St. Francis de Sales Catholic School

NEWSLETTERDecember 2014

333 Firgrove Cres. Toronto, Ontario M9N 1K9 Tel. 416 393 5366 Fax. 416 229-3743

Cecilia Vitorio, Principal

Antonella De Roma, Vice

Principal

Pattie McLaren, Secretary

Superintendent, Gina Iuliano-

Marrello 416 222 8282, ext.

2267Sal Piccininni, Trustee,

416 512 3403Catholic Parent Involvement Committee

(CPIC): www.tcdsb.org/cpic

Monica

Nelson

Council Chair

St. Jane Frances Parish

2747 Jane Street, North York M3L 2E8

416 741-1463

Hours of Operation:

8:30 a.m. – 3:30

p.m.

Principals’ MessageDear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):Welcome back to all of our students, families and staff. We hope that during the Christmas Season you were able to spend some valuable time with family and to reflect on the greater gifts we receive each day. Hopefully it was a restful and enjoyable time for all of our families. For those who have loved ones that are ill and for those families who are undergoing difficult times, we hope that this coming year will bring renewed health, peace and good fortune. The New Year brings us hope for new beginnings, renewal, and strengthened faith. We ask that God may grant us the courage to continue toward peace, good will, betterment and success for all in our Catholic school community! As we celebrate the virtue of Courage during the month of January, let us remember the words of Kishavan Nair: “With Courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.” Please take some time to read through the January Newsletter and review our school guidelines and policies. Please review these with our children as well. We thank you for your support.May God continue to guide and support all of us in the coming year.

God Bless,

Mrs. C. Vitorio Ms. A. De Roma Principal Vice-Principal

A Prayer for the New Year Come, Holy Spirit,

Spirit of the Risen Christ, be with us today and always.Be our Light, our Guide, and our Comforter.

Be our Strength, our Courage, and our Sanctifier.May this New Year be a time of deep spiritual growth for us,

A time of welcoming your graces and gifts,A time for forgiving freely and unconditionally,

A time for growing in virtue and goodness.Come, Holy Spirit,

Be with us today and always, Amen.

Lunch: 11:15-12:15

School H ours General Entry: 8:30am Morning Session 8:30am – 11:15am Morning Recess:

10:12am-10:27amLunch: 11:15am – 12:15pm Afternoon Session: 12:15pm – 3:30pm Afternoon Recess: 1:40pm – 1:55pm General Dismissal:

3:30pmPLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILDREN ARE ON TIME. This helps in their development

of responsibility and puts them on the right track for success!!ST UD E N T IL L N E SS OR A B SENT E E I SM

If your child is to be absent from school for any reason, plea s e telep h o ne t he s ch o ol t o inform the secret a ry b e fore 8: 3 0am of the d ay of absenc e . (We also have a voicemail box for your convenience to call at any time to leave a message.) This will reassure the school that your child is safe. If a child is absent, then we will call home if we have not been notified. When a student returns to school after an absence, he or she mu s t b r i n g a signed and d a te d p a r e n t a l or m e d i c a l n o te to expl a i n t h e r e a so n .

416 393 5366

Student Responsibility D R E S S CO D E A N D S T UD E N T U N IF O RM

Thank you to all students and their parents for supporting our dress code policy. Almost all students are coming to school dressed in the school’s appropriate dress code or uniform, which consists of the following: a navy blue pant, kilt, or short; a white collared polo-shirt, oxford dress shirt, or blouse, with or without the school crest; a navy blue cardigan or pullover, also with or without the school crest. A red vest or cardigan WITH the school crest. No Hoodies.Please continue to remind your children that the uniform will be strictly and consistently enforced and that it is part of their responsibility to come to school appropriately dressed. We appreciate your support!

CONGRATULATIONS

STUDENT OF THE MONTH AWARDS2014-2015 MONTH: December

THEME: Charity

Ms. Bertolo JK/SK ELP 1 Samuela GyabourMs. Squillace JK/SK ELP 2 Michelle NwochukwuMs. Singroy JK/SK ELP 3 Richy RodriguezMs. Bianchi/Capobianco Gr. 1 Cynthia OkoawoMs. Eneh Gr. 1 Nayeli Leon-PrietoMs. Pereira Gr. 1-2 Mikel BeaumontMs. Nicolau Gr. 2 Rose Oghogho

Ms. Totino Gr. 2-3 Kiara Sophia GonzalezMs. Justice Gr. 3 Noemi Welch-MartinezMs. Marchese Gr. 3-4 Ony OkochaMr. Coiro Gr. 4-5 Anthonia Chukwuyem

Ms. McKoy Gr. 5 Franky NgoMs. Costa/Mr. B. Gr. 6 Pamela Onaghinor VincentMr. DaSilva Gr. 6-7 Mark-Angel JulianMs. Vitti Gr. 7 Anita OghoghoMs. Pignataro Gr. 8 Isaiah AnenihMr. Lombardi Bh. Victor DiazMs. Campos-Aiello DD Angela Tran

January Virtue of the Month: Courage

Prayer for Courage 

O Lord,

You are the light that guides my feet.You are the map that gives me direction.You are the peace that makes me strong.

