For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 1 of 8

,k

February Newsletter 2019

St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School

430 Van Kirk Drive Brampton, ON L7A 0J2 Phone: 905-846-0078 Fax: 905-846-9044 Board website: www.dpcdsb.org School website: www.dpcdsb.org/bakhi Twitter: @DPBakhita

Principal’s Message

It is with great pride and excitement that I introduce myself to you as the newly appointed Principal of St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic Elementary School. I feel honoured and privileged to have the opportunity to lead a school with the tradition of excellence in education, athletics and co-curricular activities.

In my short time that I have spent here, I am incredibly impressed with our young students. They have a passion for learning, they are caring, engaging and a happy group. The teachers and support staff have shown me their commitment and dedication to Catholic Education. Our Vice-Principal Mr. Kenny adds a positive vibe to the community. Along with the teachers and the support staff, we will work hard to continue maintaining a safe, caring, Catholic environment at Bakhita where everyone enjoys learning and teaching.

In closing, I would like to thank our former Principal Mary McIsaac for making St. Josephine Bakhita School a community that provides all students with the opportunity to be successful in academics, athletics, and co-curricular activities in the short duration she was here. The relationships between students, teachers, parents, parish, trustees and other community members are fundamental to the success of our school. I look forward to working with all of you as a team to help each student at St. Josephine Bakhita to meet their goals and realize their God given potential.

Sincerely,

Donald Alva

"The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it " - Mother Teresa

Principal D. Alva

Vice-Principal N. Kenny

Head Secretary M.Misasi

Assistant Secretary

M. Jaques

Superintendent L.Storey

905–890–1221

Trustee D. D’Souza

905–890-1221

Parish St. Leonard’s Parish 187 Conestoga Drive

Brampton Ontario, Canada

L6Z 3X8 (905) 846 – 5385

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 2 of 8

Virtue of the Month- Respect Our faith teaches that we were made in God’s image, and that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. It’s unreasonable to demand respect when we are not respectful ourselves. Remember the adage, ‘What goes around comes around’. A person with Respect……

• See God’s presence in themselves and others • Treat others as they would like to be treated • Welcome others with smiles and friendly greetings • Always display good manners • Say ‘Excuse Me’, ‘Please’, and ‘Thank you’ • Avoid the temptation to swear or gesture inappropriately • Talk kindly about others and avoid gossip

Together in Faith

Ash Wednesday Liturgy

The Ash Wednesday Liturgy will take place on Wednesday, March 6th at 10:00 a.m. in the gym. All are welcome to attend.

First Reconciliation

We would like to congratulate all of our Grade 2 students who celebrated their Sacrament of Reconciliation on January 18, 2019. Thank you to Ms. Biffis, Ms. Scaccia, Ms. Spadafora and Ms. Rabiega for preparing the children so well.

Good Shepherd Ministry

The Youth Faith Ambassadors spent the day at the Good Shepherd Ministry for the homeless, in downtown Toronto on January 31st, 2019. Students were “Living as Joyful Disciples” (this year’s theme for Catholic Education week) by helping to make beds, and organize the shelter.

Family Day

Family Day is observed in the Canadian province of Ontario on the third Monday of February (Monday February 18th). This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities. On Family Day, many people plan and take part in activities aimed at the whole family. These include visiting art exhibitions, watching movies, skating on outdoor ice rinks, playing board games and taking part in craft activities.

February is Black History Month

Black History Month is a time to learn more about Canadian stories and the many other important contributions of Black Canadians to the settlement, growth and development of Canada, and about the diversity of Black communities in Canada and their importance to the history of this country.

We have a number of events planned this month around Black History in Canada. We have an age appropriate presenter coming in to speak to our students. It should be very interesting and informative.

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 3 of 8

School Procedures

Allergy Awareness

There are a number of students at St. Josephine Bakhita School that have a severe life threatening allergy to nuts. It is therefore imperative that families refrain from sending to school any foods that contains nut products, e.g. Peanut butter, Nutella, snacks with nuts or any product that has “may contain traces of nuts” on the label.

