The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
56 Oaklea Blvd, Brampton, Ontario, L6Y 4W7
Phone: 905-455-1001
Principal: W. Bodsworth
Secretary: A. Mijandrusic
St. Jerome Church 905-455-4260
Pastor: Fr. Jan Kolodynski
Fax: 905-455-3406
Superintendent: L. Kazimowicz 905-361-0146
Trustee:
A. DaSilva 905-890-0708
NEWSLETTER #9
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
This week our school has participated in
exciting activities, prayers, liturgies and
lessons related to the Catholic Education
Week theme: Celebrating the Spirit. As
a Catholic community, we give thanks for
the freedom to be able to learn about and
express our faith in a publically-funded
education system.
Catholic Education is both a privilege and
a challenge. In a world where secular
values permeate the wider culture,
Catholic educators work hard to infuse
gospel values in both the curriculum and
the culture of the school. They know that
the faith formation of students cannot be
left to chance and that families are
counting on them to reinforce and
strengthen the Catholic teachings and
traditions taught in the home and parish.
This month we also pause to give thanks
for the gifts of our mothers in our lives.
Centuries ago “Mothering Sunday” was a
day when children would visit the church
where they had been baptized and offer
gifts to their “mother” church for the new
life of baptism. As a natural extension,
children began to bring small gifts and
treats to their own mothers, thanking
May 2011
them for all they had done in their lives.
During May, we recognize all mothers and
express our love and devotion to them. We
take this opportunity to say Happy
Mother’s Day to mothers of our students
at Pauline Vanier School. We thank them
for entrusting their precious children to
us each day and hope that they know how
much they are loved and appreciated by
their children.
May is also the month dedicated to Mary,
the mother of Jesus. During this month,
celebrations will be held throughout the
school, as we focus on the life of Mary and
the power of her intercession. Children
will learn to pray the rosary and some
students will even make their own
rosaries. We encourage our families to
join us in making time to pray the rosary
frequently during the month of May.
Together, we rejoice in the privilege of
attending a Catholic school. As teachers
and parents, may we always strive to be
models of faith to our children, and
encourage them to become the best
persons they can. We pray that they will
grow up to use their gifts wisely and to
exercise moral courage in shaping a better
world.
Wendy Bodsworth
FAITH
Catholic Education Week (CEW)
The Spirit is alive
at Pauline Vanier
Catholic
School!
On Monday of this
past week, a large
Holy Spirit dove
mosaic
was
unveiled.
Students and staff were
thrilled, upon examination, to find
everyone’s face hidden in the image of the
dove! On Wednesday, our school trustee,
Anna
DaSilva,
and
parents
and
grandparents attending our Open House,
were able to examine the mosaic in the
school foyer before taking part in our
community liturgy. The assembly and
liturgy focused on the CEW theme of
Celebrating the Spirit and featured a slide
show of students involved in many social
outreach projects at Pauline Vanier; as
well as a dramatic dance portraying the
Virtue of Acceptance.
After the
assembly, our guests visited their
children’s classrooms and then gathered
in the school library to enjoy cake and
refreshments. Many visitors returned on
Friday to participate in a rousing singalong and mini-concert with Nancy
Bodsworth (a Dufferin-Peel teacher and
musician who composed and recorded the
2009, 2010 and 2011 CEW theme songs).
Prayers and daily literacy lessons taught
from May 1-May 5, 2011 reinforced the
Celebrating the Spirit theme. Throughout
the week, we were reminded of the
privilege of publically-funded Catholic
education, and of the cherished gift of
being able to freely celebrate, share, teach
and live our faith together.
Throughout our newsletters this year we
have highlighted historical information
regarding the journey and struggles of
Catholic Education in Canada. It is in
understanding the rich history that we
truly appreciate the gift of our faith-based
education system.
All of us here at
Pauline Vanier feel truly blessed that we
are able to be part of your child’s Catholic
education.
Virtues
Virtue for the
Acceptance.
month
of
May
is
The Virtue of Acceptance describes our
ability to look at the attitudes and actions
of those around us with compassion and
an open mind.
We are invited to
thoughtfully consider the motives of
others rather than making snap
judgments. The virtue of acceptance calls
us to look beyond external factors such as
a person’s skin colour, ethnic background,
religion, age or gender, and see instead a
unique person created and loved by God.
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 s/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.’
Praying the Rosary
May is the Month of Mary. Just as
parents are called to lead their
children
to
Jesus
through
instruction in the faith and
through their example, words,
and deeds, a devotion to Mary
also points the way to Jesus.
Praying the rosary is good way
to introduce children to
various bible stories that are
the basis of the ‘mysteries of the rosary’.
For example, before praying a decade of
the rosary for the first joyful mystery –
the Annunciation, one could read about
the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary
that she would bear a child named Jesus
(Luke 1: 26 – 38). For younger children,
an entire rosary may be too long, but even
just one decade of the rosary before
bedtime will help them to learn the
prayers and the format.
First Holy Communion
On the May long weekend,
many of our grade two
students will receive the
Sacrament of Holy Communion
during the Saturday 5:00 p.m.
Mass at St. Jerome Parish.
Thank you to our devoted grade two
teachers, Mrs. Passarelli and Mrs. Stott,
for preparing our young students, and to
Father Jan for his spiritual leadership in
preparation for First Holy Communion. A
highlight for the children will be their
May 17th retreat, planned and facilitated
by their teachers, and held at the parish.
Sacrament of Confirmation
Many of our Grade 8 students will receive
the Sacrament of Confirmation at 7:00
p.m. on June 9th. We are grateful for the
faith formation efforts of Mr. Daniels and
Mr. Connelly in working with Father Jan
to prepare the students for this mature
commitment of faith and opening up to
the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
CONGRATULATIONS
ESL Stories Published
English as a Second Language (ELL)
students took part in a collaborative
writing project this year, which resulted
in a published book called: My Favourite
Place in the World-Our Voices 2011. This
publication is a compilation of the stories
and voices of many hundreds of English
Language Learners in the Dufferin-Peel
Board who participated by putting their
thoughts in writing about “My Favourite
Place in the World.” This book highlights
the valuable insights of English Language
Learners at various stages of language
acquisition.
The courage that ELL students displayed
in sharing their voices has been honoured
by publishing their work in its authentic,
original form, in a book entitled: My
Favourite Place in the World…Our Voices
2011.
Two of our students at Pauline Vanier
have been published in this book. We
would like to applaud Darien Bui and
Posi Ige for their contributions. They
have both received personal copies of Our
Voices 2011 for their efforts. A copy of
Our Voices 2011 and the National
Geographic Atlas have been placed in the
library for general circulation to all
students. Please visit the library to read
Posi and Bui’s fabulous stories!
Prestigious Leader’s Award
We would like to congratulate our
Director of Education, John Kostoff, who
was recently the recipient of the 2011
Distinguished Leadership Award from the
Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officer’s
Association. Congratulations Mr. Kostoff
for being recognized as a “true servant
leader.”
FOCUS ON NUTRITION
Breakfast Club-Join Now!
All students are welcome to join
Pauline Vanier’s popular
Breakfast Club. It is
never too late. There are
no stipulations, other
than a desire to enjoy a
healthy breakfast at the start the
day!
The Breakfast Club runs each
morning from 8:15 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Registration forms available at the school
office.
Healthy Food Choices
The Ministry has mandated
that foods for sale at school
must include healthy options.
For the remainder of this
school year we will continue with our pilot
project which offers a variety of healthy
food options—all of which meet the
Ministry guidelines.
Pizza Tuesday
Every Tuesday, for $2.00
per slice, students can
purchase pepperoni/cheese
or plain cheese pizza with a
delicious whole wheat crust prepared to
Ministry dietary specifications.
Healthy Snack Fridays
A taste-testing panel made up of two
students from each class approved a
selection of tasty snacks for sale each
Friday. Thanks to Ms. Tac and her
students for organizing the Healthy
Snack Tuck Shop. Some of the snacks
have been reduced to just $1.00—more
value for your money!
Bagel Lunch Days
Great Canadian Bagel is offering a lunch
pack for $4.50 including a
bagel or a hot dog, cream
cheese, fruit, drink, dessert.
Orders for the month of May
will go home shortly.
Nutri-lunch Program
Nutri-Lunch has been launched!
For
$2.75 per day students enrolled in the
program receive a lunch that includes a
sandwich, two fruits/vegetables, two sides
(popcorn, goldfish, etc), and a drink.
