Our Lady of Lourdes
Catholic Elementary School
March 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
3
25 Mount Royal Circle
1
The Virtue for March is
2
Sat
4
5
Shrove Tuesday
Ash Wednesday,
Para-liturgy,
Boomerang Lunch 1:00pm
Parent Engagement
6
7
Treat Day
P.A. Day
No school for
Students
Movie Afternoon
for ShareLife
Pancake Dinner,
6:30pm
10
11
12
13
14
8
17
18
19
Boomerang Lunch School Council
Meeting, 7pm
23
24
30
25
31
26
20
21
Treat Day
African Body
Percussion
Workshop - all
students
27
Boomerang Lunch Virtue Assembly
28
FAX (905) 913-2918
Principal
A PRAYER FOR LENT
Almighty and Everlasting God,
You have given the human race
Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of
humility.
He fulfilled Your Will by becoming Man
And giving His life on the Cross.
Help us to bear witness to You
By following His example of suffering
And make us worthy to share in His
Resurrection.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son.
15
MARCH BREAK—NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
16
Phone (905) 913-1703
March 2014
Spirit Week
9
Brampton, Ont. L6P 1W3
22
Amen
29
http://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?
p=1115
Treat Day
Sonia Rotino
Every person in our lives carries the
Spirit of God – and so every person
is our brother or sister through Jesus
Christ.
As brothers and sisters who share one
Holy Spirit, we are all valuable to
God. We all deserve to be shown
concern for our welfare and our
feelings. We have all been given the
fruit of the Spirit called kindness.
Kindness can only be seen through
actions. It’s not enough to say I will be
kind or I am kind. We must show that
we are kind by our words and our
actions.
Secretary
Mary Doria
~
Superintendent
Max Vecchiarino
Trustee
Scott McLauchlan
Parish Priest
Father Papais
Visit our School Website:
CLASS LISTS FOR SEPTEMBER 2014
Upcoming Events
April
April (continued)
1
April Fool’s Day
24
Dental Screening, Grades K-2
2
World Autism Awareness Day—wear the colour
blue to school
25
Easter Mass, 9:30am, African Body Percussion
workshop—all students
3
Loretta Penny Presentation, grades 1 to 5
27
Grade 2 First Communion, 2:00pm at St. Patrick’s
4
See, Hear Screening tests, Rainbow Lunches
Specialty Lunch
30
Dance Showcase at the Rose Theatre, Virtue Assembly
6-12 National Volunteer Appreciation Week
7
Lockdown Drill
7-16 Easter Food Drive
We will begin working on next year’s class lists in May. If your family will be moving from
our school area, please let the office know as soon as possible. If your child(ren) will be
returning to Our Lady of Lourdes School and there are particular learning needs that you
feel we should consider while we work on class lists, please put this in writing, addressed to
the Principal by April 25. Educational reasons will only be considered in this process. Please
do not make requests for specific teachers.
We cannot guarantee your request however we will consider
your concerns along with other factors. Class placements will be
tentative until the second week of September when our staffing
is confirmed.
May
2
4-9
Rainbow Lunches Specialty Lunch
Catholic Education Week
10
Intermediate Basketball Tournament, Brampton
North East Chess Finals
7
Book Fair & Bake Sale, to 7pm
11
Anti-Bullying Presentation, Rock Pro
8
Tentative Parent Engagement evening, 7pm
17
Holy Thursday, Stations of the Cross Para-liturgy, pm
11
Mother’s Day
18
Good Friday—no school for students
14
National Denim Day
21
Easter Monday—no school for students
15
Grade 8 Confirmation, 7pm at St. Patrick’s Church
23
School Council Meeting, 7pm
2013-2014 LITURGICAL DATES








Mar. 5, 2014 – 1:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday Para-Liturgy
Apr. 17, 2014 – 1:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross Para-Liturgy
Apr. 25, 2014 – 9:30 a.m. Easter Liturgy
Apr. 27, 2014 – 2:00 p.m. First Holy Communion
May 4 – May 9, 2014 Catholic Education Week
May 15, 2014 – 7:00 p.m. Confirmation at St. Patrick’s Church
May 16, 2014 – 1:30 p.m. Crowning of Mary Liturgy
Jun. 25, 2014 – 9:30 a.m. Year End Liturgy
www.dpcdsb.org/lourd
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For
the latest board news and
information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
www.connect2ENDviolence.ca
March 2014
Our Lady of Lourdes
LUNCH AND TREAT DAYS
During the month of February, the
Eco-Team and the Our Lady of
Lourdes community was involved in a
variety of eco-friendly activities.
Thank you to everyone who
participated in “National Sweater
Day” and for all the students who are
bringing in “Boomerang Lunches”.
Additionally, we would like to thank
everyone who has parked their car
and turned off their engine when
dropping off their children at school.
