2350 Hurontario Street South
Mississauga ON, L5B 1N1
Phone: 905.277.2448 Fax: 905.277.5910 www.dpcdsb.org/siena
School Newsletter April 2015
Principal
G. Pedroso
Vice-Principal
R. Scicluna
Head Secretary
S. Waugh
Assistant Secretary
S. Jones
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
Co-Chairs
Ms. Weerawarna and
Ms. Campinos
An Easter Reflection
Lord, the resurrection of Your Son has given us new life and renewed hope.
Help us to live as new people in pursuit of the Christian ideal.
Grant us wisdom to know what we must do, the will to want to do it, the courage to undertake it, the perseverance to continue to do it, and the strength to complete it.
Amen.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11: 25-26
Administrator’s Message…
We continue our Lenten journey, and as a community of faith we continue to reflect and renew ourselves spiritually. We continue to engage in prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we prepare for the celebration of Easter.
March was another busy and active month at St. Catherine of Siena. We began the month with two beautiful and faithful assemblies on the virtue of Kindness. During this month, we also started our Peel Parent Literacy Nights and saw the end of the intermediate Kids. Now after school program. This successful program ran for 12 weeks at the school. The St. Catherine of
Siena students participated in the Mississauga South Family of School Chess Tournament and on the sports front, the Girls Junior Basketball team made it all the way up to the Board tournament, where they placed 3rd. We had the joy of watching our Grade Two students celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To finish out the month, classes were involved in several Eco Workshops.
In April, we will focus on the virtue of Love as we continue to foster a safe, caring, healthy and inclusive school community. Activities this month include: Pretzel Day, our Stations of the Cross presentation and Easter Tuesday celebration, two Virtue Assemblies, a school wide waste audit, Junior Achievement workshops for our grade eight students, an Artist in the School presentation (Dances from Brazil) for our Kindergarten to Gr. 5 students, our Feast of St.
Catherine of Siena celebration, and the month ends with our Spring Show ‘ Setting the World on
Fire – Celebrating Diversity ’ featuring the many talents of our junior and intermediate students.
We also take this opportunity to thank, as always, all the parents of our Catholic School Council and all of our parent volunteers who continue to be vibrant members of our community supporting our students in so many different ways.
Yours in Catholic Education,
G. Pedroso and R. Scicluna
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God 1

Virtue of the Month: Love
God has given us many people in our lives to show us examples of LOVE. Our families, teachers, and friends show us their love every day. Love can be seen in the simplest acts of kindness, such as sharing a pencil, playing a game, or even saying thank-you. We should always show our love for others because love is about seeing the good in people even when they make us angry. Sometimes the greatest acts of love happen when we are angry, such as not hitting our sibling back or not screaming at our friends. Jesus is always with us and we should always try to remember His most important lesson, the lesson of love, because love is not about us-it is about looking out for the good of others.
Our Daily Prayer for April:
Let us pray for the virtue of love so that we will never be satisfied until all are satisfied. AMEN
From the perspective of the Catholic Graduate
Expectations, a person with love:
† Relates to family intimacy and sexuality as Godgiven gifts, to be used as the creator intended
† Relates to family members in a loving, compassionate and respectful manner especially when the other seems 'unlovable'
† Respects rights, responsibilities and contributions of self and others
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.
(Mark 12:30-31)
Virtue Assemblies : Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Gr. 4-8 @ 10 a.m. (Hyacienth)
Gr. K-3 @ 1:30 p.m. (Duncan/Zagalak)
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
The Sacrament of First Communion this year will be held
Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 3 p.m.
CONFIRMATION – GRADE 8 STUDENTS
The sacrament of Confirmation this year will be celebrated Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at 7 p.m.
Feast Day Mass (School) – April 29, 9:30 @ Church
Holy Week Mass Schedule is attached
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
Ontario Catholic School Graduate
Expectations
Distinctive expectations for graduates of
Catholic schools are determined and shaped by the vision and destiny of the human person emerging from our faith tradition. Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest.
The Graduate is expected to be:
1. A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God's presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.
2. An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of gospel values.
3. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good.
4. A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.
5. A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good.
6. A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community.
7. A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life.
Lenten Season
Our Liturgical Season of Lent is well underway and continues until
Easter weekend (April 3-6).
During our six week Lenten journey we recognize and discuss with our students our human frailties which causes us to sin. We prepare for the coming of Easter through reflection, prayer and charity.
We respond to Jesus’ call for a “change of heart” by becoming stronger in our will to say ‘yes’ to God and ‘no’ to our selfishness. We look forward to our Lenten journey together, a strengthened and renewed faith in
God’s will.
2

First Holy Communion
Our Grade 2 students, with the guidance of their teachers, have been busily preparing for their First Eucharist celebration. Their Eucharist celebration will be celebrated on Saturday, May 9 at 3 p.m
. at St. Catherine of Siena
Church. More information will be coming from your child's teacher.
Grade 8 Confirmation
Our Grade 8 students have been preparing all year, with the help of their teachers and staff at the church for the reception of the Sacrament of
Confirmation. This is a special moment in the student’s spiritual journey as they are confirmed with the gift of the Holy
Spirit. The celebration will be
Wednesday, May 27 at 7 p.m
. at the St. Catherine of
Siena Church. The students are now seen as young adults in the Church. It is our hope that they continue their spiritual journey and maintain and nurture the relationship they have developed with God.
Siena Awards Award Winners!
When teachers notice a student(s) living out the virtues, here at school, they will give out a SIENA Award
Slip to the student(s).
> K-3: Angelo G.
(Zenga) and Brando D.
(Ivancsics)
> 4-6: Yoel K. (English) and Keylord A.
(Zador)
> 7-8: Joshua V. (Sgro) Nicole N.
(Sgro)
These students have been acknowledged school wide through a P.A. announcement and have their picture posted on our SIENA Award / Virtue board. Teachers focused on, although not limited to, the virtue of the month.
Pretzel ShareLife Fundraiser
As part of our Lenten project we will be raising funds for the less fortunate through the sale of pretzels; profits will be donated to
ShareLife. Order forms were sent home on Monday, March 23 and
Pretzel Day is on April 1, 2015.
Mark your Calendars

French Café – Thursday, May 7
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
Green Team News for February/April
In February, the Green Team class representatives
‘spread the water wisdom’ to their peers by participating in various activities in our Message In a Bottle water campaign. The purpose of this campaign is to empower students to make informed decisions about drinking water and to reinforce the importance of recycling water bottles properly, empty bottles in the recycling bin and caps in the garbage!
Our Radical Recyclers have continued to inspect our garbage and recycling bins and are pleased to announce the winners for February and March. February winners for a second month in a row are Mrs. Bialecka’s Grade 2
Class and Ms. Torun’s Grade 8 Class. Mrs. Zenga’s
Grade 3/4 Class and Mrs. Sobala’s Grade 4 Class also joined the winner’s circle in February. The winners for
March were: Mrs. Tropea's Grade 8, Ms. English's
Grade 5, and Mrs. Menezes Grade 1/2 classes. Keep up the great work Siena!
Our next initiative will be recycling milk bags to help Dr.
Simone make sleeping mats for the people of Sierra
Leone. What a wonderful way to be GREEN and show the virtue of KINDNESS by thinking of others in need and donating our used milk bags that we would normally toss in the garbage.
Remember Siena Stallions…. GO GREEEEEN!
3

Spring Show - Set the World on Fire
Celebrating Diversity
This year's Spring Show, April 29 , will feature junior and intermediate students who will present a mix of music, dance, instruments, and poetry from around the world and from different genres. Diverse art will be displayed by the art club as well. The aim of the show is to celebrate St.
Catherine of Siena and her words, "Be who you were created to be and you will set the world on fire!"
Message from the Library
Thank you to the St. Catherine of Siena families and students that supported the Scholastic Book Fair. The
Book Fair was very successful this year as a goal of 400 book sold/purchased was not only reached, but surpassed. 450 books were sold/purchased and the library was able to add many books from the Book Fair to its collection. The new books are currently being processed and should be ready for circulation next month. Congratulations to all of the prize winners especially to the $25 Grand Prize Winner, Michelle Z. in
Mrs. Venchiarutti’s grade 3 class. Mrs. Venchiarutti also received $25 in books for the whole class to enjoy. Look forward to our next Scholastic Book Fair coming this
May. It is that time of year again with the unpredictable weather and there has been an increase of books being returned damaged. Please help your child(ren) keep the books from the snow and rain or also from leaky bottles/tetras in their school bag. Damaged books will have to be replaced at the lender’s/student’s expense.
This promotes ownership and responsibility of school property. Please help encourage your child(ren), St.
Catherine of Siena students to continue to appreciate and experience the value of reading and books.
Scholastic Book Fair returning to the Siena Library during Catholic Education Week, May 4 - 8, 2015.
Lilla Leo, OCT - Teacher-Librarian
PSYCH 5 TO THRIVE
Psych 5 to Thrive consists of five fact sheets that serve as an introduction to five strategies to help students thrive at school and at home.
These facts sheets are available on the school website, and one will be included in each of the next five newsletters.

