St. Elizabeth Seton
APRIL Newsletter
Principal:
E. Sweeney-Hurd
Secretary:
K. Biso
Office Assistant:
S. Pusic
905-331-7246
A D M I N I S T R AT O R ’ S M E S S AG E
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Food Drive
2
Public Speaking
2
Parish News
3
Spring Photos
4
Moving?
4
Battle of the Books
4
Awards of Excellence
4
Class Placements 2015
5
Lock Down Drills
5
School Cash Online
6
Field Conditions
7
Save the Date
8
CPIC Awards
8
YMCA Registration
9
CAPP Event
10
Spanish Parents
11
OAPCE News
12
Police Day
13
Eco Club News
14
Hooping It Up
15
Kinder. Info Night
16
Graduation Date
16
Important Dates
17
Our Kids Network
17
With three-quarters of the school year already behind us now, we praise and give
thanks to God for blessing our school community with so many wonderful gifts to
date. We bear witness to the many successes and unique talents that our staff
and students share daily.
As we prepare to rejoice the Triduum Sacrum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and
Easter Sunday), staff and students will have many opportunities to celebrate and
learn about the mystery of the Easter season. One example of this is the opportunity that our Grade 4-8 students had to view the Passion Play at St. Paul the
Apostle Church which reminded them of what we remember on Good Friday.
Another example, when our Primary students watched a living stations of the
cross movie that stared, was written by and directed by the students in Mrs.
Ramirez’s Grade 3 class.
The Lenten season has provided all of us with meaningful opportunities to reflect,
prepare and focus on Easter through acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. As a
school community we have intentionally sought opportunities to grow in faith,
hope, and love by seeking new ways of developing a deeper feeling of God’s presence in our lives.
Throughout our Lenten journey, we thank all of our school community, students,
staff and families for supporting our Lenten/Easter Food Drive which will benefit
the needy families in our own community who access these donations from the
St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry at St. Raphael’s Church. Our Food Drive was very
successful and we thank you for all of the generous donations that you made.
As we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus who died for our sake,
Pope Francis also calls us to remember the need for justice. By remaining
obligated to respect the dignity of every human person, we are more likely to
contribute to a world that is rooted in peace, love and hope. We all play an
important role in respecting the image of God in others.
Wishing you a Blessed Easter
Mrs. E. Sweeney-Hurd
Principal
P age 2
LENTEN/EASTER FOOD DRIVE
The Lenten season is upon us. Almsgiving is a Lenten tradition and in that
spirit we gave our school community the opportunity to assist the less fortunate living in our area. This year we continued to support the St. Vincent de
Paul food pantry run out of St. Raphael’s Church.
St. Vincent de Paul identified their top donation priorities which we were to
focus on. Items such as non-perishable canned goods (vegetables, fruit,
canned meat, beans), pasta, rice, and cereal bars were all very much appreciated. Items such as soap, shampoo and toothpaste were also openly accepted. All donations were greatly appreciated!
We collected many boxes of food this year. Thank you for your continued
support and sense of giving to such a worthy cause. We would also like to
thank our Grade Eight Ambassadors for their leadership during this initiative.
PUB L IC SP E AK ING - CON GRAT UL AT IO NS
MADDIE!
As mentioned in our March newsletter, we thank all students in Grades 4-8 who
worked diligently to write and prepare a speech this year. It takes hard work and
courage to get up in front of a group of peers and say a speech and all students
are to be commended. We especially thank our classroom representatives
(named in our March newsletter) who spoke in our school wide competition on
March 3rd , 2015.
From this school level competition, a representative for St. Elizabeth Seton was
named. Maddie D. in Grade 5 who wrote and delivered her speech on the topic
of “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” moved on to represent St. Elizabeth Seton at the
North Burlington Regional Competition that was held on March 25th, 2015.
