St. Veronica

St. Veronica Catholic Elementary School

Trustees: L. del Rosario and T. Thomas

Superintendent: P. Cusumano

Principal: N. Laporte

Head Secretary: L. Magi

Email: VeronInfo@dpcdsb.org

Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/VERON

Location: 680 Novo Star Dr., Mississauga, ON L5W 1C7
Phone: 905-696-6980

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God our Father,

I know that I have much to learn

from other people

who reflect Your image and likeness

in different ways.

Inspire me to respect others fully

as my equals,

seeing and loving in them

what you see and love in them.

Amen.

Dear Families,

St. Veronica continues to be a vibrant, active, faith-filled community and this month will bring us many opportunities to celebrate, reflect, grow, and pray. We look forward to learning more about Black History Month, recognizing St. Valentine's Day and our mental health and well-being. We will be providing opportunities for our students to make thoughtful and meaningful contributions to their faith and community.

Now that we have finished term 1 and as the school year moves along, we continue to see growth in your children. We look forward to our second term in which the students are encouraged to continue to strive to be the best that they can be.

February is also a time for reflection and giving thanks for the many blessings we have in life. I would like to pause to acknowledge and express gratitude for:

OUR STUDENTS, for their enthusiasm, laughter and spirit, and for their continued hard work, determination and perseverance.

OUR PARENTS/GUARDIANS, for your continued cooperation, commitment and support for your child's learning and growth.

OUR STAFF, for their dedication and hard work in support of student achievement and well-being, for their commitment in ensuring that our students are learning in a safe, caring and inclusive Catholic environment.

OUR MRS. MAGI, for always addressing the daily needs of our students, families and staff, for showing genuine care and concern when students get hurt, and for answering many questions and concerns.

OUR CUSTODIAL STAFF, for their efforts to ensure that our school is safe, clean and an inviting place to work and learn.

OUR TRUSTEEs OF THE BOARD, Mrs. Luz del Rosario and Mr. Thomas Thomas, and OUR SUPERINTENDENT, Mr. Cusumano for their continued guidance and support.

OUR CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL, for working tirelessly at providing valuable and positive enhancements for students and the school community.

OUR PARISH TEAM, for their spiritual guidance and the celebrations that they share with us.

We will continue to find ways to open our hearts to one another. Take care.

N. Laporte

Principal

Please see below for a link to Trustee del Rosario's and T. Thomas newsletter.

Our Catholic School Council is hard at work providing many wonderful opportunities for our students at St. Veronica CES. They hosted our Family Movie Night on January 31 and sold many bags of popcorn and hundreds of sour keys. They enjoyed it so much, the council is planning another movie night, this time just for our students in grades 6 to 8.

As well, the council has been working hard to raise some funds for students activities. They recently finished the Cobs Bread fundraiser and looking towards the spring fundraiser. We hope you like donuts!

The next meeting for our council is on Thursday, February 6 at 6:30 pm in the library. All are welcome to attend.

Our Catholic School Council is hosting a voluntary movie night for students in grades 6 to 8 on Friday, February 21 at 5:30 pm. They will be showing "Spider Man: Across the Spider-Verse" in our school gym.

Admission is free. Pizza slices are available for sale $2.25 and must be pre-ordered using SchoolCash Online only. Popcorn and sour keys will be available for sale prior to the movie starting (cash only). Students are invited to bring a reusable water bottle.

Students attending must be a current student of St. Veronica and have a signed permission form (see attached). This is a student-only event. Students will be supervised by Ms. Laporte and Catholic School Council members. Families are responsible for dropping off and picking up their child(ren). Forms must be returned by Thursday, February 13, 2025.

Thank you to our Catholic School Council for hosting this wonderful event.

February 1 - 28 - Black History Month

February 6 - National Sweater Day

February 7 - Virtue Liturgy

February 10 - 14 - Scholastic Book Fair

February 11 - Report Cards sent home

February 13 - Interview evening

February 14 - PA day - interviews

February 14 - St. Valentine's Day

February 15 - Flag Day

February 17 - Family Day (no school)

February 18 - Rosary Apostolate

February 18 - Junior Boys' Basketball POD tournament

February 19 - Junior Girls' Basketball POD tournament

February 21- French Winter Carnival

February 21 - Grade 6-8 Movie Night

February 25 - Black History Month Liturgy

February 26 - Pink Shirt Day

February 27 - Intermediate Dance lessons start

February 28 - Grad Photos and Class Photos

Our junior girls and boys have been hard at work during basketball tryouts and practices for this year. Once teams have been selected, they will participate in a pod style one-day tournament with other schools from our family of schools.

We would like to thank Mrs. Adebajo and Mr. Romen for coaching our students.

