Young Author’s Contest
... page 6
ST. PAUL SECONDARY SCHOOL’S
HEARTBEAT
Talent Night
Wrapping up the big show!
40th Anniversary
Celebration This Spring
Bad Weather Days
Inclement Weather Instructions
Winter Athletics
Extra Curricular and Varsity Sports
Evryting Irie
Jamaican Exchange Leadership Program
Seeing Is Believing
Chaplain’s Corner
St. Dominic’s Parish Youth Ministry... Fundraiser
St. Paul Secondary School
WINTER ISSUE, 2012
815 Atwater Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario L5E 1L8
Phone: 905-278-3994
Web: stpaulss.org
Fax: 905-278-1163
Trustees
B. Iannicca, Mississauga Ward 7 - 905-270-0536, bruno.iannicca@dpcdsb.org
M. Pascucci, Mississauga Wards 1 & 3 - (P) 905-302-3096, (F) 905-890-0888, mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
Superintendent
Mr. C. Blanchard
Principal
Mr. P. Schmidt
Vice-Principal
Ms. C. Iacobucci
Chaplain
Mr. B. Finamore
Student Services/ARD
Mr. B. Bonnah
Guidance Counsellor A - K, ELL
Ms. E. Wasiuk
Guidance Counsellor L - Z, SHSM
Mr. J. Multari
Youth Care Worker
Ms. V. Williams
St. Dominic Parish Pastor
Fr. Philip Jones
Heartbeat Editor
Mr. T. Brugmans
Magazine Layout & Design
Mr. T. Brugmans
Cover Photo
Mat Cabral
Principal’sMessage
Happy New Year!
This is a very special year in our school history. The academic school
year 2011-12 is the 40th anniversary of St. Paul and planning is coalescing around our celebration in late May. We will be encouraging
as many alumni to return for that evening to reacquaint themselves
with old friends and see the many changes that have occurred since
our start as a Junior high in 1971-72. If there are any parents in the
Hospitality/Catering/Beverage business that can assist us in providing light hors d’ouevres for the evening at cost, I would welcome having you contact me to join our organizing committee.
At the end of January, our 24 Non-Profit
SHSM students departed for Jamaica
with seven staff on the first leg of this
project. Students from the Jamaican
school that our students are working at
will be billeting with us in May on the
second leg of the project. Many thanks
to all parents for assisting us in the fine
detail preparation for this excursion.
I would like to extend some extended
applause to Department Head Linda
Primier, Chaplaincy Team leader Brian
Finamore and Child Youth Worker Val
Williams for all of the required promotional and preparation work for the
excursion.
As the second semester ramps up into
full gear, St. Paul will have over sixteen
staff utilizing the Smart board technology that was installed last year. Our
students and staff continue to report that
enhancements to curriculum are most
noticeable when these instructional tools
can be utilized.
For those who may have seen the Apple
Corporation roll out of their updated
iBooks and iAuthor services, it appears
that we are on the cusp of new a learn-
ing interface. With the advent of wireless in schools there is no reason that
this can’t become a reality sooner rather
than later. In any event, speaking with
my parent hat on, I would strongly urge
all parents to provide the advantages for
your teenagers now and for post secondary education with these devices.
All of our winter sports teams continue
to post winning seasons and fan support
is an all time high. This continues to
be the case despite our smaller student
population. With a seasoned and committed coaching cohort of teachers, we
have yet to have to resort to community
coaches.
On Thursday and Friday, January 19 and
20, our grade 9 math students completed
their EQAO tests in a slightly different
format and in June the second group
who have mathematics will be taking
their test. The EQAO will then assess
the whole grade’s math results and give
us our scores. Attendance was good for
the test tutoring/help that was provided
after school prior to the test.
Please take advantage of the new Parent
Talk section of our school web site at
stpaulss.org and rememberto stay in
touch.
›››Chaplaincy
Our
Living
Faith
There will always be skeptics in our midst, people who require proof and
thorough analysis before they will believe anything. We see this in the
Gospel story of Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, who would only believe
that Jesus had risen from the dead if he had physical proof. He wanted
to see Jesus personally and put his fingers in the wounds of Christ’s
hands. Thomas was unable to believe without seeing.
While skepticism is a necessary part
scientific inquiry it has its limitations. Not everything we see, touch,
taste, hear, smell is real. Our senses
can deceive us and our senses can be
manipulated.
I look at the graphic effects that our
Comtech students can create using
Apple and Adobe Pro software. It is
almost impossible to separate reality
from the digitally created. The special
effects experienced in movies and in
media seem so real and are so compelling that the difference between reality
and fantasy can become blurred.
What are we to do if we can’t believe
everything we see?
I occasionally hear students comment
on retreats about the status of their
Facebook pages relative to those of
other people. The few Facebook pages
that I have seen seem to reflect an illusionary world. The posted photographs
are all staged and selected with care to
create and craft an image. How real is
the world of Facebook? On Facebook
everyone is happy, carefree and having a good time. I wonder how many
people post pictures of themselves on
bad hair days or when they just found
out that they failed an exam? I hope
that you are consciously aware that the
world of Facebook is not real? It may
look real but it is not
In the digital world we can’t really on
our five senses (smell, taste, touch,
hear, see) alone to determine what is
true and what is illusion.
Cardinal John Henry Newman, the
great English writer and theologian,
wrote about another sense that God
gives us. He wrote of an illative sense
common to all of us. This sense is best
demonstrated by Mothers who seem
to naturally know when their children
are in danger or need help. Mothers
know when their children are trying to
deceive them or maybe hiding something from them!
All of us have this built-in capacity
or gut instict for the truth. This illative sense is real and does not require
the physical stimulation that our other
senses demand. It is this inner sense
that allows us to know that God is
real. This inner sense of the heart is
powerful cannot be deceived like our
other senses. It can be developed and
strengthened through prayer, reflection
and meditation.
The virtues that we celebrate and talk
about in school also help to perfect
this illative sense.
As we begin Semester 2 lets try to
keep it real here at St. Paul or at least
be able to know when it’s not!
Mr. Finamore
›››Guidance Files
Student Services • ARD • Counseling
Happy New Year and Welcome to Semester Two! We welcomed our new students
and their families at our Grade 8 Parent Information Evening on December 1st as
we began the process for registration for 2012/2013. Parents and guardians had
the opportunity to tour the school and visit the various Departments and learn
about the courses, options, and Specialist High Skills Majors available for at St.
Paul. The SHSMs are unique pathways that lead students to earn a Red Seal on
their Ontario Secondary School Diploma. We are continuing to register students
in these exciting programs. Interested students are asked to meet with their
guidance counselor to confirm enrolment for
the upcoming school year. Thank you also to
our student volunteers who took photos, supported teachers, presented our broadcast, and
happily guided parents and potential students
around our school campus.
We look forward to meeting our new students in Agust at the Grade 9 Orientation
morning!
On-line Course Selection
Process Begins!
It’s hard to believe as it seems like the new
school year has just begun, but the process
for registration for 2012-2013 is well underway. Guidance counselors presented course
selection information to all students prior to
the Christmas holidays.
Students were shown how to apply on-line
using the St. Paul website and personal
password system using a video produced
by our Comm-Tech students.This application process is now standard throughout all
secondary schools within our Dufferin-Peel
School Board.
Students were asked to submit their selections and activity fee upon return to school
after the holidays. Changes to selections
may be made when students receive their
Verification Sheets in early April. Thanks
to the exceptional work of our Comm-Tech
students and the support of Mr. Brugmans!
All students MUST have their registration
completed as soon as possible to ensure the
development of their timetable for next year
can begin on time.
area for details on this valuable experience.
Scholarships are available for many postsecondary programs. Visit the websites for
more information:
Thanks to all parents and families who
have ensured the timely completion of this
process.
http://www.studentawards.com
http://www.scholarshipscanada.com
College and University
Application Process
Information
College applications for equal consideration
were due February 1. While applications
may be submitted after this deadline, acceptances will be offered first come, first served.
University applications were due January
11. Final marks are submitted to the Ontario
University Application Centre (OUAC) by
February 15.
Students are reminded to check their on-line
applications to verify marks and check the
status of their application. Students taking
Night School courses must submit their
mid-term and final marks to their guidance
counselor so that their academic file can be
updated.
Not going away for March Break? Why not
visit/tour an Ontario College or University
campus?
Students are encouraged to look at the information posted outside the Student Services
Night School Information
Semester Two Night School courses run
from February 8th-May 25, 2012. Registration information is available in Student
Services.
Summer School Information:
Summer School Information will be available later in Semester Two. Details regarding locations and courses should be released
in April.
Semester Two
Information
· Term One (Semester Two) ends April
16th. Civics/Career Studies Half-courses
rotate on April 17.
· Semester Two mid-term report cards will
be sent home Tuesday, April 24, 2012.
· The EQAO Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test (OSSLT) is Thursday, March
29, 2012.
We wish you all a healthy, happy, successful,
Semester Two!!
›››PIP Students
Planning For Independance
St. Paul’s Planning for Independence
Program has had a very eventful semester this year.
Daniel De Acetis having fun stocking
shelves at Dollarama Square One
We welcomed three new students in
September, Phoebe, Alex and Bianca
and with the help of our great staff and
student body, they have transitioned
seamlessly into our program.
Our grade 11 and 12 students have
continued to excel in the Work Experience program at Zellers and Dollarama
at Square One.
We have been able to participate in
Ms. Schlarp’s Body Alive class and
Ms. Richardson’s Cosmetology class,
learning the benefits of keeping body
and mind healthy.
Our class has been an attentive audience to many sketches put on by Mr.
Kay’s drama class and they enjoyed
helping the Parent Council and students decorate the
Christmas tree.
Lauren Marquis stocking the chocolate
bars at Dollarama
Friday is a busy
day in our program
as students collect
the recycling in the
mornings and then
during both lunches,
sell popcorn for 50
cents a bag in the
cafeteria in an effort
to learn money management and communication skills.
We thank all staff
and students for
your support of our
program this term; we are looking forward to what semester two will bring!!
Bianca Bederski showing off her
up-do from Ms. Richardson’s
Cosmetology class
Phoebe Bootsma playing basketball in Ms. Schlarp’s
Body Alive class
›››Not For Profit
Specialist High Skills Major
at the Immaculate Conception Retreat House in Constance, Jamaica.
Jamaican Exchange
Leadership Program
The students enrolled
in St. Paul’s Leadership
classes and various
Specialist High Skills
Major Programs were
given the opportunity
to apply to participate in the Jamaican
Canadian Exchange
Leadership Program.
On January 27, 2012,
twenty-six selected
students will travel
to Jamaica to work
at Dupont Primary
Middle Roman Catholic School. For twelve
days, the students will
work as teaching assistants and assist with
painting and general
repairs in the school
while earning co-op
education hours.
The students will stay
Last November, the students, with the help of individuals and industries in our school
community, organized the collection of food, clothing and other materials to be shipped
to Jamaica. On November 3 and 4, a container was loaded at Dr. Simone’s Warehouse
and was shipped to Jamaica.
The Taste of Jamaica fundraising event was hosted at St. Paul on November 17, 2011.
All those who attended enjoyed an authentic Jamaican meal, music by Dylan Murray
and a cultural presentation by Audrey Campbell, President of the Jamaican Canadian
Association.
›››English
Grammar
Stratford Excursions
The next trips to Stratford will
be to see MacHomer and 42nd
Street. Be sure to stay tuned to
the announcements and make
sure that you do not miss
these great theatrical excursions.
We try to keep the costs as
low as possible; the entertainment and educational
value is high.
The Ontario Secondary
School Literacy Test and the
St. Paul Literacy Committee
The St. Paul Literacy Committee is
chaired by Ms. Baglione and Ms. Ponvia
and it is comprised of teachers from the
school.
St. Paul is in the midst of prepping for
the OSSLT test which will be taking
place on March 29, 2012. Parents and
students are strongly urged to visit the
EQAO website (www.eqao.com); it is
a well designed website with Teacher,
Parent and Student sections containing
helpful information.
English, Drama and
ESL Bulletin Board
We have finally been able to install and
update our bulletin board.
Students may now check and followup on announcements from the many
different invitations that we receive for
such contests as writing, poetry (slams),
speech, drama auditions and many other
opportunities open to students from the
St. Paul community.
Literature
Speaking
Check out our board near Room 212 at
the east end of the second floor.
and make sure that they consult it on a
regular basis.
Young Authors 2012 Contest
The site is: http://teacherweb.com/ON/
StPaulSSDPCDSB/
Each year, the Ontario English
Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) is proud to
sponsor the
annual
Young
Authors
Awards.
The awards celebrate the writing talents
and accomplishments of students, who
submit short stories, poems, plays or
non-fiction (essay, article or report) in
both English and French.
A collection of the winning entries
is published in book form each year.
Interested students should see Mr. Kay
or visit the website at http://www.oecta.
on.ca.
The due date is fast approaching and
students should submit to Mr.
Kay by February 17.
Teacher Web
Many teachers at
St. Paul use the
TeacherWeb
website to
help students
and parents
stay on top of
assignments,
homework
and dates.
If a teacher
has a website,
visit the site with
your son or daughter
School Play 2012
At this time, the teachers of St. Paul are
in the process of securing the rights of
another exceleent school play. Students
are asked to stay tuned for announcements regarding auditions in the first
weeks of Semester 2.
Stay tuned to Studio30 for announcements and check any postings on the
English Department office door, the
English Bulletin Board near room 212 or
on Studio 107’s door.
›››Athletics
Happy New
Year...
Discipline, Dedication, Determination
from the Phys Ed staff
at St. Paul! It’s hard to
believe that another
semester has come to
an end. As usual, the
gym is buzzing with
activity. It’s exciting
to see how many students are now dropping in on their lunch
hour to spend half
an hour playing pick
up basketball or ball
hockey. It looks like
the message is getting
out…Healthy Active
Lifestyle is the only
way to go! Thanks
to all of the Varsity
athletes and coaches
for their continued
dedication to living
our motto Everything
with Heart. The boys’
basketball team has
displayed incredible improvement this
semester. They are currently standing at
5 wins and 2 losses and are fighting for
2nd place in their division. It has been
quite a while since St. Paul has had such
a committed and motivated girls’ hockey
team. The girls have qualified for OFSAA
and will be heading to Belleville in March.
Way to go girls! Our OFSAA gold medal
girls’ soccer team is beginning to hold
indoor practices, whenever the coaches
can manage to get some practice time in
the gym.
outstanding goaltending from Taylore
Beauliue. Giova Cascioli, Niamh Burke,
Cara Coutts, Meaghan Hewlett and first
ever goals from Jackyln Medeiros and Jessica Rocchetti have also contributed to the
fantastic season. The girls now await the
play-offs to start in mid February and the
“AA” play down in March.
Weight Room
Memberships
The weight room continues to attract
new members and will be accepting new
members at the beginning of the semester
in February. The fee of $30 enables us to
upgrade the equipment on a yearly basis.
We have just spent over $2000 upgrading
our weight room. The fee also covers the
cost of two top personal trainers, as they
shared the newest techniques and theories
of strength training. Both staff and students loved this fun and tough workout.
Outdoor Club
This past fall, Ms. Schlarp, Mr. Finamore
and Greg Vincent, hiking leader extraordinaire, took a group of St. Paul students on
a Saturday hike to the Bruce Trail. It was a
fabulous day for hiking and we’re hoping
to have more students join us this spring.
Boys Hockey
Anthony Boudreau with after school weight
training staff and students
Girls Hockey
The varsity girls’ hockey just completed
their most successful season. The girls
finished the regular season with a record
of 6-2 and currently sit in first place. The
team was lead by captain Katelyn Turk
with 20 goals in 7 games and has received
The Junior Boys Hockey Team has
had a very successful start to the
season. The team has played nine
games and has a record of 7 wins 2
ties and a single loss. Three excellent goalies have set the tone for
this team with their unselfish team
first attitude. Matt Pogue, Kyle MacDonald and Chris Cipparrone have equally
shared the goal tending duties and each
player has been impressive in net. The
defensive core has performed admirably
and is lead by Christian Gluck, Mitchell
Kerswill, Chris Pitre, Daniel Polumbo,
Kyle Heatherington and Wade Blakely.
The veteran forwards Marcel Fatovic,
Charlie Dobbyn, Justin Rocchetti and Eric
James have consistently shown speed,
›››Athletics
determination and leadership. Our rookie
forwards Daniel Stirpe, Nick Molinaro,
Robbie Giansante, Tyler Johnson and Michael Keane have provided strong scoring
and a balanced attack. The rest of the team
members Justin Quirk, Adam Holzapfel,
Justin Klimke and Lucas Caterna have
made significant contributions with their
hard work and determination. Coach Connelly and Coach Costigan are very proud
of the team’s great efforts and accomplishments so far and hope to have continued
success in the upcoming playoffs.
Enhancing the
Physical Education
Curriculum
In reading the final culminating portfolios
of the grade 9 and 10 Healthy Active Living Students, it is apparent that the Bruce
Trail hiking trip, the CPR training and
self-defense training, have been highlights
for the majority of the students. These
enhancements to the curriculum would not
be possible without the support of the St.
Paul community. Thank you for allowing
us to provide these valuable opportunities
for your children.
The grade 11 Strength and Body Alive
Courses, as well as the grade 12 Healthy
Active Living courses are considered
focus courses. These courses focus on the
development of a personalized approach
to healthy active living through participation in a variety of sports and recreational
activities that have the potential to engage
students’ interest throughout their lives.
Students visit a variety of fitness facilities
such as ORC, One Health Club, Cawthra
CC, Wynn Fitness, Chingacousy Curling
Club, just to name a few. The fee associated with these focus courses provide
the students with an extremely rich and
rewarding experience, with potential for
helping them develop an appreciation for
living a healthy, active life.
The following is an excerpt from a final
fitness portfolio of Marcelina Malinska, a
grade 11 Body Alive student.
I learned so much about myself in this
Body Alive class and I
am so grateful that I had
this opportunity to take
such a fun, informative,
educational course about
active healthy living. I
learned a lot about body
image and taking care of
my mental health. At the
beginning of high school
all I did was compare
myself to other girls were
were thinner, prettier, in
my opinion. Now, I have
learned to appreciate and
unconditionally accept
my body, just as it is. I
learned to love myself
in this class! I learned
that not every woman
looks the same. I learned
that the media portrays
women in the wrong
ways, and that comparing myself to anorexic
celebrities is not the
right way to be healthy.
I learned that to make
changes, you must first
accept who you are. I
learned that it is possible
to make changes to your
body with a healthy diet
and fun and motivating
exercise such as kickbox, step classes, zumba,
just to name a few. I’ve
learned that leading a
healthy lifestyle is important, not only to
look good, but also to feel great. When I
eat nutritiously and exercise, I have more
energy to cope with the everyday stresses
in life, such as finishing all my assignments on time. Staying active is also
important for the future, as no one wants
to be weak, unfit; ending up with diseases
such as osteoporosis and diabetes. I now
value eating regular meals, especially
breakfast. I have discovered some fun
and effective ways to exercise with both
muscular and cardiovascular endurance
and most importantly, learned to feel good
about me!
The class excursions were incredible. I
absolutely loved spinning at Gear’s Bikes!
I also loved the trip to the outdoor school
at Silvercreek, where we learned a lot
about leadership skills, as well as teamwork. I enjoyed Pilates at Wynn Fitness,
where I learned to do handstands with
my partner, as well as Belly Dancing at
Cawthra CC. I loved these experiences
and know that they have changed my life
forever!
›››Talent Night
2011
On November 25, the
St. Paul students put
on another great show
of music and media for
a seventh straight year
of student-driven performances.
The sold-out audience of 400 enthusiastic
students, family members and friends were
treated to a remarkable show of 26 sharp,
stellar numbers.
After 2 months of planning, taping, editing
and rehearsing, the cast and crew showcased another night of first-rate entertainment. Brought together under the direction
of Mr. Brugmans, Mr. Sayewich, Ms. Tobin, Ms. Richardson and Mr. Penkul, the
show was strung together by our capable
Emcee’s: Michael Turk, Even Bezemer,
Vanessa Scaringella and Luba Sulypka.
The music on stage was off-set with
pre-recorded video clips that added a
wonderfully hilarious break from the stage
performances. These short movies were
shot and edited by the Studio30 Crew, who
also worked behind the scenes taping the
show. Video, sound, light and stage crews
worked hard to give the audience a professional show.
Door prizes were plentiful again this year
and we’d like to thank everyone who
submitted items for their donations of
some great prizes. Capping off our list of
great door prizes this year were 2 pairs
of Solo Beats Headphones and a 32 inch
LCD TV !
After 3 hours of top-flight entertainment,
the night came to an end with cheers from
a very energetic audience.
We would like to thank everyone for their
work in making Talent Night 2011 such a
success.
›››Bits & Bites
Omnia Cum Corde
More Pro Certifications
Winter Weather
Youth Ministry
The Broadcasting SHSM students took the
Apple Pro Certification course in Final Cut
Pro 7 in December.
During the winter months inclement
weather may cause disruption of bus
transportation and regular school
operations.
St. Dominic’s Youth Ministry will host
a St. Valentine’s Day Tea Party/ Bake
Sale on the weekend of February 11 and
12 after all masses. Come out to enjoy a
tasty treat and sit and chat with family and
friends. All are welcome.
The workshop, which
was delivered by our
own Comm-Tech teacher and Apple Master
Trainer Mr. Sayewich,
provided students with
detailed lectures in the
professional film & video editing program,
Final Cut Pro.
The Apple Certified Pro program creates
a benchmark for assessing an enduser’s
proficiency in a specific Apple Pro application. By taking and passing the Apple
Certified Pro exam, students will be given
Apple Certified Pro status, which will
allow them to distinguish themselves to
colleges, universities, employers, and
future clients as skilled users of the chosen
software application. This certification in
Final Cut Pro will give these students a
competitive edge in today’s ever-changing
job market.
Joining the ranks of previous Broadcasting
High Skills Major students who successfully challenged the user-end exam is Aldo
Mauro who is now a certified Final Cut
Pro 7 user, one of only 9 under-18 certified pro users in the world (the other 8 are
former St. Paul SHSM grads).
Looking Ahead
Please take note of the following dates to
help you plan out your fall calendar.
Semester 2 Begins..................... February 3
Semi-Formal Dance................ February 17
Family Day (no school).......... February 20
Ash Wednesday....................... February 22
Parent Council Meeting.......... February 29
March Break.........................March 12 - 16
OSSLT/EQAO Test..................... March 29
Good Friday (no school)................. April 6
Easter Monday (no school)............. April 9
Parent Council Meeting................ April 11
Mid-Term Report Cards................ April 24
A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually
made by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on local radio al television
stations
The School Board will be communicating
one of four standard messages to the stations. The four announcements and their
effect on the transportation system are as
follows:
Donations of baked goods are greatly
appreciated and can be delivered to the
parish that weekend, Friday or Saturday
or left with Ms. Pereira in Room 104 on
Friday the 10. Volunteers are also needed
to help serve and sell after the 5:00
pm mass on Saturday and after all masses
on Sunday. See Ms. Pereira for more
information. A part of the proceeds will go
towards the re-building efforts of the St.
Joseph Family in Haiti.
1. “Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board buses serving st.
Andrew, st. Benedict and st. Peter
elementary schools and r.F. Hall
secondary school are cancelled for
today.”
2. “The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board buses and the
peel district school board buses
in the town of Caledon and the
County of Dufferin are cancelled”.
3. “The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board and the Peel District
School Board buses are cancelled.”
4. “The schools and offices of both
the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board and the Peel District
School Board are closed.”
For Secondary School students riding
Public Transit, cancellation of service will
be communicated by the respective transit
property over the radio.
Please be advised that Public Transit
rarely cancels and that the level of service
on days with inclement weather is unpredictable
The Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haiti with the St.
Dominic’s Youth Ministry during their ‘Rising from
the Rubble’ Tour 2011
Farewell
It is with great regret that we must announce the departure of Tony DiRenzo,
who has assumed the new position of Lead
Custodian at Simon Stock Elementary
School. The abruptness of Mr. DiRenzo’s
departure at the end of January did not
allow time for a proper thank you so we
would like to take this opportunity to say
bon voyage and thanks for all of the hard
work in keeping our building “the cleanest
school in the south”.
Good Luck in your new position!