the director’s bulletin · the director’s bulletin 4 points of pride • on october 27, at the...

The Director’sBULLETINNovember 2016News and Information from Marianne Mazzorato, Director of Education

BoardwatchThe following items were received or approved by the Board at its November 22 meeting:

• Chair’s Year End Report to the Board• Nominations for the Special Education Advisory Committee Next Board Meeting:Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at 7:00 p.m.Catholic Education Centre

On November 23, Peel Regional Police, Dufferin-Peel and Peel District School Board launched the What if everyone did something to stop cyber bullying? Poster/Video Contest at St. Francis Xavier Secondary School.

What if everyone did something?

The Anticipation of Advent; the Celebration of ChristmasAs we read of all the wonderful events our schools have undertaken, we look forward, as well, to the month ahead. We have arrived at the season of Advent. The word “Advent” is derived from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming”. During Advent, we as a community of believers, look upon Christ’s coming in celebration, while at the same time are looking forward in anticipation of the coming of Christ’s kingdom when he will return in the fullness of his glory.

The Advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” perfectly represents the Advent season. This is a time when we reflect on the true meaning of Advent, with the symbol of the Advent wreath, large and circular in shape. The circle has no beginning or end, reminding us of God’s unending love for us. Advent encourages us to reflect on the contrast between our daily routine and the unexpected coming of the Lord. Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the Gospel that encourages us “to open our horizons” to further dimensions, giving meaning even to everyday occurrences. During this time of waiting, Pope Francis invites us to reflect and be mindful that, “we are called to enlarge the horizons of our hearts, to be surprised by the life that is presented each day with its newness.” As John the Baptist proclaimed in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, ‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” (Matthew 3:1-4) Wishing you and your families a very blessed and restful Christmas Season.

Marianne Mazzorato Director of Education

The Director’s Bulletin

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On November 14, students at Georges Vanier School participated in the Power of One Presentation. The students were entertained and educated on the importance of bullying prevention as witnessed by all angles…the bully…the bullied and the bystander. The students signed a Bully Prevention Oath…I will not bully others; I will not stand by while others are bullied; I will report and deal with bullying whenever I see it…because I have the Power Of One! These oaths will be proudly displayed in the foyer at Georges Vanier School as together we pledge to be kind to each other and follow in Jesus’ path!

Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week Poster Campaign To mark Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week from November 20-26, and to continue this awareness in our schools all year round, the board once again launched the Stand Up! Against Bullying poster campaign. In October, a call for submissions was sent to all our schools for students to design posters for this campaign. We received over 100 submissions and four designs were chosen. Congratulations to the following students whose designs were selected: Sarah DeCosta (St. Joan of Arc C.S.S.), Alex Konopka (St. Martin), Natalee Tully-Bailey (St. Roch C.S.S.) and Kieran Barbaza (St. Roch C.S.S.).

StNd Up AgInTBULLYING

StNd Up AgInTBULLYING

“Look to God, but above all feel looked at by God.” – Pope Francis


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Heros at Holy Name of Mary In November, Legacy students at Holy Name of Mary Secondary School started a new initiative called HNM Hero to help engage students to get involved and aware of bullying. Legacy arranged many activities throughout the month with the goal of creating a positive school environment. To achieve this, Anti-Bullying wristbands, t-shirts, and hoodies were available for purchase throughout the school with the proceeds being donated to Kids Help Phone. Students took part in activities such as anti-bullying quizzes, pledge wall, poster and poem competitions held by Legacy Leaders! HNM Hero is a project we are anticipating to leave a lasting impact for the following months and years to come.

2016 Coats for Kids Campaign For the third winter season in a row, the Knights of Columbus Heart Lake Council #9108 is helping keep some of our most needy Brampton students warm! Grand Knight, Jeremy Cox, along with his brother Knight, Joe Resendes, recently presented Brampton School Social Workers and St. Mary School Principal, Paul Roul with this year’s supply of donated coats. As an added feature, in response to a request from the school social workers, the Knights generously added snow pants for our younger students. Upon distribution of a few of the coats, school social worker Sonia Bidin shared the following:

“I have some very happy moms and smiling children this morning sporting new coats. The Knights did a fabulous job in providing and choosing the coats.”

