HIGHLIGHTS THE MISSION OF ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL is to value learning and excellence through collaboration and innovation as a Catholic community. October 2014 A Publication for Parents of the St. Elizabeth Catholic High School Community AND SO IT BEGINS... Mr. John Heinrich, Principal I t was a wondrous moment to partake in our opening liturgy. To watch over 1700 people gather to celebrate the Eucharist was inspiring, and truly a mark of who we are as a Catholic learning community. Indeed, it has been a great joy for me to join the staff of St. Elizabeth. To walk through the doors of this school is to experience a vibrant, warm, and welcoming school. We are blessed to have a place filled with talented students, enthusiastic teachers, supportive parents, and a support staff of fellow administrators, administrative assistants, educational assistants and intervenors, child and youth workers, and custodial staff. We all work together to ensure that your children receive an education that is both academically challenging in its engagement and compassionate in its delivery. Joining me in the main office are Vice Principals Dianne Collins (grade 9) James Cocchetto (grade 10), Sandra Abate (grade 11), and Eleonora Morcos (grade 12). They have been and remain a remarkable support for our school and for our students. Their expertise ensures that we remain focused on the success of your children, enabling them to surmount the challenges that are part of the educational experience. I am pleased to welcome a number of new teaching staff to St. Elizabeth: Sandra Cumbo (Guidance), Romina Di Gasbarro (Arts), Cristina Fantauzzi (English), Sandra Mascarenhas (Business), Christine Muhlberger (Business), Lourdusamy Pakkam (Mathematics), and Taylor Watt (Science). We look forward to the work that they do with your children – both in their respective subject areas, as well as in the cocurricular programs in which they are involved. At our inaugural meeting of the Catholic School Council held in September, Barbara Biggart was acclaimed to the role of Chair. I am keenly aware of the role of Catholic School Council in our school and it gives me great pleasure to work with Mrs. Biggart and the Council this year. Indeed, their contributions to the vision of the school are important and integral to the manner in which our school evolves. Please take the time to join us at any of our Catholic School Council meetings this year. This is an exciting time at St. Elizabeth. Our Regional Arts Program continues to flourish and manifestations of that dominate our planning for this year. We are pleased that auditions for our musical, Cinderella, have been ongoing. A school production of this magnitude is a heady task, and I certainly wish to applaud the many teachers who are giving of their time and effort to ensure the success of this year’s production. WE WELCOME MR. JOHN HEINRICH ALONG WITH PEDRO THE PANTHER! We proudly stand by our newest members of St. Elizabeth, Pedro the Panther and Mrs. E. Morcos, Vice Principal. Keep your eye out for Pedro as he will be visible at many of our school events. From Lower Left: Mrs. S. Abate, Vice Principal; Mrs. E. Morcos, Vice Principal; Mrs. M. Miacci, Attendance Secretary; Mr. J. Heinrich, Principal; Mrs. A. Moro, TSSI Secretary; Mr. J. Cocchetto, Vice Principal; Ms. K. Beltrano, Bursar; Mrs. D. Del Principe, Receptionist; Mrs. L. Papulkas, RAP Secretary; Ms. A. Del Greco, Head Secretary; Mr. M. Nasello, Superintendent of Education; and Ms. D. Collins, Vice Principal. ABSENT: Mrs. R. Trabucco, Guidance Secretary and Mrs. T. Sturino, Maplewood Secretary. Principal’s Message Continued on Page 2. I WILL MAKE EVERYONE FEEL WELCOMED AND APPRECIATED. I WILL VALUE ALL PEOPLE AS CHILDREN OF GOD. I WILL USE MY WORDS TO HELP AND NOT HARM. YORK CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTRE A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE AT ‘WE DAY’! By Christina Lee On October 2, I had the opportunity to attend the annual We Day, hosted by the Free The Children organization, with other members of the Free The Children Club here at St. Elizabeth Catholic High School. Free The Children is a non-profit organization first started by 12-year-old Craig Kielburger and his 11 friends, 20 years ago in Thornhill. Craig’s story is a very inspiring one so if you haven’t heard it, definitely go check it out online. I initially prepared for the day, really excited to see Joe Jonas because I think all girls once had a JoBros phase, but with every passing speech and performance, my perspective changed. Seeing Chris Hadfield, Big Sean, Kendrick Lamar, Hedley, and other celebs was an experience of a lifetime but, more importantly, I cannot put in words the inspiration and motivation that the We Day speakers instilled in me. However, what I bring back are three main things I learned on this trip. One: Be Aware. There is power in knowledge and going to We Day opened my eyes to not only the global issues, but the wonderful range of solutions I can be part of. Did you know that for just $50 you can possibly end a family’s poverty in a third world country? That is only one less Pandora charm on your bracelet; simply owning one less version of a GTA video game and simply waiting for the next one. It’s worth a couple of weeks worth of bringing your own lunch instead of buying it. This brings us to the second point: BE the Change. Like our dearest Gandhi said, Be the change you want to see in the world. Start spreading love through your actions for a more loving world, donate money to whatever cause you support and, most 2 October 2014 importantly, believe in yourself. Believe in the power and value you hold in this global community because change is at your fingertips. Lastly, the most important thing I learned was to: Create the Change. At St. Elizabeth alone you can participate in Free the Children events such as We Scare Hunger, We Are Silent, We Week, and so much more! We Day was so much fun and being surrounded by such high-spirited passionate youth and teens really inspired me to do more for my own community and beyond. I encourage you to join Free