June 2014 St. Roch Catholic School News Dear Parents/Caregivers: The month of June is here and before we know it the end of another school year is upon our doors. In the middle of winter it seemed a lifetime away but now that it is here we can only shake our heads and wonder at the passage of time. A reminder that with the warmer weather students must come to school in appropriate attire. On hot days students can wear a lightweight white top and black shorts or a skirt. A hat and running shoes are recommended. Students may bring a water bottle. Very short shorts, tank tops or revealing tops are not appropriate for school. June is a month of beginnings and endings, and a time for thank you and good byes. In the same week we mark the start of summer our Grade 8 students are graduating. They are ending their elementary career and looking toward a bright future in high school. A number of the families in our community are also moving to another area or city. We wish them all the best in their new homes and hope they carry with them fond memories of their time at St. Roch School. Some of our staff members have made the momentous decision to make a change in their lives. Mrs. Cozzetto and Mrs. Smith will both be retiring. We thank them for their dedication and service to the St. Roch students and parents. Their talents and will be greatly missed, but we wish them happiness and continued good health as they enter this new phase or new community in their lives. We extend our best wishes and good luck to several of our LTO teachers and support staff. Some have already gone and Ms. Porretta and Mrs. Warren will be leaving us at the end of this school year. We hope that someday they will return to St. Roch or enjoy placement at another school. We would like to thank all of you – the parents, staff and students of St. Roch School- for your support and help over the past year. This year has been challenging and busy but I have truly enjoyed my first year at St Roch and in getting to know the community. I would especially like to thank the members of CSAC for all they have done and for their ongoing commitment to the wellbeing and academic achievement of the students in this school. St. Roch is a wonderful school and we are proud to be part of it. May God Bless you always, Mrs. M. Jackson St. Roch Catholic School 174 Duncanwoods Drive Weston, Ontario M9L 2E3 Telephone 416-393-5320 Principal: Mrs. M. Jackson Secretary Mrs. T Warren Superintendent: Mrs. L Notten Pastor; Fr. Philip Smith St. Roch Catholic Church: 416-749-0328 Trustee: Sal Piccininni 416-512-3403 _____________________________ ___
Transcript
June 2014
St. Roch Catholic School News
Dear Parents/Caregivers: The month of June is here and before we know it the end of another school year is upon our doors. In the middle of winter it seemed a lifetime away but now that it is here we can only shake our heads and wonder at the passage of time. A reminder that with the warmer weather students must come to school in appropriate attire. On hot days students can wear a lightweight white top and black shorts or a skirt. A hat and running shoes are recommended. Students may bring a water bottle. Very short shorts, tank tops or revealing tops are not appropriate for school. June is a month of beginnings and endings, and a time for thank you and good byes. In the same week we mark the start of summer our Grade 8 students are graduating. They are ending their elementary career and looking toward a bright future in high school. A number of the families in our community are also moving to another area or city. We wish them all the best in their new homes and hope they carry with them fond memories of their time at St. Roch School. Some of our staff members have made the momentous decision to make a change in their lives. Mrs. Cozzetto and Mrs. Smith will both be retiring. We thank them for their dedication and service to the St. Roch students and parents. Their talents and will be greatly missed, but we wish them happiness and continued good health as they enter this new phase or new community in their lives. We extend our best wishes and good luck to several of our LTO teachers and support staff. Some have already gone and Ms. Porretta and Mrs. Warren will be leaving us at the end of this school year. We hope that someday they will return to St. Roch or enjoy placement at another school. We would like to thank all of you – the parents, staff and students of St. Roch School- for your support and help over the past year. This year has been challenging and busy but I have truly enjoyed my first year at St Roch and in getting to know the community. I would especially like to thank the members of CSAC for all they have done and for their ongoing commitment to the wellbeing and academic achievement of the students in this school. St. Roch is a wonderful school and we are proud to be part of it. May God Bless you always, Mrs. M. Jackson
St. Roch Catholic School
174 Duncanwoods Drive Weston, Ontario
M9L 2E3 Telephone 416-393-5320
Principal:
Mrs. M. Jackson
Secretary Mrs. T Warren
Superintendent: Mrs. L Notten
Pastor;
Fr. Philip Smith St. Roch Catholic Church:
416-749-0328
Trustee: Sal Piccininni 416-512-3403
_____________________________
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VIRTUE OF THE MONTH: FAITHFULNESS “Pray with great confidence, with confidence based upon the
goodness and infinite generosity of God and upon the promises of Jesus Christ. God is a spring of living water
which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray.” St. Louis de Montfort
As we prepare for the end of the school year, we are focussing this month on the virtue of Faithfulness. As we send our students off for a summer of fun and relaxation and our graduates off into the wider world, we have faith that they will return to us safely to begin another year. The quote from John’s gospel reminds us, “Happy are those who have not seen, yet still believe.” John 20:29. We will encourage our students to continue to put their faith into action by bringing the Gospel spirit into every aspect of their lives. This is how we become true witnesses to Christ, extend the kingdom of God and build a more humane world.
