St. Raymond
Catholic Elementary School
5735 Whitehorn Avenue Mississauga,
Ontario L5V 2A9 905-286-1010
October 2012 Edition
Principal
Mr. W. Brunton
Vice Principal
Mrs. S. Galvao
Head Secretary
Mrs. L. Campoli
Assistant Secretary
Ms. T. Caines
Superintendent
Mrs. C. Saytar
Trustee
Mr. P. Ferreira
(905) 890-1221
Parish
St. Joseph’s Parish
905-826-2766
Parish Team
Fr. Andre-Pastor
Fr. D’Souza -Assoc. Pastor
OCTOBER ~ Empathy
Thanksgiving Prayer
This month we will focus on the virtue of empathy.
God has given us the ability to form connections with
each other - to live together. Empathy helps us to
connect and live together in safe, caring, inclusive
communities.
We understand empathy to mean the ability to identify
with and feel other people’s concerns. We believe that in
a faith community we are nothing without relationships.
Relationships that grow in a spirit of communion- an
understanding that we share an identity based on being
created in the image and likeness of God and being
imbued with one Spirit. We are many parts of one body.
An empathetic person believes that we all share one
Spirit; that we are many parts of one body because we
are all created in the image and likeness of God.
Father all powerful, Your gifts of love
our countless and your goodness
infinite.
For Thanksgiving, we come before
You with gratitude for Your
kindness.
Open our hearts to concern for our
children, men and women, so that we
may share your gifts in loving
service.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus,
Your SON, Who lives and reigns in
the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and
ever.
Amen!
An empathetic person…
 Listens attentively
 Notices and responds when someone is upset
 Can name her/his feelings
 Can see a situation from another’s point of view
 Knows that different people may feel differently
about the same thing
†
PRINCIPALS
OPENING PRAYER
Gracious and merciful God of all creation,
You made us to live together in communities.
We are nothing without relationships.
You have given us the virtue of empathy to ensure
that we are able to identify with and feelPALS’
other people’s
concerns.
We come to you now asking for the grace and strength
MESSAGE
to follow your plan and to form a safe, caring,
inclusiveC
community here at St. Raymond.
A special thank
May your gift of empathy lead us to know and feel your
presence among us.
We ask this in name of Jesus, your Son, who lived to
show us your way.
Amen.
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Staff Update for 2012 – 2013…
Below is a list of our staff for 2012 - 2013:
L. Wilson & R. Jeorgy
JK/SK
P. Kellar & M. Farias
JK/SK
S. Kojundzic & M. Furtado
JK/SK
R. Orsini & E. Fernandez
JK/SK
L. Soutsos
1
S. McCracken
1
S. Petrucelli-Cond
1/2
D. Yuzik
2
L. Ciavarra
2
S. Moussa
2/3
R. Davenport
3
J. Pacheco
3/4
M. Miceli
4
G. Flammini
5
K. Maier
5
R. Evans
5
A. Heath
6
A. DiPasqua
6
S. Barran
6
J. Doret
7
C. Abitrante
7
G. Burke
8
M. Paterson
8
T. Allen
8
L. Goncalves
Library
L. Bet
FSL
M. Voyatzis
FSL
R. Ali
FSL
M. Rousseau
ESL
R. Pereira
SP.ED
L. Cortelluci
SP.ED
P. Passarelli
SP.ED/Planning
I. Alves
Planning Teacher
P. McTavish
Planning Teacher
ATTENDANCE
Please call to register an absence – 905-286-1010. You can call
24hrs. An answering machine is available to take information.
Please provide your child’s name, grade and teacher’s name.
If an absence is not reported, our policy is to call home to
verify student absenteeism. A parent or guardian must sign out
students who leave early. A reminder to parents and students
that an expectation set out from the beginning of the year
clearly indicated that all students must arrive at school on time.
Being consistently and continuously late interrupts the
classroom lessons, creates delays in the office and sets a poor
example for those who do arrive on time. Please note that
issues with lates and absenteeism will be dealt with strictly,
and may involve the school’s Administration, Child Youth
Worker and Social Worker. Please help us teach your
children the value promptness and punctuality.
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Research has shown that children perform better in school if
their parents are involved in their education. We as a staff at
St. Raymond School welcome and encourage parental
involvement. Become familiar with the curriculum. Contact the
teacher with questions or concerns. Work in partnership to
support your child’s learning.
