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March/April, 2016

St. Matthew Catholic School

______________________________

Principal’s Message

As we enter April, we end the Season of Lent and begin the Season of Easter.

Easter is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. Easter is a time of celebration

because it represents the fulfillment of our faith as Christians. St. Paul wrote that,

unless Christ rose from the dead, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Through his death, Christ saved mankind from sin; his resurrection gives us the

promise of new life, both in this world and the next.

Easter is not a single day. It is actually a season that begins after Evening Prayer

on Easter Sunday (March 27) and continues for seven full weeks until Pentecost

Evening (Sunday, May 15). The season begins with the Octave of Easter, the

first week of the season, in which each day is a solemnity—the highest form of

celebration in the Church’s liturgical year—a joyous reflection on the

resurrection. This seven-week cycle is known historically as the Great Fifty

Days or the Week of Weeks or the Eastertide. During this time, the church

celebrates the Lord's resurrection, his appearances to the disciples, his post-

resurrection teachings, his ascension into heaven, and the disciples' eager

anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Pentecost is

celebrated by Christians as the birthday of the Church by the power of the Holy

Spirit. Ascension Day (May 5), the day on which Jesus ascended into heaven, is

marked on the 40th of the Great Fifty Days, and it is frequently commemorated

with a special evening worship service because it always falls on a

Thursday. During the season of Easter, most churches are decorated in white or

gold, or white and gold. White represents the angels who announced the

resurrection, while gold symbolizes triumph.

The staff and students of St. Matthew Catholic School Community wish you a

joyous Easter Season.

I encourage you to worship at St. Matthew Catholic Church or your local parishes.

St. Matthew

Catholic School

18 LAVENDER ROAD TORONTO, ONTARIO

M6N 2B5 Ph. 416 393 5240 Fax: 416 397 6101

Principal: L. Pennacchio

Vice-Principal C. Coveney Hunter Superintendent: G. Iuliano Marrello Ph. 416 222 8282 ext. 2267 Trustee: S. Piccininni Ph. 416 512 3403 Parish: St. Matthew 706 Old Weston Road, Toronto, M6N 3B8 Ph. 416 653 7191 Fax: 416 654 2288 CSPC Chair: Ms. Salazar CSPV Vice-Chair: Ms. C. Da Mota Ph. 416-222-8282 ext. 88240 CPIC (Parent Engagement--TCDSB) www.tcdsb.org/cpic OAPCE Toronto (Provincial Voice for Parents) www.tcdsb.org/oapce-toronto Enrollment: 540 (approximately)

Hours of Operation: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. _______________________________

Catch the spirit!

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION (NEW STUDENTS)

Parents/Guardians are invited to commence the registration process on-line

using the Board’s “Student On-line Admission and Registration” platform,

known as S.O.A.R., which is found at the following link:

http://soar.tcdsb.org. Children born in 2012 are eligible to register for junior

kindergarten in September, 2016. Children born in 2011 are eligible for

senior kindergarten in September, 2016.

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Good Shepherd and Virtue of the Month

Medals

This school year, after each monthly liturgy, a

Good Shepherd medal and a Virtue of the Month

medal will be awarded to two students from each

classroom.

The medal recipients will be selected by their

classroom teacher and Designated Early Childhood

Educator (Full Day Kindergarten). Staff members

who are not classroom teachers may nominate a

Good Shepherd recipient. The medal is specific to

our school.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board’s

Virtues of the Month, on the other hand, are Board-

wide. The monthly virtues too dovetail with the

theme of Kindness. Each monthly virtue,

encourages us to build better relationships with

each other: September (Hospitality), October

(Gratitude), November (Peacemaking), December

(Charity), January (Courage), February (Love),

March (Forgiveness), April (Justice), May

(Compassion) and June (Faithfulness).

The two medals support the school community’s

overarching theme of showing kindness to all.

Good Shepherd Medal Recipients

For January

The following students were

recognized by their teachers

and Designated Early

Childhood Educators: Gui

Jales, Fabio Santos, Daniel

Godinho, Leonor Rites Lima,

Aylar Pasia, Anthony

Kozlowski, Emma-Marie

Jasztrab, Daniella Lima, John Marcos Costa, Asiah

Guzzo, Ethan Avdoulos,

Quincy Flores, Monserrat

Chuidian, Oge Abasili,

Karina Dos Santos Pereira,

Daniel Maio, Jazmine

Pridmore, Melissa Andrade,

Dakota De Oliveira Vieira,

Daniel Carvalho, Ashley

Padinha, Joao Romano Varatojo, Alyssia Galati,

Lucas Ferreira, Kurt Nartia, Matthew Lima, Kent

Biscette, and Brandon Lemos.

