1. education
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St. Patrick Catholic School
391 Victoria Rd. N. Guelph, Ontario, N1E 5J9, 519-822-0200
Principal: Mr. David Mencfeld
Mission Statement
St. Patrick Catholic School is an educational community, which upholds the motto of “Love, Laugh, and Learn.” We are
dedicated to encouraging the development of the whole person, while recognizing the uniqueness of each individual. We are
committed to providing a safe environment, which fosters spiritual growth and academic excellence for all. This is achieved
through a shared partnership of home, school, and parish.
“Strength is our unity”
At St. Patrick School, we strive to instill and live the catholic character attributes of
RESPECT, HONESTY, COMPASSION, CARING AND KINDNESS with all we meet.
Patriot News November, 2014
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you, from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.
Principal’s Message
November 2014
When Mrs. Small shared a draft of this Newsletter with me last week, I
exclaimed, “November already..that is impossible.” Well it is November
indeed as the days are getting shorter and the weather channel has even
forecasted snow for us in the near future. With that I remind all to please
ensure our students are dressed for the weather. We enjoyed such an
excellent October where our school hosted a Youth Mass and celebrated a
school Mass at Holy Rosary Church. We has a successful Food Drive
Campaign with the assistance of our Social Justice Club and the entire
school enjoyed a fun Halloween costume pageant and spirited celebration
assembly. Our soccer teams enjoyed an October to remember as both the
Boys and Girls won Championships! November will include our first school
Mass in our newly renovated gym, as well as our participation in the Guelph
Santa Clause Parade. Please consider joining us for Parent-Teacher
Interviews on November 20th and our Catholic School Council Meeting on
the 25th. As always please keep an open communication with your
child(ren)’s teacher(s) as working together to improve academic
achievement will result in further success. God bless all of you during the
month of November.
Yours in Catholic Education,
Mr. D. Mencfeld
BALANCED DAY UPDATE
We are going to change our first nutrition break of the day to the following:
10:30am--10:45am (First Nutrition Break)
10:45am-- 11:10am (Outside Recess)
The feedback we have received suggests that the students do not need 20 minutes to eat during first
nutrition break and that they would benefit from more outdoor activity time. We are going to try this for
the month of November.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
The Catholic School Council is looking forward to another exciting year at St. Patrick. Our current
executive positions have been filled and are as follows:
Chair: Callie S.
Secretary: Tania S.
Treasurer: Tammy M.
We congratulate these parents and we thank them for their commitment to working with the school to make
the 2014-2015 school year an excellent one.
Our next Catholic School Council meeting is scheduled for November 25th beginning at 6:30pm in our
school library. Please feel welcome to join us.
SCHOOL MASS
On October 10, St. Patrick Catholic School participated in a school Mass at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.
Our next school Mass will take place on November 14th @ 9:10 a.m. in the gym. All family and friends of
St. Patrick Catholic School are invited to join us. We would like to thank Father Boyd, Mrs. Obbema and
the Celebrating Jesus Team for their ongoing efforts to support our school’s journey of faith and
understanding of God.
LIBRARY NEWS
Our beautiful new library is up and running. Classes have had a chance to come down, explore and borrow
a reading book or a research book.
Some classes have made good use of our spacious computer hub as well.
Our Scholastic Book Fair will arrive in mid-November and parents will have a chance to make a purchase
and visit our new space.
Book Fair Schedule:
(regular school hours except for interview evening)
Friday November 14… Preview day (no sales)
Monday Nov 17 - Thursday Nov 20 (sales)
Thursday evening during interviews…3:30-5:15 and 6:15- 7:45
Also, our grade 6 class will have a display of their computer assignment in the hub during the evening of
interviews.
Be sure to drop by. Mrs. Tessaro
PROGRESS REPORT AND PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
On November 11, students in Grade 1 to 8 will be bringing home their Progress Reports. Interviews for
Progress Reports will take place on Thursday, November 20 from 3:30 to 5:15 and 6:15 to 8:00 pm. Please
call the office to set up an interview with your child’s teacher. Parents are encouraged to come in and meet
with their child’s teacher to discuss progress and next steps for success.
