The Thunderbird Nest

Principal: C. Roda

Vice-Principal: L. Di Muzio

Head Secretary: J. Sequeira

Catholic School Council Chair: N. Graham

Superintendent of Mississauga West: P. Cusumano

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

Please remember that the student agendas continue to be the best way to get in touch with your child's teacher, as emails are not monitored throughout the day.

Email: St.TeresaofAvilaInfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/avila
Location: 6675 Montevideo Road, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Phone: (905)858-3462
Twitter: @AvilaDPCDSB

The month of March is:

• National Social Work Month
• Irish Heritage Month
• Persian Heritage Month
• Greek Heritage Month

• March 4 - Shrove Tuesday
• March 5 - Ash Wednesday
• March 7 - World Day of Prayer
• March 8 - International Women’s Day
• March 10-14 - March Break
• March 17 - St. Patrick (Memorial)
• March 19 - SOLEMNITY of St. Joseph
• March 20 - Graduation Photo Re-Takes
• March 20 - Rosary Apostolate
• March 21 - World Down Syndrome Day
• March 22 - Earth Hour
• March 26 - Lenten Mass
• March 27 - Vaccine Clinic (grade 7 & 8)

First Communion masses

Saturday, May 3/25 10:30 a.m. @ church

Sunday, May 4/25 2:00 p.m. @ church

Saturday, May 10/25 10:30 a.m. @ church

Sunday, May 11/25 2:00 p.m. @ church

CONFIRMATION DATES

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Children’s Liturgy

Will take place at the 5pm, 10am, 12pm, and 4pm Mass. All children from 5 to 8 years old are invited to join the Liturgy of the Word for Children.

The Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations

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.

During the month of March, we will focus on the virtue of Kindness.

God wants us to give generously to others around us.

A kind person …

• is gentle and sensitive to others
• stands by their friends in time of need
• shares their time and talents
• says nice things about others from the heart
• always looks for ways to be helpful God wants us to be kind to everyone we meet.

KINDNESS is about more than just pretending to be nice. It is about helping and playing with others because we want to, not because we feel we have to. We have all been given the fruit of the Holy Spirit called kindness, which is the act of loving and giving generously to others as God does. Our empathy for others is transformed into action that extends beyond concern for ourselves and allows us to see God in every face that we meet.

Let us now pray for the virtue of kindness so that everyone we meet will feel like we are looking out for their good. AMEN.

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent starts. It is a day of penitence, to clean the soul and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins. Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up, and of giving of ourselves more. Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge yourself and to use up the foods that are not allowed in Lent. Shrove Tuesday gets its name from the ritual of shriving that Christians used to undergo in the past. In shriving, a person confesses their sins and receives absolution for them. During Lent there are many foods that some Christians historically would not eat: foods such as meat and fish, fats, eggs and milky foods. So that no food was wasted, families would have a feast on shriving Tuesday and eat up all the foods that would not last the forty days of Lent. The need to eat up the fats gave rise to the French name "Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday." Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.

Members of our Catholic School Council will be cooking delicious pancakes and distributing them to all students on this day!! Donations of $2 per student for Sharelife is appreciated. Thank you!

Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, penitence and sorrow, leading up to the feast of Easter, recalling Jesus' 40 day fast in the wilderness. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time to turn to God in simplicity and sincerity, as we prepare to celebrate the joy of Easter. Our hearts feel heavy as we remember our sins, but we are also confident in God's mercy and forgiveness.

EQAO staff will discuss math questions that Ontario students encounter when they participate in Ontario’s large-scale assessments in Grades 3, 6 and 9.

During the webinar, EQAO staff will show how these math questions help assess the skills students are learning in their math classes. EQAO staff will also share valuable insights from the past three years of assessment results, which can help parents and guardians support their children’s math learning.

The webinar is offered on two dates, March 6, and March 26.

To register, click on the links below.

Webinar Registration Links:

• Thursday, March 6, 2025 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 26, 2025 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

*Note that this is an EQAO event, not a DPCDSB event.

“Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action” is the motto of the World Day of Prayer movement. The World Day of Prayer is observed annually on the first Friday of March. It is an invitation for Christians to pray together ecumenically for the concerns of our world, our country, and community. It is sponsored by the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada and its international counterparts around the world.

Dear Lord,

On this day, we give thanks for the women who have shaped our lives and our world with strength, grace, and love. May we honour their courage, resilience, and unwavering faith. Blessed Mother, you who showed us the fullness of grace and compassion, we turn to you in prayer. May your example of humility and strength inspire all women to live in light of love, justice, and peace. Intercede for us, that we may strive to uphold the value and dignity of every woman, recognizing the sacredness of their lives. We ask this through your intercession, Blessed Mother, and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Please be reminded that this year, March Break will be from Monday, March 10 to Friday, March 14 inclusive. Students and staff will return to school on Monday, March 17. Have a safe, fun filled, relaxing March Break with your loved ones!

On Friday, March 21, St. Teresa of Avila is celebrating World Down Syndrome Day to encourage awareness about Down Syndrome in our school and community. Students are encouraged to wear mismatched socks on March 21 to raise awareness and start conversations.

Last year, over 410,000 hours were given to our planet by supporters in over 190 countries and territories. Switch off and give an hour for Earth on Saturday, March 22rd at 8:30 pm. Together, let's create the Biggest Hour for Earth!

A friendly reminder to always push the pedestrian button and wait for vehicles to stop when crossing the street. We are asking parents to please remind their children of the steps to follow below.

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) schools is now open. DPCDSB offers the Kindergarten program in 125 Catholic elementary schools in Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Bolton and Orangeville.

Parents/guardians can register online at dpcdsb.org.

Registration is open to Catholic children and children of Catholic parents. Kindergarten students must be at least four (4) years of age by December 31, 2025.
The following documents are required to complete the registration process:

• Proof of age of the child
• Original Roman Catholic baptismal certificate (for child and/or parent/guardian) or original baptismal certificate from a church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome or an Eastern Catholic Church.
• Immunization Reference #’s from the local Public Health Unit
• Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status
• Proof of home address
• Proof of English Separate School Support

Please refer to the Register for School webpage for accepted forms of documentation.
Inquiries about home school locations/boundary areas should be directed to the DPCDSB Planning Department at 905-890-0708 ext. 24440.

For more information, parents/guardians should contact their local Catholic school, visit the DPCDSB website at dpcdsb.org, or call DPCDSB’s Admissions Department at 905-890-1221.

One Stop Talk is a free service offering immediate access to mental health support, when and where it’s needed. This service is available to children, youth, and families across Ontario, providing culturally safe and appropriate therapy through a network of certified professionals from community-based child, youth, and family mental health agencies.

• Who can use it?
  Children and youth under 18 years of age, as well as their parents/caregivers (who are welcome to connect alongside their child).

• Language Support:
  Interpretation services are available upon request.

Ontario Health Central is offering Virtual Urgent Care Clinic services to provide timely medical support for families/individuals of all ages. This service connects patients with a Nurse Practitioner for assessments, diagnoses, and treatment of various health conditions.

This service is recommended for individuals who:

• Require medical care and cannot access their healthcare provider promptly
• Do not have a current healthcare provider
• Seek safe and convenient healthcare access

Visit www.VirtualCareClinic.ca for more information.

Link to Flyer

As you may already know, soccer prooves to be a very popular activity for our students to participate in at recess. However, lately, the teachers and the office have observed an increase in injuries, conflict, and general unkindness from the students paricipating in soccer at recess. This is not to say that all of the students at St. Teresa of Avila are responsible for these issues, however, as a concern for student safety, soccer at recess has been temporarily cancelled.

Recently, the school team met with a group of students who wished to bring soccer back to Avila. They were tasked with developing a "Code of Conduct" to ensure that soccer remains an enjoyable activity, and not a source of injury or hurt feelings. Together, this group of students collaborated and developed the following Code of Conduct.

Soccer Rules

• No debating on a goal: a goal is a goal
• No taunting each other after a goal just play on
• No swearing at each other
• No putting hands on each other or feet
• Always play fair and dont start conflict. If there is conflict find a teacher
• No slide tackling or tackling
• Only play with your division (intermediate,junior,primary)
• Don't play with your shoes off
• Don't punch or fight each other
• Play soft and not rough
• All are included
• Have fun!

As promised, we are sharing these expectations with all of the parents and families in our community. It is our hope that the soccer Code of Conduct is dicsussed at home, so we are all aligned in our expectations of the students of Avila. The Code of Condult will be shared with all of the teachers, and posted on inside the classrooms.

We are very proud of the students for working together to come to a shared solution.

We look forward to soccer returning to Avila immediately!

Once again, we are running our Student Nutrition Program! This year, we will continue our “Family Style” breakfast club. Thank you to our volunteers and staff, the program runs every day! Students are let into the school to access the Breakfast Club between 8:05 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. This program is available to all students interested in starting their day with a healthy breakfast.

** If you are interested in volunteering your time to this amazing program, please send the school an email at St.TeresaofAvilaInfo@dpcdsb.org. Note: A Criminal Reference Check *Vulnerable Sector, is required.

The primary focus of a Catholic School Advisory Council is, through active participation of parents, to improve pupil achievement and to enhance the accountability of the education system to parents. A Catholic School Councils primary means of achieving its purpose by making recommendations in accordance with this policy and regulation to the principal of the school and the DPCDSB.

We would like to thank the Catholic School Council for their efforts on behalf of our students. As a school community we appreciate this continued support and cooperation.

Our next council meetings will be held at 6 pm on the following dates:

Wednesday March 26, 2025

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Kiss & Ride Procedures.

Guidelines when using the Kiss & Ride program at St. Teresa of Avila:

• Children are to be dropped off or picked up, using the drop off lane between the hours of 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. and 3:00-3:15 p.m. Due to the high volume of cars, especially in the morning, and dependent on the weather, please consider arriving early.
• As cars enter the school driveway, please proceed in a slow and cautious manner, around the parking lot.
• The drop off and pick up lane begins directly in front of the kindergarten yard and extends until the STOP sign. Please drive up to the very top of the kiss and ride lane to drop off and pick up your children to facilitate a steady flow of traffic.
• Children are to exit the car in a safe and careful manner with their backpacks ready to avoid a long wait time in the drop off lane. Children are to exit the vehicle on the right side of the car, onto the curb, for safety purposes and proceed to their door.
• Cars are to exit in a slow and cautious manner and are encouraged to turn right out of the school in order to ease the flow of traffic.
• Please do not attempt to move into the drop-off lane from the drive thru lane.
• Do not park or leave your vehicle unattended in the Kiss & Ride lanes. If you need to get out of your car, please park your car and escort your child(ren) to school.
• Cars may park in the parking lot, Please use the area specified to cross across the lanes safely.

Please see the visual below to help support this messaging

We realize that the mornings are very hectic, and the Kiss and Ride lane is very convenient for many families, however, the safety of the students is always first. Please help us create a safe environment for everyone.

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.)

Are you interested in volunteering at St. Teresa of Avila? 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 ($35), which can be completed online at the link below.

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.

Good Morning Avila Families!

We are very pleased to share that our lunch options at St. Teresa of Avila:

Thanks to the support from our Catholic School Council , we are able to offer you lunch options for each day of the week!

Monday: Swiss Chalet

Tuesday: Domino's Pizza

Wednesday: Mr. Sub

Thursday: Domino's Pizza

Friday: Swiss Chalet

All orders will be placed through SchoolCash Online.

All orders and refunds for the week will close the Friday before. For example, orders for the week of March 10, 2025, will close on Friday, March 7, 2025.

There will not be any opportunity to purchase Swiss Chalet, or Mr. Sub for the day-of. We will continue to a limited amount of pizza available for same- day sales at $3.00 per slice.

We would like to take this opportunity to share with all of you some of our practice when it comes to student injury at school.

Avila is a very exciting and active environment, where students are always looking for fun and active things to do while outside at recess. Sometimes, however, these activities lead to injury. Students are aware that if they become injured at school, they are to inform a staff member on duty. The staff member then notifies the office who then manages the care of the student.

Head Injuries:

All students who have experienced a head injury are screened for a potential concussion. If symptoms are consistent with a potential concussion, EMS is contacted to assess further. Once EMS is contacted, parents are then contacted to inform them of the situation. EMS will determine next steps at this point. However, if symptoms are not consistent with a potential concussion, the student is treated with ice, and parents are informed. Students will be sent home with the Concussion Screening information. No matter the severity, parents are always informed of a head injury sustained at school.

Other Injuries:

Scrapes, cuts, bumps and bruises are supported on a case-by-case basis. Some injuries are more significant that others, perhaps requiring medical attention (potential break, sprain, etc), which would result in a parent receiving a phone call from the office. Other injuries of a less significant nature may not require a phone call home.

Please note: We are not able to disinfect, or apply any sort of antibacterial product to an injury. Staff will clean wounds with water as best as they can, and bandage the area.

Staff do their best to support each student on a case-by-case basis, and always put themselves in the position of the parent when supporting student injury.

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

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.

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 throughout the day. Please clearly label your child's water bottle to confusion with other students.

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.

As we begin a new school year, we would like to inform you that St. Teresa of Avila 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. Teresa of Avila 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.

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.

Recently, the Ministry of Education put in place new policies around the use of cell phones by members of the school community, which includes our students. Students are to refrain from using their PEDs unless directed to do so by an educator, or for health medical, and/or special education needs. PEDs (cell phones) are to be kept out of sight and either powered off or on silent mode in the student’s backpack. The school does not assume responsibility for lost, or damaged devices. Please note that St. Teresa of Avila, through the support of the Catholic School Council, has always invested in technology for students. All students have access to devices while at school. Personal devices are not required to access the curriculum.

Communication with students throughout the day is to be made through the school; through either the main phone line or the info mailbox at St.TeresaofAvilaInfo@dpcdsb.org.

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

This past June, the Dufferin-Peel school board reviewed the student dress code policies and implemented the following:

A dress code refers to the standard of student dress which is respectful of the dignity of the human person and inclusive. Parents are to ensure students are dressed in a manner which ensures that their torso and upper legs, to the mid-thigh, are not exposed.

In addition, the DPCDSB dress code will exclude any garments with messages containing or portraying any offensive and/or inappropriate content.

Members of the DPCDSB community will not be permitted to wear attire that promotes:

a) hate

b) discrimination

c) illegal activity

d) profanity

e) violence

f) political language

g) threats to health and safety

h) or content that contravenes the Ontario Human Rights Code.

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

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 2023-2024 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 Requestshave been finalized! Please login to STOPR to see if you have been accommodated.

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