St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School
2350 Hurontario Street South
Mississauga ON, L5B 1N1
P: 905.277.2448 F: 905.277.5910
www.dpcdsb.org/siena
November 2013
AS WE REMEMBER
Principal
G. Pedroso
Vice-Principal
R. Scicluna
Head Secretary
S. Waugh
Assistant Secretary
S. Jones
Dear Lord, during the month of November,
may all the saints look after us.
May we continually strive for peace and righteousness.
May we always have the wisdom to end strife
in lands far and near or within our families and communities.
Let us pray for the peacemakers, especially those who suffered and died
for the sake of justice and peace.
Grant us peace in our time, O Lord.
Amen
Superintendent
D. Amaral
905–890–1221
Trustee
B. Iannicca
905–890-1221
Parish
St. Catherine of Siena
2340 Hurontario St.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5B 1N1
905-272-1454
Pastors
Fr. Camillo Lando,
C.S. Pastor
Fr. Santo Cigolini,
C.S. in Residence
Fr. Mario Lorenzana,
C.S. Associate Pastor
School Council
Chair
Ms. N. Thomas-Davis
Administrator’s Message…
Dear Parents:
Another month has passed! Our First Term Progress Reports will be going home on Tuesday,
November 5, with parent/teacher interviews following on the evening of November 7. Student
success is a priority, and your partnership with us is integral in your child’s growth.
As we begin November, and we approach November 11 we pause to thank and reflect on the
many women and men who died for the freedoms that we enjoy. We attempt to keep their
memories alive by wearing a poppy, and through liturgies that commemorate the bravery of
these veterans.
On Friday, November 8, St. Catherine of Siena School will commemorate the sacrifice of
thousands of Canadians who died in war for us with a Remembrance Day Liturgy and
Assembly in the gym; please join us in honouring these heroes.
Wishing you a very blessed November!
Yours in Catholic Education,
G. Pedroso and R. Scicluna
This newsletter has been distributed to the youngest or only child of each family. As
part of our Ecosource initiative, we are working on an electronic mailing list to send
communication electronically to our school community.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
1
November Virtue – Conscience
Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that
someone may be looking. H. L. Mencken
Conscience is the voice of God within us. As you
develop your conscience, you will learn to make
decisions that will make sure you will always have
love in your life, our conscience reminds us how to act
towards other people and how to be a good friend.
Sometimes it is hard for us to do the right thing, but
we must always remember that the right thing is not
always the easy thing to do.
A person of conscience...
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chooses to do the right thing, even when
it is hard
takes time to think and pray before making
decisions
knows that their actions and decisions affect
all those around them
thinks of others before themselves
Our Daily Prayer for November:
Let us pray for the grace and strength to be people of
conscience-people who know the good and decent
way to act and then choose to act that way. AMEN
Therefore I do my best always to have a clear
conscience toward God and all people.
(Acts 24: 16)
Please note: All Virtue information is included in the
front pages of your child’s agenda.
Respect for Self, Respect for Others
As a staff, we continue to work together
to provide example and consistency in
modeling Jesus’ message to our
students. We will assist and remind
students of the importance of being
respectful and working together to create a safe, caring,
inclusive community.
Kindergarten Registration (2014-15)
Kindergarten registration for the 201415 school year, will be held at all
Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary
schools on:
Monday, January 27, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Snow date:
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
For more information, parents/guardians should contact
the school, or visit the board website at
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Schools/Kindergarten+Regi
stration.htm.
Re-Take Picture Day
The school photographer will
be Edge Imaging. Photo ReTakes will take place on
Wednesday, November
13, 2013.
Extended French Information Meeting
Parish Information:
St. Catherine of Siena
2340 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON L5B 1N1
T: 905-272-1454
E: office@stcatherine.ca
Sacramental Preparation
FIRST COMMUNION – GRADE 2 STUDENTS
Saturday, May 10, 2014 at 3 p.m.
