Monthly Archives: May 2024

Good evening, Dragons!
We want to let you know about a new Safe Arrival system that is going into place starting on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.  Starting on Wednesday, you do NOT need to contact the school via phone or email to report your child’s absence.  Instead, you can download the “SafeArrival” app on your phone and report an absence through the app.

Please see the instructions in the attached letter and be ready to start using the app on Monday.  Have a good weekend, Dragons!

Safe Arrival Letter for Parents

Hello parents and guardians,

By popular demand, Mission Day is coming back to St. Dominic Savio School on June 21st!

Mission Day Promotion Poster 2024

Tickets can be purchased for this exciting event through School Cash Online starting on Monday, June 3rd.

More information will follow soon.  Please note that funds raised from this event will go the Kitchener Food Bank and to Nutrition for Learning.

“Inspiration comes from within yourself. One has to be positive. When you’re positive, good things happen.” – Deep Roy

Welcome to the last week of May! The weather last week was absolutely glorious, and it felt like summer was around the corner. Students still have five more weeks of learning left but learning opportunities always seem to be more exciting when the sun is shining! This week we wish our grade 6 students good luck as they write EQAO in the first part of the week.  On May 31st, we keep our grade 7 students in our prayers as they make their Confirmation at St. Mark’s Church at 7 pm.  Our school community will practice a ‘lock down’ this coming week to prepare students in the event there is ever the need to stay quietly in our classrooms for safety reasons.  A big congratulations and shout out to our Intermediate Co-Ed Soccer Team which placed 2nd overall in their one-day tournament.  The team members played fierce until the end and lost their final game 1-0. Coaches Ms. Shermeto and Ms. Guerrero were so proud of the players as they were polite and maintained great sportsmanship throughout the whole day. Go DRAGONS GO!

Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, with special recognition dedicated to National Indigenous Peoples Day, which falls on June 21st. On this day and throughout June, we celebrate the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, their vibrant and distinct cultures, and their beautiful languages. This is an opportunity for Canadians to learn about the history of Indigenous Peoples, and further embrace the opportunity to learn more about their identities. For our classrooms, students will be learning about Indigenous perspectives on treaties, Indigenous leadership, resistance, resurgence, brilliance, and creativity.  You can read more HERE

June is also designated as Pride Month in Canada, and on Saturday, June 1st, we will join other schools across our district in raising the Pride (Rainbow) flag outside of our school building. The Rainbow flag will fly for June as a visible symbol of our commitment to nurturing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment where every student and every member of the community is valued, and respected.

WCDSB Parent/Family Survey: Supporting Your Child’s Math Learning K-8

The following brief survey will assist our school district in gathering data about how parents/families feel in terms of being informed about what their children are learning in math, how parents/families feel about supporting their children’s learning in math, and about parental access to math learning resources at home.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and participation.

https://bit.ly/SupportingMathAtHomeSurvey2024  This survey will remain open until June 14, 2024.

A reminder that Friday, May 31st is a PA Day for Report Card Writing. There is no school for students on this day.

Time for Students to Return Things

Parents we ask that you continue to check closets, trunks, under beds, etc. for any schoolbooks and Chromebooks that may be hiding and return them to us as soon as possible. The more we receive back, the fewer we have to replace.  By working together to locate missing textbooks and library books, we are able to responsibly minimize costs to the school.  All library books are due back Friday, June 7th so that we can conduct an inventory.  Thank you.

Thank you to our Catholic Schools Advisory Council Committee (CSAC)

Our parent council is arranging a family night to wrap up their work this school year.

Save the Date: End of Year Family Night!

Join us for an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and festivities as we celebrate the end of another fantastic year!

Date: June 18
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM

Event Highlights:

• Food Trucks: Enjoy a variety of delicious food options from some of the best food trucks in town!
• Police and Fire Trucks: Get ready to learn more about our local fire and police!
• Sports Games: We’re looking for enthusiastic parents to assist as referees for soccer and basketball games. If you’re interested in helping out, please let us know by emailing valerie.a.vaz@gmail.com
• Raffle: Don’t miss the chance to win one of our amazing gift baskets, each valued at $100 or more! Descriptions of the baskets and tickets will be available on school cash online later this week.

We can’t wait to see you there!

PD Day and Summer Camps

PD day and summer programming is being offered to children aged 5-12 in collaboration with Laurier’s Psychology and Kinesiology Departments.
On the May 31st PD Day, they are hosting Science Discovery Day, held at the Laurier Science Building. From 9 am to 4 pm, young scientists will dive into research experiences, exploring the wonders of the brain and body. They’ll enjoy psychology labs, a science-themed scavenger hunt, workshops, and engaging with peers. There are few spots left—register now to secure your spot!
Looking ahead to summer, don’t miss our BrainWorx Summer Experience—a week-long adventure held at Laurier. BrainWorx attendees will enjoy science workshops, a juggling class, and research experiences, all while having fun with sports, and crafts, and making new friends.
Posters for both BrainWorx programs are attached and contain further information. If you have any questions or would like to register, please email Sydney Austin, BrainWorx Laurier Coordinator, at brainworxlaurier@gmail.com.
BrainWorx-Laurier-Poster
PD-Day-Science-Discovery

Promoting Health/Well-Being

Gratitude is the act of showing appreciation and being thankful.  Research shows that people who practice gratitude – who think about the good things in their life – are healthier and happier!

Gratitude helps…

• Improve social connections and relationships
• Protect from stress and increases resilience
• Boost energy levels
• Increase self-esteem
• Adds a sense of meaning

Remember that all feelings – excited, worried, happy, scared, unsure – are okay. One way to promote our mental health can be to remember what we are grateful for. https://www.onoursleeves.org/mental-wellness-tools-guides/helping-kids-stay-positive/gratitude-in-kids

We are looking forward to a great week!  Have a good week Dragons!

Save the Date: End of Year Family Night!

Join us for an unforgettable evening of fun, food, and festivities as we celebrate the end of another fantastic year!

Date: June 18
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM

Event Highlights:

• Food Trucks: Enjoy a variety of delicious food options from some of the best food trucks in town!
• Police and Fire Trucks: Get ready to learn more about our local fire and police!
• Sports Games: We’re looking for enthusiastic parents to assist as referees for soccer and basketball games. If you’re interested in helping out, please let us know by emailing valerie.a.vaz@gmail.com
• Raffle: Don’t miss the chance to win one of our amazing gift baskets, each valued at $100 or more! Descriptions of the baskets and tickets will be available on school cash online later this week.

This is an event you won’t want to miss. Bring your family, invite your friends, and let’s make this End of Year Family Night a memorable one!

We can’t wait to see you there!

Sincerely,

St. Dominic’s Parent Council

Good morning, St. Dominic Community.

“And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them.”  Acts 2:1-3

This past Sunday was Pentecost. It commemorated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks. When the spirit came upon those around Jesus, everyone began speaking in their own language even though just moments earlier they were all speaking in the same language. This was the moment when God’s divine fire identified the new temple, the new place where Heaven and Earth overlap, which is the Church community made of Jesus’ people.

We hope everyone has had a wonderful long weekend so far and that it brings you and your family happiness and relaxation!  As we continue our learning journey, please stay informed about your child’s progress and classroom activities by visiting your child’s D2L site where teachers share assignments, announcements, and resources.

School Messenger Safe Arrivals

Exciting news is coming to help families with calling attendance for children!  School Messenger Safe Arrivals would have sent you a message (phone, voicemail, email or text) this past Thursday to let you know this system is coming to the WCDSB.  This will make attendance reporting so much easier for families.  Please see this flyer for more information:  2.-SMS-Text-Opt-In-Flyer-WCDSB

Track and Field

A big thank you to the volunteers who helped make the St. Dominic Savio Track and Field Day a big success.  A huge shout out to Mrs. Shermeto and Mr. Van Looyen who organized the day and kept things running smoothly.  It was a fun day for students to participate in a little fun competition.  Athletes have been notified if they are moving on to compete in the Regional Track and Field Meet.  Go Dragons Go!

Riding Bikes to School

Now that the warm weather has arrived, many more students are riding their bikes to school. Please remind your child(ren) that they need to walk their bikes while on school property. It is also important that you review bicycle safety rules with your child(ren) to ensure that they are safe while riding their bikes to school.

PD Day

A reminder that Friday, May 31st is a PA Day for Report Card Writing. There is no school for students on this day.

WCDSB Multi-Year Strategic Plan Survey

As we reach the midpoint of our Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP), our Board is committed to ensuring our strategies and actions align with our goals. By utilizing our MYSP indicators and implementing evidence-based practices, we are diligently monitoring our investments and efforts. Our accountability framework further positions us to meet our objectives effectively.

Your input is important to us. We are reaching out to parents and community members to gather your perspectives and insights. Please take a few moments to complete our spring survey. Your feedback will help shape the direction of our initiatives and ensure that we continue to progress in a manner that reflects our shared values and priorities.
Thank you for your participation and support.
COMPLETE SURVEY: https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5hC7fij9iAmHrGC

Learning At Home

The second volume of WCDSB Kindergarten Connections is available here:  Kindergarten Connections Vol 2 2024

Promoting Health/Well-Being

ADHD – How to Help Your Child At Home

Find out how structure, consistency and clear communication can help you support a child with ADHD symptoms.
Key points

• Behavioural treatment for ADHD involves parents and teachers working together to create a structured environment for a child based on consistent rules and clear communication.
• To set your child up for success, use clear and concise instructions, reminders and prompts for desired behaviours and positive body language.
• To help your child handle social situations, play games that require cooperation with others, give positive feedback as soon as possible and focus on your child’s talents and strengths.
  Read more at: https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?

EQAO

Grade 6 Students write May 27 – 29

Grade 3 Students write June 3 – 5

Tips to Help Your Child ~

Maintain a Positive Attitude: Encourage a positive outlook towards the tests. Avoid putting too much pressure on your child, as this can lead to anxiety.

Ensure Rest and Nutrition: Ensure your child gets enough sleep and eats a healthy breakfast on the days of the test. Physical well-being can significantly impact performance.

Wishing you a lovely short work week Dragons!

Good afternoon parents and caregivers.

You may have received a text message today from the Waterloo Catholic School Board.  The reminder that we received from our IT department today reads:

Any cell phones that haven’t pre-registered will receive the text message below from 978338: “Waterloo Catholic District School Board messages. Reply “Y” to confirm, HELP 4 info. Msg&data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. schoolmessenger.com/tm”

School Messenger is a program that we can use to send information and updates to those who have contact information listed in our system.  Please reply “Y” to the message to accept these messages so that you can get any necessary and important information in the future.  These messages will come via email and text message.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the main office.

Have a lovely evening.

Good morning, St. Dominic Parents and Caregivers!

John 20:17-31. 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

This past Sunday, we celebrated The Ascension of Jesus.  The ascent of Jesus Christ is when Jesus rose into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day).

There has been no sweeter reunion in the history of the world than Jesus’ return to his Father! Imagine as a parent having your child returned to you after years away. Take heart that Jesus’ homecoming to his Father prepares the way for our homecoming to be with Jesus forever (John 14:2–4).

Mother’s Day ~  We hope all our mothers had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating special you!

Catholic Education Week ~  Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who were able to attend our school liturgy or one of the special events being held by classes over the past week.  The Kindergarten Mother’s Day Tea Party was the biggest success as our youngest members shared their joy of learning with all who attended!

This past Monday, the St. Dominic Savio Community welcomed students visiting from Colombia!  We welcomed 11 Grade 6 and 7 students into our classes, and they will be learning with us until June!  We hope they learn lots from our students and enjoy their stay!

Track and Field at Resurrection High School for Grades 4 to 8 on Monday, May 13

We have been looking forward to today when our students from Grades 4 to 8 will once again be participating in the annual Track & Field meet at Resurrection Catholic Secondary School.  Students will be walking to Resurrection shortly after 9:00 am and will be walking back to St. Dominic Savio School in the afternoon.   Permission forms have been shared with your child(ren) so please inquire about these forms if you have not seen them and send them back to school this morning.

This is just a reminder that students are not permitted to leave the meet at any time during the day.  If you will be picking up your child at Resurrection or if you have made alternate arrangements, please ensure that the Dismissal Form that was sent home has been completed and signed.  If we do not have this completed form, your child will walk back to school and be dismissed at the regular 3:45 pm time. If given permission to leave early, please remind your child to make their teacher aware when they are leaving.  Students will only be allowed to enter the high school to use the washroom only.  Please ensure that your child has enough water, healthy snacks, and lunch as there is nowhere to purchase food.  In between their events, students will be sitting in an assigned area with their class.

What all students should bring to Track & Field:

• Water, lunch, and snacks (there is nowhere to purchase food)
• Hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen/sunblock
• Extra clothes for layering (just in case)
• Proper running shoes
• Clothing appropriate for physical activity
• Blanket or towel to sit on
• Book, cards, or other small games that can be played with a small group

Dragons, please remember that we are guests at Resurrection, and we know that you will show the same respect, enthusiasm, and sportsmanship that you do at school each and every day!  Let’s have a great day, Dragons!

WCDSB Multi- Year Strategic Plan Survey

As we reach the midpoint of our Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP), our Board is committed to ensuring our strategies and actions align with our goals. By utilizing our MYSP indicators and implementing evidence-based practices, we are diligently monitoring our investments and efforts. Our accountability framework further positions us to meet our objectives effectively.

Your input is important to us. We are reaching out to parents and community members to gather your perspectives and insights. Please take a few moments to complete our spring survey. Your feedback will help shape the direction of our initiatives and ensure that we continue to progress in a manner that reflects our shared values and priorities.

Thank you for your participation and support.

COMPLETE SURVEY: https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5hC7fij9iAmHrGC

EQAO Assessments in Grades 3 and 6

This year, we are once again following Ministry’s direction to administer the assessment from the Education Quality and Accountability Office for all Grade 3 and 6 students. Both our Grade 3 and 6 students will be writing a sample test in May to help our students familiarize themselves with the questions and online platform.  The actual assessment for Grade 6 students will take place from May 27th – May 29th and for Grade 3 students June 3rd – June 5th.  EQAO has created a short video for parents and guardians of primary- and junior-division students participating in the assessments.

ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH

May is designated as Asian Heritage Month and an opportunity for us to learn more about the many achievements and contributions of Canadians of Asian heritage who, throughout our history, have done so much to make Canada the country we know and love.   Over the last two centuries, immigrants have journeyed to Canada from East Asia, Southern Asia, Western and Southeast Asia, bringing our society a rich cultural heritage representing many languages, ethnicities, and religious traditions. This month, we recognize the long and rich history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to the growth and prosperity of our country.  The theme for Asian Heritage Month 2024 is “Preserving the Past, Embracing the Future: Amplifying Asian Canadian Legacy”. This theme celebrates the rich heritage and contributions of people of Asian origin in Canada while also looking forward to the future with optimism and hopefulness. We are acknowledging the voices, stories, and achievements of people of Asian origin in Canada and recognizing their contributions to all aspects of our society, including the arts, sports and social justice.

Math @ Home May Issue

Parents can make a big difference in their child’s learning by talking with them about what they are learning at school. While these resources are optional, they provide valuable information about what students are learning at school and ideas for supporting their learning at home.  Please click HERE for ways to have fun with math at home!

May Community News

Free event at the Forest Heights Kitchener Public Library on the May 31st P.A. Day for children ages 4-12. No registration required.  More info here: PD Day Fun: Crafternoon | Kitchener Public Library (mylibrary.digital)

Have an amazing week dragons!

Dear Dragon moms,

Happy Mother’s Day to the person who looks after everyone and makes them feel endlessly loved!

We wish you a blessed day and hope you are spoiled with attention today!