Raising and Resilient Children

Healthy Sleep, Healthy Child

Talking to Teens About Stress

Making the Most of Your Parent-Teacher Interview

How to Help Your Teen Survive Exam Week
Stress
EQAO Grade 3 and
Grade 6 Testing
The EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office) testing of our Grade 3 and 6 students is rapidly approaching.
Test Dates:
May 28 – p.m. only
May 29 – a.m. only
June 4
June 5 – Make-up
Please try to avoid scheduling any doctor’s appointments or anything else that will take your child out of school during the testing dates .
Students will complete the three tests during these four days. The tests will be administered in the morning and early in the afternoon. Students will not receive homework during these test days, although they are encouraged to continue with their daily reading each evening. We encourage the students to get plenty of sleep and eat a good breakfast in order to ensure the highest degree of success. Please provide your child with an extra beverage (water bottle) to help keep him/her hydrated during the day and throughout the test.
We will also be providing an extra snack in class during each of the tests days for all students.
2015 Annual Offence Declaration for Volunteers
On our school website, in the Parents section, you’ll find a copy the school’s
2015 Annual Offence Declaration for Volunteers. This declaration saves parents from completing another Criminal Reference Check , if done within the year . If you have a Criminal Reference Check here at the school, we’re asking you to please complete, sign and submit this declaration to the office.
We're very thankful and appreciative of everyone’s commitment and support to the students of St. Catherine of Siena!
If you're interested in helping at the school, and do not have a Criminal Reference Check , we are more than happy to give you the necessary forms to be signed and completed. Criminal Reference Checks are free of charge for volunteers .
All volunteers, including those going on one day school trips, must have a Criminal
Reference Check completed by the Peel Police.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God 4

The Online Reporting Tool
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School board has developed a new way to help nurture a safe, caring and inclusive school environment. The Online Reporting
Tool is intended for students in grades 3 – 8 who become aware of bullying incidents and negative behaviours. The student can simply ‘click’ on the link found on our school’s website to fill out the report. The report will then be directly emailed to the principal and/or vice principal and will be dealt with accordingly.
It is important to recognize that the Online Reporting
Tool is an alternate reporting option. It is best practice to speak directly with a responsible adult at home and/or in the school.
School Council
Next Meeting : Wednesday,
June 3 at 7 p.m.
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.
Family Literacy Program
> Talk. Read. Play. Sing!
Free workshops for families offered by the Region of
Peel at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Elementary
School.
The Family Literacy Program is for families with children aged 0 – 6 years. Families come together for stories, snack, and activities.
Research from the University of
Toronto has shown this program makes an impact to a child’s Early
Literacy skills along with their family’s support.
The program will be held in the library on Wednesday nights, beginning February 25 and ending April 29 .
The program will run from 6:30 – 8 p.m. Please note there will be no program on March 18 and April 1. All families with children under 6 years, as well as older children in your family, are welcome.
Please register by calling 905 791-1585, ext. 7222 or visit our website at www.peelregion.ca
and click on Child
Care. We hope to see you there.
Breakfast for Kids
The Breakfast Club provides meals/snacks for any students every morning beginning at 8 a.m. in the school’s Breakfast Room.
All students are welcome.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
Catholic Education Week
This year’s celebration entitled
“Catholic Education: Exploring
Paths of Joy” is scheduled for the week of May 3 – May 8, 2015. The scriptural passage that guides our theme is: “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the road?” Luke
24:32
Prayer for Education Week:
God of kindness and mercy, each day we desire to serve
You with faithfulness. Help us to serve You with humility as we walk gently on the earth. Teach us to serve You with compassionate hearts and hands. Strengthen us to serve You as we build a world of justice for all. May Your example inspire us to serve joyfully in the love of Christ.
+Amen.
This year’s five sub-themes, one for each of the five days of Catholic Education Week, help students to understand the rich meaning of this year’s theme:
Monday:
Tuesday :
Walking Together and Sharing our Story
Opening the Scriptures
Wednesday: Welcoming Others to the Table
Thursday: Recognizing Jesus in Breaking of the Bread
Friday: Proclaiming the Good News
Overall
Catholic Education Week begins on a Sunday to highlight the partnership that remains the foundation of
Catholic education between our Catholic schools and local Catholic parishes. Throughout Catholic Education
Week, we ask you to reflect on the significance of
Catholic education’s presence and contribution in our
Church, and in our society. We invite all members of our community, to participate in the celebrations and activities that will mark the celebration of Catholic
Education Week 2015 in our schools.
Let’s Wash Our Hands
Hand washing when done correctly is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as the flu. Please help us to reinforce the proper techniques with your child.
1) Wet our hands
2) Soap our hands
3) Wash our hands
4) Rinse our hands
5) Dry our hands
6) Use paper towels to turn taps off.
5

