January, 2017

St. Aidan Catholic School Monthly Message:

Welcome back! Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Happy New Year! What a pleasure it is to welcome you back to a new

year here at St Aidan. I hope the holidays were a time of rest and

relaxation for all. We look forward to 2017 with optimism and

excitement. While 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 appropriate 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.

The Christmas concert was a wonderful success. “Our Students

performed magically”. Thank you to all staff and parents who helped to

make these events memorable ones for our students.

As winter is now in full swing please ensure that your child is properly

dressed for the weather. We will have outdoor recess as long as the

weather stays within acceptable Board guidelines. Students should also

bring an extra pair of shoes to wear in the classroom and for younger

children it may be wise to send along an extra set of clothes (marked

with their name) in light of the fact that they tend to be more enthusiastic

about the snow.

Sincerely,

S. Lofranco

Kindergarten Registration for September 2017 The Toronto Catholic District School Board invites families with children born in 2013

to register for Kindergarten beginning Wednesday, January 18, 2017 at 10 a.m. EST. Registration options:

• Online: Parents will be able to complete their application online at:

https://soar.tcdsb.org/Login.aspx. A follow up with visit to the school to

present the required documents will be scheduled following the online

application. Only original documents will be accepted. This is the

quickest and most convenient method.

• In Person: Parents can go to their local school to pick up a paper copy

of the application to complete and return. Parents need to allow time for

the school to enter the application, after which an appointment to

present the required documents can be requested. Information: 416-222-8282 ext. 5320 or 5314, www.tcdsb.org/kindergartenregistration

St. Aidan

Catholic School

3521 Finch Ave. E. Toronto, ON

M1W 2S2 416 393 5350

Fax # 416 393 5588

Principal:

Mr. S. Lofranco

Secretary: Ms. A. Toth

Superintendent:

Mr. Kevin Malcolm CSPC Chair S. Laskowski

Trustee: Mr. Mike Del Grande

416-512-3407

Parish: Fr. Joe Sultana

St. Aidan Catholic Church 3501 Finch Ave. E.

416 494 2704

School Enrollment: 295

Hours of Operation: 9:00 – 3:30 Lunch Hour: 11:45-12:45

________________________________

Catch the Spirit!

THROWING AND KICKING SNOW IS

UNSAFE PLAY

We have already received a lot of

snow, and it is sure to snow even

more in the coming weeks. Most

students play safely in the snow;

for example, making snow

angels, building snow people, etc.

Some students, however, cannot resist the

temptation to throw or kick snow at each other.

Such play is unsafe because it most often results in

injuries. Students are reminded daily of the no

throwing and kicking of snow safety rule. If

individual students repeatedly persist in breaking

this safety rule, their parents will be notified via an

incident report and/or phone call. If students still

continue to throw or kick snow, they can face

consequences as severe as a suspension. Please

help us to keep the school safe by speaking to your

children about the need to respect the no kicking

or throwing of snow safety rule.

An Extreme Cold Weather Alert will be issued by the

Medical Officer of Health when temperatures or

wind chill are expected to reach -30C or colder for

at least two hours. This corresponds with the

Extreme Cold Warning issued by Environment

Canada. The alert is for the entire population that

extreme low temperatures are expected.

When there is an extreme cold weather alert, the

risk of frostbite is greater and principals should

consider indoor recesses, or shortened recesses to

ensure the safety of students and staff. Schools are

encouraged to monitor local weather conditions

and consult with their superintendent if

clarification is needed. A cold weather alert may

not necessarily translate into the need for an

indoor recess as there is a low to moderate risk of

frostbite. Staff should be encouraged to remind

students to dress appropriately for the weather

conditions, and principals should monitor local

weather conditions and refer to the Board’s

protocol for guidance. https://www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/HealthandSafety/D

ocuments/GuidelinesforWeatherConditions.pdf

When in doubt, check with your superintendent.

Please remember to check the Toronto Student

Transportation Group website for the latest information

about any school bus delays throughout the year.

http://www.torontoschoolbus.org/

Student Nutrition Program

The Student Nutrition program will resume on the

week of January 10. This allows the school to

ensure that the students will be getting fresh food

as opposed to items that were left over from

before the break

Just a brief reminder to make your $5.00 monthly

donation to our student nutrition program. Every

little bit helps.

REPORT TO THE OFFICE WHEN ENTERING THE SCHOOL It is Board and school policy that all

persons entering the school must

enter via the main doors and report

their presence to the office. “All

persons” including parents

/guardians dropping-off or picking-

up their children.

PARKING & SAFETY/STUDENT DROP OFF Thank you for your cooperation in the

student drop off and pick-up area of

the school area. As you are aware the

pickup and drop off for all students is at the

back of the school. Only the Full day Kindergarten

and Daycare students enter and exit using their own

dedicated area located in the front of the school.

This helps with the overall safety for our children. Thank You!

Christmas Concert It was truly a magnificent evening for our school

community. The evening was a truly joyous event for

everyone. It would not have been possible without the

hard working staff, students, parent volunteers, parents

and the support from our CSPC. As a result of the

Raffle, the CSPC made $1255.00 for our school. Thanks

to all for remaining focused on the real reason for

celebrating our children at this special time of year as

we await the birth of Jesus. I would also like to thank

our staff Christmas concert committee for their

leadership and dedication. Thank you to our parents

and sponsors who graciously donated the prizes for our

raffle and our parents for supporting it.

Durapaint Industries Ltd

Pro See Autosports

San Judes Bridal

Serta Mattress Company

McEacher Del Mel, Litigation

Alternative Link Massage Therapy & Wellness Clinic

Catholic Women League – St Aidan Parish

Reid Family

Corstar

Reid Family

Ex- sell Merchandising and Sales

Once again thank you to all of you for your generosity

of spirit and the fantastic team work. Well done.

Cyberbullying Awareness

It is important to be aware of what your child is doing online. Cyberbullying is preventable and can be stopped if parents are vigilant in looking for the signs.

A child may be a victim of cyberbullying if he/she:

unexpectedly stops using the computer

appears nervous when receiving a digital

message

appears uncomfortable to see their

classmates

appears angry to upset after using their

device or the computer

is reluctant to talk about what they are

doing online

becomes abnormally withdrawn from usual

friends and family

A child may be cyberbullying others if he/she:

quickly switches the screen or closes the

app when you walk by

uses their device or the computer over long

hours or late at night

gets unusually upset if they are kept from

their device or computer

laughs excessively while online

is reluctant to talk about what they are

doing online

uses multiple accounts, accounts under

another name, or another person's account

Talking with your child about digital citizenship,

and the importance of maintaining a positive digital

reputation, is key to prevention. Remind your child

that everything they do online can be traced back to

them by the authorities, and that information can

never fully be deleted once online

CSPC News On Thursday December 22 the staff at St. Aidan

were treated to a Staff appreciation lunch prepared

by the parents form our CSPC. The staff at St.

Aidan send a big thank you for the delicious lunch

served on that day.

Our parent council continues to work on behalf of

the St Aidan School community. Thanks for their

efforts during the first portion of the year. All

proceeds will go to supporting school initiatives at

St. Aidan School. Next Meeting Thursday January

12, 2017 @ 6:30pm Catholic Schools…..What Makes Us Distinctive?

The fact that publicly funded Catholic Schools

still exist in a secular society such as ours makes

us realize what a gift Catholic education truly is.

To this end we will be highlighting the Ontario

Catholic School Graduate Expectations in this

newsletter on a monthly basis. These expectations

are embedded in the Catholic School curriculum

from kindergarten to grade twelve in every

Catholic school across the province and the end

result truly is a graduate who stands apart from the

rest because of their Catholic beliefs.

ONTARIO CATHOLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE

EXPECTATIONS

1. A discerning believer formed in the Catholic

Faith community who celebrates the signs and

sacred mystery of God’s presence through word,

sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and

moral living.

