St. Edith Stein Newsletter

February 2023

"To Have a Friend You Must Be a Friend"

"To Have a Friend You Must Be a Friend"

"To Have a Friend You Must Be a Friend"
Principal - K. Ferrao

Head Secretary - M. van Putten

Superintendent - Dr. M. Lewis

Trustee - B. Corbet

Parish: St. Josephine Bakhita

Pastor: Rev. M. Villanueva

6234 Osprey Boulevard, Mississauga, ON, Canada St.EdithSteinInfo@dpcdsb.org 905-824-5777 www3.dpcdsb.org/STEIN
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"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations." - Dr. Mae Jemison, first African American female astronaut

A Prayer for February

Dear Lord,

We thank you for the opportunity to learn and reflect particularly at this time, here and now.
We pray that the learning happening in schools,

homes and workplaces will be meaningful and deep-rooted.
We pray for open hearts and minds,
And spirits willing to learn and be transformed by you.
May this month be a time of curiosity and sharing,
Conversations and celebrations,
Challenge and encouragement.
Heavenly Father, help us to dig deeper,
Look closer, and think bigger.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

A Message from the Principal

Greetings all,

This is a month of many celebrations - Black History Month, the 100th day of school, Valentine's Day, Flag day, Family Day, Pancake Tuesday, etc. During this month we celebrate our differences as people created in the image of God - and we respect one another. God has given each one of us unique gifts and talents needed in our community. In the words of St. Paul, "God has put together all the parts of the body... the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another." (1Cor. 12:24-25) The beauty of our school lies in the uniqueness of each individual. Let's celebrate our differences and give thanks for the magnificent gifts God gives us through each and every person here.

On Wednesday, February 8th most students from grades 2-8 will be going to the Raptors905 game at Paramount Fine Foods Centre. Thank you in advance to all of our volunteers that will be joining us. February 13 is the 100th day of school! Term 1 reports cards will be sent home with students on February 14th. Interviews for first term are mandatory. Appointments can be made with teachers on the evening of February 16th and during the day on February 17th. February 20 is Family Day - enjoy your day with your family. There are no classes that day.

February 21st is Pancake Tuesday (Shrove Tuesday). After a pause due to Covid restrictions, we are looking forward to having parent volunteers come in to make pancakes (and hot chocolate) for classes. February 22 is Ash Wednesday. We will be having a Liturgy of the Word in the gym at 10:50 a.m. Parents are welcome to attend. Please plan to arrive beginning at 10:40 a.m. Our Lenten Mass will take place on March 31st at 9:30 a.m. with Fr. Mark. The choir will be going on a trip to the school board office to sing at a Lenten Mass with Monsignor Joseph Shiels on March 29th at 11:00 a.m. (students will leave the school between 10 and 10:15 a.m. and return during the lunch hour). Parents are welcome to come to mass. We also welcome volunteers to help supervise this excursion.

We bid farewell to Mrs. Schmid, our Literacy Lead, who spent a few weeks here to support K-2 teachers in initiating new literacy initiatives. She will be missed by staff and students.

Thank you to Mr. Ivano and Mrs. Ejzenchart for coaching Intermediate soccer. By the time the tournament starts in June, our team will certainly have well-developed skills.

Thank you to Ms. Slade and Mr. Cordeiro for coaching gr. 6-8 basketball. They are giving our students extra time to prepare for the Mississauga North Intermediate Basketball tournament.

Thank you to Mrs. D'Souza, Mme. Habashy, Mrs. DeMelo, Mrs. Ribeiro and Mrs. Di Vito for coaching our chess team. There are over 100 students from grades 1-8 participating in chess at St. Edith Stein! We will have an in-school chess tournament on March 9 beginning at 1:00 p.m. to determine which players will move forward to the Mississauga North Family of Schools Chess Tournament (date to be determined).

Our Eco team continues to promote stewardship thanks to the support of Mme. Habashy, Mrs. Ribeiro and Mrs. Ejzenchart.

