NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2012
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Principal’s Message
Principal
T. Cruz
Principal
D. Della Rossa
Vice Principal
D. Carpe
Secretary
Secretary
S. Droy
S. Droy
Superintendent
Superintendent
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
Mississauga North
D. Oude-Reimerink
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Robert Mignella
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
School Council Chair
Gail Bellissimo
Advent Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the
darkness,
send your Holy Spirit upon our
preparations for Christmas.
Trustee
Associate Pastor
Fr. Robert Mignella
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
School Council Co-Chair
Megan Scott
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
School Council Co-Chair
Keith Mussar
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Attendance Verification
Phone: 905-814-9216
Web Site
www.dpcdsb.org/OLMCY
DPCDSB is now on
Twitter! For the latest
board news and information, follow
us @DPCDSBSchools.
We who have so much to do seek
quiet spaces to hear your voice
each day.
We who are anxious over many
things look forward to your
coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many
ways long for the complete joy of
your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy seek
the joy of your presence.
We are your people, walking in
darkness, yet seeking the light.
To you we say,
"Come Lord Jesus!"
Amen.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL ADVISORY MEETING
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11th @ 6:30 PM
During Advent we are called to prepare ourselves for
the coming of our Saviour. We are waiting for Christ’s
birth and prepare for that arrival with a great deal of joy
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 students and we once again
have our mitt and scarf tree that will provide donations
to some families in the community. We wish to extend
a heartfelt thanks to our school community for their
support and generosity with the Eden Food Bank Drive.
We collected almost 600 pounds of food, nearly doubling our last’s years collection. A special thanks to the
Grade 5s in Mrs. Cunninghams’s class who had the
opportunity to visit Eden Food Bank and learn how this
special place supports our local families.
We are looking forward to our Advent mass which will
be held at the school on December 5th at 9:30 AM . We
will gather to celebrate as a family community this wonderful time of anticipation. Also, please join us on Friday, December 7th at 1:00 PM as we host St. Aloysius
Gonzaga Choir and Friday, December 21st for our annual Christmas Sing-A-Long.
We wish to thank the many parent volunteers who continue to help organize our Christmas Bazaar to be held
on the Thursday, December 13th where students will be
able to buy items to give as gifts to others. We wish to
thank the community for their generosity in sending in
items to support the bazaar.
It is my heartfelt hope that you take the opportunity to
relax, pray and celebrate the birth of Christ our Saviour
during this most holy season.
May God bless you and your loved ones with love,
peace and happiness this Christmas and all through the
year.
D. Della Rossa
A blessing to carry you through the season:
May God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith;
The warmth of Christmas, which is love;
The belief of Christmas, which is truth;
The all of Christmas, which is Christ.
Amen
School Operations
Junior & Senior Kindergarten
Registration for 2013-2014
Kindergarten registration for the 2013-14 school year will take place
at all Catholic elementary schools in Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon,
Bolton and Orangeville on the following days:
Monday, January 28, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
* Snow Date:
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
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 and television
stations:
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.*
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
For more information, visit the Kindergarten Registration webpage.
[Link this to:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Schools/Kindergarten+Registration.htm]
For a list of schools offering the Full-Day Kindergarten program, visit
the Full-Day Kindergarten webpage. [Link this to:
http://www.dpcdsb.org/CEC/Schools/Full-Day+Kindergarten.htm]
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
VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9
CHUM AM1050
CFTR AM680
CFNY FM102.1/AM640
CJCL AM590
CHFI FM98.1
CFRB AM1010
EZ ROCK FM97.3
CJBC (FR) AM860
FM Z103.5
FM93.1
FM Q107
CHIN FM100.7/AM1540
CBC99.1
CITYPULSE
GLOBAL NEWS
CTV
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 SERVINGST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ANDR.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.”
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 labeling all clothing items. This will
prevent the overflow of items in the “Lost & Found”
box. All students must bring a pair of indoor shoes.
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.
French Immersion Information Meeting
There will be an information session for parent(s)/guardian(s) of
children with special needs such as vision, hearing, autism,
physical/medical and/or developmental delays who are entering
JK, SK or Full Day Kindergarten in September 2013. The information session will be held at the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board -- Catholic Education Centre, Room 301
on January 17, 2013 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Parent(s)/Guardian
(s) are also reminded to register their child at our school office.
Official Registration Dates are January 28th from 7 p.m. to 9
p.m., January 30th, 31st and February 1, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 3
p.m. Snow Date is January 29, 2013 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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
Thursday, January 17, 2013, 7pm
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.
2012/2013 JK/SK ENTRY PLANNING
FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
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.
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 continue to 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 primary and junior literacy and 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.
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 5h at 9:30a.m. at
Our Lady of Mercy School.
Come and join in our Advent
liturgical celebration!
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
A NOT TO BE MISSED SCHOOL WIDE EVENT!
PUT JANUARY 31st ON YOUR CALANDAR NOW!
The school is buzzing with excitement as we begin another exciting month at Mercy! As part of our arts programming, all of the
students from JK-8 will be participating in our musical revue
titled “Broadway Bound". The show will have commentary on
those exciting times as well as singing and dancing of your
favourite broadway tunes!
Please come and join us on Thursday, January 31st at 1:00 or
7:00 p.m. in the school gym. Tickets for the show are on sale
until December 7th, 2012.
We have already sold out for the evening performance. All tickets for the show are $5.00. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Doors open at 12:30 and 6:30 p.m. respectively.
Please make all cheques payable to Our Lady of Mercy School.
You will receive your tickets and t-shirt prior to the show date.
Don’t forget to mark the date on your calendar! Hope to see you
there.
PENNY DRIVE FOR ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
Mrs. Rockarts Grade 5/6 class is pleased to announce that
we raised $250.00 for St. Vincent de Paul Charity through
our penny drive. Thanks again for all the penny
contributions.
Food Allergies
and Anaphylaxis
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. 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.
We at Our Lady of Mercy, would appreciate the cooperation 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 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.
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 7, 2013. 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 Mr.
Della Rossa if you are interested.
Dates to Remember
For more information, contact your local Catholic
school or call the Admissions Department at 905-8900708
24500.
5 ext.
Advent
Mass - 9:30 am. at Our Lady of Mercy
December
7
9
11
12
13
16
21
Gonzaga Music Concert 1:00PM
Second Week of Advent
Catholic School Advisory Council Mtg@ 6:30PM
Rosary Apostolate Visits
Christmas Bazaar
Third Week of Advent
Last day of school before Christmas Break
21 Christmas Sing A Long (AM)
Intermediate Dance (PM)
23 Fourth Week of Advent
January 2013
7 Classes resume
10 Catholic School Advisory Council Mtg@ 6:30PM
21 PA Day
22 Grade Two First Reconciliation @ 11:00AM
28—Feb 1 JK/SK Registrations
Merciful Redeemer
Parish
Christmas Schedule
CHRISTMAS EVE - Monday, December 24
4:00, 6:00. 8:00, 10:00 p.m & Midnight
CHRISTMAS DAY - Tuesday, December 25
8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 a.m.
New Year’s Schedule
NEW YEAR’S EVE - Monday, December 31
6:00 & 11:00 pm
NEW YEAR’S DAY - Day of Obligation
Tuesday, January 1
10:00 & 11:30 a.m. & 7 p.m.