IT STARTS

in the Schools June 2017

UPCOMING EVENTS

June

National Indigenous Month TCDSB Board-wide

June Italian Canadian Heritage Month TCDSB Board-wide

June Portuguese Canadian Heritage

Month

TCDSB Board-wide

June 1 BMTM Spring Dance Showcase 9:30 a.m. performance for schools

7:00 p.m. public performance

Bishop Marrocco/Thomas

Merton Catholic Secondary

School and Regional Arts

Centre 1515 Bloor Street West, Toronto

June 1 Italian Canadian Heritage Month

Dinner

Riviera Parque Banquet Hall

and Convention Centre 2800 Hwy 7 West, Vaughan

June 1 The Divine Infant Family Fun Fair 6 – 8 p.m.

The Divine Infant Catholic

School 30 Ingleton Boulevard,

Scarborough

June 1 A Celebration to Mark an Era:

Closing of St. Teresa Catholic

School 4 – 6 p.m.

St. Teresa Catholic School 110 Tenth Street, Etobicoke

June 2 St. Andrew's Parish Family of

Schools Day Mass at 9:30 a.m.

St. Andrew Catholic Church 2547 Kipling Avenue, Toronto

June 3 Successful Transitions: Strategies

for Students’ Success in Education 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

St. Maria Goretti Catholic

School 21 Kenmark Blvd,

Scarborough

June 3 St. Isaac Jogues’ 50th Anniversary

Celebration 10 a.m. Mass at Anunciation

Reception to follow at St. Isaac

Jogues Catholic School

Annunciation of the Blessed

Virgin Mary Church 3 Combermere Dr, North York

St. Isaac Jogues Catholic

School 1330 York Mills Road, Toronto

June 5 Cardinal Carter's ‘On This Rock’

Opening and Reveal 3:30 p.m.

Catholic Education Centre 80 Sheppard Ave. East

June 6 BMTM Just Docs Festival Theme: Social Justice

12:30-2:45 pm

The Revue Cinema 400 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto

June 7 Bowling Banquet for Students with

Multiple Exceptionalities 12 p.m.

St. Roch Parish Hall 2889 Islington Avenue, Toronto

June 8 St. Luigi Fun Fair 3 – 6 p.m.

ST. Luigi Catholic School 2 Ruskin Avenue, Toronto

June 9 Relay for Life A walk in support of cancer research

- 9:30 a.m.

Cardinal Carter Academy for

the Arts 36 Greenfield Avenue, North York

June 10 St. Bruno Fun Fair 12 – 5 p.m.

St. Bruno Catholic School 402 Melita Crescent, Toronto

June 10 Fatima Fun Fair 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic

School 3176 St Clair Avenue East,

Scarborough

June 12 Sod Turning Ceremony for St.

Joseph Morrow Park Future Site of St. Joseph Morrow

Park 500 Cummer Avenue, North York

June 10, 15,

& 17th

Staff Arts Presents: Into the Woods Cardinal Carter Academy for

the Arts 36 Greenfield Avenue, North York

June 17 St. Joseph’s Family Fun Fair 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

St. Joseph Catholic School 176 Leslie Street, Toronto

June 17 The Feast of Corpus Christi

at Nativity of Our Lord Church 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Nativity of Our Lord Roman

Catholic Church 480 Rathburn Rd, Etobicoke

June 20 End of an Era Celebration

Final Mass for Holy Redeemer 1 p.m.

Good Shepherd Catholic

Church 21 Simonston Blvd, Thornhill

June 22 End of An Era Celebration at St.

Raymond 10 a.m. Mass at St. Peter’s

12 – 3 p.m. BBQ at St. Raymond’s

4 – 6 p.m. Walk through memory lane

St. Peter Catholic Church 840 Bathurst St, Toronto

St. Raymond Catholic School 270 Barton Avenue, Toronto

June 27 End of Era Celebration: Holy

Redeemer School Barbecue 5:30 p.m.

Holy Redeemer Catholic School 111 Aspenwood Drive, Willowdale

June 29 TCDSB Canada Day Celebration TCDSB Board-wide

June 29 Unveiling of Canada150 CD and

CD Cover Design

TBD

CATHOLIC EDUCATION WEEK

Walking Forward Together at

St. Joseph’s College St. Joseph’s College school took the theme of

“Walking Forward Together” as an

opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity of

faith of our students. During Catholic

Education Week a number of classes

gathered together to hear senior students

share their personal faith and what it has

meant to them to attend a Catholic school.

Madison shared her experience growing up

Catholic, learning to understand God as a rock and a friend in hard times, and of the

many different kinds of prayer she has come to appreciate. Farha spoke to World

Religions students about growing up Muslim, why she wears the hijab and the welcome

she has received here at St. Joseph’s. Finally, Abirna shared with leadership and grade

nine students about what it means to be a Hindu teenager attending a Catholic

School. She shared how she was nervous at first about coming to a Catholic school but

how amazing it has been to learn about other students’ faith and to be accepted in

her own. We walk forward together on faith journeys that are personal and shared and

it is the inclusion and acceptance Catholic schools offer which reflects the abundant

love of God.

Our Lady of Lourdes Celebrates

Catholic Education Week with

Minister Hunter Minister of Education Mitzie Hunter visited Our

Lady of Lourdes Catholic School on the

second day of Catholic Education Week. She

met students in the gym class, listened to a

song by the school’s choir and read to some

young students.

St. Margaret’s Family Math and Science Night During Catholic Education Week St. Margaret Catholic

School invited parents for the chance to explore alongside

their child and discover experiments involving estimation,

sorting, measurement, STEM, physics and chemistry. By

getting students excited about science and math at an early

age, and involving their families, we help develop their

critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as help

them connect science to the world around them. Parent

engagement leads to student success!

TCDSB Annual Music Festival The Annual TCDSB Music Festival took

place from Catholic Education Week

May 1 – 5th at Woodbine Mall. The

Festival featured music, dance, drama

and art presentations by student artists

from more than 60 local elementary and

high schools. Click here to view more

photos.

Highlights from Parish Family Day The central Parish Family Day Celebration was held on

Friday, May 5th at the Catholic Education Centre. It was

a beautiful tribute to our pastors, and a true celebration

of the close bonds that exist between our parishes and

our schools. Seeing the video tributes and artistic

representations of our faith and listening to the stories

and poems that were shared by students brought to life

the very foundation of our pastoral plan. Click here to

check out the highlights from Parish Family Day. Pictured

left: SJMP Liturgical Ministers, Ms. Lacaria, Patricia Alcid,

Clarisse Deleon, and Ann Marie Elpa, with Fr. Lehman following CEW Mass.

Parents Celebrate Catholic Education Week Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic Education

Toronto hosted a special event for Catholic Education

Week to help familiarize parents with the various

programs and services the board has to offer. On hand

for the event were student volunteers from Madonna

High School. Special thanks to guest speaker, Teresa

Hartnett.

EVENTS Women Entering Non-Traditional Trades

(WENTT) Conference The 4th annual WENTT Conference welcomed

female students from secondary schools across the

TCDSB to Humber College (North Campus).

The students participated in 12 different workshops

for experiential learning, including activities using

welding tools, hammers, sandpaper, and pipe

cutters, to name a few. The conference is part of

the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

which educates and trains students in specific skills

related to a profession and provides them with hands on experience. Click here to read

more and for more photos.

Family Wellness Evening at Holy Cross This past month Holy Cross Catholic School

hosted a Family Wellness Night. The night

featured speakers from YouthSpeak, and

a Public Health booth provided parents

with information about mental health

awareness and tips and strategies to

recognize when their child or teen needs

help. Special activities included making

aromatherapy bath salts, lip gloss and

lotions; Zumba fitness; drum fitness; art classes; drama with Young People's Theatre; and

bead making activities. The event also collected new and gently used books for

ReadPhilippines.

Math Day at St. Roch On Monday, May 15th St. Roch hosted a

Math Day for students, which included a

number of interactive and hands on

learning activities, like these seen on the

right.

Beyond the Imagination: A Symposium for Aspiring Female

Entrepreneurs On May 16th over 80 aspiring young female high school students from across the TCDSB

gathered at “Beyond the Imagination…. Becoming an Entrepreneur Symposium”.

Students were inspired by a variety of entrepreneurs who shared their stories and

experiences, and provided them with invaluable 21st century skills & tools to use as they

move through the process of making their ideas into product. Students left inspired to

become our future innovators and creators of tomorrow. Thank you to all the workshop

presenters, teachers and students for their participation in this successful event!

