May Newsletter

St. Daniel Weekly Update

May 11 -  May 15, 2026

Prayer

Father, we call upon the prince of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ to keep the whole world in a place of peace despite all these challenges. We know we find peace in you. A peace beyond understanding, a peace that at times doesn’t make sense to others. This Easter, O King of glory, let peace overtake our fears and our worries. Let peace and faith arise in us anew, and draw us ever close to the prince of peace.

Amen

Thirty-Third Week of School

We began our week on an inspiring note during Monday morning announcements, as one of our Junior students led the school in prayer. It was a poignant moment that highlighted the importance of the days ahead, calling on our community to focus on supporting and nurturing the relationships that make our school so unique. 

On Tuesday, we officially declared our 100% commitment to the Montreal Canadiens. However, I owe it to our community to share a small confession regarding the Buffalo Sabres. Growing up in the GTA, Buffalo channels were a staple on our TV, which meant we watched a lot of Sabres hockey. My mother even bought me a Sabres jersey from Eaton’s—a memory that always reminds me of the classic story The Hockey Sweater. I was a Leaf fan afterall! My Mom saw the jersey at Eaton’s and thought I would like it. I loved that jersey and cheered for them throughout my childhood. While I’ll always have a soft spot for Buffalo, make no mistake: my allegiance belongs to Montreal as they are our countries last hope!

Tuesday was also a milestone for our school as we celebrated our Easter Mass, a cornerstone of our spiritual life at St. Daniel. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Mme. Corinne, Ms. Chung, Ms. Hebert, and our Grade 3 readers for their hard work and meticulous preparation. The effort put into the liturgy and the beautiful readings provided a reflective atmosphere that truly made this Education Week and Easter celebration a special, faith-filled experience for everyone in attendance.

On Wednesday, our community came together in a wonderful display of fellowship to celebrate Catholic Education Week by hosting a muffin breakfast. It was a joy to see so many families and staff members sharing a meal and connecting with one another. Thank you to everyone for your generous contributions and for helping to foster such a welcoming environment for our students.

We were very privileged on Thursday to have Mrs. Roque lead two Smudge Ceremonies for both our Primary and Junior students. These ceremonies offered a significant opportunity for our students to engage with Indigenous traditions and learn about the importance of cleansing one's mind and heart. Thank you, Mrs. Roque; it was an incredibly moving experience that I will never forget, as it was also my first time participating in a Smudge Ceremony. This event furthered our school's commitment to reconciliation and understanding.

Friday was the long anticipated Students vs Teachers Basketball game.  We thank Mr. Hynes and friends for making our basketball court ready, and also our educators for the hundreds upon hundreds of hours of training they put in, to make themselves game day ready! We are looking forward to this rivalry continuing as a student victory took place by one basket. 

St Daniel Catholic School   Call to Action

As a response to the call to action the kinders held a melty bead sale yesterday to raise money for the Makonsag organization which is a non profit daycare for Indigenous children. This organization is where Mrs. Roque acquired all of the beautiful teachings such as drumming, singing, smudging and ceremonies. The Elders, staff and families shared their teachings and gave Mrs.Roque permission to share them with generations to follow. It is especially significant that we held this sale during Catholic education week, as part of our ongoing commitment to the reconciliation process. It is an honour and a privilege to be able to share them with the students of St.Daniel. The kinders are proud to announce that we raised $170.00 for Makonsag!

Parking

We ask that Parents do not use the Parking lot behind the school to drop off or pick up students.  That Parking lot is for staff only.  Please use the lot in front of the school.  If that is full. Please walk-a-block.

Parent Hub

The Parent Hub on the OCSB website is a one-stop shop for essential information. 

Junglesport

Please see the following letter and consent form for the Junglesport Activity that will take place from May 19 - May 22, 2026.  We have sent a hard copy to all parents and guardians.  We ask that all forms are returned to the school by April 24, 2026.

KG Transportation Information for 2026 -2027     

Please see information from OSTA.  OSTA

Summer International Languages Program 

"OCSB Continuing & Community Education is excited to announce that registration is now open for Summer International Languages Program - Elementary!

This program offers students the opportunity to learn a new language or strengthen their home language through engaging activities such as music, art, storytelling, and cultural exploration. It is a meaningful way for students to build confidence, develop language skills, and connect with diverse cultures in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The program runs from June 29 - July 31, 2026, at various OCSB locations. Classes are available for students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, and is free for Ontario residents.

Families can learn more and register here: Summer International & Indigenous Languages - Continuing Education at the OCSB "

REMINDERS

Arrival / Dismissal Drop off / Pick up

Please be aware of the procedures that are in place for dismissal and pick up.  To promote the safety of our students at St Daniel Catholic School, we have developed and implemented a plan to ensure the safe arrival and dismissal of our children. Parents and school staff have a vital role in this process. 

ARRIVAL: Children enter the gate which is located at the east end of the school . They do so between 9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Students will then proceed to the schoolyard. No adults are allowed on the school yard before, during or after school. Educators will be in these designated areas.  At 9:15 when the bell rings, students will line up with classes, and then they will proceed into the school through their designated door, and be escorted with their teacher to their classroom.  In the case of inclement weather, students will enter the school from designated doors, and be directed by staff to their classrooms. We ask for your full cooperation as the safety and security of our children is a whole school approach.  

Dismissal:  Everyone will be dismissed from their classrooms between 3:38 - 3:45pm.  When the buses arrive, kinders will start boarding buses at 3:40, followed by Grades 1-6 students.  EDP students will leave at 3:44 to walk directly to EDP.  Walkers will leave at 3:44 to leave school for home.  

Drop Off /Pick UP If you are driving your child to school in the morning or picking them up at dismissal time, we ask you to park your car away from the school and WALK-A-BLOCK. We ask that you do not enter the Bus drop off zone, these are off limits to all cars between 9:00 AM - 9:30 PM and  3:30 PM - 4:00 PM .

Breakfast Program

All students are invited to attend the breakfast program.  If you do not want your child to participate in the breakfast program, kindly contact your teacher with this request.

School Messenger

 Please sign up for School messenger to make sure you will be receiving all communication from our school. If this is not completed you may miss out on receiving some important announcements from our school. School Messenger

Parent Portal: 

Please visit Login - enCompass to access your students information and in future their report cards.  Please review the contact information listed.  If any changes need to be made please email Daniel@ocsb.ca with the new updates.  

Office Administrator 

Please take note that oftentimes you will not be able to speak to our Office Administrators 30 minutes before the end of school bell at 3:45 PM. This is a very busy time.  Requests to have students be removed from the bus or ready for you to pick them up early should be done in the morning,  by communication in the agenda or a voicemail message before 12:00 PM.  Please understand that these types of requests may not be addressed if you are calling late. We would kindly ask that if you are requesting a pick up at 3:30, please wait until 3:45.

Thank you 

Important Dates

Practice Fire Drill     May 15, 2026

Future Dates   

Victoria Day     May 18, 2026

Junglesport       May 19 - May 22, 2026

Track & Field      May 29, 2026