St. Agnes of Assisi Catholic School
MARCH 2015
120 LA ROCCA AVE.
WOODBRIDGE, ONTARIO, L4H 2A9
FAX: 905 653 2276
PHONE: 905 303 4646
http://saa.ycdsb.ca
 Catholic Communities of Faith
 Quality Learning for All
 Safe and Caring Schools
Trustee: Maria Marchese
Director: Patricia Preston
Superintendent:
Donna Hackett
School Council Chair:
Brenda Alexis
School Council Vice Chair:
John Lombardi
Pastor: Fr. John Borean, Fr.
Peter Turrone
Principal
Ms. A. Filippelli
Vice Principal
Mr. F. Di Marco
Secretaries
Mrs. M. D’Orazio
Ms. A. D’ Angelo
A Look Ahead…
March 4—Confirmation 7pm
March 8—Daylight Savings
March 9—Int. Boys Basketball
@ SAA; JK/SKs @ City Playhouse
March 10—Int. Girls Basketball
@ SVA
March 13— PA Day
March 16 - 20— March Break
March 20—First Day of Spring
March 24—First Reconciliation
9:30am
March 25—Int. Trip to Toronto
Marlies Game
March 27—V.I.P. Gr. 3 1:00pm
March 29—Palm Sunday
March 31—Harbourfront Trip
(Primary)
Dear Parents/Guardians:
During this month of March, we celebrate a number of special days in our liturgical calendar:
Lent, St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of our Lenten
journey, a journey that lasts for forty days. During Lent, we are asked to be more aware of the
presence of God in our lives and to focus on three areas to help strengthen our faith: prayer, sacrifice and helping others. Lent is a journey we make together, in solidarity with each other. May
these prayers enrich your faith and strengthen your family ties. Have a wonderful mid-winter
break with family and friends. Be safe, take care and God bless!
Full-Time Kindergarten registration is now underway. If you have a child that was born in 2011
(JK) or 2010 (SK), please visit the school office to pick up a registration package. In order to
register for school, you will require the following original documents: Birth Certificate, Roman
Catholic Baptismal Certificate (child), parent if child is not Roman Catholic, Proof of Address,
proof of school support, and proof of legal status in Canada (if not a Canadian Citizen).
As well, planning and preparation for the next school year (2015-2016) is already underway. For
this reason, it is imperative that we have an idea of the number of students that will be attending
St. Agnes of Assisi CES in 2015-2016. IF YOU ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE
SCHOOL OR WILL BE LEAVING THE SCHOOL FOR SOME OTHER REASON, (i.e.
P.A.C.E., I.S.A., French Immersion, etc.), PLEASE INFORM THE OFFICE IN WRITING
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. By the same token, if you are aware of families that will be moving
into the area, please ask them to register at the school as soon as possible. This will help us to
have a better understanding of the numbers for next year, thus allowing us to plan appropriately.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
A. Filippelli Principal
OUR SHARED VISION
We are a Catholic Learning Community of collaborative partners, called to
serve one another by being committed to and accountable for quality learning
by all, with Jesus as our inspiration.
F. Di Marco Vice Principal
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH
In the month of March we celebrate the virtue of Perseverance..
With God’s grace, I will continue to be the best I can be; lead by example and be a
role model for others.
MARCH BREAK LIBRARY NEWS
Not sure what to do while our library is closed over the March Break?
There is an upcoming program on creative writing for grades 4-6 that
will take place at Pierre Berton Resource Library on Saturday, March
14th between 2 - 3 pm.
Joel A. Sutherland, author of Haunted Canada series and Be a Writing
Superstar, will run this fun and interactive workshop at the library. The
focus will be on games and activities that engage children to write and
write well. The tickets are only $5 each. Students are encouraged to
sign-up as soon as possible. The program has a seat limitation of 25
children. To register students/parents will have to go to Pierre Berton
The ninth edition of Earth Hour will take place on Satur- Resource Library in person. For any questions, please call 905-6537323 and ask to be transferred to the Pierre Berton Resource Library,
day, March 28th between 8:30 – 9:30pm. “The glogal ta- Youth Desk, or reply directly to this email.
gline for Earth is Use #YourPower to Change Climate
Change at earthhour.org.” SAA will be conducting our Other great Vaughan Library Programs that are offered during the
own Earth Hour on Friday, March 27th between 2:30 – March Break can be found in What’s On Magazine.
3:30pm. We will do our part by turning off the lights and
any other electronic devices such as computers, printers
and CD players. If we all work together to “Power Down GRADE 8 CONFIRMATION
for the Planet” everyone benefits.
On Wednesday March 4th, our Grade 8 students celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Clare of Assisi Parish. It was a beautiful
ceremony presided over by Bishop Kirkpatrick. Father Peter and Father John have been guiding our students on their path towards Confirmation and discussing with them important issues that they will face as
they continue on their journey with God. Thank you to Father Peter for
visiting the students on a weekly basis to prepare them for this important sacrament. A big Thank-you also to Mrs. Burbello, Mr.
Carano, Mrs. Carafa and Ms. Perna for their efforts in preparing students to receive this sacrament.
The Earth Hour Vaughan committee has provided the
school with supplies to create lanterns for Earth Hour in
hopes that the students and their parents will join the
Earth Hour Vaughan Lantern Walk Event on Saturday,
March 28. Free battery-operated t-lights will be given to
students who bring their lanterns to the event. The
EcoReps from each classroom will be making one lantern
per class and one student per class is invited to bring this
lantern to the Earth Hour Vaughan Lantern Walk on
March 28.
E NEWS IN EDUCATION
Earth Hour Vaughan
Lantern Walk & Energy Exhibit
Event
Home Energy Conservation Promotions by companies and NGOs,
and Renewable Energy Products
Homework Help is a site that is provided free-of-charge by the Ministry of Education and TV Ontario. This site provides free, real-time
Math help to Grade 7,8,9 and 10 students. It allows them to get help
after school hours and it can help them to understand and answer
homework questions, review material from previous grades and study
for tests, exams or an EQAP test. But remember – it is “homework
help” and the tutors (all of whom are certified Ontario teachers) are
there to support the students and concepts. The site is available to students Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Go to: Homeworkhelp.ilc.org and create a “GUEST” account. Students
can register by selecting “STUDENT” and using their Ontario
Education Number (OEN) and date of birth.
Location: Vaughan City Hall,
The Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB) is an
6:30 PM
on-line resource for Ontario’s teachers, students and parents. It con6:30 PM: Professional Energy Conserva on Exhibit; Lan- tains over 29,000 resources from K to 12 – all have been developed
Most of the resources take the form of lessons tied to expectations and
tern-making; Secondary School Environmental are searchable by Ontario Teachers. course and expecta on. Our Jeopardy Game teachers, students and parents are invited to explore and use these 8 PM: Formal Opening of Event resources. 8:30 PM: Lantern Walk Outdoors 9:00 PM: Refreshments; Entertainment Go to: h ps://resources.elearningontario.ca 9:30 PM: Green Hero Awards & Prizes
Username: student Password: ycdsb Student Threat Management Notice
The York Catholic District School Board is committed to creating and maintaining school environments in which students,
staff, parents and others feel safe. Schools cannot ignore any
threat of violence. All threat making behaviours made by student(s) will be taken seriously. Incident(s) will be reported to the
administrator who will conduct an investigation which may lead
to the activation of the Student Threat Management Protocol.
Please refer to the Student Threat Management Fair Notice and
Process on the Board website.
York Catholic Communities of Faith
Character Trait: Perseverance
Catholic Virtue: Perseverance
I Will:
* Stick to the goals I have set for my-self
* Always believe in myself and have faith in what I can accomplish.
CELL PHONES / ELECTRONICS / TOYS
The use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in the
school. Students will be allowed to use the school
phone in emergency cases. All electronics—MP3,
IPOD, video-players, tablets, etc., must be safely left at home. If
a cell phone is brought to school, it must be OUT OF SIGHT
AND TURNED OFF. If it is seen, it will be taken away. As
well, all expensive jewelry, clothing items, or toys should also be
left at home. The school is not responsible for lost / stolen items.
BELL TIMES
9:00 a.m.— Morning Entry
10:20 a.m. —10:35 a.m.— Morning Recess
12:00 p.m.—12:20 p.m.— Lunch
12:20 p.m.—1:00 p.m.—Lunch Recess
2:20 p.m.—2:35 p.m.—Afternoon Recess
3:30 p.m.—Dismissal
MEDICATION
If your child requires medication during the school
day, please call the office to get a medication form.
The form and the medication must be brought to
the office. Medication cannot be stored in the
classroom or with the student.
MORNING ROUTINES & SAFETY
Please remember that only students and staff
members on supervision duty are allowed to be on the playground. Parents or Caregivers who bring children to school in
the morning must walk their children to the yard and then leave
them in the care of the teachers on duty. For the safety of all, the
only adults in the yard should be the teachers and staff members wearing their safety vests. If you are dropping off your
kindergarten child, please bring them into their gate and then
return to waiting behind the lot fence. On behalf of your children’s safety, we thank you for respecting this.
OUTDOOR CLOTHING
Now that we are into the winter
months the weather is holding
steady with the arctic temperatures.
We continue to remind parents that the children must
come appropriately dressed for outdoor recess periods.
Only during inclement weather (i.e. rain or extreme cold
temps) will children remain indoors. Fresh air is a necessary ingredient for a responsive child, as is exercise between periods of class work. If your child is too sick to
go out for recess, then they are too sick to come to
school. All students who come to school are expected
to go out for recess.
Allergy Alert
Anaphylaxis (anna - fill -axis) is a serious allergic reaction. It
can be life-threatening. Food is the most common cause of
anaphylaxis, but insect stings, medicine, latex, or exercise can
also cause a reaction. The most common food allergens are
peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, eggs and milk products. The Ontario Allergy Society tells us that “it is impractical to achieve
complete avoidance of all allergenic foods as there can be hidden or accidentally introduced sources.” However, “it is definitely possible to reduce children’s exposure to allergenic
foods within the school setting.” Please be vigilant and do
your part to reduce the risk. Help keep our school safe for all!
Community Noticeboard
SAFEARRIVAL PROGRAM
ABSENCES—WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE.
It is the responsibility of the parent/
guardian to inform the school if their
child will not be in school. Please call
the SAFE ARRIVAL prior to 9:00
a.m. to inform us of your child’s absence, 1-855-856-7862. There is also a
website http://yorkcdsb.schoolconnects.com. Both methods will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Therefore future absences may be reported ahead of time,
i.e.; appointment, etc. If your child is absent and we have
not received a call from you, we will try to reach someone
listed on the emergency form. If we cannot reach anyone,
it is our duty, under the Safe Arrival Program, to consult
with the York Region Police. Let’s work together to
make sure that our children are safe.
ARRIVAL/SUPERVISION
Supervision in the school yard begins at 8:45 a.m. Students may be safely dropped off at that time. Those children entering the school through the front door and not
with their class are late and must get a late slip from the
office.
STUDENTS PICKED UP AFTER SCHOOL
At times, parents/guardians may be late to pick up their
children after school. It is encouraged that parents pickup their children at 3:30 pm. In case of an emergency,
please call the office to notify that you will be running
late. If students do not see their parents/guardians or the
person who regularly picks them up at dismissal time,
these students are required to report to the office. We will
keep them at the office until their parent/guardian arrives.
LABELLING BELONGINGS
Each year, many articles of clothing and shoes make their
way to the lost and found box. As a result, you are encouraged to label your children’s clothing to ensure that lost
articles can be returned to the owners. Periodically, we
will call down the classes so that students may examine the
box to determine if any pieces of clothing belong to them.
We invite you to come in and have a look through the box.
LUNCH TIME ROUTINES
Most students stay for lunch at school on a regular basis; however, some students do go home. It is imperative that your children’s teachers are informed of this routine. Any changes in the
routine need to be clearly communicated to the teacher. Parents
wishing to treat their children to a “special” lunch are asked to
come to the office to pick-up their children and sign them out.
This applies to all grades, including intermediate.
Students are NOT allowed to leave school property for lunch,
unless: 1) they are accompanied by an adult who picks the student up at the school office; 2) they go home for lunch
everyday.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
When it is raining in the morning before school begins, or if
the temperature is between –15 & –20 or below (with the
wind chill), then inclement weather procedures will be in
place. In this situation, at 8:45 a.m.—9:00 a.m., students will
begin their day indoors. All outer doors will be locked, except
for the front doors. All students, except for Kindergarten
students, are asked to enter from the front doors during inclement weather in the morning. Kindergarten students are
asked to enter through their play area to their exterior classroom doors. Staff members will be there to greet your child
and direct them to their classrooms.
PARENTS IN THE SCHOOL BUILDING
All parents/guardians, volunteers and visitors are welcome to our
school. In the interest of safety, and to prevent interruptions to
classes, all parents/guardians and visitors MUST first report to
the school office when entering the school. Please sign in and
wear the visitor identification provided. For the safety of all
occupants in the building, it is important that the students and
staff know that you are an approved visitor (Policy 611). On
behalf of your children’s safety, we thank you for adhering to
this procedure.
STANDARDIZED DRESS CODE
It is wonderful to see the students of St. Agnes of Assisi dressed
in their standardized dress code. Remember, navy blue bottoms
and white, grey, or navy blue tops are permitted. No jeans are
permitted according to the new policy. Thank you for supporting this initiative and encouraging your children to wear the
school colors.
STUDENT SIGN IN / OUT BOOK
A reminder to parents/guardians, if you pick-up your child early from
school for an appointment or your child arrives at school after 9:00 a.m.
or 1:00 p.m., it is requested that you sign your child in / out at the office. It is imperative to know the whereabouts of all students. In the
event that another family member / friend must pick-up your child, you
must inform your child’s teacher via a letter and they must follow the
procedures. It is best that arrangements are made in the morning so a
letter can be sent rather than calling the school as this cuts down on
class disruptions.
January 5, 2015
Kindergarten Registration for the 2015-16 School Year
Opens Today at York Catholic Schools
The York Catholic District School Board will begin accepting registrations today for children who will begin kindergarten in September. Children must be four years old by December 31, 2015 and born in 2011 to register in
junior kindergarten, or five years old by December 31, 2015 and born in 2010 to register in senior kindergarten.
Kindergarten helps children develop a solid foundation for their future learning by enhancing their social, emotion-al, cognitive, language, and academic skills in a safe, caring, nurturing and fun environment. The York
Catholic District School Board looks forward to welcoming its new families in September 2015.
All York Catholic schools that offer kindergarten, do so in its full-day format. The Full-Day Kindergarten program teaches children through inquiry and play-based learning methods. Teachers and Early Childhood Educators work together in kindergarten classes to support the unique needs of each child.
Parents and guardians who wish to register their children in a York Catholic kindergarten program should bring
the below-listed original documents to their local Catholic school during regular school hours, and are encouraged to call the school before visiting. To determine which York Catholic elementary school is your local area
school, parents and guardians should either visit http://locator.ycdsb.ca/, or call the Board’s Admissions Department at 905-713-2711 or 416-221-5050.
Please bring the following original documents to the school you wish to register your child at:
• Roman Catholic Baptismal Certificate (child or parent).
• Proof of child’s age.
• Proof of legal status in Canada.
Proof of residency.
• Proof of Separate School Support (i.e. MPAC Assessment Notice), or you can complete a school support
form that is included in the registration package at the school.
The York Catholic District School Board is one of the top-performing school boards in Ontario. It delivers educa-tional programming to over 55,000 students in 104 schools throughout the Regional Municipality of York.
For more information, visit www.ycdsb.ca or follow us on Twitter @YCDSB.
Media Contact: Julia Seeratan, Communications Office