Email: st.ursulainfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: www.dpcdsb.org/URSUL
Location: 11 Dwellers Road, Brampton, ON, Canada
Phone: (905) 454-5213
Twitter: @StUrsulaDPCDSB

The mission of St. Ursula school community is to ensure that

home, Church, and school are collaborative partners in the

building of an environment that reflects the Catholic faith and

values by celebrating each person as a member of the Body of

Christ, and by challenging all to achieve excellence spiritually,

socially and academically.

Principal: J. Daly

Head Secretary: A. Vitorino

Superintendant of Education, Brampton West: V. Varano

Trustee: Darryl D'Souza, Brampton Ward 5

St. Anne Parish Pastor: Rev. Fr. Suresh Xavier

Associate Pastor: Rev. Fr. Jobin Thomas

Welcome back everyone to St. Ursula Catholic Elementary School! On behalf of the entire staff at St. Ursula, I want to welcome you and your child to the 2024-2025 school year. We hope that summer has been a time of rest and relaxation for all of us and that special times were had with loved ones, family and friends. I want to extend a special welcome to new members of the St. Ursula community.

We are blessed to be a part of an amazing school community who strive each and every day to provide our students with the best school experience that they can have. As partners with our families and Parish team, we will continue to nourish the roots of Catholic education in our community. This school year, we will focus on promoting our Catholic faith life through the theme of this year's Catholic Education Week, which is “Pilgrims of Hope".

I would like to thank our Custodial Staff who worked diligently throughout the summer, Mrs. Vitorino and the entire Teaching and Support staff for getting our school ready on time. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to each of our educational staff who have truly extended themselves in preparing for the upcoming school year.

Finally, I want to thank you for your support, generosity and kindness. Your support of your child’s learning and for our staff is greatly appreciated. The staff of St. Ursula are excited to work with you to guide your child to attain their goals, develop spiritually and achieve success!

Many blessings for a wonderful school year ahead,

Sincerely,

Mr. J. Daly

Principal

The final reorganization for the 2024-25 school year will take place on September 16th (PA DAY) to accommodate new enrollments and transfers.

Please note the current class structure remains tentative until September 16th, 2024. Changes may occur for the 2024-2025 school year.

Parents of students affected by re-organization will be notified by phone on Thursday, September 12th, Friday, September 13th and Monday, September 16, 2024.

God of wisdom and might,

we praise you for the wonder of our being,

for mind, body and spirit.

Be with our children as they begin

a new school year.

Bless them and their teachers and staff.

Give them strength and grace as their bodies grow;

wisdom and knowledge to their minds

as they search for understanding;

and peace and zeal to their hearts.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

A person of Faith belives that we are created, quided and destined to be reunited with God and belives that god helps us to create a safe and caring school.

A person of Faith:

• prays whenever they can
• learns from Scripture stories
• assumes that there is good in everyone
• knows that wer are all loved by God

An Effective Communicator:

• Listens actively and critically to understand and learn in light of gospel values.
• Reads, understands and uses written materials effectively.
• Presents information and ideas clearly and honestly and with senstivity to others.
• Writes and speaks fluently one or both of Canada's official languages.
• Uses and integrates the Catholic faith tradition, in the critical analysis of the arts, media, technology and information systems to enhance the quality of life.

Sept. 16 P.A. Day (No school)

Sept. 20 Terry Fox Marathon of Hope

Sept. 26 St. Ursula Open House (details to follow)

Sept. 30 Day of Truth and Reconciliation

Oct. 23 Opening School Mass

Oct. 2 Catholic School Council Meeting (6:30pm in school library)

Oct. 3 Picture Day (all students and classes)

Oct. 14 Thanksgiving (No school)

All parents are invited to attend the BBQ and Open House Curriculum Evening on Thursday, September 26th, 2024 (Rain or Shine). Our BBQ will be taking place from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Families will have the opportunity to pre-order Hot Dogs/ Burger/ Veggie Burger with chip and water. Forms have been sent out to families prior to the event. Below, please find the link to the SchoolCashOnline payment.

Following our BBQ family members will have the opportunity to meet their child(s) teacher. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

As we prepare for another year, we are looking for volunteers to be part of the St. Ursula Catholic School Council. If you are interested in becoming a part of the St. Ursula Catholic School Council, please complete the below forms and return them along with an updated Vulnerable Sector Check. Our first meeting will be Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30pm at the school where the new council will be created. Future meetings will be held virtually. We look forward to seeing returning members and welcoming new members.