How to Show Faithfulness Quote of the month – “Happy are those who have not seen, yet still believe” John 20:29 1. Being a Catholic is founded in faith – Faith in the Lord 2. Remember that it is through our words and actions that our faith becomes evident 3. Let your actions be guided by Centurion’s words to Jesus “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed”
4. It is our Faith in God that brings comfort to our lives
SuperStar Tickets for Virtue of the Month Super Star Tickets are being given to each teacher. These tickets represent the act of our Virtue of the Month. The teacher will give a ticket to a student when the student demonstrates an act of FAITHFULNESS. The ticket will be placed in a bucket in the office. At the end of the month, five students’ names drawn from the Super Star Bucket and will receive a free lunch with a drink and a dessert at the end of that month. The Super Star tickets are also given to students who are performing the CAMP SMILE’s Weekly Good Deeds.
News Lunches St. Roch has an ongoing concern of many children continuously coming to school without a lunch. Unfortunately, the school does not have appropriate resources to provide these students with a nutritious lunch. We are only able to provide them with snack foods. We strongly encourage you to ensure that your child comes to school with a healthy lunch every day as it is essential for their ability to concentrate in class for the duration of the day.
October Virtue of the Month:
LEGO MOVIE CANCELLED The scheduled screening of The Lego Movie at St Roch on Friday, June 6th has been cancelled due to lack of interest. CSAC will organize another movie night in the new school year. Stay tuned!
St Roch is ONLINE
St Roch Catholic Elementary School has joined the social media network, Twitter, as of May 2014. Follow us at @StRochCS for event/school updates and photos! We also
welcome parents and students to check out the St Roch school website
http://stroch.tcdsb.org/ for monthly updates (including an online version of the school newsletter and events calendar). Please note that website content is presently
being revised and updated.
Want To Be A Rochstar Talent Show
A select group of students participated and showcased their talent for our student body on Friday, May 16th 2014. Students and parents alike enjoyed themselves immensely. Thank you to the York University Teacher candidates for helping to bring out our students’ inner Roch Star!
Errol Lee and the Ned Show
St. Roch’s students had the privilege of participating in TWO anti-bullying presentations. Errol Lee presented his award winning “Music Is the Method” show, where the students learned when we treat others the way we want to be
treated, it teaches others how to treat us. The students also participated in The NED Show - an innovative, character education assembly- on Tuesday May 27th. Using humor, storytelling, audience participation and amazing object lessons including yo-yo and magic tricks students learn through the adventures of NED, a character kids can relate to. His name is an acronym for:
The NED Program uses a multi-sensory learning model to motivate, encourage and inspire students to become Champions at school and in life.
On Sunday, May 23rd, 2014 at 3 pm, the grade eight students were graced by the Holy Spirit and received the sacrament of Confirmation. Father Phil led us in a lovely ceremony by asking the congregation to pray for the students together. We gathered in the church and witnessed the event as a community of teachers, parents, family and friends. It was truly a memorable experience and I was most proud of all of the young men, women and sponsors. You all represented the St. Roch school with your attention, focus and maturity. You have prepared for this event all year long, through class discussions, catechism classes and chats with Father Phil. He was most impressed with your calm and organized rehearsal and ceremony. We are truly blessed and proud of you all. I would like to thank those teachers who kindly gave up their time to bear witness to the sacred event and moment in the student's lives. Many of you have supported and guided them over the years, and the students were overly grateful for you to be there. Congratulations to the confirmandi.
