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
MARCH
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
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
2015
NEWSLETTER
A LENTEN PRAYER
Lord, Jesus, our Saviour,
By Your passion, death, and resurrection,
You have set us free from sin and death.
May Your grace renew our hearts during this holy season of Lent
And help us to turn away from sin, repent, and be faithful to the Gospel.
May we learn to appreciate more deeply the magnificence of Your love for us
as You humbled Yourself and gave Your life on the cross
that we might receive the gift of eternal life.
Accept our prayer, fasting and acts of charity
as we seek to draw closer to You during these 40 days of Lent
as we prepare for the celebration of Your resurrection.
Strengthen the faith of Your people
so that we may be a sign of Your love to all the world.
We ask this in Your sacred name.
AMEN.
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
During the month of March, we
continue to recognize the holy season
of Lent. This 40 day preparation for the
Feast of Easter that began with Ash
Wednesday last month and ends with
Holy Week and Easter next month is a
time to deepen our relationship with
God.
The three pillars of Lenten
observance are prayer, fasting, and
almsgiving (acts of charity).
11th. We wish them every blessing as
they mark this important time to learn
about God’s forgiveness.
Thank you to our Catholic School
Council and parent volunteers for their
efforts in continuing their Shrove
Tuesday tradition, as they prepared
over 600 pancakes for the whole
school. This led us into our Lenten
journey with the distribution of ashes
on Ash Wednesday with Father Lando.
Our
school-wide Lenten outreach
initiatives include the collection of soap
and salt for Dr. Simone’s charity,
Canadian Food for Children and the
collection of milk bags which are to be
woven into sleep mats. We focus on
the virtue of Kindness this month as we
continue to foster a safe, caring,
healthy,
and
inclusive
school
community. Our Grade 2 students
celebrate their First Reconciliation at St.
Catherine of Siena Church on March
Last month, we also hosted a school
Family Math Night and the Mississauga
East Next Generation Learning evening
which were both well-received by
parents and we thank you for your
ongoing support of your child(ren)’s
education.
As March Break approaches, may the
St. Timothy staff, students, and families
have a safe, restful, and enjoyable
week! Spring is just around the corner!
Sincerely, K. Kovacs
Page 2 of 9
MARCH 2015
In the month of MARCH,
WE FOCUS ON THE VIRTUE OF KINDNESS
God has given us the gift of friends and family to keep
us company, love us, and help us out along the way.
Every person in our lives carries the Spirit of God and so
every person is our brother or sister through Jesus
Christ so we all deserve to be shown concern for our
welfare and our feelings. We have all been graced with
the fruit of the Holy Spirit called Kindness. Kindness is
seen through our words and our actions.
A KIND person ...
says nice things about others and includes others so
they feel good about themselves
 sticks up for people who are picked on or need help
 refuses to join others who are insulting,
intimidating, mean, or hurtful in any way
 watches and looks for ways to help those in need

St. Timothy School Newsletter
DATES TO REMEMBER
For all holidays and PA Days, refer to 2014-2015 School Year
Board Calendar in Student Agendas or visit www.dpcdsb.org
MARCH BREAK
March 16th - 20th, 2015
MARCH
4
5
6
10
11
11
12
16 - 20
27
27
30
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
Mississauga East Chess Tournament
Great Big Crunch and Great Big Gulp
MARCH BREAK (inclusive)
Lenten Reconciliation for Grades 2-8
Earth Hour Observed
HOLY WEEK Begins
Grade 2 Trip to Ripley’s Aquarium
APRIL
1
2
3
Catholic School Council Meeting ~7:00 PM
Stations of the Cross in the Gym ~1:15 PM
GOOD FRIDAY (no school)
5
EASTER SUNDAY
6
Easter Monday (no school)
8
Junior Achievement (Grade 6 Classes)
8
Catholic Skills Canada Competition (J/I Teams)
11
Central Committee for Catholic School
Councils Conference / Vendor Marketplace
at St. Joseph Secondary School (SATURDAY)
17
French Café
17
Family Movie Night
22
Earth Day / Secretary’s Day
LUNCH PROGRAMS
Mondays
Wednesdays
** NO HOT DOG DAYS **
Mon.—Fri.
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Pizza Days
The Lunch Lady
on Fridays during Lent
Milk Program
Page 3 of 9
MARCH 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
DID YOU KNOW ?
PARENT ENGAGEMENT EVENTS
Last month offered parents opportunities to strengthen the
home-school connection as St. Timothy School hosted two
evenings focused on engaging parents in their child(ren)’s
learning as they became “students” themselves.
On Thursday, February 19th, St. Timothy families joined us as we
were “Going Places with Math” for an evening to celebrate
mathematics! As partners in your child’s learning, sessions
focused on answering the following questions:
 What does mathematics look like in my child’s classroom?
 How can we support your child’s math development at home?
 How can we encourage kids to be critical problem-solvers?
Raffle prizes were awarded to families who participated in the
Weekly Math Challenges. Thank you to Ms. L. Giovinazzo and Ms.
T. Colaco for organizing the event, as well as all the staff who
worked very hard in preparing their parent workshops.
Our school also hosted
a Parent
Engagement event for the Mississauga East
and Mississauga/Brampton Central Families
of Schools on the evening of Wednesday,
February 25th.
The event featured
workshops facilitated by educators from various schools in both
Families and many of our own staff. The focus was on how
inquiry is foundational to 21st Century Learning as our Catholic
schools go “Above and Beyond” to best educate the Next
Generation within the context of our faith. All parents and
participants received a USB data key with useful resources as
they enjoyed learning in our responsive design classrooms about
how technology is used as a tool with an inquiry approach. We
thank our Trustee Bruno Iannicca and Superintendent Tim
Lariviere for their support of these initiatives. The feedback
from parents for both events has been positive & encouraging.
“It was a great opportunity to learn new strategies to help our children
with math that is very different from when I was in school. The sessions I
attended were informative and it was a very worthwhile event.” - parent JS
The next Parent Engagement Event, hosted by the
Dufferin-Peel Central Committee for Catholic
School Councils, will be held on the morning of
Saturday, April 11th , 2015 at St. Joseph
Secondary School at 5555 Creditview Road.
“Exploring Paths of Joy” is the theme of the Parent Conference
which will feature an extensive Vendor Marketplace and a
keynote address by Anne Jamieson, the Director of Catechesis
for the Archdiocese of Hamilton. Information has been sent
home via separate flyer or via email and registration details for
the parent workshops will be available after March Break. Visit
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC/ for more information.
March 8th is International Women’s Day - This year’s
theme, “Empowering Women - Empowering Humanity:
Picture It!" envisions a world where each woman and girl
can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics,
getting an education, having an income, and living in
societies free from violence and discrimination. Further
information is available at http://www.un.org/en/events/
womensday/ (Wear something purple or pink today!)
March 21st 2015 - This is the 10th anniversary of World
Down Syndrome Day. Down Syndrome International will
focus on the role of families and the positive contribution
that they can make towards the enjoyment of full and equal
rights for people with Down syndrome.
March 26th is Epilepsy Awareness Day - Annually, people in
countries around the world are invited to wear purple and
host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year,
people in dozens of countries on all continents including
Antarctica participated in Purple Day!
SACRAMENTAL DATES
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.
The Grade 2 students who are participating in the
Sacramental preparation classes at the church will celebrate
their First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 at
11:00 AM.
The Grade 8 students who are participating in the
Sacramental preparation classes at the church will celebrate
their Confirmation on Tuesday, May 26th, 2015 at 7:00 PM.
The provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office
(EQAO) has designated the dates for the Primary and Junior
Divisions Assessments of Reading, Writing, and
Mathematics. We request that parents of Grades 3 and 6
students refrain from booking vacations or other
appointments that would result in their child(ren) being
away from school during the period of May 25 to June 5,
2015. More specific dates, times, and information for our
school will follow closer to the assessment time. Visit
www.dpcdsb.org/EQAO for Board and school profiles.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 4 of 9
MARCH 2015
JUNIOR BOYS’ BASKETBALL
th
On February 27 , the Junior Boys’
Basketball Team participated in the
Mississauga East Family Tournament. The
boys first faced a powerful Bishop
Scalabrini team and lost, although the team
did not let that deter them. Their determination,
positive attitude and skills led to a win as they faced a
very skilled St. Charles Garnier team and won, followed
by another win against an amazing Metro Andrei team
in an exciting overtime finish. Finally, the boys faced
Bishop Scalabrini again, but this time took the lead and
never looked back. The boys have earned the title of
Mississauga East Family Champions and we have the
banner to prove it! Your coaches are very proud of you.
