Josyf Cardinal Slipyj Catholic School February Newsletter

35 West Deane Park Dr.

Etobicoke, ON, M9B 2R5

Phone:416 393 5413

Fax: 416 397 6044

In affiliation with St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church

Principal’s Report We have been so very busy at JCS and it is hard to believe that we are past the halfway mark into the school year, that we are into the month of February…the month of Love. As you can all see, the Canadian Winter has come in full force with snow, wind and extremely cold temperatures. Along with the cold, we do have many great activities going on at JCS this month. Starting with the intermediate and junior grades meeting author Eric Walters, grades 3 to 8 skiing at Hockley Valley, school participating in Carnaval and Valentine’s Day activities, a Police Presentation for all grades, Pink Shirt Day, Earthroots Science Workshop, Swim to Survive for grades 4, Loretta Penny Safari Kenya Presentation for grades 2, and Pizza and Pita lunches, and most importantly, celebrating Family Mass with our JCS families at the end of the month. February is also the month to celebrate the birthday of Josyf Cardinal Slipyj on February 19th, even though his birthday is on February 17th. Josyf Cardinal Slipyj had a great love of learning as a young student and an even greater love for God and his religion. His faith, love for God, and hope cost Josyf Slipyj 18 years of harsh imprisonment. And yet it was this same faith, his love for God, and hope that set him free to tend to his flock. His motto PER ASPERA AD ASTRA - through hard work we can reach the stars in heaven, resonates within the JCS staff and students. We know that through hard work we can accomplish many things. We know that the Catholic Education is at its best when Families, Parishes and Schools play, pray and work together to spread the Good News to all. Let us continue to live and remember this motto. A.Iwasykiw

Principal – A. Iwasykiw

Vice Principal – V. Aquilina

Secretary – M. Maglietta

Clerk Typists – S. Shanahan & M. Wells

Superintendent – Flora Ciffeli

Trustee – Marcus de Domenico

Pastor – Father Lobay

Spiritual Leaders – Father Kachur & Father Lobay

Звіт Директорки

В школі Йосипва Кардинала Сліпого далі вирує активне життя. Ми всі були такі зайняті, що не

зчулися, як минула половина року і настав місяць лютий, місяць Любові. Всі напевно зауважили,

що зима у повній силі зі снігами, вітрами і особливо низькими температурами вирішила

випробувати нас. Але, не зважаючи на це, ми маємо багато чудових занять, що відбуватимуться в

школі цього місяця.

Починаючи із зустрічі середніх та старших класів з відомим канадським автором та спів-

засновником благодійного фонду “Створення надії” Ериком Волтерсом та поїздки на лещата на

Hockley Valley, школа приймає участь в Карнавалі та святкуванні Дня Валентина, поліцейській

презентації для всіх класів, у Дні рожевої сорочки, природничо-науковій презентації Коріння

Землі, у майстер-класах “Плавання для виживання” для 4 класів, презентації про Кенію для 2-их

класів, у піца- та піта- обідах, і найважливіше – у спільній сімейній Літургії для всіх родин нашої

школи в кінці місяця.

Лютий – це також місяць святкування народження Йосипа Кардинала Сліпого, котрий народився

17 лютого. Цього року ми будемо святкувати 19 лютого. Йосип Кардинал Сліпий дуже любив

вчитися, будучи учнем. А ще більше любив Бога та Боже вірування. Його віра, любов до Бога та

надія коштували йому 18 тяжких років ув’язнення. Але та ж віра, любов до Бога та надія

допомогли йому вистояти, звільнитися і повернутися до своєї пастви.

Його девіз Через Терни до Зірок – тяжкою працею ми досягаємо зірок у небі, відгукується у

працівниках та учнях нашої школи. Ми знаємо, що завдяки тяжкій праці, можемо здійснити багато

чого. Ми також знаємо, що католицька освіта тоді є найкращою, коли родини, парохії та школи

розважаються, моляться та працюють разом, щоб поширювати Добру Новину і нести її до всіх.

Продовжуймо жити і пам’ятати цей прекрасний девіз нашого покровителя, Йосипа Кардинала

Сліпого.

А. Івасиків

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Bussing at JCS

Plase note that during the colder weather and rainy days, students on the buses will be

dropped off in the morning at the front of the school and picked up after school infront of the

school as well. This will ensure that our students avoid getting wet from the rain and into the

warm school. Please ensure that you do not park at the front of the school during

inclement weather!

