st. john dxxiii newsletter 2015 st. john xxiii bugle · st. john dxxiii newsletter ecember 2015...
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St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
1
ST. JOHN XXIII BUGLE
Principal’s Message
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As the first term of the school year comes to a close, I would like to take this opportunity
to thank the ST. John XXIII community for your continued effort and commitment to
support a quality education for your children. With just a couple of weeks left before the
holidays we would like to encourage you to try and keep your family routines as
consistent as possible so that the children are well rested and ready to learn each day.
We enter the season of Advent and prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus. Our virtue of
the month is CHARITY. This week I reminded students that charity isn’t just about
giving material things to those in need. During the Advent season, let us take a moment to
reflect with our families and the less fortunate in our communities on how we can
practice charity and generosity in our home, and community through our words, thoughts
and actions.
I am delighted to share with the Parent community that we will be having our Christmas
concert on Tuesday December 15th, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in the gym. The Junior and
Intermediate students in our school will be participating in the Christmas concert. Please
note that the ELP and Primary students will be performing during the Spring concert the
first week of May 2016. There will be a $2.00 charge for the concert. The proceeds will
go to our music department. Please see the Christmas flyer that was sent home last
Thursday for further information. Please join us and show your support to staff and
students for our festive and joyous Christmas celebration!
The Christmas Holiday will be from Monday December 21st – Friday January1st.
First day of school will be Monday January 4th, 2016! On behalf of all staff, I take
this opportunity to wish our Parent community a Blessed and Holy Christmas and
Happy and Peaceful 2016!
“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
― Mother Teresa
Sincerely,
Pershia Nelson, Principal
175 Grenoble Drive, Toronto, ON
M3C 3E7 416-393-5348
Fax - 416-393-5164
Principal: Ms. P. Nelson
Vice Principal: Ms. F. Pires
Secretary: Ms. L. Freimanis
Superintendent: Mr. J. Shanahan
Trustee: Ms. A. Kennedy
Parish: Saint John XXIII
150 Gateway Blvd, Toronto, ON
M3C 3E2 (416) 429-4000
Parent Council: Mr. P. Lameira – Chair Ms. A. Cann – Co-chair
Ms. A – Palagaras – Treasurer
Ms. R. Malabago - Secretary
Enrolment: 435
Hours of Operation:
8:30 am – 4:00 pm Lunch Hour:
11:45 am – 12:45 pm Dismissal
3:30 pm
St. John XXIII
St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
2
PARISH CONNECTION
Dear Families,
Advent is here! A time of watching and waiting—the meaning of the word “advent”.
Advent prepares us to celebrate the coming of Christ at the end of time in judgement; it also
prepares
us to celebrate the first of coming of Christ in the stable in Bethlehem. But Advent also seeks to
welcome Christ now—today—in our hearts through the gift of His grace. The prayer of welcome
for His presence in Advent is, “Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” May the Lord be with you and your
family this Advent. Below is the schedule for Christmas and New Year at the Church.
Regards,
Fr Simon
CHRISTMAS & NEW
YEAR SCHEDULE ST
JXXIII PARISH
EVENT DATE
SCHOOL CONFESSIONS
TUES, DEC 8 @ 9:30AM In School
PARISH CONFESSIONS WED, DEC 23 @ 7:30PM
CHRISTMAS CAROLS THURS, DEC 24 @ 11:15PM
MIDNIGHT MASS THURS, DEC 24 @ 11:59PM
CHRISTMAS DAY MASSES
FRI DEC 25
9AM & 12:15PM
ST STEVEN’S DAY MASS (BOXING DAY)
SAT DEC 26 10AM
THE HOLY FAMILY
MASSES
SAT DEC 26 @ 5:15PMSUN DECT 27 9AM,
12:15PM, 5:30PM
VIGIL HOLY HOUR Mary Mother of God
DEC 31 @ 7PM
VIGIL MASS
NEW YEAR’S EVE Mary Mother of God
DEC 31 @ 8PM
MASS NEW
YEAR’S DAY Mary Mother of God
JAN 1
9AM & 12:15PM
MASS
EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
SAT JAN 2 @ 5:15PM
SUN JAN 3 9AM, 12:15PM, 5:30PM
St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
3
Red Apple Daycare Corner
Seasons Greeting from Red Apple Daycare. This
year has flown by fast and 2016 is right around the
corner. Our FDK program still currently have 2
spaces left. If you are interested in enrolling your
child in our before and after school program come
by our office or go online at
www.redappledaycare.com to put your child on our
waiting list. Preschool and School age program are
full at the moment but our Toddler program has 3
spaces available. It’s been a great year for Red
Apple in terms of our collaboration with Saint John
XXIII and were looking forward for more in 2016!
