PF - October Template

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Loving God,

As we celebrate Thanksgiving,
we thank You for the blessings in our lives:
the people who love and care for us,
the food that nourishes us,
the beauty of Your creation,
and our Pope Francis school community.

Help us to notice Your gifts in everyday moments
and to show our gratitude through kindness and generosity.

Open our hearts to those who are hungry, lonely,
or facing difficult times.
Guide us to share what we have
and help others feel welcome and cared for.

Bless our families and all those we hold close.
May our words and actions reflect Your love,
at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Dear Pope Francis Families,

As we welcome October, we give thanks for a wonderful beginning to our school year. September brought opportunities to build friendships, establish routines, and grow together as a school community. Thank you to our staff, students, and families for the care and enthusiasm you bring to Pope Francis each day. It was lovely to connect with so many families at our Meet the Teacher BBQ!

Our October virtue is Responsibility. Throughout the month, we will encourage students to recognize how their choices contribute to a safe, caring, and welcoming school. Being responsible means coming prepared to learn, caring for our shared spaces, treating others with kindness, and taking ownership of our actions. At home, small responsibilities and conversations about making thoughtful choices help reinforce this learning.

With Thanksgiving approaching, we are reminded to pause and appreciate God’s many blessings. Gratitude also calls us to action and to notice the needs of others and share what we can. Our upcoming canned food drive will provide an opportunity for our school community to put faith into action by supporting others. May this season bring moments of gratitude, connection, and joy to your family.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we live our motto: “Rising in Faith ~ Together We Soar.”

Wishing you a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving,

Kerri Lomax, Principal

• School Starts: 8:30 a.m.
• First Nutrition Break: 10:10 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.
• Second Nutrition Break: 12:30 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.
• School Dismissal: 2:50 p.m.

If your child will be absent or late for school please use the SafeArrival system, you no longer need to contact the school.

You have 3 options to report an absence:

• Download the mobile app;
• Use the website (https://home.schoolmessenger.ca)
• Or call the toll free number: 1-844-445-4381

October 2: Caledonia Fair Trip - Gr. 2A, 2B, 2/3, 3A, 3B

October 3: Grade 8 Confirmation Enrollment Ceremony @ 5pm St. Patrick's Church

October 6: P.D. Day

October 9: The Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibition Gr. 5-8

October 12: Thanksgiving Day

October 20: GEPH Dental Screening - JK, SK, Gr. 2

October 28: SR. Flag Football Tournament -John Wright Field Brantford (Raindate: October 30)

October 30: Month End Assembly

October 31: - Halloween

Nov 4: Picture Day

Nov 7: Grade 8 Confirmation

Nov 25: Grade 7/8 Vaccine Clinic

Pizza Days 🍕

October 7

October 14

October 21

October 28

**Pizza orders for November are due on School Cash Online by October 25, 2026**

Ms. Martin's Kitchen Hot Lunch Program👩🏻‍🍳

October 1

October 8

October 15

October 22

October 29

Help protect and preserve our Catholic education system by ensuring that you are registered as an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter. Like many Catholics, you may be surprised to find out that you are registered as a 'Public School' supporter. You are able to correct this before the upcoming election.

If you miss the update deadline, you can also bring photo identification and proof of address to your polling station on election day to ensure you are able to cast a vote for your local Catholic school trustee.

By directing your tax support to the separate school system:

• You may vote for separate school trustees in municipal elections
• Your children may attend Catholic elementary schools

• You show your support for the Catholic school system

You can visit MPAC to learn more about changing your school support online or download the MPAC school support factsheet below.

📌The Importance of School Attendance

Regular attendance plays an important role in your child’s success at school. When students attend school consistently, they are better able to keep up with their learning, build strong relationships with their teachers and classmates, and feel connected to their school community.

We understand that children will sometimes need to miss school due to illness or other important circumstances. Whenever possible, we encourage families to make regular and punctual attendance a priority. Even missing a few days here and there can add up over the course of the school year.

Every day at school is an opportunity to learn, grow, connect and succeed. Thank you for helping us make every school day count!

📌Late Arrivals

Our school day begins promptly at 8:30 a.m., and arriving on time helps students start their day ready to learn. If your child arrives after the morning bell, they must be signed in at the school office before going to class. This ensures accurate attendance records and, most importantly, helps us keep all students safe.

Thank you for your support in helping students arrive on time each day!