ELEMENTARY PROVINCIAL REPORT CARDS

The Elementary Provincial Report Card will be coming on February 12th, 2019.

Parent/teacher interviews will be held on:

Wednesday, February 13th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm

&

Thursday, February 14th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm

Interviews may be booked on line. Please refer to hard copy of a letter that

went home on Thursday.

Friday, February 15th – NO SCHOOL - PA DAY

NO SCHOOL ON FAMILY DAY, Monday, February 18th

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reminder - Late Arrival/Early Leaves/Interruptions Important, exciting, interesting and serious learning occurs at JCS. Staff try diligently to ensure that time is not wasted and that all students are involved in all possible ways every moment of the day. With this in mind, students who arrive late and/or leave early miss out on many valuable experiences. We would ask your assistance in the following ways:

Our morning begins at 8:30 am. All students are asked to be lined up in their appropriate school yard lines for our entry routines.

Whenever possible and appropriate, please try to schedule appointments out of school activities, visits, etc. for before or after school hours. This way your child will not miss out on any aspect of the program we are attempting to provide.

If it is necessary for your child to leave school early for an appointment, please send a note to the teacher indicating the time that you will pick him/her up. Staff will then try to ensure that your child is at the office, ready to be signed out and go when you arrive, and we will not have to interrupt classes to call you child to the office.

If you need to pick up your child before 2:00pm we ask that you wait for your child near the front doors of the school. Many parents/guardians continue to roam the hallways and walk to their child’s classroom. This is a safety issue and we ask for your cooperation in this matter.

Students who leave early must do so only after they have been signed out, by a parent or guardian, from the office.

Forgotten lunches, or lunches dropped off at the school, need to be labelled with the child’s name and dropped off at the front office. Parents please do not proceed to your child’s classroom with the lunch.

Classroom teachers will not be interrupted after 2:00pm for early pickup unless it is an emergency. Parents are asked to wait for their children behind the fence at the pickup yard. This will cause the least disruption to learning and teaching for the students at JCS. Teacher will not be assigning homework at this time as they are teaching.

Being late just 6 minutes per day accumulates to 30 minutes per week, which equates to one entire 30 minute period of instruction. Over one year, this adds up to 1200 minutes, or 40 lessons! Students need to arrive to

school early so that they will not miss out on valuable learning. Your cooperation and assistance in this matter is of the utmost importance.

Feast of St. Nicholas at St. Nicholas church Празник

This year, students from Josyf Cardinal Slipyj School were invited to participate in the St. Nicholas church festivities - Церковний Празник - on Sunday December 16th, 2018. Our students worked very diligently to prepare and recite poems on the topic of Sviatyj Mykolaj and also entertained clergy, parents, grandparents, guests with their enthusiasm and joyous songs reflecting on the generosity of Mykolaj.

They were warmly welcomed and very grateful to be part of this wonderful celebration of the patron saint of children. We thank Anton Fedorowych, Inessa Hrycyshyn, Ilaria Hankevych, Stephan Sobolev, Alina Vereshchynska, Nicole Morozovska, Olivia Lorens, Kateryna Prushkovska, Danylo Sobolev, Kyprian Hankevych, Andriy Slojka, Alina Morozovska, Svitlana Strykovska, Liubov Platko, Sofia Koszarny.

We also thank Fr. O. Kachur, the Ukrainian department teachers for their assistance and especially Pani S. Lazirko and Pani N. Shevchuk for their hard work and attendance at this Sunday event.

A special thank you to all the parents of our students who attended with their children and support our Eastern-Rite traditions. Всім щира подяка!

St. Nicholas Visit to JCS Thank you to our CSPC elves for all of their hard work and

organization!

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

MALANKA at JCS

Greetings from the CSPC (Catholic Schools Parent Council)! We had a very productive January 15th CSPC meeting, thank you to all who attended! At this meeting we discussed our

upcoming CSPC events, yearly budget and our continued commitment to: 1) Continue to focus on supporting Eastern Rite traditions at JCS by helping with busing to St. Nicholas Church for Orthodox Christmas School Mass. 2) Support School Enhancements 3) Support our Students in any capacity deemed necessary to have the best educational experience at Josyf Cardinal Slipyj

In order to fund all of these initiatives we rely on support via the $35/ student CSPC fee. Please ensure you have paid

this fee so that we can continue to support our school community. If you have questions as to where these fees go – please send us an email on our website: www.jcscspc.com

We would like to take this opportunity to THANK all our Donors who gave so generously towards our Mykolay event in 2018.

These donors include: MEEST, BUDUCHNIST and UKRAINIAN CREDIT UNION. ON January 22nd we had our Community Meeting at the JCS organized by the Board, to see a

future plan for the safety and wellness of our children surrounding busing and parking. We thank everyone who came out to hear and be heard. We were able to see some tentative plans as well as hear all our community resident’s concerns about the blatant lack of common courtesy when it comes to parking cars on the side streets, in front of driveways and in the middle of the street.

DEAR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS and GUARDIANS: THIS NEEDS TO STOP!!! We have been asking everyone since September to please abide by the rules when dropping off or picking up your children. AND yet with a constant plea – there now have been accidents and absolute near misses of hitting children. WE now have to take matters to the local authorities. Your license plates will be photographed, published and provided to our community law enforcement officers who will issue parking tickets to offending license plate owners. CSPC Social Media: WE HAVE A WEBSITE!!! Please go to www.jcscspc.com You can find all information, forms, letters posted on this website pertaining to CSPC and the JCS school community.

International Language Program: the results of the survey were presented at the Board on January 24th. JCS had a very high percentage of responses to the survey and an overall request to continue with the program. The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to support and continue the IL program and will be seeking financial and curriculum support from the provincial government. As of yet, we do not know what the final outcome of the program will be moving forward into the 2019/2020 school year. For the full results of the survey and CBC News coverage of the meeting on January 24th , please visit www.jcscspc.com

BEFORE and AFTER SCHOOL CARE: please be vigilant to fill out the survey- Due February 22nd - from the school asking for your interest in a before or after school program for children starting in September 2019. We ask that you fill out for both possibilities – this will help increase our chances to receive a program at our school. The survey came from JCS on January 8th, 2019. Below are some upcoming parent involvement opportunities:

. Celebration Saturday: this year we will be holding an exciting school celebration in June. For this event to be a success, we need to start planning early. We call upon all parents and families to please come and volunteer your time in whatever capacity you can. The first meeting will be held February 5th at 7:00pm in the school library. If you have any questions please forward them to our Fundraising Committee of Tatiana Bidiak: tatianabidiak@hotmail.com or Tania Fedorowycz: tshklar@hotmail.com

. Used Uniforms: if you have any used uniforms that you wish to donate – please bring them to the office of JCS. We will be having a drive to re-cycle these uniforms.

· Pizza lunches: How much do parents and kids love pizza Wednesdays? Our amazing Sandra Pinchak has been leading this initiative for several years and we are all very grateful for all her hard work! In order for this operation to run smoothly, we do need

parents to help with the logistics of pizza distribution! If you are available on a Wednesday (or multiple Wednesday’s) to assist, please reach out to Natalie Tymkewycz our pizza volunteer coordinator for more information. natalietymkewycz@gmail.com Below are a few other reminders:

School Mass: All of the JCS community is encouraged to attend the Monthly Children’s Mass at our St. Nicholas Parish. It is a great way to meet other families! Throughout the school year, we have been assigning a different class (classes) to host the lunch social following the mass downstairs at the church. This month’s children’s liturgy is on February 24th, at 9:30am at St Nicholas Ukrainian church. Everyone is invited, and it will be hosted by grades 4! For more information or if you would like to help please contact Oresta Kovbel our Parish Liaison gprdds@gmail.com.

BUSING: as many of you are aware of our continued unfortunate busing situation at JCS. Our CSCP Executive continues to

work diligently to help rectify the situation. If you have any concerns you wish to address - -please feel free to reach out to us and/or the Board. You can find the main talking points of discussion posted in our letters to the Boards on our website: www.jcscspc.com

Our next CSPC meeting will be held February 19th at 7pm. If you cannot attend, please consider volunteering in other ways – some things can even be done from home. For more information please contact our volunteer coordinators: Natalie Tymkewycz natalietymkewycz@gmail.com or Marta Gadacz mboszko@hotmail.com Till Next Time:

Stephanie Soltys and Liijanna Shklar – Co-Chairs JCS CSPC

Monthly Update from the Board

February 2019 TCDSB Is Hiring!

Join the dynamic team at the Toronto Catholic District School Board where academic success and well-being go hand in hand with nurturing

Catholic faith and values.

