We have just completed the most joyous time of year – the season of advent and the birth of Our Lord. Our school
community celebrated in our usual fashion – Christmas concerts, carolling in the atrium, atrium stars, Christmas food
baskets in conjunction with St. Vincent de Paul Society, and Advent liturgies.
Semester 1 was characterized by a whirlwind of activities. In addition to ongoing teaching and learning that is primary
focus and the existing clubs and teams there were many new things started. Things like: a Junior Hockey Team, the
Huddle Up bullying awareness program in partnership with the Argos, Community Movie Night, Boys’ Night Out, Girls’ Night Out,
Knitting Club, Cake Decorating Club and the grade 9 Mega Retreat.
This newsletter coincides with the issuing of the final report card for semester one. We invite you to take the opportunity to review
your son or daughter’s progress and engage in a dialogue intent on continuous improvement. The fundamental first step to academic
success is regular and punctual attendance, followed by consistent completion of homework and review.
Semester two always moves very quickly. It is punctuated with various breaks and holidays – Family Day in February, March Break,
Easter in April, Victoria Day in May and then, suddenly, it will be June and the end of the school year looms.
One of the blessings of the semester system is a fresh start during the school year. The second semester brings new courses, new teachers for the students, new students for the teachers – an opportunity to refocus and renew all of our efforts to teach and learn.
The School Council has been very active with an all new executive. Please remember that all Pocock parents are automatically members of the School council and are welcome at all School Council meetings. Their meeting are held in the school on the 4th Wednesday
of every month, please try to attend at least one meeting this year.
At the last School Council meeting, the new Transportation Specialist High Skills Major program was introduced.
This program called “Motoring into the Future” will be launched in 2012-2013 once it is approved by the Ministry of
Education. Look for details on our Web Page.
I have the sad task to announce that we are losing two long time staff
members. Mrs. G Saddlemyre is retiring as of Jan 31 after many years
at Pocock. Most recently Mrs. Saddlemyre was in the guidance department, prior to that she taught Science and before that Math. I thank
her for long service to our community and wish her a wonderful retirement.
Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School
4555 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 1J9
Telephone……...905-602-6172
http://w3.dpcdsb.org/POCOK
Charles Blanchard, Superintendent
905-890-1221
Mario Pascucci, Trustee Wards 1 & 3
905-302-3096
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
Fax: 905-890-0888
www.pascucci.ca
1
Anna Abbruscato, Chair of the Board, Trustee Ward 4
905-890-0708 x24239
anna.abbruscato@dpcdsb.org
416-459-0126
Principal
Henry Tyndorf
Vice Principals
Donovan Patterson A-K
Marija Burazin
L-Z
School Council Chair Marija Skrinjar
We also have to say goodbye to Mr D. Radic. Mr. Radic has been
promoted to Vice-Principal and posted to Cardinal Leger in
Brampton, effective Feb 2. Mr. Radic was Department Head of Phys.
Ed and Tech at Pocock and has coached many teams over the years,
most recently Football and Rugby. We are going to miss him.
Lastly, I encourage parents to subscribe to the PhilipPocockInfo email
list. Please call the school and supply an email address where you can
receive information from the school regarding news and events. Be
sure to visit our Web page periodically – www.dpcdsb.org/POCOK
(that’s not a typo – our name had to be shortened to five characters).
Thank you for your continued support of our school as we continue our
mission to provide quality Catholic education to your children.
Henry Tyndorf BASc, MBA, Bed, OCT
Principal
This semester, many of our chaplaincy activities focussed on remembering and celebrating – remembering those who lost their lives in past
tragedies, but also celebrating the life and future of our young students.
Remembrance Day: November 11 was a day of prayer and reflection as
Pocock honoured the memory of those who gave their lives in war. Mr.
Coccimiglio and the Social Science Department led this year’s assemblies with a reverent liturgy and a stirring speech. Ms. Brozo and her
vocal group touched our hearts with a beautiful song.
Montreal Massacre Memorial: As an annual reminder of the need for
peace and the problem of violence against women, Pocock marks the
memorial of the 1989 Montreal Massacre every December 6. This year,
Ms. Curran and her Romero Justice Group hung roses in the atrium to
remember the victims and to serve as a silent cry for an end to gendrebased violence and discrimination.
Advent Celebration:
This Advent, Pocock
celebrated the coming of
Jesus into the world and
into our hearts, and we
witnessed to the hope we
have in his coming again
in glory. Classrooms
gathered for daily prayer
around their Advent
wreaths, and the entire
school gathered around
the altar for mass with
our pastor, Father Facey.
