Night
Day
Wednesday,
December 3, 2014
SAFETY/SECURITY COMES FIRS
Snow - Definitely on its Way
We have seen some snow this November and
winter is surely on its way bringing us cold
weather, freezing rain, and snow. Except when
the weather is extremely cold or wet, all students
3
will be expected to go outside during all recess breaks for
exercise and fresh air.
We will follow our board’s
guidelines for considering when students should be kept
indoors or limit the amount of time that students spend
outdoors. Students who cannot play outside due to illness
should remain at home until they are feeling better.
ensure that you will follow through with proper driveway
proceudures while on school
It is imperative that students come dressed appropriately
to go outdoors, which includes hats, boots, scarves, and
mittens or gloves. We recommend that children may want
to bring an extra pair of socks and mittens/gloves in their
school bag. We also remind everyone of our school policy,
which encourages an extra pair of running shoes to be kept
at school or carried by students for indoor use. Not only
does this promote good health and comfort, it helps keep
the classroom floors dry and clean, for everyone’s benefit.
Christmas Holidays
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Our last day of classes before break for our Christmas
holidays is Friday, December 19th, 2014. Classes will
begin again on Monday, January 5, 2015. We hope that
everyone has a wonderful holiday.
School Closures
During the winter months, inclement weather may cause
disruption to 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 on various radio and television stations.
Please read the attached information on the transportation
letter.
Please keep this information handy, and listen to your local
radio station on days when there is inclement winter
weather in order to be informed regarding decisions being
made about the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School
Board.
SNOW SAFETY For All Students
Reminders will be made in announcements and teachers will
review our policy stating that snow must stay on the
ground. For the safety of all of our students on school
property, there are to be no snowballs, kicking of snow or
any other activity involving snow or ice that could be
harmful. Although it may seem like a fun activity, our
experience has shown that serious accidents can and do
occur. Snow-jobs, sliding on any hills created by snow
ploughs, and sliding on ice are also prohibited.
Please discuss these safety procedures and reinforce them
with your children – it is imperative that everyone adhere
to these rules.
Driveway/Kiss N’ Ride Safety
Thank you for helping us to ensure the safe arrival and
departure of ALL of students and staff, since safety is of
paramount importance. Last week, a letter with attached
information was sent home with your child. These reviewed
procedures for safety on our school property. Please
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers help to enhance the learning experiences and
opportunities available to students.
We especially need
volunteers for our field trips. We are not able to go on
field trips unless we meet the supervision requirement as
laid out by the Board. In order to be a volunteer, you must
have a current Criminal Reference Check completed by Peel
Police on school file. You may pick up a form at the school
office.
Outdoor/Indoor Shoes
We need your help
to keep our school
safe, clean and dust-free.
Please send an indoor pair of shoes.
KEEPING HEALTHY
Healthy Snacking Made as Easy as 1-2-3
Use this 3-step snacking guide to help you snack in a
healthy way.
1. Choose nutritious snacks that are wholesome foods
good for the body e.g. milk, cheese, fruits, veggies,
etc.
2. Limit your number of snacks to three times a day.
3. Choose a variety of snacks. Enjoy different snacks
everyday.
4
Remember: for children, snacks are not just treats but are
important foods. Besides three meals a day, children need
snacks to give them energy and to help them grow.
Eco School Green Committee
We continue to care for our environment by continuing to
be an Eco School. We have a group of students from
grades 4-6 who are members of the Green Committee. The
committee’s goal is to work together to inform teachers
and students on how to better care for our earth. More
information to come.
. . . AND FINALLY
Mark Your Calendars
December 4
December 4
December 8
December 9
December 12
December 15
December 18
December 19
December 21
December 25
December 26
December 31
January 1
January 5
Schoolwide confessions at school
Grade 2 First Reconciliation at Cristo
Rei
Immaculate Conception Feast Day
Advent Mass in school gym
Movie Night in school gym
Circle of Rosary
Christmas Sing-a-long at 1:00 pm in
gym
Virtue of Hope Assembly
Last day before Christmas holidays
Christmas Holidays begin
Christmas Day-Happy Birthday, Jesus!
St. Stephen Feast Day
Holy Family Feast Day
Happy New Year 2015
School returns –classes resume
Feast of the Epiphany
Attachments



Emergency Information - Inclement Weather
International Student Programs flyer
Staff messages
DPCDSB is now on Twitter!
For the latest Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board news and information on schools, programs,
in-services, follow:
Please check your child’s agenda nightly
for important dates & information
I Leave You With This Thought
1.
From All the Staff
Of
St. Matthew School
5
6