TCDSB is currently seeking:

Supply Secretary

Supply Educational Assistant

Occasional Designated Early Childhood Educator

Occasional Library Technician (certified and uncertified)

Supply Caretaker

Occasional Teacher

Occasional French Teacher (certified and uncertified)

Occasional Music Teacher(certified and uncertified)

Interested in exploring a career with TCDSB? Visit www.tcdsb.org/careers or contact hr.recruitment@tcdsb.org. Applications are being

received at www.applytoeducation.com.

Registration for Kindergarten, French Immersion, Extended French and Night School as well as

eClass continues during February. Visit the Board’s website for information www.tcdsb.org

February’s Virtue is Love Please visit our website for the monthly resources connected to the virtue of the month.

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/VirtueoftheMonth/Pages/Default.aspx

Director’s Annual Report 2017-2018 Check out some of the highlights of the past school year in the newly published edition of the Director’s Annual Report.

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/BoardAdministration/DirectorofEducation/Pages/annual-report-2017-2018.aspx

Audited Financial Statements 2017-2018 The audited financial statements for the past school year are available online:

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/BudgetandFinance/Documents/Audited-Financial-Statments-2017-18-TCDSB.pdf

New Location: English Courses for Adults Coming in February to 270 Cherokee Boulevard, North York (former Our Lady of Mount Carmel school site)

ESL (full and part-time classes available)

Essential skills training

ESL for Health Care Professions (March-May)

www.tcdsb.org/adulted for information or 416-397-6600 contact.adulted@tcdsb.org

Winter Weather Has Arrived Don’t miss out on information relating to cancellations or delays in school bus service. Sign up to receive alerts through the TSTG

parent portal https://www.torontoschoolbus.org or follow @TCDSB on Twitter for the latest updates.

February is… African Canadian Heritage Month

https://www.tcdsb.org/FORCOMMUNITY/HeritageCelebration/AfricanCanadianHeritage/Pages/default.aspx

The African Canadian Heritage Month Mass will take place at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts on Friday, February 8th

from 10 am – 1:30 pm, and will feature special guest poet, speaker, and author Nadine Williams.

Psychology Month https://www.tcdsb.org/programsservices/specialeducation/psychology/psychologymonth/Pages/Psychology-

Month.aspx

National Inclusive Education Month

Learn more about the TCDSB’s Catholic Equity and Inclusive Education Policy:

https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/Policies/Pages/hm24.aspx

TCDSB Energy Conservation Month: 4 Days - 4 Themes - One Month:

Join the TCDSB throughout February to save on energy:

Flip the Switch Friday – Feb 1, 2019

National Sweater Day - Feb 8, 2019

Energy Education Day - Feb 14, 2019

Phantom Friday - Feb 22, 2019

Click here for more information about Energy Conservation Month.

Other Dates to Note for February:

Winter Walk Day 2019

Winter Walk Day will be taking place this year on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. Winter Walk Day is an opportunity for all of us—

students, staff, families—to focus on improved health and well-being, active lifestyles and building safer communities for everyone.

Click here for more information.

Supporting all Students...Join Us!

TCDSB Special Education and Community Resources Fair 2019 Hosted by the Toronto Catholic District School Board Special Services Departments and Special Education Advisory Committee

February 2, 2019 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

https://www.tcdsb.org/programsservices/specialeducation/newsevents/pages/special-education-and-community-resources-fair-.aspx

Transition Planning Workshop for Parents

of Children with Autism in Grades 7 & 8

February 2, 2019 10 a.m. to 12 noon

https://www.tcdsb.org/programsservices/specialeducation/newsevents/pages/transition-planning.aspx

February 2, 2019: World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

Pray for our Cardinal, Bishops, pastors, priests, deacons, sisters and other religious who provide spiritual support, leadership and

guidance to our school communities and Catholics throughout the City of Toronto.

