To begin the new school year, we will focus our attention on the first of our virtues – faith. Faith is the great virtue of believing in God and trusting that God is with us.

A faithful person believes that we are created, guided by and destined to be reunited with God. A faithful person believes that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe, especially at school.

A Faithful Person…

Prays regularly and reverently

Learns from Scripture stories

Honours people’s God-given names

Assumes that there is good in everyone

Accepts the God-given worth of themselves and others

Let us pray this month for the grace and courage to be people of faith – people who can truly believe that God’s plan for us includes the right to be safe at school.

Good and Gracious God, as a new school year begins,

Fill the hearts of our students with an eagerness to learn:

About the world You have created,

About themselves and

Most of all about You!

Bless our teachers with the gifts of wisdom and patience,

That they may help students find the truth.

Give our parents generous hearts,

To encourage and support their sons and daughters.

Help us all work together to form a community of learning

That teaches not only skills for material success,

but all that we need

To live our faith fully in this world.

Amen

Opening Mass Monday September 25th at 10:30 in our gym

First Communion Registration Meetings

Sunday, September 17, 2023 7:00pm @ Church

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 7:00pm @ Church

Reconciliation

Monday, November, 20, 2023 7:00pm @ Church

Tuesday, November 21, 2023 7:00pm @ Church

First Communion Registration Meetings

Sunday, January 21, 2024 7:00pm @ Church

Tuesday, January 23, 2024 7:00pm @ Church

Enrolment Ceremony (All Masses)

Saturday, January 27, 2024

Sunday , January 28, 2024

Saturday, February 3, 2024

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Ash Wednesday February 14, 2024

Easter Sunday March 31, 2024

First Communion Masses

Saturday April 13, 2024 10:30am @ Church

Sunday, April 14, 2024 2:00pm @ Church

Saturday, April 20, 2024 10:30am @ Church

Sunday, April 21, 2024 2:00pm @ Church

Confirmation Parent Meetings

Sunday, September 24, 2023 6:00pm @ Church

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 7:00pm @ Church

Confirmation Rite of Enrollment at all masses Saturday and Sunday

October 21st, October 22nd, October 28th, and October 29th

5 Classes/Sessions 9am-12 Noon (Saturdays only)

November 11th and November 25th 2023

December 9th 2023

January 20th 2024

February 10th 2024

Confirmation Retreat Saturday 9am-12:00

February 24, 2024 and March 2, 2024

Confirmation Dates-Celebrant Fr. Joyson George

Tuesday, April 9th 2024 @ 7pm

Thursday, April 11th 2024 @ 7pm

Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 @7pm

St Richard Catholic School is truly an outstanding and welcoming school. Our School Council continues to make a very positive contribution on behalf of all our students to ensure that our school is a remarkable place to work, to learn and to play.

A special thank you is extended to the teaching staff who have been working diligently over the past few weeks preparing classrooms and curriculum for students. A heartfelt thank you is extended to our office staff, Ms. Falotico and to our custodians, Mr. Walker, Ms. Quadro and Mr. Huertas for spending endless hours preparing our school for the new year.

We look forward to the opportunity to continue working with the students and parents of our community. Together with a dedicated staff, we will do our very best to help all students experience spiritual, academic, social and emotional growth throughout the school year.

I look forward to working with all of you this year and look forward to meeting all parents and guardians at our Open House on September 21st

To all, our best wishes for a very successful school year!

T. Brancalion

Welcome back to the dedicated and hardworking members of our Catholic School Council!

We urge you to consider joining the Council for the 2023-2024 year. Forms will be emailed to you next week.

Dates:

Monday, November 6th @ 6:30

Wednesday January 17th @ 6:30

Monday February 12th @ 6:30

Wednesday April 10th @ 6:30

Wednesday May 8th @ 6:30

Anyone working with children as an employee or volunteer must have a Criminal Reference Check/Vulnerable Sector Check completed by the Peel Police.

ALL volunteers including those going on one day school trips MUST have a Criminal Reference check. The Criminal Reference Check for volunteers may take a number of days for the paperwork to be processed and has to be done through Peel Police.

If you already have a Criminal Reference Check on file at the school, please ensure you have completed the yearly Criminal Offence Declaration form with the office.

Emergency response procedures in the event of a fire, bomb threat, serious accident/injury or an intruder have been established and are revised on an ongoing basis. Each school within the DPCDSB is required to hold 9 emergency procedure drills over the course of the year.

These drills consist of three fire drills per term, one lockdown drill per term, and 1 hold and secure drill per year. During these drills staff review all emergency procedures with students to ensure all children are safe in the event of a real emergency.

In the event that it is necessary to evacuate the school, our site for relocation is St John of the Cross Church located at 6890 Glen Erin Drive.

St Richard Catholic School actively encourages and promotes regular and punctual attendance. Educational research has consistently shown that student progress and academic success are closely related to regular attendance and active participation in the day-to-day activities of the school. Frequent absences from school jeopardize a student’s successful completion of any level. Ultimately, responsibility for attendance lies with the student and the parent.

Although trips and vacations may provide diverse learning experiences, the school does not support travel or vacations during class time. The content covered in each grade is important and requires attendance. While parents may choose to travel during the school year, the time missed from class is recorded as an absence and counted in the total absence record for the term and the year. Also, assessment and evaluation become problematic.

What takes place in the classroom is the work. What occurs as a follow up is either completion of in-class work, or practice and review of the skills and knowledge gained in the classroom.

Successful students attend all classes, consult with teachers, hand in assignments, take pride in themselves and their accomplishments, study and complete homework daily and set realistic goals.

Open communication between home and school is very important. Although we will be reporting to you formally during the year, please do not hesitate to contact the classroom teacher at any time if you have questions or concerns. A phone call on the onset of a concern usually resolves itself before it becomes a problem. On our part, if we have any concerns about your child, we will also contact you at the earliest opportunity.

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.

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).

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has the following policy regarding Personal Electronic Devices in place for all schools.

The Board recognizes the importance of the use of PED’s by students at school and the benefits in their classroom. As part of our policy, students may bring their own device (B.Y.O.D.) for learning purposes. As part of our efforts to promote and maintain a positive Catholic climate in our schools, all PEDs must be kept out of sight, turned off, and not used within school premises or during school-sanctioned activities; unless the classroom teacher grants specific permission for use.

This policy applies to field trips, retreats, sporting events, etc. as well as daily classroom activities. Personal Electronic devices (PEDs) include, but are not limited to cell phones, iPods, iPads, cameras, ...

Please note that it is optional for students to bring their devices to school and it is their responsibility to follow the school and Board policies set out in the “Personal Electronic Device used with Wi-Fi Network Student Agreement.”

When a student receives an injury to the head, it is Board Policy that we inform parents. We will attempt to reach you even when it is a minor injury. Please try not to be too alarmed should you receive a call. Please remind your child to let a staff member know immediately, if they are hurt at school.

As in previous years, all head injuries will be logged and reported to parents/guardians directly. We ask that you please inform the school as soon as possible when your son/daughter sustains a concussion because of a school incident or because of an activity outside of school. Questions or concerns regarding this policy should be directed to the Main Office. Your cooperation and assistance are greatly appreciated.

2. Friday, October 6, 2023 - Provincial Priorities in a Catholic Context

3. Friday, November 24, 2023 - Provincial Priorities in a Catholic Context

4. Monday, January 22, 2024 - Term 1 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress

5. Friday, February 16, 2024 - Reporting to Parents

6. Friday, May 17, 2024 - Provincial Priorities in a Catholic Context

7. Monday, June 10, 2024 - Term 2 Assessment and Evaluation of Pupil Progress