St. Sebastian Catholic Elementary School
3460 Aquinas Avenue
Mississauga, Ontario
L5M 7L2
Telephone: (905) 607-0107
Fax: (905) 607-2535
STUDENT TEACHER This week we will welcome an OISE student teacher into our classroom. Her name is Miss Milton. She will be with us February 16 – March 11. EQAO PARENT WORKSHOP I was very grateful to all of the parents that came out to learn about assessment. I know that you have already put in place many of the tips and strategies that were presented to you that night. Students have also been working towards improving in many areas, using these strategies. I am still trying to find a company that we can get the Math dictionaries from now that our previous supplier notified us that they were unable to fill our order. I am anxious to get the dictionaries into students’ hands! SUPPLIES If at all possible, please ensure that your son / daughter has 3 highlighters (yellow, pink, orange) at school. These are essential tools that are used for many subjects, and will be used for EQAO prep also. DUOTANGS / NOTEBOOKS and AGENDAS Students are encouraged to regularly take home their duotangs / notebooks so that needed corrections and unfinished work can be completed, and notes can be reviewed. Please also regularly check the agenda. MATHEMATICS As Math continues to be our goal at St. Sebastian and within the school board, you may have seen a change to your son / daughter’s math duotang. Students have been focusing on stating the TOOL and the STRATEGY they will use to solve the problem. Notes regarding the processes and steps they took, along with key information regarding different math vocabulary and processes, are copied into their duotangs so they can refer to them AS they do their assigned question. This also assists parents to know what they have learned that day / practiced, and procedures and steps they should be following. I know that at the recent interviews, many parents voiced how this is already helping both their son / daughter, and them. NEW PROGRAM (Social Studies) This year the grade 3’s are working from a new Social Studies textbook. As mentioned in the interviews, the curriculum in this subject area is best understood with regular review and discussion. Please feel free to have your son / daughter take their textbook home on a regular basis; but please ensure that it is back at school the next day in case they need it for a lesson they are doing. continued page 2 CLASS AWARD PROGRAM Students work towards rewards EACH month – things like lunch with a friend, extra time on the iPad, the “treat” box (pencils, erasers, small toys, etc.), extra Phys‐Ed time, etc. This month you may see extra Valentine “treats” coming home if they earn them. They will ALL receive Valentine treats on Valentine’s Day from me. CHESS Jeremiah, Carter, Kellyanne, Aidan, and Justin have joined the Chess Club and participate in games once a month, which began in December. They will continue to do this throughout the coming months, and then in May will be invited to participate in a FUN St. Sebastian Chess Competition, where every child will win medals or ribbons, as they compete against others in their division (grades 1, 2, 3). More information will follow. PRAYERS ON THE P.A. Recently eight grade 3s (Drew, Mina, Jeremiah, Aidan, Victoria V., Mia, Victoria M., and Naya, who asked to participate, read prayers about Self‐Control on the P.A. for morning announcements. They did an excellent job. Way to go! FIELD TRIPS Along with the many great school‐wide presenters that come into our classrooms or school in lieu of an outside field trip, the grade 3s will participate in a Science in‐class “field trip”, presented by Scientists in the Classroom. More information will follow in March. VIRTUE ASSEMBLY It is hoped that the grade 3s will participate in the March virtue assembly on Kindness. More information will follow once it is confirmed and a date is set. FUNDRAISING St. Sebastian is participating in a number of fundraising initiatives right now for Share Life. Your $2.00 donation for Shrove Tuesday and $2.00 donation for the Valentine’s dance donation, give Share Life, our Catholic charity, much needed funds to help those in our immediate community. With your donation for the dance, you will also get a chance to win a bike or Valentine puppy stuffed animal! HEART and STROKE EVENT On February 18th, I will do the Heart and Stroke kick‐off assembly for our Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart event that will take place on February 25th and 26th. Money raised in this campaign not only helps the Heart and Stroke Foundation, but also doubles to get us Phys‐Ed equipment, and other school items ! Students can go online to the Heart and Stroke Foundation and create a donation webpage. They will also receive a fundraising envelope that they can use to collect donations, which in turn will award them prizes. THANKS SO MUCH for your support on all of the fundraising campaigns here at St. Sebastian! When you have read the FEBRUARY 2016 newsletter, please write: NEWSLETTER in your child’s agenda and then put your initials. Thank you! Miss McNamara