“…Until schools deal with students’ estrangement from their schools, they will continue to overlook talent, waste energy on compliance and force students to fit into an increasingly archaic learning system”…
“Rather, disengagement is built into the design of schools and schooling. This is school’s blind spot.
School’s relationship with students is based unnecessarily on a sorting and weeding out process that may
be appropriate for a sports team but is toxic for identifying and developing talent in young people”
—Leaving to Learn, Washor & Mojkowski. 2013
The post Easter season has had me marveling at the many blessings we share as a school and wondering why this is so prevalent. From hosting Skills Canada and the Mississauga East Diversity Conference, to our Spring Concert and our production
of “Frozen”, Philip Pocock continues to demonstrate that committed and engaged students and staff make us a unique learning organization in the Board. I have concluded that with our anchor programs in Extended French, Arts & Culture and
Transportation SHSM and our growing ASD Diploma Support program, Pocock students learn differently and therefore enjoy their learning, and in many ways, are the architects of their own learning.
The authors of Leaving to Learn, cited above, also make the point that finding meaningful learning through field trips and
alternative experiences provide a host of enriching experiences that are too often missing from the drab textbook approach of many courses.
In an effort to get at some of these challenges, our Board has asked each secondary school to prepare a Technology Plan
for the next three years that accurately reflects the needs of our learners. These learners are all digital natives who are
intimately immersed in their world of smartphones,
laptops and tablets. That’s the world of Tim Hortons,
McDonalds, local arenas and just about everwhere
else. Now we have Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and
social media and learning is about to go to a completely
different level. Our three year plan is an ambitious one
Philip Pocock Catholic Secondary School
at Philip Pocock but one we are committed to and in4555 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario, L4W 1J9
volves the following asset acquisitions :
Telephone……...905-602-6172
 An Apple IPad Cart of 30 tablets that will not be
dependent upon a hard wired system.
Attendance Extension: # 69165
http://w3.dpcdsb.org/POCOK
Tim Lariviere, 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
Anna Abbruscato, Trustee Ward 4
anna.abbruscato@dpcdsb.org
905-890-0708 x24239
416-459-0126
Principal
Paul Schmidt
Vice Principals
Giacinto Malta
A—K
Maria Terra
L—Z
School Council Chair
Sonia Olmedo
 Four large screen TV monitors strategically posi–
tioned with a satellite signal connection for internal
communication and streaming purposes.
 A Ministry approved Teacher Leading and Learning
Project for our ASD Diploma Support program with
over fifteen thousand dollars earmarked for IPad
Minis and an equal amount for training and assessment of data related to the project.
Principal’s Message continues on page 2
Lent and Easter
As a Christ-centered, Catholic community, we took time to prepare
for Easter by taking a Lenten journey. We began with our annual
Shrove Tuesday pancake breakfast for staff and students. On Ash
Wednesday, the school gathered, one grade
at a time, for a prayer service to receive
ashes on our forehead, as a reminder of our
humanity, our mortality, and our need for
God’s mercy and forgiveness. All our penance, prayer, and almsgiving during Lent has made our Easter joy all the more
beautiful. Christ is risen! May we all experience the joy of new life in Jesus.
Trips and Retreats
During the first half of this semester, our students
had a number of opportunities to go on retreats
and field trips. These excursions help students
deepen their faith and put their faith into action.
On February 19, Mr. Dabrowski and Ms. Coulson
accompanied a group of students to the Black
History Month conference, hosted by St. Paul
Secondary School. On March 24, students from
the Omega club distributed sandwiches and socks
to the needy of downtown Toronto. On the following day, they attended a ‘Poverty Conference’
at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School, hearing from such community
leaders as Dr. Simone and Paul Burke. Our grade 11 students spent their
retreat learning about the similarities and differences between the major
religions of the world, which challenged them to deepen their own faith.
We visited the Buddha Light Temple in Mississauga, the BAPS Hindu temple,
and St. Patrick’s Church.
The Holy Spirit is truly at work in the hearts and minds of our students and
teachers.
Scott Smalridge—Chaplain
 A refresh of 58 Dell and Apple desktop and laptop computers throughout the school this year, 10 more next year and
158 in two years time.
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Establishment of two Guiding Principles from our School based Technology Committee ; first, a commitment to all relevant learning platforms, second, an Innovation/Learning Template for all staff business meetings.