If you are inquiring for care don’t hesitate to
contact us at 416-429-6662, we’ll be happy to
answer any questions you may have.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a
Prosperous New Year.
RubyJM
GROWTH MINDSET
Students are encouraged to develop a growth mindset.
This allows your child’s brain to grow and develop, and
helps your child to achieve their best.
The following are tips for how to help your child
develop a growth mindset at home.
St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
4
SCHOOL RULES!
St. John XXIII students share their thoughts about their
learning.
ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE
On November 27th, we went to the Ontario Science
Centre and it was a lot of fun. We went to the Human
Body Edge section and looked around. One of the
exhibits was kind of scary because it looked like we
were going to fall but it was an illusion. It was fun to go
there. The next place we went was a workshop and we
learned about pulleys and gears. We got into groups and
figured out the problem. I wish we can go back there
because it was a lot of fun. By Janelle, Gr. 5
Why Do We Like Different Subjects?
Mrs. Leskowsky’s Grade 1 students
would like to share which subjects
they like and why.
9 students like reading. ‘It makes us
learn,’ said Justice.
12 students like writing. Alessandra
shared that writing inspires her to learn
more and more words.
15 students like oral communication.
Dmitri believes that talking helps us
overcomer shyness and be brave.
14 students like media literacy. Dmitri
finds new books and stories on line.
‘Storylineonline is our favourite
website,’ agreed all students.
10 students like math. ‘Math helps us think,’ said Kyle.
13 students like science. Edson said that thank to science
we learn more about ourselves and our world.
8 students like social studies. ‘Social Studies help me
work well with others,’ shared Van Dion Jr.
6 students like music. Nowah said that music helps him
feel better.
8 students like French. Raphael believes that it is good
to know one more language.
9 students like drama. ‘You can dress up and have fun.’
Said Sarah.
11 students like dance. Tatiana enjoys dance because it
makes her body move. Bryan believes that dance is
healthy for us.
15 students like gym. Ashayla loves sports such as
hockey and soccer. That’s why gym is her favourite
subject.
‘We love our Catholic School, Religion, and our
friends.’ All children agreed.
November’s Virtue of the
Month was PEACE. As a
school, we celebrated
through daily reflection, a
Remembrance Day
assembly led by Ms.
Brake’s class and a visit
from some members of
Canada’s armed forces.
Through in class activities,
students learned about the
importance of
remembering the soldiers
who have given their lives
to protect ours. They have
St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
5
also learned about what it means to be peaceful in their
daily lives.
REMEMBRANCE DAY
Should Canadians celebrate Remembrance Day? I think
so. Soldiers sacrificed their lives and are still doing it
today. Also, some veterans are traumatized by what
they've seen. Through all of that they seem to try to
keep the peace. So all Canadians should show respect
and celebrate Remembrance Day. By Vanessa, Gr.
