St. Clare Courageous Cougars

Principal: Sonia Correia

Head Secretary: Elena Iannicca

Superintendent: Drago Radic

Pastor: Rev. Edward Curtis, St. Ignatius Loyola Parish

Email: St.ClareInfo@dpcdsb.org

Website: https://www3.dpcdsb.org/CLARE

Twitter/X: @StClareDP

Instagram: @stclaredp

Supervision Begins Outside: 8:15-8:30 am

School Begins: 8:30am

Recess: 10:03-10:18am

Lunch: 11:41am - 12:41pm

Recess: 2:05-2:20pm

Dismissal: 3:00pm

As Holy Week invites us into the heart of our faith, we reflect on the great mystery of Christ’s love and sacrifice. From the humility of the Last Supper to the hope of Easter morning, we are reminded that God’s love is revealed through service, forgiveness, compassion, and self‑giving love.

Throughout Lent and Easter, our students have been guided to explore the richness of our Catholic faith and the message at its core: Jesus came to bring hope, healing, and dignity to all. Though His mission led Him to the cross, we rejoice in the promise of new life found in the Resurrection.

As the angel proclaimed, “He is not here; He has been raised” (Luke 24:6). May this joyful truth renew our hearts and inspire us to live Christ’s love each day.

Wishing our St. Clare families a blessed, joyful, and hope‑filled Easter.

MARCH WRAP UP:

March was another busy month at St. Clare! We were blessed to welcome Father Prince and Father Ed, who spent time with our Grade 7 students in preparation for Confirmation and with our Grade 2 students as they prepare for First Communion. Our Rosary of Apostolate volunteers also visited, sharing their faith and kind words with both staff and students.

Mme Gallant and her Wellness Team warmly welcomed the “Wellbeing Mascot” to our school, kicking off a fun-filled week of classroom visits and engaging activities.

Mr. Bugeja and Mr. Cordeiro led the girls’ and boys’ basketball tryouts, filling the gym with teamwork and school spirit.

The primary classes finished their beachball volleyball intramural games with great success. Many thanks to Ms. Black for coaching our youngest athletes.

Ms. Bartucci, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Benec have been working hard with the ball hockey team to prepare for the upcoming tournament. Ms. Bartucci also attended a cricket in-service and we are excited for students to play soon.

Our dance team did an outstanding job at the dance showcase. I was able to attend and what a performance! A heartfelt thank you goes out to Ms. Farris, Ms. Gillis, Ms. Bianchi and our parent volunteer Ms. Turner, for their hard work preparing for this wonderful event.

ShareLife Week was a great success! Ms. Black and Mme Gallant organized a fun and spirited volleyball game where students had the chance to play against staff. All classes got a chance to watch and cheer. We also held a pie-throwing contest, and Mr. Benec was such a good sport as the enthusiastic (and smiling!) recipient of several pies. Thank you to all who donated to this worthy cause.

Ms. Gillis and Ms. Jajou have been preparing students to build skills with chess club in preparation for the tournament next month.

Rehearsals continue for our spring production of Annie Jr. Thank you to Ms. Farris, Ms. Gillis, Ms. Bianchi and Ms. Beckford for leading our students.

Our Junior and Intermediate students enjoyed an exciting day at a Raptors 905 game, filled with wonderful school spirit. A big thank you to Mr. Bugeja for organizing this memorable experience!

Some amazing coding has been taking place at Coding club this month. A big thanks to Mr. Z for sharing his knowledge with the students.

Our Eco team, led by Ms. Tavares, has been working hard to promote energy conservation throughout the school. We just celebrated Earth Hour by turning off most lights (where possible).

We proudly celebrated World Down Syndrome Day and Epilepsy Awareness Day by wearing yellow and blue, miss-matched socks and the colour purple in solidarity and support.

