Dufferin-Peel CDSB
ST. GERTRUDE SCHOOL
Guided by Faith, Committed to Excellence
NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2013
This Year
St. Gertrude School
815 Ceremonial Dr.,
Mississauga, ON
L5R 3S2
Tel:
905 568 7660
Fax:
905 568 8194
Principal
T. De Vellis Carino
Vice-Principal
P. Golin
Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion, and replace it with trust.
Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
Keep a promise. Find the time. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Listen.
Apologize if you were wrong. Try to understand. Flout envy.
Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Appreciate.
Be kind; Be gentle. Laugh a little. Laugh a little more.
Deserve confidence. Take up arms against malice.
Decry complacency. Express your gratitude. Have faith. Welcome a stranger.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
Speak your love. Speak it again. Speak it still once more.
Secretaries
D. Bachle
M. Cherubino
(Author unknown)
Superintendent
Mississauga
Brampton Central
L. Kazimowicz
Trustee
T. Thomas
Parish
St. Francis Xavier
905 890 5290
Pastor
Rev. Msgr. Edgardo Elias
Salazar Pan
Principal’s Message
As we enter into this New Year, we need to reflect upon and appreciate the
richness that we have in our St. Gertrude Community. I would like to thank
the many parents who came in the week before Christmas to wish us a happy
holiday and to thank our wonderful staff for their hard work and efforts. As
we look back on the past year, we must remember each experience for the good
that has come of it and the knowledge we have gained. It is a time to reflect on
the past year, and remember the laughter, the joy, the hard work and the
tears.
This New Year, 2013, will bring with it a time for new beginnings. I would like
to welcome the new families who have recently joined our school community.
As we begin 2013, we pray not only for love and peace within our St. Gertrude
Community but within our Global Community. On behalf of the staff and
students of St. Gertrude School, I would like to wish each and every one of you
a Happy New Year filled with good health, love and God’s blessings.
T. DeVellis-Carino, Principal
P. Golin Vice, Principal
Page 2
Guided b y Faith, Committed to Excellence
JANUARY’S VIRTUE
-Self-ControlGod has given us the ability to choose.
We are able to control how we react to what happens
around us.
We may feel pressure from inside or from outside
ourselves to react violently to a situation. We‟ve all
“lost it” at one time or another. We are never proud of
those moments.
As soon as they happen we make a promise that
they will not happen again.
Through prayer and concentration, we can get better
at controlling our reactions.
We can get better at showing self-control.
Self-control helps us to resist the temptation to do
something that we will regret.
Self-control helps us to resist the temptation to do
something that will harm ourselves or others.
Self-control is one of the marks of a spiritually mature
person. When we all use self-control, we can be sure
that our school will be a safe, caring and inclusive
place to live and to learn.
A person with self-control…

Is patient and knows how to wait his/her turn
 Can calm him/herself down and think before
reacting to situations
 Knows how to avoid physical aggression
(hitting, kicking, pushing, fighting)
 Can think things through and do what is best
for everyone
SACRAMENTAL UPDATE
If you wish your child to receive a sacrament this year,
please be sure you have attended an information
meeting and registered your child at the parish. The
final information meetings for those who haven‟t
attended one yet are scheduled as follows:
First Communion: Jan. 10, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
Confirmation: Jan. 10, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.
Inscription for both First Holy Communion and
Confirmation will be on the weekend of
January 19 & 20, 2013.
RECONCILIATION
Grade Two Reconciliation will take place on
Thursday, January 17, 2013 at
9:00 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
The Grade Two students will receive their First Holy
Communion on Saturday, May 4, 2013 at
10 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church.
CONFIRMATION
Our Grade Eight students will be confirmed on
Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at
St. Francis Xavier Church.
*****************************
NOT SUCH AN ORDINARY TIME
Ordinary Time
As we bring to a close the season of Christmas, we
begin to settle into the less active, more ordinary
season of our wintery lives. The Church as well
moves into Ordinary time as the church colours
move from celebratory white to green vestments
and altar cloths. During the liturgical year of the
church, the term “Ordinary Time” may be
misleading. In the context of the liturgical year the
term “ordinary” does not mean “ usual or average.”
Ordinary here means “not seasonal.” Ordinary
Time is the part of the Liturgical Year that lies
outside the seasons of Lent-Easter and AdventChristmas. In Ordinary Time, the Church
celebrates the mystery of Christ not in one specific
aspect but in all its aspects. The readings during
the liturgies of Ordinary Time help to instruct us on
how to live out our Christian faith in our daily lives.
Ordinary Time in the Church‟s year occurs in two
sections. The first part begins on the Monday
following the Christmas season, which ends with
the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on the Sunday
following January 6. It lasts through the Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the
Lenten season. Ordinary Time resumes after the
Easter Season, on the Monday after Pentecost,
and continues until evening prayer on the Saturday
before the First Sunday of Advent.
During the Liturgical Year, the scripture readings
for the seasons of Lent, Easter, Advent, and
Christmas have prominent themes. During
Ordinary Time the readings are not chosen according to a theme. During the Christmas season, the
gospels recount the birth and early life of Jesus.
On the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, the
gospel begins to speak about the ministry of Jesus
through the text about the wedding feast at Cana
and two other passages from the Gospel of Mark.
Then, with the Third Sunday, the life and
preaching of Jesus unfold in each of the Gospels.
We mark ordinary time with the colour green… the
colour of growth and life. During ordinary time we
reflect on how Christ‟s gospel message can come
to new life within our daily lives.
Guided b y Faith, Committed to Excellence
COLD WINTER WEATHER
Our students need to bring the necessary labelled
clothing and shoes/boots with them in order to
ensure that they are dressed appropriately to
meet the challenges of the winter season. Our
school policy is that recess is a part of the school
day. If a student is too ill to participate in all
components of the school day, including recess,
please do not send him/her to school. If there are
specific medical reasons which should exclude a
child from going outside, please submit a doctor‟s
note to the office. This note should indicate the
reason and the time period for the modified
recesses. We have guidelines from the Health
Department which help us make a decision as to
whether it is too cold for students to go outdoors:
-20 degrees C is a modified day and –25 degrees
C students stay indoors. During modified school
days students will be indoors for am and pm
recesses and no longer than twenty minutes at
lunch recess.
INDOOR SHOES
We are once again requesting that your child have
a pair of indoor shoes to be left at school. As you
know, it is always important for your child‟s health
and safety to have shoes to wear in the classroom
and in the halls. It is imperative that your child
has shoes on if an emergency, such as a fire drill
occurs. There is no time to stop and put on boots
or other footwear.
MEDICATION AT SCHOOL
For safety reasons, no child should bring
medication to school without prior approval from
the office. The school will store necessary
prescribed medication upon the return of the
“Request for Storage and Distribution of
Prescribed Medications” form, which has been
filled out, signed by the parents and physician and
returned to the school. School staff, without the
proper board documentation, cannot distribute
medication of any kind.
PRIMARY CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Our annual Christmas Concert was an overwhelming success for our children and a delight to
everyone fortunate enough to witness it. The
young talents and voices of our primary students
raised the roof. We thank each and every child
and our primary division staff for bringing such
wonder and joy to the Christmas Season.
Page 3
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Once again, as part of the Language Arts Curriculum,
our students in Grade 4 through 8 will be involved in
planning, preparing and presenting oral presentations
– speeches. Our school competition is an excellent
opportunity for students to develop a comfort and
proficiency in presenting their thoughts and ideas.
Further information to follow.
SHARELIFE
Excerpt from a thank you letter received.
“A hearty thank you to the students and staff of
St. Gertrude School. Your kind gift to ShareLife has
made a difference in the lives of many in your
community, the Archdiocese and worldwide. On
behalf of those served by our agencies, I thank you
for your vital contribution.