Above: January’s Good Shepherd recipients with

Fr. Augustine of St. Matthew Catholic Church.

Virtue of the Month Medal Recipients:

January—Courage

The following students

were recognized by their

teachers and Designated

Early Childhood

Educators: Matteo

Rigamonte, Kattrynne

Almeida, Nathan De Lima, Amanda Read, Lara

Figur, Jason Da Rocha, Luana Silva Lima, Romeo

Anacleto Harmer, Stefan Rejdik, Keila Martins,

Stephanie Lima, Jennifer Munoz Lopez, William

Davis, Nicholas Carbone, Luana Costa, Alexis

Pineda, Brandon Almeida, Gabriella Augusto,

Bianca Ruitenbeek, Marin Caldez, Brandon

Geniole, Dina Aynalem and John Acuario.

Above: January’s Virtue Medal recipients with Fr.

Augustine of St. Matthew Catholic Church

The January Good Shepherd and Virtue Medal recipients

are reprinted to correct for errors and omissions in the

February, 2016 school newsletter.

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Good Shepherd Medal Recipients

For December

The following students were

recognized by their teachers

and Designated Early

Childhood Educators: Tahjari

Anacleto, Dezaray Veira,

Lara Santos Luzia, Ryan

Coutinho,Emma Domingues,

Tyler De Lima, Marcelo Dos

Santos, Leandro Sousa, Adam Nuguyen, Michael

Tavares, Greicy Zelaya Cruz, Ruben Marques,

Jianna Cardenas, Emily

Silva, Olivia Castellanos

Devezas, Goncalo Marques,

Hannah Andrade, Kaitlyn

Pridmore, Tanya Ilagan,

Alexandre Medeiros,

Madelyn Rego, Sammy

Paraguas, and Gavriel

Policarpio.

Above: December’s Good Shepherd recipients with

Fr. Augustine of St. Matthew Catholic Church

Virtue of the Month Medal Recipients:

December—Charity

The following students

were recognized by

their teachers and

Designated Early

Childhood Educators:

Sophia Santos, Lucas

Carvalho, Raul Picanco, Giuliana Lima, Alexander

Filian Reyes, Gabriel Ferreira, Fernando Reis,

Nyhym Chesmain, Isabella Biancone, Greyson

Sarmento, Gabriella Sousa, Marito Santos, Daniela

Freire, Marilena Darini, Kevin Persaud, Trinity

Berardo, Daniela Santos, Carolina Mota, Camila

Goncalves, Celina Hernandez, Ana De Toma,

Emma Darini, and Maria Rodrigues.

Above: December’s Virtue Medal recipients with

Fr. Augustine of St. Matthew Catholic Church

The Virtue for March: Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the

virtue for the month

of March. It is an

appropriate theme for

the month because we

continue the liturgical

Season of Lent, but

also because

Forgiveness is an

important cornerstone

of our faith, which

Jesus modeled for us

in his life and death.

We must remember

that forgiveness is a

gift we give to

ourselves: when we

forgive, we let go of

the burden of

resentment that

weighs us down.

Peter once queried Jesus about the need to forgive:

The December Good Shepherd and Virtue Medal

recipients are printed to correct for their omissions in the

December, 2015/January 2016 school newsletter.

The February and March Good Shepherd and Virtue

Medal recipients will appear in the May school

newsletter.

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Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another

member of the church sins against me, how often

should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus

said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you,

seventy-seven times. - Matthew 18:21

Forgiveness, of course, is a virtue to be practised on

a constant basis. At St. Matthew School, the staff

and students do their best to forgive those who

trespass against them—keeping in mind, of course,

that as human beings they may not always be

successful.

Ontario Catholic Graduation Expectation

for March: A Discerning Believer

A discerning believer formed in the Catholic Faith

community who celebrates the signs and sacred

mystery of God's presence through word,

sacrament, prayer, forgiveness, reflection and

moral living.

I AM A BELIEVER!

• I believe that God is an awesome God

• I believe and have faith in God

• I believe that God is with us always

• I believe that we can talk to God anytime and anywhere,

through prayer

• I believe in the stories of the Bible

• I believe in the stories of Jesus' life, death and resurrection

• I believe in the Church community, celebrating Mass, and

the seven Sacraments

• I believe in forgiveness

Because I am a believer, I will live my life like Jesus.

The Virtue for April: Justice

The Virtue of the month for April is Justice. Jesus

spoke of the need for justice when he articulated the

Beatitudes during his Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:10

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for

righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of

heaven.

The first step to achieving justice is to do what is

right and stand up for what we know God wants.

Jesus was always an instrument for justice in his

work with people. We must let our actions be

guided by the idea that even in the face of injustice

(death on the

cross), Jesus

always acted with

dignity.

Everyone wants

to be treated

fairly, and we

need to remember

to treat others

fairly.

Below: The

Pectoral Good

Shepherd Cross

worn by Pope

Francis

Ontario Catholic

Graduate Expectation

for April: A Reflective, Creative Holistic

Thinker

A reflective, creative and holistic thinker is

someone who solves problems and makes

responsible decisions with an informed moral

conscience for the common good.

I have ideas!

• I have thoughts and opinions that matter.

• I make good choices.

• I have hope for the future.

• I solve problems with knowledge, understanding

and prayer.

• I know we are all equal and special.

Because I have ideas, I have a purpose, and I will

live my life like Jesus.

RESPONSIBILITIES!

• I am a peace-maker

• I am fair

• I am forgiving

• I follow rules and do my share

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• I help the poor and care for people in need

• I stand up for what is right

• I know that all life is precious

• I respect and protect the world and all that is in it

Because I accept my responsibilities, I can make a

difference, and will live my life like Jesus.

School Mass

The next school mass, a

celebration of Easter, will take

place on Thursday, April 14 at

1:00 p.m. at St. Matthew

Catholic Church.

Parents/Guardians and

community members are most welcome. Please

join us!

Sacraments of First Communion and

Confirmation Dates

The sacraments will be administered at St.

Matthew Catholic Church.

The Sacrament of Frist Communion

will take place on Saturday, April 30

in two masses:

Group One @ 11:00 a.m.

Group Two @ 4:00 p.m.

The Sacrament of Confirmation will

take place on Saturday, May 7 in two

masses:

Group One @ 11:00 a.m.

Group Two @ 4:00 p.m.

Catholic School Parent Council

The Catholic School Parent Council is

the means by which you, the

Parent/Guardian, have an opportunity

to voice your opinion and to influence

school operations. The next meeting of the CSPC

will be on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 @ 6:00 p.m.

in the school’s staff room. Please do join us!

New Staff—Welcome!

Please join us in welcoming our

new staff member: Mr. C. Tang

Poy. Mr. Tang Poy replaces Ms.

G. Mare who is on maternity leave.

We are delighted to have Mr. Tang

Poy on staff: he has worked for several years as a

supply teacher at St. Matthew.

Junior W5H

By Ms. K. Vrakking, teacher

Junior W5H was a huge success this year! Students

from Grades 4 through 6 tried out and a team of

nine students studied hard and worked their way

through hundreds of questions. W5H is a general

knowledge quiz competition. It allows students to

demonstrate knowledge of the curriculum, the

world around them, and to develop thinking and

research skills. The W5H competitions have been

held in the Toronto Catholic District School Board

since the early 1970s. The competitions have

proven to be very popular, with about 130 schools

taking part each year.

This years’ Junior team consisted of: Cilton

Osmond Grade 5, Gilliane Rodico Grade 6, Emily

Silva Grade 4, Tobias De Jesus Grade 5, Christian

Couto Grade 5, Kaiden Sarmento Grade 6, Alex

Sendao Grade 6, Bianca Ruitenbeek, Jalen Filian-

Reyes Grade 4. The tournament took place at

D’Arcy McGee Catholic School. Our team played

five games against four other teams at the

tournament held at D’Arcy McGee School on

Wednesday, February 17. Overall, the team came

in third place against strong schools.

Congratulations in showing that the St Matthew

students CAN succeed and we CAN show good

sportsmanship! Keep studying and we’ll see you at

tryouts next year!

The team members would like to thank their

coaches: Ms. S. Brandao (who accompanied the

team to the tournament), Ms. K. Vrakking and Ms.

Carvalho-Martyn.

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Above: The members of the W5H Junior Team.

Boys’ Intermediate Basketball

By: Marvin Abines, Isaac Soares

On February 16, the Boys’ Intermediate Basketball

Team headed to St. Conrad School to participate in

an annual basketball tournament. Along with St.

Matthew, St. Conrad, St. Raphael, Immaculate

Conception and D’Arcy McGee schools competed

in the tournament. Although St. Matthew didn’t

qualify for the Regional Tournament, it was dear

to see that the team put all their effort in, and

demonstrated skill and talent. It was a long

journey between tryouts and the tournaments, and

without the dedication of the players and coaches

we wouldn’t have experienced what we did.

Thank you to the coaches, Ms. Santoro and Mr. Di

Matteo for organizing and training the team.

Another thank you to the players: Marvin Abines,

Isaac Soares, Kent Biscette, Brandon Cidade, John

Acuario, Tyler Aguiar-Pedro, Sammy Paraguas,

Rafael Magalhaes, Brandon Lemos, Fabio Santos,

Gui Jales, And Daniel Uniana.

Picture at the bottom of the column opposite: The

Boys’ intermediate Basketball Team and their

coaches.

Girls’ Intermediate Basketball

By: Tatiana and Alexandra B.

The Intermediate Girls’ basketball tournament was

held at St. Conrad Catholic School on February 17.

The tournament went pretty well, although there

were some challenges along the way. All the

students played fairly, and they all had a great

sportsmanship. The girls’ basketball team came in

3rd place, and were extremely proud of how well

they played. Hopefully the girls next year who will

be on the baseball team will have a great

experience, like we did. The girls on our team

were Alexandra B., Tatiana, Alice, Beatriz S.,

Ana, Chela, Fabiana, Fatima, Gavriel, Veronica,

Dina and Hanna. Coaches: Ms. Maleco and Ms.

Mandarano.

Above: Girls’ Intermediate Basketball Team and

their coaches.

Thank You to All Who Make

Extracurricular Activities Possible

It takes an entire school to make possible

participation in an extracurricular activity.

Coaches are the most visible facilitators of an

extracurricular activity; but without the staff

members who willingly take into their classrooms

the coaches’ dispersed students on tournament

day, participation in an athletic competition would

not be possible.

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Thank you to everyone who makes extracurricular

activities possible at St. Matthew!

News from the Public Library

Special Education Conference

News from the Dovercourt

Boys and Girls Club

St. Matthew Catholic School

There will be Professional Activity Day

on Friday, April 15. This day was not

previously scheduled at the beginning

of the school year. Students are not to

attend school on this day.

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Portuguese Parents Conference

Helmet Give Away

With notes from Ms. N. Das Neves, teacher; and

Ms. M. Walker, Board’s Communication office.

On Friday, April 1st 2016, all the students in

Grades 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 received a free helmet!

Michele Jorge, partner at law firm Jewell Radmiss

Jorge LLP, facilitated the presentation of 275

bicycle helmets to the excited students!—a

generous donation made possible by the Ontario

Trial Lawyers Association.

Jim Anagnostopoulos from Access Rehab

Injury Clinic spoke to the students about the

importance of protecting their heads from brain

injuries.

Unit Commander Scott Weidmark was on hand

from 12 Division. He had a bad fall almost 30

years ago, cycling down a hill at 60 kilometres an

hour. He hit his head but, thankfully, the helmet he

was wearing bore the brunt of the impact, saving

his life. That is why Weidmark was happy to be

part of a safety initiative at Saint Matthew.

The entire event was organized through P.C. Peter

De Quintal who has helped with the 12 Division

Bicycle Helmet Giveaway, now in its third year as

well as organizes Bike Rodeos for schools to teach

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students road safety. Several auxiliary officers from

Toronto Police Service were on hand to help fit the

students with their new helmets. The message about

bicycle safety and how helmets help prevent

concussions was well received by students, who

greatly appreciate their new helmet!

CTV was also on hand to report the

helmet giveaway live, and again on the 6 o'clock

news. In case you missed the coverage, here

are direct links to the videos on the CTV site:

LIVE Report with Naomi Parness:

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=840849

News @ 6:

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=841190

The helmet giveaway precedes 12 Division’s bike

rodeo program, which is run by Constable Peter De

Quintal and Auxiliary members.

Message from Trustee Piccininni

During the month of April

our focus turns to our

wonderful volunteers. We

acknowledge the work that

they do to support our

school communities,

enriching special events

and field trips and helping

out with many activities

and initiatives throughout

the year, all without

expectation of reward. We

appreciate their invaluable contribution to Catholic

education and to the lives of the children in our

schools.

At the same time, we applaud all those students,

staff and parents who give of themselves to serve

others in their communities and around the world;

those who donate time and money to help the less

fortunate.

