Father Daniel Zanon

Principal: N. Podobnik

Head Secretary: S. Santos

Catholic School Council Chairs: P. Magnone, P. Checchia

Superintendent of Mississauga East: D. Belchior

Catholic School Trustee Mississauga Ward 7: Bruno Iannicca

St. Catherine of Siena Parish

Email: FatherDanielZanonInfo@dpcdsb.org

Website: www.dpcdsb.org/ZANON
Location: 450 Hillcrest Ave Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Phone: 905-279-3722

Father Daniel Zanon School Hours

Supervision Begins 8:45 a.m.

School Begins 9:00 a.m.

Recess (a.m.) 11:08—11:23 a.m.

Lunch 12:03—1:03 p.m.

Recess (p.m.) 2:27—2:42 p.m.

Dismissal 3:30 p.m.

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 children.

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

WELCOME BACK!

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome both new and returning students, staff, and families to another school year. Father Daniel Zanon is truly an outstanding and welcoming school. The staff has been hard at work planning, preparing curriculum materials, and creating faith-filled and welcoming learning environments for all our students and we thank them for their amazing work. A huge thank you is also extended to Mr. Hernandez and the custodial team for their many hours of work over the summer - the school looks wonderful! Ms. Santos has also worked countless hours to ensure that the school year will be a great success – the unstinting commitment and dedication of staff to Father Daniel Zanon is both a gift and blessing to our school.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to new staff who will be joining us; Ms. Istaifan-Borello (SERC/SERT/ESL), Ms. Bordignon (Gr. 2/3 & ESL, LTO), Ms. Borges (Library/SERT), Ms. Castillo (ERW), Mr. Passarelli (CYW) and Ms. Chandler (Social Work). Please note; all classroom placements are tentative until after reorganization.

As a new school year begins, we are looking forward to working with all parents, students and staff as, together, we embrace the task of guiding students on the path of learning and achievement. In collaboration with our Parish team at St. Catherine of Siena Parish, our Catholic School Council, our Superintendent Dulcie Belchior and our Trustee Bruno Iannicca, we are committed to working to support the well-being and achievement of your children. As we move forward in the coming days and weeks, we welcome your input and involvement in the learning of your children. If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child(ren)’s teacher(s) or the office.

Together in Faith,

N. Podobnik

“Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.”

~ St. Thomas Aquinas ~

Sept 3 Welcome Back - First Day of School

Sept 10 Well Being Conference (Intermediate Students)

Sept 16 PA Day - Reorganization

Sept 19 Catholic School Council Meeting

Sept 23 - 27 Truth and Reconciliation Week

Sept 23 Earth Rangers Presentation

Sept 25 Picture Day

Sept 26 Open House/BBQ

Sept 27 Terry Fox Marathon of Hope

Sept 30 Orange Shirt Day - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

God created us to live together as a family rooted in Christ.

A faithful person …

• prays from the heart whenever they can

• learns from Bible stories

• believes that there is good in everyone

• knows that we are all created and loved by God

FAITH believes the incredible, sees the invisible, and receives the impossible. A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe, cared for, and included, especially at school.

FAITH is the great virtue of believing and trusting in God. Our faith helps us to remember the importance of God in our lives, and calls us to deepen our relationship with God, when things are going well and when they are not.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Make our faith greater.”

The Lord answered, “If you had faith as big as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree,

“Pull yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea!” and it would obey you.”

Luke 17:5-6

Let us now pray …for the grace and strength to be people of faith, people who can truly believe that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe at school.

AMEN.

“The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace.” ~ Blessed Teresa of Calcutta ~

FOR THE CRY OF THE EARTH

We pray that each one of us will hear and take to heart the cry of the Earth and of victims of natural disasters and climactic change, and that all will undertake to personally care for the world in which we live.

Catholic education views human life as an integration of body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in this vision, Catholic education fosters the search for knowledge as a lifelong spiritual and academic quest. The expectations of Catholic graduates, therefore, are described not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but in terms of values, attitudes and actions.

Vision of the Learner

The Graduate is expected to be:

1. A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God’s presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.

2. An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of gospel values

3. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good.

4. A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.

5. A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good.

6. A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community

7. A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life.

Ontario’s Catholic education system is not a duplicate of other school systems. While it adheres to Ministry of Education requirements, it does so from a Catholic perspective. The curriculum is enhanced by Gospel values. Teachers are professionally trained and committed to serving in Catholic schools. At the heart of Catholic education is the person of Jesus. Faith development is integral to every part of Catholic education, as students are called to respect the dignity of all human persons in a caring community. In the Catholic education system, home, school and parish form a vital partnership. Through participation in the community and involvement with the parish, students are guided by the Gospel values, principles and standards that reach into every facet of school life.

St Catherine of Siena Parish—2340 Hurontario St. Mississauga, Ontario L5B 1N1

Phone: 905-272-1454

Email: office@stcatherine.ca

Parish Team: Fr. Jose Gabriel Forero Martinez (Pastor), Fr. Tiziano Paolazzi (Associate Pastor), Fr. Santo Cigolini (In Residence), Deacon Roy Emmanuel

Weekday Masses: Mon—Fri 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Masses

Saturday 6:00 p.m. English

Sunday 8:30 a.m. English 2:30 p.m. Tagalog (3rd Sun of month only)

10:00 a.m. Italian 4:00 p.m. English

11:30 a.m. English 6:00 p.m. Misa en espanol

1:00 p.m. English

Please contact the parish for information regarding sacraments.

The theme chosen for the upcoming 2025 Catholic Education Week is: Catholic Education: Pilgrims of Hope L’éducation catholique: Pèlerins de l’espérance.

“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us.” (Letter on the Jubilee Year of Hope, February 11, 2022)

The five sub themes for Catholic Education week explore ways to live out Pope Francis’ call for each one of us to be Pilgrims of Hope…

• by honouring human dignity / honorent la dignité humaine (Monday)
• by caring for creation / prennent soin de la création (Tuesday)
• by responding to the poverties in our world / luttent contre les pauvretés (Wednesday)
• by serving in solidarity / servent en solidarité (Thursday)
• by living as peacemakers / vivent en artisans de paix (Friday)

Catholic Education Week Prayer

Hope is our calling, O Lord,

and the destination of our pilgrim journeys.

As we mark this Jubilee Year of hope,

keep our eyes focused on Jesus,

and on the hope he reveals to us.

All our hope is in you, O God, in the name of Jesus

our Lord and companion.

Amen

During these days in the first few weeks of school teachers will focus on topics such as:

• Entry and dismissal routines
• Movement in and around the school
• Transition times
• Eating lunch/ snacks, etc.
• Mental health and well-being check-ins
• Support Diagnostic assessment to plan for intervention to address learning gaps
• Getting to know their learners
• Building a faith-filled community

Some Reminders

• Please do your best to arrive to school on time! Students arriving late for class in the morning are missing valuable instruction time. Students can enter the yard with supervision at 8:45
• Please be reminded NOT TO PARK OR STOP your car for an extended period in the Kiss & Ride lane at anytime. Please observe parking signs. Please also do your best to move up in the Kiss & Ride lane to allow for as many cars as possible.
• Photography while on school property: Please refrain from any photography on school property due to privacy and safety concerns.
• We discourage adults from observing children during lunch and recess play time. We strive to maintain a safe environment at all times for our staff and students.
• All parents/guardians are encouraged to keep their distance and help us reduce the chance of crowding before and after school. Primary teachers work hard to ensure their students are safely connected with their parents or caregiver and that can be a challenge when visitors gather too close to the doors.

School Hours

Arrival

School begins at 9:00 a.m. There will be staff on duty beginning at 8:45 a.m. Therefore, please do not drop off your children at school before 8:45, as we will not have supervision available. This also applies during inclement weather days. Parents are not permitted to enter the school doors with their child(ren)

Inclement Weather

On inclement weather days, students may enter the building beginning at 8:45 from the either the front door or the door at the back of the school (Exit C- primary doors)

Dismissal:

We will be dismissing students at the conclusion of the school day, at 3:30pm. Students will be dismissed in the same area as they entered in the morning. If you have a child in grades K-3 teachers will wait with them until they are directly given to an adult listed on his/ her pick up list. Teachers will be asking parents to inform them of their dismissal plans. If you have an older child, please ensure that they know how they are getting home and with whom. Bus students will begin loading the bus as soon as the bus arrives.

Make a plan!

It is so important for families to always establish a plan for how children are getting home. Please be sure to share this plan with your child's teacher. If the plan should change, please be sure to let the school know, so we are aware.

With the Ministry of Education’s goal of reducing class sizes we, at times, find ourselves in a situation, where due to the enrollment, combined classrooms have to be created. New registrations have continued throughout this past week. We ask for your patience as we work to accommodate all of our families and students within our school community. There may be a need to reorganize CLASSES due to the enrollment. If this needs to occur it would be done on the P.A. Day scheduled for Monday September 16th. If your child’s class is affected, further information will be forwarded to you.

Our teachers are well trained in working with students of various abilities and skills. Whether a straight grade or a combined class, they provide opportunities for students to work in large groups, in smaller designed groups, as well as directly one to one with their teacher. Throughout much of the curriculum, the skills, process and overall concepts taught are similar, varying in depth and breadth of the information presented. We will work as a school team to do all we can to meet the needs of all our students. We would encourage all parents to maintain communication with their child’s teacher throughout the year so that together we can work to help each child reach their potential.

Your child(ren) will be receiving a package which contains a number of forms requiring your attention. You will receive both a hard and soft copy of the information as there are a number of links to be reviewed. Of particular importance is the Student Information Verification Form. We ask that you take a few minutes and check over this information to ensure that it is accurate. Please make any changes needed directly onto the sheet and return to your child’s teacher this week. Please add area codes for all phone numbers. ALL SHEETS NEED TO BE RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL as soon as possible, even if there are no corrections needed. It is very important that we have accurate phone numbers and emergency contact persons in case we need to contact you in an emergency.

Our School Picture day is taking place on Wednesday September 25th. Retakes will take place Friday November 8th.

Monday September 16th is a Professional Activity Day for staff. There will be no school for students. Staff will be involved in reorganization and faith development.

Here at Father Daniel Zanon School, we take every precaution to provide a safe learning environment for students, but accidents can and do happen. Some families have private accident insurance which is able to respond to costs arising from injuries. However, many families do not. As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board annually provides parents with information about cost-effective student accident insurance coverage via your child. Although enrollment is voluntary, the board strongly encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage, especially if their child/ children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if parents do not have dental insurance coverage. Parents alone have the right to insure their children. You may consider purchasing coverage for your child at www.insuremykids.com or by calling toll free at 1-800-463-KIDS (5437). Information about Student Accident Insurance will be available to parents/guardians on the Board’s Internet Main Page under the header “Parents.”

It is a requirement for the participation in excursions and/ or extra-curricular activities.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has implemented a new student absence reporting system that will make it easier for you to report your child’s absence from school. This new system is called SafeArrival.

With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of the following three convenient options:

1. Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home )

• The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account.
• Select Attendance then Report an Absence

2. Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home .

• The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account.
• Select Attendance then Report an Absence

3. Call the toll-free number 1.844.435.3440 to report an absence using the automated phone system. For Student Being Late to School or Early Departure from School.

• The automated message will prompt you to enter ABSENCE for student, and will ask if the student be ABSENT today, tomorrow etc.
• To this question, please say ‘yes’ to absent as the next question will be to enter the type of absence and will give you options of full day, late, early departure leave and return.
• The above 3 options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.
• Future absences can be reported at any time.

NOTE: For absences greater than five consecutive days, please call your child’s school directly.

Remember to: Please report absences in advance using SafeArrival instead of sending notes or calling/emailing the school.

Parents are welcome to drop off their child(ren)'s lunch to our lunch table. Please be sure it is labelled with their name and teacher. If children will be going home for lunch each day, it is our expectation that your child will go directly to their own home and then return to school. A written note signed by a parent/guardian will be required for any students who normally stay for lunch to go out for lunch. Students are encouraged to arrive at school with a full, reusable water bottle along with snacks and lunch each day. Please note delivery from third parties - uber eats etc. will not be accepted.

We would like to formally invite all of you to our Open House and Community BBQ!

The event will take place on: Thursday, September 26th, from 5:00pm- 7:00pm. We invite you all to come to the school and meet the teachers!

SchoolCash Online will be activated in the coming days for you to order food items that evening. We thank our Catholic School Council for organizing this amazing event.

On Friday September 27th. Fr. Daniel Zanon will participate in the annual Terry Fox Marathon of Hope. Thank you very much to Mme. Chiola Nakai and Mr. Shanahan for for organizing this wonderful event!

Truth and Reconcilation Week will take place from September 23 - 27 culminating with Orange Shirt Day on Monday September 30th.

As we begin a new school year, we would like to inform you that Father Daniel Zanon Catholic Elementary School, is an allergen aware school. There are pupils in attendance who suffer from severe and life-threatening allergies to certain foods, such as dairy, peanut and nut products. * Exposure to the smallest quantities can cause severe life-threatening reactions. Anaphylaxis is a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergen triggers are food, insect stings, mediations, exercise and latex. An anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems. The safety and well-being of all of our students is a priority. In order to ensure the safety and well-being of all pupils, we request that you NOT send any lunches or snacks that contain peanuts and/or tree nuts, including peanut butter substitute products. Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are aware of the food restrictions. Please avoid sending food for birthday or special occasions. There are many alternatives such as stickers and pencils. Should there be additional allergy concerns in specific classrooms, information will be shared by the classroom teacher. If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s teacher or the school staff. We appreciate your cooperation in supporting a safe learning environment for all pupils.

As we begin a new school year, we would like to inform you that at Father Daniel Zanon Catholic Elementary School continues to participate in ‘We Share the Air’, a Scent Sensitivity Awareness Campaign. There are students in attendance who suffer from life-threatening asthmatic conditions to air pollutants. Exposure even to minimal odours may cause potential life-threatening reactions.

Very common severe chemical triggers are: perfume, cologne, scented products and personal care products (such as hairspray). These products may cause severe reactions for students. The safety and well-being of all of our students is a priority.

In order to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, we request that our school community refrain from wearing scented personal products complying with our Scent Free Zone Campaign at school and all school events. Please ensure that all caregivers are also aware of our awareness campaign.

If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s teacher or the school staff.

We appreciate your cooperation in supporting a safe learning environment for all students.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medication and forms are updated annually. If your child requires medication please have all pertinent forms completed and returned with the medication to the office as soon as possible. A reminder that children are not allowed to keep any medication in their desk, backpack or classroom (with the exception of an epi-pen if allergies are severe and puffers/inhalers). All dispensing of medication requires medical permission and must be stored in the office. As well, should your child receive a concussion, either at/away from school, please inform us. Physician authorization to return to school is now required. Required Physician forms are in the School Office. Please contact Ms. Santos if you have any questions.

The distance criteria for transportation eligibility must be more than:

• 1.0 kilometer Kindergarten and Grade 1
• 1.6 kilometers for Grades 2 – 4
• 2.0 kilometers for Grades 5 – 8
• 3.8 kilometers for Grades 9 – 1

If your child is moving to grade 2, grade 5, or grade 9 in the 2024-2025 school year, their eligibility status for transportation may be changing. Eligibility information can be accessed at the website noted below. All transported kindergarten and grade 1 students are required to be met by a parent/ caregiver when disembarking from their bus on their return trip from school.

A Courtesy Transportation Form can be submitted if you would like to be considered for Courtesy Bussing. Please see link TFL004 Courtesy Transportation Request.pdf

to complete the Courtesy Transportation form which is available on the STOPR website. Completed copies are to be submitted to the main office for processing. The school will inform the family if a seat has been granted. We will only reach out to you if and when a seat is granted.

Please note:

A courtesy seat may be granted if all the following conditions are met:

1. a seat is available on the bus

2. the bus stop already exists in the current school year.

3. the bus run is not a school-to-school transfer run.

The school Principal may approve students to courtesy seats taking into consideration the following conditions:

1. student age;

2. distance from home to school;

3. date and time request was received;

4. enrolment stability;

5. maximum allowed riders:

During the school year, courtesy transportation may be withdrawn at any time for any of the following conditions:
1. Seating is required for eligible students
2. Altering the route is necessary
3. Student behaviour that is unacceptable

The STOPR website provides up to date delay and inclement weather cancellation information in addition to policy, procedures and frequently asked question. Please consider registering for notice of alerts regarding issues such as buses running behind schedule. The STOPR website also allows parents to access information specific to “what school do I attend” and “am I eligible for transportation”. This site also provides parents access to specific bus stop location and pick up and drop off times for their children if eligible for transportation.

Telephone: STOPR: Phone: 905 890-6000 Toll free: 1-800 668-1140

Throughout the year school personnel review safety procedures with the students on a number of topics. Emergency evacuation/fire drills are conducted to ensure that everyone is aware of the procedures to follow in order to exit the building safely. Our School Board has also established Hold and Secure and Lockdown procedures should a high-risk incident involving weapons occur on school property, that could endanger the lives and/or the safety of students and/or staff. We will continue to practice the Emergency Lockdown Procedures and Fire Evacuation procedures throughout the school year.

A safety reminder to all students that bikes, scooters and roller blades are to be walked both on and off the school property. Bikes are to be locked in the bike racks. We do not have facilities to store or secure roller blades or scooters, so there is an added risk of damage or theft and they are not encouraged to be brought to school. The school is not responsible for these items. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Once again this year, teachers will be distributing agendas to the students in grades 1-6 that are used to develop their organizational skills as well as facilitate communication regarding homework, deadlines and special events. Please take some time to look over the agenda with your child, it is filled with useful information, including the Catholic Code of Conduct. It is particularly important to emphasize that the agenda is to be used daily to assist your child in organizing his/her time and to keep parents informed as to what is happening in class and in the school. It is a great vehicle to jot down a short note to the teacher and the teacher can respond in the same way. Students may use the agenda and/or organizational tools in the learning management system for their class. Thanks to our parent council for their support of student agendas.

The safety of all children is a primary concern. As you are aware, we do have a buzzer entry system. We are asking all visitors, including parents to come to the office through the front door, ring the buzzer and await a response. In doing so, we will be able to welcome you, ask you to sign in and wear a visitor tag while in the building. Not only with this process help to keep our students safe, it will allow our staff to get to know parents more quickly. We thank you for your cooperation in this very important protocol. In instances where your child is picked up early from school, we will verify that the person picking up the child is an authorized person for pick up. If the person is not recognizable, it may be necessary to request to see photo identification.

We are looking for some more dynamic members of our community who may wish to support the school as a lunch monitor! The commitment level could be whatever is manageable - if you wish to support everyday, amazing! If you can only commit to one or a few days a week, that is great too! If you want to be considered for on-call support- that is also welcome!

To apply, please contact the office. You will require a valid (less than 6 months old) Vulnerable Sector Level 3 Police Check.

Come join our amazing team!

PLASP’s before and after school programs for kindergarten and school aged children are located in the school so your pickups and drop-offs are all in one place!

PLASP programs are a safe place for your child to connect, play, and get some energy out!

Our programs:

• Meet the high standards set out by the Ministry of Education

• Adhere to strict COVID-19 safety protocols

• Our staff members are warm, nurturing and caring people who connect well with children, families and the community.

• Are staffed by Registered Early Childhood Educators, as well as members of the Ontario College of Teachers, Child and Youth Workers (CYW) & Child and Youth Practitioners (CYC)

• Accept fee subsidies from the Region of Peel and City of Toronto

Before School programs operate from 7:30 a.m. until school starts and include breakfast daily. After School programs begin at school dismissal, include a substantial daily snack, and run until 6:00 p.m.

PLASP Child Care Services is a charitable organization, operating on a not-for-profit basis, providing award winning programs for children, for more than 40 years.

Register at https://www.plasp.com/ or call 647-484-4372 for more information

For safety and efficiency reasons, we would like to reduce the amount of cash & cheques coming into our school. Please join the thousands of parents who have already registered and are enjoying the convenience of paying ONLINE! It takes less than 5 minutes to register.

Our goal is to reach 100% of our families using School Cash Online. We have found that SchoolCashOnline dramatically increased the efficiency and security of money coming into the school, reducing much of the time required when dealing with money.

If you need help with registering, please call our office and we would be happy to help you.

We thank you for supporting schoolcashonline.

As we begin a new school year, we continue to have the opportunity to be a part of a successful Ontario Eco Schools Program. The program aims to develop environment education and action within our community. We are very proud of our gold status.

Tips For An Eco-Friendly Back to School

Reusable Water Bottles: Avoid all of the wasteful plastic and pollution that is created from single use plastic water bottles. The tap water in our schools is safe, tasty and free! Help us turn our throw-away culture into a culture of conservation.

Active and Safe Routes to School: It is encouraged that if you live close enough, and are able to, consider walking with your child to school or allowing your child to ride a bike to and from school by following the Walk to School Route signs posted in the neighborhood. This will encourage a healthy and active living for all.

Paper Usage: Consider implementing a GOOS (Good On One Side) bin in your home to ensure that paper is used on both sides. Check notebooks from last year to see if they contain empty pages and can be used again.

Idle Free Zone: If you will be driving your child to and from school, please keep in mind that idling cars are harmful to the lungs of our students and our planet. Please turn off your car while waiting. Help us keep our air clean.

We will keep you informed over the course of the year as initiatives are being implemented and update you on our progress.

We will be holding our first Catholic School Council Meeting on Thursday September 19th at 6:00 p.m. in our school Library. All parents are welcome to attend.

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