the Children and, even more to go to We Day because there was not a single dull moment. I also encourage you to take part in communities that are passionate about the same things as you are because who knows... maybe another global organization like Free The Children will emerge in Thornhill because we cared to change. Principal’s Message continued. While RAP continues as a focus for our school, we are mindful of other areas of growth that are evident. We continue to examine the use of technology in the classroom; to that end, a number of initiatives are under way that explore the use of iPads, Chromebooks, and other technology for student and teacher use, in order to access the many resources, information, and software that can enhance the student learning experience. As well, we have a growing number of teachers implementing the use of D2L in their classrooms, Google Apps for Education continues to expand, both in teacher and in student use. All of these bode well for the continued evolution of pedagogy to meet the challenges of new learning environments and techniques. I am so very pleased to be a part of the St. Elizabeth community. I am always mindful of the noble cause of education – of leading young people as they venture toward their future. I am thankful for this opportunity to serve as Principal of this school. And I am excited by the prospects of what can be achieved together. And so it begins … Mr. J. Heinrich, Principal LET’S DO OUR PART Mrs. A. Murgaski, Science Department The SCH 4C Chemistry class was fortunate enough to attend the We Day celebrations at the Air Canada Centre on October 2. They heard from speakers on topics such as zinc deficiency. We are striving to create chemists with a conscience who will go out into the world and be agents of change. Each AA battery contains enough zinc to help 6 children recover from zinc deficiency. We will begin a battery collection later this month. Visit www.zincsaveslives.com for more information. We Day was an amazing experience for our young chemists and it brought us one step closer to empowering the youth of St. Elizabeth to use their talents to SAFEGUARDS AGAINST SPREADING VIRUSES Cold and flu season is here and York Region Public Health would like to provide all students and their families with information on protecting themselves from common respiratory illnesses, such as influenza, enterovirus and rhinovirus. Please visit our school website at http://seh.ycdsb.ca for more information. WELCOME TO ST. ELIZABETHS’s NEWEST MASCOT ! Didi Cammalleri and Amanda Pacitti, Student Cuoncil Advisors It is with great pride that the St. Elizabeth Student Council welcomes our newest mascot, Pedro the Panther! After many years of planning and fundraising, the combined efforts of past and present student councils and administrative staff, our panther mascot is no longer a dream but a reality. Pedro the Panther will be present at many school events, assemblies, and meetings STUDENT COUNCIL 2014-15 for all school teams and clubs to unify and ABSENT: Mrs. A. Pacitti, Student Council Advisor build community amongst the students, staff and parents of St. Elizabeth CHS. In addition, Pedro will support many initiatives planned by St. Elizabeth staff and students and celebrate positive achievements with the student population. Pedro has already met many of the students during lunch in the cafeteria, as well as greeted our Catholic School Council. Pedro looks forward to joining our school events and working with the school community to continue an ongoing effort to build and maintain the school spirit that we pride ourselves in having at St. Elizabeth. GLOBAL CULTURE CLUB GIVES THANKS! Mrs. J. Chu Morrison, Advisor It’s that time of year where we reflect on all that we have to be grateful for and to offer thanks to God. In this spirit of gratitude, the Global Culture Club decided that Thanksgiving was an appropriate time to give back to the local community and help The Good Shepherd help the homeless and the impoverished of the City of Toronto. The Good Shepherd Refuge provides food, shelter, and clothing to Toronto’s homeless and disadvantaged. Thanksgiving is an even more difficult time for those without families or homes, as their lack of support stands in stark contrast to all of the family gatherings and feasting that is part of the tradition of Thanksgiving. The Global Culture Club, in tandem with several staff and student volunteers, made many trays of Pasta al forno as part of the Thanksgiving dinner that was served at The Good Shepherd Refuge. The Family Studies Department and its students baked delicious desserts that were served with the main course. Thanks to all who gave of their time, efforts and culinary skills. It was a Happy Thanksgiving for all! St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 3 November 11 Remembrance Day 2014 - 100TH anniversary of wwi “the war to end all wars” Mrs. M. Young, Canadian and World Studies Department When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today! Every November 11th we pause to remember the men and women of this great nation who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. This year marks an extraordinary anniversary - namely the 100th year since the outbreak of World War One. It was known as “The War To End All Wars”, and yet sadly we know it didn’t. Despite the massive loss of life, the world and Canadians lived to see the outbreak of WWII, The Korean War, the necessity for global Peacekeeping missions, and The War in Afghanistan. The sacrifice of so many is especially important to remember this year as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. Though not one veteran of the First World War remains today, we remember all those sons and daughters who answered the call and helped form an international identity for our young Nation. Over 66,000 Canadians gave their lives in WWI - let us remember, lest we forget. This year also commemorates the 75th anniversary of Canada’s involvement in WWII, especially the formation of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) which President Roosevelt described as “the most decisive factor of