You are the leader whom I faithfully follow.

May your light illuminate my lifeAnd your guidance bring direction.May I find inspiration in your word

And peace in my heart as I follow you.

Amen.

CourageWhile January sees the beginning of the New Year, many of us also regard it as the true beginning of the long, hard winter. In this sense it is apt that the virtue for January is COURAGE. The quote for this month is Isaiah 41:10, “Do not be afraid; I am with You” “Be not afraid!” is also what the angel tells Mary at the annunciation. (Lk 1:30) and at the resurrection, another angel uses the same words to tell the women at the tomb that Christ has risen. (Mt 28:5) Jesus himself uses these words to strengthen his apostles. (Jn 6:20) It takes a lot of courage to practice and be true to our Catholic faith. This month at St. Francis de Sales we will demonstrate the virtue of courage to live our faith by treating everyone with kindness. Please take some time to share the following with your children. Sometimes doing the right thing is very tough but with courage we CAN do the right thing. Standing up respectfully when we see something wrong being done takes courage. We know what God expects of us. Having the courage to live up to this is not always easy but it is the right thing to do. We know that followers of Christ remember the Golden Rule and treat others the way they would like to be treated. .

SAFETY AT ST. FRANCIS de SALES

We would like to thank the many parents who are helping to ensure that St. Francis de Sales is a safe place for all of our students. For those who are unaware of our school policies, please refer to the St. Francis de Sales Handbook that was sent to you back in September and is also available online on our school website.

Some of these policies include: Beginning each and every visit to the school by signing in at the main office Insist that your child be at school on time and in the school yard when the bell

rings Encourage your child to bring his/her lunch with him/her in the morning.

If you insist on bringing your child their lunch, then it must be here by 11:15am and left on the table near the front doors. Ensure you print his/her name on the lunch. Please do not stay in the foyer with your child as this is against school board policy. If you need to see your child’s teacher please call or visit the office to make an

appointment. Speak to your child about following school rules, being kind to others and playing

in a safe manner outdoors

Please do not park in the school driveway as this is a bus loading zone only. We have had to resort to putting pylons in the driveway to keep cars from entering, even though we have made several attempts to communicate the importance of this safety rule to all our parents and community members.

PLEASE HELP US INSTIL IN YOUR CHILDREN THE IMPORTANCE OF RULES TO ENSURE SAFETY FOR EVERYONE.

Winter Dre s s / Co l d s & Flu

This winter has been an interesting one!! The temperature continues to fluctuate. Please review the weather forecast and ensure your children are dressed warmly for the cold winter weather.

It is important that all students come to school ready to participate in all activities, including outdoor recess. Please ensure that your children come to school with hats, scarves, gloves, winter outerwear and boots.All students should have indo o r foo t wear at schoo l . This is imperative in case of an emergency evacuation since the students will not have time to put on their boots if they need to evacuate in a hurry!P lease u n de r s ta n d th a t y our child is w ell e n ou g h to a ttend schoo l , they a r e well e n ou g h to go outs i de.

Playing Safely w i t h S n ow

As a result of the winter months, we continue to remind all students that snow stays on the ground. As well, we continue to remind them that there is to be no pushing of others on the snow hills that are created when the pavement is plowed. Every student is made aware of the importance of these rules in preventing injuries. Students are continually reminded with daily announcements and by classroom teachers and staff on yard duty. We continue to stress our hands off’ rule to ensure the safety of every student. Students who continually break these rules will be tracked at the office and parents will be notified. P le a s e t a ke t h i s o pp o rtuni t y t o di s cu s s t he dan ge rs of r o ugh pl a y wi t h y o ur c h i l d. Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter.

Reporting Of Cancellations Or Closures Due To Inclement Weather

Please note that should it become necessary to cancel school bus transportation or close schools due to inclement weather, the Communications Department and Toronto Student Transportation Group will endeavour to provide updates through the following vehicles: News releases to radio and television outlets in Toronto (Note: although the news release is provided to the media outlets, there is no guarantee that all television and radio stations will broadcast the information in a timely fashion). An email to all staff, trustees and CSAC chairs to advise them of any cancellations or closures Notification to E-News subscribers (Note: If you do not already subscribe to E-News, but wish to do so, please visit our website at www.tcdsb.org and click on the E-News icon on the top right hand side of the homepage) Updates will also be posted on the Board’s 24- hour information line, 416-222-8282, extension 2873 The information will also be posted on the homepage of the Board’s website at www.tcdsb.org The Toronto Student Transportation Group will post this information on its website at http://www.schoolbus.to/c_home.asp Information about inclement weather protocol and related health and safety issues can be found on the Board’s website at http://www.tcdsb.org/Weather.htm.

St. Francis de Sales Code of Conduct

Safe schools and discipline continue to be priorities. Pl e ase t a ke the time to go over appropriate behaviour with your children. All students are expected to arrive on time (8:15 am-8:30 am) and must be in our school’s appropriate dress code or uniform. Please review the following with your children.T he 3 R ’ s

Respect for Self

Coming to school dressed in uniform, on time, and ready to learn Homework completion Following classroom and school rules Doing his or her best at all times

Respect for Others

Using kind words Using kind actions Using words to solve problems

Respect for Property

Taking care of own belongings Asking permission to use others’ belongings, taking care of them and returning them Taking care of school and classroom items such as desks, textbooks, calculators, etc Using school and classroom materials appropriately, including the washroom

Students who deface school property, such as writing on washroom walls, textbooks and who intentionally damage school property will be suspended. Please refer to the school code of conduct found in the school agenda.

Please help us in ensuring your child understands the importance of showing Respect!!

Please review the St. Francis de Sales Code of Conduct with your child. It can be found in your child’s agenda. Thank you for your ongoing support in ensuring that your child develops those routines which will prove beneficial throughout his or her lifetime!!

CSACParent involvement is necessary for our school to show continued success. Please attend our CSAC meetings and consider becoming a participant of our Catholic School Advisory Council.T h i s y e ar ’s CS AC chair is Mon i ca N el s o n.

CSAC Meetings for all parents to attend will take place in the school’s library at 6:00pm on the following dates:January 12th, March 9th, May 11th

Information regarding additional dates will be provided upon scheduling.

Nutri t ion Program

At St. Francis de Sales we offer a nutritious Morning Meal and Lunch option, consisting of 3-4 food groups. Morning Meal and Lunch will continue to be eaten in the classroom.

Please look out for the monthly nutrition forms that are sent home. These must be filled out and returned by the first of the month so that we can plan accordingly.Thank you to our Nutrition coordinator Ms, Imbesi and her team – Mrs. Le, Mrs. Bombara andMrs. Salazar.

Pizza

F riday

We continue to provide Pizza and Juice on Fridays. The cost is $3.00 for a slice of pizza and a juice box. If you wish to have your child participate, please ensure your child brings the correct change on Friday morning. Nutrition Program is not available on Fridays, so if your child is not purchasing pizza, then he or she must bring a lunch.

Monthly Trivia Questi o n for Parents:

Where can a copy of the St. Francis de Sales Code of Conduct be found.

Submit your response by Friday January 9th for our draw to win a Tim Horton’s gift card.

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Al l e r g en A wa r e a n d S c ent - S e n s i t i ve En vi r o nme n t

St. Francis de Sales is an allergen aware and scent- sensitive school. There are students and staff 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 St. Francis de Sales, would appreciate the co-operation of the entire school community by N O T sending any lunches or snacks that contain any ingredients identified as food allergens. These include nuts, peanuts, all peanut products including peanut butter and peanut oil, and all seafood products. Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are also aware of these food restrictions.F o r c e l e b r a t i o n s, we a r e o n ce a g a in a s k i n g th a t f ood N O T b e br o u ght i n to the sc h oo l s i n ce we c a n no t c o ntr o l t h e i n gr e d i ents in m a n y ba k e d i t e m s. These measures are necessary in order to ensure the safety and welfare of all the children. Please also be aware that we are also a scent-sensitive school, as there are members of our community who suffer severe reactions to certain scents such as perfumes, hair products, lotions, etc. Please respect the need to refrain from using such products at the school.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.

N 0 pean u t butter or Nute l l a p r o d u c ts!

St. Francis de Sales News

Me to We Update Due to the overwhelming success of our cupcake sales, Gingerbread House raffle and Dress Down Day, the "Me to We" team was able to raise over $500.00 towards developing health

care in the "Adopt-a-Village-Nicaragua campaign.  We are one step closer to achieving our target goal of raising $750.00! 

In addition, over 1 200 non-perishable food items were donated to the North York Food Bank.  We thank the members of the St. Francis de Sales school community for their generosity and support!  Thank you also to all the students on the "Me to We" committee for their hard work and dedication towards this worthy cause!  

Knights of Columbus Christmas Party

On Wednesday, December 10th, 30 students and 5 staff members attended the Knights of Columbus Christmas Party at Royalton Banquet Hall. The students were treated to a turkey dinner, live entertainment and a visit from Santa Claus. A great time was had by all students in attendance. Students were also given a Christmas gift from the Knights. Thank you to the Knights of Columbus for this very generous gift.