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.
As you are aware, I was away from the school for six weeks for some medical treatments. During my absence,
the Vice Principals Mr. Malta and Ms. Terra were joined by Mrs. Jacques, a retired Dufferin-Peel Principal (from St. Joseph Secondary), and together they kept the Pirate Ship on course. I would like to thank Mr. Malta and Ms. Terra for stepping up to plate
and taking on additional responsibility.
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 will loom.
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 meetings
are held in the school on the 4th Wednesday of every month. Please try to attend at least one meeting this year.
I have the sad task to announce that we are losing a long time staff
member. Mr. M. Diorio is retiring next month after many years in
Pocock’s Science department. We wish health and happiness in his
retirement. He will be missed as a valued colleague and a perennial
favourite of the students.
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, Chair of the Board, Trustee Wards 1 & 3
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
905-302-3096
www.pascucci.ca
Fax: 905-890-0888
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). Also, you can follow us on Twitter
@pocockathletics.
Thank you for your continued support of our school as we continue
in our mission to provide quality Catholic education to your children.
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
Henry Tyndorf BASc, MBA, BEd, OCT, Principal.
\\\\\
What has the Pocock Chaplaincy Team
and Friends) been up to lately?
Friday, November 9, 2012: In cooperation with Ms. Gotal of the Social Science Department, we organized our annual Remembrance
Day Assembly. Master Corporal Hawkyard and Corporal Torres were our honoured guests and special speakers, helping us understand the sacrifice of our veterans and our soldiers in the cause of peace.
Remembrance Day Poster Contest: Sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion and organized by
Ms. McKay and Ms. Gotal, our Pocock students participated in the Remembrance Day poster and poetry
contest. We had five winners from our school: Nathalia Perez, Mikaela Maquiling, Erik Fernandez, Nicole
Sokolowski, and Clarapaola Reyes.
Mikaela won first place at the
district level and will compete
in the provincial level.
Erik Fernandez, Nathalia Perez, Nicole Sokolowski, Mikaela Maquiling, and Clarapaola Reyes Hoodies for the Homeless: Ms. Tonelli and our junior chaplaincy team collected 20 large bags filled with used sweaters
from our students. These sweaters were donated to the
Good Shepherd Centre’s clothing room.
Advent Masses:
During the first week of Advent,
the school gathered for grade
level masses.
Grab and Go Breakfast: Thanks to Ms. Corsetti,
Mr. McMahon, and all the teachers who helped
start up a new breakfast program to help kids
start the day off right! We feed hungry kids a
simple but nutritious breakfast three days a week.
Pocock Fine Arts Presents...
Pocock Fine Arts proudly presents "The Wizard of Oz"!
Performances will take place Tuesday, May 7th and
Thursday, May 9th 2013, at 7:00pm. We will also be
holding a matinee performance for our feeder school students. Over 100 fine arts students are involved in this production, including the Drama Club, dance classes, Choir,
Senior Band, and A.V. Team.
Boys Night In: Organized by Mr. McMahon,
this evening o fun, friendship, and characterbuilding catered to grade nine boys trying to
make a positive start to their high school
Career. Special thanks to special guest
MC Testament and Bboy Switch.
Rehearsals have been under way since October, and the
cast is very excited about the production. They are working
extremely hard to learn the songs and choreography!
Our lead actors in the production are, Vassilia Michalidis
(Dorothy), Devin Coull (Scarecrow), Martin Carangal
(Tinman), Kamil Ganko (Lion), and Maria Trynoga (Wicked
Witch).
Come out and support the Pocock Fine Arts team this May,
and enjoy a fantastical trip down the Yellow Brick Road!!!
Helloagainandhappysecondsemesterfromthe
EnglishDepartment!
Thesnow,ephemeralasalways,willbemeltingsoon,
andspringisaroundthecorner.Asthesayinggoes,
“inthespringtime,ayoungman’sthoughtsturnto
thoseofliteracy.”