St. Victor Celebrates Canada 150 St. Victor celebrated Canada 150 with a

visit from two VIPs and a special soccer

ball give away. Students were surprised

when they were presented with a

commemorative red and white soccer ball

to help them celebrate Canada’s

birthday. Thanks to Director Angela

Gauthier and Superintendent Shawna

Campbell for joining in the celebration with

the staff and students.

The Divine Infant Hosts Café Français French is a huge part of our Canadian culture,

and being the celebratory year of our

Canada’s 150th birthday, the staff, students

and community of The Divine Infant celebrated

by proudly hosting a Café Francais.

Sacred Heart Family Literacy Night:

Spring Up and Read The Sacred Heart Family Literacy Night was a huge success! Parents got the opportunity

to observe comprehension reading strategies up close and bring the ideas home to

read with their children. In a beautifully decorated gym Sacred Heart had a brief

instructional video, break out groups lead by staff and a raffle. It was a great night of

learning for all.

Experiential Learning for New Canadians

On Tuesday, May 23rd, 60 newcomer English

Language Learners from Senator O’Connor

engaged in a day full of experiential learning

at Teem Ranch in Orangeville. ELLs and their

teachers experienced some typically

Canadian activities such as ice skating and

horseback riding. Students also honed their

archery and rock climbing skills. The day

wrapped up with a traditional campfire,

complete with a marshmallow roast and

campfire songs. Thank you to everyone who

took part in this outstanding learning

opportunity! Click here for more pictures.

Women Guiding Women – A Social Justice Event On Thursday May 11th,

Madonna's Social Justice

Club and See Different

students hosted an event

called "Women Guiding

Women" in the school

library. Madonna students

prepared a series of

guiding questions for our

Madonna alumni

panellists and helped to

facilitate an exciting dialogue about female empowerment, gender equity, and the

positive impact that Madonna CSS has had on both their personal and career

development. Click here to read more about the event, including alumni speaker bios.

Invictus Games Presentation at St. Brendan Catholic School St. Brendan Catholic School welcomed

representatives of the Invictus Games for

an interactive presentation that featured

captivating stories about the competitors.

It also featured a digital archery game

and a visit from their mascot, VIMY. From

September 23 - 30, Toronto will host more

than 550 competitors from 17 nations for 5

days of fierce competition. All competitors

will be active duty and veteran service

members from participating allied nations

who have become ill or injured during or

as a direct consequence of their service.

Click here to read more and see more

pictures.

Happy Wellness Day

The Divine Infant Community is

proud to present their

celebration of Mental Health

Awareness Month. The school

collaborated with Dr. Marie

Josee Gendron, TCDSB

Psychologist, to plan events that

address Mental Wellness.

FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY

St. Robert’s Mother Mary Retreat The grade one students at St. Robert School

honoured and celebrated Mother Mary through

art, meditation, song, and prayer. The students

were led by the talented Lisa Malcolm, Religion

and Family Life Resource Teacher for Area 3 and

4. This truly was a blessed day!

Dear Mother Mary,

Thank you for being with us today. We thank you

for the gift of your Son Jesus and for always

being there to guide us and protect us. We will

always give praise to you for the great things you

have done. Please continue to pray for us and

we will continue to show our love for you every

single day. Amen.

St Paschal Baylon Celebrates Parish-School Relationship St. Paschal Baylon’s grade 8 students’ After-School art project was unveiled on May

17th at the St. Paschal Baylon Parish. The 8 x 3 ft. mural illustrates the parish community

and celebrates faith and the 150th anniversary of Canada.

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE APPARITIONS AT FATIMA This year is the 100th anniversary of the 1917 apparitions to the three shepherd children--

Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia--near Fatima, Portugal. Here is how some of our school

celebrated:

Our Lady of Fatima and St. Joachim Catholic Schools Lead a

Procession in Honour of Our Lady of Fatima On May 12th, Our Lady of Fatima and St. Joachim

joined together to celebrate the appearance of Mary

at Fatima 100 years ago. Earlier in May, the relics of St.

Jacinta and St. Francisco were on display at Our Lady

of Fatima School which gave students, staff and

parents the chance for veneration. On the 12th, both

schools processed to the Church led by the Fatima

statue. There was a brief blessing of 2 trees to

commemorate the event followed by the mass. It was

a blessed day for the entire Our Lady of Fatima Parish

and school community. Click here for more pictures.

Father Martin visits Holy Family CS Father Martin visited Holy Family Catholic Elementary School

to practice hymns for the upcoming Liturgy of the Eucharist,

where Our Lady of Fatima will be honored. As we continue

to celebrate the Year of the Parish, we are grateful for the

regular visits by our parish clergy to Holy Family Catholic

Elementary School.

Marian Devotion and the Story of Our Lady

of Fatima At St. Francis Xavier Catholic School, Mr. D'Amario's

class recreated the story of Our Lady of Fatima in a

form of a play. Following the play, the student body

wrote personal intentions to Mother Mary and brought

them to her statue. The flowers honor the Blessed Virgin

Mary as "the Queen of May" and the students laid

flowers at her feet.

Highlights From the Cultural Mass and Expose Brebeuf College School hosted this year’s Asian Canadian

Heritage Month Mass and Cultural Expose. Students from across

the Board, including Father Henry Carr, Blessed Cardinal

Newman, Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton, St. Elizabeth Seton

and St. Ignatius of Loyola were among those who performed in

the impressive showcase. Click here for more pictures.

Romero's SHSM students Team Up with Habitat for

Humanity On Friday May 19th, 15 of Blessed

Archbishop Romero's SHSM students took

part in building houses for the less fortunate

in Brampton. It was a great day filled with

opportunity but it also allowed the students

to put their skills to good use and to a great

cause. Special thanks goes out to the

following teachers for organizing such a

great event: Mr. Rocco Scopelliti (Resource

Teacher), Mr. Carlo Cassano (CYW) and

Mr. Giulio De Santis (SHSM Lead and Shop

Teacher).

Collection for the Homeless in the Year of the Parish St. Sebastian staff and students collected

boxes and bags of hygiene products for

the homeless as part of their ongoing

efforts to support the needy during this,

our Year of the Parish, and in partnership

with St. Mary’s Catholic Academy. The

response from the community was

tremendous, and a total of 504 items

were collected for the St. Mary’s street

patrol for the homeless. Our school goal

was 250 items and since we more than doubled that goal, it was announced that

students will receive a free civvies day on June 8th for their wonderful participation and

support. Click here to read more about the school’s ongoing collection efforts.

Planting for Change On Wednesday May 17th students

at Blessed Archbishop Romero

participated in tree and shrub

planting to create a schoolyard

planting site that acts as a mini

climate change outdoor

classroom/lab. This outdoor lab will

allow students to collect data on

the yearly growth and health of the

trees in the lab giving us an idea on

how to further tackle climate

change in our community

environment.

A Student Reflection on their World Religions Retreat Grade 12 student at St. Joseph Morrow Park, Melika, shares, “as part of my World

Religions course last year, I was blessed to attend a retreat with two sisters from the

Scarboro Missions at the Blessed Trinity Church. The message of peace and unity that

was taught that day has stayed with me since then and inspired me to compose a

sonnet, weaving the Golden Rule from different religions together in form of a poem. I

wanted to take this opportunity to thank the Scarboro Missions for their valuable work.”

Click here to read Melika’s poem, “A Song Everyone Knew.”

St. Roch’s Meagan’s Walk and

School Hug On Monday, May 23rd St. Roch students

participated in Meagan’s Walk, in support of

SickKids Hospital. The school ended the walk

with a school hug releasing balloons into the

sky.

THE ARTS

Loretto College Band Wins Silver Award at the Nationals On Wednesday, May 17,

2017 the Loretto College

School Varsity Concert

Band, under the direction

of Mr. Glenn J. Donovan,

attended Musicfest

Canada - the “Nationals” in

Niagara Falls. The Varsity

Band was awarded 1 Gold

and 2 Silver ratings for an

overall ranking of Silver. In

addition, they received an

“excellence award” for the clinic portion of their session. Click here to read the full story.

FHC Student Artist Presents Portrait to Staff

Member Ricai Kelly, a student aFt Father Henry Carr, presented a

portrait that he created of Student Hall Supervisor

Marvin Samuels. Ricai has been recognized for his

talents by the Geneva Centre for Autism.

FHC Percussion & Bishop Allen Perform

"Imagine" On Thursday, May 18th Father Henry Carr (FHC) Percussion and the Bishop Allen

Concert Band presented a very special collaborative performance of the Father Henry

Carr 2017 production "Imagine" inspired by the music of Imagine Dragons. The groups

were led under the direction of Mr. Davide Garofalo from Bishop Allen. Click here to

watch a video of the performance.

Michael Power/St.Joseph’s at Show Choir

Canada Championship Michael Power/St. Joseph’s Show Choir, Power House,

composed of unique and enthusiastic individuals

brought their passion for music and dance to the stage

at the Show Choir Canada Championship. The

countless hours of harmonizing and choreographing

prepared Power House to participate in the

competition for the first time this year. Singers and

dancers worked together as a team by combining

their skills and creativity to showcase their talents. This

first year of Show Choir at Michael Power brought a new wave of positive energy and

excitement to the entire group of vocalists and dancers. Power House performers plan

to put on more unforgettable shows that will leave everyone wanting more!

St. Agnes Participates in Vocal Music Festival The students in grades 4, 5 and 6 at St.

Agnes participated in the Vocal Music

Festival at St. Patrick’s Secondary School.

They were very excited to present their

song and dance in their Hip Hop

performance. Many thanks to the

students, teachers and their Vocal Music

Teacher, Ms. P. Ford.

FIELD TRIPS

Francis Libermann heads to England and France On March 9th Grade 12 students from Francis Libermann CHS, accompanied by their

teachers Ms. Llanera and Madame Monteiro, embarked on an English-Moderns

Department trip with Explorica Tours. Their first destination was London, England, where

they visited attractions such as Buckingham Palace and The National Gallery. The

London highlight was a tour of the world-famous Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, located

along the Thames River. After a whirlwind adventure in London, the group travelled to

Paris, France.

While in Paris, the group visited "The Louvre" and were

surprised to see just how small the Mona Lisa is! The group

enjoyed the smell of fresh crepes being made by street

vendors as they spent time outdoors along les Champs-

Elysees and Montmartre. The group enjoyed their visit to

Fragonard Perfumery where they gained knowledge on

the history and production of perfumes and colognes. The

highlight of Paris was seeing the Eiffel Tower light up at

night. The blinking lights of the Eiffel Tower left the students

in awe! After an amazing experience in indulging in French

language and culture, the group was set for the last leg of

their journey - Italy!

The group fell in love with the

cobblestone streets of

Florence, the aroma of fresh pizza, and the enticing colours

of Gelato! On the way to Rome, they stopped in the

picturesque city of Assisi. It was very moving experience

the serenity and peace inside the upper and lower

basilicas of St. Francis. As sad as it was to leave Assisi,

everyone could not wait to finally reach Rome. Everyone

was mesmerized during the visit to Vatican City; it was an

ineffable moment. On March 18, they began their journey

home with hearts full of life experiences and local travel

memories that they won't soon forget.

SJMP Students Travelled to Vimy Ridge

Students from St. Joseph Morrow Park travelled to Vimy Ridge, France for the 100th

Anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Students also had the

opportunity to walk the Normandy D-Day beaches. This excursion was a unique, rich

learning opportunity and allowed students to remember and relive our storied past by

exploring cities and sites where history was made during both World Wars – while also

experiencing European culture along the way.

SJMP Music Goes To Ottawa SJMP took Ottawa by storm performing with

superior excellence during their inaugural

music trip. Each and every student

represented our school community with the

utmost professionalism, respect, and maturity.

The musical experience began with 80 minute

workshops for both Chamber Choir and Wind

Ensemble. This was a wonderful opportunity for

the girls to work with other distinct professionals

in an effort to improve their overall musical

and performance skills. The rest of the day

followed with a tour of Ottawa that included

Byward Market and Notre Dame Basilica.

On the second day, both choir and band performed at the Rhythms International Music

Festival. Each performance was adjudicated by three illustrious judges who analyzed all

aspects of their performance. The performances were outstanding with each group

receiving high praises. Students also got a chance to spend down time visiting sights like

Rideau Centre and the Canadian Museum of History, our nation’s parliament building,

and the Prime Minister’s Home at 24 Sussex Drive. A magical three days filled with a

lifetime of memories. Click here to read more about the trip!

St. Agnes Visits Queen’s Park Grade 5 students at St. Agnes were treated to a

wonderful visit of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at

Queen’s Park. The students were engaged and their

experience enhanced their understanding of their

curriculum. Many thanks to our teachers, and Ms. C.

Martins, MPP for Davenport, for organizing the trip.

Madonna SHSM Students Attend University for a Day On April 26th, Madonna's

SHSM Health and Wellness

and Non-Profit programs

attended the University of

Guelph’s Interaction

Conference. The conference

provided students the

opportunity to experience

university living and learning.

