live. VOLUME 8 May 1, 2015 On Sunday, May 10, we pay tribute to our mothers and the many women who, like Mary. have made sacrifices and have influenced our lives – aunts, grandmothers, godmothers, wives, sisters, daughters and other special women in our families and circle of friends. May God bless them with health, peace and everlasting love. St. Anne Catholic School PARTNERS IN EDUCATION V. Zucchi, Principal 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 On behalf of the entire St. Anne staff, we wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day! “Blessed are you among women…" JOIN US FOR THE ROSARY During the month of May, Catholics traditionally focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus. May is seen as the beginning of new life, which makes this a logical time for the celebrations of Mary who brought life into the world. On Wednesday, May 6 at approximately 11:20 a.m., we will be meeting in the gymnasium to pray the rosary together. Students are invited to bring in their own rosaries. Please join us if you are able to attend. When told by the angel that she was to be the mother of Jesus, Mary replied, “Here I am, the servant of the Lord.” Filled with love, compassion, courage, faith and humility, Mary accepted the Lord’s request and from that day forward fulfilled the enormous responsibility of Mother of Jesus while on earth. As Catholics, we can reflect on Mary as a model for our lives. As a believing woman, she shows us what it means to struggle with our faith and the importance of putting our trust in God. Mary is special because she lived the very meaning of the Gospel that we are all invited to RESPONSIBILITY: Catholic Virtue for May During the month of May, we recognize the Catholic virtue of Responsibility. Students demonstrate this virtue when they: Honour their commitments to their families, school and community; Are reliable so people can depend on them; Are accountable for the things they say and do. The Mission of The York Catholic District School: Guided by Gospel Values and Catholics 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 COMMUNITIES OF FAITH CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK: May 3-8, 2015 “Exploring Paths of Joy” Catholic schools are faith communities. We walk and grow together in the faith which we received at our Baptism. Our growth is primarily a relationship with God Who, at our Baptism, called us by name, but the response of each of us to that growth is both personal and communal. For more than 160 years, Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools have been integrating our faith into all aspects of school life, empowering one another to serve as faithful disciples. At St. Anne School, we will be celebrating the enduring gift of Catholic education with special prayers and Gospel readings over the PA system. On Wednesday, May 6, our school will be meeting in the gymnasium to say the rosary together at 11:20 a.m.. Grade 8 Retreat and Confirmation On Thursday, May 7, our Grade 8 students will be having their retreat at St. Mary Immaculate Church in preparation for their Confirmation which will be celebrated on Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 p.m.. We ask that our school community pray for our Grade 8’s as they prepare to receive this very special sacrament which marks their transition into the adult life of the Church. CURRICULUM UPDATE & MORE Welcome to Kindergarten: ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ orientation will take place on Wednesday, May 20, 2015 from 6:30 p.m. to approximately 7:30 p.m.. The aim of this evening is to share in family activities that will help your child have a successful transition to Kindergarten. Parents will also have an opportunity to hear information about the Kindergarten program, our school dress code, bus transportation, attendance procedures, before and after school daycare, school routines, etc.. Each child will receive a very special “Welcome to Kindergarten” bag with magnetic letters and numbers, books, crayons, scissors, paper, glue, playdough and more to help them get ready for school! First Impressions: First Impressions interviews are scheduled for every JK registrant and their parents. This is an opportunity for our Kindergarten staff, the child, and the parents/guardians to meet. Kindergarten teachers and Early Childhood Educators will be on hand to collect information during this visit so that entry to school will run as smoothly as possible and the parents/ guardians have time to ask questions or raise any concerns they might have. First Impressions meetings will be taking place on Monday, June 1. Parents of students starting JK will be receiving a letter about the Welcome to Kindergarten program and their First Impressions appointment time in early May. EQAO REMINDER Once again, a reminder that, at the end of this month, Grades 3 and 6 students will be writing the EQAO test. During the assessment, it is important 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 that you do your best to avoid booking appointments while the testing is going on. Please be reminded that this is only one assessment of what your child has learned. The teacher’s regular classroom assessments remain crucial to the learning process. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS RESULTS The school level Oral Communications competition was held on April 14 at St. Anne. Congratulations to the following participants: Junior Competition Intermediate Competition Cassandra N. (Being the Middle Child) Robbie S. (Superstitions) Robbie P. (Max Domi, Hockey Player Wynter S. (Tim Horton’s) Jacob P. (Fears and Phobias) Isabella N. (Life of a Dog) Melissa F. (Technology’s Influence) Kaylee T. (Smoking Cessation) Maria N. (Robbers) Michael C. (Introverts) Dennis J. (Black Death) Romelo P. (Endangered Species) Cristian N. (JFK) Chiara Z. (Apple) Jacob P. and Kaylee T. went on to represent our school at the area level competition held at Our Lady of Hope School on April 29. We are so proud of them! We thank Mrs. Bovolini and Mrs. Re-Cardinale for organizing Oral Communications this year and for preparing our students for the area level competition. Our Junior level competitors CURRICULUM UPDATE & MORE CONTINUED GRADE 7 FSL STUDENT SURVEY The Ontario Ministry of Education developed the document A Framework for French as a Second Language in Ontario Schools K-12 to help schools in Ontario maximize opportunities for students to reach their full potential in French as a Second Language (FSL). It requires that all boards collect baseline data from school stakeholders to prioritize needs and measure progress over time in order to increase student confidence, proficiency and achievement in FSL; increase the percentage of students studying FSL until graduation; and increase student, educator, parent and community engagement. All Grade 7 students will be given an opportunity to complete an online survey between April 23 and June 19, 2015 which asks questions about their perceptions and experiences learning French as a Second Language. The results of this survey will be used to strengthen FSL programming and improve student learning and achievement. GRADE 8 STUDENT SURVEY This year, Grade 8 students are being invited to complete an online survey regarding their perceptions about their experiences at their school and their plans for high school. The results of this survey will be used to inform decision-making as part of the board’s ongoing efforts to better meet the needs of all students and to improve faith development, student achievement and well-being. The on-line survey will be administered to the students between April 23 and May 22, 2015. 21 CENTURY ELEMENTARY STUDENT ED. TECH DAY Each elementary school at YCDSB has been invited to send a twomember 21C student team to the board for a day of learning. These students have been selected to take part in interactive workshops designed to help them understand our technology ecosystem including Google Apps for Education, iPads, chromebooks, and interactive whiteboards. The students will learn how to manage equipment for charging and safe storage. They will also learn how to assist teachers to use technology in the classroom. We congratulate Tylar D. and Matthew K. for representing our school. ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH During the month of May, the York Catholic District School Board will be recognizing Asian Heritage Month in our school communities. Throughout the month, special announcements will be made honouring the legacy of saints and Canadians who have made important contributions. We are looking forward to sharing this information with our students SPORTS UPDATE Junior Girls and Boys Basketball SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY School are required to conduct anonymous school climate surveys of their students every two years and to share the results with their safe school teams and school councils. This year, all students in Grades 4, 6, and 7 will be given an opportunity to complete the survey online between April 23 and May 22, 2015. The survey is intended to identify students’ attitudes about school