Divine Mercy Messenger

Principal: S. Viola

Administrative Assistant: R. Panousis

Superintendent of Mississauga West: Peter Cusumano

Catholic School Council Co-chairs 2025-2026: Deanna Catania and Vivian Correa-Pinto

Parish- Merciful Redeemer Pastor: Rev. James (Seamus) Hogan, Associate Pastors: Rev. John Sutka and Rev. Adam Pantaleo

Parish Number 905.812.0030 Parish E-mail: https://mercifulredeemermi.archtoronto.org/

Email: divinemercyinfo@dpcdsb.org
Website: https://www.dpcdsb.org/DMRCY
Location: 2840 Duncairn Dr, Mississauga L5M 5C6
Phone: 905-812-5445
Twitter: @DivineMercyDP

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.)

First Confession (Parent and Child): Wednesday, February 11th 2026 from 4:00-6:00 pm

First Communion: Sunday, April 26th 2026 @ 3:00 p.m.

Rite of Confirmation: Wednesday, May 6th 2026 @ 7:00 p.m.

• I co-operate with others in all that I do
• I value everyone’s work
• I respect and listen to others
• I think of others before myself
• I follow rules of fair play
• I work hard in school so that I can build my community and make it a better place

Because I am a team player, I know that ‘Together is Better’, and we will live our lives like Jesus

The virtue of the month of January is Self-control:

A person with self-control...

• Has a positive, confident sense of self and others
• Adapts to situations in light of the common good
• Thinks reflectively to solve problems
• Applies effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving & resource management skills
• Reflects on personal values, abilities and aspirations
• Participates in leisure and fitness activities for a balanced and healthy lifestyle

The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (DPCDSB) is committed to supporting Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, and Inuit) students and families in our schools. If you are First Nation (Status or Non-Status Indian), Métis, or Inuit, you are invited to self-identify as Indigenous. No documentation or proof of ancestry is required. Self-identification is voluntary and confidential. Self-identification will provide access to cultural and language programs, as well as monthly programming for Indigenous students and families. Relevant information will be sent directly to families about upcoming cultural events and opportunities which help foster a sense of community and Indigenous pride within Dufferin-Peel. For more information about the self-identification process and opportunities available to Indigenous students and families, please visit our Indigenous Self-Identification webpage. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please contact DPCDSB’s Indigenous Education Coordinator, Jodie Williams, at jodie.williams@dpcdsb.org

Co-chair: Deanna Catania

Co-chair: Vivian Correa-Pinto

Secretary: Johnson Lai

Treasurer: Michelle Ferreira

Parish Representative: Jessica Clayton

OAPCE Representative: Elaine Dantas

Teacher Representative: Laura Harper

Non-classroom Member: Marisa Brasil

Principal: Sandra Viola

Voting members: Dorislyn Fernandes, Lisa Bitonti-Bengert, Angela Trewartha, Katrina Vieira Reis, Jonathan Walker, Quynh Walker, Rossana Asencios

Communication to Council:

If parents/guardians that are not voting members on a school’s Catholic School Council wish to communicate a suggestion/idea to members of Catholic School Council, this can be facilitated by parents/guardians sending an email to our Catholic School Council Info email account that we’ve been provided with at dmrcycscinfo@educ.dpcdsb.org. This account has been created to support the work of our Catholic School Council and to manage communication. At such time, the Principal and Catholic School Council co-chairs will review items submitted and discuss appropriate items for the Catholic School Council Meeting Agenda. At the meeting, the items on the agenda are then discussed and addressed by the nominated members of the Catholic School Council. You can also approach Council members parents in the community to provide suggested items.

Our next Catholic School Council Meeting will be on Monday, January 12th @ 5:30 pm. Join us in person or virtually:

Topic: Catholic School Council Meeting

Time: Jan 12, 2026 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93710809652?pwd=V0pzbDifG2Q82Ac9kbQGIW4NsTWZHg.1

Meeting ID: 937 1080 9652

Passcode: KeSQ4T

Remaining Council Dates for 2026

Monday, February 23, 2026

Monday, May 25, 2026/ In person and potluck meeting

Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board’s (DPCDSB) Special Education and Learning Services Department will host an in-person and virtual information session to support the entry planning and transition for students with differing abilities who will be new to the DPCDSB for September 2026.