Wet Clothing
With the long, wet winter and the unpredictable temperatures, our schoolyard alternates from icy and slippery to soggy and muddy. When conditions become dangerous or too wet, we close the field to student use.
On most days, however, the students have access to the field and complete paved areas.
We have been encountering some issues with wet clothing. Often times, especially our older students, children come to school without boots and snowpants.
We ask for your assistance in ensuring that all students come to school with appropriate attire for the weather, including boots, to ensure that they are comfortable to learn when returning indoors.
Please consider leaving a change of clothes (or even just socks) in your child’s backpack. This will alleviate the office from having to call home for dry clothes.
End of the day pick-up, please keep the
Doorways clear
In support of our Safe School procedures here at Siena, we are asking the doorways at the back be kept clear and accessible for students to make their way out to the school yard. It is imperative that teachers are able to see a child’s parent before allowing them to leave (Gr. 1-3). To help with this, we ask parents/guardians to stay well clear of the exit doors.
This is a safety concern for our students, we want to make sure they are not walking home alone. We ask for your continued cooperation in this very important safety procedure.
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.
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.
Pediculosis (Head Lice)
Head lice are always present in the community, and are not a reflection of a child’s cleanliness. By checking your child’s head once a week for head lice, you will catch it early and treat it before it has a chance to spread. If cases are found in the school, we shall inform all parents. If your child does have head lice, we ask you to keep them out of school until after they have been treated and their hair is entirely clear of both lice and nits (eggs.) Any infected student will need to be checked before re-entry to class. A reminder to refrain from sharing hats at any time, but especially during the winter months.
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:

Date of the absence

Student’s full name

Grade level and teacher

Reason for absence
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Before School Hours Supervision
For your child’s safety, we request that children not be on school property until supervision begins at 8:45 a.m.
Lunch Drop-Off
With the front door policy (locked), we encourage students to bring their lunches with them in the morning.
If you are delivering your child’s lunch to the school, we will open the doors at noon. Please do not block the doorway , and have your child’s lunch labeled with their name and class, and place it on the lunch table.
Please be reminded that the lunch hour is from
12:03 p.m. – 1:03 p.m. Where children stay for lunch they will eat with their classmates and remain on school property.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God 6