Grade 2 Communion The grade two students received the sacrament of First Communion on Sunday, June 1st. Their hard work to prepare throughout this school year needs to be commended. They participated actively in the mass by reading, singing and bringing up the gifts to the altar. A special thank you to Father Phil for leading us in mass. The students will continue to reflect upon their journey and share the light of Christ with others.
Camp SMILE update In May , the students of St. Roch have been trying to follow the good deeds that the SMILE group has suggested. Keep up the great work everyone!
Good Deeds for June:
1. Take care of our school grounds.
2. Pray for those in need.
3. As God created us in His image, we should try to eat healthy and stay fit.
4. Continue to show faithfulness through the summer months, by praying daily and going to church.
Our Smile Camp team is attending a Reunion at the CEC on Monday, June 9, 2014, to celebrate our collective accomplishments. We
are very excited about sharing the progress we’ve made through the year in establishing a positive school community, through our
weekly good deeds and the various presentations we’ve enjoyed. We will be sharing a video highlighting our school’s attributes,
which has been developed by Samantha Rodrigues and Keanna Andino. We thank our parents and staff members for their continued
guidance and support this year. We look forward to continuing our great work next year!
Special Olympics On May 27, 2014 St Roch sent their exceptional athletes from Ms Bottos' class to represent us at the annual Special Olympics at Varsity Stadium, University of Toronto. All of the students did their best and we brought home a silver medal and 7 red ribbons!! We are very proud of these Athletes and we look forward to their next competition in 2015.
Freezies, Popcorn and Chips - Oh My! CSAC will be selling juice, popcorn, freezies, chips and cookies for $1-$2 each Wednesday to Friday for the duration June. Funds collected from the sale of these goodies will go toward purchasing new computers for the computer lab.
Butterfly Inquiry The grade two classes and ME class are taking care of some caterpillars. We have had them with us for almost two weeks and many of the caterpillars are in their cocoons. There are already four painted lady butterflies that have emerged from the cocoons. We will be setting them free by the end of this week!
The JKs & SKs in Mrs. Celentano’s class have been working on a butterfly inquiry. They have been anxiously awaiting for the butterflies to emerge from their chrysalides. Finally, on Monday, June 2nd one emerged. The students were so excited and the butterfly is absolutely beautiful!
Dress Down Fridays
Every Friday in JUNE is dress down day with a cost of $1.00 (proceeds will be going toward CSAC). Participants are asked to follow the theme schedule listed below:
Thursday, June 5th: Pajama Day,
Friday June 13th: Crazy Hair Day
Friday June 20th: Jersey day
Friday, June 29th : Dress to impress
Tomatosphere Update
Our grade 6 students planted the seeds for the Tomatosphere project after Easter. Since then, they have been watering and observing the plants’ growth. The majority of our seeds have germinated and we will be sending each student home with a tomato plant in the near future. We look forward to sharing news in the Fall about how well our tomato plants grew over the summer.
St. Roch Jumbo Ice Cream Sandwich Tuesdays On behalf of St. Roch School, we would like to raise monies for our programs at our school. Every Tuesday we will be selling Jumbo Ice Cream sandwiches at the low price of $1.50. Thanking you for your kindness and support.
Lost & Found Please be advised that all Lost & Found items will be donated before the last week of June. If your child is missing any articles of clothing, we welcome you check out the Lost & Found and claim your belongings.
Congratulations! St Roch extends special congratulations to Mrs. Spencer for receiving the Jamaican Canadian Association’s annual Volunteer Award on May 7th.
Track & Field
Congratulations to all of the participants of the St Roch Track & Field Team. St Roch placed third in the City Finals. This is a fantastic accomplishment. The school is proud of all of the students and staff members who made it possible. Special mention goes to the following students .
Kristie A. , Grade 4: Won FIRST place AND she broke the City Final’s record for 100 meter dash.
Evidence A., Grade 4: Won FIRST place for 200 meter dash.
Erinma A., Grade 6: Won FIRST place for High Jump
Grade 3 Girls relay team: FIRST PLACE
Kunle D., Grade 8: Won THIRD place for 200 & 100 meter dash.
Leahkai K. , Grade 3: Won THIRD place for 200 meter dash.
Jayden B., Grade 6: Won THIRD place for 1500 meter dash.
Father’s Day Raffle Please be advised that CSAV will be selling raffle tickets for $1.00 each for a Father’s Day. Raffle prizes will be an assortment of Tim Horton’s gift cards.
2014 Woodbine Centre-TCDSB Festival of the Arts
On May 9th the St. Roch Band and Choir participated in Catholic Education Week activities at the Woodbine Centre Mall. The Band played the songs G-Force Five and Let’s Go Band under the direction of Ms. Kotliarenko and the Choir sang The Moon and Shake the Papaya with Ms. Colella. Thank you to all who supported our music program throughout the year!
Pre-Order Student 2014-2015 Agendas The St. Roch 2014-2015 Student Agenda-Handbook is available to our students again for September, 2014 school year. The agenda will help students discover a love for learning and develop essential success habits by exercising time management skills. Please note all school policies, important dates, school times and contact telephone numbers have been inserted at the front portion of the agendas for your convenience. The agendas will be distributed to the students during the first week of school. Please complete and return the bottom portion of this form with your payment to your child`s teacher no later than Friday June 7, 2014. Thank you for your co-operation St Roch CSAC
St. Roch Student Agenda-Handbook 2014-2015
Please return this form with payment to your child`s teacher no later than Friday June 7, 2014.
PLEASE USE ONLY ONE FORM PER STUDENT
_ I have enclosed $7.00 for a St. Roch Student Agenda-Handbook for:
Students Name: ______________________________________ Grade: ____________
ME Chicken Hatching Project A very warm welcome and Happy Birthday to Rocco, Maya, and Peso! Ms. Bottos' Multiple Exceptionalities class has had little chicken eggs in their classroom incubator for the last twenty days. On May 28th, three little chicks were born, Rocco, Maya, and Peso. Although each one is unique in its own way, they are all very loud and have provided a strong competition in the classroom with their chirping. Students are very excited and have come to visit throughout the day in order to catch a glimpse and maybe hold the little chicks!
We would like to send a special thank you to the MacSweeney family for graciously providing the chicken eggs and for dealing with our constant questioning. We are so very grateful to have these three special students within our classroom!
Important Dates
Wednesday, June 4th All three of the KLP classes will be attending a trip to Downey’s Farm.
Friday, June 6th PA DAY: No school
Monday, June 9th Councillor Mammolitti will be presenting a special assembly regarding the Toronto Zoo and its new Pandas!
Tuesday, June 10th Mrs Bellone’s Grade 8s will be attending the Mandarin for a graduation lunch on Tuesday, June 10th.
Wednesday, June 11th Mrs Bellone’s Grade 8s will be attending a Blue Jays baseball game at the Rogers Centre.
Friday, June 13th The ME, grade 2 & 3 students will be attending a special Bowling excursion on Friday June 13th.
Wednesday, June 18th
CSAC will not be having Sub Day this month. Instead, we will be introducing a new Burrito option care of Burrito Boyz on Wednesday, June 18th for only $6.00. You will have the choice of a chicken, steak or bean burrito with many delicious and nutritious toppings.. An order form will be going out early next week. For more information about the company, please visit www.burritoboyz.ca
Thursday, June 19th
St. Roch’s grade 8 students will be participating in their graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 19th at 7:00 PM sharp at St Roch Catholic Church. The reception for the graduates will
immediately follow in the St Roch Church Hall. Congratulations to St Roch’s Class of 2014!
Friday, June 20th
All grade 3 students will be attending a trip to Black Creek Pioneer Village on Friday, June 20th.
Monday, June 23rd
St. Roch’s Senior Kindergarten students will be celebrating their graduation at 1pm at St Roch school. St Roch’s Grade 7 & 8 students will be attending going to Canada’s Wonderland as a year-end class celebration.
Tuesday, June 24th
PLAY DAY!
Friday, June 27th
Last day of school. Enjoy your summer vacation!
Monthly Update from the Board
World Sickle Cell Awareness Day June 19, 2014
The Toronto Catholic District School Board, at a meeting in April, proclaimed June 19th as Sickle Cell Awareness Day, in recognition of the United Nations declaration that this date be set aside to raise awareness about this global health concern. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the collective name for a series of serious, inherited chronic blood disorders that can affect all systems of the body. It is one of the most common genetic conditions in the World, with more than 25 million affected individuals and 250,000 children born annually. The two main consequences of SCD are:
Severe anemia resulting in tiredness, reduced exercise tolerance, and delayed growth. The affected individual may appear pale and have yellow-tinged eyes from time to time.
Vaso-occlusive episodes are blockages of the blood vessels anywhere in the body by deformed red blood cells. This causes a lack of oxygen in the affected area of the body.
The lifespan of persons with these disorders can be reduced by as much as 30 years and it has a devastating impact on the quality of life, most pertinent to education being the risk of stroke and subtle neurological deficits. In order to raise awareness regarding Sickle Cell Disease, schools should have received some resources including a booklet entitled “Sickle Cell Disease: A Practical Guide for Teachers” and a video produced by the Sickle Cell
Disease Association of Canada. Schools are encouraged to share the available resources and information with the parent community through your monthly newsletter, and during events such as annual curriculum nights and open houses. Everyone is also invited to review the available resources through the board’s website at www.tcdsb.org. As a Catholic community dedicated to student achievement and well-being, the Board is currently working on an overarching policy related to medical conditions, including Sickle Cell Disease, and further supportive strategies will be developed. Our focus is to ensure that our staff, parents and students gain a better insight into the characteristics and potential complications caused by the disease, and to provide them with information on how to best respond to the wide range of medical issues that can arise as a result, and to support those who are who are living with this disease in a caring and compassionate manner, consistent with Catholic values. Thank you, Angela Gauthier Jo-Ann Davis Director of Education Chair of the Board
“A society is truly open to life when it recognizes that life is precious even in the elderly population, in the disabled, and even in those who are gravely ill or in the process of dying. When society affirms that the call to the realization of one’s humanity does not exclude suffering, and instead teaches how to see sick and suffering persons as gifts for the entire community, whose presence calls everyone to solidarity and responsibility, only then may this society call itself
open to life.”— Pope Francis’s Message to the General Assembly of the Pontifical Academy for Life--February 19, 2014
June Message from Your Trustee
It is hard to believe that another school year is quickly coming to an end. When I look back on 2013-2014, I take great pride in the accomplishments of our students and staff. We have seen demonstrations of excellence in academics, athletics and the arts. We have also witnessed the devotion of our parents and our staff to the young people we are privileged to serve. Together, they have given us so many opportunities to celebrate. To the students, staff and parents who are leaving TCDSB and moving on to a new phase in their lives I extend my thanks for the contribution that you have made to your school communities, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
To those who have plans to return in the fall, I wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to another new and exciting year ahead. Have a wonderful summer! Sincerely,
Protect and preserve Catholic education…Ensure you are registered to vote as a Catholic separate school supporter
Ensuring you are registered as a separate school supporter is important for the protection and preservation of Catholic education in Ontario.
As a registered Catholic school supporter, you have the opportunity to elect trustees who will represent
and address your interests and concerns at the school board level and at various levels of the government.
Registering your Catholic school support ensures your school board’s assessment roll is accurate. This is
important because: o Your school board’s assessment base is a public record of the breadth of support for Catholic schools o It helps track demographic trends for educational planning purposes o It guarantees your right to enroll your children in Catholic schools
How to check if you are registered: Call your Municipal Clerk’s Office to inquire how to check the local list of electors.
If your name is not on the list of electors or if the information is incorrect (e.g., name, address or school support data missing or incorrect) you should:
Go to the municipal offices for your community and fill out an application to be added to the list or to correct information. Proof of identification may be required. Please call your municipal office to determine what documentation you may need.
At the Polling Station: Verify that you are registered as a separate school supporter. If your support status is incorrect ask for an
‘Application to Amend Voters’ List’. This form may be completed and submitted at the polling station. Ensure the ballot you are given is a separate school ballot.
Voting for Catholic School Board Representation: Catholic ratepayers must declare themselves to be Catholic and separate school electors in order to cast
a vote in the election of separate school trustees in municipal elections.
