May 2020
DCPIC Newsletter
The Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee is a statutory committee of the Durham Catholic District School Board. Our goal is to make parental engagement a priority by providing ongoing support on a system-wide basis and promote communication and dialogue between school councils, the Board and members of the community.
Message from the Chair
Members of the Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee standing by the committee's promotional pop-up banner.
I hope your family is staying well and slowly starting to adjust to our new "normal" during these unprecedented times. Your well-being and health are extremely important during this time. I am thankful for all the wellness resources available on the Durham Catholic District School Board's website that parents, guardians and students can access. I encourage you to visit this web page often as new resources are added weekly.

The beginning of May was National Volunteer Week and although we could not meet in person to celebrate, the committee acknowledged and thanked our dedicated recipients of the 2020 Distinguished Catholic Volunteer Award . You can see this year's recipients displayed in the article below. I want to personally thank all the recipients for their contributions to their school communities. Parent Volunteers Mean the World to Us!

May 3-8, 2020 is Catholic Education Week ! This year's theme is Igniting Hope and a time for us to celebrate our faith. I invite you to watch Cardinal Thomas Collins live stream a province wide Mass on Wednesday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. in celebration of Catholic Education Week.

Last week we distributed the annual DCPIC Parent Survey. The survey link is listed in an article below. The results of the survey will help the committee determine strategic directions for the 2020-2021 school year.

I wish you all a peaceful summer and continue to keep our families in my heart and prayers.

Yours in faith,

Melissa Bevan
Chair, Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee
2020 Distinguished Catholic Volunteer Awards
Parent volunteers mean the world to us! Hands holding the earth.
Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Committee's Distinguished Catholic Volunteer Pin
Congratulations to the 2020 Distinguished Catholic Volunteer recipients. You mean the World to Us! Thank you to the dedicated volunteers listed below who contribute to the success of our schools and committees each and every day. We miss seeing your smiling faces.

We are honoured to present this year's recipients below. 

Distinguished Catholic Volunteers for Ajax Schools
  • Pete Dean, Archbishop Denis O'Connor Catholic High School;
  • Karen Gibson, Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School;
  • Fazena Mapp-Campbell, St. André Bessette Catholic School;
  • Pauline Daley, St. Bernadette Catholic School;
  • Rusell Caracciolo, St. Catherine of Siena Catholic School;
  • Previn Francis, St. Francis de Sales Catholic School;
  • Jennifer Lobo, St. James Catholic School;
  • Jessica Di Benigno, St. Josephine Bakhita Catholic School;
  • Gilana Neelamegam, St. Jude Catholic School;
  • Sabrina DeSousa, St. Patrick Catholic School;
  • Jenny Joseph, St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School.

Distinguished Catholic Volunteers for the Northern Schools
  • Vanessa Sikora, Good Shepherd Catholic School;
  • Krystal LeyHoly, Family Catholic School;
  • Sarah Madigan, St. Joseph Catholic School Uxbridge.
 
Distinguished Catholic Volunteers for Oshawa Schools
  • Lori McManus, Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School;
  • Ray McWhirter, Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School;
  • Michelle McClean, Father Joseph Venini Catholic School;
  • Jocelyn Rowell, Monsignor Philip Coffey Catholic School;
  • Danielle Pereira, Sir Albert Love Catholic School;
  • Mary Celebre, St. Christopher Catholic School;
  • Sean Greeley, St. Hedwig Catholic School;
  • Ruth Nithiananthan, St. John XXIII Catholic School;
  • Krystyna Pekala, St. John Bosco Catholic School;
  • Stephen Whitbread, St. Joseph Catholic School;
  • Andrea Provenzano, St. Kateri Tekakwitha Catholic School;
  • Jennifer Lee, St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School.
 
Distinguished Catholic Volunteers for Pickering Schools
  • Carmelina Morra, Father Fénelen Catholic School;
  • Gina Comand, St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School;
  • Toni Edwards Kelegan, St. Isaac Jogues Catholic School;
  • Luella DeFrancesco, St. Mary Catholic Secondary School;
  • Babz Boehm, St. Monica Catholic School;
  • Kim Hajjar, St. Wilfrid Catholic School.
 
Distinguished Catholic Volunteers for Whitby Schools
  • Vanessa Hopman, All Saints Catholic Secondary School;
  • Anne Provenzano, Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School;
  • Blair Harvey, St. Bernard Catholic School;
  • Christina Melick, St. Bridget Catholic School;
  • Nicole Emanuel, St. John Paul II Catholic School;
  • Stephen Baker, St. John the Evangelist Catholic School;
  • Stacey Beck, St. Leo Catholic School;
  • Christine Pegler, St. Luke the Evangelist Catholic School;
  • David Honderich, St. Marguerite d'Youville Catholic School;
  • Gina Bruni, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic School;
  • Deidre Melenchenko, St. Matthew the Evangelist Catholic School;
  • Kristen Fischer, St. Paul Catholic School;
  • Mary Van Berkum, St. Theresa Catholic School.
 
 
Complete the DCPIC Parent Survey
Hand completing an online survey on a tablet.
We're asking parents, guardians and caregivers to complete the annual DCPIC Parent survey. The survey consists of six questions and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete. To complete the survey, click here .

The responses received from the survey help guide the committee's strategic priorities for the 2020-2021 school year.
Wellness and Mental Health Resources
We know that school closures due to COVID-19 have created new stressors for students and families. Resources to support wellness and mental health have been posted on the board's website. Visit this web page often as new resources are added weekly.

Some resources include:

You can also access a list of community resources for additional support.

May 4 to 10 is also Children's Mental Health Week. You can find tips and videos posted on the Children's Mental Health Week web page to help with relaxation and stress relief.
  
coloured pencils on the Keep Learning web page.
Keep Learning Resources
If you are looking for extra resources or needs some tips on how to help with Math, then check out DCDSB's Keep Learning web page. You can access this web page from your school websites - click on the Keep Learning banner.

This page offers a variety of links to resources on topics such as:

  • Art;
  • Faith;
  • French as a Second Language;
  • Math;
  • Literacy;
  • Science
  • Special Education;
  • Technology and more.
Thank Front Line Workers
While we practice physical distancing to help prevent the spread of  COVID-19 ,
the Region of Durham has created colouring sheets to help us stay safe at home, while we flatten the curve.

Once you finish colouring, share your picture(s) via social media. Tag the Region of Durham and use the hashtag #DurhamStrong.

We'd love to see how you are thanking our front line workers. Share your pictures with us @DCPIC.
Thank You Front Line Heroes
Meeting Dates
Parents and guardians are welcome to attend our Durham Catholic Parent Involvement Meetings. The next meeting will be held on May 14, 2020 at 7:30 p.m. The link to the live virtual meeting will be shared via our social media accounts during the week of May 11.
Website: dcpic.ca
Email: info@dcpic.ca