NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2011
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Principal’s Message
Principal
T. Cruz
Vice Principal
D. Carpe
Secretary
S. Droy
Superintendent
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Robert Mignella
Advent Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the
darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our
preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek
quiet spaces to hear your voice
each day.
During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves for the coming of our Saviour. Let us
prepare the inner core of ourselves, so that we
will be transformed in our lives, in our behaviour and in our hearts. We are waiting for His
birth and prepare for that arrival with a great
deal of excitement and energy. Christmas
trees are decorated, presents are bought or
made, cookies are baked and cards are sent
out to all of our friends, families and colleagues. At Our Lady of Mercy, we have set
up our Christmas tree in the foyer, decorated
by student representatives from all classes,
and we once again have our mitt and scarf
tree that will provide donations to some families in the community. Our food drive will
also help support the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
We are looking forward to our Advent mass
which will be held at the school on December
14th at 9:30 AM at the school. This will allow
us to celebrate with all of our children this
wonderful time of anticipation. Please note
the time/date change.
School Council Chair
Gail Bellissimo
We who are anxious over many
things look forward to your
coming among us.
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
We who are blessed in so many
ways long for the complete joy of
your kingdom.
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
We whose hearts are heavy seek
the joy of your presence.
May God grant you the light in Christmas,
which is faith;
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
We are your people, walking in
darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say,
"Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.
The belief of Christmas, which is truth;
I sincerely hope that you take the opportunity
to relax, pray and celebrate the birth of Christ,
the Son of God, during this very holy season.
Wishing you and your families the best of
Christmas.
A blessing to carry you through the season:
The warmth of Christmas, which is love;
The all of Christmas, which is Christ.
Amen
School Operations
Junior & Senior Kindergarten
Registration for 2012-13
Junior and Senior Kindergarten Registration for 2012‐13 Registration for Junior and Senior Kindergarten for the 2012
-13 school year, will take place at Our Lady of Mercy School
on the following days:
Monday, February 6, 2012*
7:00-9:00 p.m.
*Snow Date: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, February 8, 9 &
10, 2012
9:00-11:00 a.m.
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Junior Kindergarten - Children must be 4 years old by
Dec. 31, 2011. Senior Kindergarten - Children must
be 5 years old by Dec. 31, 2011
Parents/Guardians should bring the following documents when registering their child:
1.
Proof of age
2.
Original Catholic Baptismal Certificate of the Roman, Greek
or Ukrainian Rite, for parent (one) and child (if the child has
not been baptised, a letter of counselling with the parish
priest, to complete the process will be accepted).
3.
Updated immunization records
4.
Proof of Canadian citizenship or of Landed Immigrant status
5.
Proof of address (utility bill, bank or credit card statement.
Dressing Warmly
Winter is Here!
Please ensure that your children are
dressed appropriately for the weather.
Warm clothes, snow pants, gloves,
mitts, hats and boots are needed for outdoor play. Having an extra pair of mitts and socks is always appreciated for children that play in the snow. Place items in a
bag with your child’s name on it. We recommend label-
French Immersion Information Meeting
For Senior Kindergarten Parents, who wish to enroll
their child in Grade 1 French Immersion class for Sept.
2012 are invited to attend an information meeting at:
St Margaret of Scotland School
2266 Council Ring Rd
Mississauga ON, L5L 1C1
Wed. January 11, 2012, 7pm
Communication Updates
Inclement Weather and School Closure
During the winter months inclement weather may cause
disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/
or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will
be announced on the following radio stations:
VIRGIN RADIO FM 99.9
CHUM AM 1050
CFTR AM 680
CFNY FM 102.1
CJCL AM 590
CHFI FM 98.1
CFRB AM 1010
EZ ROCK FM 97.3
CJBC (FR) AM 860
FM Z103.5
FM 93.1
AM 1540
AM 640
FM Q 107
CHIN FM 100.7
CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS
CBC
CFTO
We will be communicating one of four standard messages to the radio stations. The four announcements and
their effect on the transportation system are as follows:
(Please note that the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio stations).
1. “DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING ST. ANDREW,
ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY
SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL
ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”
2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF
CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE
CANCELLED”. This means that all runs listed under announcement #l PLUS the following are cancelled.

All schools in the Town of Caledon and all school runs
that begin in the Town of Caledon.

Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation
affects their school.
3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT
SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED.”
This means that:
ALL Transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel
Catholic District School Board and The Peel District School
Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled
for the entire day.
4. “THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE
DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL
BOARD ARE CLOSED.” This means that:
ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel
District School Board schools and offices are closed to all
students and staff.
Virtue of the Month
December’s Virtue of the Month is:
Affirmation:
I am hopeful.
I trust in God because He is merciful and faithful to His
promises.
My Hope is my steadfast anchor.
I ask the Holy Spirit to help and guide me.
What is Hope?
Hope is a theological virtue. It informs our Christian moral life
along with the virtues of Faith and Charity. Hope is manifested
in our desire to attain the kingdom of Heaven and eternal life as
our happiness. We place our trust in Christ’s promises and rely
on the grace of the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Why practice Hope?
You need Hope to trust in the promises of Jesus Christ. This
hope is always achieved with the grace and help of the Holy
Spirit. Hope answers our strong burning desires for happiness
and it informs our actions, making them pure of heart. It gives
us strength so that we do not become discouraged and hold on
steadily to our beliefs.
You are practicing the Virtue of HOPE when you…

Trust in God that there is some good in everything that
happens

Always do your best

Do not let doubts blow you off course

Stand by your friends and loved ones

Ask God to help you keep steadfast
You need more practice when you…
Give into your doubts
Just do what is easiest at the moment
Avoid prayer
Don’t feel joy in life and hope for the future
Family Advent Mass
Everyone is invited to attend the
Family Advent Mass on Wednesday, December 14h at 9:30a.m. at
Our Lady of Mercy School.
Come and join in our Advent
liturgical celebration!
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT TEACHER (SAT)
This year Dufferin-Peel has assigned a Special Assignment
teacher who visits our school and assists with the implementation
of the Primary and Junior numeracy curriculum. We are most
pleased to introduce our SAT teacher, Ms. D’Agostino.
Ms. D’Agostino will work with Our Lady of Mercy primary and
junior division teachers and the teachers in three other local
schools. Her mandate is to assist teachers in meeting the assessment needs demanded of the curriculum and also to assist in the
implementation of the strategies which support junior numeracy.
Ms. D’Agostino has already shown herself to be a welcome addition to our school. The children currently have had the opportunity to benefit from additional classroom help which in turn helps
to ensure greater learning success. We are excited to provide
such a collaborative teaching opportunity for our teachers and
students.
Your Catholic School Trustee Esther O’Toole,
Wards 9 & 10
December 2011
I am pleased to report that to date this has been a
wonderful start up with many exciting events happening in our schools.
Thanks to everyone who organized the many tributes
to our veterans on November 11th. Many of our
grandparents are veterans of World War II and it is
very important that our children know and understand
the terrific sacrifice made in the past and continues to
be made by our armed forces.
Congratulations to MPP Laurel Broten who has been
appointed Minister of Education. We look forward to a
positive partnership and wish her all the best in her
endeavors. Congratulations to MPP Bob Delaney who
has been appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the
Minister of Education.
We will be inviting our local MPPs to meet with the
Board of Trustees and senior staff in the New Year to
discuss goals, concerns and issues. We hope that our
local MPPs will be able to attend. It is crucial that we
continue to make our elected representatives aware
that we expect that they will support Catholic education in this province.
I encourage you will make an effort to attend your
Catholic school council meetings. This is an opportunity for you to hear the latest news about your children’s school and to ask pertinent questions. Thank
you so much to our school council members and volunteers for your time and talent.
It is my privilege and delight to visit our schools, meet
students, attend concerts/events and participate in
liturgical celebrations. Many thanks to our wonderful
teachers, administration and who go above and beyond to make our students school experience so
memorable. Special thank you to our Parishes for the
support they give our schools especially during this
advent season. I wish each and every one of you a
blessed Christmas and all the very best for the New
Year. May the good Lord always hold you in the palm
of His hand.
Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis 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. For more information, contact your local Catholic
Dates to Remember
school or call the Admissions Department at 905-8900708 ext. 24500.
December
5
Advent Food Drive and Hat and
Mitten Tree Donations Begin
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. 14
Advent School Mass 9:30am at the school
15
Christmas Bazaar
16
Author visit—Eric Walters 1pm Gr 5-8
We at Our Lady of Mercy, would appreciate the co‐
23
Last day of school before Christmas Break
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. Your co‐operation in helping to keep all our pupils safe is greatly appreciated. JOB
OPPORTUNITY
Our Lady of Mercy School requires a
lunch hour supervisor beginning January 9, 2012. If you enjoy working with children and can commit to working everyday 11:45-12:45 please
contact the school. You must be willing to supervise the children while they eat their lunches and while they participate in
free play outdoors (fall, winter, spring and summer). A completed criminal reference check must be provided (Forms are
available at the school). An hourly rate of approximately
$11.45 per hour can be expected. Please call 905-814-9216
and speak with Mrs. Cruz if you are interested.
7
‘Big Bang Swing’ a Tribute to the Music of the
1930’s and 1940’s
January 2012
9 Classes resume
10 Police Presentations Gr 4-6
12 School Council Meeting - 6:30pm
16 PA Day
30 to Feb 2 Book Fair
Merciful Redeemer
Parish
Christmas Schedule
CHRISTMAS EVE - Saturday, December 24
4:00, 6:00. 8:00, 10:00 p.m & Midnight
CHRISTMAS DAY - Sunday, December 25
8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 a.m.
(No Sunday evening Mass)
New Year’s Schedule
NEW YEAR’S EVE - Saturday, December 31
5:00, 7:00(Youth) & 11:00 pm
NEW YEAR’S DAY - Day of Obligation
Sunday, January 1
8:30,10:00 & 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.