madonna catholic secondary school 20 dubray avenue … · 2016. 7. 5. · ‘once a madonna girl;...

Message from the Administration

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students:

Congratulations Madonna for reaching the end of

another terrific school year! It has been an absolute

privilege to work with so many amazing girls and their

families. This newsletter represents the multitude of

ways in which Madonna continues not only to thrive

but to be recognized by TCDSB and the media. Yet,

this is only a snippet of the some of the highlights. We

hope you enjoy reading about us now and in the years

to come. Within this newsletter, there are many

different examples of

the activities and

people that make

Madonna a great

place to be! Our

students and staff

have an abundance of

energy and school

spirit that is notable

to many. We are

sure that as parents/

guardians you are as

proud of your

daughters as we are.

When we think of what we are proud of, we think

especially of our graduating students who have worked

so hard over the past few years in order to achieve

their goals. In many cases, they far surpassed what they

had originally intended and so many are on to post-

secondary destinations that await them with much

anticipation. Congratulations to our graduates, their

families, teachers, support staff, coaches, community

partners and so many caring adults who have all

worked together to ensure our girls’ success. May you

continue to grow as life-long learners and leaders who

carry the Catholic Graduate Expectations and Catholic

values with you always.

For the past few years, we have been blessed with

growth in our community with an increase in

enrolment of students and additions to our staff. Each

year, in any school, there are staff changes which

means we need to say goodbye to several members of

staff who have contributed so much to Madonna and

will be moving on to the next phase of their career

journey. We wish you well and hope you leave with a

smile in your heart, knowing you have made a positive

impact on the Madonna community.

As Principal at

Madonna, I offer this

personal message of

gratitude to staff,

students and families

for allowing me to

s e r v e y o u r

community for the

last three years.

Madonna will always

have a special place in

my heart as it was my

f irst school as

Principal. Thank you

for the opportunity to learn from all of you, for sharing

your gifts and blessings with me. I will proudly carry

them with me to my next school community. I am

honoured to be able to say, no matter where I go,

‘Once a Madonna girl; always a Madonna girl’.

We wish you all a happy, safe and blessed summer

holiday. Thank you for a fantastic 2015-2016 school

year.

God bless,

Ms. Wilson and Ms. Mammone

Adonna atters Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever

come to you without leaving better and happier. ~ Mother Teresa

JUNE 2016 SUPPORTING YOUNG WOMEN STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE

MADONNA CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL 20 Dubray Avenue Toronto, ON M3K 1V5 416 393-5506

Chaplaincy & Leadership


As we conclude the TCDSB’s Year of Family, the MCSS Chaplaincy team has devoted countless hours with our won-

derful girls to create a meaningful experience of community building. With many diverse opportunities and initiatives we have forged a stronger family of faith for it. Here are just a few experiences our Madonna girls were involved in

through Chaplaincy and Leadership at Madonna this semester:

February 10 – Peer Ministry organized the Ash Wednesday school service

February to June – ME to WE social hours with the grade 9 religion students and the ME/DD students

February 26 –ThinkFast Fundraising sleepover à AMAZING DAY AND EVENING with 50 students. We do-

nated half the funds to Development and Peace and to the girls going on service trips.

March 9 – Examination of Conscience over the PA for the whole school à Peer Ministers read through a

beautiful service

March 10 – Reconciliation for the whole school with 4 visiting priests who loved our girls

March 11-27 – Service trip to India

March 22, 23, 24 – Classroom Station of the Cross

March 22 – Holy Week Mass with Fr. Michael and Peer Ministers

April 5 – 9 – Trip to New York to participate in United Nations workshops

April – Gr. 10 religion students visit St. Jude’s Academy

May 3 – Mass at CEC

May 4 – George Brown Restorative Justice Conference

May 25 – Grade 12 Grad Retreat at St. Bonaventure’s – great day with guest speaker, HOZA, and activities

May 26-27 – “Carpe Diem” Conference at King’s College, Western University

June 2 -- Year End mass with Fr. Michael Lehman à Peer Ministry organizes mass

June 2 – Club Recognition Celebration à organized by the Leadership students to recognize all the students

who participate in clubs at Madonna

June 3 – Madonna Day à Student Council, GAA and Peer Ministry ran the fabulous day

June 28 – Grad Mass with Fr. Michael & Grad and Staff Luncheon à Graduates in different committees pre-

pared the mass

June 29 – Grad Ceremony with Ambassadors helping out As always, the Madonna community has been a very busy place for our Peer Ministers, Ambassadors, Leadership,

Religion, and ME students. Because of their enthusiasm, dedication and consistent participation, we continue to see a great variety of opportunities offered to us, all of which are amazing experience for our young leaders.

As we finished our 2015-2016 school year, we look forward to another exciting, busy year, filled with many more blessing for our school community. We would like to wish all our girls and their families a happy, healthy and peace-

ful summer. May the summer months bring you peace and renewal. May God’s grace always fill your home. God bless.

Margarida Caetano-Macdonell & Celia Ieradi, Chaplaincy Team

SUPPORTING YOUNG WOMEN STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE


Chaplaincy & Leadership

Student Reflections on United Nations New York Experiences

Sabrina O.:

During my time in New York at the United Nations, I was able to work with a group of leadership girls from

Madonna in grades 11 and 12. At the United Nations we were invited to learn more about the UN and about

what they do. We worked in groups and discussed a few world issues which the UN works to demolish, such

as: maintaining international peace and security, promoting sustainable development, protecting human rights,

upholding international law, and delivering humanitarian aid. We were able to see how other young people

viewed these problems. We also brain stormed ways to help with these issues to help make an impact as Can-

ada’s youth. When not learning about the UN, we able to spend time together in New York and go sightsee-

ing as a group of Madonna Sisters. It was an incredible few days!!

Daisy M.:

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the United Nations with my peers. It was immensely educational and truly one

of the most amazing weeks of my life. I would definitely recommend this experience for anyone looking to

learn more about social justice and the overall world issues we are currently facing. I would without a doubt

repeat this truly incredible experience.

Madeleine A.:

I was fortunate enough to go on the UN New York trip this year. It was amazing! It was a very valuable op-

portunity where I learn so much about the United Nations and their objectives. I also developed many skills

through the workshops we attended. I really enjoyed the Broadway show and all the other places that we had

the chance to see, such as the New York Marriott Marquis restaurant and the Ellen's Stardust Diner. It was a

wonderful experience that I would love to go on again and recommend to others. All the organizers were

very accommodating and made the trip wonderful. I also met a lot of different students from other schools,

which was really nice. We toured New York, which I found amazing, especially seeing Times Square. Overall, it

was a fantastic trip.

Brooklyn G.:

The United Nations trip was an amazing experi-

ence, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.

I was able to learn about the organizations main

goals, and to be surrounded in an atmosphere with

likeminded individuals. I was able to educate myself

on important topics the world is currently working

to find solutions to, all while creating closer bonds

with my Madonna sisters and forming new bonds

with those in other schools. Alongside these learn-

ing opportunities, I was also able to witness the

many wonderful attractions that New York has to

offer. Overall I am incredibly blessed to have been

a part of this initiative, and I strongly encourage

others to partake in it if given the chance.


#LoveYourShape

On Friday May 6th, the Social Justice Club organized and hosted an awareness campaign called #LoveYourShape,

to promote self-esteem. Faculty, staff and students were invited to attend the assembly where they watched a

fashion show promoting the theme performed by our students. In addition, the club was very excited to have

Jill Andrews, a well-known speaker talk to the students

about the importance of loving yourself. A video that was

put together by the See Different group at Madonna, was

debuted and was a real hit as our students spoke candidly

about their own insecurities. We were then entertained

by Garlen Ramirez, who shared her poem through spoken

word which was very impressive. Finally, the crowd was

entertained by Nicole Letigio who played guitar and sang

Little Things by One Direction.

The assembly was a powerful reminder for all who attend-

ed about the value and worth we each possess and pro-

vided some great insights to help us cope with the insecu-

rities we may feel.

A very big thank you to some of the event’s key organizers: Giulia Rizzo, Alina Zainab, Rosheena Khalid, Jessica

Nasso and Tugba Ozduygulu for their tremendous leadership, planning and organization of this event.

We look forward to continuing to highlight issues in the hopes of making change, and living out our school mot-

to of Faith, Charity and Justice.

Richness of our Afrocentric Roots

Please join me in congratulating Umu Jalloh, Daniella Kumi, Dara Ayiworoh

and Jodie Constantino for their organization and planning of an event called

"Overcoming Social Issues Through The Arts". This group of Madonna stu-

dents are passionate about anti-racism education and as a result proceeded

to create a campaign called "Richness of Our Afrocentric Roots"

(ROOAR) to discuss issues related to anti-racism and oppression.

These students successfully raised funds to bring in a guest speaker from a

youth outreach program called Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere

(RISE). The speaker motivated and

helped to empower our students

through personal story sharing,

spoken word and poetry!

A special thanks to Ms. Tiberi, Ms.

Botticelli, Ms. Russi, Mr. Grif-

fith, Ms. Warner and Ms. Ferrer

for their support during today's

presentation! - Mr. Mazza

Social Justice at Madonna



One Community

This spring, Madonna hosted its first ever One Community Event. Organized by Mr. Griffith, Mr. Mazza and

Ms. D'Agostino, this event was the culminating activity for the Grade 10 Religion classes. Hosted in the large

gym, students created an international pavilion that represented the various cultures and religions throughout

the globe - many of which are

a part of the Madonna com-

munity as well. Overall, staff

and students were extremely

impressed with the students'

level of commitment and en-

thusiasm. This event is a true

reminder of the talent, enthu-

siasm and creativity of our

Madonna students!