Maddie did a fantastic job and represented St. Elizabeth Seton with poise. We
are so very proud of you Maddie - Great job!!!!
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 3
S T . P AU L T HE A P O S T L E CH U RC H N E W S
Easter is soon here and we reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus died for
our sins. In order to help us understand and value the meaning of this, the
parish offers a variety of services and events over the Easter weekend. Please
make note of the schedule of services which includes the Triduum (Holy
Thursday to Easter Sunday) as the Sunday Easter schedule differs from our
regular schedule.
Holy Thursday – Mass of the Lord’s Supper @ 8:00 pm
Good Friday – Liturgy for Children @ 1:00 pm; Solemn Liturgy at 3:00
pm and presentation of the Passion Play @ 8:00 pm
Holy Saturday – Blessing of Easter Foods at 12:00 pm
Easter Vigil – Saturday April 4th @ 8:00 pm
Easter Sunday Mass – Sunday April 5th at 8:00 am, 10:00 am (in both
the hall and the church) and 12:00 pm. There are no evening masses in
the diocese on Easter Sunday.
Finally, the month of April is the start of First Communion celebrations for
Grade 2 students in our six elementary schools. Please pray for these children,
their families and teachers as they prepare to receive Eucharist for the first
time.
The parish team of Fr. Ed, Fr. Paul and Lay Parish Minister Mrs. Arden Ouellette wish you and your families are very blessed Easter Season.
We wish all of the
students and family
members of the St.
Elizabeth Seton
community, a
Blessed and joyous
Easter Weekend
Good Friday
April 3rd
Easter Sunday
April 5th
Easter Monday April 6th
P age 4
S P R I N G P H O T O D AY
Packages will be sent home shortly advertising our Spring Photo Day. Spring
photos are a time for additional photos to be taken of students, not in uniform and in more casual poses. Please look for more information to come
home about our Spring Photo Day which is taking place on April 28th, 2015.
M OV I N G ?
Please take the time to notify the school office if you are planning to move
over the summer months. We require this information to assist us in planning for class placements for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.
BAT T LE OF THE B OO K S
Good Luck to St. Elizabeth Seton’s Battle of the Books teams as they prepare for
their competitions in April. Ms. Shewfelt and Ms. Fiamelli are pleased with the
progress our teams are making as they prepare to face other schools in this city
wide contest of great readers. Senior Team Members include: Nicole M., Kristyn
M., Rebecca R., Natasha C., Aidan W., Emily M, and Mattia S. Junior Team Members include: Rachel B., Georgia B., Jennifer W., Lucas M., Kyla S., Katelyn M, Diego C., Reese D., and Michael W.
S T U D E N T A WA R D S O F E X C E L L E N C E C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S V E RO N I C A !
Each year, schools throughout the HCDSB select a representative to be awarded
with the Student Award of Excellence. The student recipient from each school
demonstrates a wide range of qualities that include Catholic leadership qualities,
a strong commitment to his/her faith, commitment to family, strong community
relations including a good rapport with teachers and fellow students, involvement in school activities and involvement in broader community activities. This
year, St. Elizabeth Seton is pleased to select Veronica U. in Grade 8 as our Student Award of Excellence recipient. Veronica and her family will attend a special
Mass presided by Bishop Crosby followed by an awards ceremony on Monday,
April 27th. This board-wide presentation is also televised on TV Cogeco usually
the week after the awards ceremony. Congratulations Veronica. You make Seton proud!!!!
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
S T U D E N T CL A S S P L AC E M E N T S F O R
SEPTEMBER OF 2015
Although only April, preparations are now being made to ensure that our school
is organized for the 2015-2016 school year. As such, in the coming months,
teachers will be working hard on student class placements. As you can appreciate, many hours of meetings and consultations go into the class building process
to ensure the appropriate placement of all students. When building a class,
teachers look at the following criteria to develop heterogeneous groupings:

Balance of ability - academic skills


Balance according to gender
Learning style – how the learner learns

Teaching style – how the teacher teaches

Social blending – who gets along with whom

Parental input – Re: learning style of the student
Please note that parental input is important to us and is weighed with other
criteria. Specific teacher requests cannot be considered. Rather, if necessary,
parental input, in the form of a letter to the Principal, E. Sweeney-Hurd, should
focus on the learning style of the student and the type of environment the
student best learns in. Letters should be submitted to E. Sweeney-Hurd by Monday, May 4th, 2015.
Please remember once again that as a staff many discussions and reflections are
put into the class building process. We will have approximately 430 students in
September. We do our very best to develop classes that will be formed in order
to maximize opportunities for each child to learn and be successful! Your trust in
our professional judgment is appreciated.
L O C K D OWN P R AC T I C E S
Just like fire drills, “Lock Down” procedures are a vital part of our school
emergency response plan. Throughout April and May we will be reviewing
and rehearsing our lock down procedures with the students. On the day of
a lock down drill you will receive an email indicating that the lock down that
occurred that day was strictly a practice drill of our emergency procedures.
P age 5
P age 6
SCHOOL CASH ONLINE—CASHLESS
PAY M E N T S Y S T E M - 8 6 % O F P A R E N T S
REGISTERED !!!!
As introduced to you in our February 2014, newsletter, St. Elizabeth Seton is
now offering a Cashless Payment System. We are urging parents to take five
minutes to register, by following the steps below. Once you are registered
online, you will start receiving emails about upcoming events.
For a one minute video clip that will give you a brief overview of the registration and on-line shopping experience please visit:
http://www.kevsoftware.com/movies/ParentRegEnglish/
REGISTER ONLINE
1.
2.
3.
Please visit https://hcdsb.schoolcashonline.com
Register by selecting the “Get Started Now” option and following the
steps
After you receive the confirmation email, please select the CLICKHERE
option, log in and add each of your children to your household account.
It is convenient, safe and secure!
PLEASE NOTE: If you have any questions during the registration process, or
while shopping online, please select the GET HELP option in the top right
hand area of the screen.
NEWS—The HCDSB is looking to add credit card payments as an option for
the 2015-2016 school year. More info to come on this as soon as it is available!!!
PLEASE TAKE 5 MINUTES TO REGISTER
WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 7
FIE LD CO ND ITIO N S AT SETO N
March to May represents the time of the year when our field conditions are at their worst. Given the wet and
muddy conditions on our field during this time of year, we must have the students on the pavement area only
during recess times. Due to the small amount of pavement area at Seton, and the fact that this space must be
shared amongst 356 Grade 1-8 students, we must constantly assess the games and activities taking place while the
students are crowded onto the pavement area together to ensure that students remain safe while outside and so
that first aid visits are reduced.
In the past, first aid logs have indicated a spike in first aid referrals when chasing games and ball play were allowed
during pavement only recess times. Student injuries from being bumped into, knocked over, and accidentally
pushed or hit with a stray ball increase when we allow chasing games and ball play during pavement only recess
times. Given the HCDSB’s new Concussion Protocol that took effect in February of 2015, we are even more aware
and concerned about the potential for injury and the type of play that is generally associated with head injuries for
our students while they are outside. It is our goal to have the safest possible conditions outside for our students
while they are at play.
Last year at this time we asked teachers and students to brainstorm activities and games that can be played during
pavement only recess times and these same conversations take place in classrooms and over the announcements
on a regular basis. Teachers have also been encouraged to take advantage of the ability to have students running
around on the pavement during Daily Physical Activity (DPA) time which occurs for twenty minutes a day on non
Phys. Ed. Days. We also continue to run our intramural activities in our gym three days a week until around the
beginning of May.
While outside on pavement only play, students may use basketball sized balls for shooting at the basketball hoops
that are located throughout our blacktop area. They are also permitted to use basketball sized balls to play in the
“Four Square” area on the pavement. We do ask though that students DO NOT engage in chasing games while
outside on the pavement as other students not engaged in these types of games tend to get bumped into, knocked
over or sustain blows to the body and/or head that could lead to a concussion. We also do not want balls to be
thrown or kicked against the walls of the school and do not permit ball play of other types (ex. Soccer, volleyball
etc.) when we are on pavement only play. We are continually monitoring the types of games and play that we allow on pavement only play times to ensure that they do not compromise student safety.
Our Catholic School Council has been informed that plans are in the discussion phase for improvements to our
field and pavement area sometime during the next 12-18 month period. We do ask that when decisions are made
around our field and pavement improvements that all parents will keep in mind that there may be some short
term “pains” that may need to be endured in order to ensure a better long term result for our conditions outside.
I will continually to keep you posted on news of any needed improvements that have been approved.
In regards to our current conditions, I do like to think of the “short term pain, for long term gain” statement. By
staying off of our field area for a 6-8 week period in the early Spring, it ensures that conditions on the field are not
compromised for when this field area dries up and the grass starts to return at some point in May.
We acknowledge that this time of the year and these field conditions are difficult on the students. We are continually trying to brainstorm ideas for making this “not so great situation” more bearable for our kids. We so appreciate your understanding and the many suggestions that have come our way.
Fingers crossed for a warm and dry Spring!
P age 8
S AV E T H E DA T E — T H U R S D A Y , J U N E
4TH
Save the date of Thursday, June 4th for our End of Year BBQ! Here’s hoping that
we can have a BBQ where there are no signs of rain!
Also on this night we invite parents to a discussion panel event arranged for by
your Catholic School Council. At this event portion of the evening, leaders from
the school and community will be speaking on the importance of “Asset
Building” for our children and youth. More information to follow on this.
SAFE ARRIVAL
PROGRAM:
Please call in
your child’s absence
at
905-331-7246
The school voicemail
service is available
A uniform exchange will be held in the forum on this evening. If you have any
used but still in good condition uniform pieces to donate to the school in preparation for this event, please send these in (washed and folded). Parents will
have a chance to browse and take with them up to four uniform items per family (no cost).
Finally, our camp information meeting for Grade 7 parents whose children will
be returning to St. Elizabeth Seton for Grade 8 is taking place on this night as
well.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS!
2 0 1 5 C P I C PA R E N T V O L U N T E E R O F T H E
YEAR AWARD
The Halton Catholic Parent Involvement Committee (C.P.I.C) is pleased to launch
the new Catholic Parent Involvement Award. This award provides an opportunity
for the schools in our Board to formally acknowledge and celebrate volunteers
who exemplify parent involvement within our schools. There will be one winner
selected per region (Burlington, Milton, Oakville and Halton Hills). If you would
like further information about this award and/or have someone in mind from
our school community to nominate, please feel free to email our Catholic School
Council Chair, Brenda Agnew at: [email protected]. All nominations must
be provided to Brenda Agnew by Monday, April 13th, 2015.
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 9
REGISTRATION FOR YMCA SCHOOL AGED CHILD CARE
FOR 2015-2016
Are you interested in registering for the 2015/2016 School Year? Below are the dates and the information you will need to know!
Registration Dates for the 2015/2016 School Year
JK/SK
January 19, 2015 - Registration for returning JK/SK's (children already in our program)
February 2, 2015 - Registration for NEW JK/SK's
School Age
April 8, 2015 - Registration for returning School Age Children (already registered in our program)
May 19, 2015 to August 14 2015 - Open Registration for all ages
Please visit: www.ymcahbb.ca for more information or contact the School Age Office at:
Burlington SACC Office:
Attention: Catherine Rossi
500 Drury Lane
Burlington, Ontario L7R 2X2
p. 905.632.5000 x. 6236
f. 905.333.1767
Note: If you require care for the remainder of the 2014/2015 School Year, please contact your School Age
Office for 2014/2015 forms.
P age 1 0
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 1 1
P age 1 2
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 1 3
P age 1 4
A MESSAGE FROM YOUR ECO CLUB
This message is from the St. Elizabeth Seton Eco Club.
We want to tell you that we will be hosting a “Lights Out Canada” afternoon at
Seton on Wednesday, April 22nd—Earth Day!
We are doing this because we want to inform students about how to save
energy.
On this day we are asking students to wear bright coloured clothes. From
12:55-3:10pm on this day the school will have many lights and electronics
turned off.
There will be an Earth Day liturgy in our gym on the morning of this day to celebrate Stewardship of Creation.
The Eco Club will be showing our appreciation of this day by reading stories to
classes throughout the afternoon.
Make sure to show your school spirit Seton and support our Earth Day activities.
This has been a message from your Eco Club
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
P age 1 5
“HOOPING IT UP” FOR BEST BUDDIES!
On Monday, March 30th, Seton hosted it’s first annual “Hooping It Up” free throw competition to raise
money for our Best Buddies program. The event was a HUGE success and a fantastic time was had by all.
Best Buddies is a program run at Seton and throughout schools all over North America. Best Buddies is a
program that links students with intellectual disabilities with buddy students in a goal to raise awareness
and acceptance for all. The goals of the program are to promote inclusivity and acceptance for all.
We would like to thank the students at Seton for raising close to $500 for our Best Buddies program this
year. The money will be used to support activities, events and outings for our Best Buddies group here at
Seton.
P age 1 6
New Kindergarten Parent Orientation Meeting
Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
6:30 pm in the Gym
This workshop will provide information to
parents who have registered a child for JK/Year 1
of the FDK program in September
Grade 8 Graduation 2015
is on Tuesday, June 16th at 7:00pm
St. Paul the Apostle Church
A P R I L N e w s l e tte r
S t . E l i za b e t h S e t o n
5070 Dryden Ave.
Burlington, Ontario
L7L6Y3
Phone: 905-331-7246
Fax: 905-331-6818
We’re on the web!
Visit us at:
http://schools.hcdsb.org/eliz
UPCOMING EVENTS
Hearing and Vision Screenings (optional)
Good Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Lunch Basket (note day change)
Junior Battle of the Books Competition
Grade 6 BRAVO Celebration at 10:3am
Grade 2 First Communion Rehearsal
Grade 2 First Communion Celebration at the Church at 10:30am
Grade 6 Pre-SPARK Training at Corpus Christi
Senior Battle of the Books Competition
Club and Team Photo Day
Sports Fan Spirit Day
Grade 7 and Grade 8 Girls Vaccinations
Earth Day Liturgy at 10:30am in Gym
PA Day for Students
Spring Casual Photo Day/Non Uniform Day
Grade 6 Trip to the Ontario Science Centre
Full Day Kindergarten Information Night at 6:30pm
April 1st
April 3rd
April 5th
April 6th
April 7th
April 9th
April 10th
April 10th
April 11th
April 14th
April 15th
April 16th
April 17th
April 20th
April 22nd
April 24th
April 28th
April 29th
April 29th
H A LT O N O U R K I D S N E T WO R K
Halton iparent is a new easy-to-use, online information resource which gives
families access to Halton parenting programs and services listings!
WHAT WILL YOU FIND?
Over 130 Halton based, programs, workshops and seminars about raising children and youth:

Courses for expectant parents

Workshops on toddler behaviour

Discussion groups for parents of children of all ages

Single parent support groups

Parent and child drop-ins

Programs on all stages of child development

And much more!
Although the programs are primarily geared to helping parents, there are also
some listings for programs that children and youth can attend.
www.ourkidsnetwork.ca/iparent