Pastoral Plan - Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board



-428625476250PASTORAL PLANSchool: St. Gerard Separate SchoolSchool Mission Statement: St. Gerard School is committed to academic excellence, upholding the values of a caring Catholic community. As a community of learners, we, at St. Gerard School, promote the development of the whole child by nurturing the intellectual, social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth of each individual.Using Christ as a model for our actions, students, teachers and parents of St. Gerard School respect and celebrate diversity and live the Virtues that promote responsible citizenship. Together we model Catholic values by setting the examples of fairness, respect and a positive attitude. We are St. Gerard School!School Motto: Learn - Pray - PlayOur Parish: St. Martin of ToursPastor: Rev. Joyson George O. Carm.Parish website: from the Pastor:Congratulations on the excellent Pastoral Plan for the school year! By strengthening the bonds between families, school and parish, we strengthen our Catholic Christian values in our greater community." Let us reach out to all involved and to all who contribute to our Catholic Education with extra care, love and understanding throughout 2019. Message from the Catholic School Council:As members of the St. Gerard community, and our school council?we believe in the shared responsibility of education that exists among the school, the family, and the parish. Our duty is to support and help engage our students in becoming people of virtues and Christian values.? Catholic Education involves the Home, Parish and School. This plan demonstrates how those pieces fit together in providing a Catholic Education for our children. We, as Council, fully support the school’s plan for the 2018-2019 school year. We pledge to support and enhance the development of our children's faith and spiritual awareness as they learn and grow to be loving, faithful members of our community. ?Catholic Education Week Theme: Living as Joyful Disciples Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask you to reflect on the significance of Catholic education’s presence and contribution in our Church, and in our society.May 5 – May 10 is Catholic Education Week. Renewing the Promise“For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Acts 2:39) Monday May 6: Rooted in Prayer….Opening School LiturgyTuesday May 7: Living in Community…Junior/Intermediate Classroom ActivitiesWednesday May 8: Doing Justice and Creating Hope….Primary Classroom Activities Thursday May 9: Journeying Together in Faith….Crowning of MaryFriday May 10: Sharing the Good News….Closing School LiturgyFaith Formation:Forming ourselves in our Catholic faith is a foundational element in helping each of us understand and live in the example of Christ.Adult and Youth Faith Ambassador ProgramSupport of ShareLife Catholic Charities Food drives for St. Vincent de Paul, Canadian Food for ChildrenSupport of local Charities such as United Way of Peel, Heart and Stroke Foundation; Terry Fox FoundationStaff / Student Liturgies to honour Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Advent and LentSchool community masses at St. Joseph Parish to worship together during Advent and Lent, school opening and closing, and for celebrations of sacraments and graduationMonthly celebrations of the Virtues and Catholic Graduate ExpectationsStaff and student retreatsSacramental Preparation:As Catholics, we understand sacraments to be "outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace." Together in partnership with our parish, we support the preparation of God’s children in receiving the sacraments.EventGrade 2Grade 7 First Reconciliation Sat. December 1, 2018 @10:30amRite of Enrollment MassesJanuary 19, 20, 26, 27, 2019October 20, 21, 27, 28, 2018First Holy CommunionMay 4, May 5, May 11Sacrament of Reconciliation Thursday May 2, 2019 @ 10amConfirmation MassTuesday May 7, 2019 @ 7pmLiturgical Celebrations:The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and share in prayer. CelebrationDateOpening School MassOctober 12, 2018Remembrance Day LiturgyNovember 9, 2018Advent Evening Community MassDecember 11, 2018Ash Wednesday, LiturgyMarch 6, 2019Lenten MassMarch 29, 2019Holy Week LiturgiesApril 8 – 11, 2019End of School Year MassJune 14, 2019Graduation MassJune 20, 2019Social Justice / Outreach Activities / Charities:Catholic Social Teachings of the Church root our actions in supporting human dignity and the preferential option of the poor which calls us to serve the most vulnerable in the world.As a community of faith, we show our compassion and generosity by giving to those in need. We will continue to look for opportunities to demonstrate our commitment to Jesus and His ministry through community service projects. By reaching out to others, students are encouraged to become thoughtful and caring members of