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
NEWSLETTER #8
A Holy Week Prayer
I thank you, Lord Jesus,
for becoming a human being
so I do not have to pretend or try to be God.
I thank you, Lord Jesus,
for becoming finite and limited
so I do not have to pretend that
I am infinite and limitless.
I thank you, crucified God,
for becoming mortal
so I do not have to try
to make myself immortal.
I thank you, Lord Jesus,
for becoming inferior
so I do not have to pretend
that I am superior to anyone.
I thank you for being crucified
outside the walls,
for being expelled and excluded
like the sinners and outcasts,
so you can meet me where I feel that I am,
always outside the walls of worthiness.
-Fr. Richard Rohr-
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
The most sacred time in the life of the Christian
is upon us --Holy Week. Entering into the Paschal
Mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection
brings us face-to-face with our own human
Fax: 905-455-3406
Superintendent: L. Kazimowicz 905-361-0146
Trustee:
A. DaSilva 905-890-0708
April 2012
frailties and the realization of just how much we
are like Judas, Peter and the fickle crowds who
vacillated between cries of “Hosanna” and
“Crucify him!.” As adults, we are humbled by the
admission of our own sinfulness, on the one
hand, and the sober responsibility of modeling a
living faith to our children, on the other hand.
We know that our children are hungry to know
God and to be in relationship with God.
At this time of year, parents and teachers strive
to place a heightened emphasis on discussions
about religion and spirituality, so that our
children will come to appreciate the beauty and
mystery of our Catholic Christian faith story.
We meditate on the sacrifice that Jesus made on
Good Friday and anticipate recalling His glorious
Resurrection on Easter Sunday. We help
children to see that Jesus’ mission was to teach
the Good News, heal the broken-hearted, and
liberate the marginalized. We reflect on how this
mission led Him to a torturous death that he
willingly embraced for us. We rejoice that the
Risen Christ animates this mission today!
On behalf of all staff at Pauline Vanier School, I
extend best wishes for a Holy Easter Season. We
pray that our families are strengthened by the
liturgies they attend during Holy Week, and that
each one enjoys an outpouring of God’s grace to
sustain them in the months ahead, as we continue
to build a school community where we “learn and
grow together with God”.
Wendy Bodsworth
FAITH
ShareLife In 1976, Archbishop Philip Pocock
established ShareLife, the
annual charitable fundraising
appeal of the Archdiocese
of Toronto, ensuring people
have access to social services based on Catholic values
and respect for the sanctity of life at all stages.
The annual appeal helps to make a difference to
some of the most needy and isolated people in
our community. Your generosity helps to support Family Services, International Development
and Missions, Education of Clergy, Children and
Youth Programs, People with Special Needs,
Services for the Elderly, Fundraising, Single and
Teen Parents, Catholic Charities Agency Support/Volunteering, Grant in Aid Agencies and
Immigrants and Refugees. We thank you for
your generous support of the annual ShareLife campaign!
At Pauline Vanier School we have undertaken
spirit days, dress down Fridays for staff, Pretzels
for Lent and many other fund-raising efforts to
support ShareLife. To find out how ShareLife
contributes to our community, and to learn more
about how you can help, we encourage you to
visit www.sharelife.org. It is important to note
that Share Life does not keep any percentage of
our donations for administration costs. If you
have any questions about Sharelife, their international partners, or their humanitarian relief efforts please call the ShareLife office at: 416934-3411 or 1-800-263-2595.
Stations of the Cross
April’s Virtue
~Love
Jesus made one lesson clear above all others
– the lesson of unconditional love. Love is
about forgetting ourselves and looking out for
the good of others. That’s what Jesus did; he
chose to give up his life for the good of others –
us!
Becoming a truly loving person is
challenging! It takes prayer and concentration to
get used to making little sacrifices for the good
of others. Through sincere daily effort, we can
get better at showing love to everyone we meet.
On Wednesday April 4th you are invited to join
us as we journey through
the ―Stations of the
Cross‖ depicting the
passion and death of
Christ. In His journey
from being condemned to
death
outside
the
Sanhedrin by Pontius Pilate, to His crucifixion
on Calvary Hill, Jesus suffered unbelievable
pain and humiliation. We commemorate the
Way of the Cross with love, because Christ
embraced his suffering out of obedience to his
Father and out of love for each of us.
Paradoxically, we see in these awful events an
amazing beauty. Please join us for one of our
two scheduled liturgies, at either 1:00 p.m. on
Wednesday afternoon, or 6:30 p.m. on
Wednesday evening in the gym. Students from
Grades 4-8 along with their teacher leaders Ms.
Tac, Ms. Sementilli and Mrs. J. DeSouza have
worked hard throughout Lent to prepare for this
devotional dramatization.