the war”. Seventy years ago the culmination of the Italian Campaign led to the invasion of Rome by Canadian troops. This valiant effort led to the take-over of Italy from fascist rule and the eventual Victory in Europe. The event coincided with the D-Day invasions on Juno Beach, where Canadians, despite the massive Nazi resistance, managed to achieve all their objectives. Soon after followed Canada’s Liberation of Holland, as Canadian achievements, contributions and sacrifices in the Second World War continued to grow. Despite our soldiers’ amazingly valiant efforts in WWI and WWII, Canadian soldiers 4 October 2014 have come to be widely known for also being Peacekeepers. Thanks to Lester B. Pearson, the concept of international peacekeeping was born, and since 1956, Canadians have served on UN missions throughout the world. This year marks the 50 years since Canada’s involvement and sacrifice in Cyprus as well as 20 years since the genocide in Rwanda. In Cyprus, 28 Canadian soldiers were killed serving for the UN mission. In Rwanda, while under the command of General Dallaire, Canadian and Belgian UN forces were placed in a compromising and deadly position of maintaining a nonexistent peace. We remember the victims of those tragedies and the Canadians, who doing their duty, remain scarred by their service in those missions. This year in March, Canada’s role in The War in Afghanistan came to a close. Our commemoration this Remembrance Day should also include the 158 Canadian men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces who gave their lives to fight against terrorism and dictatorship in the name of human dignity and freedom. Let us remember and honour them and their families. May we remain thankful to God that there are men and women among us who are willing to answer the call and lay down their lives, so that we may continue to enjoy freedom, prosperity and peace. Throughout Veterans Week (November 5-11) staff and students will have the opportunity to support our veterans by purchasing and respectfully wearing red poppies as our pledge to never forget the ultimate sacrifice. Our school community, in union with all Canadians, will pay homage in observance of Remembrance Day with 2 minutes of silence at 11:00am as part of an emotive commemoration service on Tuesday, November 11. The service will highlight this year’s memorials through reflection, poetry, song and prayer performed by our staff and students. Mrs. Young would like to thank all those who generously gave of their time and talent to make this Remembrance Day ceremony meaningful and memorable for everyone. To all who served, who paid the ultimate sacrifice and who continue to serve on our behalf, we at St. Elizabeth say Thank you. We will Remember. They shall not grow old as we that are young grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, At the going down of the sun and in the morning,We will remember them. WE STAND AS ONE Mrs. T. Penney, E.S.P. Teacher Advisor, YRP Liaison On October 28, almost 300 St. Elizabeth students joined members of York Regional Police to help support YRP’s “Be United” campaign. In an effort to bring together the community and police, York Region’s finest are partnering with a variety of organizations to bring focus to the importance of working together in an effort to keep our communities safe. St. Elizabeth was asked by YRP to create the message “Be United” on our athletic field. Hundreds of enthusiastic students, after several rehearsals, formed a human message by standing together, in unity with our Police Officers, to spell out this significant message. It was quite a sight to see students and police Officers standing in unison in both symbol and word to support this important initiative. Vaughan Fire Department arrived with their special high ladder fire truck and members of YRP took aerial photos of this historic event. Members of St. Elizabeth’s Presidents’ Council, E.S.P., Student Council and many other volunteers were happy to participate in the event. Many thanks go out to Ms. Acacio, Ms. Mariani, Ms. Abate and the St. Elizabeth administration for their on-going support for the many initiatives that E.S.P. works on in partnership with YRP in order to continue to create a safe and inclusive environment for all members of our community. ST. ELIZABETH PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FALL PANTHER ATHLETICS UPDATE Ms. N. Filice, Head of Health and Physical Education The fall season has commenced and below is the list of the teams running and the teachers that have volunteered to coach: The Physical and Health Education department began the school year with outdoor units such as soccer, rugby, flag football, softball, tennis, ultimate frisbee, and golf. Also, the grade 10 classes went on a rock climbing field trip to True North Climbing at Downsview Park. We look forward to the grade 9s taking part in their self-defense unit as well as receiving certification for CPR. Our grade 11 and 12 fitness focus courses have been working out both in the weight room and the gym to improve on their personal goals. On the academic side, we teach health units that include important topics and lifestyle information such as fitness, nutrition, substance use and abuse, relationships and sexuality, personal safety and conflict resolution, anger management, healthy lifestyle choices, stress and stress management, healthy relationships, mental health, and conflict and violence. We are encouraging all our students to learn how to live a healthy, happy and productive life. SPORT COACHES SENIOR BOYS SOCCER Mr. A. Chiera & Ms. J. Coulis SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL Mr. S. Barbieri, Ms. Cumbo & Ms. Watt CROSS COUNTRY Ms. Buzdon, Ms. Colburn, Ms. Filice & Ms. Guinci TENNIS Mr. Sniatenchuk & Ms. Wu BOYS GOLF Mr. Cugliari GIRLS GOLF Ms. McKeough SWIM Ms. McKeough, Mrs. Murgaski, Ms. Pimentel, Mr. Sedran & Mrs. Young Good luck to all the teams as they strive to make the playoff round in pursuit of York Region Gold. TORCH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE A HUGE SUCCESS By Sabrina Denicola, Grade 12 This year’s TORCH Leadership