Thanks to all the staff members and parents who
supported us.
Congratulations to the following team members:
Arbi A.
Justin F.
Ryan P.
Marjan A.
Luc M.
Emilio T.
Liam C.
Marc M.
Daniel W.
Tommaso C. Antonio N.
Thank you to Mr. D’Souza and Ms. Dzugan for their time
and talent as the coaches of this year’s team.
JUNIOR GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
The Junior Girls’ Basketball Team played an excellent
season,
as
they
demonstrated
promising potential and a great sense of
fair play and skill in their games. The
coaches wish to congratulate the girls
on their determination and for being so positive and
enthusiastic. The 2015 Junior Girls’ Team members
were: Alexia A.
Cicilija G.
Kryzelle P.
Simone B.
Sabrina K.
Emily S.
Grace D.
Won Hee L.
Taylor S.
Natalia D.
Mya M.
Olivia V.
Thank you for the generosity and commitment of
Ms. Feather and Ms. Gdyczynski in coaching the team.
St. Timothy School Newsletter
INTERMEDIATE HOCKEY
The Intermediate Hockey Tournament Team members
have skated, shot, and scored their way through a
number of tournaments this season which is now
completed. They participated in a total of three
tournaments: the St. Martin’s tournament, the All Saints
tournament, and the Beacon Cup tournament. As
reported in our January newsletter, the team won gold
at the St. Martin tournament, and they put forth their
best effort in representing our school well in the
subsequent tournaments also.
The team truly
developed their skills and camaraderie and should be
very proud of their performance on and off the ice.
The Tournament Team members were:
Jacob B. (8)
Emma D. (8)
Brayden H. (8)
Matthias L. (8)
Brian L. (8)
Luc M. (*6)
John N. (8)
Connor O. (7)
Ryan O. (7)
William P. (7)
Julian R. (8)
Makenna S. (8)
Stephen S. (8)
Liam S. (5)
Quinn T. (*6)
The Intermediate Hockey League Team members
include all of the above names with the exception of the
two students marked with an asterisk*.
The following four players were additional members of
the League Team:
Hayley B. (7)
Lucas P. (7)
Anthony B. (7)
Philip P. (7)
The Team won the Bronze
Medal in the League playoffs
and are to be congratulated for
an exciting and excellent
season. We are very proud of
the hard work shown by all our
teams! GO TITANS!
We would like the acknowledge the wonderful coaching
efforts and talents of Mr. Riopel and Mr. Allen who
organized and developed our hockey players. Thank
you also to the parents who supported the teams with
driving to the rinks, especially on those early mornings!
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Page 5 of 9
MARCH 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
NATIONAL SWEATER DAY
National Sweater Day was observed
Board-wide on February 5, 2015. It
was a great success as 84 schools and
a number of departments at the
Board
Office
registered
to
participate. Our thanks and appreciation goes to the
Plant Department for undertaking the monumental
task of programming the changes of temperature in all
participating locations.
The numerous and touching postings on Twitter™ @
#mysweatermystory and on YouTube™ are an
indication of the incredible creativity and spirit that
exists within our Board and is a testament to our
commitment to reducing our carbon footprint on the
planet.
GOLDEN BIN CHALLENGE
After much searching and bidding on e-Bay,
the Eco Team has acquired a gold-plated
recycling bin!
Beginning last month, every week, one
lucky class is awarded the “Golden Bin” to
replace their boring blue bin for recycling that
week. How can your class win? Just make sure to put
recyclable items in the blue bin and garbage in the
garbage bin. Eco team members will continue to audit
once a week. Results are posted on the Eco News
bulletin board, next to the gym doors. The top classes
will go into a draw to win the “Golden Bin” for the
week.