ST. JAMES CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT-GR. 8
Parents of Grade 8 students are invited to the St. James Catholic High School Parent Information Night at
St. James on Tuesday, November 27 at 7:00 pm.
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION – GRADE 8
On November 5, our Grade 8 students will have the opportunity to sit in classes, tour St. James, and
experience the day in the life of a high school student. This is an excellent opportunity for our students to
“experience” high school. Thank you to Mr. Yawney, Mr. Malone and St. James students for this
opportunity for our students!
NORCARD CHRISTMAS CARD FUNDRAISER
Thank you, parents for your support with the Norcard fundraiser. All orders have been submitted and are
to arrive at the school by the third week of November.
INTRAMURAL UPDATES
Intramurals at St. Patricks will be starting this month!
Five grade seven students attended the Raise the Bar Student
Leadership Conference.
The goal of the conference was to motivate and educate students
on how to run intramurals at their school. They participated in
new games that they will bring back to St. Patrick School. We
look forward to our grade 7 and 8 student leadership in getting
our student body active this year!
REMEMBRANCE DAY AT ST. PATRICK SCHOOL
On November 11 the students and staff will gather in the gym to mark Remembrance Day at 11:00 a.m.
Please join us for our Remembrance Day service as we remember all those who have sacrificed their lives
in the service of our country. Poppies from the Royal Canadian Legion will be distributed to students and
donations are most welcome. Our ceremony will stress the need for peace in our daily lives and in the
world. Students involved in Beavers, Scouts, Cubs, Brownies, Guides, Cadets, etc., are invited to wear
their uniforms on this special day. Thank you to Mr. Kirk for organizing the assembly.
CROSS COUNTRY NEWS
Congratulations to all members of the St. Patrick
cross country team! With over 80 students
participating at the Bishop MacDonell final on
October 2, it was our largest team in years! We
were extremely proud of the strong school spirit
and great sportsmanship shown by all team
members. Thank you to all of the family
members who came out to help volunteer and
cheer our runners on! The following students
placed in the top 10 at the cross country final.
Jenna B. (1st)
Ben D.
(2nd)
Eden M. (3rd)
th
th
Olivia P. (4 )
Tamar M. (4 )
Carson T. (6th)
Charlie Van Dam (8th) Eva Wenger (10th)
Members of the Cross Country Team
Kaleb, Aydan, Matthew, Kanye, Alvin, Darragh, Curtis, Tristan M, Reegan, Peyton, Aidan, Elijah, David,
Cohen, Austin, Charlie, Ethan, Aiden, Antonia, Kayla, Libby, Hannah, Daniela, Adison, Kya, Katrina,
Talise, Grace, Abigail, Tye, Daymieon, Massimo, Jordan, Ben, Dominik, Logan, Gian, Carson, Owen T.,
Brady, Zachary, Kiyanah, Rebecca, Paulina, Audrey, Eden, Hailey, Lilly, Olivia P., Olivia S., Eva,
Bella, Owen H., Jason, Connor, Edwin, Tristan V., Kayah, Tessa, Serena, Edana, Aoibhinn, Nicole,
Mya, Lindsay, Luxy, Chrismon, Cole, Matteo, Logan, Robert, Kelvin, Jenna, Avery, Tate, Dylan,
Anthony, Ashan, Alex, Xavier, Ben, Jacob, Henrique, Owyn, John, Isabella H, Eryn, Tamar,
Gabrielle, Victoria, Ashton.
SOCCER NEWS
The St. Patrick Boys’ Soccer team played with skill,
strength and determination all season and excelled in all
aspects of the game. They peaked at the right time
entering the tournament with confidence and poise. The
team battled hard and won all 4 games without
conceding a single goal. The boy's played extremely
well in the championship game beating St. Peter's
School by a 3 to 0 margin. You all made St. Patrick
Catholic School extremely proud. Thank you Mr.
