IT STARTS in the Schools November 2016

UPCOMING EVENTS November 1 All Day TCDSB Board-wide

November 1 - Open Houses TCDSB Board-wide November 3

November 1 - Down Syndrome Awareness Week TCDSB Board-wide November 7 “See the Ability”

November 2 All Souls Day TCDSB Board-wide

November 2 Take our Kids to Work Day TCDSB Board-wide

November 3 Development and Peace Educator Day St. Parish Hall, “At the Heart of the Action” 1300 Leslie St., , ON 9:30am-2:30pm

November 5 OFSAA Cross Country Championships Trinity College School, Port Hope, ON

November 6 – Treaties Recognition Week TCDSB Board-wide November 11

November 8 A Catholic Call to Serve University of Toronto - St. Students will gather for a variety of ’s College presentations relating to Catholic service, 81 St Mary Street, Toronto, ON then disperse into the community to do volunteer work at a variety of Catholic agencies.

November 11 Remembrance Day TCDSB Board-wide

November 11 TDCAA Football Playoffs Centennial Park 12:00p.m. & 2:00 p.m. 56 Centennial Park Rd, Etobicoke, ON

November 14 – Bullying Awareness Week TCDSB Board-wide November 18 November 14 Bully Awareness and Prevention Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Symposium Catholic Secondary School 1515 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON 416-393-5545

November 15 Initiation of Boundary Review St. Gregory Catholic School Invitation to Public Meeting Boundary 126 Rathburn Road, Toronto, ON Review of Mother Cabrini, Nativity of Our 416-393-5262 Lord, Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Gregory and St. Marcellus 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

November 17 Safe Schools Student Ambassador Bully Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Awareness and Prevention Symposium Catholic Secondary School 9:00 - 2:15 p.m. 1515 Bloor St. W., Toronto, ON 416-393-5545

November 18 Tree Bee Competition Blessed Cardinal Newman Catholic A tree identification and conservation Secondary School competition for grades 4 – 6 100 Brimley Rd. S, Scarborough, ON 416-393-5519

November 21 Expansion of Boundary Review St. Anselm Catholic School St. Anselm, St. Monica, Holy Cross, 182 Bessborough Dr., Toronto, ON and St. John XXIII 416-393-5243

November 22 TCDSB Memorial Mass TCDSB Catholic Education Centre In honour of students and staff who have 80 Sheppard Ave. E., Toronto, ON passed away in the past year 416-222-8282 7:00 p.m. By invitation only.

November 22 TDCAA Junior and Senior Football Centennial Park Championships 56 Centennial Park Rd, Etobicoke, ON 12:00p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

November 23 Grey Cup Event City Hall (Nathan Philips Square) 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. 100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H Event for students in grades 6-8 focusing on 2N2 community spirit, acceptance and inclusiveness, as well as CFL pride.

November 23 Brain Storm: Inside the Teenage Brain Michael Power/St. High 7:00 p.m. School 105 Eringate Drive, Etobicoke, ON 416-393-5529 November 30 Francis School Blessing Pope Francis Catholic School 1:00 p.m. 319 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON 416-393-5347 November 30 Parent Information Evening St. Edward Catholic School Full Time Congregated Gifted Program for 1 Botham Rd., Toronto, ON Elementary Students 416-393-5255 7:00 p.m. RECENT HIGHLIGHTS Orange Shirt day # at Michael Power/St. Joseph School honours Residential School Survivors The grade 12 Drama students and staff of Michael Power/St Joseph wore orange on September 30th to show that both their experiences and all children’s feelings matter. It is only by understanding those mistakes, those things we’ve done poorly in our history, those things of which we are less proud, do we improve as a country and as people. The school came together in the spirit of healing and reconciliation and set the stage for anti-racism and anti-bullying—united in the conviction that every child matters. Click here to view photos.

TCDSB Schools Featured at Nuit Blanche

Countering Existing Myths About Marginalized Students ’s art installation for Nuit Blanche focused on the often inaccurate public perceptions about marginalized students. The purpose of their kaleidoscope installation was to counter existing myths about marginalized students and to assert that they are as diverse and dynamic as the patterns a kaleidoscope generates.

Residential School Memorial Wall At St. Joseph’s College School, the focus turned to the residential school experience. Students and staff created 130 talking sticks in clear plastic tubes which were displayed and illuminated on the school. The installation is a culminating activity through the school’s native studies programme that creates a continuing dialogue about the residential school system in Canada. Click here to view photos.

Cardinal Carter student hired by Toronto Maple Leafs to sing O Canada The TCDSB extends their congratulations to Martina Ortiz Luis, grade 10 student at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, who has been hired as permanent Canadian National Anthem singer for Toronto Maple Leafs games at the Air Canada Centre. Click here to view photos. Romero Students Beautify Mt Dennis Station Students from Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School created a mural for the future location of the Mt Dennis Metrolinx station, part off the Eglinton crosstown line. Click here to view photos.

Ethical T-shirt making workshop On Thursday, September 29th and Monday, October 3rd, Madonna's SHSM Non-Profit students participated in an ethical t-shirt making workshop. During the workshops, students gained insight into the horrible impact of the fast fashion industry on the environment, consumers’ health, factory workers etc. This workshop promoted conscious consumerism, ethical shopping, and the power behind the consumer in creating social change. A guest facilitator, Kelly Okamura, lead students through a discussion on the ‘up-cycling’ and ‘re-purposing’ of clothing from thrift stores. This event not only complemented and reflected the role and work of our SHSM program, but it was also an excellent opportunity to bring our community together in celebration of our role as Catholic stewards for God’s creation and human dignity. Click here to view photos.

Bishop Hector Vila visits Madonna CSS On Monday, October 3rd, Bishop Vila shared his own vocation story, and reflected on how each of us is called by God to a specific mission in life. He also shared his experience of the Church in the Canadian North, as well as the gifts and challenges of working in the Canadian Catholic Mission territories. Approximately 200 students participated in Bishop Vila's presentation including students from Madonna's grade 11 native studies English program. It was a pleasure having Bishop Hector Vila share his personal testimonies and lived experiences in the Canadian North. Click here to view photos.

Bike Helmet Safety The Toronto Helmet Initiative (THI) Partnership is a group of not-for-profit organizations dedicated to reducing head injuries and promoting physical activity. The Toronto Helmet Initiative promotes safe helmet use. The partners for this initiative are: the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto Catholic District School Board, Toronto District School Board, Toronto Police Services and Toronto Public Health. The THI is committed to raising awareness on benefits of helmet use and the importance of proper helmet use. An event celebrating the Toronto Helmet Initiative took place at St. Bernard Catholic School. Click here to watch video highlights from the event.

World Teachers’ Day World Teachers’ Day was celebrated across the TCDSB on October 5th. Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter paid a special visit on World Teachers' Day to the teachers of St. Joseph’s College School. Minister Hunter brought with her a basket of apples as a token of her appreciation for teachers for providing education, guidance and support to students. The Toronto Catholic District School Board acknowledged teachers, and all staff, for the role they play in inspiring our students and thanks them for their dedication and commitment to Catholic Education. Click here to view photos.

St. Ursula Sod Turning Ceremony St. Ursula's school community, including students, staff, parents and representatives from Councilor Ainslie and Education Minister Hunter's offices, along with TCDSB Associate Director Rory McGuckin and Superintendent Shawna Campbell, joined together to celebrate the start of construction of a new school addition. The 2 storey addition will include a new entrance to the school, an elevator, a standard classroom and new centralized administration area. This will enable the board to move forward with renovations and reconfiguration of a space on the first floor in the existing building to create two kindergarten classrooms with cubby areas, washrooms and a separate entrance to a new enclosed play area in the front of the school. Click here to view photos.

Because I am a Girl-Bake Sale at Madonna CSS On, Tuesday, October 11th, Madonna CSS celebrated International Day of the Girl. To celebrate this day, the SHSM Non-Profit team started their newest initiative to sponsor a girl child through the Because I Am A Girl campaign. Madonna CSS stood in solidarity and joined thousands of girls across the country to help transform the lives of millions of girls around the world. Together, they supported initiatives to end gender inequality and help girls be the heroes of their own lives. Click here to view photos.

Scarborough Schools Celebrate Year of the Parish St. Agatha, St. Boniface and St. Nicholas Catholic Schools celebrated the Year of the Parish with Father Mark Robson. Click here to view photos.

A Welcoming Spirit The beginning of the school year offers many opportunities to show hospitality. Making new friends, meeting new teachers, and creating a new classroom community require an open, welcoming spirit. The two kindergarten classes at Blessed Pope Paul VI recently had a chance to use their spirit of hospitality. On Wednesday, September 28, they welcomed a delegation of twenty educators from Taiwan. These teachers, early childhood educators, and principals were interested in the daily life of Full Day Kindergarten. They observed children engaged in learning through play both indoors and outdoors. They noticed and commented on the learning environment and the role of the Third Teacher in creating classrooms for wonder, independence, and success. It was a great opportunity for the students and educators to welcome visitors and share their learning. Click here to view photos.

St. Cheers on the Blue Jays Students and Staff celebrated Blue Jays Day at St. Jerome School on October 4th. Staff and students dressed in Blue Jays gear and colours to cheer on the team as they compete in the playoffs. Click here to view photos.

Celebrating Thanksgiving at Msgr Fraser Msgr. Fraser was very pleased to have Fr. Willyans Raposo join them to share the first Thanksgiving Lunch with the Msgr. Fraser College. Fraser’s Special Education Co-Op students and EAs served the lunch that was enjoyed by all students. Click here to view photos.

St. John (Toronto) students compete in the McQuaid Cross Country Invitational St. John’s students participated in the McQuaid Cross Country Invitational on October 1st. The tournament was held in Rochester, NY. The St. John’s girls team finished 2nd place in a race of 400 girls. The St. John boys’ team placed 3rd in a race of 471 participants. Click here to view photos.

St. Conrad Students Walk for Terry Fox St. Conrad’s school hosted their annual Terry Fox Walk. The students and staff dressed up in white and red, put on their runners and walked 5KM chanting “We walk for Terry Fox!” It was a day of celebrating Terry's legacy and helping to keep alive his dream of finding a cure for cancer. St. Conrad’s community raised over $3000 in support for cancer research in Terry's name. In addition, as a friendly competition each classroom came up with a spirit initiative that was judged and a trophy given to each winner in the 4 pre-determined levels (JK/SK, Gr. 1-3, Gr. 4-6, Gr. 7-8). Some classes performed either a skit, song, dance, PowerPoint, chant, or other creative ways of celebrating Terry Fox’s legacy and cancer research. Click here to view photos.

Red Dress Project In the last 30 years, there have been over 1200 Aboriginal women who have gone missing or found murdered. The grade 10, 11 and 12 visual artists at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts have created a powerful installation to bring awareness to this compelling issue. The collaborative art work created under the direction of their teachers Aurora Pagano and Sandra Mustacato, was inspired by the Red Dress Project, conceived by Winnipeg based artist Jaime Black. She used the dress to represent the female gender and the colour red as it is culturally connected to the spirit world, ceremony, and life. Jaime hoped her ‘aesthetic response’ to the violence against Aboriginal women would spread across the country, marking October 4th, as a national day of awareness. Click here to view photos.

Celebrating the Year of the Parish with Tours Father John at St. John Parish has been giving short tours of the parish for the classes at St. John (Toronto). Students learn about the different areas of the church as well as the various items used throughout the mass. This is one of the activities we are doing to celebrate the Year of the Parish. Click here to view photos.

Father John Redmond Students Attend Great Lakes Binational Forum Father John Redmond SHSM students were invited to participate in the first ever Great Lakes Binational Forum Student Summit on October 4, 5 and 6. As part of their experiential learning and career exploration in their SHSM Health and Wellness program, the students engaged in various activities related to how the health of the Great Lakes impacts the health of the people that live around them. Students began the forum by attending a First Nations demonstration at the peak of the Credit River. The students then proceeded to the Enercare Centre to hear from various speakers, educating them on the problems that face the great lakes. Students then participated in 4 workshops focusing on containing dangerous spills, soil, vegetation, environmentally friendly home design, and fishing. The summit culminated with the students from Father John Redmond pitching their school’s unique innovations to Hollee Kew, Director, Environment and Climate Change and Minister Glen Murray. Click here to view photos.

Holy Child benefits from “Fuel for Kids” Holy Child was selected to receive the support of a benefit fundraiser program called “Fuel for Kids”. This is a program that Nascar driver Dave Connelly (car #82) started in 2005 to support elementary schools in . The program has been running with grocery stores across Ontario for the last 10 years. Fortinos is the current major sponsor and the host of the “Fuel for Kids” program. On September 30th Holy Child received a visit from the Fortinos Race Team and Dave Connelly. They delivered to students a very unique “show and tell” focusing on the various safety elements in what the driver wears as well as what is in the actual race car. Click here to view photos.

St. Demetrius students volunteer at the Daily Bread Food Bank St. Demetrius' intermediate students and staff volunteered to sort cans and pack boxes at the Daily Bread Food Bank on October 10th. The Daily Bread Food Bank is the largest food relief agency in Toronto, providing nutritious food – forty per cent of it fresh – to 200 charitable programs across the city. These programs address basic human needs, and also provide counselling, training and a welcoming environment where people can get the services and support to make positive changes in their lives. Mr. Dalinda’s grade 8 class held a food drive and collected canned goods which were delivered to the food bank upon their visit. Click here to view photos.

Bishop Allen Academy Receives Tools was pleased to be the recipient of more than $5,000 worth of new tools courtesy of Stanley/DeWalt. Click here to view photos.

Michael Power/St. Joseph’s Boys’ Volleyball Team The Senior Boys' Volleyball Team at Michael Power/St. Joseph High School participated in the All Ontario Catholic Boys Volleyball Tournament in Mississauga on October 13 and 14. The boys represented the TCDSB and TDCAA in an exemplary manner by demonstrating a high level of Catholic virtue and sportsmanship. Coaches Wasiuk and Giovinazzo are extremely proud of the boys. Click here to view photos.

Terry Fox Run On Friday, September 30th, St. Aidan staff and students participated in the 36th Annual Terry Fox Run. St. Aidan raised $380.00 this year for the Terry Fox Foundation. Click here to view photos.

Terry Fox Fundraising Goal Tripled at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School September 29th marked the 5th annual Terry Fox School Run at St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School. The staff and students have always supported cancer research, but this year was exceptional. The school set a goal of $500.00, which was more than they had ever raised in any given year. Parents, students, and staff exceeded all expectations and brilliantly kept Terry’s hope alive. Through online donations, pledge forms, and toonies for Terry, they more than tripled their fundraising goal. A total of $1856.85 was collected for the Terry Fox Foundation. Click here to view photos.

St. Agnes Celebrates annual Community BBQ and Terry Fox Students, parents and staff at St. Agnes School gathered once again this year for their annual community BBQ. Everyone enjoyed an evening of delicious food and fun-filled activities. On September 29, the school participated in the Terry Fox Run, raising over $3000 for cancer research and for keeping Terry’s dream alive. Click here to view photos.

Students Visit Cathedral and City Hall Students from St. Joseph's Morrow Park's Grade 10 Business Course, along with their teacher Maria Greco, and a combined ESL ABC class with their teacher Joanne Lopreiato, recently went on a Tour of Toronto that included visits to St. Michael's Cathedral and Nathan Philips Square. Click here to view photos.

St. John Paul II Wins All-Catholic Volleyball Tournie The St. John Paul II Senior Boys Volleyball team won the All-Catholic tournament the weekend of October 15/16, 2016. The a two-day tournament sees teams from all over Ontario coming to compete. After play on the first day, teams gather to celebrate Mass and for a tournament banquet. The boys won 20 of 21 sets en route to victory. The team played with a high level of skill, sportsmanship, class and a true Panther spirit, as noted by many coaches and officials. Team Captain, Kemani Arca- Stewart, was selected of 200+ athletes to win the Catholic Graduate Award for Effective Communicator and Aran Pathmanathan was selected as tournament MVP. Click here to view photos.

CPIC Inaugural Meeting The Catholic Parent Involvement Committee welcomed new and returning members to first meeting of the year. Geoffrey Feldman was elected to another term as chair. Click here to view photos.

MPSJ Attend Thanksgiving CFL Game Members of the Michael Power/ St Joseph Staff and student athletes had the opportunity to attend the Thanksgiving Day Argo game against Calgary. Members of the Power Football team met some of the Argos Post game. Click here to view photos.

TIPSY Program at St. Michael's Hospital Madonna's SHSM Health and Wellness students participated in St. Michael's Hospital TIPSY program on October 14th, 2016. The TIPSY program is an injury prevention program that is offered to high school students in the Greater Toronto Area. The program was taught by an inter- professional team of nurses, physicians, and representatives from Toronto Police Services, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and a Voice of Injury Prevention (VIP). The VIP was a trauma survivor who has sustained a brain or spinal cord injury. He recounted first-hand the events leading up to his injury, its consequences and lasting effects. Click here to view photos.

St. Monica 100th Anniversary St. Monica alumni, friends and community members gathered together to celebrate the school's 100th anniversary on October 15th. Doors were opened and visitors had the opportunity to relive their fondest memories as students and staff at the school. Following the Open House, a mass was held at St. Monica's Parish commemorating their 100th anniversary. The mass was celebrated by His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins. Alumni and friends later gathered in the school gym for a special 100th Anniversary dinner. TCDSB Director of Education, Angela Gauthier, along with MP Rob Oliphant and City Councillor Jaye Robinson offered greetings at the dinner and provided the school with commemorative certificates and plaques. Click here to view photos.

Notre Dame 75th Anniversary Roots to Grow; Wings to Fly. The Notre Dame spirit was showcased at its 75th Anniversary celebration on the weekend of October 14/15, 2016. The milestone celebration began with an Open House at the school on the Friday evening, welcoming back alumnae and former staff with memorabilia, decade rooms and refreshments. Click here to view photos.

Go Purple Day at St. Patrick Secondary School The Toronto Catholic District School board joined forces with eight Toronto agencies on Go Purple Day to break the silence and raise awareness about preventing child abuse and neglect, highlighting that it is everyone’s duty to report suspected child abuse. Students from St. Patrick Catholic Secondary School read A Tattle-tell Tale, a story about getting help to Grade 1 and 2 students from Earl Haig Public School. Part of a primary prevention series of children’s books, this story teaches children that, when they need help with a problem, there is a difference between tattling and telling. Together, the students made a commitment to break the silence. Click here to view photos.

Welcome Reception for Newcomers 2016 As part of TCDSB’s whole community response in welcoming newcomer students and their families and its commitment to a caring Catholic and welcoming environment, TCDSB hosted a Welcome Reception for Newcomers on October 21st at the Catholic Education Centre. Guest speakers included His Eminence, Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archdiocese of Toronto, Frank D'Amico, Vice-Chair, Toronto Catholic District School Board, and Angela Gauthier, Director of Education, Toronto Catholic District School Board. The event featured resource exhibits from Community Settlement Agencies, Toronto Public Health, Toronto Public Library, Toronto Parks and Recreation, and more. Click here to view photos.

New Student Welcome Event at Alighieri Academy On Tuesday, October 18, 2016, Academy hosted a New Student Welcome event for the international students new to the Dante Alighieri community. Members of the Student Council, senior international students and student volunteers led various activities, including a Scavenger Hunt, Get to Know Each Other BINGO, and an M&M Group Activity. Throughout the event, students shared their experiences of attending a new school, living in a new country, and learning to speak a different language. New friendships were made as students shared delicious food, conversation, and lots of fun. These newly formed bonds will help new international students become an integral part of the Dante community. Click here to view photos.

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys – Learning with Popcorn St. Marguerite Bourgeoys’ students Jacky in Grade 7 and Quentin in Grade 8 conducted a school wide survey. Their objective was to determine the flavour of popcorn that the majority of students preferred. The options were white cheddar, caramel or butter salt. The favourite flavour was White Cheddar. They recorded their findings in a graph format. For the month of October, white cheddar popcorn will be sold on Wednesday October 26th at St. Marguerite Bourgeoys in order to raise funds for school initiatives. Click here to view photos.

“The Red Dress Project” by St. Basil’s Church and St. Joseph’s College School The “Red Dress Project” was created by Metis artist Jaimie Black to remember and raise awareness for the missing and murdered indigenous women of Canada. Since her initial project, communities across Canada have participated with their own red dress projects to remember and memorialize the missing and murdered aboriginal women in Canada. Each year on October 4th, the practice is to hang out a red dress as a symbol of our commitment to see this social justice issue brought to the forefront and addressed. Native studies students of St. Joseph College School, under the direction of their art teacher, have created a tent-like dress covered in red dresses. The smaller red dresses made out of nylon tent material represent the missing and murdered aboriginal women and the larger dress structure represents sanctuary, safety, and protection taking on the appearance of a tent. Click here to view photos.

St. Joseph’s College Girls Basketball Team wins at OFSAA Congratulations to the senior girls basketball team at St. Joseph’s College for their performance this weekend where they defeated St. Mary's the five time OFSAA champions. Click here to view photos.

Photo credit: Crownscoutgirls.com

St. Dominic Savio’s Freedom Through Movement Thanks to a generous grant of $10,000 from GoodLife Kids Foundation and a partnership with Variety Village, the Multiple Exceptionality students at St. Dominic Savio can participate in their own physical education class. The school was able to purchase accessible equipment. Diana Vecchiarelli, who taught at the school last year, received support from Troy Beharry in TCDSB Partnership Development for the grant application. Click here to view photos.

Hispanic Canadian Heritage Month Mass and Cultural Expose The TCDSB Community Relations Department collaborated with Basil- the-Great College School to present the 2016 Hispanic Canadian Heritage Month Mass and Expose on October 24th 2016. The mass was celebrated by Father Michael Lehman and was followed by performances by local schools, including St. Jude Catholic School, St. Catholic School, Madonna Catholic Secondary School, St. Jane Frances Catholic School and St. Basil-the-Great Catholic Secondary School. Director of Education, Angela Gauthier, provided greetings and participated in the morning celebrations. Click here to view photos.

SHSM Students Attend Gairdner Lecture As part of the experiential learning component of the Specialist High Skills Major – Health and Wellness Program, Madonna students attended the Gairdner Foundation Lectures at York University on Wednesday, October 26th, 2016. This exclusive event was for senior level science students across the City of Toronto and Madonna’s SHSM Health and Wellness students were selected to participate. The Gairdner Lectures provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear from cutting-edge scientists describing their outstanding achievements. Click here to view photos.

CSPC provides St. Mark staff and students a free Thanksgiving lunch St. Mark Catholic Elementary School held its first Thanksgiving Lunch on October 6, 2016. The staff and students enjoyed together a free lunch all in the school gym, prepared by the CSPC and parent volunteers. The lunch consisted of turkey, carrots, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, bread and juice. The students enjoyed the lunch with many of them coming up for seconds and thirds. St. Mark’s CSPC thanks the parent volunteers who helped make the event a success. Click here to view photos.

““IT STARTS IN THE SCHOOLS” is published monthly throughout the school year. Events, locations and times are subject to change. For more information, call 416-222-8282 Ext. 5314. This publication can be found on the Internet at www.tcdsb.org, see “news”.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board educates more than 92,000 students from diverse cultures and language backgrounds in 201 Catholic elementary and secondary schools, serving close to half-a-million Catholic school supporters across the City of Toronto. As the world’s largest publicly funded Catholic school system, we educate students in an inclusive learning community rooted in the love of Christ, where they are challenged to grow in grace and knowledge and to lead lives of faith, hope and charity. At Toronto Catholic we transform the world through witness, faith, innovation and action.

Toronto Catholic Schools November 2016

Toronto Catholic District School Board, 80 Sheppard Ave. E., , ON M2N 6E8 phone: 416-222-8282 website: www.tcdsb.org email: [email protected]