Lunches are delivered to the classroom
daily before school starts and the empty
containers are picked up in the afternoon.
For more information contact the school.
“Welcome to Kindergarten” Night
Kindergarten registrations for next Fall
are still being accepted at the school
office. Parents and newly registered
kindergarten students for the 2011-2012
school year are invited to attend a
“Welcome to Kindergarten” evening on
May 12th from 6:30p.m. to 7:30 p.m. On
that evening, families will participate in a
variety of fun activities and will receive a
gift bag of resources to help their child
successfully transition to life at school.
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Each year, at this time, we remind
parents about the opportunity to be part
of the School Council for the upcoming
school year. School Council is an integral
part of our school community. School
Council’s role includes offering advice to
the school administration, providing
feedback
on
school
policies
and
procedures, fund-raising, networking with
other School Councils, and organizing
parent workshops at the school level.
Early in September 2011, parents
interested in becoming part of the council
will be invited to submit their name for
School Council elections. We look forward
to the involvement of many new parents
next Fall, so please consider this
opportunity.
PARENT’S CORNER
Discipline that Works
Does your child sometimes test the limits
you set for him/her? It’s easy to get
frustrated when he/she doesn’t listen to
you. By having a clear plan for handling
misbehavior can help you stay calm and
get him/her back on track more quickly.
Try these suggestions:
Communicate clearly.
If you find
yourself repeating instructions several
times before your youngster “hears” you,
try getting his/her attention first. You
might gently touch him/her on the
shoulder and say his name. When he/she
makes eye contact, state exactly what you
need him/her to do, (“Please walk—don’t
run—in the house”).
Explain rules. Your child will be more
likely to follow rules if he/she understands
the reasons for them. Trying to explain
while he/she is still misbehaving can lead
to an argument.
Instead, wait until
he/she calms down.
Then say, for
instance, “You have to ask permission
before you go outside so I know where you
are.” Also, let him/her know the
consequence of breaking a rule (e.g.
staying inside for 30 minutes).
Look for reasons. When your youngster
has a day where he/she keeps getting into
trouble, find out if something is bothering
him/her. Example: “You seem out of
sorts today. Do you want to talk about
it?” Perhaps he/she argued with a friend
or got a low grade on a book report.
Talking about his/her problems lets
him/her see that you care—and may help
break the cycle of misbehavior.
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Flex Boundary
Parents who have requested flex
boundary admittance for their children
will be considered annually, taking into
consideration the number of students
enrolling at the school.
Each year,
students attending under the Flexible
Boundary Policy are required to submit
an annual Flex Boundary request. Please
submit this letter of request as soon as
possible for 2011-2012, if you have not
already done so.
Class Placements for 2010-2011
When determining class placements for
the Fall, criteria considered are:
academic ability and achievement, work
habits and study skills, social factors and
placement history. For various reasons
we are limited in our placement options.
However, we do our best to balance
classes, considering the best placement
to meet the individual needs of each
student. In the April newsletter, parents
were invited to submit relevant
information concerning class placement.
Letters that were received by the April
24th deadline will be given consideration.
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
EQAO Tutoring Program
Mrs. Stott and Mr.
Pavic
have
been
working tirelessly with
the Grade 3 and 6
students who are attending the EQAO
after school tutoring sessions held every
Monday and Thursday from 3:00 to 4:30
p.m. The students eagerly participate in
literacy and math lessons to improve their
basic skills and to prepare them for the
style of questioning typical of EQAO.
There is no fee for the tutoring program.
EQAO Tests
All grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario will
be participating in provincial assessments
scheduled to take place between May 30th
and June 10th. We ask that parents try
to avoid appointments or vacations during
the assessment periods. Helpful strategies
for preparing students for Provincial
Assessments:
1. Ensure your child gets a good
night sleep.
2. Ensure that they eat a nutritious
breakfast and pack a healthy lunch
and healthy snacks.
3. Makes this testing time as
pleasant and stress-free as possible
at home.
4. Encourage your child to do their
best but avoid any undue pressure.
5. Set aside some time to discuss the
assessments with your child
before, during and after the
appointed time block for EQAO.
