The St. Paul Newsletter
St. Paul Catholic School
Phone # (416) 393-5204
Fax # (416) 397-6586
DECEMBER 2013
From the Principal:
Rev. Fr. Victor Mallia
We were delighted to see so many of you during
Parent/Teacher Conferences. Thank you for
engaging in this opportunity to discuss your child’s
progress and develop a plan to support their
learning. We know that parent engagement is a
key factor in a child’s success at school.
As we enter cold and flu season, we ask that you
and your family review the flu prevention strategies
listed within this newsletter. Some members of our
school community are living with conditions or
illnesses that compromise their immune system; as
such, even a minor cold or a touch of fever could be
serious for them. Please consider this when
deciding whether or not your child is well enough
to attend school without spreading illness.
CONTACTS:
Principal: Micheline Dutil-Hoffmann
Secretary: Joanna Young-Jewer
Superintendent: John Shanahan
(416) 222-8282 (ext 5371)
Ward 9 Trustee: Jo-Ann Davis
(416) 512-3409
CSAC Chair: Anna Borjal (416) 648-7898
Tom’s Place Child Care Centre: (647) 2599347
Ontario Early Years Center: (647) 258-9791
Bell Times:
8:30 am Arrival
10:00 am Recess
11:35 am Lunch Hour Begins
12:35 pm: Lunch Hour Ends
1:45 pm: pm Recess
3:00 pm: Dismissal
Our Lady of Fatima Shrine
Pastoral
Team: from
We are now entering the season
of Advent,
Rev.
Fr.
Victor
Malliawhich
the Latin word adventus meaning "coming",
Rev.
Deacon
Patrick
Matthews
is a time of expectant waiting and preparation.
As
3170 St. Clair Avenue East
such, we will be having a brief Advent Candle
(416) 757-2806
Lighting ceremony on theEmail:
first olfatima@rogers.coim
3 Mondays of
December to teach the students about the meaning
of Advent.
This year, we are trying something new. On
Thursday, December 12th, there will be a Family
Advent Mass at the Basilica followed by caroling
and a social in the church basement afterwards. We
look forward to seeing all of you there.
On behalf of our entire team at St. Paul Catholic
School, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas
and a truly Blessed New Year!
M. Dutil
Principal
Winter Weather and
Appropriate Attire:
As winter arriveswhen dre
St Paul Basilica
Pastoral Team:
Fr. Francis McDevitt
BELLRev.
TIMES:
8:30
ARRIVAL
83 Power St
9:40
A.M. RECESS
(416)HOUR
364-7588
11:35
LUNCH
BEGINS
12:35
1:40
3:00
LUNCH HOUR ENDS
P.M. RECESS
DISMISSAL
TORONTO CATHOLIC
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
TRUSTEES 2012-2013
Wards
1.
Peter Jakovcic
2.
Ann Andrachuk,
Chair
3.
Sal Piccininni, Vice Chair
4.
Patrizia Bottoni
5.
Maria Rizzo
6.
Franck D’Amico
7.
John Del Grande
8.
To Be Determined
9.
Jo-Ann Davis
10. Barbara Poplawski
11. Angela Kennedy
12. Nancy Crawford
13. Andrew Walker
Student Trustee
416-512-3401
416-512-3402
416-512-3403
416-512-3404
416-512-3405
416-512-3406
416-512-3407
416-512-3408
416-512-3409
416-512-3410
416-512-3411
416-512-3412
416-512-3413
Students are expected to
come to school with all that
they need to participate in
outdoor recesses.
Appropriate winter clothing
includes: winter boots, a
winter coat, snow pants, a
hat, a scarf and warm mittens
or gloves. All students are
expected to have a pair of
indoor shoes that may be left
at school for the duration of
the snowy/wet season. It is
highly recommended that
each student
have an extra
pair of dry
socks in their
backpack.
Please be assured that on
exceptionally frigid days,
outdoor recess will be
shortened or cancelled.
However, it is our intention
to ensure that the students
receive opportunities for
fresh air and exercise on a
regular basis throughout the
winter season.
Bus Cancellation/ School
Closure:
Inclement weather
occasionally makes it
necessary to cancel school
bus services and/or close the
school. These decisions are
made at the school board
level and are published as
early as possible.
Cancellation of school bus
transportation or school
closures due to inclement
weather will be reported
through the following
vehicles:
 News release to all media
outlets in Toronto
(Listen for the Toronto
Catholic District School
Board)
 T.C.D.S.B. 24 hour
information line: 416222-8282 extension 2873
 T.C.D.S.B. website:
www.tcdsb.org or
www.tcdsb.org/weather.h
tm
 Transportation
Department website:
http://www.schoolbus.to/
c_home.asp
Please note that on some
occasions transportation is
cancelled but the school
remains open. If this is the
case, we do take attendance
to ensure that those students
who are coming have arrived
safely. If you decide to keep
your child home on one of
these days, please call the
school and report the
absence.
Please note also that, if
transportation is cancelled
this is in effect for the whole
day; there will be no school
bus transportation home for
those who come to school via
another means.
Flu Prevention:
Please continue to follow and
review with your child the
Public Health
recommendations to prevent
the spread of the flu:
 Wash hands frequently.
 Cough or sneeze into a
tissue or sleeve.
 Don’t share things that go
in your mouth (i.e. cups,
straws, water bottles,
utensils, etc.)

Keep children home if
they are sick. Watch for
symptoms such as fever,
chills, cough, sore throat,
headache, muscle aches
and possibly vomiting or
diarrhoea.
Please do not send students
back to school until they are
feeling well and they have
had no fever for at least 24
hours.
AND 4), 2010–2011
Kindergarten Registration:
January 7th, 2014 marks the
beginning of registration for
students entering junior
kindergarten in September
2014. We will be offering
extended hours for
registration from 5-7pm on
January 9th to accommodate
parents.
JK Registration Documents:
The following documents are
required to register your child
for kindergarten:
- Birth Certificate
- Immigration Papers (if
born outside of Canada)
- Roman Catholic
Baptismal Certificate of
child or custodial parent
- Health Card
- Immunization Record
- Proof of Residency
(current utility bill
showing name and
address, lease or offer to
purchase)
SMILE CAMP
For the first time at St. Paul,
six lucky students were
selected to attend SMILE
Camp in November. The 3
day camp focussed on
motivation, inspiration and
goal setting for the future.
News from St Paul Basilica
Lake St George Trip
Reconciliation Day at St.
Paul’s Church will be on
December 11th as
designated by the diocese.
The children from grades 3
to 8 will have confession in
the morning at the church.
There will be confessions
for all from 1 pm to 8 pm .
Materials will be available
at the back of the church to
help adults to prepare.
This year, we are trying
something new. Due to our
small numbers in grade 8,
grade 7 and 8 students are
invited to attend a 3 day
overnight trip to Lake St
George Camp. Students will
be going from January 6-8
inclusively. It is a privilege
to attend an overnight
camp and requires much
effort on the part of the
teachers. Therefore, it is
essential that students be
trustworthy and that their
parents attend an
information meeting
regarding the camp. This
meeting is scheduled for
Tuesday, December 3rd at 7
pm. Please make every
effort to attend.
Masses for Christmas:
Masses on Christmas Eve
will be at 4:30 pm, 7 pm
and at 12 midnight.
On Christmas Day, masses
will be at 8:30 am and 11
am. All are welcome.
Receiving Baptism, First
Communion and
Confirmation
For children in grade 2 and
above, you can pick up
forms any Saturday or
Sunday after mass for your
children to prepare for first
communion. For grade 8
students, they should pick
up their form for
confirmation after mass on
Saturday or Sunday. If
your child is not baptized,
please call the parish at
416-364-7588 and talk to
Father Frank or Sister Nida
so that we can work with
you on preparing your child
for baptism. If there is some
serious obstacle that does
not allow you to do this,
please call the parish so that
we can discover and
alternate course of action.
SLIP = School Learning
Improvement Plan
Every year, the TCDSB
asks its schools to create a
learning improvement plan.
We look at the data,
surveys and overall
achievements of our
students to determine
where we can improve. Our
goal for 2013-2014 is to put
greater emphasis on
mathematics. As such, we
will be reviewing practices,
activities and materials to
improve our overall
achievement. Research
shows that when parents
are engaged in their
children’s learning, the
scores go up! We strongly
encourage parents to talk
about math with their kids
and to incorporate math
into daily living situations
and skills. For example, ask
children to count items
outside when going for a
walk: trees, houses, cars etc.
Show your children how to
use money and make
change even when making
small purchases. There are
many ways to use math
when cooking too! We look
forward to hosting a Family
Math Night in the late
winter. This is a great way
to do math with your kids
and learn new educational
games too.
UCC Horizons Program
Once again, we have been
the lucky recipients of the
Upper Canada College
Horizons Program. Our
students visit UCC and
receive one on one tutoring
for six consecutive
Tuesdays. Lunch and
transportation are covered
by this program. The grade
6 and 7 students thoroughly
enjoyed their visits and now
the 4/5 class and the 7/8
class will have the same
opportunity this winter.
Family Advent Mass and
Celebration
Please join us on December
12th at 6:30 pm at St. Paul’s
Basilica. The Mass and
celebration include
everyone in our school. We
hope to see your entire
family there! Many thanks
for Father Frank who is
facilitating all of this for
our community.
I am looking for parents to
volunteer for the social
which will follow the events
upstairs. I need parents to
set up the coffee and treats
in the church basement at 6
pm that evening. Please let
the office know if you would
like to help.