St. Vincent de Paul School 665 Willowbank Trail Mississauga, Ontario L4W 3L6 Tel: (905) 848- 5397 Fax: (905) 848-0738 Principal: Mr. Tony McLoughlin Secretary: Ms. Susan Ferenc Trustee: Mr. Mario Pascucci (905) 302-3096 Chair of the Board of Trustees Fax: 905-890-0888 OfficeTelephone: 905-890-0708 ext. 21061 mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org www.TrusteePascucci.ca Pastor: Fr. John Facey (905) 270-2301 Superintendent: Mr. C. Blanchard (905) 890-1221 September 2012 Prayer of Return O Lord, we return from a time of rest, vacation, visiting. We return from camps, travels, cottages. Thank you, Lord for the summer. It eases the mind, relaxes the body, and soothes the soul. We return to school, to routines, and to lessons. Thank you, Lord for our students, teachers, and parents. Strengthen all who instruct; guide all who learn. Lord, keep us from getting so organized that there is no time for you. Let us seek and serve you in everyone we meet, Everywhere we go, and in everything we do. As we return to our routines, let us not forget, Who has sent us on this journey. Amen. PRINCIPAL’S OPENING MESSAGE I trust that everyone had a wonderful and relaxing time with their families over the summer. I greatly look forward to working with the staff and your children to continue with a variety of initiatives that will make our school special in a variety of ways. I would like to welcome all new families who have joined our community and especially our new full day JK/SK children who are starting school for the first time. We will encourage a cooperative partnership between home, school and parish to promote positive learning experiences for our students. St. Vincent DePaul is an active school that relies on cooperation and teamwork. We are blessed to have an devoted School Council and Parish team. Please consider putting in your nomination to become part of the Council or simply come out become involved!!!! ST. VINCENT DE PAUL STAFF 2012-2013 JK/SK J. Gaglia Gr.1/ 2 G. Giannini Gr. 3/4 L. Ceniti Gr. 6 R. Pinto Gr. 7/8 A. Velagic F.S.L./E.S.L. L. Ciminelli E.R.W. C. Ceravolo Planning S. Granzotto E.C.E. J. Franchino Gr. 1/2 D. Harmon Gr. 2/3 M. Defranceso Gr.4/5 M.Ricardo Gr. 7/8 C. Trias Lib. M. Sita - Sills SERC:S. Dutka E.R.W. M. Ciccone E.S.L. K. Lugiewicz Support Staff: C.Y.W. Psychologist Social Worker Speech Pathologist Head Custodian Secretary Principal J. McLean A. Day L. Taylor L. Buckle J. Gonzalvo S. Ferenc T. McLoughlin Please Note: All staffing is tentative due to the high possibility of reorganization on September 14, 2012. School Day 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:00-1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. School Entry Recess Lunch Recess Dismissal P.A. Day Friday September 14th is scheduled as a Professional Activity Day. This day will be dedicated to school improvement planning and reorganization if required. Catholic Education Centre Schools Program: WestLake Campus Once again, we are delighted to welcome the Catholic Education Centre Program: Westlake Campus to our school. This is a Ministry of Education funded program that provides an alternative learning opportunity for students who require specialized support. The focus is on literacy, numeracy and overall student achievement and well being. This program responds to the educational needs of young people for whom the regular pattern of school and/or family life is interrupted for a variety of reasons. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board continues to offer support for these programs in collaboration with community agencies and the Ministry of Education. We look forward to another successful year welcoming our CEC School Program students, as well as their parents/guardians. Please find attached a link to Catholic Education Centre School: 2012-2013 “Providing Alternative Learning OpportunitiesFor All Students.” This well written document gives information that highlights the Alternative Section 23 Program that will continue at St. Vincent de Paul in Sept. 2012. http://www.dpcdsb.org/NR/rdonlyres/9589B2C5-47304587-B3ADF663250C8272/98715/CatholicEducationCentreBrochur e1.pdf A hard copy of the brochure is also available in the office. Combined Classes As the population of St. Vincent de Paul declines, combined grades continue to be a necessary reality at our school. This is a reality in many schools in the Mississauga East Family. As teachers prepare class lists they consider many factors, such as learning styles of students, a balance of abilities, and class culture. Being in a combined grade is in no way prejudicial to a child’s education. Within Ontario, all schools are bound by a strict teacher:pupil ratio. This will be particularly evident as we strive to meet the hard cap of 20:1 in the primary grades and the guidelines of 26 :1 in grades four to eight. Until we finalize our enrolment in mid-September, all class arrangements and teacher placements will be tentative. Please see the attached memos from the Board: “Elementary School Organizations Plans for 2012-2013 and “ An Introduction to Combined Grades.” Safe Arrival Program For safety reasons, it is very important to notify the school by calling 905-848-5397 if your child is going to be absent or late. This communication is vital to ensure the safety of your child. If we do not hear from you, Mrs. Ferenc, our secretary, will be calling to verify your child’s absence. Student Verification Forms We appreciate your co-operation in keeping us up-to-date regarding pertinent information for your child i.e. changes in address, telephone numbers etc. Accurate information is vital should we need to contact you in an emergency situation. Please ensure that you complete and return the Student Verification Forms that will be sent home with your child early next week. Emergency Evacuations Staff and students regularly practice emergency evacuation and lockdown procedures. These include: a safe exit from the building in the event of a fire, and safety actions in the event of an intruder or bomb threat. If an evacuation requires us to relocate, our alternate location is John Cabot Secondary or Westminster Church. Accident Insurance As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B. annually provides parents with information about cost-effective student accident insurance coverage. Although enrolment is voluntary, the board encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage, especially if your children participate in sports, field trips/excursions, or, if parents do not have dental insurance coverage. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, require any assistance, or prefer to enrol online or by phone, please contact the Client Service Department of Reliable Life Insurance through one of the following options: Telephone:1-800-463-5437 or 905-523-6525 E-mail: insuremykids@reliablelifeinsurance.com Web: www.insuremykids.com Address:P.O. Box 557, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3K9 SCHOOL COUNCIL’S CORNER: Elections The Catholic School Advisory Council shall include, but not be limited to: parents and guardians of children in the school a community representative from the parish in which the school is located the school Principal a teacher assigned to the school a non-teaching staff member assigned to the school Nominations forms for the parent/guardian representatives will be available at the main office beginning Sept. 7, 2012. Completed nomination forms must be received by the main office by 4:00 pm on Friday September 21, 2012. The election will take place if necessary on Monday Sept. 24, 2012 between the hours of 8:30 and 4:00 pm by secret ballot. Eligible voters must vote in person and proxy voting is not permitted. An election will be held if the number of candidates extends beyond the number of positions. If not, the candidates shall be acclaimed. Our first Council meeting will be Tuesday October 2 nd at 6:30pm. We are also in search of anyone willing to help out at specific times during the year, such as helping to distribute pizza on pizza days, sub days, Fundraising Committees, etc. Please call the school to leave your name or share your name with us at the Open House or at a Council meeting. No Child Without Brochures St. Vincent de Paul is one of 96 schools in Dufferin Peel with the “No Child Without” program since the program’s inception in 2006. The No Child Without program offers free Medic Alert bracelets for children age 4 up to their 14th birthday. The child must be attending a school that is participating in the program to receive free Medic Alert bracelets. More information about the program can be found at http://www.nochildwithout.ca/ and information brochures are available at the main office. PROGRAM & CURRICULUM Open House/Curriculum Night Our annual Open House/Curriculum Night will be held on Wednesday, September 26th . This event will take place from 5:45- 7:15 pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s new teacher(s) and learn about their programs. All parents/guardians are encouraged to attend this event and also attend the Scholastic Book Fair coordinated by Ms. Sita – Sills during the week of September 24th. We look forward to seeing you. Further information regarding food and refreshments will follow. VIRTUES We are called as Catholics to put into practice, and model for others, the teachings of Christ through our words and actions. Throughout Dufferin Peel, we will be integrating virtues formation into all areas of our school life within the context of our faith. The “Virtues Program” reinforces the qualities of positive character development, with a specific virtue being highlighted each month: September - Faith November – Conscience January – Self-Control March – Kindness May – Acceptance October - Empathy December – Hope February –Respect April – Love June – Fairness HEALTH & SAFETY Medication & Allergies Please make the school aware of any important medical information regarding your son/daughter in order that we can properly prepare in the event of an emergency. For the safety of all children, medication must be stored in a safe place. Forms must be completed by your doctor in order to distribute medication. Several children suffer from a life-threatening allergy to peanut, nut products, and egg allergies. With this in mind, please do not bring any treats to the school for a child’s birthday. A better alternative would be pencil gifts, stickers, etc. Visitors to the School The safety of all the children attending our school is vital. All parents and visitors entering the building must use the front doors, sign in at the office and obtain a badge identifying them as a Visitor. Terry Fox Run Our annual Terry Fox Run will take place on September 28th. We are in the process of planning for another successful tribute to Terry Fox, and aid his mission to raise funds for cancer research. A huge thank you to Ms. Dutka for organizing this event. ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER!!!! This September 2012 Monthly Newsletter will be the only newsletter sent out by hard copy to the entire school community. Last year, we started the process of sending out an electronic newsletter. If you wish to receive the newsletter electronically, please fill out the form below listing all email addresses that you wish to have the newsletter sent to. A select number of hard copy newsletters will be available at the front office and the newsletter will be downloaded to our school website http://www.dpcdsb.org/VPAUL Name of Children: ______________________ ________________________ Student Agendas The St. Vincent de Paul School student agenda is an invaluable tool that can be used by your child to meet his/her learning needs. Not only does it allow students the opportunity to begin to develop good study habits, it also serves as a valuable communication tool between home and school. We thank our School Council for paying for the cost of student agendas for all students in grades JK to 8. CRIMINAL OFFENCE DECLARATIONS All volunteers who help at St. Vincent de Paul must have a Criminal Reference Check. If you plan to continue to help at our school on a regular basis or will be looking to volunteer next year, why not pick up a Criminal Reference Check Application in the office. There is no charge for the process and by completing the form now, there will not be any delay in being part of early school year activities. _________________________ Email Adresses:_____________________________________ Email Adresses:_____________________________________ Email Adresses:_____________________________________ Email Adresses:_____________________________________ Looking ahead: Sept. 14 th – Professional Development Day Sept. 19 nd- 21 st - Grade 7 and 8 go to Camp Muskoka Sept. 24 th – Book Fair Week begins Sept. 26th –Open House 5:45- 7:15pm September 28 th – Terry Fox Day- details to follow Oct. 2 nd – School Council -6:30pm Oct. 2 nd – World’s Finest Chocolate Assembly: more details to follow Oct. 8 th – Thanksgiving Oct. 15 rd – Picture Day Oct. 16 th – PA Day—no school for students