October 2014 Edition
Principal
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
Mr. M. Cassar
Thank you to the Guardian Angels
community for attending our fabulous
Open House/BBQ held in September. The
event was a huge success. Over 500
people attended for a fun-filled night that
was highlighted by a tasty BBQ, cotton
candy, ice cream and face painting for the
kids.
Vice Principal
Mrs. M. Thompson
Head Secretary
Ms. S. McGee
Assistant Secretary
Mrs. M. Kelly
School Council Chair
Mrs. J. Estevao
GuardianAngelsCSC@Gmail.com
October will be a busy month. We
celebrated our Thanksgiving Mass where
we paused to thank God for the many
blessings in our lives! It is our hope that
you were able to spend time with family
and friends during the Thanksgiving
weekend to celebrate all that is good in
our world.
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.
FOLLOW US:
We had the opportunity to speak with
many of you. You shared your hopes and
dreams for your children and were very
enthusiastic about how Guardian Angels
fits into those plans. On behalf of the
entire staff at Guardian Angels, we pledge
to work with you to help make those
dreams come true.
Guardian Angels continues to be a leader
in Catholic education as our staff begins
the many co-curricular activities that
complement our rigorous academic
program. Volleyball, choir, soccer and
Cross Country are just some of the
amazing aspects of our school. Our
Halloween Dance is on the horizon too.
Parents on our School Council were
nominated and are poised to take a
visible, proactive and positive approach to
engaging parents in the education of their
children. We congratulate the entire
School Council member for stepping up
and taking an active role in supporting the
school. Thank you!
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Parent-Teacher-Student
Interview Evening
School Council Meeting
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
@ 6:30 pm
Held in the library. Please join us!
All parents are welcome.
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE
“Jesus made it very clear. Whatever
you do to the least of my brethren, You
do it to me. Give a glass of water, you
give it to me.”
Mother Theresa
Thank you to all of our families for your
generosity in donating food for our food
drive! Our school and our Community
thanks you! Donations were given to
Guardian Angels Parish and St.
Jerome’s Parish. Thank you to our
Student Council, Ms. O’Brien, Mrs.
Gallant and Mr. Resendes for their help.
Congratulations to Mrs. Parris’ class for
donating the most food items.
Grade 7 and 8
New York City Excursion
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Is the last day to sign up online at:
https://mytour.brightsparktravel.ca/login
Webcode 1417922
Thank you…
TRIP CODE: 1417922
to our Trustee Linda Zanella for her 17
years of service to Catholic education
and support for Guardian Angels
School. We wish her well in her future
endeavors.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
School Council
School Hours
An election was held last Council meeting and your
2014/2015 Catholic School Council team for this year is:
Grades 1 – 8:
9:00 AM ......................... Morning Begins
10:28 AM ....................... RECESS BREAK
12:00 to 12:20 PM ......... Kindergarten Lunch
12:06 to 12:46 PM ......... Grades 1-8 RECESS
12:46 to 1:06 PM ........... Grades 1-8 LUNCH
1:06 PM ......................... AFTERNOON BEGINS
2:29 PM ......................... RECESS BREAK
3:30 PM ......................... SCHOOL ENDS
Chairperson: ................................. Jen Estevao
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 staff supervision begins.
Teacher Representative: ............. Mrs. Parris
Treasurer: ...................................... Nunzia Rositano
Secretary: ...................................... Lori Saroli
Parish Representative: ................ Josie Wilson
OAPCE Representative: .............. Susan Dal Dosso
Members at Large: ....................... Nadia Arghittu
Suzette Psaila
Arlene Saunders-Georges
Non-Teaching Representative: ... Mrs. Sivasankaran
A warm welcome goes out to the new members of Council.
We are very happy to add these dedicated individuals to an
already hard-working team and we look forward to serving
the school community.
Principals’ Message
We would like to take this opportunity to
thank all the families who helped support our
Thanksgiving Day Food Drive. We will be
able to deliver a significant amount of nonperishable food items to those in our
community that truly need our support. We
often take many of our blessings for granted and we feel truly
grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Guardian Angels
community. The combined efforts of everyone – parish, staff,
students and parents – make this such a vibrant and caring
learning community. By working together, we move forward
as lifelong learners striving for excellence in our personal,
social, spiritual and academic growth. 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’.
Welcome to three new teachers recently hired to join the
amazing team at Guardian Angels. Welcome to Mr.
Resendes, teaching grade 7; Mrs. N. Francescutto,
teaching grades 4/5 and Ms. Yarra, teaching French as a
Second Language. We look forward to sharing in their
talents and enthusiasm.
Mark Cassar, Principal
Michelle Thompson, Vice Principal
Progress Report Cards
Students will bring home a Progress Report Card on
Tuesday, November 11, 2014. It will communicate the
student’s progress in various subject areas as well next
steps for improvement. Teachers will contact parents if an
interview is requested. Parents are free to request an
interview if they wish.
Currently we are working on an evening that will help
address, “What is 21st Century Learning and Teaching?” If
you have an idea for an event, speaker/topic of interest,
parent engagement night, fundraiser, general comment or
question, please contact us at
GuardianAngelsCSC@gmail.com
UPCOMING DATES OF INTEREST
Mon., October 27 ........................ Pita Day
Wed., October 29 @ 6:30pm ...... Council meeting (library)
Fri., November 21 ....................... Santa pictures
Wed., November 26 @ 6:30pm…Council meeting (library)
Wed., January 21 @ 6:30pm ...... Council meeting (library)
School Council Samko-Miko Christmas
Fundraiser
Sale Date Timeframe: November 5 – 16
Group Name: GAngelsCES
Did you know you can support school fundraising efforts
while you shop the Samko & Miko Toy and Book
Warehouse Sale? All proceeds from this fundraiser will go
towards supporting Catholic sacraments and teachings.
When you shop the Warehouse sale between November 5th
and 16th, all that is
required is to have your
sales receipts stamped at
checkout by providing the
cashier
with
our
registered group name,
GAngelsCES.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
All original, itemized stamped receipts must be submitted to
the school in order for us to receive a percentage of ALL
SALES made between November 5th and November 16th.
Need to return or exchange an item that you purchased?
Do not worry, take a copy of your receipt before submitting
the original to the office – Samko & Miko will accept a copy
for returns but not for the fundraiser submission.
Please ensure that all of your friends, neighbours, and
relatives are aware of this fundraiser and ask them to submit
their stamped, original receipts to support the school.
Flyers and more details will be distributed to the students
prior to the start of the sale. If anyone is interested in
carpooling to one of the store locations during the sale
timeframe, please email us prior to November 5th at
GuardianAngelsCSC@gmail.com . The Catholic School
Council thanks you all for your continued support. ENJOY
THE SALE!
Living Our Faith & Catholic Virtues
A key aspect of the Board’s
strategic direction is the
continued development of
safe,
caring,
inclusive
Catholic school community.
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
morning
announcements, in class
during discussions, and at our
school Living Our Faith
Award assemblies.
School Fundraiser
We kicked off our fall fundraising
on September 18th It will run for four
weeks. These fundraising events
generate funds that support
initiatives within the school.
Monies raised through fundraising
helped provide Smartboards for
classrooms, new gym equipment, math resources for the
classroom, guest artists and subsidized the costs of trips.
Please show your support by selling a box of chocolates.
We have fabulous prizes this year including an Apple iPad!
We have placed a renewed effort to bring curriculum up to
speed and focus on student achievement. Our goal in this
regard is to bring Guardian Angels’ EQAO scores up and to
promote students as learners in a global community. We
have fundraised to support technology in the classrooms
and to support extracurricular activities. Look at the mind
map on the last page of this newsletter for a summary of
what we have accomplished as a Catholic Community. We
will move to stage two of our fundraising drive with our
chocolate sales drive.
Please support the chocolate fundraising campaign so that
we can continue to move Guardian Angels into the 21st
Century. See the last three pages of this newsletter for a
review of what fundraising helps support.
We have fabulous prizes this year including:




Our first Living Our Faith Awards will take place on:
 Tuesday, October 28th - Grades K-4 @ 9:30 AM
 Thursday, October 30th - Grades 5-8 @ 9:30 AM
Jesus spent a major part of his time on earth showing us
about the preferential option for the poor and weak. He
spent an extraordinary amount of time showing how to
follow God’s rules, the rules of the kingdom. We must learn
to follow His example.
September: ....Faith
October:........ Empathy
November: .....Conscience
December: .... Hope
January: .........Self-control
February: ...... Respect
March: ............Kindness
April: ............. Love
May:................Acceptance
June: ............. Fairness
FOLLOW US:
An Empathetic person believes that we all share one Spirit;
that we are many parts of one body because we are all
created in the image and likeness of God.
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Apple iPad
Apple iPad Mini
Apple iPod
2 Toronto Maple
Leaf Tickets
 a Mountain Bike
 a West 49 Long Board
 a $100 Yorkdale Gift
Certificate
 Plus 20 other prizes!
PLEASE BRING ALL MONEY AND/OR
CHOCOLATES BACK TO THE SCHOOL
BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24TH.
Madamoiselle Yarra’s Classess
Mademoiselle Yarra’s Grade 4 French Class has jumped
right into the new school year by learning how to speak and
gesture a list of our French vocabulary words. They have
learned how to introduce themselves as well as how to ask
another person of their name. The students have learned
and understood the meaning of the prayer, « Merci Dieu ».
Our “Étoile de la semaine” have been: Yasmen Butros,
Andrea Castelino, and Murete Solomon. Merci, vous êtes
fantastique !
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Our Grade 5/6 French
Class has just started
practicing the play, « les
animaux du bayou ». We
are currently working on
new vocabulary that is
associated with this play.
We continue to integrate
art, games, and activities
into our daily lessons to
ensure that learning a second or another language can be
fun! We also have an Online Resource that is linked with Mr.
Labuda’s Wiki Space where parents/guardians can support
their child’s journey into learning French as a second or
another language. This can be accessed at:
mlabuda.pbworks.com under the “French” tab. Our “Étoile
de la semaine” have been: Mercedes F., Cameryn G,, and
Joy H. Merci, vous êtes superbe !
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.
WOW Butter
Because it looks and smells just like peanut butter, it is
almost impossible to tell if it is the real thing. We cannot
screen lunches and we do not have the personnel to police
it. We are requesting that WOW BUTTER lunches are not
sent to school.
20 Minute Read to Self
Mrs. Eng, Mrs. Fournier
and Mrs. Stoker are
proud of their Grade 1
students. The Grade 1s
have truly demonstrated
a love of literature. In
Reading, the children
have been working hard trying to reach the 20-minute Read
To Self goal. They continue to work on stamina and reading
the whole time. During Writer's Workshop the students are
motivated writing personal narratives about their daily lives.
They love to share their stories. During the 3 Part Math
Lesson, the children are learning partnering skills and to
communicate their learning. They seem to really be
enjoying their new unit on patterning. They are using a
variety of manipulatives to create colour, shape, size,
thickness and orientation patterns. It will be interesting to
see their creativity in action patterns.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
During Religion and Family Life, the focus has been on love
and respect for self and others. They are learning that we
all belong to God's family.
Cross Country Team
The Cross Country Team started off
the year with great enthusiasm. Over
40 students came out as part of the
team with practices being held on
Mondays and Wednesdays from
8:15 am to 8:45 am. During these
practices we could see huge
improvements from last year's
athletes. New members brought
commitment to the team and
challenged themselves greatly.
On October 15th the team went to
Chinguacousy Park for the Family
meet. The weather managed to
cooperate with us and provided our athletes with perfect
running conditions and our team took advantage of it.
Guardian Angels came home with a Championship Banner
won by the grade 4/5 girls, 9 of our runners advanced to the
Board Finals on October 30th and Samantha Pavich came
in 1st place amongst all grade 7 girls!
Congratulations to all the athletes for their dedication and
for representing Guardian Angels by displaying respect and
sportspersonship! Proud Coaches: Mrs. L. Sepe, Mrs. S.
Ward-Cooper, Mr. T. Bell
11th Annual Terry Fox Event
This year, to celebrate the Terry Fox Run, students, staff
and parent volunteers participated in a community event to
raise funds to support Cancer research. The weather
cooperated, providing a wonderful opportunity to enjoy an
autumn walk around the school. Students were entertained
through a weeklong campaign that included an assembly, a
staff-student volleyball game and BINGO on the
announcements each day.
All monies raised go to the Terry Fox Foundation. Guardian
Angels School has raised $15,000 since starting the Terry
Fox event in 2004. Thank you to all the staff and students
who made the event such a success. Thank you to our
school community for supporting another successful Terry
Fox Event.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Thank you to Mrs. McCannel for organizing these events
and to supporters Mrs. Stoker, Mrs. Kotarska, Mrs. Petrusa,
Mr. Labuda, Mrs. Sivasankaran, Mrs. Gallant, the Staff and
students who played in the volleyball game and the Student
Council for the Pep Rally.
choir and music. Thank you to parents who were able to join
us.
The Pumpkin Inquiry
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Father
Jan Gogolewski and the Parish Team of Guardian Angels
Parish to our school. We truly appreciate all of their hard
work and their dedication to the entire Guardian Angels
Community. We look forward to their spiritual guidance with
our staff and students!
For the month of October, FDK Room
104 has been working on a pumpkin
inquiry. Our students have had the
opportunity to explore the features of
a pumpkin while incorporating
literacy, numeracy, visual art, and
science into their investigations. Our
students have loved being scientists and cannot wait to start
our next inquiry!
Bussing for 2014—2015
The board has a system to
determine eligibility using a GPS
software system. We request that
you
visit
the
website,
http://businfo.stopr.ca. Once on
the site, you will have to change
the school year to 2014- 2015 and then enter your address,
grade level of your child and School Board, and it will inform
you if your child is eligible for bussing for 2014-2015.
Your child may be eligible for transportation to and from
school if you live beyond the following distances:
JK /SK/Gr. 1: .................. 1.0 km
Grades 2 to 4: ................ 1.6 km
Grades 5 to 8: ................ 2.0 km
For eligible students, bus pick up and drop off times are
available using your OEN number (this is on your child’s
report card every year). Should you have any questions
please do not hesitate to contact the Transportation
Department directly. (1-800-668-1140 or 905-890-6000)
As per board policy, any courtesy seats will be granted mid
October 2014. Parents are asked to write a letter to the
Principal/Vice Principal to request an empty seat.
Preferences will be given to students from Grades 1 – 4,
those students with extenuating circumstances and those
living furthest away. PLEASE NOTE THAT BUS #1 IS
CURRENTLY FULL
School Liturgy
Our School Opening Mass was on Monday, October 20,
2014 @ 9:30 AM. Father Jan Gogolewski led students and
staff in our first liturgical celebration of the school year. Mr.
Valezi, Mrs. Petrusa and Mrs. Stoker prepared the
celebration. Mrs. Lyons and Ms. Schmalz organized the
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Our Parish Team
Parish News
We hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful summer!
We ask that you keep the children returning to school in your
prayers and that this school year will be fruitful and
rewarding.
Please remember that October is the month of THE MOST
HOLY ROSARY. Pray the Holy Rosary daily. Volunteers
from the school and Guardian Angel’s Parish are teaching
our children how to pray the Holy Rosary. They will be
visiting each classroom once a month. A special thanks for
all the volunteers who are committed in teaching our
children their Catholic faith.
The next Building Committee Meeting will be held upstairs
at Fortinos on Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
The Parish has encountered a few obstacles with the
finances of the building of the Parish Hall and is asking all
parishioners to provide donations to $ 25.00 each week for
this cause. Envelopes can be picked up at the back after
Mass or online. Holy Mass will be celebrated in the Parish
Hall once it is completed. The Parish will require a new altar,
candles for the altar, a processional Cross, Stations of the
Cross, etc. Father Jan will be compiling a list of items
required with a price list attached inside an upcoming
church bulletin for donors to purchase.
Guardian Angels Parish hosted an INTERNATIONAL FOOD
FESTIVAL on Sunday, October 19th, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. to
3:00 p.m. at St. Edmund Campion Secondary School.
Passports were sold which provided sample dishes from all of
the food stations. Food was on sale for those who wish to take
a dish home with them. This was an opportunity to experience
the food and culture of fellow parishioners. Your support was
greatly appreciated since all proceeds will go towards the
building of the church.
Guardian Angels Parish is providing catechism classes to
children who do not receive instructions for FIRST HOLY
COMMUNION & CONFIRMATION at School. The child must
be registered to attend these classes. Registrations will take
place on the weekends of November 29th – 30th; December 6th
– 7th and December 13th – 14th after all Masses. Classes for
First Holy Communion and Confirmation will be held: January
11th, 18th, 25th, February 1st, 8th 22nd and March 1st, 15th, 22nd
and 29th. First Communion classes will be held from 9:00 a.m.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
to 10:00 a.m. and Confirmation classes from 10:30 a.m. to
11:30 a.m.
We are pleased to announce that Fr. Jan was accompanied
by 43 parishioners who joined him on the pilgrimage for 15
days to Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic
and Poland from September 15-29th, 2014 . An enjoyable,
spiritual time was had by all. This pilgrimage was in honour of
Pope John Paul II and his road to sainthood.
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.
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 voice mail.
We ask that you please ensure that
arrangements are made the night
before and children know what they are
to do after school. We encourage parents to send lunches,
notes and messages in the morning with their child(ren) in
an effort to avoid interruptions. We understand that
emergencies do happen and we will do our best to assist in
these situations. Thank you for your cooperation.
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. Thank
you for supporting us as we support your child.
Council
Chair?
…check
out
our
website:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GANGL Thanks to Mrs. Gallant for
up-keeping the website.
World Teachers’ Day
We celebrated World Teachers’
Day on October 5, 2014 in order
to commemorate all the hard
work and dedications our
educators provide our children
every day. Most of us can point
to an educator who has
influenced us positively in some way. Take a moment to
reflect on the teachers you have today, or have had in the
past. If there is someone, who has had a major influence on
you in the past, has made learning fun and interesting, or
has helped you to achieve success in some way, take a
moment to thank that person if you can or simply thank one
of your current teachers by telling them you appreciate
them. THANK YOU STAFF!
WORLD TEACHER’S DAY
Two Sculptors
I dreamed I saw a studio
And watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a child’s mind
And they fashioned it with care.
One was a teacher--the tools he used
Were books, music, and art.
The other, a parent, worked with a guiding hand,
And a gentle, loving heart.
Day after day, the teacher toiled with a touch
That was careful, deft, and sure,
While the parent labored by his side
And polished and smoothed it o’er.
And when at last, their task was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought.
For the things they had molded into the child
Could neither be sold nor bought.
And each agreed they would have failed
If either had worked alone.
For behind the parent stood the school
And behind the teacher, the home.
Guardian Angels Website
Pizza Days
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
Pizza orders are for one month at a time. Partial and late
orders are not accepted. Envelopes will come home
monthly for you to place your order by the due date. Thanks
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
to Ms. McGee and all the student runners as well as all of
our volunteers for supporting this.
"Photo Portrait". We are also starting our Safety Unit of
Health (home, school and street safety).
Daily Physical Activity
The Grades 3 to 8 are focusing on fitness (Beep Test and
other strength exercises) and spotlight on skills (Volleyball).
As a school, we have implemented the government
mandated 20 minutes of daily physical activity. Ask your
child’s teacher about the program or visit the Ministry’s
Website at
:
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/teachers/dpa_boards.pdf
Congratulations to all our cross country runners for winning
our first banner. The grade 5 girls made us proud and are
now heading to the Board meet. Special congratulations to:
Emily D'Alessandro, Jessica Gilmore and Deanna ChacWai.
Mrs. Insanic & Mrs. Sivasankaran FDKs
Masses
Celebration
New School Year/
Thanksgiving Mass
Remembrance Day
Liturgy
Advent Mass
Advent Confessions
New Year Mass
Ash Wednesday
Liturgy
Lenten Mass
Resurrection/Easter
Mass
Crowing of Mary
Liturgy
Year End Mass/
Guardian Angels
Feast Day
Date and Time
Location
Monday, October 20
@ 9:30 AM
Tuesday, November
11 @ 9:30 AM
Monday, December
8 @ 9:30 AM
Thursday,
December 11
@ 9:30 AM
Monday, January 12
@ 9:30 AM
All events will
take place in
Wednesday,
the school
February 18
gym.
@ 9:30 AM
Friday, March 13
@ 9:30 AM
Wednesday, April 8
@ 9:30 AM
Tuesday, May 5
@ 9:30 AM
Friday, June 19
@ 9:30 AM
Volunteers
School
Our Lady of
Fatima Parish
Our Lady of
Fatima Parish
If you are interested in volunteering within the school,
please contact Mrs. Valentini, our volunteer coordinator.
Please note that anyone working or volunteering in our
school must have a Vulnerable Sector Check completed by
the local police service before volunteering can begin.
Date and Time
Location
First Reconciliation
Grade 2 and Grade 8
Confessions for
Grade 2 and Grade 8
Friday, May 15
@ 9:30AM
Thursday,
December 11
@ 9:30 AM
Saturday, May 30
@ 5:00 PM
Sunday, June 14
@ 3:00 PM
School
First Communion
As a class, we co-constructed a list
of ‘I Wonder’ questions about
apples. Together we used books,
the internet and an apple expert, Heather Laidlaw, at
Orchalaw Farms to help answer our questions. Did you
know that apple seeds grow best in a cold, dark place?
Follow our learning on Twitter @GAFDKRm102.
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!
Special Masses
Confirmation
During the month of September, our class was excited to
drive their own learning through our
apple inquiry. As a provocation or
spark, Mrs. S brought in a variety of
apples and put them in our science
centre.
The students used
magnifying glasses to look at the
skin and stems of the apples.
A Word from Mr. Valezi
Picture Retake Day
A word from your Guardian Angels Physical Education
teacher:
Our Picture RETAKE Day is on
Wednesday, October 29. Classes and
individual students who missed our
September date can have their picture
retaken. Parents can order online or
The grade One and Two students are finishing their
Parachute Unit and they are loving all the tricks they have
learned to do with the parachute. Their favorite one is the
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
through a hard-copy package. Information packages will be
sent home soon.
Halloween in Catholic Schools
During the early years of Christianity,
the Church leaders found it best to
add the new religious ideas to earlier,
already established beliefs. All Saints
Day was proclaimed on November 1st
so that the people could continue to
celebrate a familiar festival, which
respected the spirits.
The mass that was said on that day was called All hallows
eve so the evening before became known as Hallows Eve,
or Halloween. Eventually the church recognized that
Halloween had become a culture event rather than a
religious event.
Halloween’s Implications for School:
Halloween should be considered a
cultural tradition in which children
participate. In today’s culture, it is
rarely a celebration of the Celtic
religion. Children today often dress
in costumes, which reflect the
heroes of the culture, for example, Batman.
While some claim that Halloween’s association with the
Ancient Celtic religion is a threat to Christianity; clearly the
Church did not when establishing All Saints Day and the
Day for the Commemoration of All Souls. In the same way,
Father’s Day is a cultural event, which does not detract from
our understanding of God as Father.