DiLoreto and Mr. LeBlanc for your time and dedication
to coaching the boys.
Congratulations go out to the Patriot Girls Soccer Team
for a wonderful season. The girls went undefeated in
their exhibition games against St. Francis, St. John, St.
Peter, St. Michael, St. Paul and Holy Trinity and
displayed great teamwork and team spirit. On Tuesday
October 7th the team participated in the WCDSB
Medium School Tournament. The girls successfully
won their games against St. Paul (4-1), St. Francis (7-0)
and St. Peter (2-0). We met up again with St. Paul in
the tournament finals. With determination and hard
work the Patriots defeated St. Paul 5-2 to win the
tournament! Congratulations go out to all team
members. Thank you for representing St. Patrick with
pride, sportsmanship and team spirit! Thank you Mrs. Porcellato and Mrs. Fuller!!!
CHOCOLATE BAR FUNDRAISER
Our Chocolate Bar Fundraiser was a huge success. The
top selling students were:
1st –Victoria S., selling 7 boxes
2nd –Augusto T-M, selling 6 boxes
3rd – Hailey M., Jack V-D., Nik W., selling 5 boxes each
Over thirty students also received prizes as random
winners who sold a minimum of one boutique.
We thank all families who chose to support this
fundraiser and congratulate the above winners!
CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY
St. Patrick Catholic School hosted a Celebration Assembly on
October 31. The following students received “Patriot Pals” prizes:
Alex L., Ainsley I., Ben D., Mia V., Joseph V., Daniel C., Dominic
T., and Austin M. (missing from photo Molly S-S)
Congratulations Patriots for a job well done!
ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
On Thursday, October 23rd, the students at St. Patrick Catholic School
took part in the Recycling Council of Ontario’s Waste Free Lunch
Challenge. The Environmental Club at St. Patrick led this initiative.
All students were challenged to bring in lunches that contained no
garbage at all during the Waste Free Lunch hallenge. The
Environmental Club monitored and weighed the garbage in each
classroom. They compared the amount of waste produced regularly to
the amount of waste produced during the challenge, in an effort to raise
awareness about the importance of waste reduction, recycling and reusing materials. All classes and students are commended for their
efforts. A big congratulations to Mrs. Fuller’s Grade 7 class who won
this challenge and a special thanks to Devin M., Hayden M. and Max
W. for their hard work and assistance weighing garbage. The
Environmental Club encourages families to go waste free whenever possible!
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH
Each month St. Patrick’s will be focusing on a virtue of the month. This virtue will be discussed in classes,
on the announcements and during celebration assemblies. During the month of November we will be
focusing on justice. "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in
order to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18).
From a young age children learn about justice. They learn to play fair with their friends, and that there is
such a thing as right and wrong. This month we will remind each other that kind, peaceful and respectful
actions will make the world a better place.
SAFETY PATROLS AND BUS PATROLS
Safety Patrols and Bus Patrols assume a phenomenal responsibility when they pledge to “work for the
safety of others” and “to do all in my power to reduce accidents and prevent myself and others from taking
chances.” Safety Patrols need the respect and cooperation of their classmates by continuing to stress with
your child, no matter what his/her age, the need to obey the safety patrols. Our dedicated team of Street
and Bus Patrols are to be commended for the excellent service they provide each day for the safety of
others in our community. Thank you, Mrs. Smyth for your leadership with Patrols.
SHARE THE WARMTH COAT DRIVE
St. Patrick School will once again participate in the citywide coat drive. If you have a coat that you no
longer need, please send it to the school. Coats will be going to those in need in our community. Please
bring all coats to the school by Friday, November 14, 2014. Thanks to everyone for participating in this
social action project. We thank Palmer Cleaners for accepting our donations and cleaning coats to
distribute to those in need in our community. Thank you, Student Council and Grade 8 students for your
leadership with the Coat Drive.
GUELPH SANTA CLAUS PARADE
St. Patrick Catholic School will be participating in the City of Guelph’s Annual Santa Claus Parade on
Sunday, November 16th. Further information will be sent home regarding student selection to be part of the
float. We are very thankful to Mrs. Santin, Mrs. Tessaro, Mrs. Church and St. Patrick Student Council for
their hard work in preparing our float.
UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN AT ST. PATRICK SCHOOL
October marks the annual United Way Campaign. Traditionally, the staff of St. Patrick School participates
in a “casual dress” day on Fridays with proceeds going to the United Way. This year we had several theme
days where students were encouraged to participate and donate a loonie to the United Way. Way to go
Patriots for your spirit and generosity! Many families and organizations in our community benefit from
United Way funds. Thank you, Mrs. Buckley, Mrs. Gauthier, Mrs. Farwell and Student Council for your
leadership and commitment in making this a very successful United Way Campaign.
ME TO WE
This year at St. Patrick Catholic School we have formed a Social Justice group, the Me to We group. The
group is working with Free the Children on local and
global causes. Free the Children’s mission is to create
a world where all young people are free to achieve
their fullest potential as agents of change. Free The
Children is an international charity and educational
partner and is currently working in eight developing
countries with its Adopt a Village program.
After learning about each village, the St. Patrick’s Me
to We group has decided to adopt Haiti and will
support this village when fundraising internationally.
Our group has set a plan to support local, national and
international causes this year.
During the month of October our school collected
nonperishable food items for the We Scare Hunger
campaign. All items were divided between The Brant Avenue Neighbourhood group and the Holy Rosary
Food Pantry. Families at our school are supporting each other and others in our neighbourhood! Thank
you to all of the families that supported this cause!
On October 31 the We Scare Hunger group also decided to sell popcorn to raise money for the Holy Rosary
Food Pantry.
GRADE 5 STUDENTS MEET GUELPH’S NEW MAYOR!
The Grade 5’s had a very exciting field trip to City Hall
on Wednesday October 29th! As our bus approached
City Hall, the students were very excited to see Guelph’s
new Mayor awaiting our arrival. Mr. Cam Guthrie was a
gracious host as he posed for many pictures and
explained the many municipal responsibilities. The
future voters of St. Patrick School visited the Council
Chambers and participated in a mock council meeting. It
was concluded that the Mayor’s Chair was the best seat
in the house! Thanks Mr. Guthrie for making our visit
truly memorable!
KISS AND WAVE PROCEDURES: STUDENT DROP OFF AND PICK UP
Parents are asked to adhere to the guidelines listed below to ensure the safety of all during those times of
the day (morning and after school) when there is greater traffic congestion.
Parents are reminded that they are not to park anywhere in the front driveway of the school or behind the
cars parked at the side of the school as these areas are used by school buses. There is no parking in the
circular driveway – this is to be used as a drop off or pick up point. If you wish to accompany your child to
the playground, you are to park in the parking lot at the New Life Church and cross at the traffic lights with
the Crossing Guard.
It is very important to keep the flow of traffic moving both before and after school. Please read and follow
the procedures outlined below for the safety of all:
1. The front roundabout is for school buses and taxis only.
2. Parents are reminded to ease the flow of traffic in the morning and after school by moving to the
top of the traffic circle in the parking lot and adhering to the Kiss and Wave procedure.
3. Parents wishing to stop and park are encouraged to use the Church Parking lot across from the
school and use the cross walk where a crossing guard will assist you.
4. Students are to get off buses in the morning and walk along Victoria Road to the walkway, south
of the Junior Kindergarten play area, to enter the playground.
5.
Please be reminded that parking in our lot is for staff.
HEAD LICE UPDATE
Please continue to check your children for head lice. It is important that ALL PARENTS CHECK
WEEKLY FOR INFESTATION. It only takes one short encounter with someone who has lice and the
cycle starts again.