Ontario Education Resource Bank
To access this site, visit the web-site:
www.ontario.ca/elearning . Scroll down to
the bottom and you will find the link to
the Ontario Educational Resource Bank.
For students and parents the user id is
dpcdsbstudent and the password is oerbs.
Once you are logged in, read the terms of
use, and click on I Agree. There are
thousands of resources including units,
lesson plans, activities, maps and
interactive learning resources. For more
information contact Sam Mercurio at the
board office at 905-890-0708 extension
24517.
Summer Literacy Camp 2011 (SK-6)
Once again, the board will be offering
Summer Literacy Camp. The camp is
designed to reinforce literacy for students
SK to Grade 6, who are performing at
Levels 1 or 2 on the provincial curriculum
for reading and writing. Literacy camp
provides
a
fun
and
innovative
environment for learners. The dates of
the camp are July 4th to July 29th. The
camp is from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
There is a fee for the camp and the
deadline for applications is June 1st, 2011.
Registration forms are available at our
school office. This program will be
offered at our school this year.
Elementary Summer School 2011
A remedial Literacy and Mathematics
summer school program for Grades 7 and
8 students will once again be offered this
year. The session runs from July 4th to
July 22nd from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Students must be recommended by their
principal. Bussing to St. Ursula School in
Brampton is provided at designated pick
up points. The program is free of charge.
Summer Advantage Workbooks
Flyers advertising this summer program
have been sent home earlier this week.
Please be advised that this is the same
program that has been available for the
last several years. Anyone interested in
purchasing this product is asked to
complete the order form that is in the
flyer.
Math Homework Help Line
The Math Homework Helpline provides
free, online math tutoring by certified
Ontario teachers for students in Grades 710. Students can access this help by
registering, using their OEN number, at
www.homeworkhelp.ilc.org. The site also
offers interactive tutorials and video
lessons.
ARE YOU TICKED?
Please check your property tax bill to
ensure your support is directed to the
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School
Board. You can verify your support by
contacting
the
board’s
Admissions
Department at (905) 890- 0708, ext. 24511
or 24512, or your local municipal office.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Hands-off policy
Parents are asked to remind their
children of the importance of keeping
their hands and feet to themselves. There
is never an excuse for physical aggression.
Students who are being teased or
bothered by their peers are reminded to
walk away and/or to report to an adult on
duty. Children need frequent reminders
that name-calling, put-downs and violence
are never appropriate responses to
disagreements or arguments, regardless
of the provocation, Parents are urged to
rehearse assertiveness skills with their
children such as saying firmly, “Stop,
leave me alone!”
•
•
•
•
•
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Playground Safety Rules
Keep your hands/ feet to yourselves
No verbal insults or inappropriate
language
Treat all people with respect
Respect school property
Play only non-contact games outside
Stay on school property at all times
Leave snow, ice, rocks and gravel on
the ground
Kiss and Ride
We continue to remind parents to drop off
children at the designated drop off point
at the end of the kiss and ride lane.
Please do not use the turn-about as a
drop off spot for passengers. If necessary, please park your vehicle and walk
your child from the car to the sidewalk
and/or kindergarten enclosure. Also, some
drivers are ignoring the signs prohibiting
parent vehicles in the staff parking lot.
There should be no drop offs or pick-ups
in this area. Also, recently vehicles
have been ticketed $150 fine for parking in a fire lane in front of the
school.
bicycles or scooters are not 100% safe. It
is suggested that expensive or hard-toreplace equipment be left at home. The
school cannot be responsible for loss or
damage of personal items.
Personal Treasures
A “personal treasure” is any item,
regardless of its monetary value, that
holds a personal significance to a person.
This might include jewelry, cards, stuffed
animals, a toy or a game. Parents are
asked to reinforce with their children that
such personal treasures should be left at
home to avoid tears and disappointment.
Important Safety Tips for Kids
Parents and guardians are encouraged to
regularly review the following important
safety tips with their children:
•
Do NOT talk to strangers
•
Go directly home from school or
directly to the babysitter’s after school
•
Walk to and from school with a buddy.
Avoid being alone if you can.
•
Inform your parents/babysitter of the
route you take to and from school
•
Talk to your parents about a plan on
where to get help, if necessary, when
going to and from school
•
When approached by a stranger, walk
or run to a place of safety such as
home or back to school
•
Play a “what if” game with your
parents to come up with ideas of what
you would do if, for some reason, you
are afraid on the way to and from
school
Bikes, Scooters and Roller-blades
A safety reminder to all
students that bikes, scooters
and roller blades are to be
walked both on and off the
school property. We remind students of
the importance of following traffic safety
rules when riding to and from school.
Remember, also, that even chained
•
Cross the street at a stop sign or with
a crossing guard
•
Look both ways before crossing the
street
•
Do not cross between parked cars.
Warm Weather Dress Code
With warm weather arriving,
it is important to review the
dress code and appropriate
dress for the school day. At all
times clothing should be
comfortable,
modest
and
appropriate for a Catholic school
environment. Here are a few commonsense guidelines:
 Skirts must reach the bottom of the
student’s fingertips when hands are
relaxed at their side.
 Shorts must be modest and tasteful.
Short-shorts, cut-offs and low-riding
shorts that reveal undergarments are
not permitted.
 Muscle shirts, tank tops, halter tops,
tube tops, spaghetti strap tops or tops
that reveal undergarments or a bare
back or midriff (even when they lift
their arms) are not permitted.
 Shirts with offensive, suggestive, violent or inappropriate slogans, pictures
or symbols are not permitted.
 Shoes must be worn at all times for
obvious health and safety reasons.
With all students involved in daily
physical activity, including outdoor
recess, it is recommended that sandals and open-toed shoes not be worn
to school.
 Protective measures such as hats,
sunglasses, and sunscreen are strongly encouraged for protection against
dangerous UV rays.
 Heavy make-up and jewelry are illadvised for school wear.
 Students are reminded that hats,
bandanas, hoods, or other head-gear
must be removed upon entering the
school building.
 Bottles of water are allowed in the
classroom only.
Caution
Students who come to school in
unacceptable attire may be asked to
phone their parents to arrange for a
change of clothing to be brought to the
school. Thank you, in advance, for
helping your child make appropriate
wardrobe selections for school.
No cell phones in school
Ministry and board policy
prohibits the use of cell phones
in the school or on school
property. Students have been
alerted that cell phones that are visible
will be confiscated and held in the office
until the end of the day (warning) or until
parents come to the school to retrieve the
device (repeated offences).
Punctuality
Late arrival at school continues to be a
problem for many students. Students
who are frequently late, without
explanation, will need to serve lunchtime
detentions with the Principal, in order to
recover the instructional time that has
been lost.
Are You Moving?
If you are planning to move out
of the Pauline Vanier area, or
simply changing addressees
within our boundaries, please
let the office know as soon as possible.
Also, it is imperative that you keep us
informed about changes in your place of
work and of day care arrangements. In
the event of an emergency, our records
need to be up-to-date so that we are able
to contact you if required.
MOTHER’S DAY PRAYER FOR MODERN MOM
We deliver our children once, in joy and pain,
then deliver them a hundred times more-to school,
to practices, to doctors’ appointments.
Watch over us Lord, and keep us safe,
as the mother eagle who guards her young.
We teach our little ones to stand and walk, carefully coaxing balance,
then jump in when we can to teach them balance in work,
in friendship, in serving others.
Guide them Lord, and keep them upright,
falling neither into harm nor selfishness.
We congregate as moms and families, whispering about worries
and passing on what works,
sharing wisdom from Grandma or Oprah,
stories heard in parking lots or bleachers.
Teach us, Lord, to lead with our love instead of our fears,
trusting that You are there beside us.
God of Leah and Rebekah, of Elizabeth and Mary,
be ever near all mothers today—in minivans and meetings,
in busy mornings and tired evenings, and grant us Your peace.
AMEN
DATES TO REMEMBER
May 12th- Welcome to Kindergarten
May 21st -First Communion 5:00 p.m.
May 23rd-Victoria Day
May 26th-Facebook 101 Parent Night Our Lady of Peace
School @ 7:00 p.m.
th
May 30 to June 10th-EQAO Testing Gr. 3 & Gr. 6
June 9th- 7:00 p.m. Confirmation
June 22nd -End of Year Mass
June 24th-Kindergarten Graduation
June 28th- Grade 8 Graduation Ceremony
June 30th-Last Day of School