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St. Nicho las of Bar i Catho l ic Schoo l 363 Rogers Road, Toronto, Ontar io
M6E 1R6 Tel: (416)393-5355
Principal’s & Vice-Principal’s Corner January was a busy month for the St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School Community. Not only did Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten registration for September 2020 begin, but staff and students continued to work on the cycles of the frameworks used to meet some of the SMART goals we set in our School Learning Improvement Plan in Numeracy focusing on mathematical models and additive reasoning to solve multi-step problems. January also saw the continuation of the Swim to Survive Program in our Grade 4 classes, the lunch LEGO program for students in Gr. 1—4, and Basketball practices for our Gr. 7 & 8 students. We would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Ms. Whitaker, Gr. 3 teacher, to our school community and wish Ms. Dellenbag who is on a leave, a speedy recovery.
During the month of February, we will be focusing on the virtue of love. Love is not solely about chocolates, flowers, valentines, red hearts, or Valentine’s Day. The virtue of love, as expressed in the Gospels, requires sacrifice, under-standing, patience, and kindness. It is easy to show love to those with whom we are close but the challenge is to show love to those with whom we do NOT get along. At St. Nicho-las of Bari Catholic School, we will be practising love by demonstrating respect and kindness to everyone, even those who do not show respect and kindness back to us. We will work on living our lives in a manner that will enable others to understand that we are followers of Jesus Christ and that we, like our Lord, will show love and understanding to every-one we meet.
On February 8th, between 10:00 and 11:30 a.m., our Grade 2s will be having their First Confessions and encountering our Lord in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Then, on Febru-ary 26th at 9:30 a.m., we will be celebrating the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday service in the school gym. Par-ents and friends of St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School are invited to join us for this community celebration.
On behalf of the staff at St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School, we wish you a February filled with many blessings and love.
Ms. A. Arciero & Ms. M. Duarte Catholic School Parent Council (CSPC)
Our next CSPC meeting is scheduled for February 24th at 6:30 p.m. in the school library. Everyone is welcome.
Follow us on @ Stnichofbari
Principal Ms. Anna Arciero
Vice-Principal Ms. Maggie Duarte
Secretaries Ms. Isa Pucci
Ms. Josie Griffo
Superintendent Mr. John Wujek
(416)222-8282 Ext. 5371
Trustee Mr. F. D’Amico
(416)222-8282 Ext. 3406
Parish St. Matthew’s Catholic Church
706 Old Weston Road Toronto, ON, M6N 3B8
Rev. Andrzej Grecki (416)653-7191
CSPC Chair
Theresa Soares [email protected]
School Website: www.tcdsb.org/stnicholasofbari/
CPIC Parent Engagement TCDSB:
www.tcdsb.org/cpic
OAPCE Toronto Provincial Voice for Parents:
www.tcdsb.org.oapce-toronto
ST. NICHOLAS OF BARI CATHOLIC SCHOOL SENTINEL
~ February 2020 ~
Stay in touch with the latest news throughout the school year: Follow @TCDSB on Twitter
Enrollment: 597 School Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch Hour: 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Rory McGuckin, Director of Education ~ 80 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, ON, M2N 6E8 ~ Joseph Martino, Board Chair
Important Notice and Reminder: Allergy Alert!
St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School is an allergen aware school. Some of our students have severe life-threatening peanut/nut allergies and in the interest of maintaining a safe learning environment, we ask that peanut/nut products or products containing traces of peanuts/nuts not be included in your child(ren)'s lunches and snacks nor sent to school to share with classmates. Thank you!
Courage Virtue Certificates During the month of January, the students and staff of St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School have been practising the virtue of courage. Students have been learning that it takes a lot of courage to stay true to our Catholic faith. Cour-age is about being brave, never giving up, and standing up for what is right. It can be difficult to demonstrate courage, but we must remember that God is al-ways with us to give us the strength we need. Thank you to Ms. Punsalang’s and Ms. S. Pereira’s Gr 6 classes for decorating the Courage Virtue Bulletin Board in front of the main office. Inspired by their experiences and super heros, the students presented what courage means to them.
Congratulations to the following Courage award winners: Kimberly, Michael, Elis, Daisy, Drew, Maia, Silvana & Gustavo (ELP); Leanna, Tatiana, Matilde & David (Gr. 1); Maria, Miguel, Bryan, Nathan, Jacelyn & Catarina (Gr. 2); Marco, Angelo, David & Kelly (Gr. 3); Chloe, Gustavo, Gabriella, Lucas, Dante & Victoria (Gr. 4); Chiara, James, Emma & Joel (Gr. 5); Logan, Ester, Lucas & Alexandra (Gr. 6); Maria, Ivo, Jenna & Simon (Gr.7); and Artur, Thomas, Mia & Hugo (Gr. 8). WE Committee From September to January, the WE Committee worked on local and global initia-tives during which water, food and cold weather accessories were collected in or-der to help out those in need in our community and those abroad. In February, the focus switches to our global initiatives. During Lent, we will be running a campaign to support an alternative income program in struggling nations around the world. Stay tuned for addi-tional information in the near future and please continue to assist us in our efforts to make a change in the lives of those less fortunate. Dance & Play Studio Workshops
On January 8th, the Gr. 5 students in Ms. Aiello and Ms. Rodrigues’s classes spent the morning participating in an engaging Drama workshop. The students learned some basic drama techniques and worked collaboratively to plan and perform a dra-ma presentation for their peers. Everyone learned something new and had a great
time with their friends. The Gr. 4/5 students in Ms. Janicas’s class spent the afternoon participating in an active Dance workshop. The students learned some basic dance movements and collaborated with their friends to choreograph a dance piece and perform it for their classmates. The students really enjoyed themselves. It was a memorable way to end a fun Dance unit. Cell Explorers On Tuesday, January 7th, the Grade 8 students in Ms. Di Santo and Ms. A Strazzeri's classes participated in a Scientist in Schools workshop. The students used compound microscopes and learned how to prepare slides. The students com-pared plant and animal cells along with cheek cells and other human body cells to determine their structure. Students viewed the process of osmosis and living organisms in pond water. Thank you to Scientist Dianne for facilitating the informative workshop. Skills Canada Presentation On Thursday, January 9th, the Grade 7 and 8 students were privileged to participate in a Skills Canada presentation. The students explored different career options in the technology and skilled trade industries. Students learned about the different career paths available at the different levels of education. Students were given an opportunity to ask questions about the education required for differing career choices and were encouraged to begin to think of possible career opportunities while preparing for secondary education. Thank you to Valerie Borseau for speaking to the students on behalf of Skills Canada and to Mrs. Corigliano, our guidance councilor, for organising this educational presentation. Harbourfront
The students in the Grade 1 and 1/2 classes visited Harbourfront Centre on Janu-ary 22nd. The students actively explored the elements of Hip Hop with a profes-sional dancer through a variety of movement activities. They also experimented with drawing techniques and drama activities to create imaginary characters and
have them come to life in the storytelling session in Miss Lou’s Room. Thank you to all the par-ent volunteers for your support during this wonderful day of activities. Rocks and Rings In partnership with Curling Canada, the Egg Farmers’ Rocks and Rings pro-gram visited St. Nicholas of Bari on January 22nd and 23rd. Gr. 3 to 8 students were introduced to the Olympic sport of curling through various drills, relays, and team building activities. This highly interactive program with the emphasis on fun taught our students that curling promotes sportsmanship and camaraderie, it can be enjoyed by all ages and abilities, and it is an inexpensive and less dangerous alternative to other sports. Soil: It’s Too Important to be Treated like Dirt The Grade 3 students learned so much from the Scientist in the Schools program! They inves-tigated, identified, and described different types of soil (sand, clay, loam). They handled and
Page 2 NEW REGISTRANTS WELCOMED: Call St. Nicholas of Bari at 416-393-5355 or TCDSB Admissions Department at 416-222-8282, ext. 2383
February 2020
Newsletter
Pizza Draw
Student Name:
______________
Grade:
_____________
Parent Signature:
______________
Each month, we ask that this portion of the news-
letter be filled out at home and returned to
school. We hope this will encourage students to
bring the newsletter home and share our school infor-mation with their parents.
Students who return this entry will be entered in a
draw and will be eligible to win a free pizza slice for
themselves and their siblings in attendance at
St. Nicholas of Bari Catholic School.
January’s Winner:
Grade 1
investigated earthworms and talked about the interdependence between the living and non-living things that make up soil. They learned about the importance of soil and how humans can cause positive and negative changes to it. It was a great experience! Nutrition Presentation
On January 23rd, the ELP students in Ms. Cabral and Ms. Teixeira's class enjoyed a presentation from a Loblaws Dietician on the importance of
eating healthy snacks and the school received a $500 grant in yummy snacks: PC crackers, cheese strings, mini blueberry muffins, and bananas. Thank you, Loblaws, for the donation and thank you, Mrs. Anania, for organizing. Family Literacy Day
Family Literacy Day, a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999, is held annually on January 27th to raise awareness of the importance of reading and instil a love of read-ing and learning by engaging as a family in literacy-related activities. Students at St. Nicholas of Bari
Catholic School are encouraged to spend time reading with a family member every day. Officer Skelhorne Visit
On the morning of January 27th, Officer Skel-horne met with the Gr. 7 & 8 students to discuss a variety of topics, including bullying, social media etiquette, and online dos and don’ts. He also made students aware of the dangers associated
with different popular apps and possible legal repercussions. Bell Let’s Talk Day
On January 29th, St. Nicholas of Bari acknowledged Bell Let’s Talk Day by promoting mental health awareness as well as simple and
useful strategies to practise. Swim to Survive The Gr. 4 classes completed a three lesson program called ‘Swim to Survive’ at the Jo-seph Piccinnini Community and Recreational Centre during January and the Gr. 4/5 class will complete the program in March. ‘Swim to Survive’ is an important first step to being safe around water. ‘Swim to Survive’ teaches the essentials needed to survive an unex-pected fall into deep water. Although swimming is a life skill that all children need to learn, learning to roll into deep wa-ter, treading water for one minute, and swimming 50 metres can significantly reduce the risk of drowning. The Gr. 4 stu-dents participated eagerly in the ‘Swim to Survive’ program and had a lot of fun in the process Dental Screening
Toronto Public Health offers a mandatory Ontario Ministry of Health dental screening program to identify children with oral health problems. An oral health professional was at St. Nicholas of Bari during January and, using a separate sterilized mouth mirror for each child, assessed the need
for topical fluoride, scaling, sealant and any other obvious dental needs. There was a decrease of 8.2% from the previ-ous year in dental caries and/or poor oral hygiene. As a fol-low up, parents whose children were screened received a note for information and/or action. Subway Read a Book Certificates Congratulations to Demetri, Gr. 2, and Mila, Gr. 4. They received a FREE Kid’s Subway Meal for reading 3 or more books during February 2020. Well done! Change Of Information
Please inform the school if you have moved or changed phone numbers. We need your up to date information, includ-ing your email, to be able to contact you. Thank you!
Winter Clothing Winter is a fun season for students that allows them to experience and enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and sports if they are dressed appropriately. During the winter months, students should be wearing coats/jackets, mittens/gloves, hats, scarves and boots when they go outside to play at the recesses. It is also important that coats/jackets are but-toned or zipped up. Please take the time to work with your child to ensure that he/she knows how to button/zip up his/her coat/jacket. All students must have a pair of indoor shoes at school. Boots are for outdoor use and not to be worn in the classroom. Students need to have shoes on at all times, especially when going to the washroom, changing class-rooms, or participating in emergency drills for fire or evacua-tion. It is also a good idea to have your child carry a pair of socks in his/her backpack in case of wet feet. Thank you for your co-operation in ensuring your children are coming to school dressed properly. Winter Weather and Related Alerts
In 2016, the City of Toronto introduced a new two tiered system for cold weather alerts. The Medical Officer of Health will declare a Cold Weather Alert or an Extreme Cold Weather Alert. A Cold Weather Alert will be issued
when temperatures are expected to be –15°C or lower or wind chill is expected to be –20°C or less. A cold weath-er alert will not necessarily translate into indoor recess as there is a low to moderate risk of frostbite. Students are reminded to dress appropriately for the winter weather conditions. An Extreme Cold Weather Alert will be issued when temperatures or wind chill are expected to reach –30°C or colder for at least two hours. An extreme weather alert will translate into shortened or indoor re-cesses to ensure the safety of students and staff. The TCDSB protocol for cold weather can be reviewed at https//www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/ HealthandSafe-ty/Pages/Cold-Weather-Alerts.aspx. Should it become necessary to cancel school bus transportation or close schools this winter due to extreme cold or hazardous condi-tions related to accumulation of snow and ice, the Communi-cations Department and the Toronto Student Transportation Group will endeavour to provide announcements and updates by 7:00 a.m. through the following vehicles: News releases to radio and television outlets in Toronto; TCDSB on Twitter; the Board’s 24 hour information line at 416-222-8282, Ext. 2873; the Board’s website at https://www.tcdsb.org/ FORSTUDENTS/ HealthandSafety/Pages/Weather-Related-Safety-Concerns. aspx; and the Toronto Student Transportation Group at http://www.torontoschoolbus.org. Get all the information all year long by following Twitter @TCDSB.
Page 3 A community of FAITH anchored in HOPE with HEART and CHARITY. FAITH, HOPE and CHARITY.
Kindergarten Registration for September 2020 is open and children born in rn in 2016 are eligible. In order to complete registra- tion, parents need to complete the JK registra- tion form via the Board’s online website at http://soar.tcdsb.org/Login.aspx and then drop by the office by January 31, 2020 with the following documents: child’s birth certificate; immigra-tion papers, if applicable; baptismal certificate; immun-ization records; two utility bills as proof of residency; and a Direction of School Support Application. Additional information can be found at 416-222-8282 Ext. 5320 or 5314 or www.tcdsb.org/kindergarten-registration. Thank you!
Applying to High School
What’s Next?
During the week of January 6, 2020, TCDSB Secondary Schools began to forward acceptance packages to the elementary schools. Not all the packages arrived on the same day so it is important not to panic if your child did not come home with a package on January 31st. Once your child receives the acceptance package, please read the instructions very carefully and take note of any important dates and forms that need to be completed and submitted.
Most secondary schools require that the classroom teacher or principal sign the course selection forms. Try to remember that Grade 8 teachers are extremely busy and may require time to com-plete forms for your child. Please be respectful of this and submit your requests early, thereby giving the teachers enough notice to complete and sign off on the forms.
What if my Child did not get into his/her First Choice?
Students who were redirected to an alternate school because their choice(s) were oversubscribed can do one of three things:
1. Accept the redirection, thereby securing themselves a spot at a secondary school in September 2020. 2. Accept the redirection but ask to be placed on a Priority 2 waiting list at their original school of choice. This student will have a spot at the redirected school in September and, if a spot becomes available, in his/her first choice, (s)he may be offered that placement. 3. Turn down the redirection and be placed on a Priority 1 waiting list at their original school of choice. If this option is chosen, then your child will not have a spot at any school for the time being. If spots do not become available at their first choice school by the start of the year, then students will have to register at a school where spots may still be available.
Changed Your Mind?
If you no longer want your child to attend his/her ‘first choice’ school, you may request a change of school using the Change Form. This electronic form will be available at the end of January and must be completed by the Principal. Please keep in mind that re-quests can only be accepted based on the availability of space at the school.
TCDSB Program and Course Calendars
In early February, the 2020-2021 Student Success Program and Course Calendars will be available to all Grade 8 students. This docu-ment will explain the course selection process and provide descriptions and prerequisites of all of the courses and specialized programs available at TCDSB Secondary Schools as well as school profiles. It also contains information about diploma requirements. Please look for it at https://www. tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/
SchoolProgramsK12/GuidanceCoopEd/ebook/mobile/index.html. It will come in very handy during the course selection process.
Reading Aloud
Read aloud to your child every day if at all possible. This does not mean you read only to children who cannot read for themselves. The point has been made all too often that we stop reading to our children when they can read for themselves. Although we associate it with childhood, reading aloud is enjoyed by people of all ages and can be just as stimulating for the teen as it is for the five-year-old. And, when children have the ability to read, it simply allows them to share the reading ex-perience in a different way.
Measurement
Understanding measurements is an important skill that children need to learn and practise. We use measure-ments to determine the height, length, and width of objects as well as the area they cover and the volume they hold. We measure time and money. Developing the ability to estimate and to measure accurately takes time and practice. Here are some suggestions for activ-ities to help children develop their mathematical abili-ties in this area:
Measure items around the house. Have your child find objects that are shorter or longer than others (e.g., an object shorter than a ruler or longer than a shoe). Use an object to measure other objects around the house (e.g., use a shoe to measure the length and width of a floor mat).
Estimate everything! Estimate the number of steps from your front door to the edge of your yard and then actually count the stops. Estimate how many bags of milk your family will need in a week. At the end of the week, count how many bags you used. Ask if the total was more or less than what was estimated.
Compare and organize household items. Take cereal boxes or cans from the cupboard and have your child line them up from tallest to shortest.
Keep a record of the daily temperature outside and of your child’s outdoor activities. After a few weeks, ask your child to look at the record and see how the temperature affected his or her activities.
Page 4 For general information about the Toronto Catholic District School Board, please visit the website at www.tcdsb.org.
Disclaimer ~ From time to time, the school will send home information from non-profit and for-profit organizations. We remind parents and guardians to exercise caution any time they participate in or enrol their child(ren) in an outside organization’s event after school hours. The school and the TCDSB are not liable for the quality of service these organizations provide or for the safety of the participants. We forward this information to keep our parent community informed of the wide variety of opportunities available within our local community.
Kindly keep the Febuary 2020 Calendar of Events
for future reference.
Literacy
Corner
Numeracy
Corner
