March Break
In compliance with the Ministry agreement with the
teachers, teachers are required to take an unpaid day
on March 7, 2014. As a result, there is no school for
students on that day. A reminder that March Break is
from Monday, March 10th to Friday, March 14th.
There will be no school for students on these days. We
hope everyone enjoys a safe and restful March Break.
Changes of emergency numbers
Throughout the school year there may be any number
of changes which occur at home. There are a few
families who have not left us with emergency contacts.
Please help us ensure that we always have current
home numbers, work numbers and emergency
contact numbers. In addition, it is important that you
have a network of support for your children as a backup in case you cannot be reached. Cell phones, family
and local friends are all good contacts for us to have on
file.
Immunization
Peel Health has now distributed letters to those
families that require updated immunizations. Peel
Health works through school boards. If you don’t
respond, the school will be instructed to suspend
your child. Please check your mail to see if you have
received notification and ensure that your
immunization records are up to date.
Holiday Homework
Homework is generally work not completed in class or
reinforcement of concepts taught in class. It is an
integral part of what occurs in the classroom.
Therefore, without the initial lesson/activity in the
classroom, teachers cannot provide homework which
would address the same skills and concepts. Often
when parents take holidays other than during
regularly scheduled holiday times, we are requested
to provide home-work which would cover the same
material as the students may miss. As a courtesy,
worksheets may be provided to reinforce some
concepts, however it may be better to take full
advantage of what can be learned on the trip and have
students read material related to what they will see,
write a journal about their activities and calculate the
exchange of currency. These are real situations which
can be exploited for their learning potential. Work
missed because of absence is the responsibility of the
student. If a student is having some difficulty
demonstrating the expectations of the grade level, one
may want to be cautious on how much school time is
missed and its possible effect on the academic success
of the student.
EQAO Update
The grade 3 and 6 EQAO assessments measure how
well students have met the expectations in the Ontario
Curriculum Grades 1-8. The assessments test what
students know and how well they apply their
knowledge and skills in reading, writing and
mathematics by requiring students to read and
respond to passages, to write and to solve
mathematical problems. The results are reported in
terms of achievement from levels 1-4 with level 3 as
the standard. The window for EQAO assessments of all
grade 3 and 6 students of 2013/2014 has been
established for May 26 to June 76 Please keep this
important time frame in mind when you are planning
family trips or appointments. It is important that all
grade 3 and 6 students be in attendance for the
assessments.
Valuables
Students are reminded not to bring valuables, items of
importance or money to school. The school does not
accept responsibility for the above. Treasures, with a
monetary value or sentimental value, should not be
brought to school. Student clothing and play items
should be clearly marked with the child’s name. No
Personal Electronic Devices, including cell phones are
allowed on school premises.
Kindergarten Bussing for 2014-2015
On Saturday, August 24th, STOPR will be holding
their
annual
YOUNG
RIDER
ORIENTATION
DAY
for
ALL
Kindergarten children. The intent of
the day is to introduce children to
school buses in an informal setting
prior to the first day of school.
We encourage you to participate by bringing your
Kindergarten children and elementary age siblings to
a one hour program between the hours of 9:00 a.m.
and 12 noon. Bus rides and a school bus safety video
are only part of the informative fun. All Young Rider
Days have been tremendous successes.
To confirm your attendance and preferred time slot,
please call Parkview Transit at 905-846-1070 in June
2014. The location for this training is Humberview
Secondary School, 135 Kingsview Drive in Bolton.
Snow Safety
We have reminded students repeatedly that “snow
stays on the ground”. Despite these reminders we
have incidents where students get hurt from ice
particles in the snow that is thrown. Your help to
reinforce this message is appreciated.
Placements for September 2014
Soon we will begin work on next year’s
class lists. If you are planning for your
child(ren) to attend Pope John Paul II
School next year and there are any learning needs that
you think we need to consider in making up classes
(this does not include requests for specific teachers),
please include this information in a letter to the
principal. Educational reasons will be factored into the
decisions which will be made by teachers, resource
staff and the school administration.
