St. Vincent de Paul October News

Address:

Phone Number/Email:

(905) 848-5397

St.VincentdePaulInfo@dpcdsb.org

Website:

https://vpaul.dpcdsb.org/

Principal

G. Graci

Administrative Staff

L. Antilope

Superintendent

D. Belchior

(905) 890-1221

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

Pastor

Rev. John Nosan

Associate Pastor

Rev. Matthew Tulio

Contact Information:

St. Patrick Parish

921 Flagship Drive
Mississauga, ON
L4Y 2J6

t: 905.220.2301
e: stpatricksmi@archtoronto.org

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School and St. Patrick's Parish are working collaboratively to create an atmosphere in which your child will be able to experience and express our Catholic Faith.

EDGE is a youth ministry for those in grades 6, 7 & 8, aimed to present the truths of the Catholic faith in a hand​​s-on and relevant format.

Twitter: @SPYGMississauga​

Instagram: ​​SPYGMississauga

Contact: stpatsyouthgroup@hotmail.com​

Dear St. Vincent de Paul Families,

It is hard to believe that September has already come to an end. The first month of school has been a busy one, and it has been wonderful to see our students settle into their classrooms, reconnect with friends, and become part of the many things happening throughout our school.

Although St. Vincent de Paul is a small school, there is certainly no shortage of opportunities for our students. September alone saw the start of volleyball, cross country, choir, chess, Terry Fox activities, field trips being planned and more. Our students and staff also took part in meaningful learning and activities in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. I am incredibly grateful to our staff who give so generously of their time to provide these experiences for our students.

At the same time, our classrooms remain focused on learning. Across the school, students are becoming familiar with new routines, building strong work habits, and engaging in rich learning through our various programs. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity, effort, and confidence continue to grow as the year gets underway.

October is a beautiful month in our school year and a time to reflect on gratitude, faith, and the many blessings in our lives. We invite our families to join us for our first school Mass with Fr. Tulio on October 9 at 9:30 a.m. in the gymnasium. We look forward to coming together as a school community in prayer and celebration.

As we move into another busy month, I encourage our students to continue living out our school motto, “A Love of Christ and a Love of Learning,” through their words, actions, and the way they treat others each day.

Thank you to our families for your continued support and partnership. Wishing all of our St. Vincent de Paul families a wonderful October and a blessed Thanksgiving with family and loved ones.

Blessings,

Mrs. G. Graci
Principal

8:45 am -Supervision in the Yard Begins

9:00 am -School Begins

11:00-11:15 am -Morning Recess

12:00 pm -Lunch

1:00 pm -School starts

2:25-2:40 pm -Afternoon Recess

3:30 pm -Dismissal

Monday, October 5, 2026

Lockdown #1

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Photo Day

CSC Meeting & Elections at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, October 9, 2026

9:30 am Thanksgiving Mass- all are welcome!

Monday, October 12, 2026

Thanksgiving

Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Rosary Apostolate

Ms. Murphy & Mr. Florio Classes at Silvercreek

Thursday, October 15, 2026

Jr. Volleyball POD at Sts. Peter & Paul

Monday, October 26, 2026

PA DAY (no school for students)

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Fire Drill #2

Friday, October 30, 2026

Halloween Dance

In October –we celebrate the virtue of empathy. God wants us to care about everyone’s feelings.

An empathetic person…

• listens when people speak

• notices when someone is upset and tries to help

• can name her/his feelings

• can see a situation from another person’s point of view

• accepts that others have different perspectives

REFLECTION

Judge your neighbours’ feelings by your own and let every matter be thoughtful. There are days in our lives that we may see others come to school/work sad, afraid, frustrated, or even angry. To live the virtue of EMPATHY is to not judge those people because we never know what others are holding in their hearts. In your everyday life try to remember that you may not always understand what others are feeling, but you can always be a good friend.