1. At this time of year, it is good to remind children they are not to be sharing articles of clothing,
i.e., hats, coats, scarves, costumes, etc.
2. Please check for lice weekly and if lice are detected, it is the parent’s responsibility to report it to
the school.
3. Lice are an emotional issue and we need your assistance to keep the incidents as low as possible.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
The luxury of warm sunny days appears to have come to an abrupt end! Parents are asked to ensure that
children come with appropriate outer clothing for cold weather. Children spend close to 90 minutes
outdoors getting fresh air and exercise during recess and lunch. Consider packing an extra pair of mittens
and socks in your child’s backpack in case the first pair gets wet. Due to the openness of the school
playground area, the conditions are often much chillier than those at home.
St. Patrick is in Division 1 – South Wellington and the City of Guelph.
It is a parent’s responsibility to determine whether it is safe for their child to leave for school during
inclement or severe weather. A parent must be aware of the following:
• When a bus does not travel a route during the morning due to inclement weather conditions, it will
not travel that route in the afternoon.
• If a parent elects to drive their children to school, the parent is responsible for picking their child
at dismissal time.
Important Notes
1. Check the Wellington Catholic District School Board website @
www.wellingtoncssb.edu.on.ca for all the latest transportation information on inclement
weather days for bus cancellations and possible delays.
2. While we have an excellent transportation system, buses may be delayed in the morning
due to traffic, poor road conditions, mechanical breakdowns, etc. To ensure your child is
not stranded at his/her pick up point, please make sure they know what to do and where
to go if their bus is more than 15 minutes late.
3. Each driver is ultimately responsible for deciding if it is safe to complete his or her route.
If they decide to cancel or delay their route, they will ensure that every effort is made to
inform parents of their decision.
4. Our local radio station provides weather reports regarding bus cancellations. During
times of inclement weather, please listen to MAGIC FM 106.1 or 1460 CJOY AM for
school transportation cancellations, delays or closures. Usually, the school is open when
transportation is cancelled.
5. On foggy days, drivers have been instructed to stop only if they feel it safe to do so.
PARENTING TIP OF THE MONTH
Prayer and the education of children in the faith are seen as specific responsibilities of Christian parents, as
well as grandparents. Our world is fast paced and we sometimes forget that our children need a place that
will act as a cocoon, making them feel safe, loved and protected. We need to create purposeful moments
when we gather as a family and share our values through conversations and family activities and where we
share our faith through pray and perhaps reading and discussing a passage from the Bible. Families build
the foundation on which our children stand in the world – educating our children in their faith is a proven
way to make that foundation solid enough to withstand anything. (From: Teresa Hartnett, Family
Ministry Office, 905-528-7988 ext. 2250)
MARRIAGE TIP OF THE MONTH
Tip #62 – At the Synod in Rome, which wrapped up its deliberations on October 19, 2014, Pope Francis
and more than 200 delegates discussed in detail the challenges faced by families in the world today. In their
discussions they reminded us that we are not alone, that God is with us as we journey. Taking that message
seriously can have a positive impact on your married relationship – attending Mass as a couple, praying
together and even joining in parish events have proven benefits in producing happier marriages. God is
with us – invite him in and see how his presence will have a constructive impact on your married life!
(From: Teresa Hartnett, Family Ministry Office, 905-528-7988 ext. 2250)
LOST AND FOUND … DON’T YOU WANT IT BACK?
We have already accumulated quite a pile of lost articles, especially clothing. It really does help when
parents mark their child’s name somewhere on the inside of the article of clothing. Generally, when an
item is brought in, staff checks for an identifying mark – but unfortunately, more often than not, there isn’t
one. The amount of clothing and other objects that goes unclaimed is incredible! We do not have
sufficient storage space to keep all of these items. Unclaimed clothing is donated to charity. PLEASE …
even a first or last name, or initials, can help us track down the rightful owner. All current lost and found
articles have been on display and will be displayed again during teacher-student conferences. Please check
the table for items that may belong to your children.
Enjoying the fall weather!!!!