ST. DAVID OF WALES
MARCH 2016
Principal
B. Gillis
Secretary
B. Meo
Trustee
L. del Rosario
416- 805-7110
L. delrosario@dpcdsb.org
Superintendent
D. Amaral
905-890-1221
Parish
Pastor: Fr. Joyson
St. Martin of Tours
1290 McBride Lane
Mississauga, ON
L5C 1M8
905-279-5742
School Hours
Grades FDK-8
8:45 -3:15
St. David of Wales
4200 Beacon Lane
Mississauga, ON
L5M 2N6
905-848-4200
WebSite
http://
www.dpcdsb.org/
DWALE
WebSite
http://
Follow us on Twitter
@St_DavidofWales
A Lenten Prayer
God, Heavenly Father,
Look upon me and hear my prayer
During this holy Season of Lent.
By the good works You inspire,
Help me to discipline my body
And to be renewed in spirit
Amen.
Principal’s Message
During the month of Lent we pay special
attention to turning away from sin to cleanse our
hearts and prepare for the joyous feast of Easter.
It is time for prayer, penance and works of
charity for others. Classroom discussion and
activities are designed to enhance understanding
of the Holy Season of Lent. All of these activities
are intended to help our students understand the
wonderful journey towards the Resurrection!
Thank you for journeying with us through this
Lenten Season.
B. Gillis
Principal
SCHOOL COUNCIL
LET’S WASH OUR HANDS
Our next Catholic School Council meeting will be held on Hand washing when done correctly is the single most
Wednesday, April 6, 2016 at 6:30 p.m.
effective way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such
All are welcome to attend. We thank
as the flu. Please help us to reinforce the proper techniques
our very hard working Council
with your child.
Members for their on-going work and
1) Wet our hands
support for our students!
2) Soap our hands
3) Wash our hands
4) Rinse our hands
MARCH BREAK
March Break this year takes place March 14 to March 18
5) Dry our hands
inclusive. School Resumes Monday March 21, 2016.
6) Use paper towels to turn taps off.
EQAO DATES FOR 2016
The following time span has been designated for the
Provincial EQAO testing. We ask that parents of Grade 3
and 6 students make sure that they mark these dates on their
calendar, and we ask that parents do not book appointments
at all during this time. Students attendance during this time
period is absolutely essential! The test date for our school
have been scheduled they are: June 3rd, June 6, 2016
and June 7th Thank you
GRADE 2 FIRST COMMUNION
The celebration of the Sacrament of First
Holy Communion will be held during
masses between April 10 at 2:00 p.m., April
16 at 10:30 a.m., or April 17 at 2:00 p.m. at
St. Martin of Tours Parish. You must be
registered with the church to receive First Holy Communion
this year.
GRADE 8 CONFIRMATION
The Grade 8 Confession and Confirmation
Rehearsal will be held on Thursday April 7, at
10:00 a.m. at St Martin of Tours Parish. The
Confirmation Will take place Thursday April
14, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.
PERSONAL TREASURES
A “personal treasure” is any item, regardless of its monetary
value, that holds a personal significance to
a person. This might include jewelry, cards
or stuffed animals. Parents are asked to
reinforce with their children that these
items are NOT to be brought to school.
SCHOOL YARD SAFETY
Just a reminder that student supervision begins at 8:30 a.m.
Students must not be dropped off at the school before this
time.
SAFETY IN THE GYM
Students are reminded that they must wear
proper indoor shoes for gym and
appropriate gym clothes. Jewelry must be
removed when in gym class or during
sports activities. Students are not allowed to wear their
“outside” shoes in the gym.
SAFETY IN THE SCHOOL
Students must wear shoes at all times
ECO NEWS
This year our Eco-Team is actively involved in coordinating
activities that help to benefit our school and environmental
climate. During the week of February 1st to 4th, staff and
students participated in a variety of Eco-Challenges, such as
Waste Free Lunches, and Water Bottle Mondays. On
February 3rd we participated in the "Winter Walk Day
Challenge". Congratulations to Ms. Tassone's FDK class,
Mrs. Smith-Foster's Gr. 7/8 class and Mrs. Comella's and
Mrs. Danko's Gr. 1/2 classes who had the greatest number of
walkers! We continue to encourage students to walk to school
each Wednesday to help reduce car pollutants in the air. St.
David also took part in "National Sweater Day" on February
4th, which helped to promote energy consumption by
lowering the temperature in our school by a few
degrees. Thank you to all those who participated and wore
their coziest sweater.
Students are also reminded of our "Trash Free Tuesdays" and
are encouraged to bring reusable containers for their snacks
and lunches, as well as their water bottles. Classes also
participate in our "Lights Out Lunches" each Friday to help
reduce our energy consumption. On March 23rd, students
will be participating in "The Great Gulp" to help create
awareness about the importance of Peel drinking water in our
lives. All student have to do to participate is bring a reusable
bottle of water. We look forward to continuing to create an
environmental awareness among our community to help
reduce our carbon footprint on the Earth!
Eco Leaders: A. Colautti and L. Horbatiuk
Your child may have a vision problem.
And with 80% of their learning being done
through their eyes, vision issues can have a
severe impact on your child’s ability to
learn. Parents will not often be able to
detect a problem. Signs and symptoms can
be subtle. Children rarely know that they
have a vision problem, and they can’t always tell you what
they see. Make sure they can see to the best of their ability by
getting them a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist.
Eye exams and follow-ups are covered under OHIP for
children under 19 years-old, so there are no out-of-pocket
costs. Just show your Ontario Health card.
For this year’s Year One Kindergarten students, the Eye
See…Eye Learn® program offer s one complementary pair
of glasses with their OHIP-covered eye exam, if prescribed by
a participating optometrist.
Learn more at www.EyeSeeEyeLearn.ca.
LENTEN FOOD DRIVE
The Youth Faith Ambassadors will be
collecting non-perishable food items
during the Lenten season. The last day
for collection is Friday, March 11th. All
non-perishable goods will be donated to the St. Martin of
Tours Community for those families that require some
assistance.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
WEEK May 1-6, 2016
The chosen theme for Catholic
Education Week 2015 is: “Opening
Doors of Mercy”. The scr iptur al
passage that guides our theme is: ‘“Blessed are the
mercful, for they will receive mercy.” – Matthew 5:7
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND
ANNUAL DECLARATIONS
Volunteers are very much appreciated by staff and students at St. David of Wales. Board policy states that volunteers that come into regular contact with students must
have a Criminal Background Check completed through
Peel Police. If you plan to volunteer for trips, driving students or helping students in the school, please call for an
appointment to meet with Mrs. Gillis and she will sign the
form for you to obtain a Criminal Background Check. There is no charge for a
Criminal Background Check when you
are a volunteer. An annual Criminal Offence Declaration must be completed on a
yearly basis by all volunteers. This Years
forms have been sent out, if you have not
received one please contact the school
office.
MOVING
If you are planning a move or
have already moved, please let
us know. You are required to
complete a new assessment
form even if you move within
our school boundaries. If you
are moving to a new school we will give you a Transfer
Form to take with you to the new school. If you are moving but would like your child to remain at St. David of
Wales, please submit your request in writing. We will be
preparing classes for September, 2016 and this information will be helpful in determining class sizes. In the
past, we have had to reorganize our classes in September
due to unexpected transfers. Please remember we must
adhere to the ministry cap of 20 students in our
primary grades.
LUNCH DROP OFF TABLE
Lunch Routines. There is a lunch drop off table
in the foyer. If you plan on dropping off a lunch
for your child, please let them know in the morning. Students will not be called during class times.
LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
Our School Board has established lockdown
procedures should a high risk incident involving weapons occur in the school, or on school
property, that could endanger the lives and/or
safety of students and/or staff. We will continue to practice the
Emergency Lockdown Procedures with students this term.
EXTENDED VACATIONS
Now that the March Break is fast approaching, we encourage
families to plan holidays during these designated times. Some
parents/guardians have asked teachers to put together homework packages for their children to complete
when they are away on an extended family
holiday. It is difficult for teachers to do so
since most of the curriculum being covered is
taught by the teacher in an instructional lesson.
STRANGERS IN OUR SCHOOL
Parents/guardians, please remember that at no time should you
be on the playground or near the doors at the back of the school
during school hours. Parents/guardians are not permitted in the
hallways without first signing in at the office and receiving a
“visitor” badge. Kindergarten parents/guardians must greet
their children at the outside gate of the Kindergarten fenced
area. Please remember that if you do not have a “visitor”
badge on, you are a stranger to our school.
SCHOOL ACCESS DURING THE
LUNCH HOUR
We have posted the following sign at the
front entrance. Respectfully, the door will be
answered after our National Anthem, Prayers, and Announcements at approximately
11:45 a.m. Please have lunches delivered by
11:30 a.m. Thank you.
ATTENDANCE
Late and absent students MUST be reported to the office.
Please call our attendance line (this line is available 24 hours a
day) at 905-848-4200, Select “1” and leave a message. It is
often very difficult to reach parents/guardians in a timely fashion and as always, the safety of your child is of our utmost concern. Please remember to always inform the office if any of
your contact numbers change. It is vital that
our contact records are accurate at all times.
We must always have the most current information in case your child needs you during the
school day. We thank you for your continued
support in this matter.
SCHOOL WEBSITE
Be sure to visit our school website. All newsletters, calendars
and other pertinent information avalible.
Our website address is: http://www.dpcdsb.org/DWALE
BUS SAFETY
Ensuring student safety is a very important goal to all those
working with students. You are asked to review carefully the
following rules for students while riding on school busses.
Students not following these rules may lose the privilege of riding
on a school bus.
“Alcatraz”. Crystalyn S. and Shane P. moved on forward to the
Mississauga South Family Tournament that was held at St.
Margaret of Scotland School on Thursday, February 18 th, 2016.
Both performed amazingly well. Thank you to all participants for
preparing such wonderful speeches and for all your hard work!
Go Dragons!!
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Coordinator for Speech Competition: A. Smith-Foster
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Be at their stop at least 5 minutes before the pick-up time
Listen to the driver when getting on and off the bus,
especially when a road must be crossed
Go directly to their seat and stay seated until they are let off
the bus
Follow all instructions from the bus driver, especially about
where they put their belongings
No food or drink, fighting, swearing or other types of
inappropriate behavior
Do not open or close windows unless the driver permits
Keep all belongings inside the bus
Do not damage the bus seats (students will be held
responsible)
Respect private property while waiting for their school bus
Do not talk to the bus driver while
the bus is in operation unless it is
necessary
BOYS JUNIOR BASKETBALL
The Junior Boys Basketball Team played with determination and
completed many difficult games with a great attitude. The team
consisted of mostly Grade 4 students and they demonstrated great
potential. Your coach is very proud of you. Congratulations to all
members of the team, Zion,H, Jethro S, Jesse K, Lael Z,
Matthew R, Luke M, Lucas B, Aaron O, James D, and Mekhi Y.
Great playing Dragons!!
Coach: A. Smith-Foster
IMMUNIZATION
Peel Health Department
The Region of Peel Health Department is in the process of
updating their Immunization Records. Schools collect
Immunization information when a student registers for the first
time in a school, but it is the parent’s, not the doctor or the
The conduct of individual students on
school’s responsibility to update the Region of Peel records.
the bus directly affects their safety, that
Failure to do so can result in your child’s suspension from school,
of their school classmates, and the
pending update to the Region of Peel. In December, 2015,
driver. At the discretion of the
parents received information from the Region of Peel Health
principal, misconduct may result in
Department advising you for the need to update your child’s
removal of bus privileges.
immunization. A second letter followed on February 1, 2016 and
the Third Letter will go home March 24, 2016 for students
FLEX BOUNDARY GRADES 1-7
who still have incomplete immunization records. An Order of
If you currently live outside the school boundary and are
Suspension will be mailed from the school to become effective if
attending St. David of Wales on a flex boundary request, you will the students’ records remain incomplete. For more information,
need to request flex boundary for next year. The “Flexible
please contact the Region of Peel at 905-799-7700 or visit their
Boundary” procedure is reviewed annually. Please note that flex website: www.ImmunizePeel.ca
boundaries will be looked at on a case by case basis and are not
guaranteed from year to year. If you are requesting flex
A MESSAGE FROM THE
boundary, please note that transportation is your responsibility.
ROSARY APOSTOLATES
The Board will not provide transportation for students admitted
The Rosary Apostolates in the schools are seeking volunteers
under this procedure. Note, the students admitted under this
(male or female), who have devotion to the Mother of God and
procedure do not automatically become eligible for the Secondary
who are willing to visit our Elementary Schools to pray the
School serving the school. A separate request must be made to
Rosary with the children once a month for a total of 8 mornings
the Secondary School Principal. This is a reminder that families
October to May. There are also 5 morning preparation meetings
with children in our school that live out of bounds, are to submit a
at St. Martin of Tours Parish to attend throughout the year.
letter to request Flexible for the 2016-2017 school year, please
Training will be provided. If you are interested, please Contact
submit your request in writing by Monday, March 25, 2016.
the school and we can pass your name and phone number on to
Please include the reason(s) for your request.
the Rosary Apostolates.
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SPEECH COMPETIONS
As a part of the language curriculum, our students in Grades 4 to
8 were involved in planning, preparing and presenting speeches.
Three to four students from each class were selected to represent
their class at our school competition that was held on Tuesday,
February 9th, 2016 in our school gymnasium. Students were
judged by the content and the deliverance of their speech. The
First Place winner for the Junior Competition was Peter H’s
speech entitled “Birds to Business” and the Second Place winner
was Shane P’s speech “Selfies”. The First Place winner for the
Intermediate Competition was Crystalyn S’s speech “APL
Leukemia” and the Second Place winner was Anthony D’s speech
“Volunteers are not paid – not because they are
worthless, but because they are priceless”
IN MARCH#MAKEKINDNESSGOVIRAL
March Break is upon us! Invite a new friend to go swimming or
skating at the community centre.
How did you #MAKEkindnessgoviral? Share your stories with
us.
REMINDERS
There are times in most families when money is tight.
The school policy is that a student should not miss out
on a special event for financial reasons. If such a financial situation arises in your family, please feel free to
contact the teacher or Mrs. Gillis. All such requests will
be held in the strictest confidence.
HOMEWORK HELP FOR GRADE 7-10
The Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Boardis
please to announce once again it will be participating in
the Math Homework project funded by the Ministry of
Education. Homework Help is free, real-time math tutoring, for students in grades 7-10, by certified teachers.
You can log in from Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to
9:30 p.m. for 20 hours a week. All they have to do is
log into the following site.
Www.ontario.ca/homeworkhelp.
Follow us @St_DavidofWales
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
The Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board has arranged for a low cost insurance through a private provider.
Participation in the plan is optional. Forms went home in September for this service. Should you now decide you wish to
participate in the program please contact the school for an application form.
SAFE AND FAIR PLAY
Your child(ren)’s safety is a major concern. Your assistance is
required to help us in the strict enforcement of the NO CONTACT and NO INTERFERING r ule. Although it is nor mal for children to have disagreements, this form of conflict
does not appear to be a major problem and is resolved at a
school level. Physical contact, interfering and rough play is a
concern. We are working with all children to heighten their
awareness of what safe play means and to provide examples.
The children are cautioned frequently that the comonents of
safe play are NO CONTACT and NO INTERFERING with
other children. Students who play togather are of quite different athletic and /or intellectual abilities; to ensure safety of
students with varying abilities, you are asked to reinforce these
principles with your child(ren). As always you will be notified
if your child is in repeated violation of this rule.
When we entrust ourselves to the Lord,
we can overcome all obstacles that we encounter along the way.
Pope Francis @Pontifex
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
The Region of Peel and your school would like to reduce school congestion and promote overall school safety by encouraging more of our students to walk and/or roll to and from school.
When our students walk and/or roll to and from school, we can:
Between April to June 2016 and mid-September to early-November 2016, we will be conducting traffic counts for two
days near your school to gather baseline data on the amount of traffic, including motorized passenger vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians, coming onto and dropping off/ picking up at the school grounds.
Should you have any further questions, please contact your child/children’s Principal or:
Catherine Sim
Health Promoter
Public Health, Region of Peel
7120 Hurontario Street
Mississauga, ON