NEWSLETTER
March 2014
5820 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5J9
Telephone: (905) 814-9216
Fax: (905) 814-9217
Principal’s Message
Principal
D. Della Rossa
We have had the opportunity to experience
winter in Ontario in a truly unique way. The
amount of snowfall continues to decorate our
landscape and the cold winter is characteristic
of our great Canadian winters.
We wish to
express our thanks to Mr. Jones and his continued efforts with snow removal to support
our school community.
Secretary
S. Droy
Superintendent
Mississauga North
T. Cruz
Parish
Merciful Redeemer Parish
Phone: 905-812-0030
Pastor
Fr. Vid Vlasic
Associate Pastor
Fr. Robert Mignella
School Council Co-Chair
Jennifer Rodrigo
School Council Co-Chair
Keith Mussar
Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Ward 9
Phone: 905-812-5163
Prayer for Lent
Dear God;
During this season of Lent,
May you help us to thank you for
the new life you gave
to our world and to our spirits.
To find your presence around us in the
sparkle of the sunshine,
a word given in encouragement,
and a smile shared in passing.
To open our hearts to your call.
To serve one another with
your loving compassion.
To have courage to ask for help
as we journey
and to know when we have gone
off the path.
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.
To remember what Lent is all about
and to turn our lives toward You.
Amen
With Ash Wednesday, we have now entered
one of the most important times in our liturgical calendar as a Catholic community. I wish
to extend a sincere thanks to Fr. Robert for
leading our liturgy and the many parents and
families that joined in our liturgical celebration. Lent is a time of growth, penance and
prayers. As we journey, let us use what remains of the forty days to pray for peace and
harmony in our world. We continue to see
many areas of the world, and within our own
communities, that still require prayers for
peace, food and shelter. . We also pray that
our students, families and staff will be able to
journey through Lent in good health and with
peace in our hearts.
We wish to extend a warm welcome to Mrs.
Rodrigues and Ms. Campiano who joins us in
our Grade 1 /2 class. We wish Mrs. Kostelnik,
who moved to St. Bernard and Mrs. Sherri,
who begins her maternity leave all the best.
We wish to express our sincere thank to our
French Department for a beautiful Winter
Carneval. Thanks to our School Council and
volunteers for their support with this event.
Also, a special thanks to the Grade 8 students
for their moving anti-bullying presentation to
mark Pink Shirt Day.
Have a wonderful March Break! On behalf of
the staff, we look forward to seeing everyone
back and working hard during the final part of
this school year. God Bless,
D. Della Rossa
March Break
Monday, March 10th to
Friday, March 14th, 2014
Virtue of the Month
Eco School News
OLOM is going GREEN!
Affirmation:
I am kind.
I look for ways to help others and show I care.
I show kindness to any person or animal I see.
I do all I can to take care of the earth.
I remember that all things have been created by God.
What is Kindness?
Kindness is caring about what happens to others. It is
doing things to make others happy. Being kind is
showing that you care about anyone or anything because everything is a part of what God has made.
Why practice Kindness?
Kindness should be practiced because it brings us
together and celebrates diversity. It is a virtue of inclusion because
kindness is a universal language that everyone understands. When
we are kind to each other, we no longer use hurtful language or
ridicule anyone; this produces a safe environment where everyone
can increase in self-esteem and feel comfortable to participate.
Through the kindness we give and receive, we begin to understand
how we are connected to those around us. Giving and receiving
kindness are vital to our health, harmony, and hope.
How do you practice Kindness?
When we sense someone’s need, we either choose to help them in
some way or not to. If we choose to help, we are offering kindness,
and at that moment we experience a surprising and overwhelming
feeling because we have made a connection and difference in
someone’s life. Kindness is a positive power that we all possess and
when we use it by performing acts of kindness we feel a great sense
of worth. Let kindness flow!
You are practicing the Virtue of KINDNESS when you…
The staff and students are working hard to reach our
Silver ECO-certified status! The eco-team has organized several initiatives to educate our school on the
importance of conserving energy, minimizing waste
and reducing plastic water
bottle use. Here is a snapshot
of what your child.
TURN IT OFF TUESDAYS
The entire school reduces their light usage, and places a greater focus on using natural light. Lights are
turned off completely when classrooms are not in
use. The Eco-team goes around at recesses to check
each room and keeps a spreadsheet of the results so
that individual classes can see how they are doing.
EARTH HOUR takes place on Tuesdays from 1:002:00. The entire school limits their lights and technology
use during this time. Encourage your children to do the
same at home and set an example by turning off electronics when not in use and unplugging small appliances like
toasters and coffee makers.
WALK TO SCHOOL & WATER BOTTLE
WEDNESDAYS - On Wednesday, we encour age
students and their families to walk to school. This
will help to keep our environment cleaner by reducing air pollution by keeping our air greener. Also, please bring in reusable water
bottles to help protect our environment
from plastic water bottles.
