The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
56 Oaklea Blvd, Brampton, Ontario, L6Y 4W7
Phone: 905-455-1001
Principal: W. BODSWORTH
Fax: 905-455-3406
Superintendent: L. Kazimowicz- 905-890-1221
Trustee: T. Da Silva 905-459-7089
Secretary: A. Mijandrusic
Parish: St. Jerome Church
Pastor: Fr. Jan Kolodynski
905-455-4260
NEWSLETTER #2
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Thank you, Lord, for the life you gave the world.
Thank you Lord, for the sun, the rain, and the
soil to grow the crops and the wheat to make our
daily bread.
Thank you, Lord, for the harvest of the earth, for
oil, coal, salt and water.
Thank you Lord, for those people who help to
supply our needs, for farmers and fisherman,
and workers in industry.
Teach us to remember, Lord, how much we
depend on you and how much we depend on
others.
Help us to share what we have with others and
to care for those who are hungry.
Amen
In October we celebrate the virtue of empathy.
A person with empathy:
Listens when people speak
Notices when someone is upset and tries
to help
Can name his/her feelings
Can see a situation from another person’s
point of view
Accepts that others have different
perspectives
October 2010
Principal’s Message
It has been a busy September at Pauline Vanier.
While enrolments are down slightly, we are
proud of our vibrant school community. In a few
short weeks, much has happened! We have
gathered as a community many times for~
divisional assemblies to celebrate our priorities
of ―Faith, Safety and Excellence,‖ the September
Virtue of the Month: Faith Assembly, the Terry
Fox Assembly and Walk/Run, our annual Open
House, and the School Council Chocolate Fund
Raiser Kick-off.
It has been a real adventure for me to get to
know your children and to work together with our
dedicated staff to plan a host of exciting and
meaningful activities for the year ahead. As we
give thanks for our many blessings, we are ever
mindful of the privilege of partnering with our
parents and parish in helping to shape young
lives in the service of God.
From all of us at Pauline Vanier School, we
extend our sincere wishes for a wonderful
Thanksgiving weekend. As our school motto
suggests, may we take time to pause, pray and
give thanks for the opportunity to ―learn and
grow together with God‖.
Wendy Bodsworth
 to our enthusiastic staff members for
getting sports teams and clubs up and
running.
Council began to plan this year’s activities.
Congratulations and thanks to the following
individuals who have taken on positions of
responsibility on the Council. They are:
 to the board for responding to our plea
to revitalize aspects of the school
nd
including a fresh coat of paint on the 2
floor, new bulletin boards and many
repairs.
Co-Chairs: Cheryl Brohart, Andrea Virostek
Treasurer: Kevin Rooney, Katrina La Nave
Secretary: Sim Basso
Member at Large: Lisa Brandon
Teacher Representative: Carol Thomas
GIVING THANKS
 To all families who attended our Open
House BBQ and Curriculum Evening.
Despite the rainy weather, there was an
excellent turnout and a wonderful
expression of community spirit.
 to our departing Trustee, Mr. Tony Da
Silva, who attended the Open House
with his wife, Mrs. Anna Da Silva, the
newly acclaimed trustee for this area.
We are thankful for the many
contributions that Mr. Da Silva has
made to our community, and for his
untiring devotion to Catholic Education.
 to our teacher librarian, Mrs. Muzzatti,
and all of her volunteers for a successful
Book Fair.
 to Mrs. C. D’Souza, Ms. Tac and the
Youth Faith Ambassadors for organizing
our annual Thanksgiving Food Drive in
support of the Knights Table.

to Mrs. Henry for coordinating a truly
inspirational and successful Terry Fox
Run-Walk event.

