5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
NEWSLETTER
January 2016
Principal’s
Principal
D. Della Rossa
Message
We would like to welcome back all of our
students, families and community partners.
We have celebrated Christmas, New Years and
shortly the Epiphany of Our Lord and the Baptism of Our Lord. The Christmas Season helps
us celebrate his coming, recognize his presence, and await his return as we continue
building his Kingdom.
Secretary
S. Droy
Superintendent
Mississauga North
T. Cruz
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Scott Birchall
A Prayer for the New Year
Loving God, thank you for the gift of a
new year.
May it be a time to grow in faith and
love and a time to cherish family and
friends.
School Council Co-Chair
Cristina Gouveia
Walk with us each day and grant a happy year to all the world.
School Council Co-Chair
Michelle Martinovic
May the light of Christ shine through us
for others now and forever.
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Amen
History of Catholic Education
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
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
DPCDSB is now on Twitter!
For the latest board news
and information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
Ontario) during its total life from 1841 to 1867. One
It is our hope that the Christmas Season provided valuable time to spend with family and
friends to reflect on the greater gifts we receive each day. May the joy of the coming of
Christ’s birth bring a renewed sense of hope
and love for us and all our loved ones. We
pray for health for those who are ill and eternal
rest for those who have passed.
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to
the many parents, families in our school community, and our school staff members who
have given generously of their time, energy
and talents to benefit the students of Our Lady
of Mercy School. A special thanks for the support this past term from our School Council
and the many volunteers for their dedication
and efforts for Pizza Days, Hot Dog Days,
Poinsettia Drive, FunScript, All-Star Reading
and the Yearbook.
We thank the community for their ongoing
support with our social outreach through our
Eden Bank Food Drive, Hat and Mitten Tree
Drive, Toys for Tots and sponsoring families
in need. Our combined efforts as a community have made a positive difference in the lives
of our students, our families and our community. Together we are called to give and we
have made a difference in the lives of others.
of the first pieces of legislation it passed in 1841 was We would like to welcome new families to
the Common School Act, with a separate school our school. We continue to invite parents to
support our school by sharing their time, talents and gifts with us.
clause.
P.A. Day
Monday, January 18th, 2016
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS.
May God continue to guide and support all of
us in the coming year. God bless.
D. Della Rossa
Kindergarten Registration
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 Catholic 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 ***DRIVER”S LICENSE
WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
2016/2017 JK/SK ENTRY PLANNING
FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
There will be an information session for parent(s)/guardian
(s) of children with special needs such as vision, hearing,
autism, physical/medical and/or developmental delays who
are entering Full Day Kindergarten in September 2015.
The information session will be held at the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board -- Catholic Education
Centre, Room 301 on Wednesday, January 12, 2016
from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Par ent(s)/Guar dian(s) ar e also r eminded to register their child at our school office.
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
CJBC (FR) AM860
CFTR AM680
FM 93.1CFNY
FM100.7/AM1540
CTV
CITYPULSE
CHUM AM1050
CHFI FM98.1
CFRB AM1010
FM102.1/AM640
CBC
GLOBAL NEWS
CJCL AM590
EZ ROCK FM97.3
FM Z103.5
CHIN
FM99.
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 Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.
Extended French Information Meeting
Grade 4 par ents/guar dians who wish to enr oll their child
in a Grade 5 Extended French class for September 2016 are
invited to attend an information meeting at:
St. Therese of the Child Jesus
6930 Forest Park Drive, 905-785-0066
Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7:00pm
905-785-0066
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
Self-Control
In January we celebrate the virtue of self control.
God wants us to do what we know and feel is right.
A person with self control …..




Is patient
Knows how to wait his/her turn
Knows how to avoid physical aggression
Can think things through
Every month we celebrate students who demonstrate the virtues. We
add leaves with their names onto the 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 Caring, Family
Member
I CARE!


