ST. JEAN MARIE-VIANNEY
CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
75 Jordensen Drive
Brampton, Ont. L6X 0S1
Phone (905) 497 6888
September 2014
Bless our teachers with the gifts of
wisdom and patience that they may
assist students in seeking knowledge.
Grant parents generous hearts to
encourage and support their children.
Together, help us to create a community of learners that teaches not only skills
for success but all that we need to live
our faith fully in the world.
Newsletter #1
Principal
Tim Waters
A NEW BEGINNING
Lord, help us to make the best of a new
beginning. Guide our children to make
wise decisions and achieve to the best
of their abilities in all of their endeavours.
FAX (905) 497 8833
Vice Principal
Melissa Daddabbo
To begin the new school year, we will
focus our attention on the first of our ten
virtues – faith.
Faith is the great virtue of believing in
God and trusting that God is with us.
A faithful person believes that we are
created, guided by and destined to be
reunited with God.
A faithful person believes that God’s
plan for us includes the right to be safe,
especially at school.
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
On behalf of the staff of St. Jean-Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School
we’d like to welcome everyone to the 2014-2015 school year. We hope you
have had a restful and relaxing summer with your family and friends. A special
welcome to our Full Day Kindergarten children who are starting school for the
first time. Our school continues to expand with approximately 100 more students than this time last year. We expect this growth to continue over the next
few years as people continue to move into their new homes.
Secretaries
Brenda Waud
Josie Harvey
~
Superintendent
Sue Steer
Trustee
Linda Zanella
Parish Priest
Father Jan Kolodynski
Visit our School Website:
www.dpcdsb.org/VIANN
Thank you to our custodial staff and administrative secretaries who have done
a magnificent job at preparing the school for our staff and students.
T. Waters, Principal
CLASS REORGANIZATION—PA DAY, SEPTEMBER 12
The St. Jean-Marie Vianney staffing for 2014-2015 is based on a ‘projected’
student enrolment that is calculated each spring. This projected student enrolment number attempts to take into account any new students who are moving
into our school as well as any students who may be moving out of the area.
There is a strong possibility of some class reorganization occurring on our P. A.
Day, September 12th, due to a difference in our ‘actual’ versus the ‘projected’
student enrolment number. As of last Friday, we were 45 students over our projected spring numbers thus creating a number of over the cap class sizes in
primary, junior and intermediate. Your patience is appreciated as we follow
Board and Ministry guidelines in reorganizing classes this Friday.
Follow us on
Twitter @DPCDSBSchools
Newsletter #1
Page 2
SCHOOL HOURS
Grade One to Eight
School begins 9:00 a.m.
A.M. Recess
10:23 a.m. to 10:38 a.m.
Lunch Hour
12:01 p.m. to 1:01 p.m.
Outside recess 12:01 p.m. to 12:41 p.m.(Grades 6-8 ONLY)
12:21– 1:01 (Grades 1-5 ONLY)
P.M. begins
1:01p.m.
P.M. Recess
2:24 p.m. to 2:39 p.m.
DISMISSAL
3:30 p.m.
week. Please add area codes for all phone numbers. ALL
SHEETS NEED TO BE RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL as
soon as possible even if there are no corrections needed. It
is very important that we have accurate phone numbers and
emergency contacts.
EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS
Teachers and students regularly practice emergency evacuation procedures. These include: safe exits from the building
in the event of a fire, precautions in the event of a bomb
threat and safety actions in the event of an intruder. If an
evacuation of the school site occurs, our alternate location is
St. Roch Secondary School on Williams Parkway.
ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION
Daily attendance and punctuality are very important. If your child is going to be absent from
school, or late, please inform the office at 905 –
497-6888
.
LUNCH HOUR
During the lunch hour, all students who stay for lunch are expected to remain at school, and all students who go home for
lunch are expected to go home every day. If there is a change
in the regular lunch hour procedure for your child,
parent/guardians are asked to provide the teacher with a note
explaining the change. A letter will be going home with your
child in regard to your child’s lunchtime arrangements.
.
DELIVERING LUNCHES
When delivering your child’s lunch to school please advise
your child in advance you will be doing so, and write his/her
name and teacher’s name on the bag. Your child can come
down at 12:01 p.m. to pick it up from the lunch table with minimal disruption to the class. The lunch table is located in the
hallway, outside the office. We would greatly appreciate your
co-operation in this matter.
TRANSPORTATION FOR 2014-15
Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) has a
new website that parents can use to see busing eligibility as well as bus stops and times. This site was available to parents since the third week of August. The website is http://businfo.stopr.ca To access the site type in
the website address, click “student login” enter your
child’s OEN number, street/house number, school and
grade and then click “login”.
Your child’s OEN number is on their report card
STUDENT EMERGENCY INFORMATION
Next week, your child will receive a copy of the Early Dismissal
Consent and Student Verifications form which contains your
address, phone numbers, emergency contacts and health information as it currently exists in our computer. We ask that
you take a few minutes and look over this information to ensure that it is accurate. Please make any changes needed
directly onto the sheet and return it to your child’s teacher this
BEHAVIOUR CODE
For the safety of and well being of all students, it is necessary
to have a number of rules and expectations regarding acceptable behaviour in the school. There are expectations
needed for the classroom, which will be developed by the
students and teacher in each class. There are also school
wide expectations set in the school Behaviour Code.
The School Behaviour Code is based on the code developed
by the School Board in response to the Ministry’s Safe
School’s initiative. Students will be reminded about the code
during the month of September and at various assemblies.
VISITORS TO THE SCHOOL
All visitors and parents are requested to enter the building
through the front door.
Please sign in and obtain a visitor pass if you plan to remain
in the building for any reason during school hours. You are
not allowed in the playground while the children are outside.
Please understand that during instructional time, teachers are
not available to meet with you or to take phone calls. Messages will receive a prompt response. All messages or deliveries for students will be handled through the front office.
Students are expected to enter and exit through their designated doors.
KINDERGARTEN YARD
All parents are asked to bring their kindergarten children to
the gate of the kindergarten yard before school and to allow
only the children to enter the yard with teacher supervisors.
With the large number of students in kindergarten, we believe
this will allow more space and a safer environment for the
children. Parents are welcome to remain by the fence outside of the kindergarten yard if they wish. We ask for your co
-operation in observing this procedure for the safety of the
children.
DISTRIBUTION AND STORAGE OF MEDICATION AND
EPI-PENS
If a child is required to bring medication to school, procedures
related to the administration of medication shall only be
adopted when:

requested by the parents/guardians; and when author-
Newsletter #1

Page 3
ized by a physician; and
SCHOOL MESSAGES
medication must be administered during school hours
Our school secretary will be pleased to relay messages to
staff and students however please do not call between 3:00
and 3:30 p.m. for this is an extremely busy time in the office
and it is not always possible to get messages to students
before they leave for the day.
If a designated staff member must administer medication,
signed request/authorization forms from the parents/
guardians and the supervising physician is initiated and/or
changed at the beginning of every school year. These forms
are available through the school office. The required authorization forms and the medication shall be delivered to the principal or designated person by the parents/guardians or other
responsible person. All medication with the exception of epipens & puffers will be housed in a safe location. Medication
must not be kept in the child’s possession (i.e. pocket, backpack etc.) or in the classroom.
When possible, please make end of the day and after school
plans in the morning before children leave for school. With
over 500 students, it becomes a difficult task to relay messages at the end of the day. Thank you for your support in
keeping classroom interruptions to a minimum.
SPECIAL FOOD DAYS
BUSSING
Students who are eligible to take the school bus should be
waiting at bus stops at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled bus arrival time. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure
that kindergarten children are met at the bus stop. Children
who do not see a parent or babysitter will remain on the bus
and will be returned to the school to be picked up there by the
parent/babysitter.
We will be beginning pizza/pita and sub days at the end of
September. Forms will be coming home shortly. This year
we will not be taking late orders due to the fact that often the
vendor has already picked up student orders and we are left
with the job of scrambling to try and get the late orders delivered. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Bullying Prevention Policy
KISS AND
SAFETY
RIDE
TRAFFIC
Our school driveway is a matter of great concern in regards to
the safety of our students. Therefore, we strongly urge you to
use the Kiss and Ride lane to drop off or pick up your child.
Kindly assist us in reminding children to use the walkways to
enter upon and exit off of school property. There is NO
Parking in the Kiss and Ride, on the sidewalk or in the
marked Handicapped spot unless with an authorized sticker.
Parents/guardians please note the driveway is a designated
fire route and therefore cars cannot be parked or left unattended in the Kiss ‘n Ride lanes at any time. This rule applies
24 hours a day. Parking control has advised that they will be
issuing tickets to those who come prior to school dismissal
and park in the driveway while waiting for school dismissal.
In recognizing that “bullying* adversely affects the student’s
ability to learn, healthy relationships, school climate and the
school’s ability to educate its students,” DPCDSB prohibits
bullying in all forms, as a serious offence against the dignity
of persons created in God’s image, and as an affront to the
integrity of Catholic learning communities. Thus, the board
is committed to a comprehensive whole-school approach to
bullying prevention and response.
