Each month we celebrate a virtue. The Virtue for October is Empathy.

Judge your neighbor’s feelings by your own, and in every matter be thoughtful. (Sir. 31:15)

Elementary: God wants us to care about everyone's feelings.

From the perspective of the Catholic Graduate Expectations, an empathetic person...

• Is confident in the dignity of selves and others
• Believes that the cross is the ultimate sign of forgiveness
• Seeks and grants permission

Our Daily Prayer for October:

Let us now pray for the grace and strength to be people of empathy

People who can really identify with

and feel the concerns of those around us.

AMEN

For anyone wanting to purchase Pizza for their child(ren), St. Christopher school is offering pizza on Thursdays through Gino's Pizza. Orders can be placed using https://dpcdsb.schoolcashonline.com/ Families wishing to place their orders in advance can now do so until December 22, 2022.

Students who are interested in joining the St. Christopher Chess Club are asked to come with some knowledge and experience prior to joining our club. Thanksgiving weekend may be a great time to sharpen those skills and learn to play at home. There are a number of web-based videos and resources for parents to access, where instructions can also be downloaded.

More information will follow with details of how students can join.

Special Thanks to Mme Alcasid for running the Chess Club once again here at St. Christopher school.

The Child and Family Services Act compels educators to report any issues that may compromise a child's welfare. If a staff member suspects any issue that may affect a child's safety, then Children's Aid Society (CAS) must be contacted. It is our Legal Obligation as employees of the school to report any suspicions directly to the Children’s Aid Society. It is not the role of educators to investigate. That is CAS' role. CAS, not the school, informs parents directly of the issue.

Dress Purple Day: October 27th

During the school year we will be rehearsing and will continue to rehearse with students a number of emergency response situations including lock down and fire drills. All schools are required by Board policy to practice these procedures throughout the year. We have these ‘practice drills’ for precautionary purposes only so that in the event of an actual emergency, students will be prepared to respond in a safe and responsible manner. We will also be practicing a Lock Down Drill. During this drill, the outer doors will be locked and the office will be unavailable during the time of the drill. No one will be allowed to enter or exit during the drill while the emergency protocol is being followed. The day will continue as normal following the drill. Thank you for your patience.

​Our School Hours:

School Starts at 8:15 am

Morning Recess: 9:38 - 9:53 am

Lunch: 11:16 am - 12:16 pm

Afternoon Recess: 1:39 - 1:54 pm

Dismissal: 2:45 pm

Please note: We will continue with "soft entry" in the morning, students may enter the building using their designated doors beginning at 8:00am. School starts at 8:15am.

A reminder that we no longer have staggered dismissal. Students will be dismissed at 2:45. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we return to previous dismissal time.

We are now in the process of reviewing our courtesy seating requests. We have submitted them to STOPR and will begin granting access shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. The school will be in contact with families to facilitate these requests and to notify families of the status of their requests.

In the meantime, later this week students who are currently eligible for busing will be taking home an "Opt-Out" letter from the school, on yellow paper. If your child is currently eligible for transportation but does not require it and wishes to "opt-out" kindly do so by completing and returning the bottom portion of the form with your child to school.

You may also contact the Transportation Department via the following contact numbers: Transportation: 905-890-6000 Special Education Transportation: 905-890- 6362. To determine if your son or daughter is eligible for transportation. You can also receive up-to-date information by following STOPR on Twitter @STOPRinfo

STOPR website: https://www.stopr.ca/

To receive updates on whether your child’s bus is running late, please subscribe to STOPR. Access your account HERE

Thank you very much to the many parents who safely use the parking lot and the Kiss’n’Ride drop-off and pick-up area! The patience and courtesy demonstrated by our community goes a long way in maintaining a safe environment for all!

A few reminders to help ensure a safe parking lot:

1) Please do not reverse your vehicle while in the Kiss and Ride zone. Children may be crossing behind you using the crosswalk. Be patient.

2) Drive slowly through the Kiss and Ride. We do try to give preference to the buses when leaving in order for them to maintain their morning schedules so please wait at the cross walk until you are directed to cross.

3) Students are reminded not to bounce sporting equipment such as basketballs while walking through the cross walk. Students need reminders that if a ball falls from their grasp, not to chase after it. An adult can help them retrieve it.

4) There is a bike path for students coming in on their bikes, on the south side of the church. Please use this path, and WALK your bike to the bike rack area, as the path is shared with walking pedestrians.

5)Parents and students are strongly encouraged to use the cross-walk instead of crossing in front of the kiss and ride.

6)The parking spaces adjacent to the church, near the cross walk, will be off limits to vehicles for parking. The crosswalk area can become crowded at times and we would like to maintain a clear sight line between children entering and exiting the school grounds.

7) Please ensure that students are being dropped off at the Kiss and Ride designated area and are accessing the cross-walk.

8) Please be aware that when entering the school lot, via the church entrance on the south side, it is NOT advisable to drop children off before the Kiss and Ride designated area. This is a drive-through area. Please merge into the kiss and ride lane when it is safe to do so, and please stop at the stop sign, proceeding with caution to the kiss and ride zone for pick up and drop off.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. We know that everyone is in a hurry in the morning and at the end of the school day, but our number one concern is always the safety of all members of our community at St. Christopher School. Thank you for taking the time to be considerate of others by following these important safety reminders!

Periodically, throughout the school year, Scholastic Books may be offered by your child's classroom teacher or via Book Fair. While owning books is a valuable experience for children, please note that participation in this program is completely optional and that the books curated in these offerings are selected for a wide audience and not specifically for a Catholic audience given it is a secular company.

We encourage parents/guardians to review the selections that their child/ren make/s to ensure the material chosen reflects their family values.