NEWSLETTER – June 2018 FINAL Edition

650 Bennett Blvd. Telephone: (905) 876-2386 Milton, ON L9T 6B1 Fax: (905) 876-2658

School Website www.hcdsb.org/schools/grda Twitter https://twitter.com/GAngelsMilton

Principal: Mrs. R. LoPresti Secretary: Mrs. A. Boyle Vice Principal: Mr. D. MacDougall Office Assistant: Mrs. J. Tharby Vice Principal: Mr. T. Albani Office Assistant: Mrs. C. Rob

SCHOOL HOURS: 8:30 – 11:30 a.m./12:30 – 3:00 p.m. SAFE ARRIVAL PROGRAM

Please call the school to report all student absences and late arrivals before 8:30 a.m. Dial 905-876-2386. If calling outside office hours, your call will be directed to our voicemail system. Please follow the prompts to leave a message: clearly state student name, grade, teacher, reason and length (if known) of the absence. If no notification is received, we will call home/workplace/emergency contact numbers to determine your child’s location. (Please keep contact numbers current.)

ADMINISTRATORS’ MESSAGE Mrs. LoPresti, Mr. MacDougall & Mr. Albani

Lord, bless Guardian Angels Catholic School community

As we come to the end of the school year, It is with great pride that we share this second June Newsletter with you. For organizational purposes, it has two main sections: we give you thanks 1) June Updates and 2) 2018-2019 updates highlighting: For all the good things you have done for us. Opening Day School Procedures, Student Agendas, Curriculum We thank you for all who have shared Night, School Supplies and School Uniform Information. in the work of our school this year. We also wish to extend good luck and continued success to our We are grateful for all the blessings Grade 8 Graduates! Best wishes also to all our families who will not be returning this Fall. We wish to welcome Mr. Chris That we have experienced as a school. Hawken and Mrs. Annalise Sofia Starr to our Administrative We thank you God for the time that we have spent together. Team this Fall We ask for your continued care and guidance We thank our departing staff members and wish them well in all Throughout the summer months. future endeavours and thank them for all their contributions to our Guardian Angels Catholic School community. Best wishes Help us to enjoy our vacation and Miss Wilson, Mrs. Kosir, Mrs. Landry, Miss Dorigiola, Mrs. Let it be a time of refreshment and joy. Giorgio, Mrs. Sutherland, Miss Schoenmakers, Mrs. Munsters, Mrs. Coons, Miss Menjak, Mrs. Sandhu, Mr. Dowds, Mrs. May it bring us rest after our many months of work. Amen. Duch, Mrs. Agro, Mrs. Boisvert, Mrs. Musallam, Mrs. DaRos, Miss Wirkowski, Mlle Michael, Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Albani and Mr. MacDougall - you will all be missed but not forgotten!

† To our Track ‘n Field coaches: Mrs. Weber, Mrs. Bark, Miss Jaroszewicz and all parent volunteers. Way to go, GA! SAINT BENEDICT PARISH COMMUNITY

†To our parent volunteers and school staff who helped chaperone our overnight trips to Ottawa and Camp Tanamakoon Mass Times: Saturday 5:00 p.m. – we appreciate your commitment and support! Sunday 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. Mass Venue: Our Lady of Fatima School † To our Play Day Committee – Mme Stewart, Mrs. 709 Bolingbroke Dr., Milton Schumacher, Mrs. DaSilva, Mrs. Bakare, and Miss Stolarski as Reconciliation: Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 p.m. well as our Grade 7 Team Leaders and Grade 8 Game Or by appointment Organizers. A great time was had by all! SAVE THE DATE! † To our Intermediate Staff and students for a beautiful Grade 8 Graduation. Congratulations graduates! St. Benedict Parish has the following dates set for the 2018-2019 school year, please mark your calendars: † To our Catholic School Council for organizing a wonderful Family Fun Night. Thank you also to parent/family volunteers, Reconciliation and First Communion Parent Meeting Guardian Angels School Staff, St. Benedict Parish Knights of Wednesday, September 19, 2018 @ 6:30 p.m. Columbus as well as our school community for their generous Confirmation Parent Meeting donation of raffle prize items! It’s great when our community Wednesday, September 19, 2018 @ 7:00 p.m. comes together for the benefit of all! Grade 2 First Reconciliation

Saturday, October 20, 2018 Grade 7 Confirmation Saturday, November 10, 2018 Grade 2 First Communion Saturday, June 8, 2019

Any questions, please contact St. Benedict Parish 289-878-3118.

