St Teresa of Avila Community Update

Principal: C. Roda

Vice Principal: T. Brancalion

Head Secretary: D. Gill

Superintendent of Schools: Martine Lewis (905)-890-1221

Trustee: Brea Corbet (905)-301-9373

Parish: St. John of the Cross Parish (905) 821-1331

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

'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31)

Of all of God’s gifts Easter shows us our fate forgiven we will rise and pass through Heaven’s Gate. This Easter remember the sacrifice of a Son and through His resurrection eternal life we have won This Easter we pray that the love of God is resurrected reborn and renewed inside your heart.

God Bless you!

Amen

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.

• 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.

This year we celebrate Good Friday on April 7th and Easter Monday on April 10th. Reminder all schools will be closed on these days.

Confirmation Dates

Tuesday, April 18

Thursday April 20

Tuesday April 25

Thursday April 27

First Communion Masses

Saturday, April 22, 2023 10:30AM @ Church

Sunday, April 23, 2023 2:00PM @ Church

Saturday, April 29, 2023 10:30AM @ Church

Sunday, April 30, 2023 2:00PM @ Church

Year End Mass – Wednesday June 21, 2023 -10 a.m. at the Church

Our Catholic School Council Meeting dates for this year.

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Thursday, March 30, 2023

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

https://www3.dpcdsb.org/AVILA/about/about

St Teresa of Avila is happy to announce that we will be offering subs every Thursday Starting February 9th.

November 9, 16, 23, 30

December 7, 14, 21

January 11, 18, 25

February 1, 8, 15, 22

March 1, 8, 22, 29

April 5, 12, 19, 26

May 3, 10, 17, 24

June 7, 14, 21

World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2022. Joined by the international community, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world come

together on April 2, Autism Awareness Day, to Light It Up Blue in recognition of people with autism and those who love and support them.

Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism,

foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world.

Our grade 8 and SK graduation Photo Retake day will be on Wednesday, April 5th in the morning.

Thursday, April 6, 2023

A special thank you to Ms. Gill for all she does to support students, staff, parents and guardians. We are truly blessed to have her at St Teresa of Avila.

We would like to appeal to our community for some support in beautifying the school gardens!

As part of our Ecoschool initiative, we have committed to revitalizing the gardens in the front of the school.

If you would like to donate some perennial plants to be a part of our garden- we would be most grateful. These plants can be from your own garden, or purchased from a garden centre. All species are welcome- as long as they are perennials!

Please send in your perennials by Friday, May 12, 2023. Students and staff will be looking to plant these items in the gardens the week of May 15- 19.

Get Ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming our way (YAY!). Choosing their own books empowers kids and inspires them to become Bolder, Prouder, and Stronger Readers. AND—as always—every book they buy earns Rewards for our school.

Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place during Education Week from May 1-5, 8:30-3:00, in the Avila Library.

If you can’t make it to the Fair, then shop at our school’s Virtual Book Fair. All orders ship directly to our school, and we will arrange for a pickup time when they arrive. Your online orders will also benefit our school.

Visit our Virtual Book Fair homepage to watch some trailers and look through our digital flyer:

https://virtualbookfairs.scholastic.ca/pages/5204121

The countdown to more Bookjoy is on! Catch you at the Fair!

Happy reading!

Some Reminders!

St. Teresa of Avila is a busy place in the morning. We are aware of the challenge with the limited parking spaces available to parents, so please consider the following when utilising the Kiss and Ride lane:

• Please be reminded NOT TO PARK OR STOP your car for an extended period in the Kiss & Ride lane at anytime.
• Please also do your best to move up in the Kiss & Ride lane to allow for as many cars as possible.
• Please ensure that students are exiting vehicles on the side of the vehicle closest to the curb.
• Please remember to exercise patience and caution when driving anywhere on school property.

Staff members continue to support Kiss and Ride in the morning and during dismissal. We are always looking out for the safety of the students and members of our community.

If you have any questions, please contact us here at the school.

Wishing you all a wonderful day,

St. Teresa of Avila

PLANNING AHEAD

In arriving at the decision regarding placement of your child for the upcoming year, every consideration is given to individual needs. This decision is made in collaboration with all staff who have been directly involved in your child’s education this year.

If you are planning on moving from the school community, please let the office know as soon as possible, as this may have an impact on class organization.

If you feel that there are specific needs which should be addressed in determining the placement of your child, please communicate them to us in writing. You are welcome to send a note with your child, or email us at the St. Teresa of Avila info mailbox at St.TeresaofAvilaInfo@dpcdsb.org

We ask for all submissions to be sent to the office no later than Friday April 28th, 2023. Your request will be considered at our grade promotion meetings. We remind you that it would not be appropriate to request one teacher over another as placements are subject to change. However, if there is other information regarding your child’s learning style, or other considerations of which we ought to be aware, please advise us of these facts in your letter.

BridgeWay Family Centre offers an exciting and fun early learning program for children birth to 6 years old. Join us at St. Teresa EarlyON, (located within the school) every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 9:15am - 12:00pm, Tuesdays, from 9:15am - 2:00pm and on Fridays, from 1:15pm - 2:45pm. Play and connect with other families while enjoying a variety of activities. No pre-registration is required. To learn more about our in-person or online programs, please visit our website: bridgewaycentre.ca

Some of the students in our school have severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils and any peanut by -products. For some children the smell of nuts can bring on a severe attack. We need your cooperation! We kindly ask that you DO NOT send snacks to school that contain nuts or any nut products.

Please note that to ensure the continued safety of all students, the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board with the support of the Anaphylactic Society and the Peel Health Department has recommended that students not bring peanut butter alternatives (soy butter, sunflower butter) to school. We thank you for your cooperation in supporting student safety.

We ask that parents continue to support their children in their morning routines so that they can arrive to school on time. This ensures that your child learns an essential life skill, participates in the entire school day, and that disruptions to the learning environment are minimal.

When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however minor), it is Board Policy that we inform parents. This is precautionary only, and we ask that you check your child when he/she gets home for any signs of a concussion or illness. We will also provide your child with a brochure containing information about Concussions, again this is a precautionary measure and for information purposes.

Whether it’s a medical appointment, an illness or other important event, there are times when students may need to be away from school. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District school board is introducing a new method for parents to report their child(ren)’s absences. Using the SafeArrival system, parents will be able to report daily or future absences in one of three ways:

Web:

1. Go to the SafeArrival website at https://go.schoolmessenger.ca/#/home
2. Select Sign Up to create your account. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
3. Select Attendance.
4. Select Report an Absence.

App:

1. Download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Please note that SafeArrival uses the SchoolMessenger app.
2. Select Sign-Up. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
3. You will be prompted to enter your email (same email address your school has on file) and create a password.
4. The system will send a link to the same email address the school has on file, please click on the link you have received in your email to activate your account.

Phone:

1. Call the toll-free number 1-844-435-3440
2. Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence.
3. If the system doesn’t recognize your caller ID, you will be asked to enter the student’s home phone number or any phone number for the guardian that is on file with the school.

• By directing your tax support to the Separate (Catholic) School System:

  • You may vote for Catholic School Trustees in Municipal elections
  • Your children may attend Catholic elementary schools
  • You show your support for the Catholic school system

  To verify that you are registered as an English Separate (Catholic) school supporter:

  • Check the assessment section of your Tax Bill or Property Assessment Notice
  • Check your Voter Information Card received during an election year (2022)

  Have you moved?

  Even if you have been an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter in the past, the designation DOES NOT follow you when you relocate. By default, your property taxes support your municipality's English public school board. Every time you move or if there is a change of ownership, it is essential that you register yourself as an English Separate (Catholic) school supporter.
  
  To register as an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter or change your Direction of School Support, please contact the DPCDSB Admissions Department by phone at 905-890-0708 ext. 24512 or by email at admissions@dpcdsb.org.
  
  Learn More:

  • Visit the Direction of School Support webpage
  • Watch our Direction of School Support video

You can now reset your password remotely by registering for the Password Reset Tool. You must know your old password to create a new one.

To reset your password remotely you must first register with the “Password Reset Tool”, which you can do by following one of these two steps:

Students: students.dpcdsb.org and select Password Reset

Staff: https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com/PasswordReset/Register.aspx ​

**Access to personal email/cell phone is required for registration.

Once you are registered, please follow the Password Reset Instruction

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.

Letters have been sent home with the students whose classroom members have specific allergies. Please check with your child, and in their backpack, for letters regarding the type of allergy and products to avoid in your child’s classroom. Please pay careful consideration to school lunches and snacks while continuing to refrain from sending in items that are made of, or contain, nuts or peanuts. We offer our heartfelt thanks for your support in making our school a safer environment for all.

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.

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).

Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medication and forms are updated if there is a change to the medication for any student who requires medication to be administered at school. Forms are available at the school office or from your child’s teacher. Please check and note expiry dates on all medication.

PD Series for Staff. Within this series teachers will be exploring the beautiful collection of identity-affirming texts that was recently added in your schools, through the lens of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s Historically Responsive and Relevant Literacy framework.

Travelling Library (Identify Affirming Texts)

The Equity Department recently sent our school some new books highlighting diversity. Each division will receive a copy of the books which are meant to be kept in the classrooms. The library will also have a copy of each new book to circulate.

Each class has be given a bin of books to explore. Each bin will have 4-5 books. Teachers may choose to read these books for read-alouds or encourage students to choose them for independent reading.

What are identity-affirming texts?

Identity-affirming texts give all students the opportunity to see a variety of identities affirmed through stories. This connection is incredibly important especially when students’ lives differ from the dominant narrative often presented in mainstream texts and media. In those cases, finding texts that truly connect with all students can involve a focus on equity that uplift different ways of knowing and being. Texts provide a lens which offers children an opportunity to learn about who is important, who matters, who is visible. Identity-affirming texts foster positive self-conception and self-worth while improving a student’s overall academic engagement and success.

• These stories offer avenues to continue conversations surrounding systemic oppression with a focus on anti-racism and Indigenous histories and stories.
• This collection will offer an opportunity to provide “Windows” and “Mirrors” as defined by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.

• Books that act as “Mirrors” allow students to see themselves within the storyline, characters, and experiences. Students will be able to make connections and be seen and heard after reading.
• Books that act as “Windows” allow students to see into the life or experience of someone else in a way the students may not have previously experienced. Through these books, students learn about the world through a new lens, offered by a storyline, characters or big ideas that may represent identities and ways of knowing and being that differ from their own.

To support the understanding of stories, it is important to uplift the framing of some of the books using the phrasing “words by” and “pictures by” as descriptions of who has contributed to the creation of these stories.

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.

** WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR LUNCH MONITORS! IF INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE**