Courageous Cougars Family Monthly

Principal: Rosalie Rodrigues-Coelho

Head Secretary: Elena Iannicca

Superintendent: Drago Radic

Trustee: Herman Viloria

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

Please note that the Hot Lunch Program Pizza Days, Sub Days, Burrito Days, and Pasta Days will not start until the Week of January 20, 2025

January 6: Return to School ~ Happy New Year!

January 8: Loyola S.S visit with Grade 8 students (course selection) at St Clare

January 10 - Iona S.S visit with Grade 8 Students at St. Clare

January 10-Deadline to register for the Confirmation Program at St. Ignatius Loyola

January 13 - Silvercreek Trip (Grade 4’s - Mrs. Bartucci + Mrs. Bungay's Grade 4's only)

January 13- Catholic School Council Meeting 6-8pm in person~ All welcome (please contact the school, in advance, if you wish to join virually)

January 13-16: Registration for St. James CGLC International Baccalaureate Program

January 14 & 15: Confirmation: Information Session student & Parents confirmation (registration 6:30pm/Meeting 7:00 pm) Church

January 16: Entry Planning and Transitioning Info Session for students with Differing Abilities 7:00-8:30 pm St. Marcellinus Catholic S.S~ In Person/ Virtual Session: January 20th 7-8pm Register HERE

January 20: PA Day ~ No School

January 22: Bell Let's Talk Day ~ Students encouraged to wear blue for Mental Health Awareness

January 28th Kindergarten (SK) and Grade 8 Graduation Photos

January 31: Term 2 Begins

DPCDSB Upcoming Events

It’s cold and flu season!

Keep sick kids at home before and after the break. Children may return to school and childcare after they have no fever and symptoms have improved for 24 hours (or 48 hours for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea). If experiencing severe symptoms like chest pain or difficulty breathing, visit the nearest emergency department.

If you have general questions, or are unsure where to access care, call Health Connect Ontario (formerly Telehealth) at 811, available 24/7 in multiple languages, speak to your family doctor, or access these resources available to everyone, including individuals without an Ontario health card.

• Regional Virtual Urgent Care Program: regional-virtual-urgentcare.ca/
• Pediatric Care Clinic: summervillefht.com/displayPage.php?page=Pediatric
• Chat online with a nurse, 24/7: health811.ontario.ca/static/guest/home
• Practice good hygiene. Remind children to cover coughs and sneezes and wash hands often or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Screen with the self-assessment tool at Ontario.ca/self-assessment and consider testing for COVID-19 as needed. Rapid antigen test kits are available now. Visit peelregion.ca/health/diseases/covid19/ for pickup locations.
• Consider wearing a mask indoors, especially in crowded spaces where you can’t keep a safe and comfortable distance from others, and follow additional protective actions at these links.

How to protect your family from respiratory illness, and where to seek care if sick:

• peelregion.ca/health/diseases/respiratory-illnessseason/
• Fever & Cough Resources for Parents: thp.ca/emergency/A/fever.html#ermenutop /2
• Get vaccinated and stay up to date with vaccinations. Everyone 6 months and older can get the flu or COVID-19 vaccine for free.
• Where to get the flu vaccine: peelregion.ca/health/diseases/flu/
• Where to get the COVID-19 vaccine: peelregion.ca/health/vaccinations/covid-19/ These actions can keep you and your loved ones from getting severely sick.

Peel Public Health wishes you and your family a happy and healthy holiday season.

At different times throughout the year, especially in the winter when students are wearing hats and hoodies, schools experience an increase in the number of cases of head lice. In an effort to be proactive, we ask that your child’s hair be checked periodically to ensure that they do not have head lice. Should you discover the presence of lice or nits, we would appreciate being informed. Helpful information can also be obtained from a pharmacist or the local Public Health Department. Click Here for Peel Health Information Pediculosis (head lice) is spread only by direct contact with a `case', often through the sharing of combs and brushes, exchanging of hats, etc. Please help us instruct students regarding prevention.

Region of Peel Public Health supports the Canadian Paediatric Society's (CPS) position that there is no sound medical rationale to support exclusion of students with head lice from school. Children with head lice should be treated and can attend school.

Peel Public Health does not allow it’s public health nurses to visit schools and provide such services like screening for lice. Further to this, Peel Public Health does not provide recommendations for external services.

