NEWSLETTER
May 2016
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Principal’s Message
Principal
Principal
T.
D.Cruz
Della Rossa
Vice
Principal
Secretary
D.
Carpe
S. Droy
Secretary
Superintendent
S.
Droy
Mississauga
North
T. Cruz
Superintendent
Mississauga
North
Parish
D. Oude-Reimerink
Merciful Redeemer Parish
2715 Erin Centre Blvd
Parish
Mississauga, ON L5M 5W2
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Associate Pastor
Fr. Robert Mignella
Fr. Scott Birchall
School Council Chair
School Council Co-Chairs
Gail Bellissimo
Cristina Gouveia
Michelle Martinovic
Trustee
Esther O’Toole Ward 9
Trustee
Phone: 905-812-5163
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-812-5163
Phone: 905-814-9216
Attendance Verification
Web Site
Phone: 905-814-9216
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the
latest board news and information,
follow us.
@DPCDSBSchools.
DPCDSB is now on
Twitter! For the latest board news
and information
Catholic schools are Catholic communities. Catholic schools are
faith communities. We – parents, students, teachers, administrative
and support staff – walk and grow together in the faith to serve one
another. As Christ served others, we continue his mission to serve
with a humble heart and deep love for our brothers and sisters in
Christ.
Our school community will celebrate Catholic Education Week
2016 in ways that are appropriate to our students’ age. We invite
you to participate in one or several of these activities. Please refer
to our calendar on page 4 for a list events and activities.
There are five sub-themes for each day of Catholic Education
Week:
Monday: Mercy that Welcomes
La miséricorde qui accueille
Tuesday: Mercy that Loves
La miséricorde qui aime
Wednesday: Mercy that Forgives
La miséricorde qui pardonne
Thursday: Mercy that Lives the Gospel
La miséricorde qui vit l’Évangile
Friday:
Mercy that Rejoices
La miséricorde qui rend grâce
Every year, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association
(OCSTA) provides our Catholic schools with a resource kit to help
schools prepare for Catholic Education Week.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy” –Matthew 5:7
Hail Holy Queen
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, mourning, and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, O most gracious advocate, your eyes of
mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us
the blessed fruits of your womb, Jesus.
O clement! O loving! O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for
us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made
worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen
It is with mixed emotions that I share news
that I will be leaving the Our Lady of Mercy
School community. It has been an honour
and privilege to serve the community and to
work in partnership with our local trustee
Ms. O’Toole, Superintendents of Mississauaga North Mrs. Oude-Reimerink and Mrs.
Cruz, the Merciful Redeemer pastoral team,
staff, students and parents for the past four
years. Our Lady of Mercy community has
enriched my life in countless ways in nurturing my faith, my learning and my commitment to creating a Catholic environment
where all feel welcomed and loved. In the
spirit of service and humility, the hearts of
our community have grown together and will
continue to flourish wherever our paths may
take us. Please join me in giving a warm
welcome to Mr. Boulanger who will be the
new principal in September 2016.
As we prepare to celebrate Catholic Education Week, we give thanks for the gift of
Catholic Education. The triad of home,
school and parish are celebrated as the cornerstone of our communities. The learning
partnership is nourished by our unconditional
love of God and neighbor as we are called to
walk in the example of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Let us pause and give thanks for the gift of
the Our Lady of Mercy community which
flourishes in prayer and thanksgiving as we
celebrate our journey as Catholic learners.
We extend a warm welcome to the community to join us in the many events that are taking place during the first week of May. May
we be renewed in our conviction to work as a
people of faith to develop the minds, hearts
and souls of all our children as we serve one
another. God Bless,
D. Della Rossa
Celebrating the Virtues and Ontario
Catholic Graduate Expectations
ACCEPTANCE
One of the great wonders of the world we live in is that no two
people are exactly alike. We may share biological families or
national identity or cultural and ethnic identity, but we are all
very unique and distinct creations. God breaks the mold every
time! And that is a fantastic fact of life!
An accepting person …
• is friendly and open to all God’s people, regardless of age,
beliefs, gender, culture or ability
• sees the positive traits in all people even if she or he disagrees with them
• avoids judging or stereotyping others
• understands that there may be more than one way to do
things

sticks up for the “underdog”
Every month we will be celebrating students who demonstrate the virtues. We will add pictures 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.
