Notre Dame High School

12 Malvern Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M4E 3E1 Main: 416-393-5501 Guidance: 416-397-6177 Fax: 416-393-5631

Principal: Jolanta Hickey Superintendent: John Shanahan 416-222-8282 Ext. 5371 Trustee: Angela Kennedy (Ward 11) 416-512-3411 Parish: St. John’s Catholic Church 790 Kingston Rd. Toronto, ON M4E 1R7 (416) 698-1105 CSAC Chair: Maria Rayson 416-222-8282 Ext.88501

CPIC (Parent Engagement – TCDSB) www.tcdsb.org/cpic OAPCE Toronto (Provincial Voice for Parents) www.tcdsb.org/oapce-toronto Enrollment: 701

What a difference a year makes! As I wrote to you last year at this time, we were experiencing some of the worst weather conditions in decades. Thank goodness we have had an easier time with the snow! As with every new term there are changes. We welcome back from leave Ms. Sachs-Pepe, Ms. Yarema and Mr. McMorrow. Though we are delighted to have them back we must in turn bid farewell to our Long Term Occasional teachers Mr. Dagher, Mr. Nicastri and Ms. Prohaska. They have been valued members of the ND community and will be missed. Please know that you are always wel-come to return! In the next several weeks, the Guidance Department will be speaking to students about course option selections for the upcoming school year. Please be sure to discuss course selections with your daughter as she begins to determine best options and the most appropriate level of study to pursue. If you have any ques-tions, do not hesitate to contact our guidance counsellors. I hope you enjoy the articles in our Newsletter. As always, there are lots of great things happening at Notre Dame. Of special mention would be our Christmas Basket Program as well as our school contribution to the Out of the Cold pro-gram in support of Trustee Angela Kennedy’s ongoing work with the St. Brigid community. We are extremely proud of the work our students do support these initiatives. In addition, we celebrated the Feast Day of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys with a Mass at St. John’s Church where a number of CND Sisters joined our community and spoke to the students about the ongoing values of this amazing woman. It was truly a special day to have them join us and remind us of our his-tory. You’ll find in this Newsletter an updated calendar for the balance of the school year. In addition, we will continue to send a synrevoice message/email on Fri-days with the upcoming week’s activities. If you would prefer to receive an email rather than a phone message, please contact Ms. Torres, our Guidance secre-tary at 416-397-6177 with your email address.

May God bless and watch over you and your loved ones,

Mrs. Jolanta Hickey

Principal, Notre Dame High School

February 2015 TCDSB

Volunteers from Grade's 9-12 participated in the Sick Kids/Sickle Cell Association Children's Christmas Party on Satur-day December 6, 2014. They planned and played games with the children in attendance and helped to make sure that the day ran smoothly! Our enthusiasm and kindness was so contagious - that we've already been invited back next year! The Notre Dame community successfully provided an extra special Christmas for 23 families within our school commu-nity and from the surrounding community! On Wednesday December 18, 2014, all items were delivered to the gym and were then hauled out for delivery around the city! A job well done by staff and students alike! Congratulations to all. On Monday January 12, 2015, we celebrated the Feast Day of Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys. Included in our celebration were 6 of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame and some of our Christmas basket donors. It was an honour to listen to inspiring words from Sr. Eileen Power, CND (former student, teacher and Chaplain of ND) and Sr. Lucille Corri-gan, CND (former student, teacher and Principal of ND). The theme "Ste. Marguerite...A Heart Still Beating" is one that we hope to carry into second semester. As staff/students witness random acts of courage and/or love, they will be awarded with heart beads symbolizing the spirit of Ste Marguerite present at Notre Dame today.

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg. 2

Sandy Soave Chaplain

It has been a very busy, but rewarding semester for both staff and students in the French Department at Notre Dame. This past November, students in Grade 9 participated in an interactive cooking workshop in French with Chef Su-

zanne that included stories, culture, and music. In November, we also welcomed Faustwork Mask Theatre Company to perform the play Le Masque est le Message for our Grade 9 students. Students enjoyed the French language performance and got a chance to try on commedia dell’arte style masks and play the different characters the masks rep-resented. Be sure to check online the video link below to see some great pictures of our Grade 9 students having fun in French! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5LD9FcZzc In the Grade 11 French classes students took to the stage! For the fourth year in a row Mme. Paniccia’s students pre-sented short plays, which they wrote and staged to students

in Grades 1, 2, and 3 at St. John Catholic Elementary School. Elementary school students collected canned food and dried goods as “admission ticket” to our performances and the food items were donated to our local, Out of the Cold Program, a shelter at Donlands and Danforth Ave. For this first time, Grade 11 students also participated in the National Essay Contest sponsored by Le français pour l`avenir. Bonne chance to all the student participants! Grade 10 and 11 students in the French program enjoyed an interactive stage combat workshop with local French actor Nicolas Van Burek.

Mme. R. Paniccia French Department

This is the slogan Notre Dame’s Eco Team used to launch their “No Idling Campaign” in December. Eco Team mem-bers surveyed the number of cars that were parked and running their engines on Malvern Ave. while waiting to pick up students after school. On the survey date 21 cars were found idling. The team then had a synrevoice message sent home and advertised the problems caused by car emissions through announcements and posters. The week following the survey, Eco Team members issued “tickets” to individuals who had their vehicles idling for longer than one minute. At this time drivers were also educated about the effects their car emissions have on climate change. The team is very happy to report the campaign was a success. The week following the “ticketing” event, there were only 2 cars found idling. The Eco Team would like to encourage all members of the Notre Dame community to turn off their engines when they are parked. This is one small step we can take to lowering our carbon emissions and reducing the impact on global warming. D. Pearson / L. Santos De Sousa

Moderators

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Notre Dame/Neil McNeil's Co-Ed. Ultimate Frisbee team (more affectionately known as NeilDame in our team cheers) was a huge success at the beginning of first semester. Our team of 14 quickly rose to the challenge and was undefeat-ed in every round-robin game. The Dame girls worked well in their shifts on the field, scoring many points while attempt-ing to master the perfect hammer throw. The season culminated in a competitive, rain-soaked tournament at Earlscourt Park, where NeilDame was defeated in the semi-finals. Good cheer and fun was had by all and we look forward to next year's season! T. Marroum Coach

This year both our teams participated in the TCDSB (Nov. 21/14) and Skills Canada (Dec. 2/14) Cardboard Boat Competitions and did not disappoint! These young ladies problem solved, designed a boat, worked together as a team, built the boat of cardboard and duct tape, raced it and participated in the weight challenge. After all the points were tabulated our Sleigh Devils Team brought home third place at the TCDSB event and the Bronze medal at Skills Canada. Their story is not over. This team will be traveling to the University of Waterloo in the spring and will compete in the Skills Canada Cardboard Boat Races (Provincial). They are: Toni Lewis (paddler), Kalysta Mejia-Torres, Jaria Jalloh and Shalom Del Mundo. A shout-out to our N1-N1 Inertia Team who was only 8 seconds behind our other team and built a great stur-dy boat. They are: Danielle Alonzo (paddler), Rohab Yasin, Sarah Aloysius and Aisha Parven. Competition was fierce and every second counts. Great job ladies! L. Santos DeSousa Science Department

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg. 4

On December 11th , Notre Dame’s Arts Council hosted the 3rd Annual Artsmas event which showcased the talent of our dedicated and enthusiastic students in the various arts disciplines. Mrs. Martelli and her music students im-pressed the audience during the first half with of the show while Dance and Drama students were featured in the sec-ond half with performances from Ms. Jack’s Grade 11/12 Drama class, Dance Company, Avidity, and Mrs.Young’s Grade 9 Dance class. Video performances from Ms. Storto’s and Mr. Summaria’s Communications Technology clas-ses rounded out the entertainment. During intermission Ms. Slosel’s arts students sold buttons, and hand crafted can-dy and Ms. Lawson’s culinary arts students kept everyone well fed with a delightful selection of sweet treats and hot chocolate. Food and monetary donations were taken at the door by Ms. Soave and members of the Chaplancy team to support our Notre Dame Christmas Baskets initiative. All together it was a wonderful evening that connected eve-ryone to the spirit of the season. A special thank you to the Notre Dame staff and administration, as well as to all of the parents and guests who attended - in doing so you supported our arts program! S. Slosel

Splicing genes from a jelly fish onto E.coli bacteria may seem like a difficult feat! Yet, Grade 12 Biology students in December 2014 spliced two genes from different species for the first time in a Sci-ence Lab at Notre Dame.