the community and to appreciate the importance of social justice and stewardship. We are currently involved in Food Drives, our Giving Tree, Supporting the St. Vincent de Paul Food Drives, ShareLife activities and fundraising, supporting Dr. Simone and Canadian Food for Children.Recognizing Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations:Framed by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE), our graduates will be effective communicators, reflective thinkers, lifelong learners, collaborative contributors, caring family members, responsible citizens and discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith community.At. St. Gerard we expect our graduates to be 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. An effective communicator who speaks, writes and listens honestly and sensitively, responding critically in light of gospel values. A reflective, creative and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good. A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner who develops and demonstrates their God-given potential. A collaborative contributor who finds meaning, dignity and vocation in work which respects the rights of all and contributes to the common good. A caring family member who attends to family, school, parish, and the wider community. A responsible citizen who gives witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice and the sacredness of human life. Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations are highlighted in the monthly virtue assemblies, and medals are awarded to grade 8 graduating students who best exemplifying each Catholic Graduate Expectation.Celebrating Virtues: A virtue is a habit or established capacity to perform good actions according to a moral standard. When we practice these virtues we strengthen them and thereby make the presence of God more and more visible in the world around us. A Catholic Faith Community is rooted in a set of common beliefs which are inspired by the life, mission and teaching of Jesus.As a Catholic Community we are called to learn, to grow and to become more like Jesus in the way we see and treat others. Our Catholic faith plays an important role in helping us shape schools that are safe, caring and inclusive.Catholic School education provides us the opportunity to integrate virtue formation into all areas of our school life within the context of our faith. St. Gerard School will again focus our attention on the Catholic Virtues. This program is designed to help us nurture virtue and character development in the lives of our students. Each month, the entire school will focus on a different virtue. Classroom activities and school wide activities and prayer will all focus on the nurturing of a specific virtue. We would appreciate your support in discussing these virtues with your child and encouraging behaviours that demonstrate these virtues. Here is a list of the virtues we will be nurturing this school year. September FaithOctober EmpathyNovember ConscienceDecember HopeJanuary Self ControlFebruary RespectMarch KindnessApril LoveMay AcceptanceJuneFairnessSelected students who best exemplify the characteristics of the virtue of the month will be awarded the Living our Faith Award. These assemblies are presented by students and include a liturgy honouring the monthly virtue.Click here to enter text.Visible Signs of our Faith:Through symbol and service, we are instruments of God’s love whose work within our communities stands as a witness to our faith. Morning liturgies at the beginning of the school day read by studentsUse of daily scripture and Gospel readings according to the liturgical calendarScared spaces at entrance of school and every classroomAltar/Cross/Prayer Table Cloths to represent the colour of the liturgical seasonVirtue Banners Catholic Graduate Expectation Banners and classroom postersCrucifixes and prayer tables in every classroom, and school libraryLiturgical Display in front foyer of the school, including Altar, Cross, Carving of Virtue of the MonthStatue of St. GerardScarboro Mission Poster of Golden Rule from every faithResource List for Parents/Guardians:Religious Education Curriculum - Ontario Religious Education CurriculumFamily Life Curriculum - Ontario Family Life CurriculumFully Alive Program information - Ontario Bishops' information on Fully AliveOntario Catholic Schools Trustee Association - List for Schools:BoardVocations UnitsWe have Vocations units as part of the Grades 2, 5, and 8 curriculum. The goal of these supplementary units is to deepen one’s understanding of God’s call – the “vocare” – to various forms of life within the Church.History of the ParishThrough the resource book Our Story, Our Tradition, Our Journey, grade 7 students have the opportunity to learn about the history of our parish.Enduring Gift VideoSchool-Based ................
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