We thank all our volunteers, and pray for God’s

continued blessing on the important work that they

are doing.

We also begin the month with two important

observances. One is Pope John Paul II Day, which

acknowledges the impact that St. John Paul II has

had on youth around the world, and on his lasting

influence on all of us in the Catholic community.

The other is Autism Awareness Day, which focuses

on celebrating the unique gifts of students and

others with Autism. We cherish their talents, and

we celebrate all who nurture them and support their

learning.

To all of you in Ward 3, I wish you a happy spring.

All the best!

Sal Piccininni

Trustee, Ward 3

TCDSB Monthly Update

Budget Consultation

TCDSB thanks the many parents, students, staff

and community members who participated in

consultation regarding the Multi Year Recovery

Plan. Please visit the board’s website at

www.tcdsb.org or follow us on Twitter @TCDSB

to get the latest information about the consultation

regarding the 2016-2017 budget.

School Year Calendar

The school year calendar for 2016-2017 has been

approved. This includes the system-wide

professional activity days. Check here for

information

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https://www.tcdsb.org/school/schoolyearcalendar/

pages/default.aspx

Please note that there is a system-wide PA day

scheduled for April 15th.

Mark Your Calendars and Prepare to

Celebrate

Catholic Education Week May 1-6, 2016

“Opening Doors of Mercy”

https://www.tcdsb.org/board/nurturingourcatholicc

ommunity/catholiceducationweek/pages/default.as

px

Parent Engagement Resource Event:

Supporting All Our Students…Imagine the

Possibilities

April 30th, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Catholic Education Centre, 80 Sheppard Avenue

East

Hosted by TCDSB’s Special Services Department

and the Special Education Advisory Committee

Features workshops, special education resources,

community resources, raffles, door prizes.

The Ontario Association of Parents in Catholic

Education

77th Annual Conference, AGM & Gala Dinner A full day conference for parents, caregivers and

our partners in publicly funded Catholic Education

in Ontario

"Many Gifts, One Voice: Living Our Virtues in

a Virtual World"

Co-hosted by OAPCE Toronto and the Toronto

Catholic District School Board

Register online

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eve

nt?oeidk=a07ec6a0r4n5fb01bdc&llr=57qgf7bab

Change the World: Ontario Youth Volunteer

Challenge

ChangeTheWorld: Ontario Youth Volunteer

Challenge is a six week challenge to encourage

Ontario high school students to volunteer locally

and reward them for doing so. Last year in

Toronto, over 3,500 students took part and across

the province over 40,000 youth

participated. Those who volunteer during the six

weeks can contact the Ministry to request a

certificate from Volunteer Toronto and the

Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and

International Trade. The 2016 campaign starts

on April 10th and ends on May 23rd. www.volunteertoronto.ca/changetheworld

The City of Toronto’s - Clean Toronto

Together Campaign School Cleanup Day--Friday April 22, 2016

Community Clean-up Days--Saturday April, 23 &

Sunday, April 24

The City Park Clean-up--April 18th to April 22th,

2016 (grades 1 to 8)

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/environment/EarthM

onth/Pages/default.aspx

Other Upcoming Events

April is Volunteer Month. Celebrate the

volunteers in your school community and

tweet out your stories and photos using the

hashtag #familyofvolunteers

April 2nd: Pope John Paul II Day—

declared by the Government of Ontario

https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/pope-john-

paul-ii-day.aspx

April 2nd—Autism Awareness Day

(TCDSB celebrates on April 1st)

April 4-21—Elementary Music Festival

https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/elementary-

music-festival-2016.aspx

April 19-28—Secondary Music Festival

https://www.tcdsb.org/pages/secondary-

music-festival-2016.aspx

April 21st: Student Trustee Election https://www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/O

pportunitiesForStudents/Pages/Student-

Trustee-Elections-2015.aspx

April 22nd—Earth Day

April 22nd—Exemplary Practice Awards

April 26th: Election of Student Trustee

https://www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/O

pportunitiesForStudents/Pages/Election-of-

Student-Trustees-for-2016-2017.aspx

April 27th: Administrative Assistants’

Day (Secretaries’ Day)

Get all the latest news and information:

Visit the Board’s website www.tcdsb.org

Subscribe to ENews to receive updates via

email every week

https://web1.tcdsb.org/InterestSubscription

/subscription.aspx

Or Follow @TCDSB on twitter to get

updates throughout the day

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Bus Company Phone Numbers

Please call the appropriate bus company if there are

any problems.

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