St. Therese Tribune

Administrative Assistant: Joy Lusk

Catholic School Council Chair: Andrea D'Souza

Superintendent of Mississauga North: Peter Cusumano

Trustee Wards 9 & 10 Brea Corbet (905) 301-9373

St. John of the Cross Parish Information Website: http://www.saintjohnofthecross.com/

Email: St.ThereseoftheCJinfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: www.dpcdsb.org/TCHLD
Location: 6930 Forest Park Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Phone: 905-785-0066
Twitter: @StThereseDPCDSB

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

Each year we gather our Grade 2 & 7 students to reflect on and celebrate the Sacraments our students received this school year. We invited Beading Buds to create beautiful prayer bracelets with our students that they can use in prayer. This initiative was also partially funded by our Catholic School Council. The students gathered to create the bracelets and then participated in a liturgy that ended with ice-cream. We were also joined by Father Joby from St. John of the Cross Parish for our liturgy and to bless the students and their newly made bracelets.

Dear Families,

As we reach the end of another school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the remarkable journey we’ve shared and extend my heartfelt gratitude to each member of our school community.

To our wonderful students, your dedication, enthusiasm, and resilience have been truly inspiring. Your achievements, both big and small, are a testament to your hard work and perseverance.

To our supportive parents, thank you for your unwavering partnership and trust. Your involvement plays a crucial role in your children’s education, and we are grateful for your continued support and collaboration. To the amazing staff of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, your dedication and passion for education are the foundation of our school’s success. You have gone above and beyond to provide a quality education grounded in faith and values, ensuring that each student is nurtured and challenged. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to excellence.

A special note to our Grade 8 graduating class: Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone! Your time at St. Therese of the Child Jesus has been filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences. Carry with you the values and lessons learned here, and continue to strive for excellence in all that you do. You will always be a part of this school community and we look forward to hearing about your future successes.

At this time we would also like to acknowledge and thank Mrs. Lusk for over two decades of love and service to our school community! Mrs. Lusk will be retiring at the end of the school year and we sad to see her go, but are happy to celebrate with her this next journey in her life. Mrs. Lusk will always be remembered for her kindness, humour, calm manner and dedication to the our staff and students. She always took time to listen and support families when needed, offering kind words and 'extras' to make everyone feel validated! We will miss you greatly Mrs. Lusk and think of you fondly.

As we close this chapter and look forward to a well-deserved summer break, let us carry with us the lessons learned, the friendships forged, and the faith that guides us. May the summer be a time of rest, rejuvenation, and joy for all. Wishing you all a blessed and safe summer,

Godspeed,

Mrs. Duke

With bittersweet emotions, I would like to announce that I will be retiring from St. Therese effective the end of this school year. After 21 years with this school and 1 year at St. Luke, it has come for me to embrace the next chapter of my life.

It has been a privilege and an honour to support our students, staff and parents. The relationship I have built with your children and yourselves have been the most important part of my career. I have known many families for over 10 years and have been able to see many of your children start as babies and eventually grow into young adults.

Thank you for all your support over these years. I will miss the many conversations with all the parents whether it be on the phone or in person and most of all, miss all the talks and being able to comfort all of your children when they have hurt themselves or feeling ill.

Thank you for the opportunity of being a part of your child’s educational journey. I will miss you all but will take the millions of memories with me on my next chapter of my life.

Xoxo Love J. Lusk (Mrs. Lusk)

• I speak, write and listen as Jesus would want me to
• I care about others and speak up for them
• I am honest  I think carefully before I react or speak
• I respect all people and their languages

I listen to the Word of God Because I have a voice, I will use it lovingly, and I will live my life like Jesus.

A fair person…

listens to both sides of a story

is a good team player knows that the same rules apply to everyone works to bring about peaceful solutions to problems. This month we celebrate the virtue of fairness. God wants us to treat each person as we would like to be treated. Fairness is the ability to be open-minded and act in a just and fair way. Fairness allows us to treat others with mercy and compassion—to feel and act with, and for, another person.

Heavenly Father,
you entrusted your Son Jesus,
the child of Mary,
to the care of Joseph, an earthly father.

Bless all fathers
as they care for their families.
Give them strength and wisdom,
tenderness and patience.

Support them in the work they have to do,
protecting those who look to them,
as we look to you for love and salvation,
through Jesus Christ our rock and defender.

The Free Wheeler School Bike Safety Day will take place on Wednesday, June 25th. Students in FDK to Grade 6 will have an opportunity to learn about bike safety and move through bike safety courses learning about the rules and regulations of the road. All students will have an opportunity to hear the information about bike safety regardless if they have a bike. Please see the information that will be shared with all students. We are grateful for our Peel Health Nurse, Mrs. Newman for all her support in making this event fun filled! Special thanks to our Wellness Committee & parent volunteers for their support.

The Grade 3 students will be participating in this province wide assessement the first week of June. Grade 6's have already completed their assessments last week. It is very important that student attendance is consistent and that students are punctual during testing periods. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Our school will be writing EQAO during the following time periods.

Please avoid planning appointments, and vacations during this time.

Grade 3: June 2nd to June 4th, 2025

We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all our Catholic School Council members this year for all their support and dedication. We appreciate your input, suggestions and making yourself available to volunteer when needed in our school. We say good-bye and thank you to Mrs. Agnieszka Madej for being our Council Secretary for the past few years and for keeping our notes organized. We appreciate your time and efforts. We would also like to acknowledge that we have nominated Mrs. Andrea D'Souza this school year for the Volunteer of the Year Award for all her efforts in supporting our school community. Mrs. D'Souza has done an excellent job organizing volunteers, purchasing items for student events and running our All Star Reading Program with great success! We couldn't do it without you!

Remember no school for our students!!!!

Wishing our Track and Field Team all the best at the Mississauga West Meet. We are hoping for great weather, and keeping our fingers crossed for our athletes...way to go team!

This year all our students from Grades 1-8 will be attending St. John of the Cross Parish for our Year End Mass. Please join us On June 19th, @ 10:15am. We will come together in prayer, reflection and gratitude with our students and staff in our home school parish. Students will be shuttled over by bus for Grades 1 to 6, while our Intermediate students will walk over. This is a wonderful time to acknowledge the many blessings that this school year has brought our students and community. Please join us, all are welcome.

On Friday, May 30th our Intermediate staff and students ventured out for an extended day trip to Teen Ranch. Students had a fun filled day of sports, team building, archery, horseback riding, learning map skills, hikes and campfire. Students has a great time and made the most of their last few weeks together. It was a pleasure to be there with them.

Calling all SK parents and guardians, please join your beautiful children as we celebrate them in completing their FDK years here at St. Therese of the Child Jesus. All are welcome at 2:00pm in the gym. See you there!!

We can't wait to see you all on our last day of school June 27th, 2025!! Wishing you all a wonderful summer of fun, rest and relaxation.

On Monday, June 2nd, Mrs. Marchand's & Mrs. Bartella's class prepared a Nearpod Virtue presentation for the whole school that was presented virtually. Students did a beautiful job sharing their own written works on what it means to show acceptance to others.

On Monday, June 23rd, all students will have an opportunity to win prizes, jump rope and make a donation to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. A link will be sent through School Messenger for families to make their donation. Students will receive a freezie treat for participating!

On Wednesday, June 14th our Journey Into Learning evening at the school was a huge success. Families learned about the Early Learning Kindergarten Program, participated in a variety of fun activities, and children received a gift bag of resources to help them successfully transition to life at school. We loved seeing them and welcoming them to the school community.

Unless it is an emergency, St. Therese of the Child Jesus is kindly asking to refrain from calling the office during our National anthem and Morning Prayers and Reflections. This occurs between 9:25 am to 9:40 am

A safety reminder to all students that bikes, scooters and roller blades are to be walked both on and off the school property. Bikes are to be locked in the bike racks. We do not have facilities to store or secure roller blades or scooters, so there is an added risk of damage or theft and they are not encouraged to be brought to school. The school is not responsible for these items. Your cooperation is appreciated.

PLASP’s before and after school programs are designed to provide the care that is so important to families. PLASP is a charitable organization, operating on a not for profit basis, and all programs are licensed by the Ministry of Education.

Some of the students in our school have severe life threatening allergic reactions to nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oils and any peanut by -products. For some children the smell of nuts can bring on a severe attack. We need your cooperation! We kindly ask that you DO NOT send snacks to school that contain nuts or any nut products.

Please note that to ensure the continued safety of all students, the Dufferin -Peel Catholic District School Board with the support of the Anaphylactic Society and the Peel Health Department has recommended that students not bring peanut butter alternatives (soy butter, sunflower butter) to school. We thank you for your cooperation in supporting student safety.

We ask that parents continue to support their children in their morning routines so that they can arrive to school on time. This ensures that your child learns an essential life skill, participates in the entire school day, and that disruptions to the learning environment are minimal.

When a student receives an injury/bump to the head (however minor), it is Board Policy that we inform parents. 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 will also provide your child with a brochure containing information about Concussions, again this is a precautionary measure and for information purposes.

With the warm weather arriving, it is important to review the dress code. We require your support in assisting children to make appropriate clothing choices when attending school.

As a Catholic community, we encourage children to dress appropriately.

Things to consider:

• Clothing must display appropriate and acceptable words and graphics
• Undergarments should not be visible
• MOST IMPORTANTLY, children must wear footwear that is conducive to playing outside with many other children – flip-flops or other shoes that leave the foot largely exposed, are not recommended. These kinds of footwear may make things difficult for your child to participate in active play with their peers and he/she could be easily injured.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Children need frequent reminders that name-calling, put-downs and violence are never appropriate responses to disagreements or arguments, regardless of the provocation. Parents are urged to rehearse assertiveness skills with their children such as saying firmly, ― “Please Stop”, “I don’t like it when..” “Leave me alone”

Playground Safety Rules

* Respect each other by being polite, friendly and co-operative

* Keep hands and feet to yourself

* Allow others to join in your games

* Play fairly and safely

* Play with acceptable toys and equipment

* Respect school property

* Line up quietly when the bell rings

Avoid conflicts and injuries

* NO standing in the middle or walking through active games

* NO leaving school property

* NO name-calling or making fun of others, using inappropriate language or gestures

* NO fighting, pushing, tripping, lifting, grabbing, body-checking, scratching, pinching, spitting or biting

* NO unsafe or rough games: wrestling, tackling, play fighting

Remember to: THINK before speaking—

Is it Thoughtful, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind?

Are you interested in volunteering at St. Therese of the Child Jesus? Our volunteers support programs and activities at the school. We appreciate and rely on parents who can devote a small portion of their time to help. People who volunteer in schools and attend trips are required to have completed Vulnerable Sector Check -Level 3 ($35), which can be completed online at the address below:

https://www.peelpolice.ca/en/services/record-checks-and-suspensions-pardons.aspx

Please note that if you have previously submitted a Criminal Reference Check, they have expired due to the pandemic time lapse, unless you have completed the Annual Declaration. Please connect with the main office if you are unsure.

Once the form is completed, your volunteer service can begin. We look forward to working with you for the betterment and support of all students.

By directing your tax support to the Separate (Catholic) School System:

• You may vote for Catholic School Trustees in Municipal elections
• Your children may attend Catholic elementary schools
• You show your support for the Catholic school system

To verify that you are registered as an English Separate (Catholic) school supporter:

• Check the assessment section of your Tax Bill or Property Assessment Notice
• Check your Voter Information Card received during an election year (2022)

Have you moved?

Even if you have been an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter in the past, the designation DOES NOT follow you when you relocate. By default, your property taxes support your municipality's English public school board. Every time you move or if there is a change of ownership, it is essential that you register yourself as an English Separate (Catholic) school supporter.

To register as an English Separate (Catholic) School Supporter or change your Direction of School Support, please contact the DPCDSB Admissions Department by phone at 905-890-0708 ext. 24512 or by email at admissions@dpcdsb.org.

Learn More:

• Visit the Direction of School Support webpage
• Watch our Direction of School Support video

You can now reset your password remotely by registering for the Password Reset Tool. You must know your old password to create a new one.

To reset your password remotely you must first register with the “Password Reset Tool”, which you can do by following one of these two steps:

Students: students.dpcdsb.org and select Password Reset

Staff: https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com/PasswordReset/Register.aspx ​

**Access to personal email/cell phone is required for registration.

Once you are registered, please follow the Password Reset Instruction

School Mental Health Ontario has updated their list of resources. We invite you to review their list of resources help support students during this time of transition back to school. For a list of community telephone-based mental health supports, please see below.

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text "CONNECT" to 686868 (0-18 years of age)
• 24.7 Crisis Support Peel Dufferin: 905-278-9036 I 1·888·811·2222. (for all ages)
• Hope for Wellness Help Line: 1-855-242-3310 (support for all Indigenous peoples across Canada)

June 2 - 5: GRADE 3 EQAO

June 3: Newcomer Information Session: library closed AM

June 4: Honey Badgers Basketball Game Day - Gr 4-8

June 5: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Tour - Gr 8

June 6: Country Heritage Park Primary Trip

June 9: PA Day – Elementary Reporting Day - No students attend

June 10: Gr 8 Graduation Rehersal @ St. John of the Cross Parish 1:10pm - 3:15pm

June 11: MN Track & Field Meet @ St. Marcellinus

June 13: Welcome to Extended French-Greeting (10:00am-11:30am)

June 16: Grade 8 Graduation – Library closed AM, Mississauga Convention Centre (Graduation Mass & Ceremony @ St. John of the Cross Parish 6:00pm-8:30pm)

June 17: SK Celebration in the gym @ 2:00pm

June 19: Year End Whole School Mass at St. John of the Cross Parish @ 10:15am

June 20: Volunteer Appreciation Tea (10:30am-12:00pm)

June 23: Jump Rope for Heart

June 25: Free Wheeler Event - FDK - Gr 6

June 27: LAST DAY😊 & Whole school assembly in the gym at 11:15am