Sample student pavilions.

Greg Rogers Catholic Leadership Workshop

On Tuesday, May 10th, Grade 12 Religion classes participated in an Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

(OCSGEs) workshop. Facilitated by Greg Rogers, students were able to participate in a variety of collaborative and crea-

tive team building activities. Thank you Greg Rogers for hosting this workshop for students!

Social Justice at Madonna



Knowledgehook Mathalon


A school year has come to an end and it’s time to celebrate all the math students at Madonna! Our students in

grades 9 and 10 were able to practice and hone their math skills using Knowledgehook, an online learning tool

based on game theory. The students were able to earn points, virtual badges, and upon completion of the

Mathalon, a medal! This online tool is available to students to continue to use throughout the summer.

The key note speakers included Damon Bennett and Kate Campbell from “Holmes on Homes” and “Deck

Wars”. Both speakers were very dynamic and engaging. They discussed their experience in trades and

encouraged the young women to help fill the looming gap in skilled trades. Kate’s talk was especially inspiring

for the girls. She spoke about following her heart even though it involved taking the path less travelled, over-

coming adversity, finding her passion and ultimately finding success doing what she loves! In addition, an ex-

pert panel of three women spoke about their personal experiences in the trades: the ups and the downs as well

as the opportunities available to women now for a future career in a trade. These women have broken down

barriers, earned their journeyman status in their respective trades and carved out extremely successful careers

for themselves.


University of Waterloo Math Competition

Over 100 students in grades 9 to 12 took part in the University of Wa-

terloo Mathematics Contests. Several girls placed in the top 25% of all

students who wrote and earned themselves a medal and a certificate of

distinction – stay tuned to the Awards Assembly in the fall to see who

these mathletes are!

Math Club

Math Club is alive and well at Madonna. Each Wednesday, a group of girls

met to work on challenging math problems, watch

movies about interesting math concepts, or play

math-inspired games. These budding mathemati-

cians proved that math is all around us! Math Tu-

tors provided extra help for students who needed

a little extra support in mathematics. These tutors

are volunteer Madonna students who love math

and wish to help their Madonna sisters. These

sessions took place after school every Tuesday and Thursday. We hope to see you in the fall!

Math at Madonna

Some fun to keep your math brain running all summer long: Parents and students – check out mathies.ca, a website which offers a one-step shop for

math supports. Students in grades 9 – 11 can click on HomeworkHelp (good for summer school!), Student Clips, and Gizmos to review mathematical concepts. Parents can also access Partnering With Your Teen in Mathematics Grades 7 – 12, a guide to help you support your daughter’s mathematical

development.

Madonna Students Thrive in the Workforce

This semester, our Madonna girls continued to excel in their co-op placements, learning invaluable experience

and knowledge in career pathways of their choice. From our Health & Wellness and Non-Profit SHSM

programs to all other co-op students, Madonna students had a variety of co-op placements to support their

interests and needs. The success of this program along with that of our co-op students is proof that

experiential learning is a meaningful and impactful learning experience that helps prepares students for post-

secondary success.


Co-op Students Shine at Madonna’s Co-op Career Fair


Congratulations to Victoria

Whipp for winning best booth as

voted by peers. Victoria did her

placement at the Medical

Daycare Unit at St. Michael's

Hospital where she worked with

cancer patients undergoing

treatment and the staff who treated them.

There was a tie for best booth as voted by peers.

Congratulations to Cyanne Ilagan who did her

placement at Wilson Dental, Ches-Ann Solante who

did her placement in Cardiology at Humber River

Regional Hospital and Jinnette Basilio who did her

placement at the Catholic Education Centre working

with the esteemed Greg Rogers on Catholic

Leadership.

Congratulations to all of this semester's co-op

students for their successful placements and for all of the out-of-school learning that took place! It was an

absolute please to be part of your journeys. - Mrs. Romano & Ms. Placha

Experiential Learning at Madonna

Non –Profit SHSM

As of 2015-2016, Madonna provided a new program called Non-Profit SHSM for grade 11s and 12s. This Specialist

High Skills Major Program gives students the opportunity to train in the non-profit sector, which is a type of or-

ganization that does not exist for mone-

tary gain and often advocates for good

cause.

This year, our Non-Profit ladies became

certified for First Aid Training, Ethical

Considerations, Leadership, Conflict Reso-

lution, and even Group Dynamics!

We also attended fun trips such as staying

overnight at Cedar Glenn, REEL Canada

Film Festival, and visiting Don Bosco for

interesting leadership workshops. We also

created an online store selling homemade

items ranging from clothes and accessories, to trinkets and jewelry

boxes. Through this program, students have learned how to be entre-

preneurs, business innovators, social activists, and most of all,

WORLD CHANGERS… The Non Profit SHSM students are actively

engaging in experiential

learning that is leading them

to become activists, and

Catholic global citizens!


New SHSM Program a Success at Madonna

ICE Training for SHSM Students

This spring, all SHSM students participated in an entrepreneurship, inno-

vation and creativity training session as per the new Ministry of Educa-

tion requirement for SHSM certification. Facilitated by Ms. Ieradi, Ms.

Tiberi and Mr. Spinelli, students were given a real world problem in

which they had to come up with a sustainable solution that focused on

need finding and empathy. Partnering with one of our sector partners,

Links Across Borders, students had to

brainstorm ideas to support women in

Ghana who are in vulnerable economic

and personal situations. Working in

groups from both SHSM cohorts, our

Madonna students were very creative

and engaging, proposing some viable

entrepreneurial options for these wom-

en to enable them to sustain themselves

economically. As core employment

skills of the 21st century, the ICE train-

ing provided an invaluable experience

for our students and demonstrated how

impactful SHSM programs are for developing these skills in our students.



Health and Wellness SHSM

Health & Wellness Program Continues to Flourish


The Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in Health and Wellness gives students an opportunity to spe-

cialize, gain qualifications, and plan a career pathway in various areas of the Health and Wellness sector while

still in high school. The SHSM Program has a number of required components, designed to give students a “leg-

up” to pursue post-secondary opportunities in each of the identified sectors, valuing apprenticeship, college,

community, university and the workplace.

The demand for professionals in the Health and Wellness sector in Ontario and across Canada is increasing as

the age of our population increases. As such, this sector has both a wide variety of career opportunities and

employs close to 2 million people across Canada. Kinesiologist, child care worker, fitness instructor, doctor,

nurse, veterinary technician, hospital porter and medical technician are just some of the numerous occupations

that the SHSM Health and Wellness program prepares students to pursue.

At Madonna CSS, we are heading into sixth year of implementing the SHSM program and continue to draw an

immense amount of interest from students. With meaningful co-op placements at hospitals such as St. Michaels

and Humber River, students have had the opportunity to partake in real world health and wellness experiences.

Being located within minutes from Humber River Hospital, the SHSM program is an optimal vehicle for students

who want to pursue a career in this sector through all three pathways.

This year at Madonna, our SHSM students got the chance to work with Cadavers at Guelph Humber and expe-

rience hands-on the opportunity to partake in medical research. Additionally, our girls attended a symposium at

CAMH that focused on Mental Health and the need to improve and destigmatize the public perception of Men-

tal Health.

Arts at Madonna

On April 7, 2016, nine Madonna students travelled to the University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus, to com-

pete in the Ontario Band Association Chamber Music Festival. The girls were part of two chamber groups, under

the direction of their teacher Mrs. Drury.

The Mixed Quintet performed Suite From

Water Music, written by G. F. Handel. They

played the four movements very well, and

they received a Bronze Plus Award.

The students in this quintet are, from the

left Roshana Raviendrakumar, Kimberly Bi-

clar, Karen Alonso, Rita Alsendi and Nicole

Brioso.

The Flute Quartet performed Allegro,

written by W. A. Mozart, and Rio by Night,

written by Dean Sorenson. This group also

played very well, and they received a Silver Award. The students in this quartet are, from the left, Elena Issame-

ne, Angel Fares, Sabrina Aftab Alas and Karen Neri.


OBA Chamber Music Festival

On Saturday, May 7, 2016, Madonna hosted the annual OAPSE Conference. The students in the Madonna band

were invited to perform at this event in the morning as the guests arrived. The band played early in the morning

for approximately an

hour. They received nu-

merous compliments for

how well they played.

Mrs. Drury would like to

thank these students for

their hard work and ded-

ication, and for repre-

senting Madonna so well!

Thanks also to Mrs.

Crudo-Perri for all the

work she did in organiz-

ing this amazing confer-

ence.

Madonna Band Performs at the OAPSE Conference



Ms. Harrington’s grade 12 Visual Art students

held their annual art show on Friday June 10th.

Each of the students displayed their major works

in their own unique way. Visitors were delighted

to meet the artists and to view the amazing art-

works. Their themes included Fashion, Architec-

ture, Self, Contemporary Issues, The Natural En-

vironment and Poverty, just to name a few. The

response to the show was quite positive and

moving forward we hope to have a larger exhibi-

tion open to students, staff and parents.


Arts at Madonna

On Thursday, May 19, 2016, the Madonna Junior Band, Senior Band and Choir performed in the Canada’s Won-

derland Music Festival. All of the groups performed extremely well and received very positive feedback from the

adjudicators. Mrs. Drury was very pleased with the performances of the bands and the choir.

Canada’s Wonderland Music Festival

Senior Art Show


Math Contest The MST students at Madonna are required to write a math contest every year. This year, the math contest

took place on February 24th, 2016. Each student was given a separate test to fill out in a time span of 60

minutes. The MST grade 9 students wrote the Pascal Contest, the MST grade 10 students

wrote the Cayley Contest, and the MST Grade 11 students wrote the Fermat Contest. This

math contest allowed the MST students to use their math skills while also being able to ex-

pand their critical thinking skills. The prizes for this contest includes the following:

Every student scoring in the top 25% of all competitors receives a Certificate of Distinc-

tion.

Each School Champion receives a Contest Medal, at the discretion of the CEMC Execu-

tive.

The names of some top-scoring eligible students appear in zone, provincial, Canadian

and international honour rolls (for regions with at least 30 participating students).

Each of the top five eligible students in Canada receives a Plaque.

For eligible students in the Fermat Contest only, each Regional Champion is awarded a

prize of $200, at the discretion of the CEMC Executive.

The MST students here at Madonna tried their best and gave it their all while writing this

contest. We are extremely proud of their determination and hard work!

Mole Day On October 23rd, 2015, the grade 12 chemistry classes

had fun celebrating Avogadro's Day or Mole Day. Mole

Day is a day to commemorate Avogadro's number, 6.02

x 10^23 atoms. To do so, the grade 12s participated in

mini activities that incorporated Avogadro's number.

These activities included filling a graduated cylinder to

contain exactly 23 mL of water, eating 23 marshmal-

lows (which turned out to be too many marshmallows

and was later reduced to 10 marshmallows), and a

three-legged race across a distance of 6.02 m. This fun day made possible thanks to the organization of Ms.

Shih.

Teen Ranch Retreat Madonna's grade twelve MST students travelled to Teen Ranch on

Thursday, April 28th for a day of advanced hands-on learning with

some fun activities. The girls participated in horse back riding, archery

and the giant swing. The girls would like to extend their thanks to the

teacher who planned and attended the trip, Ms. Botticelli, and the ev-

er so brave Mr. Kullman who willingly allowed his students to 'launch'

him 65ft in the air. This enriching experience allowed the girls to cre-

ate new bonds and further their understanding of Math, Science and

Technology. If you would like to experience a life changing trip such

as this one, don't hesitate to join Madonna's MST!


An Enriching and Empowering Program for Young Women


An Enriching and Empowering Program for Young Women

University of Toronto Math Symposium

On May 19th, grade 10 MST students took a trip to the University of Toronto’s

Math Department at the downtown campus. Here, Madonna girls met up with fellow MST students at Loretto College School and Francis Libermann Catholic

High School. The day began with some background information about U of T and the opportunities available for students interested in pursuing math de-

grees. This was followed up with some exploration of Pascal’s triangle and try-ing to solve the Pigeonhole problem. Madonna students came up with some

logical but very creative solutions to the various challenges posed to them.

Students had the opportunity to experience a university style classroom and lecture, and exploring the possibilities

for their post-secondary education. All in all, it was an educational day with lots of learning and lots of math!

Robotics Competition

On Saturday, April 2nd, 2016, our Madonna ladies competed in the annual robotics competition held at Francis Liber-mann Catholic High School. This year, our ladies’ goal was to create a robot that was able to navigate through a

maze and also be able to construct a boat using different pieces. Not only were we able to create a robot that could move around and build a boat, but also we were able to create TWO robots that could move around and build a boat. The drivers, Czarina and Brooklyn, along with their spotter, Kayla, worked together to navigate the robots

around the playing field. Thanks to their teamwork, our school managed to achieve third place. However, we cannot just thank the drivers and the

spotter for third place, as it was thanks to the entire team who worked hard to make the robotics club a possibility. The students spent many

hours after school designing and building the robots from scratch, and maintaining them to make sure they didn’t break. After six months, the

robots were complete and named R2 & D2, after the Star Wars robot. Madonna is very proud of our ladies!

MST Day & Hour of Code – By Jeanine Placido

MST students in grade nine, ten, and eleven all participated in an event called

MST Day. This event has become an annual event that brings MST students together for one day. During the first part of the day, all

three grades split into different groups with a variety of students from each grade. During the morning, students played a variety of ice breakers that al-

lowed students to personally introduce themselves and get to know each other better. Later in the morning, students within their group all participat-

ed in a game called the Human Machine Game. The purpose of this game was to build a human machine as a team and have the other teams guess

what machine their group was trying to portray. After lunch, teams had to participate in one more game. As a team, students had to build the tallest

paper tower using only one 30cm piece of tape and newspaper. After all the games were over, everybody came to-gether to start the part of the afternoon where they watched a video on careers in coding. Finally, stu-

dents were all able to grab a technological device and go on a website (www.code.org) to practice and play a few games. It was an energetic day that allowed the MST community at Madonna to get to know each other better. It

was a fun day for all who participated.


http://www.code.org/


Athletics at Madonna

Volleyball Varsity Team Qualifies for Playoffs

This past year, our Madonna Varsity Volleyball program once again continued

to grow as the girls qualified for the playoffs after having a successful season.

With senior members such as Stephanie Ricci, Susan Peters, Elizabeth

Alamani and Angelie

DelaCruz stepping up to

lead the team, our junior

members shone bright and

provided ample enthusiasm

for next year. We look

forward to next season,

confident that our team

will exceed expectations

and advance further into

the playoffs.


Girls Athletic Association Hosts Annual Athletic Banquet

On Thursday, June 9th, GAA (Girls Athletic Association) hosted its

annual Athletic Banquet event. The theme this year was Canadian

sports teams. Each table was assigned a different team, ranging from

the Toronto Blue Jays to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Canada-themed

décor could be seen hanging from the walls. Additionally, GAA was

fortunate enough to have two very special guests this year; Kristen

Richards and Elizabeth Knox, two Team Canada athletes. The two

ladies gave very motivational speeches and encouraged our Madonna

athletes to continue to follow their dreams!

By 6:00pm sharp, the energy could be felt as student athletes

and their families gathered in the cafeteria. Some even stopped to

purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win many prizes including Blue Jays tickets or an iPad air!

Once the 150 guests took their seats, Two Guys and a Grill began to

fill empty plates with mouth-watering food. Athletes, families and

staff enjoyed grilled chicken and ribs, scalloped potatoes, vegetables

and Caesar salad. As everyone enjoyed their food, raffle tickets were

called and winners claimed their prizes. Congratulations goes out to

Ms. D’Agostino for being the lucky winner of the Toronto Blue Jays

tickets and Maria Durlak for winning the iPad air!

The fun didn’t stop here! Once dinner was complete, guests made

their way to the auditorium for the awards ceremony. Each coach

had the opportunity to call up their team members and highlight spe-

cial moments from the past season. A special congratulations goes

out to Amanda Di Petta who proudly took home Junior Athlete of the Year and Elizabeth Alamani who was

awarded Senior Athlete of the Year. Great job Ladies!!

As the night came to a conclusion, Ms. Latchman was called upon stage to receive a bouquet of flowers as a

small token of Madonna’s appreciation for everything that she has contributed to our school community. We

wish her all the very best in her future teaching endeavors. Also, a special thank-you goes out to Mr. Steggles

and Mr. Piccininni who came to celebrate the evening with us.


This year, the Madonna Varsi-

ty Soccer Team proved to be

a difficult opponent, earning

big victories against strong

TCDAA teams such as St.

Basil the Great. Once again,

our senior members were

role models for our younger

girls, being effective leaders

and providing mentorship.

This year witnessed continued

growth from Erica Martinez,

and a breakout season from Meagan Fewer. Congratulations to all on a terrific season and we look forward to

more victories next season.

Madonna Soccer Team Kicks into the Playoffs

Madonna Track and Field Team Off and Running

Madonna’s Track and Field Team continues to make traction on the track, qualifying for various events through-

out the season. Once again, Ireneh Omere qualified for OFSSAA in the High Jump Division and represented

Madonna with class and style. As we

look forward to next season, we await

the opportunity to continue to impress

our competition and improve upon this

year’s results.

Pictured Left: Madonna Track and Field Team. Pictured

Below: Ireneh Omere on the track.

Athletics at Madonna

Swim Team Continues to Splash

Madonna’s Swim Team continued to progress this year under the guidance of

Ms. Lee. Starting out with many new members, many swimmers had to learn

how to flip turn, dive, and explore variety of strokes. At TDCAA Swim Meet,

our Junior Team (Monica C., Maria D., Isabella S., and Leanne P.) placed 5th in

Freestyle Relay and Midget Team (Christina T., Jessica, F., Sydney B., and

Rebekah M.) placed 4th in Freestyle Relay. The swim team couldn’t have done

it without Allyson Cardenas who volunteered her time as a lifeguard at EVERY

practice. Congratulations on your endeavours and remember you are a champ!


2016 Special Olympics

World Autism Day Event

On Friday, April 1st, our Madonna girls in Ms. Augurusa’s and Mrs. Duarte’s class, hosted their annual World

Autism Day event. The girls began the morning by dancing a board-wide choreographed dance in the small

gym. After dancing the morning away, the girls excitedly prepared for the bake sale. When the lunch bell rang,

the girls greeted the students with a free bookmark and a tasty treat to satisfy their sweet tooth. The girls not

only raised over $250.00 but had a great time!

On Tuesday, May 31st 2016, our Madonna

ladies competed in several challenging

games and activities at the 19th Annual Spe-

cial Mini Olympics. This year’s theme was

"dream, believe and celebrate." This annu-

al event “fosters a relationship between

special needs students and other children

through games and sports within an atmos-

phere of respect and acceptance.” Through

these games and activities, our girls show-

cased and shared their unique gifts and tal-

ents. They even danced, ate ice cream and pizza and shared

laughs with their peers. The girls had fun and truly displayed their strength and courage. Some favorites included

a "Taylor Swift" performance and meeting the Raptors mascot. Job well done ladies !



Student Life at Madonna

On Friday, May 13th, 21 student leaders travelled to

Camp Olympia for the weekend. The students repre-

sented Madonna well through their ability to work to-

gether as a team, demonstrate school spirit, and partici-

pate in various leadership activities. Our Madonna ladies

received the award for best school spirit! Congratula-

tions ladies on representing Madonna and showing other

school communities that Madonna is a vibrant school

community to learn and grow! Teacher moderators, Ms.

Botticelli, Ms. Ieradi, Ms. Tiberi and Mr. Mazza are ex-

tremely proud of your hard work and dedication to Ma-

donna's Camp O team! Your creativity and enthusiasm

serves as an excellent example for next year's team!

Camp Olympia Leadership Camp

On November 22nd, 6 young Madonna leaders, along with Ms. Ieradi and their two mentors (Vivian Nguyen and

Nikki Carlos), ventured up north to Seguin, Ontario to take part of the annual camp SMILE experience. The se-

lected leaders were Abigail Marfo (grade 9), Sophie Nguyen (grade 10), Glendhae Cabigas (grade 10), Monica

Cristello (grade 10), Kristine Hernandez

(grade 11), and Earan Thomas (grade

12). The leadership camp brings togeth-

er five schools each from both the

TDSB as well as the TCDSB yearly, in

order to shape and develop the skills

that make each of the students great

leaders. After four days of group discus-

sions, team building activities, and loads

of singing and dancing, the Madonna ladies were asked to come up with

an action plan in order to make a change in their school community.

With this task at hand, Madonna's club council - United Sisters (U.S.) -

was founded with the vision of breaking the invisible barriers between different groups in the school community.

Marketing students from Mr. Spinelli’s grade 11 Marketing class hosted the 2nd annual marketing fair at Madon-

na this June during both lunches, with the aim of raising money for a local charity in the community. The girls

were responsible for conducting market research within the school, developing a product or service to meet

the demand, and ultimately creating a product or performing a service with the goal of generating a profit. The

girls demonstrated Madonna character and charitable spirit, raising over $850 for #SeeDifferent. Excellent

work girls! Continue to demonstrate that entrepreneurial spirit!



Smile Camp


Business Students Compete in Marketing Fair

This year 2 of our students, Casey Casem in grade 9 and Victoria Sa in grade 10,

competed in the French Public Speaking contest hosted by the Toronto Catholic

District School Board. In preparation, the students wrote a 3-5 minute speech in

French and then memorized it. Subsequently, they presented their speeches to an

audience and panel of 3 judges who then asked them follow-up questions in

French. Both Carly and Victoria did extremely well – I was very proud to have

them represent Madonna. Although neither of the girls placed in the top 3, they

both really enjoyed the experience and look forward to competing again next year.

Félicitations!!! - Mme. DiMonte


French Public Speaking Contest


Our students in the Teacher Advisory/Orientation Program participated in a workshop entitled Democracy in

Canada. We had a guest speaker from North York Community House (NYCH) who worked closely with my-

self, and our team of teachers, to plan and facilitate

a very meaningful and engaging discussion/activity.

The girls learned about the different levels of Gov-

ernment, the appointments of the representatives to

a parliament and their roles and responsibilities. At

the end of the discussion/lesson, they made their

very own Democracy bracelets! Each color repre-

sented the importance of a democratic spirit

(equality of rights, privileges, political or social equality, etc).

Democracy Talks

On February 16, 2016, Madonna's newcomer students headed down to City Hall to

skate. For many, this was their first time on ice. The girls embraced the cold and

bravely made their way

around the ice holding onto

one another, falling, laughing

and creating precious memo-

ries.

Nathan Phillips Square Skating

Grad Retreat

On Wednesday, May 25th, Madonna's Grade 12 students

participated in their Graduation Retreat at St. Bonaven-

ture's Parish! It was a great day for all who participat-

ed. The day included prayerful reflection, a guided medi-

tation of the Toronto Botanical Gardens, and an excellent

guest presentation by Kevin Fell from HOZA! Students

reflected on their role as Catholic graduates through cre-

ative mediation, djembe drumming, song and dance! The

day ended with a wonderful prayer service prepared by

Madonna's chaplaincy team. The day was centered around the theme of the Ontario Catholic School Graduate

Expectations (OCSGEs). Students reflected on how they can share their gifts and talents with their community

once they leave Madonna CSS.



This March Break, students at Madonna accompanied by Ms. Altomare had the wonderful opportunity to

participate in a European Tour. From the Parthenon in Athens to the Coliseum in Rome, students had the

opportunity to visit Greece and Italy. Along the way they also got go visit the pearl of the Mediterranean, Sicily.

What an incredible opportunity! Who can say they climbed Mt. Etna, an active volcano in Sicily? In true

Madonna fashion, the girls quickly adapted to their new surroundings while enjoying the culture and different

cuisine.

Student Life at Madonna Europe Trip

This spring Madonna hosted an ESL Symposium that was that was organized by staff and students who were par-

ticipating in the ESL an/or after school orientation programs. This gave our new students an opportunity to

highlight their native countries, as

well showcase traditions and cus-

toms that represent their heritage.

Guests had the opportunity to ask

students questions, as well as sample

the vast amount of food that was

available for sampling. Once again,

this venue represented the diversi-

fied community that encompasses

the Madonna student body, and reflected how all newcomers are an

integral part of our school community.

ESL Symposium

Madonna Meets M.P. and Visit Legislature Students form Ms. Soscia’s and Mr. Corno’s Civics classes at Madonna this year had the opportunity to meet Mi-

chael Levitt, their York-Centre Member of Parliament. As an opportunity to enrich their learning of Civics, stu-

dents had discussions with Mr. Levitt and were able to ask him important

and relevant questions about issues that pertain to our community. A

thank you once again to Mr. Levitt who made time for us in his busy

schedule, an example of him supporting

the Madonna Community. Students

from both classes also visited the Pro-

vincial Legislature at Queen’s Park, wit-

nessing first hand politics in action!



Semester One 2016

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

TORONTO CATHOLIC DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD

TRUSTEES 2015-2016

WARDS

1. Joseph Martino

2. Ann Andrachuk

3. Sal Piccininni

4. Patrizia Bottoni

5. Maria Rizzo

6. Frank D’Amico

Vice Chair

7. Michael Del Grande,

8. Garry Tanuan

9. Jo-Ann Davis

10. Barbara Poplawski

11. Angela Kennedy

12. Chair

Nancy Crawford

Karina Dubrovskaya Rhea Carlisle Student Trustees

Join us for our annual welcome BBQ that

OAPCE hosts together with the Madonna

Alumnae on Wednesday Septemeber 28, 2016

Editors:

Ms. Augurusa & Mr. Spinelli

Thank you !! to our dedicated

Parent Council-OAPCE for a wonderful year

First OAPCE meeting is September 21, 2016

Principal- Erica Wilson

Vice Principal- Rita Mammone

Teacher Rep- Angie Altomare

Teacher Rep- Maria Cina

Teacher- Margarida

Caetano-Macdonell

CYW, Non-Teaching Rep-

Daniela Venturin

Chair- Anna DiCredico-Moya

Vice Chair- Josie Puglisi

Treasurer– Susie DiPetta

Secretary- Joanne Zilli

Parent Rep– Yola Giorgio

Parent Rep– Cheri Tonello

Parent– Gayle Vacca

Community Rep - Christine Pilly

OAPCE Toronto Rep- Annalisa

Crudo-Perri

As your Vice Principal for the past two years,

it has been an honour to serve this communi-

ty. It is a joy to see such growth, spirit and

enthusiasm along with all the amazing gifts you

share. I am privileged to be able to serve the

Madonna community for a third year and next

year we welcome our new Principal, Ms.

Tschernow. It has been a pleasure to have

worked with Ms. Wilson for the past two

years and I have appreciated her mentorship,

guidance and partnership. As she embarks on

a new phase of her career at another school,

may she be blessed with the best of health,

happiness and joy with all her new experienc-

es in another community. Madonna has been enriched by Ms. Wilson’s commitment, dedi-

cation and leadership and she leaves behind

new benchmarks to which we can aspire. I

know that a large part of her heart will always

be with Madonna and for this we are

blessed. God bless you as you move on to

new horizons, Ms. Wilson. We will miss you!

The Catholic School Parent Council meets once

a month to discuss what is going on at the school

and provides input to the school on a variety of

issues. Feel free to send an email to

[email protected] for any questions or

concerns. Join the council today, an engaged

parent is an informed parent!

Annalisa Crudo-Perri, OCT

Semester 1 Classes Begin September 6, 2016

madonna catholic secondary school 20 dubray avenue … · 2016. 7. 5. · ‘once a madonna girl;...

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