ST. DAVID OF WALES
DECEMBER 2013
Principal
B. Gillis
Secretary
J. Galloway
Once upon a time,
A long, long time ago.
Begins the story of a baby,
That most of you should know.
Trustee
Peter Ferreira
(416) 805-7110
Peter Ferreira@dpcdsb.org
His daddy's name was Joseph,
And Mary was His mom,
This babe was very special
He was God's only Son.
Superintendent
David Amaral
905.890.1221
Some angels came from heaven,
And they began to sing.
To the shepherds in the fields below,
"Glad tidings do we bring!"
PARISH
St. Martin of Tours
1290 McBride Lane
Mississauga, ON
L5C 1M8
905.279-5742
A bright star lit the heavens,
To light the magi's way,
To the baby in the manger
Who was born on Christmas day.
SCHOOL HOURS
Grades 1-8
8:45 -11:45
12:45-3:15
Grades JK-SK
8:45-11:15 or
12:45-3:15
St. David of Wales
4200 Beacon Lane
Mississauga, ON
L5M 2N6
905.848-4200
WebSite
http://www.dpcdsb.org/
DWALE
And all who gathered round Him,
Rejoiced and praised His birth.
For the babe, the King, named Jesus,
Is our Saviour here on earth!
On behalf of the staff of St. David of Wales Staff, I
extend our best wishes during this Christmas Season to
you and your family. We hope that you will be blessed
with the spirit and gifts of the first Christmas—peace,
love and goodwill toward all.
May the promise of Christmas help to show God’s
boundless love and may you be blessed with good
health, prosperity and happiness throughout the New
Year as we strive to work with you and for you in
providing excellence in Catholic Education in our community.
B. Gillis
Principal
PIZZA LUNCH WEDNESDAYS
ANGEL TREE (Outreach Program)
We sent out the pizza order forms for
January to March pizza dates. In order to
resume pizza lunches the first week back in
January 2014, we ask that parents/guardians
return the orders by the due date. Late
orders will not be accepted.
SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING
Our next School Council meeting will take place on
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 6:30 p.m. in the school
library. All are welcome to attend!
SETTING
EATING
THE
STANDARD
FOR
HEALTHY
A healthy mind depends on a healthy body. Students who
eat healthy food are better prepared to learn and are more
likely to succeed in school. Schools are now complying
with the Ministry’s new School Food and beverage Policy
that includes comprehensive nutrition standards. The policy
officially started in September, 2011. Please continue to
send healthy
snacks
and lunches
for your
What can you do to help families in our community enjoy the Spirit of Christmas?
Here’s how you can help…
a) Submit the permission form that was
sent home with your child and select the
age and gender of a child
b) Bring in an unwrapped gift or gift certificate to the school
by Wednesday, December 11th
c) An angel with your family name will be made and will be
hung on our tree.
MITTEN TREE AND FOOD DRIVE
Again this year we invite our students
to bring in new mittens, gloves, hats,
socks and slippers for our Mitten Tree.
We are also having our annual Christmas food drive at St. David of Wales in
order to meet the growing needs of our
local community. Please send any nonperishable foods or hygiene products with your child/ren.
Thank you for your ongoing compassion and generosity and
for encouraging our students to understand the meaning of
giving to all those in need. All proceeds will be given to our
families and items remaining will go to the St. Vincent de
Paul Society . Items will be picked up on Friday, December
13th. We thank you in advance for your generous contributions.
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S MASS SCHEDULE
Confessions for Parishioners: Thur sday, December 19th
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
RECONCILIATION
We congratulate all the students that celebrated their First
Reconciliation on Saturday, November 23rd. The celebration of the Sacrament of First Holy Communion will
be at masses between Saturday, April 26 at 10:30 a.m.
and Saturday, May 3rd at 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, May
4th at 2:00 p.m.
CONFIRMATION
Our Grade 8 Confirmation rehersal and confession will
be held on Thursday, April 24th.
