Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
ST. TIMOTHY CATHOLIC SCHOOL
2214 Cliff Road, Mississauga, ON L5A 2N9
TEL: 905-277-0990
FAX: 905-277-5570
School Website: www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
FEBRUARY
K. Kovacs
FOLLOW US ON
Principal
A. Aguilar
Vice-Principal
@StTimothyDPCDSB
E. Dal’Bo
Head Secretary
C. Bissola
Assistant Secretary
L. Kostick
Catholic School Council Chair
linda@lindakostick.com
2015
NEWSLETTER
PRAYER FOR THE VIRTUE OF RESPECT
Dear God,
You have lovingly created us in Your image, each called by name, to care
for the world You created for us to live in peace and unity with one another.
Among Your greatest gifts are our family, friends, and our community.
Blessed are You for the wonderful differences of culture, of colour, of creed,
and of heritage. Each one of us is unique, but united in the love of Christ.
We respectfully pray for the grace and strength to respect ourselves,
to respect one another, and to respect the earth and all Your creation.
We hope that by recognizing and honouring the shared Spirit
in everyone we meet, we can contribute to making our school
a safer, more caring, and more inclusive community.
Let us pray … for the virtue of respect so that everyone we meet
will feel like we are their brother or sister in Christ.
We ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN.
T. Lariviere
Superintendent of Schools,
Mississauga East
905-890-1221
M. Pascucci
Chair of the Board of Trustees
905-890-0708 X20161
Cell: 905-302-3096
mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
www.TrusteePascucci.ca
B. Iannicca
Trustee, Ward 7
Cell: 905-270-0536
bruno.iannicca@dpcdsb.org
Fr. Camillo Lando
Pastor,
St. Catherine of Siena Parish
905-272-1454
www.stcatherine.ca
P.L.A.S.P. Program
905-890-1711
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
With the coming of February, we have
reached the midway point of the school
year. We have accomplished much in
Term One, and our journey continues in
the next term towards completing our
academic
goals,
sacramental
celebrations, events in the arts and
athletics,
and
respecting
and
celebrating cultural, as well as all
diversities.
Ash Wednesday, on February 18th,
marks the beginning of the liturgical
season of Lent. During this period of
forty days, it is a time for Christians to
pray, sacrifice, and engage in acts of
charity, as we focus on strengthening
relationships with God and with one
another in our journey of spiritual
growth and transformation. During the
month of February, we also celebrate
Black History Month to honour and
recognize the many contributions and
achievements of Black Canadians, who
have played a vital role throughout our
shared national history. As we work
together for your child(ren)’s well-being
and
achievement,
parent-teacher
interviews will take place on the
evening of February 5th and during the
P.A. Day on February 6th. We are
excited to celebrate the 100th Day of
School on February 10th. We wish our
Intermediate students and staff a safe,
enjoyable, and educational excursion as
they travel to “la belle province” to
experience the Carnaval de Québec and
our French-Canadian heritage.
As always, your support of our school
endeavours is greatly appreciated and a
special thank you to all those who
volunteer their time in so many
different ways to help make our school
a special place for everyone.
Sincerely, K. Kovacs
Page 2 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
In the month of FEBRUARY,
WE FOCUS ON THE VIRTUE OF RESPECT
St. Timothy School Newsletter
DATES TO REMEMBER
God has given us the gift of friends and companions to
help us and bring us joy. Every person in our lives
carries the Spirit of God - and so every person is our
brother or sister through Jesus Christ. We all belong to
God’s family and each one of us deserves to be shown
courtesy, consideration, sensitivity, and thoughtfulness
which are all different ways of saying respect.
For all holidays and PA Days, refer to 2014-2015 School Year
Board Calendar in Student Agendas or visit www.dpcdsb.org
A RESPECTFUL person ...
 treats himself/herself and everyone with equal
consideration and courtesy
 uses a positive tone of voice and body language
 avoids swearing, name-calling, put-downs, and
inappropriate gestures
Friday, February 6, 2015.


