Lore tto A bbe y Catholic Secondary School Ne wsle tter
ow! The month of June always seems to
sneak up so quickly. Loretto Abbey Catholic
Secondary School is constantly full of action
and I enjoy taking stock of all the wonderful things that our
staff and students are doing to live out their baptismal call.
At this time of the year, it is important to reflect on the many
joys that all of us have felt, at one time or another, over the
course of the year.
W
Loretto Abbey is a very active school and I want to thank
all of our staff members who consistently put students first.
Our students deserve nothing but the best and our faculty
and support staff contribute to the success of our school
in sometimes quiet and unassuming ways. Whether it is
an athletic or non-athletic event, our staff is there to be a
guide and a helping hand. Recently, our students have
been extremely successful in track & field, swimming,
tennis, softball, hockey, retreats, conferences, and nonathletic events such as Destination Imagination, Young
Authors’ competitions, Gold and Silver medals in the
Ontario Band Festival, to name just a few. All of these
events demonstrate that our students are meeting the
Catholic Graduate Expectations on a daily basis.
As the 2011-2012 school year comes to a close, I would
also like to thank our parents, our parish priests, the Loretto
sisters and our community at large for supporting us. The
guiding principles of the Sisters of Loretto and their founder,
Mary Ward, will continue to inspire and lead us throughout
our lives.
Furthermore, with the retirement of Josephine Quaglietta, I
would like to reflect on her many outstanding contributions
to the Social Science/Family Studies Departments and her
role as a true Catholic educator and role model for students.
On behalf of the staff and students, I thank Mrs. Quaglietta
for her many years of devoted service to the school and our
profession. We wish her many happy years of retirement.
year and it has been a privilege to be part of the journey. I
wish you all an enjoyable summer.
Warmest regards,
Mrs. Alda Bassani, Principal
You can follow our principal on twitter @LATprinTCDSB.
Alda Bassani, Principal, Josie Pannozzo, Vice-Principal,
Stephen Handrigan, Vice-Principal
Table of Contents:
2 Where Charity and Love are, God is There | Literacy
3 “The Magic of Music” LAT’s Annual Spring Concert | Music OBA Festival |
Art Department
4 Visual Arts Showcase | Drama | Career Fair 2012
5 English Corner | Congratulations to the OECTA 2012 Winners | Greetings
from the Mathematics Department!
6 Verb Olympics 2012 | CO-OP 2012 Fair | Science Experiments Without
the Write-Up! | Flash Mobs | OECTA Provincial Winners in French
7 Social Science Department News | St. Donat, Québec | OSAID Conference
8 India Reflection | Renewed
9 International Exchange with France | French for the Future Forum |
Engineering Idol
Congratulations to our graduates as you move on to the
next stage of your lives. We wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
10 International Languages Department | May 31st, World No Tobacco Day |
LAT Curling Team 2011-2012 Season
Amazingly, we are upon the conclusion of another school
year. As we reflect back, it has truly been a remarkable
11 From the Abbey Sports Desk | Gifted Corner
12 Student Success | WAVE 2012
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
|1
Where Charity and Love are, God is There. Taize prayer
Ms. D. Parente
ur school’s spirituality is focused on love and
charity as its force; therefore, we intentionally
aim at meeting the needs of the poor and marginalized. To implement the charism of the Loretto Sisters,
who founded our school, we have each year directed our
efforts to meeting particular needs of the global or local
communities. Mary Ward, who counselled “perform as much
as you can faithfully and diligently”, continues to inspire and
challenge us today.
O
This year, Loretto Abbey’s charity project is in partnership
with the Loretto Sisters. While focusing on the Millennium
Goals, we are assisting the Loretto Sisters in their South
Sudan project, the objective being education, empowerment
of women and alleviating poverty. The money raised through
our numerous school fundraisers this year goes towards the
Loretto Secondary School for Girls Rumbek, South Sudan.
This project promotes gender equality in a country with only
two Secondary Schools for 720 boys and only 13 girls. Invariably, our school initiative is to create a more equitable
and just society. Our fundraising projects, begun in September of 2011, were completed by June 2012. Fortunately,
by the end of the school year of 2012, as you can see from
the summary, we met this goal. Moreover, the LAT community provided countless opportunities for student service
leadership. Many other notable Loretto Abbey student service experiences include the St. Francis Table experience
shared by LAPD students and Mr. Melo, the St. Vincent
De Paul clothing drive led by Multicultural Club and
Ms. Musalem, our Film Fest Fundraiser led by Mr. Muia
for Free the Children, our Charity Cup Charity Event
Fundraiser led by Student Council and moderators, the Multicultural Day for the Loretto Secondary School for Girls
Rumbek, South Sudan organized by Student Council and
the Multicultural Club, the Halloween for Hunger Food Drive
led by ESP and Mrs. Naccarato as well as the Angel Foundation fundraising activities led by Mrs. Naccarato, Mr. Muia
and the Chaplaincy Team.
The Loretto Sisters celebrated 400 years of service and ministry. Our school community, too, has experienced much joy
in our servant leadership and social responsible actions. Far
and beyond anything we have been able to achieve for these
communities and fulfilment of the Millennium Goals, the
Loretto Abbey Community has felt grateful for the joy they
have experienced. As Fr. Scott Lewis writes in “Light will flow
from an awakened heart”, “Faith, love and justice are not
abstract concepts but patterns for God — inspired living.”
We, the Chaplaincy team, genuinely wish to thank the
students, staff, parents, and friends of the Loretto Abbey
school community for their generous collective effort in funding these life-sustaining projects that have greatly enhanced
our joy in furthering peace and justice world wide. In this
way, we hope to live out Mary Ward's belief that “things belonging to the service of God must shine.”
2 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
Loretto Abbey CSS Fundraising Project
2011- 2012 Rumbek, South Sudan
Build To Learn
Civvies Day Angel Foundation
Civvies Day
Donations (Hot Cross Buns)
Earth Day Civvies
ESP
Fashion Show
Magic Show
Multicultural
Music Dept. Donation
Stop The Stigma Donation
Student Council – Charity Cup
Student Council – Donation
Student Council – Int’l Picnic
LAT contribution
Total Raised
4,500.00
134.50
1311.41
13.00
130.15
263.75
1,000.00
1,240.00
3,000.00
1,500.00
87.00
3,800.00
200.00
1,800.00
20.19
$19,000.00
Literacy
Ms. M. Chiera
oretto Abbey staff and students worked very hard
all year long preparing for the Ontario Secondary
School Literacy Test (OSSLT) all year long. Following last year’s practice, all Grade Ten students participated
in the Mock-OSSLT Day on December 13th, giving students
an opportunity to see a version of the test and practice writing in the allotted time. In addition, moderated marking created an important step in providing students with feedback
and giving both students and parents an opportunity to consider the After School Literacy course. As a result, we were
able to run a section of the Remedial Literacy course in
March. The results have indicated a pass rate of 90% overall
for our first-time eligible students. In addition, our focus on
preparing our English Language Learners has helped us
surpass our school SMART Goal for their expected pass
rate. Congratulations to all!
L
This summer, we will be offering a transition program for incoming grade nine students in preparation for high school.
This will involve a focus on Literacy, Numeracy and Physical
Education and will be taught by our day-school staff. We are
looking forward to this exciting opportunity to welcome students to Loretto Abbey in July!
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
“The Magic of Music” LAT’s Annual Spring Concert
Victoria Bigliardi
here is only one word needed to describe Loretto
Abbey’s Spring Concert this year — magical. Held
at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts on April
13th, this annual event was truly a success. Titled “The
Magic of Music”, family, faculty, and friends were treated to
an enchanting evening as the Abbey’s arts students displayed their talent, dedication, and enthusiasm.
T
Few concerts so effectively acknowledge all
areas of artistic excellence; the programme
seamlessly incorporated musical performances, drama skits, and displays of visual
art, ranging from choral arrangements to
piano duets and including everything in
between. Loretto Abbey’s concert bands
and choir, jazz and woodwind ensembles,
drama students, artists, and dancers, along
with the Abbey Singers, gathered together
to create an unforgettable night.
Led by Mrs. Benotas, Mrs. Hollington, Mr.
Caetano, Mr. Muia, Mrs. Filipiuk, and Mrs.
Sanderson, Abbey girls from all grades
joined together in this showcase of their
commitment, leadership, and creativity.
There is no doubt that the magic of the arts was extraordinarily present in all facets of this magnificent celebration!
Music OBA Festival
Erika Malunas
n the music program, the second semester started with
our Senior and Intermediate Bands’ participation at the
competitive OBA Festival, where our Senior Concert
band came through with the prestigious first and our intermediate concert band — second place. The adjudicators
praised the girls’ unified sound, impeccable musicality, and
awareness of rhythm. These recognitions helped the
Senior Concert Band to obtain the Yamaha Percussion
Excellence Award. As well, Mrs. N. Benotas was invited to
the OBA Conducting Symposium. In addition to this multitude of achievements, the Senior Concert Band was invited to “MusicFest Canada,” the national festival. This final
achievement truly exemplified the rewards of the students’
hard work. The walls in the classrooms were beautified
with the new diplomas and awards, and our success at
the festival gave us a boost of motivation to continue in
our preparations for our next, upcoming event — the spring
concert. Loretto Abbey’s Music Program continues to
make its mark in the Toronto Catholic District School
Board, and with this outstanding achievement, it will be no
surprise to see them in the lime-light on the provincial and
national stage.