to all parents for their support in helping
our students respond to the various
charitable projects undertaken at school
this month. We remain grateful for such
a committed and supportive parent
community.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
We continue to urge parents to become
involved in the School Council which meets the
first Monday of each month and is involved in
many outstanding initiatives to support the
school including the upcoming Soccer Clinic,
the Chocolate Fund Raiser and the Magazine
Drive. At the first meeting of the year on
th
October 4 , your newly acclaimed School
School Council offers congratulations to the
following students who won a soccer camp
th
th
weekend on October 9 and 10 –made
possible by the generous sponsorship of Mr.
Kevin Rooney and matching Council funds.
Joel-Grade 1
Tyrese-Grade 5
Julia-Grade 7
Tatyana-Grade 7
Jacob-Grade5
Isaiah-Grade 3
Jaedyn-Grade5
Amelia-Grade3
Esrom-Grade 3
Isaiah-Grade4
Danielle-Grade 3
Alyssa-Grade 3
School Council reminds families:
to send in gently used games, balls or books
to be used during indoor recess.
to return unsold chocolate as soon as
possible.
The final draw is on
th
Wednesday October 13 . The top two
prizes are a $500 RESP and a $200
Best Buy gift certificate.
Magazine subscription forms go home
rd
on November 3 . Please wait to renew
subscriptions until then.
Next School Council meeting is
st
Monday November 1 . Please join
us!
SUPPLY TEACHERS
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
is committed to ensuring that qualified teachers
are teaching in our classrooms at all times. From
time to time, in extenuating circumstances, this
may not be possible.
A Board registered
Emergency Instructor may be called upon, as a
casual worker, to cover a classroom in the
absence of the classroom teacher for a part of a
full day. Careful consideration is given to the
selection of people to fulfill these roles. The
Emergency Instructor is given training in school
procedures and is subject to a Criminal
Reference Check before entering the classroom.
In addition, we are happy to welcome work
experience students and volunteers from St.
Augustine School, and students on practicum
placements from
various colleges and
universities in the GTA. Later in the year, we
hope to host university students who are in our
faculties of education training to become
teachers. All of these visiting students work
alongside our teachers and assist in the
classroom under the supervision of the teacher,
CYW or other staff member. If there are any
questions or concerns about the role of supply
teachers, volunteers or practicum students at
our school, please contact the office for further
clarification.
EVACUATION & SAFETY PRACTICES
Pauline Vanier School has very precise
Fire/Emergency Evacuation, Lock Down, and
Hold & Secure Risk Procedures. These
procedures are practiced throughout the school
year to ensure that the protocols become
second nature. So far this term, we have had
three fire drills, and each time the students have
improved on the speed, discipline and safety
with which they have exited the building.
Students are reminded to wear shoes in the
building at all times. If a fire alarm goes off,
students are not permitted to stop and put on
shoes, coats, etc. The safety of ALL STUDENTS
is our primary concern so every second counts.
In case of a real emergency, our evacuation site
is SOUTH FLETCHER’S SPORTSPLEX located
at the North East Corner of McLaughlin Road
and Ray Lawson Boulevard.
KISS & RIDE
Safety of our students is paramount.
Please follow these safety rules when
picking up and dropping off your
children at school:
Do not allow children to get out of the car
until your vehicle has reached the front of
the Kiss and Ride line.
Make sure your child gets out on the right
side of the car where a staff member is on
duty.
Parents using the drive-through lane must
turn left and exit. They should never cut in
front of the Kiss and Ride Lane to drive into
the Child Care Centre round-about. This
causes an enormous traffic hazard.
If you are hoping to find a parking spot in
the round-about parking area, then position
your vehicle in the Kiss and Ride Lane
before making the turn into the parking
area. That way if no parking is available
there is a staff member on duty in the Kiss
and Ride lane to guide your child.
The round-about in front of the
Kindergarten and Child Care Centre is
reserved for parents using the Child Care
Centre. If a parking space exists, then a
parent of a kindergarten child may park for
a few minutes in order to walk their child to
the kindergarten yard.
There is absolutely no parking, drop-off, or
idling of vehicles permitted against the curb
in the round-about, or in the area to the
east of the school that is designated as
―Staff Parking‖.
RECESS
All students are expected to dress appropriately
for weather conditions and to go outside for
recess. Please ensure that your child has a pair
of boots in anticipation of the winter ahead. For
many children, a spare pair of socks, gloves or
clothing may save a parent a trip to the school.
In the event of inclement weather, students will
be kept indoors.
In wet, muddy or icy
conditions, the students will remain on paved
areas. During recess, supervision is restricted
to the playground areas. Supervisors on yard
duty wear bright orange/yellow coloured vests,
so that they are easily recognizable. Please
note, that there is no scheduled supervision
provided in the office. Therefore, if your child is
not well enough to participate in outdoor recess,
please consider keeping him/her at home.
SCHOOL YARD BEHAVIOUR
We continue to remind our students about the
importance of fair play, respectful conversations
and
non-aggressive
outdoor
activities.
Students are frequently reminded that there
is to be no physical contact at school. We
realize that in most cases, children do not mean
to hurt each other, however, when activities
become physical then students frequently get
hurt. Through continuous reminders, and the
teaching of manners and pro-social skills, we
are trying to prevent both serious injury and hurt
feelings on the playground. We ask for your
continued support in reminding your children to
play with others without physical contact.
*LEGO TECHNOLOGY CLUB
INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE
ELEMENTARY PROGRAM
*INTERMEDIATE WOOD-WORKING
TECHNOLOGY CLUB
Elementary International classes are available to
students in grades JK to 8 at specific elementary
schools within Dufferin-Peel on Saturday
mornings including Pauline Vanier School. No
prior language experience is necessary.
International Language programs comply with
the Ministry of Education curriculum and will be
of interest to students who wish to preserve their
language and cultural heritage and to those who
wish to study the language and heritage of
another culture. Enrolment is limited at each
location. On-going registration will be on a firstcome, first-serve basis, on Saturdays throughout
the year. Questions should be directed to the
Adult & Continuing Education office at 905-8919263. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE
SCHOOL FOR INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE
INFORMATION.
BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Please remind your child(ren) to thank their bus
driver. A smile goes a long way!
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
SPORTS & CLUBS
ACTIVITIES,
Once again, extra-curricular activities are up and
running at Pauline Vanier School. A special
thank you is extended to all staff members for
their efforts in supervising, coaching and
facilitating these activities.
Teachers and
support staff often give up their free time and
lunch hours to contribute to our programs. We
are very proud of all that we have to offer our
student community. We encourage all students
to participate and to listen carefully to
announcements to know when to attend
meetings and clubs. We encourage all students
from Grades 4-8 to try out for our athletic teams
but they must remember that academic
responsibilities must be maintained in order to
remain on a school team. In each newsletter we
will highlight a few of the amazing activities
going on at Pauline Vanier.
Students participate in the club on Monday lunch
recess periods.
They engage in building
activities involving various mechanisms and
apply them to battery-powered models using
Lego kits. Also, students will learn basic ―G‖
language necessary to program a robot.
Students participate on Thursday and Friday
lunch recess periods. They will design and build
various structures and apply mechanisms to
their projects with the aid of basic hand tools.
Students will learn techniques on structural
strength, the application and use of various
mechanisms
and
simple
machines
to
complement the science curriculum.
*Thanks to Mr. Tony Gutt for facilitating these
two innovative clubs.
BOOK FAIR REPORT
Mrs. Muzzatti Teacher Librarian
Thank you to all parents and students for their
support for the BOOK FAIR. We earned $1200
in new resources for the library.
Winners of the Book Raffles
$25.00 –Ashton in Gr. 6
$25.00-Mrs. Vigneault
$20.00-Joel in Gr.1 and Quinton in Gr. 4
$20.00-Julian in Gr. 4
$20.00-Tatyana in Gr. 7
A huge thank you goes out to the many
volunteers who helped make the BOOK FAIR a
great success. These helpers are:
Mrs. Liem Mrs. Virostek Mrs. Thomas
Mrs. Brohart Mrs. Henry Mrs. E. D’Souza
Catriona, Lauren and Ashley –our alumni
VIRTUES EDUCATION
During the month of October we focus on the
virtue of empathy. God wants us to care about
everyone’s feelings. God has given us both the
desire and the ability to form connections with
each other—to live together. Empathy helps us
to connect with each other in meaningful ways to
ensure that we form communities that are safe,
caring and inclusive. We understand empathy
to mean the ability to identify with and feel other
people’s concerns. Please spend some time
this month talking to your children about what it
means to show empathy.
SACRAMENTS
St. Jerome’s Parish
8530 Chinguacousy Rd., Brampton
905-455-4260
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Parents’ Information Meeting
St. Jerome’s Parish
th
Tuesday October 19
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Parents must attend if they wish their child to
make their First Communion at St. Jerome’s.
CONFIRMATION
Parent (ONLY) Meeting
th
Tuesday, October 26
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Parents of students who will be confirmed at St.
Jerome’s parish next year are expected to
attend this session.
Please pick up a Registration Package at the
church office after any weekend mass. Bring a
copy of your child’s Baptismal certificate and the
completed registration form to the meeting.
st
Deadline for registration is November 21 .
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS
Our school photographer has been
provided with class lists containing
personal information (students' ID,
names, grades and homeroom).
Please be assured that these lists will
be returned when the photography
sessions are completed. If you do not wish your child
to participate in the actual taking of the photographs,
please notify the office immediately.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Throughout the year, our staff will engage in
many Mississauga-Brampton Central Family of
Schools, and board-sponsored, professional
development in-services both during the day
and after school. Our staff also meets regularly
as a whole staff, by division and by grade to
plan programs and discuss best practices.
Themes addressed during our professional
development include:
Differentiated instruction
Smart Board
Safe School Training
Analyzing DATA-EQAO
Diversity
Classroom Management
High Yield Instructional Strategies
HALLOWE’EN
Hallowe’en is a secular holiday
which few people realize has
religious roots. In the ninth
century, the Roman Catholic
Church set aside November 1
as the day to honour all the
saints. The feast was called
―All Saints Day‖ or All Hallows Day. The night
before the feast, October 31, was called All
Hallow’s Eve or Hallowe’en. The early church
recognized that Hallowe’en had lost its
relevance as a pagan religious ritual, as people
were not worshipping the god of the Celts, nor
were they using the sacred chants or gathering
rituals; rather, it had become a cultural festival.
So, instead of outlawing the festival, the Church
selected All Souls and All Saints Day to be
celebrated on these two separate days. These
feasts celebrate the people’s respect for their
dead and those who are living Christian lives.
Thus, the celebration of Hallowe’en continues to
this day with renewed focus on praying for the
deceased and celebrating the lives of the saints.
HALLOWEEN DRESS UP
We are pleased to announce
that once again, Madame Byrne
and her Grade 8 students are
hosting the French café, entitled
La Maison des Monstres.
Students are encouraged to
dress up for Halloween providing that the
theme is non-violent and that the costume does
not involve wearing a mask or bringing a
weapon. A letter about the French café will be
coming home shortly. The cost of the croissant
and beverage is $2.00.
Safety Precautions for Halloween Night
Wear light-coloured clothing, so you can be
seen by drivers.
Carry a flashlight, so you will be seen on
dark streets.
Stay away from cars, especially friendly
strangers in cars.
Watch for cars, and look both ways when
crossing the street.
Wear your costume above your shoes, so
you will not trip.
Do not eat any treats until you are home
and your parents have checked them.
Do not damage anyone’s property.
Start trick or treating early and be home by
8:30 p.m.
SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE
The law requires that ―members of the public‖
including professionals who work with children,
have an obligation to report promptly to the
Children’s Aid Society if they suspect that a
child is or may be in need of protection.
Teachers/principals and indeed all adults face
substantial fines if they do not comply. It is the
role of the Children’s Aid Society, to whom we
report, to investigate such a report. If your child
is seriously bruised or marked form an accident
you may wish to let the teacher know the
circumstances. Should a report ever be made
to the Children’s Aid Society, you should
understand that we are complying with the law
and always have the best interests of the child
at heart.
VISITORS IN THE SCHOOL
Just a reminder that our parents are not
allowed to enter the school or the playground
during school hours without coming to the office
first and signing out. This ensures the safety of
all students and staff.
Circumventing the
procedures undermines the security of all.
Please remember that you ―may be a parent to
your child but to others you are a stranger.‖
Please be prepared to be asked to go to the
office to get a visitor badge if you are not
wearing one.
PUNCTUALITY
It is important that your child be on
time for school. Please be aware that
late arrivals have a direct impact on
learning in school and they also
disrupt the classroom teacher during lessons.
Please encourage and assist your child to
recognize that punctuality is a responsibility
that all students should be developing.
Students are expected to be in their lines at
8:30 A.M. Students must report to the office if
they are late.
Persistent late comers will
receive consequences.
DELIVERING YOUR CHILD’S LUNCH
If it is necessary for you to
deliver your child’s lunch to
school, please advise your child
in advance that you will be
doing so, and write his/her
name on the bag. There is a
table at the front of the school to place the
lunch on. Your child can come to the office at
11:25 to pick up his/her lunch. For safety
reasons, students will not be permitted to wait
by the front doors or outside on the driveway
for their lunch to be delivered.
LITTERLESS LUNCHES
Students are encouraged to be environmentally
friendly by reducing the amount of paper and
plastic waste from lunches and snacks.
Students are reminded that food wrappers
should be disposed of before going out on to
the yard that no food or drinks are allowed
outside.
TRANSPORTATION
Parents who have requested
COURTESY SEATS will be
notified of their status within the
next week.
All students in
Kindergarten and Grade 1
must wear a read bus protocol tag. These
students must be boarded and picked up by an
adult. We encourage parents to impress upon
their K-1 child that they should never get off the
bus unless the designated parent or babysitter
is there to pick them up. If no one is the stop,
the child will be returned to the school for the
parent/guardian to be contacted. Parents and
sitters can avoid problems by arriving at the
bus stop at least 10 minutes before the
scheduled arrival time of the bus.
INTERRUPTIONS
Your child’s classroom is a very exciting place.
Important learning activities are going on there.
Staff members make every attempt to ensure
that no time is wasted and that all students are
actively engaged at all times.
Classroom
interruptions disturb your son or daughter’s
learning but also the flow of the lesson for
everyone else. With this in mind, we ask that
you help by trying to schedule appointments
outside of school time where possible; and by
sending a note to the teacher if your child must
leave early. This way your child can be waiting
for you at the office when you arrive. Students
who leave early are required to sign out at the
office.
WELCOME STUDENT MONITORS
We are pleased to announce that three parents
in our community have been appointed student
monitors to supervise children during lunchtime
and on the playground at lunch recess. These
student monitors have received training for this
important role in our school. Parents are urged
to remind their children that the parents on duty
at noon hour have positions of responsibility
and authority in the school. Please welcome
Mrs. C. Brohart, Mrs. J. Reyes and Mrs. T.
Liem. We are so grateful for their support!
PIZZA LUNCH
We will continue to provide Pizza every
Tuesday at noon for $2.00 per slice. Please be
aware that late orders will not be accepted.
