1300 McBride Ave., Mississauga, ON. L5C 1M8 905 - 277- 4512
PRINCIPAL: S. CALVERT
SECRETARY: A. MILLER
PASTOR:
COUNCIL CHAIR:
SUPERINTENDENT:
TRUSTEE:
FR. JOYSON POTTACKAL
T. MAILLET
C. SAYTAR
P. FERREIRA
905 279-5742
MAY 2012
905 848-3215
Issue: 9
905 890-1221
416 805-7110 Peter.Ferreira@dpcdsb.org
1957-2012 “Celebrating Fifty-Five Years of Excellence in Catholic Education”
Father
Thank you for making
the world come alive again
after the long winter.
Thank you for the joy
I felt today
when I saw flowers
about to open.
Each blue and white and
yellow and red flower
is a gift from you.
Thank you for showing
your love through the
beautiful things
you have made.
Amen
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
We are delighted to begin the month of May with
Catholic Education Week, which is recognized
throughout Ontario during the week of May 6-11.
During this week, the Catholic community celebrates
the unique and distinctive contribution that Catholic
schools make to our students, our community and our
province.
Catholic Education Week is a welcome opportunity
to celebrate the mission of our Catholic schools as
they strive to integrate the Gospel values of Jesus
Christ in every aspect of the school‟s life and
curriculum. This year’s theme is: “Walking in the
Light of Christ”.
Catholic Education week is a great time to celebrate
as a community our hard work and successes. Our
grade 2 students have received their First Holy
Communion and our Grade 8’s celebrated their
Confirmation, a beginning to their life as adults of
our faith. Some of our grade 7 students also
participated in our family of school’s diversity
conference on May 3, 2012.
We welcome you to join in our Catholic Education
Week festivities. The Rosary Apostolate will lead us
in a Crowning of Mary Celebration on Wednesday
May 9. A few of our students will participate at the
Joe Sax event on May 9, 2012.
We will celebrate months of preparation with our
school production of Joseph and His Amazing
Technicolor Dreamcoat. Evening performances are
almost sold out. We will perform Tuesday and
Wednesday evenings at 7pm. Seating is assigned, so
please make sure you purchase your tickets before
Tuesday.
Our month will end with EQAO testing for grade 3
and 6 students. Teachers and students have been
working hard so all will be able to do their very best
at this test.
MAY, A CELEBRATION OF MOTHERS
A Mother’s Love
A Mother‟s love is something that No one can
explain, It is made of deep devotion, of sacrifice and
pain, It is endless and unselfish and enduring come
what may, For nothing can destroy it or take that love
away… It is patient and forgiving when all others are
forsaking, And it never fails or falters even though
the heart is breaking… It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns, And it glows with
all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems A many
splendored miracle, man cannot understand And
another wondrous evidence of God‟s tender guiding
hand.
Helen Steiner
PA DAY
May 11 is a PA day. There will be no school for
students
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
Congratulations to our Grade Eight students who
received the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday,
May 4, 2012.
Thank you to Bishop John A. Boissonneau who
celebrated the Liturgy of the Eucharist with us and to
Father Joyson who helped make the celebration
special for the children and their families. Thank you
to their teachers Mrs. Escobar and Ms. Pacheco for
preparing the students for this memorable
celebration. Thank you also to Mrs. Liptay our Choir
Director, for preparing and directing the student
choir.
FIRST COMMUNION
Congratulations are extended to all our Grade Two
students, who have recently celebrated the Sacrament
of First Holy Communion.
EQAO PRIMARY/JUNIOR ASSESSMENTS
All grade three and six students in Ontario will be
writing the Educational Quality and Accountability
Office (E.Q.A.O.) Assessments in the months of
May/June. Specifically at St. Gerard School, the
days set aside for testing will be JUNE 4-6. We
would ask that if possible, please try to avoid
booking appointments for your grade 3 and 6
children during this assessment period. For
information about E.Q.A.O., please visit the
following website: www.eqao.com.
How Can you Help Your Child with Testing?
First of all, talk with your child about the purpose of
EQAO testing and reduce the anxiety related to any
type of testing situation. Encourage your child to do
his/her best. Remind your child that the assessment
will have questions asking them things that they have
already learned in class. You should also be sure that
your child has enough sleep, eats a nutritious
breakfast and is well hydrated.
Always celebrate your child‟s successes and hard
work each day.
REPORTING HEAD INJURIES
Even when it may appear to be insignificant, we try
to inform parents of all reported head injuries at
school. We do this in recognition of the potential
danger of any injury involving the head area. Our
intent is not to alarm you, but to keep you informed.