The Confirmation will be held on Friday, April 25th at
St. Martin of Tours Church, 7:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve:
Tuesday, December 24th
5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m. &
12:00 midnight
Christmas Day:
Wednesday, December 25th
10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon
New Year’s Eve:
Tuesday, December 31st
5:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
New Year’s Day:
Wednesday, January 1st
10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon
FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION
ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY
Full day junior and senior kindergarten registration will take
place at St. David of Wales. Students who have attended
Junior Kindergarten at St. David of Wales during the
2013/2014 school year are not required to register again.
The Ministry of Education states that it is the responsibility of
each parent to ensure that his/her child be in attendance and at
scheduled activities on time and with the proper materials
required for full participation. At St. David of Wales School,
we teach children to be on time for their
scheduled classes. Regular and punctual
attendance on the part of the student is vital
to the process of learning. Students who are
habitually late or absent for class will miss
essential parts of the program. Also, when a
child is late, the entire class is disrupted and
program is affected for all. It is essential that
your child be punctual in order to achieve maximum success.
Please reinforce the importance of promptness with your
child. Should your child have a legitimate reason to be late or
absent at any time, please call the school or provide them with
a written note to assist us in appropriate follow-up. Frequent
late arrivals or absences will result in a letter home, and if
necessary an attendance conference.
Monday, January 27, 2014
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
January 29, 30, & 31, 2014
9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. & 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Snow Date:
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
JK—Children must be 4 years old by December 31, 2014
SK—Children must be 5 years old by December 31, 2014
Note both JK & SK are voluntary programs.
The parent/guardian should bring the following documents
when registering their children:
a) Proof of Age
b) Original Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate of Baptismal Certificate of other rite in communion with the
See of Rome (if the child has not been baptized, a letter
of counseling with the parish priest, to complete the
process will be accepted.
c) Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate of one parent
d) Updated immunization records
e) Proof of Canadian citizenship or of Landed Immigrant
status
f) Proof of address (utility bill, bank or credit card statement)
PHONE SYSTEM
To report a late or absence call (905) 848-4200
Press # 1 If you are calling to report your child’s
absence or if your child will be arriving
late
Press #0 To reach the main office
INTERMEDIATE GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
Congratulations to the Intermediate Girl’s Volleyball Team
for their extremely successful season. The girls tied for second place in our division. While they did not advance to the
playoff round, the girls were definitely among the top in
sportsmanship and class, both on the court and
off! Terrific job girls! Thanks to: Holly B.,
Julita G., Joanna S., Franka S., Isabel C., Kaitlin D., Amica A., Olivia P.
Coaches: K.
Barry, B. Lagac, & S. Gloutnez
INTERMEDIATE BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL
Congratulations to the Inter mediate Boys’
Volleyball Team on an extremely successful
season. The boys tied for second place in our division and
went on to play in the playoffs at the Mississauga South Family Tournament. While they did not advance, the boys are to
be commended for how well they represented our school!
Thank you for your hard work and dedication! Thanks to:
Jerod S., Sebastian M., Manny E., Justin N., Anthony W.,
Jabez M., Matthew P., & Nick S. Coaches: K. Barry, B.
Lagac, & S. Gloutnez
SCHOOL OPERATIONS
KISS ‘N RIDE
Inclement Weather
Please note that cars are not
to use the bus lane at any
time. Par ents/guar dians ar e
also asked to use our proper
Kiss ’N Ride lanes and not to
pull into the bus lanes.
During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption
of bus transportation and regular
school operations. A decision to
cancel school transportation
and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will
be announced on the following
radio and television stations: VIRGIN RADIO FM 99.9,
CFNY FM 102.1/AM640, CFRB AM 1010, FM Z103.5,
CHIN FM 100.7/AM1540, CITY PULSE, CHUM Am 1050,
CJCL AM 590, EZ ROCK FM 97.3, FM 93.1, CBC99.1,
GLOBAL NEWS, CFTR AM680, CHFI FM98.1, CJBC (FR)
AM860, FMQ107, and CTV.
We will be communicating one of four standard messages to
the radio stations. The four announcements and their effect
on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that
the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio
stations.)
Parents/guardians please do not leave your car unattended in
the Kiss “N Ride lanes at any point in the school day, most
especially at lunch time. If you are dropping off a lunch for
your child please park your car in a designated parking spot
or on the street. We ask that parents use extra caution when
using our Kiss “N Ride lanes in the winter months. Please
drive safely and take your time,. Our focus is always to keep
all of our students safe.
Please do not enter the parking lot through the exit. This
is very dangerous and the safety of our students is paramount.
We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
BUS RULES
Please review the following rules with your child(ren) if they
are transported by bus:
1. Listen to the driver.
1. “DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
2. Remain seated at all times
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING ST. ANDREW, ST.
3. Speak in conversational tones (no yelling)
BENEDICT AND ST PETER ELEMENTARY
4. Refrain from using inappropriate language
SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL
5. Do not eat/drink on the bus
ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY” This message DOES
NOT affect St. David of Wales School.
2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SNOWBALLS
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL DISTRICT
When the cold months arrive and snow
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEand ice on the ground is plentiful, we
DON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANall like to play in it and with it. ThrowCELLED”. This message DOES NOT affect us at St. Daing snowballs and sliding on the ice is
vid of Wales School.
fun. However, as much fun as it is,
3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
snow and ice, can be very dangerous
SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT
when
lots
of
people
are
in a small area. In order for our
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED.” T his
school
to
be
as
safe
as
possible,
the school rule must be that
means that: ALL Transportation Services provided by the
snow and ice stays on the ground. There will be no snowDufferin-Peel District Board and the Peel District School
Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled
for the entire day.
4. “THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE
DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
ARE CLOSED.” T his means that: ALL Duffer in-Peel
Catholic District School Board and Peel District School
Board schools and offices are closed to all students and staff.
The Dufferin-Peel web-site home page will also have this
updated information. You may also go to www.stopr.ca
for daily cancellations or delays.
balls, kicking snow or any other activity with snow
or ice that could be harmful.
LOST AND FOUND
During the week of December 16th, the Lost and Found
items will be placed on tables in the downstairs hall. We ask
that students check these tables for any lost clothing. Any
items that remain at the end of the week will be donated
to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
COLD AND FLU SEASON
DATES TO REMEMBER
Please use discretion in keeping your children home to recover
if they are ill. A child who is coughing, wheezing, etc. is not
in a state to learn and will only infect others. If a student is
December 2
December 4
December 4
December 5
December 6
December 9
December 11
December 12
sent to school, it is assumed that they will participate
in all aspects of the school day, including outdoor recess. We do not provide individual indoor supervision. We
also remind parents/guardians to dress students for our weather
conditions. We will be having outdoor recess, weather permitting, as much as possible. At all
times, we follow the Board guidelines
for inclement weather. The students
enjoy going out, especially if they
have their snowsuits, boots, hats and
mittens.
EXTENDED FRENCH INFORMATION MEETING
Grade 4 parent(s)/guardian(s), who wish to enroll their child in
a Grade 5 Extended French class for September, 2014 are invited to attend an information meeting at:
St. Philip School
345 Fairview Rd W.
Mississauga Ontario
January 15, 2014 @ 7:00 p.m.
At the present time, the above mentioned
school is the designated centre for our area. Applications will
be accepted at that centre until 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, February
12th, 2014.
FUN FACTS CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN ONTARIO
Catholic education has been contributing to the public good in
Ontario for about 170 years! In the early 1800s, there were
separate schools in many cities, towns, and townships. In
Peel, three separate schools opened before Confederation
(1867): St. James in Malton in the 1830s, St. John’s Agricultural College (1861) and St. Patrick’s (1861), both in Wildfield.
The Ontario government has always supported separate
schools, as did its predecessor. The United Legislature of Canada East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now Ontario) supported during its total life from 1841-1867. One of the first
pieces of legislation it passed in 1841 was the Common School
Act, with a separate school clause.
December 13
December 19
December 20
December 23
January 6
January 8
January 10
January 20
January 21
January 27
January 28
January 29
January 30
January 31
February 4
February 5
February 5
February 6
February 17
March 5
March 7
March 10
Food Drive Began
Catholic School Council
Pizza Days Dec. 4, 11, 18
Grade 3—Swim to Survive
Santa Photos
Peel Health Immunization
Angel Tree Finishes
Family Advent Mass at St. Martin of
Tours at 6:30 p.m. We expect to see
all students and families at this special
Masses they are all actively involved.
Extended family are welcome as well.
Mitten Tree & Food Drive Finishes
Christmas Sing-A-Long 2:30pm
PA Day—No School
Christmas Break Begins (Dec 23-Jan 3)
Classes resume for students
Pizza Days Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29
Virtue Assembly 9:00am
PA Day
Grad Photos—SK & Gr. 8
Kindergarten Registration 7pm-9pm
Snow Date for Kindergarten Reg. 7pm-9pm
Kindergarten Registration 9am-3pm
Kindergarten Registration 9am-3pm
Kindergarten Registration 9am-3pm
Term 1 reports go home
Pizza Days Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
Catholic School Council
Interview Evening
Family Day-No School
Pizza Days March 5, 19, 26
PA Day
March Break Begins (March 10-14)
YARD SUPERVISION
Please remember teacher supervision, in both the main yard
and Kindergarten courtyard does not commence until 8:30
a.m. Afternoon Kindergarten students are not supervised
until 12:30 p.m. in the Kindergarten courtyard. Parents/
guardians are asked not to drop off their children prior to
these times as students will be unsupervised.
A Message from Local Trustee
Peter Ferreria
Wards 6 and 11
It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end
of 2013. We have seen tremendous accomplishments to date and have met many of our goals in
our Dufferin-Peel Strategic Plan which is routed in
everything we do including our Catholic Board
Learning Plan. I am very proud of the achievements and activities of this Board on behalf of
Catholic education and our community despite
financial challenges. As our Director John Kostoff
stated in his yearly report “I am extremely proud
of the work that has taken place this past year in
our schools, school councils, committees, classrooms, shop floors, families of schools, superintendent meetings, department meetings, in-services,
offices and in a myriad of other venues.”
The new Dufferin-Peel website has been developed with significant consultation, focus groups,
and user testing. The site is designed to be faster
and more effective for parents, students, and other stakeholders to access the information they
need. The content has been substantially updated.
Along with the major work undertaken on the
main board website, we have completed an upgrade of all school websites – including updated
navigation and page templates that coordinate
with the new board website. Take a look and I
think you will be very pleased!
This is year four in the implementation of Full Day
Learning in 242 classes and 6 half day classes. This
will bring our Board to approximately 71% of
schools with Full Day Kindergarten. We are working towards the completion of Year 5. In September 2014 all schools will have Full Day
Kindergarten!
I am delighted to share with you that Dufferin-Peel
has received recognition from the Institute of Public
Administration. This award aims to recognize and
encourage innovation throughout all public organizations and across all orders of government. “The
purpose of the award is to recognize and publicly
celebrate success stories in the public sector, emulating and enhancing the image and thereby fostering innovation”. The award is in recognition of practices and effort related to the development of our
High Skills Major programs in our secondary schools.
This is an international award, and one that our staff
should be very proud of. The information for this
award came from the Ministry of Education and the
Institute of Public Administration of Canada - The
2013 Innovative Management Gold Award.
As we move into the Advent Season and then on to
celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, I
would like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of our teachers, administrators, school councils and volunteers who will present school concerts,
Advent Masses, classroom activities, support for St.
Vincent dePaul and our local food banks as well as
many other social justice initiatives. We are truly
blessed to have our wonderful parish priests who
will visit our schools and offer Advent Masses. This is
truly the face of Catholic education at its best.
I wish you a very blessed and holy Christmas and I
wish you the very best in 2014. And may the good
Lord always hold you in the palm of his hand.
God Bless,
Peter Ferreira, Trustee, Mississauga Ward 6 and 11.