 Share with others
 Use your manners
 Listen to others
 Are inclusive and never leave anyone out
 Think of others first
 Use kind words
You need more practice when you…

Walk away from others

Exclude others from activities

Are rude and insulting
WASTELESS THURSDAYS - On Thursdays garbage bins and recycling bins are off limits. Students
are asked to bring a litter-less lunch. Any waste
should be taken home and placed in the green bin.
FUN FACT FRIDAYS - On Fridays, classes have
the opportunity to learn interesting facts about the
environment. In answering questions correctly,
points can be earned by the class and will be tallied
for a prize.
Remember, ECO stands for:
Environment, Community, One !
School News
Community Connection
OUR LADY OF MERCY WELCOMES FRENCH IMMERSION
TIM HORTONS ROLL UP THE
RIM CAMAPIGN
The French Immersion Program at Divine Mercy
Elementary School was established as a Grades 1 to
4 program with Our Lady of Mercy Elementary
School as the sister site that would continue the program for students in Grades 5 to 8. We are excited
to welcome the Grade 5 French Immersion Program
and students at Our Lady of Mercy beginning September 2nd, 2014. Administrators of Divine Mercy
and Our Lady of Mercy will be working closely together to support a variety of transition activities.
We are collecting roll up the Prizes to support our
student led initiative that will support the “Out of
the Cold” program. These prizes will be distribute d
directly to the homeless in partnership with Our Lady
of Mount Carmel Secondary who carry out this work.
Please send in roll up prizes to the office. The collection will continue through to March 20th. Thanks
you for your support.!
DIRECTOR’s CUT PROGRAM
Our Lady of Mercy is proud to work in together with
various community partners. Students from Grades 1
to 8 will have the opportunity to work
on various media related activities that
support our media curriculum studies.
These full day workshops will begin
Wednesday, March 19th and continue
until Friday, March 28th. Each student will be given a copy of the work
completed by the class.
Last chance to order!!
“Our Lady of Mercy Yearbook”.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7th, 2014
We invite all members of our school communities in
to come walk with us on WEDNESDAY, MAY 7th
2014 for our 5th Annual Walk for Hats Off 2 Kidz in
support of leukemia research at the Hospital for Sick
Children.
Together we will:
-raise awareness of pediatric leukemia
-raise needed funds for research
-raise our Catholic presence within our school
comunities, all while raising our heart rates!
If you are interested in purchasing a yearbook please send in
$25.00 cash or a cheque payable to “Our Lady of Mercy” as soon
as possible!!
Be “the voice of children” and walk with us during
Catholic Education Week.
We are Kids walking for KIDZ.
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. 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.
Dates to Remember
March
5
Ash Wednesday Liturgy 1:20 PM
6
Intermediate Dance (PM)
7
PA Day—School Closed
10-14 March Break
19
R.A.I.D. Program Grade 6 begins
21
Director’s Cut Program begins
26
Rosary Apostolate Visit
28
Spring Photo Day
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.
31
Symphony Trip Grades 5 to 8
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 co-operation in helping to keep all our pupils safe is greatly appreciated.
OUR CATHOLIC HERITAGE
How did separate school boards survive without corporation tax revenues?
The separate school trustees controlled the boards’
budgets with more pupils per classroom than in the public schools, with much lower wages, with bare-bones programs, with small playgrounds, and with minimum expenditures for the erection of new schools. These methods still could not balance their budgets. The main contribution for the survival of separate schools came from the
religious teaching Orders. They supplied principals and
teachers and worked for salaries of $300 to $600 a year
when public school teachers were earning $3,000 and
up. There is no question that Ontario’s Catholics owe
today’s separate schools to the religious Orders.
April
4
Grad Photos—SK and Grade 8 students
9
School Council Meeting 6:30pm
17
Stations of the Cross - Passion Play 1pm
18
Good Friday - School Closed
21
Easter Monday - School Closed
23
Rosary Apostolate Visits (AM)
30
Team and Club Photos
May
3
May 4—10 Catholic Education Week
First Communion 11am at Merciful Redeemer
4 to 9 Scholastic Book fair
5
15th Anniversary School Photos
6
Welcome to Kindergarten—evening
7
Sick Kids Walk
7
15th Anniversary Open House Evening
8
Crowning of Mary
9
Parent Volunteer Appreciation 1:30 PM
14
School Council Meeting-6:30 p.m.
20
Victoria Day
24
Confirmation-2pm at Merciful Redeemer
26
EQAO begins until June 5
29
Soccer Co-Ed Tournament @ Rotary Park
From Your Catholic School Trustee
Esther O’Toole
Funding Cuts and Budget
Most of the time when I write to you I do so to tell you about all the wonderful things that are happening in our Dufferin-Peel schools. And of course
that is still the case. I see great accomplishments in academics, sports, the arts and social justice. Students are given vast opportunities to learn
and to explore and to give back to their community. As your trustee, it is very rewarding to attend a school play, or a basketball game or a speaking
contest or an art show. This is the most rewarding part of my job. And again this winter, despite the cold, wonderful activities continue to take place
and championships celebrated or losses measured against great effort.