Please remind your child to let a staff member know
if they bump their head or if they get hurt at school.
DOGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY
In the safety of all students, please be reminded that
dogs, even when they are on a leash, should not
come in contact with other children while on
school property. We cannot predict a dog’s
behaviour and response around children. Thank you
for your continued support with this request.
ARRIVING ON TIME FOR SCHOOL
Thank you for encouraging and assisting your child
to be on time for school regularly. Arriving late
interrupts your child’s learning and that of other
pupils in the class. Punctuality is a life skill which
students need in order to be successful in the future.
ARE YOU MOVING?
If you are anticipating a move over
the next few months, please let us know.
We are preparing classes for September
2012 and this information is helpful in
determining class sizes. Please call Mrs.
Miller at 905-277-4512 or send a note to
your child’s teacher.
Update Your Records
Parents, if your home phone number, cell number or
work number has changed please notify the school
office. It is necessary to have current information in
order for us to keep in contact with you.
CONGRATULATIONS TO STUDENTS!
St. Gerard School students are to be commended for
their excellent efforts at co-operating with school
rules. Students are provided with instruction and
regular reminders about safety and appropriate play,
both in the school and on the playground. The expert
guidance of staff and the support of parents combined
with the students’ desire to co-operate and do well,
helps keep behaviour problems at a minimum. We
emphasize celebrating successes and learning from
our mistakes. This results in our school being a safer,
happier place where students feel valued and
respected.
SAFETY - BICYCLES, SKATEBOARDS,
SCOOTERS/ROLLER BLADES
Bicycle season has arrived and we remind students of
the importance of following all traffic safety rules.
Students are reminded that bicycles must be walked
onto the school grounds and parked at the side of the
property at the bicycle rack. All bicycles should be
chained and locked at the rack. Unfortunately even
chained bicycles can be quickly removed by
determined thieves. It is suggested that expensive /
hard to replace bicycles remain at home as the school
cannot be responsible for stolen or damaged bicycles.
Also, please remind your child(ren) that cyclists are
governed by the same traffic rules as drivers, and
review safe cycling procedures at home. Please check
that your child’s bicycle is “road worthy” and that
your child is able to ride it in a safe manner,
remembering to wear a bicycle helmet.
Scooters, skateboards, and roller blades are not
permitted on school property.
JUNIOR GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
The Junior Girls’ Basketball team has just completed
their season. Congratulations to the team for their
great sportsmanship and the tremendous effort they
put forth in practices and the three games they
played. As the season progressed, the girls improved
their skills and were able to have very close games
against the other teams. We are very proud of the
team’s accomplishments during the league games.
We commend them for their hard work and
sportsmanship in representing St. Gerard School.
Thank you to their coach Mme Gil. Go Gryphons!
JUNIOR BOYS” BASKETBALL
The Junior Boys basketball team put forth an
incredible effort this season! They played with heart
and dedication and represented our school extremely
well. Their attitude and sportsmanship was
unmatched during every game and their skills and
ability levels grew significantly stronger throughout
the progression of the season. A special thank you
to their coaches Mr. Zulianello and Mr. Remigio.
VIRTUE for the Month of MAY
This month we will celebrate the virtue of
Acceptance.
One of the great wonders of the world we live in is
that no two people are exactly alike. We may share
biological families or national identity or cultural and
ethnic identity but we are all very unique and distinct
creations. God breaks the mold every time! And that
is a fantastic fact of life! It can also be a challenging
fact of life if it makes us afraid. Sometimes
differences are scary – especially if we haven’t
learned about or don’t understand how people are
different.
The virtue of acceptance describes our ability to look
at the attitudes and actions of those around us and
then just stop and consider without judging them. The
virtue of acceptance means that we look beyond what
we see- a person’s skin colour, ethnic background,
religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and see a
person created and loved by God.
are still accepting registrations for our FDK program.
If you have not registered your school age child or
know of someone who has not, please ask them to
drop by the school. Please be sure that you have all
Immunization Records up to date, the child‟s
Baptismal Certificate, Birth Certificate, as well as
one Parent‟s Baptismal Certificate.
It’s especially important for us to stop and think if
what we are made uncomfortable by seeing or
hearing others act differently then we might choose
to act.
ST. GERARD SKILLS TEAM
Our St. Gerard Skills team took part in the Skills
Canada Competition in Waterloo, Ontario on April
30, 2012. The team took part in the green challenge,
which was to build a solar heater. Our team came in
5th place out of 12 teams. The team members were
Nathanial, Francesca, Seth and Juan.
