December 2015 Edition
Principal
Merry Christmas!!
Mr. M. Cassar
Thank you to the Guardian Angels
community for supporting our chocolate
fundraiser. Because of your generous
support, we will be able to accomplish a
number of key goals including:
Vice Principal
Mrs. M. Thompson
Head Secretary

Installing our final Smartboard. We now
have one in every class

Booking performers and assemblies for
Black History Month
Ms. S. McGee
Assistant Secretary
Mrs. M. Kelly

School Council Chair
Mrs. A. Saunders-Georges
GuardianAngelsCSC@Gmail.com
or on Twitter @GASchoolCouncil
Engaging our grades 5-7 students in a
leadership building course through
Orlando Bowen’s One Voice One Team
program

Support of volleyball, basketball, craft
club, art club, soccer and chess teams
in their attendance at tournaments.
Mrs. S. Steer

Support our students on the School
Council and Eco Schools committees
Ward 6 Trustee

Subsidizing school trips
Mr. D. D’Souza
905-890-1211

Refurbish the school chapel so that
classes can host their own liturgy….and
so much more.
Superintendent
Parish Team
The Meaning of Christmas
Father Jan Gogolewski
Guardian Angels Parish
(905) 970 – 9175
The roots of the word “Christmas” involve two
kinds of liberation:
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.
“Christ” was born of the Latin term for a Mashiah.
Mashiah refers to a divine saviour. “The Messiah”
was the promised “liberator” or savior of the
people. That liberator aspect is why Jesus was
crucified. Crucifixion was used only on those
convicted of sedition or rebellion against Roman
rule. The tail end of Christmas is a slightly
shortened version of the Christian sense of
“mass,” which comes from the Latin “missa” =
dismissal, or release
School Council Meeting
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
@ 6:30 pm
Held in the library. Please join us!
All parents are welcome.
GRADES K to 3/4
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Tuesday, December 15 and
Wednesday, December 16
@ 7:00 PM
DOORS OPEN AT 6:30 PM
Please bring a new unwrapped toy to
support Peel Police’s Toys for Tots.
A schedule has been sent home with
all students.
IMMUNIZATIONS AND ILLNESSES
Please make sure you update your
child’s immunization records with
Peel Health to avoid complications
with attendance at school.
Also, please report to the office
immediately if your child contracts
lice, measles, mumps or any other
communicable illness. Keep your
children at home if they are ill.
Thank you…
To those parents who access our
Kiss and Ride …for staying in your
car and not leaving it unattended. It
the traffic moving..
Please refrain from park in the
parking spaces designated for
Handicapped accessibility. It’s is a
$500 fine. .
Continued on next page…
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Continued from page 1…
It likely derives from the end of the Eucharist service “Ite,
missa est,” which means "Go, (the prayer) has been sent."
It marked the liberation of the masses from the service
(eucharist itself means thanksgiving).
So while the word Christmas generally means ‘Christ our
Saviour and liberator’, we can often get caught up in the
busyness of shopping for gifts and planning for parties. Our
Catholic traditions of Christmas lights, Christmas trees and
gifts, all resound from one fact: that we celebrate the ONE
gift that God gave mankind: Jesus. Everything else is
secondary. Merry Christmas to you all!
School Hours
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
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.
From Our School Council Chair
An election was held last Council meeting and your
2015/2016 Catholic School Council team for this year is:
Chairperson:……………………Arlene Saunders Georges
and accompanying teachers
and students on school trips.
Parents serve on School
Council and organize school
events. Parents’ involvement at
GA makes all the difference to
building our tight knit school
community. To all our parent volunteers-thank you for the
fun, respect and team-spirit in the way you work to serve the
needs of students at Guardian Angels!
Santa Pictures
Santa Picture Day was held on November 27, 2015 and as
usual, it was a lot of fun! Thank you parents for bringing out
the kids for a morning of sheer joy. We are grateful for our
team of parent volunteers Kimberlee Rizun-Glynn, Jennifer
Estavao, Yasamin Hana, Daniela Cordi-Nardi, Susieniha
Pacheco and Paula Correia for their dedication to the
success of this fun and festive activity.
Sub Lunch Treat
On December 1, 2015 we successfully
launched our first Mr. Sub Day Lunch Treat.
Students enjoyed a delicious lunch treat and
great service from Mr. Sub. Look out for our next Mr. Sub
Day in January or February 2016! Great teamwork by parent
volunteers- Susieniha Pacheco, Lori Saroli and Bradley
Georges, who ensured this event came off smoothly!
A Pillar of Support!
Our dedicated Office Managers, Ms. McGee and Mrs. Kelly
are always ready to help us in our mission as School
Council, and you will hear her say “we are one community…
all for the students”. Thank you Ms. McGee and Mrs. Kelly
for always going the extra mile for School Council!
Samko and Miko Fundraiser
Once again, we had our Samko and Miko Fundraiser from
Nov 11-22, 2015. Thanks to all parents, teachers and
friends who supported the school with this fundraiser! Hats
off to our parent volunteer, Josephine Wilson, who
dedicatedly coordinated this project!
Treasurer: ................................... Nunzia Rositano
Secretary: ................................... Lori Saroli
Support from CCCSC- Central Committee for Catholic
School Council
Parish Representative:.............. Bradley Georges
OAPCE Representative:............ Danielle Cordi-Nardi
Members at Large: ..................... Nadia Arghittu
Teacher Representative: ........... Mrs. Parris
Non-Teaching Representative: Mrs. Sivasankaran
On November 7, 2015, parent members of school council
participated in webinar based training on roles and
responsibilities of council members. CCCSC continues to
play a strong training and supportive role in the
development of an effective school council. For more
information
on
CCCSC,
visit
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CCCSC
Parents Hold the Key!
Coming Soon!
GA parents are unstoppable! Thank you
parents for giving so generously of your
time, your talents and your treasure. Our
parents can be seen on any given day,
volunteering at the School Office,
assisting at lunch time, coordinating events at the school;
On December 15 & 16, 2015, we host the Snack Booth at
our school’s Christmas Recital. We invite you to enjoy
delicious cookies, popcorn, and other delightful snacks.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
In February 2016, we are once again having our Lenten
Shove Pancake Tuesday. Also taking place in February will
be our exciting Parent Engagement Night! Details to follow!
expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long
preparation for the Saviors first coming, the faithful renew
their ardent desire for His second coming.
We will continue to keep you abreast in a timely manner on
what’s happening, through our school’s website, Twitter,
email blasts, newsletters and school letters. Stay tuned!
The faithful reflect back and are encouraged to celebrate the
anniversary of the Lords first coming into this world. We
ponder again the great mystery of the incarnation when our
Lord humbled Himself, taking on our humanity, and entered
our time and space to free us from sin. On the other hand,
we recall in the Creed that our Lord will come again to judge
the living and the dead and that we must be ready to meet
Him.
A good, pious way to help us in our Advent preparation has
been the use of the Advent wreath. (Interestingly, the use of
the Advent wreathe was borrowed from the German
Lutherans in the early 1500s.) The wreath is a circle, which
has no beginning or end: So we call to mind how our lives,
here and now, participate in the eternity of Gods plan of
salvation and how we hope to share eternal life in the
Kingdom of Heaven. The wreathe is made of fresh plant
material, because Christ came to give us new life through
His passion, death, and resurrection. Three candles are
purple, symbolizing penance, preparation, and sacrifice; the
pink candle symbolizes the same but highlights the third
Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, when we rejoice
because our preparation is now half-way finished.
To join our mailing list or to contact us with comments,
questions
or
ideas,
please
email
us
at
GuardianAngelsCSC@gmail.com.
Our next school council meeting will be held on
January 20th 2015 in the Library. Please join us. All
parents are welcome!
This holiday season, we hope you will take the time to
remember the true meaning of Christmas and the joy of
spending it with family and loved ones; lending a hand to
someone who needs help, or volunteering at your local
