St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School
2350 Hurontario Street South
Mississauga ON, L5B 1N1
Phone: 905.277.2448 Fax: 905.277.5910
www.dpcdsb.org/siena
January 2016
Principal
G. Pedroso
New Year’s Prayer
Dear God,
Vice-Principal
R. Scicluna
Head Secretary
S. Waugh
Assistant Secretary
S. Jones
Superintendent
D. Amaral
905–890–1221
Trustee
B. Iannicca
(905) 270-0536
Thank you for a new year. May everyone in our family be
willing to begin anew with a clean slate. We know that you are
always ready to forgive us. Help us to be willing to forgive
ourselves and to forgive one another.
As we begin a new year, remind us of our truest values and our
deepest desires. Help us to live in the goodness that comes from
doing what you want us to do. Help us to put aside anxiety about
the future and the past, so that we might live in peace with you
now, one day at a time.
Amen
-Loyola Press
Administrator’s Message…
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
Chairs
Ms. Campinos
Welcome Back! We hope that you had a relaxing and enjoyable break and are refreshed and
ready for the challenges that lie ahead in 2016. We would like to take this opportunity to thank
all of the staff, students and parents for the enthusiasm, generosity and acts of kindness that
collectively made up many of our Advent and Christmas activities.
This past December the grade 8s received the Sacrament of Confirmation. The whole school
took part in our first “Mission Possible” math activity. It was a tremendous success as students
from JK to Gr. 8 worked on solving the same math problem. On Dec. 9, we had a Family
Christmas craft night. It was amazing to see so many families come out. Santa Claus came to
visit on Dec. 14, and on Dec. 15 we had a Christmas Breakfast for students and staff. Before
leaving for Christmas break, we had our school Nativity play and celebrated our Advent Mass.
The month of January promises to be another busy and active month. Activities this month
include: two Virtue Assemblies on the virtue of Self-Control, a MADD presentation for our
intermediates, our second Mission Possible Monday activity, Scientists in the School
Presentations for K, 1/2, and grade 8 classes, Kindergarten Registration, the Peel Police RAID
program begins for our grade 6 classes, and an Artist in the School Presentation for our K-3
classes (Little Big Frog).
Wishing you a very blessed January!
Yours in Catholic Education,
G. Pedroso and R. Scicluna
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
1
Virtue of the Month: Self-Control
God wants us to do what we know and feel is right. Selfcontrol helps us to resist the temptation to do something
that we will regret. It also helps us to resist the
temptation to do something that will harm ourselves or
others. Each time you exercise self-control you grow
stronger in the Lord and invite peace to settle over life
as you avoid any guilt you may feel from having made a
poor decision.
Like a city breached, without walls,
is one who lacks self-control.
(Prov. 25:28)
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:
Our Daily Prayer for January:
Let us pray for the virtue of self-control
so that we will resist the temptation to
cause harm to ourselves or to others around us.
AMEN
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.
From the perspective of the Catholic Graduate
Expectations, a person with self-control…
2. An effective communicator who speaks, writes and
listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in
light of gospel values.
†
†
†
†
†
†
Has a positive, confident sense of self and others
Adapts to situations in light of the common good
Thinks reflectively to solve problems
Applies effective communication, decision-making,
problem-solving & resource management skills
Reflects on personal values, abilities and aspirations
Participates in leisure and fitness activities for a
balanced and healthy lifestyle.
Show me your ways, O Lord, and teach me your paths.
-- St. Francis de Sales
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.
Please note: All Virtue information is included in the front
pages of your child’s agenda.
7. A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic
social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the
sacredness of human life.
Parish Information:
Liturgical and Sacramental Dates
St. Catherine of Siena
2340 Hurontario St., Mississauga, ON L5B 1N1
T: 905-272-1454
E: office@stcatherine.ca
† Gr. 7 Confirmation Registration:
Pastoral Staff
P Fr. Camillo Lando,
Fr. Santo Cigolini,
Fr. Mario Lorenzana,
† Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, Feb. 10 @ 9:15 a.m.
C.S. Pastor
C.S. in Residence
C.S. Associate Pastor
Mon., Feb. 1 @ 7 30 p.m. (church)
Wed., Feb. 3 @ 7:30 p.m. (church)
† First Reconciliation: Monday, March 7 @ 6:45 p.m.
† School Reconciliation: Tues., March 8 @ 9:15 a.m.
