PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Catholic schools are Catholic communities. Catholic
schools are faith communities. We – parents, students,
teachers, administrative and support staff – walk and grow
together in the faith which we received at our Baptism.
And it is the ‘together’ that we grow. Our growth is
primarily a relationship with God, who at our Baptism,
called us by name. But the response of each of us to that
growth is both personal and communal. We grow in our
faith in the nurturing atmosphere of our Catholic
community be that of our local parish, our home, or our
Catholic school community.
THE SEASON OF
Our school community will celebrate Catholic Education
Week during May 4-9, 2014. We invite you to participate
in one or other of these activities as your personal time
and work schedule may permit.
There are five sub-themes for each day of Catholic
Education Week:
Monday – Serve with faithfulness
Tuesday – Serve with humility
Wednesday – Serve with compassion
Thursday – Serve with justice
Friday – Serve with joy
EASTER PRAYER
Lord of life
We pray for all who bring your word of life
As a light to those in darkness
For those who bring your word of peace
To those enslaved by fear
For those who bring your word of love
To those in need of comfort
Lord of love and Lord of peace
*Please join us on Thursday May 8th from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
for a family Groove Workshop and Classroom Visits
(details to follow).
Lord of resurrection life
Be known
Through our lives
and through your power
Christ the Lord is risen today.
Alleluia!
APRIL 2014: INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Spring Photography Day
Creating Classes for Next Year
Welcome to Kindergarten Night
Safe Schools Focus
Page 2
Page
Page 2
Page 5
Every year, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’
Association (OCSTA) provides our Catholic schools with a
resource kit to help schools prepare for Catholic Education
Week. Using these resources as well as our own
developed activities we have prepared a series of activities
which will highlight how our school is ‘Serving in the Love
of Christ’.
We hope to see many of you during our school
celebrations.
Together in Faith and Excellence
A.Tavares and G. Graci
1
ST. CORNELIUS 6th ANNUAL STAFF/PARENT
VS. STUDENTS SHARELIFE HOCKEY GAME
On March 6th, staff and parents suited up against the
students of St. Cornelius School for a fantastic hockey
game that was filled with lots of action! The event
took place at the Caledon East Arena. We would like
to take the time to thank our staff and parent players
for participating and making the event a huge success
as well as our teachers and parents who helped
supervise the event. Your great school spirit helped
us to raise nearly $ 500 for the ShareLife campaign!
EQAO PROVINCIAL ASSESSMENT
Each year Grade 3 and 6 students in Ontario are
assessed in reading, writing and mathematics for a
period of five days. This year the dates for this
assessment are: M ay 2 6 t o J u n e 6 , 2 0 1 4 . Please
keep this in mind when booking appointments. Set
dates for each grade will be sent to parents of Grade 3
and 6 students in the near future. Thank you.
WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN
On Thursday, April
24th at 6:00 p.m., St.
Cornelius School will be
welcoming new
Kindergarten students and
their families to our
community by hosting an
evening of Full Day Kindergarten learning experiences
beginning at 6:00 p.m. Families will be able to work and
play with their children using age appropriate, engaging
tools and strategies that promote literacy and
numeracy. All of the activities are developmentally
appropriate for pre-school youngsters and will help
families prepare their children for school.
This event is sponsored by municipal and
provincial government agencies in cooperation with
school staff and neighbourhood services. Each family
will receive a free bag of educational activities to
continue practicing the strategies learned during this
event. Please call the school office with your RSVP for
this great event! This is for new Kindergarten registrants
only.
SPRING PHOTOGRAPHY DAY
Lifetouch is coming to St. Cornelius
School on April 11th to celebrate and
photograph this awesome season. A
flyer, showing all the different poses to
choose from, will arrive about a week
before. In addition, we will be taking
our Sports/Extracurricular clubs pictures. Please note
we will begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. and ask that your
child be here on time.
FIRE DRILL AND LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
Throughout the year the school personnel reviews
safety procedures with students on a number of topics.
Emergency evacuation drills are conducted to ensure
that everyone is aware of the procedures to follow in
order to exit the building safely. In the event of an
unforeseen emergency situation students and staff will
evacuate to Robert F. Hall and our second evacuation
site is Caledon Recreation Complex. Students will soon
discuss and practice procedures that will be
implemented in the event of an emergency lockdown.
