May: Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary
During this month we make an effort to pray
the Rosary every day. We are grateful for the
prayers of those students who have joined
our rosary group at lunch hour.
“The Rosary is my favourite prayer.” (St. John Paul II)
Welcome to Kindergarten – May 12, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
On the evening of May 12, at 6:30 p.m. – all parents whose
children are entering Junior Kindergarten are welcome to
come out and experience kindergarten routines,
instruction techniques, pre-school ideas – as our
kindergarten team will welcome you and your children to
a night of family learning!!!! A number of community
groups will also be joining us this evening. For more
information, please contact the school.
P.D. Days – May 13 & June 13
A reminder that there will be no school for students on
Friday, May 13. There will be another PD Day on Monday,
June 13, when teachers will be working on assessment and
evaluation of pupil progress and report card writing.
Please note that the final report cards go home in the last
week of June.
Out For Lunch
Please note that students must have written permission to
leave the school grounds at lunchtime. Students making
plans to go to Mr. Sub’s for lunch should do so in advance
so that parents have an opportunity to provide the school
with written permission. Students should never be using
cell phones to call or text others for last minute
arrangements. A phone is available at the office for
students to use when a situation comes up that requires
them to contact their parents.
Victoria Day
We would like to remind you that Monday, May 19th is
Victoria Day. This is a holiday and therefore school will be
closed. We wish all our students and their families a safe
and relaxing long weekend.
Car Safety at Dismissal
At school dismissal time, we want to avoid children
running through the parking lot unaccompanied. Cars in
the Kiss and Ride lane are asked to move right up behind
the car in front in order to get as many in the lane as
possible. Parents parking in the parking lot or on the road
should walk over to safely escort their child/children to
the vehicle. There is a crossing area marked with paint on
the pavement where parents and students should be able
to walk safely. Drivers should be cautious when going past
this area.
Soccer
We have four outdoor soccer teams this year. Mrs.
Condotta and Mrs. Pennella are coaching our Junior Girl’s
and Boy’s teams. Our Intermediate Boy’s team is coached
by Mrs. Condotta and Mrs. Acocella, and our Intermediate
Girl’s team is coached by Mrs. Condotta and Mrs.
Mangiapane. Junior teams will play in May and the
Intermediate tournament is in June. Thank you to all the
students who enthusiastically came to try out for these
teams. Good luck to all the teams in their upcoming
tournaments.
Eco-School Activities
During Earth Week, many of our students
were involved in activities to reduce, reuse
and recycle. We remind everyone to
continue with these activities throughout
the year. In particular, we are reminded of the need to
turn off lights, bring a litterless lunch and avoid idling in
the car. In fact now that we have the good weather,
everyone is encouraged to walk to/from school. The week
finished with a terrific assembly put together by the Eco
Teams. Thank you to Mrs. Farquhar, Mrs. D’Amico and
Mrs. Kennett who have supported our efforts to be a
Green School.
Are you Moving?
We are in the process of planning staffing and organizing
classes for the 2016 – 2017 school year. If you are moving
please advise the school office. In addition, if any of your
contact information (work numbers, home numbers, cell
numbers) change, please let us know as soon as possible.
Grade 8 Graduation
The Grade 8 Graduation Mass, distribution of
diplomas and awards will take place on
Thursday, June 22nd at 7:00 p.m. at Holy Family
Church. Further details will be made available shortly.
DPCDSB Summer Programs
Please be reminded that the Board offers, Elementary
Summer School for Grades 7 and 8 students
and Summer Literacy Camp for Grades SK to
6 students. For more information and
registration forms regarding any of these
programs please contact the school or visit
the Board website at http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/CNE/
Confirmation
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Grade 7
and 8 students who will be receiving the Sacrament of
Confirmation at Holy Family Church throughout the
month of May. May they benefit from the gifts of the Holy
Spirit as they renew their commitment to their faith.
Parking Enforcement
Please be advised that the front of the school where buses
drop off students is a designated “fire route”. Local
parking enforcement officers have been present at the
school and have been issuing fines. They have authority
to come on to the property to enforce fire routes and
handicapped parking. Kiss and Ride is provided on the
west side of the school for students being dropped off
before school. Parents should not be dropping off
students in this fire route/bus drop off lane.
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 your child’s name.
First Communion
We congratulate our grade 2 students – both those who
have already received the sacrament and those who will
be receiving Holy Eucharist for the first time in
the month to come. We would like to
acknowledge all those who were instrumental
in the preparation of our students.
Street Safety
All students are reminded to go directly home upon
dismissal from the school. If students take a bus, they are
to go home when dropped off. Please remind your
children of safety in the neighbourhood and the need not
to talk to strangers. Children should be encouraged to
advise an adult if they are approached by someone who
they do not know.
Catholic Education Week
Catholic Education Week will be
celebrated from May 2-7, 2016.
During this week the Catholic
community celebrates the unique
and distinctive contribution that Catholic schools make to
our students, our community and our province. Catholic
Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the mission
of our Catholic schools as we strive to integrate the Gospel
values of Jesus Christ in every aspect of school life and
curriculum. This year’s theme is: Opening Doors of Mercy.
We will be sharing special readings, reflections and
prayers on announcements and in classes.
Criminal Reference Checks required for all volunteers
All volunteers must have a Criminal Reference Check (CRC)
and a Vulnerable Sector Screening Check on file in order
to assist in the supervision of trips and extra-curricular
activities in all Dufferin-Peel Catholic Schools. All parents
should get a criminal reference check prepared in advance
in order to be prepared for volunteer service. Forms can
be picked up at the office.
