October Newsletter 2014 - St. Elizabeth Catholic High School

HIGHLIGHTS
THE MISSION OF ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
is to value learning and excellence through collaboration and
innovation as a Catholic community.
October 2014
A Publication for Parents of the St. Elizabeth Catholic High School Community
AND SO IT BEGINS...
Mr. John Heinrich, Principal
I
t was a wondrous moment to
partake in our opening liturgy.
To watch over 1700 people gather
to celebrate the Eucharist was
inspiring, and truly a mark of
who we are as a Catholic learning
community. Indeed, it has been a
great joy for me to join the staff of
St. Elizabeth. To walk through the
doors of this school is to experience
a vibrant, warm, and welcoming
school. We are blessed to have a
place filled with talented students,
enthusiastic teachers, supportive
parents, and a support staff of fellow
administrators, administrative
assistants, educational assistants
and intervenors, child and youth
workers, and custodial staff. We all
work together to ensure that your
children receive an education that
is both academically challenging in
its engagement and compassionate
in its delivery. Joining me in
the main office are Vice Principals
Dianne Collins (grade 9) James
Cocchetto (grade 10), Sandra Abate
(grade 11), and Eleonora Morcos
(grade 12). They have been and
remain a remarkable support for our
school and for our students. Their
expertise ensures that we remain
focused on the success of your
children, enabling them to surmount
the challenges that are part of the
educational experience.
I am pleased to welcome a number
of new teaching staff to St. Elizabeth:
Sandra Cumbo (Guidance), Romina
Di Gasbarro (Arts), Cristina
Fantauzzi (English), Sandra
Mascarenhas (Business), Christine
Muhlberger (Business), Lourdusamy
Pakkam (Mathematics), and Taylor
Watt (Science). We look forward
to the work that they do with your
children – both in their respective
subject areas, as well as in the cocurricular programs in which they are
involved. At our inaugural meeting
of the Catholic School Council held
in September, Barbara Biggart was
acclaimed to the role of Chair. I am
keenly aware of the role of Catholic
School Council in our school and it
gives me great pleasure to work with
Mrs. Biggart and the Council this
year. Indeed, their contributions to
the vision of the school are important
and integral to the manner in which
our school evolves. Please take the
time to join us at any of our Catholic
School Council meetings this year.
This is an exciting time at St.
Elizabeth. Our Regional Arts
Program continues to flourish and
manifestations of that dominate our
planning for this year. We are pleased
that auditions for our musical,
Cinderella, have been ongoing. A
school production of this magnitude
is a heady task, and I certainly wish
to applaud the many teachers who
are giving of their time and effort
to ensure the success of this year’s
production.
WE WELCOME MR. JOHN HEINRICH
ALONG WITH PEDRO THE PANTHER!
We proudly stand by our newest members of St.
Elizabeth, Pedro the Panther and Mrs. E. Morcos,
Vice Principal. Keep your eye out for Pedro as he
will be visible at many of our school events.
From Lower Left: Mrs. S. Abate, Vice Principal;
Mrs. E. Morcos, Vice Principal; Mrs. M. Miacci,
Attendance Secretary; Mr. J. Heinrich, Principal;
Mrs. A. Moro, TSSI Secretary; Mr. J. Cocchetto,
Vice Principal; Ms. K. Beltrano, Bursar; Mrs. D.
Del Principe, Receptionist; Mrs. L. Papulkas, RAP
Secretary; Ms. A. Del Greco, Head Secretary; Mr.
M. Nasello, Superintendent of Education; and
Ms. D. Collins, Vice Principal. ABSENT: Mrs. R.
Trabucco, Guidance Secretary and Mrs. T. Sturino,
Maplewood Secretary.
Principal’s Message
Continued on Page 2.
I WILL MAKE EVERYONE FEEL WELCOMED AND APPRECIATED. I WILL VALUE ALL PEOPLE AS CHILDREN OF GOD. I WILL USE MY WORDS TO HELP AND NOT HARM.
YORK CATHOLIC EDUCATION CENTRE
A STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE
AT ‘WE DAY’!
By Christina Lee
On October 2, I had the opportunity to
attend the annual We Day, hosted by the
Free The Children organization, with
other members of the Free The Children
Club here at St. Elizabeth Catholic High
School. Free The Children is a non-profit
organization first started by 12-year-old
Craig Kielburger and his 11 friends, 20
years ago in Thornhill. Craig’s story is a
very inspiring one so if you haven’t heard
it, definitely go check it out online. I
initially prepared for the day, really
excited to see Joe Jonas because I
think all girls once had a JoBros phase,
but with every passing speech and
performance, my perspective changed.
Seeing Chris Hadfield, Big Sean,
Kendrick Lamar, Hedley, and other
celebs was an experience of a lifetime
but, more importantly, I cannot put in
words the inspiration and motivation
that the We Day speakers instilled in
me. However, what I bring back are
three main things I learned on this
trip. One: Be Aware. There is power in
knowledge and going to We Day opened
my eyes to not only the global issues, but
the wonderful range of solutions I can be
part of. Did you know that for just $50
you can possibly end a family’s poverty in
a third world country? That is only one less
Pandora charm on your bracelet; simply
owning one less version of a GTA video
game and simply waiting for the next
one. It’s worth a couple of weeks worth of
bringing your own lunch instead of buying
it. This brings us to the second point: BE
the Change. Like our dearest Gandhi said,
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Start spreading love through your actions
for a more loving world, donate money to
whatever cause you support and, most
2 October 2014
importantly, believe in yourself.
Believe in the power and value
you hold in this global community
because change is at your fingertips.
Lastly, the most important thing I
learned was to: Create the Change.
At St. Elizabeth alone you can
participate in Free the Children
events such as We Scare Hunger,
We Are Silent, We Week, and
so much more! We Day was so
much fun and being surrounded by such
high-spirited passionate youth and teens
really inspired me to do more for my own
community and beyond. I encourage you to
join Free the Children and, even more to go
to We Day because there was not a single dull
moment. I also encourage you to take part in
communities that are passionate about the
same things as you are because who knows...
maybe another global organization like Free
The Children will emerge in Thornhill because
we cared to change.
Principal’s Message continued.
While RAP continues as a focus for
our school, we are mindful of other
areas of growth that are evident.
We continue to examine the use
of technology in the classroom; to
that end, a number of initiatives
are under way that explore the
use of iPads, Chromebooks, and
other technology for student and
teacher use, in order to access the
many resources, information, and
software that can enhance the
student learning experience. As
well, we have a growing number of
teachers implementing the use of
D2L in their classrooms, Google Apps
for Education continues to expand,
both in teacher and in student
use. All of these bode well for the
continued evolution of pedagogy to
meet the challenges of new learning
environments and techniques. I
am so very pleased to be a part of
the St. Elizabeth community. I am
always mindful of the noble cause
of education – of leading young
people as they venture toward
their future. I am thankful for this
opportunity to serve as Principal
of this school. And I am excited
by the prospects of what can be
achieved together.
And so it begins …
Mr. J. Heinrich, Principal
LET’S DO OUR PART
Mrs. A. Murgaski, Science Department
The SCH 4C Chemistry class was fortunate
enough to attend the We Day celebrations
at the Air Canada Centre on October 2.
They heard from speakers on topics such as
zinc deficiency. We are striving to create
chemists with a conscience who will go out
into the world and be agents of change. Each
AA battery contains enough zinc to help 6
children recover from zinc deficiency. We
will begin a battery collection later this
month. Visit www.zincsaveslives.com for
more information. We Day was an amazing
experience for our young chemists and it
brought us one step closer to empowering the
youth of St. Elizabeth to use their talents to
SAFEGUARDS
AGAINST
SPREADING
VIRUSES
Cold and flu season is here and York
Region Public Health would like to
provide all students and their families
with information on protecting
themselves from common respiratory
illnesses, such as influenza,
enterovirus and rhinovirus.
Please visit our school website
at http://seh.ycdsb.ca for more
information.
WELCOME TO ST. ELIZABETHS’s
NEWEST MASCOT !
Didi Cammalleri and Amanda Pacitti,
Student Cuoncil Advisors
It is with great pride that the St. Elizabeth
Student Council welcomes our newest
mascot, Pedro the Panther! After
many years of planning and fundraising,
the combined efforts of past and present
student councils and administrative staff, our
panther mascot is no longer a dream but a
reality. Pedro the Panther will be present at
many school events, assemblies, and meetings
STUDENT COUNCIL 2014-15
for all school teams and clubs to unify and
ABSENT: Mrs. A. Pacitti, Student Council Advisor
build community amongst the students,
staff and parents of St. Elizabeth CHS. In
addition, Pedro will support many initiatives planned by St. Elizabeth staff and students and
celebrate positive achievements with the student population. Pedro has already met many
of the students during lunch in the cafeteria, as well as greeted our Catholic School Council.
Pedro looks forward to joining our school events and working with the school community to
continue an ongoing effort to build and maintain the school spirit that we pride ourselves in having at St. Elizabeth.
GLOBAL CULTURE CLUB GIVES THANKS!
Mrs. J. Chu Morrison, Advisor
It’s that time
of year where
we reflect on
all that we have
to be grateful
for and to offer
thanks to God.
In this spirit
of gratitude,
the Global Culture Club decided that Thanksgiving was an appropriate
time to give back to the local community and help The Good Shepherd
help the homeless and the impoverished of the City of Toronto.
The Good Shepherd Refuge provides food, shelter, and clothing to
Toronto’s homeless and disadvantaged. Thanksgiving is an even
more difficult time for those without families or homes, as their lack
of support stands in stark contrast to all of the family gatherings
and feasting that is
part of the tradition of
Thanksgiving. The Global
Culture Club, in tandem
with several staff and
student volunteers, made
many trays of Pasta al forno as part of the Thanksgiving dinner that was served at
The Good Shepherd Refuge. The Family Studies Department and its students baked
delicious desserts that were served with the main course. Thanks to all who gave of
their time, efforts and culinary skills. It was a Happy Thanksgiving for all!
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 3
November 11
Remembrance
Day 2014 - 100TH
anniversary
of wwi “the
war to end
all wars”
Mrs. M. Young, Canadian and World
Studies Department
When You Go Home,
Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Your Tomorrow,
We Gave Our Today!
Every November 11th we pause to remember
the men and women of this great nation
who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our
freedom. This year marks an extraordinary
anniversary - namely the 100th year
since the outbreak of World War One. It
was known as “The War To End All
Wars”, and yet sadly we know it didn’t.
Despite the massive loss of life, the world
and Canadians lived to see the outbreak
of WWII, The Korean War, the necessity
for global Peacekeeping missions, and The
War in Afghanistan.
The sacrifice of so
many is especially important to remember
this year as we commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the start of the First
World War. Though not one veteran of
the First World War remains today, we
remember all those sons and daughters
who answered the call and helped form an
international identity for our young Nation.
Over 66,000 Canadians gave their lives
in WWI - let us remember, lest we forget.
This year also commemorates the 75th
anniversary of Canada’s involvement
in WWII, especially the formation of the
British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan (BCATP) which President Roosevelt
described as “the most decisive factor
of the war”. Seventy years ago the
culmination of the Italian Campaign led to
the invasion of Rome by Canadian troops.
This valiant effort led to the take-over of
Italy from fascist rule and the eventual
Victory in Europe. The event coincided with
the D-Day invasions on Juno Beach,
where Canadians, despite the massive Nazi
resistance, managed to achieve all their
objectives. Soon after followed Canada’s
Liberation of Holland, as Canadian
achievements, contributions and sacrifices
in the Second World War continued to grow.
Despite our soldiers’ amazingly valiant
efforts in WWI and WWII, Canadian soldiers
4 October 2014
have come to be widely known for
also being Peacekeepers. Thanks
to Lester B. Pearson, the concept
of international peacekeeping was
born, and since 1956, Canadians
have served on UN missions
throughout the world. This year
marks the 50 years since Canada’s
involvement and sacrifice in
Cyprus as well as 20 years since
the genocide in Rwanda. In
Cyprus, 28 Canadian soldiers were
killed serving for the UN mission. In
Rwanda, while under the command
of General Dallaire, Canadian
and Belgian UN forces were placed
in a compromising and deadly
position of maintaining a nonexistent peace. We remember the victims
of those tragedies and the Canadians, who
doing their duty, remain scarred by their
service in those missions.
This year in March, Canada’s role in The
War in Afghanistan came to a close.
Our commemoration this Remembrance
Day should also include the 158 Canadian
men and women of the Canadian Armed
Forces who gave their lives to fight
against terrorism and dictatorship in the
name of human dignity and freedom. Let
us remember and honour them and their
families. May we remain thankful to God
that there are men and women among us
who are willing to answer the call and lay
down their lives, so that we may continue to
enjoy freedom, prosperity and peace.
Throughout Veterans Week (November
5-11) staff and students will have the
opportunity to support our veterans by
purchasing and respectfully wearing red
poppies as our pledge to never forget the
ultimate sacrifice. Our school community,
in union with all Canadians, will pay
homage in observance of Remembrance
Day with 2 minutes of silence at 11:00am
as part of an emotive commemoration
service on Tuesday, November 11. The
service will highlight this year’s memorials
through reflection, poetry, song and prayer
performed by our staff and students. Mrs.
Young would like to thank all those who
generously gave of their time and talent
to make this Remembrance Day ceremony
meaningful and memorable for everyone.
To all who served, who paid the ultimate
sacrifice and who continue to serve on our
behalf, we at St. Elizabeth say Thank you.
We will Remember.
They shall not grow old as we that are young
grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the
years condemn, At the going down of the sun
and in the morning,We will remember them.
WE STAND AS
ONE
Mrs. T. Penney, E.S.P. Teacher Advisor, YRP
Liaison
On October 28, almost 300 St. Elizabeth
students joined members of York Regional Police
to help support YRP’s “Be United” campaign. In
an effort to bring together the community and
police, York Region’s finest are partnering with
a variety of organizations to bring focus to the
importance of working together in an effort to
keep our communities safe. St. Elizabeth was
asked by YRP to create the message “Be United”
on our athletic field. Hundreds of enthusiastic
students, after several rehearsals, formed
a human message by standing together, in
unity with our Police Officers, to spell out this
significant message.
It was quite a sight to see students and police
Officers standing in unison in both symbol
and word to support this important initiative.
Vaughan Fire Department arrived with their
special high ladder fire truck and members
of YRP took aerial photos of this historic
event. Members of St. Elizabeth’s Presidents’
Council, E.S.P., Student Council and many other
volunteers were happy to participate in the event.
Many thanks go out to Ms. Acacio, Ms. Mariani,
Ms. Abate and the St. Elizabeth administration
for their on-going support for the many
initiatives that E.S.P. works on in partnership
with YRP in order to continue to create a safe and
inclusive environment for all members of our
community.
ST. ELIZABETH PHYSICAL AND
HEALTH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
FALL PANTHER ATHLETICS UPDATE
Ms. N. Filice, Head of Health and Physical Education
The fall season has commenced and below is the list of the teams running and
the teachers that have volunteered to coach:
The Physical and Health Education department
began the school year with outdoor units such as
soccer, rugby, flag football, softball, tennis, ultimate
frisbee, and golf. Also, the grade 10 classes went on
a rock climbing field trip to True North Climbing
at Downsview Park. We look forward to the grade
9s taking part in their self-defense unit as well as
receiving certification for CPR. Our grade 11 and 12
fitness focus courses have been working out both in
the weight room and the gym to improve on their
personal goals. On the academic side, we teach health
units that include important topics and lifestyle
information such as fitness, nutrition, substance use
and abuse, relationships and sexuality, personal safety
and conflict resolution, anger management, healthy
lifestyle choices, stress and stress management,
healthy relationships, mental health, and conflict and
violence. We are encouraging all our students to learn
how to live a healthy, happy and productive life.
SPORT
COACHES
SENIOR BOYS SOCCER
Mr. A. Chiera & Ms. J. Coulis
SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mr. S. Barbieri, Ms. Cumbo &
Ms. Watt
CROSS COUNTRY
Ms. Buzdon, Ms. Colburn,
Ms. Filice & Ms. Guinci
TENNIS
Mr. Sniatenchuk & Ms. Wu
BOYS GOLF
Mr. Cugliari
GIRLS GOLF
Ms. McKeough
SWIM
Ms. McKeough, Mrs. Murgaski, Ms.
Pimentel, Mr. Sedran & Mrs. Young
Good luck to all the teams as they strive to make the playoff round in
pursuit of York Region Gold.
TORCH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
A HUGE SUCCESS
By Sabrina Denicola, Grade 12
This year’s TORCH Leadership training for the newly selected Peer
Ministers was a huge success. Congratulations to our participants
for coming out and putting themselves forward! The 40 participants
and 8 senior leaders experienced a new location for this conference
at the Jericho House: Youth Leadership Justice and
Spirituality Centre. The students spent three days, from October
1 to 3, learning how to better develop their leadership skills under
the direction of Sister Jacquie and Brother Bill. This trip would
not have been feasible without the participation, time, energy, and
dedication of our 8 senior leaders: Kaleryia Azov, Ashley Cianni, Anthony Dao, Sabrina Denicola, Adrian Galope, Wendy Sanajko,
Marierose Talla, and Danny Torres. As well, our staff advisors, consisting of Mrs. Mancuso, Fr. Felix Linatoc, Mrs. Penney, and Ms.
Muhlberger are to be thanked for making this wonderful opportunity possible. Special thanks are further extended to our Principal,
Mr. Heinrich, for joining the group on Friday and lending his support to the program. We pray that the torches ignited in the hearts
of the participants this year will continue to glow as they help to make our school community a warm and welcoming Christ-centered
environment.
ABSENCES: Parents must report their child’s absence by 8:10 am on a daily basis by calling
the Main Office. If leaving a message, clearly state the student’s name, grade and reason
for absence. Upon return from the absence, students are also required to bring a note to
the Homeroom Teacher explaining the reason for absence duly signed and dated by a parent/guardian. The Homeroom Teacher will provide an “Admit to Class” slip for the subject
teacher whose class the student had missed. EARLY LEAVES: Medical or personal business
appointments should not be made during school time. If a student must leave early, a note
duly signed and dated by a parent/guardian must be presented to the Main Office before 8:10 am, stating the reason for the early
leave and the time of departure. Early leaves are not permitted without a telephone call. If a student is ill during the day, he/she
must report to the Main Office. Failure to do so may be regarded as truancy and will result in disciplinary action from the Vice
Principal. Permission to leave school early is granted by the Administration and is dependent on the school contacting a parent/
guardian.
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 5
MODERN
languages department
QUELLE ANNÉE
FORMIDABLE !
Mme Bernabei, Department Head of Modern Languages
The FSL and International Languages Department has
an amazing year planned. In the month of October,
the Grade 10 and 11 French students went to Le Théâtre
Français to watch Les Zinspirés followed by an amazing
luncheon at Café Crêpe. The French classes also celebrated
la Fête du Fromage as they savoured different French
cheeses while sipping on sparkling fruit juice. The grade 9
French classes will be experiencing le Café Français in the
month of November, organized by the senior students,
and the month of December culminates with a French
film screening in the Theatre. The French Scrabble team
has been busy preparing for the Tournament in April at
St. Theresa of Lisieux CHS and the mural that is being
painted by our art students is well under way. Finally,
the International Language Council is eagerly awaiting
their first salsa lesson. They will also be collaborating
with Nations United on many other activities. We wish
our students an enjoyable and successful semester. Bon
divertissement et bonne chance!
GRADE 9 EQAO MATHEMATICS
TESTING - 2015
This year’s Grade 9 EQAO Mathematics testing will take place
on:
JANUARY 15 & 16, 2015
FOR SEMESTER 1 STUDENTS
***************************
JUNE 10 & 11, 2015
FOR SEMESTER 2 STUDENTS
All grade 9 students are required to participate in the EQAO
Mathematics testing. This test will take place in the semester in which
Mathematics is taken. Grade 9 students who are struggling in their
academic or applied mathematics courses are encouraged to register
for an after school mathematics program, which will help them
prepare for their EQAO mathematics test. For more information,
please contact the Mathematics Department. Grade 9 students and
their parents are encouraged to visit www.eqao.com for information
and strategies on how to prepare for writing this test and to download
sample practice booklets.
6 October 2014
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
COUNCIL
Mrs. Barbara Biggart, Chair
A warm welcome, this first semester, to the new and returning
families, administration and staff of St. Elizabeth to make this a
fulfilling and successful year. I would like to introduce you to the
newly elected Catholic School Council for this year. The members
of the executive are Barbara Biggart, Chair; Lucy Mazzonna,
Vice-Chair; Tomie Faiella, Treasurer, and Lucie Fank, Secretary.
The parent representatives are Deuze Ferreira, Diane Fuoco,
Mirella Giralico, Connie Giulitto, Wendy Goulart, Briolange
Martinho, Lucy Mazzonna, Loretta Paterek-Mendes, Linda
Sacino and Steve Zanon. Additional members include Monika
Young, our teacher representative; and Olivia Bagnoli, our
student representative.
Upcoming council meetings will take place on the dates below. All
parents are welcome to attend and participate, so please join us. You
can learn a great deal about what is happening at your child’s school
and network with other parents.
Wednesday, October 22 - Digital Resources
Presentation
7:00pm - Library
(Meeting followed
by presentation)
Wednesday, Decenber 3 - Christmas Liturgy
6:30 pm - Chapel /
Library
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
7:00 pm - Library
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
7:00 pm - Library
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
7:00 pm - Library
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
7:00 pm - Library
St. Elizabeth Catholic School Council raises funds every year to
purchase materials and equipment for the enhancement of the
curriculum for students. This is based on a student activity fee
and additional fundraising by parents. The items purchased by
Catholic School Council complement their programs and add to
the education of students. We wanted to share with you the types
of items that were requested by departments and what we helped
purchase for the students with the monies you so generously
donated.
Some of the items are: Refurbished laptops, laptops and carts,
equipment for Functional Life Skills programs, a stand-alone
fridge and apron sets, musical instruments, ceiling mounted
projectors, DVDs and fitness charts, jumpstart test cases –
lesson downloads, two wall mounted LCDs and smartboards,
Ipads and upgrades of certain videos. In addition, we were able
to help pay for Torch leadership training conventions for Peer
Ministers and contribute to the grade 12 Graduation.
As you can see, without your generosity, many of these items would
not be available to our students. We want to thank you for your
support in the past and for any future contributions you wish to
make. We appreciate your support and may God bless you.
ACADEMIC
2014
Ms. D. Collins, Vice Principal
Once again the St Elizabeth students of 2014 showcased their excellent academic abilities. Over 40
percent of them from grade 9 to grade 11 received a certificate for Honor Roll at our Awards Ceremony
held on October 7. We were honoured to have Mr. Michael Nasello, Superintendent of Education,
and Cathy Ferlisi, Trustee, congratulate each student on their well-deserved awards. Students were
not only recognized for academic excellence but also for the way they contributed their time, talents
and giftedness in building a better, more caring and compassionate St Elizabeth community. The
committee along with administrative assistant, Luba Papulkas, and volunteer students did a magnificent job of
preparing the many certificates, special awards and general set-up behind the scenes. All their time, effort and energy
made our celebration an outstanding success. A special thank you to each and every person involved. Congratulations
to the many students who were honored on this day. Well done!
18th Century Alive: The
Enlightenment of CHY4U History
Students!
Mrs. M. Young, Canadian and World Studies Department
Mrs. Young’s grade 12 students of CHY4U hosted 2 interactive
18th century classes. Playing the role of different philosophies
and philosophers of the time, students found creative ways to
share their research and learning with peers in salons. Wearing
wigs, girdles and partaking in foods and activities of the times,
students engaged each other in philosophical discussions and
debate of etiquette, fashion, class structure, leisure, foods,
manners, music, as well as crime and punishment. The rational
and empiricist views of Rousseau, Kant, Hume, Voltaire,
Montesquieu, Beccaria and Newton were accurately debated
and brought the unit of study to life. It was a challenging,
enjoyable and enlightening experience for all.
SCIENCE UPDATE
Mrs. S. Grove, Department Head of Science
SANOFI BIOGENIUS CANADA
Students taking Grade 11 or Grade 12 Biology, who have
an interest in conducting science experiments/research
under the mentorship of a scientist working in a hospital
or university research lab, should contact Mrs. Grove or
Mr. Sax for more information. The deadline for submitting
a proposal is November 17, 2014. The judging for this
competition will take place in April 2015, allowing students
about four to five months to do the research and collect/
analyze their data.
Francis Lao is a grade 11 student who will be participating
in this year’s Biotechnology Challenge. Francis will be
working at The Hospital for SickKids Laboratories to study
autoimmune diseases, such as Juvenille Idiopathic Arthritis
and Kawasaki Disease. Francis is also the first student
from our school to use the Cooperative Education Program,
allowing him more time to conduct thorough research. We
wish him the very best for this project.
Metro ZOO
The Grade 11 College and University Biology students visited
the Zoo on October 16 as part of their Diversity of Life and
Evolution strands this semester. They reconnected with our
ancestors and studied their adaptations that have allowed
them to survive.
COSMIC CONNECTIONS...
Mrs. H. Buzdon, Science Department
Early December, the grade 9 science classes took a trip to
the Science Centre. They participated in a program called
Cosmic Connections in the Planetarium, which coincided
with their Astronomy Unit of study. In addition, students
had an opportunity to explore the many interesting
permanent exhibits that the Science Centre had to offer.
Passionate About the Visual Arts and Science?
As the artists are putting the finishing touches on the
Earth and Space Science mural, we are ready to begin
brainstorming for science mural number two. Many
students have shown an interest in making their ideas
come to life. Students were asked to begin making sketches
for any of the remaining strands: biology, chemistry
and physics. Looking forward to working on another
masterpiece!
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 7
PARENTS TAKE NOTE PARENTS TAKE NOTE
This year’s Grade 10 Ontario
Secondary School Literacy Test will
be written on
Thursday, March 26, 2015
To help our students achieve success, a series of inschool supports will be provided for them. Students
and parents are also encouraged to visit www.eqao.
com for more information and strategies on how
to prepare for writing the test. Every student must
successfully pass this test in order to meet graduation
requirements.
COMPREHENSIVE
OPEN HOUSE
Our Comprehensive Open House
is scheduled for Wednesday,
November 29, 2014 from 7 to
9:00 pm in the school cafeteria. Tour the school and
learn about course options for Grade 9 students.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
The school uniform has been
supported by parents/guardians,
students and staff as a means of
creating a distinct school identity.
Students who enroll at St. Elizabeth
Catholic High School do so with
a full awareness of the uniform
expectation and implicitly agree to
abide by the uniform dress code.
Students are expected to be in full
and proper uniform at all times
throughout the instructional day
(8:17 am to 2:22 pm) including
the lunch periods and if attending school programs before or
after school (i.e., LIC, detention, Help Lab, etc.) Students with
a Study Hall or in the Co-operative Education Program
must also be in full and proper uniform throughout the
instructional day. Students are also required to be in full and
proper uniform during school field trips unless arrangements
have been previously made with Administration.
A RAP
student must wear the school uniform properly every day,
where no artistic improvisation or interpretation is permitted.
When attending a RAP event, students should wear the
school uniform unless it has been indicated otherwise
by the Vice Principal of the Regional Arts Program.
The uniform may be purchased through our sole
provider: HALPERN’S, 80 Bass Pro Mills Drive, Units 25
&26, Vaughan, ON L4K 5W9, Phone: 905-761-8480.
8 October 2014
News from the Guidance
Department
Mrs. C. Titus, Department Head of Guidance
We wish to extend a welcome to Mrs. Cammalleri who
joined our Guidance department this September. Mrs.
Cammalleri is well known around St. Elizabeth as a former
member of the Special Education and Social Science
departments. She will be a great addition to the Guidance
department. This year the guidance department
has been restructured so that students are assigned
to Guidance counsellors based on the initial of their
surname.
LAST NAME
A-CONS
CONT-GOLDA
GOLDEN-MAS
MAT-ROI
COUNSELLOR
Mr. DeRose
Mrs. Titus
Mrs. Caruso
Mr. Sturino
ROJ-Z
Mrs. Cammalleri
PHONE EXT.
255
254
257
269
253
November is a busy month for the grade 12s as they
make decisions about their post-secondary plans. Some
important websites to assist in these decisions are:
www.ontariocolleges.ca - the college applicant website
www.apprenticesearch.com - the apprenticeship
training website
www.ouac.on.ca - the university application website
www.electronicinfo.ca - your source to program areas
of study charts, information about offers of admission,
scholarship searches, contact numbers, open houses, and
more.
IMPORTANT DATES
January 15, 2015 is the
deadline to submit your completed University Application
to the OUAC. It is highly recommended that students
complete their applications well before this, preferably
before Christmas vacation.
February 1, 2015: Equal Consideration Date for
College Applications. Apply before this date in order to
receive equal consideration for admission to programs
starting the following fall. After this date, colleges
consider applicants on a first-come, first-served basis until
programs are full.
Note that applications to Highly Competitive Programs
must be received by this date in order to be considered.
As these programs receive a high volume of applicants, all
seats may be filled by February 1.
Applicants are encouraged to complete their applications
well before the Equal Consideration Date, as website
volumes on the online application are at their highest at
this time.
REMEMBER – you can still make changes
STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE - 2014 - 2015
The following represents the distribution of the Student Activity Fee
($95.00). Student enrolment for 2014-2015 is 1,671.
PROJECTED EXPENDITURES
Athletics
32,000.00
Awards (Certificates, Trophies and Ceremony)
7,000.00
Catholic School Council Donation
16,175.00
Communications (mailings, newsletters, etc.)
4,800.00
Locks
4,300.00
Grade 9 Orientation, Heartbeat, Spiritual Ministry
3,390.00
Presidents’ Council Operations
Clubs and Councils 8,000.00
Leadership
3,000.00
School Agenda/Handbook
9,000.00
School Assemblies, Guest Speakers, Special Events
7,000.00
School Productions
8,000.00
Stewardship Fund
3,500.00
Yearbook
47,500.00
===========
$153,665.00
REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM
Trustees’ Message
A Good Beginning Makes …
by C. Ferlisi and T. Ciaravella, Trustees
We hope that you and your family have enjoyed a safe
and happy summer. A sincere welcome to new families
and to those returning to the St. Elizabeth school
community. Congratulations to the newly elected
and returning members of the St. Elizabeth Catholic
School Council – involved parents really do make a
difference. We look forward to working with you during
the school year as well as attending many of the events
for the RAP program and the Comprehensive program
throughout the school year. May the Holy Spirit guide
our students during this school year in appreciating
the love of Jesus Christ. Please feel free to contact us
with any questions or concerns; we will always make
ourselves available to you.
A Regional Arts Program Enhancement of $100 is collected in addition to the student
activity fee and placed in a fund to extend and enhance regional arts programming.
The enhancement fund is used to provide extended learning opportunities beyond the
comprehensive arts programming and covers guest artists, master classes, field trips,
transportation, workshops, competitions, enhanced materials, and costumes, etc. The
enhancement is customized for each grade and discipline and varied annually. These
funds collected do not cover all the costs incurred in offering these activities. The amounts
collected are used to help defray the costs incurred. Enhancements offered above and
beyond the regional arts program enhancements may require further contribution.
Thank you, Parents, for your
contributionS to our
Donation Campaign
Sharda Abdool, Domenic Ammendolia, Eva Rose Angel, Cumanda Espin
Ayala, Monica Bauer, Felicia Bellissimo, Gino Bisci, Egidio Bocatto,
Teresa Calvi, Fred Ceolin, Luigi and Patrizia Chiaino, Bobby Chong,
Gina and Rick Ciampa, Laura Cianfarani, Adriana Colarusso, Nadia
and Franco Conforti, Sandra Cordeiro, Sandro Creazzo, Silvio & Mary
Dallan, Gianni DeGasperis, Joe DeMatteis, Tina DiGiovanni, Domenic
DiNardo, Di-Sen Construction, Nicolina and Ivano D’Onofrio, Mary
Duncan, Sabrina Dussin, Maria Elia, Dan Ennamorato, Lucie Fank,
Gianni Ferraro, Deuzimar Ferreira, Rinaldo Jason and Janis Marie
Fidani, Janessa Gazmen, Suzanne and Sandro Giannitti, Alexandra
Gileppo, Domenic Giorgi and Nadia Marcoccia, Mirella Giralico, Mary
and Tom Grajnar, John Grassa, Lynda Graziosi, Sandra Greto, Claudiu
Grovu, Sophia Howie, Handyman Renovation, Imelda Hennebert and
Juan Mora, Sandra and Larry Iaccino, Sam Kinatolo, Maria Luisa and
Rico Luz Kison, Frank & Rose Klobucar, Eun Hyun Kwon, Lidia Larosa
and Mauro Cestra, Gianna Leva-Germanese, Peter Lieou, Beatriz Liria,
Elena Lubalin, Shermen Ma, Frank and Rosalia Magliocco, Katalin
Marcogliese, Ivana Markulin, Mario Marmora, Walter Marsetti and
Maria Pia Monaco, Santro Martire, Paul Mascioli, Giuseppe Mazzonna,
Concord/Thornhill
Residents:
Cathy Ferlisi
Tel: 416-565-7087
Email:
cathy.ferlisi@ycdsb.ca
Website:
trustee.ycdsb.ca/ferlisi
Maple Residents:
Teresa Ciaravella
Tel: 905-832-4562
Email:
teresa.ciaravella@ycdsb.ca
Website:
trustee.ycdsb.ca/ciaravella
Anne McDermott, Tzeggai Mekonen, Connie Susan Miceli,
Lystra Moore, Linda Mustacato, Natalija Onyshchenk, Toni
Orlando, Domenic Pallario, Paul Periti and Liana Danese,
John and Ivana Quaglietta, Victor Rocha, Fabiana and
Gustavo Romanutti, Luigi Gino and Daniela Romualdi,
Denise Scarff, Stefan Sirbu, Jerry and Edna Sison,
Paolo and Diana Spinosa, Aileen Sprott, Egidio Sturino,
Raphael Sumabat, Tony and Mary Suppa, Claudia Tucci,
Gabriel Waisman, Lawrence Yu, Viacheslav and Nadejda
Yushkevich, Maria Zoia, 2093213 Ontario Inc.
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 9
THE REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM - where your talents come alive...
Mr. J. Lettieri, Department Head of Arts
The Dance Department, teamed with the Music Department, delivered four sold-out
performances of Peter and the Wolf on October 23 and 24. The presentations
were held in the York Catholic District School Board Centre for the Arts adjacent
to St. Elizabeth Catholic High School. Elementary School students attended
this exciting artistic ballet interpretation. Ms. DiMillo's Grade 9 RAP dance
class choreographed the ballet movement with costumes and wonderful stage
decor. The live music was provided by Mr. Lettieri's Senior Concert Band where
students performed the music from the Theatre's orchestra pit. From rehearsal to
performance, the entire experience was very rewarding for all involved, including
the audience of wonderful enthusiastic elementary school students associated
with St. Elizabeth. The presentations included an introduction to characters and
musical instruments plus a question and answer segment at the end of the show
where elementary school students could ask questions answered by the dancers and
musicians on stage. Congratulations to all who helped with the Peter and the
Wolf project. A very successful event, indeed!
VISUAL ARTS STUDENTS GO TO
WASHINGTON!
Mr. Y. Chetty, Arts Department
On October 15, the grade nine and ten
Visual Regional Arts students embarked on
an excursion to Washington, D.C. This was the
department’s first venture to our neighbour’s
capital. It was 10 years ago that Mr. Paolini,
initiated our inaugural trip to our nations
great capital where we visited and worked
from the National Art Galleries collection and
drew from our monumental War Memorial.
Since then, the trip has become an institution
within the program as it has become a great
bonding experience for our sophomore and
freshmen. The grade 10s are paired up with
the grade 9s and mentor them through the
working assignments throughout the trip. The
trip has since evolved to a capital-to-capital
endeavour over the course of the 2-year
switch in the wake of our recent success. Our
students had a great opportunity to visit
Washington's National Portrait Gallery and
American Museum of Art. While seeing the
collection in the context that inspired its
creation was inspirational for the students,
it was the commitment to working from the
Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and
Franklin Delano Roosevelt that really engaged
our RAP art students. Ms. Titus, Ms. Estabillo
and Mr. Chetty were proud of their on-site
accomplishments and the effort put forth by
the students. They were the embodiment of
what we expect from our groups that embark
10 October 2014
SCHOOL BUS CANCELLATION
INFORMATION
On occasion, service cancellation due to inclement
weather conditions may be required. Parents,
students and school staff are asked to access the
following radio and television stations after
6:00 am. to receive bus cancellation information or
check our website: www.schoolbuscity.com prior to
heading out to your bus stop.
NEWS 640 AM
CJBC 860 AM
CISS 92.5 FM
CJKX 89.9 FM
CFRB 1010 AM
CHUM 1050 AM
SRC 90.3 FM
JACK 92.5 FM
CHIN 1540 AM Q107 107 FM
CKDX 88.5 FM
CHFI 98.1 FM
CBC 99.1 FM
CKFM 99.9 FM
CHUM 104.5
CHAY 93.1 FM
CHIN 100.7 FM
CJEZ 97.3 FM
NEWS 680 AM
CJCL 590 AM
CITY TV
THE NEW VR TV
THE WEATHER CHANNEL CFTO TV
THE A CHANNEL
Please note that a bus cancellation message will
also be available at 1-877-330-3001 after 6:30 a.m.
Student Transportation Services of York Region
thanks you for your support as we continually
focus on providing safe transportation for all of our
students. The above procedure is not applicable to
School Charters. The school Principal is responsible
for cancelling these arrangements.
TO CHECK WHY YOUR BUS IS LATE OR HAS
NOT SHOWN UP, PLEASE CLICK ON THE
FOLLOWING SITE:
www.ycdsb.ca
Click Parents & Students
Click School Buses
ST. PASCHAL BAYLON
CHURCH UPDATE
FELLOWSHIP:
Every Wednesday at
6:00 pm, the youth of
St. Paschal Baylon are
welcomed to meet in
the Parish Hall. At this
time, the youth gather in
fellowship, discussing our faith and our journey with
God. During these evenings, the youth will base
their discussions on the Theology of the Body. All
youth between the ages of 13 and 20 are invited!
YOUTH MASS:
The St. Paschal Youth Group (SPYG) lead the 2:00
pm Mass at the Church every Sunday. We invite
everyone of all ages as we take part in the highest
form of praise: Mass!
ADORATION:
On Friday, November 7, after the 7:00 pm Mass,
the Youth will be leading the Parish's monthly
adoration. The Lord will be present through the
Blessed Sacrament. Come and join us as we praise
and adore God as a lovely and humble community.
ADVENT RETREAT 2014:
The St. Paschal Baylon Youth Group (SPYG) would
like to invite you to a weekend of reflection,
adoration, and fellowship. Come and join us as we
learn to focus on re-centering our lives in Christ, so
that we may stand firm and live out the faith that
we believe. This year, our Advent Retreat will take
place at the Mount Alverno Retreat Centre from
December 19 - 20. For more information, please
feel free to communicate with one of the contacts.
PARENT-TEACHER
INTERVIEWS
We will be holding Parent / Teacher Interviews at the
school on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 from
5:30 to 9:00 pm. This year, we are using an on-line
service to schedule Parent / Teacher Interviews. If
you wish to schedule an interview with any of your
child’s teachers, please follow the instructions below.
If you do not have access to the internet at home
or in the workplace please call ParentInterview tollfree at 1-866-810-0076 and someone will be happy
to make your appointments with you.
You will be able to schedule appointments starting
November 7 at 7:00 pm until November 11 at
11:00 pm.
Instructions:
1.
Go to the St. Elizabeth-ParentInterview scheduling website at https://
sechs.parentinterview.com.
2.
Enter your child’s 9-digit Ontario Education Number (OEN) and click
“Login”. Your child’s Ontario Education Number can be found on the report card
next to the student name.
3.
Fill in your contact information and click “Continue to Make
Appointments”.
4.
Click on the name of a teacher with whom you wish to schedule an
appointment.
5.
Click on “Available” for a time at which you wish to meet with that
teacher.
6.
Repeat Steps 4 and 5 until you have scheduled all the teachers you wish to
see.
7.
Click on “My Schedule” (top left of the page).
8.
Print out (or copy down) your schedule and bring it with you.
You will be allowed to schedule appointments with up to five teachers. Should
you wish to delete an appointment you have made, click on “Delete” beside the
meeting you wish to have removed from your schedule. If you decide to delete an
appointment, that time slot will become available for other parents. There are no
guarantees that you will be able to reschedule that appointment.
If you misplace your schedule, you may use your child’s Ontario Education
Number to retrieve your schedule from the website at any time. If you experience
any difficulty using the service, please email support@parentinterview.com.
We look forward to seeing you on November 12.
MUSIC TAKES OVER THE SCIENCE CENTRE
Mr. P. Han, Music Teacher
On September 30, the Comprehensive Grade 9 Instrumental class and
the Grade 11 Guitar class spent the day at the Ontario Science Centre. They
enjoyed the interactive feature
exhibit "The Science of Rock N
Roll". The students learned facts
about the music industry from a
scientific point-of-view. They got
to try some of the instruments and
even sing in a vocal booth. Overall,
it was a great day for the music
students to experience something
different. Thanks to Mr. T. Moretto
for helping to supervise the trip.
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School 11
ANAPHYLACTIC ALERT
NOVEMBER
Wednesday, November 12
PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS
5:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Friday, November 14
P.A. DAY (NO CLASSES)
Wednesday, November 19
COMPREHENSIVE OPEN HOUSE
@ 7:00 pm IN THE CAFETERIA
Tuesday, November 25
BROADWAY BOUND PERFORMANCE
from our vocalists @ 7:00 pm
Friday, November 28
Grade 11 SEMI-FORMAL @
6:00 pm at the Royalton
DECEMBER
Monday, December 1
REGIONAL ARTS APPLICATIONS DUE
Wednesday, December 3
DRAMA PERFORMANCE
A FAIRY TALE CHRISTMAS CAROL
Matinee - December 3 & 4(10:00 am)
Evening (7:00 pm)
JANUARY
Monday, January 5
CLASSES RESUME
Thursday, January 15
DEADLINE FOR UNIVERSITY
APPLICATIONS
Thursday, January 15
Friday, January 16
MATH EQAO TESTING for all Grade
9s taking Mathematics Semester
One
Saturday, January 17
REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM
WORKSHOP from 8:30 am to Noon
Wednesday, January 21
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
MEETING and Presentation @
7:00 pm (Library)
Friday, January 23 to
Thursday, January 29
FORMAL EXAMS
Wednesday, January 28 and
Thursday, December 11
ADVENT LITURGY
Wednesday, February 11
VOICES REAFFIRMED ART
EXHIBITION at 7:00pm in the
Theatre
VOCAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT
EVENING PERFORMANCES @ 7:00 pm
Tuesday, February 3
SEMESTER 2 BEGINS
Wednesday, February 18
ASH WEDNESDAY
THE ST. ELIZABETH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS is a
newsletter that is published four times a year for parents of the St. Elizabeth Catholic
High School community. ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISOR, John Heinrich; EDITOR, Ms.
Amy Del Greco
12 October 2014
Parents must alert the school
to a child’s anaphylactic allergies
every year in September.
Parents must provide the school
with two up-to-date EpiPens and a
signed Consent Form for school staff
to administer medication.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
St. Elizabeth Catholic High School
525 New Westminster Drive
Thornhill, Ontario L4J 7X3
Phone: (905) 882-1460
Fax: (905) 882-5076
Guidance Fax: (905) 882-9283
Website: http://seh.ycdsb.ca
REGIONAL ARTS PROGRAM AUDITIONS
FEBRUARY
Wednesday, December 17
INFORMATION/AWARENESS/
RESPONSIBILITY
Thursday, January 29
Wednesday, December 3
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
MEETING @ 6:30 pm, Opening with
a Paraliturgy in the Chapel
Tuesday, December 16
Protecting anaphylactic students
from exposure to life-threatening
substances creates a major challenge
to schools. When accidental exposure
triggers an anaphylactic reaction,
there is no time to waste. The usual
procedure is:
Administer the EpiPen
Call 911 for ambulance
Contact family members
LOCAL PARISHES
ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER PARISH
191 Wade Gate, Thornhill
L4J 5Y4
Tel: 905-660-1253
Fax: 905-660-1254
Email: stjosephtheworker@rogers.com
ST. PASCHAL BAYLON CHURCH
92 Steeles Avenue West, Thornhill,
L4J 1A1
Tel: 905-889-7867
Fax: 905-889-7867
Email: st.paschalbaylon@rogers.com
ST. DAVID’S PARISH
2601 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple
L6A 1C6
Tel: 905-832-5595
Fax: 905-832-6524
Email: stdavids@rogers.com