Our anti-idling campaign was a
success, and we hope that the
community continues to park their car
and not idle. Also, we would like to
thank Brampton Clean City for
coming in and doing workshops on
“Global Warming” and “Energy and
Water Conservation” for all Our
Lady of Lourdes students. During the
month of March we will continue our
eco-friendly activities, by conducting
another Energy Audit of our school.
We are continuing to encourage
teachers and classes to turn off all
electronics when not in use, and turn
off the classroom lights when the room
is empty.
Pizza days are Wednesday March 5, 19 and 26.
All pizza lunches have been pre-ordered with the forms
provided at the beginning of this term.
Treat Days will be offered on Thursdays and students have
the opportunity to purchase popcorn, baked chips and Terra
Cotta cookies for $1.00 each.
As well, March Break is
from Monday, March 10 to
Friday, March 14 and the
school will be closed.
Classes will resume on
Monday, March 17, 2014.
Just a gentle reminder…
To promote respect for the dignity of all members of our school community and to enhance student achievement and
safety, the use of a PED by parents, visitors, volunteers, guests and students is strictly prohibited in the school or during
school related activities (such as field trips, school presentations, etc.).
Failure to comply with this policy may result in the confiscation of the PED and/or disciplinary action as outlined in the
Catholic Code of Conduct 2001.
It is the policy of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board that PEDs are to be kept out-of sight, turned off and not
used within school premises or during school-sanctioned events.
are Tuesday, March 4, 18 and 25.
EQAO TESTING
Administration of Grade 3 and 6
Assessment of Reading, Writing and
Mathematics 2013-2014 will be
held May 26–June 6, 2014. Specific
dates will be forthcoming.
Please try to avoid vacations or the
booking of appointments for your
grade 3 or 6 child during this
assessment
period.
EASTER MASS
Our Lady of Lourdes Easter
Mass will take place on
Friday, April 25 at 9:30 am
in the gym. All are invited
to attend.
Family Math Activities K-2
Ask your child to help you solve everyday number problems. "We need six tomatoes to make our sauce for dinner,
and we have only two. How many more do we need to buy?" "You have two pillows in your room and your sister has
two pillows in her room. How many pillowcases do I need to wash?" "Two guests are coming to eat dinner with us. How
many plates will we need?"
Practice "skip counting". Together, count by 2's and 5's. Ask your child how far he or she can count by 10's. Roll two
dice, one to determine a starting number and the other to determine the counting interval (e.g., counting by 1’s, 2’s, 3’s,
etc…). Ask your child to try counting backwards from 10, 20, or even 100.
Make up games using dice and playing cards. Try rolling dice and adding the numbers that come up. Add up the
totals until you reach a target number, like 50. Play the game backwards to practice subtraction.
Please support our food drive with nonperishable food items
from April 7 to 16, 2014.
A reminder that Friday,
March 7 is a P.A. Day and
there is no school for
students.
BOARD PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY—GAP 542.00
SPRING CLEANING
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Remember while you are cleaning
out your closets this spring, that we
always have a need for gently used
games. Games such as Trouble,
Snakes and Ladders and Checkers
can always be used in our
Classroom’s Indoor Recess Bins!
LEGO is also welcome since we
would love to start a LEGO club!
Think about coming out for a School
Council Meeting. This is the time of
year that we discuss such things as
lunch programs for next year and
possi-ble “extras” for students with
surplus funds. It will also provide an
opportunity for you to hear about
upcoming events and allows for you
to ask any questions you might have.
We want make our school a great
place for our kids! The next council
meeting will be held Wednesday
March 19 at 7:00pm.
All are
welcome!
Web Resources:
Primary: Math and Logic Puzzles www.mathisfun.com
Junior: Number Sense and Numbers www.mathfrog.ca
Intermediate: Integers www.wiredmath.ca
Nelson Math has an at home connect for
Grades 3-8! http://www.mathk8.nelson.com/
companion.html
Just click on the grade level required, then on the Student
Centre icon to find practice activities, web activities,
games and web quests with real world connections.
Need extra help in Grade 7 or 8 math?
Visit the Homework Help website for free help from Ontario certified teachers. On this site, students have access to live chat rooms between the hours of
5:30-9:30 from Sunday to Thursday and 24/7 for resources such as videotaped lessons and interactive tutorials. Homework Help is ideal for understanding homework, reviewing lessons, studying for tests, and searching math
topics.
Register today at https://homeworkhelp.ilc.org/. All you need to register is
your student OEN number which is found on the report card. If you have additional questions, please contact your classroom teacher.
Remember the Ontario
Educational Resource Bank
(OERB)?
Try ELO 1411070, ELO
1414560 and ELO 1414550!
Contact your school for
Password information
Operations: Understanding Numbers
Numbers are used to describe quantities, to count, and to add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Understanding numbers
and knowing how to combine them to solve problems helps us in all areas of math.
