ST. ANSELM CATHOLIC SCHOOL

182 Bessborough Drive, Toronto, Ontario,

M4G 4H5

TEL: (416) 393-5243 FAX: (416) 397-6320

Website: www.tcdsb.org/stanselm

@stanselm_cs

NOVEMBER 2014

Principal Mr. R. Walo

Administrative Support Staff Mrs. C. Bright Mrs. J. Fraser

Superintendent

Mr. J. Shanahan (416) 222-8282 ext.5371

Trustee

Angela Kennedy (416) 512-3411

CSAC Chair Mr. L. Corkery

Email: lencorkery@rogers.com

Parishes

St. Anselm Catholic School 1 MacNaughton Road

(416) 485-1792

Pastor: Msgr.. M. Laurencic

St. Edith Stein Catholic Church

16 Thorncliffe Pk. Drive (416) 696-8427

School Hours

2014-2015 8:30 to 3:00 p.m.

AM Recess: 10:15 a.m.

Lunch Hour: 11:15 – 12:15 PM Recess: 1:40 p.m.

PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

During the month of November, we will be celebrating the virtue of Peace at

St. Anselm. In John's Gospel, Jesus reminds us, ― Peace I leave to you, my peace I

give to you. Each time that we gather together as a community of believers, we

extend our peace toward one another. Throughout the Month of November, we

will be acknowledging students who demonstrate acts of peace around the

school. Some of the ways students may display this include: instilling peace in

others, staying level-headed under pressure, generously forgiving others and

promoting and practicing conflict resolution.

As you will notice in November's Curriculum Highlights, the teachers at St. An-

selm have a number of meaningful activities planned for students to help them

gain a deeper understanding of peace, as well as, the sacrifices made by our Ca-

nadian soldiers. In addition to the important activities planned throughout No-

vember, we have a very special Remembrance Day service at St. Anselm Parish

on November 11th, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Corporal Nespolo (Grade 6/7

Teacher) along with members from the Governor Generals Horse Guards Band,

will be leading our ceremony. The theme will be “Highway of Heroes” and will

commemorate all fallen soldiers, and in particular, the 158 soldiers who died in

the Afghanistan War. Mr. Bob Reid, songwriter and composer will sing his

acclaimed song, “Highway of Heroes” at the service. The service will begin

with a tribute to the fallen soldiers through a multi-media presentation, singing

of the National Anthem, Gospel reading and in-depth soldier biographies. To

conclude the morning’s ceremony, a group of students will be involved in a procession

around the neighborhood, carrying photos of the 158 soldiers which will then be

placed in front of the school for the community to pay their respect. All parents are

invited to join us as we stand together to support Canadian troops!

November also marks the time when parents will receive a Progress Report from

their child's teacher. The intent of the Fall Progress Report is to facilitate better

communication among parents, teachers, and students about student progress to

date. The recommendations made in the report encourages students to set goals,

assists parents in supporting learning at home and helps teachers establish plans

for teaching. As you will notice, the Progress Report Card places a strong empha-

sis on the development of students' learning skills and work habits. We look for-

ward to further discussing your child's progress on November 13th and 14th during

parent-teacher interviews.

I wish everyone a very peaceful month,

R. Walo

VIRTUE OF THE MONTH:

PEACEMAKING

TRAFFIC SAFETY Traffic in front of the school at drop off

and dismissal continues to be a concern to

many families. The CSAC has formed a

Safe Schools, Sub-Committee to explore

possible ways to increase student safety.

We will be exploring the Parent Safety Program, also

known as ‘Kiss and Ride’.

The PSP is a program that a school sets up together with

the Toronto Police. They are instrumental in regards to the

modus operandi and the best location for the drop off.

They also train the volunteers, come to the initial PSP as-

sembly, advise the school in how to best communicate to

parents the importance of safe driving, and the dangers of

unsafe habits at the drop off. If you would like to provide

input or have any questions or concerns, please contact

Mrs. Martine at christianamartine@gmail.com.

REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE All are invited to join us as we cele-

brate and honor all of the soldiers

who have dedicated their lives for

us. The focus of this year’s very

special ceremony will be on ‘Highway of Heroes’. Cor-

poral Nespolo (Grade 6/7 Teacher), along with other

members from the Lieutenant Governors Queens Horse

Guards Band will be leading the ceremony.

The service will be held at St. Anselm Parish and will

begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. All parents and community

members are welcome to join us in acknowledging the

courageous women and men who protect Canada, Canadi-

an interests and values, while contributing to international

peace and security. This year’s event will be featured in

The Catholic Register and other local news outlets.

PROGRESS REPORT CARDS The Fall Progress Report Card will be distrib-

uted to students on Tuesday, November 11th.

