Please remember that the student agendas continue to be the best way to get in touch with your child's teacher, as emails are not monitored throughout the day.
Email: St.TeresaofAvilaInfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/avila
Location: 6675 Montevideo Road, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Phone: (905)858-3462
Twitter: @AvilaDPCDSB
- I co-operate with others in all that I do
- I value everyone's work
- I respect and listen to others
- I think of others before myself
- I follow rules of fair play
- I work hard in school so that I can build my community and make it a better place
Because I am a team player, I know that 'Together is Better', and we will live our lives like Jesus.
During the month of May we will focus on the virtue of Acceptance.
God wants us to make friends with everyone no matter how different they may look or act. An accepting person isβ¦
An accepting person β¦
- willing to treat everybody as a member of a group
- avoids judging others
- welcoming to those different than himself/herself
- loving and happy with who he/she is
The virtue of ACCEPTANCE means we accept ourselves and others just the way we are. Acceptance is the ability to respect the dignity and rights of people of all ages, beliefs, genders, cultures, and/or abilities. God created all of us in His image, and belonging to Godβs family means that we love and welcome everyone as Jesus did. Sometimes, we find ourselves in situations where it is easier to follow the crowd than to stand up for what we know is right. Remember that everyone wants to feel like they belong, and Jesus teaches us to accept everyone, even when it is difficult.
For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Romans 12:3-6
Let us now pray...for the virtue of acceptance - the strength to trust that God is at work in everyoneβs life despite what we think. AMEN
A PRAYER FOR MOTHERS
God our Creator, we pray:
For new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
For expectant mothers, wondering and waiting
For those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
For those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
For those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
For those whose children have physical, mental, or emotional disabilities;
For those who raise children on their own;
For those who have lost a child;
For those who care for the children of others;
For those whose children have left home;
And for those whose desire to be a mother
has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their lives may be deep and tender,
And that they may lead their children to know and do what is good,
Living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others.
AMEN
Thereβs no book fair like a Scholastic Book Fair! St. Teresa of Avila will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair. Students will have the opportunity to browse the Book Fair on April 29th and make purchases from April 30th to May 3rd, 2024. The fair will be open during school hours. The fair is a great opportunity for our students to expand their reading horizons and discover new literary treasures. Please Note: Scholastic Book Fairs offer secular selections. Money raised will benefit our school community by allowing us to invest in new books and other resources that will enhance the educational experience of our students.
The theme chosen for the upcoming 2024 Catholic Education Week is: We Are Called to Love
βBehold, I make all things new.β (Revelation 21:5)
The sub-themes for Catholic Education Week 2022 are as follows:
MONDAY: We are called to LOVE as people of hope.
TUESDAY: We are called to LOVE as people of faith.
WEDNESDAY: We are called to LOVE as people of mercy.
THURSDAY: We are called to LOVE as people of justice.
FRIDAY: We are called to LOVE as people of joy.
We are pleased to announce that the Most Rev. Gerard Bergie, Bishop of St. Catharines and President of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, will be celebrating the Catholic Education Week Mass scheduled for Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.
All students, families, board staff, trustees, and the broader Catholic community are invited to participate virtually in this celebration of the Eucharist. Mass will be live-streamed from the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria beginning at 11:00 a.m.
Please use the following link to access the live-stream: https://www.youtube.com/@stcatharinescathedral2914 (click on βLive Videoβ screen).
May 6-10, 2024, is Mental Health Week and Catholic Education Week. The Catholic Education Week 2024 theme this year is βWe are Called to Loveβ. During this week, all DPCDSB students and schools will be participating in a series of wellness activities. It's a week to reflect, pray, and be mindful of loving and caring for ourselves.
We have some exciting news to share with you! We will be hosting our very first Avilaβs Multicultural Showcase on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, during Catholic Education Week. There will be two parts to our amazing showcase. A Multicultural Fashion Show where students are welcome to come dressed in their traditional attire and the second part of the showcase is the Multicultural Talent Show
where students can show off their talents.