training for the newly selected Peer Ministers was a huge success. Congratulations to our participants for coming out and putting themselves forward! The 40 participants and 8 senior leaders experienced a new location for this conference at the Jericho House: Youth Leadership Justice and Spirituality Centre. The students spent three days, from October 1 to 3, learning how to better develop their leadership skills under the direction of Sister Jacquie and Brother Bill. This trip would not have been feasible without the participation, time, energy, and dedication of our 8 senior leaders: Kaleryia Azov, Ashley Cianni, Anthony Dao, Sabrina Denicola, Adrian Galope, Wendy Sanajko, Marierose Talla, and Danny Torres. As well, our staff advisors, consisting of Mrs. Mancuso, Fr. Felix Linatoc, Mrs. Penney, and Ms. Muhlberger are to be thanked for making this wonderful opportunity possible. Special thanks are further extended to our Principal, Mr. Heinrich, for joining the group on Friday and lending his support to the program. We pray that the torches ignited in the hearts of the participants this year will continue to glow as they help to make our school community a warm and welcoming Christ-centered environment. ABSENCES: Parents must report their child’s absence by 8:10 am on a daily basis by calling the Main Office. If leaving a message, clearly state the student’s name, grade and reason for absence. Upon return from the absence, students are also required to bring a note to the Homeroom Teacher explaining the reason for absence duly signed and dated by a parent/guardian. The Homeroom Teacher will provide an “Admit to Class” slip for the subject teacher whose class the student had missed. EARLY LEAVES: Medical or personal business appointments should not be made during school time. If a student must leave early, a note duly signed and dated by a parent/guardian must be presented to the Main Office before 8:10 am, stating the reason for the early leave and the time of departure. Early leaves are not permitted without a telephone call. If a student is ill during the day, he/she must report to the Main Office. Failure to do so may be regarded as truancy and will result in disciplinary action from the Vice Principal. Permission to leave school early is granted by the Administration and is dependent on the school contacting a parent/ guardian. St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 5 MODERN languages department QUELLE ANNÉE FORMIDABLE ! Mme Bernabei, Department Head of Modern Languages The FSL and International Languages Department has an amazing year planned. In the month of October, the Grade 10 and 11 French students went to Le Théâtre Français to watch Les Zinspirés followed by an amazing luncheon at Café Crêpe. The French classes also celebrated la Fête du Fromage as they savoured different French cheeses while sipping on sparkling fruit juice. The grade 9 French classes will be experiencing le Café Français in the month of November, organized by the senior students, and the month of December culminates with a French film screening in the Theatre. The French Scrabble team has been busy preparing for the Tournament in April at St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS and the mural that is being painted by our art students is well under way. Finally, the International Language Council is eagerly awaiting their first salsa lesson. They will also be collaborating with Nations United on many other activities. We wish our students an enjoyable and successful semester. Bon divertissement et bonne chance! GRADE 9 EQAO MATHEMATICS TESTING - 2015 This year’s Grade 9 EQAO Mathematics testing will take place on: JANUARY 15 & 16, 2015 FOR SEMESTER 1 STUDENTS *************************** JUNE 10 & 11, 2015 FOR SEMESTER 2 STUDENTS All grade 9 students are required to participate in the EQAO Mathematics testing. This test will take place in the semester in which Mathematics is taken. Grade 9 students who are struggling in their academic or applied mathematics courses are encouraged to register for an after school mathematics program, which will help them prepare for their EQAO mathematics test. For more information, please contact the Mathematics Department. Grade 9 students and their parents are encouraged to visit www.eqao.com for information and strategies on how to prepare for writing this test and to download sample practice booklets. 6 October 2014 CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL Mrs. Barbara Biggart, Chair A warm welcome, this first semester, to the new and returning families, administration and staff of St. Elizabeth to make this a fulfilling and successful year. I would like to introduce you to the newly elected Catholic School Council for this year. The members of the executive are Barbara Biggart, Chair; Lucy Mazzonna, Vice-Chair; Tomie Faiella, Treasurer, and Lucie Fank, Secretary. The parent representatives are Deuze Ferreira, Diane Fuoco, Mirella Giralico, Connie Giulitto, Wendy Goulart, Briolange Martinho, Lucy Mazzonna, Loretta Paterek-Mendes, Linda Sacino and Steve Zanon. Additional members include Monika Young, our teacher representative; and Olivia Bagnoli, our student representative. Upcoming council meetings will take place on the dates below. All parents are welcome to attend and participate, so please join us. You can learn a great deal about what is happening at your child’s school and network with other parents. Wednesday, October 22 - Digital Resources Presentation 7:00pm - Library (Meeting followed by presentation) Wednesday, Decenber 3 - Christmas Liturgy 6:30 pm - Chapel / Library Wednesday, January 21, 2015 7:00 pm - Library Wednesday, March 11, 2015 7:00 pm - Library Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:00 pm - Library Wednesday, June 3, 2015 7:00 pm - Library St. Elizabeth Catholic School Council raises funds every year to purchase materials and equipment for the enhancement of the curriculum for students. This is based on a student activity fee and additional fundraising by parents. The items purchased by Catholic School Council complement their programs and add to the education of students. We wanted to share with you the types of items that were requested by departments and what we helped purchase for the students with the monies you so generously donated. Some of the items are: Refurbished laptops, laptops and carts, equipment for Functional Life Skills programs, a stand-alone fridge and apron sets, musical instruments, ceiling mounted projectors, DVDs and fitness charts, jumpstart test cases – lesson downloads, two wall mounted LCDs and smartboards, Ipads and upgrades of certain videos. In addition, we were able to help pay for Torch leadership training conventions for Peer Ministers and contribute to the grade 12 Graduation. As you can see, without your generosity, many of these items would not be available to our students. We want to thank you for your support in the past and for any future contributions you wish to make. We appreciate your support and may God bless you. ACADEMIC 2014 Ms. D. Collins, Vice Principal Once again the St Elizabeth students of 2014 showcased their excellent academic abilities. Over 40 percent of them from grade 9 to grade 11 received a certificate for Honor Roll at our Awards Ceremony held on October 7. We were honoured to have Mr. Michael Nasello, Superintendent of Education, and Cathy Ferlisi, Trustee, congratulate each student on their well-deserved awards. Students were not only recognized for academic excellence but also for the way they contributed their time, talents and giftedness in building a better, more caring and compassionate St Elizabeth community. The committee along with administrative assistant, Luba Papulkas, and volunteer students did a magnificent job of preparing the many certificates, special awards and general set-up behind the scenes. All their time, effort and energy made our celebration an outstanding success. A special thank you to each and every person involved. Congratulations to the many students who were honored on this day. Well done! 18th Century Alive: The Enlightenment of CHY4U History Students! Mrs. M. Young, Canadian and World Studies Department Mrs. Young’s grade 12 students of CHY4U hosted 2 interactive 18th century classes. Playing the role of different philosophies and philosophers of the time, students found creative ways to share their research and learning with peers in salons. Wearing wigs, girdles and partaking in foods and activities of the times, students engaged each other in philosophical discussions and debate of etiquette, fashion, class structure, leisure, foods, manners, music, as well as crime and punishment. The rational and empiricist views of Rousseau, Kant, Hume, Voltaire, Montesquieu, Beccaria and Newton were accurately debated and brought the unit of study to life. It was a challenging, enjoyable and enlightening experience for all. SCIENCE UPDATE Mrs. S. Grove, Department Head of Science SANOFI BIOGENIUS CANADA Students taking Grade 11 or Grade 12 Biology, who have an interest in conducting science experiments/research under the mentorship of a scientist working in a hospital or university research lab, should contact Mrs. Grove or Mr. Sax for more information. The deadline for submitting a proposal is November 17, 2014. The judging for this competition will take place in April 2015, allowing students about four to five months to do the research and collect/ analyze their data. Francis Lao is a grade 11 student who will be participating in this year’s Biotechnology Challenge. Francis will be working at The Hospital for SickKids Laboratories to study autoimmune diseases, such as Juvenille Idiopathic Arthritis and Kawasaki Disease. Francis is also the first student from our school to use the Cooperative Education Program, allowing him more time to conduct thorough research. We wish him the very best for this project. Metro ZOO The Grade 11 College and University Biology students visited the Zoo on October 16 as part of their Diversity of Life and Evolution strands this semester. They reconnected with our ancestors and studied their adaptations that have allowed them to survive. COSMIC CONNECTIONS... Mrs. H. Buzdon, Science Department Early December, the grade 9 science classes took a trip to the Science Centre. They participated in a program called Cosmic Connections in the Planetarium, which coincided with their Astronomy Unit of study. In addition, students had an opportunity to explore the many interesting permanent exhibits that the Science Centre had to offer. Passionate About the Visual Arts and Science? As the artists are putting the finishing touches on the Earth and Space Science mural, we are ready to begin brainstorming for science mural number two. Many students have shown an interest in making their ideas come to life. Students were asked to begin making sketches for any of the remaining strands: biology, chemistry and physics. Looking forward to working on another masterpiece! St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 7 PARENTS TAKE NOTE PARENTS TAKE NOTE This year’s Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test will be written on Thursday, March 26, 2015 To help our students achieve success, a series of inschool supports will be provided for them. Students and parents are also encouraged to visit www.eqao. com for more information and strategies on how to prepare for writing the test. Every student must successfully pass this test in order to meet graduation requirements. COMPREHENSIVE OPEN HOUSE Our Comprehensive Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, November 29, 2014 from 7 to 9:00 pm in the school cafeteria. Tour the school and learn about course options for Grade 9 students. SCHOOL UNIFORM The school uniform has been supported by parents/guardians, students and staff as a means of creating a distinct school identity. Students who enroll at St. Elizabeth Catholic High School do so with a full awareness of the uniform expectation and implicitly agree to abide by the uniform dress code. Students are expected to be in full and proper uniform at all times throughout the instructional day (8:17 am to 2:22 pm) including the lunch periods and if attending school programs before or after school (i.e., LIC, detention, Help Lab, etc.) Students with a Study Hall or in the Co-operative Education Program must also be in full and proper uniform throughout the instructional day. Students are also required to be in full and proper uniform during school field trips unless arrangements have been previously made with Administration. A RAP student must wear the school uniform properly every day, where no artistic improvisation or interpretation is permitted. When attending a RAP event, students should wear the school uniform unless it has been indicated otherwise by the Vice Principal of the Regional Arts Program. The uniform may be purchased through our sole provider: HALPERN’S, 80 Bass Pro Mills Drive, Units 25 &26, Vaughan, ON L4K 5W9, Phone: 905-761-8480. 