St. Ursula will recognize Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. We encourage everyone to wear orange. Truth and Reconciliation Week takes place from September 23rd through September 27th

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School DPCDSB (DPCDSB) is committed to the implementation of Policy 9.01: Catholic Code of Conduct (Catholic Code of Conduct) to provide and sustain a safe, caring, inclusive, and healthy Catholic school community in which every student can succeed.

The Catholic Code of Conduct supports virtue formation and healthy relationships in the context of a vibrant Catholic community. It is responsive to equitable and inclusive education and ensures a whole school approach to developing a positive Catholic school learning environment for all.

The Catholic Code of Conduct sets clear standards of behaviour which apply to all members of the school community regardless of whether they are on school property, in a virtual learning environment, on school buses, at school-related events or activities, in before- and after-school programs, or in other circumstances that could have an impact on the school climate. These standards also apply to all individuals involved in the school system, including principals, teachers, early childhood educators, other school staff, parents, guardians, school bus drivers, volunteers, and members of various community groups.

At St. Ursula, we look forward to working with all individuals involved in a professional and respectful manner.

In line with last year’s school expectations and as reinforced by the Ministry of Education’s PPM128, which updates the Provincial Code of Conduct to include restrictions on cell phones and other mobile devices as well as other safe school measures, our school practices will continue to foster positive engagement in the classroom and promote positive work habits by ensuring students are not distracted by personal electronic devices. Students who bring a device will be required to have it powered off and stored in their personal backpacks.

For students in grade 6 and below, personal mobile devices are stored out of view and powered off or set to silent mode through out the full instructional day, except when their use is explicitly permitted by the educator under the circumstances outlined below:

• for educational purposes, as directed by an educator
• for health and medical purposes
• to support special education needs

*Please Note: In case of an emergency, students should use the main office phone to contact their parents. Similarly, parents should contact the main office if they need to communicate with their child during the the school day.

The board’s recent communication pertaining to PPM128 can be reviewed here: August 29 Communication

Dufferin- Peel Catholic District School Board policies and procedures support the use of personal electronic devices for educational purposes. This agreement will be signed when your child registers to attend St Ursula. In compliance with the Catholic Code of Conduct and other board policies and procedures, any student opting to use a PED while on school premises for educational purposes must adhere to the policies in the agreement. Please check your inbox for a copy of the document.

Three highlighted policies are:

· Follow board and school policies and procedures regarding appropriate use of technology.

· Be a responsible digital citizen by adhering to guidelines regarding content, security, safety and ethical use through appropriate use of technology.

· Use PED during instructional time and instructional space only with the permission of the classroom teacher and/or staff and only in a manner that supports the teaching learning process.

Compliance with the agreement is mandatory.

While respecting fashion as an expression of individuality, students are expected to be responsible in their attire when arriving at school. As with last year, the dress code includes ensuring that clothing does not contain:

• Vulgar language, gestures, or profanity of any kind.
• Any suggestive graphics or text that promotes racism or discrimination of any kind
• Footwear: Crocs or similar type footwear are not permitted for participation in Physical Education

Further details regarding the Dress Code will be shared with students.

The main office will not accept the delivery of online food orders, including services like Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes. Delivery personnel for such services will not be permitted in the school and will be turned away.

As always, parents are welcome to drop off lunch for their child(ren) and leave it on the designated table in the main foyer. Please ensure the lunch is labeled with the child’s name and teacher. Students will be called down at the start of lunch to retrieve their parent-delivered lunch.

St. Ursula is in need of Student Monitors during the lunch hour (12:00-1:00pm). Student Monitor is a paid position of 1.2 hours a day. Responsibilities include supervising students eating lunch and supervision students on the school yard during the lunch recess. If you are interested in becoming a Student Monitor please contact the school office for further details.

The Peel Transportation Consortium has ruled that the Courtesy Rider policy will only take effect as of the first week in October. The school will be notified if we are permitted to allow more riders. Requests for “empty seats” must be submitted in writing and addressed to Mr. Daly. Please fill out a TFL004, should you wish to apply for a courtesy seat (Courtesy Seat Form can be found on the STOPR website https://www.stopr.ca/stopr-forms). Please be sure to list your child’s grade, address and phone number. Please note that all children who were previously granted permission to ride the bus under the courtesy rider policy must find alternative transportation. The seating situation on the buses will be re- assessed and any available spaces allocated according to a set criteria. Below is the PDF form to be completed and returned to the main office.