We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring that products which contain allergens are not brought into the school. Please do not send in any type of food treats for Valentine's Day. Some alternative suggestions are cards, pencils, erasers, crayons, stickers etc.

Every February, people across Canada recognize Black History Month. During Black History Month, we celebrate the history and the many contributions of Black Canadians and their communities who have done so much to make Canada a great country. Black Canadians have been a part of shaping Canada’s identity since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa, a navigator, and interpreter, who arrived in Canada in the early 1600s. The role of Black Canadians and their communities in Canada used to be ignored in Canada’s history. For the month of February, we will be sharing some information about Black Brilliance and Joy on our announcements.

We are thrilled to have our Youth Faith Ambassadors lead us in a Black History Month presentation and liturgy on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:15pm. The theme of the presentation will be '"Black History 365: A Look Back, A Look Within, A Look Ahead." This theme aims to celebrate and acknowledge past and present contributions and the cultivation of hope for Black futures.

This theme also aligns with the 2025 them of Catholic Education Week: Pilgrims of Hope where we have been invited to rediscover the theme of hope and the meaning of hope in our lives. As such, the events planned for this month are rooted in the virtue of Hope. Our YFAs will lead students through an intentional celebration of the rich history, contributions and achievements of Black communities. We look forward to what the YFAs will share with the school community.

As part of our commitment to learning and teaching culturally relevant and responsive curriculum, we are continuing to grow and expand our library collection to reflect our students and their cultures.

Also, once a week, teachers from kindergarten to grade 8 will be reading a wide variety of identity affirming texts (provided by the school board) with their class. Students will engage in discussions and activities based on the texts.

We look forward to continuing to have books available that represent and reflect the students at St. Veronica CES.

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to St. Veronica! Mark your calendars for Monday, February 10 to Friday, February 14!

Follow this link for more information and book previews.

Kindergarten to grade 4

• Students will visit the fair to create wish lists. If you would like to send money to school, they will be able to purchase items that have been approved by you on Tuesday - Thursday, and Monday.

Grade 5 to 8 students

• Students will be assisting younger students with wish lists.
• Students may come to the fair during open shopping times (end of the day, Monday - Friday) to make any purchases. Students will be trusted to make their own purchases, and we will not check for wish lists.

Families

• We are happy to be able to welcome families back to the fair this year!
• The fair will be open after school and during parent-teacher interview night on Thursday February 13th from 3-7:30 pm.
• Credit and debit cards are accepted!

Students can enter the Book Fair Draw to win a $25 for a chance to win $25 in free books, plus $25 for their classroom teacher!

All purchases from the book fair help to support our St. Veronica students and staff. We appreciate your support!

The Forest of Reading program has begun! Students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 will be reading books from the Blue Spruce collection with Ms. de Leon. Students in Grades 4-8 will be able to sign out books from the Silver Birch program.

The Forest of Reading program helps foster a love of reading in our students and to “celebrate Canadian books, publishers, authors and illustrators.” It is a great opportunity to explore books from our own country and to experience new authors, genres and styles of books. My favourite part of the program is that kids have the opportunity to vote for their favourite book (which makes so much sense as the books are written for them!). So often every book in the program ends up being someone’s favourite!

Thank you to Ms. de Leon for organizing these amazing reading opportunities for our students.

Thursday, February 6, 2025 we are celebrating National Sweater Day

National Sweater Day is a WWF campaign that raises awareness around energy conservation.

Since 2010, more than a million Canadians have shown their support for limiting global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius by turning down their thermostats by the same amount (or more!) and wear their favourite sweater to stay warm.

Students are encouraged to wear their favourite sweater on Monday to help raise awareness to climate change!

Families can also participate at home by turning down the thermostat and wearing your favourite sweaters.

Celebrating Pink Shirt Day

Wednesday, February 26 is Pink Shirt Day. St. Veronica CES will be sharing the message that we will not tolerate bullying. We encourage staff and students to wear pink on February 26 in our continued efforts to be accepting and inclusive of others.

Get your smiles ready! St. Veronica CES graduation photos for our Grade 8 students will take place on Friday, February 28.

Classes who did not have the chance to have their class photo taken in the fall, will have the opportunity to take a class photo on this day as well.

St. Francis Xavier Parish

Mass Schedule

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5:00 pm

Sunday Mass: 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm, 1:30 pm,

Daily Mass (Monday to Friday): 8:00 am; 7:00 pm

Daily Mass (Saturday): 7:30 am

Email: stfrancisxaviermi@archtoronto.org
Website: https://stfrancisxaviermi.archtoronto.org/en/
Location: 5650 Mavis Road, Mississauga, ON L5V 2N6
Phone: 905-890-5290

Mrs. Adebajo's class along with Mme Bozzo are preparing a virtue liturgy for students on Friday, February 7 at 1:15 pm. All are welcome to attend.

During the month of February, we will focus on the virtue of Respect.

God wants us to treat all people with the respect they deserve.

A respectful person ....

• sees God's presence in themselves and others
• uses a positive tone of voice and body language
• avoids gossip, swearing, name-calling, put-downs, and inappropriate gestures
• says 'Excuse me,' 'Please,' 'Thank you'

We all deserve to be treated respectfully by others. However, in order to be respected, it is important to RESPECT ourselves. Everyone has a right to go to a school where they feel safe and included. We should expect to be treated with respect by everyone we meet - our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Mutual respect is the way we live in harmony with one another. Respect for others, their property and the environment is our responsibility.

Let us now pray for the virtue of respect so that everyone we meet will feel like we are their brother or sister in Christ. AMEN.

I AM A LEARNER FOR LIFE!

• I use my gifts and talents given to me by God
• I always do my best
• I build on my strengths and weaknesses
• I set goals
• I accept change
• I am proud of the good things I do
• I am thankful for the gifts of others

Because I am a learner for life, I can reach for my dreams, by living my life like Jesus.

Pretzels from Dimpflmeier Bakery will be available for sale on SchoolCashOnline beginning February 1st.

$2.50 each (95 gram Pretzel) with proceeds going to ShareLife. Order them for you, your family, your friends and/or neighbors! Order deadline is Friday, March 28, 2025.

Pretzels will be distributed on Holy Thursday, April 17, 2025.

Order deadline: . Please use link below to order.

We encourage families in our school community to contact the parish to inquire about registering for the sacraments.

Report Cards

First term report cards and FDK communication of learning will be emailed to your child's school email account as of Tuesday, February 11, 2025. To access the report card, you will need your child’s DPCDSB email (for example 123456789@educ.dpcdsb.org) and password. Student email accounts can be accessed in the DPCDSB Student Dashboard by selecting the icon Student Board Email.

We understand that some families prefer a hard copy of the report card. You may request a printed copy by contacting the school office, and we will be more than happy to assist you.

Term 2

The second term for students begins on Friday, January 31.

Interviews with teachers, DECE's, ERW's, French, Planning Time staff will occur on the evening of Thursday, February 13 and throughout the day on Friday, February 14. Please note that there will be no school for students on Friday, February 14.

We continue to use the on-line booking system to book interviews. Click here to book. Please book by Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at noon.

If you are unable to book online or would like a phone interview, please contact your child’s teacher and they will book one for you.

Monday, February 17 is Family Day and there will be no school for students and staff. We hope you enjoy your day with your family and loved ones.

Math at Home

Are you looking for ways to engage your family in math activities at home? Connect learning between school and home with the Board's Math@Home newsletters.

This month the focus is on mental math. Have fun trying out the suggested activities at home.

Please see the link below for the Thrive newsletter for February.

Thank you for continuing to follow our Kiss & Ride procedures and helping to keep everyone in our school community safe. Please see the following guidelines when using the Kiss & Ride program at St. Veronica.

Please:

• Drive your vehicle to the top of the Kiss and Ride Lane,
• Fully stop your vehicle,
• Have your child/ren exit the vehicle by the right-hand side door only
• Only kindergarten families are allowed to exit their vehicle to assist in removing child/ren from car seats,
• Cautiously proceed into the Drive-Thru Lane once all children have left your vehicle and leave the Kiss and Ride area.

Please Do Not park or leave your vehicle unattended in the Kiss & Ride lanes.

We kindly ask that you park your car in our parking lot and walk your child to the school yard if you wish to accompany your child to the playground. Please ensure that your child is never allowed to cross through the parking lot and/or kiss and ride alone.

Please note that the front of the school driveway is designated for school buses only. Children should not be dropped off or picked up at the front of the school - unless they are late or leaving early.

We thank you for your continued support in making our kiss & ride a safe and effective process.

Please be reminded that this year, March Break will be from Monday, March 10 to Friday, March 14 inclusive. Students and staff will return to school on Monday, March 17.

Kindergarten registration is now open. If you did not have an opportunity to register your child at St. Veronica CES, please use the link provided below.

On Saturday, August 23, 2025, STOPR (Student Transportation of Peel Region) will be holding their FIRST TIME RIDER SAFETY PROGRAM for ALL kindergarten children.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to participate by bringing your kindergarten children and elementary age siblings to a one-hour safety session. A bus ride, on-board instruction and a school bus safety video are part of this informative, fun safety program. Sessions start at 9:00 am and run every 30 minutes until 12:00 noon.

More information is available in the spring.

Students should come dressed appropriately for the winter weather including:

• winter hat
• mittens/gloves
• scarf/neck warmer
• winter boots
• snow pants (highly recommended for primary and junior students)
• winter jacket

We have a variety of hats, mittens, gloves and scarves available at the office to share with students should they forget these items at home. Students are encouraged to stop by the office to get them as needed.