5
What is Peace? by Mrs. Watson's grade 1/2 class Peace is:
-sharing (Andre)
-love (Sienna)
-caring (Victoria)
-being helpful (Julianne)
-happiness (Alessandra)
-being kind (Rian)
-being nice (Deborah)
-something that you share in your heart (Caleb)
-friendship (Khalil)
-respecting others (Dexter)
-being kind to everyone (Jylla)
-treating others the way you want to be treated
(Atino)
-letting other people play with you (Krista)
-helping others (Briz)
-being thankful (Gabriel)
-helping people (Christina)
-feeling safe (Charbel)
-being nice to people (Morgan)
-helping each other (Raleigh)
-being helpful (Isaiah)
HUG O’ WAR
For this month’s Peace assembly, Ms. Desjardins’ Fifth
Block class practiced a Reader’s Theatre performance of
Shel Silverstein’s Hug O’ War.
I will not play at tug o’ war.
I’d rather play at hug o’ war,
Where everyone hugs
Instead of tugs,
Where everyone giggles
And rolls on the rug,
Where everyone kisses,
And everyone grins,
And everyone cuddles,
and everyone wins.
I will not play at tug o’ war.
I’d rather play at hug o’ war.
St. John XXIII Newsletter December 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
6
TCDSB Monthly
Update December 2015
Kindergarten Registration Starts January 13,
2016 The Toronto Catholic District School Board
invites families with children born in 2012 to register for
Junior Kindergarten beginning Wednesday, January 13,
2016 at 10 a.m. EST.
Registration options: Online: Parents will be able to complete their application online beginning at 10 a.m. EST on January 13, 2016, at SOAR.tcdsb.org, and follow up with a visit to the school to present the required documents. The online application is available at: https://soar.tcdsb.org/Login.aspx
In Person: Parents can register at their local school with the required documents beginning January 13, 2016 at 10 a.m. EST. To accommodate the busy schedules of parents, all elementary schools will host an evening registration session during the month of January. Parents are asked to contact their local Catholic school for specific dates and times.
Registration documents: • Child’s Birth Certificate or Passport/Immigration
documents if child was not born in Canada
• Child's Catholic baptismal certificate (or proof of
Catholicity of parent)
• Proof of residency in Toronto (some examples: a lease
agreement, utility bill)
• Immunization Record
Information is available by telephone at 416-222-8282 ext. 5314, or by visiting https://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/EarlyYears/KindergartenRegistration/Pages/default.aspx
French Immersion and Extended French New for September 2016, French Immersion begins in Junior
Kindergarten
The Extended French Program is offered to students beginning in
grade 5 at several TCDSB sites. Interested parents are encouraged
to attend an information evening to learn more about the program.
Please note dates, times and locations for sessions planned for
December through to February:
https://www.tcdsb.org/News/othernews/2015/Pages/French-
Immersion-and-Extended-French.aspx
Resources for Students Heading to High School Helping students prepare for high school
https://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SchoolProgramsK12/GuidanceCoopEd/Transition%20to%20High%20School/Documents/AFTER%208%20TRANSITION%20GUIDE%202015.pdf
Transition Guide for Parents is available in several languages https://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SchoolProgramsK12/GuidanceCoopEd/Transition%20to%20High%20School/Pages/default.aspx
St. John XXIII Newsletter October 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
7
Celebrating The Year of the Family
Visit the website for resources https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/Year-of-Family/Pages/default.aspx. Toronto Catholic Family Film Festival Coming April 21st
Top 10 Films will be screened at the festival to be held at
Cineplex Cinemas, Yonge and Dundas. Check out the trailer for
the festival:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UTLQ61tntVM&feature=youtu.
be
And all the other information and resources: https://www.tcdsb.org/tcff Film submissions accepted until February 19th.
Play it Forward
The pilot project involves schools who are engaging in a charitable initiative focusing on helping a family, locally or abroad, and sharing their experiences via Skype with one of their partner schools. The initiative blends the Year of the Family with our ongoing focus on living our Catholic values by putting faith into action. On December 7th, St. Sebastian, Fr. Serra and St. Anselm will engage in their first online chat discussing what they have done, and will be doing for the Year of the Family. https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/Pages/Play-it-Forward.aspx Archdiocese of Toronto’s Project Hope
A reminder to all that the Archdiocese of Toronto has passed the midway point of its 100-day “Project Hope” $3 Million Emergency Refugee Resettlement Campaign. The goal is supporting the settlement of 100 refugee families within the Greater Toronto Area as soon as possible. Schools are encouraged to partner with their local parish to raise funds for this worthwhile effort. Get more information online: https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/project-hope.aspx
Upcoming Events
Advent Begins November 29th
Resources online here:
https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/season-of-advent.aspx
International Day of Persons with Disabilities, December
3rd
https://www.tcdsb.org/news/othernews/2014/pages/inter
national-day-of-persons-with-disabilities.aspx
International Human Rights Day, December 10th
https://www.tcdsb.org/News/othernews/2014/Pages/Inter
national-Day-of-Persons-with-Disabilities.aspx
Christmas Break: December 21-January 1 inclusive
(Classes resume Monday, January 4th
Eastern Rite Christmas January 7th
Visit the TCDSB Website www.tcdsb.org to get all the news and
information from around the board, including athletics, news for
parents and students.
Follow the board on Twitter @TCDSB to get updates as they
happen.
Or subscribe to Enews and receive regular email updates.
https://web1.tcdsb.org/InterestSubscription/subscription.aspx
Student Mental Health Newsletter
COPING WITH STRESS: Christmas is a wonderful time
of year when we celebrate the birth of Christ and enjoy time with
family and friends. The holidays bring fun and excitement, as
well as heightened stress. It is important for teachers and parents
to recognize when a child is feeling the holiday stress. Signs to
look for include:
Tears for what appear to be minor reasons
Nervous behaviours eg.nail bitting
Physical complaints
Withdrawal
Regression to younger behaviours
Parents and teachers can help all children to feel less
overwhelmed during the holidays by:
Maintaining some of your regular routines and activities.
Pay attention to your own mood.
St. John XXIII Newsletter October 2015 2015
…that together you may with ONE VOICE glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:6
8
Talk with children about expectations for gifts and
holiday activities.
Alleviating some of the holiday stress with allow everyone to
enjoy a Christmas filled with love, laugher and special memories.
MINDFULNESS:
Mindfulness is the ability to pay attention “on purpose” to
what is happening in the moment. It is noticing and
developing an awareness of what we are sensing in the
present moment. Mindfulness is helpful for children and
youth because it gives them the opportunity to pause and
get control over their emotions (emotional regulation) and
to calm down. Teaching students to take the time to quiet
their minds enables them to learn healthy habits of thinking
and feeling. Students who practice mindfulness display
increased attention, organization, and self esteem and less
negative emotions, anxiety and depression.
Mindful Breathing teaches students to focus on their
breathing and the rise and fall of their belly as they breath.
Our breath brings oxygen to our brain and body, which
creates a sense of calm. Remind students to breath
mindfully to create the sense of calm and focus they require
to perform their best.
Mindful Listening is the ability to listen accurately to others
with our minds and hearts without interrupting. Practice
paying attention to all the sounds in the room, or paying
attention to the many instruments in a song. When students
are not paying attention encourage them to use mindful
listening to regain focus.
Mindful Seeing allows us to see things more slowing and
notice details. It helps to quiet everything down and to feel
more relaxed. Ask children to look around and point things
out they have never seen before, or go out into nature and
take notice of something of interest.
Suggested Readings and Websites:
Books
Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda – Lauren Alderfer
A Boy and A Bear – Lori Lite
The Mindful Way to Study: Dancing with your Books – Jake J. Gibbs
Mindfulness Meditations for Teens – Bodhipaksa
10 Mindful Minutes – Goldie Hawn
Websites
www.mindthebump.org.au
www.nasponline.org
www.mindfuleducation.org
www.mindfulnesseveryday.org
Utube Video – “Just Breath”