LOVELY LAMP CHALLENGE
Just like the Golden Bin challenge, Eco Team members
will continue to audit Lights Out Lunch. The rooms
with the best energy saving practices at lunch go into
a draw to win the Lamp for the week. These results
are also being posted on the Eco News board.
Eco
Team
members
have
been
making
announcements throughout these weeks to introduce
these initiatives. Thank you to our whole school for
always supporting Eco initiatives :) Way to keep it
green, St. Timothy!
Good Luck to all classes in earning one (or both!) of
these very prestigious awards.
GREAT BIG CRUNCH
The 2015 Great Big Crunch will be
taking place on Thursday, March
12th at approximately 2:30 PM in
classrooms,
gymnasiums,
recreational facilities, homes, work
places and communities across
Canada, online … and beyond!
We are encouraging EVERYONE to help us make the
biggest crunch yet. St. Timothy School will celebrate
healthy eating by taking a giant, synchronized bite into
a crunchy apple together! A Great Big Thank You to
The Apple Market™ for their generosity in providing
us with apples for the whole school!!!
Join us as we celebrate Nutrition Month in March to:
 promote, celebrate and enjoy healthy snacking
 highlight availability of local produce all year round
 use fruits and vegetables as the centerpiece for
activities on cooking and tasting, nutrition, soil and
composting, sustainability, community development
and more!
GREAT GULP
The Region of Peel and the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board have invited
all students to celebrate Peel tap water by
taking part in a school- wide synchronized
drink of tap water.
In conjunction with our Water-ful Wednesdays
initiative, St. Timothy’s Great Gulp event will take
place on Thursday, March 12th , the same day as the
Great Big Crunch. Parents are asked to please help
support this initiative by sending your child(ren) to
school with reusable water bottle(s) so that they can
make a “Toast to Tap Water!” As a participating
school, we will be entered into a draw for a water refill
station for the school or reusable water bottles for
each student.
Peel tap water is a safe, clean,
convenient choice that is good
for your health and the
environment. To learn more
about Peel tap water visit
www.peeltapwater.ca.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 6 of 9
MARCH 2015
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
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. 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, March 4th at 7:00
PM in the school library. All parents welcome!
Future Meeting Dates
March 4, 2015
April 1, 2015
May 20, 2015
Minutes (approved) from the previous meetings are
posted on our school website. Trustee Bruno Iannicca
joined us for our February meeting and we thank our
Trustee for his commitment to Catholic Education and
our school. We also thank all of our Catholic School
Council members and the Chair, Linda Kostick, for their
ongoing support of our school initiatives (i.e.
sacraments, cultural events, school presentations, gym
equipment, extracurricular activities, trips, team
uniforms, etc.)
St. Timothy School Newsletter
ALL STAR READING
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
MORE VOLUNTEERS
The All Star Reading Program
consists of one-on-one reading
sessions to help students meet grade level reading
benchmarks. The coaches are parent volunteers who
read to students each week, ideally for a minimum of
two 20 minute sessions per student.
Please consider volunteering 1-2 hours a week to assist
with our school’s All Star Reading Program. All volunteer
coaches will receive training about the program and the
different strategies that can be used by students to help
improve their reading skills.
If you would like to volunteer to help our young readers,
please leave your name and contact information with
our main office. A reminder that all volunteers require
an updated CRC. Thank you to Ms. Debbie Mikkelsen for
overseeing the program.
VOLUNTEER POLICY
In accordance with Board GAP policy 801, all parent
volunteers, even those attending a one-day only school trip or
event, are required to have a Criminal Reference Check (CRC)
and sign an Annual Offence Declaration (AOD).
Page 7 of 9
MARCH 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
PARENT TOOL KIT
Visit http://
www.ontariodirectors.ca/
parent_engagement.html
for more information.
The Parent Tool Kit is a
resource in which parents
can find activities and
suggestions that they can
use to help their children
succeed in school. The
Parent Tool Kit describes
hands-on activities and key
messages about what parents could do to support their
children in doing homework, making real life
connections to the classroom, and developing healthy
relationships.
