Mustang Minute News
March 27 to March 31, 2023
St. Mary Catholic Elementary School
Niagara Catholic District School Board
Notre Dame College School
St. Mary Catholic Elementary School- School Information
Secretary: Mrs. T. Paluszkiewicz
email: st.mary@ncdsb.com
Website: https://schools.niagaracatholic.ca/stmary-welland/
Location: 120 Plymouth Road, Welland, Ontario L3B 3C9
Phone: 905-734-7326
Instagram: @stmaryswelland and @mr.sirianni
Safe Arrival System for Absences: https://niagaracatholic.ca/safearrival/
Weekly Events
Tuesday March 28- Day 5- Gr 4/5 to visit Villa De Rose Retirement Residence
Wednesday March 29- Day 1- $1 Popcorn Day
Thursday March 30 - Day 2- Niagara Falls Art Gallery Visits, Boston Pizza Day
Friday March 31- Day 3- Alternate Dress Down Day (no Dress Code)
Preparing For Easter- Lenten Season
God our Father,
You formed us from the dust of the earth
And brought us to new life in Christ Through the waters of Baptism.
We ask you to change our hearts
As we journey through these forty days of Lent.
Help us to see Jesus in everyone
we meet,
And to serve him in all persons, Especially the poor, the sick and the lonely.
By your grace, may our prayers and sacrifices this Lent
Help us grow closer to each other and to you,
As one family in Jesus.
We make this prayer to you in His name. Amen.
Source: Unknown
Niagara Falls Art Gallery
Art Gallery Visit
The Niagara Falls Art Gallery will be visiting the school on Thursday, March 30th, 2023.
The artists will provide incredible art lesson’s to our students which may include a variety of supplies. The cost for each student is $7.
This will cover the cost of the guest artist as well as the supplies for the art lesson.
*** Supplies are ordered based on the number of students who have paid.
***Please note that payments are final and cannot be refunded if your child is absent for any reason. Please pay on school cash online by March 27th. https://ncdsb.schoolcashonline.com/
Social Skill of the Month: Peaceful Solutions
Each month of the year, we have focused on a “Social Skill of the Month”. These skills are discussed and taught in class by the teachers as well as the Child Youth Worker. These are skill that can help each student in their everyday life as they interact with many different people. Often, teachers’ select the “Mustang of the Month” based off of the social skills being taught. Previous skills included:
September: Cleanliness
October: Greetings and Goodbyes
November: Please & thank you
December: Sharing
January: Patience
February: Setting Boundaries
March: Peaceful Solutions
This month we will be focusing on teaching our students “Peaceful Solutions”. Please talk to your child about our social skills and please re-inforce throughout the month.
Peace is a concept of friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups.
Boston Pizza- Wednesday March 30th
**Orders are due on Friday March 24th
Pizza/Pasta - $4.50
Salad/Veg - $3.00
Juice/Apple Sauce - $1
Sacrament of Confirmation
St. Mary's Church - 90 Griffith Street, Welland
Sacrament of First Communion
St. Mary's Church- 90 Griffith Street, Welland
Grade 8 Graduation
Graduation will take place at Monday June 26th at 5:30pm at St. Mary's School in the gymnasium. More details will be shared at a later time.
A graduation dinner for students will take place at M.T. Bellies from 7pm to 9pm following the ceremony. Parents are to make arrangements for drop off/pick up.
Kindergarten Registration
https://secure.easyregister.ca/pub/LoginER.aspx?OID=vmE7%2bOZAaDGliw5C1pIhMg%3d%3d
We are always accepting new registration for 2023 - 2024 school year through Niagara Catholic's website even in the summer months! If you are in our school boundary - choose St. Mary's Catholic Elementary school and join our school community.
Mustang Sports
Chess Tournament: April 11, 2023 at St. Mary's (Niagara Falls)
Intermediate Badminton Tournament at Notre Dame: April 20 at 9:00am at Notre DameIntermediate Soccer Tournament: May 24, 2023 at Young's Sportsplex
NCAA Track & Field Finals (for those that qualified): June 15, 2023 at Niagara Olympic Club in St. Catharines
Niagara Catholic Accessibility; An Evening Event in Support of Accessibility Awareness
Spirit Wear Catalogue- Front Row Sports
This is available online now. Please see the updated Catalogue for Spirit Wear. There are a variety of prices, styles, and colours (yellow, blue, grey, or white). Please click on the pictures to check for colours.
** See top of website for Youth, Men’s, or Women’s, or more
https://stores.inksoft.com/st_mary_school_spiritwear/shop/home
Safe Arrival - Reporting Absences Using School Messenger
As outlined in the Board “Safe Arrival Policy”, it is an expectation that parents/guardians will be responsible to use the Niagara Catholic Safe Arrival System to report their child’s late arrival or absence for part or all of the school day.
- Parents/Guardians are expected to use the Safe Arrival Program through the School Messenger System– 1-844-287-6287
- All parents are to report any student absence by 8:50am into the system.
- If an absence is unverified, the automated system will continue to contact the parent/guardian until the whereabouts of the child is identified. Safety is our top priority.
**If the whereabouts of the student is not identified, the Niagara Regional Police may be contacted for assistance with unverified absences.
Directions on how to use Safe Arrival-School Messenger -https://niagaracatholic.ca/safearrival/
*** DO NOT CALL THE SCHOOL TO REPORT YOUR CHILD’S ABSENCE. PHONE MESSAGE WILL ONLY BE CHECKED AFTER THE SYSTEM HAS CALLED OUT. You will be receiving a call out from the system if your child is not at school.
Support for Children & Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
The Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services has developed the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) to support children and youth who have a diagnosis of ASD confirmed by a qualified professional.
Services available through the OAP include:
· Funding to purchase approved goods and services
· Access to supports and programs for children and their families
Children and youth receive services and supports until the age of 18. For further information, please visit the following website; https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-autism-program
Safe Arrival and End of the Day Dismissal
· Supervision begins at 8:35am on the school yard.
· Students will not be supervised by the staff prior to 8:35am.
· Parents are encouraged to be with their children until this time.
· **If you leave your child un-supervised prior to 8:35am, you are placing your child in potential risk.
- *** Parents are reminded to stay out of the student playground area when dropping off or picking up their child. Only staff and students are permitted in the yard
Lunch Drop Off
· Please label the lunch with your child’s name and buzz the front door.
· The secretary will direct you to leave it at the front door on the cart.
Parents are not to enter the school unless directed by the secretary or principal.
· If you take your child home for lunch, you will need to sign out your child and sign them back in when they return.
Notre Dame College School
· School Website: https://notredamecollege.ca/
· Instagram: @notredamecollegeschool
· Month in Review: https://vimeo.com/777087333
· Students who are interested in purchasing Notre Dame Spirit Wear: https://notredamecollege.ca/index.php/nd-outfitters
Food Allergies
· Many students have food allergies. Do not send any food to school that have “nuts” within the food or within a facility that uses nuts.
· **Food items for birthdays, Halloween, and special occasions cannot be sent to the school to share with others- please do not ask or send it to the school.
Parking Lot, Kiss and Ride, and Bus Lanes
A few guidelines that which focus on student safety and to ensure a smooth arrival:
- Bus Lane: Remains unchanged. Cars are not to go into the bus lane at any time throughout the day.
- Kiss and Ride Lane: Parents are to let their child out of the vehicle and the child is to proceed to the sidewalk (towards the left side). Once on the sidewalk, they are to proceed to use the crosswalk, which will be identified by yellow spray-paint. A staff member will be directing the students. Parents are to stay in their vehicles in the Kiss and Ride Lane.
- ** Students are not to cross through the parking lot at any other areas.
- ** Please do not park and leave your vehicle in this lane. It is also a fire lane and parking is prohibited in this area.
- Handicap Parking: Only vehicles that have been issued handicap parking passes are to be using the designated spots. Please have the passes visible when in a handicapped parking spot.
- Staff Parking: The area closest to the primary playground behind the school will be designated as staff parking as we have the special education department within our building as well.
- Parent Parking: If a parent wants to walk their child to the playground, parents are asked to use the parking lot along the fence up to the Cement Bunker.
- **We ask that only parents with student in Kindergarten use the space provided by the Kindergarten area.
Transportation: Buses
For students riding the school bus:
· Families are reminded to ensure that you have either opted in/out for yourchildren to be on or off the bus.
We are finding there are discrepancies with our bus list. This affects the seating plan in case of contract tracing.
· Students who take the bus MUST REMAIN IN THEIR ASSIGNED SEAT.
· Students are not to change seats unless directed by the bus driver.
· Students are reminded to remain seated at all times during the bus ride.
For changes, please contact NSTS: https://nsts.ca/
Visitors to the School
· Visitors to the school are not permitted to come into the building unless permitted by a staff member.
· Parents are asked to call in advance if your child needs to be signed out
· When you arrive, you may call the office to notify the secretary that you have arrived. Your child will then be sent out.
· If you “buzz” the office using the doorbell outside, please stay outside and a secretary will respond to you.
· Once you have signed out your child, please wait outside and your child will come outside.
· Please wait outside if you are trying to pick up your child close to dismissal time.
Please communicate with your child as students will be consequence for this issue. Student safety will continue to be our focus each and every day.
Medical Concerns
If your child has any medical concerns, please notify your classroom teacher.
· If you child requires medicine while at school, the proper paperwork and protocols must be documented and followed in order to administer prescription or non-prescription medicine (Ex. Inhalers, Tylenol).
School Dress Code
Navy Blue sweat pants for students in Kindergarten to Grade 3
-Navy Blue Pants (Cargo, Corduroy, Denim, Dress, Kobe styles permitted)
-Navy Blue Dresses or Skorts; or Navy Blue Capris or Walking Shorts.
-Navy Blue or White Oxford shirt (short or long sleeve)
-Navy Blue or White Polo shirt (short or long sleeve)
- School designed spirit wear shirts or Notre Dame wear is permitted daily.
· If you require any support as it pertains to dress code clothing, please contact your child’s teacher and we will assist as needed.
· If your child attends school without the necessary items for the dress code, we may provide items for the student to wear for the day.
St. Mary's Church
Pastor: Father Raymond Fenech Gonzi
email: stmarywelland@yahoo.ca
Location: 90 Griffith Street, Welland
Phone: 905-734-3143
Saturday Mass: 5:00pm
Sunday Mass: 9:00am (Italian) & 11:00am (English)
Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday 4:15pm
RECONCILIATION - 22 April - Saturday at 3:30 pm - at St. Mary Church
CONFIRMATION - 29 April - Saturday at 11:00 AM - at St. Mary Church
- Sponsor & Community service form needed
FIRST COMMUNION - 6 May - Saturday at 5:00 pm - at St. Mary Church
Daily Bell Times
Daily Bell Times
8:35am – Supervision begins before school
8:50am – School day begins. Students entering after this time will be considered late.
10:20 to 10:35- Recess
11:35am to 12:15am- Lunch
1:55 to 2:10 - Recess
3:00pm – End of Day dismissal