March 2014
Our Lady of Lourdes
CHESS CLUB
WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY
Members of our chess club are still
practicing at lunch recesses! We will
hold an in-school tournament for all
chess club members to determine
which students will participate on the
Our Lady of Lourdes Chess Teams.
These students will then represent our
school at the Family level competition.
The Brampton North East Chess Finals
will be held at Lester B Pearson
Catholic School on Thursday April
10th, 2014. Thank you to Mme.
Mastrangelo, Ms. Di Nunzio and Mrs.
DeBerardinis for running the club and
coaching the team. Good
luck to all our players!
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that
manifests itself during the first three years of life. The
rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it
has a tremendous impact on children, their families,
communities and societies.
Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the
rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with
developmental disabilities. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the fundamental
principle of universal human rights for all.
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared April 2 as
World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the
lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can
lead full and meaningful lives.
Our Lady Of Lourdes will also be hosting a guest speaker in early
April. Ms. Chiodo, a resource worker for Brampton Caledon Community
Living, will be speaking to the students from grades 1 to 8. As well, all
proceeds from the Treat day on April 3 will go towards Autism
Research. We ask that all strudents wear blue on April 2.
SPEECH COMPETITION
On Friday, February 21, our
Intermediate students participated in
a Speech Competition in the gym.
Celeste C., Maria Ashley K. and
Melissa S. were chosen to represent
our school on Wednesday, February
26 at the Public Speaking Contest
held at St. Patrick’s School. These
three students competed against the
winners from three other schools.
Congratulations to Maria Ashley who
placed second in the competition. All
of the contestants did an amazing job!
We thank them for their excellence in
representing our school.
SPORTS NEWS
Basketball
The Junior Boys and Girls competed in the Brampton North East Mini Basketball Tournament on Thursday,
February 13. They played well and showed true Our Lady of Lourdes spirit and sportsmanship.
Congratulations to the following players: Boys: Anton C., Logan D., Anthony F., Noah F., Quinsten F., Jack
G., Marc H., Luca S., Amani R. and Matthew W. Girls: Ariana B., Brianna C., Celeste F., Angelika K.,
Isabella M., Kendra N., Valerie S. and Valentina S. A special thank you to Mr. Leko, Mrs. De Medeiros,
Mrs. Malfara, Mr. Rositano and Mrs. Stewart for coaching the teams.
40 DAY LENTEN CHALLENGE
On Ash Wednesday, all students will be given a purple arm
band to wear for the 40 days of Lent. They are asked to do
something kind every day for 40 days to remember the
sacrifice Jesus made for us on Good Friday and to record their
good deeds to share with their families at Easter.
COPS FOR CANCER
Teachers and students will be playing volleyball with our local Police
Officers in support of Cops For Cancer on Friday, March 28 from
11:55 am to 12:35 pm. Students are encouraged to donate $2.00 to
the Peel Regional Police in support of this program. In
exchange for your money, you will be able to write your
name on a police badge, affix it to our fundraising
poster, and watch the game between the officers and
the staff and students in the gymnasium.
HEALTHY EATING COMMITTEE
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Berry Hearty Parfait
¼ cup strawberries
¼ cup blueberries
¼ cup raspberries
6 oz plain yogurt
¾ cup granola cereal 2 sprigs fresh mint
In a 12 ounce parfait or sundae style glass,
alternately layer the fruit, yogurt and granola cereal. Repeat until you
have used all the ingredients
and garnish with fresh sprigs
of mint. For something different, substitute a different
cereal.
SHROVE TUESDAY
Shrove Tuesday (also known as Shrovetide
Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday and Pancake Day)
is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the
first day of Lent. The expression "Shrove
Tuesday" comes from the word shrive,
meaning "confess".
Related popular practices are associated
with celebrations before the fasting and
religious obligations associated with the
penitential season of Lent. The term Mardi
Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, referring to
the practice of the last night of eating richer,
fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the
Lenten season, which begins on Ash
Wednesday. Pancakes are associated with
the day preceding Lent because they were
a way to use up rich foods such as eggs,
milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of
the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting
emphasized eating plainer
food and refraining from
food that would give
pleasure: In many cultures,
this means no meat, dairy,
or eggs.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
On Thursday, April 10, the Intermediate Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams will compete in the Brampton North East Mini
Basketball Tournament at Father Francis McSpiritt School. Good luck to the following players: Boys: Jelo C., Mario D.,
Anthony I., Jacob S., Nicholas S., Massimo V. and Matteo Z. Girls: Sasha B., Alyssa B., Melissa C., Giulia F., Tristan G.,
Sara J., Maria Ashley K., Daniella M. and Sarah S. A special thank you to Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Wildfang for coaching
the teams.
For the Catholic Church, education is not just about the transmission of knowledge and the acquiring of skills and tools for
success in life. While a Catholic education does include formal religious education classes, as outlined above, it is so much
more. It includes the open expression and celebration of faith and opportunities for a relationship with God through the
entire syllabus of the school.
For more information, see: http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Catholic+Community/Catholic+Education/
March 2014
Our Lady of Lourdes
PEDICULOSIS
We would like to thank the Student Council for
organizing our Valentine dance that was held on
February 14. Thank you to Daniel Kersnik for acting as
DJ for the event. The students had a great time! Every
student received a small Valentine treat, courtesy of
Student Council.
Congratulations to Joshua, Elisa & Veronica who won the
Valentine Candy contest and thank you to everyone who
supported the Valentine cookie sales.
Wear your Our Lady of Lourdes Spirit Wear every
Friday!
March 3 to 6 is Spirit Week
Monday
Crazy Hair and Hat Day
Tuesday
Twinzie Tuesday
Wednesday
School Spirit Day—Wear Blue & Yellow
Thursday
Pajama Day and Movie Afternoon
Pediculosis is not considered a health problem because it is not a communicable disease. Incidents of pediculosis occur in
any school. We are asking that parents inspect their children’s hair, especially if persistent itching and scratching of the scalp
is noticed. Please inform the school if you discover an infestation.
It is important that all nits be removed before returning your child to school! Your pharmacist can give you treatment
information if required.
Remind your child that it is not appropriate to share other children’s combs or headgear (hats, helmets etc.). Your cooperation
is an important part of completely controlling the incidents of pediculosis in our school.
IMMUNIZATION RECORDS
Peel Public Health will once again be reviewing
immunization records of all students at our school. Peel
Public Health must have proof that your child has been
fully vaccinated (immunized) according to the Ontario
Immunization schedule. During the record review, you will
receive a letter from Peel Public Health if your child’s
record is incomplete. It will tell you what vaccinations your
child needs to meet the requirements for Ontario.
Immunization records are considered incomplete if:
 Peel Public Health has not received your child’s
vaccination record or
DRESSING APPROPRIATELY
FOR THE WEATHER
 Your child’s record does not show that he/she has had
Now that the cold weather is upon us
we respectfully remind you to ensure
that your children come to school
dressed warmly to participate in
recess activities. When weather
conditions are severe we may
reduce the outdoor play time, or
have indoor recess entirely, but fresh
air and exercise are vital
components for successful learning,
so we will endeavour to have
children play outside whenever
possible.
Help your children by having them
come to school appropriately
dressed with scarves, hats and
mittens. As well, all students should
have indoor footwear at school. This
is essential in case of an emergency
evacuation. The students will not
have time to change their footwear.
We also recommend that students
keep extra clothing such as socks
and pants at school in case their
original clothing gets wet.
Last but not least, please label your
children’s items so that our Lost and
Found bin stays empty!
 You do not have a valid exemption from immunization
all the required doses of vaccine (eg. Infant and
booster doses) or
for your child
If you receive a letter, please be sure your child received
the required vaccination(s), then give the date(s) to Peel
Public Health immediately to update your child’s record to
avoid processing delays.
Failure to do so will result in a suspension from
school!
For more information please call
Peel Public Health at 905 7997700 or visit
www.immunizepeel.ca Translation
services are available.
ISSUES WITH LATES
We continue to have a problem with students arriving
late to school. Arriving at school on time makes a big
difference. Your children learn the importance of
punctuality from the example you set.
Students should be arriving at school 5 to 10 minutes
before the bell rings in the morning. The time spent in
the school yard before school is a transition time that
allows your child to reconnect with classmates and to
refocus on school issues. Lining up to enter the school
with the rest of the class allows your child to become
part of the group and to ease into the routines of
school.
The first few minutes in the classroom are critical. During
these minutes the teacher deals with the many issues that
individual students share. There are routine opening
activities that help ease the students into the business of
learning. When your child arrives even five minutes late,
you would have missed some important information and
you might feel a little ‘outside’ the group.
LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
During this term we will continue to practice the
Emergency Lockdown procedures with students. These
procedures have been established by our school board in
the event that a high risk incident involving weapons
should occur in the school or on school property. Our next
drill is scheduled for April 7.
WALK TO SCHOOL WEDNESDAYS
Physical activity improves health and well-being. It reduces stress, strengthens the heart and lungs, increases energy
levels, helps one maintain and achieve a healthy body weight and it improves your outlook on life. Research shows that
physical inactivity can cause premature death, chronic disease and disability.
Health Canada encourages Canadians to integrate physical activity into their
every day life; at home, at school, at work, at play and on the way ... that's active
living! Being physically active not only strengthens your body, it also makes you
feel good about yourself. We are encouraging all students to walk to school on
Wednesdays so that they can feel these health benefits! Do your part to stay
healthy!