Swim to Survive for Grade 3 Students
Grade 3 students at Saint John Paul II School are
participating in the "Swim to Survive" program run by the
Lifesaving Society. This program teaches students the
essentials needed to survive an unexpected fall in deep
water. In class, students are instructed on the dangers of
thin ice, the importance of wearing a life jacket, and
boating safety. At the pool, students learn skills from basic
swimming instruction to more advanced skills depending
on their level of ability. Our school is fortunate to be
participating in such an important and physically active
learning experience.
After School Security
Students are not allowed to return to the school after
having been dismissed at the end of the day. Many
parents may see it as “following through” by ensuring
their child has their work or agenda, which may have been
left at school, however, returning to the school after hours
is not a safe practice for employees who are still working
in the building. Custodians have a demanding routine
which cannot be interrupted with having to escort
unknown parents/students around the building and
possibly unlocking classrooms. Similarly, the school
cannot be opened for people who are playing nearby who
want to use the school’s washroom facilities. Your
cooperation is appreciated.
Proper Clothing and Protection
Warm beautiful days are fast approaching; therefore,
parents are reminded to please ensure that your child is
protected from the sun. Current fashions in clothing may
cause some problems if they are worn to school,
regardless of grade level. Please consider the following
when you purchase summer clothes:
 Observing certain modesty in dress is advised.
Extremely tight fitting clothing is not appropriate.
 Spaghetti straps, tank tops, tube tops, muscle
shirts and halter tops are not appropriate.
 Short shorts are not permitted at school. Modest
length is expected. (approximate finger tip)
 Tops should not be "cropped" (if they expose the
belly when the arms are raised straight above the
head, they are too short for school) nor should
they have large cut armholes, be skin tight, or
sheer.
 Pants are to be worn at the waist. No
undergarments should be exposed.
Forest of Reading:
Congratulations to all voters of the Forest of Reading
Program. Over 50 Silver Birch, Red Maple and Silver
Express readers were eligible to cast their votes on voting
day. They are to be commended for their dedication in
reading the books and participating in this activity that
celebrates the love of reading.
Next Generation Learning
Parent Engagement Evening
All parents are invited to a Board organized event on
Tuesday, May 17, 2016. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m.
at St. Marguerite D’Youville Secondary School in
Brampton. Presentations will be given on topics such as
Assistive Technology, iPads in the Classroom, Conducting
Research in the Library, Financial Literacy, Library in the
Next Generation, Pathways and My Blueprint and Math
Inquiry. Please see the flier attached for more details.
Parents can register at: http://goo.gl/forms/cpo0Q5phCi
Book Fair: We will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair from
Monday, May 30th to Friday, June 3rd in the
school library. Come to our Book Fair and
support our school library!
All books are due back to the library by June 610h, 2016.
Mrs. Condotta is busy trying to retrieve all those lost or
misplaced books. Please help us by searching closets and
under beds for any books that may be hiding.
Fire Drill and Lockdown Procedures
Throughout the year safety procedures are reviewed with
students on a number of topics. Emergency evacuation
drills are conducted to ensure that everyone is aware of
the procedures to follow in order to exit the building
safely. In the event of an unforeseen emergency situation,
students and staff will evacuate to St. Michael’s Secondary
School. In the near future, students and staff will also
discuss and practice procedures that will be implemented
in the event of an emergency lockdown situation.
Intermediate Basketball Teams
Shout outs to the team members who represented the
school at the Bolton Tournament on April 20. The girl’s
team went on to the Family Tournament where the won!
Now, they are preparing for the Board finals on May 10th.
Good luck to: Emily C., Sophia, Izabella, Ailen, Mia,
Alexandra, Tristan, Juliana, Sarah and Valentina. Thank
you to the dedicated coaches, Mrs. Farquhar and Mrs. De
Angelis. We are very proud of both teams who played
extremely well.
Wonderful school spirit was
demonstrated by all the players on our Boy’s team. They
competed in the Bolton tournament. Congratulations to,
Julian I., Gerik G., Christopher X., Will V., Jorge B., Noah C.,
Xavier D., Josh T., Tino V., Ryan B. and Paul L. Special
thanks to Mr. Pusztai for his time and dedication in
coaching this team. Special thanks to all the parents for
their ongoing support.
Allergy Awareness
Once again, we want to reinforce our reminder about
classes who have students with food allergies. Students
should never share snacks at school and food should only
be consumed during designated lunch/snack times. Foods
should never be eaten on the bus enroute to
home/school. Some classes have allergies to nuts, eggs,
milk, sesame seeds, or fish. If you are unsure, please
contact the classroom teacher about possible allergies in
the classes.
EQAO PROVINCIAL ASSESSMENT
Each year Grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario are assessed
in reading, writing and mathematics. This year the specific
dates for this assessment are: May 25th to June 1, with
each Grade alternating mornings and
afternoons and subject areas.
Please keep these dates in mind when
booking appointments. Thank you.
Weather Update
As we go into the wet spring season 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
weather 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.
After School Tutoring for Gr. 3 & 6
Thank you to the staff who are working two days a week
after school to support students preparing for the EQAO
Literacy and Numeracy Test. This is a Ministry initiative to
help students to be successful with the testing. Special
thanks to the parents who have been so cooperative in
making transportation arrangements for their children. In
particular, we are proud of the enthusiasm of the students
who are taking advantage of this opportunity.
Making Scents
Students are asked not to bring spray deodorants to
school. After Phys. Ed. classes, often students use
deodorants. We ask parents to ensure that their child is
provided with roll-on deodorants in order to avoid misuse
of highly scented sprays. We have had a number of
incidents where personal property of innocent students
have been sprayed or where students have had an allergic
reaction to these airborne scents. Your cooperation in
providing roll-on deodorants only is greatly appreciated.