says “Excuse me,” “Please,” “Pardon me, and “I’m sorry”
avoids gossip
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAYS
Term 1: Assessment, Evaluation, Reporting
of Pupil Progress - NO CLASSES
FEBRUARY
3
4
5
6
10
10 - 13
13
16
17
18
19
20
23 - 24
25
26
27
First Term Reports Sent Home
Catholic School Council Meeting ~7:00 PM
National Sweater Day (ECO Schools)
First Term Parent Interview Evening
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY DAY - No Classes
First Term Parent Interviews as scheduled
One Hundredth Day of School
Grades 7 and 8 Trip to Québec Carnavale
Grades 4-6 Skating @Cawthra Arena ~10 AM
FAMILY DAY HOLIDAY
Shrove (Pancake) Tuesday
Ash Wednesday Service ~11:00 AM
“Going Places” Family Math Night ~6:30 PM
Grades 7-8 Skating @Cawthra Arena ~10 AM
Groove EDGE-ucation Anti-Bullying Dance
“Next Generation Learning” Parent Night
Grade 8 Graduation Photos
Grades 1-3 Skating @Cawthra Arena ~10 AM
MARCH
4
5
6
10
11
16 - 20
27
31
Catholic School Council Meeting ~7:00 PM
Scientists in the School - Grade 6 classes
Grades 4-6 Skating @Cawthra Arena ~10 AM
Immunizations - Round 2 (HPV and Hep. B)
Grade 2 Reconciliation at Church ~7:30 PM
MARCH BREAK (inclusive)
Lenten Mass in School Gym ~9:30 AM
Grade 2 Trip to Ripley’s Aquarium
LUNCH PROGRAMS
Mondays
Wednesdays
Fridays
Mon.—Fri.
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Pizza Days
The Lunch Lady
Hot Dog Days
Milk Program
Page 3 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS /GUARDIANS
FROM THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
St. Timothy School Newsletter
SHROVE TUESDAY
The Ontario Ministry of Education focus on Safe Schools
and Positive School Climate, as well as its Equity and
Inclusive Education Strategy, requires that all schools
across the province implement a School Climate Survey
for students every two years. The Catholic Community
Culture and Caring School Climate (CCCC) Survey will take
place late January 2015 to mid February for elementary
students and secondary students. Students in Grades 3
through 12, as appropriate, will be offered the
opportunity to participate in the survey.
Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent begins and gets
its name from the ritual of shriving, whereby Christians
confess their sins and receive absolution for them. It’s
a day of penitence, to clean the soul and a day of
celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent
starts. Since Lent is a time of abstinence, i.e. giving
things up, Shrove Tuesday is traditionally a day for
Christians to indulge and to use up the foods that are
not allowed in Lent. So that no food was wasted,
families would have a feast on shriving Tuesday and
eat up all the foods that would not last the forty days
of Lent. The need to eat up the fatty and perishable
foods gave rise to the French name “Mardi Gras” which
translates to “Fat Tuesday.”
Pancakes became
associated with Shrove Tuesday as they were the dish
that could use up all the eggs, fat, and milk in the
house with just the addition of flour.
Parent/Guardian Survey
ASH WEDNESDAY begins LENT
Catholic Community, Culture and Caring
School Climate Survey 2014-2015
A parent/guardian CCCC School Climate Survey has also
been developed to provide parents/guardians an
opportunity to express feedback regarding their
children’s school climate experiences. Parents of all
students in all grades, K through 12+ are invited to
participate.
Implementation Information
All CCCC School Climate Surveys are anonymous on-line
surveys. Participants will access the surveys via a secure
link within a generic user account hosted within DufferinPeel’s firewall. The account containing the survey links
will only be available during the field test and live survey
period of January 26 to March 26. The link can be found
on the Board website page under the parent tab, and St.
Timothy School has also provided the link to parents via
e-mail and our school Twitter account.
http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/joe-nqn/2014-2015-cccc
-survey-parents-k-g8/
Ash Wednesday is a time when
people who seek penitence for
their wrongdoings are marked
with the sign of the cross, from
blessed
ashes,
on
their
forehead. This symbolic occasion
reminds us of our mortality and
sorrow for sins, as well as the
will for change and the hope of
forgiveness.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our Lenten
observances. For Christians, Lent is a time of fasting
and prayer as part or preparations for Easter when we
are ready to reaffirm our baptism. It is also a time of
goodwill to donate to charities or take part in
charitable events as a way to get close to God.
Ashes will be distributed to students on Wednesday,
February 18th at 11 AM in our school gym. Parents are
welcome to attend the liturgical prayer service.