This year marks the 13th Anniversary of The Shining Stars Special Olympic Event, hosted by The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board's Mississauga North Family of Schools. The event will take place on Thursday, May 9th at St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School. Opening ceremonies start at 10:00 a.m. We are very excited here at St. Teresa of Avila, as 12 of our students will be participating in this wonderful event. Students from St. Aloysius Gonzaga will lead relay races, an obstacle course, a bean bag toss, and other Special Olympic activities. Wishing our Thunderbird Shining Stars a great day.
Your child will be taking part in the Provincial Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
Grade 6: May 28, 29, and 30, 2024
Grade 3: June 4, 5, and 6, 2024
Grade 3 and Grade 6 students will be participating in this province wide assessment from this year. It is very important that student attendance is consistent and that students are punctual during testing periods. Thank you for your support and cooperation.
We would like to take this opportunity to review some of the expectations of riding the school bus. Lately, our bus drivers have reported to school staff that students have been demonstrating inappropriate behaviour while the school bus is in transit.
Please take some time this weekend and review the following expectations with your children:
Waiting at the Bus Stop:
- Get to the bus stop in plenty of time so you do not have to run
- Wait for your bus in a place that is away from traffic in the road
- Bus stops are not appropriate places to push or wrestle with your friends
- Let the school bus stop before you try to get on
- If you can touch the school bus, you are too close
- Remember if you cannot see the bus driver, then the bus driver cannot see you
- The driver will let you know when it is safe to approach the bus
Riding the School Bus:
- When getting onto the bus, take the steps one at a time, holding onto the handrail
- Go right to a seat, and sit quietly, without blocking the aisle
- Remain seated while the bus is moving. Do not leave your seat while the bus is in transit.
- Listen to your school bus driver, and follow his/her instructions.
Exiting the School Bus:
- Leave the bus in single file, holding the handrail
- Walk away from the bus without running, and never go behind it
- If you have to cross the street to leave or board your bus, you need to be 10 giant steps away from the front of the bus. Watch for overhead red lights to flash, and wait for the stop arm to activate and your driverβs signal before crossing
- If you ever drop something underneath the bus or in its path, leave it there! Never, never stop and reach under the school bus to pick it up
With the warm weather arriving, it is important to review the dress code. We require your support in assisting children to make appropriate clothing choices when attending school.
As a Catholic community, we encourage children to dress appropriately.
Things to consider:
- Clothing must display appropriate and acceptable words and graphics
- Undergarments should not be visible
- MOST IMPORTANTLY, children must wear footwear that is conducive to playing outside with many other children β flip-flops or other shoes that leave the foot largely exposed, are not recommended. These kinds of footwear may make things difficult for your child to participate in active play with their peers and he/she could be easily injured.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Some of the students in our school have severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils and any peanut by -products. For some children the smell of nuts can bring on a severe attack. We need your cooperation! We kindly ask that you DO NOT send snacks to school that contain nuts or any nut products.
Please note that to ensure the continued safety of all students, the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board with the support of the Anaphylactic Society and the Peel Health Department has recommended that students not bring peanut butter alternatives (soy butter, sunflower butter) to school. We thank you for your cooperation in supporting student safety.
The Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board acknowledges the value of the use of technology for learning. Students are permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises and/ or board sanctioned events for educational purposes, under the direction of staff and only with parent/ guardian permission. Students may register their PED for the purpose of connecting to the board wireless network. Students are required to adhere to the student βPersonal Electronic Device Used with WI - FI Network Student Agreementβ (GF 337) and the βNetwork User Application and Agreementβ (GF066). Please be advised that the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board will not be responsible for any cost incurred through the use of personal data plans.
PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with learning; their use must comply with the Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and procedures. Any personal communications (i.e. phone calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through the main office. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in a loss of PED privileges and/ or any other consequences deemed necessary by school administration.
The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during school -sanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces and/ or in common areas. Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs at all times and the Board assumes no responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.