Progressive Discipline Policy
DPCDSB supports the comprehensive and consistent use of
a progressive discipline approach, and shall reflect the model
EARLY ARRIVAL
Students must remain outside of the school building until 9:00
a.m. Students arriving prior to this time should go to the area
where their class assembles for entry. If you are using the
front door in the morning that means you are late for school.
Please go directly to the office for a late slip if this happens.
of Christian discipleship, in its implementation of the Catholic
Code of Conduct.
Students demonstrate respect for self, others
and mentor peers
SECURE ENTRY SYSTEM
• Participate in the liturgical life of the school community
A monitored entry system is active at the front door to our
school. Similar to an apartment building entry, parents and
visitors may enter the school only upon accepted for entry by
the front office. To ensure St. Jean Marie Vianney remains
safe, our school doors will remain locked at all times. We ask
for your patience and understanding if there is a wait a the
doors for various reasons.
• Demonstrate respect for Catholic faith and traditions
• Exercise self-discipline and act responsibly
• Demonstrate courtesy and respect for self/others
• Come to school prepared to learn
• Follow school rules, codes and established procedures
• Refrain from compromising safety of others
• Accept discipline as an opportunity to grow and learn
Page 4
Newsletter #1
SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
The 2014-2015 School Year Calendar, which lists school
holidays, and Professional Activity Days for this school year
can be found in your child’s agenda for your future reference.
We shall keep you informed regarding the purpose and plans
for each of the P.A. Days throughout the year. Newsletters
will be posted during the first two weeks of each month. Periodically check with your child/children to ensure they remember to show you bulletins, classroom newsletters and
other items of information.
There are two primary roles of the Catholic School Council:
STUDENT AGENDAS
We have provided every student from grade 1 to grade 8 with
an agenda for this school year.
Please ensure that you take note of your child’s student
agenda as it contains the school Code of Behaviour, expectations, serves as an invaluable tool to assist them with daily
homework planning, develops proper organizational skills and
good study habits. The agenda is also a daily means of communication between teachers and parents and a way to ensure that homework is being completed each night. Thank
you to our parent council who have paid for the student agendas.
CRIMINAL REFERENCE CHECKS
Parents are reminded of the Ministry and
Board Policy that requires all volunteers to
provide the school with a valid (dated within
the last six months) Criminal Reference Check before they
can begin volunteering with students in the school. For more
information, please contact the school.
SCHOOL PICTURES
Picture day for all our students will be held on
Friday, October 10th, 2014.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
"As required by the Education Act and the
Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board annually provides parents with information
about cost-effective student accident insurance coverage via
student courier. Although enrolment is voluntary, the board
encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive
insurance coverage, especially if their child/children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if parents do not
have dental insurance coverage. Enrollment is required in
writing so there are two options for enrolment: 1) Complete
the traditional form and mail it in or 2) Photocopy the form
and fax it to Reliable Life at 1-905-522-7211 or 1-800-463KIDS (5437). Parents alone have the right to insure their
children. "
It is important for parents and guardians to understand that
the Board does not provide insurance for students against
any accidental death, disability, dismemberment or medical
expenses that might occur as a result of accident during
school activities, including sports events and field trips.

to promote the vision, values, sacramental life and Catholic practices of the School Board and the Catholic community it serves

to be an advisory body to the Principal and the School
Board
As well, the School Council’s role is to establish and maintain
good communication flow within & among the school community, the parent community and the community at large. They
also play a role in the improvement of students learning by:



complimenting educational directives and programs
working to support and promote Catholicity, both in the
school and in the parish
building community through support of sports, school spirit
and community events
The School Councils are comprised of parents / guardians,
teaching and non-teaching representatives, a parish representative and administrators. Parents and guardians form the
majority on Council.







6-10 parents and/or guardians of students enrolled in the
school shall form a majority
the Principal
a student enrolled at the school at the discretion of the
principal in consultation with members of the school council (optional)
a member of the teaching staff
a member of the non teaching staff
a parish representative (designated by the local parish)
one person appointed by the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education
We welcome your participation and encourage you to consider
being a member of the School Council. If you are interested,
drop by the school to pick up a nomination form. Nomination
forms for St. Jean Marie-Vianney Catholic Elementary School
Council will be available in the school office from Sept. 15th—
26th, during school hours. Completed nomination forms and a
brief biography must be submitted by 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 26th,
Our first school council meeting will be held on Monday, October 6th at 6:30 p.m. Please join us! We look forward to seeing
you there.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Please do not send your child to school with a cell/SMART
phone. They are not necessary and do become a distraction
for your child and others during the instructional day. If students are seen using cell phones while at school, the cell
phone will be confiscated and parents will be contacted to
come and retrieve the device and depending on the circumstances, students may be suspended. The school is not responsible for loss or damages.