Letters must be signed and submitted to the
Principal prior to March 27, 2014. We cannot
guarantee your request but we will consider your
concerns and reasons along with all other factors. As
always, class placements will be tentative until the end
of the second week of September when our staffing is
confirmed. Your assistance in helping your children
understand this process is greatly appreciated.
Weather Update
As the wet spring season approaches parents are
reminded that children should be cautious of high
water levels and to stay clear of these areas. In
addition we are likely to have rapid shifts in
temperatures from warm to very cool. Students are to
dress appropriately for the weather of the day and
they must be prepared for outdoor recesses.
All Star Reading Coaches Needed
An All star Reading Program provides opportunities
for students to develop and to enhance their reading
and thinking skills. Research shows that students who
participate in the program can achieve very positive
results. We are looking for volunteers to help our
young readers. It will involve about an hour or two
per week for a ten week block. If you are interested in
helping, please contact us at the office.
Student Safety
If a child is being picked up from school by someone
other than a parent or guardian, there must be
written permission from the parent or guardian.
Also all parents/visitors to the school must report to
the office. All visitors in the school, must wear a
visitor’s badge. No one should be going directly to
their child’s class or wandering through the school. No
adult should engage in conversation with other
students on school property. Please share any
concerns you may have with staff only. Remember
you are a stranger to other students in the school.
Safety First
A safety reminder to all our students
that bikes, scooters and roller
blades are to be walked both on and
off the school property. Bikes are to be locked at the
side of the school. We do not have facilities to store or
secure roller blades or scooters, so there is an added
risk of damage or theft and they are not encouraged to
be brought to school. The school is not responsible for
these items. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Parking Cautions
Once again we remind you to always consider student
safety over adult convenience. Right at bell times, we
have major congestion. It lasts for about 10 minutes.
There will not be major changes in our parking lot or
driveways to accommodate these times. We must
work together to consider how we can support one
another to ensure the safety of all. Please reduce your
speed on school property.
Please be aware that the front drive through area of
the school is considered a “fire route”. Please do not
park or leave your car in this area at any time.
Pizza Reminder
We would like to thank all those who support our
pizza days. This is a wonderful fundraising project for
the school. Please be reminded that if there is an
unavoidable disruption of the school routine, such as
bus cancellations, pizza days will continue. We do not
have the facilities to store or reheat pizza for students
who are not present for Pizza Day. Special thanks to
our volunteers who work on this project.
Kiss and Ride
Please try to ensure that the
children are ready to get out of the
car in Kiss and Ride and that they
can exit on the passenger side.
Students using Kiss and Ride should be able to exit the
vehicle on their own. Teachers have been cautioned
by their Association, not to be opening doors. Their
role is to supervise the students. Drivers, please
remain in your vehicle if you are going through Kiss
and Ride, pause long enough to allow children to exit
safely, then continue through to allow other cars to
move in. If parents need to get out of the driver’s seat,
you should not be using the Kiss and Ride – instead,
you should park and escort your child safely to the
school yard. If parking, please use designated parking
areas only.
Student Dress Code
Students are to maintain a standard of neatness,
cleanliness, modesty and good taste. What is
acceptable on a six or an eight year old student may
not be appropriate on a twelve year old student.
Therefore, students from grades five to eight should
not wear such things as short-shorts, tight spandex
biking shorts, cutoffs, tank tops, halter tops or any
other clothing which leaves the wearer with a bare
shoulder, a bare back or a bare middle. Pants and tops
are to meet at the waist, even if the wearer is reaching
up. All headwear must be removed upon entry into the
building. Bandannas and sweatbands are not to be
worn to school. Suggestive or offensive slogans,
particularly those of a sexual, racial or violent nature
on t-shirts, hats or sweat shirts or graffiti on regular
clothing, are not acceptable. We ask for your
continued support for a dress code which reflects a
Catholic school as a place for serious work,
accompanied by standards of sensitivity, politeness
and decorum. The school reserves the right to send
students home when they are not suitably dressed.
The Great Gulp
The Region of Peel is sponsoring “The Great Gulp”
event to help create awareness about the importance
of Peel drinking water in our lives and to promote
action to improve water resources. Our school will be
participating on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 during
Canada Water Week. Everyone is invited to take part
in a toast to tap water!
Earth Hour
We would like to take this time to invite all Pope John
Paul II families to participate in Earth Hour which is
an international celebration of the conservation of
electricity generated by Lights. On Saturday, March
29th from 8:30 to 9:30 pm., we are asked to turn off all
electrical sources of light and see what we can do
instead. The Eco Team would like to challenge the
community to come up with novel and fun ways to
celebrate this hour with your family, friends and
neighbours. Write down your plan and send it in.
We’ll select the best to announce over the PA! Happy
Earth Hour everyone.
Forest of Reading
The Forest of Reading program is alive and well in the
library. All programs are up and running. Grades 1-3
have already read their 4th Blue Spruce book while
older students are enjoying their fiction and nonfiction titles. Over 70 students have joined the Silver
Birch, Silver Birch Express and Red Maple Programs.
Participants come to the library daily to read their
books, to discuss them with their peers or simply to
exchange them for new ones. Students are very
excited about being part of this program that allows
them the opportunity not only to read great Canadian
literature but also to have a voice in the selection
process.
Congratulations to our committed readers!! Voting
day is on April 23, 2014.
Reminder to parents and students to check out our
school website for access to Online books through
Tumble Books and other great sites. Links are found
under the Learning tab in Student Resources.
Intermediate Boy’s Basketball Team
The boy’s team has now been selected and they are
preparing for the Bolton Basketball tournament.
Congratulations to the following students who will
represent the school, Michael H., Michael M., Noah D.,
Joseph C., Marcello M., Jesse I., Devon E., Alessandro C.,
Cameron T. and Chris Z. Special thanks to Mr. MacNeil
and Mr. Pusztai for coaching the team.
Hockey
Congratulations to all the players on our Hockey team
who represented the school at tournaments in
Orangeville and Caledon East. In each of the games the
players demonstrated great skill and sportsmanship.
Representing our school were Daniel A., Anotonio A.,
Aaron B., Justin B., Joseph B., Jordan D., Nicholas F.,
Nicholas G., Michael H., Connor M., Devon P., Joseph Q.,
Tyler S., James W. and Tomas Z.
Intermediate Girl’s Basketball Team
Congratulations to all the girls who tried out for the
team. We had many talented individuals to choose
from. The team consists of the following players, Karla
R., Cassandra P., Erin H., Natalie L., Makana M.,
Charlotte B., Sydney B., Hannah T., Deanna D. and
Amanda B. Thank you to the dedicated coaches, Mrs.
Farquhar and Mrs. DeAngelis.
Junior Boy’s Basketball Team
On Wednesday, February 12, the Boys
played in the Bolton Mini Tournament.
They played well and went on to the
Family tournament where they faced
many challenging teams. Congratulations
to the following students who
represented the school so well: Saulius M.,
Joshua T., Xavier D., Gerik G., William V., Tino V.,
Nicholas S., Jorge B., Christian X. and Julian I. Special
thanks to coaches Mr. MacNeil and Mr. Pusztai.
Boy’s and Girl’s Soccer
On February 26 and 27, the boy’s and girl’s soccer
teams participated in Indoor Soccer Tournaments.
Both teams finished first overall in the round robin.
Although the boys played extremely well and
represented
our
school
by
demonstrating
sportsmanship and skill, they competed in the quarter
final and did not advance.