Students were able to sign up

for sessions based on various

topics such as health, engineering, science, business, kinesiology, financial planning

etc. Session topics covered a wide range of issues and subjects that were presented by

faculty, staff, and students from a variety of academic disciplines and student service

areas.

ATHLETICS

Fun Fit and Fabulous Night at Our Lady

of Fatima On May 10, staff hosted the 2nd Fit Night of the

year at Our Lady of Fatima. The focus was on

healthy bodies and healthy minds with 4 centres

of activities ranging from drum fit, Zumba,

obstacle races, a parent discussion on mental

health and smoothie making. This event is in

partnership with the Into Kids Health Initiative

through Toronto Public Health. Click here for

more pictures.

Elementary Track and Field On Wednesday, May 24, 2017, the elementary track and field season ended with the

City Championships at Varsity Stadium. Thank you to all the athletes, coaches,

volunteers and supporters who all played a very important role in the success of this

year’s meets. A very special thank you to all the city volunteers. Congratulations to all

athletes who worked hard and reached the city finals. TCDSB also thanks the work of

Special Olympics Ontario for organizing all the students for organizing the 35 races of

250 students.

The track and field meets could not be run without the help of some key people

including Larry Lazazzera, Brian Armstrong, Peter Morris and Rob Kelly for helping run the

regional meets and to Larry Lazazzera, Adrian Olsthoorn, and Rob Kelly for helping with

the central organization of the meets. Our congratulations to all schools and students

for their achievements at the 2017-2018 City Track & Field Meet! Click here for a full list

of student champions.

SJMP Students participate

in Fit Spirit Run

St. Joseph Morrow Park students

in Ms. McCormick's senior Fitness

Classes participated in the Fit

Spirit Run, along with 2000 other

girls, on Wednesday, May 24 at

Downsview Park. This weekly

initiative promoted good health

and well-being of students.

St. Agnes Wins Ice

Hockey Championship The St. Agnes Gators Hockey

Team performed exceptionally

well this year and won the 2017

City Ice Hockey Championship!

Many thanks to the students

and their coaches, Mr. Steriovski

and Ms. Stewart. Go Gators Go!

Msgr Percy Johnson Wins Fr

John Redmond Invitational Monsignor Percy Johnson Jaguars

Boys Volleyball team traveled to

Father Redmond and pounced

their way through, knocking off

Michael Power in a semi-final and

capitalizing in third set victory

against JP II in the final. The boys

continue their league play until the

beginning of May when playoffs

began.

CONGRATULATIONS!

St. James Catholic School Wins $30K Indigo Literacy Fund Grant St. James Catholic School received a

wonderful surprise on May 25th: they were

awarded an Indigo Love of Reading

Literacy Fund Grant totaling $30,000! St.

James Catholic School was 1 out of 25

schools selected from hundreds of grant

applications across Canada. The $30,000

grant includes a 30% discount on books

purchased and will be used to transform

the school and classroom libraries. Click

here to read more about this exciting

partnership!

St. Cecilia Students hold Fundraiser for CIBC Cancer

Research Foundation Isabelle Timoteo and Jessica Johnston from St. Cecilia Catholic

School raised both awareness and support for cancer research,

through a school Civvies Day fundraiser that collected $800.00!

Thank you to Mrs. Timoteo for personally presenting our donation to

the CIBC Cancer Foundation on behalf of the school.

St. John the Evangelist turns 160! Did you know that St. John the Evangelist Parish and School is older than Canada? St.

John the Evangelist was one of the first Catholic schools in what would soon become

the Dominion of Canada, and this year marks its 160th birthday. On May 31st, St. John

the Evangelist Catholic School turned the sod on their new building site, and

celebrated this important birthday. The school community was overwhelmed with a

number of cards of congratulations, including from Pope Francis, local MPP Laura

Albanese, and local Councillor Frances Nunziata. Staff and students celebrated by

creating a beautiful quilt to illustrate what makes St. John the Evangelist Parish and

School such a special community. Click here to read more.

Msgr. Fraser Receives $2K Edible Garden

Grant Monsignor Fraser College (Midland Campus) has

successfully obtained a $2,000 Edible Garden Grant from

Whole Kids Foundation. The funds will enable the school

to set up several 4 x 8 ft raised garden beds. The edible

gardens will be integrated into various subjects such as

English and Science. Vice Principal Kathleen Wong,

English teacher Bruno Tesolin (18-21 program), and Science teacher Reetha Maliakkal

(pictured right at the site with the cheque), are excited to involve students from both

programs in setting up the garden and producing organic harvest soon!

2017 SKILLS ONTARIO COMPETITION

A number of students from schools across TCDSB took part

in Skills Ontario Competitions from May 1 – 3, 2017.

Students and teams placed in a number of categories,

including character animation, auto service, aesthetics,

architectural technology and design, coding, cabinet

making, carpentry, fashion design, and many more! Click

here to read the full article. Here are some honorable

mentions of students who were awarded medals:

Congratulations to the Robotics Team from Madonna

Catholic Secondary School for bringing home a silver

medal in the Team Robotics Skills Ontario Competition.

(Group pictured right)

Congratulations to Sayantha and Janice from St. Mother Teresa Catholic

Academy. Sayantha won gold in Floristry at the Skills Ontario Competition, and Janice

won bronze at for Job Skills Demonstration.

Congratulations to Luca from Msgr Percy Johnson who won silver in the Skills Ontario

Prepared Speech Competition.

Pictured from left: Sayantha, Janice, and Luca.

Students Win at 33rd Annual French Public-Speaking Competition Three students won awards on May 6th at the 33rd Concours d'art oratoire, the annual

French public-speaking event organized by Canadian Parents for French (Ontario) and

the Ontario Modern Language Teachers’ Association:

Pamela Alamilla, Grade 10 student at Bishop Allen Academy Catholic Secondary

School – 3rd place in the Extended category

Claudia Sassa, Grade 10 student at Blessed Cardinal Newman High School - 3rd

place in the Francophone category

Jillianne Gonzales, Grade 12 student at Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School -

2nd place in the Core category.

Congratulations students! Click here to read the full story.

Loretto College Student Awarded

Founder’s Academic Merit Scholarship Congratulations to Kennedy Martins from Loretto College School on being awarded the prestigious

Founder’s Academic Merit Scholarship from the

University of Guelph-Humber. The scholarship is

valued at $20,000 and is awarded to 10 outstanding

students each year who have demonstrated high

academic achievement and superior leadership

ability and potential. On May 5th Kennedy’s

accomplishment was celebrated by having

representatives from the University of Guelph-Humber

present her with her scholarship. Kennedy’s parents

and her friends were in attendance to share in her

accomplishment.

MPSJ Student Selected for 2017-18 Minister’s

Student Advisory Council Breana Dudemaine, grade 11 student from Michael Power/St.

Joseph Catholic High School has been selected to be part of

the 2017-2018 Minister’s Student Advisory Council (MSAC). The

Minister's Student Advisory Council is a group of approximately

60 students from all parts of the publicly funded education

system and regions of the province. These students share their

ideas and provide advice to the minister on a variety of topics

regarding Ontario's publicly-funded education system. The

MPSJ community congratulates Breana on this achievement

and extends best wishes to her as she represents the voice of

students.

TCDSB Superintendent Awarded the

Educational Leader of the Year Award Cristina Fernandes, Superintendent of Special Services,

was awarded the Educational Leader of the Year

Award by the Council for Exceptional Children Toronto

Chapter. Congratulations Cristina and thank you for

your hard work and dedication to our students with

diverse needs!

St. Denis’ 50th Anniversary Celebration Students, alumni, current and former staff

celebrated St. Denis’ 50th Anniversary on

Saturday, May 13th with cake and a fun fair

outdoors that included bouncy castles, a

BBQ, music and sunshine. Fortunately, the

rain held off so that everyone could enjoy

the celebration outdoors. Thanks to special

guests MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and MPP

Arthur Potts. Here's to the next fifty years!

Click here for more pictures.

30th Anniversary of The Angel Foundation for Learning The Angel Foundation for Learning

celebrated 30 years of supporting

TCDSB students on May 8th. Since its

inception in 1987, the Foundation

has provided support to TCDSB

students through four wings of

support: Student Nutrition Programs,

School Trips, Guardian Angel Funds

and Bursaries and Awards. Click

here to read more.

““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 91,000

students from diverse cultures and language backgrounds in 201

Catholic elementary and secondary schools, serving over 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

June 2017

Toronto Catholic District School Board, 80 Sheppard Ave. E., North York M2N 6E8

phone: 416-222-8282 website: www.tcdsb.org email: webmaster@tcdsb.org