A pilot project of four IPads to test various learning Apps for different subject purposes.

Creation of another Apple Lab and Studio for the purposes of Broadcasting communication of all salient Pocock events.
We are on the cusp of many more changes that we are excited to share as we move towards the end of the year, so please
make your thoughts known to me as we move into uncharted learning territory.
You may follow Mr. Schmidt on Twitter; Paul Schmidt @PaulSch50428406.
On Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014
and Tuesday, April 14th, 2015, Grade 9
students studying Academic English had
the opportunity to view a performance
of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy
Romeo and Juliet.
Performed by actors from the Classical
Theatre Project, students were treated
to an innovative adaptation of the classic
tale of two star-crossed lovers. The actors transformed the stage with a chalk
circle and with help from the audience’s
imagination.
For many students, this was their first
introduction to theatre performances, and with the brilliantly acted
roles, they were able to truly see Shakespeare’s words transformed on
the stage. It was an eye-opening experience for everyone who attended!
3rd Annual ASD Diploma Support Parent Night
On Thursday, December 4, 2014 the ASD Diploma Support staff,
students, and their parents joined together for a night of food
and fun. Students played host/hostess to their families by serving them pizza, drinks, and dessert. The students also spoke
about their experiences in the ASD Diploma Support Program
and a few even showcased their musical talents.
Open House for Newly Accepted ASD Diploma Support Students
On Wednesday, February 25th, 2015 our ASD Diploma Support Program hosted a “Meet and Greet” for our newly accepted students and their
families. The staff spoke about the program’s successes, our mission statement and future vision for the program.
A special thanks to Brenda Dillon, Teacher Librarian @ Philip Pocock and Tanya Veselinovic, Special Education Consultant-Mississauga East
Family, who extended their support to our ASD Team. We look forward to welcoming our Grade 9 students as they begin their high school
journey in September 2015.
Technology Update: Finally, some great news from the Ministry of Education. In the fall, our staff team submitted a proposal for iPad technology funding for the ASD Diploma Support Program. We received news that our request has been
approved for the 2015-16 school year. Our program will implement iPad applications that will support the overall wellbeing, time management skills and general learning strategies for our students. We are very excited about this project!
Autism Awareness Month: April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day. During the month of April, the Philip Pocock community will be taking part in various activities and events to build awareness around Autism.
We look forward to updating you with the highlights of this important month in the next newsletter!
— Philip Pocock ASD Team
Philip Pocock Hosts
Dufferin-Peel Skilled Trades & Technological Competitions
Abhishek Sai Moturu
1st Place
Prepared Speech
Zurriat Rizvi
1st Place
IT Network Administration
Ryan Monteiro
1st Place
For a second consecutive year, Philip Pocock C.S.S. welcomed the prestigious
Dufferin-Peel Skilled Trades and Technological Competitions – or as it is more
commonly known – Skills Canada into its school community. On April 9 th over
200 high school students, along with their teachers and coaches throughout
the Board were gathered together in one venue to showcase their very considerable and impressive talents in almost 30 different categories. As a result of
the suitability of Philip Pocock’s facilities which encompass a broad range of
technological studies, the commitment of the administration team, and the
generous efforts of the school staff, students and the Link Crew team, the
event was a rousing success for all participants.
Kathleen De Castro
This Board-wide competition is an annual event which takes place each spring
in order to select the most skilled students from each trade and technical
& Evan Lu
competition to represent Dufferin-Peel in the Ontario Skills Competition which
2nd Place
will take place on May 5th, 2015 at RIM Park in Waterloo. Successful particiAesthetics & Hairstyling
pants from our Board-wide competition not only advance to the provincial
level, but they are also invited to compete in additional qualifiers held at various colleges on April 18th, 2015.
The Skilled Trades and Technological Competitions serve to empower and engage our students as well as provide these truly talented young people with
the opportunity to meet countless representatives from prestigious colleges,
programs and businesses throughout the province. Successful participants at
the provincial level advance to the Nationals and virtually guarantee themselves job placements in highly sought-after trade and technical fields with
business representatives from throughout the province.
This year, the Skills Canada National Competition will be held on May 27th to
30th at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon. Good luck and best wishes to all our students who worked their way to this highly regarded destination.
Eric Olmedo
3rd Place
Culinary Skills
Small Powered Equipment
The following students represented Philip Pocock in their respective competitions:
Matthew Brillert
2nd Place
Auto Service
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Aesthetics – Kathleen De Castro – won Silver Medal
Auto Service – Matthew Brillert – won Silver Medal
Baking – Eftihia Haralabidou
Carpentry team of 2 – Hyusein Zekerie and Mark Inton
Culinary Skills – Eric Olmedo – won Bronze Medal
Formal Place Setting, Communications Program – Justin Mazur-Ju
Hairstyling – Evan Lu – won Silver Medal
Home Building team of 4 – Kevin Stecko, Daniel Constantino, Adam Wickham and Adrian Lewkowicz
IT Network Administration – Zurriat Rizvi – Acclaimed winner-Gold Medal-moving on to the Provincials
Prepared Speech – Abhishek Sai Moturu – won Gold Medal and moving on to the Provincials
Small Powered Equipment – Ryan Monteiro – won Gold Medal and moved on to the qualifier competition
held at Niagara College on April 18th, came 3rd and will move on to the provincials
Automotive Technology
Skills Competitions
Toronto Automotive Technology Competition
For the fourth year in a row, Philip Pocock participated on the 16th
annual Toronto Automotive Technology Competition held at the
Toronto Convention Centre on Feb 12, 2015 during the Media Day
of the International Auto Show.
Michael Macut and
Alex Morrison represented Philip Pocock in
this high stakes and
tough competition
that was organized by
Centennial College. All
the two-team members from the 19 GTA
schools that participated in this competition
had to attend two
mandatory training
sessions at Centennial College during two Saturdays prior to the
competitions; that, by itself, was a great opportunity and experience to all participating students
On competition day, during the
first segment, Michael and
Alex had to showcase their
skills on 6 different work stations that cover mechanical,
electrical and electronic challenges, and during the second
segment they had to diagnose
and repair multiple faults
rigged on a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta.
Congratulations to Michael and Alex for winning the first place
trophy. The competition is sponsored by Trillium Automotive Dealers Association (TADA), several automotive tools and equipment
manufacturers, Centennial College, and some publishers. For placing first, Alex and Michael not only advanced to the National Competition that was held in New York City, but they also received
some hand tools and power tools, gift certificates from sponsors,
and $750 scholarship to Centennial College. Philip Pocock has also
benefited by receiving a class set of textbooks, a car from GM for
training purposes, and some shop equipment from sponsors.
New York National Automotive Technology Competition
As first place winners at the Toronto Automotive Technology Competition, Michael and Alex participated at the National Automotive
Technology Competition that was held at the Javits Centre in New
York City during the International Auto Show on May 7th and 8th,
2015.
Representing Philip Pocock, Michael and Alex were dubbed Team
Lexus as the vehicle they drew for their competition was a 2015
Lexus RX350 provided by Lexus. In order to familiarise
themselves with the vehicle
and to prepare for the competition, Michael and Alex
were fortunate to get some
free training sessions sponsored by Lexus at Toyota University, training facility at
Toyota headquarters in Toronto, and at Erin Park Lexus
dealership in Mississauga.
A total of 30 high schools participated in this competition.
Philip Pocock was the only
school from Canada whereas the other 29 schools were representing various states from the United States.
The competition had two segments that were held on two different days. On the first day, Alex and Michael had to showcase their
skills in 10 different workstations ranging from mechanical, electrical, electronic diagnosis, and performing some tasks on wheels and
tires, electrical wiring and a hybrid vehicle. The second day was
dedicated to diagnosing and repairing multiple faults on the 2015
Lexus RX350 that was designated for them.
Michael and
Alex successfully completed most of the
challenges
presented in
the work stations and
solved most of the faults that were rigged on the vehicle. It was a
tough competition considering that it was a competition against
the best teams from each state. Congratulations to Michael and
Alex for placing 13th out of 30 high schools; they received several
gifts from various sponsors and scholarships worth over $5,000
each from two colleges in the United States.

High school students (grade 9-12) who did not receive the
meningococcal ACYW-135 vaccine in grade 7 or 8 will be
offered the vaccine at a catch-up clinic provided at Philip Pocock
CSS on May 19, 2015.

Consent forms will be provided to students on the day of the
clinic. Students 14 years and older can sign their own consent.