Students are also given the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills by becoming Youth Faith Ambassadors (grades 7 & 8). Thank you to Mrs. Thrasher, Mrs. Vago, Mrs. Di Vito and Mrs. Allen for organizing our Youth Faith Ambassador initiatives.


God bless,

K. Ferrao

Principal

"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying." - Michael Jordan

Black History Month

Black History Month

February is “Black History Month”. Both Federal and Provincial governments recognize the importance of Black History Month. As Canadians and, more importantly, as a Catholic Community, we are called to live in solidarity. Solidarity requires that we learn from, and about, our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians, who throughout history have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today. It is an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the experiences of Black Canadians in our society and the vital role they have played throughout our shared history. Classroom teachers will be teaching students about the contributions made by Black Canadians and we will have morning announcements to highlight these individuals and their accomplishments.
Black History Month
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Reporting Absences

Please report absences using the School Messenger. This system was implemented last year and can be accessed through their Toll-Free phone number: 1-844-435-3440.

If you are new to the school or have not set up School Messenger, please click on the following link: https://www3.dpcdsb.org/parents/absence-reporting

This will take you to the school board website to find the information and videos you may need to set up the absence reporting system. Note please report absences by 9:00 a.m. After 9:00 am., please call the school at 905-824-5777.

Late to school?

Students need to arrive at school before the bell rings at 9:00 am. We have been having a number of students who are arriving late. Please help your child to be on time to school as lost minutes leads to lost learning .
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Trustee Brea Corbet's Newsletter

Click below to download Trustee Brea Corbet's newsletter.
Raptor's Day

Raptor's Day

February 8th - Wear black and red to support our home team as we go to watch the Raptors 905 play against the Miami Celtics at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. Parents are to come to the school and sign in. We will direct you to your child's class so that you can meet your group. Please keep your group together. We will begin boarding buses at approximately 9:15 after morning prayers and announcements. Buying food at the vendors is not recommended. Please do not purchase food for students in your groups. There are a number of students with anaphylactic allergies. There is a no-bag policy in effect. Exceptions may be made for medical reasons, however, bags will be checked. Students and adults will be able to bring a small lunch bag. We will be eating our lunch while we are at the game. Please visit: https://paramountfinefoodscentre.com/entry-policies/ for details regarding their policies. Buses will board again to return to school beginning at 1:15p.m. Thank you, in advance, for volunteering to supervise students on this trip.
Raptor's Day
Pink Shirt Day - February 22, 2023

Pink Shirt Day - February 22, 2023

David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]. They took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. So Shepherd and some other students headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out a message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they carried the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again. Our 2023 Pink Shirt Day design was inspired by moments of kindness, empathy and understanding that can mean so much to children impacted by bullying. For bullied kids, it can be hard to know where to turn. But a helping and supportive hand can make a world of difference! Remember that whether it's sending a check-in text, calling out bullying behaviour when you see it, or simply offering your support, there are so many ways we can all help and connect with people being bullied. Let's Lift Each Other Up this Pink Shirt Day, and all year round
Pink Shirt Day - February 22, 2023

Our Eco Team's Challenge for All:

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Waste Free Lunch Days

February 6-10 - waste free lunch days. At the beginning of the week, eco members and volunteers will tally the amount of waste brought to school in each classroom. Throughout the week everyone is encouraged to reduce the amount of waste they bring to school with their lunches. Try using reusable containers to hold portions of snacks and lunches instead of bringing individually packaged snacks. Bring juice or water in reusable water bottles instead of juice boxes.
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Catholic School Council

Catholic School Council

We are grateful to the parents and guardians that volunteer their time to be on our Catholic School Council.


Our next meeting will be held on Monday, April 24th @ 7:00 p.m. in the library. All parents and guardians of current students are welcome.

Catholic School Council
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Below you will find a pdf version of the above image. Download so that links are active.

Extended French Program 2023-2024 Registration

February 7 & 9 - Extended French Program Information Sessions

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board will hold two online public information sessions on February 7 and 9 for parents and guardians interested in enrolling their children in the DPCDSB Extended French Program for the 2023-2024 school year. The information sessions will provide an overview of the Extended French Program and application process. ​Information Sessions: Brampton, Caledon & Dufferin Region, Tuesday, February 7, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m., Microsoft Teams Live Meeting #1 Link, Mississauga Region, Thursday, February 9, 2023 @ 7:00 p.m., Microsoft Teams Live Meeting #2 Link. For more information, visit the Extended French webpage.


Submitting an application: Applications will be available online through the DPCDSB Extended French Webpage https://www3.dpcdsb.org/programs-services/languages/ extended-french Completed applications packages, containing all required documentation, must be uploaded and submitted online to the appropriate Extended French School Application Form (found on the DPCDSB EF Webpage) starting Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. The application submission deadline is 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. ​

Winter Weather

With the extreme cold weather, we ask that students dress appropriately i.e. hats, gloves, snowpants, boots, etc. When students are dressed warmly, they are better prepared to participate in outdoor activities during recess. In the colder weather, we receive requests to allow children to remain indoors when students have a cold, flu, etc. Please note that we cannot comply, as we neither have the facilities or the staff to supervise the students. On extremely cold days, when the wind chill factor lowers temperature considerably we will limit the amount of time that students spend outdoors. Dufferin-Peel C.D.S.B. Policy uses a wind chill factor of -25 C as the determining temperature for having students remain inside. We will monitor the weather conditions daily and make decisions based on weather conditions. Also please review with your child the importance of not throwing and kicking snow or ice as this can cause serious injures. As a school we continue to review winter safety such as the importance of leaving snow on the ground and not sliding on the ice. These rules are in place to keep everyone safe.

Lost and Found Items

We have a collection of mittens, snowpants, coats, hats, etc. in our lost and found box in the front foyer. If your child is missing anything, please encourage him/her to visit the lost and found and claim their belongings. You may also look through these items on February 16 (p.m.) and February 17 (during the day) when you come for interviews with your child's parent. We are hoping that items will be claimed by March 10th. Those that are not claimed will be donated to needy families.

St. Josephine Bakhita Parish Needs You!

We continue to work with Fr. Mark at St. Josephine Bakhita Parish as our spiritual leader. The parish is looking for help in enlisting the following:

1. Volunteers to be altar servers

2. Volunteers to be lectors

3. Volunteers to lead the Children's Liturgy

4. Volunteers to assist with hospitality

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!


Youth Ministry: We are hoping to revive our summer camp activity for the young people. In order to do this, we need parishioners who are willing to assist in the program. Would you consider offering your time and talent to help in any way you can? Please forward your name to the parish to the attention of Fr. Mark or Susan.


Donations for Altar Server Gowns = $90 per gown


Sacraments

First Communion: Fourth Gathering FEB 19 or FEB 12 (Alternate date)

Confirmation Dates : Third Gathering FEB 18 or FEB 11 (Alternate date)

Confirmation Date: Tuesday May 9 at 6 pm

First Communion Date Sunday May 6 2023 at 12 pm mass

Community Thrive Newsletter for February

Mental Health Resources for Students and Families

Kids Help Phone

• For children and youth between the ages of 5 and 20

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Phone and online via web post or live chat

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• Free, anonymous and confidential

Call: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868


Good2Talk

• For people between the ages of 17-25

• For post-secondary students in Ontario

• Provides professional counselling and information and referrals for mental health, addictions and well-being

• Free, confidential and anonymous helpline

• Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Call: 1-866-925-5454


Mental Health Helpline

• All ages

• Provides information about counselling services and supports in your community

• Listens, offers support and provide strategies to help you meet your goals

• Provides basic education about mental illness

Call: 1-866-531-2600


School Mental Health Ontario also has resources available for students, parents and families on their website at https://smho-smso.ca/

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Allergies in the classroom

Allergies in the classroom

St. Edith Stein is an allergen aware school. There are pupils and staff in attendance who suffer from severe and life threatening allergies to certain foods, such as dairy, egg, peanut and nut products. Exposure to even the smallest quantities can cause severe life threatening reactions. Anaphylaxis is a severe and life threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergen triggers are food, insect stings, medications, and latex. An anaphylactic reaction involves symptoms from two or more body systems. We at St. Edith Stein School would appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT sending any lunches or snacks that contain nut or nut byproducts which could potentially harm a pupil. Please make sure that all of your children’s caregivers are aware of the food restrictions. Please do NOT send food for birthdays or special occasions. We look forward to your co-operation in making this a safe year for all of our pupils.
Allergies in the classroom
Head Injuries

Head Injuries

When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however minor), it is a Board Policy that we inform parents. You will be contacted by phone, a phone message will be left at one of your contact numbers or a note will be left in your child’s agenda if you are unavailable. This is precautionary only and we ask that you check your child when they get home for any signs of a concussion or illness. Agenda’s should be checked by parents daily for this reason, as well as to check for any notes from the teacher or office. A copy of the concussion brochure is always available on our school website.
Head Injuries
Student Accident Insurance

Student Accident Insurance

The Board takes every precaution to provide a safe learning environment for students, but accidents can and do happen. Some families have private accident insurance which is able to respond to costs arising from injuries. However, many families do not.

As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board annually provides parents with information about cost-effective student accident insurance coverage via your child. Although enrollment is voluntary, the board strongly encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive insurance coverage, especially if their child/children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if parents do not have dental insurance coverage.

Parents alone have the right to insure their children. An acknowledgment form(GF401) has been sent home with the accompanying brochure. Thank you for signing and returning the form (for participation in sports, etc.) indicating your awareness that the board does not provide insurance and that you have received the insurance brochure. It is a requirement for the participation in excursions and/or extra-curricular activities. Below you will also find a link to this brochure.

Student Accident Insurance
Accident Insurance Brochure

Click on link to access information regarding student accident insurance.

Important Dates

February

1- group/class photos

2 - First day of Term 2;

14 - Rosary Apostolate visit; reports go home

16 - Interview night (interviews are mandatory)

17 - PA day - interviews; Random Acts of Kindness Day

20 - Family Day

22 - Ash Wednesday

24- Virtues assembly


March

7- Rosary Apostolate

9- In-school chess tournament

13-17 - March Break

22 - World Water Day; Great Gulp; Big Crunch

29 - Choir @ Board office; Virtues Assembly

31 - Lenten Mass @ 9:30 am.


April

6 - Holy Thursday; School Dental Screening (JK, SK, 2, 4, 6, 8)

7- Good Friday

10- Easter Monday

11- Rosary Apostolate; School Dental Screening (JK, SK, 2, 4, 6, 8)

14 - Eastern rite Good Friday

16 - Eastern rite Easter Sunday

21 - Virtues Assembly

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Don't Forget to Get yourself set up on School CashOnline as we are no longer able accept cash payment.


Please follow the link below to register online - it takes less than two minutes!


https://dpcdsb.schoolcashonline.com

You will need your child’s name and date of birth. Use of student number is optional.


Should you encounter any difficulties, you can use the parent help desk at 1 (866) 961-1803 or the support link on the school cash online website.


PAY WITH: Credit Card or Debit Card

1. Create Your Profile:

Go to https://dpcdsb.schoolcashonline.com/ and click on "Get Started Today".


2. Confirm Your Email:

Check your inbox for the email confirmation and click on the link inside. Sign in with your new login details.


3. Add a Student

Click "Add Student" and fill in the required fields with your child’s details:

1. School Board name

2. Select a school

3. Legal First Name

4. Legal Last Name

5. Birth Date (Month/Day/Year)