NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2015
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Principal’s Message
Principal
During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves for
the coming of our Saviour. We are waiting for Christ’s
birth and prepare for that arrival with a great deal of joy
and energy. Christmas trees are decorated, presents are
bought or made, cookies are baked and cards are sent
out to all of our friends, families and colleagues. At
Our Lady of Mercy, we have set up our Christmas tree
in the foyer decorated by students. We have set up the
Mitten and Hat tree in our foyer and we ask for your
support in keeping families in need warm.
Principal
D. Della Rossa
T. Cruz
Vice Principal
D. Carpe
Secretary
S. Droy
Secretary
S. Droy
Superintendent
Mississauga North
T. Cruz
Superintendent
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Fr. Robert Mignella
School Council Chair
Gail Bellissimo
Associate Pastor
Fr. Scott Birchall
Advent Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
School Council Co-Chair
Cristina Gouveia
We who have so much to do
seek quiet spaces to hear your voice
each day.
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
School Council Co-Chair
Michelle Martinovic
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the
latest board news and
information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
We who are anxious over many
things look forward to your
coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways
long for the complete joy of your
kingdom.
We wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to our school community for their support and generosity with our Eden
Food Bank Toonie collection, and donations for the
Christmas Bazaar. Giving to those in need is our responsibility and together we can help one another.
Please join us on Friday, December 4th at 1:00 PM as
we host St. Aloysius Gonzaga Choir. We are looking
forward to our Advent mass which will be held at the
school on December 8th at 9:30 AM . We will gather to
celebrate as a family community this wonderful time of
anticipation. Our school-wide Advent Retreat will be
held on Wednesday, December 16th. On Friday December 18th we will gather as a community for The
Nativity Story presentation by the primary students
followed by our annual Christmas Sing-A-Long.
We wish to thank the many parent volunteers who continue to help organize our Christmas Bazaar to be held
on the Thursday, December 17th where students will be
able to buy items to give as gifts to others. We wish to
thank the community for their generosity in sending in
items to support the bazaar.
It is my heartfelt hope that you take the opportunity to
relax, pray and celebrate the birth of Christ our Saviour
during this most holy season.
We whose hearts are heavy seek the
joy of your presence.
May God bless you and your loved ones with love,
peace and happiness this Christmas and all through the
year.
D. Della Rossa
We are your people, walking in
darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say,
"Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.
A blessing to carry you through the season:
May God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;
The warmth of Christmas, which is love;
The belief of Christmas, which is truth;
The all of Christmas, which is Christ.
Amen
School Operations
Communication Updates
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN
Registration for September 2016
Inclement Weather and School Closure
Registration for Kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year, will take
place on:
Monday, January 25, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Friday, January 29, 2016
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.*
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
* Snow Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For more information about registration and the Kindergarten program, call 905-814-9216 or visit www.dpcdsb.org.
Parents/Guardians should bring the following documents
when registering their child:
1. Registration Form
2. Application for Direction of Separate School Support
3. Proof of Age of Child
Birth certificate or passport.
4. Original Roman Baptismal Certificate
For child and/or parent/guardian.
5. Updated Immunization Records
6. Proof of Canadian Citizenship
Birth certificate, passport or permanent resident status.
7. Proof of Home Address
Two of the following: property tax bill, real estate document, e.g.,
Purchase Agreement/*Rental Agreement, current utility bill and/or
Government of Canada-issued forms, e.g., passport, Service Canada
documents
Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School
welcomes our new Grade 4s from French
Immersion!
The French Immersion Program at Divine Mercy Elementary
School was established as a Grades 1 to 4 program with Our
Lady of Mercy Elementary School as the sister site that would
continue the program for students in Grades 5 to 8. We are excited to welcome the Grade 5 French Immersion Program and students at Our Lady of Mercy. Administrators of Divine Mercy
and Our Lady of Mercy continue to work closely together to
support a variety of transition activities. Please contact the
school office should you have any further questions.
HISTORY OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
2. Has the Ontario government always supported
separate schools?
Yes, as did its predecessor, the United Legislature of
Canada East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now Ontario) during its total life from 1841 to 1867. One of the
first pieces of legislation it passed in 1841 was the Common School Act, with a separate school clause.
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of
bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel
school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00
a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television
stations
VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9
CJCL AM590
CHFI FM98.1
CFTR AM680
FM Z103.5
FM102.1/AM640
CBC FM99.1
CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS
CHUM AM1050
CJBC (FR) AM860
EZ ROCK FM97.3
CFRB AM1010
FM93.1CFNY
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540
CTV
CANADA AM
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of
bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to
cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made
by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television stations:
(Please note that the highlighted text only will be communicated by the
radio stations).
1. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
BUSES SERVING ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE
CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD BUSES AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.
This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the
Town of Caledon are cancelled for the entire day.
3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF
DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.
This means that all runs listed under announcements #l and #2 are cancelled.Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation affects their
school.
4. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES
IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the City of Mississauga are cancelled for the entire day.
5. “ALL DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE
CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
This means that ALL transportation services provided by the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board,
including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.
6. “ALL BUSES ARE CANCELLED AND THE SCHOOLS AND
OFFICES OF BOTH THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD ARE CLOSED”.
This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and
Peel District School board schools and offices are closed to all students
and staff.
Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
Virtue of the Month
December’s Virtue of the Month is:
Affirmation:
I am hopeful.
I trust in God because He is merciful and faithful to His
promises.
My Hope is my steadfast anchor.
I ask the Holy Spirit to help and guide me.
What is Hope?
Hope is a theological virtue. It informs our Christian moral life
along with the virtues of Faith and Charity. Hope is manifested in our desire to attain the kingdom of Heaven and eternal
life as our happiness. We place our trust in Christ’s promises
and rely on the grace of the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Why practice Hope?
You need Hope to trust in the promises of Jesus Christ. This
hope is always achieved with the grace and help of the Holy
Spirit. Hope answers our strong burning desires for happiness
and it informs our actions, making them pure of heart. It gives
us strength so that we do not become discouraged and hold on
steadily to our beliefs.
School News
Dressing Warmly
Winter is Here! Please ensur e that your
children are dressed appropriately for the
weather. Warm clothes, snow pants, gloves,
mitts, hats and boots are needed for outdoor
play. Having an extra pair of mitts and socks is always appreciated for children that play in the snow. Place items in a bag
with your child’s name on it. We recommend labeling all clothing items. This will prevent the overflow of items in the “Lost
& Found” box. All students must bring a pair of indoor shoes.
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT TEACHER(SAT)
This year Dufferin-Peel has assigned a Special Assignment
Teacher who visits our school and assists with the implementation of the Junior and Intermediate literacy and numeracy curriculum. We are most pleased to introduce our SAT teacher, Ms.
Gal.
Ms. Gal will continue to work with Our Lady of Mercy staff to
assist them in further supporting the implementation of best practices in instruction and assessment for Primary, Junior and Intermediate literacy, numeracy and the integration of technology.
Ms. Gal has already shown herself to be a welcome addition to
our school. The children currently have had the opportunity to
benefit from additional classroom help which in turn helps to
ensure greater learning success. We are excited to provide such a
collaborative teaching opportunity for our teachers and students.
Family Advent Mass
Every month we celebrate students who demonstrate the virtues. We
add monthly pictures to our Virtue Tree in our front hallway. Student
names will continue to be announced at the end of the month as we
celebrate our monthly Grade Eight Youth Faith Ambassador student
led liturgies.
A
COLLABORATIVE
CONTRIBRUTOR
I AM A TEAM PLAYER!



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I co-operate with others in all that I do
I value everyone's work
I respect and listen to others
I think of others before myself
I follow rules of fair play
I work hard in school so that I can build my community and
make it a better place.
Because I am a team player, I know that 'Together is
Better', and we will live our lives like Jesus.
Everyone is invited to attend the
Family Advent Mass on Tuesday,
December 8th at 9:30a.m. at
Our Lady of Mercy School.
Come and join in our Advent
liturgical celebration!
School Council News
We would like to thank all Executive Members, parent
representatives, and parents for supporting the many activities that unfold at Our Lady of Mercy. We would like to
thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in
Catholic education.
If you can volunteer some of your time, please contact the
school and a member of the School Council will contact
you directly. For more information on Volunteering,
please refer to the G.I.F.T.S. Volunteer News that is sent
home every month. For more info call (905) 814-9216 or
email mercygifts@yahoo.ca
Please join us for our next
Catholic School Advisory Council Meeting on
Wednesday, February 3rd , 2016 at 6:30 p.m.
Anaphylaxis
Our Lady of Mercy is an allergen aware school.
There are pupils in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods.
Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe
life threatening reactions. Anaphylaxis is a severe
and life threatening allergic reaction. The most
common allergen triggers are food, insect stings,
medications, exercise and latex. An anaphylactic
reaction involves symptoms from two or more body
systems. Safety of all our students is paramount.
We at Our Lady of Mercy, would appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT
sending any lunches or snacks that contain any ingredients identified as food allergens for students in
your child’s class.
1
Poinsettia Pick-Up/Funscript Orders Due
4
St. Aloysius Gonzaga Music Concert (1:00 PM)
6 Second Week of Advent
8
Advent Mass - 9:30 am. at Our Lady of Mercy
9
Rosary Apostolate Visits
11 Gonzaga visits Grade 8s
14 Third Week of Advent
16 School Wide Advent Retreat
16 Hot Dog Day
17 Christmas Bazaar
18 Nativity Play followed by our Christmas Sing-a-Long
(AM)/Int. Dance( PM)
18 Last day of school before Christmas Break
Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are aware of the food restrictions. We also ask
that you review the letters that were sent home at
the beginning of the school year that spoke to specific allergens in your child’s classroom.
For celebrations, we are once again asking that food
NOT be brought into the school since we cannot
control the ingredients in many baked items.
Your co-operation in helping to keep all our pupils
safe is greatly appreciated.
POINSETTIAS
We would like to thank the many families
that participated in purchasing poinsettias.
PICK UP DATE:
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1
2:45 pm onwards
FUNSCRIPT:
Orders Due: Tuesday, December 1
Delivery will follow shortly
Thank to the volunteers that helped with counting of the
monies and coordinating this special delivery to support
the giving spirit of Christmas.
4 Classes resume
Merciful Redeemer
Parish
Christmas Schedule
CHRISTMAS EVE -December 24
4:00, 6:00. 8:00, 10:00 p.m & Midnight
CHRISTMAS DAY - December 25
8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 a.m.
New Year’s Schedule
NEW YEAR’S EVE - December 31
S
6:00 & 11:00 pm
NEW YEAR’S DAY - Holy Day of Obligation
January 1
10:00 & 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.