Students and parents can expect to be informed of due dates for
assignments and summative tasks via the agenda. Teachers will
ensure that all students have an opportunity to record daily
homework in the agenda. Parents should check the agenda
daily and monitor homework completion. Parents are
encouraged to be proactive in communicating concerns about
homework or assignments to their child’s teacher. If
extenuating circumstances prohibit homework completion, it is
the parents responsibility to inform the teacher. If an extension
of a due date is required, parents are responsible for requesting
the extension in writing, explaining the reason, well in advance
of the due date.
School boards across the province have received a new
ministry document titled “Growing Success” that clearly places
expectation and responsibility on students for their work at
school.
Students are responsible for ensuring that they are adequately
prepared for tests and that they complete all tasks to the best of
their ability. Students are encouraged to seek assistance as
required.
Regular attendance is critical for success. Although we
encourage you to keep your child home when he/she is ill to
avoid the spread of illness, we do also encourage you to avoid
making appointments and planning vacations during regular
school hours. Much of the learning that takes place in the
classroom is through discussion, interaction with teacher and
peers and through in class tasks. These experiences cannot be
duplicated. If you choose to take your child out of school for a
holiday, the classroom teacher will provide you with the topics
being covered, but cannot be responsible for the daily lesson
planning.
LATE ARRIVALS
Late arrivals also play a critical role in your child’s learning.
Late arrivals will not include a late bus. Parents are welcome
to sign in their children after unavoidable appointments and
this late arrival will be accepted. Keep in mind that recording
and tracking late arrivals demands our secretaries time, and
prohibits them from beginning the critically important task of
ensuring safe arrival of all students, by checking attendance
folders and placing calls to homes where students have not
been reported as absent. Late arrivals distract classmates and
interrupt the classroom activities that have already begun.
Our learning time is valuable and we are counting on your
support to ensure that we maximize our opportunities for
instruction.
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We appreciate your support and cooperation in ensuring that
your child attends school regularly and punctually.
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION
ST. RAYMOND SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE BBQ
It is important that our children continue to
be exposed to our Catholic Community
through experiences at the parish.
Thank you to all of our families who
attended our Open House BBQ Night on
September 19th. It was a pleasure to see
so many parents attend the barbeque and
visit their teacher’s classroom. We look
forward to working in collaboration with all
of our parents to ensure your child receives
the best possible Catholic educational experience.
The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day
and the Eucharist is at the heart of the
Church’s life. ‘Sunday is the day on which the Paschal
Mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to
be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the
universal Church.’ [CIC, can. 1246 # 1]
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL 2012-2013
St. Raymond School would like to congratulate the following
parent representatives who are members of our 2012-2013
School Council Executive Positions:
Chair: L. Tedesco
Secretary: M. Foti
Treasurer: R. Pinelli
Community Rep: M. Marchao
Parish Rep: J. Zammit
We look forward to working with our parent council to provide
the best Catholic Educational experience for our students
Grade 2 First Reconciliation/First Communion
Reconciliation will take place at the school on Wednesday
February 6, 2013. First Communion will take place at St.
Joseph Church on Sunday, May 26, 2013 at 3:30 p.m.
Grade 2 First Holy Communion Meeting
Throughout the school year, students experience the mystery of
Jesus Christ through celebrations, liturgies and mass. We
encourage all of our families to maintain these traditions
and obligations throughout the year by attending Mass as a
family every Sunday. St. Joseph’s Parish mass times are as
follows:
Saturday mornings – 9:00 a.m.
Sunday – 8:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m 12:30 p.m.
and 6:00 p.m.
Additional Masses:
Christmas Eve Mass – Monday, December 24, 2012 - 4:00
p.m., 6:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (All
English)
Christmas Day Mass – Tuesday, December 25, 2012 – 8:00
a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. (All English); 9:30 a.m. (in
Portuguese)
New Year’s Eve – Monday, December 31, 2012 – 5:30 p.m.
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Holy Day of
Obligation) New Year’s Day – Tuesday, January 1, 2013 –
9:30 am., 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
There will be a mandatory informational session for all parents
on October 16th, 2012 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. OR October
30th, 2012 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Parish.
The Epiphany of the Lord – Sunday, January 6, 2013 –
8:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Grade 8—Confirmation—Meeting for Parent
and Candidates
ANAPHYLAXIS PLAN
A letter from the Parish will be given to grade 8 students
indicating the dates and details involved in registration and
parent meetings for this year. There will be a mandatory
informational session for all parents on October 18 th, 2012
from 7:30p.m. to 8:30 p.m. OR October 25th, 2012 from 7:30
pm. To 8:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Parish.
