NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2010
Principal
T. Cruz
Vice Principal
M. MacDonald
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Autumn Prayer
Lord, we come before you in Thanksgiving
For the gifts you have given
The colour of the season reminds us
of the beauty
You alone can create.
Secretaries
S. Droy
J. Harvey
Superintendent
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
We are thankful for the food you provide
in the harvest.
You have filled the earth with your gifts.
You have blessed us.
We are ever grateful!
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Peter Jae Choi
Volunteers Make it Happen
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 has many volunteer positions available. Some ongoing ways that
you can contribute include the Fluency Program, Kiss & Ride, food days and classroom/library assistant. As well, we have
various special events that occur throughout
the year such as fundraising, school concerts, religious and seasonal celebrations.
Any amount of time you can offer would be
greatly appreciated. If you are interested in
volunteering, please let the school know and
a volunteer coordinator will contact you.
Thank you to those who have already signed
up to volunteer!
Thanksgiving—Monday, Oct. 11
There will be no school on this day. Our
Lady of Mercy Staff would like to wish your
family a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe
and bountiful holiday weekend!
Principal’s Message
Thank you to all who were able make
it to our Open House and met their
children’s teachers. We were fortunate this year that we did not have
to re-organize classes.
At Our Lady of Mercy, the month of
October will be filled with wonderful
moments of giving, reflecting and
supporting.. Our school community
has done a wonderful job collecting
food for the food bank as part of our
annual Thanksgiving food drive.
The virtue of Empathy will be a
strong part of our focus during October and especially for Thanksgiving.
Our first school mass was held on
Tuesday, October 5th. It provided
time for our school community to
reflect on what we are most grateful
for and what we need to do to give
back to our communities.
Thank you for helping us to help
those in need. On behalf of the staff
here at Our Lady of Mercy, we wish
you a Happy Thanksgiving!
T. Cruz
School Operations
Communication Updates
STUDENT VERIFICATION SHEETS
KISS N’ RIDE
Thank you to all who have completed and returned the Student Verification Sheet which you received from the classroom teacher in early September. The information requested is essential for communication with home in the
event of an emergency. If you have not returned this information, please do so as soon as possible. Please notify the
office of any changes throughout the year.
Thank you to those parents who drive to the very end of the
lane close to the Kindergarten fenced area and the front
doors before letting their children out to be helped by the
supervisors. Some parents continue to stop immediately
after entering the lane. There are many cars behind waiting
to enter and this causes congestion on Glen Erin. As well,
there is the danger of other drivers having to go around them
to drop off their children in the appropriate spot.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
& EXCURSIONS
This year your child will have the opportunity to participate
in a variety of field trips and extra-curricular activities. In
preparation for these events, permission forms will be sent
home. It is essential that these forms be filled out and
promptly returned to the school. No student will be allowed
on any trip or activity without a signed permission form.
Thank you for your cooperation.
VISITORS TO SCHOOL
& CONTACTING STAFF MEMBERS
If you wish to speak to a staff member, we request that you
call and book an appointment. This enables our staff to plan
ahead to meet you without disrupting any planned activities
during or after school.
VISITORS AND 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.
Lunch Students & Leaving School Grounds
The school lunch hour is 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. When
children stay for lunch, they eat with their classmates and
remain on school property throughout the lunch period.
Supervision is provided by staff and two Student Monitors
(lunch supervisors). 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. Parents accept the responsibility for conduct,
safety and the well being of students when they are given
permission to leave school property. Thank you for continuing to support this safety routine.
The bus lanes are completely off limits to cars and vans. Only school
buses can use these lanes or the vans
that come from community daycares.
OPEN HOUSE
Many thanks goes out to all those who attended our Open
House on Thursday, September 30th. The evening was a
great success. During classroom visits, copies of Curriculum at a Glance for Parents were distributed. Please keep
them for future reference.
VALUABLES
Students are reminded not to bring valuables such as electronic games, toys, personal items of importance, or money
to school. The school does not accept responsibility for the
above. Wherever possible, personal items should be marked
with the child’s name. Students will be asked to have parents pick up from the office any inappropriate items brought
to the school.
SCHOOL DRESS CODE – Cooler Weather
Students are expected to adhere to standards of modesty,
neatness and good taste in their attire within
our school. As temperatures drop, students
need to dress warmly and have an additional
pair of pants handy for unexpected playground
splashes. Please remember to bring a pair of
indoor shoes to keep mud and sand at bay.
PEDICULOSIS
Head lice are parasites which have been common among humans for centuries. They are not connected in any way with
dirt or neglect. Anyone can be infested with them. We ask
your cooperation in following our school procedures for controlling these pests.
If cases are found in the school, we will inform parents. We
shall check friends and classmates of the affected students.
However, we request that you also check your own children
and if you find them to be infested, we would ask that you let
us know. Information on the proper treatment can be obtained
from a pharmacist or the Peel Regional Health Department. If
your children have head lice, we will ask you to keep them out
of school until they have been treated with the correct shampoo
and their head is entirely clear of lice and nits (eggs).
Virtue of the Month
Affirmation:
I understand other’s feelings and difficulties.
I am able to share in the joy of others.
I can sense the hurt around me.
I care about who is in trouble or has made a mistake.
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. Dates for various liturgical
celebrations and activities are as follows:
Pastoral School Plans
I am a loyal and committed friend.
What is Empathy?
Empathy is the ability to experience and respond to another
person's feelings. Empathy is widely recognized as a universal
virtue, closely related to many other virtues, such as love, compassion, kindness, tolerance, respect, and acceptance. When
you have empathy you understand the emotions and difficulties
of others around you and respond in a positive way. This helps
others see your moral character and helps you influence people
and win friends.
Why practice Empathy?
You need empathy to survive and succeed in the world. By
experiencing empathy we can understand how certain actions
and words can hurt others. This understanding stops us from
hurting those around us. Without empathy, we travel down the
road of violence and destruction. You will find happiness and
serenity only in caring for others.
How do you practice Empathy?
Before you do anything or make any decision, simply ask yourself: How will it affect others? Will it have a negative impact
on their well-being? If I were in their shoes, how would I react?
This practice is basically the gold rule. Instead of being preoccupied with your own self-interest, everyday ask yourself:
What can I do to reduce other people's suffering? How can I
bring some sunshine to someone's life? How can I make a difference in my corner of the world, here and now?
You are practicing the Virtue of EMPATHY when you…
DATE
October 4, 2010
Parent’s Meeting for:
7:00 p.m. @ Church
Grade 2 Sacraments
October 5, 2010
Opening School Mass
9:30 a.m. @ School
October 16/17, 2010
Sat., October 16, 2010
7:00 p.m. Mass
Sat., November 20, 2010
7:00 pm Youth Mass
December 8, 2010
Letter of Request for Confirmation
Presentation of Cards for
Confirmation
Advent Mass
9:30 a.m. at school
Sat., January 22, 2011
7:00 pm @ Church
February 15, 2011
Presentation of the
Confirmandee
Confirmation Confessions
11:00 a.m. @ School
February 24, 2011
Notice when someone is hurt or needs a friend
11:00 a.m. @ Church

Care enough about her/him to stop what you are doing
and let her know you care
March 9, 2011

Listen and try to understand
@ School

Forgive when you are hurt and give those around you
another chance to be your friend instead of hurting
back
Saturday, May 7, 2011
First Reconciliation
Ash Wednesday Mass
First Holy Communion
11:00 a.m. @ Church
 Help people and animals in need
You need more practice when you…
Saturday May 28, 2011
Do not notice that people or animals around you are sad or
11:00 a.m. @ Church
Think what you are doing is more important than what is
First Holy Communion Inscription
Any Parish Mass

having problems
CELEBRATION
June 14, 2011
happening to others
9:30 a.m. @ School
Don’t stop to listen or show you care
Judge or criticize
Hurt others back because you are angry
June 23, 2011
9:30 a.m. @ Church
Confirmation
Year End Mass
Graduation Mass
Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis Our Lady of Mercy is an allergen aware school. There are pupils in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods. Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe life threatening reactions. Anaphy‐
laxis is a severe and life threatening allergic reac‐
tion. The most common allergen triggers are food, insect stings, medications, exercise and latex. An anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems. Safety of all our stu‐
dents is paramount. We at Our Lady of Mercy, would appreciate the co‐operation of the entire school community by NOT sending any lunches or snacks that contain any ingredients identified as food allergens for students in your child’s class. Please make sure that all of your children’s care‐
givers are aware of the food restrictions. We also ask that you review the letters that were sent home at the beginning of the school year that spoke to specific allergens in your child’s class‐
room. For celebrations, we are once again asking that food NOT be brought into the school since we cannot control the ingredients in many baked items. If you have any questions please talk to your child’s teacher or to school staff. Your co‐
operation in helping to keep all our pupils safe is greatly appreciated. Food Allergies and Hallowe’en
Hallowe’en is coming soon. Many children will be receiving treats on October 31st. As we have students in
our school who have severe food allergies, we again
ask that you please do not send Hallowe’en snacks
to school as it is difficult for us to identify their contents. Edible items that children receive at Hallowe’en
should be enjoyed at home where they may not pose a
risk to others. As well, please do not
send food for birthdays or special occasions. Pencils, erasers and stickers are
items that children enjoy and can share
with their classmates.
Your co-operation in helping to keep all
our students safe from food allergens is
greatly appreciated.
Dates to Remember
October
4-7
Food Drive for St. Vincent de Paul
4
1st Communion Parent Meeting - 7 p.m.
5
Opening School Mass - 9:30 a.m. in Gym
7
School Council Meeting and Elections
@ 6:30 p.m.
11
Thanksgiving
15
Kindergarten’s trip to Andrew’s Scenic Acres
19
Grade1 trip to Peel Safety Village
21
CCCSC Central Committee of Catholic School
Councils—Council Chair & School Admin.
26
School Photo Day
28
Kindergarten’s trip to Fred Penner Concert
31
Hallowe’en
November
2
Grade 8 trip to Mt. Alverno
11
Remembrance Day
18
Picture Retake Day
26
P.A. Day - No school for students
- Provincial Education Priorities
HALLOWE’EN
Students have the option to wear costumes to school on Friday, Oct. 29th. For safety reasons they must follow these
guidelines:
 Do not bring weapon replicas such as swords, knives,
guns or objects that could injure others.
 Do not wear costumes that may be too gory or scary.
We have young children who may be frightened.
 Masks may not be worn in hallways or outside as they
pose a safety risk with such a large number of children.
Make up is a better option.
 Costumes may get damaged at school. Please ensure
that you are prepared with a back up for the evening.
 For those who do not wish to wear a costume, we encourage them to wear black and orange.
Have a fun and safe Hallowe’en!