St. Jane Frances Catholic School

2745 Jane Street

Toronto, Ontario M3 L2E8

Tel. 416 3935296 Fax. 416 3935135

Principal: Lillian Kurnik

Vice Principal: Jacqueline Puri

Vice Principal: Stephen Patel

Superintendent: Gina Iuliano Marello

416-222-8282, ext. 2267

Trustee: Patricia Bottoni

4165123404

St. Jane Frances Parish:

2747 Jane Street

Toronto, Ontario M3 L2E8

(416) 741-1463

School Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. morning session begins

10:12 a.m. – 10:27 a.m. Morning recess

11:15 p.m. - 12:15 p.m. Lunch recess

1:40 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. Afternoon recess

3:30 p.m. Dismissal

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

-When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revenge — or embrace forgiveness and move forward. -Forgiveness is letting go of grudges and bitterness -By embracing forgiveness, you can also embrace peace, hope, gratitude and joy.

Catholic Graduate Expectation-

I AM A BELIEVER A DISCERNING BELIEVER FORMED IN THE CATHOLIC FAITH COMMUNITY WHO:

- Illustrates a basic understanding of the saving story of our Christian faith. - Participates in the sacramental life of the church and demonstrates an understanding of the centrality of the Eucharist to our Catholic story. -Actively reflects on God's Word as communicated through the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. -Develops attitudes and values founded on Catholic social teaching and acts to promote social responsibility, human solidarity and the common good. -Speaks the language of life…"recognizing that life is an unearned gift and that a person entrusted with life does not own it but that one is called to protect and cherish it." (Witnesses to Faith) -Seeks intimacy with God and celebrates communion with God, others and creation through prayer and worship. -Understands that one's purpose or call in life comes from God and strives to discern and live out this call throughout life's journey. -Respects the faith traditions, world religions and the life-journeys of all people of good will. - Integrates faith with life. -Recognizes that "sin, human weakness, conflict and forgiveness are part of the human journey" and that the cross, the ultimate sign of forgiveness is at the heart of redemption. (Witnesses to Faith)

Sincerely,

L. Kurnik J. Puri/S. Patel Principal Vice – Principals

Principal’s Message March, 2016

V

irtu

e o

f th

e m

on

th is

FO

RG

IVEN

ESS

Year of the Family One Lord, One Faith, One God of All

Easter Triduum Begins with Good Friday on March 25th

https://www.tcdsb.org/board/nurturingourcatholiccommunity/pages/lent-and-easter-resources.aspx

Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy Continues through to December 2016

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/ExtraordinaryJubileeYearOfMercy/Pages/defaultaspx

Lift Jesus Higher Rally March 5th. https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/2016-lift-jesus-higher-rally.aspx

Board Approves Multi-Year Recovery Plan

At the February 18, 2016 meeting of the Board, the Board of Trustees approved option 3 which proposes budget reductions totaling

$28.4 million spread out over the next three years with the objective of not increasing the accumulated deficit in each year, and

eliminating the accumulated deficit in the 3rd and final year of the Multi-Year Recovery Plan. The Board also approved a

recommendation for the Director of Education to quantify additional cost pressures identified in the report, and address the $3.7

million additional bussing transportation costs for a total required expenditure reduction of $32.1 million in the annual budget

planning and consultation process. Option 3 was selected by 47% of those who responded to the online survey.

The MYRP is being submitted to the Ministry of Education at the end of February. A detailed budget consultation plan is in

development and will be presented to the board for approval in March. Please stay tuned for details on how you can be involved in

providing input into the budget setting process. www.tcdsb.org

Registration Now Open!

OAPCE Toronto Hosts 77th Annual Conference

Different Gifts, One Voice: Living our Virtues in a Virtual World- May 6-7th in Toronto All are welcome.

Check out the website for all the information https://www.tcdsb.org/FORPARENTS/OAPCE-Toronto/Events/Pages/OAPCE-

Conference-2016.aspx register online here:

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ec6a0r4n5fb01bdc&llr=57qgf7bab

Follow @TCDSB on Twitter or subscribe to E news https://web1.tcdsb.org/InterestSubscription/subscription.aspx to get all

the latest news and information throughout the year

On Wednesday February 17th, the Junior W5H Team attended the Tournament at Blessed Margherita. Throughout the

morning, the team competed against four other schools in very close and exciting games! Although the team did not

advance to the next round, they played with tremendous determination and enthusiasm. The members of the W5H

Team attended numerous weeks of practice leading up to the Tournament. Throughout the practices, the members of

the team were extremely dedicated and motivated.

The coaches would like to congratulate Nikolaos, Ania, Ahtziri, Deonna, Chanel, Sylvia, Robert and Jalen. Excellent work!

Congratulations to all our award winners who demonstrated

February’s virtue of Christ’s LOVE

Saint Martin de Porres

On May 16, 1962, Pope John XXIII, in a ceremony at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, made Martin de Porres the

first black American saint. Martin was born on December 9, 1579, in Lima, Peru, son of Don Juan de Porres

of Burgos a Spanish nobleman, and Ana Velasquez, a young freed Negro slave girl.

From early childhood Martin showed great piety, a deep love for all God’s Creatures and passionate

devotion to Our Lady. Many miraculous cures, including the raising of the dead, were attributed to Brother

Martin. Today throughout South America, Central America and the islands of the Caribbean, people tell of

the miraculous powers of St. Martin de Porres. St. Martin de Porres’ feast day is November 3rd.

Saint Monica

St. Monica, an African laywoman is a saint with whom most black women can readily and easily identify,

because Monica epitomized the present-day black woman.

Saint Moses, The Black

Saint Moses, the Black, was a desert monk, born around 330. Moses was a big man and his enormous

strength was well known.

The hermits converted Black Moses to Jesus. In order to fight harder for Jesus, Moses moved further into

the desert. Soon his conversion to Jesus became widely known.

Saint Antonio Vieira

Antonio Vieira was an African born in Portugal. When he was fifteen years old, he became a Jesuit novice

and later a professor of rhetoric and dogmatic theology. He went to Brazil where he worked to abolish

discrimination against Jewish merchants, to abolish slavery, and to alleviate conditions among the poor. On

the 200th anniversary of his death in 1897, he was canonized.

Saint Augustine

There is knowledge of him as a convert and author of Confessions, but little is known of his Father of the

Church and as a saint. His thousands of letters, sermons and tracts, combined with 232 books, instructed

the Early Church and have relevance for the Church today. Augustine was truly a saint. He lived an austere

life, performing great acts of mortification and penance. He wrote, “I pray to God, weeping almost daily.”

Two of his most famous books are “Confessions” which is an autobiography and “City of God”. St.

Augustine’s feast day is August 28h.

St. Katharine Drexel (Noteworthy Non-Black)

Once declared the second American born saint. The foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, she

dedicated her life to the defense and promotion of Native and African Americans. Her story is unique given

her background of power, privilege, and wealth. Katharine’s concern for the “Coloured people” paralleled

her concern for the Indians.

Encouraging children to engage in

pretend play stimulates their

imagination and creativity. When

children use their creativity it enables

them to explore new ways of doing

things. It also helps children learn

important social skills by working with

others and compromising.

Play helps children to be able to see

someone else’s perspective or “walk

in another’s shoes”. When they

engage in pretend play they have the

opportunity to think about what

others would do or say. This helps

children become more tolerant and

empathetic of others and increases

their ability to work with others.

Plays allows children to explore

various emotions and feelings. When

they engage in imaginary play they

are able to express themselves in

ways they may not ordinarily be able

to.

Allocate some time for children to have the

opportunity to engage in some “playful”

activities. You may leave some art supplies,

puzzles, card and/or board games, dress up

accessories or sports equipment in the

classroom and allow them to be free to play.