Guardian Angels School recognizes the cultural event of
Halloween but attention will be paid to the religious
significance of All Saints Day, which is the honoring of the
whole Church Triumphant united to Christ in the enjoyment
of the vision of God.
3. Do carry a flashlight…so your child will be able to see on
dark streets.
4. Do go out with an adult, or an older brother or sister, if
under 12 years of age.
5. Do stay away from cars, and strangers in cars.
6. Do watch cars and look both ways when crossing the
street.
7. Do wear costumes above shoes…so kids will not trip.
8. Do not eat any treats until parents/guardians have
checked it.
9. Do not trick or treat alone.
10. Do make sure you know the route your kids are taking.
Don’t Bring Valuables to School
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 “Bey
Blades” are not allowed at school.
Scent Free Policy
Children
and
adults
are
discouraged from wearing perfume
and cologne to school. Some of our
students and staff have sensitivities
to smells, asthma and allergies.
The smell of perfume can trigger allergic reactions and
breathing difficulties for them.
Child Illnesses
Costumes
Students can wear their costumes on Halloween Day. We
ask that your child come to school dressed in their costume.
Please keep in mind that we are a Catholic school and
students need to be dressed appropriately even at
Halloween. No masks or replica weapons and knives are
allowed.
Halloween Safety Tips
Please remind your children of safety
guidelines for Halloween:
1. Don’t wear a face mask…so your
child will be able to see clearly.
2. Do wear light colored clothing…so
drivers can see them.
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Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Please keep your child at home if
he/she is sick. We discourage children
who have a fever, are coughing,
vomiting, or have a 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:
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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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 can be revoked. Thank you for your support in
ensuring that students journey safely on the bus. Drivers can
report students to the school for inappropriate behaviour.
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,
teacher’s name and reason for
absence. 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
We will be sending home REACT forms for parents to fill
out in the event that your child has a
medical concern. The form requires
information on the medical issue, and a
picture of the child. Parents are
responsible for ensuring that all
medication and forms are updated
annually.
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Twitter: @GAngelsschool
If your child requires medication, please have all pertinent
forms 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 in the Office.
Free Dental Health Program
Guardian Angels will offer a free
dental Screening program on
March 11 for JK/SK and grade 2
students. To supplement this, the
Region of Peel Health Services is
promoting Healthy Smiles Ontario,
a free dental program to students who meet the program’s
eligibility requirements. Healthy Smiles Ontario is a new
program for children 17 and under who do not have
access to any form of dental coverage. If eligible, children
will be able to visit a licensed dental provider such as a
dentist or dental hygienist for basic dental services including
fillings, x-rays and scaling at no cost to the family. Children
are eligible if they:
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live in Peel
have a valid Ontario Health card
are under 18 years of age
are members of a household with an Adjusted Family
Net Income of $20,000 per year or less AND
 do not have access to any form of dental coverage
(including government programs like Ontario Works)
Please contact Peel Public Health at (905) 799-7700 for more
information regarding Healthy Smiles Ontario Program and to
book an appointment for a free dental screening.
Student Insurance
As required by the Education Act
and the Ministry of Education, the
Dufferin-Peel
Catholic
District
School Board annually provides
parents with information about costeffective
student
accident
insurance coverage.
Although enrolment is voluntary,
the board and school recommends
parents take advantage of this
inexpensive insurance coverage,
especially if your child participates
in sports or field trips, or if parents
do not have dental insurance
coverage.
A chipped tooth or
broken glasses can happen
unexpectedly.
Please complete the forms the school provides and mail it
or you can apply online at www.insuremykids.com
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Head Injury Policy
Healthy Snacks
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.
Since we started a healthy snacks
campaign last year, we noticed a
reduction in the number of students
coming to school with soda pop and
“energy drinks” like Red Bull. Red Bull
is banned in several countries
because of its adverse health effects.
One can contains 80 mg of caffeine and 8 oz. of sugar
and will increase hyperactivity. One can of pop contains
enough sugar to negatively affect the pancreas and
increase weight and energy levels.
Student Birthdays
When a student has a birthday, we
give them a WHAT WOULD JESUS
DO BRACELET.
Students with
birthdays have their names called during the morning
announcements as well.
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.
Dropping off Lunches
Lunches should be dropped off between 12:00 PM and
12:30 PM. Parents will label the lunch with the student and
teacher’s name. Parents can simply place their child’s lunch
in the appropriate class basket. A class runner will deliver
the lunches to the classrooms. Student helpers can earn
volunteer hours delivering the lunches.
Note that priority will be given to dealing with office and
student needs not answering the new front doorbell, so
if you choose to drop lunches and other materials off late,
you will need to exercise patience. Thank you in advance.
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.
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Twitter: @GAngelsschool
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!
Kiss & Ride Drop Off and Pick Up
It is important when you are dropping
off your child in the morning that you
enter the Kiss and Ride lane and
proceed to end of the lane before
allowing your child to get out of
the car. Students must exit from the
right hand side of the car (closest to
the school) and parents should
remain in the car. Parents may then
enter the “drive thru” lane to exit the
parking lot.
At the end of the day or at lunch, if you are pulling into the
Kiss and Ride lane, please do NOT leave your car. Drivers
have received tickets from the Municipality for this. If you
need to come into the school, you must park on one of the
local side streets, or in the spots at the front of the school,
do NOT park in the side lot as moving traffic is
dangerous to children at this location. These rules are
enforced and you could be fined if not abiding by
Brampton’s By-laws.
If walking your child to school in the morning or picking them
up at the end of the day, parents are asked to remain either
behind the black fence by the parking lot, on the path
closest to the school, or on the perimeter of the school
pavement. This is for your child’s safety, as teachers on
duty cannot distinguish parents from “strangers” in the yard
with such a large school. NOTE: parents are responsible for
arranging to pick up their child on time at the end of the day.
Students from grade 2 to 8 are released at their exit door.
Kindergarten and Gr 1 students ONLY are released from
the Kindergarten fenced yard. Those parents must pull
up to the Kiss and Ride curb and their child will come
to them. A teacher will be on duty to assist.
Only bus students exit at the end of the day through the
front doors. Students walking with siblings are asked to
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
have a meeting spot at the back of the school. Please meet
your child at the back or wait in the Kiss and Ride.
take notes, do mind-maps, play math games or use a
calculator, record themselves ‘jamming’ in music, reading
e-books or PDFs or simply doing research on a topic or
looking something up immediately. The device has
become for many of the pupils an organic part of their
schoolwork.
Thank you for your cooperation for student safety.
Kiss & Ride: Once it Snows
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Interactivity is key to pupil learning. Because of its
portable nature, it is possible for pupils to use the tablet
outside the classroom, and it is often used to film, audio
record and take pictures. Pupils describe this as a
valuable break from the classroom. This is supported by
teachers who describe giving the class a task and almost
all students disappearing out of the room to solve it;
teachers are happy that pupils take this initiative.
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Enabling pupils to have their own device means that
teachers no longer need to be concerned about booking
computer lab but can integrate the tablet lab into their
own classroom.
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Having variety in how pupils’ access and present
information was found to especially benefit those pupils
who had previously struggled with their schoolwork. It
gave them more choice and flexibility in how they solve a
task, as well as making it easier for them to organize their
work as the tablet has ‘everything in one place’
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There also appears to be a great advantage in tablet use
for special needs children. Teachers often note how
special needs pupils were able to improve their level of
communication and involvement in schoolwork through
using a tablet.
Once it snows, several difficulties arise:
 Narrowing streets and fewer spots to park
 Fewer parking spots for staff
 More cars and a busier Kiss and Ride
While it is easy to understand the frustration experienced by
drivers, the By-laws remain the same. As we instituted
changes last year, Kiss and Ride enter and exit times
averaged 15-20 minutes. It slowly improved over the winter
to about 8 minutes; quite efficient.
What can WE do to help make things better once the
snow starts?
1. Encourage your kids to walk when possible.
2. Park on adjacent streets. Avoid Heatherdale if possible.
3. Consider not entering the Kiss and Ride…drop your kids
off by the sidewalk and they can walk the remaining few
feet, allowing you to drive away.
4. Car pool…fewer cars saves gas, is faster and helps the
environment.
5. If your address qualifies, have your children take the
school bus.
6. If you must drive, arrive before 9 AM and avoid the rush.
7. Do not get out of your car. That will just make things
much slower and frustrate the drivers behind you.
8. Wait your turn to get to the Kiss and Ride curb and your
child will come to you.
9. Finally – be patient, please.
THANK YOU!
Technology & Curriculum
Our move to enhance classroom teaching and learning has
included an infusion of Smartboard and tablets. Here are
some findings of tablet uses in the classroom:
Benefits to Pupils
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Tablets are used across all subject areas and in a variety
of creative ways by pupils: to make presentations or films,
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Twitter: @GAngelsschool
“Those children who really struggle with writing…where
one sentence would be a whole hour’s work for them,
they’re able to access so much more.”
Bring Your Own Devices to School – SOON
21st century learning broadens the
walls of our classrooms. With
advances in communication and
information technologies, teachers,
students
and
parents
are
increasingly using a variety of
electronic devices for learning and
communicating.
Students are
reminded that all forms of communication while at school
are to be respectful and in accordance with the Catholic
Code of conduct.
While electronic devices can be powerful educational tools,
we will continue to expect that communication during school
time will not involve taking pictures, texting or phone calling.
If you need to speak to your child during school hours please
do not hesitate to call the school. Similarly, if your child
needs to speak to you at any time during the school day, the
school will make every effort to contact you.
Students will be allowed to bring devices to school, for the
purposes of aiding their learning however, it will be utilized
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
at the discretion of their teacher during appropriate times of
the day. We anticipate this coming into effect next year
sometime. We will let you know when we are given approval
to move forward with it.
Traffic Calming Bumps
To help make our Kiss and Ride safer,
three traffic-calming speed bumps
were installed. One was placed at the
entrance of the driveway. One at the
stop sign and one in the bus drive
through. The lines directing traffic were
repainted to clearly define traffic flow.
The harsh winter made Kiss and Ride
a challenge. While we cannot do anything about the narrow
streets, we can keep traffic flowing if everyone follows the
staffs’ direction and uses Kiss and Ride as a drop off lane,
and not a parking lane.
Junior Boys Volleyball
Mon. Oct, 27
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Election day – try not to drive to the school
Tues. Oct. 28
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Living Our Faith Award @ 9:30 AM Grs K-4
Wed. Oct. 29
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School Council @ 6:30 PM
Individual student picture retake and missed
class picture day
Thurs. Oct. 30
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Living Our Faith Award @ 9:30 AM Grs 5-8
Fri. Oct. 31
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Halloween Dance
Wed. Nov. 5
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Brampton A’s BBall team assembly @ 9:30
Thurs. Nov. 6
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Hepatitis B. and Meningitis immunization for
grades 7 and 8 students
Tues. Nov. 11
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Remembrance Day Liturgy @ 9:30 AM
Progress Reports go home
Thurs. Nov. 13
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Rosary Apostolate visiting all classes
Parent Interview Night
Thurs. Nov. 20
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Fire Drill
Fri. Nov. 21
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Santa Pictures in the AM
Mon. Nov. 24
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LOF awards for grades K-4 @ 9:30 AM
Wed. Nov. 26
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School Council mtg @ 6:30 PM
Thurs. Nov. 27
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See/Hear testing clinic
Fri. Nov. 28
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LOF awards for grades 5-8 @ 9:30 AM
Lock Down Drill
Two, Four, Six, Eight Who Do
We Appreciate?
Angels ,,, AH AH ... Angels
Go Angels!!!
On October 10th, our Junior
Girls Volleyball Team participated in a mini
tournament held at St. Anne's. The girls were up
against four other teams. The competition was
tight. Throughout the day, there was consistent
serving and many exciting rallies. The girls put forth
an
excellent
effort
and
displayed
good sportsmanship. Coaches Eng and Fournier
thank the girls for showing their true Angel spirits. The
team members are; Akua A., Victoria I., Elissa J.,
Catherine J., Alexandra L., Ayesha M., Phylicia M.,
Cassidy M., Mayode O. and Paige W. Well done
girls!!
Tentative Upcoming Dates
Read our newsletter!
Answer the following question and you can help
your child win a free pizza lunch, courtesy of
Mr. Cassar and Mrs. Thompson.
WHAT TWO ITEMS ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO BE A PART OF
HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AT
GUARDIAN ANGELS SCHOOL?
Answer: _______________________________
Child’s Name: __________________________
Teacher: ______________________________
Parents are welcome to join us for any of the events below.
Please contact the school ahead of time to confirm times
and dates.
Mon. Oct. 20

School Mass (Thanksgiving, New School
Year, Guardian Angels Feast Day) @ 9:30
Tues. Oct. 21

Fire Drill
Wed. Oct. 22
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Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Peel Police Presentations
Thurs. Oct. 23
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Peel Police Presentations
Fri. Oct. 24

Peel Police Presentations
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Date: _________________________________
Please return to Ms. McGee ASAP.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Fundraising Makes It All Possible
Fundraising helped support many student activities. Thank you for
your support!
Living Our
Faith Awards
DJs for
dances
French
Cafe,
Carnivale
and Me to
We.
Smart
Boards and
Computers
Buses and
taxis for
teams and
clubs
Soccer &
baseball
teams
Birthday
Bracelets/
New
Student
Welcome
Hockey &
Volleyall
teams
Music/
Drama/Art
initiatives
Basketball
& Dance
teams
Fundraising
Subsidizes:
Craft Club,
Chess Club
and Track
& Field
Guest
Speakers &
Workshops
Play Day,
The Choir,
Black
History
Events
FOLLOW US:
Sports
Uniforms &
Tournament
Fees
21st Century
Classroom
Environment
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
The
Library:
Books &
Equipment
The
Sacrament
sand
Graduation
Student
Council /
The
Guitar
Club
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL