We are honoured to have been elected (Luz del Rosario) and re-elected (Sharon Hobin and Esther O’Toole) to be your Catholic School Trustees. We look forward to the next four years to represent you at the school board table to address your concerns, voice your opinions and to protect and enhance Catholic education in Dufferin-Peel. We thank outgoing trustee Peter Ferreira for his time and dedication over these last four years and wish him well in his future endeavours.
From time to time we have to say goodbye to administrators as they move on to other schools. We wish to thank Vice Principals Rosina Ariganello and John Dmytrasz. We wish them all the best with their new assignments at their new schools. We warmly welcome Vice
Principals Matthew DiFiore and Virginia Luh to St. Aloysius Gonzaga.
We have been so impressed with the many wonderful events taking place in our schools and with the continuing outreach to those less fortunate. This includes the work of our Catholic school councils and student governments. We have been privileged to have witnessed and participated in Student Award Presentations honouring secondary students who have acquired Honour Roll status with averages of over 80 % as well as subject award winners.
Students, parents, teachers and trustees are proud of these secondary young people who work hard and are so dedicated. Congratulations!
As well, sincere congratulations to those parents who have stepped up to the plate to participate and contribute to our Catholic School Councils. This is an essential part of
Dufferin-Peel. We have had school councils for many years before they were ever mandated by the government. In fact, Dufferin-Peel has been a template for the government mandated school councils and PIC, which is our CCCSC or Central Committee for Catholic School
Councils. We encourage parents and guardians to attend these meetings. They are invaluable to learn more about your children’s school and to contribute opinions and suggestions to the council. Again, our sincere thanks to all the parent and teacher volunteers!
Remembrance Day
Thank you to our schools that have done an outstanding job of honouring our war veterans on
Remembrance Day. All schools salute this special day in varying ways but each one recognizes the sacrifice and courage of our Veterans from the past and those who serve in the present. We cherish our Canadian freedoms and rights that help to ensure that this country of Canada remains “a true north strong and free.” Thank you to all involved in these ceremonies and remembrances especially our War Veterans who give their time to visit our schools.

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
 This was a very special week in our schools in the month of November. This week highlighted the importance of student empowerment to eliminate bullying. A minute of silence took place in recognition of all victims of bullying, including bystanders. as well as student produced posters
 All 149 schools planned a wide range of events, activities and actions to highlight greater awareness of and promote a culture of care, respect and inclusion for all through efforts to eliminate bullying.
 Student created posters are being distributed to all schools. Each poster incorporates the header, “Stand Up Against Bullying”, as well the scripture verse, "We are God’s work of art" (Ephesians 2:10). The posters can be viewed on the board website at www.dpcdsb.org
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 Online Reporting Tool Project: The board began a pilot project with secondary and select elementary schools last year. The online reporting tool has proven useful and is intended for Dufferin-peel students to report bullying incidents and negative behaviours impacting the school community. By March 2015, we will roll out the tool board-wide.
 For more information please consult our Dufferin-Peel web site at www.dpcdsb.org
EQAO
We have seen the outcome of the hard work of students, teachers and parents in the results of this year’s EQAO report. This is the 6 th
consecutive year in which the percentage of
Dufferin-Peel students achieving at, or above, the provincial standard (Levels 3 or 4) in grades 3 and 6 has equaled or exceeded the provincial averages. The percentage of Dufferin-
Peel students achieving at or above the provincial standards in Grade nine mathematics continues to exceed provincial averages. Eighty-seven percent of Dufferin-Peel students, who wrote the OSSLT for the first time, successfully completed the test. Dufferin-Peel students have exceeded the provincial averages on each of the grade nine assessments of mathematics and on the OSSLT for the last five consecutive years. The results of this report are used to develop our Board Wide Learning Plan and a Leaning Plan for each school. All the EQAO information for each school is available on our Dufferin-Peel web site. The results of this report are used to develop our Board Wide Learning Plan and a Leaning Plan for each school. All the EQAO information for each school is available on our Dufferin-Peel web site.
Special Thanks
Thank you to our schools –students, parents and school staff for supporting our food banks and St. Vincent DePaul with generous donations at this special time of year. Without these wonderful donations many will go without during this Christmas season . In the words of

John 3:17-18 “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth”
As we move into the Season of Advent we look forward to the many wondrous events in our schools that celebrate this most extraordinary time in our Catholic faith. With much expectation we prepare for the birth of our Savior. As your trustees we are most delighted to attend many liturgies, Masses, concerts, plays, and all the events that take place in our schools over this special time. We wish you and your families the blessings of the baby Jesus and all the very best in 2015. May God bless you always.