The winter that would not go away, may be over – FINALLY – we hope! Although, who would have expected a Winter Storm
Watch on April11! As a result of the bad weather, the grade 10 Literacy test (OSSLT) was postponed. However, despite the
weather Semester 2 is in full swing and many spring sports and activities are getting ready to start up again.
While winter stayed late this year, Easter came early. The Lenten period began with the Ash Wednesday liturgy. Each week, following Ash Wednesday, every grade celebrated a Lenten Mass. Led by Mr. Smalridge and the student Chaplaincy team, and
celebrated by Father John Facey, pastor of St. Patrick’s parish, the Masses captured the essence of why and how Catholic education
makes a difference in the lives of our youth.
Parent/teacher Interview night was held on March 21. This year we tried something different – the interviews were all located on the first floor – in the
Gym, the Cafetorium and the Library. The feedback we received was extremely positive. So we will continue with this system in the future.
I am proud to announce that Philip Pocock continues to be the school that all the other schools look up to in French Public Speaking. Pocock students
always win more medals than any other school and this year was no exception with 4 first place winners and one second place in the various categories. All of our Pocock winners will now move on to compete at the Provincial level that will be held at Glendon College on May 11.
Coming soon is the annual Spring Music Concert, followed by our production of the major musical – Wizard of Oz and the annual Grade 12 Music
Concert. In the meantime, art exhibits, Earth Week, spring sports and many other activities are on-going as well. Pocock is a busy place!
Catholic Education Week, beginning on May 5, is an opportunity to bring attention to the value of Catholic Education in Ontario. J. B. Kostoff, the
Director of Education of Dufferin-Peel, is a strong advocate for Catholic Education. Please access the Dufferin-Peel web site at http://
www.dpcdsb.org/cec and visit the Catholic Education Week web page. For nearly 170 years Catholic school boards have provided
educational excellence, in school cultures imbued with the Gospel values of Jesus Christ. Catholic education has been the foundation for
millions of students to develop their full spiritual, academic, physical and social potential.
This newsletter summary accompanies your child’s mid-term report card. The full newsletter is available online on our website at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/pocok. 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.
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
Tel: 905-302-3096
www.pascucci.ca
Fax: 905-890-0888
1
Anna Abbruscato, Trustee Ward 4
anna.abbruscato@dpcdsb.org
Principal
Vice Principals
905-890-0708 x24239
416-459-0126
Henry Tyndorf
Giacinto Malta
A-K
Maria Terra
L-Z
School Council Chair Marija Skrinjar
The Parent School Council has been active. They hold monthly meetings on the fourth
Wednesday of almost every month. Please try to attend one of their meetings.
The School Council published the “Pirate Cookbook” – a collection of favourite
recipes donated by staff, students and parents. The cookbook is available in the Main
Office for $10. While it would make an excellent gift for any occasion, it is an
especially wonderful Mother’s Day gift. The funds raised will be added to other
school council funds and used to defray the cost of improving the sound system in
the Gym.
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 .
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
They may not get the same glory and
fame as the school sports teams, but
our Chaplaincy Team is working hard
behind the scenes to organize faithbased activities and prayer services for
all our Pocock students. In the last two
months, we have coordinated Lenten
prayer and mass for every grade level.
We have collected food and clothing
for the needy, including a sock drive
for the homeless during Holy Week.
The Chaplaincy Team helped fight
child hunger at the local level, as they
fundraised $500.00 for our school’s
breakfast program. We ran our annual
‘ThinkFast’ overnight fundraiser during the first Friday of March, during which 50 students spent the
night at the school to reflect on world hunger and donate to the cause. Although the school year is
slowly winding down, our Chaplaincy Team is not finished yet! We have a special horseback riding
retreat on April 26, and we will be planning our annual March for Life campaign in May. New members are always welcome, and we hope you will pray for us (because we are praying for you).
Congratulations to three of our Pocock students who
participated in a different way this year on our trip to
the ABA Hair Show at the Toronto Convention Centre
on March 25, 2013. Sabrina, Alexandra and Ciara were
models for the Dannyco Company. They were on stage
showing all different new trendy styles for this year.
They did a fantastic job. They learned first hand all the
hard work and patience it takes to do platform work.
We are so proud of you. Well done girls!!
We have 2 grade 11 students Veronika and Mikaila
entering the DPCDSB Skills competition on April 10th.
We are cheering for you, Good luck girls!
2 Mrs. Mazzotta
2
This semester on each Tuesday, Pocock’s alternative education class attends a dual credit program at
George Brown’s Castle Loma campus. Here the students learn about the history, culture and perspectives of
Canada’s First Nations, Metis and Inuit by Professor Brenda Wastasecoot. So far, it has been a great experience and our class looks forward to the college experience while earning a high school and college credit.