BREAKFAST CLUB
We are delighted to report that
25-30 students each day enjoy a
nutritious breakfast served by
staff members who
have
volunteered to help out. Thanks
to Mrs. Maria DeSouza and Mrs. Marsha
Vigneault who have taken on the responsibility
of coordinating the efforts of the volunteer
team. A special thanks to our parent volunteer,
Mrs. Reyes, who comes in every morning to
clean up at the end of Breakfast Club. The
initiative is a team effort made possible by
generous donations from Breakfast Club
Canada and the Girls and Boys Club. Parents
who would like their child (ren) to benefit
from a nutritious breakfast each day please
contact the office to register.
WORLD TEACHER’S DAY
Pauline Vanier school community recognized
the significant contributions of teachers in our
own school and around the world on October
th
5 , World Teacher’s Day. We enjoyed a
reflective PA announcement and a special
prayer in honour of our outstanding teachers.
EQAO
The 2009-2010 EQAO results for Pauline
Vanier School can now be viewed on the
EQAO web-site:
https://eqaoweb.eqao.com
It is important to keep in mind that these results
are a snapshot of student achievement and
must be considered along with a variety of
assessments which occur in the classroom.
Summary of Results
Percentage of all students at or above the
provincial standard (Level 3 and 4) in 20092010:
Grade 3:
Reading: School 53% Board 62% Province 62%
Writing: School 56% Board 71% Province 70%
Math: School 50% Board 71% Province 71%
Grade 6:
Reading: School 64% Board 73% Province 72%
Writing: School 67% Board 76% Province 70%
Math: School 53% Board 63% Province 61%
HOMEWORK HELP
It’s back!
After a very successful first year, Dufferin-Peel
will once again be participating in the Ministry
of Education’s Homework Helps Project. The
project’s goal is to promote student success
and has now expanded to include 32 English
speaking boards province-wide. The following
two web-sites are two fundamental aspects of
the project:
Ontario Educational Resource Bankthe site provides support and resources
for teachers, parents and students from
Grades K to 12.
ILC’s HOMEWORK HELP-This site
provides students in Grades 7 to 10 with
a variety of math resources as well as
free online tutoring Sunday to Thursday
evenings.
ISSUES IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION
An Historical Perspective
1. How long have Catholic separate schools
been educating Catholic children and
contributing to the public good in Ontario?
For about 170 years. In the early 1800’s there
were separate schools in many cities, towns
and townships. In Peel, three separate schools
opened before Confederation (1867):
St.
James in Malton in the 1830s, St. John’s
Agricultural College (1861) and St. Patrick’s
(1861), both in Wildfield.
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.
3. Why did the United Legislature of Canada
East and Canada West keep improving
separate school legislation?
It responded to Catholic parents, trustees,
bishops and priests, editors of the four Catholic
newspapers, members of the business and
professional world, all of whom argued for legal
and financial rights for separate schools.
IMPORTANT DATES
October 12th
Boys Volleyball
home versus
St. Julia
October 13th
BRAVE Bullying
Presentation Gr. 4,5,6
October 13th
Girls Volleyball @
St. Gregory
th
October 13
October 17th
Boys Volleyball @ St.
Veronica
Canonization of
Brother Andre
October 18th
PICTURE DAY
October 19th
Boys Volleyball
Home versus
St. Barbara
Girls Volleyball home
versus St. Barbara
October 20th
Bus Driver Day
October 25th
October 29th
November 1st
Big Kids here
Cinderella Frog
Prince (Diversity)
French Café
Maison des Monstres
SCHOOL COUNCIL
MEETING
November 16th
Picture Retake Day
November 26th
PA DAY-No School
PRAYER FOR OCTOBER
Empathy
Gracious and merciful God of all
creation,
You made us to live together
in communities.
We are nothing without relationships.
You have given us the virtue of
empathy
to ensure that we are able to identify
with
and feel other people’s concerns.
We come to you now asking
for the grace and strength
to help us connect and live together
in a safe and caring way.
May your gift of empathy lead us
to know and feel your presence
among us.
Amen.