St. Therese Tribune

Email: St.ThereseoftheCJinfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: www.dpcdsb.org/TCHLD
Location: 6930 Forest Park Drive, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Phone: 905-785-0066
Twitter: @StThereseDPCDSB

Principal: C. Duke

Administrative Assistant: J. Lusk

Catholic School Council Chair: R. Patinios

Superintendent of Mississauga North: L. Odo

Trustee Wards 9 & 10 Brea Corbet (905) 301-9373

St. John of the Cross Parish Information Website: http://www.saintjohnofthecross.com/

Please feel free to click on the Translate button on the bottom of the newsletter to choose your language of preference! (Arabic, Spanish, Hausa, Portuguese, Taglog, Polish, Italian, Malayalam, Hindi etc.)

Welcome back St. Therese of the Child Jesus families.

We can’t believe that the 2024-25 school year is here! We are very excited to be welcoming back existing St. Therese of the Child Jesus students and well as all our new families after the summer break. We hope you enjoyed your time with family and students are feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.

The start of a new school year brings excitement and anticipation with new friends waiting to be made, old friendships reconnecting, teachers to meet, learning to experience and curiosity to be nurtured. There are some new faces this year and we welcome.....We are so excited to gather as a faith community and participate in many of the activities that make school so wonderful! We look forward to the opportunity to continue working with the students and parents of our community. Together with a dedicated staff, we will do our very best to help all students experience spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth throughout the school year.

At the beginning of every year we send home important information and request any updates or changes to your child's contact information. Please be sure to return ALL forms that require your signature within the first week of school.

PLEASE RETURN:

Grey: Student Annual Consent & Notification Form

Bright Yellow: Phys. Ed (Gym)

White: Student Verification (pls return even if there are no changes)

We look forward to gathering again as a faith community.

God Speed,

Cathrine Duke

The virtue of the month of September is faith. Faith is the great virtue of believing in God and trusting that God is with us. A faithful person believes that we are created, guided by and destined to be reunited with God.

A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe, especially at school.

A Faithful Person...

Prays regularly and reverently

Learns from Scripture stories

Honours people’s God‐ given names

Assumes that there is good in everyone

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

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
• School Rules
• 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

• 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 school building starting from 9:00am daily.
• 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: We discourage 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. Please stay along the grass line as you wait for your child/ren to enter or exit.
  

Arrival

We will be allowing for soft entry to the school each morning. Students will be provided access to the school beginning at 9:00am each morning. Please note that there is no teacher supervision of students in the school yard. Each of the designated entrance doors will be unlocked for students to enter and go to their respective class. Parents are not permitted to enter the school doors with their child(ren). Doors will be locked again after the bell at 9:15am.

Dismissal:

We will be dismissing students at the conclusion of the school day, at 3:45pm. 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.

It is important that we are able to contact someone in the case of an emergency. Please complete the emergency student verification sheets. Remember that those people you list as contacts are automatically given permission to pick up your child from school. They are needed in case we cannot contact you. It makes sense to have a relative, neighbour, or friend who lives close to the school and is available during the day to pick up your child in case of illness, concussion, or changes of clothes that may be required.

All positions for the 2024-2025 Catholic School Council (CSC) will be open for nominations. We hope you will consider joining us for what will prove to be a very rewarding and worthwhile experience.

Nomination forms for those considering joining our Catholic School Council are due Tuesday, October 2nd, 2024 by 4:00pm.

Elections will take place on our first School Council meeting on Wednesday, October, 2nd, 2024 6:00pm in the school library or join us virtually link. Meeting links will be sent the day of each designated meeting date. These dates will be set on October 2nd.

Are you interested in volunteering at St. Therese of the Child Jesus? Our volunteers support programs and activities at the school. We appreciate and rely on parents who can devote a small portion of their time to help. People who volunteer in schools and attend trips are required to have completed Vulnerable Sector Check -Level 3 ($40), which can be completed online at the link below. Please see the office for a letter requesting a CRC to take to your local police station.

Please note that if you have previously submitted a Criminal Reference Check, they have expired due to the pandemic time lapse, unless you have completed the Annual Declaration. Please connect with the main office if you are unsure.

Once the form is completed, your volunteer service can begin. We look forward to working with you for the betterment and support of all students.

CONFIRMATION REGISTRATION MEETINGS (Mandatory)

Grade 7 and above, meetings for parents will take place at the Church.

Sunday, September 29, 2024 at 6 pm OR Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 7 pm

Please register on this link to attend the meeting: https://forms.gle/RgTDGigtZc1EB8B29

What to bring with you to the meeting:

Go to https:// stjohnofthecrossmi.archtoronto.org/en/ourcommunity/services/confirmation-preparation/ and follow the instructions in this website.

You will be given guidance as to what forms to complete and certificates to bring to the meeting.

A few Confirmation Registration Packages will be dropped off at the schools, please feel free to make copies and aid those who are unable to print.