Such Lab investigations are often conducted in high tech facilities, such as universities and the Ontario Science Center, and yet recent-ly, the 2014-15 Bio students spent three full days working to success-fully blend two different genes. The result: E.coli that could glow under UV light (as shown in the picture). Such identifications may be worth the inquiry skills to consolidate scientific activities that successfully promote critical thinking and knowledge of DNA sciences. Who knows what else our science students will clone next. Stay tune

to BioSciences at Dame. Check out Dame Detectives https://damedetectives.wordpress.com for exciting investi-gations in 2015. Dr. G. Ayyavoo Head of Sciences

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg.5

On January 21st, two classes from Notre Dame High School participated in a hands-on learning cooking class about healthy eating and better nutrition. Ms. Lawson's Grade 12 Hospitality class prepared a healthy menu to cook with Ms. Pearson's Grade 9 Health class. The Grade 9's were encouraged to try new nutritious foods and develop their cooking skills. The menu included Greek Salad, Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry, Minestrone Soup, Oven baked Potatoes, Mixed Berry Smooth-ies, home made Granola Bars and Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins. The program was funded by the Metro Grocery store's Green Apple Fund. The Grade 9 students learned how to pre-pare different dishes with the help and guidance of their Grade 12 mentors. They learned how to use knives, measure ingredi-ents, follow a recipe and work safely. Both classes later en-joyed their creations by eating together. L. Lawson

Now that Semester One is behind us, it is time to begin Course Selection for 2015-16. Beginning the week of February 2, Option Talks will occur for Grade 10 students during period two, for Grade 11 students during period four and on February 4th, during the PLC time, the Grade 9 students will be introduced to my Blueprint and the Course Selection process at Notre Dame. This time of year is exciting, as it is a fresh start with four new courses, but also a time to start thinking about courses for next year and post secondary planning. With the Ministry of Education implementation of the Individual Pathway Plan (IPP), students will be asked to do goal setting, formalize plans for their future and to complete simple tasks in their IPP. This can all be done through the program my Blueprint, which is also the tool in which course selection is completed. Numerous resources are available on the my Blueprint website to assist each student in planning and helping them to make a well informed decision not only about her future plans, but the courses your daughter will need to take in order to achieve her goals. Listed below are the dates for Registration: Grade 9s - February 24, 2015 - Period 1 Grade 10s - February 24, 2015 - Period 2 Grade 11s - February 25, 2015 - Period 1 Returning Fifth Year - February 25, 2015 – Period 1 We hope that the Course Selection Process is an opportunity for you to dialogue with your daughter about her strengths and weaknesses, possible future careers and goal setting for the next school year. As always, please feel free to contact Guidance, 416-397-6177, if you have any questions or need any assistance with the Course Selection process.

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg. 6

Congratulations to the follow-ing students on their outstanding effort, enthusiasm and success this semester. Emma Culliton Sarah Devine Elayza-Glor Gaspan Sarah Golden Chelsea Joy Guillermo Chisom Otule Mikaela Palileo Tamia Parchment Isabel Penaranda Samantha Robers Zuhal Samim Brooke Silver Syndni Taffe Juleanne Tumbaga

Thoughts from our Coop students: “This experience has made me more mature. After taking coop I have a better un-derstand of what I want to be.” (Juleane Tumbaga, Gr 11, Mt. Sinai Hospital) “It’s been a really positive and eye-opening experience. I have a good sense of how child welfare works and why it’s so important. I also came to realize that it’s the people behind the scenes that make it all happen and ensure that children are pro-tected.” (Sarah Golden, Gr 11, Catholic Children’s Aid) “Coop has been a fun experience. Coop has made me realize that I want to be a teacher in the future. It’s made me appreciate how hard teachers work for their stu-dents.” (Tamia Parchment, Gr 11 St. Joachim) “Coop has been a very positive experience. I have gained a lot of knowledge and hands-on experience that I could not get at school.” (Sarah Devine, Gr 11, Revera Living) “I can see how connected the industry is.I have an advantage because I have net-worked with many people. Before coop I thought a career in TV production was just a dream, but now I feel it’s something I can achieve.” (Isabel Penaranda, Gr 11, Rogers TV)

This was another successful semester for our Notre Dame students participating in the cooperative education program. They were able to explore career areas of their choice and gain invaluable work experience. They were also able to develop skills needed to succeed in the 21

st century such as interpersonal skills, team work, initiative, responsibil-

ity, and organization skills.

Students gained hands-on experience in a variety of careers including Nursing, Teach-

ing, Music Production, Social Work, TV Production, Environmentalist, Fashion Design,

Volunteer Activation Coordinator for Seniors, and Electrician.

R. Champion

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg. 7

NEW REGISTRANTS WELCOME: Call 416-393-5501 or the TCDSB Admissions Department at 416-222-8282, ext. 2383. For general information about the Toronto Catholic District School Board, please visit the website at www.tcdsb.org. Stay in touch with the latest news throughout the school year: Follow @TCDSB on Twitter

February 2015 Notre Dame High School Pg. 8

February 2 Semester 2 Begins Pizza Lunch 3 Last day for Toronto Science Fair Applications 4 PLC Schedule, Gr.9 Option Talks 5 Option Talks Begin 6 Last Day for Semester 2 timetable changes 9 Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 11 CSAC Mtg. 6:30pm –Library, Europe Trip, Parent Mtg

6:30pm – Rm.207 12 Report Cards Mailed Home, Civvies Day to support the

Angel Foundation 13 PD DAY, School Closed 16 Family Day, School Closed 17 Shrove Tuesday 18 Ash Wednesday 20 Winter Ski Day, Civvies Day 23 Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 24 Registration – Gr.9 (Period 1), Gr. 10 (Period 2), Gr. 11

Retreat Students (Period 4) 25 Grade 11 Retreat, Registration -Gr. 11 & 5th year stu-

dents (Period 1), Registration Grade 8 (5pm-7pm) 26 PLC schedule

March 2 Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 4 Grade 11 Retreat 9 Grad Photo Retake, Pizza Lunch 11 PLC Schedule, Progress Reports Due 16-20 March Break 23 Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 26 Grade 10 Provincial Literacy Test 27 Civvies Day 30 Pizza Lunch

April 1 Parent Teacher Interviews 5:30-8:30 2 Holy Thursday 3 Good Friday 6 Easter Monday 8 PLC Schedule 10 Term 1 Ends, CLG Retreat 13 Term 2 begins, Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 15 Euclid Math Contest 17 Grade 12 Retreat, Dance off 20 Pizza Lunch (Me to We) 22 PLC Schedule, Report Cards Distributed 24 Civvies Day, Sadie Hawkins Dance 27 Pizza Lunch 29 Maintain Mark Date for Transcript

May 1 Arts Banquet 5 Stop the Stigma Assembly 7-8 Grade 10 Retreat 15 CLG Dinner dance 18 Victoria Day 21 Musical Theatre Performance 27 PLC Schedule, Athletic Banquet 28 Math Activity Day, Spring Concert 29 Civvies Day, Math Activity Day, Graduating Students Community Service Hours Due June 5 Final School/Grad Liturgy, Student Council Assembly 9 PLC Schedule, EQAO Math-Day 1 10 EQAO Math – Day 2 15-22 EXAMS 19 Prom – Liberty Grand 23 Exam Review Day, Grad Luncheon/Rehearsal 24 Graduation 6:30-8:30pm 24-26 PD DAY

CPIC is hosting the second evening in its Speakers Series. Topic: “An Evening with His Eminence Cardinal Collins--Strengthening Our School, Home and Parish Connection"

Celebration of the Liturgy, Keynote Address and Question/Answer Period Date; Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: 36 Greenfield Ave. (Sheppard and Yonge) FREE UNDERGROUND PARKING—CEC—80 SHEPPARD AVE. EAST TTC TOKENS WITH VALID TRANSFER A TCDSB COMMUNITY FAMILY EVENT TO JOIN IN PRAYER AND REFLECTION. Registration link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CPICToronto