FIRST RECONCILIATION - Grade 2
Thank you for your support of Dufferin-Peel’s efforts in
the area of Catholic Community Culture and Caring.
Should you have any questions, please contact the
school.
Students in Grade 2 who are currently enrolled at St.
Catherine of Siena Church for the Sacrament of First
Reconciliation will receive this sacrament on
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015 at 7:30 PM at the
Church.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 4 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
PARENT ENGAGEMENT EVENT
“GOING PLACES WITH MATH”
St. Timothy School
Family Math Night
FOR ALL MISSISSAUGA EAST & MISSISSAUGA/
BRAMPTON CENTRAL FAMILIES OF SCHOOLS
21st Century “Next Generation”
Inquiry-based Learning
Parent Engagement Event
Thursday, February 19th, 2015
6:30 - 8:30 PM
We welcome families to join us in the gym at St. Timothy
School to celebrate mathematics! As partners in your
child’s learning, we will collaborate to answer the
following questions:
 What does mathematics look like in my child’s classroom?
 How can we support your child’s mathematics development at
home?
 How can we encourage kids to be critical problem-solvers?
By the end of the night, take home a mathematics bag, a
warm treat, practical math strategies & even a prize!
Part 1: “Going places with Math!” (6:30-7:00 pm)
Do you wonder why math instruction has changed so
greatly from when you were in school? This presentation
will examine the benefits of inquiry-based math instruction
and what you can do to help your child at home.
Part 2: Break-out workshops (7:05-8:00 pm)
These sessions will be 20 minutes each and they will
pertain to your child’s grade or division. See below for
workshops .
Part 3: Get Some Refreshments, Win Prizes And More!
(8:00-8:30 pm)
Bring your completed Family Math Booklet for a chance to
win a prize, enjoy refreshments, connect with other
families and leave with a St. Timothy’s Family Math Bag!
Parents will select from the following list of workshops
presented by St. Timothy Staff members:
 Supporting Kindergarten Math at Home
 Grade 1: Three-Part Math Lesson—Linear
Measurement
 Math at Home for Primary
 Using Online Math Games to Support Learning of Math
 Grade 3 Math and EQAO
 Junior: A Look into Three-Part Math
 Are You Smarter Than A Sixth Grader?
 Intermediate 3-Part Math
The initial information letter and weekly Family Challenges
have been sent home over the past few weeks with your
child(ren) via e-mail, Twitter™, or by letter if you are not
on our “Going Green” e-mail distribution list.
All
information can also be found on our school website,
including the Registration Form and complete workshop
descriptions. Visit http://www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Wednesday, February 25th, 2015
7:30 - 8:30 PM
hosted at St. Timothy School
All parents/guardians are invited to attend Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board’s Parent Engagement Event at St.
Timothy Elementary School on Wednesday, February 25th from
7:30 to 8:30 PM. The event will feature thirty-minute
workshops on how inquiry is foundational to 21st Century
Learning.
Parents are asked to register through “Survey Monkey™”
before Thursday, February 19th by accessing the following link
for the ME/MBC (Mississauga) Families of Schools:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7JFX3WW
Complete descriptions of the following workshops are provided
in the survey when you register. The workshop presenters are
all educators from various schools in the Mississauga Families.

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





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Our Faith: Formation and Information
What does secondary inquiry look like in the school
library?
Inquiry and the Secondary Math Classroom
My Blueprint: The Essential Guidance Tool
Technology in the Intermediate Classroom
Inquiry in Primary Grades
Inquiry in FDK
Technology in FDK
Responsive Classroom Design
Use of Technology (tablets) in the Classroom/Blended
Learning
Blended Learning in the 21st Century Classroom
Literacy, Responsive Classroom Design, Social Media and
Communications
Social and Environmental Studies
Primary Science Inquiry
Math and Chores!
Next Generation Learning Support in Math
Come and bring a friend! Please register now!
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Page 5 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
NATIONAL SWEATER DAY
February 5th, 2015
On Thursday, February 5th, Dufferin-Peel Catholic
schools and St. Timothy School will turn down the
heat and put on a sweater in honour of World Wildlife
Fund’s (WWF) National Sweater Day. The event is held
each year across Canada to raise awareness about the
importance of energy conservation.