The sacrament of Confirmation will take place at St. Joseph
Church on Tuesday May 14, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
We have a number of staff and students
in our school who have severe allergic
reactions to peanuts, peanut butter,
peanut oils, peanut by-products, pinenuts, shellfish, and
seafood . As in the past, we are asking you to not put anyone at
risk. Do not send any PEANUTS, PEANUT BUTTER,
PEANUT OILS AND ANY PEANUT BY-PRODUCTS,
PINENUTS, SHELLFISH, OR SEAFOOD INTO THE
SCHOOL. This includes products like Nutella as well as
Sushi. Please also be aware that some salad dressings contain
oyster juice which can cause a serious anaphylaxis response.
Please do not send any food products to mark a child’s
birthday. To It is also prohibited not to send your child to
school with any WowButter sandwiches and/or products as it
is against board policy and has not been approved.
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Student birthdays can be acknowledged by sending non-food
items such as a pencil or pen to celebrate a child’s birthday
with his/her peers. Thank you for your co-operation in this
very important matter.
STUDENT BIRTHDAYS
When a student has a birthday, we give
them a special gift bookmark and pencil.
Students are engaged in a discussion
about making good decisions and are
presented with the gift from the school.
Just a reminder that students are no longer able to bring in
food products to celebrate a birthday in keeping with
Sabrina’s Law. If food is to be brought into the school for
mass consumption, a permission letter must go home first
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from the classroom teacher listing all the ingredients.
Please see your child’s teacher for specifics
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
REACT forms for parents to fill out in the
event that your child has a medical concern have
been sent home. The form requires information
on the medical issue, and a picture of the child.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that all
medication and forms are updated annually. If
your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms
completed and returned with the medication to the office as
soon as possible.
A reminder that children are not allowed to keep ANY
medication on their persons, in their desk, backpack or
anywhere in their classroom, unless ordered by their doctor. In
such case, documentation is necessary. All dispensing and
storage of ANY medication must occur from the Office.
TRANSPORTATION UPDATE
As we enter the month of October, we have been reviewing all
courtesy application forms that have been submitted to the
office. Please do not place your child on a bus if you have not
received a letter confirming your child’s place on a bus. Mrs.
Galvao will send letters home to all families who have
qualified for a courtesy seat on the bus during the first week of
October. We thank you for your patience with this matter.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY RULES
The conduct of individual students on the
bus directly affects the safety of all the
students on the bus. The driver’s attention needs be on the
road. We are requesting that all parents/guardians reinforce the
School Bus Safety Rules with their child(ren). All Students
Should:
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Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to their stop time.
Never play close to the road.
Be ready to board the bus by waiting in an orderly line.
Board the bus in single file, use the handrail and sit down
in their seat as quickly as possible.
Listen to the bus driver.
Always remain seated while the bus is moving.
Do not throw anything out of the window.
Keep the aisles clear of objects (backpacks, lunches, etc.).
Do not shout or cause any other unnecessary noises.
Be especially quiet at railway crossings.
Never put any part of your body out an open window.
Be sure to look all ways before crossing the road.
Do not damage the bus in anyway.
Do not throw garbage on the floor.
Do not consume any food or drink on the bus.
Bus privileges will be revoked if need be. Thank you for your
support in ensuring that our students journey safely to and
from school.
KISS & RIDE PROGRAM...
Please be advised that NO CARS are allowed to park in the
kiss n ride/fire route lane or drive through lane in the front
of the school. If parents are picking up and waiting for their
child they are to use the designated side streets. Please
ensure that you read all street signs prior to parking on any
side streets. It is also prohibited to park at Whitehorn Public
School. Please do not park at Whitehorn Public School as
all parking spots are just enough for Whitehorn Public
School staff.
The city of Mississauga has been patrolling and have
ticketed cars who are in violation of these parking
procedures. St. Raymond School or the Dufferin Peel
Catholic District School Board will not be responsible for
any fines that have been given to cars that are not following
city parking by laws.
When students exit the car in the Kiss N Ride lane, they
should use the passenger doors only to exit vehicles this
will ensure students will be dropped off on the school
sidewalk safely.
Under NO circumstances should vehicles be backing up or
going the wrong way or parking. No vehicles are to park in the
drive thru lane at any time.
School Kiss & Ride should improve the traffic flow and
ultimately create a safer environment for the children.
Please be advised that beginning of the 2012/2013 school
year, teachers will not be opening car doors during the Kiss
N Ride duty. For the safety of all teachers, students, and
vehicles, teachers will only supervise students as they exit the
vehicles. Parents may assist their child on exiting the
vehicle, but are kindly asked not to park in the Kiss N
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Ride lane. We thank you for your cooperation with this
matter.
