5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 2010
Principal
T. Cruz
!
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Vice Principal
M. MacDonald
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
Secretaries
S. Droy
J. Harvey
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Superintendent
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Peter Jae Choi
School Council Chair
Penny Valentini
Trustee
Esther O’Toole - Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
We are the Dead. Short days ago
Principal’s Message
This coming weekend we will see a change
in daylight hours as a result of setting our
clocks back an hour. This time shift signals
shorter periods of daylight and cooler temperatures. Trees and animals will prepare
for the coming winter.
We will see many wearing the red poppy in
honour of all war veterans. As we approach
November 11, we need to take the time to
pause, thank and reflect on the many men
and women who have died for the freedoms
that we enjoy. We attempt to keep their
memories alive by wearing a poppy and
through liturgies that commemorate the
bravery of these veterans. Our school will
be celebrating this day with various classroom activities in the primary grades that
focus on saying thank you. For the junior
and intermediate classes we will be gathering in the gym at 10:55 to participate in an
assembly. Parents and community partners
are welcome to join us. The entire school
will collectively have our minute of silence at
11:00 am.
During the month of November, we will also
begin preparing for the next season in our
liturgical calendar, Advent. We look forward
with great anticipation to all that the season
of Advent brings with it. God bless.
T. Cruz
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
Lt. John McCrae
P.A Day - Provincial Education
Priorities & Faith Development
Friday, November 26th, 2010
(No School for Students)
School Council
School Operations
ARRIVING ON TIME FOR SCHOOL
Please ensure that your child arrives at school between
8:30 and 8:45 am so they are able to line up with their
class to enter the school in the morning.
LATES – Late for School –
Please, Report to the Office
To ensure safe arrival, late students
need to report to the office rather
than proceed to the back of the
school where students may find
themselves locked out! School
Hours begin at 8:45am.
DRESSING FOR COLD WEATHER
Soon we will be experiencing cold weather and with
winter on its way, we need to prepare. It is important
for students to come prepared to participate in all activities, including outdoor recess. Please ensure that
your child is dressed appropriately for the forthcoming
colder weather, including having hats, boots and mittens/gloves as winter approaches.
COLD AND FLU SEASON
In colder weather, we receive requests
to allow children to remain indoors
when students have a cold or the flu.
Please note that we cannot comply, as
we have neither the facilities nor the
staff to supervise these students. Please
use discretion in keeping your child at 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
your child is well enough to attend school, he/she
should be well enough to go outside at recess.
INDOOR/OUTDOOR SHOES
In order to keep our students warm and
comfortable and to help keep their
workplace clean, please ensure that
your child has a pair of “indoor
shoes”. It will reduce the amount of
dirt and mud brought indoors. It will
also assist our custodial staff in keeping our school clean. It is also important because if the fire alarm goes off they cannot stop to
put shoes on.
VALUABLES
Students are reminded not to bring valuables such as
electronic games, toys, or personal items of importance. The school does not accept responsibility for
the above.
All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend our
School Council Meetings! It is a good place to hear
about some of the initiatives that are happening at Our
Lady of Mercy as well as an opportunity to connect and
meet with other parents in the community. Input is welcome so come and join us. General meetings begin at
6:30 p.m. The following are members of this year’s
school council:
Penny Valentini
Gail Bellissimo
Megan Scott
Jennifer Rodrigo
Monika Jasniak-Bechard
Debbie Cunha
Terence Noronha
Rose Cotic
Sandi Laing
Kathy Kossak
Felicia LoRusso
Barbara Rizzo
Darlene Cocciardi
Marylynn Cook
Lori DeAngelis
Antonette Lundy
Angela Martino
Lori Sell
Angela Vukelic
Tilia Cruz
Mike MacDonald
Nancy Rockarts
Irina Chaplia
Chair
Past Chair
Past Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Fundraising Coordinator
Parish Representative
Volunteer Coordinator
OAPCE Representative
Events Coordinator
Events Coordinator
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Parent Rep
Principal
Vice Principal
Teacher Rep
Non Teaching Rep
The Next School Council Meeting is scheduled for
Monday, November 1st at 6:30 p.m.
We are currently looking for volunteers in the following
areas of need:
!"
In-school Reading support
!"
Literacy Room
!"
Communication
If you can volunteer some of your time in one of these
areas, please contact the school and a member of the
School Council will contact you directly. For more information on Volunteering, please refer to the G.I.F.T.S.
Volunteer News that is sent home on green paper every
month.
Virtue of
of the Month
Virtue
Toonie Tuesday
Toonie Tuesday - November 23, 2010
Eden Community Food Bank 3051 Battleford Road,
Mississauga, ON L5N 4Z9 Phone: 905-785-3651
Dear Neighbours,
Affirmation:
I listen to my conscience.
It guides me through the path of virtue and Godliness.
I do what I know is right.
What is Conscience?
Conscience is the sense of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of
one’s own actions, intentions, or character. It is combined with a
strong feeling of obligation to do right or be good. God gave us a conscience that includes the standards of how God desires for us to live.
We know right from wrong. Our conscience guides us in all we do.
Why practice being Conscientious?
A conscientious person is happy and cheerful. When you have a good
conscience you are more at ease, you have serenity, joy and happiness
in life. It prevents calamities, troubles, afflictions and miseries. There
is satisfaction of conscience when a good action is done, when virtue
is practiced and you lead a virtuous life.
How do you practice the virtue of Conscience?
You practice the virtue of Conscience by adhering to truth, righteousness and virtue. Conscience is the inner voice which says “yes” or
“no” when you are involved in a moral struggle. It is the call within to
do an act or avoid it. By listening to this inner voice and acknowledging our own acts and feelings as right or wrong, we are being conscientious.
You are practicing the Virtue of CONSCIENCE when
you…
!" Do not steal, cheat, or lie because you know it’s wrong
!" Obey your parents even when they are not watching
!" Are not swayed by others to do wrong
!" Can be trusted to do what you are told
!" Admit when you are wrong
!" Obey the rules because it’s the right thing to do
You need more practice when you…
!"Steal, cheat or lie
!"Disobey your parents and teachers
!"Are easily swayed by peers to do wrong
!"Constantly break the rules
!"Do not admit to being at fault
We would like to encourage you
to participate in our 6th annual
Toonie Tuesday campaign to
raise funds for Eden Community
Food Bank.
Eden Community Food Bank provides food and other
assistance to hungry families in the L5N, L5M, L5L and
L5K postal code areas of western Mississauga.
We would love to say that the signs of hunger are disappearing but unfortunately as the economic downturn lingers on and high paying manufacturing jobs are being
replaced with minimum wage jobs, hunger has been on
the increase. We still continue to see upwards of 50 new
families come to us every month for food assistance. We
are now serving on average 1,300 people every month –
almost half of whom are children who
attend your schools. So far this year, we
have distributed 195,640 pounds of food
to needy families in our area. We simply
cannot do this without your help.
By simply donating a toonie on Tuesday,
November 23rd, you will help to make a huge difference in
the lives of those who go hungry in our community. We
do not receive any government funding. We rely on the
community for donations.
Both school boards have once again agreed to join forces
to help this local endeavor. While we understand the
constant pressure to raise funds for worthwhile causes
throughout the world, we ask you to consider Eden Community Food Bank because it has an immediate impact
on our own neighbourhoods.
Your support is needed more than ever, so please help
us take a bite out of hunger!
Donna Behmer—Operations Manager
Eden Community Food Bank
FAMILY ADVENT MASS
Everyone is invited to attend
the Family Advent Mass on
Wednesday, December 8th at
9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of
Mercy School. Come and join
in our Advent celebration!
Anaphylaxis
Food!Allergies!and!Anaphylaxis!
Our!Lady!of!Mercy!is!an!allergen!aware!school.!!
There!are!pupils!in!attendance!who!suffer!from!se"
vere!and!life!threatening!allergies!to!certain!foods.!!
Dates to Remember
November
2
Grade 8 trip to Mt. Alverno
4
Fire Department Visit—Kindergarten
4
Parent Interview night (as needed)
9
Anaphylaxis Assemblies—all day
Exposure!to!the!smallest!quantities!can!cause!severe!
life!threatening!reactions.!!Anaphylaxis!is!a!severe!
and!life!threatening!allergic!reaction.!!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!students!is!paramount.!
10
HPV and HEP B Clinics
11
Remembrance Day
18
Picture Retake Day
23
Toonie Tuesday
We!at!Our!Lady!of!Mercy,!would!appreciate!the!co"
26
P.A. Day - No school for students
- Provincial Education Priorities
operation!of!the!entire!school!community!by!NOT!
sending!any!lunches!or!snacks!that!contain!any!in"
gredients!identified!as!food!allergens!for!students!in!
your!child’s!class.!
Please!make!sure!that!all!of!your!children’s!caregiv"
ers!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!spe"
cific!allergens!in!your!child’s!classroom.!
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!appre"
ciated.!
HOLY NAME OF MARY C.S.S TO HOLD
GRADE 8 INFORMATION NIGHT
On November 18th, beginning at 7:00 p.m., Holy Name of
Mary C.S.S. will be holding a Grade 9 Information & Registration Night for current Grade 8 students, and their parents, in the school’s gymnasium. As a regional all girls
school, we would like to invite all eligible Region of
Peel girls to apply to Holy Name of Mary C.S.S. The night
will involve information, presentations, tours of the school
and registration. Please visit our website for further updates: www.dpcdsb.org/hnmry/guidance. Registration
packages will be available on our website by November
5th, 2010. Location: Holy Name of Mary C.S.S.,
115 Glenvale Blvd., Brampton, Ontario. For further information please call 905-458-5541 X 64104.
December
6
Junior students to see “The Nutcracker”
8
Advent Mass - 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy
17
Last day of school before Christmas Break
Our Catholic School Heritage
1. How long have Catholic separate schools been
educating Catholic children and 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.
2. Has the Ontario government always supported
separate schools?
Yes, as did its predecessor, the United Legislature of
Canada East (now Quebec) and Canada West (now
Ontario) during its total life from 1841 to 1867. One of
the first pieces of legislation it passed in 1841 was the
Common School Act, with a separate school clause.
Order Magazines Online
Go online at www.QSP.ca to order your new or renewal
magazine subscriptions. Use our school’s name and a
portion of your subscription goes to support our school.
If you buy a magazine online, you will also be entered
in a contest for a chance to win a Dell Laptop!