Please sign and return the Report Card enve-

lope provided to indicate that you have seen your child's

Progress Report Card. Parents will keep the photocopy of

the report and the original copy is placed in your child’s OSR.

PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS Interview forms have been sent home with students who are either the ‘Youngest or Only’ in their families. Teach-ers will coordinate with their colleagues to accommodate the requests from each family. Please contact the office if you have to cancel your interview time.

SCHOOL BOUNDARY UPDATE On Friday, October 24th, Trustee Kennedy

informed the Board that the St. Anselm

School would like to formally request a

comprehensive boundary review.

On Wednesday, November 5th, Len Corkery, CSAC chair,

will be the St. Anselm delegate responsible for presenting

concerns regarding the school boundary to the Board and

Trustees. If you have any questions or would like to pro-

vide input, please contact Mr. Corkery at lencork-

ery@rogers.com. A copy of the delegation letter, along

with the minutes from the October 16th CSAC meeting will

be sent electronically to all families.

TECHNOLOGY UPDATE A special thank you to CSAC for covering the

costs associated with our new Bluetooth Speak-

ers. Each class is now equipped with these

speakers and will enhance multi-media presenta-

tions conducted in the classroom. During the

week of November 3rd -7th, the TCDSB Technical Services

Department will be rolling out the first phase of iPad minis

at the school. We will have an additional 20 iPad minis for

student use, in addition to the 20 iPads that are currently

being used. Shortly thereafter, the mini laptops will be de-

livered to the school.

LITTLE RED THEATRE PRODUCTION CO. On Friday, November 7th we are pleased to

welcome The Little Red Theatre Production

Company, for the production of the

‘Nightingale’. This is the first of 3 perfor-

mances for students in the Primary and Jun-

ior Division. The Nightingale is based on a centuries old

classic traditional tale from China, called “The Emperor

and the Nightingale” where an emperor learns about the

nature of friendships and the fragility of life when he cap-

tures a beautiful nightingale. The show is geared toward

students in Kindergarten to Grade Five. Theatrical perfor-

mances for students in Grade 6-8, are planned for students

later in the school year.

ACORN CHRISTMAS CARDS On Friday, October 31st, parents received an order form and

information package from Acorn Cards. This is a volun-

tary program for parents wishing to make custom cards for

special events. A portion of the proceeds are given back to

the school and will be used to fund various initiatives at St.

Anselm. Order forms are due on Friday, November 7th.

St. Anselm PAGE 2

CURRICULUM HIGLIGHTS

MRS. PAIANO AND MS. KHALA’S FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN CLASS October was an exciting month for our kinder children. Regarding our inquiry based activity on struc-

tures; the children were engaged in making their very own structures with the use of marshmallows

and toothpicks, cups and various size boxes. Mr. Richard Hawa, a graduate engineer from an Ontario

University came to talk to us and brought in his very own Robot. We also had the pleasure of a Scien-

tist in School classroom visit by the Scientist in the School who engaged the children by creating their

own fossils. Not to mention our weekly nature walks, monthly trip to the Leaside Library, and our visit to Leaside Fire

Hall. The children were also involved in many math activities dealing with identifying and extending patterns and sort-

ing various natural and non-natural materials in the classroom. In language, the children continued learning the letter

sounds I, P and N and exploring _an, and _ip word families. We are also fortunate to have our grade 8 reading buddies

come to us every Monday morning to read to the children. We are thankful for all of our parent volunteers who continue

to help and support us!

In November we will be Skyping with Mrs. Whyte’s class. We will continue our weekly nature walks and monthly trip

to Leaside Library for books, book exchange, and a video. This month we will begin learning about measuring and

comparing the length of objects. The children will learn simple terms such as, shorter, longer and about the same. We

will investigate spatial relationships using positional terms such as, top, bottom, above, and below. Finally, in math, stu-

dents will recognize and describe patterns of numerals of 5. In language, the children will be learning the letter sounds

C/K, E, H, R. We will explore the word families _am, _ad, _op, and the sight words is, it, am, an. We are looking for-

ward to our Remembrance Day mass where the children will be singing O-Canada. Finally, we will be sending home

permission forms for our trip to Springridge Farm for the beginning of December. The children will surely enjoy mak-

ing ginger bread cookies with the staff at Springridge and visiting the animals. We welcome parent volunteers to join us

on our trip!