Lunch Time - Students Signing Out
Only students in grades 7 and 8 having a note may signout at lunch without a parent/guardian being present.
Students in K-6 who do not regularly go home for lunch must be signed out with a parent/guardian.
Anaphylaxis Reaction Reminder
As there are a number of students in our school who have a severe life threatening allergy to nuts, we ask our families to refrain from sending to school any food, etc. that contains nut products (i.e. peanut butter sandwiches, snacks with nuts, etc.). While we cannot guarantee a “Nut Free” or
“Allergen Free” environment, you can help to reduce the risk to our students by not sending in peanuts, nuts of any kind, products containing nuts, nut oil, or nut byproducts, foods that MAY have come in contact with nuts or nut products and fast food or commercial snacks (i.e.
Timbits) where ingredients are unclear. Thank you!
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.
Curriculum Corner -- Homework Help
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board is pleased to announce that once again it will be participating in the Math Homework
Help pilot project. This project provides access to live, interactive online math help through the expansion of a pilot project funded by the Ministry of Education.
Homework Help is free, real-time math tutoring by certified Ontario teachers. The project’s goal remains to provide students in grades 7 to 10 with an after-hours online support in Mathematics. Students can log in from
Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. for 20 hours a week of individualized confidential math tutoring.
There are discussion rooms for each grade where students can join in and see what questions other students are asking, watch the tutors draw on the whiteboard, and ask their own question for on-the-spot help. If they can't wait until the discussion rooms open, videos of best tutorials and commonly asked questions are available anytime. Other online math resources include math games and a virtual locker, where students can save their work.
To register for the site, visit the website www.ontario.ca/homeworkhelp . Scroll down and you will
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God find the link to the Homework Help Line. Students will need their OEN number to register. This number is different from their student number, and can be obtained from your child’s teacher.
Are You Moving
If you are planning a move, or have already moved, please let us know. If you are moving to a new school we will give you a Transfer Form to take with you to the new school.
We will be preparing classes for September 2015 and this information will be helpful in determining class sizes.
In the past we have had to reorganize our classes in
September due to unexpected transfers.
If you currently live outside the school boundary and are attending St. Catherine of Siena on a flex boundary request, you will need to request flex boundary for next year. The “Flexible Boundary” procedure is reviewed annually . Please note that flex boundaries will be looked at on a case by case basis and are not guaranteed from year to year. If you are requesting flex boundary, please note that transportation is your responsibility. The Board will not provide either transportation or additional supervision for students admitted under this procedure. Note, the students admitted under this procedure do not automatically become eligible for the Secondary School serving the school. A separate request must be made to the
Secondary School Principal.
Class Placements 2015
The staff of St. Catherine of Siena will meet during the month of May to begin discussing an appropriate placement for each student for next year. When determining placement, some of the criteria we consider are:

Academic

Individual work habits and study skills

Maturity

Date of birth

Social

Placement
If you have any concerns about your child’s class placement for September, please complete the attached
‘Parent Input for Class Placement’. You are asked to return these forms to Mrs. Pedroso and/or Mr. Scicluna.
Please refrain from making a request for a specific teacher as staffing is always tentative and changes often take place between the time of tentative class placement and September. Our decisions are made after careful consideration of all relevant information and are based on the individual strengths and needs of each child. All forms must be in by May 1, 2015.
7

Sunday Monday
March 30
Tuesday
March 31
5
Easter
Sunday
6
Easter
Monday
12 13
7
Easter
Celebration @
9:30 a.m.
14
1
Wednesday
Pretzel Day
9
Friday Thursday
2
Stations of the
Cross @ 1:30 p.m.
3
Good Friday
4
Saturday
10 11 8
Virtue Assemblies
Family Literacy
Night
15
Waste Audit
Jr. Achievement
Gr. 8s
Family Literacy
Night
22
Family Basketball
Tournament (Int.)
23
16
Tropical Day
(SAC)
17
24
18
25 19 20
K-5 Artists in the School
(Dance from
21
Brazil)
26 27 28 29
Feast of St.
Catherine of Siena
@ 9:30 a.m.
Spring Talent Show
30 Catholic Education Week May 2-9
Scholastic Book Fair - May 4-8
Crowning of Mary – May 4
French Café – May 7
First Communion – May 9

fi
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or
6:30-9:00 PM
(Light Dinner provided 6:30-7:00)
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Schools and families share a common goal: ensuring student success.
Psychology staff at Dufferin-Peel work together with schools and families to promote student achievement, mental health and well-being. Our new PSYCH 5 TO THRIVE initiative offers 5 strategies to help students thrive at school and at home.
Each one called by name (Isaiah 43:1)
Talking to Teens About Stress
Stress isn’t just a problem for adults. Young people often have unhealthy levels of stress. Many teens experience high, unhealthy stress levels. School is the top source of stress for teens, followed by deciding what to do after high school. Stress can lead to both emotional and physical symptoms.
The good news is that you can help your child learn to keep stress in check.
Recognize the Symptoms: Be aware of the signs that your teen is experiencing unhealthy stress levels. Irritability, anger, excessive worry, insomnia or sleeping difficulties, and disordered eating
(overeating or eating too little) are common signs of stress in young people.
Communicate/Lend an Ear: Keep the conversation going. Spend one-on-one time regularly with your teen, and use it as an opportunity for shared decision making. Really listen to what he or she has to say, and let your teen know you value their perspective.
Teach Healthy Coping Mechanisms: evening helps teens fall asleep more easily. Teach your teen to develop good ways to manage stressful tasks.
Physical activity is one of the best ways to manage stress.
Yoga, biking, walking and swimming are good activities for teens who don’t like team sports.
Encourage your teen to get enough sleep. Limiting screen time and stimulating activities in the
Create a Safe Harbour: Family routines and rituals are reassuring for children and teens, and can be especially comforting during stressful times. Family rituals help give family members a chance to connect regularly (e.g., a daily family meal). Family dinners can give teens a chance to debrief while allowing you a regular opportunity to check in with your teen.
Model Healthy Behaviours: Actions speak louder than words, and that’s especially true when parenting teens. Do your best to eat healthy foods, engage in physical activity, get enough sleep and take steps to get your own stress under control.
Ask for help if you’re concerned about your child’s stress. Psychologists are experts in helping people change unhealthy behaviours and manage stress.
For further information, contact the current psychoeducational consultant, Jessica Pereira at your child’s school or Dr. Debra Lean, Chief Psychologist, at (905) 890-0708, Ext. 24330.