Information obtained from: M. Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D;

P. Gray, Psychologist; http://www.helpguide.org

Student Mental Health and Well-Being

Newsletter

Are you and your students feeling the mid-

winter blues? Perhaps it’s time to

incorporate play into your daily routine.

Play, or free time for older children and

adolescents is considered essential for

physical, social, cognitive and emotional

well-being. Play has an essential role in a

child or adolescent’s development. Play

gives children the opportunity to solve

problems, get along with peers, to take

control, and to develop resiliency. “Play is

considered so important to child

development that it has been recognized

by the United Nations High Commission for

Human Rights as a right of every child.”

Play helps to reduce stress by

releasing our body’s feel good

chemicals called endorphins. This

results in an overall feeling of well

being.

Play improves our cognitive abilities

by utilizing the part of the brain

that is responsible for planning and

organization, managing time,

deciding what is and isn’t

appropriate, decision making, and

regulating emotions.

March, 2016

Play Offers More Than Just Fun

Mental Health Initiatives 2015-2016

Fostering The Family:

The TCDSB Pastoral Plan 2015-18 “ Together With one Voice: Harmonizing Our Faith Through

Family , Parish, and School” 2015 focuses on the FAMILY

Play not only helps to develop cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills but also helps to

strengthen family relationships. When you spend time playing together and having fun everyone in

the family feels happy and positive about themselves and each other. Playing together as a family

promotes cooperation and conversation as well as skills such as turn taking, following rules,

problem solving, and being a good winner or loser. So turn off the computer screens, tablets or

phones and engage in some “old fashioned” fun!

Have a family game night. It’s important to make sure that the games are suitable for the youngest player.

Listen to music, or make music together and sing along.

Build a puzzle together

Paint a picture

Play outdoors

TCDSB Mental

Health and Well-

Being Strategy

2015-18 approved

Jan. 14, 2016

https://www.tcdsb

.org/programsservi

ces/specialeducati

on/mhs/pages/me

ntal-health-

strategy.aspx

Support for schools in developing a mentally healthy classroom. See Supporting Minds on the Ministry’s website and edugains.ca

Building partnerships

with community

agencies, families, and

parishes

SAFE TALK suicide

awareness workshops

for staff available via

PAL

Children’s mental

health Awareness

week May 1-6, 2016.

Details soon

Suggested Readings and Websites:

Books:

Mattland by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert. (ages 4 to 7)

Max’s Dragon by Kate Banks. (ages 4 to 8)

Jullian Jiggs by Phoebe Gilman

Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-

Reliant, and Better Students for Life by Peter Gray

Websites:

www.childdevelopmentinfo.com ( provides information related to child development, psychology,

health, parenting, learning, media, entertainment, and family activities)

www.funattic (provides ideas for fun activities and games)

www.psychcentral.com

A Laugh A Day….

Patricia Marra-Stapleton, Psychological Associate/Mental Health Lead

patricia.marra-stapleton@tcdsb.org

Marci Buhagiar, Psychologist

marci.buhagiar@tcdsb.org

On Wednesday March 24, 2016- St. Jane Frances had its 9th Annual Family Math Night. Over 50 families

gathered in the gym for a fun filled evening of mathematics and activities where they had the opportunity to

discover the Mysteries of Medieval Times with Legos and Prodigy Math using technology. Families were

engaged while taking what they learned about Medieval Math and using Legos to make models of castles.

Thank you to all the staff who attended and assisted throughout the evening, their dedication is truly

appreciated. As well, a BIG thank you goes to the management and staff of “Tim Horton’s” at the Jane & Finch

Esso location for donating the Timbits for the evening and showing true community spirit! Hope to see you all

next year!!!

CSPC wants to thanks all children and parents who attended the Family Math night.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday March 23 at 6:30pm.

To add your email to the CSPC distribution list please send us and email at cspc.stjanefrances@tcdsb.org