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

Please click on the Translate button on the newsletter to choose your language of preference.

If there could be one thing in life for me to teach you, I would teach you to love …

To respect others so that you may find respect in yourself;

To learn the value of giving, so that if ever there comes a time in your life that someone really

needs, you will give; To act in a manner that you would wish to be treated;

To be proud of yourself; To laugh and smile as much as you can,

in order to help bring joy back into this world;

To have faith in others; To be understanding…

To stand tall in this world and learn to depend on yourself; To only take from this earth those

things you really need, so there will be enough for others;

Do not depend on money or material things for your happiness,

but learn to appreciate the people who love you.

Appreciate the simple beauty that God gave you and find peace and security within yourself.

To you, my child, I hope I have taught all of these things,

for they are LOVE.

Amen.

Welcome to April!

We are thankful for the blessings that Easter brings us. As we move into spring, the new growth and signs of new life that surround us at this time of year let us remember that Easter is a season of hope and renewal. Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ victory over death and His promise of eternal life for us. Easter provides us with the opportunity to revisit and renew our relationships with friends and family, as restrictions relax. We are one body through our baptism in Christ and consequently we have a responsibility to reach out to one another with love. We would like to wish all the members of our school community a blessed Easter season. We hope you have the opportunity to gather together and celebrate in communion with others. May everyone experience a sense of renewal and hope as we enter into the mystery of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We extend best wishes to our students in grades two and seven as they prepare for, and receive, the sacraments of First Holy Communion and Confirmation respectively. Many of our grade two students will make their First Reconciliation and receive the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time and next month our grade seven students will become adults in the eyes of the Church, both pivotal moments in the lives of our Catholic children.

The month of March was filled with faith and kindness at St. Veronica. Our students participated in a wide range of activities. Students have been busy collecting ducks which they turn in to receive a kindness task to complete. Our kindness tree is growing with so many acts of kindness. Kindness is growing day by day here.

During the month of April, we celebrate the virtue of Love. God wants us to serve and to see the goodness in everyone we meet. Love is not just an emotion - it is also a decision. Love involves a deliberate choice to give and to serve others even though the service may go unnoticed and unappreciated. In April and throughout the year as we focus on the virtue of Love, we invite everyone to think about the many ways in which Love can be transformed into action. How will you show love this month?

Take good care.

N. Laporte

Principal

Please see below for a link to Trustee del Rosario and Thomas' newsletter.

The council was thrilled to facilitate the delicious Krsipy Kreme fundraiser for St. Veronica. Our council raises funds to cover and/or subsidize costs of events, materials and workshops in the school. We are grateful for the council for volunteering their time to support St. Veronica.

The next council meeting is scheduled forThursday April 24, 2025 at 6:30. All are welcome to attend.

Order your Krispy Kreme donuts and help the Catholic School Council raise funds.

Original Glazed only.

$12/dozen

Orders must be placed by Friday, April 11 using SchoolCash Online. Pick-up will occur Thursday, April 24 at St. Veronica from 2:00 to 5:00 pm.

Our Catholic School Council is pleased to host a Spring Dance for the students of St. Veronica. Students from kindergarten to grade 3 will enjoy a dance in the afternoon of Friday, May 2.

There will be two after school dances - one for students in grades 4 and 5 and another for students in grades 6, 7 and 8. Please note: this dance if for current students of St. Veronica only.

More details to follow.

The Central Committee for Catholic School Councils (CCCSC) has sent out nomination forms for the Annual Volunteer of the Year Award.

This award has been developed to acknowledge the dedicated individuals who make a significant contribution to supporting Catholic education. Volunteers play a very important role in our schools and in our communities, helping to build vibrant, caring, inclusive, faith filled school communities. This award will recognize an individual who exemplifies volunteerism in Dufferin-Peel. The award process is also a means to thank volunteers for their continuous years of commitment and dedication. The candidate chosen as the Volunteer of the Year and all the nominees for the award will be recognized and celebrated at the June meeting of the CCCSC and at the fall meeting of Catholic School Council Chairs.

Please see below for more information. If you are interested in nominating a school volunteer, please contact the office for nomination forms.

April 2 - World Autism Day

April 4 - P. E.A.C.E. Presentations

April 4 - Wellness Day

April 7 - Virtue Assembly

April 9 - Parent Engagement Evening - Human Trafficking @St. Julia

April 10 - International Day of Pink

April 15 - Rosary Apostolate

April 17 - Holy Thursday

April 18 - Good Friday

April 20 - Easter Sunday

April 22 - Earth Day

April 24 - CSC Meeting

April 24 - Krispy Kreme Distribution

April 28 - Federal Election (polling station)

April 29, 30 - First Reconciliation (at Church)

St. Veronica is having a Spring Clothing Drive to help support our Eco Initiatives (sustainability) and each other.

From April 22 - 25, please donate clean, gently used children's spring/summer clothing you no longer use.

Our giveaway is open to everyone on Monday, May 5, 2025 from 3:00 to 6:0 0pm.

St. Veronica CES will recognize World Autism Awareness Day on April 2.

On Friday, March 28, the students in Mrs. Aranha's class shared Jesus' encounter with the cross through the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross is a form of prayer. Each of the 14 stations retells part of Jesus' Passion (his suffering and death) through images and words.

The students of Mrs. Aranaha's class shared Jesus’ Passion, breaking it down into stages that students and staff can reflect upon and remember. The Stations are more than the retelling of a story: they are a prayerful participation in the event that lies at the heart of Christianity – Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

A special thank you to Mrs. Aranha for preparing students for this important liturgy.

In partnership with St. Julia and St. Gregory, we will be holding a presentation for parents at St. Julia on Wednesday, April 9 from 6:30 -7:30. The presentation is to provide awareness about Human Trafficking. This presentation will be offered both virtually and in-person at St. Julia.

Please indicate your attendance here.

We are thrilled to have Testament from P.E.A.C.E. (People Everywhere Actually Co-existing Equally) join us on Friday, April 4 to give presentations to the primary students and one for the junior/intermediate students.

Through inspiration and music, students will recognize the influence their energy has on others around them. They will be challenged to take responsibility for their energy and to give what they wish to receive. They will also explore the concept of choice and be empowered to discover the endless possibilities of making positive choices.

Our Mental Health and Wellness Committee has been hard at work preparing a Wellness Day for all students to participate on Friday, April 4. Activities include a nature walk, self-care bingo, bracelet making, healthy eating and creating mandelas.

Thank you to Mrs. Lawrence, Mrs. Nichols and Mrs. Adebajo for helping to prepare students to lead this day.

The students of Mrs. Carvalho's class will be sharing the virtue of love with the school at a liturgy on Monday, April 7 at 11:00 am. All are welcome to attend.

On April 10, we will be recognizing the International Day of Pink. The International Day of Pink is a day of action, born with a youth in a high school in Nova Scotia who was bullied because of his sexual orientation and for wearing a pink shirt to school. Fellow students who saw the incident intervened, but wanted to do more; so, they purchased pink shirts. Two weeks after the incident, hundreds of students came to school wearing pink to show support for diversity and stop bullying and discrimination.

We would like to invite everyone to wear pink on April 10 to support the International Day of Pink and help to continue to raise awareness.

Earth Day is April 22.

Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That’s why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we’re making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

Stay tuned for Earth Day events planned by our Eco Team.

On April 27th, we will celebrate Administrative Professional's Day. We would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mrs. Magi who works tirelessly every day in support of students, families and staff. We are so fortunate to have such a dedicated, caring and hard working angel in the office.

Kindergarten registrations for next fall are still being accepted at the school office. Parents and newly registered kindergarten students for 2025 - 2026 are invited to attend a Journey into Learning evening at the school on Wednesday, May 7. On that evening, families will participate in a variety of fun activities and will receive a gift bag of resources to help their child successfully transition to life at school. More detailed information regarding the Journey into Learning will be forthcoming.

Parents/guardians of students in grade 8:

DPCDSB is very excited to offer the “Get Ready! for Secondary School Summer Program 2025” transition program this August. This program is offered at all our Secondary Schools.

Get Ready!” is designed to welcome our grade 9 students before beginning classes in September 2024.

The Get Ready! Program will offer students:

• a fun and interactive orientation to the explore their school layout, schedules, and routines
• an introduction to effective learning strategies and organizational skills
• a review of key concepts in literacy and numeracy
  
• a chance to meet some future teachers
  
• a chance to make connections with peers in the incoming class

The Get Ready! program is tentatively scheduled for the last week of August 2025. Times for the program vary by Secondary School.

To ensure your child’s participation in the “Get Ready! For Secondary School” program, be sure to watch your email for registration information late April/early May 2025.

Please see the link below for the Thrive Newsletter for April.

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 Masses

Monday to Friday Mass 8:00 am, 7:00 pm

Saturday Mass 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

Please contact the church for further details regarding First Communion and Confirmation.

During the month of April we will focus on the virtue of Love.

God wants us to give generously to others around us.

God wants us to serve and to see goodness in everyone we meet.

A loving person...

• follows the example of holy people
• is willing to make sacrifices for the good of others
• knows that we are all lovable
• prays for others and cares deeply about them

God has given us many people in our lives to show us examples of LOVE. Our families, teachers, and friends show us their love every day. Love can be seen in the simplest acts of kindness, such as sharing a book, playing a game, or even by saying 'thank you.' We should always show our love to others because love is about seeing the good in people, even when they make us angry. Jesus is always with us and we should always try to remember His most important lesson, the lesson of love. With love, God wants us to serve and to see the goodness in everyone we meet.

Let us now pray...for the virtue of love so that we will never be satisfied until all are satisfied. AMEN.

I CARE!

• I love God, myself and my family
• I care about and respect my 'family' at school, at Church, in the community, and the world
• I care about and respect God's creation and everything in it.

Because I care, I pray for all my families, and I will live my life like Jesus.

Holy Week is the last week of Lent.

Holy Week observances began in Jerusalem in the earliest days of the Church, when devout people traveled to Jerusalem at Passover to reenact the events of the week leading up to the Resurrection.

The purpose of Holy Week is to reenact, relive , and participate in the passion of Jesus Christ. Holy Week is the same in the eastern and western Church, but because eastern Christians use the Julian Calendar to calculate Easter, the celebrations occur at different times. However, the following events in the week before Easter are the same, east and west, relative to the date of Easter.

Palm Sunday - (or Passion Sunday), the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem

Holy Thursday - the institution of Communion and the betrayal by Judas

Good Friday - the arrest, trial, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus Christ

Holy Saturday - the Sabbath on which Jesus rested in the grave

Please take the time to ensure your child is aware of the sacrifice Jesus made for us and that we remind ourselves that Jesus came to show us the way to eternal life. Let us keep in mind that He led by example. He gave his life for us. He is our role model and we aspire to live our lives in a manner consistent with the lessons that Jesus taught us.

Pilgrims of Hope

We will be celebrating Catholic Education Week May 5 - 9. Our committee is hard at work organizing a variety of activities and events that celebrate our Catholic Faith.

A couple of events already in planning:

• Opening Liturgy
• Intermediate Dance Performance
• Classroom visits
• Welcome to Kindergarten Night
• Spring/Summer Clothing Giveaway
• Talent Show

Please note our school is slated to be a polling station in the upcoming federal election on Monday, April 28, 2025.

The polling station will be in held in our school gymnasium and students and staff will not be able to access this space. Visitors accessing the polling station will enter and exit the gymnasium directly through the front doors. Clear signage will be posted and security will be on school property to direct voters to the polling station and ensure that they remain in the designated polling areas.

Our grade 3 and grade 6 in-person students will participate in the Provincial Education Quality and Accountability Office testing (EQAO). The testing will take place between May 7 and June 11.

In the coming months, students and staff will participate in three second term fire drills (and lockdown drills) as per Board Policy. In the event of an actual evacuation or emergency situation, it is extremely important to be well prepared.