Together in Faith and Excellence
2
CREATING CLASSES FOR NEXT YEAR
In the month of May, we will be making up the class
lists for the 2014-2015 school year. This is a complex
process, which takes into consideration not only the
needs of the student, but it also frames those needs in
the context of the larger classroom group. In every class
we strive for a balance of learning styles, learning
needs, and a cross section of abilities. The current
teachers of a grade, support staff and administrators all
take part in the process. If you wish to provide input
into the process, please take into consideration the
following guidelines:
•Input must be in written form addressed to Mrs.
Tavares by May 2.
•Frame your request in terms of educational contexts
e.g. your child’s learning needs/style; information not
already known to the school; tips on what has worked
best for your child in the past.
•Please note that letters which cite the names of
individual teachers or names of children you wish to be
placed with your child will not be considered.
•Information from all sources will be pooled to assist us
in making the most appropriate placement for your
child.
Green Team News
On March 19th, 2013 St.
Cornelius participated in
THE BIG GULP as part of our
efforts to become a
“BOTTLED WATER FREE
ZONE”. The Eco Team is
encouraging all students to
continue to bring a reusable
water bottle to school.
There are many reasons to give up drinking bottled
water, but here are a few our Eco Team wants you to
consider:
• Disposable water bottles take approximately 1, 000
years to decompose in a landfill and over 80% of all
bottles are NOT recycled (650 million water bottles are
making their way to Ontario landfills each year).
• It requires 3 litres of water and 1 litre of oil to produce
one bottle of water.
• Bottled water suppliers are only required to have their
water inspected once every three years.
lights and a school-wide effort to reduce our overall use
of electricity. This month, our school will be continuing
its energy conservation campaign. Energy conservation
efforts can help both the environment and you to save
money! By reducing your use of electricity and water,
you use less natural resources and reduce the amount
of pollution being created by energy plants. Further,
using less energy means spending less money. Find
below a few tips to help you conserve energy in your
homes and at school.
 Use power bars to plug in appliances and lamps in
your home. When not in use, turn the power off at the
power bar, to reduce unnecessary power usage
 Use energy efficient light bulbs
 Turn lights and TVs off when you leave a room
 Use your washing machine and dishwasher ONLY
when you have a full load in the machine. Turning on
the machine when it is half full is a waste of water and
electricity
 Adjust thermostats to be two degrees less or put them
on a timer. This way, the heat or air conditioning will
only be on when it is really needed
 Dust and vacuum all floor radiators so that air flow is
much smoother and efficient.
A reminder to continue supporting our litter-less lunch
program here at St. Cornelius School, too.
EARTH DAY is April 22. By
reducing waste and conserving
energy we can honour our
planet. St. Cornelius Green
Team
Our Eco Team is asking the St. Cornelius community to
reduce our carbon footprint by saying NO to bottled
water! Thank you for supporting our initiative.
Please consider donating any extra perennials to
our Eco-Garden!
On Friday March 28, 2014, St. Cornelius School
participated in our own Earth Hour from 10-11 am. It
was a huge success with all classrooms turning off their
Together in Faith and Excellence
3
ST. CORNELIUS 2014 HOCKEY SEASON
Our 2014 hockey season at St. Cornelius has come to an
end. This yearʼs team, thanks to the hard work and
commitment of each player, has continued to uphold
our school's reputation as a force in elementary school
hockey. Every member of the team understood “The
Team” concept and were known for playing their
positions at a very high level. We played in 3
tournaments this year, the first being our own St.
Cornelius Winter Classic tournament where we lost in
the silver medal game to St. Nicholas School. Our
second tournament was the prestigious 18 team Beacon
Cup in Orangeville, where our team’s only 2 losses were
to St. Andrew & All Saints (who played against each
other in the final of the tournament).
Our final tournament was the 1st Annual Toronto
Marlies Middle School Meltdown, where our team took
home the Bronze. Congratulations to the following
players who represented our school incredibly well and
were outstandingly coachable athletes: Defense- Travis
M. (captain), John M. (assistant captain), Stephanie C.,
Jackson K., Ethan P., Gracie K. Forwards –Brennan N.
(assistant captain), Jordan F., Jacob F., Andrew D.,
Remy D., Matthew N., Jada C., Jordan G. Goalies:
Anthony G., Diego D. A special thanks goes to Mauro D.,
Noah D., & Eric P., 3 former students who came back
this year to volunteer their time and expertise both on
the ice for try-outs and practices as well as behind the
bench at the tournaments. Their influence on all
members of our team was tremendous. Enjoy the offseason……. as short as it may be!
Coaches M. Picther and H. O’Niell-McGee
STREAM OF DREAMS COMING TO ST.
CORNELIUS FALL 2014
St. Cornelius and the Eco Club are extremely excited to
have the opportunity to bring the Stream of Dreams
project to our school in the fall. This is done in
partnership with the Credit Valley Conservation
Authority and is aimed at bringing awareness to water
conservation in our area. A lasting legacy of this project
will be a stunning painted fish mural on our school
fence that every student in the school will take part in.
In order to make this project a reality we need many
helping hands. We are in need of ½ inch exterior grade
plywood, and volunteers to cut the fish out of wood,
patterns are provided. We require approximately 700
fish all together so the more people involved the better.
We need to begin the process of cutting and preparing
the wooden fish as soon as possible. If you can help in
any way, or would like to more information please call
Mrs. Clark or Mrs. McDonnel at the school.
ELEMENTARY SUMMER SCHOOL Attached you
will find an information flyer in regards to
the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District
Summer School Programs for 2014.
Please note that these programs are
intended for students achieving Level 1 or
2 in Reading and Writing (and Gr. 7 & 8
Literacy and Numeracy). Please contact
your child’s teacher if you are interested in having your
child participate in either the Gr. 7 and 8 Summer
School program or the Gr. SK-6 Summer Literacy Camp.
The deadline for applications is June 3rd. Kindly refer to
the attached flyer with website link for further details.
LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY
CONTRIBUTING TO SHARELIFE!
VALUABLES
We still continue to have some issues with students
bringing and losing valuables at school. Students are
reminded not to bring valuables, items of importance or
money to school. The school does not accept
responsibility for the above. Treasures, with a
monetary value or sentimental value, should not be
brought to school. Student clothing and play items
should be clearly marked with your child’s name.
ShareLife invites us to RECOGNIZE,
REFLECT and RESPOND during this
season of Lent. We can all contribute
to the greater good of our society by
responding to this call. During the
week of April 7th – April 25th the St.
Cornelius Faith Ambassadors will be selling ShareLife
bracelets for only $1.00. Faith ambassadors will be
coming to your child’s classrooms to sell to those who
are interested in donating to this very worthy cause.
Together in Faith and Excellence
4
REMINDER OF STUDENT DRESS CODE
With the warm weather finally approaching (we hope!),
we would like to take this opportunity to review the
dress code expectations at St. Cornelius School.
As a Catholic school, we believe that there must be a
commitment to high standards of modesty, neatness,
cleanliness and good taste. Therefore, while halter tops,
short shorts, spandex bike wear, muscle shirts and
similar clothing may be acceptable for beach wear, they
are not appropriate for classroom instruction. Shirts
should be of appropriate length to be able to be tucked
into pants or a skirt. Shorts and skirts should be
appropriate length for school. Suggestive or
inappropriate language or violent symbols are not
permitted on any clothing or personal belongings.
Sunglasses and hats are not to be worn inside. Nonmarking running shoes are to be worn during physical
education classes. Tight and/or revealing clothing is not
acceptable. We appreciate your support.
PROTECTING YOUR SKIN FROM THE SUN
Overexposure to the sun can cause skin
damage. We remind students to take
precautions to protect their skin during
recess times. The following are some
suggestions to help protect the skin:
1. Wear protective clothing to cover
the skin.
2. Wear a hat to protect both the eyes and skin.
3. When possible, stay out of direct sunlight.
4. Wear sun block, the higher the protection factor
number, the greater the protection.
WALK-IN COUNSELLING CLINIC IN PEEL
Tangerine Walk-In Counselling – a free service for
children, youth and families living in Peel Region.
Children up to 18 and parents/guardians will have
access to timely, single-session counselling designed to
provide practical coping strategies and problem-solving
support when it’s needed most. This clinic takes the
wait out of mental health support services and
emphasizes the client’s strengths and abilities to
address the issue at hand.
This service is provided, in partnership, by Associated
Youth Services of Peel, Peel Children’s Centre and
Rapport Youth & Family Services.
READING AT HOME
As a parent you are a
powerful influence on
your child’s success in
reading. Reading with
your child conveys a
critical message that
reading is both
important and
enjoyable. It is essential
to plan reading times when there will be minimal
distractions and interruptions. Your child can learn that
reading together at home is a priority. Reading with
your child can open the door to a life long interest in
stories and books!
DOES YOUR CHILD ARRIVE ON TIME?
Students who arrive at school late are out of
sorts and rushed into beginning their day.