climate, bullying, and well-being in order to promote those factors in school that support safe, caring and in inclusive school environment. YCDSB 2015 SUMMER COURSE GUIDE Towards the end of April, the YCDSB Summer Course Guide was sent home to each family regarding summer programs offered in our board. You may also wish to visit the Continuing Education webpage: http://ace.ycdsb.ca for more information. Our junior boys and girls having been attending practices and are looking forward to their basketball competitions which will be taking place early in May. Our boys will have their tournament on May 4 at Corpus Christi, while our girls will have theirs on May 5 at St. Mary Immaculate. We thank our coaches, Ms. Attridge, Ms. Graham, and Ms. Zitoli, for their time and expertise. We wish both teams the best of luck. Go Sky Hawks, go! Junior Girls’ Team: Taylor G., Lilyana G.-H., Arianna B., Amarachi A., Lydia Y., Cassandra N., Alessia R., Alexa T., Simona T-L., Madison S., Tylar D., and Francesca M. Junior Boys’ Team: Giovanni F., Troy G., Andreas K., Jacob P., Jonathan S., Robbie P., Romelo P., Anthony P., Armand U., Kent G-A., Julian I., Matteo I. , Cristian N. and Victor R. HOMEWORK TIPS AND TOOLS FOR PARENTS (taken from the Ontario Ministry of Education Website) 10 Tips to help your child with homework Homework is an important part of learning. When you support your children's homework routine, you can help them do better at school. Here are some simple tips to help get the most out of their homework. 1. A routine is good. Homework can be habit forming and that's good news for you and your child. Work out a homework schedule and make sure children adhere to it. It won't be long before homework is complete without your getting involved. 2. Give space for homework. Distractions and homework don't mix so do your best to create a bright and quiet space where your child can concentrate on schoolwork. Make sure it's away from distractions like TV, music and loud siblings. 3. Practice makes perfect. Repetition reinforces learning. That's why it's helpful to have kids practice reading, writing and math with you every day. Ten to fifteen minutes a day can work wonders, whether reading a favourite book together, or helping measure ingredients in the kitchen. 4. "How was your day?" Every school day is an adventure. Kids will do and learn so much they'll be bursting to tell someone all about it. So take a few moments every day to chat about the school day—and be a good listener. 5. Check in occasionally. When kids do their homework all alone, their concentration can often wander. Check in once in a while and see how it's going. Ask if there are any questions. Sometimes kids just need to talk about a homework problem to figure out the answer. 6. Turn everyday activities into homework. Teachers give homework and so can you. Include children in everyday tasks and assign activities such as searching newspapers, reading recipes, creating shopping lists, plotting out routes on a map, etc.. Small activities can often teach big lessons. 7. Make kids proud of their effort. Getting the answers right is important, but it's only part of what homework is all about. Doing a thorough and neat job is important, too. Make it a habit to sit down and go over completed homework. Look at it together for thoroughness and overall quality of work. Always look for something positive. 8. Motivate with applause. "Hey, you did a great job". Words like these have an amazing effect on children. Encouragement gives them confidence and makes them feel good about doing their best. At the end of every homework session, try letting your son or daughter know that you appreciate and admire the effort. 9. Encourage curiosity and questions. Learning really begins when kids start asking questions. Who, what, where, when and why are magical words of discovery that make learning more interesting and fun. Give your children the confidence to ask for help if the homework is difficult or confusing. 