CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS NOVEMBER 2015 NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER OUR LADY OF WISDOM C.S. || 10 JAPONICA RD., TO., ON M1R 4R7 ☎ 416.393.5273 F. 416.393.5434 The Our Lady of Wisdom Catholic School community salutes the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces, past and present, who have sacrificed their lives and continue to do so to protect our great nation and Canadian interests abroad. May we always remember their contributions and peace keeping efforts in light of the many liberties that all Canadians are afforded. We thank them for keeping our loved ones safe and acting in the name of justice and peace. November’s Virtue of the Month is “Peace,” accordingly, may we remember Jesus’ teachings, as the “Prince of Peace,” and continue to cultivate in our students and in ourselves the gift of Peace which we are all called to defend. November also marks Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, a reminder if you will, of our school community’s commitment to serving as active Acting Principal: William Kwon witnesses of God’s “truth, justice and love.” Vice Principal: M. Dahdah May we reflect on the following question: Secretary: K Pagnello Superintendent: John Shain What are the qualities of a responsible citizen, seeking peace? 416.222.8282 ext. 6582 The Prayer of St. Francis Chair/Trustee: Michael Del Grande 416.512.3407 Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; CSPC Co- Chair: Elaine Murphy where there is doubt, faith; CSPC Co- Chair: June Stonehouse where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; Catholic Parent Involvement where there is sadness, joy; Committee (CPIC) : O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to www.tcdsb.org/cpic console; to be understood as to understand; Enrolment 363 to be loved as to love. ✝ For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; Parish: Annunciation of the and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Blessed Virgin Mary 3 Combermere Drive W. Kwon M. Dahdah (Acting) Principal Vice-Principal Toronto, ON M3A 2W4 416.445.1760 Father Jude Coyle Mass: NEW REGISTRANTS WELCOME: Mon. - Fri. : 8:00 am & 12:20 pm Call 416-393-5273 or the TCDSB Admissions Department at Saturday : 9:00 am 416-222-8282, ext. 2383. Sunday : 8:00 am, 9:30 am, 11:00 am, For general information about the Toronto Catholic District School 12:30 pm & 7:oo pm Board, please visit the website at www.tcdsb.org. Reconciliation : Sat. 9:30am & Stay in touch with the latest news throughout the school year: Follow 4:00pm @TCDSB on Twitter and Our Lady of Wisdom @OLWCES NOVEMBER 2015 || OLW !1 CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS NOVEMBER 2015 EQAO RESULTS SAFE SCHOOLS Public reports of school and board results and “Tracking Student Code Re(a)d: learn the TCDSB’s Code of Conduct! Achievement” will be available on November 18, 2015. To “aid/incite harmful behaviour” is a suspendable offense. You probably remember the slogan from a few years ago, “Be STUDENT INFORMATION an upstander, not a bystander!” the students were able to talk about what it meant to stand up for others and not just allow We ask that parent(s)/guardian(s) things to happen. But what if students are not just please submit to the office if you bystanding, but actually aiding the aggressor in some way? haven’t already done so updated data Inciting (or, encouraging) the behaviour that is harming cards to ensure that all information someone? regarding your child is up-to-date. We need to have the CORRECT HOME Discussion Question: A soccer game is happening. Some of the TELEPHONE, CELL NUMBERS, students kick the ball hard, trying to hit the goalie. They try WORK NUMBERS, HOME to get all of the players to follow their example and kick it ADDRESS AND EMERGENCY hard, aiming for the goalie’s head. What would you do? CONTACT. If these numbers change please let the school know promptly, IN Thank you to the Safe Schools Action Team 2015-2016 for their WRITING. efforts in setting our goals moving forward to ensure that Our Lady of Wisdom CES continues to be a safe, caring and welcoming learning environment for all stakeholders. Bullying Awareness, Intervention and Prevention Goal: 1 To increase our school body's awareness of bullying issues and its opportunities for education by hosting presentations, networking with community partners, and participating in nationwide events. Goal #2: Implement a framework of support services, including intermediate-aged peer mediators and increased adult lunchtime supervision, that will reduce and de-escalate the number of conflicts among all students from JK to Grade 8. Goal #3: We will institute a "Ponder Box", a dropbox in which students from grades 1-4 can express their concerns with bullying issues, to be addressed by the principal and safe schools teacher with help from the peer mediators biweekly. ROSARY APOSTOLATE (A Contest to Decorate the box will be announced shortly. Please stay tuned…) We welcome the women of the Progressive Discipline Goal # 1: Create consequences designed to Rosary Apostolate, especially Mrs. support the pro-social development and future behaviour of the Morin and Mrs. Mendoza who will person responsible for the action. be visiting with the students from JK-Grade 8 once month, Promoting a Positive School Culture Goal#1: commencing October 20th to help To establish a school based Safe Schools Team that meets to discuss concerns and implements strategies to improve school climate. students live the rosary, familiarize themselves with the various mysteries, culminating with the Crowning of Mary in May of 2016. OUR LADY OF WISDOM C.S. || 10 JAPONICA RD., TO., ON M1R 4R7 416.393.5273 F. 416.393.5434 NOVEMBER 2015 || OLW !2 CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS NOVEMBER 2015 COVENANT HOUSE VISIT On October 28th, 2015, Suzy delivered a dynamic presentation with all TRUSTEES 2015 & 2016 of our grade 7 and 8 students in attendance on the topic of Youth Homelessness, Awareness and Prevention. Wards Covenant House is “Canada's largest homeless youth agency with a mission to educate and advocate for change to help at-risk, homeless 1 Joseph Martino and trafficked youth by influencing public policy and delivering 2 Ann Andrachuk prevention and awareness programs.” 3 Sal Piccininni The presenter spoke at 4 Patrizia Bottoni great length about the 5. Maria Rizzo serious consequences of 6. Frank D’Amico bullying in terms of 7. Michael Del Grande Chair affecting one’s ability to 8. Garry Tanuan volunteer, travel, 9. Jo-Ann Davis financial future, 10. Barbara Poplawski education and career, as 11. Angela Kennedy well as, victimization 12. Nancy Crawford, Vice from bullying as being a Chair catalyst from depression in later teenage years. Allison Gacad, Students learned about Student Trustee known risk factors, the dangers of engaging in Karina Dubrovskaya self-harming behaviours, StudentTrustee as well as how to focus on protective factors and Angela Gauthier the need for peer Director of Education support and self- 80 Sheppard Ave. East advocacy skills in Toronto, ON seeking required help. www.tcdsb.org All in all, the information learned that day was of monumental importance for the students! Our Lady of Wisdom is pleased to announce that The Angel Foundation for Learning, the charitable organization devoted to assisting students within TCDSB schools, has approved our school’s funding request in support of our excursion to Montreal. Serving TCDSB students and making a positive difference, we congratulate The Angel Foundation for Learning for helping students since its inception in 1987. Donations to the Foundation are welcome and can be sent to: The Angel Foundation for Learning, 80 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, ON M2N 6E8. Tax receipts for donations of $10.00 or more will be issued. For more information about the Foundation visit www.angelfoundationforlearning.org NOVEMBER 2015 || OLW !3 CATHOLIC SCHOOL NEWS NOVEMBER 2015 SAFE SCHOOLS/Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week (November 16-20) Our Lady of Wisdom CES welcomes our C.L.O. (Community Liaison Officer) Jennifer Wilson from 41 Division who will visit with the students in the Junior and Intermediate Divisions and engage the students to explore the topic of “Cyberbullying,” the associated dangers and methods of safe reporting. ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT The Community Liaison Officer’s role is to work in partnership UPDATE Running Club and Cross with students, teachers, school administrators and the Country 2015-2016 community to maintain and enhance healthy, safe and inclusive school communities. Running Club has been a huge success thanks in large We also welcome our Public Health Nurse-Healthy Schools part to the planning and Substance Misuse Prevention Team Toronto Public Health, who coordination of Mme. Stephanie, will be visiting on November 6th to plan implementation of Toronto M. Wandji with our last day Public Health programming for 2015/2016 school year with a being Thurs. Oct. 22, 2015. It focus on programming related to mental wellness and substance has been an excellent way to promote cardio vascular use prevention. exercise and the importance of physical activity. Congratulations to the Wisdom Finally, on Nov. 16th, Freeze Out Bullying will be coming to Our Warriors Cross-Country team Lady of Wisdom to engage students from K-8 with an interactive who ran very well at the presentation that focuses on “demonstrating respect,” “speaking divisional meet on October up assertively,” and “safe reporting,” and role modelling virtues 15th. 96 students participated like “Compassion.” We look forward to this exciting in races of 1.5km-3km long and comprehensive program as it will complement our other Safe displayed excellent Schools initiatives such as Pink Shirt Day to be held on February perseverance and passion to succeed! 18 students qualified 25, 2016 and help us to achieve our vision of a safe, caring and for the regional meet and 6 of welcoming school environment! those runners competed in the Toronto Catholic city-wide final on Oct.