2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

Principal’s Message of Thanksgiving

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Mark 4:30-32 Finally, Jesus said: What is God’s kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to nest in. How can our own good deeds grow like the mustard seed? Can we show Thanksgiving in our lives by helping others less fortunate like St. Francis of Assisi did? Did you ever send thanksgiving notes to others? Did you ever say thank you to others? We should also tell God thank you for all that he has done for us. How can we do this? What are some of the things for which we can thank God? Make a list of ten people you need to be thankful for. Do something for each one of them this month. Draw your own mustard tree and draw a new leaf on your tree each time you do a good deed for them. Your thanksgiving can grow large like the mustard tree!

As a school community, we are grateful for the bountiful goodness we witness and receive at St. Leo Catholic School. Our courteous students, dedicated teachers, resourceful parents and supportive parish priests, ALL contribute to an exceptional school community. We truly have much for which to be grateful. On behalf of our staff, I extend to you and your families, our sincere wishes for a happy and blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ugrin Thanksgiving Prayer During this Thanksgiving let those of us who have so much and those who have little gather at the welcoming table of the Lord. At this blessed feast, may rich and poor alike remember that we are called to serve one another and to walk together in God’s gracious world. With thankful hearts we praise our God who like a loving parent denies us no good thing. We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen

ST. LEO CATHOLIC SCHOOL

165 Stanley Avenue, Toronto, ON. M8V1P1

Telephone: 416-393-5333 Fax: 416-393-5071

Lillian Ugrin

PRINCIPAL

Douglas Yack 416-222-8282 EXT 2732

SUPERINTENDENT

Ann Andrachuk 416-512-3402

TRUSTEE

St. Leo Catholic Church 416-251-1109

277 Royal York Road, Etobicoke

PARISH

Fiona Kerr

CSPC CHAIR

www.tcdsb.org/cpic

CPIC (PARENT ENGAGEMENT - TCDSB)

www.tcdsb.org/oapce-toronto

OAPCE TORONTO (PROVINCIAL VOICE FOR PARENTS)

330 9:00 – 3:30 11:45-12:45

ENROLLMENTHOURS OF OPERATION LUNCH HOUR

NEW REGISTRANTS WELCOME

Apply online: soar.tcdsb.org

Call 416-393Your sch number here or the TCDSB Admissions Department at 416-222-8282, ext. 5320.

For general information about the Toronto Catholic District School Board, visit www.tcdsb.org

Stay in touch with the latest news throughout the school year: Follow @TCDSB on Twitter or Toronto Catholic DSB on Instagram

October 2017

2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

Giver of all wisdom and greatest of all teachers,

Look upon our teachers with love.

Grant them the resolve to nurture our eager minds

And to never give up on us who fall behind.

Bless their hearts for they rejoice when we succeed and

encourage us when we fail.

Bless them with gentle patience for the path of learning is never easy.

Kindle a spirit and passion in them,

It is the flame that ignites the love of learning in us.

Help them see the potential in each student,

Their belief in each and every one of us means much more than a grade.

Instill in them a commitment to keep on learning,

It shows us to not fear new knowledge and experiences.

Inspire them to touch the future,

They influence how big a dream we dream for ourselves.

Bless our teachers who have come before,

For their work endures to this day.

Let the light of your example shine upon all teachers,

To build up with their words,

To love with their mind,

To share with their heart.

Amen

Thank you St. Leo CS teachers for the caring ways in which you help students grow in their Catholic

faith, expand their knowledge and develop within them a love of learning.

Your dedication and commitment to student achievement is appreciated by students and their parents.

Thank you for facilitating a successful TEACHING/LEARNING TEAM at ST. LEO CATHOLIC SCHOOL!

2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

HALLOWE’EN DAY

Students will be celebrating Hallowe’en with class centered activities on October 31st. Please take some time to plan your child’s costume appropriate to their age and presence in a Catholic school. Be mindful not to send your child to school with a mask, anything resembling a weapon (e.g. gun, sword, knife etc.) or accessories that are unsafe. Some students may wish to wear orange and black rather than a costume. It is important that ALL students are safe and enjoy the day. We must be mindful that St. Leo CS is an ALLERGEN AWARE SCHOOL. Please do not send or bring baked goods to the classroom. Hallowe’en stickers, pencils, small toys are excellent alternatives. Let us keep the health and safety of all students a priority!

CSPC UPDATE

NEW EXECUTIVE FOR 2017-2018

CSPC Elections took place on Wednesday September 20, 2017. We congratulate our new CSPC and look forward to working with them during this academic year. The CSPC Council members are: Chair Fiona Kerr Co-Chair Jackie McGrath Treasurer Tania Zoldak Secretary Carey Burleigh Parent Reps Annique Robitaille Dettbarn, Kim Daniel, Stephanie Naval Community Liaison Brandi Ward Teacher Rep Christina Hunter Principal Lillian Ugrin Our CSPC is an energetic, dedicated group of parents whose initiatives assist many projects in our school. We are grateful and very appreciative of their commitment to St. Leo CS. We invite you to join us at our next meeting.

The October CSPC meeting is scheduled for

Wednesday October 4th, 2017 at 6:30 pm in the

Library

All parents are welcome!

.

QSP COOKIE DOUGH FUNDRAISER at

ST. LEO CS

During this month we will be working with Jill Maslanka, our

QSP rep, to help us organize our fund raiser.

The goal of this activity is to raise funds to support the School

Nutrition Program- Morning Meal.

We will have a kick off Assembly for THE COOKIE DOUGH SALE

on Wednesday, October 4th, starting at 9:15 am for students in JK to Grade 3 and at 9:50 am for

students in Grades 4 to 8.

Please check your child’s backpack for an envelope containing

important information about this school activity

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SCHOOL PHOTO DAY

Bring your SMILE!

We are pleased to continue our partnership with EDGE Imaging School Photography. Individual student and classroom photos will be taken on Friday, October 20 2017.

Please ensure your child is attired in Navy Blue and White, Appropriate Dress Code clothing..

Sibling photos are an option. Please inform the photographer.

REPORTING STUDENT

PROGRESS

Although it seems the school year has ‘just started’, we are Well aware reporting of student progress is not far away. As per Ministry of Education guidelines, students will receive Progress Reports on Tuesday, November 14, 2017.

Parent/Teacher interviews will take place in the evening of Thursday, November 16th and in the morning of Friday, November 17th, 2017. Additional information about scheduling interview times will be forthcoming.

HOMEWORK Homework in moderation can be beneficial to children in many ways. It can help children to: Develop a sense of

responsibility Be organized Manage after school time Provide practice of skills Reinforce skills and concepts

taught in the classroom Complete work begun in class

and pursue personal interests through projects related to subjects studied in school

The student agenda book is the best tool for home/school dialogue.

Parents can assist by: Showing interest in their child’s

school work Ensuring a quiet time and place

for homework to be done Listening to their child read Providing encouragement Recognizing achievements Parents can also help their child by contacting teachers if you have questions or concerns about your child’s homework completion routine. Remember, it is important to call ahead for an appointment. CURRICULUM EVENING Our annual Curriculum Evening will take place on Thursday, October 5th, starting at 5:30 pm in the gym. Our CSPC has organized informative carousels in the school gym.Presentations in classroom will take place at 6:45 pm – 7:30 pm. Our guest speaker, Kylah Connolly will follow at 7:30 pm.in the Library.

WORLD ROSARY DAY OCTOBER 7th

On October 7th, we invite you to pray with all the faithful around the world for World Rosary Day. How to Pray the Rosary: Make the sign of the cross and say the

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Apostles’ Creed Say the Our Father Say three Hail Mary’s Say the Glory be to the Father Announce the First Mystery; then say the Our Father Say ten Hail Mary’s while meditating on the Mystery Say the Glory to be to the Father After each decade say the Fatima Prayer requested by the Blessed Virgin Mary Announce the Second Mystery: then say the Our Father. Repeat 6, 7 and 8 and continue with the Third, Fourth and Fifth Mysteries in the same manner. After completing the five decades, say the Hail, Holy Queen and make the sign of the cross. As a general rule, the Joyful Mysteries are said on Monday & Saturday; the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday & Friday; the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday & Sunday; the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday.

ALLERGEN AWARE SCHOOL

At this time, we are informing our school community that there are children in our school with severe life threatening food allergies to peanut/nut, eggs, pineapple, pepperoni and wheat.

This is a medical condition, anaphylaxis, which causes a severe reaction to specific foods that can result in death within minutes.

As this affects the entire school community, we are requesting that you NOT send foods with your child to school that contain the allergen e.g. peanut/nuts.

DO NOT send home baked goods to celebrate your child’s birthday. These items will be kept in the school office and returned to you at the end of the school day.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES MESSAGE TO PARENTS

Emergency School Lockdown Procedures in TCDSB Schools Dear Parents/Guardians: The TCDSB has a primary responsibility to ensure the safety of students and staff inside TCDSB buildings and on TCDSB property. In partnership with the Toronto Police Service and the TDSB, a city wide safety emergency school lockdown procedures plan has been developed. The Emergency Lockdown Procedure is initiated should a high risk incident involving weapons, hazardous chemical spill, severe weather warning, student/stranger intrusion, etc. occur in the school or on school property, and therefore comprising the safety of students and/or staff. In order for all students and staff to become familiar with the expectations during a lockdown, our school will be practicing emergency lockdown procedures as we have normally done with fire drills. During Lockdown drills, there will be signs posted on the entrance doors indicating that the school is in Lockdown. ALL DOORS TO THE SCHOOL WILL BE LOCKED and NO ONE WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE SCHOOL. This is the same procedure that would be followed in a real Lockdown situation. VISITORS AND PARENTS All visitors and parents are required by TCDSB policy to report to the office prior to visiting any other area of the

2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

school. Visitors will receive a visitor badge upon signing in at the office.

SAFE SCHOOL FOCUS at St. Leo Catholic School

At St. Leo Catholic School we strive to provide a safe school environment, both physically and psychologically; an overall sense of responsibility and caring; respect for diversity and no tolerance for bullying and harassment. Bullying is a form of aggressive repeated behavior that is hurtful and deliberate. Underlying most bullying behavior is an abuse of personal power and a desire to intimidate and dominate others. Bullying can be physical, verbal or relational. Often it takes very

subtle forms and can be difficult to detect. If your daughter/son is experiencing “bullying”, please have them talk to their teacher, Child Youth Worker or report it to the office. Parents, please also be aware of cyber bullying and internet safety. Cyber bullying can occur anytime of the day or night. Cyber bullying messages and images can be distributed quickly.

PARENTS IN THE SCHOOL YARD – PARENT VISITORS Parents are asked to please call the school to make an appointment to meet with your child’s teacher. It is difficult for teachers to give you undivided attention and time you require when coming to school at an unexpected time at the classroom door. We also ask that after the first month of school parents diminish the time standing in the school yard when dropping off their children.

We believe that after a few weeks of school, students are comfortable and into the morning routine of coming to school and meeting their classmates while under the supervision of teachers and support staff. St. Leo Junior Boys & Girls Softball News!

Our teams represented us well at recent tournaments. We are most pleased with excellent sportsmanship shown on the baseball fields. We also would like to acknowledge our coaches who provided this extra-curricular activity for our students. Thank you, Ms. Lehane, Miss Arbour and Madame Hennessy.

WALK TO SCHOOL MONTH

2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

October is International Walk to School Month. Children and youth between the ages of 5 to 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day. Walking to and from school can help children reach these levels. The benefits of walk to and from school include:

Improves community safety Promotes social interaction Reduces traffic congestion Protects the environment Provides much need exercise

STAY IN TOUCH with TCDSB The TCDSB invites you to receive regular news and information from the Board. Read about the many good news stories from our school communities, as well as critical notifications about bus cancellations, closures and other urgent information. Visit the TCDSB web site at www.tcdsb.org and register to receive E news bulletins. STUDENT AGENDA BOOKS St. Leo Catholic School provides a faith based student agenda book, sourced from Faith Based Planners.

Students in ELP/FIELP to grade 8 use an agenda book to organize academic, athletic and family commitments. In addition to information about the SCHOOL of CONDUCT, students and parents will find information on the following topics:

St. Leo Church St. Leo CSPC Academic Responsibilities Homework Expectations Special Education Support Safe Arrival Policy Early Dismissal Lunch Routines Visitors to Schools Bus Transportation Food Allergies/Allergens Medication Safe Schools Progressive Discipline Acceptable Use Policy BYOD Appropriate Dress Attire Excursion protocol Permission Forms It is important to review the above items with your child; to be aware of expectations and responsibilities while at St. Leo Catholic School.

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. Father John Redmond Catholic High School and Regional Arts Centre is having an open house on October 25th at 6:30 pm. All grade 8 students are encouraged to attend this very informative evening.

2017 - 2018 is THE YEAR OF THE SCHOOL

National Custodial Workers’ Day – October 2nd

We are so grateful to our custodial and maintenance staff for their dedication to maintaining our buildings throughout the school year, but also for their hard work during the summer months to ensure that our schools, classrooms and playgrounds are ready for September.

October is AUTISM Awareness

Month! To learn more about autism: Autism Ontario: www.autismontario.ca Look forward to information on events being planned in April for World Autism Awareness Day. Annually, St. Leo Catholic School participates in World Autism Awareness Day. Our M E teacher Miss Arbour organizes a fun activity for the entire school to enjoy. Parents/Guardians We welcome feedback on our newsletters. Please let us know your thoughts. What do you enjoy reading about in the newsletter? .