LUNCH POLICY
PICTURE DAY(S)
Please note the correction date to our school
picture day. The school wide picture day will
take place on Wednesday October 17, 2012
for all students. Picture re-take day will be on
Wednesday November 14, 2012.
We
apologize for the miscommunication in
newsletter.
If your children do become infested by head lice, we
will ask you to keep them out of school until after
they have been treated with the correct shampoo and
their hair is entirely clear of both lice and nits(eggs).
last
month’s
Personal Electronic Devices (PED’s)
As part of our efforts to promote and maintain a
positive Catholic climate in our schools, the
board approved a policy regarding Personal
Electronic Devices (PED’s) such as cell phones,
cameras, ipods, ipads, etc on school property.
In this regard, all cell phones must be kept out of sight,
turned off and not used within school premises or during
school sanctioned activities.
At St. Raymond Catholic School we ask that students leave all
electronic devices and games at home as the school cannot be
responsible for their safe keeping. Cell phones are permissible
as long as they are turned off and not used in or on school
property.
Please keep your child’s valuables at home. Staff cannot be
responsible for any valuables that your child brings to school.
Money, jewellery, electronics, toys, etc., should be kept at
home.
Thank you for completing the Lunch
Permission Form and returning it to your
child’s teacher. This will ensure that the
school is aware of where you prefer your
child(ren) to be over the lunch hour. Any changes to the
agreement throughout the year must be submitted in writing to
the teacher and/or office. Thank you for your cooperation in
this matter.
Once children have arrived back at school, they must remain
on school property. They are not permitted to leave school
again without written permission.
The Lunch Table…
A table has been placed outside the office for lunches. Lunches
should only be dropped off on rare occasions. If you are
dropping off a lunch for your child please clearly label your
child’s name and teacher’s name on the outside of the lunch
bag/container and place it on the lunch table. Classes are not
to be interrupted for students to pick up lunches. Please advise
your child(ren) to expect a lunch to be dropped off. They will
be allowed to come down and pick up their lunch at 12:35 PM.
STUDENT AGENDAS
Student agendas have been
distributed for students in
Grades 1-8. The agenda is a
very useful tool to help organize and track assignments,
homework reminders and special events. The student agenda is
also an excellent tool to support parent/teacher communication.
Pediculosis
Although not a communicable disease, pediculosis (head lice)
is a concern to parents and teachers. Each year it is common
for outbreaks of pediculosis to occur. Unfortunately, in recent
years, head lice have become increasingly common throughout
North America. They are parasites which have been common
among human beings for centuries. They are not connected in
any way with dirt or neglect. Anyone can be infested with
them. If a case of lice is found at school, we inform all parents
by way of a special letter.
 If cases are found in a classroom, we shall inform all
parents of students in that class. We request that you
also check your own children and, if you find them to
be infested, we would ask you to let us know so that
we may advise you on the proper treatment for them.
This information can also be obtained from a
pharmacist or the regional health department.
 Even if cases are not reported from the school, it is a
wise precaution to check your child’s head
periodically. Teach them not to use other people’s
combs or hair brushes.
The agendas were sent home on the first day of school at no
cost thanks to our Parent Council. Thank you to School
Council for covering the cost of the Agenda. Please read your
child’s agenda on a regular basis. It is a valuable tool in
communication between home and school.
TEXTBOOKS
School textbooks are school property and
are loaned to the students annually. The
expectation is that textbooks will be
returned at the end of the school year.
Students are responsible for these textbooks and will be asked
to pay if these books go missing or have been vandalized. The
cost of an average textbook is about $50.00 each. Please
encourage your child to take care of textbooks!
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HALLOWEEN DAY – WED OCT 31ST
All students and staff are welcome to wear
costumes on Halloween Day - Wednesday,
October 31st.
Please note that Halloween costumes should:
Allow for movement without risk of tripping
when using stairs.
Allow for a totally and unimpaired view of the surroundings
(No Masks).
Please also bear the following in mind and discuss these points
with your children:
Costumes should be modest and in keeping with the values of
this Catholic school.
No weapons of any kind or REPLICAS of weapons may be
brought to school as part of any costume. The Safe School
Policy of this school board makes it an offence, with serious
consequences, to bring any weapons or replicas to school.
Please - no masks of any kind.