8 October 2014 News from the Guidance Department Mrs. C. Titus, Department Head of Guidance We wish to extend a welcome to Mrs. Cammalleri who joined our Guidance department this September. Mrs. Cammalleri is well known around St. Elizabeth as a former member of the Special Education and Social Science departments. She will be a great addition to the Guidance department. This year the guidance department has been restructured so that students are assigned to Guidance counsellors based on the initial of their surname. LAST NAME A-CONS CONT-GOLDA GOLDEN-MAS MAT-ROI COUNSELLOR Mr. DeRose Mrs. Titus Mrs. Caruso Mr. Sturino ROJ-Z Mrs. Cammalleri PHONE EXT. 255 254 257 269 253 November is a busy month for the grade 12s as they make decisions about their post-secondary plans. Some important websites to assist in these decisions are: www.ontariocolleges.ca - the college applicant website www.apprenticesearch.com - the apprenticeship training website www.ouac.on.ca - the university application website www.electronicinfo.ca - your source to program areas of study charts, information about offers of admission, scholarship searches, contact numbers, open houses, and more. IMPORTANT DATES January 15, 2015 is the deadline to submit your completed University Application to the OUAC. It is highly recommended that students complete their applications well before this, preferably before Christmas vacation. February 1, 2015: Equal Consideration Date for College Applications. Apply before this date in order to receive equal consideration for admission to programs starting the following fall. After this date, colleges consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until programs are full. Note that applications to Highly Competitive Programs must be received by this date in order to be considered. As these programs receive a high volume of applicants, all seats may be filled by February 1. Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications well before the Equal Consideration Date, as website volumes on the online application are at their highest at this time. REMEMBER – you can still make changes STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE - 2014 - 2015 The following represents the distribution of the Student Activity Fee ($95.00). Student enrolment for 2014-2015 is 1,671. PROJECTED EXPENDITURES Athletics 32,000.00 Awards (Certificates, Trophies and Ceremony) 7,000.00 Catholic School Council Donation 16,175.00 Communications (mailings, newsletters, etc.) 4,800.00 Locks 4,300.00 Grade 9 Orientation, Heartbeat, Spiritual Ministry 3,390.00 Presidents’ Council Operations Clubs and Councils 8,000.00 Leadership 3,000.00 School Agenda/Handbook 9,000.00 School Assemblies, Guest Speakers, Special Events 7,000.00 School Productions 8,000.00 Stewardship Fund 3,500.00 Yearbook 47,500.00 =========== $153,665.00 REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM Trustees’ Message A Good Beginning Makes … by C. Ferlisi and T. Ciaravella, Trustees We hope that you and your family have enjoyed a safe and happy summer. A sincere welcome to new families and to those returning to the St. Elizabeth school community. Congratulations to the newly elected and returning members of the St. Elizabeth Catholic School Council – involved parents really do make a difference. We look forward to working with you during the school year as well as attending many of the events for the RAP program and the Comprehensive program throughout the school year. May the Holy Spirit guide our students during this school year in appreciating the love of Jesus Christ. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns; we will always make ourselves available to you. A Regional Arts Program Enhancement of $100 is collected in addition to the student activity fee and placed in a fund to extend and enhance regional arts programming. The enhancement fund is used to provide extended learning opportunities beyond the comprehensive arts programming and covers guest artists, master classes, field trips, transportation, workshops, competitions, enhanced materials, and costumes, etc. The enhancement is customized for each grade and discipline and varied annually. These funds collected do not cover all the costs incurred in offering these activities. The amounts collected are used to help defray the costs incurred. Enhancements offered above and beyond the regional arts program enhancements may require further contribution. Thank you, Parents, for your contributionS to our Donation Campaign Sharda Abdool, Domenic Ammendolia, Eva Rose Angel, Cumanda Espin Ayala, Monica Bauer, Felicia Bellissimo, Gino Bisci, Egidio Bocatto, Teresa Calvi, Fred Ceolin, Luigi and Patrizia Chiaino, Bobby Chong, Gina and Rick Ciampa, Laura Cianfarani, Adriana Colarusso, Nadia and Franco Conforti, Sandra Cordeiro, Sandro Creazzo, Silvio & Mary Dallan, Gianni DeGasperis, Joe DeMatteis, Tina DiGiovanni, Domenic DiNardo, Di-Sen Construction, Nicolina and Ivano D’Onofrio, Mary Duncan, Sabrina Dussin, Maria Elia, Dan Ennamorato, Lucie Fank, Gianni Ferraro, Deuzimar Ferreira, Rinaldo Jason and Janis Marie Fidani, Janessa Gazmen, Suzanne and Sandro Giannitti, Alexandra Gileppo, Domenic Giorgi and Nadia Marcoccia, Mirella Giralico, Mary and Tom Grajnar, John Grassa, Lynda Graziosi, Sandra Greto, Claudiu Grovu, Sophia Howie, Handyman Renovation, Imelda Hennebert and Juan Mora, Sandra and Larry Iaccino, Sam Kinatolo, Maria