TheEQAOgrade10Liter‐
acyTestisscheduledfor
Thursday,April11this
year,andourpreparation
hasneverbeensothorough.Ms.FisherandMs.Terra,
alongwiththerestoftheliteracycommittee,have
beenspearheadingourin‐classcycles,whichwillcon‐
tinueintosecondsemester.
It’salsoimportanttorecognizethatthisisbyno
meansanEnglish‐onlyventure.Teachersfromevery
departmenthaveworkedhardtoinfusetheseliteracy
‐basedlessonsintotheiralreadyjam‐packedunitsof
study,andthestudentshaverespondedquitewell.
Gonearethedaysofthe“reluctantlearner”whenit
comestolearningaboutliteracy,asourstudents
couldn’tbemoreexcitedabouttheupcomingtest–
verylittlehyperboleintended!
Inaddition,PhilipPocockwillonceagainbeoffering
after‐schoolliteracytestprepclasses.Theseclasses
willbeginshortlyafterMarchbreak,andprovideeven
morehelp,tips,andadviceforthosestudentslooking
tobeaspreparedaspossibleforthetest.Moreinfor‐
mationwillbeavailablesoon.
Inotherdepartmentevents,Ms.Curran
willonceagainbeaskingforentriesin
themostrecentessaycontest.This
month’stopicis‐howourschoolhas
becomeandcontinuestobeenviron‐
mentallyfriendly.ThedeadlineisFeb.
20‐500wordmax.Studentscansubmitessaysto
theEnglishdepartmentonorbeforethatdayandthe
topentrywillbechosentorepresenttheschool.The
grandprizeisa$25,000computerlabforthe
school.Shortstoryandpoetrycontestsarealsocon‐
tinuing,andMs.Curranhasallthedetails.
Forthosestudentsinterestedintheyearbook,besure
tolookintotheyearbookcoursefornextyear.Ms.
PuimwillbeteachingthisENG4Ucourse,withafocus
onwriting,photoandtextediting,culminatingina
professionallypublishedyearbook.
Ourdepartmentcontinuestogrowintermsofstaff
development,literaturechoices,andtechnology,and
welookforwardtoanothergreatsemesterinEnglish.
Have you ever wondered if you have
what it takes to sit in Donald Trump's
boardroom? Learn about the tools
you need to become an entrepreneur. Pocock is once again proud to announce its participation in
Junior Achievement where students learn how to establish company
goals, prepare a business plan, incorporate, do research and development, raise capital, and develop effective marketing and sales strategies. Become informed. Sign up today! Please see us in the Business
office.
Our grade eleven and twelve business students are
also participating in the annual DeGroote School of
Business (McMaster) High School Business Heroes
program (HSBH). This is a mentorship program developed to promote both business and leadership
skills. Students, in teams of two to four, are given a
real business problem. It is their responsibility to
perform both primary and secondary research, develop a marketing
strategy, and then submit a report to a panel of judges. Five groups
will then be selected as finalists and proceed to the next level where
they compete for the top prize.
We also have had the pleasure of welcoming guest
speakers from Schulich School of Business, Junior
Achievement, the Institute of Chartered Accountants
of Ontario, and DeGroote School of Business. Many
more activities are planned for the second
semester. We are very excited as we
have seen an outstanding number of participants this year.
Good luck Mates!
Students at Philip Pocock have successfully completed the first
semester Dual Credit programs in Criminal Justice Studies, and
Electrical pre trades techniques. Dual Credit programs allow students to participate in apprenticeship training and postsecondary courses, earning dual credits that count towards
their high school diploma and their postsecondary diploma, degree or apprenticeship certification. Dual Credits engage students through exposure to college courses and culture while supporting their successful transition to postsecondary education. There is a number of Dual Credit courses that are available for 2nd semester. These courses
range from a varied list of programs. Please contact Student Services or the Coop office for more details.
The Philip Pocock Transportation department, under the guidance of Mr Yonas Lijiam, is
half way through our 1st year with our Specialist High Skills Transportation Major,
Motoring into the Future. We presently have 8 students enrolled who will benefit from:
●Seven sector recognized certification and training programs
●Experiential learning experiences
●“Reach Ahead” experiences
During 2nd semester our Specialist High Skills Transportation students will be involved in a number of reach ahead
activities which will include:
● A visit to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology to take a tour of their campus and Automotive
center of Excellence
●Participation in a Skills Canada Competition
●A tour of the Automotive Show
●A visit and tour of Centennial College with an emphasis on their automotive programs
A Specialist High Skills Major is a ministry approved specialized career-focused program that allows students to focus
their learning on a specific career pathway in the Transportation Industry. The program is suitable for all students interested in all the career pathways;
Apprenticeship
College
University
Training for the Workplace
For more information on how to enroll your son/daughter please contact Mr. Volpe in Student Services.
Traffic in front of the school, both on Tomken and on our driveway, has improved with the new traffic flow
pattern that was introduced. Mr. Malta, our Vice Principal, has taken it upon himself to assist with traffic
control as his schedule allows.
The traffic flow has been designed with the idea that parents would enter the grounds at either the North or South entrance, drive to the rear of the school to drop off students and then exit through either driveway.
However, some parents choose not to follow this pattern.
Please:
1. DO NOT stop short in the driveway or on Tomken – drive to the rear of the school to the
drop. It causes traffic to back up. Students can enter from the rear doors of the school. All the
doors are open.
2. REMEMBER – everyone is pressed for time in the morning – be considerate, be patient, be
safe. A fender bender in the parking lot or on Tomken will really spoil your day.
Students of the grades 10/11 Core
French and grade 11 Extended
French Programs attended an educational and entertaining presentation of the movie based on Victor
Hugo's masterpiece "Les
Misérables". On Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at the Cineplex Theatre
in Mississauga students were in
awe of this award winning production with a cast of famous actors. Briefly, the story is set in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean, who for decades has
been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's daughter, Cosette. The fateful decision changes their lives forever. Students will not soon forget this production.
Pocock’s French Club got right into the spirit of Christmas
this past season by recreating the traditional French Christmas dessert, La bûche de Noël. The cake, which resembles the traditional North American Yule Log desert,
served as a tasty way to learn about an important point
of French culture that’s been celebrated for centuries.
The club looks forward to immersing itself further into French culture and language activities including musical
performances, cooking classes, art
creations and more!
For those interested in joining us in second semester, please visit the Moderns Office.
On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, students in the
ESL AO/BO/CO classes had an opportunity to experience an educational and cultural trip to the Living Arts
Centre in Mississauga as well as the Mississauga Central Library. Students participated in a presentation/
workshop at the Living Arts Centre where storytelling
was facilitated by the use of drums and musical instruments. They also had an opportunity to become familiar
and explore the Mississauga Library. Many thanks to
our Dixie Community Settlement worker Mrs. Cuadra
for organizing such a meaningful and memorable trip
and to the students’ ESL teachers Ms. Iodice and Ms.
Sarwan.
What a wonderful way to end the semester!
The Grade 10 Italian class celebrated the
culmination of this semester ’ s work with
a typical Italian ‘ Banchetto ’ . Students
enjoyed Italian cuisine while listening to
Italian music and reflecting on the language, the culture and the future…
We were delighted to see several staff
members grace our banquet; Mme. Selimovic, Mme. Iodice, Mme. Di Croce, M
Doherty, and Mlle Gour , just to name a
few. Of course, some of our teachers had
the banquet “ b rought to them ” . Students in Signora Polin-De Luca ’ s Italian
class enjoyed a ‘ typical ’ Italian Banquet
with a 5 course meal that consisted of the
following: antipasto ( prosciutto, bocconcini, pizza, olives, cheese, etc. ) ; pasta
courses ( lasagna, fettucine alfredo and
penne in red sauces; veal parmiggiana,
chicken cutlets, and meatballs, accompanied by several ‘ contorni’ ; potatoes,
peppers, eggplants, and salad. The meal
ended with several desserts, including
‘ c annoli ’ and ‘ tiramisù’ to name a
few. Thank you to everyone, all the
‘ m amme ’ , ‘ p apà ’ and ‘ nonne ’ for
ensuring that our ’ Banchetto ’ was such
a great success.
«Oh mon Dieu! Je gagnerai 20 000 000 $»
In Mlle R. Gour’s French classes, students present different ’real-life’ situations to
practice the different concepts learned in class. Students were engaged and truly
enjoyed the opportunity of applying their anguage skills in every day scenarios. In
the photo, two students, Kaitlyn and Debora, present a skit where one of them discovers that she “will win” $20,000,000.00, something many of us wish were true.
On Wednesday, December 12, 2013, an educational and cultural trip was planned for our
ESL DO/EO students. They were offered a
guided tour of Ryerson University by one of
Ryerson's very animated and friendly students. After the tour, students were given an
opportunity to have lunch and to become familiar and explore Dundas Square and Toronto’s downtown core. Thanks again to Mrs.
Cuadra, our Dixie Community Settlement
worker, for organizing the trip and to the ESL
teachers Ms. Ibisevic and Ms. Iodice.
The Philip Pocock Cooperative Education department is off to a great start for the 2012/2013 school year.
Students are all placed and are now being exposed to real work experiences. Placements are varied and offer
worthwhile opportunities in such areas as: Teaching, Automotive Industry, Culinary Arts, Computer Technology, Heating and Air Conditioning, Pet Retail and Early Childhood Education. Our department would like to
welcome the following businesses who are new to our program: Tyndal Nursing Home, Shopper’s Drugmart,
Stitches, Jason Michael’s, Rona, Sunshine Children Centre, Boston Pizza, Park Animal Hospital and Sheridan
Nursuries, Dixie Volkswagon, Margarita’s Image, Jennifer Nails Salon & Spa, Dixie Kia, Creditview Animal
Hospital, Orange Dinngo Apparel, and Sportcheck.
This semester we have a number of students who will be registered for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship
Program OYAP. The benefits of this include, post secondary funding for college and training, grants for
tools, and a head-start on accumulation of apprenticeship hours. OYAP students are eligible for College
subsidies and grants worth 80% of their tuition fees. As well, all Coop students have received CPR and
First Aid Level 1 certification through Lifesaver 101.
As an educational community, we recognize that almost 50% of our students enter the workplace
after high school. We, therefore, need to equip them with entry level skills and work experience
to be successful. The Cooperative Education Department is working together with our business
community to make sure that these students successfully transition into the workplace. Please
contact the Philip Pocock Cooperative Education Department at 905-602-6172 for further details.
Join Link Crew!
Be a 2013-2014 Link Crew Leader
What IS Link Crew?
Link Crew is a school community-building program, where the experience of grade
eleven and twelve students can help guide and support grade nines. At the same time
these Grade eleven and twelve students gain leadership experience. The program aims
to increase academic achievement and increase interaction among the grade levels.
The junior and senior students chosen for these posts are selected based on communications skills, responsibility, self-confidence, organization and enthusiasm.
Who may apply to be a Link Crew Leader Course?
Current grade tens who:
Love Pocock
Want to help welcome the incoming grade nines
Want to be a mentor to the grade nines throughout the school year
Want to help make Pocock a more welcoming community
Have a positive attitude
Are enthusiastic and friendly
Have respect for diverse ideas and personalities
Are willing to take risks
Are able to fit a course in their schedule for grade 11
How will the selection process work?
Link Leaders will be selected by Pocock staff members. Selections will be based on the
answers to the application questions, feedback from Pocock staff, availability for involvement in the program and a successful interview. With this in mind, please take
some time when answering the questions. Do NOT wait until the last minute. Please
note that we are looking for a diverse group of students but we will only accept up to
30 grade 11 leaders to be a part of the Link Crew course.
Plans are underway for After-Prom Party for the 2013 graduating class of Philip Pocock
Catholic Secondary School.
Last year Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) partnered with
Philip Pocock to provide an alternative to those risky after Prom
parties privately organized by some grads in various hotels, or even
trips to Wasaga Beach. These private parties are unsafe and expensive. 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.
