Principal: C. Duke

Administrative Assistant: J. Lusk

Catholic School Council Co-Chairs: Mrs. D'Souza & Mrs. Piasecki

Superintendent of Mississauga West: P. Cusumano

Trustee Wards 9 & 10 Brea Corbet (905) 301-9373

St. John of the Cross Parish Information Website: http://www.saintjohnofthecross.com/

Email: St.ThereseoftheCJinfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: www.dpcdsb.org/TCHLD
Location: 6930 Forest Park Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Phone: 905-785-0066
Twitter: @StThereseDPCDSB

Please feel free to click on the Translate button on the bottom of the newsletter to choose your language of preference! (Arabic, Spanish, Hausa, Portuguese, Taglog, Polish, Italian, Malayalam, Hindi etc.)

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month celebrations that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities, remembering and acknowledging contributions and achievements both past and present. The 2025 theme for Black History Month is: Black History 365: A Look Back, A Look Within, A Look Ahead. This theme aims to celebrate and acknowledge past and present contributions and the cultivation of hope for Black futures. This theme aligns with the 2025 theme for Catholic Education Week: Pilgrims of Hope where we have been invited to rediscover the theme of hope and the meaning of hope in our lives.

Children's Liturgy

The Liturgy of the Word for children during Mass has returned

Every weekend during the 5pm, 10am, 12pm & 4pm Masses

1st Communion Registration Meetings

Sunday, January 19th 7:00pm @ the church

Tuesday, January 21st 7:00pm @ the church

1st Communion Enrolment Ceremony

January 25th & 26th, February 1st & February 2nd All Sunday Masses

Ash Wednesday is March 5th, 2025

Easter Sunday is April 20th, 2025

1st Communion Masses

Saturday, May 3rd 10:30am @ the church

Sunday, May 4th 2:00pm @ the church

Saturday, May 10th 10:30am @ the church

Sunday, May 11th 2:00pm @ the church

CONFIRMATION 2024 – 2025

CONFIRMATION DATES

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Thank you to Ms. Firhoj and Ms. Moreira's FDK class, and Ms. Mills EF gr. 6 students for leading our Virtue assembly.

Thank you to Ms. Firhoj and Ms. Moreira's FDK class, and Ms. Mills EF gr. 6 students for leading our Virtue assembly.

God wants us to treat all people with the respect they deserve.

A respectful person…

• uses a positive tone of voice and body language

• avoids swearing, name-calling, put-downs, and inappropriate gestures

• says ‘Excuse me’, ‘Please’, ‘Pardon me’

• avoids gossip

For vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.

• I speak, write and listen as Jesus would want me to
• I care about others and speak up for them
• I am honest I think carefully before I react or speak
• I respect all people and their languages
• I listen to the Word of God
• Because I have a voice, I will use it lovingly, and I will live my life like Jesus.

We welcome all community members to join us at our meetings!! You do not need to be a voting member to participate in council meetings. Your support, input and presence are all greatly appreciated.

Our Next School Council Meeting:

*All meetings begin at 6:00pm in the school library and access is available virtually.

Our next School Council Meeting is on:

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Thank you to all parents/Guardians who were able to join us on January 22nd for the informative Peel Public Health Presentation on Vaping. Please see the website listed below where you can access helpful information.

On January 15th our Grade 5/ 6 students participated in a Retreat day facilitated by Hope Stone. Students were involved in a variety of faith filled community building activities, involving cooperative games and time for prayer and reflection.

Staff and students are invited to join us on Thursday February 6 as we work to raise energy awareness in our community.

Our Junior Girls and Boys Basketball teams will be participating in the Brampton West POD tournaments this month. The Junior Boys tournament will take place on February 12th at St. Barbara and we will be hosting the Junior Girls tournament on February 20th! GO THUNDER!

Report Cards will be sent home on Tuesday, February 11th. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on the evening of February 13th and on the PA Day, February 14th. Please refer to the letter sent home on February 3rd with the details and link for scheduling your conference time.

Wellness Committee Update

February is all about kindness and inclusion!

🌈 Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb. 10–13)
Each class will receive a decorated shoebox to collect examples of thoughtful things others have done for them. These notes will be turned into a beautiful rainbow display, with each class contributing a different color!

Pink Shirt Day (Feb. 26)

To support kindness and anti-bullying awareness, students and staff are encouraged to wear pink. Wellness leaders will also prepare optional presentations for interested classes.

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year at Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) schools is now open. DPCDSB offers the Kindergarten program in 125 Catholic elementary schools in Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Bolton and Orangeville.

Parents/guardians can register online at dpcdsb.org.

Registration is open to Catholic children and children of Catholic parents. Kindergarten students must be at least four (4) years of age by December 31, 2025.

The following documents are required to complete the registration process:

• Proof of age of the child
• Original Roman Catholic baptismal certificate (for child and/or parent/guardian) or original baptismal certificate from a church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome or an Eastern Catholic Church.
• Immunization Reference #’s from the local Public Health Unit
• Proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status
• Proof of home address
• Proof of English Separate School Support

Please refer to the Register for School webpage for accepted forms of documentation.

Inquiries about home school locations/boundary areas should be directed to the DPCDSB Planning Department at 905-890-0708 ext. 24440.

For more information, parents/guardians should contact their local Catholic school, visit the DPCDSB website at dpcdsb.org, or call DPCDSB’s Admissions Department at 905-890-1221.

EQAO staff are hosting free LIVE webinars for parents and guardians.

See link below to register.

Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2025 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Inclement Weather Reminders

Our winter season is here! At this time we would like to remind all students to dress appropriately for the season by wearing the proper winter attire which should include hats, gloves/mitts, winter coats and boots. When students are dressed properly for the winter conditions, they can go outside and enjoy some fresh air and activity in comfort. There will be a few times during the course of the year where a recess may be shortened or held indoors due to extreme cold temperatures. Our school board policy states that although consideration should be given for keeping students indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches -20C, students are to be kept indoors during recesses when the wind chill reaches -22C.

In the colder weather, we receive numerous requests to allow children to remain indoors when students have a cold, the flu, etc. Please note that we cannot comply as we neither have the facilities nor the staff to supervise these students. Moreover, the health officials indicate that the fresh air is good for children, not harmful as long as they are dressed appropriately.

SNOW Safety Expectations

Now that the snow is here it is important to remind students that St. Therese of the Child Jesus has a strict rule of forbidding the throwing of snowballs and kicking of snow. Every student has been made aware of the importance of this rule in the preventing of injury to others.

S Snow stays on the ground

NO No standing, sitting, sliding down hills

W Winter wonder: building snow angels, snowpeople, snow forts!

Please review our Snow Safety Expectations with your children. Thank you for your support.

Some of the students in our school have severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils and any peanut by -products. For some children the smell of nuts can bring on a severe attack. We need your cooperation! We kindly ask that you DO NOT send snacks to school that contain nuts or any nut products.

Please note that to ensure the continued safety of all students, the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board with the support of the Anaphylactic Society and the Peel Health Department has recommended that students not bring peanut butter alternatives (soy butter, sunflower butter) to school. We thank you for your cooperation in supporting student safety.

We ask that parents continue to support their children in their morning routines so that they can arrive to school on time. This ensures that your child learns an essential life skill, participates in the entire school day, and that disruptions to the learning environment are minimal.

When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however minor), it is Board Policy that we inform parents. 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 will also provide your child with a brochure containing information about Concussions, again this is a precautionary measure and for information purposes.

Please note that there are children who have allergies to animal hair, and who have a fear of dogs. In order to prevent a potential concern for our students, please do not bring your dog onto school property during school hours. Thank you for your continued cooperation.

The Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board acknowledges the value of the use of technology for learning. Students are permitted to register and use personal electronic devices (PEDs) on board premises and/ or board sanctioned events for educational purposes, under the direction of staff and only with parent/ guardian permission. Students may register their PED for the purpose of connecting to the board wireless network. Students are required to adhere to the student “Personal Electronic Device Used with WI - FI Network Student Agreement” (GF 337) and the “Network User Application and Agreement” (GF066). Please be advised that the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board will not be responsible for any cost incurred through the use of personal data plans.

PEDs are to be used responsibly and should not interfere with learning; their use must comply with the Catholic Code of Conduct, board policies and procedures. Any personal communications (i.e. phone calls, text messages, etc.) will continue to be directed through the main office. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in a loss of PED privileges and/ or any other consequences deemed necessary by school administration.

The school principal may authorize limited acceptable uses of personal electronic devices during school -sanctioned activities for a specific designated purpose outside of instructional spaces and/ or in common areas. Students are responsible for the safety and security of PEDs at all times and the Board assumes no responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen devices.

The safety of our students, staff and visitors remains our number one priority. The following policies will be implemented to ensure the safety of all students, staff and visitors

Please review the following Kiss and Ride Safety Expectations:

• Keep traffic flowing. Proceed as far to the stop sign as possible before stopping your vehicle.
• Have your child exit from the right side (passenger doors) of your vehicle.
• NO PARKING in Kiss and Ride.
• If you wish to wait and see your child enter the school, park in the designated areas and wait in the designated pick-up/drop off locations.
• DO NOT stop or park in Bus Lane (side of the school).
• The same expectations apply during rain/snow. Do not stop or drop your children off at the side of the school. This is a Bus Lane only.

Are you interested in volunteering at St. Therese of the Child Jesus? Our volunteers support programs and activities at the school. We appreciate and rely on parents who can devote a small portion of their time to help. People who volunteer in schools and attend trips are required to have completed Vulnerable Sector Check -Level 3. You can also pick up a Volunteer Authorization Letter from the main office.

Please note that if you have previously submitted a Criminal Reference Check, they have expired due to the pandemic time lapse, unless you have completed the Annual Declaration. Please connect with the main office if you are unsure.

Once the form is completed, your volunteer service can begin. We look forward to working with you for the betterment and support of all students.

Whether it’s a medical appointment, an illness or other important event, there are times when students may need to be away from school. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District school board is introducing a new method for parents to report their child(ren)’s absences. Using the SafeArrival system, parents will be able to report daily or future absences in one of three ways:

Web:

1. Go to the SafeArrival website at go.schoolmessenger.ca
2. Select Sign Up to create your account. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
3. Select Attendance.
4. Select Report an Absence.

App:

1. Download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. Please note that SafeArrival uses the SchoolMessenger app.
2. Select Sign-Up. (Only needed for the initial setup, after that you will click on login).
3. You will be prompted to enter your email (same email address your school has on file) and create a password.
4. The system will send a link to the same email address the school has on file, please click on the link you have received in your email to activate your account.

Phone:

1. Call the toll-free number 1-844-435-3440
2. Listen to and follow the instructions to report an absence.
3. If the system doesn’t recognize your caller ID, you will be asked to enter the student’s home phone number or any phone number for the guardian that is on file with the school.

You can now reset your password remotely by registering for the Password Reset Tool. You must know your old password to create a new one.

To reset your password remotely you must first register with the “Password Reset Tool”, which you can do by following one of these two steps:

Students: students.dpcdsb.org and select Password Reset

Staff: https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com/PasswordReset/Register.aspx ​

**Access to personal email/cell phone is required for registration.

Once you are registered, please follow the Password Reset Instruction

February 10-14 - Random Acts of Kindness week!

February 11 - Term 1 Reports Cards sent home

February 13 - Parent - Teacher Interview Evening

February 13 - Intermediate Valentine's Day Dance

February 14 - PA Day -Parent - Teacher Interviews/Valentine's Day

February 17 - Family Day Holiday

February 26 - Pink Shirt Day

March 4 - Shrove Tuesday

March 5 - Ash Wednesday, Season of LENT begins

March 10-14 - MARCH BREAK