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 #9
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Catholic Education will be celebrated
throughout the province of Ontario from
May 6th to May 11th. The theme this year is:
“Walking in the Light of Christ”. We hope
that some of you will be able to join us for
our Kick-off Assembly, Liturgy and Open
House on Monday morning, May 7th, at 9:15
a.m. in the school gym.
Catholic Education is both a privilege
and a challenge. In our secular world, it
is not always an easy task to infuse
Gospel values in the curriculum and the
culture of the school. Many other agendas
compete for our attention. However, by
setting aside this special week to
celebrate our distinctive identity as a
Catholic school, we acclaim the core
values that root us in Christ, His
teachings and His Church.
This month we also pause to give thanks
for our own mothers and for Mary, the
Mother of Jesus. We take this opportunity
to say Happy Mother‟s Day to mothers of
our students at Pauline Vanier School.
We hope they know how much they are
loved and appreciated by their children.
Fax: 905-455-3406
Superintendent: L. Kazimowicz 905-361-0146
Trustee:
A. DaSilva 905-890-0708
May 2012
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.
Together, we rejoice in the privilege of
participating in Catholic education,
whatever our various roles. As teachers
and parents, we 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
HEALTH AND WELLNESS DAY
On May 10th, all students and staff will participate in a full
day of exciting activities with guest speakers on
nutrition, dental hygiene, hand-washing, self-esteem, body
image, relationships and spiritual wellness.
FAITH
Walking in the Light of Christ
Our schools are walking places. The kids
walk, the teachers walk, even the
principal walks!
Walking is such a
normal part of human activity.
We
celebrate when a baby takes its first
tentative but independent steps. In our
Catholic schools there must be that
deliberate intention that the light in
which we walk is the Light of Christ.
When you walk through our school, the
feeling that you are walking in the Light
of Christ is palpable. The interaction of
student and teacher, the dialogue of
principal and staff, the presence of
parents in the school, the welcome
extended to the visitor, are embedded
with the conviction that we believe that
we are indeed walking in the Light of
Christ.
There are five sub-themes, one for each
day of Catholic Education Week:
Monday-Listening in the Light of Christ
Tuesday-Learning in the Light of Christ
Wednesday-Living in the Light of Christ
Thursday-Loving in the Light of Christ
Friday-Leading in the Light of Christ
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.
Every morning, over the PA, a Bible
passage is read to the students and then
classes take turns reflecting on the
meaning of the Gospel passage and
connecting it to the virtue of the month.
During the month of May, students share
prayers and reflections that they have
written, and challenge their peers to take
affirmative action to grow in the virtue of
acceptance.
May, the Month of Mary
Mary was a strong but
gentle woman.
She
had the courage to
question and then to
decide for herself. She
understood pain and
suffering,
and
throughout her trials
and tribulations, she continued to
respond, believe, listen and serve. Mary‟s
faith is a symbol for us all. She believed,
even when logic told her that it was
impossible. Under the Spirit‟s action,
Mary was transformed and at the end of
her life here on earth, she was assumed
into heaven. During this month of May,
we are called to hear the word and to
believe it. Mary continues to have much
to teach us.
p.m. Parents are encouraged to join us for
these celebrations.
First Holy Communion
Many of our Grade 2 students
received
their
First
Holy
Communion at St. Jerome Parish
on April 28th at the 5:00 p.m.
mass. The children showed us that they
are knowledgeable about the Eucharist,
demonstrating a prayerful posture
throughout the mass. Thank you to our
devoted grade two teachers, Mrs. Prlic,
Ms. Tersigni and Mrs. Cotic for preparing
our young students, and to Father Jan for
his spiritual leadership. A highlight for
the children was their First Communion
Retreat held on April 25th at St. Jerome
parish.
We
extend
our
sincere
congratulations to our precious First
Communicants and their families.
Praying the Rosary
Sacrament of Confirmation
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. The
rosary leads us to Jesus.
Many of our Grade 8
students will receive the
Sacrament of Confirmation
at 7:00 p.m. on June 6th.
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.
Praying the rosary is a good way to
introduce children to various Bible stories
that are the basis of the „mysteries of the
rosary‟. 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.
May Crowning Celebrations
We are pleased to inform parents that the
Legion of Mary is visiting the school on
Tuesday May 22nd to lead us in a Marian
celebration that will include the crowning
of Our Lady. Grades 4-6 will participate
from 9:20 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. and the
Primary students from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00
MILK BAGS FOR HAITI
Please continue to send in your empty
milk bags so they can be woven into
sturdy, washable sleeping mats for our
friends in Haiti. Ask your family,
friends and co-workers to join us—
together we can make a difference.