Our Grade 10 students at Pocock were introduced to a new Literacy
Framework this year that included 4 cycles of literacy learning. Ms.
Terra, Ms. Fisher as Co-Chair along with the Literacy committee,
navigated through a new and innovative approach to Literacy learning. The new framework provided our Literacy team the opportunity
to go through the Professional Learning Cycle; Plan, Act, Observe,
Reflect. Data analysis was the key to establishing our plan as it provided us with evidence of the areas of student need. The information
gleaned from the data in turn helped the team determine the hi-yield instructional strategies to be used with the
completion of the weekly Literacy activities. Differentiated instruction during the Literacy sessions along with the
subject-specific activities helped to make each week relevant for both teachers and students. A review of completed activities assisted the team in determining the next steps for student learning and teacher professional
development. Finally, at the end of each cycle, reflection and examination of assessment practices provided the
evidence necessary for making key decisions for the next cycles. Our Literacy team also conducted informative
presentaBons to each of the Grade 10 classes, highlighting the areas of importance, tips and strategies to ensure success on the Literacy test. After-school sessions were also conducted by our teachers to provide additional student support. We are hopeful that the Literacy framework that evolved this year at Pocock has provided our students with the support needed to be successful on this year’s OSSLT. We look forward to positive
results on the EQAO Literacy Test that will help to guide our collaborative inquiry research as part of our school
improvement plans for next year. I would like to personally thank the Literacy Team ( Fisher, Lindsay; Di Croce,
Danila; Coulson, Laura; Ferrari, Angela; Sarwan, Tiffany; Kontewicz, Waldemar; Southwell, Brad; Alvero, Kristina; Pontrelli, Pat; Lila, Luljeta; Burns, Meg; Curran, Ruth) for their tireless efforts in supporting the staff and
students in our Literacy initiative this year at Pocock.
3
Maria Terra (Vice-Principal)
3
Olena Pankiw, Anna Mierzwa, Mme. E. Iodice, Lenka
Gunarova
Left to right:
Left to right: Gaby Eid, Mme. E. Polin-De Luca, Tiana Bajic, Mlle R. Gour, Mme. E. Iodice,
Stéphani Ponniah, Caroline Frankfurter, and Mme. D. Di Croce
Le concours secondaire d’art oratoire is an annual public speaking event for students in grades nine through twelve
studying French as a Second Language in Ontario schools. It is co-sponsored by the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’
Association (OMLTA) and Canadian Parents for French (CPF Ontario).
There are eight categories in which students can compete. Students spent countless hours during the past months perfecting
their speeches and presenting them in front of both teachers and peers. This year, Pocock competed in seven categories
dominating the competition by taking four first prizes and one second prize.
The first place winners are Olena Pankiw in the Junior Immersion category, Caroline Frankfurter in the Junior Extended
French category, Tijana Bajic in the Senior Extended French category and Stephani Ponniah in Junior Français Plus category. Our second place winner is Gaby Eid in the Senior Français Plus category. All of these students will be representing
Dufferin-Peel at provincials on May 11th at Glendon College. Congratulations to our other competitors Anna Mierzwa and
Lenka Gunarova for all their hard work and excellent speeches.
Parenting in
the age of
the internet
Parenting in the age of the internet: social media,
screen time and cyber bullying
 Are you worried about how much time your teen is spending on the
computer or other digital media?
 Are you concerned about what your teen is doing on the computer?
 Has your teen been involved in cyber bullying?
Join in the discussion with other parents at Philip Pocock
on Wednesday May 8, 15 and 22 from 6:30 until 8:30.
We’ll discuss tips to protect your teens and their privacy
as well as strategies you can use to monitor and set limits on screen time.
Brought to you in collaboration by:
These three sessions are offered free of charge.
Child care and transportation assistance can be arranged.
Sessions are co-facilitated by Lisa Taylor, Social Worker at Philip Pocock
and by Patricia Campbell from Associated Youth Services.
4
4
On Thursday, February 21st, 2013, students in Signora Polin-De Luca’s Grade 11
and 12 Italian classes had the opportunity
of experiencing Italian theatre at the CCIT
Building at UTM and saw an Italian period
comedy by Ludovico Ariosto
The story deals with the twists and turns of
human relationships that became the archetype during the 1600’s. This play was
extremely amusing and highly entertaining.
This was truly a wonderful opportunity for
both the Grade 11 and Grade 12 Italian students to see a play that they are studying
come to life. Thanks go out to Signora E. Polin-De Luca for organizing and supervising the day.