Students with special needs will have their consent and
assessment form provided to them prior to the clinic date for
their parent/legal guardian to complete and return to the school.
For more information, please visit www.peelregion.ca OR call
Peel Health at 905-799-7700.
España, France, & Italia!
26 of Pocock’s senior students were saying Ola! Salut!
and Ciao! while travelling throughout these amazing
countries. History and culture came to life and students enjoyed practicing their language skills. All the
students loved the culinary experience and feasted on
paella, tapas, crêpes, papardelle, gelato, and cioccolata
calda densa, just to mention a few.
Our adventure started in Barcelona. Students
were introduced to the genius of the engineer, architect and artist Antonio Gaudì, through our visits to
Parque Güell and the Sagrada Familia. Students also
visited Montjuïc Hill and the Pueblo Espanol, the Spanish Village, where students were able to travel through
all of Spain through the architectural buildings included
in the Pueblo. The Barcelona visit ended with ‘free
time’ along Las Ramblas for some ‘shopping’ before
ending the day with a tapas dinner.
The next day we entered France and visited the incredible medieval cité de Carcassonne. It is easy to see why
this town is included as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Our next stop…Arles, city made famous as
Vincent Van Gogh’s home and inspiration. Students
stood in awe in front of Van Gogh’s ‘hang out’ and subject of his paintings, Le café la nuit. Before continuing
on to la Côte d’Azur, students had the opportunity to
lunch in Aix-en-Provence and then experience the most
delicious crêpes in St. Paul de Vence, a medieval town
perched on a hill, overlooking the sea. St. Paul de
Vence has been much sought out by artists, such as
Marc Chagall, writers like Jacques Prévert, and actors like Yves Montand and Simone Signoret.
Sunny Nice was our next stop. Nice is
n.i.c.e…with orange trees full of fruit, we explored
nearby Eze (where students explored the village
perched on the cliff and purchased goods from the
parfumerie Fragonard), as well as Monaco (home
of the Royal Grimaldi family and the Grand Prix).
It was with sadness that we left France, but Italy
awaited us and we were eager for the next adventure. Our first experience in Italy was
Pisa. Students had the opportunity of having
their photo op holding up or hugging the Torre
di Pisa and this city also offered them the first
opportunity to try la cioccolata calda densa…
mmm!
Florence, the crown jewel of Italy,
awaited us! However, before arriving, we had
the opportunity of stopping at an agriturismo
for lunch. Students were treated to a unique
culinary experience at il Poggio, a typical Tuscan
fattoria. Upon our arrival in Florence, we went
on a walking tour of the city. After our guided
tour we had the opportunity of visiting a leather
market, walking through the bustling streets,
shopping in the Mercato di San Lorenzo, visiting
the famous David statue by Michelangelo, the
Uffizi Gallery or climbing the steps to the top of
the cupola Brunelleschi, or Giotto’s Bell Tower.
Some just enjoyed sitting in the beautiful sunfilled Piazza della Signoria drinking a
‘cioccolata calda densa’. This glorious day
ended with a funfilled evening in the
Discoteca Space
where students were
able to dance the
night away.
En route towards Venice, we stopped for lunch
in Bologna, home of parmiggiano cheese and
prosciutto di parma, before arriving in Padova
and the Basilicata di Sant’Antonio. What an
incredible experience! Padova is the final resting place of Saint Anthony and it is apparent
that this place emanates a peace and tranquility
that can only be explained by the presence of
the Saint.
Amore...
Finally, Venice! Home of la Serenissima,
one of the most powerful Republics the world
has ever known. It lasted for over a millennium,
from the 7th to the 18th century. Aside from visiting the Doge’s Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, and St.
Mark’s Square, students were able to experience
Venice as only the Venetians do…in a gondola, on
the canals.
Our journey ended with a visit to Verona, home
of the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, before arriving at our final destination of Milan,
Italy’s most industrialized city and seat of Italian
fashion.
Our return was bittersweet with many
students wanting to see and share their experiences with their families and friends. Special
thanks go to Mme. L. Ferrari, Mme E. Ibisevic,
M. T. Malta, and Mme. E. Polin-De Luca for
sharing their March Break with our students in
the experience of a lifetime!
Buongiorno principessa!
Alla prossima...à la prochaine…
until next year…
Papel Picado, La Vita è bella, la fondue au
chocolat... These are just some of the culturally rich activities the members of the Languages Club participated in this school year.
Students were enthusiastic about exploring
different cultures, discussing different languages, and learning about the diversity
around them. Thank you to all members for
your enthousiasm and your commitment. We
hope to see you next year! ¡Gracias! Grazie!
Grade 9 Extended French Geography students put their mapping
skills to the test this spring during their trip to the Riverwood Conservancy. With their GPS units in hand, students learned how to
navigate and mark waypoints, map their travelled routes, and determine the location of geocaches hidden along the picturesque
trails and historic banks of the Credit River. Students were introduced to some of the many varieties of plant and animal species
native to this region of Canada. They also had the opportunity to study invasive species and human impacts
on natural habitats. While having fun, the grade 9s explored real-world applications for some of the skills
they learned in the geography classroom.
On Wednesday,
March 11 and
Thursday, March 12,
2015, students from
Pocock participated
in the Concours d’art
oratoire, which is the
annual French Public
Speaking competition
held by the Dufferin
Peel Catholic District
Board. Representing
Pocock were stuL to R: Mlle. V. Vittori, Mme. E. Iodice, Samara Lijiam, Caroline
dents from every
Frankfurter, Stéphani Ponniah, Olena Pankiw, Colleen Dowling,
grade: Samara Lijiam
Karan Aulakh, Mme. L. Ferrari, and Mme. E. Polin-De Luca
(Grade 9), Colleen
Dowling (Grade 10), Karan Aulakh (Grade 11), Caroline Frankfurter (Grade 12),
Stephanie Ponniah (Grade 12,), and Olena Pankiw (Grade 12,).
Congratulations to all participants who worked tirelessly on their speeches. Their
efforts paid off as Pocock won awards in many categories. Samara Lijiam won 2nd
place in the Junior Immersion category with her speech “Dreams and Nightmares”.
Colleen Dowling in the Junior Extended category wowed the crowd and won 2 nd
place with her speech “Feminism”. Karan Aulakh received a participatory medal in
the Senior Core category for his speech “Students’ Lack of Effort in School”.
Stephanie Ponniah placed 2nd in the Senior FSL Plus category for her speech on
“Global Warming” while Olena Pankiw’s speech “The Science of Smell” placed 2nd
2nd Prize
Senior Immersion
2nd Prize
Senior FSL PLUS
2nd Prize
Junior Immersion
3rd Prize
Senior Extended French
in the Senior Immersion category, and Caroline Frankfurter, whose speech “What the Youth of Today Can
Teach Us”, placed 3rd in the Senior Extended category.
Congratulations to Olena Pankiw and Stephanie Ponniah who will be moving on to the Provincial level
competition at Glendon College, York University on May 9th, 2015.
Thank you to Mme. E. Iodice, Mme. L. Ferrari, Mme. E. Polin-De Luca, and Mlle. V. Vittori, who
spent countless hours coaching these students; reading and editing speeches, practicing
pronunciation, and working on oral presentation skills. The French Department is proud of
all the students who boldly demonstrated their passion for the French language.
Félicitations et à la prochaine!
On Friday, February 20th,
2015, students in Signora
Polin-De Luca’s Grade
11 and 12 Italian classes
had the opportunity of
experiencing Italian language as it came to life
in a “Maschere duemondi” production at UTM.
They saw the Italian play
by Edoardo De Filippo,
Matrimonio all’italiana, also
known as Filumena Marturano.
De Filippo is considered one of Italy’s
most talented actors and playwrights.
The story deals with the complications
that arise in human relationships.
Although the play deals with sometimes
controversial topics for the time period in
which it was written, they are presented
with a touch of humour that allows the audience to appreciate the genius of the playwright. This play was extremely amusing
and highly entertaining; it 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.
Speaking the language...living the language!
Students in Signora Polin-De Luca’s Grade 11 and 12
Italian class had the opportunity of bringing the play
“Filumena Marturano” to life. After months of study,
practice, and rehearsal, students presented their interpretation of the play they had the opportunity of seeing and studying. The classic comedy
by Edoardo De Filippo has been interpreted through many venues; written in play format,
performed in the theatre and on film, and now staged at Pocock. The students’ final production was amazing! They were true, not only to the Italian language, but the Neapolitan
dialect. Italian is a colourful language often
accompanied by the appropriate body language
and gestures. Students were extremely successful in their endeavor. Bravo!
On April 15th, 2015, Mme. Di Croce's grade nine French students had the opportunity to learn first-hand how maple syrup is made! They spent the day outdoors at Horton Tree Farm, a family owned farm in Stouffville, where they
were given a guided tour that taught them all about the history of maple
tree farming.
Students enjoyed exploring the grounds and having the chance to see
the unique process that goes into the creation of maple syrup.
The tour brought classroom texts alive, as students got to see the
various maple syrup farming tools and processes used by early settlers. They even got to
explore a "wikiup" - a small dwelling used by the First Nation peoples, who were among
the first to discover the famous syrup.
The day wouldn't have been complete without a little maple syrup sampling, which is exactly what students got to experience, both during the tour and upon it's completion,
with a serving of fresh pancakes and hot chocolate! Overall, it was a fun way to learn
about an important part of Canadian history!
Second semester is rapidly moving forward with many exciting things to look forward
to. We launched our new online course selections using My Blueprint on Feb. 16 – 20th.
Various blue- themed activities were organized during this week to support using this
web-based platform for course selections. (www.myblueprint.ca/dpcdsb). Students can
continue using this site for ongoing career education, explorations and preparation. A
reminder that every student in every grade needs to complete their Individual Pathways
Plan (IPP) using My Blueprint as outlined in the Ministry document – Creating Pathways
to Success 2013.
Our students have worked diligently in the IPP workshops organized by Guidance for
our grades 9, 11 and 12 students to work on completing this requirement. Our grade
10 classes were given the same opportunity in their Careers class. Many of our students have achieved 100% completion status on their IPP, but for those who haven’t
yet, we encourage them to login to their My Blueprint accounts in order to do so.
The department welcomes, Ms. Laura Coulson as our new Careers’ teacher, a role
which she assumed following the retirement of our colleague Ms. Gabriella Corrente.
We thank Ms. Corrente for her many years of service, dedication and commitment to
our school and students. We wish her happiness and good health in the years ahead.
Ms. Coulson will also be our staff liaison with our newly instituted prestigious Duke of
Edinburgh Awards program (www.dukeofed.org).
Night school commenced Feb. 9th and will end on May 25th, 2015. Students taking
courses outside the Dufferin- Peel Catholic Board are encouraged to submit their final
results to Guidance so transcripts can be updated.
On April 7th, our first Trades’ Fair was held during our lunches in
support of our Skills Canada Competition that was held here on
April 9th. Students were given the opportunity to speak to representatives from the various trades sectors. The department
thanks our representatives from The Electrical College, Ontario
Finishings, Ontario College of Trades, Marca Hair Academy, the Centre for Information and Training,
the Ontario Trucking Academy and the Ontario Civil Construction Careers Institute. Our thanks goes
out to our counsellor, Mr. Mike Volpe, who arranged this Fair on very short notice.
Midterm grades will be sent to Ontario Colleges (OCAS) and Ontario Universities (OUAC) on April 23, 2015. The last date to
receive an offer of admission from the universities is May 28, 2015. Students must accept/decline offers by June 1 st. After
this date, students can use the Admissions Information Service (AIS) to find possible openings at Ontario universities by visiting www.ouac.on.ca/ais.
Students are always reminded to visit Guidance to seek out employment, community service and scholarship opportunities
announced daily and subsequently posted in the office. Furthermore, summer school applications are now available in Guidance and must be submitted by May 29, 2015.
OSSLT (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test)
It has been a busy and active year for students
from our Needs Moderate Communication and
Planning for Independence Programs. We started
off our athletics season with the ROPSSAA Basketball Tournament in November, hosted right
here at Pocock. As always, our athletes displayed sportsmanship and teamwork, finishing the tournament with great results!
In February, we took home the 1st place trophy for a 6th year in
a row at the St. Marcellinus Spirit Soccer Sensation Tournament! We look forward to once again competing at the
ROPSSAA Track and Field Meet in May. Congratulations to
all our Special Events Athletes who give it their best all year
long, consistently displaying their enthusiasm and commitment
as Pocock Pirates!
The OSSLT assesses and evaluates the literacy (reading and writing) skills students are expected to have learned across all subjects up to the end of Grade 9. All students working toward an
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) must take this assessment.
