St. Edmund Elementary School
1250 Melton Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, L4Y 1L5
Telephone: 905-277-8962 Fax: 905-277-8421
www.dpcdsb.org/EDMUN
April/May
Volume 1, Issue No. 7
Principal
A. Maltby
Secretary
B. Vandevalk
Superintendent
C. Blanchard
905-890-1221
School Council Chair
P. Meehan
Chair of the Board of Trustees
M. Pascucci
Mississauga Wards 1 & 3
905-890-0708 x20161
905-302-3096 cell
905-890-0888 fax
Mario.pascucci@dpcdsb.org
www.trusteepascucci.ca
Parishes
St. Patrick Church
Pastor:
Rev. John Facey
905-270-2301
Sao Salvador do Mundo
Pastor:
Rev. Carlos Macatangga
905-277-8610
What’s Inside:
Important Dates
EQAO
Catholic Education Week
Healthy Living Events
Cyber Bullying
Summer Renovations
A Springtime Act of Faith
O God, Creator of the seasons, we thank you that spring has
come at last.
We thank you for the warm air that will awaken sleeping buds
and fill our world, once again, with colour. We ask you to be
with us as we celebrate this season.
We believe in spring, the season of seeds and flowers, of buds
that burst into leaves, of bulbs that burst into tulips, of caterpillars that burst into butterflies, and of Jesus who burst from His
grave and put death to death!
We believe that life is worth living, that we were born to sing
with the birds, to dance in spring rain, to laugh when we are
happy, to weep when we are sad, to live as much as and as well
as we can and to love always. We believe in spring, in seeds
that die and are reborn. We believe in growth. We believe in
life, in ourselves, in hope and in joy. We believe in God.
AMEN
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St. Edmund Elementary School
Principal’s Message
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many families and extended family members who have been
supporting our school through their participation in and sponsorship of our various activities. Thank you to those
families who joined in on our CSCouncil sponsored movie night featuring Frozen. We are very grateful for the
tremendous turnout for our Virtue’s Assembly led by the classes of Mrs. Borowitz and Mrs. Mangiardi. As a conclusion to our assembly, some of our grade 6 students reminded us how important it is to be good stewards of
the Earth through their message on ‘Fresh Water Awareness’. This past month our Ecokids, with support from
Mrs. Maddison and Ms. Moher, have been hard at work with their Earth Day and Earth Hour messages and planning. On April 22 and 23 students participated in a yard clean up to demonstrate St. Edmund’s commitment to
keeping our environment litter free. Holy Week was a period of special reflection and prayer for the community
of St. Edmund. We congratulate and thank Mr. Pividor’s students for an outstanding and moving presentation of
the Stations of the Cross. Thank you to those who were able to join us for both our Lenten Mass and Mass of the
Resurrection Mass, celebrated by our pastor, Fr. John Facey. On May 9 a number of our Youth Faith Ambassadors will have the opportunity to participate in a Parish Symposium taking place at St. Patrick Parish.
In sports, our intermediate basketball teams have been demonstrating excellent St. Edmund spirit. We thank
their coaches, Ms. Di Iorio, Ms. Estacion and Mr. Pividor, for their leadership and guidance. In intramurals, our
primary students have had the opportunity to take part in lunch time floor hockey games facilitated by Mr. Spadafina and Mrs. Parutto. St. Edmund students enjoyed chess competitions this year with Mrs. Hrabovetska and
Mrs. Huang leading the way. Our Skills Canada Lego Dacta teams, through mentoring from Mr. Tome and Mr.
Ellsworth, did an outstanding job at representing St. Edmund at the local level competitions. During Catholic Education Week our top placing teams will compete at the provincial level. In partnership with our Catholic School
Council, with Mrs. Landman as facilitator, we look forward to inviting all families to our school on May 9 for a
Healthy Living/Healthy Eating theme night featuring Zumba and food preparation, discussion and tastings. We
invite you to join us throughout Catholic Education Week (please see p. 4 for details). We hope to see you there!
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, I wish all of our families the invigoration and hope that
comes along with the days of spring – A. Maltby
Thank you to parents who:
sign in at the office
call when their child is absent
drive carefully and slowly in the parking lot, and make safe use of the Kiss ‘n Ride
support their child’s education by checking agendas, homework and by reading with them
support our WITS program (walk away, ignore, talk it out, seek adult help)
Thank you to students who:
show respect toward others
remember our ‘Hands Off’ policy
respect our school environment
continue to try their best
fill one another’s ‘buckets’
use their WITS
Thank you to staff who:
coach and run activities
spend extra time with students in order to help them understand a lesson
provide tutoring opportunities
comfort a child when they are down
run our social justice initiatives
fill students’ buckets
St. Edmund Elementary School
Page 3
Important Dates:
June 20
April 28
June 23
June 25
Swim to Survive Grade 3
Mass of the Resurrection 1:30 p.m.
May 1
Director’s Cut Grade 4
May 2
Director’s Cut Grades 7 and 8
May 4—9
Catholic Education Week
May 5
Swim to Survive Grade 3
Skills Canada Competition
May 6
Volunteer Appreciation
Director’s Cut Grade 5
Living Arts Grades 1, 2 and 3
May 7
Zumba Day
May 8
Welcome to Kindergarten Night
May 9
Zumba Day and Evening
Parish Symposium
May 11
Mother’s Day
May 13-15
Intermediate Ottawa Trip
May 16
Crowning of Mary and
Virtue Assembly 9:30 a.m.
May 19
Victoria Day—No School
May 20
Arts Workshop Grade 4
May 22
First Holy Communion Photo Night
May 23
Choir to compete at Wonderland
May 26—June 5 EQAO Grades 3 and 6
June 4
School Council Meeting—6:45 p.m.
June 6
School Track and Field Day
June 9
P.A. Day—No School for Students
June 11
School Photo Day
June 10
Girls’ Soccer Tournament
June 12
Co-Ed Softball Tournament
June 13
Boys’ Soccer Tournament
Red Maple Participants Trip
June 17
Family Track and Field Meet
June 19
Play Day/Hot Dog Lunch
June 27
September 2
Board Track and Field Meet
Virtue Assembly 1 p.m.
Year End/Graduation Mass 9:30 a.m.
Grade 8 Graduation
Reports Sent Home
Final Day of Classes
First Day of Classes
Lunch and Milk Days—Please mark your calendar
Start
End
Milk
April 2
June 13
Pizza
April 3
June 11
Lunch Lady
May 1
June 13
Subway
April 17
June 12
Every other week
There will be NO milk, pizza, lunch lady, nor subway
the last two weeks of the school year.
School Hours
Grades 1-8
8:45 – 11:45
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch Hour
1:45 – 3:15
Please make every effort to send your children to
school on time. Please call the school if your child
will be late or absent. Students must report to the
office if they are late. Our attendance line is available twenty four hours a day, 905-277-8962, press 1.
Please continue to call each day that your child is
absent.
Skills Canada
We are very proud of all of our intermediate Skills Canada competitors who, under the leadership and mentorship of Mr. Tome, Mr. Ellsworth, and Mrs. Maddison, represented our school extremely well at the local level
competition. Skills Canada Competitors—Sofia A., Jonathan B., Kyle B., Ryan B., Daniel C., Nicole C., Kathryn C.,
Matthew C., Jessica C., Brett C., Jenna D., Brittany E., Quentin F., Mark F., Robert F., Lucas F., Isabella F., Mitchell
G., Sarah G., Melissa H., Cassandra H., Erika H., Aine H., Ty K., Mark K., Emily M., Alec M., Ethan M., Chris M.,
Vasco M., Alexa O., Dylan P., Damian P., Lucy P., Jesse R., Evan S., Connor A., Lucas S., Tanner T., Brandon V., Sophia V., Julianna W., and Anthony W. Congratulations to Sarah G., Brittany E., Emily M., Dylan P., Matthew C.,
Erika H, Quentin F., and Ryan B. who will be representing our school at the Provincial level on May 5 at Rim
Park..
Page 4
St. Edmund Elementary School
CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK
Catholic Education Week will be celebrated from May 4– May 9, 2014. During this week the Catholic community celebrates the unique and distinctive contribution that Catholic schools make to our students, our community
and our province. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the Mission of our Catholic schools as
they strive to integrate the Gospel values of Jesus Christ in every aspect of the school’s life and curriculum.
This year’s theme is “Serving in the Love of Christ”
Five sub-themes, one for each of the five days of Catholic Education Week 2014, help students to understand the
rich meaning of this year’s theme:
Day 1… Serve with Faithfulness
Day 2… Serve with Humility
Day 3… Serve with Compassion
Day 4… Serve with Justice
Day 5… Serve with Joy
We are fortunate and privileged to have the opportunity to provide not only learning experiences within the
context of our Catholic faith, but also build upon the faith foundation and further develop our respective spiritual journeys as individuals and as community of builders.
St. Edmund’s Schedule for Catholic Education Week Monday, May 5
Provincial Skills Canada Competition
Tuesday, May 6
Volunteer Appreciation
Living Arts Grades 1, 2 and 3
Wednesday, May 7
Healthy and Active Living—Zumba Day
Thursday, May 8
Welcome to Kindergarten
Friday, May 9
Healthy and Active Living—Zumba Day
Healthy and Active Living—Zumba Evening 6:30 p.m.
Parish Symposium—Youth Faith Ambassadors @ St. Patrick’s Church
Healthy and Active Living—Zumba Evening 6:30 p.m.
8:30 a.m.
7:00 p.m.
We Honour Mary
As we honour Mary and all mothers during the month of May, we are reminded of the many blessings mothers
bestow upon their children each and every day.
The Memorare
Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your
protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this
confidence, we turn to you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you we come, before you we
stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not despise our petitions, but in
your mercy hear us and answer us. Amen
Welcome to Kindergarten Program
This spring our school will again be taking part in the welcome to kindergarten program. Parents registering
their child(ren) for fall kindergarten will be invited to attend a workshop in the spring focused on strategies and
activities for preparing your child(ren) to attend school. Each child will receive a welcome package with contents
that can be used over the spring and summer months at home. Mrs. Massa, Mrs. Iskander, Mrs. St. Louis, Mrs.
Xhemollari, and Mrs. Currie, along with some other staff members, will facilitate the workshop. The event will
take place on Thursday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m.
St. Edmund Elementary School
Page 5
Are You Moving?
We are in the process of planning classes and staffing for the 2014-2015 school year. If you are planning to
move any time between now and September, please let our office and your child’s teacher know. This information will greatly help us in planning for the fall.
Reporting
As always, on-going communication between home and school is encouraged. Please do not hesitate to set up
an appointment or phone interview throughout second term with your child’s teacher to address any questions
you may have regarding your child’s progress.
Class Placements 2014/15
We are in the process of developing class lists and staffing for the 2014-2015 school year. Please be aware that
we know there will be a need to organize some combined classes – a reality in all schools in the region. Until our
enrollment is finalized in mid-September all class and teacher assignments have to be considered tentative.
Some of the factors that are taken into consideration in creating classes include: suggestions made by the current classroom teacher; ideas submitted by other staff working with the student; the distribution and grouping
of students with differing levels of abilities, gender, talents and achievements in each class.
Parent input is valued. If you would like to have input into this process please put your ideas in writing and submit this to Mrs. Maltby by May 16. Your letter should refer only to the preferred teaching style your child/
children may best learn and grow under. All parent requests will be taken into consideration, however, for various reasons; the school may not be able to meet all requests.
Summer Renovations 2014
As many of our community members are already aware, we eagerly anticipate renovations to our school which
will take place over the summer months. By fall you will notice a refresh to our front outdoor space, new windows in most of the primary and junior areas, a computer lab, an updated kindergarten space, newly painted
hallways, an eco friendly drinking fountain with a water bottle refill station, as well as updates to our staffroom
and office areas.
Call Out to All Gardeners!
We thank our “Garden Mums”, Mrs. Sokolski, Mrs. Paul and Mrs. Gdula who are preparing to bring a little bit of
spring to our front with the addition of plants and flowers. If you are able to assist us in any way, be it through
‘helping hands’, the donation of plants or landscaping materials, we would greatly appreciate your support in
our quest to continue to beautify our school grounds.
Get Ready! for Secondary School at St. Paul S.S.
As part of successful transition planning, the ‘Get Ready for Secondary’ Summer Program is one of the foremost
innovations within Dufferin-Peel. This week long program blends Literacy and Numeracy focused instruction with
‘High School Readiness’ Activities designed to welcome and prepare the student for their secondary school experience. The ultimate goal of the program is to ease the grade 8-to-9 transition for students and parents alike as
their confidence, comfort level, and awareness of secondary programs is significantly amplified before they enter High School. Dates for St. Paul will be confirmed shortly. The program includes: Preparation in: Literacy, Numeracy, Learning Strategies Orientation on: Time tables, Student Services, School Facilities, Student Procedures/
Policies and How to Succeed in High School Benefits of: Fun Activities, Snacks, Prizes, Gifts, Meet your teachers
and Meet your peers!
Page 6
St. Edmund Elementary School
Intermediate Basketball
Congratulations to our Intermediate Basketball teams who have represented St. Edmund well this season. We
thank our coaches, Mr. Pividor, Ms. Di Iorio and Ms. Estacion.
Intermediate Girls’ Basketball—Sophia A., Kathryn C., Jessica C., Isabella F., Sarah G., Melissa H., Erika H., Alexa
O., and Carly S. Intermediate Boys’ Basketball—Daniel C., Matthew C., Lorenzo C., Dylan C., Quentin F., Alec M.,
Ethan M., Cameron P., Jesse R., Connor S., Lucas S., and Brandon V.
Chess at St. Edmund
Thank you to Mrs. Hrabovetska and Mrs. Huang who made it possible for St. Edmund to enjoy the challenges of
chess this past season. We congratulate all of our chess team members—Marcus C., Kathryn C., Jude C., Ross F.,
Lex K., Michael L., Emily N., Alexa O., Damian P., Gianluca P., Dillan S., and Sophia V.
Volunteer Appreciation
As part of our Catholic Education Week events, on Tuesday, May 6 from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. we welcome all St.
Edmund volunteers to a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast. This is our opportunity to recognize and thank the
over 80 volunteers who add to the vibrancy and energy at St. Edmund! Your dedication to our students is so
very much appreciated. We could not do all that we do without you. If you have volunteered any time this year,
we would like you to join us for the reception on May 6, 2014.
Save the Date! - May 9th 6:30 p.m.
Family Zumba and Nutrition Night May 9th / Family Zumba Days May 7th and 9th
As part of our Healthy and Active Living initiatives at St. Edmund, with the support of our Catholic School Council,
we are sponsoring Zumba Days and a Zumba and Nutrition evening for our students and families. Through a PRO
Grant acquired by our CSC and a Metro Grant we are able to provide these events at no cost to all participants. A
Zumba instructor will promote active living thorough day sessions with all of our students on May 7 and May 9.
On the evening of May 9 all families are invited to join us for a presentation from a Nutritionist beginning at 6:30
p.m. and Zumba beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Nutritionist, along with sharing healthy living messages, will be
demonstrating how to make nutritional and yummy snacks. Be sure to join in the event as you will be treated to
free samples! Please wear comfortable clothing and running shoes. More details will be sent home shortly.
ST. EDMUND ECOKIDS
This year's Ecokids have continued to provide leadership as Stewards of the Earth with an emphasis on our Catholic Community Culture and Caring learning pillar. St. Edmund is in its fourth year as an Ontario Ecoschool.
Throughout the year St. Edmund
Ecokids have involved the whole
school community in well-established
eco-initiatives such as the GOOSE
paper campaign asking staff and students to reuse paper that is Good On
One Side Everyday, Light’s Out in the
classrooms when they are not in use
and The Golden Bin award which encourages proper recycling in all classrooms. The Ecokids visited classes in
order to give a refresher on how to
recycle the right way. The Golden
(recycling) Bin was awarded each
month to the classroom with the most
appropriately used recycling and garbage containers. On Earth Day 2014,
the EcoKids led the school in a Make
It Count campaign encouraging all students to Eat local, Grow a plant or a
tree, Transform by reducing/reusing
and recycling, and Share their
thoughts and ideas. St. Edmund
Ecokids have led a schoolyard clean
up after a long winter, begun to prepare the Peace Garden for spring and continue to teach all St. Edmund students and their families that taking care of God’s Earth is an important part of our education.
St. Edmund Elementary School
Page 7
Cyber bullying—How can I prevent my child from becoming involved in cyber bullying?
Cyber bullying is a different kind of bullying in that your child can be the perpetrator or the victim in your own home. Following is a list of some precautions you can take to minimize the chances of your child becoming a cyber bully or a victim of
cyber bullying.
 Set clear expectations with your child.
 Outline your expectations for reasonable online behavior and explain how technology is meant to be used. Be very
clear that cyber bullying will not be tolerated and that there will be consequences if you discover your child has been
treating people poorly using technology.
 Talk specifically with your child about cyber bullying and encourage him or her to come to you if he or she receives
threatening or otherwise disturbing messages via the internet or cell phone. Tell your child that you will not take the
technology away if he or she confides in you about being bullied.
 Keep an eye on your child’s online activities.
 Keep computers and other web tools in a common area of the house and out of children’s and youth’s bedrooms.
 Make your child aware that while you respect his or her privacy, his or her safety is your main concern. Tell your child
that if you suspect something is wrong, you may review his or her text messages, emails or social networking sites.
You may want to consider installing parental control filtering or monitoring technologies. However, do not rely solely on
them. It’s best to communicate openly and honestly with your child about your concerns.
American Humane Association (http://www.americanhumane.org/children/stop-child-abuse/fact-sheets/cyber-bullyingprevention-and-intervention.html)
You, Your Child, and Technology
Are you struggling to keep up with the ever-changing world of technology?
Are you feeling under-prepared to help manage your child’s access to information online? The Internet is a space where
children mix with others and share their lives. Just as in any other area of life, you should know what your children are
doing, where they're going or who they're mixing with - to ensure their safety is not compromised.
Connect[ED] will help you familiarize yourself with key social media terminology and get more comfortable with how
different online programs work - so that you can help your children make healthy and safe online choices. http://
www.reallifeonline.ca
Stranger Awareness and Street Proofing Your Child
Safety tips:
Know who your children play with, where they go and what routes they take.
 Do not leave your child in unsupervised locations; such as cars, parks, public washrooms, arenas, malls, and plazas.
 Tell your children never to go anywhere with a stranger, take anything from a stranger, or talk to a stranger, unless they
require help from a “safe” stranger. (police officer, firefighter, paramedic.)
 Teach your child how and where to get help. In the event that they become separated from you or lost, tell them to
seek help from a “safe” stranger, or find a public telephone and dial 9-1-1.
 Develop a “what if” game for kids to get them thinking about how they would respond if they felt threatened.
 Your child’s body is private. Tell your child that no one may touch the area their bathing suit covers. If someone does or
tries to touch them, they should tell you immediately.
 Make up an emergency kit for your child. It should include information such as, emergency numbers, your number at
work, medical information, and quarters for a pay phone.
Teach your child to talk to you immediately when someone does anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. Listen when
your children are trying to tell you about something that bothers them and provide them with support and understanding.
Page 8
St. Edmund Elementary School
Pediculosis (Head Lice)
Although not a communicable disease, pediculosis (head lice) is a concern to parents and teachers. Each year it is
common for outbreaks of pediculosis to occur. Unfortunately, in recent years, head lice have become increasingly common throughout North America. They are parasites which have been common among human beings for
centuries. They are not connected in any way with dirt or neglect. Anyone can be infested with them. If a case of
lice is found at school, we inform all parents by way of a special letter. If cases are found in a classroom, we shall
inform all parents of students in that class. We request that you also check your own children and, if you find
them to be infested, we would ask you to let us know so that we may advise you on the proper treatment for
them. Even if cases are not reported from the school, it is a wise precaution to check your child’s head periodically. Teach them not to use other people’s combs or hair brushes. If your children do become infested by head
lice, we will ask you to keep them out of school until after they have been treated with the correct shampoo and
their hair is entirely clear of both lice and nits (eggs). Further information can be found by speaking with your
pharmacist, health care provider or contacting Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or visiting http://
www.peelregion.ca/health/
EQAO Primary and Junior Spring Assessment
All grades three and six students in Ontario will again be participating in the provincial assessments scheduled to
take place during the weeks of Monday May 26 to Thursday, June 5, 2014. It is very important that all grade
three and six students participate fully in this assessment. Therefore, we kindly ask that parents try to avoid
medical or dental appointments during the assessment periods. Watch for more details closer to the assessment dates.
EQAO Parent Tips: Strategies for Success
Stay Positive
 Always celebrate your child’s successes and hard work each day.
 Remind your child that the assessment will have questions asking them things that they have already
learned in class.
 Please avoid scheduling appointments during EQAO.
 Be sure your child receives enough sleep every night so that they are rested.
 During test days ensure that your child eats a healthy full breakfast and remember to keep a positive and
relaxed attitude in the home environment.
 Do not force your child to study for these tests. They are already working hard at school.
For additional information on grades 3 and 6 testing visit the EQAO website at www.eqao.com and click on
“Parent Resources”.
The Holy Sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation
We are very proud of our grade two students who this spring will receive the sacrament of First Holy Communion, as well as our grade eight students are receiving the sacrament of confirmation. Our grade eight students
recently attended their Confirmation Retreat at Mount Alverno in support of their continued spiritual growth as
young people. We thank their teachers, as well as their parents, for preparing them for these blessed occasions
and signs of their faith. A special thank you is extended to Fr. Facey. May the many blessings our students receive through these sacraments continue to bless them throughout their lives.
St. Edmund Elementary School
Page 9
The Virtue Focus for the month of April is love.
Jesus made one lesson clear above all other lessons – the lesson to love. Love is not about us – it is about forgetting ourselves and looking out for the good of the other. That’s what Jesus did – He forgot about Himself on
purpose. He chose to give up His life for the good of others – us!
Becoming a truly loving person is challenging - making little sacrifices on purpose so that others will have a bit of
food, a bit of shelter, a bit of peace, a bit of quiet, a bit of fun, a bit of friendship. Through prayer and concentration, we can get better at showing love to everyone we meet.
A loving person…
 wants the best for others
 is willing to make sacrifices for the good of others
 learns from the heroic lives of saints and holy people
 knows that we are all lovable
 prays for others
The Virtue Focus for the month of May is acceptance.
One of the great wonders of the world we live in is that no two people are exactly alike. We may share biological
families or national identity or cultural and ethnic identity but we are all very unique and distinct creations.
God breaks the mold every time, and that is a fantastic fact of life!
It can also be a challenging fact of life if it makes us afraid. Sometimes differences are scary – especially if we
haven’t learned about or don’t understand how people are different.
The virtue of acceptance describes our ability to look at the attitudes and actions of those around us and then
just stop and consider without making judgments. The virtue of acceptance means that we look beyond what we
see; a person’s skin colour, ethnic background, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and see a person created and loved by God.
An accepting person…

Is friendly and open to all God’s people, regardless of age, beliefs, gender, culture or ability
 Sees the positive traits in all people even if she/he disagrees with them
 Avoids judging or stereotyping others
 Understands that there may be more than one way to do things
 Sticks up for the ‘underdog’
DISPELLING MYTHS
MYTH: Catholic schools are the same as public schools, except with religion.
REALITY: While both Catholic and Public schools teach a curriculum mandated by the Ministry of Education, our schools are in view with the Catholic perspective; a lens, if you will, through which all curriculum and action is
viewed. The curriculum is enhanced by the gospel values in the school
working together with home and parish to ensure that our students are
formed in the traditions of Catholic faith through spiritual, academic and
social development. (Excerpt from “The Director’s Bulletin”, Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board, Lent 2011)
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St. Edmund Elementary School
SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE: SPECIAL SERVICE TEAM
Currently students who require additional program support are assisted by our Special Education teachers and
Educational Resource workers. Student programs are supported in a variety of ways to develop and/or enhance
learning opportunities. Periodically, students are presented at a school TEAM meeting for further consultation
and planning. The following personnel may attend the Special Services TEAM meeting: Psychology staff member,
Speech and Language Pathologist, Social Worker, Child and Youth Worker. At these meetings, staff summarizes
their observations, concerns and interventions and seeks input regarding next steps. Possible outcomes could
include: new strategies to try in the classroom; additional services that might be offered; referral for further assessment or intervention by one of the school Special Services personnel; referral to an outside agency for further consultation or assessment. The benefit of a TEAM meeting is the joint consultation which ensures that the
best program is in place to meet the individual needs of each student. Staff will contact parents prior to these
meetings and will report any recommendations to parents pending the outcome of the meeting.
Reading With Your Child

Remember to keep reading fun and share how much you like to read. Parents are the best role models to demonstrate
love of reading. Children learn by example.
 Encourage your child to read a variety of texts including fiction and non-fiction.
 Have your child orally reflect, relate and retell what you are reading.
Reading with your child may also include: newspapers, menus, magazines, e-mails, recipes, maps and the like.
Writing With Your Child

Demonstrate ways in which you use writing in everyday life.
Writing may include: lists, invitations, friendly letters, journal, e-mails, instructions.
Doing Mathematics at Home




Play with numbers
Do mental calculations such as estimating grocery or restaurant bills. How much of a tip do we give our pizza delivery
person? Demonstrate to your child the practical uses of mathematics in daily life. For example, shopping, cooking,
building, sewing and the like.
Encourage your child to communicate their answers using pictures, numbers and words.
Have your child orally reflect, relate and retell what you are reading.
St. Edmund Elementary School
Page 11
Parish Symposium – St. Patrick’s Parish
Our Youth Faith Ambassadors, along with those from Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, St. Thomas More, and St. Vincent de Paul, will have the opportunity to take part in a Parish Symposium on Friday, May 9th at St. Patrick’s Parish. We thank Fr. John Facey for his partnership and leadership in this event. The purpose of the event is to further strengthen our school-parish-home connection. Any parents who wish to join us for the day’s activities
please contact Mrs. Maltby in the main office.
Brampton Coroner’s Inquest— Safety – Storm Sewers
The Brampton Coroner’s Inquest into the drowning deaths of two young children in 1990 reminds us that we
should inform students that playing around storm sewers and watercourses, entering storm sewers through
outfalls and entering storm sewers through access covers is dangerous.
Children should be made aware that:
-Water flows in storm sewers in an unpredictable and quick fashion
-Toxic gases may be present
-Tragic falls could take place
-Access is restricted and therefore rescue attempts are difficult at best
Before and After School Programs
PLASP Child Care Services operates Before and After School Programs at this
school.
The Before School Program operates from 7:30 a.m. until school start. A nutritious
breakfast is served daily.
The After School Program runs from the end of the school day until 6:00 p.m. Children participate in
recreational activities, are served a nutritious snack daily and have time for homework.
Fee assistance is available for those who qualify.
Visit www.plasp.com and register your child online starting May 20, 2014.
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St. Edmund Elementary School
Coming soon to a Public Library Branch near you!!
Why: To reinforce reading strategies introduced throughout the school year and to
sustain reading development over the summer months in a fun parent/child
interactive environment.
What: Each week for 6 weeks, Dufferin-Peel teachers will be modelling and demonstrating a
variety of reading comprehension strategies during read-aloud sessions. Participants will receive a “Parent Toolkit” and “Student Toolkit” to help support reading throughout the summer.
Who: Students in Grade 1 through Grade 3 (who are reading at an independent reading level of
16 or higher) and their family members.
Where: Select Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon and Orangeville Public Libraries
When: 1 hour weekly (dates and times will vary depending on library locations)
How: Program details and registration are available by clicking on the “Ready, Set,
Read” link on the Dufferin - Peel website. Registration can also be done online at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Ready_Set_Read
St. Edmund Elementary School
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Page 14
St. Edmund Elementary School
Volume 6
Web Resource:
Primary, Junior and Intermediate:
National Library of Virtual
Manipulatives:
http://nlvm.usu.edu/
Patterning and Algebra
Mathematics has been called “the science of patterns”
(Steen, 1988). Young children enjoy working with patterns
and older students enjoy discovering and manipulating
patterns. Patterning activities are introduced in elementary
school so that students can think about relationships between
quantities early in their math education, which is intended to
help them transition to formal algebra in middle and high
school.
Grades 4-8: Revisit the OERB (Ontario Education Resource Bank)
www.resources.elearningontario.ca (OERB)
Grade 4
ELO1418520
Investigating
Inverse
Relationships
ELO1408740
Repeating,
Growing and
Shrinking Patterns
User ID:
“dpcdsbstudent”
From Patterns to Algebra,
Password: “oerbs”
Dr. R. Beatty and Dr. Catherine Bruce
Grade 5
ELO1411310
Missing Values
and Variables
Grade 6
ELO1413400
Demystifying
Patterns
Grade 7
ELO1412430
Codebreakers
Grade 8
ELO1413880
Rex and Tex –
Zero Pairs
ELO1411130
Perfect Patterns
ELO1413420
Various Varieties
of Variables!
ELO1412100
Harry’s House of
Horrors
ELO1412480
Invasion Force –
Home Guard
St. Edmund Elementary School
Web Resources:
Primary:
Pizza Game
www.mrnussbaum.com
Junior:
Flitting with fractions
www.mathfrog.ca
Intermediate:
Fraction Café
www.wiredmath.ca
Page 15
Volume 7
Fractions
Learning about fractions extends students’ understanding of our
number system. While whole numbers represent quantities of
whole units, fractions signify parts of whole units or parts of
sets. Although fractions are all around us, learning about
fractions is difficult for some students. Identifying fractions in
our environments makes them meaningful and easier to visualize.
Grades 7 and 8
CLIPS
CLIPS (Critical Learning Instructional Paths Supports) are web-based interactive supports for
students. They provide precise, personalized learning activities for your children.
http://oame.on.ca/CLIPS/
Elementary Program Team
2012
St. Edmund Elementary
School
Volume
Page 16
Web Resources:
Primary and
Junior:
Remember
the
Ontario Educational Resource
http://www.tvokids.com/search?search=probability
Bank? Try
http://www.tvokids.com/games/galaxyspacetrek
Probability:
A number from 0 to 1 that shows how
likely it is that an event will happen.
Intermediate: Coin Tossing
http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_305_g_3_t_
5.html
Probability from 4-6
Try playing “Rock, Paper, Scissors?”
Ask questions:
Will it or Won’t it Happen?
What are the chances?
Do you think it is fair?
Probability Grades 7 - 8
Talk about the probability of something happening in the real world.




Lotto 649 Odds: Jackpot Winner, 5 out of 6 numbers, 3 out of 6 numbers...
Roll Up the Rim to Win: Probability of winning a car, a $100 gift card...
The probability of the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup
Using the statistics from the Blue Jays: probability of a hit in an upcoming game if they had 45
bats in a previous game (batting .275 at that point in the season)
8