Volume 7
April
Fractions
Learning about fractions extends childrens’ understanding of our number system. While whole numbers represent quantities of whole units, fractions signify parts of whole units or parts of sets. Although fractions are all around us, learning about fractions is difficult for some children. Identifying fractions in our environments makes them meaningful and easier to visualize.
What   do   we   mean   by
“ mindset
”
?
Mindsets are the assumptions and expectations we have for ourselves and others. These attitudes guide our behavior and influence our responses to daily events. ‐ Dr. Robert Brooks
Tip   #   3.
Set   appropriately   high   expectations   and   provide   support.
 Expectations should focus on habits, effort, and growth, not grades.
 Provide your child with other supports (extra help, additional resources). Don ’ t assume that “ you could do it easily if you just tried harder.
”
relationship between a part and a whole.
 With your child, gather several similarly shaped objects, such as a piece of paper, a towel, a placemat, a picture frame, a magazine and a book.
 Ask your child to show you one half of each object, perhaps by using a ruler to mark the halfway point. This is an opportunity for your child to see that fractional portions must be of equal size.
 Extension: Ask your child to show you one fourth of each object.
Big   Idea:    Numbers   tell   us   how   much   or   how   many
 Ask what real-life situations might these fractions describe:
Two fifths 2/5
Three sixths 3/6
Five eighths 5/8
For example: Five eggs have been eaten from the dozen. This represents 5/12 of the set. Can your child describe the fraction of eggs eaten (5/12) and the remaining eggs (7/12)?
Let’s discuss some factors affecting “Money
Decisions”…
 Ask your child to keep a log for one week of all the times, instances, or circumstances that he/she has an encounter with money (e.g., a subway ride, buying gum at a store, going to the bank or ATM, buying an app).
 Ask your child to make a list of all the ways in which money enters into his/her daily life.
 Discuss with your child his/her money encounters (e.g., what was the total value of your money encounters?)
Note: Consider factors that affect money decisions: emotions, friends and peers, customs, traditions, habits, family members, latest styles and fads, advertising, incentives, and personal values.
Elementary   Mathematics   Program   Team

2350   Hurontario   Street,   Mississauga,   Ontario,   L5B ‐ 1N1
P:   (905)   277 ‐ 2448     F:   (905)   277 ‐ 5910     W:   www.dpcdsb.org/SIENA
Many Hands, Many Lands,
One Heart, One God
Parent Input for Class
To: Mrs. Pedroso, Principal and/or Mr. Scicluna, Vice-Principal
From: __________________________
Re:
Date: _____________________
Consideration for Class Placement for my son/daughter
Please refrain from making a request for a specific teacher as staffing is always tentative and changes often take place between the time of tentative class placement and
September.
Dear Mrs. Pedroso and Mr. Scicluna,
I understand that the staff of St, Catherine of Siena School will soon begin the process of determining class placements for September 2015. Kindly take into consideration the following information when making a decision regarding my child’s class placement:
Child’s Name: __________________________ Current Grade: _________
Current Teacher: __________________________
My son/daughter has experienced the most success in the following learning environment. (Please touch upon the factors of a learning environment that are relevant to your child’s class placement, i.e. teacher’s instructional style, peer relationships, child’s learning style, etc.).
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(You may use the back of this form if more space is required).
I understand that it is not possible to accommodate all requests, but that staff will take into consideration the information provided above and use this information to form part of the decision.
Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________ Date: ______________
Please submit this form by Friday, May 1, 2015.

th
HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE
No Confessions during Holy Week.
Holy Thursday * April 2 nd
8:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper
9:15pm Holy Hour of Adoration
11pm Church closes
Good Friday * April 3 rd
12:00pm Stations of the Cross (Spanish)
3:00pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (English)
5:00pm Stations of the Cross (English)
6:30pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (English)
8:00pm Stations of the Cross (Italian)
9:15pm Celebration of the Lord’s Passion (Spanish)
Holy Saturday * April 4 th
8:00pm Easter Vigil Mass (English, Italian & Spanish)
Easter Sunday * April 5 th
8:30am, 11:30am, 1pm, 4:30pm Mass in English
10:00am in Italian, 6:00pm in Spanish
YEAR OF
CONSECRATED LIFE
“The joy of the Gospel fills the heart and lives of all who encounter
Jesus. With Jesus
Christ joy is constantly born anew.”
Thank you to all those parishioners who have made their pledges for the
Archdiocesan Family of
Faith Campaign.
Our parish has exceeded its goal of $670,000.
Ottawa May 14 th
Saturday April 11 th at 12:30pm for students of St.
Timothy School in the Big Hall
FIRST COMMUNICANTS AND
CONFIRMANDI REMINDER
Attendance at catechism classes and Sunday Mass is mandatory in order to receive their sacrament at the parish.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H7R3PRR
Extraordinary Lives
Start with a Great
Catholic Education
8:30 a.m. Registration, Refreshments,
Vendor Market Place
9:00 a.m. Liturgy and Opening Remarks
9:30 a.m. Keynote Address: Anne Jamieson
Catechesis Director, Diocese of Hamilton
10:30 a.m. Refreshment Break
Vendor Marketplace
MOVE TO WORKSHOP SESSIONS . . .
11:00 a.m. Worksop Sessions
[Attend one of eight sessions]
12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks and Door Prizes
12:15 p.m. Vendors open to Conference participants until 12:45 p.m.
OF
PRESENTS
in the
Breaking of the Bread
for Dufferin-Peel CDSB
Catholic School Council
Chairs, Members, Volunteers, and School Administrators

Anne Jamieson , Director of Catechesis, Diocese of Hamilton.
Anne has also worked in Toronto for the Ministry of Community and Social Services and as an elementary school teacher with
Waterloo CDSB for 14 years. She holds a degree in teaching, her
Masters of Catholic Thought from St. Jerome’s in Waterloo , and is now a doctoral candidate at University of Toronto School of
Theology. Author of several print and online resources, she is also currently involved with Pearson Publishing as an advisor for the new Religious Education provincial program. Anne, with her husband, David, and their four children, aged 9 to 19, live and work the Jamieson’ family farm, the 7 th generation to do so.
Family matters … of course, it does! “Family matters” means “family counts.” But “ matters ” also means “is the subject of”, “the material of”, “the stuff it’s made of.” Exploring Paths of Joy means recognizing
Christ in the midst of what makes our lives - often small moments of waking, of breaking of the bread, of work, of play, of failing and of turning back to one another in love. Anne, a wife and mother of four children, a former teacher and author, shares stories of her own family’s joys and challenges of family living. Come to be refreshed and encouraged that real families – including your own family - are already on the path of joy in the midst of everyday living and Christ as always, is also there to journey with us.
11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
A
Faith Based School Initiatives & Youth Ministry
Presenter: J. McLevey, Chaplaincy Leader, St. Joan of Arc S.S.
Involvement in faith-based school initiatives and Youth Ministry is really coming alive in our schools and churches. More and more students are choosing to explore their Catholic identities, what it means and what it looks like. This interactive workshop equips parents with an understanding of what
between home, school and church by promoting the message of accepting and serving others through outreach, mentoring, etc. Our youth are select must be given opportunities to network and share their stories in order to make valuable and lasting connections to their faith.
B
Tweet This! Blog That!
Presenter: D. Fendley , Elementary Teacher, St. Valentine School
Today’s 21 st century learner is digitally connected. Discover how you can be digitally connected to today’s 21 st century learner. You will be presented with evidence on how social media is being used within the classroom as an educational tool and, as a result, how you can connect to the 21 st century child’s learning experience at any time and from anywhere. Class Blogs, Twitter, Skype, Instagram, Padlet and Today’s
Meet are all ways to develop literacy, numeracy and media skills.
Curriculum is alive is all over the Twitterverse – come and be part of it.
C
Exploring How myBlueprint™ Helps the Transition into
Secondary School (Grades 7 – 8)
Presenters: E. Fijan, Elementary Teacher, St. Albert of Jerusalem
S. Murray, Elementary Teacher, St. Joseph School (Mississauga)
Helping your child select the right secondary courses, which will ultimately prepare him or her for post-secondary education, can be a daunting task.
This workshop will demonstrate how the on-line “myBlueprint” program helps Grade 7 and 8 students prepare for high school, choose the right courses, and take all the right steps to become successful in their chosen pathways. Please bring your Smart Phone or similar device to the session.
D
Navigating Secondary School and Beyond with your Child
… an Introduction to myBlueprint™, Education Planner
(Grades 9 – 12 )
Presenter: F. Littlejohn, Guidance Counsellor, Father Michael Goetz S.S
.
With direct access from home, parents can get more informed and involved with their child’s education. myBlueprint, an Education Planner, lets your child create an engaging and interactive Education Plan. They can build customized high school course plans, instantly identify the postsecondary options that are available to them and explore valuable information about apprenticeships, college programs, university programs and workplace opportunities across Canada. Log in and learn about courses, graduation requirements and the endless options available to your child. From their Profile, your child will be able to set goals, save unlimited plans, short-list programs and occupations of interest, record extra-curricular activities and more. Please bring your Smart Phone or similar device to the session.
E
Mental Well-Being: Support for Students Facing
Challenges with Anxiety (Session sponsored by Dufferin-Peel
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC))
Presenters: J. Golla – Principal, Bishop Scalabrini School, Mississauga;
Dr. S. Sweet – Clinical Child Psychologist & Mental Health Liaison for
DPCDSB; Dr. C. Jenning – Psychologist, DPCDSB; S. Wessler – Social
Worker, DPCDSB
In response to the Ministry of Education’s Mental Health and Addictions
Strategy aligned to the Catholic Board Learning Plan (CBLP), Dufferin-
Peel is committed to creating safe, caring, inclusive and healthy school communities. Through a team approach, a team including an administrator and psychology and social work staff, will facilitate a workshop on the needs of students presenting with anxiety. This session will provide an overview of anxiety and the team process educators/parents/guardians may use to support students facing mental health challenges.
F
Special Education: A Ministry of Education Perspective on Supports for Students with Differing Abilities
(Session sponsored by Dufferin-Peel Special Education
Advisory Committee (SEAC))
Presenters: C. Anco - Education Officer, Toronto and Area Regional
Office, Field Services Branch, Ministry of Education
Z. Xu – Education Officer, Special Education Policy and
Programs Branch, Ministry of Education
This session is provided for parents/guardians of students with differing abilities including special education learning needs. Staff from the
Ontario Ministry of Education's Regional Office and Special Education
Policy and Programs Branch, along with Dufferin-Peel Staff, will bring a provincial context for special education and support services aligned with Board programs and services.
G
Understanding and Managing Asthma
Presenter: D. Feldman, Registered Respiratory Therapist &
Certified Respiratory and Tobacco Educator, The Lung
Association, Ontario
Respiratory Educators on The Lung Association’s Lung Health
Information Line often hear “My asthma or my child’s asthma is mild.”
While that may be true, all forms of asthma need to be taken seriously whether it is mild, moderate or severe. The overall goal of managing asthma is to learn how to control it. If asthma symptoms are getting in the way of participating in activities, then asthma may not be well managed. This session will focus on:  what asthma is  the symptoms
 control guidelines  triggers and avoidance strategies  medications – what they do and correct inhaler technique  importance of a written action plan.
Math Matters!
H
Presenters: P. Williams, Coordinator - Math K - 8, DPCDSB
K. Williams, Consultant, DBCDSB
Today's math class is a lot different than the one you might remember.
Come have some fun with us and explore some of the math your children are learning and how they are learning it. We will explore the mathematical processes and dispel some myths around the mathematics curriculum, discuss how you can support your child at home and, more importantly, do some math!