This also disturbs the class and interrupts
lessons. A late arrival for your child is not healthy. It
places them in a rushed frame of mind for the
remainder of the day. In addition, students who arrive
at school late lose out on time to socialize and greet
their peers prior to the bell ringing at 9:15 a.m.
We suggest that parents have children get their school
items (homework, shoes and lunch) ready the night
before. By placing their bags at the door ready for a
quick morning departure, students are ready to go!
VIRTUE CORNER
Our Virtue for the month
of April is Love.
God wants us to serve and to see
goodness in everyone we meet.
A loving person:
•wants the best for others
•is willing to make sacrifices for the good of
others
•knows that we are all lovable
•prays for others God has given us many people in our
lives to show us examples of Love. Our families,
teachers, and friends show us their love
everyday. We should always try to
remember Jesus-- most important lesson, the
lesson of love, because love is not about
us - it is about looking out for the good of others
Together in Faith and Excellence
5
SAFE SCHOOLS FOCUS FOR APRIL –
IF YOU’RE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTION,
YOU’RE PART OF THE PROBLEM
In April students will be
focusing on the role of the
bystander/witness in
bullying situations. Research
shows that bystanders
make or break bullying
episodes – they hold the
power to stop bullying. They
provide the audience for students engaged in bullying
behaviours. Students will discuss what it means to be a
bystander, explore why people let bullying happen and
learn safe and effective strategies to use if they witness
bullying. The theme for this month is ‘If you’re not part
of the solution, you’re part of the problem’. Every child
should feel they have the power to prevent and safely
help in bullying situations.
Tips for parents:
- encourage your children to show empathy for others
who are bullied (befriend them, include them)
- teach your children to intervene appropriately or walk
away and tell an adult
- role model being ‘part of the solution’ when you
encounter difficult situations in your life
IMPORTANT DATES: PLEASE
PLACE DATES ON FAMILY
CALENDAR
April 2 – April 4th – Mr. Pitcher’s Grade 6 class to
Albion Hills Outdoor Centre
· April 2 – Gr. 1-8 Qmac Safe Schools Presentation
· April 2 - Catholic School Council meeting in
library - 6:30 pm - all are welcome
· April 4th – Mrs. Fernandes & Mr.
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
April 11th – Lifetouch Spring and Sibling Photos
April 11th – Chess Tournament
April 14th – April 18th -Holy Week
April14th – Just Catering for Kids
April 17th – Sub Day
April 17th – Stations of the Cross – all are
welcome!
- 9:45 a.m. Gr. 2, 4, 6, 8
-10:30 a.m. Gr. 1, 3, 5, 7
April 18th – Good Friday – school closed
April 20th –Easter
April 21st –Easter Monday – school closed
April 22nd- Skills Canada Presentation 1:05 p.m.
for Gr. 7 & 8 students
April 23rd – Gr 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 – 5:15
pm
April 23rd – HPV (Grade 8)/ Meningitis B 3rd
Dose (Grade 7)
April 24th – Grade 2 First Communion Retreat
April 24th –Pizza Day
April 24th -Gr 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 – 5:15 pm
April 24th – Welcome to Kindergarten Night
6:00 p.m.
April 26th – 11:00 am - Mrs. Moretta's class –
First Communion at St. John Albion Church
April 28th – Grade 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 –
5:15 pm
April 28th –Just Catering for Kids
April 29th – Confirmation Mr. DeRango’s Class
April 30th – Confirmation Mrs. Bell’s Class
April 30th – Rosary Apostalate
May 1st–Sub Day
May 1st– Confirmation Mrs. Leitch’s Class
May 3rd – 11:00 am - Mrs. Burke's and Mrs.
Kehoe's classes - First Communion at St. John
Albion Church
May 4-9- Catholic Education Week
May 8th- 6:30-8:30 p.m. Catholic Education
Week Evening (Move and Groove Workshop
and Classroom Visits)
Zimmerman’s Grade 5 students to
Silvercreek
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
·
April 3rd – Sub Day
April 7th – Just Catering for Kids
April 7th – Gr 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 –5:15 pm
April 7th and 8th – Grade 1 Scientists in School
April 9th – Gr 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 – 5:15 pm
April 10th - Pizza Day
April 10th – Grades 4- 8 to Wizard of Oz at Rose
Theatre
April 10th -Gr 3 & 6 Tutoring Club 3:45 – 5:15 pm
Together in Faith and Excellence
6