Page 5
ALLERGIES
Dear Parents / Guardians
Life threatening allergies, including anaphylaxis, can pose a very significant risk to student safety,
and in June 2005, the Ontario government passed Sabrina’s Law, which addresses issues affecting
students with life threatening allergies.
St. Jean Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School is an allergen aware school. There are children in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods, such as
peanut and nut products. Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe life threatening
reactions.
As part of our effort to reduce the risk for students with life threatening allergies, the staff
members of St. Jean Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School have been in-serviced in recognizing the signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction and are aware of emergency procedures in dealing with an anaphylactic reaction, which is a severe and life threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergen triggers are food, insect stings, medications, exercise
and latex.
St. Jean Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School is also asking for your cooperation! Please DO NOT send any lunches or snacks that contain peanuts or
nuts, which could potentially harm a child. We would like to keep the classrooms
allergen free. In an effort to do so, any child that brings a lunch into the classroom that might
contain a life threatening allergen will eat their lunch in another location in the school designated
for that specific purpose. Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are aware of
this request.
We would also encourage you to bring non-edible treats for special occasions to share
with others in the classroom. There are many alternatives to bringing in food for birthdays and
special occasions. Some suggestions are: stickers, gift certificates, erasers, dollar store toys or
items.
Substitute Products
As a result of concerns for students with life threatening allergies, we discourage parents /
guardians from sending peanut butter substitute products to school with their child(ren). Specifically, the rationale for this is:
1) If a child with a life-threatening peanut allergy sees it, they may experience anxiety and/or
physical panic reaction as a result of visually seeing the peanut butter substitute product, or at
minimum, the child and his/ her family members may have safety concerns about the product
being in school;
2) It can create significant challenges for teachers, and especially students, to identify real peanut
butter from the substitute;
3) If one student sees another with a peanut butter substitute product, they may believe it is
peanut butter, and may take the message home that it is acceptable to bring peanut butter, and
may bring their own peanut butter to school as a result
If you have any questions please talk to your child’s teacher or the school administration.
Page 6
Newsletter #1
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
40 Matheson Boulevard West, Mississauga, ON, L5R 1C5, Tel: (905) 890-1221
Newsletter #1
Page 7
CUSTODY OF CHILDREN
MEET THE TEACHER OPEN HOUSE!
Thursday, September 25th, 2014
from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
We look forward to seeing everyone there.
On rare occasions, we are faced with difficult situations in
which non-custodial parents arrive at school asking to visit
their child or to take their child home after school. We are
best able to serve and protect students when we are made
aware of legal custody arrangements, visitation rights and other special instructions. If legal custody matters affect your
family, please ensure that our office and classroom teachers
are aware of any custodial arrangements that may affect your
child during school hours.
SACRAMENTAL PREPARTION
LEAVING SCHOOL EARLY
When it is necessary for your child to leave school early,
please send a note to your child’s teacher advising him/her of
the time that you will be picking your child up. Your child will
be asked to meet you in the office at the indicated time.
When dropping off or picking up students during school
hours, please go to the office to sign your child in or out.
STUDENT USE OF SCHOOL MATERIALS
The school will provide your child with many
of the regular school materials such as pens,
pencils, workbooks and textbooks. It is important that children learn to make proper use
of these materials. Your child’s teacher will
explain our expectations in this matter.
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 $80
each. Please encourage your child to take care of textbooks!
HOMEWORK POLICY
A few years ago the Dufferin-Peel CDSB homework policy
document (Kindergarten to Grade 12) was adopted to foster
consistency across the board in this area.
The homework policy may be viewed in full in your child’s
agenda or on the board’s website at www.dpcdsb.org/
homework.
THE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
The school newsletter is one method of communication between home and school. It is important for the school to keep
all parents informed regarding activities and events happening at St. Jean-Marie Vianney Catholic Elementary School. If
you are in doubt or have a question which needs clarification
please call us. Let us work together to provide your children
with a rich, productive and rewarding school year. The Newsletter will be posted on the school website and sent
home electronically every month. Hard copies will be
only available in the office. We are an Eco friendly
school!
Sacraments are parish, not school events. Initial preparation
is done by the schools through the religion program. Immediate preparation is the responsibility of the parents and the parish. REGISTRATION FOR SACRAMENTS TAKES PLACE
AT MEETINGS AT THE CHURCH.
DOGS
DOGS ARE NOT PERMITTED ON ANY BOARD PROPERTY.