Due to the severity of allergies within our school, we ask that parents not send in any food to share with classmates, not even during special occasions such as birthdays or Valentine’s Day. Non-food items are encouraged, such as stickers, pencils, etc. We will not be permitting any food items to be brought into a classroom to share.

Winter Weather

During the winter season, many parents are concerned about school policy on outdoor recess. It is generally accepted that when the wind chill factor drops below –25°C, students should not go outside for recess. Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B. policy uses a wind chill of –20°C as the determining temperature for modified recesses. At St. Josephine Bakhita, students will remain inside when the wind chill is reported at –25°C or lower and we will modify the duration of lunch recess when the temperature reaches –20°C. As always, ensure that your child

is prepared for the extremes of Canadian weather.

Missed Work We receive many requests for work when students are absent due to illness or commitments outside of school. You may call the school 24 hours a day to leave a message about absences.

If your child’s absence is only for a period of one day we recommend that he or she collects the missed work on the day of return. Please note, regular attendance is essential for success in school. Some school activities, such as working in groups, are rendered ineffective by the absence of one or more group members. Your child’s learning can also be severely disrupted if they miss crucial learning points due to absences.

Teachers are not expected to provide detailed homework assignments to students who are away for extended periods of time as a result family initiated absences, although a general overview may be provided. For absences due to extended illness, parents should contact the school administration to discuss available options.

If your child(ren) is/are going to be away for an extended period of time, a note to the Main Office to the attention of the Principal would be appreciated.

Student Supervision Student Supervision begins at 9:00 a.m., that is including rain days/or inclement weather. Please do not drop off students or have students arrive at school before 9:00 am.

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 4 of 8

Inclement Weather and Transportation

With the winter season here, we would like to remind you of bus cancellation procedures. Occasionally, because of inclement weather or other emergency situations, buses may have to be cancelled or schools closed. Information regarding bus cancellation, school closures, and other emergency information announcements can be obtained by listening to the radio, by visiting www.STOPR for bus information, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board website: www.dpcdsb.org, and Twitter @DPBakhita or @DPCDSBSchools

Make sure the announcement is for the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, paying special attention to cancellations in the region of Peel. If transportation is cancelled, the schools will remain open. If buses are cancelled and parents or guardians choose to bring their child to school, it is also their responsibility to pick them up at the end of the day. Under extraordinary circumstances an announcement may be made which indicates that all Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools are closed. Please see the attached memo at the end of the newsletter regarding more information on Cancellations and School Closures.

Kiss and Ride

Parents/guardians who drive students to and from school are requested to use the Kiss and Ride lane to drop your child off at the sidewalk. Students must exit the vehicle on the sidewalk side for safety. Parents who are dropping Kindergarten children will be allowed to park at the south parking lot only. Do not use the reserved parking area or the parking lot. There are limited parking spots so if there are no spots remaining please park elsewhere (observing all posted city signs) and walk your child to school. Parents using Kiss and Ride are not permitted to park and leave their vehicles unattended

Goodbye and Well Wishes / Welcome

At this time, we would like to thank Mr. De Caro for his time here at St. Josephine Bakhita and wish him all the best with his new assignment as Vice-Principal of St. Joachim. We would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome the Mrs. Pike who will be filing his position. We would also like to welcome Ms. Williams who will be filling in for Mrs. Orlando in FDK while she is on maternity leave. Also, we congratulate Mrs. Grossi on her new position with the DPCDSB and welcome Mrs. Escoffery who is taking her planning time position.

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 5 of 8

Cold and Flu Season

Please use discretion in keeping your child home to recover if they are ill. A child who is coughing, wheezing, vomiting or with fever is not in a state to learn and risks infecting others. As well, if your child is well enough to attend school, they should be well enough to go outside at recess in supervised areas. Please be sure to continue to encourage your children to wash their hands frequently. Good hygiene is the best preventative measure. Also use a tissue when coughing or sneezing, or your sleeve if without a tissue. Refrain from sharing pencils, erasers, scissors and snacks. If your child is absent, please let the school know by calling 905-846-0078, and press 1 for the 24 hour access in calling in your child’s absence.

Kindergarten Registration for 2019/2020 Kindergarten registration for the 2019-20 school year began on January 8, 2018. This year, parents/guardians have the option to register online or in-person at their designated Catholic school.

Speech Winners

Congratulations to our St. Josephine Bakhita Speech Winners, Our Junior representative is Akshay P, and our Intermediate representative is Ope O. We are so proud of you! They will be going on to our Family of Schools Competition at St. Aidan later in the month.

First Term Reports

First Term Report Cards went home on Tuesday, February 5, 2019. Parent-Teacher Interviews were conducted on Thursday, February 7th from 4:00 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. and on Friday, February 8th during the day, if needed. This was an opportunity to discuss your child’s achievements and success, as well as look at next steps for Term 2.

Jump Rope For Heart Day

St. Josephine Bakhita is pleased to be holding a Heart and Stroke Foundation Jump Rope for Heart event on Thursday February 21st, 2019. All money raised will support the Heart and Stroke Foundation in their mission to promote children’s health and fund vital heart and stroke research.

Jump Rope for Heart encourages kids to get active by skipping rope while they collect pledges for heart disease and stroke research. They also learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and giving back to their community. This year marks Jump Rope for Heart’s 37th year and the Heart and Stroke Foundation is striving to get 1 million kids jumping in close to 4,000 schools across Canada. Let’s be part of it!

Last year we raised over $8,000. This year we need your help to reach our School fundraising goal of $ 7,000.

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 6 of 8

Clubs, Teams and Sports News

Basketball Teams

All of our Junior Boys and Girls Basketball Teams are getting underway, we are looking forward to their tournaments! (Girls – Feb. 11th @Vianney, Boys – Feb. 11th @Camboni) Good Luck to all those students who are playing out for the teams! Thank you to Mr. D’Agostino, Ms. Engson, Mlle. Ramirez & Ms. Rodrigues for all your hard work and dedication. Go Bearcats!

Hockey Team

Our Hockey Team is getting underway shortly. Thank you to Mr. Bartucci, Mr. Pacheco & Mr. Fullan for all your time and effort in coaching the team. More details will follow regarding practices and tournaments.

Our school payment system is now fully active and live. Save time and worry by making direct payments online in our school’s secure web-link. For more information, kindly visit our school’s website or contact the Office or your child’s classroom teacher.

National Sweater Day

On February 7th, St. Josephine Bakhita School participated in the National Sweater Day Challenge. On this day, the thermostat in the school was turned down 2 degrees in an attempt to save energy, and minimize our global footprint. This is an Eco School initiative and students at the school will be making announcements and passing out flyers to remind everyone of the date.

Please follow our Bakhita EcoSchool twitter feed for all the Eco initiatives and exciting things happening at Bakhita!

@DPBakhitaE

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 7 of 8

Parent Corner

Pancake Tuesday Volunteers

School Council would like to continue the annual tradition of providing all students with a pancake on Shrove Tuesday. We rely on help from volunteers like you to keep this tradition going. If you are available on Tuesday, March 5th to help make or serve pancakes, please let us know either through a note to the office, a message on our Facebook page or an e-mail to bakhitacouncil2011@gmail.com.

Super Snack Friday Since Friday, February 8th was a P.A. Day, the snack orders for that date were delivered to classrooms on Thursday, February 7th.

Parish Corner

St. Leonard’s Parish will host the Catholic Mom’s group on Tuesday, February 12 at 10am in the Parish Hall. Come out and meet new friends, receive encouragement, and have fun! Be refreshed by prayer with women who are ready to listen, inspire and cheer you on in your role as a mom. Bring your babies and children! Light refreshments will be provided.

Catholic School Council

Co-Chairs: Audrey Travaja Lori Toon Treasurer: Anna Rosa Risi Secretary: Sally Cox OAPCE: Maggie Bobinski Parish Representative: Josie Mueses Parent at Large: Tanya Barbosa, Natalie Lessey, Samantha Francis, David Corbett, Sandy Mamone Staff Representative: Mr. Fullan & Mr. Kirk Administration: D. Alva (P) & N. Kenny (VP) Next Catholic School Council meeting is on February 27, 2019 at 6:30pm. All are welcome!

For updates, news & information please follow us on Twitter @DPBakhita

Page 8 of 8

February 1 Bakhita Jr/Int. Speech Competition Super Snack Friday February 2 Gr. 8’s to Dr. Simone (Canadian Children for Food) February 5 Reports Sent Home Pizza Day February 7 Super Snack Friday (due to PA Day) Sub Day

Parent/Teacher Interviews February 8 Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita PA Day- Parent/Teacher Interviews- No School February 11 Jr. Girls Basketball @Vianney Jr. Boys Basketball @Camboni February 12 Pizza Day

CCCC Student Survey February 14 Super Snack Friday Valentine Dance February 15 Ash Wednesday St. Valentine’s Day February 18 Family Day (No school) February 19 Pizza Day February 21 Jump Rope For Heart Int. Speech Competition @St. Aidan February 22 Super Snack Friday Sub Day Jr. Speech Competition @St. Aidan February 26 Pizza Day February 27 Parent Council Mtg. @6:30 February 28 Gr. 7/8 Vaccine Day March 1 BW Chess Tournament @Guardian Angels Super Snack Friday March 5 Shrove Tuesday March 6 Ash Wednesday March 11-15 March Break (No School) March 27 Lenten School Mass

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF PEEL REGION (STOPR) BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO BAD WEATHER

2018 – 2019 SCHOOL YEAR

November 2018 - #6

During the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television stations: VIRGIN RADIO FM99.9 BREAKFAST TELEVISION NEWS AM680 CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1 NEWSTALK1010 AM EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860 FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107 CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSE GLOBAL NEWS CITY NEWS CTV CFRB – (Bell Media) We will be communicating one of six standard messages to the radio stations. The six announcements and their effect on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio stations).

1. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES & TAXI COMPANIES SERVING ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”. • Individual schools will be notified of service exceptions.

3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL

DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.

• This means that all runs listed under announcements #l and #2 are cancelled. • Individual schools will be notified of service exceptions.

4. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND TAXIS IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

• This means that ALL buses and taxi companies which operate into, out of, and within the City of Mississauga are cancelled for the entire day.

5. “ALL DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND PEEL DISTRICT

SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND TAXIS ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.” • This means that ALL transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District

School Board and the Peel District School Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.

6. “ALL BUSES AND TAXIS ARE CANCELLED AND THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH

THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED”.

• This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel District School board schools and offices are closed to all students and staff.

Note: For Secondary School students Riding Public Transit, cancellation of service will be

communicated by the respective transit property over the radio. Please be advised that Public Transit rarely cancels and that the level of service on days with inclement weather is unpredictable.

The Catholic Community, Culture, and Caring School Climate Survey 2018-2019

Catholic Social Teaching highlights the human dignity of all people. Catholic Social Teaching helps the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) respond to the Ministry of Education’s focus on Safe and Accepting Schools: Promoting a Positive School Climate. Part of this Ministry of Education focus requires that all schools in Ontario implement a student and a parent school climate survey every two years. The Catholic Community, Culture, and Caring (CCCC) School Climate Survey is a series of online surveys used by DPCDSB staff to gather feedback from students and parents/guardians about student engagement, well-being, and overall school climate. The information collected from the surveys will be used to enhance the Catholic learning environment and improve school climate. Student Survey All students in Grades 4-12 across DPCDSB will be given the chance to do the CCCC School Climate Survey this coming February 2019. The student survey will be done online during the school day and will take approximately 20-35 minutes to finish. All students are invited to complete the survey, but can choose to stop doing the survey at any time. There is no penalty if a student decides not to do the survey. The survey is anonymous and confidential. That means that DPCDSB staff cannot identify a single person’s answers to the questions, and that all of the answers will be kept private. Schools will only use the survey findings for entire grades or for the school overall. Parent/Guardian Survey All parents and guardians of DPCDSB students will be invited to do an online CCCC School Climate Parent Survey in February 2019 to gather information on what parents and guardians think about safety, inclusion, and communication with their child's school. This information will help schools know what is needed to make school a better place for all students and parents. Survey links will be posted in newsletters, and on school and board websites. Thank you for your support of DPCDSB’s efforts to make all schools Catholic communities of culture and caring! If you would like to know more about the survey, contact your school principal.

Catholic Community, Culture, and Caring School Climate Surveys 2019

WHO:All Students in Grades 4 to 12 All Parents/ Guardians of DPCDSB Students

WHAT:Anonymous online

surveys to gather

student and

parent/guardian

feedback about

school climate and

inclusion.

Students: Online during class time

Parents/Guardians: Anytime...

https://bit.ly/2HfRxaMQUESTIONS?

Talk to your school

principal for more

information

WHEN:FEB TO MAR

HOW:

A 3-week literacy and numeracy approach for students who have completed Grades 6, 7 and 8

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 to Friday, July 19, 2019

8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday to Friday

Must be referred by the Principal of student’s home school

What this program will offer your child…

Both small and large group facilitation

An opportunity to build confidence and competency in Language and Mathematics

Bussing – Pick up and drop off locations from home school

Let’s talk about it…. 

Contact your child’s

Teacher or Administrator for more information  

       

DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD 

SUMMER LITERACY CAMP

Let’s talk about it….

What is SUMMER LITERACY CAMP? 

A literacy reinforcement and enhancement Program for Students Kindergarten Year 2 through Grade 5

Students who meet the academic requirements must be recommended by Teacher and Principal

Literacy Camp provides a fun and innovative environment for learners!

Small group and individual attention for students

Balanced literacy approach with lessons planned for your child’s individual learning needs

Various camps are held throughout the Dufferin-Peel community of schools (exact locations to be determined)

Tuesday, July 2 to Friday, July 19, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday for 3 weeks

Information regarding program costs will follow at a later date. Daily attendance at this program is required.

We will work on your child’s:

Oral Language: Listening and Speaking

Reading: Fluency, Motivation, Comprehension (Retelling and Proficient Reader Strategies)

Writing: Text Forms and the Traits of Writing, Writing Process

Foundational Skills: Phonemic Awareness, Letter Sound Identification, Concepts about Print, Hearing and Recording Sounds in Words, High Frequency Words

Spelling / Phonics / Working with Words / Grammar / Vocabulary Development

FRIDAY FUN DAYS!!

ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION 870 Queen St. W., Suite 100, Mississauga, ON L5H 4G1 Tel: 905-891-9263 Fax: 905-271-9060

Dear Parent/Guardian, St. Josephine Bakhita is pleased to be holding a Heart and Stroke Foundation Jump Rope for Heart event on Thursday, February 21, 2019. All money raised will support the Heart and Stroke Foundation in their mission to promote children’s health and fund vital heart and stroke research.

Jump Rope for Heart encourages kids to get active by skipping rope while they collect pledges for heart disease and stroke research. They also learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and giving back to their community. This year marks Jump Rope for Heart’s 37th Anniversary and the Heart and Stroke Foundation is striving to get 1 million kids jumping in close to 4,000 schools across Canada. Let’s be part of it! Last year we raised over $6,900. This year we need your help to reach our School fundraising goal of $ 5,000. Please help support your child’s fundraising efforts by registering them online at JumpRopeForHeart.ca and send out donation request emails to friends, family and colleagues. Online fundraising is the quickest way to reach all of your contacts and online donors receive an automatic tax receipt. Plus, when students receive their first online donation (of any amount), they will receive a free skipping rope* from the Heart & Stroke Foundation! * Skipping ropes will be delivered to your school after your Jump event. Please visit JumpRopeForHeart.ca and start fundraising today! How to get started 1. Visit JumpRopeForHeart.ca and Register for JUMP 2. Set up your personal fundraising page 3. Send donation request emails to friends, family and colleagues

Jump School Give-back Program St. Josephine Bakhita will be participating in the Jump Rope for Heart Give-back program. The intent of this program is to help support the well-being of students. In the true spirit of philanthropy, our school will be donating their give-back to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Each student will be bringing home a pledge envelope if you prefer to collect donations in-person. Please ensure that their pledge envelope is returned by Wednesday, February 20, 2019.

Thank you in advance for your support, Mr. Alva and Mr. Kenny