Boys Night In: Thanks to the leadership of Mr. McMahon, Pocock held
its first ever ‘Boys Night In’ on December 2, when we celebrated what it
means to be a ‘real man’ – i.e. a man of wisdom and Christian virtue.
This evening event was a time of community building with our grade 9
On November 15, 2011,
two professional guest
speakers from
Toronto’s financial
district visited Philip
Pocock Catholic Secondary School and conducted an economics
workshop for Mrs.
Drudi’s grade 9 and 10
classes.
The guest speakers created a financial forumin
which the students
learned about the banking system in Canada; how to
manage their finances; investment and financial planning; the different types of registered savings plans; and
the concept of lending money. The students graciously
welcomed the guest speakers into our school community, and embraced the knowledge and expertise the
guest speakers had to offer.
In the photo, Mrs. Drudi’s grade 10 Academic History class
● Great recipes donated by staff, students & parents
● Great gift for ANY OCCASION
● Only $10.00 (Available in the Office)
● Proceeds go towards the school sound system
Check out this recipe...and there are many more…
FROSTY LATTE
4 cups vanilla ice cream
(slightly softened)
2 cups milk (well chilled)
2 cups coffee, cooled completely
Scoop ice cream into pitcher.
Add milk and cooled coffee.
Mix well and serve immediately.
If desired, garnish with a pinch of
cinnamon.
The halls of Philip Pocock are going to be even greener this year, as the Green Team continues its many wonderful school
initiatives! Last year, Philip Pocock worked hard to achieve its first bronze Ontario EcoSchools Certification. This year,
the eco-team’s goal is silver!
Ontario EcoSchools is an innovative environmental education program for grades K-12 that helps students develop both
ecological literacy and environmental practices to become environmentally responsible citizens. Developed and run by
school boards, Ontario EcoSchools also helps improve school building operations to reduce environmental impacts.
(www.ontarioecoschools.org)
Students and teachers are working collaboratively to make our local environment a little brighter. Several initiatives that
were implemented last year — recycling bins being placed in the classrooms, G.O.O.S. (Good On One Side) paper being
used in departments to minimize paper waste, reusable water bottle filling stations, and our own reusable Pirate water
bottle — are still being closely monitored to ensure their continued success.
The Green Team is continuing to build on last year’s progress and has already conducted waste and energy audits to see
how our practices in the building can be improved.
Philip Pocock received a grant that will be used to build an eco-conscious and sustainable outdoor
classroom. In addition, in conjunction with Romero Justice, Ms. Curran is leading a group of students
on a trip to Costa Rica where all will have the opportunity to plant trees in the rainforest, as well as
be introduced to a variety of environmentally sustainable practices!
With Earth Week quickly approaching, the new semester will be filled with exciting initiatives.
Stay tuned for more exciting eco-news and events throughout second semester!
Plans are underway for a very exciting and unique party for the 2012 graduating class of Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has partnered with Philip Pocock to provide an alternative to those risky after Prom par‐
ties privately organized by some grads in various hotels, or even trips to Wasaga Beach. These private parties are unsafe and ex‐
pensive. As a parent of six Pocock grads, I know that it was very difficult for me to say no even in light of some of the horrible stories I had read in the newspaper. Needless to say, I wanted them to have a good time with their friends but I worried all night about them. Recently MADD approached us with a proposal to hold an alcohol‐ and drug‐free all‐night party at Philip Pocock. For the sake of the health and safety of our Grads and, after consulting with the Admin team and School Council, I enthusiastically said YES. So planning has begun for our first in‐school After Prom Party. A Night to Remember is planned for June 22, 2012, from Midnight to 5 am on June 23, immediately following the formal Prom. A safe, dry Prom After‐Party can be a new tradition for Philip Pocock. After‐Prom parties like this one are already celebrated in other provinces all across Canada with great success. This all‐night party following the Prom is organized by students, parents, and school administration with assistance from commu‐
nity partners and MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Safety is of utmost importance and this party is chaperoned by volunteers, including parents and local police. Transportation from the formal Prom to the school will be provided free of charge. If your child is attending the Prom, the After‐Party is included in the price of the Prom ticket – there will be no additional cost. If your child decides not to attend the prom, he/she can still join his/her fellow stu‐
dents at the After‐Party by purchasing a ticket to A Night to Remember for $15. This will be an all‐inclusive party for everyone in the graduating class – a last opportunity for them to all be together, all night. We are planning a host of activities an d non‐stop entertainment to make this a night to remember: Prizes, Karaoke, video games, movies, magicians, a hypnotist, sports, games, music, dancing, temporary tattoos, t
‐shirt signing, food, beverages and more. There will even be one huge prize that I can’t yet announce. (...continued on page 5) Grade 10 English students in Mrs.Popwich’s class recently resurrected the spirit of William Shakespeare dur‐
ing their dramatic presentations of his timeless play, The Merchant of Venice. Their creative energy and in‐
sightful understanding of the play’s characters and themes were on display in room 325 in early December. FAST FACTS ABOUT THE BARD  William Shakespeare was born on April 23; he also died on this date  Shakespeare is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary with the introduction of nearly 3,000 words into the language Over the first semester, students have been encouraged by all of their English teachers to submit examples of their creative outside of the classroom as well through various writing contests. Any student who is interested in entering a short piece of fiction, non‐fiction, or a poem in the upcoming OECTA Young Writer’s contest is encouraged to speak to Mrs. Popowich for further details. Contest closes March 1, 2012. Let’s Hear it for the Boys “Sir! Why aren’t there any girls in this class?” A number of years ago, our school board, in recog‐
nizing that our grade 10 male students performed significantly poorer than our female students in English courses and on the EQAO test, decided to address the problem head‐on. The result was the creation of ENG2PM, or Grade 10 applied‐level English for male students, or as it’s come to be known, Boys’ Lit. The course would have a concerted focus on dealing with male students who have had difficulty in English courses in the past. How to “deal” with them became the central question. Here at Pocock, the philosophy is to get the guys to read more by giving them books that they might actually want to read. Our news articles deal with sports, video games, and food. The vast majority of our novels and short stories are written by Stephen King, and contain more gore and colourful language than you could imagine. Our literacy test prep is practical and succinct. As well, we have removed the most distracting element that can exist for young male students – young female students. The results speak volumes – five of the sixteen students said that for the first time in their school careers, they read an entire book, front to back, in that order! Another ten students said that these were the best books they had ever read, and an astonishing sixteen out of sixteen students passed the course – a 100% success rate! The guys should be very proud of their accomplishments, and hopefully have the skills now to continue their success in secondary English courses. Sorry ladies, but you’re not invited…you can have the guys back when they get to grade eleven. You may have noticed that the city is doing some major construction
along Eastgate, south of the school. The city is constructing the new
bus rapid transit route.
The construction company has reported to us that a number of students insist on taking a shortcut
through the construction site despite the fact that a fence has been erected to try to prevent it. In
fact, a few students have been spotted cutting through the new culverts that are re-routing the
Etobicoke Creek!
Needless to say these actions are extremely dangerous. We have made an
announcement to the students cautioning against this practice. However, some
students persist in risking their safety for the sake of saving a few steps.
Please caution your son or daughter against this. Their safety is at risk.
On Wednesday, December 21st, the grade 9 core French students in Mme Bruno’s, Mme Drudi’s and M. Doherty’s classes
went to see Steven Spielberg’s much anticipated 3D film, Tintin. This film has been 30 years in
the making and was a French cultural experience students will not soon forgot. Pocock students had the theatre all to themselves and were among the first people to view this film during
the morning of its Canadian premier release date. Before heading to the theatre, students were
introduced to this iconic francophone cartoon character and came to understand how and why
the Tintin series of comic strips has transcended generations. Students marveled over the 3D
computer animated effects and were delighted by the mysterious adventure of the plot. Students and teachers alike are waiting with great anticipation for the sequel. Another field trip will
certainly be planned.
The ESL Department has had a wonderful semester! The CO and DO students focused on grammatical con‐
cepts, interpreting short stories and essay writing. They also engaged in a multicultural debate looking at the pros and cons of living in a multicultural society and examining how we live together in a diverse community. The EO students focused on essay writing, literacy, oral presentations and discussion groups regarding world issues. Congratulations to the following students who are graduating from the ESL program! Good luck next semes‐
ter! In the foto: Georgiy Butromeyev, Swapnil Debangshu, Crystal Chen, Sherwin Jeofrey D’Souza, Paige Olivia Hall, Bohdan Khop’yak, Abdullah Marjan, Eliza Raza, Veronica Salatovic, Ms. T. Sarwan , and Ms. Y. Poletto. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Dixie‐Bloor Neighbourhood Center. Thank you to Ms. C. Cuadra for her continued support. The best part is that this event is completely funded by MADD Canada, business sponsors and other donors. We need your help to make this evening a suc‐
cess! We are collecting donations and prizes that will be given away throughout the evening and early hours of the morning. Please consider the following: Are you able to provide a prize or a service for the event? Do you work for a company that could donate a prize or a service? Do you know of a company that might do a fundraiser for us? Can you volunteer to help organize this event? Can you volunteer to help on the evening of this event? This promises to be an excellent event: safe, affordable, inclusive of all Grads, drug‐free, alcohol free, fully supervised and, most importantly for the Grads, fun. Henry Tyndorf BASc, MBA, Bed, OCT
More information and permission forms will be sent home in March. Principal
Course Selection for September 2012/13: Option sheets will be distributed to grades 9, 10
and 11 the week of February 13th. Students are
once again choosing their courses on-line. Parents/guardians are strongly advised to get involved with this process. The portal will be open
to register on –line starting Feb.17th. During
period 2 on Feb. 13th and 14th, counselors will
give the grade 9 students a Power Point registration information session. They will visit grades
10 and 11 on Feb. 15 and 16th. Students can
still register with counselors after this date. Any
grade 12 students wishing to re-register for next
year, will complete Action Plans and submit to
them to their counselors and vice-principals.
Counselors will be available during the week
of February 20th to help students in the library and room 306 with their on-line applications. Please see your counselor in advance
of the registration process to review course
choices for next year!
College Degree Panel - March 22nd – 7:30 pm
Please join the Pocock community for a very
informative information session with the six
greater Toronto area colleges. The college representatives will discuss their degree programs
at their respective colleges. Please mark this on
your calendar. The following colleges will be in
attendance: Sheridan, George Brown,
Georgian, Humber, Seneca, Centennial.
Verifications: Students who complete option
sheets will receive confirmation of courses during the week of March 19th. Any changes to
choices for September 2012 courses can be
completed on this form. Students are asked to
draw a line through the course not requested,
and add the new course. Parent/guardian signature is required.
Students can change courses (choices will be
limited so making the right choice first is very
important ) during June exam week, also.
Last Day for Semester 2 Timetable Changes:
February, 17th, 2012.
Course Changes for Semester 2: Students
have had several opportunities to request a
change in streams or course electives prior to
the start of semester 2.
Students currently enrolled in courses requiring material fees, which have not been
paid before February 14th, must see their
counselor in order to choose an alternate
course. This same deadline applies for any
other course changes.
Grade 8 Parent Information Evening: On
Thursday January 12th, our staff welcomed
the parents and students of our incoming
grade 9 class, 2012/13. Our principal, Mr.
Henry Tyndorf, along with our Chaplain, Mr.
Scott Smallridge , greeted our guests, which
was followed by a short presentation that outlined high school diploma requirements, skill
sets for students and general school information. Mrs. Tasciotti and Mrs. McOuat outlined
for parents and students academic information
for new grade 9 students. Mr. Mezgec , our
SST teacher, discussed various opportunities
for our students to experience success. The
new Specialist High Skills Majors in Transportation was introduced by Mr. Tyndorf,
who presented a brief video on the merits of
this program. In addition, Ms. Burazin presented a great LINK presentation and was followed by Mr. Donovan, who presented our
parents with our Safe Schools initiative. Following this, parents and students toured the
school.
Night School: Applications and flyers indicating course offerings and locations for night
school arrived in December and are available
until the deadline of February 1st . They must
be handed in to Student Services by 12:00 pm
as they will be faxed that afternoon. Walk-in
registration will take place on February 9th,
2012 at the school of choice from 6:00 pm –
8:00 pm. There is a $25 non-refundable fee of
cash to be collected at night school. Cancellations of courses will be posted at http://
www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/CNE/
University Applicants: applications were due
to OUAC by midnight January 11th . February 7th is the last date to submit all changes for
university choice and program.
College Applicants: applications are due
February 1st, 2012
OUAC/OCAS Applicants Taking Night School:
Students are advised to check your courses posted
for your university or college on the OUAC or
OCAS website. Any missing courses should be
reported to your counselor for inputting as soon as
possible.
Community Service Hours: are a requirement
by the Ministry of Education for graduation.
Please be sure that your 40
hours have been completed
and handed in no later than
April 1st, 2012.
O.S.A.P. : The Ontario Student Assistance Program information is expected to be available in
early Spring at the following website: http://
osap.gov.on.ca/ . Students cannot apply until they
have accepted their college or university choice.
Scholarships: students are encouraged to apply
for scholarships if they fit the criteria, and they
can create profiles at studentawards.com and
scholarshipscanada.com. Please see the information board and the school website for more information.
is
MOTORING INTO THE FUTURE
with Specialist High Skills Major
(SHSM)
The Transportation Technology program at Philip
Pocock has seen a steady growth in the past several
years as a result of increased student interests. Regardless of their post-secondary destinations, students have been enrolling in Transportation Technology courses because of its benefits whether one is
destined to university, college, apprenticeship or the
workplace.