The times that are tough for trustees are when we face funding cuts for our programs that have a direct hit on the classroom and our students.
Trustees have been expecting cuts to our Grants for Student Needs because the province is facing such a huge deficit. We have been successful in
the past to make the dollars work to protect programs and jobs. We are very worried about what is going to happen with this round of Grants. We
cannot face any more cuts and we believe that that is exactly what will happen. We understand fiduciary responsibility but we expect fairness and
do not expect provincial deficits to be dealt with in such a manner to make those cuts even deeper. School Boards across the province are faced
with many funding challenges as this Government operates under austerity measures to balance the provincial budget by 2017/18.
Dufferin-Peel CDSB has made difficult decisions over the past several years in an effort to absorb funding reductions from the Ministry without significantly affecting student achievement and well-being. Funding reductions from the Government have been in the areas of classroom computers,
other technology, professional development, textbooks, program enhancement, Board administration, maintenance, transportation and school
operations. In addition to funding reductions, the Board has also realized the impact of enrolment changes across our system, which affects funding as well.
School Boards are not yet aware of what the 2014/15 funding from the Government will look like, however, it is anticipated that there will be further reductions in the Province’s attempt to balance the budget. Funding challenges for the Board will continue in 2014/15. Budget discussions
over the next few months will address contract negotiations, special education needs, 21 st Century technology, infrastructure needs, Full Day Kindergarten, enrolment changes, maintaining momentum on student achievement and well-being and other cost pressures.
School Boards are required by law to have a balanced budget, meaning match revenue expenditures with no deficit. This becomes increasingly
more difficult and challenging in an era of funding reductions.
We are calling on all of our parents and Catholic education supporters to write or call your local MPP and to ask for their ongoing support for Catholic education, both financially and politically. We are very concerned. Contact information for Hon. Harinder Takhar (below Eglinton)
htakhar.mpp@liberal.ola.org; Tel: 905-828-8989 or 416-327-2333. For Bob Delaney (above Eglinton) bdelaney.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org; Tel: 905569-1643 or 416-325-5724.
Supporting and Advocating for Catholic Education
As parents/guardians of children in our publicly funded Catholic school system, you have a powerful voice, both as a taxpayer and a constituent.
Increasingly, we are seeing co-ordinated attacks on Catholic education, with calls for the discontinuation of funding of the Catholic school system in
Ontario, and the establishment of a single, secular school system. We see evidence of this through radio call-in shows, newspaper articles and
opinion pieces, letters to the editor and through various social media channels. Many times the information that is being discussed or printed is
false.
Your willingness to lend your voice in support or counter negative commentary or attacks on Catholic education through media, or other means, is
an important part of our community’s effort to promote and maintain our strong, viable and relevant Catholic education system in Ontario.
From time to time we will make you aware of opportunities to write a letter to the editor, call in to a radio talk show, or simply vote in an online survey or other action that will indicate to the public and the government that there is a strong presence of Catholic parents/guardians and supporters,
who are passionate about Catholic education and who can provide a balancing point of view to those who would attack, discredit and/or seek to
end publically funded Catholic education in Ontario.
Mainstream political parties in Ontario have stated their support for Catholic education. But that does not mean that we shouldn’t continue to impress upon our locally elected MPPs, our desire to maintain the current system of publically funded Catholic schools. Take a few minutes to write
or call your MPP and let them know that you appreciate their continued support in this regard.
There are 3.9 million Catholics in Ontario; more than 600,000 students attend Ontario Catholic schools. We are strong, but we cannot be silent.
Lent
As we enter the most important season of the Catholic Church we pause to reflect on the tremendous sacrifice made for us by our Saviour, Jesus
Christ. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. It is a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares us for Christ's
Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we attain redemption. Our schools will hold Lenten Masses, distribute ashes, lead Stations of the
Cross and experience many other liturgical activities.
As we move into our March Break, I wish safe travels to those who may be visiting relatives or camps, resting at home or visiting warm climates.
And as ever, I ask the good Lord to always hold you in the palm of His hand.
*I would like to thank our Director of Education, John Kostoff, and Bruce Campbell, General Manager - Communications & Community Relations, for
their help with this article.
MERCIFUL REDEEMER PARISH
2775 ERIN CENTRE BOULEVARD
MISSISSAUGA, ON L5M 5W2
www.mercifulredeemer.org
HOLY WEEK & EASTER SCHEDULE
Holy Thursday, April 17
Celebration of the Lord’s Supper, 8:00 p.m.
followed by Adoration until midnight
Good Friday, April 18
Passion of the Lord
9:00 a.m., 12:00 & 3:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Holy Saturday, April 19
Blessing of Food at 10:00 a.m.
Easter Vigil Mass at 8:00 p.m.
(There will be NO 5 & 7 p.m. Mass)
Easter Sunday, April 20
Resurrection of the Lord
8:30, 10:00 & 11:30 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Youth Mass at 1:00 p.m.