The students enjoyed the play presented by the
“Maschere Duemondi” and have since applied themselves to the task of learning their roles for their own
production of La Lena. The assignment that immediately followed this theatrical experience was executed
with great enthusiasm.
It was truly a pleasure for our Pocock students to see
that the play was produced by a Pocock Alumnus,
Teresa Lobalsamo, who happens to teach at the University.
High Skills Major:
This year with the start of High Skills Major and a new grade 9 Transportation Technology course,
the Transportation Technology program is firing in all cylinders. Those students who have great passion for the automotive
industry and who aspire to pursue a career in transportation technology have now the opportunity to take up to 6 transportation
technology courses throughout their high school. Two credit auto courses
are offered in grades 11 & 12 to give students the opportunity to learn the
theory and operation of motor vehicle components in more detail and to give
them more practice time in the shop to hone their skills. Having two periods
in a row, students are now able to complete tedious and complicated tasks
such as replacing major components like engines and transmissions and
performing sophisticated tasks such as wheel alignments, measuring and
inspecting internal engine components and more.
In its first year, there are 9 students enrolled in the Specialist High Skills Major. The projected number for next year is 15. Students who are interested in
the High Skills program are encouraged to see Mr. Volpe at student services
or Mr. Lijiam in Room 101. You will also find more information on our school
website under the High Skills tab.
5
5
Auto Show
At the beginning of semester 2, the
auto students went to our annual
excursion - the Auto Show at Metro
Convention Centre in Downtown
Toronto. It was a fun filled educational excursion. There were a lot
of new technologies displayed including some concept vehicles and
some fancy holographic displays.
The students had the opportunity
to interact and be inspired by the
new technologies. It is always a
pleasure to hear the students talk
about the features packed on today’s vehicles. The Auto Show always brings that discussion to the forefront.
Of course, there is always a fun part during this trip where the students come in close
proximity of fancy expensive vehicles and watch them in admiration as some of them
get to sit in the fancy sports cars to see how it feels to sit in the ‘lap of luxury’.
All in all, it was a successful trip and the students’ conduct was superb throughout the
trip.
Automotive Skills Competition at the International Auto Show
We were fortunate enough to secure a spot on the high stake annual skills competition at
the International Auto Show. The competition, administered by Centennial College and
sponsored by various vehicle and equipment manufacturers, runs annually with the participation of 20 schools from the GTA area. Though this competition has been running for the
last 14 years, it was only our second year to participate.
This year Philip Pocock was represented by Mark Vereshchak and Chris Rebelo. Mark
and Chris had to attend two mandatory training sessions at Centennial College that were
held during two Saturdays prior to the competition day. During the competition, for half a
day they had to solve multiple problems on a 2013 VW Jetta, including no starting condition
and malfunctioning electrical components. In the other half, they had to perform general automotive tasks such as replacing brakes, fabricating brake lines, electrical wiring and measuring and testing.
Kudos to Mark and Chris; Pocock was placed 6th in the competition. This is a
high achievement considering that it is only our second year being exposed to
and participating in this competition. Not only, but, many competitors from the
other schools are involved in dual credit courses attending Centennial College.
This gives them the advantage of being
familiar with the equipment used at the
competition as well as some of the tasks
performed there.
For their participation, Mark and Chris
received a Certificate of Participation, a
Mastercraft combination wrench set and
6
6
As part of the OFSAA Try-Day Initiative, students
in Grade 9 Health and Physical Education classes
were introduced to an exciting new sport called
KINBALL.
Created in Quebec in 1984, Kinball is played with
a gigantic omnikin ball measuring 1.5 metres in
diameter. A new sport to all, enthusiastic students squared off and quickly picked up the
game. Try-Day gave them the chance to learn
the rules, the strategies and apply their teamwork
in a live game. Since kinball requires no specific
skills, it allows students of all abilities to participate while having fun.
The OFSAA Try Day program is funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Philip Pocock was granted up to $700.00
to purchase equipment and conduct the Try Day event. The
program is specifically designed to promote fitness to grade 9
students and motivate them to get involved in sports and other
physical activity.
All the 2012/13 Specialist High Skills Major students have
been actively pursuing their transportation-based certificates
and Reach Ahead experiences. These participants recently
visited and toured the Automotive Center of Excellence at
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology. They were
able to observe new vehicles manufactured by the big automakers
as they were tested under various climatic conditions. Students
were also able to tour the university and meet with and talk to
professors and students currently associated with the Automotive
Engineering program. The automotive students also attended the 2013 Automotive Show
at the CNE to see what’s new and up and coming in the automotive industry. The Transportation High Skills major program is rapidly growing with anticipated enrollment for next year being up by 60%.
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.
For more information on how to enroll your son/daughter please contact Mr. Volpe in Student Services.
7
7
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, Early Childhood Education and
Sports Management. Our department would like to welcome the following businesses who are new to our program: Twisted Sports , Ready Honda, Intrans-Corp,
Jet Construction, Rona, Sunrise Senior Living, All Weather Mechanical,Autowrench Service, Cora’s, Gerrie Electric, GTA Electric, Irene’s Bakery,
Kissoon Law Firm, Goodlife Fitness, and MC Reproduction.
This semester we have a number of students who are 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.
New textbooks coming soon to the English Department! This year many members of the English department at‐
tended Professional Development and training sessions for new resources being phased in for all grade 9 and 10 Academic and Applied level courses. The Oxford Interface and ILit Series offer content, images and activities that are much more relevant to our tech‐savvy and visual learners, and cover topics from cyber‐bullying and graphic arts and design, to fantasy fiction and poetry. Pocock students are invited to submit their poems, essays and short stories to the various contests running this season. The newly up‐
dated Writer’s Corner Display case (located on the third floor near room 335) has a new look and all the details writers need for upcoming writing contests and deadlines. Lucky winners would have the opportunity to see their work in print! Don’t delay! See the display case, or Ms. Curran for more information. Good luck writers! The English department is excited to offer students the Yearbook course starting in September. ENG4UE is a full year (starting in September 2013 through to June 2014), full credit senior level English course that is taught in conjunction with ENG4U (the core grade 12 University English course). Students will work towards earning these two English credits simultaneously. The Yearbook course com‐ ponent offers students the opportunity to work on writing, layout, graphic design, pub‐
lishing and so much more. For more informa‐
tion, contact Ms. Puim in the English Depart‐
ment. In keeping with the need for new reading materials and class resources, English class‐
room 334 is home to our first SMARTBOARD. Department members are excited to have the board at their disposal and have been on or are awaiting additional training. 8
8
University/College Information: Universities and Colleges have been delivering offers of admission and will continue to do so. The next transmission to OUAC will take place on April 25th, 2013. Students that need to drop a course should have done so prior to this date. However, the last day to drop a course and not have it appear on a transcript is April 26th, 2013. May 29th, 2013 is the latest date by which secondary school applicants can expect a response from an Ontario university. June 3rd, is the last date for a response to offers. May 1st, 2013 applicants applying to Colleges must confirm their acceptance of an offer of admission to their chosen program. Please read emails regularly sent from Universities and Colleges. University/College Open Houses: take advantage of tours and open houses offered before making a decision to accept a post‐secondary acceptance. Community Service Hours: to receive an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, a student must complete all three components of the OSSD:  attain 30 credits  successfully complete the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)  complete 40 hours community service Hours attained were due to Student Services April 2nd for any student graduating this June. Students who have not completed their hours are reminded to drop by Student Services and see their counselors as soon as possible. Visit the Pocock website and the community service bulletin board if you need help finding volunteer placements. Option Sheets 2013/14: On‐line registration took place in February. Verification forms were distributed in March and changes should have been made at this point. Students still requiring course changes will have the opportunity to do so during exam week. Timetables for September will be distributed on the last day of classes in June. Summer School: Summer school cooperative education applications have been available since early March, and were due to Student Services in April. All other summer school course information was available to students the week of April 8th , 2013. Summer school will take place from July 2nd until July 29th . Deadline for applications at Pocock is May 31st at 2:00 pm. Final Walk‐in registration will take place on July 2nd 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm at all summer school locations. Courses fill up quickly so students are re‐
minded to see their counselors early to avoid disappointment. Summer School
May 5, 2013 ……………………………………………………………………………….....Catholic Education Week Begins May 17, 2013………………………………………………………………………….……...Spirit Day—Civvies & Barbecue May 22, 2013…….………………………………….….School Council Meeting @ 7:00 pm in the School Library May 29‐30, 2013…………………………………………..………………..School Play: The Wizard of Oz @ 7:00 pm June 17, 2013……………………………………………………..…...Student Timetables for 2013‐2014 Distributed June 18, 2013……………………………………………………………………..……....Timetable Changes for 2013‐2014 June 18‐24, 2013……………………….………………………………………………….…...….Final Exams for Semester 2 June 21, 2013………………………….……………………………………………………...……………………………...…….PROM June 25, 2013……………….………………………………………………………...………………...………..Exam Review Day 9
June 27, 2013….……Graduation Mass @ 11 am at St. Patrick, Commencement Ceremony @ 7:00 pm July 2, 2013………………………………………….………Final Report Cards can be picked up in the Main Office Newsletter Coordinator & Layout Person: E. Polin-De Luca
Editors: D. Di Croce, E. Ibisevic, E. Polin-De Luca, S. Popowich