The instructional day at St. Ursula begins at 9:00am and ends at 3:30pm. Supervision for students is only available from 8:45am-9:00am, and 3:30pm-3:45pm. However, there are several students habitually arriving at school earlier than 8:45am and many are being picked up after the 3:30pm dismissal bell.

We would like to remind parent(s)/guardian(s) that there is no adult supervision for students before 8:45am and after 3:30pm. Please plan to have your children dropped off and picked up at the appropriate times to ensure that they are safe and supervised while on school property. If you are unable to do so, please contact PLASP for information about their before and after school programs. The safety of our students is of paramount importance.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.

All students who have been formally diagnosed with asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, or epilepsy must have a plan of care completed. This only needs to be completed once and it will be kept in your child's OSR file.

• If your child has a new diagnosis or is new to St. Ursula, please email the school and we will send you the forms that need to be completed.
• Each year a GF35-Storage and Administration of Medication must be completed and returned to school. You would have received a GF 35 form recently, if not, please contact the office if one is needed.
• Epipens and puffers should be carried by your child and a second one can be stored in the main office.
• Nut free/ Scent Free School : We have a number of children in our school who have severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts therefore please do not send any food items to school that may contain nuts or nut products. If there are other allergies specific to your child's class you will be notified. We need your cooperation in ensuring that no snacks or lunches be brought into the school that can put children at risk.

As required by the Education Act and the Ministry of Education, the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board annually provides parents with information about student accident insurance coverage. Although enrolment is voluntary, the DPCDSB encourages parents to take advantage of the insurance coverage, especially if their child/children participate in sports, excursions/field trips, or, if the parents do not have dental insurance coverage. Please refer to the pamphlet that will be sent home during the first week of school for more information.

We will be starting our School Lunch Programs in October. Stay tuned for the options that will be available for this school year. Our first lunch program currently accepting orders is Pizza Fridays. We have partnered with Domino's Pizza this year for your slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza please see the SchoolCashOnline link for payment.

Daily attendance and puncutality are important. If your child will be absent, please the School Messenger application (School Messneger) or visit the website at go.schoolmessenger.ca or call the attendance line at 1-844-435-3440 to report your child's absence.

As we prepare for the colder weather, at times we will be having inclement weather recesses, which mean the staff and students remain indoors for their recess times. During these times, students are encouraged to remain in their seats and do variou activities from drawing to playing games. We are asking for any families who have classroom resources they would like to dontate to the school for these times. Examples of such donations are craft items, board games with all pieces intact, books, puzzles etc. If you do have any itms you wish to donate, please send them with your child(ren) to the main office.

We thank you in advance for your continued support in St. Ursula.

The YFA would like to announce a Thanksgiving food drive. Students at St Ursula’s are invited to bring non perishable food items to school for the food drive. A box with each teacher’s name will be provided in the front foyer, and students are invited to place their non perishables in the appropriate box.

Also, YFA team members are invited to check the list of dates for our weekly celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours posted throughout the school and on Google classroom. We meet weekly at first recess, unless otherwise indicated due to inclement weather.

St. Ursula families, we are happy to announce that we have St. Ursula reusable water bottles for sale. Please see the below link for School CashOnline to purchase yours today before they sell out!

All proceeds will go towards purchasing items & school presentations to enhance and support the classroom learning experience at St. Ursula.

Please see the attached from STOPR regarding the Inclement Weather and Weather Zones.

St. Ursula is in Zone 2.

If you know of families who are moving into the area and are looking to register their child(ren) at St. Ursula, please access the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board's online registration services below.

PLASP Child Care Services is now accepting registrations for their before and after school programs, including programs at this school. We encourage you to register as soon as possible. Available space is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

PLASP programs are licensed by the Ministry of Education and are adhering to strict public health guidelines. Highly trained staff facilitate fun, age-appropriate activities both indoors and outdoors.

Before School programs operate from 7:30 a.m. until school starts and include breakfast daily. After School programs begin at school dismissal, include a substantial daily snack, and run until 6:00 p.m.

PLASP Child Care Services is a charitable organization, operating on a not-for-profit basis, providing award winning programs for children, for more than 40 years.

Visit plasp.com to register, or contact the PLASP Support Services Centre at 647-484-4372.