NUTRITION
Breakfast Club
All students are welcome
to join Pauline Vanier‟s
popular Breakfast Club.
It is never too late to join!
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 8:25 a.m. to 8:40 a.m.
Registration forms are 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 offer 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.
Cookie Day
Every Wednesday, students are invited to
buy a cookie snack for $1.00. These
cookies are low in sugar, fat, and salt,
and high in fibre. Pre-order forms go
home early in the week. All profits from
the cookie sales go towards the purchase
of horseshoe shaped guided reading tables
for the classrooms.
Healthy Snack Fridays
Thanks to Mrs. Brathwaite, our CYW,
and her team of keen Grade 5 girls, the
Healthy Snack Tuck Shop travels the
hallways to make nutritious snacks
available to any interested student.
Snacks range in price from $1.00 to $1.50!
Nutri-lunch Program
Nutri-Lunch is a big success! 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 prices
and more information about delivery and
pick up please 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 2012-2013
school year are invited to attend a
“Welcome to Kindergarten” evening on
May 17th 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, fundraising, networking with other School
Councils,
and
organizing
parent
workshops at the school level.
Early in September 2012, 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
opportunity.
please
consider
this
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
Pauline Vanier School; and our volunteer
secretary, Mrs. Gomes, for her faithful
devotion to us over the years. We are
blessed!
Flex Boundary
EQAO Tutoring Program
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 2012-2013, if you have not
already done so.
Class Placements for 2012-2013
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
deadline will be given consideration.
PROGRAM & CURRICULUM
Professional Activity Day
Please note that Friday, May 11th, 2012 is
a Professional Activity Day. There will be
no school for students on that day.
Administrative Assistant Day
Wednesday April 25th was Administrative
Assistant‟s Day. I would like to publicly
thank Mrs. Mijandrusic, our head
secretary for all she does on a daily
basis for students, parents, and staff of
Our OCT EQAO tutors 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 3:15 to 5:00 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 23rd
and June 6th. We urge parents to avoid
appointments or vacations during the
assessment periods. Helpful strategies for
preparing students for EQAO include:
1. Ensure your child gets a good night‟s
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 the board office at
905-890-0708 extension 24517.
Summer Literacy Camp 2012 (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 3rd to July 27th. You
can choose either a two or three week
option. The camp is from 9:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. No transportation is provided.
There is a fee for the camp and the
deadline for applications is June 1st, 2012.
Registration forms are available at our
school office.
The school has some
subsidies available for those who are
unable to pay. Please ask about this
opportunity. The Brampton locations are:
 Father C.W. Sullivan

St. Bonaventure

Lester B. Pearson

St. Isaac Jogues
Elementary Summer School 2012
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 3rd to
July 20th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Students must be recommended by their
principal.
Bussing is provided at
designated home school pick up points.
The program is free of charge.
The
Brampton location is St. Angela Merici.
For more information and registration
forms regarding these summer programs
please contact Pauline Vanier School or
visit
the
board
web-site
at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/CNE
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!”
Playground Safety Rules
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Keep your hands/ feet to yourselves
No verbal insults or foul language
Treat all people with respect
Respect school property
Play only non-contact games
Stay on school property at all times
Leave sand, rocks and gravel on the
ground
Baseball and Bats
It is that time of year when baseball and
softball are on the minds of many. For
safety reasons, hardballs, softballs and
bats are not allowed at school. Students
are able to use tennis balls or other soft
balls e.g. sponge balls.
Weapons or Facsimile Weapons
Students and parents are reminded of the
Catholic
Code
of
Conduct
policy
prohibiting the possession or use of a
weapon or a facsimile weapon on school
property, school buses or at authorized
school events.
There will be ZERO
TOLERANCE on this issue, as weapons
are considered to be either real or
perceived tools of intimidation and/or
aggression and, therefore have no place in
a Catholic school. Please caution your
children that even toy weapons will be
confiscated immediately and the student
will be dealt with accordingly, as per
Ministry and board protocols. Possession
or use of a weapon (real or facsimile) is
potentially a suspendable offence.
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. Note that, in the past, vehicles have been ticketed $150 fine
for parking in a fire lane in front of
the 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 bicycles or scooters are not
100% safe. It is suggested that expensive
or hard-to-replace equipment is 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 or
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, you are afraid on the
way to and from school
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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.
At all times clothing
should be comfortable,
modest and appropriate
for a Catholic school environment. Here
are a few common-sense 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.
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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.
Here Comes the Sun
With the arrival of warmer
weather we are aware of the
concerns regarding the ultra
violet rays. There are a number
of scheduled outdoor activities
and field trips during the months of
May and June. We encourage you to
dress your children for the events and
weather. For example, hats, T Shirts
with sleeves, etc. You may also wish to
consider the use of sunscreen with an SPF
of 15 or greater.
We cannot accept
responsibility for applying sunscreen at
school.
Recommendations from Peel Health to
reduce the effects of radiation include:
 Wear protective clothing to cover
the skin
 Wear a hat to protect both the eyes
and skin on the head, particularly
if there is little hair (students are
reminded to remove hats before
they enter the school building).
 Wear sunscreen (it is available in a
variety of protection factors-the
higher the factor number, the
greater the protection).
 Stay out of direct sunlight i.e.
remain
in
shaded
areas,
particularly during midday, when
the sun‟s rays are most direct.
 Know your skin type, for examplefair-skinned people are more
sensitive to ultra-violet radiation.
Parents
please
reinforce
these
recommendations with your children.
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
emergency, our records need to be up-todate so that we are able to contact you if
required.
FREE MONEY for your kids.
Was your child born after 2004? Is your
family income less than $42,000 per year?
If you answered yes to both of these
questions, then your child is entitled to
receive $2,000 in FREE money provided
by the Government of Canada Learning
Bond
(CLB)-Registered
Education
Savings Plan (RESP). Eligible children
will receive $500 at registration for the
RESP, and an additional $100 annually
until they reach 15 years of age. No
parental contribution is required.
The Peel Post-Secondary Strategy:
Enrolled by Six is a regional strategy to
engage all sectors and partners to enroll
every child in Peel for the CLB. Learn
more about how you can register your
child(ren).
Visit us online at: www.pcyi.org or call
our information line: 905-890-9432 (local),
905-890-8089 (TTY), 1-888-836-5550 (long
distance).
Late arrival at school continues to be a
problem for many students.
Those
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 change
addresses 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
Souvenir School Year Book
This month is your last
opportunity to order our 2012
school yearbook. The cost is
$25.00 per copy. Please make
cheques payable to Pauline
Vanier School. Yearbooks will
be delivered before the end of
the school year.
OUR HERITAGE HIGHLIGHT
Dufferin-Peel Region
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.
What is the current number of
Catholic schools in Dufferin-Peel?
While Dufferin-Peel continues to grow
throughout the region, our population as
of 2009 was 87,000 students, with an
additional 43,000 adult continuing
education learners.
Our board has
261,645 Roman Catholic electors and
today, the board operates 148 schools, 26
secondary schools and 122 elementary
schools. Our board supports 38 Catholic
parishes in our region. As an employer
we have over 10,000 employees and
Dufferin-Peel operates 1,406 buses every
day in the region to transport students to
and from school.
From: An Historical Understanding of
Key Issues Related to Catholic Education,
March, 2008.
MY DEAR MOTHER
Mary, Virgin Mother of Jesus
And my dear Mother, too.
I give myself to you,
That you may protect me
And guide me to Jesus,
your Son.
Keep me from all sin
That I may love Jesus
With a pure love
As you always did.
May I always enjoy
The help of your prayers,
For you bring us life and
salvation
Through Jesus Christ
your Son.
AMEN
A PRAYER FOR MOTHERS
God our Creator, we pray:
For new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
For expectant mothers, wondering and waiting
For those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
For those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
For those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
For those whose children have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities;
For those who raise children on their own;
For those who have lost a child;
For those who care for the children of others;
For those whose children have left home;
And for those whose desire to be a mother
has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their lives may be deep and tender,
And that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
Living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
AMEN
DATES TO REMEMBER
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May 7th Catholic Education Week Liturgy/Open House
9:15 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
th
May 10 Health and Wellness Day
May 11th PA DAY NO SCHOOL
May 17th Hot Lunch Day
May 17th Welcome to Kindergarten 6:30 p.m.
May 22nd Legion of Mary Celebrations
9:20 a.m. Grades 4-8
1:00 p.m. Primary
May 23rd-June 6th EQAO test period
May 24th Hot Dog Day
June 6th Confirmation 7:00 p.m.
June 11th PA Day-Assessment, Evaluation, Reporting
June 15th Grade 8 Niagara Falls Trip
June 21st End of Year Mass
June 22nd Kindergarten Graduation
June 26th Report Cards Home
June 26th Grade 8 Graduation
June 28th Graduation Luncheon