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL EARLY DISMISSAL/SPIRIT DAY

The last day of school is Friday, June 29, 2018. School begins at our regular time and dismissal time is 1:30 p.m. Buses (for bus students) are scheduled to depart at 1:30 p.m. June 29 will also be a non-uniform day and students are asked to wear RED and WHITE in celebration of Canada Day. Please remember that STUDENT AGENDAS/CODE OF CONDUCT appropriate dress is required. In our continuous efforts to further increase our Home/School Communication and to assist our students in being better organized, students in Grades 2-8 will be once again be required to buy a student agenda.

 Agendas are distributed to the students at the beginning of the school year. Guardian Angels Catholic School Council will help subsidize the cost of the agenda for each child. GRADE 1-8 TERM 2 REPORT CARDS and  Families are asked to contribute $6.00 toward each agenda KINDERGARTEN REPORT CARDS (for children in Grade 2-8 only). COMING HOME TUESDAY, JUNE 26  Money is due by Monday, September 10, 2018. Please provide one cheque payable to Guardian Angels Catholic Term 2 Report Cards for Grade 1-8 students and Kindergarten School for your family or you may make your payment Report Cards will be going home on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. using the School Cash Online program. Your continued Please return the Parent Response Form with your child/ren the support of this communication tool is greatly appreciated! next school day.

HALTON CATHOLIC BOARD-APPROVED 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR TRACK & FIELD Our Track and Field team participated in the Municipal Meet at The first day of instruction for all students will be Tuesday, Bishop Reding High School on Wednesday, June 6. Our team September 4, 2018. The last day of instruction for all was extremely successful and demonstrated great attitude, elementary students will be Friday, June 28, 2019. teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day. This was a great season for Guardian Angels School with 9 team members Professional activity days and Ministry-mandated days (students competing against the best in the Board. Congratulations to the do not attend school) are scheduled on the following dates: following students on this year’s team: Monday, September 17, 2018 P.A. Day Friday, October 5, 2018 P.A. Day Grade/Student Event Standing Friday, November 23, 2018 P.A. Day Gr. 8 Breac 800m 3rd Friday, February 1, 2019 P.A. Day Gr. 7 Andriea 800m 3rd Friday, February 15, 2019 P.A. Day Gr.7 Marcus 800m 7th Friday, April 12, 2019 P.A. Day Gr. 5 Jeremiah 400m 4th Friday, June 7, 2019 P.A. Day Gr. 8 Olivia 200m 2nd

Gr. 7 Tyrese 200m 5th Statutory holidays and school break periods for 2018-2019: Gr. 5 Isabella 200m 2nd/5th Monday, September 3, 2018 Labour Day Gr. 5 Ryan 200m 4th Monday, October 8, 2018 Thanksgiving Day st th December 24 to January 4 Christmas Break Gr. 8 Kayla 100m 1 /4 th Monday, February 18, 2019 Family Day Gr. 8 Nick 100m 8 rd March 11 - 15, 2019 March Break Gr. 7 Samantha 100m 3 st nd Friday, April 19, 2019 Good Friday Gr. 7 Dominic 100m 1 /2 Monday, April 22, 2019 Easter Monday Gr. 6 Julia 100m 5th Monday, May 20, 2019 Victoria Day Gr. 6 Aston 100m 1st/2nd Gr. 5 Annabelle 100m 5th Gr. 5 Nicolas 100m 2nd/6th Gr. 7 Emmanuel Shotput 6th Gr. 6 Rebecca Softball Throw 1st/2nd Gr. 5 Ryan Softball Throw 3rd Grade 5 Boys Relay 2nd/5th

GUARDIAN ANGELS CATHOLIC SCHOOL CASH ONLINE UPDATE PIZZA DAY

In case you haven’t heard, online payments for School Cash Online can now also be made by credit card. School Cash Online provides parents with easy access to make online payments for a variety of student activities, providing greater SUB DAY flexibility and control on how payments are made to the school. This new online payment method will also help reduce the risk of theft and cash misplacement. For safety reasons, we want to reduce the amount of cash and cheques coming into our school.

Register online at https://hcdsb.schoolcashonline.com by and selecting the “Get Started Now” and follow the steps. After you receive a confirmation email, please select the ‘click here’ option, log in and add each of your children to your household account. Once you are registered online, you will begin programs are FINISHED receiving email notifications about upcoming events. If you have for this school year any questions during the registration process or while shopping online, please select the GET HELP option in the top right hand of the screen or contact the Help Desk 24/7 at 1-866-961-1803.

the Board’s website at: www.hcdsb.org. On the Home page, please click on the “Schools” tab and then on the “School Listing” tab in the dropdown menu. You will be directed to the school listing page. Once you have arrived on this page, please click on “Class Placements”, beside the appropriate school name. In order to access this information, you will require your child’s Ontario Education Number located on your child’s report

card. If you have any questions regarding your child’s class placement, please contact the school office. We look forward to First Day of School welcoming our students on Tuesday, September 4, 2018! for Grade 1-8 students Tuesday, September 4, 2018 8:30 Start of School Day

Junior Kindergarten Interviews Tuesday, September 4

& Wednesday, September 5 SCHOOL UNIFORM UPDATE

Senior Kindergarten Thank you to all the students and parents for complying with the school uniform policy. Please note that the school uniform First Day – Thursday, September 6 consists of pants, tunics, shirts, blouses, cardigans, and fleece tops, for the cooler weather, embroidered with the school logo. The Halton Student Transportation Service (HSTS) Consortium, As in the past students are reminded to wear white or dark socks our Board’s transportation provider and coordinator, has advised (navy or black) as part of the uniform. Please remember that in us that due to improved efficiency in route planning they have the Fall, students will need a pair of ‘indoor’ shoes to protect been able to arrange more practical arrival times to drop off bus their feet once outdoor shoes or boots are taken off - all indoor students before school in the morning. Parents can access their shoes/running shoes should have non-marking soles. child’s transportation information through the HSTS website at www.haltonbus.ca or by calling 1-888-803-8660. For security purposes, you will be asked to input your child’s Ontario Education Number (OEN) located on your child’s report card.

OPENING SCHOOL DAY PROCEDURES

All students will gather in the back of the school and homeroom teachers will be there with class lists for Grades All students must be in full school uniform, all day every day, 1-8 students. Students/parents are to find their grade table from the first day of school, September 4, 2018. Our school and report to the teacher for attendance purposes. If it rains, uniform provider ISW Uniforms is located at 720 Nipissing Rd. we will gather in the gym. Kindergarten parents will receive (rear) in Milton and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – information, via a mail-out over the summer about our 5:30 p.m. and until 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays. They can be reached interviews and staggered entry procedures. at 905-864-4222 or by email at [email protected] .

We ask that students come to school no earlier than 8:15 a.m. as NO supervisor will be on duty outside. Please do NOT drop off your child/ren and leave them in the yard unattended. At the end of the school day, dismissal will begin at 3:00 p.m. and end 10 minutes later. Students are advised to go directly home and not remain at the back of the school. Those students boarding buses to go home are to report to the front of the school or the school gym directly after the dismissal bell. Working together we can provide the safest possible environment for all students here at Guardian Angels Catholic School. Our Guardian Angels Catholic School Council will also once again be offering a school uniform swap/exchange. Using a CLASS PLACEMENTS 2018-2019 ticket system, drop offs of gently-used, clean school uniforms will be accepted between 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, August Please be advised that effective Friday, August 31, 2018, after 27 and tickets will be granted. Pickups using your tickets will 9:00 a.m., you will be able to access information about your take place on Wednesday, August 29 from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. in child’s class placement. This information will be available on the gym.

GUARDIAN ANGELS SCHOOL YMCA SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM

Guardian Angels YMCA School Age Program spaces are SUGGESTED SCHOOL SUPPLIES available in the before and after school programs. For more FDK: information on YMCA Programs, call 905-943-9622 ext. 750 or 2 Boxes of Kleenex 905-699-3000 or email [email protected] Labelled change of clothes Labelled indoor shoes (that do not light up) Labelled water bottle

PRIMARY DIVISION: Box of Kleenex Binders/markers (Grade 3) Gr. 2&3 students will need:

Glue Stick Handheld pencil sharpeners with shavings catcher FROM THE LIBRARY Pencils and Erasers Student scissors (optional) Thank you to all of the students and parents who have Sharpened coloured pencils, additional crayons consistently returned their library books. The Library has Zippered pencil case stopped lending books for this school year. Please ensure that all remaining Library books are returned to the school as soon as JUNIOR DIVISION: possible. Any students with books that have not been returned by Box of Kleenex this date will be given a Replacement Cost Notice to bring home Calculator in order to help the Library replace the book that is missing. If Coloured pens (black, blue, red) this book is found at a later date, this payment will be refunded Eraser pen and Blue pen (Gr. 5&6 only) to the student. Thank you again for your support! Glue stick, Scissors Handheld pencil sharpener with shavings catcher Highlighters, Markers, Fine Line Black Marker NO Binders please Pencils (sharpened) and erasers Ruler (cm/mm) Zippered Pencil Case (not a box) and Pencil crayons

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION:

(please refer to Intermediate Gazette on Day 1 in September) Box of Kleenex IS YOUR FAMILY MOVING? 2” Binder (with Dividers provided) Fine line markers, pencil crayons, pencils (sharpened), pens If your child/ren will not be returning to Guardian Angels Geometry set, calculator Catholic School in September 2018, please contact our Lined Paper secretary Mrs. Boyle in writing or by calling the school at 905- Rulers, erasers, glue sticks, pencil case, scissors, highlighters 876-2386 as soon as possible. If you have already enrolled your Refillable water bottle. child/ren in the Grade 1 French Immersion or Grade 5 Extended French programs at St. Benedict School, please let us know so that we can transfer their student records accordingly. Please note that this process does not include students presently in Grade 8 going into High School. Even if you are just moving to a new home that is still within our school boundary, we still need you to contact us so that we can update your family’s contact information. If you know of any families who need to register their child/ren for the Fall especially Kindergarten placements, please have them come in to register at our Main Office as soon as possible. We appreciate your support in helping us plan accordingly for the coming school year this Fall.

year, you are asked to complete a form indicating student lunch arrangements (i.e., whether a student remains at school for lunch or goes home).

To change these arrangements, it is necessary to provide written permission from a parent or guardian. These arrangements must be made ahead of time and each time the lunch routine varies. Please note that “standing notes” indicating that a student can

leave school anytime s/he chooses are NOT accepted. As a school staff, it is important for us to know each time a student SEPTEMBER REMINDERS leaves our care at noon hour, that permission has been given, and that parents know the exact whereabouts of their child. We Supervision of Students before School appreciate your cooperation and support with this important supervision and safety issue. Parents are reminded that supervision of students on the school yard begins at 8:15 a.m.. If you arrive at school with your Allergies & Nutrition child/ren prior to this time, please remain with them until the yard duty supervisor comes on the yard. Should you leave before Please remember that we are an ALLERGEN-REDUCED a supervisor is present and an accident/injury should occur, there environment. For the safety of all students, please refrain from would be no one to assist your child/ren. This is a serious safety sending any pea/nut products with your child. For birthday concern. We want all of our students to be safe at all times. For treats, please consider non-food items for student sharing, such the safety of your child/ren, please ensure you respect the 8:15 as pencils, stickers, erasers etc. a.m. timeline. Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Side Doors/Late Slips Physical Education Instruction

After the morning bell rings and all classes have entered the A reminder: students participating in our Physical Education building, students are to enter the school through the front doors program require proper phys-ed attire (as outlined in our and are required to report to the main office to pick up a late slip. physical education curricular guidelines). Individual classroom Primary students will be escorted to class by a buddy. teachers have reviewed these expectations with students. Parents/caregivers of late students are asked to say goodbye at Running shoes with non-marking soles are required in the gym; the office as students receive their late slip and proceed directly outdoor shoes are not acceptable. We also require that students to class. have indoor shoes for use during the school day for their own safety so that we can avoid mishaps from the mud, snow, dirt Entry and Dismissal Safety and water tracked into the school.

It has come to our attention that a number of students are coming Early Departures & End of Day Dismissal late to school each morning and are being picked up late at the end of the day. It is important that students arrive on time for One of our school goals is to preserve classroom instructional school each morning and are picked up by parents/guardians time. To this end, we seek to minimize and/or eliminate promptly at the end of the day. Our school day begins at 8:30 disruptions to instructional time in our classrooms. We would a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Please ensure that your child/ren ask that you ensure the following: arrive at school in time enough to line up with their classmates at 8:30 a.m. Please call the school to report all student absences If you are changing your child/ren’s regular dismissal and late arrivals before 8:30 a.m. If you are running late at 3:00 routine, please be reminded – Our office is a very busy place dismissal time, please make alternate arrangements. There is no and we cannot guarantee that every message can be relayed to after-hours supervision in the main office. Thank you for your students before the end of day. As we wish to limit these ongoing cooperation and attention in this matter! situations, as well as limit disruptions to classes to deliver these messages, we ask that you please make arrangements ahead Early Departures & Lunch Hour Procedures of time using the student agenda and notes to the school.

Students who are leaving school outside of normal dismissal We thank parents for your support in ensuring that interruptions times need to be picked up at the main office. Please send a note to classroom instructional time are kept to a minimum! to the teacher stating the time your child is to meet you at the office. Please be aware that no child will be allowed to leave the After Hours Custodial Requests school without a signed and dated note from their parent/guardian. The office must also be aware if students are Our afternoon/evening custodial staff are not available for to be picked up by anyone else other than their family requests to open portable doors or the main doors to the parents/guardians. school in order to retrieve their child/ren’s forgotten items. This is a safety and security concern as the evening staff do not know In keeping with our Board policy, students may remain at school the students and their families like our regular daytime school for lunch at the Principal’s discretion, providing that lunchtime staff. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this rules are followed at all times. At the beginning of the school matter.

COURTESY SEAT

TRANSPORTATION PROCEDURE MEDICATION PICK UP 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR

A reminder to all parents that student medication, which is kept Courtesy Seat Application forms will be in the office health room, including puffers and Epi-pens, should accepted annually at all schools ST TH be picked up by a parent/guardian on the last day of school – AFTER JUNE 1 until SEPTEMBER 30 Friday, June 29 by 12 noon. Appointments for medical Applications will continue to be processed annually exchange of information for next year will be set up for the last ST week of August with the Vice Principal. AFTER OCTOBER 1

Application forms are available on the HSTS website at www.haltonbus.ca

If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected]

CURRICULUM NIGHT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS OPEN HOUSE PARENT EVENING

SCHOOL BUS ORIENTATION DAY We are pleased to announce the date of our Curriculum Night/ Saturday, August 25, 2018 at Community Partners Open House. We will also have a Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School volunteer sign up table in the front foyer led by our Catholic 1120 Main St. East, Milton School Council. Please mark the date on your calendar and join us at the school: To confirm your attendance and a time slot, please contact

First Student Canada at 905-877-2251. Thursday, September 13, 2018 School Bus Orientation Day is a safety program provided by 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Halton Student Transportation Services and local bus operators to assist parents and first time riders in understanding the importance of bus safety. It helps students and parents feel more comfortable riding a school bus before the first day of school.

Parents of all first time riders are encouraged to bring their children to the free sessions, which will feature a classroom presentation on school bus safety, including a special video and a demonstration on a school bus. School bus company safety officers and bus drivers will talk to the children and their parents about safely getting on and off of the bus, proper behaviour on a SUMMER STUDENT TIPS school bus, crossing the street to get to a waiting bus and overall school bus safety. In addition, a handout will be provided to all Here are some tips to help with keeping your mind active over young riders with tips on school bus safety. the summer:  For keyboarding to: www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing  Practice math skills on www.mathfrog.ca, www.kidzone, www.ixl.com, www.ABCYA.com  Practice multiplication facts  Talk about the calendar regularly, naming months that follow and holidays to look forward to  Try to maintain healthy work habits such as reading  Use Raz Kids for comprehension quizzes  Visit the Math Prodigy website for fun interactive math games.  When travelling in the car, play games to develop skills

RETIREMENT MESSAGE from MR. MACDOUGALL IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES for AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 It is with a heavy heart that I bid a fond farewell to the Guardian Angels Catholic School community. It has been a wonderful 3  August 25 – School Bus Orientation (Bishop Reding) years here and I have appreciated the kindness and support of  August 27 & 29 – School Uniform Exchange each and every one of you. It also marks the end of my 34-year  August 31 – Student Placements available vocation of service as a Catholic educator in our school board.  September 3 – Labour Day According to an African proverb “It takes a village to raise a  September 4 – First Day of School Grade 1-8 child”. I wish to thank you, parents, for all that you contribute to  September 4-5 - NEW Kindergarten Parent Visits your children’s learning through your volunteer work and  September 6 - First Day SK Students service in our community. With the wisdom that comes from  September 6/7 – Staggered Entry JK Students understanding and the Catholic values lived out at school, home,  September 13 – Curriculum Night and in the “village” at large, your children will ultimately  September 17 – P.A. Day become faith-centred, responsible Catholic leaders and lifelong  September 25 – School Photo Day learners serving and transforming society for the better.

To the staff …you have been a great support to me and the students we serve each and every day. Your hard work and dedication above and beyond the call of duty has meant a lot. I wish each one of you God’s blessings as you continue in your vocation as teachers, educational assistants, and support staff! A special thank you to Mrs. LoPresti, Mr. Albani, Mr. Crowell, A PRAYER FOR SUMMER Mrs. Boyle, Mrs. Tharby, Mrs. Rob, Mrs. Lupton, Superintendent Cipriano, Father Jim and St. Benedict Parish Father, Creator of all, staff for all that they do and have done to support my work in the Thank you for Summer. spiritually fulfilling vocation of over the years. Thank you for the warmth of the sun And last but surely not least, to the students of Guardian Angels and the increased daylight. Catholic School … I have seen a tremendous amount of growth Thank you for the beauty that I see and maturity in you over the past 3 years. You have really learned what it means to be GUARDIAN ANGELS for each all around me and for the opportunity other – “Always Near God in Empathy and Love” - and how to to be outside and enjoy your creation. act as Jesus would each and every day. There is no limit to the Thank you for the increased time heights you can reach! I wish you all the best and who knows, that I have to be with all my friends and maybe our paths will cross again one day! family, and for the more casual pace September will bring with it new beginnings for me in my of the summer season. retirement. I will certainly have fond memories when I think back on my time here - the staff, students, and parents will Draw me closer to you this summer. always be with me “like a handprint on my heart!” Teach me how I can pray no matter where I am or what I am doing. A wise man once said: “Each of us can look back upon someone who made a great difference in our lives, someone whose Warm my soul with the awareness wisdom or simple acts of caring made an impression upon us. In of your presence and light my path all likelihood, it was someone who sought no recognition for his with your word and counsel. deed other than the joy of knowing that, by his hand, another's As I enjoy your creation, life had been made better.” create in me a pure heart and I know I am who I am today because I’ve been blessed to have a hunger and a thirst for you. Amen. known you! Take care and God bless!