To be allowed on the field when there is snow:

• K-6 Grades - MUST wear snow pants, snow boots, gloves and a winter jacket. If they are missing any one of these items they are to remain on the asphalt
  
• 7-8 Grades - MUST wear snow boots and a winter jacket. If they are missing any one of these items they are to remain on the asphalt.

For health and safety reasons, students must wear their indoor shoes while inside the school. Students cannot walk through the school with wet boots or shoes. For their safety and comfort they need to have indoor shoes. Please note that in the event of an emergency evacuation, students will not have the opportunity to put boots on.

Where possible, please put identification on your child’s belongings. Throughout the winter the lost and found box fills up with unidentified clothing.

Often during the winter season we have students, for various reasons, coming to the office with wet clothes from playing outside during recess. We recommend, for the younger students, that you place an extra pair of pants, a shirt and socks in their backpacks or in a clearly labelled Ziploc bag for storage in their class cubby. This would help to avoid bothering parents at work when these situations occur.

During the winter season, the school receives calls from concerned parents as to how we determine when children will or will not be allowed outside for recess. Dufferin‐Peel CDSB Policy uses a Wind Chill factor of ‐20 C (website we use) as the determining temperature. Students will not be sent outside for recess if it is colder than this.

We also receive numerous requests to allow children to remain indoors when students have a cold, flu, etc. Please note that we cannot comply, as we neither have the facilities nor the staff to supervise these students. If your child is not feeling well we encourage you to keep them home to avoid the spread of illness. The expectation is that all children will go outdoors for recess and the lunch break.

Snow season is here. Please ensure that your child is properly dressed for outdoor play in winter. It is a school expectation that all students go outside for recess and outdoor learning for exercise and fresh air. If your child is unable to go outside for recess because of illness, please consider keeping them home until they are feeling better.

We would appreciate your support in reinforcing the school rule that all snow stays on the ground. For everyone’s safety we do not allow snowballs, kicking snow, or any other snow\ice activity that could lead to potential harm or injury. Also, no one owns the snow.

The present board policy, if school buses are cancelled in a specific zone or in multiple zones, ALL schools in that zone will remain open to students and staff. While students unable to attend in person due to transportation cancellations are not required to access learning materials in the Google Classroom, they can if they choose to. Learning activities posted in Google Classroom specifically for inclement weather days provide opportunities for consolidation, curriculum enrichment or practice of skills already taught.

Please note: we are in zone 1.

If there is a full system closure, where all DPCDSB schools and facilities are closed to students and staff, there is no switch to synchronous learning for the day.

Similar to bus cancellation days, students can access learning activities posted in Google Classroom specifically for inclement weather days that provide opportunities for consolidation, curriculum enrichment or practice of skills already taught.

Daily attendance and punctuality are very important and all students should be prepared to start their day of learning on time and with their classmates.

Thank you to all parents who have been calling the school and using the Safe Arrival website or app when your child has been absent due to an illness or an appointment.

To use the Safe Arrival School Messenger program, use the link provided below or you can down load and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Please note that SafeArrival uses the SchoolMessenger app.

Alternatively, you can call the toll-free number 1-844-435-3440. Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence.

We continue to monitor students who arrive at St. Veronica CES after our school start time. Our school times are 8:30 am for the morning and 12:30 pm for the afternoon classes. It is very important to be punctual for school at every grade level. The routine of being prepared for the beginning of classes on a daily basis ensures that each day gets off to a good start. Teachers often begin with an overview of the schedule and events for the day. Students who arrive even a few minutes late for school not only disrupt their classes but also place themselves at a disadvantage because they have missed valuable instructional time.

We ask for your continued assistance in ensuring your child/children arrive at school no later than 8:30 am.

St. Veronica CES is an allergen aware school. We have a number of students in our school who have severe, life threatening allergies to peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils, any peanut/nut by-products and dairy products. As in the past, we are asking you to not put any child at risk. Therefore, we are asking that peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils, and peanut/but by-products not be brought into the school.

We are also asking parents not to send food items to school when celebrating your child's birthday. If you would like to send something, please consider alternatives such as pencils, stickers, etc.

We thank you for your continued understanding and support of the safety and well-being of all students.

Even when it appears insignificant, we inform parents/guardians of all reported head injuries at school. We do this in recognition of the potential danger of any injury involving the head area.

Our intent is not to alarm you, but to keep you informed. Please remind your child to let a staff member know if they bump their head or they get hurt at school.

If you are planning to move out of the St. Veronica CES area or you change your address within our boundaries, please let the office know as soon as possible.

Please keep us informed of any address, phone number or medical changes for your children. It is of the upmost importance that our records be up to date. If your child should get sick or hurt, we must have accurate contact information.