Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension, which takes place every year on the Seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he told his apostles that he would send the Holy Spirit to help them tell everyone about God’s message of love and forgiveness.
June is the month traditionally devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which for Catholics is a sign and symbol of God’s boundless and passionate love for all humanity.
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that we, who glory in the Heart of your beloved Son
and recall the wonders of his love for us,
may be made worthy to receive an overflowing measure
of grace from the fount of heavenly gifts.
Amen.
Shake for Sharelife
On Tuesday, June 17th, St. Mark CES will host divisional dances to SHAKE for SHARELIFE!
ShareLife is the official charitable arm of the Archdiocese of Toronto, raising funds to support more than 40 Catholic agencies and grant recipients serving the poor and marginalized in the Archdiocese of Toronto and beyond. To learn more about the work of Sharelife, visit https://sharelife.org/.
Parents, guardians, family and friends are invited to sponsor students to dance to raise funds for ShareLife!
For each sponsorship of $10, students will receive ONE of the following special summer toys to enjoy!
– bubbles wand
– sidewalk chalk
– coloured tennis ball
– fidget toy
Visit www.school-day.com from Monday, June 2nd to Wednesday, June 11th to sponsor your child to dance and Shake for Sharelife! Funds raised will be donated to Sharelife.
Thank you for your support!
Play Day
St. Mark CES will host an end of year Play Day on Wednesday, June 25th. Students in Kindergarten to Grade 4 will participate in activities, and students in Grades 5-6 will lead our K-4 teams. It is sure to be a great day of school spirit and fun! Please note that due to the timing of our Play Day, there will be no rain date.
Active School Travel
Summer is a great opportunity for your family to take a walk or cycle in your neighbourhood. It helps you and your family to get to know your neighbours, explore what’s in your neighbourhood, as well as teach your children the rules of the road and how to practice safe road skills.
To learn more about safe road skills for walking and cycling, please see the YCDSB Active School Travel June newsletter.
June AST Communication - Summer Active Travel
Dressing for the Weather
The warmer weather is now upon us. In anticipation of the heat, parents and guardians are invited to assist and support students in dressing for the weather.
As reflected in the YCDSB’s Elementary Student Dress Code and Procedure: Elementary Student Dress Code Addendum to Policy 219A Elementary Student Dress Code, student attire must be in keeping with our Catholic teachings and beliefs, and reflect the value of modesty and the principle of the dignity of the human person.
To assist in managing the heat, students should wear loose clothing and summer hats. Garments are to have solid fabric, and upper garments are to cover the midriff and shoulders.
Please apply sunscreen to children in the morning before school to prepare them for the sun, and ensure that they have their refillable water bottle to stay hydrated at school.
Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to enjoying the beautiful sunny weather!
Catholic School Council
St. Mark CES BBQ takes place on Wednesday, June 11th from 5:30-7:30pm. This event is hosted by our Catholic School Council!
Don’t forget to visit www.school-day.com to place your food orders by Monday, June 2nd!
Our final Catholic School Council meeting of the school year takes place on Thursday, June 19th at 6:30pm in the school library. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend.
Class Placements
At St. Mark CES, staff and administration work together to ensure that students are placed in a class where they will be challenged and supported in a faith-filled, Christ-centred learning environment.
When creating class lists, staff draw on their professional judgement to address individual and collective needs, as well as the spiritual, educational and social needs of students.
Recognizing that class placements is a complex task, all staff who work with students confer with one another regarding observations and experiences over the year.
Class placements involve many considerations, including student learning styles, academic abilities, social groupings, student language needs, special education needs, balance of males and females, and previous placements in a combined grade class.
We trust that you understand and appreciate that creating the best class groupings to optimize the potential for learning for all students, is not an easy task. Therefore, requests for specific teachers will not be accepted. However, parents and guardians may wish to share any learning and/or social-emotional needs with their child’s teacher.
Thank you for your understanding.
Next Week’s Activities and Events
Here is a look ahead to next week…
Monday, June 2nd:
– Junior (Grade 6) EQAO Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
Tuesday, June 3rd:
– Junior (Grade 6) EQAO Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
Wednesday, June 4th:
– Primary (Grade 3) EQAO Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
– Markham School of Dance, Session #4; Grades 3/4-6 classes
Thursday, June 5th:
– Primary (Grade 3) EQAO Assessment of Reading, Writing and Mathematics
– Markham School of Dance, Session #4; Grades 1-3 classes
– Junior Boys Soccer Tournament at Our Lady of the Lake CA; GOOO LIONS!!
– St. Mark Parish Youth Minister Visit, 11:30am-12:10pm
Friday, June 6th:
– Treetop Trekking at Bruce’s Mill, Grades 3 and 3/4 classes; all day
Upcoming Activities and Events
June 9th: PA Day (no school)
June 11th: Markham School of Dance, Session #5; Grades 3/4-6 classes
June 11th: End of Year BBQ, 5:30-7:30pm; sponsored by CSC
June 12th: Markham School of Dance, Session #5; Grades 1-3 classes
June 12th: Father’s Day FDK Celebration in the gymnasium, 12:30pm
June 16th: Bracelet Making Workshop (for students who received their 1st Holy Communion) in library, 11:30am-12:10pm; sponsored by CSC
June 17th: SHAKE for SHARELIFE! Dance; by division
June 17th: Family Movie Night in the gymnasium, 5:30pm; sponsored by CSC
June 18th: Zoo Trip, Grade 1 and 1/2 Classes
June 18th: FDK End of Year Celebration in the gymnasium, 12:30pm
June 19th: Primary & Junior Dance Show, 12:30pm
June 19th: Catholic School Council Meeting in the library, 6:30pm
June 20th: Talent Show (Grades 3-6) in the gymnasium, 12:30pm
June 23rd: Junior Track and Field Area Finals at St. Maximilian Kolbe CHS, all day
June 24th: Grade 6 Celebration in gymnasium, 8:45am, followed by Mass at St. Mark Parish, 10:00am
June 25th: PLAY Day
June 26th: Last Day of School!
June 26th: Reports cards available via Parent Portal at 4:00pm
June 27th: PA Day (no school)
Closing Prayer
In the Sacred Heart, every treasure of wisdom and knowledge is hidden. In that divine heart beats God’s infinite love for everyone and for each of us as individuals.
– St. John Paul, Homily for the Votive Mass of the Sacred Heart during his Apostolic Voyage to Canada (1984)
Sacred Heart of Jesus,
we place all our trust in you.
Amen
St. Mark, pray for us.
Wishing you a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
C. Quadrini, Principal