NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 2012
Principal
Principal
T. Cruz
D. Della Rossa
Vice Principal
Secretary
D. Carpe
S. Droy
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Thanksgiving 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
Superintendent
S.
Droy
Mississauga
North
We are thankful for the food you provide
D. Oude-Reimerink
Superintendent
Mississauga
North
Parish
D.
Oude-Reimerink
Merciful
Redeemer Parish
You have filled the earth with your gifts.
in the harvest.
You have blessed us.
We are ever grateful!
Phone: 905-812-0030
Parish
Merciful
Pastor Redeemer Parish
Phone:
905-812-0030
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Pastor
Associate Pastor
Fr.
Vlasic
Fr. Vid
Robert
Mignella
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone:
905-814-9216
Attendance
Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
DPCDSB is now on Twitter!
For the latest board news and information, follow us
@DPCDSBSchools.
A special thanks to all who were able make it to
our Open House to meet their children’s teachers.
As a school we did have to reorganize our primary
classes to meet ministry standards. We wish to
thank all for their understanding and support
through the process.
At Our Lady of Mercy, the month of October will be
filled with wonderful moments of giving, reflecting
and supporting. 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 Friday, September 28th celebrated by Fr.
Robert. 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. It was a moment of faith where the home,
school and parish became united in presence.
Also, thank you to the community for their support
with our Terry Fox Walk held on the afternoon of
Friday, September 28th.
Our School Council Elections and First Meeting
were held October 2nd. A special thanks to all
parents who participated in the meeting and for
those who took on a role. Information regarding
this year’s council is available on the October
School Advisory Council newsletter.
Associate
PastorCo-Chair
School Council
Fr.
Robert
Mignella
Megan
Scott
School
Council Co-Chair
Chair
School Council
Keith Mussar
Trustee
Esther
TrusteeO’Toole
Ward
Esther9O’Toole
Phone:
Ward 9 905-812-5163
Principal’s Message
Volunteers Make it Happen
Our Lady of Mercy has many volunteer positions
available. Some ongoing ways that you can contribute include the Fluency Program, Pizza Days,
Kiss & Ride, 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 office know or
send a direct e-mail to G.I.F.T.S. Volunteer Program at mercygifts@yahoo.ca and one of our
volunteer co-ordinators, Mrs. Jennifer Rodrigo or
Mrs. Jeanne Hu will contact you. Thank you to
those who have already signed up to volunteer!
Thanksgiving—Monday, Oct. 8
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 blessed holiday weekend!
During the month of November we will be having a
food drive for Eden Food Bank during the week of
November 19th to November 23rd. We will mark
November 20th as Toonie Tuesday for Eden Food
Bank.
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!
D. Della Rossa
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 three 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 Tuesday, September 28th. 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
Empathy
God wants us to care
about
everyone’s feelings.
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:
DATE
An empathetic person…

listens when people speak

notices when someone is upset and tries to help

can understand and name her/his feelings

can see a situation from another person’s point of view

accepts that others may feel differently about things than
they do
A Daily Prayer for October
Let us now pray … for the grace and strength to be people of
empathy -people who can really identify with and feel the
concerns of those around us. AMEN.
OCTOBER’S PENNY DRIVE
Ms. Rockarts Grade 5/6 class will be raising money for the St.
Vincent de Paul Society. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is
dedicated to helping those less fortunate. With essential care and
guidance, struggling families and individuals can build selfconfidence and positive opportunity. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul helps people replace a sense of despair with a sense
of dignity. We are asking all families to collect all of their pennies for the month of October and donate them to this great
cause!
EDEN FOOD BANK
Looking for a family volunteer experience at the food bank?
Next Meetings:
Wednesday, Oct 10th 2012 @ 7-8:30pm
Wednesday, Nov 14th 2012 @ 7-8:30pm
Wednesday, Dec 12th 2012 @ 7-8:30pm
(Family Nights are monthly on every 2nd Wednesday.)
Where:
Eden Community Food Bank - UNITY 2-3185 Unity Drive (Unity Dr)
the first street south of Hwy 403 west off of Winston Churchill Blvd.)
CELEBRATION
October 1 or 3, 2012
7:30 p.m. @ Church
Parent’s Meeting for:
Grade 2 Sacraments
October 20/21, 2012
Any Parish Mass
First Holy Communion Presentation of Names
Sat., October 20, 2012
7:00 p.m. Mass
Letter of Request for Confirmation
Sat., November 17, 2012
7:00 pm Youth Mass
Presentation of Cards for
Confirmation
December 5, 2012
9:30 a.m. at school
Advent Mass
Sat., January 19, 2013
7:00 pm @ Church
Confirmation Crosses
Tues., January 22, 2013
11:00 am @ Church
First Reconciliation
Tues. February 19, 2013
1:00 pm @ School
Confirmation Confessions
Wed. February 13, 2013
@ School
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Sat. March 2, 2013
7:00pm @ Church
Confirmation – Lenten
Offering
Sat. April 13, 2013
7:00pm @ Church
Confirmation – Sponsor
Meeting
Sat. April 20, 2013 11:00
a.m. @ Church
First Holy Communion
Sunday May 26, 2013
3:00 p.m. @ Church
Confirmation
June 20, 2013
10:00 a.m. @ Church
Year End and Graduation
Mass
Bring:
Your family and donations of food that you can help to sort together.
Please wear closed-toe shoes.
Contact: Maureen Sawicki, 905-785-3651x5office@edenfoodbank.org
Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis
Dates to Remember
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. 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.
October
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.
22 Gr. 1s trip to Peel Safety Village
Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers 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 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 cooperation 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.
1 or 3 Gr. 2 Parent Meeting @ 7:30 PM @ Church
2 School Council Elections & Meeting @ 6:30 PM
4
Grade 8—Mount Alverno Retreat
5
MuchMusic Dance-a Thon kickoff @ 11:05 AM
8 Thanksgiving Day
20 Confirmation - Letter of Request @ 7:00PM
20/21 First Communion-Presentation of Names
23 School Photo Day
25-31 ―Spook Week‖
26 MuchMusic Dance-a-thon
31 Hallowe’en
November
1 Catholic School Advisory Council Mtg @ 6:30PM
6
Progress Reports Go Home
8
Progress Report Interview Evening
9
Remembrance Day Assembly @ 9::15AM
16 P.A. Day
17 Confirmation–Presentation of Cards@7:00 PM@
Church
20 Photo Retake Day
20 Toonie Tuesday for Eden Food Bank
19 to 23 Eden Food Bank Drive
HALLOWE’EN
Students have the option to wear costumes to school on
Wednesday October 31st. 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!