The Graduate is expected to be:

• A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith community who celebrates the signs and sacred mystery of God's presence through word, sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and moral living.
• An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of gospel values.
• A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good.
• A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential.
• A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good.
• A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community.
• A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life

We are blessed to welcome a team from St. Patrick’s Parish each month to lead our school community in a Rosary Devotion. Working alongside our Youth Faith Ambassadors, students will have the opportunity to deepen their faith, grow in their relationship with Christ, and honour Mary through prayer and reflection. We thank our parish partners and student leaders for helping to nurture the spiritual life of our school community.

On September 25th,, our school community came together for our annual Terry Fox Walk/Run. It was a wonderful opportunity for students and staff to honour Terry’s courage, determination, and incredible legacy while supporting the ongoing fight against cancer.

Thank you to all who participated and helped make the event such a meaningful one. We are proud to continue this important Canadian tradition and to help keep Terry’s dream alive. 💙🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️🇨🇦

Throughout the month, our students have been learning about Truth and Reconciliation in their classrooms through meaningful discussions, activities, and age-appropriate learning opportunities. We also came together as a school community for a special assembly focused on learning and growing together. During the assembly, students learned more about the significance of Orange Shirt Day and why it is important to listen, reflect, and honour the experiences of Indigenous children, families, and communities. These learning opportunities help us continue to build understanding, respect, and a shared commitment to reconciliation within our school community.

Costume Choice with an Equity Lens

Students are invited to participate in our Halloween Spirit Day by wearing costumes that are fun, creative, and school appropriate. As a Catholic school community, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where every person is treated with dignity and respect.

When selecting costumes, we ask families to consider an equity lens and avoid costumes that:

• Stereotype, appropriate, or mock a cultural, racial, ethnic, or religious group.

• Depict violence, weapons, gore, or frightening imagery that may be upsetting to others.

• Promote negative, offensive, or discriminatory messages.

• Include masks or accessories that may interfere with safety, visibility, or supervision.

  
  

We encourage students to choose costumes that celebrate creativity, imagination, and school spirit while reflecting our Catholic values of respect, inclusion, and care for one another.

If you have any questions or are unsure whether a costume is appropriate for school, please contact us prior to Friday, October 30.

To add to the Halloween spirit, we will also be hosting a school dance on Friday, October 30. Each class will have a designated time during the day to attend and enjoy the dance.

Thank you for helping us ensure that Halloween is a positive, safe, and enjoyable experience for all members of our St. Vincent de Paul School community.

The Catholic School Council is an integral part of every school community. If you are interested in being a part of the Catholic School Council this year, please join us for our first meeting.

Our School Council is comprised of Parents/Guardians, School Staff and a Parish Representative. All are welcome to attend.

School Council Meeting of 2026-2027

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 @ 5:30 pm

In the School Library

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/244274160021023?p=ku97RNcbhjsIkZSqPM

Meeting ID: 244 274 160 021 023

Passcode: t9sY2TE9

We have heard your feedback, and we are excited to announce improvements to our school lunch program.

As of Friday, October 16, 2026, this will be the last delivery by LUNCHBOX. Families who have purchased lunches after October 16 will be contacted directly by LUNCHBOX with instructions on how to obtain a refund for those orders.

Starting Monday, October 19, 2026, lunches will be offered directly through School Cash Online, allowing us to negotiate better pricing for our families.

Our new lunch lineup will include:

• 🍔 Monday - Harvey's
• 🍕 Tuesday - Pizza Nova
• 🥙 Wednesday - Pita Pit
• 🥪 Thursday - Subway
• 🌯 Friday - Shawarma Flavours

Please note that there will be no cash orders accepted. All orders must be placed through School Cash Online using the links that will be sent to families.

As always, if your child is absent on a lunch day, you may arrange to pick up the lunch from the main office.

Thank you for your patience and support as we navigate this transition. We believe these changes will provide more affordable and convenient lunch options for our school community.

Should you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Antilope directly.

At St. Vincent de Paul, we will continue to follow the provincial cellphone and social media policy established by the Ontario Ministry of Education, along with our Board’s policy on Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs). These expectations are in place to reduce distractions, support student well-being, and maintain a safe and positive Catholic learning environment.

Key Points

• Cellphones and PEDs should not be brought to school. If brought to school, they must remain off and out of sight during the school day.

• Social media access is not permitted on school networks during school hours.

• Use for learning only: Devices may be used in class only when a teacher specifically permits their use for academic purposes.

• Emergency communication: If you need to reach your child during the school day, please contact the school office. Students who need to contact a parent or guardian must use the office phone.

• Loss or damage: The school is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged devices.

• Repeated violations: Continued misuse of a device may result in the device being brought to the office. The student may retrieve it at the end of the day. For repeated incidents, a parent or guardian may be required to pick up the device.

• Reflection and accountability: Students may be asked to complete a brief reflection activity following a violation to help reinforce responsible and appropriate use.

  
  

Why This Matters

This policy is not about punishment. It is about promoting focus, safety, responsibility, and meaningful connection. By limiting cellphone and social media use during the school day, we are creating more opportunities for students to engage in learning, build positive relationships, and grow within our Catholic school community.

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting a healthy, safe, and distraction-free learning environment for all students at St. Vincent de Paul.

Our Open House on September 23 was a wonderful success, with many families coming out to visit the school and connect with our staff. It was a great opportunity to welcome parents and guardians into our classrooms, celebrate the start of a new school year, and strengthen the partnership between home and school. Thank you to all of our families who attended and to our staff for helping make the evening such a positive and welcoming experience.

Our school Photo Day is October 7th. We are looking forward to seeing everyone's smiles!

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School is dedicated to helping your child develop the spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, social and physical capabilities to live fully and to meet the future challenges of adult roles and responsibilities. The school can best contribute to your child’s education and development when you form a partnership with them.

As parents/guardians you have many responsibilities towards your child. One responsibility is to ensure that your child is in school every day, ready to learn. In fact, it is the law. The Provincial Education Act states that every child between the ages of 6 and 18 years is required to attend school every day from the first school day in September until the last school day in June.

Attendance and Punctuality Education is an important tool that provides far-reaching benefits and opportunities to students. Students have to attend class to access education and take advantage of all it has to offer. When learning is disrupted by irregular attendance or late arrival, student achievement, engagement and social interaction suffers. The Education Act of Ontario, therefore, requires every student to attend school until the age of 18. It is highly encouraged that parents plan medical appointments and vacations outside of assigned school hours and days. Please refer to the Board School Year Calendar, located on the board website, when planning holidays. In the event that a student will be absent, the parent is responsible for notifying the school. For extended absences, a medical note is required. Student well-being and achievement at school are important to everyone. It starts with good attendance.

In September, students in Grades 3 and up participated in an assembly focused on our Catholic Code of Conduct. We reviewed the importance of living out Gospel values each day, treating others with dignity and respect, making responsible choices, resolving conflict peacefully, and contributing positively to our school community.

These expectations are reinforced throughout the year in many ways, including through daily announcements, classroom lessons, school-wide reminders, and conversations with staff. Students are supported and reminded by all staff members, not only their classroom teacher, as we work together to create a consistent, caring, and respectful school environment.

At St. Vincent de Paul School, we will continue to work together to maintain a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy Catholic school community where all students feel respected, supported, and valued.

As part of our commitment to fostering safe, inclusive, and Catholic learning environments, we are reminding all students and parent(s)/caregiver(s) that the use of discriminatory language or any language rooted in hate or racism is not permitted at school. Any use of such language will be addressed promptly and appropriately to ensure the safety and well-being of all students, staff, and community members.

We ask parent(s)/caregiver(s) to support this expectation by having age-appropriate conversations with their children about the importance of using respectful language and understanding the harm caused by discriminatory words. Together, we can continue to build a community grounded in human dignity, compassion, and the values of our Catholic Social Teachings.

All GRADES 6-8 ARE WELCOME, parents must register their children online: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfivoMWbt5MmSn7hJPPPa_K5-ZJOHjT_wlqWMD81NXZmFrWg/viewform

Friday October 9th!

EDGE & ELEV8 Night - See you there! See attached flyer

We are so excited to announce our first EDGE Launch Night! This marks the beginning of an amazing year for our EDGE/ ELEV8 youth ministry, where faith, fun, and friendship come together.

🧰 Supplies provided

👕 PLEASE WEAR clothes & shoes that can get dirty

🧖 Bring a towel + change of clothes

📲 EDGE REGISTRATION REQUIRED/MANDATORY

Get ready for Capture the Flag, Trashketball, Messy Jersey Relay, Steal the Bacon, Balloon Volleyball & MORE! 🙌

🏕️ We’ll have the field and messy game stations all set up and ready to go!

Come meet your Edge crew, welcome new faces, and start the year off right. You don’t want to miss our first Edge night! 🔥

🎨 Come ready to play. Come ready to get messy. Come ready for Edge!

📅 Date: October 9, 2025
🕕 Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
📍 Location: St. Patrick's Parish Hall

All grade 6 to 8 students are invited to our EDGE Launch Night on Friday, October 9 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm (doors open at 6:15pm).

We’ve also attached the EDGE calendar dates below so you can mark them down and have your children ready to join us at the same time.

To stay updated on upcoming events and announcements, follow us on social media @spygmississauga.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself (Kristina) at this email or by phone at 905-270-2301 ext. 226.

Finally, we’d love for you to register your child as soon as possible using the Google Form

This helps us prepare a warm and welcoming experience for everyone.

EDGE/ELEV8 CALENDAR

2026-2027

October 9 – (In the Paint - Social Night) First EDGE LAUNCH Day

October 23 – (Coaching Staff - The Fourth Commandment) Catechesis

November 13 – (Personal Foul - The Fifth Commandment) Catechesis

November 27 – (Good Sport- The Sixth Commandment) Catechesis

December 11 – (A Thrill of Hoop) Christmas Social

January 8 – (Full Court Press - Deadly Sins) Catechesis

January 22 – (Current - Holy Spirit) Catechesis

February 12 – (Spark - Holy Spirit Pt 2) Catechesis

February 26 – (Power Surge - Holy Spirit Pt 3) Catechesis

March 12 – MARCH BREAK (NO EDGE)

March 26 – (Steal - The Seventh Commandment)Catechesis

April 9 – (Crossover - The Eighth Commandment) Catechesis

April 23 – (Alley-oop - The Ninth & Tenth Commandment) Catechesis

May 14 – (Games Night) Social

May 28 – Catechesis

June 11 – Catechesis

June 25 – END OF YEAR SOCIAL

Registration is only required once for the school year of 2026-2027. If you have already registered for Edge this year, there is no need to register for the upcoming nights.

Parents / Guardians can create their own accounts using EACH child’s unique Access ID and Access Password provided they meet the following criteria in PowerSchool:

• Marked as Guardians
• Have Access to Records
• Have a valid email address
• Student is under 18 years old

If a Parent / Guardian has more than one child in Dufferin-Peel, they will be able to link their account to EACH of their children.

Please note that nut and nut products are not allowed in school. We have a number of staff and students who have potentially fatal anaphylactic sensitivities to the above products. Please also remind your child/children that under no circumstances should they be sharing food with another student at school.

Thank you for your commitment to keeping our school safe and allergy aware!

Accident Insurance forms are now being offered digitally. Please note this insurance is voluntary, but the board encourages parents to take advantage of the inexpensive coverage especially if your children participate in sports, excursions or field trips or, if you do not have dental coverage. If you wish to purchase insurance coverage for your child, please click on the image to the left where you will be able to complete an online application form.

To support learning at home DPCDSB would like us to share a link to "Math @ Home". A website that connects parents to a number of helpful resources all in one place.

Build your math skills and confidence with a personalized math coach. Tutors are available online Mondays-Fridays from 9am to 9pm ET and Sundays from 3:00pm to 9pm ET.

https://www.tvomathify.com/students