Flex Boundary Admissions
Current flex boundary admissions are not guaranteed.
Flex boundary admissions must be requested in
writing to the school principal each year. Flex
boundary forms are available in the school office.
Grade 8 Graduation
COUNCIL MEETING
We would like to thank our School Council for their
dedication and service this year. We would invite any
parent who would like to join to come to the first
meeting in September of next year. Our parents will
be at the Welcome to Kindergarten evening to
promote what Council does to our new parents. They
will also be providing all students with a hot dog
lunch on June 28 free of charge.
Registration dates for Full-Day Learning Program
at St. Gerard School
Full-Day Early Learning Program registration (full
day JK/SK) was held in February. At this point, we
It is time to start planning. Time flies and before you
know it, June will be upon us. The grade 8 graduation
mass, awards and diploma ceremony will be held at
St. Martin of Tours Church on Tuesday, June 26th at
7:00 p.m. There will be a reception afterwards in the
church hall. Please mark this date on your calendars.
More information to follow regarding the
Grade 8 luncheon and dance will be sent home at a
later date.
When purchasing clothing for graduation, please
remember that it should be tasteful and reflect our
school dress code. Students who have dresses with
thin straps are asked to have a wrap to cover their
shoulders during Mass.
Summer School and Summer Literacy Camp
Summer Literacy Camp forms are being accepted for
students in grades SK to 6. The camp takes place
from Monday July 3 to Friday July 27, 2012, 9 a.m.
to 12 p.m. daily. Deadline for applications: June 1,
2012
For further information, please speak to your
child’s teacher.
Summer School is taking place again this year
from Tuesday July 3rd to Friday July 20th, 8:30 a.m.
to 12:30 p.m., for students presently in grades 7 -8.
The focus of the program is on Language and Math
grade level expectations. Transportation is provided.
Deadline for applications: June 7, 2012
Appropriate School Attire
Teachers will be reviewing appropriate dress
expectations with their classes. Excessively ripped or
torn clothing is not acceptable school attire. All
students are reminded that the midriff and shoulders
should be covered at all times. While we want our
students to be comfortable in the warmer weather, we
must also maintain a learning environment that
reflects our primary focus. Please ensure that your
child has protection from the sun by using sunscreen
and wearing a hat on sunny days.
Dehydration can be serious! Students should bring
their St. Gerard re-usable drink bottles to school,
however they are not to be taken outside in the yard.
Grades 3 & 6 After School Tutoring Club
Attendance
The Grades 3 and 6 After School Tutoring Club
continues at St. Gerard School. This program
provides students in grades three and six with
additional support that will help them feel
comfortable and confident in their knowledge and
skills as they prepare for their EQAO test.
Thank you to all parents who are supporting this
worthwhile initiative. Please remember, if your child
will not be attending a session, please send a note to
the classroom teacher who will forward it to the after
school tutoring teacher. It is important that we know
where our students are at all times. Notes to the
teacher will also reduce the number of phone calls
from the main office attempting to locate students.
child to attend school. Each child will receive a
Welcome to Kindergarten bag with magnetic letters
and numbers, books, crayons, scissors, paper, glue,
play dough and more. The materials are excellent for
the children and their parents to use in preparation for
Kindergarten. The resources are provided by the
“Learning Partnership”, supported by the DufferinPeel Catholic District School Board.
Volunteer Appreciation Tea
Our St. Gerard School community is
extremely blessed to have highly dedicated
volunteers who contribute positively to the
education of our students on a consistent
basis. An invitation is extended to the St.
Gerard community to help us celebrate and
thank our dedicated volunteers who have
helped make the difference in our school.
Please join us in the school library on
Friday June 22, 2012 at 2:30p.m. for the
Volunteer Appreciation Tea
DATES TO REMEMBER
MAY
6-11 Catholic Education Week
8&9 Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat
9
Crowning of Mary
11
PA Day – No school for students
16&17 Heads Up Competition
18
Hep B/HPV #3
21
Victoria Day-No School
24
Welcome to Kindergarten 6:30pm
30
First Aid for Kids Gr 1-3
JUNE
4-6 EQAO
11 PA Day – Report Card Writing
14 End of the Year Mass
22 Volunteer Tea
26 Reports Sent Home
26 Grade 8 Graduation
28 School Council Lunch for kids
Welcome to Kindergarten Evening
All new Kindergarten children registered for
September 2012, are invited to attend a workshop
with their parent(s) on Thursday May 24th, at 6:30
p.m. in the school gymnasium. The workshop will
focus on strategies and activities for preparing your
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Report Crads Go Home
Last Day of School