SAE April 2015 Newsletter - St. Anne CES

VOLUME 5
April 2015
He is Risen!
Matthew 28:6
V. Zucchi,
Principal
St. Anne
Catholic School
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Daily Schedule
8:45 a.m.-yard supervision begins
9:00 a.m.-morning entry
10:25-10:40 a.m.-recess
12:00-12:20 p.m.-lunch time
12:20-1:00 p.m.- recess
2:25-2:40 p.m.-recess
3:30 p.m.-dismissal
As we begin the month of April, we will see
the highpoint of the Church Calendar with
the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter.
We rejoice in the Easter message as we ask
God to fill our hearts with His goodness and
mercy.
In April, we also anticipate the warmer
days of spring, especially after such a long
and cold winter. During this month, as we
see the first signs of spring emerge, we are
reminded of our role as stewards of the
environment and our need to care for our
fragile planet. At St. Anne, we will have
opportunities to engage in Earth Month
activities as we grow in our capacity to be
responsible citizens.
On behalf of the St. Anne staff, we hope
that you have a joyous and blessed Easter.
V. Zucchi
The Stations of the Cross:
The Grade 5’s will have had a busy month
as they busily prepare to perform the Stations of the Cross for us on Holy Thursday
(April 2) at 10:45 a.m.. We kindly invite you
to join us. Our appreciation goes out to
Mrs. Kakaletris and Mr. Mercuriano and
the Grade 5 students.
The Mission of The York Catholic District School Board : Guided by Gospel Values and Catholic Virtues, in partnership with home and Church, we educate and inspire all students to reach their full
potential in a safe and caring environment.
Trustees:
Cathy Ferlisi (Vaughan, Concord/Thornhill 416-565-7087 Email: cathy.ferlisi@ycdsb.ca
Domenic Mazzotta (Richmond Hill) 905-713-1211 ext 17130 Email: dominic.mazzotta@ycdsb.ca
Ann Stong (Richmond Hill) 905-713-1211 ext 17129 ext 17129 Email: ann.stong@ycdsb.ca
Parish: St. Mary Immaculate Pastor: Father Pawel
Superintendent: Ms. Battista
St. Anne Catholic School Website: sae.ycdsb.ca
GROWING IN OUR FAITH
MOSAIC TILE ART:
Shawna Robbins of “Feeling Artsy” will be coming in on
March 30 and 31st to create mosaic tile art pieces with
Grades 2 and 8 classes specifically geared to the sacraments
of Communion and Confirmation.
GRADE 8 RETREAT
The Grade 8’s retreat will be taking place on
May 7th at St. Mary Immaculate Church. A
special day is being planned for our students.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Our Grade 2 students will be celebrating their
First Holy Communion at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday,
April 25 at St. Mary Immaculate Church. Please
keep our students in your prayers as they continue their preparations to receive the Eucharist for the very
first time.
CURRICULUM UPDATE
their child’s formal education with a foundation in early learning
and literacy, nurtured within their home. Parents/caregivers of
students who are registered to attend Junior Kindergarten in September 2015, will shortly be invited to attend a workshop at St.
Anne during the month of May. Parents will learn strategies and
receive resources that they can use together with their children
to promote early literacy, numeracy, and learning skills at home,
that will help them in the transition to school. For more information about the program visit: www.thelearningpartnership.ca
EARTH MONTH
Throughout the year, but especially during the month of April,
we will be encouraging our students to demonstrate respect
and care for the environment. This is an ongoing message that
we continue to share with our students.
Here is a list of some of the ways we have been working to
protect our environment:
1.
2.
3.
We keep fine paper recycling boxes in all classrooms and
photocopy rooms and encourage staff and students to use
the blank side of photocopy paper when possible.
We recycle empty water bottles and juice boxes.
We continue to encourage our students to collect pop can
tabs for wheelchairs. Please continue to send these in.
We do schoolyard cleanups that include the areas adjacent
to our yard.
We are going to start collecting cookie packaging and
wrappers. (Note to go home shortly).
We will be receiving bird houses to help increase our bird
population in our surrounding areas.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Our school–level Oral Communications competition will be
held in our gymnasium on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:15 p.m. for
our Junior students and 2:45 p.m. for our Intermediate students. The area-level competition will take place on
Wednesday, April 29 at Our Lady of Hope Catholic School.
4.
EQAO UPDATE
Grades 3 and 6 EQAO Assessments will be administered between May 25 and June 4, 2015. It is especially important
during this assessment period that students arrive at school
on time, have a good breakfast and a good night’s sleep.
Please ensure that your child attends regularly and avoid
booking out of school appointments during this
time frame.; however, if your child is ill, do not
send them to school. Reduce any “test anxiety”
your child may have. Keep in mind that this is
only one assessment of what your child has
learned, and that the teacher’s regular classroom assessments remain central to the learning process.
Check out www.earthday.ca for ideas or suggestions on what
families can do to help protect our environment.
WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN
We are pleased to continue with the “Welcome To Kindergarten” program at St. Anne. This program is sponsored by
The Learning Partnership and provides parents and their preschool children with the resources and experiences to begin
5.
6.
In April, we will be having two presentations for our students
that will encourage conservation and stewardship. On Friday,
April 10, Loretta Penny, an award-winning presenter and
founder of Down to Earth Conservation Education will present
to our Grades 1 to 8 students “Saving Planet Earth.” On Tuesday, April 21, author and illustrator, Josephine Vaccaro-Chang,
will be in to work with our Kindergarten classes and share her
book, “We are Colourful Friends.” We look forward to hearing
both of our presenters.
During the week of April 20 we will be holding the following activities:
Monday, April 20: Litterless Lunch
Tuesday, April 21: Lights out Tuesday!
Wednesday, April 22: Conserve paper and
water day
Thursday, April 23:
Three R’s Day:
(Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
Friday, April 24: Pep-rally and Wear Something Green, Blue, or White Day
Page 2
PLEASE NOTE THESE DAYS
AND REMINDERS
A MESSAGE FROM OUR TRUSTEES
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we draw near to the end of the Lenten season, and enter “Passion
Week”, it is a time to remember how much God loves us by sacrificing His own precious Son. Let us give thanks and rejoice that the
Lord has conquered death, and granted us eternal life.

Thursday , April 2: Civies’ Day (Students may
wear clothing that is appropriate for a school
setting).

Friday, April 3 (Good Friday) and Monday.
April 6 (Easter Monday): the school will be
closed.

Tuesday: April 7-Junior Achievement: Grade
7 students will be taking part in a one day
workshop focusing on financial literacy and
reflect on the advantages of staying in school
to acquire the knowledge skills, and attitudes
needed for long-term success.

Friday, April 10 -ACORN CARDS:
Parents who are interested in ordering items from Acorn Cards
have until April 10 to submit their
orders.

Friday, April 17 - GRADES 7 AND 8 INOCULATIONS: Nurses from York Region Community and
Health Services visit the school three times a year
to conduct immunization clinics for Grades 7 and
8 students. Grade 7s will receive their immunization for Hepatitis B and Meningitis. Grade 8 girls
will be receiving their third HPV inoculation.

Thursday, April 23- Team Photos: Lifetouch Photographers will be in to take pictures of our various teams and clubs so that these can be included
in our 2014-2015 school yearbook

Friday, April 24—Blue, Green or White Day: Students are asked to wear something blue, green or
white as part of our Earth Week activities. A pep
rally will also be held on this day.

ALLERGY REMINDER! Please remember that there
are students at our school who have severe allergies. Please be very mindful of what foods you
send to school. Insist on reminding your child
NOT to share his or her lunch or snacks with
peers. Please do not send any foods containing
nuts, nut products or other ingredients communicated by your child’s classroom teacher to school.
Edible loot bags are not permitted for birthdays or
other holiday celebrations. We appreciate your
support.
This is the perfect opportunity to renew our faith in Jesus Christ by
spreading the Good News of hope and joy, and by being a beacon of
light to others.
May the Risen Christ fill you and your family with peace, happiness
and continued blessings.
Happy Easter!
Sincerely,
Ann Stong & Dominic Mazzotta
Richmond Hill Trustees
SPORTS UPDATE
JUNIOR BASKETBALL
Junior Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball practices have begun. We have lots of students who have demonstrated interest in trying out. We thank Ms. Zitoli,
Ms. Graham, and Ms. Attridge for helping to coach
this year’s teams. Go, Sky Hawks Go!!
THE CATHOLIC VIRTUES OF REVERENCE AND RESPECT
During the month of April, we highlight the Catholic virtue of Reverence and Respect. As human beings, we are called to respect one
another. As Christians, we are asked to go beyond this and to have
reverence for God, one another, and ourselves. Reverence means to
see and treat the sacred in a proper manner. It involves having a
sense of awe and love for God. It also is the ability to see the sacredness in God’s creations: nature, other people and oneself.
Reverence in Action
 I will recognize and honour God through worship, wonder, and awe.
 I will show good manners, pay attention and
treat others the way I wish to be treated.
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
TAKE NOTE
SEPTEMBER 2015-2016
Creating the best and most functional class groupings is a task that requires much thought and
careful planning. Our goal is to establish balanced
classrooms. The current grade teachers will soon
be developing draft classes for this September.
These class placements will be reviewed by a
team of school staff including the special education staff, and principal. This ensures that teachers who have already taught the students will use this knowledge to form balanced classes for the next
year. The review process ensures objectivity and considers special
circumstances.
There are a number of criteria that are used to determine the class
to which a student has been assigned:
· Learning styles
· Gender balance (male/female)
· Balanced academic abilities within each class
· Social, emotional and physical needs of the student
· Student experience in combined class
· Behaviour needs
· Special Education or E.S.L needs
· General dynamics within the class
· Balance of maturity levels
Should you wish to share additional information relative to the considerations above, please write a letter to the principal’s attention by
Friday, May 15th. Be aware that information included in your letter
may be shared with teachers. We ask that specific teacher requests
not be included in the letter. Also please remember that the final
decision for student placement and school organization remains the
responsibility of the principal. Thank you for your continued support.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Children in schools/daycares get more infections because they have not yet developed natural resistance
and germs can spread easily in a group setting. Since
many diseases are contagious before symptoms appear, it is difficult to prevent their spread. If you suspect your child has a communicable disease (e.g., pink
eye, mumps, fifth disease, chicken pox, etc), visit your
family doctor and please notify the school (and daycare) by phone.
Symptoms of a communicable disease are:
Fever
Vomiting/diarrhea
Unusual behaviour, irritability
Red or discharging eyes
Skin rashes or itching
Coughing, choking, croupy coughs
LICE:
The YCDSB, in consulation with York Region Public
Health Services, has approved a policy (Policy 210: Pediculosis (Head Lice)) and related procedures to help
schools and parents/guardians when dealing with pediculosis. Pediculosis (head lice) is a nuisance, not a
health hazard or a communicable disease. A child suspected or identified as having pediculosis will be sent
home from school and re-admitted only after the hair is
free of lice/nits. Parents/Guardian are encouraged to
check their child(ren)’s head frequently, especially during the winter months, and to inform the school if pediculosis is found.
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK NOW!
A notice has gone home inviting families to order a copy of the St. Anne’s
2014-2015 Yearbook. This is a wonderful keepsake of the school year.
You have the option to order by
cheque or on-line. Order deadline:
Friday, April 10. Price: $18.50.
Cheques should be made payable to St. Anne’s Catholic
School. To order online, go to YBPay.lifetouch.com with yearbook ID code: 10104915.
The yearbook will preserve treasured memories for years to
come.
Many thanks to Ms. Angiolella and Ms. Susin for putting together this year’s yearbook. We are looking forward to seeing
it.
Please Note: The 2014-2015 yearbook will be available in
September 2015 (not June 2015 as in previous years). This
will enable us to include events such as Track and Field,
Graduation, First Communion and Confirmation. For students who will not be attending St. Anne next year, the
yearbook can be picked up this coming September at the
front office.
CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL
The St. Anne Catholic School Council did not meet inMarch. Our
next meeting is on Wednesday, April 8.
On March 26, the Council held its annual Teddy Bear Night for
Kindergarten and Grade 1 students who came out wearing their
pajamas and carrying their favourite teddy bears for the evening. Many thanks to the members of the Language Support
Committee and parent volunteers (Mrs. Colucci, Mrs. Falsetti,
Mrs. Iannuccilli, Mrs. Rea, Mrs. Carinci-Duana, Mrs. Ferrara,
Mrs. Liou) for organizing the evening for us as well as our student helpers (Renee C. , Dante C., Faith M., Daniel M., Jacob P.,
Jazmynne M., and Gabrielle B.).
We also thank the Vercillo Family for donating beautiful picture
books to all of the students.
BINGO NIGHT: At this time, the Bingo Night Committee is busily preparing for Bingo Night which will take place on Friday,
May 1st beginning at 6 p.m.. Order forms will be going out
shortly.
Some ways you can help us:
 The committee is happy to accept more raffle prizes;
 More bingo prizes would be appreciated (e.g., board
games, baseball gloves, skipping ropes, soccer/football/
tennis balls, books, small toys, etc.
Many thanks for your support !
KG REGISTRATIONS
If you have not yet registered your child, please do so as soon as
possible. If you know of someone intending to register their
children for September, please encourage them to do so as
soon as possible. We are beginning the staffing process and
need to determine our staffing needs.
IF YOU ARE MOVING...
We are now planning for the 2015-2016 school year and are
interested in knowing of any families who will be moving out of
the area and attending a different school in the fall. Having accurate numbers in advance assists with our planning process. If
you know of any families moving into our area, please ask them
to register as soon as possible.
If you have already moved, please contact the
office as we require new paperwork and need
to verify that you are still within the St. Anne
C.E.S boundary.
Friday, May1st
at 6:00 p.m.
Some of the events that happened in March!
Kindergarten and Grade 1 students having a blast at Teddy Bear Night!
Grade 2 students work on their
crosses for First Holy Communion
Grade 4 students practice their
instruments
Members of the St. Anne Eco Club meet to
construct a special bin for collecting recyclable waste products.
April 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
1
Thu
2 Holy
Fri
3Good Friday
Sat
4
Thursday: Sta- School Closed
tions of the
Cross 10:45
Palm Sunday
>Civies’ Day
5
6
7
8
Easter Sunday
>Easter Mon-
>Junior
Achievement
Presentation:
Gr. 7
>Council
Meeting: 7:00
p.m.
day
School Closed
9
10>Deadline for 11
ordering 20132014 yearbooks
>Deadline for submitting Acorn orders
>Grs. 1-8: Down
to Earth Presentation (AM)
12
13
14
15
16
>Oral Communications:
1:15 p.m.:
Junior
2:45 p.m.: Intermediate
19
EARTH
WEEK
20
21
>Litterless
Lunch Day
>Lights Out
KG: We are
Colourful
Friends
Presentation/Workshop
26
27
28
17
18
Gr. 7 & 8 Immunizations:Gr.
7: Hep B
Gr. 8: HPV
22
23
24
25 Gr. 2
Earth Day!
>Conserve
Paper and
Water Day
>3 R’s Day
>Pep Rally &
Wear Something Blue,
Green or White
First Holy
Communion
3:00 p.m.. St.
Mary Immaculate Church
>Team Photos
KG: Scientist in
the School
29
>Area Level
Oral Communications at
Our Lady of
Hope School
30
May1
>Bingo
Night!!
6 p.m. in our
school gymnasium