January 2015 Newsletter the sacrament of First Reconciliation on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 12:00 noon. First Communion on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 12:00 pm at St. Jerome’s Parish. Pauline Vanier Catholic School 56 Oaklea Blvd, Brampton, Ontario, L6Y 4W7 Phone: 905-455-1001 Fax: 905-455-3406 Website: http:// www.dpcdsb.org// pvani Principal: I. Maas Superintendent L. Papaloni Trustee A. daSilva D. D’Souza 905-890-0708 Head Secretary: T. Winckler St. Jerome’s Parish 8530 Chinguacousy Rd. Brampton Phone:905-4554260 Fax: 905-450-6326 Website: http// www.stjeromeparish. ca Pastor: Fr. Jan Kolodynski School Council Chair K. LaNave Professional Activity Days Epiphany Prayer Lord Jesus, As you led the Three Kings to You by the light of the star, please draw us ever closer to You by the light of the Faith. Help us to desire You as ardently as they did. Give us the grace to overcome all obstacles that keep us far from You. May we, like them, have something to give You when we appear before You. Mary, Our Mother, help us to know Your Son. Amen Grade 8 Confirmation Enrollment Enrollment for students registered to receive the sacrament of confirmation will take place the weekend of January 10 and 11, 2015 at all masses. Students will be called to the altar during the mass as part of the enrollment. Grade 2 First Communion Enrollment Enrollment for students registered to receive the sacrament of first communion will take place the weekend of January 24 and 25 at all masses. Students will be called to the altar during the mass as part of the enrollment. On Monday, January 19th, 2015 staff will be involved in assessment and evaluation activities. There is no school for students on this day. On Friday, February 6th, 2015 staff will be spending the school day conducting Parent/Student/Teachers interviews. There is no school for students on this day. Reporting Periods Report cards for the first term for grades 1-8 will go home on Tuesday, February 3, 2015. Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences for students in all grades (including Kindergarten) will take place on the evening of Thursday, February 5th and during the day on Friday, February 6th. More information regarding the conferences will be sent home during the week of January 19th 2015. Full-Day Kindergarten Registration for 2015-16 Registration for the 2015-16 school year will be held at Pauline Vanier on the following dates. Monday, January 26, 2015 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.* *Snow Date: Tuesday, January, 27, 2015- 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, January 28th, 29th and 30th , 2015 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Sacrament Dates for Grade 2 Students Our Grade 2 students who have already registered at St. Jerome’s Parish will receive Year One -Children must be 4 years old by December 31,2015 Year Two- Children must be 5 years old by December 31, 2015 Learning and Growing Together with God Parents/Guardians should bring the following documents when registering their child: proof of age of the child (birth certificate or passport) original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate (for parent/guardian and/or child) or Baptismal Certificate of other rites in communion with the Holy See of Rome updated immunization records proof of Canadian Citizenship or Landed Immigrant status NEW- 2 items that prove home address (utility bill, property tax bill, real estate document (i.e. purchase and sale agreement or a rental agreement) for schools in Caledon and Dufferin County: emergency rural address numbers for identifying your property proof of English Separate School Support (may be Transportation Information In the November and December newsletters information about media outlets who would be announcing school bus cancellations and school closures was included. If you would like to receive another copy please contact the office. If you have access to the internet you may check the Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) website for cancellation and/or to see if your child(ren)’s bus is delayed and by how long it is delayed. The STOPR website is www.stopr.ca done at the time of registration by completing an Application For the Direction of School Support and/or a Separate School Lease Agreement available at the school) Students currently in Year One (JK) do not need to register for Year Two (SK) For more information, call Pauline Vanier at 905-455-1001 Kiss & Ride We would like to thank those who have been using the Pauline Vanier “Kiss and Ride Program”. However, in order for it to continue to run smoothly and safely both before and after school for all our students, everyone needs to follow the same procedure: Extended French Information Meeting St. Monica will be hosting an Extended French Program Information meeting for parents/guardians of Grade Four students who wish to register for the program. The extended French Program starts in Grade Five, with students receiving 50% of curriculum instruction in the French Language. Parents are encouraged to speak to your child’s classroom teacher and French teacher to discuss the suitability of this opportunity for your child. Interested parents and students are invited to this presentation on Wednesday, January 14th, 2015 at 7 pm at St. Monica School (60 Sterritt Drive, Brampton L6Y 5B6). Applications will be accepted at St. Monica until 3:00 pm on Tuesday, February 17th, 2015. 1. Students are expected to exit the vehicle when the vehicle reaches the front of the Kiss & Ride line where a staff member is on duty. 2. In order to ensure the safety of your children, please only let your children get out on the right hand side of the vehicle. Please never allow them to exit on the left side of the vehicle, as it is the designated drive thru lane. 3. Never drive or park in the bus lane at the front of the school. This is reserved for busses. 4. During Dismissal Kiss & Ride students will be waiting near the Kindergarten fence and will be escorted by staff to the car at the front of the line. 5. If you need to walk your child to school or you need to stop at the office, please park in the parking lot or on the street if it is allowed. DO NOT PARK in the “Kiss And Ride” lane or the PLASP Daycare parking lot. We appreciate your co-operation in following these procedures. Your child(ren)’s safety is our main concern. Dressing for the Weather Just a gentle reminder that students should be continuing to dress warmly for outdoor recesses. Health officials indicate that the fresh air is good for children, not harmful, as long as children are dressed appropriately. Except when the weather is extremely cold or wet, the students will be going outside during the recess and lunch periods. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board policy states that consideration should be given for keeping students indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches –20C. At –25C students will be kept indoors. Playing outdoors is a pleasant and healthy activity when students are wearing suitable clothing. Snow Stays on the Ground As the winter weather begins, students are reminded that “Snow is not to be thrown or kicked.”. Every child in the school was made aware of the importance of this rule in preventing injury to others. Please assist us by reviewing with your child the dangers of throwing snowballs and the importance of preventing injury to other children. If your child throws/kicks snowballs or snow they will receive a ‘snowball’ letter and we ask that you review it with your child, sign it and return it to the school the next day. Together we will continue to create a school yard which is safer for all during winter. The Snow Fort Code of Ethics is as follows: At Pauline Vanier, we enjoy building snow forts and structures. We will abide by the following agreements: We do not destroy snow forts/structures. This agreement is in effect during and after school hours. Everyone who builds a fort/structure has to agree to changing it or breaking it down. We need an invitation to go into a snow fort. We do not take snow blocks from other group’s structure unless we have their permission. We do not take over other group’s snow forts/structure. Student Illness—Staying in During Recess Students who are ill should be kept home where they are most comfortable and can get better, sooner. A child who is too ill to go out for recess is too ill to be at school. Your co-operation to keep your child home when he/she is ill is appreciated. Storage/ Administration of Medication If your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms completed and returned with the prescribed medication to the office as soon as possible. A reminder that children are not allowed to keep any medication in their desk, backpack or classroom (with the exception of an epi-pen and inhalers if reactions are severe). All dispensing of prescribed medication requires medical permission and must be stored in the office. Reporting Student Absences Snow Fort/Structure Code of Ethics As in the past, we ask that you call the school on the morning or afternoon that your child is absent or late. This measure is to ensure the safety of your child. Our phone number is 905-455-1001. You can also leave a message on our answering machine at any time during the day or night. Students who leave early must be signed in and out at the office by a parent or with written notification. At Pauline Vanier we encourage students to spend their Dry Clothing Reminder recess breaks engaged in healthy, safe, and productive activities. Students typically spend time engaged in a variety We ask that students keep an extra pair of mittens, pants of activities including the building of snow structures or and socks in their backpacks or at school in case the items forts during the winter months. In response to concerns they were wearing have become wet. evolving from the building of these structures we will be continuing to implement a ‘Snow Fort Code of Ethics’. The code is intended to serve as an on-going reminder to all students to continue to value and respect the efforts of others and sets clear guidelines around these structures so students can continue to enjoy recesses building snow forts. Personal Electronic Devices Catch the Spirit…Pass It On! YFA Update We would like to remind parents and students of the Dufferin-Peel Personal Electronic Devices policy which states To promote respect for the dignity of all members of our school community and to enhance student achievement and safety, the use of a PED is strictly prohibited in the school (including portables) or during school related activities (such as retreats, field trips, sports events, etc.). Failure to comply with this policy may result in the confiscation of the PED and/or disciplinary action as outlined in the Catholic Code of Conduct 2001. The school and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board assume no responsibility for the loss, recovery, repair or replacement for any PED brought onto school property. It is the policy of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board that PEDs are to be kept out-of-sight, turned off and not used within school premises or during school sanctioned events. To prevent the loss or damage of PEDs, the school encourages students to leave their PEDs at home. The Youth Faith Ambassadors have been very busy since September. They began the year with presentations in classrooms revolving around the Virtue of Empathy. They are actively involved in preparations for school masses. In November, they facilitated the fall food drive for the Knights of Columbus. In December, the library looked like Santa’s workshop as the YFA’s coordinated the Candy Grams for Share Life for the entire school. We raised $427.00. Thank you for all your support. On January 8 th, our grade 7 and 8 YFA’s participated in the Youth Faith Ambassador Commissioning Mass. All YFA members are busy preparing for Spirit Week which takes place at the end of January. Watch for other exciting YFA events and activities to come. Eco News from the Green Ninjas January Virtue of the Month is SELF CONTROL Happy New Year Pauline Vanier! The Green Ninja's are eager to start the new year off by letting everyone know that we will be beginning our Eco challenges at the end of January. We are in the process of making posters and preparing our presentations to inform our school community about the initiatives we would like to start monitoring in every class. We will be continuing our Ban the Bottle Mondays, Lights Off Tuesdays, Wasteless Wednesdays and finally Recyclable Thursdays. In addition to all of these initiatives, we would like to remind everyone that we will be monitoring the lights out at lunch as well. We must be conscious of how we are using our energy. Don't be an energy HOG! We will be watching for the most Eco-Friendly class for the 2014-15 year. We look forward to doing our part in helping us maintain our Silver status, however, we are hoping we can all work together and go for GOLD! God has given us the ability to choose. We are able to control how we react to what happens around us. We’ve all “lost it” at one time or another. We are never proud of those moments. As soon as they happen we make a promise that they will not happen again. Through prayer and concentration, we can get better at controlling our reactions. We can get better at showing self control. When we all use self-control, we can be sure that our school will be a safe, caring, and inclusive place to live and learn. A person with Self-Control: Is patient Knows how to wait his/her turn Can calm him/herself down and think before reacting to situations Knows how to avoid physical aggression Can think things through and do what is best for everyone Bullying Prevention Corner– Conflict is Inevitable; Bullying is Not Dates to Remember Tuesday, Jan. 13 The key message in January is “conflict is inevitable, bully- Wednesday, Jan. 14 ing is not.” Through daily announcements and lessons students will be given the opportunity to learn how to differentiate bullying from daily conflict situations everyone faces. Everyone faces conflict in daily life and through it can learn to negotiate and build relationships. Bullying is a form of violence that leaves no room for negotiation and seeks to tear others down rather than build relationships. Tips for parents: -help your children apply the definition of bullying to determine if a situation is bullying or conflict Does one person have more power than the other? Is the behaviour intentional/on purpose? Does it keep happening? (Answering yes to these questions indicates bullying; answering no indicates conflict) -use teachable moments and “what if” scenarios with your child to help them differentiate bullying and conflict -talk to your children about the difference between being passive, aggressive or assertive Catholic School Council –Parent Reaching Out Grant Please join us Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at 6:45 pm in the school gym for Brain Gym. This is a free event for families and is being sponsored by our Catholic School Council and the Ministry of Education. Brain Gym is a series of movements and exercises that are designed to enhance learning abilities and reduce stress. The movements, which are designed to integrate mind and body, can bring about improvements in concentration, memory, reading, writing, organizing, listening and physical co-ordination. Brain Gym is a powerful tool for parents and teachers to help their child(ren) through movements of frustration and discouragement, not just in relation to school work, but life in general. We hope to see you there. Catholic School Council Meeting The next Catholic School Council Meeting will be held on Monday, February 2, 2015 at 6:45p.m. in the library. As always, ALL parents are welcome to attend the meeting. -Pizza Lunch -Extended French Meeting 7pm at St. Monica’s 7pm Thursday, Jan. 15 -Lunch Moms Monday, Jan. 19 -Evaluating and Reporting Day for teachers (no school for students) Tuesday, Jan. 20 -Pizza Lunch -Mrs. Venalainen and Ms. Sousa class at Brampton Library at South Fletchers -Term Two begins Thursday, Jan. 22 -Hot Lunch -Interview requests go home today Monday, Jan. 26 -Spirit Week: Jersey Day -Kindergarten Registration 7-9 pm -See Hear Visits Tuesday, Jan. 27 -Spirit Week: Crazy Hair Day -Brain Gym Presentation for students and staff -Brain Gym presentation for families at 6:45 pm in the school gym -Pizza Lunch -Snow Day for Kindergarten Registration 7-9 pm (if needed) Wednesday, Jan. 28 -Spirit Week: Super Hero Day -Kindergarten Registration 9-11 am and 1-3 pm -Pizza Orders due Thursday, Jan. 29 -Spirit Week: Hat Day -Kindergarten Registration 9-11 am and 1-3 pm Friday, Jan. 30 -Spirit Week: Fun–in the–Sun Day -Kindergarten Registration 9-11 am and 1-3 pm Monday, Feb. 2 Catholic School Council meeting at 6:45 pm in the library Tuesday, Feb. 3 -Report Cards go home today for Grades 1-8 -Pizza Lunch Wednesday, Feb. 4 -Rosary Apostolate -Book Fair Browsing Thursday, Feb. 5 -Hot Lunch -Mrs. Margi Class to Silvercreek -National Sweater Day -Interview Evening -Book Fair Buying pm and evening Friday, Feb. 6 -Interview Day (no school for students) -Book Fair buying am only Monday, Feb. 9 -Fit Kids Presentation from Brampton Parks and Recreation Grades 1-4 Thursday, Feb. 12 -Lockdown Practice Friday, Feb. 13 -Fundraising Dance-A-Thon Monday, Feb. 16 -Family Day (no school) Insert Peel Regional Police Cyber Academy Flyer