The girls showed character, skill and passion both on
and off the field. Their efforts were rewarded by
winning the tournament. Your coaches are very proud
of both teams and your demonstration of true team
spirit! The boy’s team included: Aidan C., Daniel C.,
Santino D., Victor D., Matthew D., Walter G., Dante M.,
Isaac S. and William V. Coaches: Mr. MacNeil, Mrs.
Mangiapane and Mr. Guadagnolo. The girl’s team
included: Natalie C., Lauren D., Noelle D., Emma O.,
Martina P., Laura P., Juliana Q., Samantha T. and
AnnaMaria V. Coaches: Mr. MacNeil and Mrs.
Condotta. Thanks to everyone for their contributions.
Junior Girl’s Basketball Team
Students representing the school at the Bolton
Tournament on February 12 were: Laura P., Julianna
Q., Emma O., Samantha T., Isabella Z., Mia C., Natalie C.,
Sara R., Tristan W. and Maya C. The girls played very
well, losing by one point in the final game. These girls
played with determination and great spirit. Thank you
to the dedicated coaches, Mrs. Filippo and Mrs.
DeAngelis.
Pancake Tuesday & Ash Wednesday
On Tuesday, March 4, 2014, we had over 25 parent
volunteers serve pancakes to all the students in the
school. Classes visited gym 2 to be served pancakes
with maple syrup. Thank you to the Parent Group for
organizing this event. We would also like to recognize
the older students who demonstrated their kindness
and responsibility by sitting with and helping the
younger students cut up their pancakes. This was a
great celebration before going into Lent with Ash
Wednesday. Father Larry was here on March 5 to lead
a Liturgy of the Word and distribute ashes. The
solemn Liturgy was in stark contrast to the pancake
atmosphere of the day before. Father reminded us of
the need for prayer, fasting and giving throughout
Lent.
Front driveway
We want to remind everyone in the community that
cars cannot be parked in the front driveway at any
time. The Town of Caledon parking enforcement are
very vigilant in ticketing people who have stopped
their cars at the front doors and run into the school,
even for just a second. This is a fire route and a bus
route, so the parking enforcement officer has
authority to ticket. This area is solely for buses. Cars
should not be dropping off at the front in the morning.
We will remain at the Kiss and Ride to wait for any last
minute students arriving.
Family Night
On February 25, guest speaker, Dr. Popovic, spoke
with parents in gym 1, while their children enjoyed a
movie in gym 2. She had 90 minutes to spend with
parents to discuss, “Raising Resilient Children”. This
interactive evening was well received by those in
attendance. We are grateful to those on the School
Council who organized this event with the financial
support of a Parent Reaching Out Grant from the
Ministry.
Virtue Congratulations
Recently, we reviewed the Virtues that we have been
working on from September through to January.
These Virtues include: Faith, Conscience, Self-Control,
Empathy and Hope. In each of our Grade 4 – 8 classes,
we discussed what the virtues would look like when
they are put into action. Each class was asked to
identify students who have demonstrated these
virtues throughout the first term. The following
students are to be commended for being recognized
by their peers for their strong character:
Mrs. Arbic
Jordan B., Anthony C.
Mrs. Rosati
Dylan M., Eva S.
Mr. MacNeil
Olivia V., Isabella S., Olivia D
Mrs. Pennella
Jenna P. Josef G.
Mr. Stoliar
Sofia I., Sophie C., Olivia V.
Mrs. DeCaria
Nicole S., Samantha G.,
Mrs. Bria
Alexandra P., Daniel F.
Mrs. Doulgeris
Vince V., William V.
Mr. D’Agostino
Luca D., Drusilla L.
Mr. Guadganolo
Noah C., Jackson M.,
Mr. Pusztai
Stefanie L., Andrew O.
Mrs. Hassberger
Alana C., Tristan F.
Mrs. DeAngelis
Hannah T., Piero S.
Ms. Brennan
Julia P. Veronica V.
Mr. Kenny
Liliana S., Isabella D.
Mrs. Farquarhar
Lina F., Justin B.
Mr. Downey
Celia S., Devin E.