First Communion Date
Our Grade 2 students who are preparing for the
Sacrament of Eucharist look forward to making
their First Holy Communion at St. Jerome Parish
at the 5:00 p.m. Mass on Saturday April 28th.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL HERITAGE
How did Catholic high schools survive? Catholic parents and students paid tuition after grade
ten. Parents held fundraisers, parish priests contributed money from Sunday collections. Many
separate school boards, including Dufferin Peel,
opened intermediate division (grades 7-10)
schools. With the vital assistance of the religious
teaching Orders, the diocese continued to operate private Catholic high schools and opened
new ones. In fact, Philip Pocock, the archbishop
of Toronto, decided in 1971 to open one new
Catholic high school in the archdiocese every
year until the government approved tax/ grant
funding for grades eleven to thirteen.
Confirmation Date
Confirmation candidates from Pauline Vanier
School who have enrolled at St. Jerome’s Parish
will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation at
the parish on Wednesday June 6th at 7:00 p.m.
St. Jerome Parish News
All members of our school community are
reminded that the mass schedule for Holy Week
April 1-8th is as follows. Holy Thursday, April
5th at 8:00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
followed by Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
until midnight. Good Friday, April 6th at 11:00
am and 3:00 pm, Celebration of the Lord’s
Passion; 8:00 pm The Way of the Cross. Easter
Vigil, April 7th at 8:00 pm. Easter Sunday, April
8th, The Resurrection of the Lord; 9:00 am,
10:30 am and 12:00 noon. Please make it a
priority to attend.
Schools and parishes across the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board will
host many special events and activities during the week of May 6 to May 11, as students and staff celebrate Catholic Education
Week. This year’s theme is Catholic Education: Walking in the Light of Christ.
For more information visit the Ontario
Catholic School Trustee’s web-site at:
www.ocsta.on.ca.
FOCUS ON NUTRITION
Breakfast Club-New Members Welcome!
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! At Breakfast Club, students are
also offered nutritious snacks to take with them
for recess. The Breakfast Club is made possible
thanks to the shared sponsorship from the Boys
and Girls Club and Breakfast Clubs of Canada.
If you would like your child to participate in this
program, please phone the school office and we
will arrange for a permission form to be sent
home with your child. The Breakfast Club runs
each morning from 8:25 a.m. to 8:40 a.m.
Thank you to the many staff and parents who
have volunteered to assist with the Breakfast
Club. A special thanks to Mrs. Maria DeSouza
for her devoted leadership at the Breakfast Club.
If you are interested in signing up your children
for our Breakfast Club please call the school
office.
Healthy Food Choices A Priority
The Ministry has mandated that
foods for sale at school must
include healthy options. For the
remainder of this school we will
continue with our pilot project
which offers a variety of healthy food options—
all of which meet the Ministry guidelines.
Pizza & Healthy Snack 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.
The Pizza
Crew (Grade 8 boys) distribute the Pizza every
Tuesday, coordinated by our
Child and Youth Worker, Ms.
Brathwaite. We appreciate Ms.
Brathwaite’s commitment and enthusiasm!
Wednesday Cookie Day $1.00
Nutritious cookies are available every
Wednesday for $1.00. The jumbo cookies are
individually wrapped and available in four
delicious flavours.
We are pleased to
announce that we no longer require preorders for COOKIES. After several weeks of
cookie sales, we now have a good idea of the
quantities to order, so in the interests of
streamlining our operation and saving paper,
there will be NO PRE-ORDER FORMS
required. Students are simply invited to bring a
loonie to school on Wednesday mornings!
Friday is Healthy Snack Day $1.50
Every Friday Mrs. Brathwaite’s Healthy Snack
Team visit classrooms offering a variety of
nutritious Ministry-approved healthy snacks for
sale: $1.50 each or $2.50 for 2 snacks. Profits
are going to the purchase of Guided Reading
Tables in the Literacy Room.
Nutri-lunch Program
Nutri-Lunch is a very successful lunch program
at our school.
The lunch
includes a sandwich, two
fruits/vegetables, two sides
(popcorn, goldfish, etc), and a
drink. Lunches are delivered
to the classroom before school starts and the
empty containers are picked up after lunch.
Order forms were distributed the last week of
March for the month of April. The daily cost for
the program is
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Next School Council Meeting
th
Please join us in the school library on April 10
at 6:30 p.m. for our next School Council
Meeting. We appreciate the energy, input and
enthusiasm of our wonderful School Council
and urge you to become part of this dynamic
group.
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 2012-2013
Towards the end of this term, staff will begin a
series of meetings to discuss the placement of
students for this September. When determining
placements, 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. If you
have any specific concerns about your child’s
placement for September, we ask that you put
these in writing to the school no later than May
1st, 2012. Only information pertaining to the
following will be considered:
 child’s strengths or needs
 description of child’s learning style
 type of learning environment you feel will
be best for your child
We remind you that it would not be appropriate
to request one teacher over another as teacher
placements are subject to change. However, if
there is other relevant information regarding
your son/daughter’s learning style, or other
considerations of which we ought to be aware,
please advise us of these facts in your letter. No
letter will be after May 1st, 2012.
Please be aware that it is not always possible to
satisfy parent requests, particularly in regards
to combined grades. We are confident that the
curriculum programs for combined grades that
have been developed by the Ministry and our
board ensure that students enrolled in these
classes receive the same quality education that
children in straight grades enjoy. We hope that
you can appreciate that the final decision about
class placements must remain with school staff
and the administration.
No cell phones in school
Ministry and board policy prohibits
the use of cell phones and other
Personal Electronic Devises 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).
all students of dress code expectations. Your
assistance in ensuring that your child is dressed
appropriately is appreciated.
HEALTH & SAFETY
News from Peel Health
A number of parents have received information
specific to their child(ren)’s immunization
record from Peel Public Health. It is the responsibility of the parent to update these records
in a timely fashion or risk suspension of their
child(ren) from school.
To contact Peel Public Health or submit an
immunization record:
• Submit records online at
www.immunizepeel.ca
• Call 905-799-7700
• Fax records to 905-789-0597
Punctuality
Late arrivals at school continue to be a problem
for many students. Students who are repeatedly
late, (without reasonable explanation), are
required to serve one or more lunchtime
detentions with the principal in order to pay
back 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 now 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.
Dress Code
School Board Policy states that all
students are expected to dress to
standards of neatness, cleanliness,
modesty and good taste. Certain items
i.e.: shirts with inappropriate logos/
wording, exposure of undergarments or midriffs,
tight or torn clothing, short skirts/shorts, p.j.
bottoms are contrary to both the philosophy of
our Catholic School teachings and to the
standards we set as parents and educators. With
warmer weather soon on its way, we will remind
Be Wise About School Protocols
Please review the following Safe School Procedures to help us to continue to provide a safe
learning environment for your children.
1) The school day begins at 8:40 a.m. Kiss N’
Ride is supervised from 8:25 a.m.to 8:40
a.m. daily. Please do not drop off your children, or send them to school before these
times, as supervision is not available; ensure
students arrive on time to begin classes at
8:40 a.m.
2) Parents/guardians are asked to pick their
children up at the main office and to sign
them out if they are leaving the school early;
3) If students are returning from an appointment during the day, parents/ guardians are
asked to sign students back in at the main
office;
4) Please continue to phone in your child’s absences;
5) All parents/visitors must sign in at the office
and receive a visitor’s sticker;
6) Parents are not to be in the school yard at
any time. All students are to exit at their assigned doors with their class and meet their
parents on the sidewalk areas of the school
yard.
We appreciate your continued co-operation,
support and understanding.
Medication
If your child needs to be given
medication of any kind at school,
specific forms must be obtained from
the school and completed by your
doctor. Under no circumstances can
medication be stored or given out until the
appropriate forms are returned to school.
Fire Drills/Lockdown
A s Lockdown drill will be
practiced with staff and students
this term, along with three more
fire drills as per Board policy.
It is vital to be well prepared in the event of an
actual evacuation or emergency situation.
Leaving School Grounds at Lunch
On occasion, students who stay for lunch on a
regular basis may have
parental permission to leave
school property during the
lunch hour. For younger
students, parents/guardians are
required to come into the
school to sign their child out. Older students
(Gr. 7/8) leaving for lunch must have a dated
and signed note indicating your permission for
them to leave the property. At noon, your child
must sign out at the office and then sign back in
at the office when they return to school.
Bikes, Scooters and Rollerblades
A safety reminder to all students that bikes, scooters and
roller blades are to be walked
both on and off the school
property. Bikes are to be
locked in the bike racks. We do not have facilities to store or secure roller blades or scooters,
so there is an added risk of damage or theft and
they are not encouraged to be brought to school.
The school is not responsible for these items.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
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 and feet to yourselves
No verbal insults or inappropriate language
Treat all people with respect
Respect school property
Play only no contact games outside
Stay on school property at all times
Keep rock, sand and gravel on the ground
Kiss and Ride
We continue to remind parents to abide by the
rules and 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. This is an
extremely dangerous practice. There are no staff
members on duty in the turn circle and it is a
very congested area at peak times.
The only
approved practice is to properly park your
vehicle and walk your child from the car to the
sidewalk and/or kindergarten enclosure. It has
also come to our attention that 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 either.
PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM
“Welcome to Kindergarten”
Kindergarten registrations for next
fall are still being accepted at the
school office. Parents and newly
registered kindergarten students for 2012-2013
are invited to attend a
―Welcome to
Kindergarten‖ evening at the school on May
17th. 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. Parents
of first-time kindergarten students please contact
the school office to let us know if you plan to
attend the Welcome to Kindergarten evening.
E.Q.A.O. Testing -- Grades Three and Six
A reminder that this year the EQAO assessment
for Grade 3 and Grade 6 students will run from
May 30th to June 10th. We ask that parents of
students in these grades ensure that their
children are in attendance for the full day during
these weeks. Detailed information regarding
testing days will be sent home with students in
the weeks ahead.
Further information about EQAO assessments is
available at:
http://www.eqao.com
EQAO After-School Tutoring Program
We are pleased to announce that 30 students
in Grades 3 and 6 are enrolled in afterschool tutoring to prepare them for the
upcoming EQAO Tests. Ms. Tersigni, Mr.
Gredi, Mr. Sponagle, Ms. Vivaldo and Mrs.
Pinto are certified Ontario teachers who are
teaching these classes on Tuesday and
Thursday after school from 3:15 p.m. to
5:00 p.m. Our teachers are pleased with the
enthusiasm and focus of the participants,
who are eager to improve their skills in
Math and Literacy.
REMINDERS
Milk Bags for Haiti
We continue to urge families to send in the
outer plastic coloured milk bag which is
donated to organizations that weave strips of
plastic into waterproof, durable and hygienic
sleeping mats. This is a wonderful way to
combine our ecological goal of recycling
with our Catholic social justice mandate.
Please keep those milk bags coming in!
ShareLife Pretzel Day-$2.00
All students will receive a fresh baked
pretzel on Holy Thursday
morning to commemorate
the events of the Last
Supper. An information
flyer on the tradition of
the pretzel, along with a recipe for
homemade pretzels will be coming home
this week. Please send $2.00 with your
child no later than Thursday morning to
help defray the cost of the pretzels. Any
profits from this event will be contributed to
the St. Jerome ShareLife campaign at St.
Jerome Parish.
Dr. Simone Canadian Food for Children
The Youth Faith Ambassadors are collecting
Soap, Salt, Sugar and Rice during the
Lenten Season. This drive is in response to
a plea from Dr. Simone’s Canadian Food for
Children who reports severe shortages
worldwide in these basic commodities.
Please give generously.
We would
appreciate a donation of these items as the
“admission fee” to our Wednesday
performances of the Stations of the Cross.
Day of Pink-April 11th
All students are invited to participate in the
Day of Pink, April 11th, in support of our
school’s bullying prevention efforts. Day of
Pink won international acclaim because of
the power of a group of teenage boys who
stuck up for one of their peers, a young
adolescent boy who was being teased
mercilessly for wearing a pink shirt. In
solidarity with this victim of bullying, a
group of very popular students arrived at
school the next day wearing pink. Thus, the
DAY of PINK was born. Please encourage
your child/ren to wear an item of pink
clothing on April 11th in recognition of the
importance of by-stander involvement in
speaking out against bullying.
Summer Literacy Camp
Summer Literacy Camp will be held at a variety
of locations from July 3 – 27, 2012. This extremely worthwhile program is offered to children S.K. to Grade 6 at a cost of $200 for first
two weeks, $210 for the second two weeks and
$380 for all four weeks. The deadline for applications is June 1st. Your child’s teacher has further information available. Please note: Transportation is not provided.
Grade 7 and 8 Summer School
Grade 7 and 8 students are eligible to attend
Remedial Literacy and Numeracy classes from
July 3 – 20, 2012. There is no cost for the
program and busing is provided. The deadline
for applications is June 7th. If you believe that
your child would benefit from this program, or
would like more information please contact your
child’s teacher for an application or go online at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/CNE.
ARE YOU TICKED?
Please be sure that 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) 8900708, ext. 24511 or 24512, or your local
municipal office.
UPCOMING
EVENTS
Mark Your Calendar
April 4th-Way of the Cross
6:30 p.m.
April 5th-Holy Thursday Pretzel
Day-bring $2.00
April 6th-GOOD FRIDAY
-no school
April 8th-Easter Sunday
April 9th-Easter Monday
-no school
th
April 11 -Dietician presents at
School Council
th
April 11 -Day of Pink Bullying
Prevention
April 12th-Easter Mass 9:30 a.m.
April 19th-Career Day
April 25th-Hot Dog Day
April 28th-First Communion
5:00 p.m. Mass
th
May 10 -Healthy Living Day
May 11th-PA DAY No School
May 17th-Welcome to
Kindergarten 6:30.m.
May 23rd EQAO BEGINS
June 6th –Confirmation
June 26th- Graduation
June 28th Graduation Luncheon