Virtue of the month:

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome back! We hope everyone had an enjoyable summer and we look forward to an exciting year. We continue the strong and endur-ing tradition at St. Maurice of excellence in education. This is the Year of the Parish in our TCDSB mission of Together as One—Family , Parish and School. We value the close collaboration of fami-ly, parish and school to provide the very best for our students. Our goal is to achieve the Catholic School Expectations to help our chil-dren become self-directed, responsible, life-long learners who are discerning believers, effective communicators and caring contributors to society. The virtue for the month is Hospitality, and once again a warm welcome to returning and new students and their families!

Staff and caretakers worked diligently to prepare the school over the summer. Thank you to Mr. Biliyj, Mr. Prashad and Mr. Corsetti for preparing the school. Thank you to Ms. Medeiros for her hard work in the office to get all ready for the this year.

We wish to extend our best wishes to staff who have left St. Maurice. Thank you to Vivian Hussain-Lee, Antonio Catalano, Andrea Hrgetic, and Michele Da Silva for their caring and commitment to our school community. Congratulations to Judith Ferenczy– Bur, our ESL teach-er, and Diana Lukaweski, our Vocal Music teacher, for their retire-ment. We thank them for their many years of dedication to our stu-dents and Catholic education. Welcome back to Ms. Abolor who has returned from maternity leave. Thank you to our Parent Council for partially subsidizing our agen-das. We ask parents to take the time to review the Parent Handbook in the beginning pages and sign Page 16 with their children. The agenda is an excellent tool for students to organize their studies and for par-ents to communicate with staff. Parents and guardians are cordially invited to join our Parent Council (CSPC). It is great way to have a real impact on learning and activities in the school.

We are very enthusiastic about all the wonderful activities and events that will take place over the year. We look forward to meeting and working with all of you.

May the beginning of this school year bring peace and goodness to you and your families. God bless you.

Mr. F. Termine Principal

From the Principal

SEPTEMBER 2016

St. Maurice Catholic School 45 Kingsview Blvd Ave.

Toronto, Ontario M9R 1T7

SCHOOL HOURS

Morning Bell: 8:30am AM Recess: 10:12 - 10:27am Lunch: 11:15 – 12:15pm PM Recess: 2:13 - 2:28pm Dismissal: 3:30pm

School Information and Contact

Numbers

Principal: Mr. F. Termine

Superintendent: Mr. A . Della Mora

Trustee: Mr. J. Martino Parish: Transfiguration of Our Lord 45 Ludstone Dr. Toronto, ON M9R 2J2 Telephone: 416-247-0513

CPIC (Parent Engagement--TCDSB) www.tcdsb.org/cpic

A Prayer For A New School Year Loving Jesus,

Bless this journey of a new school year

Refresh our souls and renew our spirits as we embrace the beautiful ministry you have called us to.

We welcome those who are new to this community and ask that you strengthen them to share the wonderful gifts you have given them.

Lord, make our hearts pure as we prepare for the return of students to this school, and may you guide them to return with open hearts and minds eager to learn.

We ask this in Your name, Amen

St. Maurice Curriculum Night and Parent Council BBQ

Thursday, September 29th Come meet the staff!!!

5:30—5:50 pm—Staff Introduction in the Gym

5:50—6:30—Classroom visits

6:30—7:15pm—Parent Council BBQ

School Safety Visitors to

St. Maurice

Many thanks to the visitors who have checked in at the office upon their visit to the school. It is extremely important that we are able to identify any visitors to the school. Parents who would like to speak to their child’s teacher are asked to make an appointment. It is not possible to speak to a teacher once class is in session. This will eliminate trespassers, re-duce the traffic in the corridors and prevent unnecessary inter-ruptions in the classrooms. Visitor passes are available in the main office for those who have permission to be in the building.

Parent Information

STUDENT SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM

The safety of our students is our primary concern. In the event that your child may be late/absent, please contact the school at 416- 393-5379 (press 1 to report an absence/late) to provide the particulars regarding times and/or dates. Clearly state your child’s name, grade, teacher, and the reason for the absence or late. If students arrive after the morning bell, they are to go to the office to pick up a late slip. Please assist us by making sure that students arrive on time.

Do not drop off students be-fore 8:15 as there is no teach-er supervision. The bell rings at 8:30. Students are to be in line at 8:30. Those arriving at the front door will require a late slip.

The St. Maurice Catholic School Parent Council

The Catholic School Parent Council is a group made up of parents, teachers, the Prin-cipal and others who care about their school and want to be part of their child’s educa-tion. It is a way for parents or guardians to learn about what is going on at St. Maurice Catholic School. The Council talks about issues and then gives some advice to the school Principal on things that affect all of our children. We also try to raise money through different fundraisers, like the chocolate almond sales. This money is then given back to the school to help with things like buying equipment for the school or helping students in financial need to pay for school trips, uniforms, etc. For example, the Parent Council is providing funding so that all students will receive agendas at lower cost. We believe agendas are an invaluable organization and communication tool and that is why we are paying for them.

Parents and guardians are invited to come to the meetings and/or volunteer their time at our different events and fundraisers. Curriculum Night will occur on Thursday Sep-tember 29th and our Annual General Meeting is Tuesday October 4th at 7pm.

If you are interested in getting the agenda and minutes of our meetings via email, please send your email address to StMaurice.Info@tcdsb.org. If you don’t have an email address, you can call the school office 416-393-5379 or come to one of our meetings to learn more. Please consider filling in the nomination form and join the Council.

We look forward to meeting you at our first AGM Meeting on Tuesday, October 4,2016 at 7pm in the staff room.

CLASS ORGANIZATION & COMBINED GRADES

The decision into which class a child is placed is made after long discussion between the teachers and the principal. The various abilities, needs and strengths of the students are carefully consid-ered in their class placement. It is important to understand that due to a possible increase or decrease in enrolment, changes may need to be made in grade organization, teacher assignments and the placement of children, during the month of September or early Oc-tober. Thank you for your contin-ued support and understanding.

Parent Information

Anaphylaxis and Medical Concerns

Dear Parents/Guardians,

St. Maurice Catholic School is an allergen aware school. We have a number of students in our school who present with severe, life-threatening allergies to certain foods, such as peanuts, tree nuts, nut products and pistachios.

The staff, students and parents of the St. Maurice Catholic School community take the health and well-being of all our students very seriously, and we strive to provide a safe and nut free environment. Severe allergic reactions in-cluding anaphylaxis can be prevented by reducing expo-sure to those substances that can trigger a reaction.

It is imperative that all parents inform their child’s school/teacher of any allergies their child/ren may have. Your cooperation in this matter is most appreciated.

We are asking for your support and co-operation in keep-ing our school community safe by NOT SENDING lunch-es or snacks that contain peanuts, nut products or may contain traces of peanuts/nuts which could potentially harm a child. Please share this information with your child’s caregiver and ensure that they too are aware of, and understand, these food restrictions.

We ask that no home baked or commercially baked goods be sent to school for sharing with other students. On special occasions, such as birthdays, if you wish to send a treat, we would ask that you consider alterna-tives such as a pencil, sticker, eraser or other small treat from the dollar store.

Should you have any question, please talk to your child’s teacher or school staff.

School Safety—Pickup and Drop Off

Thank you to parents and guardians for continuing to use the Kiss and Ride for Drop Off. Please remember to move up and have students enter next to the play-ground. Do not park in our Kiss and Ride area. As we work towards safe entry, parents are asked to drop their child(ren) and leave the school yard promptly. This will make for a safer and more orderly entry. There is supervision provided by staff in the front and rear of the school and our volunteers, Ms. Anic-Matic and Ms. Hart also provide assistance in the morning at our Kiss and Ride.

To pick up your child, please consider parking on the York or Windsor, or south on Kingsview and walking the short distance. There are not enough parking spots in front of the school for all of the cars. Please continue to avoid U-turns in front of the school and drop off or pick up only on the south side of the street. Together we will continue to make St. Maurice a very safe place. F. Termine

Reminder—Electronic Devices and Cell Phones

We continue to encourage students to leave IPODS, MP3 players, cell phones, games, toys , cameras and other electronic devices and personal belongings at home. If your child brings a cell phone to school, it must be turned off and in his or her school bag. It is not to be used in the school without the permission of staff. Cell phones cannot be used on school property and must remain out of sight. Matters of urgency should be dealt with through the office. If your child needs to contact you, they must seek permission to use the school phone. The school cannot be responsible for missing phones. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

St. Maurice Nutrition Program

Our Nutitional Snack Program will begin the week of September 12th, 2016. Forms will be sent home. We look forward to serving healthy snacks five mornings a week. We are extremely grateful to Sandra Rebelo, Tracy Ludlow, Karen Rios, Franka Anic-Matic and other volunteers who go over and above to provide healthy snacks to our students. Contributions are wel-come!

STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE

The Toronto Catholic District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school premises or during school activities. Accidents can and do happen. Some injuries incur medi-cal, dental or other expenses that are not covered by pro-vincial health care or employer group plans. As a parent or guardian, you become responsible for these expenses. For your convenience, the Board has arranged a Student Accident Insurance Policy exclusively through Reliable Life Insurance Company. Participation in such a program is voluntary and the costs are to be paid by the parent or guardian. This program offers a variety of plans and ben-efits at affordable prices. f your child participates in co-curricular activities or activities outside the school day, there is a plan tailored to your needs. All rates are one-time annual premiums. Family rates for 3 or more chil-dren are also available. The insurance agreement is be-tween you and Reliable Life Insurance Company. An Application will be sent home with your child, or, if pref-erable, you may apply directly at: www.insuremykids.com

INCLEMENT WEATHER On days when the weather is inclement, students are asked to ar-rive at school just before the bell. On such days, the recess peri-ods will be held indoors and those students who stay for lunch will be supervised in the building. Unless the weather conditions are particularly bad, cold weather alone does not warrant an early entry to the building or indoor re-cess. Students should always dress appropriately for the weather.

