Growing PASTORAL PLAN School Name: Cardinal Leger Secondary School School Motto or Mission Statement: Growing in Truth and Love The students and staff at Cardinal Leger Secondary School, celebrate spirituality and diversity through achieving, believing and living in an inclusive Catholic environment. It is the mission of the school community at Cardinal Leger Catholic Secondary School to challenge students to: engage in life-long learning and the pursuit of excellence in reaching their full spiritual, academic, social, emotional and physical potential; acquire and demonstrate the required skills and attitudes that equip them for the future; to grow in an understanding of Catholic teachings and traditions and to incorporate these into their everyday life. Cardinal Leger Catholic Secondary School strives to provide an environment where we grow and learn within the context of a cooperative, community team of Family, School and Church. A community where the ideals of mutual trust, responsibility, equality and respect for all are encouraged and fostered. Theme for the Year: Walking Forward Together Retreats. Identify the location of the retreat, groupings (class, or grade level), theme, facilitator, supervision (chaplaincy leader and/or staff) Grade 9: Theme: Building Christian Community. The Grade 9 students explore the theme of Building Community. The students work through a number of Initiative tasks in order to develop skills in consensus decision making and team building. Throughout the afternoon students discuss their morning experiences and explore ways to build a healthy community that reflects Gospel values. Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre is an excellent facility for this retreat. Page 1 of 12
Grade 10: Theme: Who Am I? My Gifts and Challenges. Students see the current stage show at Famous PEOPLE Players, meet the cast, and participate in an interactive black light workshop. Company President and Founder, Diane Dupuy, a member of the Order of Canada, electrifies the students and empowers them to realize the importance of living out their dreams while respecting others and the planet. Today more than ever we need to encourage young people to trust their own journey and not just to follow the crowd. Grade 11: Theme: Urban Poverty. Students spend the day at the Knight s Table Soup Kitchen. Students attend workshops where they listen to patrons of the Knight s Table discuss issues such as the root causes of poverty and homelessness in Brampton. Students encounter Christ as they prepare and serve the food to the patrons of the Knight s Table. When I was hungry did you give me anything to eat? Grade 12: Theme: Ministry of Service. The students are taken to the Canadian Food for Children Warehouse (Dr. Simone s) to prepare and fill crates of food and goods to be shipped to a variety of missions in developing countries. In the afternoon, the students are led through a reflection that helps them to see the importance of responding to the needs of my sister and brother. Students are taken to the Imperial Buffet Restaurant for a sit down celebratory meal - a taste of Heaven. Other retreats (e.g. Student Council): Year of Mercy Retreat to Martyrs Shrine: Students will have an opportunity to attend Mass and Pass through the Jubilee Door of Mercy at the Martyrs Shrine, Midland. Wednesday, September 28, 2016. They will meet and dialogue with the Aboriginal artist. Student Council Retreat. The Student Council s role is to minister to the student body by promoting the theme of the school year. The retreat focus is to develop a Christ Centered program that meets the spiritual and community needs of the student body. Leadership Class Retreat. A morning of work at CFFC and an afternoon of Reflection on Christian Leadership. Students will further develop their leadership skills as true disciples of Jesus. Page 2 of 12
Activities of a Religious Nature o Each school must identify activities of a religious nature with a substantial component of ritual and prayer (Eucharistic and Non Eucharistic) o Examples could include, but not limited to; school Masses, Sacrament of Reconciliation, Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Devotions etc. Activities of a Religious Nature with a substantial component of ritual and prayer Procession of Blessed Sacrament: Transfer of Blessed Sacrament to Leger Chapel, Wednesday, September 14, 2016 Morning Prayer: Weekday Mornings, 8:00 am, School Chapel Weekly Mass in Chapel, Wednesday Mornings, 7:45 am. School Chapel Opening School Mass: Thanksgiving, October 4 and 5, 2016, St. Mary s Church. Remembrance Day Liturgy: November 11, 2016. Great Hall Advent Mass: December 5 and 9, 2016 at 10:00 am. St. Mary s Church Sunrise Blessing: Grad Class, Outside, 7:00 am, October 7, 2016 Sacrament of Reconciliation: Lent 2017, Fr. Liborio, St. Mary s Church Easter Mass and Reception: May 4 and 5, 2017 St. Mary s Church Sunset Blessing: May 25, 2017, Outside, Davis Field, 6:00 9:30 pm. Grad Mass: Monday, June 5, 2017, 9:00 am, St. Mary s Church Weekly Home Room Masses: Thursdays throughout the school year, 9:00 am. St. Mary s Church Procession of Blessed Sacrament: Transfer of Blessed Sacrament from Cardinal Leger Chapel back to St. Mary s Church for Summer. TBA by Fr. Liborio Distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday: March 1, 2017 Holy Thursday Liturgical Dramatization: April 13, 2017 Page 3 of 12
Other Pastoral/Outreach Activities o These activities could include but are not limited to: Remembrance Day, Earth Day, Safe School Assemblies, Thanksgiving, Charity, social justice work, including Share Life etc. o For any activity involving social justice outreach in the community (food banks, soup kitchens and so on), details must include size of the group, supervision must have adequate coverage in every area of the facility, safety plan, route plan (if on an inner city walk), how often the activity happens (weekly, monthly, once a year) Pastoral Activities Morning Prayer/Reflection, PA Chapel Visits: All Grade 9 Classes chapel etiquette, how to receive communion, genuflecting, etc. Terry Fox Run: Blessing of Participants. October 7, 2016. Thanksgiving Food Drive. October 3 7, 2016 at the Knight s Table Soup Kitchen Cardinal Leger Secondary School Foodbank will be established to support needy Cardinal Leger students and their families throughout the school year. Before The Bell: A school breakfast program available to all students on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:45 am. Advent Shoe Box/Hamper Drive: Peel Woman s Shelter Pancake Tuesday Breakfast: February 28, 2017 Canadian Food for Children year round outreach Knight s Table year round outreach Catholic Education Week: May 1 5, 2017 March for Life: Ottawa, May 11, 2017 Development and Peace Day, November TBA Office of Catholic Youth Theology of the Body Workshop Page 4 of 12
Catholic Education Week May 1 5, 2017 is Catholic Education Week. Highlight activities or events planned for the Week: The theme for this year s Catholic Education Week is Walking Forward Together. Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 As a school community we will be celebrating Easter Mass at St. Mary s Church on May 4 th and 5 th, 2017. To celebrate the beginning of Catholic Education Week, the school band plays outside to greet parents. Student made cookies are handed out to parents/guardians that drop their children off to school. We will walk forward with our refugee brothers and sisters. St. Mary s Church, Brampton, has recently found out that they will be sponsoring two refugee families from Syria. These families will arrive in 2017. Cardinal Leger School currently has several refugee students from Syria. These students will help to facilitate a refugee awareness day. Grade 9 and 10 Leger students, and grade 8 feeder school students will be part of this event. Students will gather to learn about the refugee experience and will then go on a symbolic walk together around Gage Park. They will enjoy a BBQ lunch in the St. Mary s Church parking lot. Funds and items collected will be used to assist the St. Mary s Church Refugee Program. Residents from St. Mary s Place, next door, will be invited to Cardinal s Café to enjoy a lunch prepared by our Hospitality students. Religion classes will walk together with creation by fulfilling our call to be stewards of the earth as they participate in cleaning the park and school grounds. The school will participate in various recommended board activities. Page 5 of 12
Catholicity across the school In collaboration with each department head, departmental activities and/or events that infuse Catholic teaching, faith formation, and Catholic culture into the curriculum and the classrooms are highlighted. The content within the CGE Faith Planner may be used to support this portion of the Pastoral Plan. Department Theology and Family Studies Departmental Activities and/or Events As we embark on a new school year under the theme Walking Forward Together, Cardinal Leger students are continuously reminded of Jesus presence and unwavering love for us. Theology courses are compulsory for each grade level. The Catholic secondary curriculum includes the study of biblical, historical, ethical, sacramental, theological, and pastoral fundamentals of the Catholic Christian heritage. The Theology department, in its catechetical role, is mandated to teach and model the Gospels and the teachings of the Church. Moderns/Arts Science As a Catholic community, the staff and students of Cardinal Leger Secondary School are encouraged to live their daily lives as Disciples of Christ. We should practice devotion to the Holy Spirit by striving to be constantly aware of His presence in our souls through grace. By continuing to pray and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, enlightenment and strength, we will be able to respond to His inspirations faithfully. By way of Theological courses, knowledge of God, through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, goes hand in hand with a relationship with God. The Moderns and Arts departments are planning several initiatives for this school year to promote Catholicity in the school. Some of the main events are art, drama and music classes contributing to the Christmas concert and Easter liturgy. Other activities to highlight are the incorporation of French prayers and mass intentions to link the French program with pastoral life. Additionally, students will help design posters for outreach initiatives such as the Thanksgiving food drive. Finally grade nine art students are taking a special class trip to the Martyr s Shrine to participate in a mass and viewing of the Holy Door. This door was painted by a First Nations artist, William Monague. As outlined in the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations, science students will reflect on examining, evaluating and applying knowledge of interdependent systems (physical, political, ethical, socioeconomic and ecological) for the development of a just and compassionate society. Science students will reflect on God s mercy through the respect and compassion shown for all God s flora and fauna. Specifically, we Page 6 of 12
will take part in outdoor activities at Silvercreek Outdoor Centre where students will appreciate the wonders of nature and investigate the diversity of our world. We will also continue to develop our peace garden with the aid of the construction and art departments and continue our participation in the before the bell breakfast program. Social Science English Physical Education Guidance Special Education The Social Science teachers at Cardinal Leger take pride their opportunity to expose students to historical events, environmental concerns and the role of government at both the local and global level. Students are encouraged to become critical thinkers, able to explore each of these fields through a Catholic lens. Themes of social justice, environmental sustainability and active citizenship are emphasized and encouraged throughout our various disciplines. In our study of literature, we search for the meaning of life in light of our spiritual journey through the study of characters and themes. It is our commitment to our students to provide learning environments in which they are nurtured and encouraged with dignity and respect to develop skills informed by reason and faith for life long learning. The Health and Physical Education department emphasizes active participation, peer inclusion and personal wellness in all of the courses we teach, nurturing the needs of our students physically, emotionally and spiritually. Students are encouraged to become self directed, responsible, lifelong learners that are able to develop health and movement skills that they can take with them beyond their years at Leger. Student services is committed to promoting personal, social, educational, career and spiritual development. We have a strong emphasis on care, compassion and community as hallmarks of a Catholic approach to counselling. Our priority is to educate for life, counselling students in our care holistically. This includes, Catholic socialization for both the non practicing Catholic student and open access student by supporting student transitional planning; collaborating with school teams or departments; supporting academic achievement; supporting student mental health; and supporting students refinement and development of their Individual Pathway Plans. Romans 12:6 8 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. The Academic Resource Dept. creates a loving, accepting environment for all students regardless of their differing abilities. This year we intend to have our GLE students involved in assisting with Dr. Simone and helping with our school food drive. This will help them demonstrate a confident and positive sense of self and respect for the dignity and welfare of Page 7 of 12
Mathematics Business others. The Alt. Ed students will be involved in various community outings to recognize there is more grace in our world than sin and that hope is essential in facing all challenges. As Catholic educators in mathematics we believe that each student is created in the image of God. Therefore, we are called to understand and nurture the uniqueness of all of our students gifts, fully realizing that each possesses a wide spectrum of talents. To this effect, the 3 part lesson structure enables every student to grasp concepts in their own understanding and at their full capacity. Through mathematical investigations, and with the use of technology, students develop their logical skills. This not only helps them excel in today s progressing technological society but, also, challenges them to find their true identity on how to be responsible citizens in the world. One of the pillars of our Pastoral plan is being able to work as a team and develop a network to help our projects succeed. Foremost in our Pastoral plan is our Farm to Cafeteria project as it aligns with Pope Frances vision of taking care of the environment and taking care of people in need. As we implement the salad bar, our plan is to ensure that all students at Cardinal Leger have access to a healthy lunch. Any surplus will be donated to the new school food bank, reaching community members, and families in need. We intend to integrate different subject areas as follows: Business (Surveys and promotion) Health Care (Mental health and wellness through gardening) Hospitality (Development and implementation of salad bar) Construction (Garden Beds) Automotive (Recycling of oils and metals) Co Operative Education (Facilitation of collaborative contributors as they enter the work place) The many projects taking place throughout the school consistently require the needs of our diverse subject areas. Having students serve as contributors and collaborators in the Farm to Cafeteria, and other mental health initiatives is one of the mandates of our department this year. Page 8 of 12
School Environment reflective of our Faith Pastoral Plan Development 2016 2017 These religious icons, symbols and visible expressions of our Catholic identity are present in the school environment: New additions to our school environment: First Nations Stations of the Cross dedicated and blessing Fall 2016 Marian Grotto completed Spring 2017 Pictures of Merciful Redeemer and St. Michael the Arch Angel in the Chapel Every Classroom has a Cross with the Risen Christ affixed. The Chapel is fully furnished and includes the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle, an Altar, a Statue of Mary, Mother of Jesus and a statue of St. Kateri Tekakwitha. There are pictures of the Holy Father Pope Francis and Pope JPII throughout the school. The Stations of the Cross are in the Cafeteria, as is a Virtues display window/cabinet. There are religious symbols in a Mural in the Great Hall, as well as in the Murals throughout the School. There is a large 6 ft. Cross in the Gym. A mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe exists on the second floor outside the Religion Office. There are images of the beatitudes and icons in the hallways. There is a framed image of Pope Francis and a Cross in the main Office. The Art students have designed a beautiful depiction of the Stations of the Cross in an Aboriginal art style. The Stations are displayed around the upper perimeter of our Chapel. Collaborative School Culture These activities are organized by the School Catholic Community Culture and Caring Action Team: Teachers continue to work in PLTs to explore, enhance and share instructional strategies that support an engaging classroom environment. A random cross section of all grade levels will participate in the Catholic Community Culture and Caring survey that is administered every second year. Grade 12 students will participate in an exit survey to help gauge their overall high school experience. Page 9 of 12
Parish Connections Planned and existing initiatives that maintain and enhance positive relationships with the local parish communities: Fr. Liborio Amaral, Pastor of St. Mary s Church in Brampton, and Fr. Gustavo, Associate Pastor, will be working closely with the Chaplain and the School Administration. Fr. Liborio is well known by the students and staff at Cardinal Leger. He has also made the FORMED Program, an online catechetical resource available to all staff in the school. He has active youth programs and ministries that many of our students have participated in. We are looking for ways to integrate the F/T St. Mary s Parish Youth Minister into some of our school activities. We will assist St. Mary s Church at Christmas with their Parish Outreach. Fr. Liborio has arranged that Holy Mass will be celebrated every Wednesday in our School Chapel, at 7:45 a.m. All Homeroom Classes will attend Mass at the Church once a semester. Fr. Liborio will also arrange for the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be celebrated at the school during Lent. The Chaplain is a member of St. Mary s Parish resettlement team. Cardinal Leger is working with the parish to sponsor two refugee families scheduled to arrive in 2017. Staff Faith Development Catechesis and faith formation among our staff: We have Community Prayer every weekday morning at 8:00 am in the Chapel. We have Mass every Wednesday in the Chapel. Prayer and Faith Development are an important part of our Staff meetings and PA Days. In addition, staff are invited to participate in the following: Formed Program Lighthouse Media DVD Series in Library When Faith Meets Pedagogy Theology Forum Faith Ambassador Program After school retreats during Advent and Lent Page 10 of 12
Transitions Students supported in the area of Transitioning from Grade 8 to Grade 9, from Grade 12 to Post Secondary as well as from one grade to another: All students entering Grade 9 are invited to attend the Get Ready Program an orientation program designed to introduce students to Cardinal Leger. Grade 8 students from St. Mary s Elementary were invited to participate in the procession of the Blessed Sacrament from St. Mary s Parish to Cardinal Leger Secondary School. There is also a transition focus to the Take Your Grade 8 to Leger day on November 2, 2016. The Sunrise and Sunset events will also be celebrated to allow Grade 12 s to prayerfully process their Graduation Year. Vocations Vocations to religious life and pastoral ministries promoted through: Students will be invited to attend the annual Ordinandi Dinner/Lunch in the spring of 2017. Fr. Liborio was previously the Archdiocese of Toronto Vocation Director. We hope to use his knowledge to make this event meaningful and effective. The Office of Catholic Youth will be invited to speak on the topic of vocations as part of their Theology of the Body workshop. Page 11 of 12
Signature Page Pastor Chaplaincy Leader Faith Ambassador(s) (as applicable) Department Heads (as applicable) Chair of Catholic School Council Vice Principal(s) Principal Superintendent Page 12 of 12