10. Know what's going on at school. Unfortunately, kids don’t always tell parents everything. Make a point of staying in touch with teachers, especially if you have a question or concern. Let teachers know they can always call you if there is a problem. LET’S GET ACTIVE AND HEALTHY SWIM TO GRAM: SURVIVE PRO- During the month of May, Mrs. Lenchak’s and Mrs. Sullivan’s Grade 3 students will be participating in the Swim to Survive Program which offers lessons both in and out of the water. The Swim to Survive Program defines the minimum skills needed to survive an unexpected fall into deep water. These are expressed in a skill sequence in the Canadian Swim to Survive Standard: ROLL into deep water TREAD water for one minute SWIM 50 metres This swimming program aims to have every Grade 3 student in Ontario achieve this basic standard. WE CONGRATULATE OUR INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS Our Grades 7 and 8 students were registered for the 4 for Lunch: A Healthy Lunch Challenge Program! This year, nearly 5000 students from 223 classes across York Region elementary schools participated in the challenge and this include our students. For participating in the week-long challenge, each student received a fresh apple. Students enjoyed the program and, most importantly, found it useful in helping them meet the healthy eating expectations in the curriculum. We thank Mrs. Susin for organizing this activity for our students. MARK YOU CALENDAR Please take special note of these dates on the May calendar: Friday, May 1: Civies’ Day Monday, May 18 (Victoria Day): School is closed Our volunteers are important to us! On May 21, at 11:45 a.m., we will be asking our volunteers to join us for a special luncheon in the library so we can let them know that we appreciate their contribution to our school. Thank you volunteers!! Wednesday, May 27: Final Spirit Lunch 3 ST. ANNE STUDENTS TO ATTEND YORK REGION JUNIOR FIRE FIGHTER DAY The Richmond Hill Fire & Emergency Services has selected St. Anne School as one of two schools in Richmond Hill to have the opportunity to participate in the York Region Junior Firefighter Day. The Junior Firefighter contest provides Grade 3 students across York Region the rare and privileged chance to experience what it is like to be a firefighter for a day. Winners of the contest are chosen from Grade 3 students who are asked to create a poster or write an essay. Each of the nine Municipalities in York Region selects their ‘crew’ of Junior Firefighters, and these students have a day of recognition and firefighting training, along with the Mayor and Fire Chief from their respective municipality. The Grade 3 students from our school chosen as members of the 2015 Team Richmond Hill are: Alex C., Isabel S. and Ava V. . Congratulations! POLICE WEEK OPEN HOUSE This year’s Police Week theme is “Leading the Way to a Safer Tomorrow.” It focuses on heightening community awareness and promoting collaboration between the community and the police to keep our communities safe through crime prevention, preparedness and social development. In Richmond Hill, the #2 District Headquarters, 171 Major Mackenzie Drive West will be open to the public for tours every evening from Monday, May 14 to Thursday, May 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information about the Police Week Open House email 5475@yrp.ca. For information on Police Week activities contact the Community Services Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6709 or visit their website at www.yrp.ca . STUDENT SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION Did you know that students’ busing eligibility changes throughout their school career? Your son/ daughter’s eligibility to ride the school bus may change according to their grade and distance from home to school. York Catholic District School Board’s (YCDSB) Transportation Policy #203 outlines the student transportation eligibility requirements: •All YCDSB students in Grades JK-3 who live within 1.2 km of their school are not eligible for transportation •All YCDSB students in Grades 4-8 who live within 1.6 km of their school are not eligible for transportation •All YCDSB students in Grades 9-12 who live within 4.8 km of their school or 3.2 km in a non-transit served area are not eligible for transportation. To view the full policy, go to the board website at www.ycdsb.ca and click on the Policies Tab on the home page located under “Quick Links.” EarthWeek Activities at St. Anne’s Don’t wait until September to find out if this may affect your child’s school transportation eligibility. Find out now. For more information about student transportation and to determine your son/daughter’s eligibility, please visit www.schoolbuscity.com The York Catholic District School Board approves Long Term Accommodation Plan for 2015-2020 The Government of Ontario, the Ministry of Education, and local School Boards are responsible to students and to their parents to ensure that as much funding as possible is directed to the education needs of students. Recent provincial announcements have highlighted the need for school boards across the province to reduce surplus capacity through the implementation of a Long Term Accommodation Plan. At its Regular Meeting of the Board held on March 24th, 2015, the Board of Trustees approved the York Catholic District School Board’s Long Term Accommodation Plan (LTAP) for 2015-2020. The LTAP is a planning report which highlights the current and future student accommodation needs of the York Catholic District School Board. Implementation of the LTAP will begin in the Fall 2015. The LTAP focuses on the four (4) Rs: "Right Program" (elementary school and/or secondary school initiatives); "Right Facility" (physical space in the building, school yard and parking lot); "Right-Size" (student placements, school organization); and, "Right Location" (geography). The LTAP includes a number of accommodation initiatives, which range from new schools to accommodation reviews and boundary reviews, program considerations, temporary accommodations, as well as, facility partnerships. Each accommodation initiative will be guided by a process that includes opportunities for community participation and consultation. The York Catholic District School Board is committed to keeping all stakeholders informed throughout the process. To view the Long Term Accommodation Plan in full, and for more detailed information, visit: http://www.ycdsb.ca/ departments/Planning/ltap.htm CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS The St. Anne Catholic School Council met on April 8. Some of the items discussed included: Chairs’ Report: Options were reviewed for the following school year regarding parent presentation evenings. Committee Reports: -Bingo Night Preparations -Hot Lunch/Spirit Lunch and Milk Program Update -Feedback from Teddy Bear Night Treasurer’s Report Update and allocation of funds Principal’s Report: -Communities of Faith: update on all upcoming faith related event (Sacraments, Stations of the Cross, Rosary gathering, end of year mass, Catholic Educa- tion Week, etc) -Upcoming events (Oral Communications, Environmental Week, etc.) and class trips Please note these dates: May 26: Last day for Hot Lunch May 27: Final Spirit Lunch of the year May 29: Last day for Milk Program and Veal/Chicken Cutlet Sandwich Our next meeting is May 6. Please join us! Some April Highlights…. Earth Week was an exciting week at St. Anne. We had author and illustrator Josephine Vaccaro-Chang visit our KG classes (see right). Our Environmental Committee (see below) held a special school presentation and discussed items that they would like the school to collect so that they can be recycled. KG students take part in the Scientist in the School Program Grade 5 students in Mrs. Kakaletris’s and Mr. Mercuriano’s class take part in the Stations of the Cross along with our stage hands and technicians. An outstanding performance! Our Intermediate level competitors at our school level Oral Communications competition Grade 2 students celebrate their First Holy Communion at St. Mary Immaculate Church. It was a beautiful Mass! May 2015 Sun 3 Catholic Education Week Mon Tue 4 >Boys’ Junior Bas- 5 >Girls’ Junior Basketket ball Tournament at ball Tournament at St. Corpus Christi Mary Immaculate >Gr. 3 Scientist Wed 6 >Catholic School Council Mtg. 7 p.m. Thu Fri Sat 1 > Bingo Night 2 7 >Gr. 8 Retreat 8 >Grs. 3 Swim to Survive 9 14 >Gr. 1 Scientist 15>Gr. 4 visits Waterfestival 16 Rosary 11:20 a.m. > Grs. 5 & 6 Scientist 10 Mother’s Day 11 13 12 >Gr. 3 Swim to Survive 17 18 19 20 >Welcome to KG 7:00 p.m. 21 >Volunteer Appreci- 22 ation Luncheon 11:45 >Gr. 3 Swim to Survive > Gr. 5: Public Works Tour 26 27 28 >Victoria Day-No School 24 25 >EQAO Gr. 3 & 6 Testing begins >Last Day for Hot Lunch >Last Spirit Lunch >Grs. 1 & 2 Kortright >Grade 8 Confirmation 7:00p.m. 29>Last day for Milk Program and Veal/Chicken Cutlet Sandwich 23 30 >Gr. 4 Scientist in the School 31 June 2015: Here’s what has been planned so far... Sun Mon 1 All library books due back. Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2 3 4 >Civies’ Day 5 >P.A. DAY 6 9 10 11 12 13 Pan AM Games/ BBQ Pan AM Games/ BBQ (rain date) 16 17 EQAO cont…. >Gr. 5 5/6, 6 Outdoor Education Seneca King Campus >KG: First Impressions meetings 7 14 Father’s Day 8 15 Track and Field at St. Maximillian Kolbe High School >9:15 Liturgy: Recognition of Gr. 2 and 8 students receiving sacraments 18 >End of year school Mass 9:45 >Gr.8 Graduation at Il Presidente Hall 19 20 >SK Key to Grade 1 raindate >SK Key to Grade 1 21 28 22 23 >Athletic and Clubs Recognition Assembly 24 25 >Last Day of School/Report Cards go home 26>PA DAY 27
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