January 2014 Edition
Principal
Mr. M. Cassar
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN
REGISTRATION
Vice Principal
Ms. T. Owens
Registration for the 2014-15 school year will
be held at Guardian Angels Elementary
School on:
Head Secretary
Ms. S. McGee
Assistant Secretary
Mrs. M. Kelly
School Council Chair
Mrs. K. Pacheco
Mrs. C. Cabello
GAschoolcouncil@gmail
Superintendent
Mrs. S. Steer
Ward 6 Trustee
Mrs. L. Zanella
905-890-1211
Parish Team
Father Jan Gogolewski
Guardian Angels Parish
(905) 970 - 9175
We at Guardian Angels
School, dedicate ourselves
to creating and fostering a
spiritually rich learning
environment that empowers
the individual to take
responsibility for their
personal and interpersonal
growth and development.
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Welcome back to all of our staff and students. We
hope that your Christmas holidays brought peace
and tranquility to you and that you were able to enjoy
some time with family and friends.
Another year has come upon us…the month of
January is named after the Roman god Janus. This
Roman god had two faces so that he could look
ahead toward the future and back at the past at the
same time. As we get rid of an old year and look
forward to a new one, we try to be a little like Janus.
We know what we did wrong and what we did right,
and hope to do better this year. Some people make
ambitious New Year’s resolutions; others just take it
day by day. Let us look to Jesus as an example of
how to take on the challenges of a new year. Jesus
set the example by teaching right from wrong and by
teaching that love for each other is paramount.
Let us love one another more
than we did last year.
Let us work harder to improve ourselves;
Let us bring Jesus’ spirit into the lives of others;
Let the New Year spark renewal for the love of
learning & achieving to the best of one’s ability.
Let January’s renewal allow us to focus on the
virtue – the virtue of self-control.
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Monday, January 27, 2014 - 7:00 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
January 29, 30, 31, 2014 … 9:00 a.m. 12:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
JK - Children must be 4 years old by
December 31, 2014
SK - Children must be 5 years old by
December 31, 2014
Parents/Guardians should
following documents:
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bring
the
Proof of age
Original Catholic Baptismal Certificate of
the Roman, Greek or Ukrainian Rite for the
child or parent
updated immunization records
proof of Canadian citizenship/Landed
Immigrant status
proof of address (utility bill, bank
statement, etc.)
Monday January 20, 2014
Is a Professional Activity Day.
There is no school for students.
Leave everyone who comes into contact with
you, better than when they first came.
To everyone in the Guardian Angels community, it
is our wish that the New Year brings you and your
family peace, happiness and good health to all.
Sincerely,
Mark Cassar, Principal
Theresa Owens, Vice Principal
Next School Council Mtg
Wed., January 22 @ 6:30 PM
Held in the library. Please join us!
All parents are welcome.
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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PRINCIPAL /VICE PRINCIPAL MESSAGE
On behalf of the staff at Guardian Angels, I wish everyone in our
community a very healthy and prosperous 2014. We hope that
you had a blessed and enjoyable Christmas holiday with family
and friends. Deep gratitude is extended to all for your generous
donations to our Toy Drive. Your generosity has made a
difference in the lives of others.
The month of January will focus on the virtue of “self-control”.
Each time we exercise self-control, we grow stronger in the Lord
and invite peace to settle over us and we avoid any guilt we may
feel from having made a poor decision. We will continue to
recognize students who consistently make good decisions
through our Virtues initiatives.
Our upcoming event in February is an Open Auction. More
detailed information will follow within the next few weeks.
We would like to remind everyone of our next meeting which
will be held on Wednesday January 22nd @ 6:30pm in the school
Library.
Sheri Cabello & Kelly Pacheco
Co-Chairs, Guardian Angels School Council
THE VIRTUES INITIATIVE
Communication is important between school and home to ensure
that all are informed of student progress and therefore we
encourage you to continue to communicate with your child’s
teacher. As we begin 2014, Thank you also for supporting our
efforts to build community, work collaboratively, promote
respect, and put academics first. Together, let us move from ‘Me
to We’.
A key aspect of the Board’s strategic
direction is the continued development
of safe, caring, inclusive Catholic school
communities.
As
a
Catholic
Community, we are called to learn, grow
and become more like Jesus. Catholic
education provides us the opportunity to
integrate the virtues into our students’ daily activity. The virtues
will be covered every month during
announcements,
in class during discussions, and at school Living Our Faith
Awards assemblies.
We would like to wish each one of you a Happy New Year filled
with good health, love and God’s continued blessings.
In the month of January, we will celebrate the virtue of
SELF CONTROL:
.
God has given us the ability to make proper choices and exercise
full control of our actions. This freedom helps us realize our full
potential as children of God. God has given us the ability to know
the right and decent way to act and then to act that way. We trust
that the common Spirit we share inspires us and guides us to
make good decisions if we allow our conscience to be well
formed.
Mr. Mark Cassar, Principal
Ms. Theresa Owens, Vice Principal
SCHOOL HOURS
Grades 1 - 8
9:00 AM – MORNING BEGINS
10:28 AM – RECESS BREAK
12:06 PM – 12:46 PM – RECESS
12:46 PM – 1:06 PM - LUNCH
1:06 PM – AFTERNOON BEGINS
2:29 PM– RECESS BREAK
3:30 PM – SCHOOL ENDS
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January: Self-control
March: Kindness
May: Acceptance
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February: Respect
April: Love
June: Fairness
SNOW STAYS ON THE GROUND
Please note that supervision in the playground begins at 8:45
AM. Please do not leave your children unattended in the school
grounds before the teacher supervision begins.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
We hope everyone had a great
Christmas and we are looking
forward to a wonderful New year!!
We would like to take this
opportunity to thank all the parents,
grandparents, friends and family members for your support with
our cookie dough fundraiser, Santa photos, Pointsettia's Plants
and for purchasing a cookie and coffee during the evening
Christmas concerts. In total with, everyone’s support, we have
raised $1570.00 for the school.
The winter weather has begun and
the wonderful pleasures that come
with winter such as snow. Students
are reminded that “Snow Stays on
the Ground”. Frequent reminders
are made on the morning
announcements.
Students
are
encouraged to constructively use the snow that winter brings to
build snowmen, forts, or snow sculptures.
Please assist us by reviewing with your child the dangers of
throwing snowballs and the importance of preventing injury
to other children. Together, we will create a schoolyard,
which is safe for all during winter. Another important
element of constructive play is respecting the efforts of
others. At Guardian Angels students are reminded to respect
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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the efforts of others and to leave snow forts or snowmen
standing for all to enjoy.
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EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
Christmas is over…
and the Epiphany has
arrived. “We saw His
star as it rose and have
come to do Him
homage. Going into the house, they saw the child with his
Mother Mary, and falling to their knees, they did him homage.
Then, opening their treasure, they offered him gifts of gold,
frankincense and myrrh.” (Mt. 2:2, 10-11) • Epiphany is a feast
rich in traditions:
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Wise Men: were kings, astrologers, religious, wise and
learned men, according to Biblical scholars.
From the East: Persia (today, Iran)
How many: because of the three gifts mentioned in the
Gospel, tradition always thought of there being three, as
we see in any nativity scene.
Their colour and nationalities represent the universality of
the Church.
Are they saints? In some countries of Northern Europe,
they are venerated as Saints.
The word Epiphany comes from the Greek language and it means
‘manifestation, revelation’ of Jesus to the Gentiles because He is
for everyone. “The Kings opening their store of treasures offered
him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” “The most precious
gifts:” they offer only the best for God. They offer him gold, a
symbol of royalty. They offer him incense, the perfume that was
burned each evening on the altar as a symbol of the hope placed
in the Messiah. They offer him myrrh, because God Incarnate
will take upon Himself our weaknesses and be burdened with our
sorrows.
SCHOOL FUNDRAISER
Our fall fundraiser has ended and it was
a huge success. We were able to raise
approximately $20 000.00.
This fundraiser generated funds that
support
initiatives
within
the
school.
Monies raised through
fundraising helped provide items like new gym equipment, math
and literacy resources for the classroom, guest artists, speakers
and classroom presentations. Fundraising also supports and
subsidizes the costs of trips. Most recently, these funds will help
to offset the costs for Smartboards.
In terms of determining the allocation of funds, all staff were
given an opportunity to provide input through a needs
assessment and gap analysis survey. From their feedback, funds
were allocated for the following items (so far):
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Four Smartboards were ordered. They are scheduled to be
installed in March. The Smartboards will be installed in the
following classrooms: Mrs. Valentini, Mrs. Parris, Mr. Bell
and Mrs. Lorusso. This will complement the existing
Smartboards ordered last year. We will continue to equip
classrooms with technology on a yearly basis until every
classroom is outfitted.
Science equipment
Literacy resources
Black history and diversity presentations
Physical education, Musical and Drama presentations and
workshops
basketball and volleyball team uniforms for boys and girls
Thank you to our parent community for your hard work and
support of this initiative!!! Together, we made a huge difference.
SPORTS
In the world of sports, it is a brand new year
and that means it is time for brand new
teams. 2013 was a busy and successful
year for sports at Guardian Angels and
2014 promises to be the same.
BASKETBALL
The Junior boys and girls have been working hard at practice in
preparation for the upcoming season. The Brampton West
Family Tournaments have been scheduled for late
February. Please stay tuned for exact tournament dates as they
become available.
HOCKEY
Guardian Angels will once again be competing in the Brampton
Northwest Annual Hockey Tournament! Coaches Morris and
Bell were extremely proud of their team last year as they were
one goal away from advancing to the finals! We have a lot of
returning players this year and hope for an even better
result. The tournament will be held at Cassie Cambell CC on
February 6th and 7th. We are greatly looking forward to it! Go
Angels!
INDOOR SHOES
Once again, for the purpose of
student health and safety, we are
requesting that all students, FDK
through to Grade 8 have indoor
running shoes with non-marking soles. These shoes are to be
kept at the school every day. Inexpensive running shoes with
white soles are the best choice. Students require indoor shoes in
the case of a Fire Drill or Emergency Evacuation, as there is not
sufficient time to put on shoes or boots. The Fire Drill can go off
in the wintertime, and therefore, we must evacuate the building
immediately.
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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KINDERGARTEN PLANNING FOR
SEPTEMBER 2014
For Parent(s) of Students with Special Needs
There will be an information session for parent(s)/guardian(s) of
children with special needs including vision, hearing, autism,
and physical/medical and/or developmental delays who are
transitioning to Full Day Kindergarten in September 2014. The
information session will be held at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic
District School Board -- Catholic Education Centre, Room
301 on January 22, 2014, from 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Snow date
Thursday, February 6, 2014.
Parent(s)/Guardian(s) are also reminded to register their child at
our school office. Official registration dates are January 27th
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., January 29th, 30th, and 31st, 2014,
from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Snow Date for evening registration is January 28th, 2014,
from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
FIRST TERM REPORT CARDS
On Tuesday, February 4, 2014,
students will bring home their first
term report cards. The Report Card
emphasizes and gives examples of
the learning skills and work habits
required to be successful in school
and for the future. Teachers will
add meaningful, clear and personalized comments so you can
understand how your child is performing. The Parent Interview
Conference will be held the evening of Thurs. Feb. 6th. This is
an important opportunity for teachers, parents and students to
discuss their child(ren)’s progress and next steps
SCHOOL SECURITY PROTOCOL
We have taken proactive measures to
secure the safety of staff and students by
locking the front door. Visitors may
gain entrance by pressing a buzzer
mounted on the wall, beside the door.
The buzzer activates a 2-way speaker
and camera system. The Office will then
be able to tell who is at the door through
a TV monitor and thus, regulate visitor access to the school.
Other protocols include:
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All outside doors are locked and entry can be gained only
through the front door.
All visitors are to sign into the office and wear a visitor’s
badge
All supply teachers sign into the office and wear a Supply
Teacher badge
All Dufferin Peel staff wear an ID badge
Regularly scheduled fire drills occur throughout the year
Regularly lock-down drills occur throughout the year
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Intruder alert protocols for students and staff to follow
An evacuation plan is in place
Student attendance is taken and calls to parents are made to
verify absences.
Criminal Reference Checks are conducted on all employees
and student teachers.
ME TO WE – PROMOTING RESPECT
The students at Guardian Angels
School really are angels. They are
very eager to reach out and make a
difference in the world.
The “Me to We” club and
Christian Leadership in conjunction with the Student Council are
coordinating various initiatives that will help our local
community as well as other communities around the world.
Please consider supporting our students as they strive to make a
difference in the world.
Thank you for supporting our students as they strive to make the
world a better place for everyone. They really are angels!
RECONCILIATION and FIRST COMMUNION
Grade 2 Parent Information Meeting
Already occurred December 1st , 2013 after 12:00 (noon)
Mass @St. Edmund Campion Secondary School
Celebration of the Sacrament:
RECONCILIATION March 19th, 2013, 9:15 a.m.
@ Guardian Angels
FIRST COMMUNION May 25th, 3:00 p.m.
@ Our Lady of Fatima
CONFIRMATION
Grade 8 Parent Information Meeting
December 8th, 2013 after 12:00 (noon) Mass
@ St. Edmund Campion Secondary School
Celebration of Sacrament: May 31st, 2013 5:00 p.m.
@ St. Edmund Campion Secondary School
STUDENT COUNCIL
It has been an exciting year so far
here at Guardian Angels and the
Student Council has been busy with
fun and exciting events for all
students. In December, we had a
Christmas Dance where students
from JK to grade 8 had fun moving
and grooving to popular music in
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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our gym full of lights and Christmas décor.
We continued to celebrate the Christmas season the following
week with the distribution of our very successful Christmas
Cookie Grams. Students received messages of Christmas
greetings and joy with a delicious Terra Cotta cookies attached.
Finally, on the last day of school, students participated in a spirit
day and dressed as their favorite Christmas character. The
morning of the last day the whole school assembled in the gym
where we sang Christmas carols, led by student council and the
school choir. The spirit of Christmas was felt by all as the
students merrily sang the joy of Christmas. The morning
concluded with a presentation by the Student Council based on
the children’s book “The Legend of the Candy Cane.”
Student Council is now busy again planning the next few months
with more exciting spirit days, Valentine activities, and Olympic
events. Check the Student Council section and Calendar on our
school website regularly for updates on student council event
dates at Guardian Angels.
FROM THE LIBRARY
Guardian Angels School is pleased to
celebrate Family Literacy Day 2014 by
hosting award-winning Canadian author
Helaine Becker on Friday, January 24,
2014.
This author visit has been made possible
through the raising of funds from the
chocolate fundraiser. Students will be able
to pre-order the author's books to own for
themselves. The pre-ordered books will be
autographed by the author and handed out on the day of the
presentation. Information letters and order forms are going home
with the students on Friday, January 10 and are due back to the
school library on Friday, January 17. Books are not able to be
sold on the day of the presentation as it will be too chaotic
however some of the author's books will be available at the
school library.
For more information about the author Helaine Becker visit her
website at www.helainebecker.com. For more information on
Family Literacy Day go to http://abclifeliteracy.ca/familyliteracy-day-2014. Feel free to join us on Friday, January 24 as
we celebrate literacy at Guardian Angels School.
The schedule for Helaine Becker's visit on Friday, January 24 is
as follows: (Parents are welcome to attend)
9:10 to 9:50 am- Grades 2/3, 3 and 3/4
10:00 to 10:30 am- FDK classes
11:00 to 12:00- Grades 7 and 8
1:15 to 2:15- Grades 4 to 6
2:50 to 3:20- Grades 1 and 2
TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE SCHOOL
Each day our office receives numerous
phone calls from parents with messages for
their children. With the lines tied up, these
calls are often left as messages on our
machine. In an effort to ensure that we do
not miss one of these messages and not get
it to your child on time, we ask that you
please ensure that arrangements are made the night before and
children know what they are to do after school.
In addition, we encourage parents to send lunches, notes and
messages in the morning with their child(ren) in an effort to
avoid interruptions at the classroom level. We understand that
emergencies do happen and we will do our best to assist in these
situations. Thank you for your cooperation.
CHOIR
The choir has been singing their way into
the hearts of many this year. We have the
amazing opportunity to sing the National
Anthems at a Raptors’ game on February
27, 2014. Although we are only able to take
25 choir members to sing at the Raptors’
game, the entire choir spread Christmas joy and sang at Fortinos
on December 11 at 10:30. The choir also sang at the Christmas
Mass on December 18th.
PRIMARY CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Guardian
Angels
Primary
Division proudly presented our
“Christmas Angels” Christmas
Concert. The concert took place
over two nights, December 17th
and December 18th. The children
were
excited
to
perform
Christmas songs to ring in this
joyous Christmas season. We
were blessed with a full house on both nights. Thank you to all
of the families who came out to support the Christmas concert.
FOREST OF READING
The Forest of Reading
titles
have
been
announced.
The
students are very
excited about the
various
reading
programs, which are
run through the school library: Blue Spruce (grades 1, 2 and 3);
Silver Birch Express (grades 3 and 4); Silver Birch- Fiction and
Non Fiction (grades 5 and 6); and the Red Maple (grades 7 and
8). All students in Grades 1, 2 and 3 will be participating in the
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
5
Blue Spruce program through visits to the school library. The
Silver Birch and Red Maple programs are run as a reading
program starting in January. For more information about Forest
of Reading visit www.accessola.com and search for the Forest of
Reading section to view this year’s nominated titles.
McCannel, the Teacher Librarian, has been introducing the
concept of wikis to the teachers and the students. We started
exploring wikis with the Forest of Reading wikis that students
used to post comments and respond to other student’s comments
about the books that they were reading.
GRADE 7 AND 8 SKI TRIP
Some class wikis have been developed to support Inquiry units
for the Social Studies curriculum. The wikis are monitored by
the Teacher Librarian and/or the classroom teacher and are
password protected. Only individuals invited into the wiki are
allowed to participate and the students have been taught how to
be responsible wiki users. The students have really excelled in
their use of wikis and it has been exciting to see this online
technology excite our learners. What a wonderful way to merge
technology with learning.
The intermediate students have the
exciting opportunity of attending a ski
trip to Mansfield Ski Resort on
Thursday,
January
30,
2014. Mansfield Outdoor Education
Centre runs a very successful ski
program where students have the opportunity to learn a new
winter sport, or to further refine their skills. We hope with this
experience many students will develop a love for either skiing or
snowboarding.
THE GUARDIAN ANGELS ENVIRONMENT
TEAM
Litter-less Lunch Fridays
We would like to take this opportunity to ask students and
parents to help with minimizing waste at Guardian
Angels. Every Friday will be known as Litter-less Lunch
Fridays. We are asking students to bring in reusable containers
and/or Tupperware to reduce waste as much as possible.
EXCURSIONS AND FIELD TRIPS
Educational trips that extend learning opportunities are
encouraged. Teachers must follow appropriate Board procedures
and by law, the school must have on file permission forms which
must be signed by parents. VERBAL PERMISSION cannot be
accepted.
LE CARNAVAL DE QUEBEC!
Parents, please help us reduce air
pollution by not idling your vehicle. Did
you know that idling your car for more
than 10 seconds uses more fuel than
restarting your engine! Even during
cold weather, the best way to warm up
your car is to drive it gently. You need no more than 30 seconds
of idling before driving your car. This will keep your engine in
better condition, help you save gas, and above all else keep our
air clean! Thank you for your help!
The largest winter Carnival in
the world! Le Carnaval de
Québec!” Experience one of
Quebec's most famous cultural
events celebrated annually for
59 years! Guardian Angels will
be hosting our very own schoolwide winter Carnival in the
month of February 2014. You
will get an opportunity to meet
the ambassador and very famous
personality of this celebration,
Bonhomme Carnaval! He is the living incarnation of the
snowmen that have enchanted children of Québec City for
generations. Bonhomme is the ambassador of this celebration as
well as the symbol of the festivities during this joyous period of
the year! For more information about the history of Carnaval
visit http://carnaval.qc.ca/en/about/history/. This initiative is
made possible in part by our fundraising efforts. Thank you to
Mr. Caputo, Ms. Gunia and Mrs. Scornianchi for taking the lead
on this initiative.
WIKIS FOR EDUCATION
MASSES
During our initial review of our environmental practices at our
school, we have noticed a substantial amount of food waste is
going into our garbage. Students, please remember to consume
as much food as possible, and whatever you cannot finish, to
bring back home. Let's not waste food!
Idle-Free Zone
Many of the students will be talking
about their Class wiki and/or Forest
of Reading wiki. You ask… what is a
wiki? A wiki is: “A Web site
developed collaboratively by a
community of users, allowing any
user to add and edit content.” Mrs.
Celebration
Date and Time
Location
Virtue Mass
Wednesday, February 5
@ 9:30 AM
Wednesday, March 5
School
Ash Wednesday
Liturgy
Lenten Mass
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Thursday, April 3
@ 9:15 AM
In Class
School
6
Resurrection/Easter
Mass
Wednesday, April 23
@ 9:15 AM
School
Year End Mass/
Guardian Angels
Feast Day
Wednesday, June 18
@ 9:15 AM
School
Special Masses
Date and Time
Location
First Reconciliation
Wednesday, March 19
@ 9:15 AM
School
Confessions for
Grade 8
Students
First Communion
Wednesday, March 19
@ 10:30 AM
School
Sunday, May 25
@ 3:00 PM
Our Lady of
Fatima Parish
Confirmation
Saturday, May 31
@ 5:00 PM
St. Edmund
Campion School
YOUTH FAITH AMBASSADORS
Mrs Petrusa and Mrs Parris would
like to thank the Youth Faith
Ambassadors for their wonderful
help and support during the
Christmas season.
At the concert, they assisted with
several classes to get ready and
keep students entertained, they
greeted parents and visitors with a
friendly smile and escorted them to
their seats. They displayed Catholic virtues by their dedication
and commitment by organizing the beautiful "Giving Tree" in
the foyer and attending the concert both nights. Thanks to all!!!
PALS (Playground Activity Leaders in schools)
LIVING OUR FAITH AWARDS
We celebrate student success by holding once-a-month
assemblies. There are three awards per class given out: Living
Our Faith Award, Most Improved Award and an Academic
Award.
The assemblies start with a brief liturgical reflection. This
process provides an intimate and special opportunity for students
and parents to celebrate success. Our next assemblies will be:
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Motto: There is always room for one more. Students will
undergo training week of January 13-17 in Mrs Di Muzio grade
5 class. PALS will be in the Primary yard leading games and
teaching social skills of fair play and cooperation under the
guidance of our Child Youth Worker, Mrs. Williams. The three
main reasons our school is running this program are:
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Monday, January 27 for Grades K to 4 @ 9:30 AM and;
Tuesday, January 28 for Grades 5-8 @ 9:30 AM.
All parents are welcome to join us. Parents of children
receiving awards will receive personal invitations.
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to encourage students to be
physically active by playing
games at recess
to prevent bullying from
happening at the school
to give students the opportunity
to become a leader on the
playground
Guardian Angels works hard to empower students to build
community and eradicate bullying.
THE DANCE TEAMS
A very special thank you to all the
Primary and Junior students that tried
out for the dance team this year. We had
an overwhelming response, over 100
students tried out and everyone did an
outstanding job! We would like to
congratulate the 10 students that will
represent the 2013/2014 Guardian
Angels Primary/Junior dance team at the
Rose Theatre in April.
Kalyce G. (gr.2), Phylicia M. (gr.3), Olivia S. (gr.5), Alexandra
L. (gr.5), Cleo P. (gr.5), Gabriel P. (gr.6), Justine A.
(gr.6), Samantha P. (gr.6), Serena Z. (gr.6), and Leah (gr.6)...
Congratulations again!!!!
MS. PERESTRELO’S GRADE 7 CLASS
This term Ms. Perestrelo’s grade sevens have been having so
much fun with many school projects and activities. This year we
have been polishing our skills in three-part math. The three-part
math is taught in groups and allows us to present our ideas to the
class. This type of teaching helps us understand the questions
easier and enables us to learn new math strategies in creative
ways.
Another fun activity we have been working on is our “twisted
fairy tales” in drama class. We had to create a modern day
version of a classic fairy tale while acting it out and
choreographing identical moves. We had a
blast modernizing traditional tales like
Snow white and Little Red Riding Hood!
In art, we worked on illuminations and
metal art. We used a letter decorated on a
sheet of paper that represented our
personality. We also learned about our
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zodiac signs and engraved them on a sheet of aluminum and
polished them with steel wool.
the snake on their lap! This month we will begin our inquiry on
measurement and the 5 senses.
This term has been a lot of fun and we have learned so many new
things. We are excited about what’s to come!
MS. WAJZER’S GRADE 8 CLASS
By: Eric and Danielle.
Over the past few months, we in Ms.
Wajzer’s grade 8 class have accomplished
many things, from working our hardest in
academics to helping our school with
various activities. W e have assisted
Student Council by contributing our time
and effort to create decorations for our
school’s Christmas concerts and dance.
WELCOME TO MRS. GALIFI’S GR. 3 CLASS
Mrs. Galifi’s grade 3 class has been
working extremely hard this term!
In math, we are just finishing our
unit on 2D and 3D geometry. The
students are really motivated and
eager to work with their partners and
solve various 3-part math problems.
In language, students have been focusing on writing short
narrative stories in their journals.
They are also enjoying reading and retelling different fiction and
non-fiction texts. To complement our social studies program, we
are very excited about our upcoming class trip to Crawford Lake.
Here the students will get to investigate and explore different
aspects of pioneer life.
Lastly, we are having tons of fun acting out various drama skits
and singing all kinds of music pieces with the help of our co-op
student, Mr. T.. The students absolutely love when Mr. T. brings
in his guitar/keyboard and sings for us during music class. We
will be very sad to see him go at the end of January. Thank you
so much Mr. T. from all of us in room 109! We will miss you!
MRS. SMITH AND MRS. VILLAMAGNA’s
CLASS
We have also helped our principal, Mr. Cassar, run our school’s
logo contest for our new school sports jerseys. Our class is
willing to contribute our hard work to anything the school needs.
In class, we have been trying out different methods when
studying different subjects. We have also been encouraged to
read more. Our class had also been thinking about different ways
to organize our classroom and how to make it a more
comfortable and suitable place to work and study.
In Language, we have begun Future Worlds Book Club Unit that
involves reading Hunger Games book and working in reading
groups. We have a balance of athletes, actors/actresses, artists
and dancers in our class. This makes us appreciates each other’s
talents.
We are encouraged to work hard in class and we have shown
great potential that will lead us to success in the future. We are
looking forward to Confirmation in the next few months because
we are a faithful bunch and take our faith very seriously. All in
all, so far our year has been great therefore, we are excited to
experience future events.
Written by Ms. Wajzer’s Gr. 8 students
MRS. SCHIAVONE’S GRADE 2 CLASS
Before the Christmas holidays, the students wrote a letter to
Santa Claus. We learned about how the mail works and then
each student addressed their letter to Santa. We took a walk to
the mailbox to mail our letters. The students were very excited
to receive a response from Santa soon after. We also talked
about Jesus and The Christmas Story as we put together the
manger scene in our classroom.
The students worked very hard during the month of December
practicing for our Christmas Concert, and we are very proud of
the wonderful job they did! We began the new-year with a
Reptile Presentation. Students had the opportunity to learn about
and touch a variety of different animals; such as a cockatoo, frog,
turtle, tarantula, hedgehog, bearded dragon, crab and snake. The
students were very excited to see the snake and were able to hold
We are all very excited about the amazing changes that are
happening in our classroom. The students have helped make this
exciting change and they all have already shown huge
improvements.
We are transitioning to a 21st century Classroom, where we
have turned our desk into learning centres. These centres allow
the students to be offered a variety of activities that are
completed by the students in teams. The centres have been
helping the students gain
independence,
become
more responsible and will
allow the students to learn
through self-discovery. The
centres
will
offer
a
multitude of benefits. It
steers away from the
traditional "teach and listen"
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8
approach into more hands-on-learning style. Students who are
actively engaged learn the best, and incorporating center
fundamentals into the classroom can help. It will give the teacher
the ability to work with students one-on-one or in small groups
to target specific skills, and better meet the specific needs of the
individual students. Our classroom learning centers focus on
selected activities that allow the students to figure things out
through hands-on activities, and open-ended instruction. It has
been improving the student's thinking processes, core-thinking
skills necessary for learning, and the students are having so much
fun learning. Next month is Black History Month and in our
classroom, we will be incorporating this into our learning
centres, where we will be learning about many influential
individuals who helped change our world.
Please stay tuned for the next month's newsletter where I will
post pictures along with the student's work to show their
accomplishments in our new classroom environment. Thank you
to all the students for putting forth a great effort to make this
change possible.
MRS. SIVASANKARAN and MRS.
GRAESSER’S CLASS
During the month of December, Mrs.Graesser and Mrs.
Sivasankaran’s class worked very hard to prepare their songs for
the Primary Christmas Concert. It was a great success!
One of our highlights at the beginning of January was our visit
from Party Safari; when the students were provided an
opportunity to observe up close a variety of birds and reptiles
including a hedgehog, turtle, tarantula and even a boa
constrictor!
We are continuing our Around the World theme working on a
class inquiry into countries around the world. The children have
explored Ireland, India and the USA, and look forward to
exploring other countries. During this inquiry we are mapping
distances, exploring the countries music, heritages, money,
animals, and languages.
We are continuing with individual inquiries including student’s
interest in planets, The Earth and Community Helpers.
.
SAFE SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT
Guardian Angels is a
Catholic community that
respects and promotes
the uniqueness of all its
members. By following
the teachings of Jesus,
we pledge to provide
everyone with a safe, caring and peaceful environment, which
ensures the respect and acceptance of all. Because of these
beliefs, bullying will not be tolerated. Your child deserves a
safe environment to work, learn and play in. If you have any
concerns, please contact us.
VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers play an important role in
the life of our school community. They
help to enhance the learning
opportunities available to students and
make a difference in the academic life of our students. If you can
spare some time to read with students, help teachers in the
classroom (other than your own child’s) assist in the literacy
room, photocopy, count money for special events etc., we need
you!
If you are interested in volunteering within the school, please
contact Mrs. Moniz-Amaral, our volunteer coordinator. Please
note that anyone working or volunteering in our school must
have a criminal reference check completed by the local police
service before volunteering can begin.
VALUABLES
A reminder that AS PER BOARD POLICY,
students are not allowed to bring PERSONAL
ELECTRONIC DEVICES like cell phones,
pagers, iPods, MP3 players, cameras, etc. to
school. These items, especially cell phones,
will be confiscated and parents will be
required to pick them up from the office.
Please keep your child’s valuables at home.
Staff cannot be responsible for any valuables
that your child brings to school. Money, jewelry, Pokemon cards,
electronics, toys, etc., should be kept at home. “Wheelie shoes”
and “Bay Blades” are not allowed at school.
PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Just a reminder to students and visitors to the school that PED’s
such as cell phones, cameras, iPod, electronic games etc are NOT
to be used on school property or during school related activities,
such as field trips or sporting events. If students have a cell phone
for use on the way home after school, it must be turned off and
stored away out of site in their knapsacks during school hours.
Devices may be confiscated, and parents will be required to pick
it up from the Principal/Vice Principal.
GUARDIAN ANGELS WEBSITE
Every few days, Mrs. Gallant updates the website with
letters, information and other pertinent items. Looking for a
document or information? Need to contact our School Council
Chair? …check out our website: www.dpcdsb.org/guardg
Thanks to Mrs. Gallant for up keeping the website
CHILD ILLNESSES
Please keep your child at home if he/she is sick. We discourage
children who have a fever, are coughing, vomiting, or have a
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9
runny nose, from coming to school. They will recover from their
illness much quicker if they are resting at home.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY RULES
The conduct of individual students on
the bus directly affects the safety of all
the students on the bus. The driver’s
attention needs to be on the road. We
are requesting that all parents/guardians
reinforce the School Bus Rules with
their child(ren). All Students Should:













 Be at the bus stop 5 minutes prior to
their stop time.
Never play close to the road.
Be ready to board the bus by waiting in an orderly line.
Board the bus in single file, use the handrail and sit down in
their seat as quickly as possible.
Listen to the bus driver.
Always remain seated while the bus is moving.
Do not throw anything out of the window.
Keep the aisles clear of objects (backpacks, lunches, etc.).
Do not shout or cause any other unnecessary noises.
Never put any part of your body out an open window.
Be sure to look all ways before crossing the road.
Do not damage the bus in any way.
Do not throw garbage on the floor.
Do not consume any food or drink on the bus.
Bus privileges will be revoked if need be. Thank you for your
support in ensuring that our students journey safely to and from
school.
ATTENDANCE
Please call to register an absence (905)
595-0909, press 1 for the attendance. You
can call 24hrs. An answering machine is
available to take information. Please
provide your child’s name, grade and teacher’s name. If an
absence is not reported, our policy is to call home to verify
student absenteeism. A parent or guardian must sign out students
who leave early. A reminder to parents and students that an
expectation set out from the beginning of the year clearly
indicated that all students must arrive to school on time.
Being consistently and continuously late interrupts the classroom
during lessons, creates delays in the office and sets a poor
example for those who do arrive on time. Please note that issues
with lates and absenteeism will be dealt with strictly, and may
involve the school’s Administration, Child Youth Worker and
Social Worker. Please help us teach your children the value of
promptness.
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION
If your child requires medication, please
have all pertinent forms (Available in the
Office) must be completed and returned
with the medication to the office as soon
as possible.
A reminder that children are not allowed
to keep ANY medication on their persons, in their desk,
backpack or anywhere in their classroom, unless ordered by their
doctor. In such case, documentation is necessary. All dispensing
and storage of ANY medication must occur from the Office.
CUSTODY OF CHILDREN
On occasion, we are faced with difficult situations in where noncustodial parents arrive at school asking to visit or remove their
child. We are best able to serve and protect students when we are
made aware of legal custody arrangements, visitation rights and
other special instructions. If legal custody matters affect your
family, please ensure that our office and classroom teachers are
aware of any custodial arrangements that may affect your child
during school hours.
HEAD INJURY POLICY
When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however
minor), it is a Board Policy that we inform parents. A phone
message will be left at one of your contact numbers. This is
precautionary only and we ask that you check your child when
they get home for any signs of a concussion or illness.
STUDENT BIRTHDAYS
When a student has a birthday, we give
them a birthday card and a WHAT
WOULD JESUS DO BRACELET.
Students with birthdays have their names called during the
morning announcements as well.
NUT ALLERGY AWARENESS POLICY
Please be reminded that no nut products are allowed in school.
We have a number of staff and students who have potentially
fatal anaphylactic sensitivities to nut products. Please do not
send peanuts, other nuts, Nutella or any other nut products.
Thank you.
HEALTHY SNACKS
In the past, we noticed a number of
students coming to school with
soda pop and caffeine “energy
drinks”. We are thrilled that this
concern has greatly decreased over
the course of the school year.
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10
Through education and awareness programs, students are
articulating a need to drink more water, and less “junk food”
drinks. Many caffeine drinks are banned in several countries
because of its adverse health effects. One can contains of 80 mg
of caffeine and 8 oz. of sugar. One pop can contains enough
sugar to have a negative affect the pancreas and increase
weight and energy levels.
Guardian Angels is working hard to promote healthy eating.
These drinks defeat the purpose. Please provide water, juice, or
milk in your child’s snacks and lunches!!
DUFFERIN PEEL CATHOLIC INSTITUTE
FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
contractors to remove ice and snow,
broken tree branches and other debris
from our site; however, it is difficult
work that will take time to clean up. For
everyone’s safety, please note the
following:

Please walk carefully when on school/board property; do not
run.

Please ensure students dress appropriately for the
conditions. We ask all visitors to wear proper footwear for
the conditions, including boots/shoes with non-slip soles.

Although efforts have been undertaken to clear sidewalks,
paths, patches, parking lots and paved play areas, in some
cases, ongoing freezing temperatures combined with the
base of ice resulting from the ice storm will continue to
make areas slippery.

Our parking lots do have ice buildup. Please exercise
caution when leaving your vehicles. As always, please drive
safely.

Every effort is being made to remove all downed trees/limbs
and hanging branches at our sites. To this end, there might
still be some branches at our sites awaiting removal next
week. Please be aware of this when on our property.
Now Accepting Applications
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board is now
accepting applications from international students who wish to
study in our outstanding elementary and secondary schools.
Education means the world to us.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) is
Ontario’s second largest Catholic school board operating 149
school facilities (including 123 elementary and 26 secondary
schools) throughout Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and
Orangeville. Schools are connected to and supported by Catholic
parishes and our faith.
Internationally recognized for excellence in education.
One of the truly defining characteristics of a Dufferin-Peel
education is the diversity that comes with having a student body
from over 150 countries. We celebrate both our internationalism
and the uniqueness of each member of our community - students,
staff, parents, and parish. As a school community we are greatly
enriched by this diversity.
Opening minds to a better world.
Located just west of the City of Toronto, on the north shore of
Lake Ontario, and less than a 90 minute drive to Niagara Falls
and the U.S. border, Dufferin-Peel is home to the Toronto
Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport with nonstop service to 180 destinations in 60 countries around the world.
Plus, the region boasts an extensive network of local and regional
train and bus services with direct connections to 16 universities
and colleges within a 60 kilometre radius.
Students wishing to apply to our International Education
programs are encouraged to visit our website at
www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Programs/International+Students/ or to
contact:
Rita Borg, Principal of the International Student
Program rita.borg@dpcdsb.org (905) 412-3341 Ext. 31460
GUARDIAN ANGELS - PRECAUTIONS
As you know, our school communities experienced a significant
ice storm over the Christmas break. Our custodial and
maintenance staff continue to work with plant services
Please let us know if you see any concerns while on our
school/board properties. Thank our custodial and maintenance
staff for their hard work in preparing our site for next week under
some very challenging conditions.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION IS OUR RIGHT!
Each month our school newsletter will
contain some information regarding
the Historical Understanding of Key
Issues Related to Catholic Education.
1.
How long have Catholic separate schools been educating
Catholic children and contributing to the public good in
Ontario?
For about 170 years. In the early 1800s there were separate
schools in many cities, towns and townships. In Peel, three
separate schools opened before Confederation (1867): St. James
in Malton in the 1830s, St. John’s Agricultural College (1861)
and St. Patrick’s (1861), both in Wildfield.
2. Has the Ontario government always supported separate
schools? Yes, as did its predecessor, the United Legislature of
Canada East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now Ontario)
during its total life from 1841 to 1867. One of the first pieces of
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11
legislation it passed in 1841 was the Common School Act, with a
separate school clause.
3. Why did the United Legislature of Canada East and Canada
West keep improving separate school legislation? It responded
to Catholic parents, trustees, bishops and priests, editors of the
four Catholic newspapers, members of the business and
professional world, all of whom argued for legal and financial
rights for separate schools.
4. Was there opposition to separate schools before
Confederation? Yes, as now, there were advocates of one
school system. Protestant spokespersons believed in the
adequacy of the common (now public) school’s basic nondenominational Christianity, which constituted an important
element of the common school’s religion lessons and their
readers. They held that beliefs specific to certain religions should
be taught in the churches and homes.
.
GUARDIAN ANGELS DATES
Monday, January 6

School starts again
Friday, January 10

Choir taping for Raptors audition
Friday, January 17

Aboriginal
Canadian
Lacrosse
workshop for grade 8 students
Monday, January 20


PA DAY – no school for students
Wednesday, Jan. 22


Grade 8 Graduation pictures
School, Council mtg at 6:30 PM
Friday, January 24

Author Helaine Becker visits
Monday, January 27


Living Our Faith Awards Gr. K-4
Kindergarten registration for Sept.
2014 begins today at 7 PM-9PM
We want you to read our
newsletter!
Answer the question below and you
can help your child win a free slice of
pizza courtesy of
Mr. Cassar and Ms. Owens.
Answer:_____________________________
Child’s name: _________________________
Teacher:____________________________
Date: ______________________________
Please return to Ms. McGee ASAP.
Monday Feb. 10 to
Wednesday Feb 10

Jim
Arnold
African
workshops for students
Friday, Feb. 14

Valentine’s Dance
Music
Tuesday, January 28

Living Our Faith Awards Grades 5-8
Monday, Feb. 17

Family Day. School is closed.
Wednesday, Jan. 29

Kindergarten Registration 9-3 PM
Friday, Feb. 21

French Carnivale
Thursday, Jan. 30


Grade 8 ski trip
Kindergarten Registration 9-3 PM
Monday, Feb. 24

Fire Drill

Wednesday, Feb. 26

Living Our Faith Awards Gr. K-4
Friday, Jan. 31
Kindergarten Registration 9-3 PM

Thursday, Feb. 27

Raptor’s Game at 7 PM
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Reports Cards go home

Friday, Feb 28

Wednesday, Feb. 5
Virtue Mass at 9:30 AM
French Café Living Our Faith
Awards Gr. 5-8
Thursday, Feb. 6


Interview evening
SEE/HEAR clinics for students
Friday, Feb. 7

Shannon Thunderbirds presentations
to students on Aboriginal culture
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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The ‘me to WE’ Group
Celebrating The Joy of Christmas
Visit our website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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