The safety of our students, staff and visitors remains our number one priority. The following policies will be implemented to ensure the safety of all students, staff and visitors
Please review the following Kiss and Ride Safety Expectations:
- Keep traffic flowing. Proceed as far to the stop sign as possible before stopping your vehicle.
- Have your child exit from the right side (passenger doors) of your vehicle.
- NO PARKING in Kiss and Ride.
- If you wish to wait and see your child enter the school, park in the designated areas and wait in the designated pick-up/drop off locations.
- DO NOT stop or park in Bus Lane (side of the school).
- The same expectations apply during rain/snow. Do not stop or drop your children off at the side of the school. This is a Bus Lane only.
- Please ensure you are courteous and respectful to all community members. We are all part of the St. Teresa of Avila family.
Whether itβs a medical appointment, an illness or other important event, there are times when students may need to be away from school. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District school board is introducing a new method for parents to report their child(ren)βs absences. Using the SafeArrival system, parents will be able to report daily or future absences in one of three ways:
Web:
- Go to the SafeArrival website at go.schoolmessenger.ca
- Select Sign Up to create your account. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
- Select Attendance.
- Select Report an Absence.
App:
- Download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Please note that SafeArrival uses the SchoolMessenger app.
- Select Sign-Up. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
- You will be prompted to enter your email (same email address your school has on file) and create a password.
- The system will send a link to the same email address the school has on file, please click on the link you have received in your email to activate your account.
Phone:
- Call the toll-free number 1-844-435-3440
- Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence.
- If the system doesnβt recognize your caller ID, you will be asked to enter the studentβs home phone number or any phone number for the guardian that is on file with the school.
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 outside the office for parents/guardians who are dropping off items.
Please label the item clearly with the CHILDβS NAME AND TEACHER.
If you plan on bringing your childβs lunch in the morning, let your children know that you will be leaving the lunch on the table at the main office.
All students who have been diagnosed by a doctor with asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, or seizures must have completed the necessary Plan of Care Forms. These forms only need to be completed once (unless the diagnosis or medication has changed) and they will be stored in your child's OSR.
If your child requires an epi pen or puffer and they must carry it on them at all times this must be clearly indicated on the Plan of Care, otherwise it will be stored in the main office. The Authorization for the storage and administration of medication must be completed annually.
If your child requires any other type of medicine to be taken during school hours (Advil, Tylenol etc. ) you must complete the Authorization for the storage and administration of medication form and it will be stored in the main office.
Please send the required forms and medicine to the main office in a clearly labelled bag.
If your child rides the bus daily, it is important that they are aware of the safety rules on the bus. Students are required to:
- Listen to the Bus Driver at all times and report any problems or injuries to him/her
- Go directly to their seat and remain seated during the entire bus ride
- Do not eat, drink, swear, fight or chew gum on the bus
- Do not put arms out the window, or throw items or garbage out the window
- Ensure that all sports equipment (especially sports balls) are packed away in a backpack or bag while on the bus.
- If any damage to the seat of bus is caused, students will be held responsible
- Be at least 5 minutes early at your bus stop to ensure that you don't miss the bus
Please review these rules with your child.
*All parents are encouraged to register with STOPR to receieve updates and infomation about route changes, delays, and cancellations. You will require your child's OEN in order to register
St. Teresa of Avila has partnered with Region of Peel Health in order to bring many healthy programs to our students. Our first program is called Playground Activity Leaders in Schools or PALs for short. Many students (grades 4-8) volunteered and wrote applications to be part of the program. They received several hours of instruction from a registered nurse with Peel Health on how to play healthy games and to help problem solve conflicts on the playground with younger primary students (grades 1-3). Our junior students are already developing leadership skills as they design games, actively promote the program and have been starting to play games with primary students at recess time. A special thank you to Ms. Speare and Ms. Braithwaite for their help with implementing the program and to Ms. Titanic, Public Health Nurse from the Region of Peel for helping to bring amazing initiatives and programs to our school.