Together we are making a difference!”
TOILETRY DRIVE-KNIGHTS TABLE
On behalf of the Knights Table, we wish to
thank all of you who generously
contributed goods to our Toiletry Drive.
Hundreds of items were collected. The
items were distributed to the homeless and disadvantaged. The Knights Table continues to offer a necessary service to the community and they stated that
your donations did make a difference in someone‟s
life. Thank you for your generosity.
CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE
We would like to thank the entire St. Gertrude
Community for your tremendous generosity and
goodwill.
JUNIOR AND SENIOR KINDERGARTEN
REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2013-2014 school year will be held
at all Dufferin-Peel Catholic elementary schools on the
following dates:
Monday, January 28, 2013 *
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
*snow date: Tues., Jan. 29, 2013, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
January 30, 31 & Feb. 1, 2013
9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Page 4
Guided b y Faith, Committed to Excellence
SAFETY FIRST
Please do not cross the lanes of
traffic immediately in front of our front doors.
We would appreciate parents walking their children
to either end of our driveway, and entering our
property at these points. Please do not cross the
Kiss „N Ride lanes in the area of the flagpole, as the
moving traffic can be dangerous. We have also
noticed that cars are entering through the pylons at
the end of the day. The pylons are there to remind
parents that they are not to enter the driveway after
2:40 p.m. Cars are also stopping in the driveway to
pick up children from the Kindergarten area after
school. This is a no parking area. Please be
advised that we have your children‟s safety as our
first priority. Please be reminded that children
should not be dropped off before 8:05 a.m. as
there is no teacher supervision until this time.
Also, please do not obstruct our neighbours‟
driveways when waiting for your child(ren).
STUDENT PUNCTUALITY
It is the school‟s expectation that all
students arrive on time and be
prepared for class. Late arrival is a
disruption to the class and your child
is missing valuable instruction time.
Please ensure that your child arrives at school
no later than 8:15 in the morning and 12:15 in
the afternoon so that they will be present to join
their class for entry.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
Our “Milk Bags for Haiti” initiative will continue
throughout the school year. Remember to send in
your milk bags with your child for this worthy cause.
P.A. DAYS - no school
Monday, January 21, 2013: Teachers will be
involved in assessment and evaluation activities.
Friday, February 8, 2013: Interview day
TWITTER
DPCDSB is now on Twitter! For the latest board news
and information, follow us at
@DPCDSBSchools
DATES TO REMEMBER
Jan. 8
Virtue Assembly 9:50 am
Jan. 9
Meningitis (gr. 7) & HPV (dose 2)
Jan. 10
First Communion/Confirmation
Information Meeting 7:00 pm
Jan. 14
French Immersion Mtg 7:00 pm
Jan. 15
School Council Mtg 6:30 am
Jan. 17
Gr. 2 First Reconciliation 9:00 am
Jan. 19 & 20
Make up Inscription
First Communion/Confirmation
Jan. 21
PA Day No School for Students
Jan. 23
One Movement Presentation 9:30 am
BALLROOM DANCING
We are very excited as the Grade 4-8 students
prepare for their ballroom dancing lessons. Thanks
goes to our School Council for funding this program.
The program runs for eight weeks and is taught by
qualified instructors. At the end of the session, the
students will perform in a friendly ballroom
showcase.
Jan. 28
JK/SK Registration 7-9 pm
Jan. 29
Snow Date JK/SK Registration 7-9 pm
Jan. 30
Gr. 8 Graduation Photos
Feb. 5
Virtue Assembly @ 12:30 pm
Feb. 5
Reports sent home
Feb. 7
Interview Evening
The program is scheduled to begin during the week
of January 7, 2013.
Feb. 8
PA Day No School/ Interview Day
Feb. 12
School Council
Feb. 13
Ash Wednesday
Feb. 26
Lenten Mass @ St. FX Church 9:30 am