BECOMING A RESPONSIBLE,
CONTRIBUTING CITIZEN.
Mother’s Day
Class Placements 2016
The Staff at Our Lady of Mercy School will meet over the upcoming
months to discuss class placements for students for September
2014. When determining placement, some of the criteria we consider
are: academic ability, individual work habits, study skills, maturity,
date of birth, social factors, student needs and gender. Due to our
size, we are limited in our placement options and we may have a number of combined classes.
We appreciate your input concerning any special considerations your
child (ren) may have. With this in mind, we ask that if you have feedback for us, please provide it to me in writing. We ask that you submit
your feedback to the principal by Friday, May 13th, 2016.
Parents are asked to include the child’s strengths, needs and a description of their learning style and any other intangibles that you feel
are pertinent, including the type of learning environment that your
child would experience the most success.
Please do not make specific requests for teachers as teaching assignments are tentative and may change between now and September.
When we meet to consider your input and the input of the staff, a decision can then be made on accommodating any parental feedback. It is
not always possible, given the variables that go into devising a class,
to accommodate all parental requests. Hence, we ask for your understanding and flexibility.
Please rest assured that our decisions are made only after careful
deliberation and consideration of all the facts for the individual good
of the child and the common good of the school community.
The hard cap of 20 students per primary class is out of our control. All
primary classes at Our Lady of Mercy School cannot exceed 20 students. The school board planning department must take direction
from the Ministry of Education who has the final say as to the number
of students in the class and the configuration of these classes. This
decision will have an affect across our school when configuring the
makeup of our classes, as will be the case in all schools in the province. Until we finalize our enrolment in September, all class arrangements are tentative. If you have any questions, please feel free to
contact me anytime.
Thank you in advance for your support and understanding.
Sacraments
Mother's Day is a time of commemoration and celebration for
mom. It is a time of breakfast in bed, family gatherings and
crayon scribbled "I Love You’s”. It is a time for a special dinner, some flowers,
a visit or a phone call. The earliest Mother's Day celebrations can be traced
back to the spring celebrations of ancient Greece in honour of Rhea, the
Mother of the Gods. During the 1600's England celebrated a day called
"Mothering Sunday". Celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period
leading up to Easter*), "Mothering Sunday" honoured the mothers of England.
During this time many of England’s poor worked as servants for the wealthy.
As most jobs were located far from their homes, the servants would live at the
houses of their employers. On Mothering Sunday the servants would have the
day off and were encouraged to return home and spend the day with their
mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along
to provide a festive touch.
As Christianity spread throughout Europe the celebration
changed to honour the "Mother Church" - the spiritual power that
gave them life and protected them from harm. Over time the
church festival blended with the Mothering Sunday celebration.
People began honouring their mothers as well as the church.
God Calls Us to His Church
The staff and students of Our Lady of Mercy School would
like to acknowledge our Grade 2 students who have received the Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time
on Saturday, April 23rd, and our Grade 8 students who
received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday,
April 10th. These sacramental moments are important
steps towards building faith and together we celebrate as
a community. A special thanks to our Catholic School Advisory Council and the community for giving each student
a prayer card and small token to commemorate these
special sacraments filled with the grace of the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.
PLASP
Before and After School Programs
PLASP Child Care Services operates Before and After
School Programs at this school.
The Before School Program operates
from 7:30 a.m. until school start. A nutritious breakfast is served daily.
The After School Program runs from the end of the school
day until 6:00 p.m. Children participate in recreational activities, are served a nutritious snack daily and have time for
homework.
Faith in Action
Heart&Stroke Jump Rope
for Heart Day–
Kickoff—Thursday, May 12
Skipoff—Friday, May 24
Heart&Stroke Jump Rope for Heart benefits us
all – your child gets active and learns to be heart
healthy, our school can earn valuable
Fee assistance is available for those who qualify.
resources and sports equipment, and we all help to
support vital heart disease and stroke
Visit www.plasp.comand register your
child online.
research and health education – for the future of our
children!
Hats Off 2 Kidz Walk
History of Catholic
Education
Schools across Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board
will be participating in the 5th Annual Walk-a-thon in support of Hats
Off 2 Kidz, Leukemia Research at Sick Kids Hospital on
Wednesday, May 4th beginning at 9:30 am. Rain date: Friday,
May 6, 2016
What has been the history of Catholic education in the Dufferin-Peel Region?
Schools will walk in their area simultaneously. Hats off 2 Kidz is a
charitable organization in the support of Leukemia Research for the
Hospital for Sick Children and Sick Kids Foundation.
Catholic schools were fundamental in the early development of our region. With the support of local parishes, bishops and parents, Catholic schools were formed
as an expression of a world view differing from other
schools. In 1837 in Mono Township (Dufferin County),
a school was dedicated and housed at St. Cyprian
Church. Later, a log church housed a local Catholic
school at St Patrick‘s in Melanchthon Township. In
1864, the first formal Catholic school was developed in
Melanchthon Township. In Peel, Catholic schools were
formed well before confederation as an expression of
the Catholic communities developing in our region. A
more detailed history of our Catholic education in our
region can be found in the book entitled Catholic Education in Dufferin Peel - A Story Worth Telling.
To date Hats Off 2 Kidz has raised over $ 800,000.00.
On Event Day, the children are asked to wear baseball cap as a
sign of support for children living with leukemia and the effects of
chemotherapy.
In the days prior to the walk, each class will design their own banner to carry on Event Day.
Sick Kids donation envelopes will be circulating through the classrooms from Thursday, April 28th to Friday, May 6th. Remember, no
donation is too small.
We invite all members of our school communities to come and take
a walk with us on this very special day. We are KIDS walking
for KIDZ.
“Today, we can give a child a reason to smile, tomorrow!”
TOGETHER WE WILL BEAT CANCER
Anaphylaxis
Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis
Dates to Remember
May
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.
May 1—6 Catholic Education Week
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.
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.
If you have any questions please talk to your child’s
teacher or to school staff. Your co-operation in helping
to keep all our pupils safe is greatly appreciated.
Summer Adult Programs
Summer Adult Programs
DPCDSB Adult CO-OP , ESL and LINC, FSL
Adult Computer Classes
For detailed information please call:
905-891-3034 -Brian J. Fleming Adult Learning Center
905-891-9263 - St. Gabriel Adult Learning Center
905-891-9263 - Adult and Continuing Education Office
and St. Kateri Tekakwitha Adult Learning Center
2
Crowing of Mary 9:00 Primary 10:15 Jr/Int.
3
Welcome to Kindergarten 6-7PM
4
Sick Kids Walk @ 9:30A.M.
5
Kindergarten Trip to Living Arts Centre
6
Parent Volunteer Appreciation 1:30P.M.
10
Yoga Session #3
12
Heart and Stroke Kickoff
13
P.A. Day
18
Grade 5-7 Toronto Concert(PM)
19
School Council Meeting-6:30 p.m.
23
Victoria Day-No School
24
Intermediate Trip
25
Heart and Stroke Skip off
26
Soccer Tournament @Rotary Park
May 31 to June 2 ——EQAO Gr. 3 and 6 Testing
June
1
Welcome to French Immersion 6:30p..m.
13
PA Day—No School Today
27
Graduation and Year End Mass 10:00A.M.
Ceremony @ Credit Valley Golf Course @6:00P.M.
28 Report Cards Sent Home
30 Last Day / Intermediate Dance(PM)
Are you moving?
At this time, next year’s school population has been projected
at 320 students. As planning has begun with respect to formulating classes and general school organization for the 2016—
2017 school year, please inform the office as soon as possible
if you are planning to move between now and September
2016. Also, if you have already moved and not informed the
office of your new address, please do so immediately as our
school records must be accurate at all times.
Dear Community,
The primary division is working on planning and creating a butterfly garden in the front of our
school. We want to create a place for butterflies to come and stay so that they can enjoy this
space and so that we can enjoying watching them. We have researched the types of flowers
that butterflies like. We plan to purchase some of these flowers but also would like to ask the
community for donations. If you have any of the following flowers in your garden and can divide them and dig them up, please do so. We would love to plant them in our garden.
We are looking for the following types of flowers:
-milkweed
-blazing star
-stonecrop
-joe pine weed
-marigold
-butterfly iris
-pearly everlasting
-white turtle head
-aster
Thank you,
The Grade 3s
-buddleja
-cardinal
-black eyed susan
-aster
-tall red pentas
-Coneflower
-lilac
-plox
-blanket flower
-cosmos
-coreopsis
-Yarrow
-blanket flower
-blazing star
-heliotrope
-butterfly bush
-ox-eye daisy
pinks