St. Timothy School Newsletter
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
CORNER
Communication between home and school is greatly
enhanced by parental involvement with the Catholic
School Council. Council meetings typically occur the
first Wednesday of each month, although there was no
scheduled meeting for January. All Council Members
and parents/guardians are encouraged to come out to
meetings and participate. Our next School Council
meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 4th at
7:00 PM in the school library. All parents welcome!
Future Meeting Dates
March 4, 2015
April 1, 2015
May 20, 2015
According to the WWF, heating makes up 80% of all
energy used in homes and schools across Canada. If
every Canadian home and school turned down the
temperature of their home or school by two degrees
during the winter for four months, that would save
enough energy to close an entire coal-powered plant!
“By turning down the heat on February 5 and putting
on a sweater to keep warm, we are providing an
opportunity for our employees and students to learn
about the importance of saving energy, while at the
same time, reminding us to use less heat throughout
the
winter,”
said
Marianne
Mazzorato,
Superintendent of Early Years and Community
Partnerships.
Visit
http://www.wwf.ca/events/
Minutes (approved) from the previous meetings are
posted on our school website. Thank you to our local
community grocer, The Apple Market, for donating the
Toronto Maple Leaf hockey tickets for a game in
January. Their support of our school events is always
appreciated.
sweater_day/?gclid=CNPV3qKmyMMCFZOBaQod6YgAtg
for information.
Stay tuned for more information about the spring Family
Movie Night in April!
Dufferin-Peel has adopted the theme of “My Sweater
Has a Story Day.” Staff and students will be
encouraged to wear their favorite sweater and tell us
about what makes it special. Pictures and stories will
be posted on Twitter using the hashtag
#mysweatermystory . Follow @dpweewonder or
@DPCDSBSchools and include our school Twitter™
account @StTimothyDPCDSB.
Please join us in welcoming Mrs. S. Solecky to our staff
as the Designated Early Childhood Educator in Mrs. K.
Murphy’s Kindergarten class. She will remain with us
until June.
The board will also be collecting gently used sweaters
on February 5. A drop-off box will be located in the
main foyer of the Catholic Education Centre at 40
Matheson Boulevard West in Mississauga. The
sweaters will be donated to Canadian Food for
Children at Dr. Simone’s Warehouse.
Thank you to all families who participated in Family
Movie Night at the school on Friday, January 30th .. A
great time was had by all as our school was given special
permission to watch Big Hero 6, a day before its release
on DVD! Our community is full of everyday heroes who
support our school. Regardless of whether in big or
small ways, our students all benefit!
Welcome also to those families, new and continuing,
who registered their child for Kindergarten during
Registration Week at the end of January. We have lots
of new, little faces to meet in September! If you have
not yet registered your child for Kindergarten, please
come to the Office as forms are still available.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 6 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
PRIMARY FITNESS CLUB
Primary Fitness Club has been a success this year! We
had many students from Grades 1 to 3 participate in
Fitness Club during the month of January. The children
have been playing games and dances, practicing their
soccer and basketball skills. A big round of applause for
our P.A.L.S. leaders, Katie, Hayley, Sierra, Mateja and
Nubia for leading these organized games! Fitness Club
will run for a couple of more Wednesdays in February.
During the winter months, remember to keep fit and
have fun!
Thank you to Ms. Garcia and Ms. Jach for organizing this
fit and fun school activity.
WILLY WONKA JR.
SCHOOL MUSICAL
Rehearsals for our school musical, Willy Wonka Jr., are
underway! Our cast is a very talented and enthusiastic
bunch and our spring show will surely be a “sweet treat”
for all to see!
Students and staff will be busy over the next months in
preparing the many aspects of a stage production,
including the rehearsals, music, sets, props, costumes.
If there are any parents or members of the community
who are willing to donate their time and talent in the
construction of a stage extension, we would greatly
appreciate it! If anyone is able to donate materials to
build this extension, that would also be a huge help!
If you are able to assist in any of the areas above, please
contact Ms. Hyde at the school!
St. Timothy School Newsletter
KILOMETRE CLUB
The Kilometre Club continues to meet during these
cold winter days on Tuesdays from 8:20 – 8:45 AM. On
warmer Tuesdays, our club takes our running back
outside to enjoy the fresh air and longer distance runs.
Please ensure your child wears running shoes and warm
winter clothing, especially a hat and gloves.
