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
PARENT NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2015
Yet even now, says the Lord, return
to me with all your heart, with fasting,
with weeping , and with mourning; rend
your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the Lord, your God, for he
is gracious and merciful, slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love.
Joel2:12-13
Principal’s Corner
Lent is a forty-day period before Easter beginning on Ash Wednesday. We skip Sundays when we count the
forty days because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. Lent is a season that reminds us to repent and
get our lives centred and know our priorities. This holy season offers us a new chance to say “Yes” to God.
Lent is a season of hope and with ashes on our forehead and hope in our hearts, we go forth to love and serve
others. As we begin the Lenten journey, let us join to celebrate that journey together as a community and
prepare for Holy Week and the Resurrection of Our Lord. In the spirit of this month’s virtue of kindness, let
us try to perform random acts of kindness to all those we meet.
As a Catholic school, Lent will be highlighted in our school. We will emphasize and remind the students often that this is a
"special" time of year. During the forty days of Lent, we will turn to Christ to learn how to live as children of God. We will
encourage all staff and students to do the following things as part of their Lenten preparation:

to listen carefully to the word of God in the gospel, focusing on the gifts of forgiveness and compassion;

to pray more frequently, bringing all of their needs, hopes, dreams, and gratitude to our Lord;

to participate in celebrations of reconciliation and charitable works of social justice; and

to try to be helpful to everyone in every way without seeking reward or recognition.
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CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Sharing Our Thanks and Blessings . . .
We would like to acknowledge and express our gratitude
for all the events, and especially the following . . .

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
Congratulations to Mrs. Colaiacovo and her family
for the safe arrival of their baby girl. We are
fortunate to welcome Ms. DeBuono for the rest of
this school year.
Our Catholic School Council Parent Volunteers,
who on Tuesday, February 17th , made and served
homemade pancakes for the entire school and
provided bottles of water. It was a fabulous way
to begin the Lenten season.
Our Parents and Staff, who support the efforts
of our school council, and the school, such as
attending our Family Skate/Hockey Night, our
homework evening, Ash Wednesday Liturgy, Virtue
of Respect assembly, etc.;
Our Parents, Students, and Teachers who
arranged to attend conferences after report cards
were sent home;
Our Teachers who continue to work on their
Theory of Action on student engagement and
communication in Numeracy, and participate in a
number of professional activities that focus on
student achievement.
Virtue for March
During the month of March, we will celebrate the
virtue of kindness. With the students we
will be reinforcing that a person with kindness:
 is gentle and sensitive to others;
 always looks for ways to be helpful;
 sticks up for people who are picked on;
 refuses to join in when others are being mean.
Our daily prayer for March will be . . . Let us pray for the
virtue of kindness so that everyone we meet will feel like
we are looking out for their good. Amen.
Putting Our Faith Into Action
With the season of Lent, we will also begin our annual
ShareLife campaign. ShareLife has a long tradition of
assisting the vulnerable and marginalized in our community
dating back to the 1840’s when our first Archbishop of
Toronto, Michael Power, personally worked with immigrants
who were dying of typhus. Today we continue this tradition
by extending an invitation to all Catholics to take part in
continuing to care for the vulnerable among us.
ShareLife supports a number of Catholic organizations
within the community and Archdiocese of Toronto. Student
involvement in school-based activities will help to raise
some funds, and events will be planned to raise additional
proceeds to donate to this worthy cause. You will receive
further information on this campaign.
Celebrating the Sacraments
We remind the parents of students in grade 2 and 8 who
wish to have their child receive the sacraments of the
following dates:
 First Holy Communion – Saturday, May 2,
2015 at 5:30 p.m. at Cristo Rei Church