As we are hopefully moving toward the season of spring, water and mud around the school yard is inevitable. Although we direct students to stay away from mud and puddles and close the field area if needed, accidents do happen. If students do get wet during outdoor play or recess, our school approach is to contact parents to bring dry clothing. For younger students especially, we suggest you place an extra pair of socks and/or track pants in your child’s backpack in the event that a change of clothes is necessary. Indoor shoes are also still an expectation.

We thank you for your support and understanding during this transition to (hopefully) warmer and drier weather.

At. St. Veronica CES, we recognize that the use of cell phones and other technology is a part of everyday life. We are focused on promoting, modeling, and educating students about the responsible use of devices, and on maintaining a high level of digital citizenship for all.

Students who wish to bring a cell phone to school will be required to safely store their phone in their bag at the beginning of the school day. Phones should stay in their bag for the duration of the day.

If a student needs to use their phone in an emergency situation, students are required to ask for permission from their teacher or the main office.

Plans are well underway for this year's Grade 8 Graduation. The Graduation will take place on Friday, June 20 at Le Treport Wedding and Convention Centre at 1075 Queensway E., Mississauga, ON . The cost for the celebration will be $60, including School Council Contributions.

We are very limited in spacing, and thus ask that families RSVP for the ceremony. Each family is allotted 3 guest tickets. A waiting list will be started in the event that we can accommodate more tickets per family.

The events of the evening will be as follows:

• 9:00 am Graduates gather at the hall to line up, families go to the hall
• 9:30 am Liturgy, Granting of Diplomas and Awards
• 10:30 am Photos/Parents leave
• 11:30 am Students assemble the dining area - Lunch Served
• 12:30 pm Graduation Dance
• 1:45 pm Event finished - Parents pick up their children

Stay tuned for further details.

This is a gentle reminder to contact the office to complete your Annual Offense Declaration if you have volunteered in the past.

If you are interested in volunteering in the future, please contact the office for volunteer forms. All volunteers must have a Vulnerable Sector Check completed before working within the school.

We are presently looking for parents who may be interested in taking on the role of Student Monitors. Although the full time positions are presently filled we are looking for individuals who would be interested to fill in when there is a need due to illness or vacations. The job description in posted below please contact the office if you are interested.

DUTIES OF THE STUDENT MONITOR:

Under the supervision of the Principal or designate, the Student Monitor will: Carry out supervision duties assigned by the Principal, Ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in activities for which the Student Monitor is responsible, Co-operate with the Principal and teachers to maintain consistent disciplinary practices in the school.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT MONITOR:

Be aware of the school rules

Be prompt in reporting for supervision assignments

Become informed of specific medical/behavioural situations pertaining to students supervised

Be aware of the school emergency plans;

Notify the teacher on duty when a problem arises.

The process for the formation of classes for September 2025 will soon begin. Creating the best and most functional class groupings is a task that requires much thought, consideration and planning. Our goal is to establish balanced classrooms. These classes consist of students who will work together and therefore enrich each other’s learning experiences. When determining placements, criteria considered are : academic ability and achievement, work habits, group/social dynamics, and placement history. For various reasons we are limited in our placement options. However, we do our best to balance classes, while considering the individual needs of our students.

If you have any specific information you would like us to consider with regards to your child's placement for September, we ask that you put these in writing. Letters for consideration should be submitted to veroninfo@dpcdsb.org by Friday, April 25. Please do not make a specific request for teachers as staffing is always tentative and changes can take place between the tentative class placement and the first day of school. We will consider your input as well as input from the classroom teachers and, if we can accommodate your requests, we will do so. However, this is not always possible and we ask for your understanding and flexibility. Rest assured our decisions are made only after careful consideration of all the information and are based on the individual good of each child balanced with the common good of the entire school community.

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 fractions. Have fun trying these suggested activities at home.

The Elementary Literacy Numeracy Summer Program is an intensive, challenging program from July 8, 2025 to July 25, 2025 for those students in grades 6, 7, or 8 who are looking for grade level remediation (not enrichment). Small group learning provides opportunities to close gaps, build confidence and competence in grade level language and mathematics.

Please contact your child's teacher for further information and registration criteria.

Please see the attached regarding 2025-2026 International and Indigenous Languages Elementary Program.

This is an exciting time of year as your child prepares for the transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9.

In preparation for next year and your child’s continued interest in language learning, we are excited to announce that your child can now register for Grade 9 language credit courses in the International and Indigenous Languages Program for the September 2025-2026 school year.

The International and Indigenous Language program continues to offer full credit courses on Saturdays for High School students. A variety of courses are offered at each IIL site and students can register/enroll in the language course of their choice. A full list of courses can be found on the Continuing Education website International and Indigenous Languages (dpcdsb.org) and on the attached flyer.

Course availability and location is dependent on student enrollment.

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Dufferin-Peel Adult and Continuing Education Department at 905-362-0701 or 905-891-3034.

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB), in collaboration with Peel Regional Police (PRP), will be hosting a Parent Engagement Evening focused on creating safe school communities and supporting student wellness and safety. This event will feature presentations by PRP and student safety advocates, along with information booths where parents and guardians can connect with representatives from local community partner organizations. Presenters will share important insights on issues impacting youth across the Peel Region, including online safety, youth mental health, substance use, and human trafficking.

The Parent Engagement Evening will be offered on two dates:

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 - St. Aloysius Gonzaga Catholic Secondary School

Thursday, May 29, 2025 - St. Marguerite D’Youville Catholic Secondary School

Presentations

· Jacquie Higgins, EveryMind Mental Health Services
Topic: Crisis Programs and Services Offered by EveryMind

· Det. Constable Daryl Chakravarthy, Peel Regional Police – VICE Unit
Topic: Human Trafficking

· Det. Matt Banting, Peel Regional Police – Special Enforcement Bureau
Topic: Youth and Drugs

· Det. Andrew Ullock, Peel Regional Police – Internet Child Exploitation Unit

Topic: Social Media and Online Child Exploitation

Event Flyer

RSVP to Attend (encouraged)

Please note: Due to the sensitive nature of the topics being discussed, this event is intended for adults (parents and guardians) only.

The Multi Year Strategic Place 2023-2027 has five core values that frame the essence of our work as a Catholic learning community: Believe, Excel, Respect, Thrive, and Trust.

Please see the link below for more information on Dufferin Peel's multi year strategic plan.

The St. Veronica team has created a learning plan that highlights a number of items used to monitor the impact of system actions to support the achievement of the system's goals throughout the 2024-2025 school year. Please visit our school website for further information on our plan.

If you will be moving out of the St. Veronica CES area between now and September 2025, please inform the school as soon as possible. This information assists with our planning, organization of classes, ordering of materials, etc. for 2025-2026. Updated records are also important in the event of an emergency and if we are required to contact you immediately. Thank you for your cooperation.

Please note: the next immunization clinic for grade 7/8 students will be Wednesday, June 25, 2025.

Also, to ensure school immunization clinics run efficiently, Peel Public Health is distributing a consent form for Hepatitis B, Meningococcal ACYW-135 and HPV immunization to current grade 6 students. These students will then be immunized in Grade 7 during the 2025-2026 school year.

Families of students in grade 6 are asked to complete the consent forms sent home and return them to the school as soon as possible. Peel Public Health will be picking up the signed forms at the end of April.

On January 28, 2025, the Board of Trustess approved updates to Dress Code and School Uniform. As part of these changes, dress code expectations now require that students ensure the area from the top of the shoulders to mid-thigh is covered.

Please see the attached bulletin for more information.

If you are First Nation (Status Indian or Non-Status Indian), Métis and/or Inuit you can self-identify as Indigenous. You do not need to produce any documentation or proof of ancestry. Self-identification is voluntary and confidential.

“This has been really important for us because of the sense of community and the connection to other Indigenous families.” ~ Melanie Cormier, parent

Self-identification will provide access to culture and language programs and monthly programming for students and families. Relevant information will be sent directly to you about upcoming cultural events and opportunities which help to build community and a sense of Indigenous pride in Dufferin-Peel.

To learn more about opportunities for Indigenous students and families please visit:

https://www3.dpcdsb.org/students/indigenous-self-identification