St Richard Community Newsletter
December 2023
St Richard Info
Principal: T. Brancalion
Head Secretary: G. Falotico
Superintendent of Schools: Laura Odo (905)-890-1221
Trustee: Brea Corbet (905)-301-9373
Parish: St. John of the Cross Parish (905) 821-1331
Email: RICHAInfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/richa
Location: 7270 Copenhagen Road, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Phone: 905-826-5572
Twitter: @StRichardDPCDSB
Advent Season
God of light, shine forth, show us how to bring hope to others.
God of mercy, help us to comfort your people and share their joy.
God of hope, make us an Advent people, preparing the way for life in all its fullness.
Amen
Advent is a time of waiting and quiet preparation. As we participate in the season of Advent, and prepare for the coming of Jesus, may we continue to show generosity to those in need and reflect God’s love in all that we say and do. On behalf of the staff of Divine Mercy, Merry Christmas to you and your family. May the peace of the Advent season, the joy of Christmas, and the excitement of a new year be a part of your celebrations. Wishing you and your families a blessed Christmas and a safe and joyful New Year.
Virtue of the Month: Hope
A hopeful person is…
· inspired and inspires others
· optimistic
· one who seeks good things from life
· one who sees the good in the world
Catholic School Council
Catholic School Council 2023-2024
Our Catholic School Council met for our first meeting on Wednesday, September 20th 2023.
Welcome to our new members.
Neisma Peredo Chair
Magda Kaniewski Co-Chair
Renata Bieniek Treasurer
Lynn Rockett Secretary
David Randall Parish Representative
Cynthia Sudeyko Voting Member
Stephanie Giorgio Voting Member
Michael Freeze Voting Member
Milena Piasentin Voting Member
Please see below for our 2023-2024 Meeting Dates:
Wednesday, January 17th @ 6:30
Monday, February 12th @ 6:30
Wednesday, April 10th @ 6:30
Wednesday, May 8th @ 6:30
Please note all meetings will be hybrid. You can request the link the week before each meeting if you choose to join virtually
Christmas Season Schedule
St John of the Cross Parish Info
First Communion Registration Meetings
Sunday, January 21, 2024 7:00pm @ Church
Tuesday, January 23, 2024 7:00pm @ Church
Enrolment Ceremony (All Masses)
Saturday, January 27, 2024
Sunday , January 28, 2024
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Ash Wednesday February 14, 2024
Easter Sunday March 31, 2024
First Communion Masses
Saturday April 13, 2024 10:30am @ Church
Sunday, April 14, 2024 2:00pm @ Church
Saturday, April 20, 2024 10:30am @ Church
Sunday, April 21, 2024 2:00pm @ Church
5 Classes/Sessions 9am-12 Noon (Saturdays only)
November 11th and November 25th 2023
December 9th 2023
January 20th 2024
February 10th 2024
Confirmation Retreat Saturday 9am-12:00
February 24, 2024 and March 2, 2024
Confirmation Dates-Celebrant Fr. Joyson George
Tuesday, April 9th 2024 @ 7pm
Thursday, April 11th 2024 @ 7pm
Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 @7pm
1st Friday Holy Mass
1st Friday of the month Holy Mass followed by Adoration and Benediction
Friday December 1st at 9:00am and 7:00pm in the church
Community Rosary starts 30 minutes before each Mass
Christmas Joy Market
The Catholic Women's League invites you to their Christmas Joy Market
Saturday December 2nd at 9:30am to 3:00pm in the Nessinger Hall
A number of vendors will showcase various items like handmade crafts, accessories, home/bath/body items, homemade baked goods, etc.
Women's Christmas Cheers
The Parish Women's Group is inviting all ladies to a potluck event with games, laughter, raffles, prizes, etc.
Saturday December 2nd at 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the Nessinger Hall
Please click here to signup: https://forms.gle/R47VgHxA3McQn66LA
Gift Card Drive
The St. Vincent De Paul Society invites you to help families in need this Christmas Season
Buy a gift card, attach the receipt to it, and place it in the box in the parish office
The deadline to donate is Sunday December 3rd
Parish Advent Mission
The Parish is holding their annual Advent Mission led by Fr. Joseph Selva SJ
Monday December 4th to Wednesday December 6th at 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the Church
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
The Parish invites you to celebrate Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Friday December 8th at 9:00am and 7:00pm in the Church
Feast Mass of Our Patron Saint
The Parish invites you to celebrate the Feast Mass of our patron saint St. John of the Cross
Wednesday December 13th at 7:00pm in the Church
A reception hosted by the 3rd Order Lay Carmelites will follow after Mass
Archdiocesan Consultation Planning
Archbishop Francis Leo is inviting the Catholic community to share thoughts and ideas regarding future pastoral planning in the Archdiocese of Toronto.
Please visit: www.archtoronto.org/consultation to share your insights and ideas which will inform a renewed Pastoral Plan to be used in the years ahead.
The deadline to complete the online survey is Friday December 15th
New Year's Eve Dinner & Dance
The Catholic Women's League invites you to their New Year's Eve Dinner & Dance
Sunday December 31st at Versailles Convention Centre on 6721 Edwards Blvd. in Mississauga
Ticket Prices after November 25th, $85 per adult and $70.00 per child (age 10 & below)
Please email sjocrosscwl@archtoronto.org for tickets and info
Bereavement Grief Sessions
The Parish invites you to bereavement sessions
6 week session starting Monday January 8th at 10:00am to 12:00pm at the Parish
Please contact Muriel Haney at muriel1066@bell.net for more information
Parish Bible Study
The Parish invites you to a Bible study on the Gospel of John
8 week study starting Tuesday January 16th at 7:00pm to 8:30pm in the Nessinger Hall
Registration fee is $35.00 for the workbook
Knight of Hearts Valentine Dinner & Dance
The Knights of Columbus invites you to their annual Knight of Hearts Valentine Dinner & Dance
Saturday February 10th at Apollo Convention Centre on 6591 Innovator Dr. in Mississauga
Tickets will be available in early January -- stay tuned for updates.
Altar Server Award Recipients
Congratulations to the five SJOC Altar Servers who recently received the Bishop's Altar Server Award including St. Richard's own Liam Randall (Grade 7)
Please contact the parish office at 905-821-1331 to signup
Please email sjocrosscwl@archtoronto.org for tickets and info
Please see below for the Knight of Columbus Keep Christ in Christmas Poster Contest
The Knights of Columbus are having their annual Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest for kids from ages 4 to 14.
The entry form can be collected from the Parish office or use the file attached.
The drawing must be submitted along with the entry form to the Parish Office by Sunday December 17th.
St Vincent de Paul Gift Card Drive
In the season of Advent and preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ the St. Richard Catholic Elementary school community will once again be working with the St. Vincent de Paul Society supporting the Christmas campaign for families who are in need. The St. Vincent de Paul Society serves over 100 families in our local community. We are hoping you can support this worthy cause by purchasing gift cards for our neighbours in need.
This year St Vincent de Paul will be using the gift cards we collect to purchase food in January for our neighbours in need. Some suggestions for stores would be Walmart, FreshCo, Superstore, No Frills, and the Dollar store.
St. Richard donors have always been very generous, and we hope that you will continue in your generosity by supporting families at this time of the year. There is no set denomination for the gift card as we are grateful for whatever you are able to contribute, however, we are kindly requesting that you include a receipt of the balance on the gift card.
We value your generosity as this project is only possible through your charitable and thoughtful spirit. We ask that you send all gift cards to the school by Tuesday, December 19th 2023. Thank you in advance for your continued support.
Candy Gram Sales for Spirit Week
During our Christmas Spirit week we will be selling Candy Grams at the office every day at last recess. The cost of the Candy Grams are $1.00.
Christmas Cookies Every Friday
We will be selling Christmas cookies every Friday in December. The cost of the cookies is $2.00 and all money raised will be donated to ShareLife. We also have vegan and gluten free options. Please see the email that was sent out for all ingredients.
St Richard Advent Mass Monday, December 11th
Please join us at 6:00pm on Monday, December 11th at St John of the Cross Parish for our Advent Mass. Thank you to our Catholic School council for providing treats and refreshments for the event.
Black Creek Field Trip Wednesday, December 13th
Our grade 2 and 3 students will be going to Black Creek on Wednesday, December 13th
Bus Safety Presentations Thursday, December 14th
We will be having bus safety presentation for all students on Thursday, December 14th
St Richard Christmas Concert Tuesday, December 19th
Please join us On Tuesday, December 19th to watch our students perform in our Christmas Concert. We ask that you please choose either the 9:00am concert or the 1:00pm concert.
Christmas Break December 25th - January 7th
We hope you and your loved ones have a safe and peaceful Christmas Break. We look forward to seeing you all back at school on Monday, January 8th 2024
Popcorn Days are back!!
We are pleased to announce that Ms. Brathwaite will be selling popcorn again this year.
Popcorn will be on sale every Tuesday.
The cost of the popcorn is $2.00 Please send exact change if possible.
Pizza Days are Back!
Pizza Days are Back!
We are excited to let you know that pizza will also be available for purchase on pizza days. The cost of the pizza will be $2.50. Please try to send exact change with your child.
December
5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21
January
16, 18, 23, 25, 30
February
1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
March
5, 7, 19, 21, 26, 28
April
2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30
May
2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30
June
4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20
Lunch Lady Every Wednesday!
The Lunch Lady school lunch program is coming to St Richard on Wednesday's starting October 4th!
Please see the link below to set up an account. You will need to enter your child's name and select your child's teacher information as a part of your account information.
Lunch options include kid favourites such as pasta, burgers, grilled cheese, shepherd's pie, as well as many "breakfast for lunch", vegetarian, gluten free and halal options. There's even a specialized "Little Lunches" menu for our younger students to enjoy!
You can place or cancel your order by 8 am on the delivery date.
Once you create an account you can order every week or only for the days that suit your schedule.
Lunch Lady Every Wednesday!
The Lunch Lady school lunch program is coming to St Richard on Wednesday's starting October 4th!
Please see the link below to set up an account. You will need to enter your child's name and select your child's teacher information as a part of your account information.
Lunch options include kid favourites such as pasta, burgers, grilled cheese, shepherd's pie, as well as many "breakfast for lunch", vegetarian, gluten free and halal options. There's even a specialized "Little Lunches" menu for our younger students to enjoy!
You can place or cancel your order by 8 am on the delivery date.
Once you create an account you can order every week or only for the days that suit your schedule.
Subs and Harvey's at St Richard!
We are excited to share that we will be offering Sub sandwiches and Harvey's Burgers on alternating Fridays. Huge Thank you to our Catholic School Council for organizing!!
Harvey's Burger
November 3rd
November 17th
December 8th
December 22nd
January 19th
February 2nd
February 23rd
March 8th
Mr. Sub
November 3rd
November 10th
December 1st
December 15th
January 12th
January 26th
February 9th
March 1st
March 22nd
Kiss and Ride Etiquette
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.
TVO Mathify Free Math Tutoring for grades 4-12 with Certified Teachers
No Dogs on School Property
Please note that there are children who have allergies to animal hair, and who have a fear of dogs. In order to prevent a potential concern for our students, please do not bring your dog onto school property during school hours. Thank you for your continued cooperation
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).
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 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.
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 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.
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.”