Highlights For Septmber

24– Curriculum Night BBQ 5:30pm

30– Terry Fox Walk

Contacts

Principal:

Mr. M. Boccia

Vice Principal:

Mr. B. Howlett

Superintendent:

Mr. A. Della Mora

Trustee:

Mr. S. Piccininni

Parish Church:

Fr. Efren

St. Jude

Catholic Church

3265 Weston Rd.

416-742-9072

Secretary:

Ms. C. Mazzilli

CSAC Chair

Mr. E. D’Alfonso

Happy Children Who Love to Learn

St. Simon is an eco-friendly school:

The newsletter is only available in electronic form.

If you would like a newsletter sent to your email, please send a request to: brett.howlett@tcdsb.org

The newsletter is also accessible via the school website: http://www.tcdsb.org/schools/stsimon/News/Pages/Newsletters.aspx

If you wish to receive a paper copy please contact your child’s teacher, or the office.

St. Jude’s Parish newsletter is also available on the school website.

St. Simon Catholic School 20 Wallasey Ave. Tel - 416-393-5383 Fax - 416-397-6299 School Hours 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m

Catholic Parent Involvement Committee (CPIC):

www.tcdsb.org/cpic

School website:

http://www.tcdsb.org/SCHOOLS/STSIMON

ST. SIMON NEWSLETTER September 2015

Virtue of the Month: Hospitality

Hospitality Prayer

Lord, give us the eyes of Jesus to see our neigh-

bours and the strangers we meet. Teach us what it

means to love the stranger as we love ourselves.

Forgive us for our selfishness, for our silence, for

not caring enough for the strangers who come to

our communities.

Teach us to love and care for the stranger the way

you do.

Amen

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to the new school year. We are pleased to welcome

back all of our returning families and as well as any new families that

are joining our school community. St. Simon is a wonderful place for

learning and we pride ourselves on high expectations.

We would like to welcome some new staff members:

Ms. Mazzilli our school secretary, Ms. Bozek-Battisti our new library

technician and Ms. Dang our new ECE.

We look forward to a very successful and fruitful school year and we

look forward to seeing you on curriculum night.

Mr. Boccia and Mr. Howlett

ST. SIMON NEWSLETTER

September 2015

Happy Children Who Love to Learn

Together with One Voice

Family, Parish and School

This school year marks the first year of our

new three year pastoral plan. Together

with one voice will focus on strengthening

the relationships between the School, the

Families and the Parish.

This year focuses on the unifying the Fam-

ily with the school. Thought our close part-

nerships and relationships of support and

trust we can support and strengthen our

students to ensure they grow and develop

to their highest potential.

In the following months please stay in-

formed and aware of the ways that the

school may develop and promote the sup-

port of families in our community.

Together we can make a difference in the

lives of our students.

ST. SIMON NEWSLETTER

September 2015

Happy Children Who Love to Learn

Student Information Updates

As the year progresses, often some information changes.

Please ensure that all emergency contact information is

current. If an emergency were to happen, the school

must have current contacts. If you have changed your

phone number or address please inform the office.

Be Prepared for the Weather!

As the weather is changing, please ensure that students

are dressed appropriately for the warm, wet, cold, ever

changing weather. Students should have a pair of indoor

shoes to wear in the building and packing a hat, an extra

To report an absence please call 416-393-5383 (4pm-8am)

From the Office

Uniform

As the warmer weather approaches, often students forget what

the school dress code entails.

Students are expected to wear the following dress code:

Appropriate Dress Code – consists of any combination of navy

blue and white garments (i.e., plain white top, navy blue bottom,

navy blue top and bottom, no denim).

Sweaters must only be white or blue in colour.

All student attire must be in keeping with our Catholic teachings

and beliefs, and reflect principles of modesty.

Pick Up and Drop Off of Students

Safety is of the utmost importance at school.

Ensure the safety of our students is every-

one’s responsibility. Please be aware while

dropping off and picking up students there

are many students and parents walking

across the street. Please drive slowly and

only park in the designated areas.

Also, this year we have increased the num-

ber of buses that service the school. Please

be aware that the buses require a clear and

large path to drive safety.

Please be patient and remember

SAFETY FIRST!

The school year calendar is defined as the period between September 1 and June 30 and must include a minimum of 194 school days, six (6) of which must be professional development days.

Number of school days 194

Number of Professional Activity Days 6

Labour Day September 7, 2015

First Instructional Day for students September 8, 2015

Thanksgiving Day October 12, 2015

Christmas Break December 21, 2015–January 1, 2016

Start of second semester for secondary schools February 1, 2016

Family Day February 15, 2016

Mid-Winter Break March 14–18, 2016

Good Friday March 25, 2016

Easter Monday March 28, 2016

Victoria Day May 23, 2016

Last day of classes for elementary students June 29, 2016

Calendar information is posted on the board’s website at www.tcdsb.org.

2015-2016 School Year

CONFIRMATION AGE HAS CHANGED

From St. Jude’s Church:

Please note that as of this year, the age of Confirmation has changed to correspond to the age of those in Grade 7. The Archdiocese

has made this change official and we invite parents with children in this grade to stay tuned with parish announcements (church bul-

letin) regarding procedures for this coming year. It is important to know that for 2016, we will have both grade 8 and grade 7 students

celebrating Confirmation during the same year. We are awaiting instructions from the Archdiocese regarding how to proceed and

how Confirmations are to be planned given that we will have double the number only this year. Parents should be contacting the

Church office for any questions, not the school or the teachers, and be sure to get firsthand information.