charities.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from
your School Council!
Advent
The light represents Christ, who entered this world to scatter
the darkness of evil and show us the way of righteousness.
The progression of lighting candles shows our increasing
readiness to meet our Lord. Each family ought to have an
Advent wreath, light it at dinner time, and say the special
prayers. This tradition will help each family keep its focus on
the true meaning of Christmas. In all, during Advent we
strive to fulfil the opening prayer for the Mass of the First
Sunday of Advent: Father in Heaven, increase our longing
for Christ our Savior and give us the strength to grow in love,
that the dawn of His coming may find us rejoicing in His
presence and welcoming the light of His truth.
Living Our Faith & Catholic Virtues
The liturgical season of Advent marks the time of spiritual
preparation by the faithful before Christmas. Advent begins
on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew the
Apostle (Nov. 30). It spans four Sundays and four weeks of
preparation, although the last week of Advent is usually
truncated because of when Christmas falls.
The importance of this season remains to focus on the
coming of our Lord. Advent comes from the Latin adventus,
meaning coming. The Catechism stresses the two-fold
meaning of this coming : When the Church celebrates the
liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
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. Our next Living Our Faith Awards will take
place on:
Friday, January 29, 2016
Grades K-4 @ 9:30 AM
Grades 5-8 @ 11:00 AM
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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.
We will work hard to
demonstrate that we
are a people of Hope
and trust in God to
bless us with health
and happiness.
November: .....Conscience
December: .... Hope
January: .........Self-control
February: ...... Respect
March: ............Kindness
April: ............. Love
May:................Acceptance
June: ............. Fairness
New Confirmation Protocol
The Archdiocese has announced that moving forward;
the sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in grade
7. Our cohort this year will include a one time, grade 7
and 8 group. Details about this year’s Confirmation
process will be forthcoming, however the date is
Thursday, April 28 @ 7 PM at Guardian Angels Parish.
Parish Update from Bradley Georges –
School Council Parish Representative
Greetings to the school
community as we enter
one of the most important
periods in the Catholic
calendar and it is the start
of a new liturgical year.
The liturgical year begins with Advent where we prepare to
celebrate the arrival of our savior at Christmas. I urge that
we keep this season holy and spiritual and peace.
Christ the King
we rejoice in calling Christ our King. We owe him an
allegiance we would not give any other power on this earth.
Remembrance of the Faithful - Martyrs
Through missionaries in the 16th century and continuing until
1886, the Vietnamese people heard the message of the
Gospel, and many accepted the Christian Faith despite
being persecuted and even killed. Saint Andrew Dung-Lac
and Peter Thi, both Vietnamese Priests were beheaded on
December 21, 1839. They were canonized and are saints of
the Church.
St. Catherine was born into Alexandrian nobility in the 4th
century. She is the Patron Saint of Librarians, Teachers and
Students. St. Catherine was a well-educated person and
learned about the Christian Faith from the successors of
Pantaenus of Alexandria and his disciple St. Clement.
Despite the persecution of Christians by Emperor Maximus
II. She threw her support behind the persecuted Church and
condemned the actions of the tyrant Maximus the II. After a
period in exile she converted to Christianity for which she
was tortured to renounce the faith and was eventually
martyred.
Lord Jesus Christ you gave Saints Andrew and his
companions and Saint Catherine the grace and strength to
withstand all pain and suffering. By their Martyrdom, may
we like them remain constant in faith. Amen
Parish News
Confessions in Preparation for Christmas – will take place
on:
Wednesday, December 16th from 9.30 a.m. - 11.30 a.m.
and from 4 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.
We have entered the new Liturgical year, the first Sunday of
Advent and it takes us through all the mysteries of God’s
divine plan for our salvation.



John the Baptist’s call for repentance
The Birth of Jesus
The suffering and Crucifixion and Ascension
To name a few
Fundraising for the Church
We wish to thank all bakers who slaved over hot stoves and
ovens and baked for our bake sale. Thanks also goes to the
volunteers who pitched in and also to those who purchased.
The efforts of all were highly appreciated.
Come Out and Join the Youth Choir!
The Choir needs you! Email Guadianangelschoirs@
gmail.com. Ricky is waiting to hear from YOU!
We need voices for our children/young people’s choir! If you
love to sing and would like to sing for the glory of God, ask
your parents for permission to join our choir and have them
speak directly to Ricky. You will have a good time!
The new Liturgical calendar began on November 23rd and
we are in preparation for our great feast. On this great feast
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Masses
Celebration
Advent Mass
Date and Time
Location
Friday, December 11 Guardian Angels
@ 9:30 AM
School
Advent Confessions Thurs., December 10 Guardian Angels
@ 9:30 AM
School
Mrs. Gallant
@MrsGallantAtGA
Ms. Wajzer
@MsWajzerGA
School Council
@GASchoolCouncil
Mrs. Galifi
@lgalifi
New Year Mass
Friday, January 8
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
GA Eco Team
@GAecoteam
Ash Wednesday
Liturgy
Wednesday,
February 10
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Ms. Yarra
@MlleYarraGr5
Lenten Mass
Friday, March 4
9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Mrs. Thompson
@MrsTGA
Resurrection/ Easter
Mass
Friday, April 8
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Mrs. Petrusa
@MrsPetrusa
Crowning of Mary
Liturgy
May TBA
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Mr. Da Costa
@Gangels_6
Brampton West
Grade 8 Mass
Friday, June 10
@10am
Guardian Angels
School
Ms. El Choli
@ms-elcholi_GA
Year End Mass
Friday, June 17
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Mrs. Baker and Mrs.
Sivasankaran
@GAFDK102
Special Events
Date and Time
Location
First Reconciliation
Grade 2 , 7 and 8
Friday, April 22nd
@ 9:30 AM
Guardian Angels
School
Mrs. Valentini
@jvalentini1
Ms. Pileggi
@MsPileggi
Mrs. Sepe
MrsSepeGA
Mrs. Villamagna
and Mrs. Smith
@GAFDKRM104
Mrs. Insanic
@MrsInsanic
Mrs. Sanna
@GAngelesScience
Confessions for
Grade 3 to 8
Students
Thursday, December Guardian Angels
10
School
@ 9:30 AM
First Communion
Sunday, April 24th
@ 3:00 PM
Guardian Angels
Parish
First Communion
Parent Meeting
Sunday, November
29th @ 1 PM
Guardian Angels
Parish
Confirmation for
Grade 7 and 8
students
Thursday, April 28 @ Guardian Angels
7 PM
Parish
Confirmation
Meeting for Parents
Sunday, December
13 @ 1 PM
Guardian Angels
Parish
ORLANDO BOWEN
Follow Us On Twitter and the Web
Mr. Cassar
@GAngelsschool
Mrs. Gibson Power
@MrsGP_GA
Mrs. Commisso
@GACommisso
Mrs. D’Armi Fetz
/Ms. Medeiros
@GAFDK103
Mrs. Parris
@MrsParris_GA
Mrs. Sousa
Ms. Galos
@MrsSousaGA
@MsGalos
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Orlando and his team brought the
“S.W.O.L.E™” school program to
Guardian Angels and in particular,
our grades 5 to 6/7 classes.
Students were engaged in a
series of cognitive activities
designed
to
teach
five
leadership principles, Selfrespect,
Work
hard,
Overcoming
adversity,
Lead
by
example, Excellence. Staff served as role models and
supportive mentors to empower, train and coach youth on
how to apply what they’ve learned into their families, school
and communities. Our school mission of delivering
RESPECT everywhere we go was supported as students
built relationship with each other to make our school
community even better! Thanks to Orlando and his team!
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Tiauana C.
Meaghan B.
Joshua P.
CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER
We kicked off our fall
fundraising in September.
These
fundraising
events
generate funds that support
initiatives
within
the
school. Monies raised through
fundraising help provide new
gym
equipment,
math
resources for the classroom,
guest artists and subsidizes the
costs of trips and school sports teams – uniforms,
referees and busses. Thank you for your support by
selling a box of chocolates. We had fabulous prizes this
year including an Apple IPhone 6!
We placed a renewed effort to bring curriculum up to
speed and focus on student achievement. Our goal in
this regard was to bring Guardian Angels’ EQAO scores
up and to promote students as learners in a global
community. We fundraised to support technology in the
classrooms and to support extracurricular activities.
# of
Boxes
Student
Prize
8
Dante T.
iPhone 6
7
McKenna C
X Box One
6
Tiago D.
iPod Touch
6
Matthew J.
iPod Touch
6
Antonio M.
iPad Air
5
Malahki P.
Portugal Soccer Jersey
5
Jeremiah H.
Mountain Bike
5
Malory S.
Toys and Games
5
Breanna A.
Raptors Jersey
5
Kristen S.
Toys and Games
4
Isabella N.
Leaf’s Tickets
4
Adjei M.
Toys and Games
4
Milushka Z.
Toys and Games
4
Justin L.
Toys and Games
2
Makayla M.
Olivia P.
Alexander M.
Jasmine E.
Chris R.
Joshua D.
Lauryn P.
Katelyn B.
Zachary C W.
Matthew C.
Parcy F.
Ayesha M.
Natasha D.
Trevon M.
Shaniya L-T.
Toys and Games
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 or police lunches. Wow butter can cause students
will anaphylaxis conditions to be quite anxious if it’s in their
presence. We are requesting that WOW BUTTER lunches
are not sent to school.
Socks N’ Mitten Drive
Guardian Angels School will be conducting a Sock n’ Mitts
Drive until December 15th, 2015. All items collected will be
donated to two charities: Knights Table and New Circles which serves the needs of people dealing with issues of
poverty and homelessness.
To support this fundraiser, we ask
that families send in socks and/or
mittens
to
their
child(ren)s
teacher(s). So far, we have
collected almost 900 pairs! Well
done Guardian Angels! Keep them
coming!
Our Parish Team
3
Madeline K.
Jasmine E.
Emma A.
Adam H.
FOLLOW US:
Toys and Games
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
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!
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Progress Reports and Interviews
School Security Protocol
Thank you to those parents who were able to attend ParentTeacher-Student interviews in November. If you were not
able to make it and would like to speak to your child’s
teacher, please contact the school.
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, near the
front 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.
Raptor’s Choir
On Tuesday April 5, 2016, our choir
will sing the National Anthem at the
ACC for the Toronto Raptor’s game.
THIS IS THE LAST TIME OUR CHOIR
WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE
ACC! We have only 300 tickets
available for the game and we have
been completely sold out for two years running. Tickets will
be $30 once again (no increase in three years) and
available on a first come first serve basis. More information
to follow.
Kindergarten Registration For Sept. 2016
Registration for Kindergarten for the 2016-17 school year,
will take place on:
Monday, January 25, 2016.................7 p.m. – 9 p.m.*
Tuesday, January 26, 2016................9 a.m. – 3 p.m
Wednesday, January 27, 2016 ..........9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Thursday, January 28, 2016 ..............9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Friday, January 29, 2016 ...................9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
* Snow Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For more information about registration and the Kindergarten
program, call 905-595-0909 or visit www.dpcdsb.org.
Confessions for Grades 3-8 Students
To help our students prepare for the
coming of the Advent season, Father
Jan will be at Guardian Angels
school on Thursday, December 10th,
to hear confession for all baptized
students from grades 3-8.
The classroom teacher will help
students prepare for the sacrament by reviewing what the
children should say when they enter the confessional, by
helping reflect on the weaknesses and challenges we all
face. Please note that only students who are baptized
Catholic and have received the sacrament of Reconciliation
will participate in this celebration.
CHRISTMAS VACATION
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Samko and Miko Toy and Book Sale
On behalf of Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School’s
Parent Council and volunteers we would like to express our
sincere gratitude to all of the parents, relatives, friends and
co-workers who participated in this year’s Samko & Miko
Toy and Book Warehouse Fall Sale which ran from
November 11th to November 22nd, 2015.
A special thanks to Mrs. Thompson who purchased all of the
toys from Samko & Miko which were distributed to the
children whose names were selected from the Chocolate
fundraiser held back in the Fall; also, a special thanks to Mr.
Cassar for providing the funds from the school’s budget to
purchase the toys in the first place.
We raised a total amount of $ 86.17 (10% of total sales
before applicable taxes) with everybody’s contributions from
this sale. The money raised from this fundraiser will be used
to support our Guardian Angels Catholic School Council’s
initiatives at the school.
For those parents who have purchased a new unwrapped
toy or book in support of our Peel Police Toys for Tots
drive, please remember to bring it with you on the
night(s) of our Primary Grades Christmas Concert
which will be held on Tuesday, December 15, 2015 and
Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. All toys and
books can be dropped off in the white basket in the front
foyer of the school for your convenience.
Please watch out for the next Samko & Miko Spring Sale
which begins on March 5th to March 20th, 2015 for 16 days
only at their two locations in Etobicoke and Richmond Hill.
Our school will be signing up for the Spring Sale next year
when a huge new selection of toys, games and books will
be available for the March Break!
Once again, we would like to thank you all for your continued
support for all of our fundraising events.
to Sunday, January 3, 2016
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
We Believe in Our Students!
The latest edition to the art work that adorns the once barren
hallways at Guardian Angels comes in the form of our
growth mindset. Our students can achieve, they can believe
in themselves and they can be successful!
concerns, please contact us. Thank you for supporting us as
we support your child.
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:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/GANGL Thanks to Mrs. Gallant for
up-keeping the website.
Pizza Days
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 to Ms. McGee and all the
student runners as well as all of
our parent and student volunteers for supporting this
initiative. Domino’s is our pizza supplier. Their pizza meets
the Ministry of Health’s, Healthy Food Guidelines.
Volunteers
Don’t Bring Valuables to School
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, toys, etc., should
be kept at home. “Wheelie shoes” and “Bey Blades” are not
allowed at school.
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
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
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. Di Muzio, 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.
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.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL












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.
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.
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 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 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
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.
If your child requires medication, please have all pertinent
forms completed and returned with the medication to the
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Lunches should be dropped off before 12:00 PM for
kindergarten students and between 12:00 PM and 12:30
PM for all other students. Parents please 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.
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Note that priority will be given to dealing with office and
student needs, not answering the 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.
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
have a meeting spot at the back of the school. Please meet
your child at the back or wait in the Kiss and Ride.
Thank you for your cooperation for student safety.
Healthy Snacks
Kiss & Ride: Once it Snows
Since we started a healthy snacks
campaign two years, 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.
Once it snows, several difficulties
arise:
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
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
 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!
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Technology & Curriculum
“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 DEVICE TO SCHOOL
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.
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



Tablets are used across all subject areas and in a variety
of creative ways by pupils: to make presentations or films,
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.
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.
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.
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’


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.
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
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 are allowed to bring devices to school, for the
purposes of aiding their learning however, it will be utilized
at the discretion of their teacher during appropriate times of
the day.
From Ms. Galos’ Grade 7 Class
Written by Alexandra L. and Ayesha M.
Can you believe that Christmas is
almost here when it seems as though
the school year has barely begun? We
can almost smell the gingerbread in
Room 214, especially when we look at
the decorations we are busy finishing for the
Christmas concert.
Grade 7 seems much harder than Grade 6, but we still need
a balance of work and fun activities and we get that in our
class and school. We have lots of athletes in 7A, and many
of us participate in and support the sports teams at
Guardian Angels. The sports’ season got off to a good start
with a teacher vs student soccer game in early October. GA
also introduced its first coed flag football team, which
finished its tournament with 3rd place.
We don’t just have great soccer, football and volleyball
players, we also have amazing dancers. Our teacher often
gives up her lunch period so we can enjoy “Just Dance” at
recess. And, we also showcase our artistic talents by
displaying our work (cartoon self-portraits, illuminated
letters) in the hallway outside our classroom.
To show our community spirit, we take part in book buddies
on Fridays – and read to a group of adorable Kinders. Last
Friday, we helped them write their letters to Santa.
Recently, we had a great hands-on science workshop, in
which we used Lego to build wind turbines. We learned a lot
and had a great time. Who knew we had so many budding
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
engineers among us? The school year got off to a great start
and we hope that there will be many more memorable
moments yet to come!
“When you enter Guardian Angels School, you are
mathematicians, you are scientists, you are authors, you are
explorers, you are readers, you are thinkers . . . you are
creators, you are followers of Christ. You are the reason we
are here.”
Mrs. D’Armi-Fetz and Ms. Medeiros’ Class
Wow! It's hard
to believe how
quick
three
months have
flown by. The
children have
been
very
busy and learning new things every day. In our class, we
are learning our letters and letter sounds and practicing
writing in our journals. We are also learning our numbers
and how to work with ten-frames. We love our math area
and working with our math manipulatives, especially the
snap cubes and links, to make patterns and to sort by colour
and size.
The students have been very interested in learning about
dinosaurs and animals. We love our visits with our reading
buddies and look forward to their visit every Friday. Thanks
to our reading buddies for helping us write our letters to
Santa, we have mailed them off and we are so excited to
receive our letters from Santa. We are looking forward to
celebrating Christmas and we can't wait to sing our
Christmas songs at the concert in front of our family and
friends! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @GAFDK103.
Ms. Wajzer’s Grade 7 & 8 Class
These
past
three months in
Ms. Wajzer’s
Grade
7/8
class
have
been fun-filled and educational. We have been working
hard in all subject areas and on various assignments and
projects. What is awesome about our class is that the grade
7s and 8s are always collaborating with each other and
working together to achieve a goal! We have been focusing
on setting goals for ourselves and finding strategies to
achieve these goals. Recently in Math, we have been
working on the Patterning unit. We are learning how to
identify, predict, and represent patterns in multiple ways. In
Science, the Grade 7s have been learning about
ecosystems and the Grade 8s have been learning about
cells and organisms.
The virtue for November was Conscience and our class
reflected on this virtue through a variety of activities such as
creating poems, prayers and drama skits. These activities
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
have helped everyone understand the importance of making
good choices in our daily lives. This month we let our
creativity flow through our cubism Art project and creating
movie posters based on our book club novels. And
speaking of creativity and colour, we’ve been decorating our
classroom for Christmas! It’s pretty early, but our classroom
has been feeling festive! Overall, these past few months
have been busy, but we haven’t forgotten to fit a little bit of
fun in there!
Our class would like to wish everyone a very Merry
Christmas!
Ms. Pileggi’s Grade 1 Class
Currently, in our grade one
class we are learning how to
identify and
classify 3dimensional figures and 2dimensional shapes! We have
begun to learn about the letter
writing process and are excited
to write our letters to Santa in the North Pole! We will begin
the week of Advent by creating our own Advent wreaths and
celebrating the virtue of hope. We look forward to decorating
our angels with our hope for the Advent season.
Mrs. Eng’s Grade 2 Class
The children
are
busy
practicing our
song for the
Christmas
concert. They get so excited about performing for their
families and the entire school. I hope everyone can make
it. Our performance is on Wednesday, December 16th at
7:00 p.m. Students can be dropped off to the classroom at
6:30. We will have a full dress rehearsal in front of the school
in the afternoon on Tuesday, December 15th. If possible, I
would like the children to dress up for the concert (bright
colours, dresses, shirts and ties, etc…).
The children were very interested in our study of the saints.
Many of them further inquired at home and enjoyed sharing
the information they learned with all of us. They were
especially excited learning about the saints that have the
same name as them.
December is an extremely busy month, with many events
going on. Please check the calendar for special dates.
Thank you so much for all the lovely warm socks and
mittens that have been donated. We greatly appreciate
your generosity.
We are finishing up our fairy tale unit and moving onto
connections in Reading. We really liked discussing fairy tale
plots. Continue to have your child read and retell stories at
home. We enjoyed having Mr. Cassar join us for a Math
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
lesson on sorting. The students were excited and able to
share their understanding of sorting a variety of
manipulatives with 2 attributes. They also demonstrated
their ability to communicate and work together during the 3
part Math lesson. We are now learning to show and
understand information on a variety of graphs.
making as it fosters collaborative learning, growth, and
confidence. We are wrapping up our Data Management
unit. We also began our Inferring and Persuasive Writing
unit in Language. We can't wait to foster more growth
and learning in the New Year. A big Merry Christmas & a
Happy New Year 2016 from Ms. Yarra's Class!
We are trying our hardest to be on our best behavior as we
prepare for the season of Advent. We are trying to listen
more carefully, use kind words and be more helpful at home
and at school. We are enjoying reading and hearing all the
bible stories around the First Christmas. Here is a prayer
we wrote as a class.
Mr. DaCosta’s Grade 6 Class
Dear God,
Thank you for your son, Jesus.
As we wait to celebrate his birthday,
Help us to be more like him.
Help us to be kind. We will try to be more helpful at home
by listening to our parents.
We will try to be more respectful by using kind words. Help
us to love one another as Jesus did. Amen
Ms. Yarra’s Grade 5 Class
This month is all about the
Christmas spirit. Christmas is a
time to celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. 'Tis the season of
great joy and celebrating God's
love for us. Our class is
participating in the Orlando
Bowen initiative at the Knights
Table. We are collecting nonperishable food items for families
who may be experiencing difficult
times during this Christmas
season. When we "seize the
opportunity" and "don't let
dreams just be dreams" it starts
with "believing in yourself and
always helping others" - a discussion our class had
around the importance of building community in and
outside of the classroom.
On Monday, December 7 we will have the opportunity to
deliver our food items at the Knights Table. We are
excited to participate in this very humbling experience.
Phylicia, along with her dance academy, was also
featured on The Ellen Degeneres show on December 4.
This is a great example of seizing the opportunity and to
work hard for your dreams! Check out @mlleyarragr5 on
Twitter to view a snippet of her famous video on Ellen!
Ms. Yarra's class also continues to integrate technology
into our 21st century classroom.
We are slowly introducing paperless lessons during 3part math by using iPads, PEDs, and graphing sites. Our
students also love our 21st century classroom-in-the-
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
As 2015 comes to an end, the grade 6
students in room 202 are just getting
started taking giant leaps forward in their
lives as learners, citizens, and
responsible community members. Mr.
DaCosta and his class are so lucky to
have had the pleasure to work with
former CFL great Orlando Bowen.
Together we have learned about the importance of
responsibility, respect, and hard work not just in the
classroom, but in life as well. This month we will consolidate
the experience with a visit to the Knight’s Table, delivering
donations of food that we have collected. We are so
thankful to have had the experience of working with the One
Voice One Team Initiative.
Our classroom continues to swell with great learning from
the opportunity to use technology as a medium to
investigate and inquire about our topics of study. Be sure
to follow us on twitter @GAngels_6 to see some of the great
work we continue to produce.
We wish the whole Guardian Angels community Hope,
Peace, and Love this Christmas season.
Scientists In The School
We were very fortunate this year to have the students in
Grades 1-3 participate in Scientists in School workshops.
Scientists in School has inspired elementary students and
teachers to explore and investigate science, technology,
engineering, math and the environment through fun
workshops where students become the scientists.
The workshops are inquiry-based and hands-on and help to
develop critical thinking, problem-solving and teamwork
skills. The community-based presenters are scientific and
technical experts who have extensive experience working
with children. The students really enjoyed the workshops
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
and have inspired some future scientists! Thanks to Mrs.
Sanna for organizing this initiative. The cost of this program
was covered by our Chocolate fundraising efforts.
Young Engineering Minds
The
students
in
Grades 4-8 were
able to participate
in an innovative
workshop called
Young
Engineering
Minds.
Young
Engineering
Minds
provides
project-based
programs designed
to teach principles
and methods of engineering to children. The program is
created by Professional Engineers to incorporate Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math principles. The students
were very engaged and showed remarkable problemsolving skills during the workshops. We definitely have
future engineers here at Guardian Angels! Thanks to Mrs.
Sanna for organizing this initiative. The cost of this program
was offset by our fundraising efforts.
http://www.ellentv.com/
videos/0-sh2ofg5z/
Tentative Upcoming Dates
Parents are welcome to join us for any of the events below.
Please contact the school ahead of time to confirm times
and dates.
Fri. Dec. 11

