ST.
CHARLES GARNIER
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
20 Stong Ct, Toronto, ON M3N 2X9
Telephone: 416-393-5363 Fax: 416-393-5174
March 2024
ST. CHARLES GARNIER MONTHLY NEWSLETTER Loriana Romano
PRINCIPAL
Dear parents, guardians, and staff,
February was a very exciting and busy month at St. Charles Garnier! We celebrated Michael Ruocco
Black History & African Canadian Heritage Month, Carnaval, Shrove Tuesday, VICE PRINCIPAL
Valentine’s Day, and Cultural Day! Many classes went on school trips and we had
special activities like our special guest speakers (Nadine Williams, Sandra Anin, Maria Campoli &
Covenant House, and P.E.A.C.E.), Scholastic Book Fair, school trips, tournaments, Florinda Cesario
and dance lessons. All these events helped us celebrate our diversity, promote SECRETARY & CLERK TYPIST
school spirit, and allow us to come together as a school community.
Shawna Campbell 416-222-8282
During the month of February, we began our Lenten journey. Throughout the forty
days of Lent, we remember Jesus’ time in the desert preparing for his death and SUPERINTENDENT
resurrection. Lent allows us to prepare ourselves for Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice. We are
called to follow Jesus and, like him, to be gentle and humble in our hearts by being Ida Li Preti 416-512-3403
aware of the needs of others. We do so through prayer, fasting, penance, and
almsgiving. Lent is a time that we can engage in reflection, prayer, and renewal so TRUSTEE
that we can become closer to God. St. Augustine of Canterbury Roman
Catholic Church 416-661-8221
As we make our way through Lent this year, let us also keep the March Virtue of the
Month--Forgiveness--in our hearts. We encourage our students to forgive others, seek PARISH
forgiveness, make peace with others, and make positive choices in their words and
Rosemarie Bowen &
actions. We show one another forgiveness, compassion, and mercy, just as God
Zulith Rodriguez-Manzanarez
shows this to us.
During Holy Week, we reflect on Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. We are CSPC CHAIRS
renewed by the promise of Easter, Christ’s resurrection, and everlasting life. Thank
you to Ms. Oliveira, Mr. Stillo, Mr. Cornacchia and the grade 8 students for organizing www.tcdsb.org/cpic
our Holy Week presentations.
CPIC (PARENT ENGAGEMENT - TCDSB)
From everyone at St. Charles Garnier Catholic School, we wish you and your family a
Happy and Blessed Easter filled with hope, love, and joy!
www.tcdsb.org/oapce-toronto
OAPCE TORONTO
Yours in Christ, (PROVINCIAL VOICE FOR PARENTS)
Loriana Romano Michael Ruocco 9:00 am – 3:30 pm
Principal Vice Principal
HOURS OF OPERATION
11:45 am – 12:45 pm
LUNCH HOUR
NEW REGISTRANTS WELCOME!
Apply online: soar.tcdsb.org or call 416-393-5363 or the TCDSB Admissions Department at 416-222-8282, ext. 2383. For general information
about the Toronto Catholic District School Board, please visit the website at www.tcdsb.org or follow @TCDSB and @SCG_TCDSB on Twitter.
NURTURING OUR CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH RECIPIENTS FOR THREE YEAR PASTORAL PLAN
JANUARY-COURAGE:
Ms. Barber & Ms. Perrone Raphael
Ms. Marques & Ms. Trombacco Isabella
Ms. Cicci & Ms. Green Divine
Ms. Pohland & Ms. Frances Trent
Ms. Pullella & Ms. Normoyle Kwabena
Ms. Strati Isabella
Ms. Meli Mckeil
Walking with Christ …
Ms. Oliveira Yasmine
Year 1 - with EYES of faith and hope
Ms. Panetta Vincent
Year 2 - with HEARTS of kindness and love
Ms. Blythe Joshua
Year 3 - with MINDS of justice and peace
Ms. Cichello Phoebe
This year, we enter the third year of our three
Ms. Avola Victoria year pastoral plan: Walking with Christ with
hearts of kindness and love.
Ms. Dos Santos Olivia
During Year 3: Having a mind of justice means
Ms. Squillace Merisha recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of
Ms. Lalkumar Destiny
every individual. It requires treating others with
fairness, equality, and respect, regardless of their
Mr. Robichaud Maya background, race, gender, or social status. Jesus
consistently challenged societal norms and
Ms. Tarsitano Emmanuel
prejudices, breaking down barriers and
Mr. Crispo & Mr. Nguyen Maryam embracing all people. Jesus taught us to be
peacemakers, to seek reconciliation and
Ms. Walaszczyk Ina
forgiveness. By embracing justice and peace,
Mr. Stillo Quisha we become ambassadors of Christ's love and
compassion. May we all embark on this journey,
Mr. Cornacchia Divine
allowing Christ to guide us as we walk with minds
of justice and peace.
CONGRATULATIONS!
SACRAMENTS OF COMMUNION AND
CONFIRMATION
LENTEN CONFESSIONS AND EASTER MASS
For more information about registration and
Father Salvador will be coming to our school for classes please contact the St. Augustine of
grade 3-8 Lenten confessions on March 21st and Canterbury parish office at (416) 661-8221 during
22nd. Our Easter Mass will be on Thursday, April office hours.
4th at 10 am.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
CATHOLIC SCHOOL PARENT COUNCIL NEWS GENERAL REMINDERS
CSPC has had great success with our beef patty We are asking parents/guardians to NOT drop off
and hot dog lunches. Thank you to our parent purchased lunches. This practice causes many
volunteers for all their hard work! disruptions around the lunch hour and in the
The following upcoming hot lunch dates are: classrooms while students are eating lunch. In
addition, when outside lunches are dropped off,
Beef Patties: Wednesday, March 20th
we are not sure of the allergens contained in the
Hot Dogs: Wednesday, March 27th items. We have our weekly Friday pizza lunch
and CSPC lunches if you would like to
Both hot lunch items can be purchased using
School Cash Online. Please note that orders will participate.
only be accepted using School Cash Online. This Again, we ask that parents not use the school
makes the ordering and distribution more parking lot during pick up and drop off times. We
efficient, as well as making it safer for students as have limited parking and this causes an issue
they are not coming to school with large with our staff members trying to park. In addition,
amounts of money. If you are having issues with we have had people parking in spots that block
your order, please come to the office and we visibility and this can create very unsafe
will assist you. conditions when walking through the parking lot.
Our next parent council meeting will be on
Tuesday, March 19th from 6:30 - 7:30 pm in Room
141.
MARCH IS CELTIC CANADIAN HERITAGE MONTH
Celtic Canadian Heritage Month has been celebrated at the Toronto
Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) every year in March since 2008.
Irish immigration to Canada is remembered through several pivotal
episodes in Canadian history:
The Robinson Settlement in the 1820s.
The Irish Potato Famine in the mid-1800s.
Another wave of emigration to Toronto is remembered by today’s
families whose parents or grandparents came during the 1940s, 1950s
and 1960s. A great number of men worked on the Toronto Transit
building the subway tunnels, with many more on construction sites
building roads and railways.
REMINDER: SK AND GRADE 8 GRADUATION PHOTOS
Just a reminder that the SK and Grade 8 graduation photos will be taking place on Wednesday,
March 6th in the morning. Please make sure your child is on time for school that day. Gowns, props,
and school colours will be provided by the photographer. The photographer recommends that all
graduates wear a white collared shirt for best results. Graduates may also wear a dark tie if they
choose.
FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS
YOU DANCE WORKSHOPS ARTIST WORKSHOP
Our grade 4-6 students participated in a dance We began our school-wide artist workshops!
workshop through York University entitled “YOU Each class will be receiving a half-day workshop
Dance.” This was a fun-filled workshop and our with two artists. The paintings will then be dis-
students will be going to watch a ballet perfor- played in our school Art Gallery for Catholic Edu-
mance at York University in April. cation Week! Thank you to all
SANDRA ANIN PRESENTATION P.E.A.C.E. PRESENTATION
Thank you to St. Charles Garnier Alumni Sandra Living by the rhythm of words, power and sound,
Anin for coming in to speak to our students Matthew Jones aka Testament uses speech to
about resilience, reaching your goals, the im- reach deep into the recesses of the mind, illumi-
portance of reflection, journalling, and writing, nating in people the infinite possibilities within.
and to never give up! It was wonderful to hear We had three presenters from P.E.A.C.E. come in
such inspirational words from a SCG graduate! to teach our students about the power of using
their words for positive messages—and we heard
some amazing beatboxing! This presentation
was filled with energy and enthusiasm!
FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS
GRADE 8 STUDENT LED BLACK HISTORY MONTH PRESENTATION
Thank you to Mr. Stillo, Mr. Cornacchia, and our grade 8 students for putting together two
engaging, informative, and creative Black History Month presentations for our K-3 and Gr 4-7
students. The presentations included famous Black Canadians, important events in Canadian
history, photos, artwork, videos, and even a Kahoot to test our listening skills!
GRADE 2-4 MUSEUM TRIP LEARNING ABOUT BLACK HISTORY IN CANADA
Our grade 2-4 students had an engaging
Students have been busy learning about the
learning experience as they explored the Royal
history achievements, and contributes of Black
Ontario Museum! Thank you to our teachers for
organizing this excursion! individuals and communities. “Black history is not
just for Black people, black history is Canadian
history.” (Jean Augustine)
FEBRUARY HIGHLIGHTS
SHROVE TUESDAY AND CARNAVAL PINK SHIRT DAY
Thank you to Mastro’s Ristorante for our yummy The last Wednesday in February, the TCDSB
pancakes! We enjoyed pancakes on Shrove recognizes Pink Shirt Day, when we encourage
Tuesday and we also had a special visitor… everyone to continue Walking with Christ with
Bonhomme! Bonhomme came all the way from Minds of Justice and Peace, and to wear pink to
Quebec to visit us and to bring each student a symbolize that we do not tolerate bullying of any
special gift! Thank you Bonhomme! kind. With our belief in the worth and dignity of
every person, we demonstrate living out the
Gospel values of love, inclusion, compassion,
and care for all. We raise awareness around
healthy relationships and bullying prevention,
including bullying targeting gender, sexuality
and gender expression.
BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS
Congratulations to our boys and girls basketball
teams that competed at St. Wilfrid for our JUNIOR W5H TOURNAMENT
divisional tournament. A round of applause to Congratulations to our Junior W5H team for
our teams for their hard work, skill, commitment, coming in second in the divisional tournament!
and energy! Thank you to coaches Mr. Asaro, They were knowledgeable, hardworking, and
Mr. Stillo, Ms. Tarsitano, and Mr. Robichaud. quick on the buzzer! Thank you to Ms. Cichello
for coaching our team.
St. Charles Garnier Catholic School
is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year!
Please join us in celebrating 50 years of
Catholic education
Guidance Corner - March 2024
Transition to Secondary School – Next Steps
At this time, most grade 8 students have submitted their course selection and completed their registration. If your child has not
completed course selection or registration, please contact your child’s secondary school directly to inquire about how to proceed.
Mental Health Support
Are You Noticing Mental Health Concerns in Your Child?
Click HERE to access a guide to help you determine what signs to look for. Use the handy chart for a quick reference. If you think
you may require support, contact Children’s Mental Health Ontario. Here you can access free, mental health treatment in your
area, including walk-in clinics (virtual and in-person), ongoing counseling and therapy, and intensive and specialized treatment. No
referrals are necessary.
Social Emotional Learning Activities
Please try some of these Social Emotional Learning Activities with your child to promote healthy mental wellness. Taking
intentional breaths, problem solving, and communicating are some examples of activities to try.
March Break Ideas
Click on these links to find some activities that might be available to you and your families during the March Break.
Child’s Life ToDoCanada FREE Online March Break Camp: Jumpstart CampTO Parks & Recreation
Skills Ontario Activities
Skills Ontario is encouraging students to demonstrate skill development from any location through their #skillsanywherechallenge
and #skillsathome Series. It’s a fun way of providing your child with the opportunity to develop skills and raise awareness in skilled
trades and technology. Click on this LINK for the Skills Anywhere Challenges and this LINK for the Skills at Home Challenges.
Although these activities are listed on a monthly basis, feel free to pick the activities that sound the most fun to you and start
creating!
Balancing Screen Time with Other Activities
Students have become increasingly attached to their screens and while screen time is not all bad,
balance is the key to positive mental health. Try these suggestions from this article to help cut
down their screen time:
● Make gradual changes by cutting back an hour each week.
● Put TV’s, computers, laptops, iPads, and smartphones in a central location and out of children’s
rooms, it will be easier to monitor screen time.
● Encourage doing other activities such as puzzles, board games, playing outside or reading a
good book.
● Create a schedule for screen time, sit down with your family and make a daily or weekly schedule for screen time that works
with everyone’s schedule.
● No screens during homework time, unless it is required or necessary.
● No screens during meal times, this is a great time to talk with each other rather than being distracted by screens.
● Be consistent, stay calm and remind your children why these limits are important.
● Keep track of your own screen time so you can be a positive example to your children.
Ms. Greco
Guidance Counsellor/Teacher
St. Wilfrid, St. Augustine, St. Charles Garnier,
St. Andre, St. Jerome, St. Conrad, St. Raphael,
St. Francis Xavier, St. Simon, St. Anne
St. Charles Garnier
Catholic School
March
2024
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
Artist Workshop
(Cichello/Stillo)
Pizza
Lunch
3 4 5 6 Artist 7 Artist 8 Artist Workshop 9
Artist Workshop Workshop Workshop (Pullella/Dos
(Walaszczyk) (Strati/ELP 4) (Meli/Panetta) Santos)
Grade 7 Trip Pizza Nova
Pizza
Workshop Lunch
Grad Photos
(SK/Gr 8) Popcorn/Cookie
Sales
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
March March March March March
Break Break Break Break Break
17 18 19 Artist 20 21 Artist 22 Dress in 23
Workshop CSPC Beef Workshop Green for Share
(Oliveira/Avola) Patty Lunch (Lalkumar/ Life ($1 donation)
Blythe) Pizza Lunch
CSPC Meeting Lenten
at 6:30 Rm 141 Lenten Confessions
Confessions Artist Workshop
Popcorn/Cookie (Nguyen/
Sales Squillace)
24 25 26 27 28 Pizza 29 30
Artist Workshop Artist Workshop CSPC Hot Lunch Good
(ELP 3) (ELP 2/ELP1) Dog Lunch Artist Workshop
(Tarsitano/Work Friday (no
Lenten Artist Workshop shop for absent school)
Confessions (Cornacchia/ students)
Robichaud) Popcorn/Cookie
Holy Week Sales Holy Week
Holy Week Holy Week
Holy Week
31 1
Easter Easter
Sunday Monday
(no
school)