Please remember that many children and adults are afraid of
dogs.
ATTENDANCE
St. Jean Marie Vianney Elementary School actively encourages and promotes regular attendance. Educational research
has consistently shown that a student’s progress and academic success are closely related to regular attendance and participation in the day to day activities of the school.
Frequent absences from school jeopardize a student’s successful completion of any grade level. Ultimately, responsibility for attendance lies with the student and parent.
Although trips and vacations may provide diverse learning
experiences, the school does not support travel or vacations
during class time. The content covered in each grade is important and requires attendance. While parents may choose
to travel during the school year, the time missed from class is
recorded as an absence and counted in the total absence record for the term and year. Also, assessment and evaluation
becomes problematic. Any assignments that are due while he/
she is away are to be completed and handed in prior to the
trip, at the discretion of the teacher.
Note: Homework will not be assigned if students are away on
a vacation. The majority of student work at the elementary
level is teacher directed and cannot be taught outside the
classroom or from a textbook.
Newsletter #1
Page 8
Upcoming Events:
VIANNEY STAFF 2014-2015 (Tentative)
Sept 25
Open House
Sept 26
Terry Fox Run/Walk
Sept 29
Grade 7,8 Immunization Clinic
Oct 2
Opening Day Mass 9:30 a.m.
Oct 5
World Teachers Day
Oct 6
Parent Council Meeting at 6:30
Oct 9
Family CCCSC Meeting
Oct 10
Picture Day
Oct 13
Thanksgiving Day
Oct 14
Mr. Stone Silvercreek Trip
Oct 15
BW Cross Country Meet
Oct 26
DECE Appreciation Day
Oct 27
Elections
Oct 28
1st Communion Parent Meeting
Oct 31
Halloween Dance a Thon
Nov 3
Parent Council
Nov 4
Confirmation Parent Meeting
Nov 5
Picture Retake
Nov 5-7
Grade 8 Muskoka Trip
Nov 11
Reports Home
1. N. Palmateer
FDK
2. D. Vella
FDK
3. M. Cunningham
FDK
4. E. Fraser
FDK
5. P. Simpson
FDK
6. G. Pileci
Gr. 1
7. S. Coombes
Gr. 1
8. K. Varone
Gr. 1/2
9. M. Rhule
Gr. 2
10. R. Balint
Gr. 2
11. M. Daniel
Gr. 2/3
12. L. Mendoza
Gr. 3
13. S. Mezzatesta
Gr. 3
14. G. Ranalli
Gr. 3/4
15. B. Stone
Gr. 4
16. A. Ruggiero
Gr. 4/5
17. B. Reda
Gr. 5
18. K. Duke
Gr. 6
19. J. Quintana
Gr. 6/7
20. G. Mac Eachern Gr. 7
21. K. Yates
Gr. 8.
22. M. Falcioni
S.E.R.T
23. R. Favaro
S.E.R.C. / S.E.R.T./E.S.L
Elementary Schools – Professional Activity Days
24. A. Cornacchia
Teacher-Librarian / Planning Time
1. Friday, September 12, 2014 Principal’s Day: Re-
25. P. Hilario
Planning Time
26. N. Ruszczak
F.S.L
27. J. Bortolloto
Planning time
28. C. Doherty
DECE
29. J. Romanet
DECE
30. M. Belgrave
DECE
5. Monday, May 11, 2015 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic context
31. A. Pepic
DECE
6. Monday, June 8, 2015 Term 2 Assessment and Evaluation of
Pupil Progress
32. T. Rodrigues
DECE
33. F. Palmieri
ERW
HOLIDAYS
34. B. Reidy
ERW
Thanksgiving Day Monday, October 13, 2014
35. P. Cutajar
Head Custodian
Christmas Break (inclusive) Monday, December 22, 2014 to Friday, January 2, 2015
36. A. Lewandowski Evening Custodian
37. C. Ticconi
Evening Custodian
Family Day Monday, February 16, 2015
38. B. Waud
Head Secretary
Mid-Winter Break (inclusive) Monday, March 16, 2015 to Friday,
March 20, 2015
39. J. Harvey
Assistant Secretary
40. M. Daddabbo
Vice—Principal
Good Friday, April 3, 2015
41. T. Waters
Principal
organization/Faith Development
2. Friday, November 14, 2014 Provincial Priorities in a Catholic
context
3. Monday, January 19, 2015 Term 1 Assessment and Evaluation of
Pupil Progress
4. Friday, February 6, 2015
Reporting to Parents
Easter Monday Monday, April 6, 2015
Victoria Day Monday, May 18, 2015