MRS. WHYTE AND MRS. LAVALLE’S FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN CLASS

In October, we enjoyed Thanksgiving and Halloween crafts, games and SMARTBoard activities with

our Kinder friends! We Skyped with author Howard Binkow and danced and watched his stories un-

fold on his website www.wedolisten.org. We enjoyed our monthly visit to Leaside Library for a book

exchange, and a movie! The Scientist came on the 16th and we learned about many scientific disci-

plines! We contacted Peel outdoor educator @RangerRob who helped us identify a tree at Fr. Caulfield Park as a North-

ern Catalpa. We made patterns by clapping, stomping, and arranging natural and manmade objects. We learned more

letters sounds (I,P,N,C,K,E), “the Popcorn word song” (a song using high frequency words that pop up frequently), and

word families. Students are becoming increasingly independent and now EVERYONE can put on their own coat (so

please encourage them to do “the flip” at home). Students can INDEPENDENTLY read the Morning Message (it con-

tains about 23 words, most of which are high frequency words, that the students see every day, called predictable print).

In November, the virtue of the month is Peace. Please join us for our special Remembrance Day Ceremony at St. An-

selm Church on the 11th. We also look forward to Advent beginning on November 30th, and preparing for Christmas. In

Math, we will continue to sort natural and manmade objects in a variety of ways (colour, shape, and size), and we will

provide students with provocations/invitations to measure objects (length, mass and capacity). We will continue to read

as a whole class, in small groups, and one-on-one, and write daily (printing alphabet letters, write about our wonders/

inquiries, practice new vocabulary and popcorn words), We will learn/review the sounds for H, R, M, D, and the –am, -

ad, and –op word families. We will be participating in Kindergarten Around the World 2014-2015, connecting Kinder-

garten classes everywhere via Twitter and Skype/Facetime. A class from Houston, Texas, has contacted us and we will

Facetime with them and use this opportunity to read, write, and practice our oral language skills to compare our Kinder-

garten experiences with our new virtual friends. We will go to Leaside Library on Tuesday, November 4th (12:30 p.m.)

and for our nature walks on the 6th, 13th, and 27th (8:50 a.m.). Students want to make LEGO movies (using 2 iPad apps,

and help from our reading buddies), and we are hoping to connect with classes/teachers/parents to help us with our

bridges and volcano inquiries. It should be another WONDERful month!

St. Anselm PAGE 3

MRS. TERRANA’S SENIOR KINDERGARTEN/GRADE 1 CLASS November has arrived and like always, it is a busy time in the SK/1 classroom. We are celebrating

the virtue of Peacemaking this month and learning what it means to be a peace maker. On November

11, the school will have a Remembrance Day ceremony involving all the St. Anselm students - all

parents are invited!

In Language, the Senior Kindergartens will continue with their letter sounds (c,k,e.h,r) and working

on the “in” word family. The grade one students focus on their Word Wall Work and begin to create sentences with the

words of the week. The entire class is enjoying journal writing on a weekly basis.

The class is finishing up on our Bones Inquiry, looking closely at the human skeleton. The students are constantly ask-

ing questions. We can not wait for the next inquiry. I wonder what we will think of next? We will be visiting the

Leaside Library this month. The students look forward to walking over to the library with their grade four reading bud-

dies in Mr. Wilson’s class. The grade four students have been amazing role models for the class. All the students look

forward to Fridays when they get to sit down, choose a book and read.

On Friday, November 7, we will be visiting the Fire Station at 9:30 a.m. We will be walking over with our parent volun-

teers and bringing the firefighters a healthy snack since their kitchen is under renovation. Our trip is a wonderful intro-

duction to our upcoming Social Studies unit. We would like to welcome Mr. Mongillo to our classroom. He is a teacher

candidate from Niagara University. He will be with us right up until the Christmas break. He is already a lovely addition

to our school community. We wish him the best of luck during his time here.

MRS. MESSNER’S GRADE 1 CLASS In November the virtue of the month we will be celebrating is peace making. In Religion we will

be learning about relationships and families, also We Hear the Story of God Through Jesus. We

will continue to explore the season of fall. In Language Arts the students will continue to partici-

pate in the daily 5 activities, shared and interactive reading and writing and our weekly word study.

We will be doing a walking trip to the Leaside library with our reading buddies from Mrs. Ange-

lone’s grade 5/6 class on Friday, November 7th. In Math we will be finishing up our unit on numeracy skills and then

we will be focusing on Data Management, through the use of tally charts, bar graphs, picture graphs, games and various

activities. We will also be starting our introduction to Addition and Subtraction. In Social Studies we will continue to

explore and learn about our local community.

MISS MC LOUGHLIN’S GRADE ONE/TWO CLASS Our introduction to Peace, the virtue of the month for November, begins with the Feast of All Saints

on November 1st. The saints were ordinary people who loved Jesus and tried to be like Him.

Through Religion, Family Life, Reading, Writing, and Visual Arts activities the students will explore

ways that a Grade one or two student can be a peacemaker . Our mantra will be, “What would Jesus

do?” We will remember and learn from the sacrifices made by Canadian veterans.

In Mathematics, my grade one and two students recently completed their Data Management units. . In November we

will focus on addition and subtraction strategies and linear measurement. In Social Studies, we are exploring commu-

nities in Toronto and around the world and learning how these communities meet common needs. Our Science units,

Living Things (grade 1) and All About Animals (grade 2) will continue through the month of November and will cul-

minate in small projects. As the winter chill takes hold, students are reminded to have indoor shoes for the classroom

and should dress for the colder weather.

St. Anselm PAGE 4

MS. MCMAHON’S GRADE 2/3 CLASS The change in season has become the perfect backdrop for Ms. McMahon’s inquiry-based writing in Sci-

ence concerning hibernation as well as both human and animal responses to the drop in temperature

and weather change on flora and fauna. With a veritable cornucopia of autumn connections, we’ve been

tapping into the arts with creative writing, including sensory and acrostic poetry as well as penning scary

stories and performing dramatic choral readings. In Social Studies we’ve been exploring the levels of com-

munity – from local neighbourhood and city to country and continent. Events in the daily news have helped

us put another real-life connection to Data Management. We’ve been examining how electing a new mayor is like a

large-scale survey question and the collected votes are the data.

On a sad note, the death of Corporal Nathan Cirillo reminds us of the sacrifice and bravery of many who have gone be-

fore him in two world wars and several other major conflicts where Canadians have helped bring peace to communities

and nations halfway round the world. With November’s Virtue of Peace, we will examine the famous poem In Flanders

Fields by John McCrae, a Canadian physician who tended to our soldiers in the First World War. We will create our

own posters and prayers of peace, commemorating what brave soldiers and regular citizens have endured to secure our

rights and freedoms. In Religion we will take a closer look at some of the lives of the saints, particularly Mother Teresa,

John Paul II and St. Francis of Assisi who was immortalized with the wondrous words of his own prayer which begins:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace…

MRS. CONNALLY’S GRADE 3 CLASS The spooky fun of Hallowe’en now over, Mrs. Connally’s class will begin a unit on peace in November.

We will recite poetry, read stories of service and sacrifice as well as create beautiful posters. If you have

the time, join us on November 11th when we take “a pittance of time” to recognize and celebrate brave

Canadian men and women who fought for us.

Extra practice in reading comprehension can be found on Raz-kids. Please allow your child to use this website once or

twice each week. We will learn and write paragraphs about saints in Religion and explore the theme ‘Living in Relation-

ship’ in Family Life. In Science, we will complete our study of Forces and embark on a unit about Stability. This unit

entails building so don’t be surprised if your child raids your blue bin for materials.

In Math, we will be learning about data management. We will write good survey questions, tally data, draw graphs and

interpret results. We will continue to focus on problem solving, paying specific attention to understanding the question

and determining a plan to solve. Your child can make frequent use of the website IXL.com to practice what we are

learning at home.

MR. CHITTICK’S GRADE 3 CLASS Where did October go? We had planned many things, but did not quite meet all the goals we had set

out for ourselves. However, we will somehow get caught up and do the things we did not get a chance

to do. The first few days of November will be spent reading stories and articles about the dedication of

our Canadian soldiers, past and present, and even about the animals who served their country during

WWI and WWII. Part of this unit of study involves writing a postcard to a veteran to say thank you for

their contribution to freedom and peace and to write an acrostic peace poem.

In Mathematics, students will study the unit Data Management and then work toward the unit Addition and Subtraction.

We will continue to work hard on learning how to read and understand a problem and determine a plan to solve a prob-

lem. In Science, we will continue our study of Forces and Movement with a plan to transition into the unit on Stability

by mid-November. Students will enjoy some of the challenges associated with Stability, especially the building of pa-

per structures that can withstand various forces. We are also planning to join Mrs. Connally’s class for a walk around

Leaside to observe various structures within the community. Sentence and paragraph construction will continue to be a

focus in Language and word studies this month. Students have been working hard to learn the four types of sentences

and to use them in their writing. Last, but not least, we will learn cursive writing soon. Onward to Christmas!

St. Anselm PAGE 5

MRS. HOLDEN’S GRADE 4 CLASS Hard to believe that we’re approaching November, but the cool temperatures remind us that winter is not

far off! In Religion, we will be reflecting on the virtue of Peace starting with Jesus as a peacemaker. We

will be keeping a Memorial Book in the Class to remind us of people in our lives who have passed away.

While reading about the importance of peace through the story “Sakado and the 1000 Paper Cranes”, we

will focus on the Reading Strategy of “Making Connections”. We will also read and write reflections

about Canadians who fought for Peace and Freedom through the First and Second World Wars. Students

will participate in the Annual Legion Poster Contest and their art will reflect Canada’s contributions towards Peace.

This will lend itself to our study of Canada’s physical/political regions in Social Studies.

In Mathematics, the grade 4s will be working on Data Management and Addition and Subtraction.