As a result of this increase of interest, Philip Pocock
will be starting a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
program in Transportation Technology in the 20122013 school year (pending ministry approval) in order to
give our students an opportunity to learn a number of
skills relevant to the transportation industry and acquire several certifications that will be beneficial to
them whether they are going to university, college,
apprenticeship program or directly to the work place.
March Break Tours: many colleges and universities offer campus tours daily during the March
Break vacation. Please take this opportunity to
make sure your college or university choices are
the best ones for you!
Changes to Counselors in Guidance: Mrs. Saddlemyre, counselor for students with surnames S
through Z will be retiring this semester. Congratulations and we wish you all the best ! Here is
the new adjustment to surnames and counselors:

Mrs. K. McOuat
Guidance Department Head
A–F

Mrs. F. Tasciotti
Counselor
ELL Counselor
G–L
A–Z

Mr. M. Volpe
M–S
Specialist High Skills Major Counselor

Ms. Cicconi
T–Z
Counselor and Hospitality Teacher

Ms. Grace Metallo
Guidance Secretary
SHSM is a ministry approved program that was
started in 2006. Since its inception, it has been gaining more and more popularity as its advantages are
becoming relevant and recognised by all stake holders, colleges, and universities.
The Specialist High Skills Major in Transportation – MOTORING INTO
THE FUTURE as it will be called at Pocock – has the following five components:
Bundle of 9 Grade 11 & 12 Credits
 Four major credits: Up to 4 credits in Transportation Technology
OR 2 credits in Transportation Technology and 2 choices from Science,
Design Technology, Construction Technology depending on the chosen
pathway
 Three other credits: Contextualized learning activities (CLA) in grade 11 English, Grade 12 Math and Grade
11 or 12 Science or Business Studies
 Two Co-op credits: tied to Transportation Technology
Seven Sector Recognized Certification and Training Programs


Four compulsory certifications: Standard First Aid, CPR, WHMIS, and Health & Safety
Three elective certifications: Vehicle Lift Safety, Lift Truck Safety, Fire Safety, and Fire Extinguisher Use.
The electives may change in the future depending on interests and availability.
Experiential Learning and Career Exploration
Opportunities to experience and explore careers related to transportation technology through visits to various facilities, job shadowing, presentations by community partners, job fare and trade shows, and more.
“Reach Ahead” Experiences
Opportunities to visit/have training sessions in colleges, universities, and training facilities based on students’
chosen post-secondary
pathways
Essential Skills and Work Habits
Helping and encouraging students to develop essential skills such as
reading, writing, document use, computer use, communication,
work safety, teamwork, organization as well as proper documentation
of these skills and work habits using Ontario Skills Passport ((OSP).
The Benefits to Students
SHSM helps students become better prepared for their postsecondary endeavours. Students will learn a lot of skills and will have
the opportunity to compile a portfolio that will be relevant when they apply for work or post-secondary education.
Students who successfully complete the SHSM program will receive: an Ontario Secondary School Diploma with
an embossed red seal, aAn SHSM Record documenting his/her achievement, Formal recognition on his/her Ontario Student Transcript
Specialist High Skills Major starts in Grade 11. Students may join in Grade 12 as long as their credit accumulation of required courses is on track. For more information and to find out how to apply to the program see Mr. Volpe in Student Services or Mr. Lijiam in Room 101
February 17, 2012…..Web Portal Open for Registrations March 9, 2012…………………....Early Warning Letters
February 20, 2012……………………………Family Day March 12-16, 2012…………….……..……..March Break
February 21, 2012……………………..Shrove Tuesday March 19, 2012 ………………………….Back to School
February 22, 2012.…………………….Ash Wednesday March 22, 2012……………..Parent/Teacher Interviews
February 22, 2012…...School Council Mtg @ 7:30 pm March 29, 2012……………OSSLT Gr. 10 Literacy Test
in the Staff Room April 6-9, 2012…………….…………EASTER Weekend
February 22, 2012 ………..EUROTRIP Mtg for Parents
April 25, 2012…..School Council Mtg @ 7:30 –Library
@ 7:30 pm in the Library
April 26, 2012…...Mid-Semester Report Cards Issued
March 7-18, 2012………….………….……...Europe Trip
Newsletter Coordinator & Layout Person: E. Polin-De Luca
Editors: T. Bruno, E. Polin-De Luca, S. Popowich