The in-person session will provide parents/guardians with the opportunity to meet with board staff and learn about the entry planning and transition process for students with differing abilities. The same information will be shared at the virtual session for families who prefer to attend online.

Registration for St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre International Baccalaureate Programmes for the 2026-2027 school year (Kindergarten to Grade 8) are taking place. For further information and registration forms visit the school website. Click on the attachment below:

It’s Hearing and Vision Screening time!

Hearing and vision clinics are back, and we are happy to be bringing this valuable program to our school community.

The clinic will be at our school on: January 28th, 29th, 2026

Register your child and complete the payment through this Online Link

https://form.jotform.com/253528703264256

Deadline for registration is Jan 26th, at 9am and the duration at the school may be adjusted

based on student participation.

Your child’s Hearing and Vision should be screened every year!

A fee of $25.00 is collected to help offset the cost of bringing this clinic to your school.

Why Screening Matters:

• Growing children are very susceptible to middle ear problems and one of the best ways to prevent hearing loss is early detection of middle ear function issues.
• Vision issues are common in children, so early detection is crucial for their healthy development and academic success.

Our screening program helps identify hearing and vision concerns before they impact learning and social development, ensuring children get the support they need to thrive. As part of the program, we will refer any results that are considered outside the normal range to the parents for follow-up with their physician and/or optometrist.

For hearing concerns, we recommend bringing your referral to your physician, who can then refer you to an ENT specialist, which is covered by OHIP. Alternatively, you have the option to schedule an appointment with an Audiologist without needing a referral from your family physician. Please note that visits to an Audiologist may not be covered by OHIP, and you could incur a fee ranging from $75 to $150 or more.

Your child's hearing is not being monitored unless they're seeing an audiologist or an ENT specialist, making our screening program a valuable resource for your child's health.

While eye exams are covered by OHIP, our hearing clinic offers a basic vision screening for students participating in the hearing clinic.

For more information and to address all your questions and concerns, please visit our website at www.schoolscreeningassociation.ca.

Good Grades start with Good Hearing and Vision

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.

1. It is important when you are dropping off your child in the morning that you enter the Kiss & Ride lane and proceed to the end of the lane before allowing your child to get out of the car.

2. Students must exit from the right hand side of the car (closest to the school) and parents should remain in the car. Parents may then proceed to exit.

3. If you need to walk your child, you must park in a parking spot at the front or side of the school. Please do NOT park in the drive through lane, or the kiss & ride lane. Please continue to use the crosswalk to safely walk your children to their designated drop off area.

Bus Loading Zone

Please be reminded that the front of the school is designated as a 'Bus Loading Zone.' Parents are not permitted to pick up or drop off students in this zone. The safety of the students is our priority.

The days are getting colder and winter has arrived. It is important for students to come prepared to participate in all activities, including outdoor recess. We ask that students dress appropriately for the cold weather by having coats, hats, scarves, boots and mittens or gloves. For health reasons, and to keep the school clean, we ask all students to have indoor shoes. Please note that in the event of an emergency evacuation, students will not have the opportunity to put boots on. Thank you for your support in this matter.

The students should have a pair of indoor shoes to wear at school in class and for gym. Outdoor shoes/ boots will be kept for outdoor use only and out of the classrooms in order to reduce the amount of dirt, mud and snow brought indoors. This will assist our custodial staff in keeping the school clean and safe. Thank you for your co-operation. It is suggested that you label items (especially shoes and boots) as many children do tend to have similar or the same footwear and items.

Thank you to all the staff that continue to dedicate their time and commitment to allow for many additional learning opportunities outside the classroom. Activities that are already underway or soon to be underway include:

• Basketball-starting soon
• Well-being and health leaders/ representatives-Intermediates
• PALS-grade 5 leaders
• Primary Games/lego club
• Grade 3 and 4 French club
• Grades 1-8 Beyblade club
• Intermediate Homework club
• Grade 4-8 Dance Club
• Primary/Junior Art club
• Choir (as needed)
• Office helpers and washroom/hall monitors- grade 5, 6 and 8 leaders
• Library helpers

Monday, January 19th is a P.A. Day for assessment and student evaluation. In addition, Friday, February 13th is a P.A. Day for the purpose of reporting to parents. Family Day is on Monday, February 16th. There will be no school for all students on these days. The report card for Term 1 will go home on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026.

Visit our website calendar (click on events) to stay up to date on important dates and daily lunch options: