March Break
A reminder that March Break is from Monday, March
14th to Friday, March 18th. There will be no school for
students on these days. We hope everyone enjoys a safe
and restful March Break.
We also want to remind you that students will return for
the four days of Holy Week, and the next weekend is
Easter Weekend with no school for students on Good
Friday, March 25, and Easter Monday, March 28.
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 back-up in case
you cannot be reached. Cell phones, family and local
friends are all good contacts for us to have on file.
Guest Speaker at Holy Family Church
On behalf of Holy Family Parish we would like
to share with you that Dr. Moira McQueen will
speak at Holy Family Parish on Tuesday March
1, 2016 at 7:00 PM on End of Life Issues.
Dr. McQueen is the Executive Director of the
Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, and has been a
professor at the University of St. Michael’s since 1994.
Pope Francis appointed her to the International
Theological Commission in 2014 for a 5 year term. After
her presentation, there will be a refreshment break, and
a time for questions and answers.
Holy Family Parish is located at 60 Allan Drive, in Bolton.
Please visit Holy Family Bolton website for more
information http://www.holyfamilybolton.ca/
Remote Mission Operations Centre (RMOC)
The launch of the satellite from the International Space
Station has, once again, been a test of
patience and perseverence. One can
appreciate the slogan, “Failure is not an
option”. Our current information is that
the STMSAT will be deployed from the
Japanese Module of the International Space Station. We
are hopeful that the launch will occur on March 7
between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m. We also plan to install the
antennae at the school to receive the signal from the
satellite on Monday, March 7, 2016.
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.
Epilepsy Awareness Month
March is designated as Epilepsy awareness month.
Epilepsy is still largely misunderstood in the general
public and educating others about what epilepsy is can
help in reducing the stigma attached to the condition.
Purple Day was started in 2008 by Cassidy Megan, a girl
from Nova Scotia who wanted her friends to know what
it really meant for her to live with epilepsy. Her dream of
sharing her story has turned into a recognized global
movement to raise awareness about epilepsy. March 26th
is now officially known as Purple Day in Canada thanks to
the passage of a federal private member’s bill supported
by all parties in Parliament last year.
Visit
www.purpleday.org to get more information about her
initiative. Throughout the month of March, we will be
accepting donations in support of epilepsy research.
The Great Crunch/ The Great Gulp
This month our Eco-teams are helping to raise awareness
of our availability of drinking water in Peel and healthy
food choices.
Foodshare is a non-profit organization which sponsors
The Great Crunch to highlight healthy food choices. This
year, baby carrots will be provided for students so that
we can all participate in this event on Friday, March 11,
2016.
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 Friday, April 1, 2016. Everyone is invited
to take part in a toast to tap water!
Student Dress Code
Please note that although the community decided against
a Standardized Dress Code, we still maintain a dress code
for students. 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. Bandanas 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
community standard of 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.
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.
Transportation Reassessment
St. John Paul II School has been identified as one of the
sites for which transportation eligibility will be
reassessed. The eligibility review is specific to the portion
of the attendance area west of Queen Street North and
north of Hickman Street. The potential to adjust the
scheduling of existing Crossing Guards, at the
intersection of Queen Street North and Bolton Heights
Drive/Cross Country Boulevard, to accommodate
elementary school student crossing will be examined.
This will affect our families west of Hwy. 50 who will no
longer be eligible for transportation next year.
STOPR will provide written communication regarding
eligibility revisions to all affected families in May.
Changes to transportation eligibility will be implemented
in September 2016.
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.
Junior Girl’s Basketball Team
Congratulations to our Junior Girls’
Basketball team! The girls won the
Bolton Tournament on February 16 and
then they went on to win the Family
Tournament on February 23. They will
be competing at the Board finals on
March 3 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Secondary School in Mississauga. Team
members include: Maya C., Julia A.,
Grace M., Emma R., Milena B., Olivia D.,
Charlise H-A., Cheyenne B., Maggie K.,
Louisa F., Jenna B. and Emilia V. Thank
you to the dedicated coaches, Mrs. Filippo, Mrs. Kennett
and Mrs. DeAngelis and to the parents who have been
supporting this team.