This Tool Kit is for parents of Junior Kindergarten to
Grade 12 students. Research shows that learning at
home is one of the most beneficial ways to help your
child succeed. The Tool Kit is intended to support
parents as you help your children at home, and includes
ideas and tips in the following areas:
BE A COACH: includes specific suggestions for providing
at-home help for success at school
DR. KARYN GORDON
is coming to Canadian Martyrs School
on March 9th
BE A MENTOR: includes suggestions for helping with
homework and the supportive role parents can play
BE AN ADVOCATE: deals with parent-school
communication and ideas for helping students present
them-selves well
STAY INFORMED: deals with reinforcing classroom
learning at home
FITTING IT ALL IN: provides tips to help with at-home
organization that supports success at school
THE TEENAGE YEARS: focuses on talking to your
secondary school student about school and provides tips
for raising responsible digital citizens.
Many of the activities used in the Parent Tool Kit and
Guidebook are based on the research of Dr. Joyce
Epstein and her work with the National Network of
Partnership Schools.
www.dpcdsb.org/TMTHY
Page 8 of 9
MARCH 2015
SOAP AND SALT
LENTEN OUTREACH
From March 2nd – 13th, we are collecting SOAP and SALT
for Dr. Simone’s “Canadian Food for Children” as part of
our Lenten acts of charity (almsgiving). JK to Grade 3
classes are asked to bring in bars of soap. Grade 4 to
Grade 8 classes are asked to bring in boxes of salt.
Why SOAP? Lack of hygiene is a major cause of disease
in developing countries. People are not keeping clean
because they can't afford soap. Donating soap to these
less fortunate countries will help them stay healthy and
clean!
Why SALT? Underprivileged countries lack iodine, a
substance commonly found in our salt.
Iodine
deficiency is one of the main causes of childhood brain
damage. Donating salt is an easy way to help promote
healthy brain development! Jesus told us we are “salt
of the earth” because salt is used as a preservative and
a flavour enhancer, just as we are called to preserve
our faith and enliven it.
Thank you for supporting our Lenten outreach
initiatives!
MILK BAG COLLECTION
The collection of milk bags at our
school is gaining momentum and
to accommodate the large volume
of bags coming in, Mississauga
schools are encouraged to ship the
milk bags to Mary Fix School as the
collection site.
Below is a link to a video that features one of our Grade
9 students at Martin S.S. demonstrating how the mats
are woven. The mats are being shipped to Sierra Leone
on a continuous basis by Canadian Food for Children
(CFFC), along with other supplies, and will be used in
the Ebola clinics to provide something comfortable for
patients to lie on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NhyhNrEMfYA&feature=share
PLEASE ENSURE THE MILK BAGS ARE CLEAN, DRY,
AND LAID FLAT FOR COLLECTION!
(Only the outer, coloured bag is being collected.)
St. Timothy School Newsletter
ONLINE SCHOOL LIBRARY
Did you know that you can now view the school library
from home? Just visit the following link to see what
the library has to offer: http://library.dpcdsb.org/
uhtbin/cgisirsi.exe/?ps=rWNkseB06q/
TMTHY/20820002/60/1182/X
You can access the online school library from our
school website’s homepage by clicking on the
“Library” tab on the navigation bar at the top.
USEFUL MATH WEBSITES
HOMEWORK HELP is a free online math help
resource for students in Grades 7 - 10. Homework
Help provides free, live, one-on-one tutoring from
Ontario teachers Sunday to Thursday from 5:30 - 9:30
PM. It is funded by the Ontario government and
administered by TVO's Independent Learning Centre.
Students must have thein OEN number to login.
https://homeworkhelp.ilc.org/index.php?
gclid=CjwKEAiAveWnBRCzjqf4zpuUkGYSJABcoZbHECxRF9zY
6sKxGrWH97FzZCDqwLHFg0UC6jFlzbG7bRoCuUXw_wcB
The following has recently been designed to also
support Grades 3 - 6 students with developing their
math skills. http://homeworkzone.tvokids.com/hwz/math
RAZ-KIDS
The Raz-Kids™ Online Reading Program is being aimed
at our primary students as a means of supplementing
our school Literacy Program, with enriching reading
activities that can be done at home.
All primary students have received their instruction
packages, including their password, so that they can
participate in the reading program at home. We
encourage parents/guardians to spend some time
with their child and the Raz-Kids™ reading program. If
you have any questions please contact your child’s
teacher.
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
Page 9 of 9
MARCH 2015
St. Timothy School Newsletter
PRODIGY MATH





Teachers have access to a variety of reports that allow them to see how students are doing. They can also create
assignments designed to reinforce skills that are being taught in the classroom.


/
OTHER TEACHER APPROVED WEBSITES FOR
WEBSITE NAME
WEBSITE URL ADDRESS
Hooda Math
http://www.hoodamath.com/
Academics
http://www.academics.com/
Khan Academy
http://www.khanacademy.org/
Math Game Time
http://www.mathgametime.com/
AAA MATH
http://aaamath.com/
Figure This!
http://www.figurethis.org/
Top Marks
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Math Playground
http://www.mathplayground.com/
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
COOPERATE … EDUCATE … CELEBRATE
REVISIONS TO PROVINCIAL HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM (2015)
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
As Catholics, we understand that parents and guardians are the primary educators of their children. Your role in the teaching of
family life issues is pivotal and vital. Catholic schools work with parents and parishes to provide students an education that is
founded in the Gospel of Jesus, and reflects a Catholic world view. As the province implements a revised provincial health and
physical education curriculum, the information below will help provide catholic families with information to help understand how
the
new
curriculum
will
be
adopted
in
publicly
funded
Catholic
schools.
Q. I’m concerned about the new “sex ed” curriculum that people have been talking about. How will it impact my children in a
Catholic school?
A. The new curriculum is actually a revision of the Health & Physical Education Curriculum, last updated in 1998 by the Ontario
Government. For more than 30 years, all Catholic schools in Ontario have successfully provided a family life curriculum within a
Catholic framework under the guidance of the Catholic Bishops of Ontario through the Fully Alive program. Catholic Family Life
Education is closely associated with Religious Education. In Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools, it accounts for 20% of the
Religious Education program, and is usually taught once a week.
While we have a responsibility to teach the curriculum set out by the Ministry of Education in education policy, we have always
done so in a manner that conveys, respects and models our Catholic values to our students.
Q. Can you tell me more about Family Life Education?
A. In our Catholic elementary schools, Family Life Education is presented through the lens of Fully Alive. The program goal is to pass
on a distinctively Catholic view of human life, sexuality, marriage and family. Fully Alive complements the efforts of families and to
support what parents are doing at home. The entire program, from Grades 1 through Grade 8, is designed to encourage children to
become the people God wants them to be – to be “fully alive.”
Q. Will the revised curriculum be presented from a Catholic perspective?
A. Yes. While working with Ministry of Education guidelines, Catholic schools use the Gospel of Jesus and the tradition of the
Catholic Church as the starting point in our educational approach to all content. The vast majority of the content required by the
revised curriculum is already covered within the Fully Alive program.
Q. Now that the curriculum has been released, what will happen next?
A. The Catholic education community of Ontario will work together to produce resources that support our Catholic teachers and
ensure that the curriculum delivered in our classrooms is consistent with our Catholic teachings, and appropriate within the
context of a Catholic classroom. The Institute for Catholic Education (ICE) will coordinate this work. ICE works under the guidance
and in the name of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO).
The Ministry of Education has committed to provide funding to support the development of specific resources and materials that
will be appropriate for use in Catholic schools, and will support teachers as they implement the revised curriculum.
Q. What about age appropriate material?
A. Although some of the content from the existing curriculum has been reassigned, with the expectation that it be delivered in
earlier grades, we are confident that we will be able to deliver the revised curriculum within the context of our Family Life
program, in a way that is consistent with Church teachings, and our faith tradition.
Q. How can I stay involved regarding the implementation of the curriculum?
A. We encourage all parents to maintain a healthy dialogue with teachers and principals as the implementation of the curriculum
takes place in September 2015. Information about the existing Family Life Curriculum, Grades 1-8 (2012) can be found at http://
iceont.ca (Institute for Catholic Education). Information about the Fully Alive Program for Family Life can be found on the Assembly
of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) website at http://acbo.on.ca/englishweb/fullyalive.htm
Prepared by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) and the Institute for Catholic Education (ICE)
February 23, 2015
ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA PARISH INFORMATION