I love God, myself and my family
I care about and respect my 'family' at school, at Church, in
the community, and the world
 I care about and respect God's creation and everything in it
Because I care, I pray for all my families, and I will live my
life like Jesus.
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, 6 and 7 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.
Our Lady of Mercy - a SILVER ECOSCHOOL!
The staff and students at Our Lady of Mercy
will continue to work towards promoting our
Eco-School community.
We wish to
acknowledge the Recycling Team of students
under the guidance of Mr. Jones for helping
to keep our school green.
Winter Reminders
Cold Weather Season
Children will go outside for recesses and
for 40 minutes during the lunch hour. Research indicates that fifteen minutes of
fresh air allows students to refocus on their
studies. On extremely cold days, we may
limit the amount of time that students
spend outside. We obtain our information
from Environment Canada Weather Information and follow Board Guidelines which are:
-25C or colder with wind chill, students are kept inside
-20C to -24C, amount of outdoor time will be reduced.
If it is warmer than -20 with the wind chill, students will
be expected to be outside during the entire recess period.
Please ensure your children are dressed appropriately for
the weather conditions.
Dressing Warmly
The Snow and Cold Weather has Arrived!
It is important that your children come
to school dressed with sufficient clothing to be worn outside during recesses.
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. Dur ing a fir e alar m students
cannot stop to put on boots so it is critical for students
to wear shoes at all times.
Playing Safely with Snow
As a result of the winter months, we continue to remind
all students that snow stays on the ground. As well, we
continually remind them that there is to be no pushing of
others on the snow hills that are created when the pavement is plowed. Every student is made aware of the importance of these rules in preventing injuries. Students
are continually reminded with daily announcements and
by classroom teachers and staff on yard duty. We continue to stress our “hands off’ rule to ensure the safety of
every student. Students who continually break these
rules will be tracked at the office and parents will be notified. Please take this opportunity to discuss the dangers
of rough play with your child. Thank you in advance for
your assistance in this matter.
Anaphylaxis
Food Allergies and 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
co-operation 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.
Dates to Remember
January
6
Immunization Gr. 7s, Gr. 8 girls
16 Gr. 5 Extended French Mtg @ St. Therese of the
Child Jesus 7:00 p.m.(Parents of Gr. 4 students)
16 Presentation of Confirmation Crosses 7 p.m. Mass
Merciful Redeemer
18 P. A. Day - Report Card Preparation
19 Dental Screening JK/SK, Grade 2
22
Minds Up Day
25 Full Day Kindergarten Registration Evening
27 to 29 JK/SK Registration 9 -11 a.m. & 1-3 p.m.
27 Rosary Apostolate Visits
February
2 to 5 Book Fair
2
First Tem Report Cards Go Home
4
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences - evening
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.
5
Reporting PA Day
10
Ash Wednesday
13
Confirmation—Lenten Promises 7 p.m. Mass
14
Valentine’s Day
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.
15
Family Day - No school
17
Rosary Apostolate Visits
18
First Reconciliation Grade 2s 11:00 a.m.@
Merciful Redeemer Church
25
Pink Shirt Day
Black History Presentation (PM)
26
Confirmation Confessions 11:00am at the school
March Break is from March 14th to 18th
If you have any questions please talk to your
child’s teacher or to school staff.
Your co-
Kiss N’ Ride
Please allow extra time if you are
dropping off your children by car.
With the colder months, there are
more parents choosing this option. Students should be arriving between 8:30 and 8:45
a.m. Winter weather conditions lead to many students
are arriving after 8:45 a.m., receiving late slips, and disrupting classroom procedures and morning exercises.
By working together, we can ensure the safety and timely arrival of our students.
PLEASE BE PATIENT AND KIND AS WE WORK
TOGETHER THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS..
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our
school! From February 2 to 5, a variety of
quality books for all reading levels will be
available for purchase. Book Fair flyers
and book buying dates and times will be sent home
with your child(ren) by the end of January.
Don’t forget to mark the Book Fair dates
on your calendar!