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.
Presentation to Students and Parents
On March 31, we will have a
special guest visit the
school. Saidat is one of the
most
highly
regarded
motivational speakers for
students and for parents.
Throughout the day, she
will be working with students from Kindergarten to
Grade 8. In the evening she will host a presentation for
parents and families from 6:30 to 7:45. All are welcome.
Please set aside the date, March 31, as we anticipate that
your children will want you to attend the evening
presentation.
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.
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 homework 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 2015/2016
has been established for May 25 to June 8. 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.
Kindergarten Bussing for 2016-2017
On Saturday, August 27th,
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
2015.
Pancake Tuesday & Ash Wednesday
On Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 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 February 10 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.
Placements for September 2016
Soon we will begin work on next year’s
class lists. If you are planning for your
child(ren) to attend Saint 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 26, 2016. 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.
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.
Earth Hour
We would like to take this time to invite
all Saint 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 19th 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.
Easter Flower Sale
The response to the Poinsettia Sale at Christmas,
organized by our Parent Group, was so overwhelmingly
positive that they have decided to give Bradford
Greenhouses’ beautiful Easter flowers a try! Proceeds
from this fundraiser will be donated to the Catholic
charity, Chalice, and used for other School Council
activities. Please place your order by Friday, March 11th.
No late orders can be accepted due to March Break.
Family, friends and neighbors are invited to order as well.
Plants will be available for pickup at the school ONLY on
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, from 3:00-7:00pm. Please make
arrangements for someone to collect your order if you
won’t be able to. Please be sure to complete an order
form sent home with your child.
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.
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 6th Blue Spruce book while older
students are enjoying their fiction and non-fiction 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 22, 2016.
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.
TumbleBooks: Username: PJPII
PebbleGo: Username Saint John Password: library
Indoor Shoes
Once again we remind parents that students should have
shoes to change into following recess times. In particular,
indoor shoes sent at the beginning of the year, may no
longer fit. Practical inexpensive footwear are best for
indoor use.
Hockey Team
Our hockey team is getting ready for the St. Cornelius
Tournament on Friday, March 4, 2016 and the BEACON
Cup Tournament on March 9 & 10. Thanks to the team
members on our hockey team: Roman C., Braeden T., Max
T., Gabriel M., Nicholas S., Kyle R.,
Ryan B., Michael A., Dante M., Vincent
O., Steven P., Kyle D., Josh D., Mia C.,
Aidan W., Daniel F., Jacob G., Stephen
M., Tyler S and Noelle D. Thank you
to our coaches, Mr. Downey and Mrs.
Mangiapane. Special thanks to Mr.
Maiolino for his assistance.
After School Tutoring for Grade 3 & 6 students
Beginning shortly, there will be two classes for Grade 3’s
and another two classes for Grade 6’s offered after school
to help students prepare for the EQAO testing. We are
grateful to the teachers in helping these students and the
parents who are able to make arrangements to allow the
students to stay after school.
Environmental Awareness
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
is committed to a safe and healthy
environment. In recognition of the medical
evidence that the health of some people is
affected by scented products, the Board encourages staff,
students, and visitors to avoid use of scented personal
care products.
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.
Lenten Pilgrimage to Holy Family Church
In an effort to further develop a close relationship with
our parish during this Lenten season, we are planning to
take the students in Grade 1, 3, 5 and 7 to the 10:00
morning Mass at Holy Family Church on Friday, March
4, 2016.
In order to take full advantage of this experience, Father
Larry and his pastoral team, will spend time before and
after Mass to work with the students. Parents are
welcome to join us for this experience. Your support in
volunteering to travel over/back with the students is
essential and greatly appreciated. Please consider joining
us on the bus to ensure that there is enough supervision
over and back to the church.