Labour Day September 5, 2016 First Instructional Day September 6, 2016 Thanksgiving Day October 10, 2016 Christmas Break December 26, 2016– January 6, 2017 Start of second semester for secondary schools February 6, 2017 Family Day February 20, 2017 Mid-Winter Break March 13–17, 2017 Good Friday April 14, 2017 Easter Monday April 17, 2017 Victoria Day May 22, 2017 Last day of classes for elementary students June 29, 2017 Seven (7) Professional Activity (PA) Days for ELEMENTARY schools:

October 7, 2016 Provincial Education Priorities November 18, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences December 2, 2016 Provincial Education Priorities/Faith Development January 20, 2017 Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting February 17, 2017 Parent-Teacher Conferences June 9, 2017 Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting June 30, 2017 Provincial Education Priorities

Calendar information is posted on the board’s website at www.tcdsb.org.

APPROPRIATE DRESS CODE –Reminder

We remind parents and students of the Dress Code at St. Maurice. The full policy is in your child’s agenda .

THE DRESS CODE IS ANY COMBINATION OF NAVY BLUE AND WHITE.

Students are expected to dress in an appropriate manner that is conducive to a proper learning envi-ronment.

Suggested clothing in-cludes long pants, shorts, long and short sleeved t-shirts, golf shirts, sweat-shirts, blouses, jumpers, skirts.

There is no crest attached to the tops and clothing can be purchased at any store. Shirts are to be tucked into pants. Jeans are not allowed. Boys must not wear the waist-line of their pants below the waist, as this is a safety haz-ard. Short shorts, halters tops, muscle shirts and cloth-ing with inappropriate slogans and language are not accepta-ble. During the warmer weather, all junior and inter-mediate students are to have their shoulders covered (i.e., no spaghetti or thin straps).

ST. MAURICE and Ontario Ecoschool Congratulations St. Maurice, we are a certified Ontario Ecoschool, Silver Medal! We would like to get Gold this year! Please help us by supporting programs such as Terracycle, litter-less lunches and other activities. Further, encourage your chil-dren to turn off lights and computers when not needed, to reduce, reuse and recycle and to learn about the environment. Together we can be make a difference and become stewards of our Earth.

Agendas are an excel-lent way for students to organize and plan their homework and studies.

It is also a very an excellent way for teachers and parents to communicate with one another. We thank the Par-ent Council is subsidizing the cost of the agenda. It will be $5 for each child. Please read through the Parent Handbook at the front of the agenda with your child and sign Page 16.

St. Maurice Civvies Days

A reminder that Civvies Days are the first Friday of every month. Students are asked to contribute 25¢ if they wish to wear colours other than blue and white. Clothing still needs to be appropriate for school. All proceeds go to fund activi-ties in the school.

St. Maurice— Terry Fox Run

Friday September 30,

2016 Please support our Terry

Fox Run. St. Maurice has raised over $92 000 since 1989 to support cancer research. Let’s continue to show our St. Maurice

spirit of caring!

Parent Information and What’s Happening!

ST. MAURICE PIZZA DAYS

Please remember to send in your pizza order form. This year, pizza lunches will be every two weeks on Fri-days—the second and fourth Friday of the month. Please note that all pizza needs to be pre-ordered and we will ask for the order for the month (two orders). This will help with collection. Remember all funds are used to help St. Maurice School. Thank you to Mr. Caron for his hard work to organize, order and hand out the pizza.

OUR QSP FUNDRAISER IS RETURNING

THIS NOVEMBER 9th!

NEW THIS FALL – Customized photo products like photo books, calendars

and cards are available too. Now, you can order these types of products

through our campaign and support our school at the same time. Plus

dozens of new digital subscriptions are now available!

If you are anxious to order before our official campaign begins, you can support our school today by shop-ping online. Just visit www.qsp.ca! Thank you in advance for your sup-port. We count on your participa-

tion! Customer service is always available by calling QSP directly at 1-800-667-2536. See the attached flyer.

Our first School Mass with Fa-ther Sujan is tentatively booked for Wednesday, September 28th at 12:45pm in the gym. As al-ways, parents are welcome to attend.

After School Program Our after school program has begun and they are accepting registrations. Please come to the office for more information

SCHOOL PHOTOS Photo Day is

Tuesday October 11th.

CSAC Popcorn and Drink Sales

CSAC is offering popcorn and drink sales as a healthy snack

every Wednesday. Thank you to Ms. Marriot and Mr. Forte for prepar-ing the snacks. The cost is 50¢ for a drink and 50¢ for popcorn.