Confirmation Dates: April 29th, 2025, May 1st, 2025, & May 6th, 2025

We will continue our weekly Pizza and Sub days. This year we will have the choice of pepperoni pizza and cheese pizza. Also this year, we will be selling popcorn for a fun and healthy treat. Students have different flavours to choose from. All payments will be accepted through School Cash Online. No cash will be accepted at the school. Stay tuned for details! All money raised through food days go directly back into our school to support activities. Orders will not be accepted past the deadline. Be sure to mark your calendars when placing orders.

Tuesday -- Subway Subs

Wednesday -- Popcorn

Thursday -- Dominos Pizza

Please join us on Wednesday September 25th, 2024 to meet your child's teacher(s).

5:30 pm to 6:30pm: Eat and Greet - Order Dominos Pizza, chips, ice-cream sandwiches & water

6:30 pm to 7:30pm: Meet the teacher and visit the classroom

Information will be communicated to RSVP to order food for this event in the coming weeks. We will also be hosting our annual Scholastic Book Fair!! Please visit our library. A BIG Special thanks to our Catholic School Council for volunteering. We look forward to seeing you all there.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus is thrilled to share that we will be having our school photo day on

Thursday, September 26th, 2024! Picture retake day: November 4th, 2024

Regular Morning, Lunch and Afternoon recess will be outdoors with supervision.

*If you wish for your child to wear sunscreen, please apply at home before school as teachers are not permitted to apply sunscreen on students. In addition, as we draw closer to the season of fall and the temperature outside begins to drop, we ask that your child comes to school in appropriate clothing/ outerwear.

Please ensure that your child arrives at school with all the items they need for the day. We realize that there will be occasions where students forget something at home There will be a table located at the front doors for parents/guardians who are dropping off items for their children. Please label the item clearly with the CHILD’S NAME AND TEACHER.

If you plan on bringing your child’s lunch in the morning, let your children know that you will be leaving the lunch on the table at the front doors.

Students are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle to school for water consumption. Although water fountains are open, the water filling stations are also open and students will be able to refill their water bottles when needed. Please clearly label your child's water bottle to confusion with other students.

As we begin a new school year, we would like to inform you that St. Therese of the Child Jesus School is an allergen aware school. There are pupils and staff in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods, such as dairy, peanut and nut products. Exposure to even 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, medications, and latex. An anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems.

We at St. Therese of the Child Jesus School would appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT sending any lunches or snacks that contain nut or nut byproducts which could potentially harm a pupil. Please also refrain from sending WOW butter, as this product is very difficult to distinguish from peanut butter. Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are aware of the food restrictions. Please do not send food for birthdays or special occasions . We look for ward to your co-operation in making this a safe year for all of our pupils.

If your child requires medical equipment such as an epi-pen or puffer, please send it to school in a clearly labelled bag, and it can be stored in the main office. If your child requires medicine such a Advil, Tylenol, allergy medication or cold medication, you MUST complete the required paperwork. All medicine is stored in the main office and monitored by the office. Students are not to store medicine in the backpacks.

Some important paperwork must be filled out in order for the school to have information on how best to support your child. Please ensure that the Authorization for the storage and administration of medication accompanies all medication coming to the school.

Here at St. Therese of the Child Jesus, 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. An acknowledgment form (GF401) wiil be sent home with the accompanying brochure. It must be signed and returned to the school to ensure an awareness that the board does not provide insurance and that you have received the insurance brochure.

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

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board acknowledges the value of the use of technology for learning. Students are permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises and/ or board sanctioned events for educational purposes, under the direction of staff and only with parent/ guardian permission (GF 066, Network User Application and Agreement). Students may register their PED for the purpose of connecting to the board wireless network. Students are required to adhere to the student “Personal Electronic Device Used with WI-FI Network Student Agreement” and the “Network User Application and Agreement." Please be advised that the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will not be responsible for any cost incurred through the use of personal data plans. PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with learning; their use must comply with the Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and procedures. Any personal communications (i.e., phone calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through the main office. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in a loss of PED privileges and/ or any other consequences deemed necessary by school administration. The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during school-sanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces and/ or in common areas. Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs at all times and the Board assumes no responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.

**Students are not allowed to use their PEDs on the school bus as per STOPR rules and regulations.

Don't Forget to Get yourself set up on School Cash Online as we are no longer able to accept cash payment.

We will be participating in Orange Shirt Day on Monday, September 30th to honour our commitment to Truth and reconciliation.

The school is closed to students on Monday, September 16th, 2024. Any class changes will be confirmed at this time. Instruction will resume on Tuesday, September 17th.

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.

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 2022-2023 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.

Courtesy Seating Requests will be finalized in early October 2022.

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

September 3rd, 2024: 😄First day of school

September 16th, 2024: PD Day-Reorganization (no school for students)

September 23rd to 27th, 2024: Scholastic Book Fair

September 23rd to 27, 2024: Truth and Reconciliation Week

September 24th, 2024: Thanksgiving Mass/Feast Day/Opening School Mass with Father Joyson

September 25th, 2024: Open House 5:30pm - 7:30pm

September 26th, 2024: Picture Day

September 30th, 2024: Orange Shirt Day

October 1st, 2024: Catholic School Council Nomination forms due to the main office

& Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Walk

October 2nd, 2024: Catholic School Council Election and 1st meeting @ 6:00pm