 Check the treats before allowing your children to
eat them
TERRY FOX WALK-A-THON
Thank you to all students and families who participated in the
Terry Fox Walk-a-Thon on Friday, September 28, 2012. We
have extended the raffle tickets sales until October 5, 2012 and
will share the total amount raised in our next newsletter.
PIZZA DAYS
This month our parent council will be
organizing pizza days for our school on
Tuesdays. Please ensure that you place your
order with the exact amount of money for your child. Students
who have not pre-ordered will also have an opportunity to
purchases slices on Pizza Day. We thank you for your
continued support.
Thank you for your co-operation!
ST. RAYMOND WEBSITE
HALLOWEEN TREATS
AND
ANAPHYLAXIS
Every few days, Mrs. Goncalves updates the website with
letters, information and other pertinent information. Looking
for a document or information, check out our website:
As Halloween approaches we remind you that our school
has numerous students who have LIFE THREATENING
allergies. All of our affected children have been well
prepared to avoid the potential for a life threatening
allergic reaction while at school. However, as a
community, we must make every effort to minimize the
risks for this segment of our student population. Please
DO NOT send in food items of any kind. Let’s avoid
disappointment by creatively considering other ways to
celebrate birthdays and other occasions at school (ie:
pencils, stickers). As always, we thank you for your
continued understanding and support.
HALOWEEN/ALL SAINTS DAY/ALL SOULS
DAY
It is that time of year when our “little ones” will want to
visit their neighbours for trick or treating. In school, we
will remind them about the safety rules so that they can
both enjoy the evening and stay safe.
Halloween Safety…
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Choose brightly coloured costumes
Use face paint instead of masks
Plan a safe route with your child
Remind your child of road safety rules
Accompany your children
Remind children not to enter homes
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BREAKFAST PROGRAM
We are currently in the planning stages of our breakfast
program for students. We are anticipating the arrival of a new
fridge and food supplies. All students who wish to participate
must return the signed consent form. This year, the Breakfast
Program will take place on Thursday mornings beginning on
October 25, 2012. We thank you for your patience.
L.I.O.N. Program
L.I.O.N. is returning to St. Raymond School. LION (Learning
in our Neighbourhood) is a mobile early learning centres
program where parents and caregivers can talk to early
childhood professionals about parenting and early child
development. Families can visit LION to attend parent/child
interactive play-based programs with a language, literacy and
numeracy focus. LION will run every Wednesday at St.
Raymond. For more info visit, www.successby6peel.ca
Math @ Home - NEW
In order to support the important parent connection and
increase mathematics support at home, the Mathematics
Program Team will provide parents with ideas on how to
support your child (ren) at home with math. This includes a
focus on a key mathematical idea, home activities, information
updates and web resources. Please see attachment for
additional information.
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BOOK FAIR
Our Fall Book Fair was a great success. Our total sales were
just over $4726.00. This means the school library will acquire
over $2880.00 worth of books in the very near future. By
supporting our Book Fair, the community has
contributed not only to promoting books and
reading but also to fostering the understanding
that learning is a commitment involving many
partners. Thank you for attending our event
and participating in our fun and educational
activities.
November 15 – Confirmation Retreat at St. Joseph’s
Parish
November 16 – Provincial Priorities & Faith
Development day – no school for students
November 27 – Family-Wide Volleyball Tournament
INTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES
Many of our staff offer a great deal of extra time to our
students in the form of co-curricular activities. Many activities
have been planned this year such as a Chess team, volleyball,
basketball, soccer, choir, and so much more. Thank you to our
staff for organizing these activities. Please encourage your
children to become involved and enjoy all that St. Raymond
has to offer.
Our first intramurals will take place in October. Each month
students from a division will have the opportunity to play in an
organized co-operative game that will take place in the gym.
This month our intermediate students will participate every
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during our second nutritional
break. We encourage all students to participate in intramurals
as it is an excellent opportunity for students to develop social
skills, co-operative play, and daily physical activity.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
October/November
October 3 – School Council Meeting
October 5 – Earth Rangers
October 8 – Thanksgiving Day – no school
October 17 – School Picture Day
October 18 – MS Read-A-Thon
October 23 – Intermediate Volleyball Tournament
October 24 – Cross Country Meet at Centennial Park
October 29 – Living Our Faith Virtues Assemblies
October 30 – Board Cross Country Meet
October 31 – Halloween – information on school
activities is forthcoming
November 6 – Progress Report Cards sent home
November 8 – Author Michael Wade Presentation
November 8 – Evening Parent/Teacher Interviews
November 14 – Picture Retakes
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