CONFIRMATION – GRADE 8 STUDENTS
Wednesday, May 28, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Grade 4 parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enroll their
child in a Grade 5 Extended French class for
September, 2014 are invited to attend an information
meeting at:
Where: St. Philip School (905‐306‐8420)
345 Fairview Road West
When: Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Time: 7:00 p.m.
At the present time, the above mentioned school is the
designated centre for our area. Applications will be
accepted at that centre until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday,
February 12, 2014.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
2
High School Information Sessions
School Driveway
There are three upcoming secondary
school information nights. St. Martin
is the secondary school for all
grade 8 students who live in the
boundaries of St. Catherine of
Siena. However, our grade 8
students can also apply to two specialty programs that
are offered by two other schools: Iona’s Arts & Culture
Program and St. Francis Xavier’s IB Program. The
secondary school information nights, which help explain
eligibility, application and selection process are as
follows:
We respectfully ask that drivers refrain from stopping or
parking in the drive – thru lane in front of the school.
This area is a FIRE ROUTE and fines for a violation are
high. Stopped or parked cars also create a safety
hazard.

Iona Arts & Culture Program
Wednesday, November 6 at 6:30 p.m.

St. Francis Xavier for Pre-IB
Thursday, November 14 at 6:30 p.m.

St. Martin’s Secondary School
Tuesday, December 10 at 7:00 p.m.
In support of our Safe Arrival procedures
here at Siena, we are asking the
sidewalk in front of the Kindergarten
yard be kept clear and accessible to
students making their way to the school
yard. With morning traffic, it is imperative
that students not be on the road, and they have a clear
path on the sidewalk. To help with this, we ask that
once parents/guardians drop off their children that
they please move away from the sidewalk. This is a
safety concern for all pedestrians, especially the
students in the morning. We ask for your continued
cooperation in this very important safety procedure.
Before School Hours Supervision
Progress Reports
As per Ministry of Education guidelines,
students in Grades 1-8 will receive Progress
Reports on November 5. Interviews for
students requiring them, will take place
November 7.
Attendance and Punctuality
All students are expected to attend school regularly and
punctually. In the event that your child will be late or
absent, please call the school and follow the prompts to
leave a message. This can be done 24 hours a day.
For students who are absent and for whom a call is not
received, we will attempt to contact you.
PLEASE CALL: 905-277-2448 Press # 1
Please leave the following information:
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Kindergarten Drop-Off (Sidewalk clear)
Date of the absence
Student’s full name
Grade level and teacher
Reason for absence
All students who arrive after 9:00 a.m. or 1:03
p.m. must obtain a Late Slip.
For your child’s safety, we request that children not be
on school property until supervision begins at 8:45 a.m.
Winter Weather
During the winter season, the school
receives calls from concerned
parents as to how we determine
when children will or will not be
allowed outside for recess. Dufferin‐
Peel CDSB Policy uses a Wind Chill
factor of ‐25 C as the determining
temperature. Students will not be sent
outside for recess if it is colder than this.
Students should also come dressed appropriately for
weather (hats, mitts, etc.) For health and safety reasons
we must insist on indoor shoes. Students cannot walk
through the school with wet boots or shoes. For their
safety and comfort they need to have indoor shoes.
Please note that in the event of an emergency
evacuation, students will not have the opportunity to put
boots on. Where possible, please put identification on
your child’s belongings. Throughout the winter the lost
and found box fills up with unidentified clothing.
In the colder weather we receive numerous requests to
allow children to remain indoors when students have a
cold, flu, etc. Please note that we cannot comply, as we
neither have the facilities nor the staff to supervise these
students. If your child is not feeling well we encourage
you to keep them home to avoid the spread of illness.
The expectation at St. Catherine of Siena is that all
children will go outdoors for recess and the lunch break.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
3
Volunteers - Criminal Reference Check
Anyone working in our school as a new
employee or volunteer must have a
Criminal Reference Check completed by
the Peel Police.
We would love volunteers to help in
the school, and especially on field trips. If you’re
interested, we recommend you get a criminal reference
check right away, as they usually take three weeks. CRC
are free of charge for volunteers. Forms are
available from the office.
Medical Concerns
If your son / daughter has any medical concerns, please
ensure that you inform the school. Information may be
shared directly with the classroom teacher / office. If
medication is required, forms will be sent for completion
by parents and the family doctor. All information is held
in confidence.
No Birthday Food Treats Please
Please do not send birthday or
seasonal snacks/cakes/treats into the
school. There are many alternatives
such as stickers and pencils.
St. Catherine of Siena School is an
allergen aware school. There are pupils in attendance at
our school who suffer from severe and life threatening
allergies to certain foods, such as peanut and nut
products. For that reason we would appreciate parents
NOT sending in any food for other children to eat. We
want St. Catherine of Siena to be a safe environment for
all students. Thank you for your assistance with this
initiative.
St. Catherine of Siena is an Ecosource
Green School!
Over the next two years, St. Catherine of
Siena School is thrilled to be
participating in the Ecosource Green
Schools program. Throughout the
program, students and staff will work with
the Ecosource team to better understand
our connection to the environment and
motivate us all to reduce our impact on the planet.
We will be taking part in many exciting initiatives this
year, starting with a school-wide waste audit on
November 7th. A number of classes will get the
opportunity to put on safety gear and help sort one day’s
worth of garbage and recycling from the school (except
bathroom waste). This hands-on activity will give our
students an opportunity to see firsthand the type and
quantity of waste produced at our school every day. The
data collected from the waste audit may be used in class
lessons and will give us insight into how much waste we
create on an average day. Other classes will be touring
the audit to learn and see what we’re finding in our
garbage and recycling bins.
This partnership with Ecosource will provide special
opportunities for students to acquire new skills and gain
an understanding of how to look after our local
environment. Look for more information on the many fun
initiatives we will be taking on over the year in future
newsletters!
For more information about the Ecosource Green
Schools program, please contact Angie Sanchez at 905274-6222 or asanchez@ecosource.ca.
Electronic Devices/Valuables
Students are asked not to bring to school any valuables,
items of importance, toys, or other items valuable to
them. Examples of these items may include (but not
limited to) Game Boys, expensive sports equipment, cell
phones, MP3 players, trading cards, cameras, etc.
These items present a temptation which causes theft to
occur and can also be a great distraction to the learning
process. The school will not assume responsibility for
the care and loss of these items. Cell phones, MP3
players, Ipods, digital cameras and all PEDs are not to
be used on school property. It is against School and
Board policy to have these devices on school property or
at any school sanctioned event.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, Nov. 13 @ 7 p.m.
At this month’s meeting we’re excited to welcome our
School Trustee, Bruno Iannica.
Communication between home and school is greatly
enhanced by parental involvement with the Catholic
School Council. All parents/guardians are encouraged
to come out to meetings and participate.
The aim of the Catholic School Council is to promote the
vision, values, sacramental life and Catholic practices of
the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the
Catholic community it serves and to advise the principal
and the Board.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
4
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Thank you to Ms. Tropea's grade 8
class who celebrated the virtue of
empathy with a food drive. The
collection was dropped off at the fire
station on Thursday, October 10.
The donations were then picked up by The Mississauga
Food Bank who distributed the food in time for
Thanksgiving. Items collected included peanut butter,
canned fish, canned fruit, rice and macaroni and cheese.
Terry Fox Run
Written by: Julia Nikolajuk,
Gr.3, in Mrs. Ferraro & Mrs.
Connolly's class
Athletics
Cross-Country
On Tuesday, October 29,
at Centennial Park in
Etobicoke our Cross Country
team participated in our Family
of Schools tournament. All
members of the team ran with
pride and spirit! A special thank
you to
both Ms. English and Ms. Hyacienth for coaching this
year’s team. We are all very proud of the team this year!
Junior Boys Volleyball
On Friday September 27th, 2013, St. Catherine of Siena
School participated in the Terry Fox Run. We ran to
raise money for cancer research. First, the whole school
went to the gym and watched a video about Terry Fox
and did some cheers. Mr. Scicluna was all dressed up.
He looked hilarious! Then, the kindergarten students ran
around their yard and the grade ones, twos and threes
went to the field to run. The grades fours to sixes ran
around the school, and the sevens and eights ran
around the community. We ran, jogged, or walked for
forty-five minutes. Finally, we went inside and got drinks
and ate our snacks. I felt happy about it because we
raised a lot of money for cancer research!
In fact, altogether we raised $1000 for the Terry Fox
Foundation to help find a cure for this terrible
disease! Thank you all so much for your support!
DPCDSB to hold free Anti-Bullying and
Wellness Symposium for parents,
caregivers and educators
On Wednesday, November 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00
p.m. the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will
hold a free Anti-Bullying and Wellness Symposium for
parents, caregivers, educators and community members
at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School in
Mississauga. Keynote speaker, actor and motivational
speaker, Anthony McLean will deliver his new exciting
iEngage bullying presentation for parents looking for
practical strategies to keep their kids safe from bullying.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in
a number of workshops addressing topics such as:
Social Media, Developing Resilient Young Leaders,
Bullying and the Newcomer, Tips for Healthy
Communication, Managing Anxiety and Stress, and the
Student Health Survey.
To register for the symposium and to learn more about
the sessions offered, visit:
http://osca.ca/en/events/keydates/dpcdsb
Congratulations to the Junior Boys Volleyball Team for
their dedication and enthusiasm this year! The team
consisted of Mark, John, James, Fahad, Diego, Enrique,
Sirus, Oliver, and Leon. They showed great
sportsmanship and made their coaches proud! Go
Stallions!! A special thank you to the coaches: Ms.
Colautti, Ms. Barrasso, and Mrs. Sherriff.
Junior Girls Volleyball
Congratulations to the Junior Girls Volleyball team who
posted a 2-2 record. Led by their captains, Fadia and
Barb, the team rallied from a first game loss to almost
winning three in a row and clinching a playoff spot. The
girls lost their last game in a thriller that went down to the
final heartbreaking point. Tremendous effort and team
spirit all around. A special thank you to Mr. Mintz for
coaching the team.
The Fall Indoor Soccer League
The Fall Indoor Soccer League is well underway. There
are seven teams, with over 55 participants from grades
2-4, both boys and girls. So far the Port Credit Pilgrims
hold down the first spot with eight points, with the Timid
Turkey Carvers and Brampton Broomsticks just on their
heels. Playoffs begin in November. Thank you to Mr.
Mintz for your contributions.
Pumpkin Contest
Thank you to all of the classes that entered the 1st
Annual Siena Pumpkin Decorating Contest. Thank you to
all of the classes that came by the display to vote. All of
the entries were amazing and made it very difficult to
decide on one favourite pumpkin.
The pumpkin that received the most
votes is...MINION. Congratulations to
Miss Hyacienth and her grade five
students for their entry!!!
I look forward to the next year's entries at the 2nd
Annual Siena Pumpkin Decorating Contest.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
5
LestWeForget
MONTH of NOVEMBER
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
All Saints Day
Saturday
2
All Souls Day
Loretta Penny
Presentations Gr.
1-8
3
4
Dental Screening
5
Dental Screening
6
Dental Screening
Progress Reports
Home
St. Martin’s Visits
8s
10
Confirmation
Enrolment Mass
@ 1 p.m.
11
Remembrance
Day
18
8
Remembrance
Day Assembly
9
15
Virtue Assembly
16
22
23
29
30
Waste Audit
Interview Night
Int. Volleyball @
Siena
12
Int. Volleyball @
John XXIII
Int. Volleyball @
Mary Fix
17
Confirmation
Enrolment Mass
@ 1 p.m.
7
Dental Screening
19
Gr. 3 to Crawford
Lake
13
Picture
Re-Take
Pizza Day
14
Int. Volleyball @
Siena
School Council @
7 p.m.
Pizza Day
20
21
Pizza Day
Int. Volleyball @
St. David of
Wales
24
25
26
27
28
Pizza Day