February 4-8, 2019 Canadian School Counsellors Week https://www.ccpa-accp.ca/chapters/school-counsellors/

Lunar New Year February 5, 2019

Angel Foundation For Learning’s Curiosities Art Show

February 9 and 10

Featuring artwork created by TCDSB students, TCDSB graduates and local artists

https://www.angelfoundationforlearning.org/?page_id=7725

February 11th is International Day of the Girl in Science http://www.un.org/en/events/women-and-girls-in-science-day/

February 14, 2019 St Valentine’s Day https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/News/2014-2015/Pages/St.-

Valentine's-Day.aspx

System-wide PA Day February 15, 2019

Family Day February 18, 2019

February 20, 2019 World Day of Social Justice http://www.un.org/en/events/socialjusticeday/

Feb 22-March 1, 2019 TCDSB Northern Spirit Games

As part of the TCDSB's Indigenous Education programming initiatives, the annual Northern Spirit Games will once again take place

in February. This year the games will take place at four locations:

St. John Paul II – February 22

Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton CSS - February 25

St. Patrick's CSS - February 28

Msgr. Percy Johnson – March 1

Since 2002, over 22,000 students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 have participated in these annual athletic, cultural and spiritual celebrations.

Click here for more information.

February 27, 2019 Pink Shirt Day

Opportunities/Information for Students

FaithTalk—Radio Maria Contest

Grade 7 – 12 TCDSB students are invited to submit a two-page (500 word) proposal (in any format) about how they are ‘living their

faith’ today! If selected, a student will be on air, at Radio Maria Canada for a 30 minute segment speaking about their faith during

Catholic Education Week May 5-10, 2019! https://www.tcdsb.org/board/nurturingourcatholiccommunity/rooted-in-christ/pages/radio-

maria.aspx

We Belong Submissions

In celebration of our pastoral plan, all schools are invited to share the ways in which they celebrate belonging in their communities.

We invite you to submit student artwork, written work, videos/slideshows, songs or any other creative expressions of belonging

to ncc.team@tcdsb.org by no later than Friday, March 22, 2019.

Click here for more information and to check out other submissions.

COSTI’s Refugees & Human Rights Child & Youth Poetry Contest

Student in Grades 4 to 12 are invited to write a poem on the theme of “Refugees and Human Rights.” The deadline for entries is

March 29, 2019. https://www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/AwardsScholarshipsBursariesContests/Pages/COSTI-Poetry-Contest.aspx

Friars’ Writing Contest 2019

Contestants must be 14-18 years of age, and currently enrolled in an Ontario secondary school or equivalent program. Essays must be

no longer than 500 words in length and submitted on or before the contest closing date. Deadline to enter: Monday, February 18,

2019. Click here for more contest details.

Investing in Our Diversity Scholarship Program

Applications are now open for the IIOD scholarship. Toronto Community Housing tenants or persons living in the Scadding Court

Community Centre (SCCC) catchment area who are 29 years old or younger and entering any year of post-secondary study are

eligible to apply. Applications are due Thursday, March 28, 2018 at 5pm. Click here for more information and the IIOD

application.

Government of Canada Job Bank

www.jobbank.gc.ca

Apprenticeship Incentives and Completion Grants

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/apprentices/grants.html For other opportunities for students including community service hours, employment, training and contests, see https://www.tcdsb.org/FORSTUDENTS/OpportunitiesForStudents/Pages/default.aspx

Coming Soon

Lift Jesus Higher Rally March 2, 2019 https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/News/2017-2018/Pages/lift-jesus-higher.aspx

March 5, 2019 Ordinandi Youth Event Secondary students from the Toronto Catholic District School Board are once again invited to participate in the annual Ordinandi

Youth Event. This event is being held at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton on Wednesday, March 5 th, from 9:30 am until

1pm. The Ordinandi Youth Event offers a fun and interactive program that includes lively music and exciting activities. Students will

also hear the unique vocation stories of religious sisters and the Ordinandi Class. There is also an opportunity for attendees to ask

questions – gaining additional insight into the lives and spiritual journeys of the speakers, particularly on how each has been able to

overcome difficulties when responding to God’s call to love and serve. This year Cardinal Collins will again be present to speak to the

young people and then lunch will be served. The function ends at 1 pm. At that time students will be transported back to their schools.

This is the 7th year for the Ordinandi Youth Event and with the help of the Catholic Boards in the Archdiocese of Toronto it continues

to be a great way for young people to learn about Vocations and connect with their peers. Their participation in this event assists them

in gathering a sense of fellowship and belonging that comes from being part of the larger Catholic Youth Community.

March 6, 2019 Ash Wednesday; Lent Begins https://www.tcdsb.org/Board/NurturingOurCatholicCommunity/Pages/Lent-and-

Easter-Resources.aspx

March 8-12, 2019 ShareLife Week

Never Miss Out on Important Information Visit www.tcdsb.org for regular updates.

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