Pastoral Plan
2015-2016
PASTORAL PLAN
School Name:
School Mission Statement:
St. Elizabeth Seton is a caring school community, committed to our Catholic faith
and high academic standards. We provide a safe and comfortable learning
environment where models of Gospel values and Catholic doctrines, teachings
and beliefs are an integral part of the daily life of our school.
At St. Elizabeth Seton, we aim to be like Jesus. We are proud of ourselves and are
committed to helping each other grow to be the best we can be. Together with
our families, school, church and the whole community, we learn skills and values
that we use to make our world a better place in which to live.
At St. Elizabeth Seton, students lead the entire school in daily readings, prayers
and reflections. Our prayer life, liturgical celebrations, sacraments, and our faith
and values system form the foundation of our school program.
School Motto: “Let Our Light Shine.”
Pastoral Plan Links to Strategic Plan/Catholic Board Learning Plan:
 Link: Strategic Plan 2014-2019 Strategic System Plan
 Link: Catholic Board Learning Plan CBLP 2013-2016
The Strategic System Plan reflects our promise to each and every student and
family of rigorous academic standards, safe, clean, healthy, caring and inclusive
schools, a vigorous and diverse curriculum, a faithful, engaged, technologically
focused community and wide range of extra-curriculars infused with Gospel
values in the Catholic faith tradition.
Much of the work done at St. Elizabeth Seton in 2015-6 will help recognize and
affirm the Sacredness of Our Environment. In working with our Peel Region Public
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Pastoral Plan
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Health Nurse, and through the school’s continual involvement in Social Justice
Issues, as well as our ongoing participation in the Ontario ECO-School Initiative
and OPHEA Healthy Schools Program, we encourage the respectful and
sustainable environmental practices of reducing, reusing and recycling in our
facility, particularly by “celebrating the interconnectedness with our
environment, and supporting our students into becoming increasingly responsible
citizens, demonstrated through practices and promotion of awareness for our
caring and for the sacredness of the world.”
- DPCDSB Strategic System Plan 2014-2019
Our Parish: St. John of the Cross
Pastor: Rev. Sibichan Chacko, O.Carm.
Parish website: www.saintjohnofthecross.com
Message from the Pastor:
As a pastor of a Carmelite Parish, I am blessed to have a special relationship with
the Family of Schools, all named in the Carmelite tradition. We have the
opportunity to gather and celebrate our faith together whilst forming our children
in the Catholic tradition and the particular uniqueness of our Carmelite heritage.
- Rev. Sibichan Chacko, O.Carm.
Message from the Catholic School Council:
The St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School Council (CSC) proudly supports faith
formation at our school. We all recognize a support a shared mission of parish,
home and school and the support of our vibrant Catholic school culture. The CSC
has raised funds for sacramental gifts for students in Grades 2 and 8, as well as
many other school initiatives that support and extend the distinct nature of our
schools including: parent engagement sessions, Family Movie Nights as well as
the Community Family Advent Mass and St. Elizabeth Seton’s Feast Day Mass.
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Catholic Education Week Theme: Opening Doors of Mercy/Ouvrir des portes de
miséricorde
Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask families to reflect on the significance of Catholic
education’s presence and contribution in our Church, and in our society.
Theme: Catholic Education: Opening Doors of Mercy/Ouvrir des portes de
miséricorde
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” – Matthew 5:7
The sub-themes for Catholic Education Week May 1-6, 2016 are as follows:
1. Mercy that Welcomes
2. Mercy that Loves
3. Mercy that Forgives
4. Mercy that Lives the Gospel
5. Mercy that Rejoices
At St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School, we will be focusing our attention during
Catholic Education Week on Opening Doors of Mercy/Ouvrir des portes de
miséricorde and the daily themes, as outlined by the Ontario Catholic Schools
Trustee Association (OCSTA). We routinely encourage members of our school
community, including our Catholic School Trustee and Superintendent of
Schools to participate in the celebrations and activities that will mark Catholic
Education Week 2016. During the week, we will be celebrating a school-wide
mass with Father Joseph from St. John of the Cross parish, engaging in various
Share Life activities and participating in the Crowning of Mary presentation,
hosted by visitors from the Rosary Apostolate who seek to lead students to
Jesus, through Mary.
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Faith Formation:
Forming ourselves in our Catholic faith is a foundational element in helping each of us
understand and live in the example of Christ.
The impact of our rich traditions and faith experiences is the focus of our
Pastoral Plan. Centered on the faith formation of the students that we serve,
our goal is to guide our students on their faith journey from the moment they
enter our school until their graduation as young Catholic adults, prepared to
become positive contributing members of our society.
The organization of regular ‘Liturgy of The Word’ for classes and staff
throughout the school year, and the continued prayerful use of the holy rosary
are some of the many spiritual experiences planned for this school year. At St.
Elizabeth Seton, we support both adult and student faith formation (Youth Faith
Ambassadors) through many social justice initiatives as well as our strong
relationship with St. John of the Cross Parish and “Eden Food For Change!”
(Community Food Bank) We will continue to look to St. Elizabeth Seton for our
guidance.
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Sacramental Preparation:
As Catholics we understand sacraments to be "outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace."
Together in partnership with our parish, we support the preparation of God’s children in
receiving the sacraments.
Event
Sacrament of First Holy
Communion (Initial
Meeting)
Sacrament of Confirmation
(Registration)
Sacrament of First Holy
Communion
Mass
Sacrament of Confirmation
Mass
Date/Activity
Location
Sep 20 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
- or St. John of the Cross
Sep 22 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Parish
Oct 04 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
More detailed
information will be
provided by parish
More detailed
information will be
provided by parish
St. John of the Cross
Parish
St. John of the Cross
Parish
St. John of the Cross
Parish
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and
share in prayer.
Celebration
Date
School Opening Mass (10:15 a.m.)
School Community Advent Mass (7:00 p.m.)
Feast Day Mass (7:00 p.m.)
Catholic Education Week Mass (9:30 a.m.)
End of Year\Graduation Mass
October 6, 2015
December 08, 2015
January 19, 2016
May 02, 2016
June 22, 2016
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Social Justice / Outreach Activities / Charities:
Catholic Social Teachings of the Church root our actions in supporting human dignity and the
preferential option of the poor which calls us to serve the most vulnerable in the world.
Our school participates in various outreach activities to support organizations
such as Share Life, food drives (Eden Food for Change), St. Vincent de Paul
Society Christmas Family Support, Covenant House, City of Mississauga Animal
Shelter, and United Way (dress down days). We also participated this year in
the Archdiocese of Toronto’s “Campaign of Hope.”
Recognizing Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations:
Framed by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE), our graduates will be
effective communicators, reflective thinkers, lifelong learners, collaborative contributors, caring
family members, responsible citizens and discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith
community.
St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School demonstrates a commitment to delivering
and living out the Catholic Graduate Expectations at our school. Our focus is to
introduce the CGE to our students through our daily announcements and
prayers, linking them with our virtues program, assemblies, and masses and
liturgies.
Celebrating Virtues:
A virtue is a habit or established capacity to perform good actions according to a moral
standard. When we practice these virtues we strengthen them and thereby make the presence
of God more and more visible in the world around us.
We honor and demonstrate the virtue program through daily announcements,
prayer and practice. Teachers embed the virtues through guided instruction
and modelling. We celebrate the virtues through assemblies, liturgies and
masses throughout the school year.
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Visible Signs of our Faith:
Through symbol and service, we are instruments of God’s love whose work within our
communities stands as a witness to our faith.
We have many visible signs and symbols of our faith throughout St. Elizabeth
Seton Catholic School. Our main foyer has an altar, showcasing liturgical colors
and the virtue of the month. We have a prominent display of the Catholic
Education Week theme, focusing on “Opening Doors of Mercy/Ouvrir des
portes de miséricorde.” In each of our classrooms, we display and decorate
sacred spaces (following the liturgical calendar) with crosses, bibles, Education
Week - “Opening Doors of Mercy/Ouvrir des portes de miséricorde” frames,
decorated by the students in each class, FDK – 8.
We take part in Bullying Awareness/Prevention Week activities and we engage
in S.A.F.E. School initiatives throughout the entire school year.
Resource List for Parents/Guardians:
 Religious Education Curriculum - Ontario Religious Education Curriculum
 Family Life Curriculum - Ontario Family Life Curriculum
 Fully Alive Program information - Ontario Bishops' information on Fully Alive
Resource List for Schools:
Board
 Vocations Units
We have Vocations units as part of the Grades 2, 5, and 8 curriculum. The goal of these
supplementary units is to deepen one’s understanding of God’s call – the “vocare” – to
various forms of life within the Church.
 History of the Parish
Through the resource book Our Story, Our Tradition, Our Journey, grade 7 students have
the opportunity to learn about the history of our parish.
 Enduring Gift Video
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School-Based
St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Elementary School is located at 6133 Glen Erin Drive
in the northern section of the City of Mississauga. The student population comes
from a wide range of social and ethnic backgrounds reflecting the diversity of
cultures found within Mississauga. St. Elizabeth Seton was established in
September, 1978 and was initially housed at St. Richard School. Its doors were
opened in February, 1979. The school was used as a holding school for many
schools that now surround it in the Meadowvale community. St. Elizabeth Seton
shares a strong partnership with St. John of the Cross Parish. The school backs on
to picturesque Lake Wabukayne; a view that the school community relishes.
Our school community is very generous and eagerly supports many of our
outreach and social justice programs to help those in need. These include: food
drives in cooperation with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Eden Food For
Change! Community Food Bank, Share Life campaign, humanitarian relief aid, and
the Christmas Food/Gift Basket campaign that provides food and gifts to those
less fortunate than ourselves.
The school not only caters to students’ educational needs but we are also very
proud to provide other programs including PLASP Before and After School
programs, ESL/ELL Program, French Immersion Program (Grades 1-4), and FullDay Kindergarten Early Learning Program.
Grounded in our Catholic faith, teachers and staff strive to ensure that each child
has the opportunity to grow emotionally, socially, academically, physically, and
spiritually. To assist in supporting students we offer:
• Literacy Room: a (growing!) environment for teachers to access professional
resources to aid in Literacy and Numeracy program planning;
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• Extra Curricular activities including Speech Competition, Skipping Club, Chess
Club, Choir and various sports: e.g. Cross Country Running, Volleyball, Basketball,
Soccer and Track and Field.
• Youth Faith Ambassador Program: a dedicated group of young people who seek
to live the Gospel message and live their lives according to the teachings of Jesus
Christ.
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