Divine Mercy Community Update
September 2022
Divine Mercy Info
Principal- N. Tome
Vice Principal- T. Brancalion
Secretary- R. Panousis
Trustees- Brea Corbet Ward 9 & 10 905-301-9373 L. del Rosario-Ward 6 & 11 416-528-6447 Superintendent- Martine Lewis (905) 890-1221
Parish- Merciful Redeemer
Pastor: James (Seamus) Hogan
Associate Pastors:
Fr. Suresh Xavier
Fr. Abraham Lukose
Email: DivineMercyInfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/DMRCY
Location: 2840 Duncairn Drive, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Phone: 905-812-5445
Twitter: @DivineMercyDP
Virtue of the Month: Faith
To begin the new school year, we will focus our attention on the first of our virtues – faith. Faith is the great virtue of believing in God and trusting that God is with us.
A faithful person believes that we are created, guided by and destined to be reunited with God. A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe, especially at school.
A Faithful Person…
§ Prays regularly and reverently
§ Learns from Scripture stories
§ Honours people’s God-given names
§ Assumes that there is good in everyone
§ Accepts the God-given worth of themselves and others
Let us pray this month for the grace and courage to be people of faith – people who can truly believe that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe at school.
New School Year Prayer
Good and Gracious God, as a new school year begins,
Fill the hearts of our students with an eagerness to learn:
About the world You have created,
About themselves and
Most of all about You!
Bless our teachers with the gifts of wisdom and patience,
That they may help students find the truth.
Give our parents generous hearts,
To encourage and support their sons and daughters.
Help us all work together to form a community of learning
That teaches not only skill for material success,
but all that we need
To live our faith fully in this world.
Amen
Merciful Redeemer Information
Principal's Message
Divine Mercy School is truly an outstanding and welcoming school. Our School Council continues to make a very positive contribution on behalf of all our students to ensure that our school is a remarkable place to work, to learn and to play.
A special thank you is extended to the teaching staff who have been working diligently over the past few weeks preparing classrooms and curriculum for students. A heartfelt thank you is extended to our office staff, Mrs. R. Panousis and to our custodial team, Mr. A Mekhail , Mr. A Decena, Ms. R Molina, and C. Garcia, who have spent endless hours preparing our school for the new year.
As with every new year there are always changes. Please join me in welcoming our newest staff members: L. Harper Grade 1 teacher, S. Ruda grade 2/3 teacher, K. Coleman Grade 4/5 teacher, T Collet Grade 7 teacher, K. Motalleb FI planning time teacher, S. Brown planning time teacher, C. Singh SERT/ELL/library/Planning time teacher, and S. Attard ERW.
We look forward to the opportunity to continue working with the students and parents of our community. Together with a dedicated staff, we will do our very best to help all students experience spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth throughout the school year.
Ms. Brancalion and myself look forward to working with all of you this year and look forward to meeting all parents and guardians at our Open House on September 21st
To all, our best wishes for a very successful school year!
N. Tome & T. Brancalion
Catholic School Council
Welcome back to the dedicated and hardworking members of our Catholic School Council!
Please consider joining our Catholic School Council for the 2022-2023 year.
Please see below for self nomination information and form. Catholic School Council dates will be shared in the near future.
On Monday, October 3, we will be holding our first School Council Meeting at 5:30 pm via a TEAMs meeting. All are welcome!
If you would like to attend our School Council Meeting on October 3 please complete the "Form To Participate in Catholic School Council Online Meeting". Please be sure to submit it by 9/30/2022.
We look forward to working with you this year!
PA Day Reminder
Dropping items off at the school for your child
Please ensure that your child arrives at school with all the items they need for the day. We realize that there will be occasions where students forget something at home There will be a table located at the front doors for parents/guardians who are dropping off items for their children. Please label the item clearly with the CHILD’S NAME AND TEACHER.
If you plan on bringing your child’s lunch in the morning, let your children know that you will be leaving the lunch on the table at the front doors.
Open House Thursday, September 22nd from 6:30 to 8:00PM
With school starting back up this week, we know it can be an extremely stressful time for both kids and parents! On top of the normal back to school hustle, we have all been navigating this pandemic together for over 2 years. With everything that has been going on, we wanted to bring back a sense of community and add a little sweet to your day.
That’s why we are hosting an “Ice Cream On Us” Open House night! Join us on Thursday, September 22nd between 6:30 and 8 p.m. to meet up with our school team and stay for an ice cream treat on us. The ice cream truck will be in our school yard handing out cones or slushies to students and parents that stops by.
All event details below:
What: Ice cream truck & volunteers will be in our back field handing out treats
Where: Visit your child's classroom first to meet the teacher. Classroom teachers will be giving out treat tickets to families. Families will make their way to our school yard for a cold treat.
When: Thurs. Sept. 22nd from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Classes can be visited between 6:30-7:00.
Catholic Trustee Brea Corbet September Newsletter
STOPR Info for September
Please see attached flyer about bus eligibility for September. Please note transportation eligibility is determined by the grade of the student, so there could be changes for your child.
Orange Shirt Day
Terry Fox
We are excited to announce that Divine Mercy will be collecting “Toonies for Terry” beginning Tuesday September 20 until Friday September 23.
We will be proudly taking part in the 2022 Terry Fox School Run, wearing red and white on Friday September 23, 2022 at 9:00am. This event will support cancer research while also building incredible school spirit for our students. Let’s all show the the great strength and resiliency of our school community with your support of one of our greatest Canadian heroes, Terry Fox.
Any parent volunteers with an approved reference check on file are appreciated to assist with supervision on the Terry Fox Walk.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Criminal Reference Checks
Anyone working with children as an employee or volunteer must have a Criminal Reference Check/Vulnerable Sector Check completed by the Peel Police.
ALL volunteers including those going on one day school trips MUST have a Criminal Reference check. The Criminal Reference Check for volunteers may take a number of days for the paperwork to be processed and has to be done through Peel Police.
If you already have a Criminal Reference Check on file at the school, please ensure you have completed the yearly Criminal Offence Declaration form with the office.
Attendance Policy
Divine Mercy School actively encourages and promotes regular and punctual attendance. Educational research has consistently shown that student progress and academic success are closely related to regular attendance and active participation in the day-to-day activities of the school. Frequent absence from school jeopardizes a student’s successful completion of any level. Ultimately, responsibility for attendance lies with the student and the parent.
Although trips and vacations may provide diverse learning experiences, the school does not support travel or vacations during class time. The content covered in each grade is important and requires attendance. While parents may choose to travel during the school year, the time missed from class is recorded as an absence and counted in the total absence record for the term and the year. Also, assessment and evaluation become problematic.
What takes place in the classroom is the work. What occurs as a follow up is either completion of in-class work, or practice and review of the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom.
Successful students attend all classes, consult with teachers, hand in assignments, take pride in themselves and their accomplishments, study and complete homework daily and set realistic goals.
Emergency Protocol
Emergency response procedures in the event of a fire, bomb threat, serious accident/injury or an intruder have been established and are revised on an ongoing basis. Each school within the DPCDSB is required to hold 9 emergency procedure drills over the course of the year.
These drills consist of three fire drills per term, one lockdown drill per term, and 1 hold and secure drill per year. During these drills staff review all emergency procedures with students to ensure all children are safe in the event of a real emergency.
In the event that it is necessary to evacuate the school, our site for relocation is Our Lady of Mercy School.
Communication
Open communication between home and school is very important. Although we will be reporting to you formally during the year, please do not hesitate to contact the classroom teacher at any time if you have questions or concerns. A phone call on the onset of a concern usually resolves itself before it becomes a problem. On our part, if we have any concerns about your child, we will also contact you at the earliest opportunity.
MEDICAL ALERT– Sabrina’s Law (Anaphylaxis)
Sabrina’s Law is an Act to protect anaphylactic pupils in publicly funded schools in Ontario. Named “Sabrina’s Law” in honour of an Ontario student who died following an anaphylactic reaction in 2003, this law requires that every school board establish and maintain an anaphylaxis policy.
If your child has a severe allergic reaction to peanuts, peanut by-products, bee/wasp stings etc., please let the school know as soon as possible. It is essential that the information you provide us with is accurate and up-to-date. There are various forms which need to be completed by you and your family doctor if it is necessary to store and dispense an EPI-pen or any other medication at school.
We continue to have both students and staff with severe, life threatening allergy to certain foods, such as peanuts and nuts. This is a medical condition that may cause severe and life threatening reactions to certain allergens within minutes. Although this may or may not affect your child’s class directly, we require your continued cooperation in sending foods to school with your child that are free from peanuts, nuts or their by-products.
Please do not send food products to be shared in your child’s classroom. If you would like your child to share their special day/birthday with their classmates, we suggest that you consider non-food items such as pencils or stickers.
Asthma Friendly School Ryan's Law
Ryan’s Law is an Act to protect Asthmatic pupils in publicly funded schools in Ontario. If your child has asthma please let the school know immediately. It is essential that the information you provide us with is accurate and up-to-date.
Ryan’s Law introduced policies and procedures that:
Allow your child to carry his/her asthma reliever (rescue) inhaler (with your permission).
Reduce your child’s contact with asthma triggers.
Develop an individual plan for every student with asthma, including recommendations from their health-care providers and current emergency contacts. This will be kept on file at the school.
If you have more questions about
Ryan’s Law?
Call The Lung Association Lung Health Information Line at 1-888-344-LUNG (5864), email info@on.lung.ca, or visit www.RyansLaw.ca.
Distribution and Storage of Medication
If a child is required to bring medication to school, procedures regarding the administration of medication shall only be adopted:
· when requested by the parents/guardians; and
· when authorized by a physician; and
· when medication must be provided during school hours
A designated staff member must administer medication; hence, a signed request/authorization form from the parents/guardians and the supervising physician, must be obtained. These forms are available through the school office. The required authorization forms and the medication shall be delivered to the principal or designated person by the parents/guardians. All medication will be housed in a safe location. Medication must not be kept in the child’s possession or in the classroom except for EpiPens and asthma inhalers.
It is highly encouraged that students who have an anaphylactic allergy or who have asthma, keep their epi-pen and/or inhaler on their person at all times. If able, it is recommended that your child bring two epipens and/or two asthma inhaler to the school. This would allow your child to keep this medication on their person as well as ensuring that the school office has an additional set of medication.
Please note that school staff cannot dispense medication of any kind without the proper physician authorization and a properly labeled container, (i.e. prescription bottle or original over the counter container).
Policy on cell phone and personal electronic devices
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has the following policy regarding Personal Electronic Devices in place for all schools.
The Board recognizes the importance of the use of PED’s by students at school and the benefits in their classroom. As part of our policy, students may bring their own device (B.Y.O.D.) for learning purposes. As part of our efforts to promote and maintain a positive Catholic climate in our schools, all PEDs must be kept out of sight, turned off, and not used within school premises or during school-sanctioned activities; unless the classroom teacher grants specific permission for use.
This policy applies to field trips, retreats, sporting events, etc. as well as daily classroom activities. Personal Electronic devices (PEDs) include, but are not limited to cell phones, iPods, iPads, cameras, ...
Please note that it is optional for students to bring their devices to school and it is their responsibility to follow the school and Board policies set out in the “Personal Electronic Device used with Wi-Fi Network Student Agreement.”
Head Injury Policy
When a student receives an injury to the head, it is Board Policy that we inform parents. We will attempt to reach you even when it is a minor injury. Please try not to be too alarmed should you receive a call. Please remind your child to let a staff member know immediately, if they are hurt at school.
As per the Ministry of Education direction, our Board has a Concussion Protocol in place. ALL students who sustain a head injury during the school day, however minor, will receive a Concussions Are Serious pamphlet and accompanying paperwork to take home. We ask parents/guardians to review this pamphlet and seek medical attention for your son/daughter if you feel it is required.
As in previous years, all head injuries will be logged and reported to parents/guardians directly. We ask that you please inform the school as soon as possible when your son/daughter sustains a concussion because of a school incident or because of an activity outside of school. Questions or concerns regarding this policy should be directed to the Main Office. Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.
Elementary Organization Plans: Combined Grades
Attached is a letter from David Amaral, Associate Director, DPCDSB regarding the Ministry of Education publication "An Introduction to Combined Grades". Below is also a brochure for your reference.
International and Indigenous Languages Elementary Program
Upcoming Dates
Report Cards sent home
Progress Reports: November 8, 2022
Term 1: February 14, 2023
Term 2: June 27, 2023
Parent-Teacher Conference
Progress Reports:
Thursday, November 10, 2022 - Evening (as needed)
Term 1 Reports: Thursday, February 16, 2023 - Evening
Term 1 Reports: Friday, February 17, 2023 - P.A. Day
Thanksgiving Day: Monday, October 10, 2022
Christmas Break: Monday, December 23, 2022 to Friday, January 6, 2023 (inclusive)
Family Day: Monday, February 20, 2023
Ash Wednesday: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Mid-Winter Break: Monday, March 13 to Friday, March 17, 2023 (inclusive)
Good Friday: Friday, April 7, 2023
Easter Monday: Monday, April 10, 2023
Catholic Education Week – : Sunday May 1 to Friday May 5, 2023
Victoria Day: Monday, May 22, 2023
Last Day: Friday, June 30, 2023
Professional Activity Days
Thursday September 1, 2022 – Provincial PA Day
Monday September 19, 2022 – Re-Organization Day
Monday October 24, 2022 – Progress Report Writing PA Day
Friday November 25, 2022 – Provincial PA Day
Monday January 23, 2023 – Report Card Writing PA Day
Friday February 17, 2023 – Reporting to Parents/Guardians
Monday June 12, 2023 – Report Card Writing PA Day
Criminal Reference Checks
Just a reminder that if you are interested in volunteering within the school in any capacity, including field trips, student support, Catholic School Council member, etc., a valid Criminal Reference Check (CRC), with Vulnerable Sector Check - Level 3 is required.
Due to COVID closures and not having volunteers in the schools for multiple years, many of our filed CRC and CRC Annual Declarations have lapsed. Please note that there may be some time required to process a CRC. Therefore, we are asking all parents that if you feel that you may be interested in volunteering in any capacity in the school this year, it may be best to start the process now.
If you have completed a Vulnerable Sector Check, have filed it with the school, and would like clarification if it has expired, please call the school.
Please see the website below for more information on how to apply:
Also, please see the attached letter that will be required upon application for this background check.
Duty to Report
Love of Literature
This program is open to children and teens (ages 7 - 18) of Black, African or Caribbean heritage. Virtual meetings are held on Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET.
Please see flyer below for registration information.
Divine Mercy Food Drive
Starting Tuesday September 20th through to Friday October 7th, we will be collecting food and toiletries for our Thanksgiving Food Drive. All donations will support families in our community through Eden Food for Change. Please give what you can.
Pizza Days are Back!
Session 1 Pizza Dates are as follows:
October 4, 11, 18,25
November 1, 8,15, 22, 29
December 6, 13, 20
Please see attached flyer for more information