Back in October, The Kilometre Club set a goal of
running 2 km by the end of April. We are running
toward our goal with enthusiasm and great effort.
Runners are encouraged to sign up for the Mississauga
Marathon Weekend's 2 km Fun Run on Sunday, May 3rd
at 12:30 PM. Parents can find out more information
about the 2 km Fun Run on the marathon website http://mississaugamarathon.com/register/. Parents can
also speak to Ms. Harden or Ms. Zabukovec during one
of the Tuesday morning runs for more
information. Keep on running!
HEALTH ACTION TEAM
Do you know that by the time you feel thirsty, your body
has lost more than 1 % of its total water? Do you know
that drinking water can promote good oral hygiene and
may help in reducing cavities and tooth decay?
The Health Action Team has kicked off Water-ful
Wednesdays. Members are encouraging students and
staff at St. Timothy School to remember to drink water
throughout the day because of its health benefits. The
Health Action Team will be visiting classes throughout
the next few months to track each class' water
consumption. There will be prizes and unique trophies
to be won for classes drinking water during lunch time.
So remember, drop by one of our water fountains for
some FREE water! Our school is trying to avoid using
plastic water bottles so use your St. Timothy School
refillable water bottles purchased from the Eco Team!
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Page 7 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
In January, the Grade Two classes took part in the
Scientists in the School Workshop "Get Moving With
Toys." During this workshop, the students took part in
five centres, one for each type of simple machine (e.g.
lever, pulley, axle, etc.) Students even built their very
own car and screw. The activities also provoked
thoughts and questions about simple machines, and
how they are useful.
Last month, the Grade Three students also participated
in a Science workshop called “Strong and Stable
Structures.” They enjoyed being referred to as engineers
and scientists. The students circulated to five centres
led by parent volunteers and intermediate
students. The final task was a building challenge in
which they built bridges out of newspaper. The
students agreed that Science is Cool! A few students
stated that they aspire to become an engineer in the
future.
“A real scientist came to our Grade Five class to talk to
us about structures and forces. We did an experiment
with a popsicle stick, pipe cleaners, and paper clips. We
needed to use all these things to make the stick balance
on one finger, and it worked! We had to remember to
think of using a wide base and a low center of gravity.
Then we made a structure with newspaper and tape.
We needed the structure to be strong and sturdy to
hold up as many math textbooks as possible. My
group’s structure held up three books. I can’t wait for
another visit from Scientists in the Classroom!” - written
by Logan R., Grade 5 student
In February, Scientists in the School will also visit our
Grade One classrooms.
Thank you to our Catholic
School Council for organizing
the fundraisers that support
the budget for these handson, minds-on educational
experiences!
St. Timothy School Newsletter
On January 22 and 29, St. Timothy students in Grades 1
to 7 participated in the Canadian Curling Association
“Rocks & Rings” program. Various drills, relays and
team-building activities were used to introduce students
to the sport of curling. It was a highly interactive
program with the emphasis on fun!
Unique indoor floor curling equipment is used to
provide a true curling experience without requiring ice!
Each participating child received their own Canadian
Curling Association “Rocks & Rings” certificate and we
all know what that means … St. Timothy Rocks!
ROSE THEATRE WORKSHOPS
As part of our cultural experiences at the school, the
Grades 7 and 8 students participated in dance
workshops led by the Rose Theatre. The workshops
were based on jazz and musical theatre. Students
learned unique dance routines and then created their
own dance as a concluding activity to their own routine.
Students were very engaged as the instructors
introduced everyone to the skills involved in
entertainment and performance. “It was really fun and
energetic and we learned how to do each dance move
really well”, says Alessandra P., a Grade 8 student. On
behalf of the Intermediate students and staff, we would
like to extend our thanks to the Catholic School Council
for subsidizing these events for us!
CHILDCARE / BABYSITTING INFORMATION
As per new Board guidelines, we are no longer able to
offer childcare (babysitting) services at the school for
meetings, etc. due to liability issues. This information
was shared with administrators at our last
Superintendent meeting. As such, parents will have to
make their own arrangements for babysitting outside of
the school setting (e.g. School Council meetings, etc.)
In addition, the Office can no longer share information
regarding parents offering childcare in the home
Thank you for your support as we adjust to the change.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 8 of 8
FEBRUARY 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA PARISH INFORMATION
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE