St. Vincent de Paul September News
A Love Of Christ And A Love Of Learning
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School
Address:
665 Willowbank Trail, Mississauga, ON L4W 3L6Phone Number/Email:
St.VincentdePaulInfo@dpcdsb.org
Website:
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.
Dear St. Vincent de Paul Families,
Welcome to a new school year at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School!
I hope you and your family enjoyed a restful and joy-filled summer, creating special memories with those you love. As we begin a new school year together, I am delighted to welcome both our returning families and those who are joining our St. Vincent de Paul community for the very first time.
A new school year is always a time of excitement, hope, and possibility. The hallways are once again filled with energy, anticipation, and the promise of new beginnings. Whether your child is entering kindergarten, moving into a new grade, or beginning their final year with us, each student embarks on a unique journey of growth and learning.
At St. Vincent de Paul, our motto, "A Love of Christ and a Love of Learning," is more than just words. It is the heart of who we are and the foundation of everything we do. We believe that when students experience the love of Christ, they develop compassion, kindness, respect, empathy, and a desire to serve others. When they develop a love of learning, they become curious, resilient, creative thinkers who embrace challenges and strive to achieve their personal best.
These two loves go hand in hand. Our faith inspires us to learn, grow, and use our gifts to make a positive difference in the world. As a Catholic school community, we are committed to helping students recognize their God-given talents and understand that learning is a lifelong journey. Every lesson taught, every friendship formed, every act of kindness shown, and every opportunity to serve others helps bring our motto to life each day.
This year, our dedicated staff is eager to create meaningful learning experiences that challenge, inspire, and support every student. We are committed to fostering an environment where children feel safe, valued, included, and encouraged to take risks in their learning. We want every student to know that they belong, that their voice matters, and that they have the ability to achieve great things.
Faith will continue to be woven throughout all aspects of school life. Through prayer, liturgies, school Masses, faith celebrations, and daily acts of service, we will encourage students to deepen their relationship with Christ and live out the Gospel values in their everyday interactions. We are blessed to be part of a Catholic community that nurtures both the heart and the mind.
We also recognize that student success is built through strong partnerships. The relationship between home, school, and St. Patrick Parish is essential, and we are grateful for the trust you place in us each day. Your encouragement, support, and involvement help strengthen our school community and contribute to the success and well-being of every child.
As we begin this new school year, let us look forward with hope and gratitude. Together, we will celebrate achievements, overcome challenges, create lasting memories, and continue building a faith-filled community where students are inspired to grow academically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally.
May God bless each of our students, families, and staff members throughout the year ahead. May St. Vincent de Paul guide us in service to others, and may our shared commitment to a Love of Christ and a Love of Learning continue to shine brightly in our school community.
I look forward to an incredible year together!
Blessings,
Mrs. G. Graci
Principal
At this time, our school organization and class placements remain tentative. As is the case each September, there is a possibility that classes may need to be reorganized during the first few weeks of school based on enrolment and staffing.
Class placements are developed thoughtfully, with the goal of creating the most effective learning environment for all students. Considerable attention is given to each child’s individual strengths, needs, learning profile, and the overall composition of each class in order to create balanced learning environments.
At this time, we will not be making individual class placement changes. However, if you would like the school to consider a possible change should reorganization become necessary, please email the school mailbox. They will be reviewed as part of the reorganization process if our school re-organization is required.
We kindly ask that families speak with their children in advance so they understand that their class placement or teacher may change during the first few weeks of school. Your support and understanding help us ensure a smooth transition for all students.
The first day of school for students in Grades 1–8 will be Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Our school hours remain the same, with entry at 9:00 a.m. and dismissal at 3:30 p.m.
Students in Grades 1–8 will meet in the back pavement area. Teachers will be outside holding grade-level signs, and students are asked to gather near the sign for their grade. Beginning at 8:45 a.m., teachers will greet students and call their respective classes.
Year 2 Full-Day Kindergarten students will begin school on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, and will attend from Wednesday, September 9 through Friday, September 11.
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
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
The Catholic Code of Conduct sets standards of behaviour that promote, encourage and foster a shared commitment to Gospel values in daily life, respect for the dignity of persons created in God’s image, responsible participation in the civic life of the school community, peaceful conflict resolution, respect for diversity, and a commitment to exemplary conduct, conscientious work, and service to others. At St. Vincent de Paul School, we continue to work together to provide a safe, caring, inclusive and healthy Catholic school community for all.
It is important that we are able to contact someone in the case of an emergency. Please complete the emergency student verification sheets that will be sent home the first week of school. Remember that those people you list as contacts are automatically given permission to pick up your child from school. They are needed in case we cannot contact you. It makes sense to have a relative, neighbour, or friend who lives close to the school and is available during the day to pick up your child in case of illness or changes of clothes that inevitably happen. If your child is sick, there must be someone available to pick them up if you are unable to leave work. Also, we ask that you update the medical information if necessary on the forms.
Please note, we cannot administer or store medication for your child (such as antibiotics, aspirin etc.) without board policy forms that are signed by a medical doctor. In the event your child requires medication at school, please have your medical doctor complete the form and we can proceed with administering the medication.
Every year, medical forms for puffers, epi-pens, or other medication are required to be filled out by the doctor for renewal. All returning students with medical conditions have been sent the forms via email. Please check your e-mail for the receipt of these forms. These forms must be returned to the office before medication can be administered.
A reminder that children are not allowed to keep ANY medication on their persons, in their desk, backpack or anywhere in their classroom, unless ordered by their doctor. In such case, documentation is necessary. All dispensing and storage of ANY medication must occur in the office. We appreciate your attention to this matter.
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.
Dear Parents/Guardians:
The following information outlines the election procedure for the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School Council for the 2026-27 school year.
The membership of the 2026-2027 Catholic School Council shall include, but not be limited to:
- parents of students enrolled in the school;
- 1 community representative from St. Patrick's Parish;
- 1 school principal;
- 1 teacher assigned to the school;
- 1 non-teaching staff member assigned to the school;
- 1 person appointed by the Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education (OAPCE);
provided that all members shall be separate school electors, or their spouses or their children.
There are two primary functions of the Catholic School Council:
a) to promote the vision, values, sacramental life and Catholic practices of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Catholic community it serves;
b) to advise the Principal and the Board.
We will have approximately four meetings this year. Our first one will be held on Wednesday, October 7th, after elections.
Election procedures for the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School Council will be as follows:
· Parents/guardians who are interested in becoming school council members are required to fill out a nomination form via email. Self-nomination forms for parent/guardian positions will be available from to September 11th to September 25rd, by sending an email to: St.VincentdePaulInfo@dpcdsb.org. We will reply with a nomination form.
· The final meeting of the 2025-2026 St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School Council will take place on Wednesday, October 7th at 5:30 p.m in the library, followed by the election of our new Catholic School Members by secret ballot. Eligible voters must vote that evening and may not vote in proxy.
· If you are unable to join us in person, you may join us via Teams by using this link:
________________________________________________________________________________
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/244274160021023?p=ku97RNcbhjsIkZSqPM
Meeting ID: 244 274 160 021 023
Passcode: t9sY2TE9
Catholic School Councils are advisory in nature but have a tremendous impact on both the quality of education and day-to-day activities within the school. The school council works co-operation with school administrators in providing the best educational experience for our students. We hope that you will decide to join the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School Council Team and join us in our commitment to Catholic Education and the future of our children.
Sincerely,
G. Graci
Principal
With the warmer weather in September students are able to ride their bicycles to school. We expect that every student who rides a bicycle to school follows these rules:
· Enter the school and walk bicycles on school property (sidewalks)
· Lock bicycles in the bicycle parking area for the day
· Obey all bicycle safety rules
· Wear a helmet
Please ensure that your child complies with these rules or they will not be allowed to ride their bicycles to school.
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!