I
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
Art Department
Mrs. N. Benotas, Head of Arts Department
s this beautiful school year comes to an end, we
remember and relish in the great work we have all
accomplished in the Arts Department. I am blessed
to work with such a creative team of art teachers and very
hard working, responsible, and talented students. None of
our achievements would be possible without our school’s
leaders, administrative team, teachers, and our biggest fans
— the parents, especially the music department LAMPO
members. This year we say good bye to the LAMPO president Kristine Frank. Thank you for your help, support and
advocacy for the music program. I have no doubt that we will
continue to receive unwavering support from you, our valued
parents, for the wonderful Arts program at the Abbey.
A
Thank you to the Loretto Abbey Sisters, who are always
present at our concerts, events and Masses. Your prayers,
smiles, and encouragement are appreciated more than you
will ever know.
The Arts Department is vibrant, colourful, and bursting with
the talent of its many students and teachers. Have a wonderful and safe summer.
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
|3
Visual Arts Showcase
Art work by Grade 11
Antonette Spagnuolo
Mr. N. Caetano
isual Arts students from our grades 10 and 11
programs participated in the annual TCDSB Arts
Festival for the
North and East schools
(areas 3, 4, 7 and 8).
Students artworks were
on display at the Scarborough Town Centre,
May 7 to 11, 2012. An
exemplary display of artwork, ranging from printmaking, mixed-media,
and abstract expressionist portraits were
exhibited to the public.
The festival was later
moved to the Catholic
Education Centre for
the week of June 4 to 8,
2012.
V
Harry Potter by Grade 11
Stefania Di Serio
Frodo by Grade 11 Meghan Huryn
Drama
Mr. A. Muia
pring certainly has sprung
into the Drama program at
LAT. Our community welcomed Mathew Chromecki, a student
teacher from Niagara University, who
taught grades 10, 11 and 12 Drama
classes for 7 weeks. The girls were excellent hosts and certainly gave him a
great start to his teaching career.
S
In April, the grade 10 students were introduced to Greek theatre and performed
several short plays including Lysistrata
and Oedipus Rex. They learned the conventions of Greek
theatre and Chorus work and were very successful in their
performances. The senior students in grades 11 and 12
successfully created short Commedia Dell’Arte scenes and
the new masks that were purchased this year looked fantastic during these performances.
At the Spring Concert, a few troupes were selected to perform their short, improvisation scenes. They dazzled the
crowd with witty quips and clever punch lines which clearly
illustrated their chosen Commedia Characters.
All grades are looking forward to next year and the many
performances to come. 2011/2012 was an extremely successful school year, one which was filled with new material,
new masks, and most importantly, new friendships!
4 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
Career Fair 2012
Ms. D. Kazakis
iscover Your Future, was held at Loretto Abbey in
April. Students circulated through two venues to
speak to 38 guests, 30 of which were Loretto
Abbey graduates. This was a wonderful opportunity for our
students to speak to people who were actually doing the
work that they themselves want to do in the future. Careers
that were represented included: engineering, interior design, graphic designers, dietitian, medical researcher, dental
hygienist and songwriter/musician. Our students had an enlightening morning and we are grateful for the support of all
our guests.
D
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
English Corner
Mr. A. Cluff, Head of English
he English Department congratulates all those who
participated in this year’s Literacy Test (OSSLT).
Focus provided by Ms. Chiera’s second-floor Literacy Board, and from faculty in all departments, made the
test an event in which the Abbey will preserve its history of
outstanding achievement.
T
Our department was also quite successful in the OECTA
Young Authors’ Contest. Grades 9 and 10 winners were
ENZA CAMMALIERI, PATRICIA CUARTERO, and ROSEMARY JOSE. Senior winners were KATIE COMPER,
SARAH FORAEUSER, and SARA MALTESE. These girls
went on to represent the Abbey in the Toronto Finals. From
there, ROSEMARY JOSE, a student of Ms. Caprara, was
selected to advance to the Provincial level of competition.
The English March Break trip to England and France was
thoroughly enjoyed by all 37 participants. Registration for our
March 2013 trip to Greece is already half full. Contact your
English teacher if you would like more information. This is a
repeat of our highly-successful excursion of 2001 and promises to be the trip of a lifetime.
There are still a few seats left for September 26th Stratford
Festival day trip to see “Much Ado About Nothing.” Registration forms are available from your daughter’s English
teacher.
Loretto Abbey has already been invited by the English
Speaking Union to participate in its annual “Shakespeare
On The Platform” recitation contest this coming November.
In addition to performing a “set sonnet” students must
choose one additional sonnet and a favourite Shakespearean soliloquy to recite. Top prize is $500. It’s not too
early to start!!
And, finally, the English Department offers farewell and best
wishes to more than 200 Abbey Girls who have done so well
throughout four years of English. We’re all so proud.
Congratulations to the OECTA 2012 Winners
Mr. A. Cluff, Head of English
he Loretto Abbey English Department would like to
thank those who participated in this year’s Ontario
English Catholic Teachers Young Authors’ Competition. The following 6 students will have their work sent to
the semi-finals sponsored by The Toronto Secondary Unit of
the Catholic Teachers’ Union.
T
Grade 9-10 Short Story: Patricia Cuartero
Grade 9-10 Poetry: Enza Cammalieri
Grade 9-10 Nonfiction: Rosemary Jose
Grade 11-12 Short Story: Katie Comper
Grade 11-12 Poetry: Sara Maltese
Grade 11-12 Nonfiction: Sarah Forhaeuser
Many thanks for entries from; Taylor Cenac, Angela De
La Cruz, Penelope Diamantopoulos, Jameel Lu, Sara Li
Forouzanfar, Karen Hansen, Sarah Swist, Divina Tarzia,
Jacinta Zaw-Tun.
Abbey English teachers will have information for the 2013
OECTA Competition sometime this Fall, and are looking
forward to another excellent showing!!
Greetings from the Mathematics Department!
Ms. L. Bridgeford
e would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following students who earned the
top scores in our school on the following mathematics contests:
W
Pascal (Grade 9): Farrah Wan
Fryer (Grade 9): Farrah Wan
Cayley (Grade10): Sarah Chan
Galois (Grade 10): Sara Di Tullio
Fermat (Grade 11): Sara Maltese
Hypatia (Grade 11): Yifan Fang
Euclid (Grade 12): Veronica Lei
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
For the 2011-2012 school year, 25 students earned certificates for scoring in the top 25 percent of contestants.
Special recognition goes out to Farrah Wan and Sara Di
Tullio, who earned the top score in the TCDSB on the Fryer
and Galois contests respectively.
Congratulations to all of these students as well as the over
one hundred students who participated in mathematics
contests this year.
We wish all students a wonderful summer and look forward
to seeing you in September!
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
|5
Verb Olympics 2012
Mr. A. Tommasone, Head of International Languages
ongratulations go out to this year’s winners of
“Verb Olympics” which was contested in FEF
3U1. This year’s prize winners were:
C
Bronze Medallists
Équipe Luxembourg: Alisia Palermo, Lindsay Ormesher,
Gretta Awafo and Alexa Dumaine.
Silver Medallists
Équipe Maurice: Jenna Lee, Sarah Forhauser, Jennifer Kim,
Sydney Sebro and Jessah Urrutia.
Gold Medallists
Équipe Les Seychelles: Nathalie Kodsi, Natasha Wong,
Elsie Chan, and Victoria Carefoote
Note: In “Verb Olympics” students divide themselves up into
teams of 4 or 5 and represent a Francophone country. Students are required to study and practice verb conjugations
listed in Bescherelle’s L’Art de Conjuguer over a period of 10
consecutive classes and write a short quiz worth 10 points
at the beginning of each class. The best 7 of 10 results are
factored in to the students’ course averages, but only the
best 3 of 4 scores in each round count towards team standings and for the Grand Prize.
Many thanks go out to all of this year’s participants. Hopefully,
you will all put those wonderful French verb tenses into
“action” for many years to come. Chapeau tout le monde!
Science Experiments
Without the Write-Up!
SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt
he science club is a truly unique group at the Abbey,
welcoming everyone from any grade level or academic stream. The group meets once a month and
every meeting is always a lot of fun as we participate in quick
little experiments that are enjoyable and also while being introduced to basic science principles. Students are given a
task, have a set amount of time to complete it, and finally
have their experimental designs tested in a competition.
T
The science club welcomes everyone, challenges all students equally, and is always a memorable experience.
Thanks to the club’s president, SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt and
moderators, Mr. Kwon and Mr. Luca.
Flash Mobs
Ms. L. Volpe
he Anthropology, Psychology, and Sociology course
had a sociology assignment studying flash mobs
and collective behaviour through participant observation. Their goal was to see how and why people engage
in groups and determine if mob mentality can influence a
positive reaction and interaction with spectators. They were
to decide and analyse if flash mobs were a sign of a passing
fad or a new method for bringing awareness to social issues
or a new technique for promoting and advertising an event
or product.
T
OECTA Provincial
Winners in French
Mr. A. Tommasone, Head of International Languages
he International Languages Department is very
happy to thank and congratulate this year’s Ontario
English Catholic Teacher’s Association award winners in the French language: Ellen Khoudiakova for her
piece “Les Sentiments de l’automne”, which won best Jr.
(Grades 9 &10) French poem, and Elsie Chan for her piece
“Piégé dans le jeu”, which won best Sr. (Grades 11& 12)
French short story in the province. Both Ellen and Elsie won
a plaque and a monetary prize. As well, their work will be
published. So, please look for their work in OECTA’s next
published works booklet distributed to all schools in Ontario.
T
CO-OP 2012 Fair
Mr. P. Salvas
n February, the co-operative education program held its
annual Co-op Fair. The event showcases the multitude
of experiential learning opportunities available for our
students. Pictured above is Principal Alda Bassani with grade
11 student Meagan Lum. Meagan completed her placement
as an assistant chef at Oliver & Bonacini Restaurant.
I
6 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
Ladies, we are extremely proud of your fine work and are
deeply honoured to see both of your efforts rewarded so appropriately. Chapeau!
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
Social Science Department News
Mr. H. Cappadocia, Head of Social Science Department
here did the time go? It seems like the 2011/2012
school year started just yesterday. The second
and third terms were an exciting and busy time
for the Loretto Abbey Social Science department.
W
From February 16th to 26th, twenty one lucky grade nine,
eleven and twelve geography students embarked on a journey to the Big Island, Hawaii. Over the ten days, geography
students took in the spectacular scenery of this geographical
wonder. Students hiked through tropical rainforest and lava
tubes deep within the earth. Students learned all about
shield volcanoes, saw the glowing caldera at night, and
hiked through the bottom of an extinct volcano. However,
what was most amazing was seeing snow on Mauna Kea at
an altitude of 13800 above sea level. Our girls staggered
their way to the top, as oxygen content of the air decreased.
But a group of determined individuals made it to the top of
the tallest mountain on Earth (from the ocean floor).
to retire. Her heartfelt gratitude for an enriching career is extended to the Sisters of the IBVM, her multitude of students
and colleagues. There are many cherished memories, highly
valued experiences and life lessons she takes with her as
she embarks on her new journey. God Bless.
Last but certainly not least, I would like to personally thank
all members of the Social Science department who worked
tirelessly to make this year an unforgettable one for all Abbey
girls enrolled in Social Science courses.
On May 23rd and 24th the weather cooperated again and
the grade 9 geography trip to Niagara Falls was a great success. Grade 9 students went hiking into the Niagara Gorge
and for many students that was the first time they participated in such an activity. The Maid of the Mist boat ride
helped students experience and appreciate the sheer magnitude that is Niagara Falls and we hope they come away
with a greater appreciation for the geographical beauty and
importance of the Niagara Region.
After 32 years of dedicated teaching and loyal service, at
Loretto Abbey CSS, Mrs. Josephine Quaglietta has chosen
St. Donat, Québec
Toni-Rose and Céline
his past February 8th to 11th, 20 Abbey French students along with Ms. Nangini and Ms. Comegna,
embarked on a four day ski and French culture trip
into the heart of the Laurentian Mountains in the quaint town
of St. Donat, Québec. St. Donat was an amazing experience.
We met new people, explored the beautiful town, and were
enlightened by the French culture. The staff was very
welcoming and enthusiastic. Every activity was an enjoyable
learning experience. Our monitors, Alexis, Hailey and
Arianne went out of their way to encourage and ensure that
we had an educational and fun time. We shared lots of
laughs through activities during the day, especially when we
were skiing. We had a lot of fun mingling in French with other
schools at breakfast, dinner, and at night. We explored the
activities in the circus and musical backgrounds. It was
heartbreaking leaving St. Donat because we had such an
amazing time. Thank you for making this an unforgettable
experience. St. Donat was très franco-fun!
T
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
OSAID Conference
Ms. L. Naccarato, Child and Youth Worker
rom May 10th to May 13th students from Loretto
Abbey attended the annual provincial Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) conference. This conference was run partially by two students
from the Abbey, Shurley Sun and SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt.
The students who attended were educated, inspired and
motivated about the issue of impaired driving and are now
actively raising awareness in our school community.
F
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
|7
India Reflection
Erin O’Handley
his March, from the 2nd to the 17th, nine students from Loretto Abbey, and seven students
from various other schools were accompanied
by Mr. Kwon and two other teachers on a life-changing
journey to India. While in India, for most of the trip, our
group was hosted by the Loretto Sisters. Everywhere we
went, the Loretto Sisters were extremely hospitable, and
knowledgeable about anything we were curious about. We
began our journey in Kolkata, where we stayed at Loretto
Sealdah. A program called the Rainbow Program was started
at Sealdah by a woman named Sr. Cyril. Half of the students
at the school are paying students, and the other half are
homeless girls. We had the chance to interact with many of
the truly incredible girls at the school. The stories and conversations I had with those girls will be imprinted in my memory
forever. The girls at that school understand the importance of
education, and value it above anything.
T
Renewed
Mr. H. Kwon
ne word to describe my experience in India
would be “renewed”. While visiting all the Loretto
schools in India, we were often reminded of how
privileged we are in Canada: equal opportunity for a good
education, gender equality, justice, freedom, and order in
society. Seeing for myself firsthand the poverty of the
streets, inequalities in education, the lack of job opportunities, and slavery of women in Brickfields, where women are
carrying a stack of bricks all day long for a mere 100 rupees
( $2/day), I can surely say that we are privileged and very
fortunate. Yet, deep in my heart an aching question lingers
on: Are we truly privileged?. If we take our fortune for
granted, if we don’t use our potential to be the best that we
can be, how can we see ourselves as privileged?
O
A very special young girl at Loretto Bowbazar day school in
Kolkata made a profound impact on me during my visit to
India. She deepened my faith in God. Her hope and faith in
8 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
“
“
After Kolkata, we went up north to Darjeeling. Darjeeling was
absolutely beautiful the three hour car ride up the side of a
mountain seemed like nothing. The weekend we spent in
Darjeeling was a good time for reflection. While in Darjeeling,
we visited Tiger Hill at 5:30 am, where we had the perfect
view of the Himalayas, and the sunrise at the same time. The
sky was so clear that we could even see Everest that day.
Also in Darjeeling, we visited a Buddhist monastery, the zoo,
the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, and Hayden Hall.
After Darjeeling, the group went our separate way to two different schools. One group stayed up in the mountains at
Lolay, and I was part of the group who went down to
Paneghattta, which was surrounded by tea fields. I absolutely
loved everything
about Paneghatta. The friendships I formed
with many of the children are ones that will continue to affect
me for the rest of my life. After teaching the students during
the day, many children would invite us to their homes, and
tour us through the village. When the children brought us to
their homes, the amount of pride and generosity they showed
blew my mind. Even though they have so little, they offer
everything they have to us. The amazing thing about this
small poor village was the sense of community, and the fact
that their happiness is solely based on their relationships with
others. This trip opened my eyes to so many different things,
and really changed my list of priorities. My memories stick
with me wherever I go, and things I learned have changed
how I look at our world. It truly was the trip of a lifetime, and
I feel so fortunate that I was able to experience it.
Blessed are you who have not seen
and yet have believed.
John 20: 29
God and her smiling face made me realize that she is the
one who is blessed and privileged, not I. Even at age of 7
she was mature enough to understand her parents’ love and
the hope they had in the Loretto school, which they knew
would provide her the best chance of receiving a solid foundation in education. The real hope for this girl’s family is to
see an end to their poverty-stricken lifestyle. In the past four
years she was able to go back to visit her parents only 8
times, twice per year. She misses her parents but she does
her best to achieve her goals, so that she can help her parents when they are older. She promises to continue to do
her best and with a smile says, “God willing, I will succeed.”
It is my wish that all of our students will take God’s gifts, use
them to their fullest potential, and achieve those goals that
they have set for themselves in this lifetime.
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
International Exchange with France
Mr. A. Tommasone, Head of International Languages
or two weeks over the March Break period, a number of the finest students in Loretto Abbey’s French
program joined Mr. Tommasone and Mrs. Nangini
along with students from St. Br. André C. S. S. for the second
leg of a two week international exchange with Lycée Marguerite Yourcenar of Le Mans, France. The overall experience was an absolute unforgettable success. Our students
were very happy to be reunited with their French counterparts which they hosted for two weeks in Toronto in October
of 2011. While in France, our students got to live with French
families, attend classes in the French High School, visit the
castles of Amboise (burial site of Leonardo Da Vinci) and
Chenonceau in the Loire Valley, attend mass at the Cathedral
of Le Mans, tour a WWII museum in Caen, walk on to Juno
Beach, pay their respects to Canada’s fallen at the cemetery
of Courseulles-sur-Mer (Calvados), climb to the top of the
monastery of Mont Saint-Michel, reconnect with the Jacques
Cartier in Saint- Malo and enjoy the major tourist attractions
of Paris (Le Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, etc.). The hardest part was saying goodbye to all of our new friends in
France, but as they say in French, “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir”,
as many of our students have agreed to nurture their new
friendships even further and see each other again as early as
F
this summer. The trip was such a success and the chemistry
between our two schools was so positive that both Mme Galloux and M. Tommasone have agreed to look into repeating
the exchange, if at all possible, in about 2 years time.
Many thanks and congratulations go out to all of the Abbey
Participants over the 28 days of International French exchange activities and their respective families.
French for the Future Forum
Ms. M. Thorpe
n April 20, 2012, the following students attended
the French for the Future Forum that took place
at Glendon College in the newly constructed
Centre of Excellence: Laura Morales-Pires, Toni-Rose
Mabazza, Ellen Khoudiakova, Ladessa Rocco, Carina Neto,
Kristen Thuringer, Erika Malunas, Selina Malabo, Amanda
Giancola and Madeleine Beelen. The girls spent the morning
being inspired by keynote speakers from Glendon College,
French for the Future and Université Sainte-Anne.
O
Afterwards they participated in various workshops including
theatre, psychology, radio and television, volunteerism,
education and language opportunities. In the afternoon,
Francophile singer Andrea Lindsay and Franco-Albertan
storyteller-musician Roger Dallaire entertained the audience. It was truly a memorable day!
Engineering Idol
Ms. Y. Musalem
This year a team of six Abbey students, Malissa Ekanayake,
Sara Li Forouzanfar, SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt, Veronica Lei,
Samantha Mammoliti and Abby Miner, participated in the
annual Engineering Idol competition. Led by their supervisor
Ms. Musalem, they vied against six other teams from various
high schools around Toronto. The competitors were required
to build a bionic ear, a device that recognized and interpreted sound, to be evaluated by a panel of judges. The
competition was challenging and it tested the students on
their analytical skills and innovation. The team represented
the Abbey admirably and was the only all-female team to
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
compete. As a result of much hard work and dedication,
Loretto Abbey ranked in second place and earned a $300
prize.
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
|9
International Languages
Department
May 31st, World No
Tobacco Day
Mr. A. Tommasone, Head of International Languages
Ms. L. Naccarato, Child and Youth Worker
he International Languages department would like
to thank and congratulate all these students for
participating in this year’s Concours d’ Art Oratoire:
Jeanelle Bertheau, Julia Frodyma, Amanda Giancola, Eden
Gough, Elisa Iacono, Patil Imasdounian, and Natalie Kodsi.
All of these young ladies gave a top performance worthy of
recognition and merit. Their speeches were creative and original. In the Junior Category Janelle Bertheau placed 2nd and
Eden Gough and Elisa Iacono both placed 3rd. In the Senior
Category Julia Frodyma placed 2nd and Natalie Kodsi placed
3rd. Thank you ladies for sharing your many talents and for
excelling in this acclaimed board-wide competition.
n May 31st, Canada’s national non-smoking day,
students from the Empowered Student Partnership (ESP) program educated and informed students at the Abbey about the dangers of smoking, both first
and second hand and how harmful it is to people’s health.
ESP distributed head bands for students to wear and show
their support for the cause. There was also an information
table set up in the cafeteria during the lunch periods to educate students about the health effects associated with
smoking and why it is an issue for our youth today. Many
students were inspired and educated; helping students to
make the right choice is all we can hope for!
T
O
Curling Team 2011-2012 Season
Hurry Hard for the Abbey Gators
Deberah Hawkshaw
his past curling season has been quite a successful one for the Loretto Abbey Curling team. The
team comprised of grade 10 students, Deborah
Hawkshaw (skip), Sarah Chan (vice), Nicole Titkai (second), and grade 9 student Katie Chan (lead) along with
Steve Hawkshaw and Mrs. Desilets as coaches. The team
has competed in two competitions this season.
T
Starting off the season with the Gore Mutual School Girl,
the team won their zone A-side having a record of 1-0.
This then allowed the team to continue on to the Regional
play downs were they had one win and two losses knocking them out of the tournament. This then brought the
team to its second competition of the season, the Toronto
District Catholic Athletic Association (TDCAA) play downs.
Playing at East York Curling Club, the Abbey Gators went
undefeated with a record of 6 wins and 0 loses. This made
the LAT curling team the TDCAA champs for the second
year in a row and allowed them to advance to the Ontario
Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Curling Championship.
This year the Abbey Curling team travelled to St. Catherine’s to compete in the OFSAA championship round-robin
play in their pool. They placed 2nd with 3 wins and 1 loss.
This then allowed them to continue on to the quarter finals
where they played Canterbury High School from the Ottawa region. With a close game, the Abbey Gators lost on
last rock knocking them out of the running but making
them place top 8 in the province. With all the success the
LAT curling team had in both events, they finished the season with a final record of 11 wins and 4 looses.
10 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
Many thanks to the coach, Mr. Hawkshaw and to our
supervisor Mrs. Desilets for their dedication, time, support
and representing the Abbey so well! Can’t wait to
see what the Abbey Gators will do next season! Good
Curling!!!
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
From the Abbey Sports Desk
Ms. D. Chandler, Head of Physical Education
he Athletic Banquet was held on Friday June 25 at
the Avenue Banquet Hall. Our motivational speaker
was Victoria Altomare who is currently a member
of Team Canada’s Beach Volleyball team. During the
evening the tables battled with fun AbbeyGator Trivia Challenges. The coaches presented their team sports awards.
The following student-athletes were presented with the
prestigious Athlete of the Year awards:
T
Danielle Sutton receiving
the Graduating Athlete
of the Year Award from
Ms. Chandler
Gwyneth Jordan — Rookie Athlete of the Year
Sarah Chan
— Junior Athlete of the Year (Grade 10)
Christina Martin — Junior Athlete of the Year (Grade 11)
Danielle Sutton — Graduating Athlete of the Year
Jocelyne Beelen — Graduating Athlete Displaying Most
Enthusiasm and Spirit
Jocelyn Beelen received
the Graduating Athlete
Displaying Most
Leadership and Spirit
Congratulations to all the student-athletes this year for their
enthusiasm and hard work.
Most of our sports teams ranked in the top five positions in
the TDCAA. Congratulations to the hockey and curling
teams who won the TDCAA Championships for the second
year in a row and the swim and softball teams placed second the league.
A special thank you to all the coaches for committing
their time, enthusiasm and expertise this year. It is truly
appreciated!
Graduating Student-Athletes 2012 these students
have been on sports teams every year since grade 9
Gifted Corner
Mrs. E. Cordeiro
In March the varsity hockey team won the TDCAA Championship at
the MasterCard Centre. They beat Bishop Allen 3-1. This victory
marked back to back Championships for the squad and their fourth
in the team history.
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012
This year the gifted program has grown and flourished by getting many students involved in various extracurriculars within
the school community. Several of these extracurriculars have
been aimed towards educating students on our environment,
social injustice, creative expression, and developing strong
leadership skills. The students had the opportunity to take part
in Perspectives, a Toronto-wide gifted convention filled with
innovative workshops, CHAMUN, a model UN conference,
and a week long trip to Queen’s University. We also saw Pearl
Almeida, Sara Maltese, Vanessa Tolentino, and Taylor Treacy
drive off to Tennessee with Ms. Musalem to participate in
the annual Destination Imagination Global Finals. The girls
placed 18th in the world, while helping to promote the need for
clean drinking water in underdeveloped and developing nations. We would like to thank all of the staff and students for
another great year at the Abbey.
www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
| 11
Student Success
Ms. M. Chiera
s a Catholic school, we are dedicated to
ensure that students feel welcome into
the community and supported to ensure
their academic success. Our two projects for this
year have demonstrated this commitment wonderfully. Firstly, our Caring Adult program was able to
expand and include senior students to act as leaders for our grade nines during their transition.
These girls were excellent in delivering two morning workshops focussed on academic success
strategies for high school. This was very helpful in
providing students with the skills they need to do their best
throughout the year and in their final exams.
A
In addition, Loretto Abbey successfully launched Project
L.O.V.E. (Loretto’s Outstanding Volunteer Efforts). In our efforts to encourage our grade nine students to not only complete their 40 hours of Ministry required hours within their
first year, but, to continue with their volunteer work throughout high school, we were able to celebrate 30 of our grade
nine students! These students, joined by the students that
participated in the “Change the World” challenge, were honoured in a breakfast and provided with certificates to acknowledge their achievement. Also, students with top hours
of service in each grade were presented with a $50 Yorkdale
gift card and one graduating student will be awarded a $250
scholarship. These efforts would not have been possible
without funding received by the Ontario SpeakUp Grant.
In the spirit of Mary Ward, we hope that this initiative teaches
students to “Do your best and God will do the rest.”
L to R: Olivia Francesconi,
Gr.10 with 206 hours
community service;
Sabrina Gallippi, Gr.9 with
320 hours community
service; and Abigail Dela
Cruz, Gr.11 student with
over 1000 hours of
community service.
WAVE 2012
Ms. L. Naccarato, Child and Youth Worker
he Empowered Student Partnership (ESP) program
was invited to attend the Louise Russo WAVE
award ceremony on May 16th. It was an inspirational day, filled with motivational speakers, performers and
awareness programs about the change that we need to
make towards our school communities. The ESP program
received an award for its outstanding work done in the
school community which was called the Louise Russo Youth
Award. It was given to Loretto Abbey’s two leading Toronto
OSAID students, Shurley Sun and SarahAnn Goldnau-Vogt.
ESP has been very active with Ontario Students Against
Impaired Driving (OSAID) program. Educating students
about the dangers that can occur when people are driving
impaired can save lives. The theme Stompin Out Impaired
Driving made the event fun and welcoming to students from
across Ontario.
T
Superintendent Lori DiMarco
Twitter@TCDSB_area4
Toronto Catholic District School
Board Trustees 2011-2012
Wards
Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School
101 Mason Boulevard, North York, Ontario M5M 3E2
Tel.: 416-393-5510
Fax: 416-397-6137
12 | www.tcdsb.org/schools/lorettoabbey.asp
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Peter Jakovcic
Ann Andrachuk, Chair
Sal Piccininni, Vice Chair
Patrizia Bottoni
Maria Rizzo
Frank D’Amico
John Del Grande
Tobias Enverga
Jo-Ann Davis
Barbara Poplawski
Angela Kennedy
Nancy Crawford
Sabrina Renna, Student Trustee
Andrew Walker, Student Trustee Elect
Volume 19, Issue 2, June 2012