St. Jude’s Parish

September Message from Your Trustee

Welcome Back! To the many students, staff and families in the Ward 3 community, welcome to the 2015-2016 school year and the celebration of the

Year of the Family as we begin our three year journey focusing on “Together With One Voice: Harmonizing Our Faith through Family, Parish and School.” I hope that you have all had a restful and happy summer holiday. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead. As with any new year, there are challenges and opportunities. The news that negotiations between OCSTA, OECTA and the province that a tentative agreement was reached put an end to any uncertainty for the start of the new school year, and was celebrated by everyone in education—our students, staff and parents. We congratulate all who were involved in those negotiations. There are so many exciting things happening in our school communities, and so many reasons to celebrate as we watch our students excel, with the support of caring and committed staff and loving and nurturing par-ents. I thank you all for your continued commitment to publicly funded Catholic education.

As we move forward together, let us stay focused on excellence so that our parents will continue to choose a Catholic education for their children. Wishing everyone a great and successful year! Sincerely,

Sal Piccininni Trustee, Ward 3

TCDSB Monthly Update

September 2015

TCDSB School Year Calendar 2015-2016 Number of school days 194 Number of Professional Activity Days 6 Labour Day September 7, 2015 First Instructional Day September 8, 2015 Thanksgiving Day October 12, 2015 Christmas Break December 21, 2015–January 1, 2016 Start of 2nd semester for secondary schools February 1, 2016 Family Day February 15, 2016 Mid-Winter Break March 14–18, 2016 Good Friday March 25, 2016 Easter Monday March 28, 2016 Victoria Day May 23, 2016 Last day of classes for elementary students June 29, 2016

Click here for: PA Day and Exam Day by School 2015-2016 Calendar

“Together with One Voice:

Harmonizing Our Faith Through Family, Parish and School”

TCDSB has launched a new three year pastoral plan for 2015 through to 2018. The specific emphasis for 2015-2016 is on the Family. Stay tuned for more detailed information. The poster developed for the new plan, as well as other resources can be found on the board’s website here: https://www.tcdsb.org/TW1V

Parent Engagement

TCDSB values the involvement of parents in the education of their children, and welcomes their participation in the lives of our school communities. Find out how you can get involved as a member of the Toronto OAPCE (Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education), or as a member of Toronto CPIC (Catholic Parent Involvement Committee). At the local level, check out the next meeting of your CSPC (Catholic School Parent Council).

Visit the Parent Portal to get all the latest news and information https://www.tcdsb.org/FORPARENTS/Pages/default.aspx

CPIC elections

Interested in serving as a representative on CPIC? Elections are taking place October 5th and 7th. Get all the details here: https://www.tcdsb.org/FORPARENTS/ParentInvolvement/CPICElections/Pages/Default.aspx

Registration for TCDSB Night School, Saturday Language Programs and eClass Courses starts September 3

rd

Classes will run from September 28th/29th through to January 19th/20th. Specific schedule of dates, time and locations are on the website. EClass Courses start on October 5th and run through until January 20th. Satur-day International Languages classes will begin September 26th and continue through to June 4th. For more information about class locations, course options and details about registration, visit: www.tcdsb.org/continuinged

Elementary International Languages Registration

Enrich your child’s education through International Languages Instruction, Cultural Awareness and a Celebration of Traditions. The program is offered for Elementary-aged children and runs from Saturday September 19, 2015 to Saturday June 11, 2015.

Register online or in-person on Saturday September 19, 2015 at all locations.

https://www.tcdsb.org/IntLang

Learn More about Full-time Programs for Gifted Students

Parents of elementary school children who are gifted, are invited to attend an open house to learn more about the full-time program options in Toronto Catholic District School Board schools Wednesday, Septem-ber 9, 2015, 7:00 p.m. at the Catholic Education Centre, 80 Sheppard Ave. East (Second floor Board-room). Free underground parking is available.

Secondary School Open Houses

All Toronto Catholic District School Board secondary schools welcome grade 8 students and their families to open houses each fall. This is an opportunity to meet some of the staff, check out school facilities and learn more about the various programs, services and activities as you prepare for Catholic secondary school education. Visit the board’s website at https://www.tcdsb.org/school/OpenHouses/Pages/Default.aspx to confirm the dates and times.

Conflict Resolution Resources

The Toronto Catholic District School Board is a Catholic educational community committed to the creation of an environment which fosters mutual respect for the dignity and well-being of all stakeholders including but not limited to students, staff, parents and volunteers and focuses on working towards mutually accepta-ble solutions that are consistent with relevant Board policies.

At the TCDSB, staff work diligently to ensure concerns are addressed in a respectful and professional man-ner that is consistent with the Education Act and all other relevant legislation and Board policies. Members of the TCDSB community are offered a variety of options to ensure their concerns are addressed appropri-ately. Visit the board website for details: https://www.tcdsb.org/FORPARENTS/Pages/Conflict-Resolution-Resources.aspx

In addition, as of September 1, 2015, the Government of Ontario has granted new powers to the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office to investigate complaints against school boards. The Office of the Ontario Ombuds-man now has the responsibility to oversee school boards and address matters brought to its attention by members of the general public. Ombudsman Ontario Brochure

For more information on the role of the Ontario Ombudsman go to: www.ombudsman.on.ca

Some Upcoming Events to Note

September 1, 2015—World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation

(Declared by His Holiness Pope Francis)

September 2, 2015--14th Annual Catholic Education Mass 6 p.m. at St. Paul’s Basilica in Toronto

September 5, 2015—International Day of Charity

September 21, 2015—International Day of Peace

October 5, 2015—World Teachers’ Day

October 7, 2015—Rosary Day

October 7, 2015—ACCTS—A Catholic Call To Serve

Don’t Miss Out On Important news and Information

Follow us on Twitter @TCDSB

Or subscribe to our free digital Newsletter delivered straight to your email 1-3 times per week. https://www.tcdsb.org/ENews

You are also encouraged to visit our website often: www.tcdsb.org to get more information.