Finally, our annual primary poetry and Junior/Intermediate speeches were held in the gym, and they were impressive. The level of confidence, preparation, and delivery made judging especially difficult this year. Congratulations to the two participants! Thank you to Mrs. Farris and Mr. Bugeja for organizing this fantastic initiative! And a special thank you to our guest judges!

Please note that the Hot Lunch Program is provided to students who have pre-ordered online via School CashOnline:

Monday - Shawarma

Tuesday - Pizza

Wednesday - Baked Chicken & Baked Fries

Thursday - No hot lunch

Fridays - Burrito

Once again this year St. Clare school participated in the annual ShareLife Campaign. Our students and educators take tremendous pride in being able to raise awareness and share school spirit with our themed activities. We are also blessed to have the support of our parent community, by supporting our fundraising efforts. This year we were able to raise...(drumroll, please) ... $520!

Thank you staff, students and parents. Special thank you to Mr. Benec for being such a good sport.

As we begin a new school year, we would like to inform you that St. Clare 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, 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. Clare would appreciate the cooperation of the entire school community by NOT sending any lunches or snacks that contain nut or nut byproducts including peanut butter alternatives (i.e. WowButter), or other products containing nuts or nut oils (i.e., Nutella). If a student who has such an allergy comes into contact with anything containing peanuts, nuts, nut oils or derivatives, it could be life threatening. Some students have such a severe allergy that only the smell of the allergen may cause a reaction. Your child’s teacher will inform you of any class specific allergy concerns 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. If you have any questions, please talk to your child’s teacher or the school staff. We look forward to your co-operation in making this a safe year for all of our pupils.

If your child has a medical condition, please ensure that the school is aware of it by submitting the proper forms and medication as soon as possible. If you did not receive the necessary forms in June, kindly please contact the office.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that all medications and forms are updated for any student who requires medication to be administered at school. If your child requires medication, please have the necessary forms completed and return them, along with any medication, to the office as soon as possible.

Please remember to check the expiry dates of all medication before bringing them to school.

Medication that is sent to school without the proper documentation will not be stored or dispensed by school personnel. This also applies to over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, aspirin, ibuprofen, cough medicine, Benadryl, and allergy medications.

All medication with the exception for Kindergarten or students who carry their medication (ie. fanny pack) will be stored centrally in the school office. Kindergarten student medication will be stored in their classrooms for accessibility. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school.

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board has developed a Concussion Policy and Guidelines for students who have been diagnosed with a concussion by either a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. School staff cannot diagnose a concussion. Anytime a student reports to the office with a head injury, the parent/guardian will be contacted and the incident will be entered into the school’s “Documentation of Head Injuries” log. This is precautionary only, and we ask that you check your child when he/she gets home for any signs of a concussion or illness. We encourage you to click on the Concussion Resources button below which will take you directly to the board website for further information. Again this is a precautionary measure and for information purposes.

DPCDSB offers the full-day Kindergarten program in 125 Catholic elementary schools in Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Bolton and Orangeville. Elementary school admissions are open to Catholic children and children of Catholic parents. Kindergarten students must be at least 4 years of age by December 31 of the school year for which they are registering.

NOTICES

• All elementary schools are currently accepting new online registrations for 2026-2027
• For information about Kindergarten Registration for the St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre, visit the St. James C.E.S. website.
• To find out which Catholic school is in your area, use the Peel Region and Dufferin County Find My School tools or contact the Planning Department at 905-890-0708 ext. 24440
• If you are applying for admissions under 'Flexible Boundaries', please contact the school office directly.
• Elementary Student Transfer Request Form (for current DPCDSB students)
• Entry Planning Form for Students with Differing Abilities Form
  Completion of this form should only be done after parents/guardians have completed the online registration process. This form should only be completed for students who have higher needs (e.g. a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, medical needs, needs requiring equipment or specialized services, speech, vision or hearing needs, etc.)
• Region of Peel Public Health Resource: Building a Healthy School Environment - For Families Registering Their Children for Kindergarten
  

​For more information about admissions and requirements, parents/guardians should contact their school directly or the Admissions Department at 905-890-1221 or admissions@dpcdsb.org.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

1. Create an account on the Online Application System.
2. How to Create an Account: Quick Reference Guide
3. ​Once you have created an account, complete and submit the Online Application Form​​.
   ​How to Register Online: Quick Reference Guide
4. Receive email confirmation acknowledging receipt of the online Application Form with further instructions if supporting documentation was not submitted online. (See below for a complete list).
5. Entry Planning Form for Students with Differing Abilities
   Completion of this form should only be done after parents/guardians have completed the online registration process. This form should only be completed for students who have higher needs (e.g. a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, medical needs, needs requiring equipment or specialized services, speech, vision or hearing needs, etc.)

For those without online access, printed copies of the Registration Form are available in the school office. You may also download the Printable Registration Form.


SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

The following documents are required to complete the registration process. All documents MUST be submitted in English and be originals:

Proof of age of the child
Birth certificate or passport.

Original Roman Catholic baptismal certificate
Students registering in DPCDSB elementary schools and/or their parents/guardians, must provide the following:
- an original Roman Catholic baptismal certificate (for child and/or parent/guardian), or;
- an original baptismal certificate (for child and/or parent/guardian) from a church that is in communion with the Holy See of Rome, or;
- an original baptismal certificate (for child and/or parent/guardian) from an Eastern Catholic Church (St. Sofia).

Updated immunization records
Report your child's immunizations to Region of Peel Public Health​ or Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health online and give the reference number to your child's school when registering.

​Proof of Canadian citizenship
Birth certificate, passport or permanent resident status.

Proof of home address/Emergency rural address numbers
Two of the following: property tax bill, current utility bill, electronic bill, real estate document or Government of Canada issued forms. On a case-by-case basis, consideration for any special circumstance shall go through the respective Superintendent or Admissions Officer. If the lease agreement is the sole documentation and not a standard lease form, it should be notarized/Commissioner of Oath.

​Proof of English Separate School Support
May be done at the time of registration by completing an​ Application for the Direction of School Support and/or a Separate School Lease Agreement (Peel or Dufferin). ​ Learn More: Direction of School Support

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 Lockdown 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. Dates for lockdown and fire drills are posted in our "Upcoming Events" section.

Thank you for your patience.

The Kiss n’ Ride program is available to provide the convenience and safety for our students and parents driving to our school. Please take a moment to review the following procedures to ensure safety for all students and parents using Kiss N’ Ride.

1. NEVER LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE.

Kiss and Ride lanes are to be “moving lane ways”, not parking spots. This ensures that emergency vehicles or buses may enter the school. Please do not leave your vehicle at anytime. If you need to directly drop off your child, please park your car. For safety reasons, have the children exit the car from the passenger side of the vehicle only. If they are unable to do this without your help, you must park your car and walk your child in.

2. DO NOT drop your child(ren) off in the bus loading zone or in the bus lane, only in the DRIVETHRU lane

3.Teach your child to watch for buses in the bus lane, before they cross into the lane and on to the sidewalk. Once on the sidewalk, they can walk along the sidewalk to the back of the schoolyard.

4. Students walking and using the crosswalk, need to respect the crossing guard on duty. Running across Glen Erin Drive is never allowed and is dangerous. Please use the tunnel.

5. PLEASE CONTROL YOUR SPEED.

Kiss and Ride is the type of environment where students behave unpredictably and could quickly ‘pop out’ in front of you. Please give yourself the greatest chance of avoiding an accident. We are all working together to minimize risks to our children. Please remember that the driveway is a one way only. Please follow the signs to ensure that safety for all students and family.

We want to ensure the safety of all students at all times. Please drive slowly. Thank you for your continued cooperation. Please feel free to direct any questions or safety concerns to Mrs. Rodrigues-Coelho.

Just a reminder that if you are interested in volunteering within the school in any capacity, including field trips, student support, Catholic School Council member, etc., a Valid Criminal Reference Check (CRC), with Vulnerable Sector and Local Records Check is required. Due to COVID closures and not having volunteers in the schools for multiple years, many of our filed CRC and CRC Annual Declarations have lapsed. Therefore, we would like to begin now for any possible volunteer opportunities that may arise this year. Please note that there may be some time required to process a CRC, thus waiting for an announced volunteer opportunity to obtain your CRC may not provide sufficient time for processing. Therefore, we are asking all parents that if you feel that you may be interested in volunteering in any capacity in the school this year, it may be best to start the process now.

Come by the office for a Volunteer Letter from the school before you apply!

Thank you for all your ongoing support and we look forward to having many volunteer opportunities in the school this year.

It is important for students to be at school on time and ready to work. When students are late they miss important information and routines. We realize that throughout the year there will be times that your child will be away from school.

SafeArrival is an application within SchoolMessenger that will allow parents/guardians to report their children’s absences in one of the following three ways:

• SchoolMessenger App
• SchoolMessenger website https://go.schoolmessenger.ca
• Toll Free number 1-844-435-3440

What is SafeArrival:

• SafeArrival is an absence management system that improves student safety.
• It supports school staff to follow up on unexcused absences.
• It allows parents and/or guardians to notify the school in advance about an upcoming absence.

Benefits:

• Better Attendance Management for Enhanced Student Safety
• Faster and Easier Attendance Management
• Simplified Parent Reporting Tools
• Accessible, Convenient and Secure
• Automated Key Tasks With SafeArrival Administrative Tools

In the event that your child is late or absent, please use one of the three ways to access Safe Arrival.

Students who arrive late to school must proceed to the office to get a late slip.

For more information about our St. Clare Snack Shack and Nutrition Program please review the attached information letter and permission form.

To make a donation to our YMCA Peel Student Nutrition Program click HERE

The School Advisory Council is comprised of parents, a school faculty member, a non-teaching representative, as well as an appointed parish community representative. The aim of the council is to support school activities and students through involvement and fundraising. We are always looking for new parents to join our School Council! If your child is participating in online learning you are still part of our St. Clare community and therefore you are welcome to attend council meetings and participate in council elections.

ST. CLARE CATHOLIC SCHOOL COUNCIL FOR 2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR

Principal: Ms. Sonia Correia

Chairs: Mrs. Laura Zampino-Mendonca

Secretary: Mrs. Joanna Agueci

Treasurer: Mrs. Katherine DaSilva

Parish Rep: Mr. Gerald Menezes

OAPCE Rep : Mrs. Sophia Krol

Teacher Rep: Ms. Gillis

Non-Teacher Rep: Mrs. Traynor

Voting Members:

1. Mrs. Sophia Krol

2. Mrs. Eva Chatfield

3. Mrs. Melisia Catling

4. Mrs. Joanna Agueci

5. Mrs. Michelle Divers

6. Mrs. Lisa Whitelaw

7. Mrs. Alexandria McCann

8. Mr. Gerald Menezes

9. Mrs. Laura Zampino Mendonca

10. Mr. Leonard Mendonca

11. Mrs. Tiffany Mammoliti

12. Mrs. Claudia Loustel

13. Ms. Aksana Savitskaya

14. Mrs. Katherine Da Silva

15. Mrs. Danielle Campion

Please join us for our last council meeting on Monday April 27th @ 6:00-8:00pm Catholic School Council in our Library Learning Commons.

St. Ignatius Loyola Parish

2300 Burnhamthorpe Rd. West
Mississauga, ON
L5L 3T6

Rev. Edward Curtis

Rev. Alexander D'Silva, Associate Pastor

Deacon John Brown

Deacon Robert Sansone

PARISH STAFF

Olga Calderon Parish Secretary StIgnatiusLoyolaMI@archtoronto.org

Sunday Mass Times for St. Ignatius Loyola Parish are 7:45am, 9:00am, 10:30am and 12:00pm (Noon) Website