† Feast Day Mass: Friday, April 29 @ 9:30 a.m.
St. Catherine of Siena Church Mass Times:
M-F
8:00am & 7:00pm
Saturday Vigil
6:00pm
Sunday
8:30am (English) 10:00am (Italian)
Sunday
11:30am and 1 p.m. (English)
† First Communion: Saturday, May 7, 2016 at 3 p.m.
† Crowning of Mary: Monday, May 9 @ 9:30 a.m.
† Gr. 7 Confirmation: Wednesday, June 1 at 6 p.m.
† Year End Mass: Tuesday, June 14 @ 9:30 a.m.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
2
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).
Student
Grade
Teacher
Joshua C.
JK
Ms. Nichol and Mrs. Davidson
Hannah C.
2
Mrs. Rodrigues
Zaia H.
6
Mrs. Cargioli
Juliana G.
5
Mrs. Connolly
Lora A.
8
Ms. Torun
Joshua V.
8
Ms. Torun
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.
PA Day
A reminder to all parents that Monday, January 18,
2016 will be a P.A Day for all
students, as teachers will be
engaged in a variety of Assessment
and Evaluations throughout the day.
Report Cards
Parent Evening to Support the Transition
of Children with Differing Abilities into
Kindergarten 2016
There will be an information session for parents of
children with differing abilities including vision, hearing,
autism, physical/medical and/or developmental delays
who are transitioning to Kindergarten in September
2016. The information session will be held at the
DPCDSB Board Office (CEC) in Room 301 on Tuesday,
January 12, 2016, from 7 - 8:30 p.m. (Snow date:
Wednesday, January 13, 2016). Parents are also
reminded to register their child at their school on
Monday, January 25 from 7- 9 p.m. (Do mention to
staff your child’s needs).
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 Room113 on Wednesday
nights, beginning February 17 and ending April 27.
The program will run from 6:30 – 8 p.m. Please note
there will be no program on March 16 and 23. All
families with children under 6 years, as well as older
children in your family, are welcome.
The report card for Term 1 will be
going home on Tuesday, February
2, 2016. Interviews will take place
on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 4
and the day of Friday, Feb. 5.
Forms will be sent home soon to schedule an interview
time. Confirmation of the interview time will be sent
home with your child’s report card. It is our hope to see
all parents during this interview cycle.
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.
Kindergarten Registration (2016-17)
Extended French Information Meeting
Kindergarten registration for the 2016-17 school year,
will be held at all Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary
schools on:
Monday, January 25, 2016
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Friday, January 29, 2016
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 26, 2016
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.
Mon., Jan. 25
@ 7-9 p.m.
Grade 4 parents/guardians
who wish to enroll their child
in a Grade 5 Extended
French class for September,
2016 are invited to attend an
information meeting at:
Where: St. Philip School (905‐306‐8420)
345 Fairview Road West
When: Thursday, January 14, 2016
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. Tuesday,
February 16, 2016.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
3
Catholic School Council
Winter Weather
Communication between
home and school is
greatly enhanced by
parental involvement
with the Catholic School
Council. The aim of the
Catholic School Council is to promote the vision, values,
sacramental life and Catholic practices of the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board and the Catholic
community it serves and to advise the principal and the
Board. Future meetings are scheduled for:
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.


March 2 (6 p.m.)
June 8 (6 p.m.)
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.
Inclement Weather, School Closures and
Bus Cancellations
During the winter months inclement weather may cause
disruption to bus transportation and regular school
operations. A decision to cancel school transportation
and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and
will be announced on the following radio stations:
VIRGIN RADIO FM 99.9
CFNY FM 102.1
FM Z 103.5
CHIN FM 100.7
EZ ROCK FM 97.3
FM 93.1
CBC 99.1
FM 98.1
FM Q107
AM 640
CFRB AM 1010
AM 1540
CHUM AM 1050
CJCL AM 590
CFTR AM 680
CJBC (FR) AM86CHFI
CITYTV
CTV and GLOBAL NEWS
The message usually takes the following form, “The
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the
Peel District School Board buses are cancelled.” This
means that buses are cancelled for the entire day.
Or, to indicate school closures, “The schools and
offices of the Peel District School Board and the
Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board have been
closed.” Should the announcement refer to cancellation
only in the COUNTY OF DUFFERIN, this does NOT
affect our school.
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.
Outdoor Play
The winter season is upon us.
Please ensure that your child is
properly dressed for outdoor
play in a Canadian winter. It is
a school expectation that all
students go outside for
recess for exercise and fresh
air. If your child is unable to go
outside for recess because of
illness, please consider keeping them home until they
are feeling better. We also ask that your child have a
pair of indoor shoes for classroom use, labeled with
their name for easy identification. Many students are not
remembering to bring a separate pair of shoes, and are
tracking the mud from the field into the classrooms,
hallways and bathrooms. Your help with this is
appreciated.
We would appreciate your support in reinforcing the
school rule that all snow stays on the ground. For
everyone’s safety we do not allow snowballs,
kicking snow, or any other snow\ice activity that
could lead to potential harm or injury.
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.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
4
Personal Electronic Devices for
Educational Purposes
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
acknowledges the value of the use of technology for
learning. Students are permitted to register and use
personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises
and/or board sanctioned events for educational
purposes, under the direction of staff and only with
parent/guardian permission. Students may register their
PED for the purpose of connecting to the board wireless
network. Students are required to adhere to the student
“Personal Electronic Device Used with WI-FI Network
Student Agreement” (GF 337) and the “Network User
Application and Agreement.” (GF066) Please be
advised that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
School Board will not be responsible for any cost
incurred through the use of personal data plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not
interfere with learning; their use must comply with the
Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and
procedures. Any personal communications (i.e., phone
calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed
through the main office. Failure to comply with these
guidelines may result in a loss of PED privileges and/or
any other consequences deemed necessary by school
administration.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable
uses of personal electronic devices during schoolsanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose
outside of instructional spaces and/or in common areas.
Students are responsible for the safety and security of
PEDs at all times and the Board assumes no
responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.
More information on Wi-Fi and PEDs at St. Catherine of
Siena can be found on our school website at:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/SIENA/Learning/Personal+Electr
onic+Devices+and+Wi-Fi++Policy.htm
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
If the bell has rung, all students (Gr. 1-8) who may be
late, are to go to the back of the school
and join a line. If there are no students,
and the doors are closed you are to
come to the front of the school and
obtain a Late Slip.
All students who arrive after 9:00 a.m. or 1:03 p.m.
must obtain a Late Slip.
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.
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.
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 by-products, foods that MAY have
come in contact with nuts or nut products and fast food
or commercial snacks where the unclear (i.e. Timbits).
Thank you!
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 initiative this.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
5
Volunteers - Criminal Reference Check
We are pleased to welcome our
volunteers for another year to
supporting learning in our school.
We appreciate their commitment &
support and look forward to a great
year! In accordance with the Safe
Schools Act, all volunteers, including those going on
one day school trips, must have a Criminal Reference
Check.
Criminal Reference Checks
Anyone working in our school as a new employee or
volunteer must have a Criminal Reference Check
completed by the Peel Police. CRC are free of charge
for volunteers. Forms will be available from the office
and at the Community Information Board.
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.
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.
Many Hands, Many Lands, One Heart, One God
6
JANUARY 2016
Sunday
Monday
4
10
Tuesday
Wednesday
5
6
MADD
Presentation
Gr. 7 & 8 (1 p.m.)
Scientists in
School (Gr. 8)
11
12
13
Math Mission
Possible #2
Virtue
Assemblies
Thursday
Saturday
8
9
14
15
16
Scientists in
School (Gr. 1/2)
Artists in the
School (K-3)
Little Big Frog
22
23
30
K-3 @ 10 a.m.
Gr4-8 @ 1:30 p.m.
17
Friday
7
18
19
20
21
PD DAY
Scientists in
School (FDK A/B)
Trip - Hyacienth
Raid Program
(Gr. 6)
27
28
29
JK Registrations
(9-3:30)
JK Registrations
(9-3:30)
JK Registrations
(9-3:30)
Trip - Hyacienth
24
25
26
JK Registrations
(7-9 p.m.)
Raid Program
(Gr. 6)
31
Feb. 1
Feb. 2
Feb.3
Feb. 4
Feb. 5
Gr. 7
Confirmation
Registration @
7:30 p.m.
Reports Home
Virtue
Assemblies
Interview Night
PD DAY
Gr. 4-8 @ 10 a.m.
FDK-3 @ 1:30 p.m.
Gr. 7 Confirm.
Reg. @ 7:30 p.m.
Interview
Day
Feb. 6