2. An effective communicator who speaks, writes

and listens honestly and sensitively, responding

critically in light of gospel values.

3. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who

solves problems and makes responsible decisions

with an informed moral conscience for the

common good.

4. A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given

potential.

5. A collaborative contributor who finds

meaning, dignity and vocation in work which

respects the rights of all and contributes to the

common good.

6. A caring family member who attends to

family, school, parish, and the wider community.

7. A responsible citizen who gives witness to

Catholic social teaching by promoting peace,

justice and the sacredness of human life.

Sleep: How important is it?

Getting enough sleep may be more important than

you think. “Sleep plays a vital role in good health

and well-being throughout your life”, according to

the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Sleep studies have shown that when you’re

sleeping your body is working to maintain healthy

brain function, mental health and physical health.

“In children and teens, sleep also helps to support

growth and development.”

Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Encourage children to go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday

Don’t use a child’s bedroom for punishment

Relax before going to bed. Having quiet time before going to bed will help prepare the brain for sleep (i.e., use of relaxation exercises or a hot bath)

Avoid eating large meals before bedtime Enjoy time outside everyday Engage in physical exercise Minimize distractions in your child’s bedroom

i.e. bright lights, TV, computer, noises.

A Laugh A Day…

Did you know…..

Just hearing laughter helps put us in a good mood!

It helps create a positive emotional climate in the

home or office.

Student of the Month for December Charity

January: COURAGE: While January sees the beginning of the New Year, many of us also regard it as a time to make a fresh start. In this sense it is appropriate that the TCDSB 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

FDK 1 Sabrina Vergara

FDK 2 Jerolyn Jude

Grade 1 Elisa Rodrigues

Sorbera

Grade 2 Rose Yokhanna

Grade 2/3 Antony Maksian

Grade 3 Aiden Connelly

Grade 4 Kaitlyn Syme

Grade 4/5 Ayriana Bacchus

Grade 5/6 Cellin Francis

Grade 6/7 Ryan Lin

Grade 7 Erica Barrientos

Grade 8 Chris Susuban

L.I John Luis Manalese

also what the angel tells Mary at the annunciation. (Luke 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. Aidan we will demonstrate our courage by attempting to live our gospel values each and every day.

From Our Students…

News from SOOPAR Squad

In November, SOOPAR Squad started a campaign for St. Vincent de Paul. It was the Christmas Hamper campaign in which we collected rice, sauces, lentils, toothpaste and toothbrushes, shower products, hot beverages and school items for families in need. Our

school collected about 600 items. St. Vincent picked up the hampers on December 1st and delivered to many thankful families. Thank you to everyone that donated, and have a SOOPAR Day! -Micaela & Neel

Eco-News

The St. Aidan Eco Club has been hard at work researching native tree species to plant in our yard next year. The greening grant that we received from Evergreen Brickworks will be used to build an outdoor classroom space, and choosing plant species that support our local flora and fauna is a huge part of the project. Our students have been looking for trees that are allergy-friendly, will not attract wasps, and will

provide plenty of shade on sunny days.

News from Ms. Law’s Class

December has again proven to be a very busy month!

We have begun our Reading Buddies program with the

students in Ms. Liggio’ s class. The grade 6 students

have been paired with one or two kindergarten students

and are working on the second part of Daily 5 – Read

to Someone. We also assisted the students in writing

Santa letters, and acted like the elves of St. Aidan

when they received responses from the North Pole!

December also marked the completion of our first

strand in Social Studies. The students worked hard to

create project presentations on First Nations tribes in

Canada. There were many wonderful PowerPoint and

Bristol board presentations that taught the class about

the lives of First Nations people. The models of

important items used by the people were also

creatively made!

Miss Kiefer's Grade 3 Class

The grade 3's have been very busy during the month of December preparing for the birth of Jesus. We have spent a lot of time this month learning about the advent wreath and the true meaning of advent. Each day we read a page in our class advent book and together reflected on the meaning of the story. Students then wrote in their advent diary about what we had discussed. In addition they worked very hard on their concert presentation. The students sang beautifully and spread the joy of the Christmas season to the whole school community.

Ms. Racioppo’s Grade 5/6 We are very excited to have survived December!!! We can now focus on spending quality time with all of our

families. December has been a very busy month, filled with lots of preparation. The Grade 5’s have completed a Number Sense unit and are part way through their Measurement unit. They worked through the Science expectations related to Matter. They completed an information brochure and had a Scientist visit to present “What in the World is Matter?” – thank you to the parent council for making that possible! They also completed their election process. Thank you to all the participants, and congratulations to Ashlee, Cellin, Darius, Trizhia, Daniel C. and Christian (our elected Prime Minister) for making the ballot! The Grade 6’s have learned about more about First Nations people and have completed presentations and models to compliment that unit. As a whole group, we’ve had a Fire Safety and Internet Safety presentation and completed the Charity display in the front hall. Thank you so much for your hard work Grade 5/6. Enjoy a well-deserved break! Grade 8 French: Le gâteau des Rois On December 22nd, the grade 8s tried out making a gâteau des Rois, or King Cake, a traditional food served in Créole and Cajun francophone cultures in Louisiana. The crown shape represents the three wise men who came to see the baby Jesus. The cake is a cinnamon pastry dough, traditionally covered in green, purple, and gold sugar, representing Jesus bringing justice, faith, and power. - Mme Loconte

Grade 7 & 8 at Bridlewood

On Dec 22 Our Grade 7 & 8 performed at Bridlewood Mall. Under the direction of Mr. Dickson they played several Christmas songs. Well done!

Ms. Polsinelli grade 4/5

December has been a busy month, and we have been preparing for the coming of Christ this Advent season. The grade 4/5 students have been busy learning American Sign Language to sign “Silent Night” for the Christmas concert. They have worked so hard to learn all of the different signs, and they have done a fantastic job performing it! In science, the Grade 4’s have been learning about Rocks and Minerals, and designed informational brochures about them. The Grade 5’s have been learning about Matter, and took part in a “Scientist in the School” on Thursday December 15th. In social studies, the Grade 4’s presented their projects on Canada’s Provinces and Territories, and shared a lot of information to the class. The Grade 5’s held an election, and presented their superhero speeches. At the end of the speeches, Mrs. Racioppo’s class and our class voted for a student (superhero candidate) to become “Prime Minister”. Congratulations to Christian Castro for receiving the majority of the votes! December went by very quickly, and we are excited to see what the New Year has in store!

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

8 9 -First Day back to

school

10 11 12 –CSPC @ 6:30pm 13 14

15 16 17 18 –RAIS

-Registration for

2017-18 begins @

10:00am for new

students

19 20

PA Day

NO SCHOOL

21

22 23 24 –SIS Da Rocha

-SIS Kiefer a.m.

-6:00pm Knights of

Columbus Free Throw

in the gym

25 26 27 –school Mass @

9:30am

-Pizza Day

28

29 30 31 –Toronto Botani-

cal Garden, Sigan-

poria Gr. 4

-Jan. 18th 10:00am Registration begins for children

born in 2013 for the 2017-2018 school year. Appli-

cations are entered online at: soar.tcdsb.org

Contact the school for an appointment once

completed.

SAFE ARRIVAL—please CALL. If

your child is late or absent parents are re-

sponsible for calling. You can leave a mes-

sage on the voice mail between 4:15pm to

9:30am.

St. Aidan Catholic School

416-393-5350

Virtue of the Month Courage

Quote of the month Do not be afraid I am with you. Isaiah

41:10

ABSENCES—PLEASE Call the school before 9:00 am & leave a message when your child is absent or will be late (please provide a note for absences more than 1 day)

DRESS CODE IN EFFECT-ONLY NAVY AND WHITE SCHOOL HOURS 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M.