Luisa and Rico Luz Kison, Frank & Rose Klobucar, Eun Hyun Kwon, Lidia Larosa and Mauro Cestra, Gianna Leva-Germanese, Peter Lieou, Beatriz Liria, Elena Lubalin, Shermen Ma, Frank and Rosalia Magliocco, Katalin Marcogliese, Ivana Markulin, Mario Marmora, Walter Marsetti and Maria Pia Monaco, Santro Martire, Paul Mascioli, Giuseppe Mazzonna, Concord/Thornhill Residents: Cathy Ferlisi Tel: 416-565-7087 Email: [email protected] Website: trustee.ycdsb.ca/ferlisi Maple Residents: Teresa Ciaravella Tel: 905-832-4562 Email: [email protected] Website: trustee.ycdsb.ca/ciaravella Anne McDermott, Tzeggai Mekonen, Connie Susan Miceli, Lystra Moore, Linda Mustacato, Natalija Onyshchenk, Toni Orlando, Domenic Pallario, Paul Periti and Liana Danese, John and Ivana Quaglietta, Victor Rocha, Fabiana and Gustavo Romanutti, Luigi Gino and Daniela Romualdi, Denise Scarff, Stefan Sirbu, Jerry and Edna Sison, Paolo and Diana Spinosa, Aileen Sprott, Egidio Sturino, Raphael Sumabat, Tony and Mary Suppa, Claudia Tucci, Gabriel Waisman, Lawrence Yu, Viacheslav and Nadejda Yushkevich, Maria Zoia, 2093213 Ontario Inc. St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 9 THE REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM - where your talents come alive... Mr. J. Lettieri, Department Head of Arts The Dance Department, teamed with the Music Department, delivered four sold-out performances of Peter and the Wolf on October 23 and 24. The presentations were held in the York Catholic District School Board Centre for the Arts adjacent to St. Elizabeth Catholic High School. Elementary School students attended this exciting artistic ballet interpretation. Ms. DiMillo's Grade 9 RAP dance class choreographed the ballet movement with costumes and wonderful stage decor. The live music was provided by Mr. Lettieri's Senior Concert Band where students performed the music from the Theatre's orchestra pit. From rehearsal to performance, the entire experience was very rewarding for all involved, including the audience of wonderful enthusiastic elementary school students associated with St. Elizabeth. The presentations included an introduction to characters and musical instruments plus a question and answer segment at the end of the show where elementary school students could ask questions answered by the dancers and musicians on stage. Congratulations to all who helped with the Peter and the Wolf project. A very successful event, indeed! VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS GO TO WASHINGTON! Mr. Y. Chetty, Arts Department On October 15, the grade nine and ten Visual Regional Arts students embarked on an excursion to Washington, D.C. This was the department’s first venture to our neighbour’s capital. It was 10 years ago that Mr. Paolini, initiated our inaugural trip to our nations great capital where we visited and worked from the National Art Galleries collection and drew from our monumental War Memorial. Since then, the trip has become an institution within the program as it has become a great bonding experience for our sophomore and freshmen. The grade 10s are paired up with the grade 9s and mentor them through the working assignments throughout the trip. The trip has since evolved to a capital-to-capital endeavour over the course of the 2-year switch in the wake of our recent success. Our students had a great opportunity to visit Washington's National Portrait Gallery and American Museum of Art. While seeing the collection in the context that inspired its creation was inspirational for the students, it was the commitment to working from the Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt that really engaged our RAP art students. Ms. Titus, Ms. Estabillo and Mr. Chetty were proud of their on-site accomplishments and the effort put forth by the students. They were the embodiment of what we expect from our groups that embark 10 October 2014 SCHOOL BUS CANCELLATION INFORMATION On occasion, service cancellation due to inclement weather conditions may be required. Parents, students and school staff are asked to access the following radio and television stations after 6:00 am. to receive bus cancellation information or check our website: www.schoolbuscity.com prior to heading out to your bus stop. NEWS 640 AM CJBC 860 AM CISS 92.5 FM CJKX 89.9 FM CFRB 1010 AM CHUM 1050 AM SRC 90.3 FM JACK 92.5 FM CHIN 1540 AM Q107 107 FM CKDX 88.5 FM CHFI 98.1 FM CBC 99.1 FM CKFM 99.9 FM CHUM 104.5 CHAY 93.1 FM CHIN 100.7 FM CJEZ 97.3 FM NEWS 680 AM CJCL 590 AM CITY TV THE NEW VR TV THE WEATHER CHANNEL CFTO TV THE A CHANNEL Please note that a bus cancellation message will also be available at 1-877-330-3001 after 6:30 a.m. Student Transportation Services of York Region thanks you for your support as we continually focus on providing safe transportation for all of our students. The above procedure is not applicable to School Charters. The school Principal is responsible for cancelling these arrangements. TO CHECK WHY YOUR BUS IS LATE OR HAS NOT SHOWN UP, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING SITE: www.ycdsb.ca Click Parents & Students Click School Buses ST. PASCHAL BAYLON CHURCH UPDATE FELLOWSHIP: Every Wednesday at 6:00 pm, the youth of St. Paschal Baylon are welcomed to meet in the Parish Hall. At this time, the youth gather in fellowship, discussing our faith and our journey with God. During these evenings, the youth will base their discussions on the Theology of the Body. All youth between the ages of 13 and 20 are invited! YOUTH MASS: The St. Paschal Youth Group (SPYG) lead the 2:00 pm Mass at the Church every Sunday. We invite everyone of all ages as we take part in the highest form of praise: Mass! ADORATION: On Friday, November 7, after the 7:00 pm Mass, the Youth will be leading the Parish's monthly adoration. The Lord will be present through the Blessed Sacrament. Come and join us as we praise and adore God as a lovely and humble community. ADVENT RETREAT 2014: The St. Paschal Baylon Youth Group (SPYG) would like to invite you to a weekend of reflection, adoration, and fellowship. Come and join us as we learn to focus on re-centering our lives in Christ, so that we may