Rehearsal for Confirmation – April 23, 2015 at
7:15 pm at Cristo Rei Church

Confirmation – April 26, 2015 at 2:30 p.m.
at Cristo Rei Church
The Circles of Rosary
The Circles of Rosary program consists of
the School Circle which is teaching the
rosary and instilling peaceful hearts & minds.
The Circle of Rosary program runs from October to May of
the school year. The school visits run from 8:30-11:30 in
the morning once a month in every school. The dates and
schedules are approved by the principal and his/her staff.
May is the final celebration with the Crowning the blessed
Mother Mary.
The Circles of Rosary welcomes regular and substitute
volunteers to assist with this very worthwhile initiative. All
those interested and/or need further information, contact
Cora Bryce, at 905-896-2958.
World Day of Prayer – March 6th
The World Day of Prayer is an invitation to pray together
so that we might bring a more authentically Christian
dimension to the concerns of our world, country, and our
community.
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CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Catholic School Council Update
Together with our students, we are looking forward to the
March break, when we will have the time to enjoy the
company of our families and our friends. We wish everyone
a very happy and restful holiday.
Our next
Catholic School Council Meetings
are scheduled to take place on
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.
All parents and staff are invited
to attend these meetings.
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
Director’s Annual Report for 2013-2014
Enclosed with this newsletter is the director’s annual
report. This report notes some of the highlights of the
past year; a year in which experienced mush success in
terms of meeting the Board’s system goals. Take a few
minutes to review this document and see why Extraordinary
lives start with a great Catholic education here in DufferinPeel.
EQAO-Grades 3&6 Assessments-Coming Soon
Once again this year, Grades 3 and 6 students will
participate
in
Provincial
Education
Quality
and
Accountability Office testing (EQAO). The testing will
take place between May 5th and June 5th. Looking ahead to
these assessments, we ask that you try to schedule medical
or other appointments at another time if it means that a
student in these grades is required to be absent or late.
One of the factors which will contribute to student success
is consistent and uninterrupted attendance during the
province’s designated time for administering the tests.
Kindergarten Registration for September 2015
Although we have already registered Kindergarten children
for next year, it is not too late to register for Junior
Kindergarten. If you wish to register your child for
September 2015, please contact us at 905-890-6898.
Current Junior Kindergarten students who are already
registered at St. Matthew School will automatically enter
Senior Kindergarten and do not need to register.
Don’t Forget . . .
SAFETY/SECURITY COMES FIRST
SAFETY PROCEDURES IN PLACE
Parents of Grade 1-8 students should ONLY
enter the school through the front door. All
other doors to the school are locked during the school day.
• Kindergarten and grade 1 students are “hand to hand”
delivered to parents/guardians by school staff at the end
of the day while grade 2-8 are dismissed at the door on
their own. Parents need to be on time for pick-up at the
end of the day. All students are required to exit through
their designated doors (not the front door) – this includes
students going home for lunch.
• Parents are not allowed to go to their child’s classroom or
be in the school during the school day.
• If you are waiting to pick up your child, you are
encouraged to wait by their exit door. Please do not go
down the hallway. If you wish to speak to your child’s
teacher, please call the school office to make an
appointment.
• Students are only to be picked up from the school during
the day by an authorized adult who is has been added as a
contact to our files.
• Put in place emergency backup procedures in the event
that you are unable to pick up your child. Please do not rely
on the school to look after your children because you are
running late.
• If your regular routine of picking up your child from
school has changed, you MUST indicate this in a note to
your child’s classroom teacher. If you need to pick up your
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child early, you MUST send a note with your child to give to
your child’s teacher. Please make every effort to reduce
having to take your child early from school, as he or she is
losing valuable instructional time, as well as disrupting the
classroom with interruptions.
• Our staff has been reminded to be observant and aware
of their surroundings at all times. If parents are aware of
any safety concerns, please bring them to the attention of
the school principal.
• Please be assured that we continue to review proper
Lockdown and Safety Procedures with our students. Please
note that all safety policy and procedures are reviewed
regularly. The safety of students and staff continues to be
a priority. We are required to have a second Lockdown Drill,
as well as, three additional fire/emergency drills.
Creating a caring school environment in which staff and
students respect and trust each other and where all
students feel connected, understand expectations, and
receive behavioural and mental health support is essential.
The work we do through our virtues program to build
empathy within our students is a proactive step we engage
in daily to help them develop strong Catholic values. We
appreciate your on-going assistance with following our rules
in the interest and safety of our students.
School Driveway/Parking Lot Safety
SAFETY ON OUR SCHOOL
PROPERTY IS MOST IMPORTANT!!
We realize that your child’s safety is
of primary importance to you as it is to us. Thank you to all
those who have been co-operating with our efforts to keep
children safe when they are arriving or leaving the school.
We urge you to exercise caution when picking up or
dropping off your children, and also to be following all road
signs. Please caution your child not to walk between slow
moving vehicles or parked cars. Students are reminded
that they should be walking properly along the sidewalk and
not crossing the parking lot to get to cars parked on the
road.
Please continue to use the Kiss N’ Ride procedures
diligently and properly . . .
 Vehicles in the Kiss N’ Ride lane should not be left
unattended.
 Children must exit your vehicle by the right hand
side door(s) only.
 Do not park in the Kiss N’ Ride Lane and walk your
child to their entry point.
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

Only vehicles that have a handicap sign displayed in
their vehicle are allowed to park in the handicap
parking spots in the school parking lot. Under no
conditions should vehicles without a handicap sign
park in these designated areas.
Traffic must travel only one way in the driveway.
Do not enter the lane closest to the curb – this is
for BUSSES ONLY.
Traffic Safety Council has come to inspect our Kiss N’ Ride
process and has made several recommendations. We are
awaiting the report. We will continue to use pylons to block
the parking lot and daycare parking area. We will be
getting a gate to close off the area as well as fencing at
the front of the school to assist with driveway safety.
We will be using Parking Enforcement Officers to help us
with enforcing city parking by-laws in the area around the
school.
No Ice – No Hills
Although we know that sliding on ice can be fun, children
are told to stay away from any ice patches-this includes
before and after school. On our schoolyard surrounded by
many other students, ice can be unsafe. Students are
reminded on a frequent basis to stay away from any ice.
Please reinforce this procedure with your child. This
applies to the hills at the back of the school - students are
frequently reminded to stay off of the hills – including
before and after school.
Bullying Prevention Initiatives
We continue to have a variety of Bullying
Prevention
Initiatives. These include our
Virtues Program, Positive Climate, PALS, Youth Education
Officer presentations, and many other meaningful school
wide and classroom programs and activities. We also ask
parents/guardians to continue to help us nurture virtue and
character development in the lives our students.
Cyber Safety
The Internet can
be a great resource
for children and adults. They can use it to research,
communicate with others, and play interactive games.
Sometimes that access can pose hazards. One area that we
are seeing an increase in abuse is in the use of social media.
That's why it's important to be aware of what your
children see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and
what they share about themselves online. Just like any
safety issue, it's wise to talk with your children about your
concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and
keep a close eye on their activities.
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SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Happy St. Patrick’s Day . . .
An Irish Blessing
Are You Planning to Move?
If you will be moving out of the St. Matthew School area
between now and September 2015, please inform the school
as soon as possible. This information assists with our
planning, organization of classes, ordering materials, etc.
for 2015-2016. Updated records are also important in the
event of an emergency and if we are required to contact
you immediately.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face.
And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Junior Science Olympics
Our
Junior
Science
Olympics
Team
participated in the Mississauga Brampton
Central Science Olympics competition on
February 27. The team, consisting of five
grade 4, 5, and 6 students were able to work
extremely well and demonstrated great problem-solving
skills through a series of science and technological
challenges. Thanks to the coaches Mrs. DiFrancesco and
Ms. Bellizzi for their leadership in directing the students.
Way to go, Bears! In addition, a huge thank you to Mr.
Bury, Mrs. Pham, and Mr. Schaus for coordinating all the
schools in our MBC Family of Schools to enjoy all the
activities at this great event.
We also thank S.
McWatters, our Associate Director, L. Papaloni, our Family
Superintendent and other Administrators in the Family for
attending this event and providing your support.
KEEPING HEALTHY
Eco-Schools
St. Matthew School has a variety of initiatives in place to
heighten the community’s awareness of environmental
stewardship. Mrs. Falcone and an Eco-School Committee of
students run activities in support. Your continued
support is always appreciated.
. . . AND FINALLY
Mark Your Calendars
March 1
March 3
March 5
March 6
March 8
March 8
March 11
March 15
March 16-20
March 17
March 19
March 20
March 22
March 23
March 24
March 25
March 28
March 29
March 31
March 30
April 3
April 5
April 6
Second Sunday of Lent
Catholic School Council Meeting - 6:30 pm
School-wide Lenten Confessions – 9:30 am
World Day of Prayer
Third Sunday of Lent
International Women’s Day
Grade 8 Grad Photos
Fourth Sunday of Lent
March Break
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
St. Joseph’s Feast Day
First Day of Spring
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Circle of the Rosary
Youth Education Officer Presentations
The Annunciation of the Lord
Earth Hour (celebrated on March 27 in
our schools)
Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord
Virtue of Kindness Assembly
Holy Week begins
Good Friday – no school
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday – no school
Please check your child’s agenda nightly
for important dates & information
I Leave You With This Thought . .
Attachments Included with this Newsletter
Enjoy a Safe & Fun-Filled
March Break!
 March Volume 6 Math @ Home Parent Communication
Flyer
 2013-2014 Director’s Annual Report
 A Letter to the Dufferin-Peel Community on the
Revised Health & Physical Education Curriculum.
 Healthy Smiles, Healthy Kids Flyer from the Ministry
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