CPS further recommends that:

• Treatment should be recommended, and close head-to-head contact should be discouraged pending treatment.
• Families of children in a classroom where a case of active head lice has been detected should be notified and informed about proper diagnosis, and prevention.

To read the Canadian Paediatric Society's position statement on head lice, please visit: http://www.cps.ca/en/documents/position/head-lice.

Please visit: Head lice | Caring for kids (cps.ca) for additional information on head lice.

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 2024-2025 ad 2025-2026​ unless specified below.
• St. Sofia Catholic Elementary School: Similar to 2024-2025, enrolment at St. Sofia is paused for the 2025-2026 school year except for new Junior Kindergarten (JK) students. A cap of 60 students has been set for new JK students registering for September 2025. ​​
• 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

Link: KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM INFORMATION​

Registration for St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre International Baccalaureate Programmes for the 2025-2026 school year (Kindergarten to Grade 8) will take place from Monday, January 13 to Thursday, January 16, 2025.

St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre is an authorized International Baccalaureate (I.B.) World School which offers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP). The programmes provide learning opportunities with a global focus for students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. International Baccalaureate programmes aim to develop resilient, self-motivated young people who have the knowledge, skills, and sense of purpose they need to thrive throughout their lives and contribute to making the world a better place.

St. James C.G.L.C. is a regional elementary school open to all DPCDSB Catholic students and is located in southeast Mississauga. Please note that student transportation is not provided for this regional school.

As a regional site, St. James C.G.L.C. does not offer online registration through the board's online system. The registration process is outlined on the registration section of the school website. The completed registration form(s) and supporting documentation can be sent by email to St.JamesInfo@dpcdsb.org. In the event the number of applications exceeds the number of allotted spaces, completed applications received by the due date will be subject to the random selection process. To be included in the random selection process, registrations must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 16, 2025.

Admissions are open to Catholic children and children of Catholic parents. Kindergarten students must be at least four (4) years of age by December 31, 2025. If applying to the DPCDSB for the first time, it is recommended that the child first be registered at their home school.

For more information, parents/guardians are encouraged to access the school website or contact the school office at 905-891-7619 or St.JamesInfo@dpcdsb.org.

Wet, Windy, Wintery Weather is upon us! Students are asked to have a pair of indoor shoes that can be kept at school, along with an extra pair of gloves, mitts, or other winter apparel. An extra set of clothing goes a long way, especially in the primary division. Please also consider labeling your child(s) clothing so that we can return any lost items to them.

At school, we will continue to encourage students to bundle up and we also will continue to provide reminders of snow etiquette in play. Please support our efforts, reminding your children at home that snowball throwing is not permitted. We also ask students to stay off icy areas and to report them, in order to prevent unnecessary injuries. Our messaging to students and in the name of kindness is that any snow structures (snow figures or fort) made by their peers are to be respected and students should refrain from intentionally breaking them. As such, we appreciate your support in reinforcing this message.

We are excited to have students engage in SNOW-much fun this winter season at St. Clare school!

Please find the Winter Newsletter from StopR and an important letter concerning inclement weather and bus cancellations for the 2024-25 school year.

You may also contact the Transportation Department via the following contact numbers: Transportation: 905-890-6000 Special Education Transportation: 905-890- 6362. To determine if your son or daughter is eligible for transportation. You can also receive up-to-date information by following STOPR on Twitter @STOPRinfo

STOPR website: https://www.stopr.ca/

To receive updates on whether your child’s bus is running late, please subscribe to STOPR. Access your account HERE

Bus safety

If your child rides the bus daily, it is important that they are aware of the safety rules on the bus. Students are required to:

• Listen to the Bus Driver at all times and report any problems or injuries to him/her
• Go directly to their assigned seat and remain seated during the entire bus ride
• Do not eat, drink, swear, fight or chew gum on the bus
• Do not put arms out the window, or throw items or garbage out the window
• If any damage to the seat of bus is caused, students will be held responsible
• Be at least 5 minutes early at your bus stop to ensure that you don't miss the bus

Improper conduct on the bus will be dealt with at the Office. Repeated or serious incidents can result in busing privileges being suspended or removed. Please review these rules with your child. Taking the

bus is a privilege, not a right.

Date: January 15, 2025

From: Student Transportation of Peel Region

Re: First Time Rider Save-the-Date

Attached is transportation safety training information for parents of newly enrolled kindergarten students at your school.

The "Save The Date" memo explains the First Time Rider Safety Program that will take place on Saturday August 23, 2025.

The First Time Rider Safety Program flyer as well as additional safety information can also be found on our website at www.stopr.ca

If parents of newly enrolled kindergarten students, or other parents of primary aged students have questions about transportation safety training, please refer them to the attached document and the STOPR website at www.stopr.ca

• Parents, please refrain from using the staff parking lot during AM or PM drop off
• Parents parking there during dismissal must wait until the Kiss 'n' Ride lanes are empty and school buses/Afterschool Vans have left
• Please do not bring your pets (dogs) onto school property
• Please do not enter into the playground pavement area during morning drop off. Please remain along the perimeter in the morning. The field is closed to students in the morning. Parents may stay along the public path or walkways. It is important for staff on duty to have a clear sightling of the children they are supervising. Student safety is paramount. Thank you for your understanding.
• Parents, please do not walk your child into the classrooms, including Kindergarten families.
• Parents, please refrain from partaking in conversations with teachers/ERWs while on duty in the morning (8:15-8:30). The staff are on duty, and it is important that they are circulating and supervising outdoors.

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.

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.

The Board recognizes the importance of the use of PEDs by students at school and that students can benefit from their use in the classroom. Students can bring their own devices (B.Y.O.D.) for learning purposes. Please note, it is optional for students to bring their devices to school. Students shall care for, maintain and secure their personal devices at all times and recognize that the Board is not responsible for the replacement of lost, stolen or damaged items. In alignment with Ministry guidelines and board policies, PED's must be "out of sight" and powered off or on silent for the entire instructional day (grades K-6) or during instructional periods (grades 7-12), exceptions for medical, health, to support special needs or for educational purposes with explicit permission. Please do not text, or call your child during the school day on their personal device. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please contact the school by phone.

Students will eat lunch in their classes and are encouraged to bring water bottles to school. These water bottles can be refilled at our water bottle refill stations. Students should bring to school a packed lunch each day to limit the amount of visitors in the building. In the event that a student forgets a lunch, a parent/guardian will be contacted. Students will be allowed to go home for lunch. If you choose to have your child go home for lunch on a daily basis, please notify the school or let your child's teacher know. If your child is to go home on an occasional basis, a written note or email must be provided to the office for each occasion. Unfortunately verbal permission will not be honoured.

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

Periodically, throughout the school year, Scholastic Books may be offered by your child's classroom teacher or via Book Fair. While owning books is a valuable experience for children, please note that participation in this program is completely optional and that the books curated in these offerings are selected for a wide audience and not specifically for a Catholic audience given it is a secular company.

We encourage parents/guardians to review the selections that their child/ren make/s to ensure the material chosen reflects their family values.

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

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.

Please join us for our next council meeting on January 13th @ 6:00-8:00pm Catholic School Council in our Library Learning Commons.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/95894356320?pwd=KaHmehLWml91w1I54olBagCip0lyIc.1

Meeting ID: 958 9435 6320

Passcode: m1GQjm

---

One tap mobile

+16473744685,,95894356320# Canada

+16475580588,,95894356320# Canada

---

Dial by your location

• +1 647 374 4685 Canada

• +1 647 558 0588 Canada

Meeting ID: 958 9435 6320

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

Summary of Confirmation Dates from our calendar:

• Tuesday January 14 OR Wednesday January 15 - Information Session

• Tuesday June 3 OR Wednesday June 4 - Confirmation Rehearsal

• Tuesday June 10 OR Wednesday June 11 - Confirmation Mass

There will be 4 Confirmation sessions for Confirmands to attend.

This will all be outlined in the registration package:

(1) Monday February 24th OR Tuesday February 25th

(2) Monday March 24th OR Tuesday March 25th

(3) Monday April 28th OR Tuesday April 29th

(4) Monday May 12th OR Tuesday May 13th

Registration will close on Friday, January 10th, 2025. Late registrants will NOT be accepted.

Please see the attached letter to parents from St. Ignatius Loyola Parish regarding Grade 2 Reconciliation and Holy First Communion for the 2024-25 year.

Information Session: October 15th or 16th at the Parish. Please register through EventBrite. Details attached in the community letter attached.

Reconciliation Dates: November 30 or December 7th

Holy First Communion Dates: May 4 or 25th