stand firm and live out the faith that we believe. This year, our Advent Retreat will take place at the Mount Alverno Retreat Centre from December 19 - 20. For more information, please feel free to communicate with one of the contacts. PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS We will be holding Parent / Teacher Interviews at the school on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 from 5:30 to 9:00 pm. This year, we are using an on-line service to schedule Parent / Teacher Interviews. If you wish to schedule an interview with any of your child’s teachers, please follow the instructions below. If you do not have access to the internet at home or in the workplace please call ParentInterview tollfree at 1-866-810-0076 and someone will be happy to make your appointments with you. You will be able to schedule appointments starting November 7 at 7:00 pm until November 11 at 11:00 pm. Instructions: 1. Go to the St. Elizabeth-ParentInterview scheduling website at https:// sechs.parentinterview.com. 2. Enter your child’s 9-digit Ontario Education Number (OEN) and click “Login”. Your child’s Ontario Education Number can be found on the report card next to the student name. 3. Fill in your contact information and click “Continue to Make Appointments”. 4. Click on the name of a teacher with whom you wish to schedule an appointment. 5. Click on “Available” for a time at which you wish to meet with that teacher. 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you have scheduled all the teachers you wish to see. 7. Click on “My Schedule” (top left of the page). 8. Print out (or copy down) your schedule and bring it with you. You will be allowed to schedule appointments with up to five teachers. Should you wish to delete an appointment you have made, click on “Delete” beside the meeting you wish to have removed from your schedule. If you decide to delete an appointment, that time slot will become available for other parents. There are no guarantees that you will be able to reschedule that appointment. If you misplace your schedule, you may use your child’s Ontario Education Number to retrieve your schedule from the website at any time. If you experience any difficulty using the service, please email [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you on November 12. MUSIC TAKES OVER THE SCIENCE CENTRE Mr. P. Han, Music Teacher On September 30, the Comprehensive Grade 9 Instrumental class and the Grade 11 Guitar class spent the day at the Ontario Science Centre. They enjoyed the interactive feature exhibit "The Science of Rock N Roll". The students learned facts about the music industry from a scientific point-of-view. They got to try some of the instruments and even sing in a vocal booth. Overall, it was a great day for the music students to experience something different. Thanks to Mr. T. Moretto for helping to supervise the trip. St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 11 ANAPHYLACTIC ALERT NOVEMBER Wednesday, November 12 PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm Friday, November 14 P.A. DAY (NO CLASSES) Wednesday, November 19 COMPREHENSIVE OPEN HOUSE @ 7:00 pm IN THE CAFETERIA Tuesday, November 25 BROADWAY BOUND PERFORMANCE from our vocalists @ 7:00 pm Friday, November 28 Grade 11 SEMI-FORMAL @ 6:00 pm at the Royalton DECEMBER Monday, December 1 REGIONAL ARTS APPLICATIONS DUE Wednesday, December 3 DRAMA PERFORMANCE A FAIRY TALE CHRISTMAS CAROL Matinee - December 3 & 4(10:00 am) Evening (7:00 pm) JANUARY Monday, January 5 CLASSES RESUME Thursday, January 15 DEADLINE FOR UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS Thursday, January 15 Friday, January 16 MATH EQAO TESTING for all Grade 9s taking Mathematics Semester One Saturday, January 17 REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM WORKSHOP from 8:30 am to Noon Wednesday, January 21 CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING and Presentation @ 7:00 pm (Library) Friday, January 23 to Thursday, January 29 FORMAL EXAMS Wednesday, January 28 and Thursday, December 11 ADVENT LITURGY Wednesday, February 11 VOICES REAFFIRMED ART EXHIBITION at 7:00pm in the Theatre VOCAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT EVENING PERFORMANCES @ 7:00 pm Tuesday, February 3 SEMESTER 2 BEGINS Wednesday, February 18 ASH WEDNESDAY THE ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS is a newsletter that is published four times a year for parents of the St. Elizabeth Catholic High School community. ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISOR, John Heinrich; EDITOR, Ms. Amy Del Greco 12 October 2014 Parents must alert the school to a child’s anaphylactic allergies every year in September. Parents must provide the school with two up-to-date EpiPens and a signed Consent Form for school staff to administer medication. CONTACT INFORMATION St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 525 New Westminster Drive Thornhill, Ontario L4J 7X3 Phone: (905) 882-1460 Fax: (905) 882-5076 Guidance Fax: (905) 882-9283 Website: http://seh.ycdsb.ca REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM AUDITIONS FEBRUARY Wednesday, December 17 INFORMATION/AWARENESS/ RESPONSIBILITY Thursday, January 29 Wednesday, December 3 CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING @ 6:30 pm, Opening with a Paraliturgy in the Chapel Tuesday, December 16 Protecting anaphylactic students from exposure to life-threatening substances creates a major challenge to schools. When accidental exposure triggers an anaphylactic reaction, there is no time to waste. The usual procedure is: Administer the EpiPen Call 911 for ambulance Contact family members LOCAL PARISHES ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER PARISH 191 Wade Gate, Thornhill L4J 5Y4 Tel: 905-660-1253 Fax: 905-660-1254 Email: [email protected] ST. PASCHAL BAYLON CHURCH 92 Steeles Avenue West, Thornhill, L4J 1A1 Tel: 905-889-7867 Fax: 905-889-7867 Email: [email protected] ST. DAVID’S PARISH 2601 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple L6A 1C6 Tel: 905-832-5595 Fax: 905-832-6524 Email: [email protected]
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