📌Family Vacations During the School Year

If you are planning a family vacation during the school year that will result in your child(ren) being away from school for 5 or more school days, please remember to notify the school office ahead of time. An Intent to be Absent Form must be completed and submitted to the school before your child leaves for the extended absence. Providing us with advance notice helps ensure that we are aware of the absence and can update our records accordingly.

Please contact the school office to get a copy of the required forms or if you have any questions.

📌Student Accident Insurance

Student Accident Insurance is available to families and can provide valuable financial protection in the event of an unexpected injury.

This optional insurance helps cover many expenses that may not be fully covered by OHIP or extended health benefit plans, such as ambulance fees, dental injuries, fractures, and other accident-related costs. Coverage applies not only during school activities, but also during many activities outside of school, including sports and recreational programs.

Information about Student Accident Insurance can be found on our school website under School Forms. If you wish to purchase coverage, please visit www.insuremykids.com or call 1-800-463-5437. Annual individual and family plans are available.

Please note that the insurance policy is purchased directly by families, and the agreement is between you and the insurance provider, Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada.

📌School Cash Online Forms Reminder

To help us keep student information accurate and up to date, we ask that all families complete the required online forms for each child through School Cash Online as soon as possible.

The forms that require completion are:

• Community Walk Permission Form
• Concussion Awareness Form
• Makerspace Contract
• Mobile Device Use Agreement (Grades 4-8)
• Notice of Collection of Personal Information
• Student Information & Technology Agreement
• Code of Conduct

Please log in to your School Cash Online account and complete these forms at your earliest convenience. Thank you for helping us ensure a safe and successful school year for all students!

📌Lunch & Snack Reminder

As we settle into the school year, we kindly ask families to ensure that students come to school each day with enough food and snacks to support them throughout the day. We have noticed an increasing number of students arriving without a lunch or with limited food, making it difficult for them to stay focused and energized for learning.

Packing a nutritious lunch along with one or two healthy snacks can help students stay fueled and ready to participate in classroom activities. We encourage families to take a few moments each morning to double-check that lunch bags and snacks have been packed before leaving for school.

Thank you for your support in helping our students have a successful and productive school day! 🍎🥪🍓

📌Thanksgiving Food Drive

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, Pope Francis CES will be holding a Thanksgiving Food Drive from October 1 to October 8. We are asking students and families to help support those in need by donating non-perishable food items, such as canned goods, to our collection.

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our blessings and give back to our community. Every donation, big or small, will help make a difference for local families.

To add a little friendly competition, the class that brings in the most donations will win a pizza party!

Thank you for your generosity and support as we work together to help others this Thanksgiving season. 🦃🥫❤️🍕

📌Caledonia Fair Field Trip

Students in Grade 2A, Grade 2B, Grade 2/3, Grade 3A, and Grade 3B will be attending the Caledonia Fair on Friday, October 2 for a half-day field trip. Students will travel by bus to the Caledonia Fairgrounds, where they will have the opportunity to explore the fair, learn about agriculture and local traditions, and take part in a variety of educational exhibits and activities.

We look forward to a fun and engaging learning experience for our students! 🎡🐄🌾

📌Grand Erie Public Health Dental Screening

On October 20, Grand Erie Public Health will be visiting Pope Francis CES to conduct routine dental screenings for students. Dental screenings are a quick and simple visual check of a child's oral health and help identify any concerns that may require follow-up care.

Information regarding the dental screening program was sent home in September to families of students in JK, SK, and Grade 2. If follow-up is recommended following the screening, families will be contacted directly by Grand Erie Public Health.

These screenings help support healthy smiles and overall student well-being. 🦷😁

📌Ms. Martin's Kitchen - Hot Lunch Program

We are excited to offer a Hot Lunch Program through Ms. Martin's Kitchen for our Pope Francis CES students! Hot lunches are available every Thursday throughout the school year.

Families can order lunches directly through the Ms. Martin's Kitchen website where a variety of menu options are available. This program provides a convenient lunch option for families while supporting a local food service provider.

We look forward to offering this opportunity to our students and hope your family will enjoy this delicious and convenient lunch program! 🍎🥪🍕

To place an order, visit: Ms. Martin's Kitchen

If you have any questions about the hot lunch program or ordering process, please contact Michelle Martin directly at msmartinskitchen@gmail.com.

📌September Students of the Month: Respect

Throughout the month of September, our students have been learning about and demonstrating the character trait of Respect. Respect means treating ourselves, others, and our environment with kindness, courtesy, and consideration. It is shown through our words, actions, and attitudes each day.

We are proud to recognize students who consistently demonstrate respect by being thoughtful, inclusive, responsible, and caring members of our school community. Congratulations to our September Students of the Month for being positive role models and helping to make Pope Francis CES a welcoming and respectful place for all! 🌟👏

FTK1 - Leo C.

FTK2 - Isaac E.

FTK3 - Marlow N.

1A - Eva B.

1B - Ellie B.

2A- Liya A.

2B- Ibukun A.

2/3 - Selena Y.

3A - Matias P.

3B - Jonas R.

4 - Vincent T.

4/5 - Kaia G.

5/6 - Davina J.

6/7 - Michelle A.

7 - Aria O.

8 - Mikaela Y.

📌Junior & Senior Soccer Tournament

Congratulations to our Junior and Senior Soccer Teams, who proudly represented Pope Francis CES at the Board-Wide Soccer Tournament on September 22!

Our student-athletes demonstrated outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, determination, and school spirit throughout the day. We are incredibly proud of their effort, positive attitudes, and commitment both on and off the field.

A special congratulations goes to our Senior Soccer Team, who had an excellent tournament and advanced all the way to the championship game. Although they came up just short in the final match, their hard work, perseverance, and dedication throughout the tournament were truly impressive.

Thank you to our coaches for their time and dedication in preparing the teams for the tournament, and congratulations to all of our players on a successful season.

Way to go, Phoenix! ⚽🔥🦅

📌Terry Fox Run Success!

A huge thank you to our students, families, and staff for their incredible support of this year's Terry Fox Run. Through your generosity and commitment, Pope Francis CES raised an outstanding $1,857.45 for cancer research. We are so proud of our school community for coming together to honour Terry Fox's legacy of courage, determination, and hope. Thank you for helping make a difference! 💙🎗️

📌Nutrition Program

We are excited to launch our Nutrition Program beginning in October! The program will run twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays and will provide students with a variety of healthy snack options, including yogurt, cheese, crackers, fresh fruit, and vegetables.

To help keep this program running, we gratefully welcome monetary donations from families. Donations can be made through School Cash Online if a tax receipt is not required. Families wishing to receive a tax receipt can make their donation through the "Donate Now" option on the Pope Francis CES website.

Thank you for your support in helping us provide healthy snack options for our students! 🍎🧀🥕

📌Meet Our School Advisory Council Executive Committee

We are pleased to introduce the 2026-2027 School Advisory Council Executive Committee! We are grateful to these dedicated parents for volunteering their time, ideas, and support to help strengthen our school community. Through collaboration with staff and families, the School Advisory Council plays an important role in supporting student success and enhancing the educational experience at Pope Francis CES. We look forward to working together throughout the year and thank our Executive Committee members for their commitment to our school.

We encourage all families to stay connected and watch for opportunities to learn more about School Advisory Council initiatives and meetings throughout the year.

Chairman - Robert Covey

Co-Chair - Chelsea Henderson

Secretary - Jess Nevitt

Treasurer - Chelsea Donald

Teacher Representative - Sarah Sienna

📌Next SAC Meeting......

The next School Advisory Council (SAC) meeting will be held on Wednesday October 21,2026 at 6:00 PM in the library. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend and share their ideas to help support our school community

📌St. Patrick's Catholic Church

107 Orkney St. East

Caledonia ON

905-765-2729

Father: Fr. John Pinto

Secretary: Maryann Wijayapura

📌Mass Times:

Saturday @ 5 pm

Sunday @ 8:30 am or 10:30 am

📌Grade 8 Confirmation Enrollment Ceremony

We are pleased to share that our Grade 8 students who are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation will participate in their Enrollment Ceremony on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at St. Patrick's Church. This special celebration marks an important step in their faith journey as they begin their preparation for Confirmation. We keep our Grade 8 students and their families in our prayers as they continue this meaningful journey

📌Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibition

On Friday, October 9, Pope Francis CES will be hosting The Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibition. Inspired by the work of St. Carlo Acutis, the exhibition features 20 Eucharistic Miracle display boards, along with a relic and image of St. Carlo Acutis. Our Grade 5-8 students will have the opportunity to visit the exhibition during the school day and learn more about these remarkable stories of faith.

When children are sick, it is difficult for them to learn and participate in school and activities. Home is the best place for your child if they have any new symptoms of illness.

They can return to school and activities when they feel better for at least 24 hours (48 hours for nausea, vomiting or diarrhea) and they do not have a fever.

Remember, handwashing is the best defense in stopping the spread of germs!

Thank you for taking care of your community!