Successful completion of the OSSLT is a graduation requirement.
Students who are successful have demonstrated the minimum
level of literacy that is expected by the end of Grade 9.
The Grade 10 cohort at Philip Pocock this year attempted the
OSSLT with a very confident and positive attitude. The results of
the OSSLT will be available in June to all schools. The OSSLT
results will be reviewed and used to gauge student learning,
close learning gaps, support instructional programming and improve student achievement. Please visit www.eqao.com for
more information.
The Cooperative Education Department would like
to take this opportunity to thank all our business
partners throughout the 2014/15 school year. Their
support has allowed our co-op students to gain
valuable real work experience. Without your help
CO-OP would not be the success that it is!
Thanks go to: Irene’s Bakery, Hi-Tech Dispensing,
Frendel Kitchens Ltd., Sheridan Nurseries, Rona,
Park Animal Hospital,
Bark’s N’ Rec,
J.J. Construction,
Olympia Fitness,
The Bank of
Montreal,
Belmont
Doors,
and our feeder
elementary
schools.
The co-op students
continue to gain
valuable experiential learning through the SHSM,
Dual Credit and OYAP programs.
The Cooperative Education Department is working
together with our business community to make sure
that these students successfully transition to the
workplace. Please contact the
Philip Pocock Cooperative
Education Department at 905
-602-6172 for further details.
ALLEGATION OF SEXUAL ABUSE
REGARDING
THE LATE FR. JAMES (JIM) ROTH, OSFS
Information regarding an allegation of sexual abuse
of a minor related to the late Fr. James (Jim) Roth,
OSFS, is posted on the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board’s main webpage at www.dpcdsb.org.
Additional information, including where to report
abuse or suspected abuse, is also posted on the website of Father Roth’s religious order, the Oblates of
St. Francis de Sales, at www.tdprovince.org and the
Archdiocese of Toronto at www.archtoronto.org .
Please consult these sources as appropriate.
Grade 12 University Biology classes, accompanied by Mr.
Dvorsky and Mr. Maddock, attended a DNA "Fingerprinting" lab
at the Ontario Science Centre. Students obtained samples of
their own DNA from cheek cells and amplified them using the
polymerase chain reaction. Gel electrophoresis was used to
sort the amplified sequences, allowing students to analyze the
frequency of their particular version of a gene within the population. Not only was the Ontario Science Centre visit a valuable
opportunity for hands-on learning in the science laboratory,
but it was also a day in which fun was had by all!
Students in the Visual Arts Department have been creating a real
variety of projects. The grade 10 students have been working on
beautiful watercolour landscapes which involve a range of skills.
These include composition design, drawing of objects both natural
and artificial, colour blending and two point perspective.
The grade 11 students are gearing up for Earth Week with their
amazing animal face pencil drawings and acrylic canvases which are
symmetrical in design and zoom in on the facial features. These canvases actually involve drawing, painting and sculpture in one project
because they applied modelling paste to their canvas to create the
three dimensional texture of fur or whiskers before they applied the
colour.
The grade 12 students continue to work on projects within the overall theme of the course which is an "Identity Project". They have
created intricate circular Mandala designs which focus on six themes
from their own life or personality. They were allowed to choose from
a variety of mediums such as black pen, pencil, colored pencil and
markers. They are currently working on figure drawings in the style of
Expressionism which allows them to look deep within there positive
and negative emotions and express this through human anatomy.
April 29-May 3, 2015 ………………………Music Trip to New York
May 3, 2015 ….……………………………….Education Week Begins
May 18, 2015 ..…………………………………………………Victoria Day
May 19, 2015 ………………………………………...Spirit Week Begins
May 19, 2015 ……………………………………….Immunization Clinic
May 27, 2015 …………………..…………….School Council Meeting
………….…………………………@ 7:00 in the Library
June 15, 2015 …………………………………………….Locker Clean Up
June 16-22, 2015 …………………………………...Semester 2 Exams
June 23, 2015 ………………………………………….Exam Review Day
June 24, 2015 ……………………….Graduation Mass @ 11:00 am
June 24, 2015 …..…………… Graduation Ceremony @ 7:00 pm
Newsletter Coordinator & Layout Person: E. Polin-De Luca
Editors: D. Di Croce, E. Ibisevic, E. Polin-De Luca, S. Popowich, V. Vittori