MR. WILSON’S GRADE 4 CLASS Hi Everybody! Happy Hallowe’en! Hope all is well! Our trip to Edward’s Gardens was a wonder!

The weatherman decided to co-operate and sent us some glorious sunshine and scrumptious temper-

atures. We strolled the grounds, learned lots about habitats and communities, played “habitat”

games, lunched together and enjoyed each others’ company throughout. Thank you to all the volun-

teers who came along and kept Mr. Wilson focused and “on track.”

Curriculum-wise, in Math, we are busy navigating the dizzying maze that is Patterns and Algebra. In Science, we have

completed our study of Habitats and Communities, and are now investigating the “up-lifting” world of Pulleys and

Gears. In Social Studies, we continue to explore the many facets of Canada. Last, but not least, we have spent much

time unravelling the marvelous mystery that is Jesus Christ; his beautiful example of love and kindness that inspire us

all to be more like Him! As always….God Bless!

MISS AUGUSTYNEK’S GRADE 5 CLASS As we make our way through the Data Management unit we are learning how to collect, graph, manipu-

late and interpret data presented in charts and graphs. We have been preparing for our future units each

day by completing Minute Math activities on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

The class did exceptionally well on the first Science unit and absolutely loved having the Scientist in the

School program come in and do some exciting experiments. After participating in our very own Student Vote for the

Municipal elections we have been very eager to start our Social Studies unit on the Role of Government and Responsi-

ble Citizenship. We are getting ready for our Remembrance Day ceremony to pay tribute to all of Canada's fallen sol-

diers. Corporal Nathan Cirillo, Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and their families are in our thoughts and prayers.

MRS. ANGELONE’S GRADE 5/6 CLASS November is shaping up to be another busy month for our class. In Math, the grade six students have

just completed Chapter Three: Data Management and will now be learning about Addition and Sub-

traction in Chapter Four. Students will be learning how to use mental math and pencil and paper to

add and subtract whole and decimal numbers.

As well, grade six students have begun their Social Studies Unit: Canada’s Interactions with the Global Community.

Students will learn the importance of international cooperation in addressing global issues and evaluate the effectiveness

of Canada in the international arena.

In Language, our class has finished reading the novel “Run” written by Eric Walters. Students enjoyed this realistic

fiction novel that focused on the themes hope, determination, and friendship. Now students will read a variety of fiction

and non-fiction texts that centre on the theme of peace. Students will continue to focus on determining the important

ideas and making connections.

St. Anselm PAGE 6

MR. NESPOLO’S GRADE 6/7 CLASS Halloween has come and passed with the wonderful display of costumes. With pumpkin patches wither-

ing and apples for picking we parade ahead into November. This month is symbolic for Remembrance

Day and our recognition of all the sacrifices made by our Canadian men and women. The grade 6 and 7

class will have the honour and pleasure of hosting and preparing for this year’s Remembrance Day Cere-

mony on November 11th at St. Anselm Church.

In Language the grade 6s and 7s will be working on their writing and reading strategies. In Writing, we will be continu-

ing to write our expository reports with a link to Science. The grade 6s are focusing on Electricity and the grade 7’s on

Eco-systems. Next, we will be starting to look at parts of a friendly letter as the students write letters to veterans and

soldiers. In Reading, we will continue to use the strategy of determining important ideas and using supporting details.

In Math, the grade 6s have finished chapter 3, Data Management and are beginning chapter 4, Addition and Subtraction

in the math strand of Number Sense and Numeration. The focus will be on using strategies for whole numbers. The

grade 7s will continue to go to Ms. Gundy for Math. “Lord, bid war's trumpet cease; Fold the whole earth in peace” -

Oliver Wendell Holmes

MRS. GUNDY’S GRADE 7/8 CLASS The students in room 302 have been working hard over the month of October. One area was the effort

the grade 7 students put into their ecosystems. The time and energy they dedicated to their ecosystems

was a rewarding classroom experience. Parents are reminded to check the class website;

www.edmodo.com for updates on homework. Students are also encouraged to check when absent for

missed work.

This month the grade 7s will again be covering two chapters in math. We will be studying patterns and relationships in

chapter 4. This chapter recognizes patterns using variables. Towards the end of the month, the students will turn their

attention to 2-D geometry and calculating the formulas for triangles and trapezoids. In history, we continue to study the

society of New France, as well as the issue of security in the colony surrounding the Seven Years’ War. We will wrap

up our unit on interactions in the environment in science and turn our attention to heat by month’s end, just in time for

those cooler winter months.

The grade 8s in both classes will be focusing on two math chapters this month. At the start of the month, we will begin

studying patterns and relationships (variables) which I am sure the students will be thrilled about. Toward the end of

November, we should begin our unit on measurement, studying the measurement and diameter of circles. At the end of

the month, the intermediate division will be travelling to Markham for a performance of Puss In Boots. Stay tuned for

details.

MS. SUMA’S CLASS The month of November will consist of art activities and readings for Remembrance Day. We are fo-

cusing on peace making and understanding the symbols that represent this special day. The students

will be reviewing kitchen safety as well as road safety. These safety elements will be reviewed before

our community walks. The students will be working on restating their address and being able to recite

emergency numbers such as their home number etc. During our functional literacy period we will focus

on patterning and money. The students will be able to create, extend and describe shape, colour and

number patterns. They will recognize the coins used to purchase items and be able to state their value.

The students will be using this knowledge when purchasing items for our monthly cooking class. For functional literacy

we will continue on characters, setting, and retelling the beginning middle and end of a story using their own words. Our

yoga sessions will continue on Fridays as well as visiting the library on Wednesdays every other week. Please take time

to review the website if you want to know more about upcoming events and classroom reminders. http://

sumaclassroom.blogspot.ca/

St. Anselm PAGE 7

MISS KORCZYNSKI’S GRADE 8 CLASS Welcome to November! Here are some highlights for what to expect in our classroom this up-

coming month. In Language, we are going to continue our unit of study on texts from diverse

cultures by reading “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In Geography, students

will be investigating issues related to the interrelationship between human settlement and sus-

tainability from a geographic perspective, as well as analyzing trends related to human settle-

ment and its effects on the environment.

In Science, we will be finishing our unit on cells, tissues, organs, and body systems, by focusing on the differences be-

tween unicellular and multicellular organisms, as well as the various combinations of cells that make up tissues and or-

gans in the body. In Drama, our students will also be attending a musical performance of "Puss in Boots" at the Mark-

ham Theatre, in conjunction with our study of playwriting and role-plays.

In addition to our Fully Alive studies, we are very excited to begin our Roots of Empathy program this month! In this

program, students will be examining a baby's development from a neighbourhood parent by meeting with them once

every three weeks; the goal is to raise social and emotional competence, along with increasing empathy, within the

hearts and minds of our students to make them more understanding towards each other in the classroom, and towards

members of the community. For Ms. Gundy’s Gr. 7 Language class the focus will be on persuasive writing. A special

thank you goes out to the 7s and 8s of the Me to We Team, along with Student Council, for all the time and effort in-

vested into our Free the Children "Goat" campaign, and the Halloween Dance!

MRS. BLANCHET’S LEARNING CENTER What an amazing month! October was Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. Did you know that

in every class of 25-30, there are 2 or 3 students with Learning Disabilities (LD), according to statis-

tics. Individuals with an LD CAN be successful with appropriate accommodations and, interventions

such as extra time, use of technology, quiet space etc.

In The Learning Centre, we recognize that everyone learns differently and we learn to use our

strengths to help find new pathways to achieve our curriculum, social and emotional goals. This

month we will be learning about Data and Algebra in the intermediate divisions, and in the Junior division, we will be

working on animal projects and Numeration. All across the grades, we will be exploring the themes of Remembrance

and Peacemaking.

Every month, we are constantly upgrading our technical skills, using assistive technology on the laptops and IPads, such

as Word Q, Kurzweil, Prizma, Notability and Word Wizard. Why not try these apps at home? At TLC we are very ex-

cited to be supporting the students of our school. The TLC is the place to be!

MS. LONTOS’ VOCAL MUSIC/ESL CLASSES The virtue for the month of November is Peacemaking and we will put an emphasis on that virtue

in both Music and ESL classes. All grade levels will focus on pitch with clear unison singing. Stu-

dents will listen to a variety of music to identify parts of a song, dynamics, tempo and instruments

being played.

Students will continue to perform rhythms using ta, titi, and rest and read simple rhythmic notation.

Listening component will be also a focus for all grade levels at this time. All grades will work on Remembrance Day

songs.

St. Anselm PAGE 8

MISS NAPOLI’S FRENCH CLASSES October was a busy month for us in French as we learned about and celebrated both « L'action

de grâce » (Thanksgiving) and l'Halloween! During our unit on Thanksgiving en français, we

learned how to express gratitude for our families, our friends and our food in both the present

and future verb tenses. This inquiry allowed students to discover many new French words and

expand their vocabularies of people and things in our lives that we are thankful for.

As we approach the month of November and shift our emphasis towards peacemaking, students

will take part in a study of « Le jour du souvenir » (Remembrance Day). We will honour the

men and women who served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace in a variety of classroom activities, in-

cluding French-speaking Canadians who served in the Second World War. We will also focus on creating open dia-

logues in French to help foster a culture of peacemaking at St. Anselm.

MRS. SHEA’S FRENCH AND HEALTH CLASSES In French, students in Grades five to eight have discovered that there are several advantages to know-

ing how to speak, read and write in French. The advantages range from being able to speak French to

a francophone person, having an enjoyable life experience in places like New Brunswick or Tahiti, to

having access to increased employment opportunities.

The students are encouraged to increase their vocabulary and perfect their use of grammar conventions as they gather

details of their personal characteristics and present themselves in French to the teacher and their peers. In fact, their

work will conclude with a Who am I gallery walk called Qui suis-je? in November.

Students in Grade 4 have demonstrated increased speaking ability in the French language. They show success in oral

communication not only within their lessons, in either the family unit or the weather unit, but especially within the occa-

sional quick question/answer first five minutes of class. Well done to all the students in Grade four.

In Health class, students are investigating the benefits of healthy eating, making healthy food choices, and smart shop-

ping of healthy foods using grocery flyers. The information gathered is collected in a scrapbook.

MR. MARCHETTA’S PHYS ED AND HEALTH CLASSES During the last month students have continued to be introduced to a variety of physical activities.

Students are showing an appreciation and recognizing the importance of physical activity. In the

primary division we have been participating in activities which include a variety of movements

and travelling in different directions while becoming aware of people and equipment.

In both the primary and junior divisions we have begun net/wall activities. Students have begun to learn about sending

and receiving objects.

The skills we learn in net/wall activities will be transferable to sports such as volleyball, tennis, and badminton to name

a few. By learning these skills, students will be confident to engage in physical activities later on in life.

St. Anselm PAGE 9

BULLYING AWARENESS/INTERVENTION During the week of November 17-21,

schools in Ontario will be participating in

Bullying Awareness initiatives. On Wednes-

day, November 19th, the St. Anselm Safe

School Team (consisting of 1 parent, 1 teach-

er, 2 students and the Principal) will be attending the Safe

Schools Symposium at Montecassino Banquet Hall. This

full day symposium is designed to raise awareness about

the problem of bullying, and the need for inclusiveness in

schools. Strategies delivered will assist our team in de-

veloping our Bullying Awareness and Intervention Plan.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

The Toronto Catholic District School Board has a prima-

ry responsibility to ensure the safety of students and staff

inside Board buildings and on Board property. Every

school in the Board has been provided with a procedural

guide that provides direct support to school administra-

tors to prevent a threat to school safety. Shelter in Place,

Hold and Secure and Lockdown represent the responses

that should be initiated by the Principal in cases of threats

to school safety. An explanation of each is provided:

1) Shelter in Place - Possible Environmental Danger in

the School Neighborhood. This response is generally initi-

ated by the Toronto Police Service or their agencies, in-

cluding Toronto Fire Services, having jurisdiction over

the incident. The threat poses no immediate danger to stu-

dents or staff unless they leave the building.

2) Hold and Secure - Possible Danger in the School

Neighborhood. This response is initiated when the threat

is proximate to, but not close to the building. The threat

poses no immediate danger to students or staff as they

leave the building. Staff remain on high alert.

3) Lockdown - Danger on School Site. This response is

initiated when imminent danger is present on the school

ground and the safety of students and staff is threatened.

Should a real threat to school safety procedure be initiated,

the school will inform parents of the event that led to the

particular response by letter or phone.

We regularly practice our Emergency Response Procedures

throughout the year in order to prepare for an actual emer-

gency. Please Note: Exit/entry doors are locked from 8:30 -

3:00 p.m. and all visitors must be buzzed' in through the

front door by the administrative staff. We thank everyone

for their support in keeping our students safe at all times.

Our first Lockdown practice is scheduled for Thursday,

November 6th at 1:00 p.m.

HEALTH UPDATE—EBOLA In response to Ebola concerns, staff from

the Board’s Occupational Health and

Safety Department and Facilities Depart-

ment have been reviewing and auditing

school cleaning, disinfection and infection control measures

since Sept 2014. Staff and students are reminded to wash

their hands frequently and cough into their sleeve. Staff are

also working closely with Toronto Public Health on monitor-

ing school absenteeism. The Board has posted resource ma-

terial from the medical authorities on Ebola. http://

www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/HealthandSafety/Pages/

Default.aspx

Parents are reminded to contact the school office if your child

is returning from West Africa or any other location affected

by the Ebola crisis.

IT’S FLU SEASON Toronto Public Health Tips for Avoiding

the Spread of Flu and Other Viruses:

Get your flu shot

Wash your hands often

Cover your cough/sneeze

Do the knuckle bump instead of shaking

hands

Stay home if you are sick

SPECIAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY

RESOURCE FAIR Helping parents of children with special needs link with re-

sources within the TCDSB and the community. Dr. John

Mighton is this year’s Keynote speaker. The fair will take

place on Saturday, November 8th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the

Catholic Education Centre. For more information visit:

http://www.tcdsb.org/pages/education-and-community-

resources-fair-2014.aspx

LIBRARY UPDATE The TCDSB Facilities Department recently conducted a site

visit to determine the scope of work involved in building a

temporary wall in the library. The wall is sound-proof and

will be used to create a new Grade 6/7 classroom. We have

been informed that the work would begin at the end of No-

vember and would be completed over the weekend to avoid

disrupting the classroom. The new Learning Commons will

be open for book exchange beginning in December and will

be well worth the wait!

LUNCH DROP-OFF Parents who drop off their child’s lunch, please leave it in

front of the office with your child’s name affixed to it.

St. Anselm PAGE 10

St. Anselm PAGE 11

TRUSTEES 2014 – 2015

Wards

1. Peter Jakovcic 5. Maria Rizzo 9. Jo-Ann Davis, Chair 2. Ann Andrachuk 6. Frank D‘Amico 10. Barbara Poplawski 3. Sal Piccininni 7. John Del Grande 11. Angela Kennedy 4. Patrizia Bottoni 8. Garry Tanuan 12. Nancy Crawford, Vice-Chair Christopher MacDonald, Student Trustee Hannah McGroarty, Student Trustee

Angela Gauthier, Director of Education 80 Sheppard Ave. E., Toronto, ON ∙ Website: www.tcdsb.org

SCHOOL LEARNING IMPROVEMENT PLAN The primary focus of School Improvement during the 2014- 2015 school year, will be on improving our results in Mathematics. Our goal is to have at least 80% of our stu-dents in Grade 1-8 achieve a Level 3 or 4

(A or B) in Mathematics by the end of the school year.

We are also exploring the ‘Assets Development’ framework

as a means of enhancing student leadership. A number of

TCDSB schools have launched this program and have seen

tremendous gains in their school communities. A special

thank you to Mrs. Connally who will be leading this program

at St. Anselm. More information will be forthcoming.

DRESS DOWN FOR CHARITY In October, monies raised on our October

31st Dress Down day went toward the Free

the Children ‘Goat Campaign’. For every

$50 raised, we were able to providing a fami-

ly in a developing country a new goat. Thank

you for your generosity in raising almost $500 or providing

10 families with a goat to live off. In November, proceeds

from our Dress Down Day will go to our Foster Children

program through Plan Canada. For further information,

please visit: http://plancanada.ca/

SUBWAY LUNCH PROGRAM Please be advised that orders will still be

accepted for Subway Lunch. If interested in

placing an order, please pick up an order

form from the office.

STAFFING UPDATE A warm welcome to Ms. D’Souza who will

be teaching at St. Anselm for half a day on

Thursday mornings! It is great to have Ms.

D’Souza back at St. Anselm!

VIRTUE OF THE MONTH WINNERS In our efforts to apply Catholic Social Teachings to all that we

do, we focus on highlighting a Monthly Virtue. Activities are

planned in the classroom and school to heighten awareness of

the Theological Virtue and how we can practice our Gospel

Values in our daily lives.

In October, students were recognized for showing Gratitude

toward others. Congratulations to the following students who

were chosen by their teacher and/or classmates for demon-

strating this virtue: Manuela R, Daniel W, Justin B, Char-

lotte D, Victoria K, Noah M, Maddie C, Christian C, Marcus

C, Madeline W, Jose C, Gray G, Abigail W, Christian M,

Sydney M, Faith V, David G, Phoebe B, Jack K, Martina D-

V, Noelle T, Angelo G, Sean S, Sydney F, Nick S, Jonathan

L, Joe M, Sydney M, Jonathan P, Xandreine Q, Gelsi S.

SKYPE CLUB This month, our Grade 6 and 7 students Skyped

with a Grade 7 Class in Hall Beach, Nunavut,

during our lunch break on October 23rd, in the

library. Ms. D’Sousa, Mr. Nespolo, and Mrs. Whyte facilitat-

ed the Skype where students asked each other about the

weather (it’s already -22 degrees Celsius there, with snow on

the ground), favourite sports, singers, songs, and what they

liked to do for fun. They taught us how to say “Hello” in

Inuktitut (Ainngai), and we taught them “Bonjour”. A high-

light of the Skype was when they told us that they had indoor

recess earlier in the week because a polar bear was in the

schoolyard!

On November 6th, our Junior/Intermediate Club will partici-

pate in a Mystery Number Skype with a Grade 7 class in

Dublin from 8:00-8:15 a.m. in Mrs. Whyte/Miss Lavelle’s

Class. Also this month, the Primary Skype Club will Skype

with science teacher Jean Pennycook in Antarctica, as she

observes Adelie penguins. Follow us on Twitter at 2:15 p.m.

on the 17th #AdeliePenguins!