Advent Mass @ 9:30 AM
Tues. Dec. 15

Primary Christmas Concert
Wed. Dec. 16

Primary Christmas Concert
Thurs. Dec 17

Christmas Dance
Sat. Dec. 19

Christmas Vacation starts
Sun. Jan. 3

Christmas Vacation ends
Mon. Jan. 4

School starts
Fri. Jan. 8

New Year’s Mass @ 9:30 AM
Mon. Jan. 11

Immunization clinic
Thurs. Jan. 14

Rosary Apostolate in the school
Mon. Jan. 18

PD Day. No school for students
Tues. Jan. 19

Aussie X Football running clinics
Wed, Jan. 20


Aussie X Football running clinics
School Council Mtg @ 6:30 pm
Thurs. Jan. 21

Aussie X Football running clinics
Mon. Jan. 25

JK registration from 7-9 PM
Fri. Jan. 29

Living Our Faith Awards
My Experience on The Ellen Show
Hi my name is Phylicia
Miller and I am 10 years
old, and I would like to
share with you my
experience on The
Ellen
DeGeneres
Show! You may know I love to dance and I am currently
dancing competitively at a hip hop school. One of my
dreams was to one day dance on The Ellen Show. Ellen
likes to dance and she always has young people showing
their talents. My dance teacher decided to make a video of
us dancing to Missy Elliot’s new song WTF (Where They
From).
A few days after the video was posted on YouTube, Missy
Elliot herself retweeted about the video. Next thing you
know Ellen invited us to dance on her show to promote her
new dance app called Chosen. As you can imagine, we all
were super excited and we couldn’t believe the awesome
news. With pleasure we accepted the invite. During
rehearsal we found out that Twitch (Ellen’s DJ) will be
dancing with us on the show. How cool is that!? Our
performance was a success. I hope one day I get to perform
for Ellen again. I always remind myself to never give up and
to continue doing what I love to do. As you never know
when an opportunity comes your way. This was such a
great experience!
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Don’t
forget to
bring a
new toy
to the
Christmas
concert
and help
make a
child’s
Christmas
special!
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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 type of donation are
parents asked to bring to the
Christmas Concert?
Answer: _______________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------
Child’s Name: __________________________
Chocolate fundraiser prize winners!
Teacher: ______________________________
Date: _________________________________
Please return to Ms. McGee ASAP.
“KODAK MOMENTS”
Pictured Around Guardian Angels
Showing off amazing work to Mr. Cassar
Remembrance Day Ceremonies
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
Living Our Faith Awards
Our amazing parent volunteers running the
Santa Christmas Pictures
Our Amazing Choir and their gift of Voice
FOLLOW US:
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL
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/
Volunteer
Appreciation
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:
Student
Council
Sports
Uniforms &
Tournament
Fees
21st Century
Classroom
Environment
Twitter: @GAngelsschool
Library:
Books &
Equipment
The
Sacraments
and
Graduation
Website: WWW.DPCDSB.ORG/GANGL