NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2007
Principal
T. Cruz
Vice Principal
M. MacDonald
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Beginning of School Prayer
Dear Lord
You give us this new school year.
We are excited to be back
With our friends and teachers.
Help us to make the best of a new beginning.
Secretaries
D. Nolan
J. Harvey
Superintendent
Mississauga North
M. Prospero
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastors
Fr. Ivan Camilleri
Fr. Mariush Runevich
School Council Chair
Gail Bellissimo
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
Our Lady of Mercy Staff 2007-2008
Teacher’s Name
Grade
Guide us to make wise decisions and
To do the best that we can.
Help us to make this a happy year.
Let us share with our friends and
to make new friends feel welcome.
Principal’s Message
I hope it is with positive excitement that
everyone is returning from summer vacation. As I
begin a new journey at Our Lady of Mercy School I
would like to thank the staff, parents, parish and
children who have welcomed me to this community.
Together, I hope we are able to build a stronger family as we journey along this road.
I would like to take this opportunity to
extend a special welcome to the new families who
have joined our community. A special greeting and
best wishes to our Junior Kindergarten children who
are starting school for the first time and I hope that
they will develop many happy memories of their life
at school. As in the past, we will encourage a cooperative partnership between home, school and parish
to promote positive learning experiences for all of
our students.
Our Lady of Mercy School will continue to
be an active community that relies on cooperation
and teamwork. We are very blessed to have a very
devoted School Council and Parish team. Please
consider putting in your nomination to become part
of our Council. It is a very important part of the life
of our school.
I wish everyone a very successful school
year. Our staff is committed to working with our
parents, parish and community partners as they support the children in their quest for knowledge and
spiritual development. May God bless you and your
families.
T. Cruz
JK/SK
SKam
Grade 1
Grade 1/2
Grade 2
Grade 2/3
Grade 2/3
Grade 3
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 5
Grade 5/6
Grade 6
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 8
FSL
FSL
SERT/ESL
SERT
SERC
Librarian
ERW
ERW
ERW
ERW
ERW
Custodian
Head Secretary
Secretary
Vice Principal
T. Fang
H. Maxwell
M. Kahle
R. Merle
D. Jessome
A. Paliwoda
M. Jorge
M. Paolone
J. Larose
P. Fitzgerald
M. Murphy
R. Furtado
N. Rockarts
S. Cunningham
M. Capobianco
K. Karaim-Rudyk
R. Sowinski
M. Xerri
C. Commisso
S. Daley
J. Quintana
M. Abilleira
D. Guzman
T. Hillyer
A. Aquino
K. Read
J. Adamkowski
S. Attard
P. Firth
J. Cunningham
E. Armstrong
M. Santos
A. Jones
D. Nolan
J. Harvey
M. MacDonald
SCHOOL HOURS
8:30
Supervision in the yard
8:45
School Entry
10:50 Morning Recess (Grade 1-8)*
11:15 Kindergarten Dismissal
11:45 Lunch (Grade 1-8)
12:45 Afternoon Start
2:15
Afternoon Recess
3:15
Dismissal
*Please note: we have moved to one recess in the morning since our enrollment makes this now more manageable.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
All students are expected to attend school regularly and punctually. In the event that your child will be late or absent, please
telephone the school before 8:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. to inform us of the absence. All students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. or
12:45 p.m. must obtain a late slip from the office. This measure is to ensure the safety of your child. We thank you for your
continued support in following this procedure.
Our attendance line is: 905-814-9216
Provide the following information:
•
Date of absence(s)
•
Name(s) of student(s)
•
Name of student’s Teacher(s)
•
Reason for absence
Date of Return
A Student Verification Card for each child has been sent home. All sheets (even those which have correct information) should
be returned to the appropriate classroom teacher. If you have not returned yours, please do so as soon as possible, as this will
greatly help us to update our records. In case of an emergency, we need current phone numbers and up-to-date information to
contact you immediately. Please add cell phone numbers if available. In addition, any students leaving or returning to the
school due to appointments must be signed out and in at the office.
WELCOME
We welcome S. Cunningham who will be teaching the Grade 5/6 class, T. Hillyer will be one of our resource teachers and Ms.
Santos is one of our new ERWs. M. Jorge, C. Commisso, and A. Paliwoda are all returning to cover leaves of absences.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
Students will have the opportunity to take field trips and participate in a number of extra-curricular activities. Permission forms
will be sent home to be filled out, signed and promptly returned to school.
NO STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE ON A TRIP OR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT
FROM THEIR PARENT /GUARDIAN.
VERBAL CONSENT OVER THE TELEPHONE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. No exceptions will be allowed. Teachers give ample notice
for trip consent forms.
We encourage parents to support these educational opportunities by volunteering to assist and supervise these excursions.
For the safety of your child, excursions lacking appropriate adult supervision will be cancelled.
TRANSPORTATION
Bus Safety Protocol for JK/SK & Grade 1 students will be sent home, as well Bus Safety Rules for all students using the bus.
Review expectations with your child, reinforcing the need to follow the rules to support the safe passage of all our students.
Please sign and return the bus form to the office.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding transportation please contact Mr. MacDonald or the Transportation Department at 905-890-0614.
COMBINED CLASSES
With the introduction by the Ministry of a primary classroom cap on class sizes, combined classrooms have become much
more common. At Our Lady of Mercy this is the case and as we check enrollment each day we will likely be reorganizing over
the next couple of weeks. Parents have been bringing in letters requesting classroom changes for their children, however, it
will be impossible to accommodate all requests. We will do our best but I do want to reassure parents that teachers use many
different strategies to teach students in combined grades. All classrooms, whether single-grade or combined, include students
performing at a range of achievement levels. Several studies have found that students in combined classes do just as well as
students in single-grade classes. In fact, some students actually do better in language and reading.
Beginning and Dismissal of School
1. Kiss and Ride Program
Vehicles entering school property from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m. are to use the school’s Kiss & Ride Program. The program is supervised by staff and volunteers.
Lane 1 – Closest to the school building is for emergency vehicles, school buses and daycare vehicles approved by the Principal.
Lane 2 – Middle lane is for parents to drop off or pick up their child. Drivers are asked to stop their car directly behind the car
in front of them. In the morning a volunteer will assist your child in exiting the car. Students exit from the passenger side of the
vehicle and proceed directly to the school play area.
Lane 3 – Closest to the street is a drive through lane. Vehicles must not stop or park in this lane.
Please do not park your car in a manner that would block a bus or other vehicles entering and leaving the school. Do not leave
your car unattended in any Kiss & Ride lane. It is illegal for any vehicle to block the fire access route on the south side of the
school.
2. Supervision in School Yard:
Staff are on duty for 15 minutes before the start of the school day and throughout the entire noon hour. Therefore, you may
safely leave your child in the school yard upon arrival in the morning or returning to the school after lunch.
3. Picking Up Students at Dismissal
At the end of the school day, parents, babysitters, older siblings are to meet students outside (Grades 1-8) at the side or back
doors. Parents picking up their children by car at the end of the school day, can only stop in lane 2 of the Kiss & Ride Lane and
must stay in their vehicles. Staff will be present to help students walk to the front of the school to meet you.
Pick-Up and Drop-Off Policy
Parents or designated individuals are required to sign children in at the office when bringing them to school late and must also
sign them out at the office when withdrawing them from school before regular dismissal time.
Parents are requested to provide the classroom teacher with a note if it is necessary for a child to leave for an appointment.
Please meet the child(ren) at the main office and sign them out. Upon their return, they must report to the office for an admittance slip.
Lunch Students & Leaving School Grounds
The school lunch hour is 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. When children stay for lunch, they will eat with their classmates and remain
on school property throughout the lunch period. Supervision is provided by staff and a lunch supervisor. For safety reasons,
students either stay for lunch or leave for lunch every day. Changes to this routine are done only with written permission by a
parent/guardian. Students are not allowed to call home to go out for lunch. The office is very busy at this time and phones are
needed for office communication and emergency phone calls. Students must sign in and out at the office. Parents accept the
responsibility for conduct, safety and the well being of students when they are given permission to leave school property. We
thank you for continuing to support this safety routine.
Visitors & Volunteers
To ensure school security for students and teachers, the Board policy requires that all visitors (including parents) and volunteers must report to the office when entering the school. Please enter through the main doors only. Identification stickers are
required to be worn when visitors are in the school.
Volunteers are welcome and appreciated in the school. If you wish to volunteer, you must complete a criminal reference check.
If you completed a criminal reference check last year, and submitted a copy to the school, you are requested to complete an
Offence Declaration Form this year. Please contact the school office for more information.
MEDICATION
On occasion, the school is asked to store and/or give medication to students. A completed form must accompany each request for medication to be stored and given out by the school personnel. Ask the Office to supply you with the appropriate
forms.
Peanut Awareness & Other Allergens
We have a number of children in our school who have severe life threatening allergic reaction to peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils and any peanut by-products. Please do not send lunches or snacks with peanut products.
Other life threatening allergens may include allergies to eggs, dairy, and flour products, sesame seeds and types of seafood if
ingested by the student.
STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board annually provides parents with information about cost-effective student accident insurance coverage via student courier. Although enrolment is voluntary, the board encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage, especially if their
child/children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if parents do not have dental insurance coverage.
Enrolment is required in writing -- there are two options for enrolment:
1) Complete the traditional form and mail it in
2) Photocopy the form and fax it to Reliable Life at 1-905-522-7211 or 1-800-463-KIDS (5437).
Parents alone have the right to insure their children.
CATHOLIC CODE OF CONDUCT
New regulations are being implemented by government under the revised Safe Schools Act. All provisions of Bill 212-An Act to
Amend the Education Act in Respect to Behaviour, Discipline and Safety-will come into effect on February 1, 2008. As a result,
the current Code of Conduct is under revision. When this process is completed the Revised Code of Conduct will replace the
current Code. Until that time, the current procedures for suspensions and expulsions will continue and can be found enclosed
with this newsletter.
SEPTEMBER
Book Fair in Library
28
PD Day – No school for students
OCTOBER
10
Provincial Election
17
Early Release Day – no school in pm
18
CCCSAC Central Committee Catholic School Council 10th Anniversary
19
Picture Day
Sacraments and Liturgical Celebrations
Students in Grade 2 receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Students in Grade 8 receive the
Sacrament of Confirmation. Preparation for these sacraments is a shared responsibility between parents, the parish and the
school.
Tues., Oct. 2
Beginning of the year
9:30 am @ School
Mass
Thurs., Oct. 11
Parent’s Meeting for
7:30 pm @ Merciful
Confirmation
Redeemer Church
Thurs., Oct. 18
Parent’s Meeting for
7:30 pm @ Merciful
First Holy Communion
Redeemer Church
and Reconciliation
Sat./Sun., Nov. 10/11
Presentation of Names for
@ Merciful
First Holy Communion
Redeemer Church
and Reconciliation
Tues., Feb. 19
First Reconciliation
9:30 am @ Merciful
for Grade 2 students
Redeemer Church
Sat., April 26
11:00 am @ Merciful
First Holy Communion
Redeemer Church
Tues., Dec. 11
Advent Mass
7:00 pm @ Merciful
Redeemer Church
Wed., Feb 6
Ash Wednesday
11:00 am @ School
Tues., March 4
Confirmation
9:00 am @ Merciful
Confessions
Redeemer Church
Sat., May 3
Confirmation
2:00 pm @ Merciful
Redeemer Church
Tues., June 10
Year End Mass
9:30 am @ School
Mon., June 23
Graduation Mass
10:00 am @ School
*** More details regarding Confirmation dates and activities will be given to Grade 8 students.
EARLY RELEASE DAYS
October 17, 2007
February 6, 2008
April 23, 2008