Blessing of new outdoor learning environment On October 28, the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary School community celebrated the blessing of its new outdoor early years learning environment. Our school was fortunate to have this amazing outdoor space built as an extension of our classroom so that our students would have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the four classroom walls. Parents and students were part of this wonderful occasion which included a blessing by Father Vito, a story read by the educators, and a song thanking God for our new outdoor space sung by the children. The celebration concluded with each child tying a ribbon to the trees that are part of the playground.


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Points of Pride

• On October 27, at the prestigious Father Patrick Fogarty Awards, St. Francis Xavier Secondary School student Ashton Mathias was recognized for his Catholic leadership, achievement, service, and outstanding contribution to the St. Francis Xavier Community. In addition, St. Francis Xavier was one of five schools from the province to receive the Michael Carty Award. The award was established in June 2002 to encourage initiatives that improve, develop and enhance aspects of Catholic education that contribute to the whole person. The award was accepted by Principal Dan Compagnon for “mindful leadership”.

Food Revolution Day On October 28, St. Michael Catholic Secondary School celebrated for the second consecutive Food Revolution Day, which coincides with Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution movement. This year the focus is on sugar. The school’s goal was to engage students in healthy living and healthy lifestyles. St. Michael gathered local businesses, colleges and community members to be a part of the day’s planned educational marketplace where students participated in activities that educated them on healthy living. They also arranged for Humber College’s food truck to stop by; healthy food in the cafeteria; and guest speaker, Rose Reisman to discuss nutrition, healthy menu options and conduct cooking demos.

• Congratulations to Ascension of Our Lord Secondary School Grade 12 student, Shawayne Dunstan, who recently had his first book published. Guilty by Association, focuses on poetry and spoken work.

• Congratulations to Loyola Catholic Secondary School alumnus Claudia Prieto, who was the recipient of the Peel Regional Police Diversity Scholarship. Claudia is from Columbia and entered Canada by way of Montreal in 2012. She entered in F.S.L. classes and completed the course in only eight months. She then joined the Public Speaker Club using her French language. Claudia was a student at Loyola C.S.S. and is currently enrolled at the University of Ottawa.

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Staff and students from St. Marguerite d’Youville Secondary School presented a cheque to Tim Lee Loy from ShareLife for $4,591 raised through the school’s walkathon. On October 13, the entire school walked four kilometers to St. Marguerite d’Youville Parish to celebrate mass with Fr. Robert Mignella. It was a great day of celebrating the feast day of our patron saint while raising money for ShareLife and Canadian Food for Children.

On November 8, St. John the Baptist School participated in a waste audit that was done in accordance with Eco-Caledon. Students learned what type of garbage is thrown out and how specific things that are thrown out can be recycled.

St. Angela Merici School was privileged to have Warrant Officer Deveaux attend our Remembrance Day Liturgy and Ceremony. Warrant Officer Deveaux spoke with the students about his experiences as a four-year veteran in Afghanistan, serving with NATO, and the various tours he served around the world.

Eddy Robinson, Professor at Wilfred Laurier University, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Education, spoke with staff and students at St. Simon Stock School during Treaty Recognition Week.


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City of Brampton Park Hero On October 21, students from St. John Bosco School had the opportunity to become involved in the Brampton Community Parks Week. The event focused on engaging students within the school by encouraging park stewardship. Activities at the event included tree and shrub planting, mulching, making seed balls and litter picking. Students also learned about the roles and responsibilities of The City of Brampton Parks and Recreation workers that included litter picking, grass cutting, tree care, graffiti removal, playground safety, storm water management ponds, watercourse safety and cycling safety. Students not only had hands-on learning in a diverse environment but gained appreciation and importance of being a “Park Hero” each and every day.

The program was a huge success due to the hard work, dedication, and passion shown by each member of the City of Brampton. This is a free event hosted by the City of Brampton each year and is accompanied by free hour long grade specific lessons available to all schools and grade level. St. John Bosco is truly thankful to have this unique opportunity.

On November 16, the City of Brampton surprised St. John Bosco Students with a “One of a Kind” Wood Carving designed and carved by their very own City of Brampton team member Barry. The carving was made from one of the trees that had to be cut down for safety reasons. It was then made into this unique piece that the students will cherish and appreciate, just as much as the opportunity given to them to make a difference within their community.

Archbishop Romero SWAC Students Honour Fallen Soldiers for Remembrance Day It’s not the materialistic possessions we’ve collected in our lives that matter, it’s the content and quality of our character that is truly important. On November 11, our School Within a College (SWAC) students researched the lives of fallen Canadian soldiers who died between the years 2002-2016. Students honoured these brave men and women by researching their lives and got a deeper understanding of who they were as human beings. They were all remembered by the qualities of their character such as “loving”, “caring”, “funny” and “dedicated”. In a sombre classroom Remembrance Day Liturgy, we were all touched as students read a paragraph about their soldier and lit an electronic candle as a way to honour and remember them. Lest we never forget them.


7Girls Fitness at St. Joan of Arc This year, the girls Grade 10/11/12 Fitness Program at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School is off to another strong and healthy start. The program’s goal, which has always revolved around making fitness unconventional and fun, continues to grow as a program striving to empower young females, not only physically, but mentally, socially and spiritually.

In partnership with several community gyms and facilities, fitness activities are the focus of the class and include a variety of exercises: trampoline, rock climbing, hot power yoga, spin, group weight training, individual weight training, kick boxing, core workout, monthly fitness challenges, and other fun fitness activities. “Classroom Days” are incorporated to discuss nutrition and fitness basics along with other topics of interest.

The girls will also be participating in an Amazing Race event. Running around 16 uniquely designed stations in their coloured shirts and face makeup, students pair up and compete against each other. The stations and fitness tasks, cover a number of cross curricular tasks that stressed the importance of team work, leadership and fun. Lastly, in consideration of Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, the Girls’ Fitness program also placed a variety of inspirational message magnets on every locker for every student in the schools stressing the importance of mental health. By the end of the semester, we hope each girl is a better version of themselves.

St. Francis Xavier Secondary School’s Grade 9 students have been busy cooking up a storm. With the guidance and direction of Ms. Hebert and her Grade 11 students as group leaders, our students were able to incorporate their lessons on measurement. They worked together carefully gathering the correct ratios of margarine, flour, baking soda, sugar, and chocolate chips. With an egg, a pinch of salt and a dash of fun teamwork, the class was able to create a delicious outcome - warm chocolate chip cookies. MmMmMm...

The outdoor space enhances our school grounds and provides a place where learning can come to life. As stewards of the earth, our students are encouraged to be mindful, respectful and appreciate the new and beautiful outdoor space. During recess students now have a place to sit for quiet reflection or talk with friends. Teachers can also gather students while engaging in learning.


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On October 27, St. Marguerite d’Youville Secondary School held its 11th annual Coffee House Jam Night! Students and staff took to the stage to perform an eclectic array of Canadian music including The Weeknd, The Tragically Hip, and Alessia Cara.

St. Roch Catholic Secondary School PIP students and CNXT students standing with more than 800 pounds of food collected from the Fall “Scare Away Hunger” Food Drive. All items were donated to Ste. Louise Outreach Centre of Peel.

On October 21, the Brampton West Family of Schools came together as a community to commence their 1st Annual Harvest of Hope Event. Over 200 students and staff gathered at St. Edmund Campion Secondary School to celebrate the diverse learners in our Junior and Intermediate grades. Opening ceremonies included the national anthem, prayer and greetings from Brampton West Superintendent, Sue Steer. The day was comprised of drumming sessions, Special Olympics, arts and crafts, Zumba lessons and of course lunch! Under the leadership of Denise Fonzo, the inspirational day engaged and inspired all of us as we walk forward together!

On October 22, the students of St. Teresa of Calcutta School’s Saturday International Languages Slovak Program hosted His Excellency Mr. Andrej Droba, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to Canada, and Ms. Petra Nagyiova-Dzerengova, one of the best-selling female authors in Slovakia and the Deputy Mayor of the capital of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava. The visit was well received and the students particularly enjoyed readings from some of this author’s well known children’s story books.


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St. Simon Stock School once again participated in Take Me Outside Day. Take Me Outside Day, in partnership with The Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, is an opportunity for schools across Canada and around the world to show the importance of getting outside. It’s a day to support education extending beyond four walls and a desk!

Iona Celebrates Fr. Scott Young’s 25th Jubilee

On October 27, Iona Catholic Secondary School students gathered for a school-wide Mass to celebrate a successful and productive beginning to the school year. With the Arts Program in full gear, students welcomed Father Scott Young with song, dancing and musical accompaniment as he entered the gymnasium. Keeping in mind that Father Scott was celebrating the 25th anniversary of entering the priesthood, staff, students and administration took a moment before Mass to congratulate Father on his jubilee and to wish him many more happy, healthy and productive years as the shepherd to his flock. At the conclusion of the Mass, Father Scott was presented with an original work of art - a portrait of Mother Theresa, painted by one of Iona’s Arts students. May God’s Grace always be with Father Scott Young as he continues his important work with the students of Dufferin-Peel.

St. Andrew, St. Benedict and St. Peter Schools represented Dufferin-Peel once again in the Town of Orangeville’s Santa Claus Parade on November 19. The float was created by some talented Grade 8 students from St. Andrew School! A fun time was had by all.

On November 19, St. Martin Secondary School Drumline participated in the Brampton Santa Claus parade. They were awarded Fan Favorite. Follow them on Instagram: @MustangPress


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This November, St. Roch Catholic Secondary School Grade 12 Visual Arts students showcased their talents as they displayed artwork they created based on Art history and Portraiture. Congratulations to St. Roch students Kieran Barbaza and Natalee Tully-Bailey for creating two of the winning posters for Dufferin-Peel’s Stand Up Against Bullying campaign.

On October 31, Dufferin-Peel celebrated collaboration in education with delegates from 16 school boards in Korea.


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Extraordinary Girls’ Day at Archbishop Romero

On November 10, Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School proudly hosted its 5th annual Girls’ Day, centered on the theme, “Be Extraordinary!” Students from 12 different sites came together to share in a day that celebrated each of them, and the ways in which they can contribute to the well-being of others. The girls were inspired by ME TO WE guest speaker, Ashley Murphy, who demonstrated that a person can find meaning in loss and challenges that are faced in life. The students saw that, ultimately, each person can find their way, make their mark in the world, and be extraordinary!

Throughout the day, the students participated in a variety of activities, including writing a letter to themselves which will be sent to them in a year’s time, they had caricatures drawn by a fabulous Romero artist, they shared empowering messages, made mantra buttons, were adorned with t-shirts and henna, and took pictures at the photo booth! The celebratory day ended with a liturgy which reminded all of us that it is through God that we are made extraordinary. Special thanks, for their support of this day, is extended to the administrative team, Elena Filice, Cheryl Bobb, and Anna Da Silva who represented the trustees, our chaplain, Katherine Wesloh, the awesome Girls’ Day Committee, our artist volunteers, and our community sponsors, Burt’s Bees, The Knights of Columbus and the Canadian Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. The dedication of time and energy to this day, was evident in the enthusiasm that the students shared and the positive messages which will endure.

Where’s the real Waldo? Staff and students at Father Francis McSpiritt School were perplexed on October 31 as they tried to discern where the real Waldo was. Can you tell?

St. Francis Xavier Secondary School celebrates amazing teamwork with SHSM programs in the three sectors of Health & Wellness, Hospitality & Tourism and Sports. Twice per school year, we hold our SHSM Advisory Committee Meetings in our library (in October and May). Typically, 25-30 people attend, and we are welcoming any staff and administration members involved in SHSM programs, from our Dufferin-Peel schools. If you are interested in joining us, contact Alexa Lazaric or Massimo Giannobile.

the director’s bulletin · the director’s bulletin 4 points of pride • on october 27, at the...

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