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 second in-school After Prom Party. A Night to Remember is planned for June
21, 2013, from Midnight to 5 am on June 21, immediately following the formal Prom. Our safe, dry Prom AfterParty was a first in Ontario last year and we working on making it a 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 community 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 prom, he/she can still join his/her fellow students at the After
-Party by purchasing a ticket to A Night to Remember for $20. 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 and 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.
We need your help to make this evening a success!
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?
Last year MADD provided all the volunteers – this year it is up to you,
the parents to get involved and provide the adult supervision. I will be there and a number of staff (I am sure) will
volunteer but this needs to be led by the Parents. I will assist in forming a parent committee and providing direction and assistance.
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. Assuming this is a GO, information and permission forms will be
sent home in March.
Course Selection for September 2013/14: Option sheets will be distributed the week of February 11th for Grade 10/11 stu‐
dents and February 19th for Grade 9 students. Students are once again choosing their courses on‐line. Parent/guardians are strongly advised to get involved with this process. The portal will be open to register starting Feb.22nd . During period 1 on Feb. 19th, 20th and 21st, counselors will show the grade 9 students a power point registration information session. They will visit grades 10 and 11 on Feb. 11th – 15th . Any grade 12 students wishing to re‐register for next year have completed Action Plans and submitted them to their counselors and vice‐principals. Counselors will be available during the week of March 4th 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! PORTAL FOR ON‐LINE REGISRATION CLOSES ON MARH 8TH 2013 ! Verifications: Students who complete option sheets will receive confirmation of courses during the week of March 19th – March 22nd . Verification forms with fees, signatures and the salmon coloured application form must be handed in during that week. Any changes to choices for September 2013 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, 14, 2013. 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 be‐
fore 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 17th our staff welcomed the parents and students of our incoming grade 9 class, 2013/14. Our principal, Mr. Henry Tyndorf, along with our Chaplain, Mr. Scott Smalridge , 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 Spe‐
cialist High Skills Majors in Transportation was introduced by Mr. Tyndorf , followed with a tour the school! Night School: Applications and flyers indicating course offerings and locations for night school arrived in December and were made available until the deadline of February 1st . Walk‐in registration will take place on February 7th at the school of choice. Registration starts at 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. There is a $25 non‐refundable fee of cash to be collected at night school. Cancella‐
tions of courses will be posted at http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/CNE/ University Applicants: applications were due to OUAC by midnight January 16th . February 5th is the last date to submit all changes for university choice and program. College Applicants: applications are due February 1st, 2013 OUAC/OCAS Applicants Taking Night School: Students, you 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 pos‐
sible. 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, 2013. O.S.A.P. : The Ontario Student Assistance Program information is expected to be available in early Spring at the following web‐
site: 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 stu‐
dentawards.com and scholarshipscanada.com. Please see the information board and the school website for more information. March Break Tours: many colleges and universities offer campus tours daily during the March Break vacation. February 18, 2013…………………………………………..Family Day February 22, 2013…..….Web Portal Open for Registrations February 27, 2013…..…..School Council Meeting: 7:00 pm in the Library March 1, 2013…………………………..……..ThinkFast Overnight March 7, 2013…………………………………….Europe Trip Begins March 8, 2013…….…..………...Early Warning Letters Mailed March 11‐17, 2013………………………………...…...March Break Newsletter Coordinator & Layout Person: E. Polin-De Luca
March 21, 2013…………………....Parent/Teacher Interviews March 27, 2013………………………………………...….Civvies Day March 27, 2013……………...School Council Mtg. @ 7:00 pm March 29, 2013……..……..Course Verifications for 2013‐14 March 29‐April 1, 2013…………………….…...Easter Weekend April 11, 2013…………………..…….OSSLT Gr. 10 Literacy Test April 17, 2013…………….….School Council Mtg. @ 7:00 pm April 25, 2013…………...Mid‐Semester Report Cards Issued Editors: T. Bruno, E. Ibisevic, E. Polin-De Luca, S. Popowich