February Reflections: Feasts, Virtues, and Equity Events
Even though February is the shortest month of the year, it is marked by a number of religious and secular feasts. Perhaps this is a sign of human resilience in the face of a lingering winter!
The Liturgical Calendar
February is the Month of the Holy Family. February marks a period of Ordinary Time before Lent begins next month on March 2. Feast Days in February include:
- February 1st – Feast of St. Brigid
- February 2nd – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (World Day for Consecrated Life)
- February 3rd – Feast of St. Blaise
- February 6th – Feast of St. Paul Miki and Companions (The Holy Martyrs of Japan)
- February 7th – Feast of Our Lady of Grace
- February 8th – Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita
- February 10th – Feast of St. Scholastica
- February 11th – Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes (World Day of the Sick)
- February 14th – Feast of St. Valentine
- February 22nd – Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle
The Virtue of Wisdom
This month we celebrate the virtue of wisdom, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The spirit of wisdom is perhaps the virtue most closely associated with the Third Person of the Trinity. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Wisdom is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.”
Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations
The Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations state that the student is expected to become a reflective, creative, and holistic thinker who solves problems and makes responsible decisions with an informed moral conscience for the common good (OCGE 3). This expectation clearly connects to the virtue of wisdom. Our reflections this month conclude with Neibuhr’s Serenity Prayer, which offers great comfort and wisdom for anyone facing challenges in their lives.
Equity Events
Black Heritage Month
February is Black Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of people of African ancestry to the development and culture of the Church and Canada. Black Heritage Month celebrates Black Excellence, resilience, innovation, and the determination to work towards a more inclusive and diverse society.
Lunar New Year
This year, Lunar New Year began on January 29th, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake, and continues until February 12.
Other Notable Dates
- February 14th – Valentine’s Day: Originally a feast day, now widely celebrated as a secular holiday focusing on romance and friendship.
- February 14th-20th – Random Acts of Kindness Week
- February 15th – 60th Anniversary of Canada’s National Flag
- February 17th – Family Day: A day set aside to spend time with loved ones.
- February 20th – World Day of Social Justice: Established by the United Nations in 2007 to raise awareness about social inequality and promote social justice worldwide.
- February 26th – Pink Shirt Day: A day dedicated to promoting kindness and standing against bullying.
February is a month filled with reflection, celebration, and the pursuit of justice and wisdom. May we embrace these opportunities to grow in faith, kindness, and community spirit.
WINTER WALK DAY
The snow has fallen and the winter season is now in full swing! Celebrate the colder months of the year by staying active alongside your peers and the entire St. Kateri Tekakwitha CES school community with Winter Walk Day on February 5. Tag us on Instagram @stkaterimarkham with a picture of you walking to school.
Enjoy the beauty of the snowflakes and snow-covered trees on your journey walking to and from school. Walking is healthy for our body and minds – and prepares our brains for learning.
Beyond all the health benefits, walking to school in winter is just plain fun. Try stopping to make snowballs or snow angels and you’ll see what an enjoyable adventure it is to be active when getting to school as well as when returning home again. Make sure to dress for the cold weather by adding layers of clothing!
Walking together with friends and family fosters social connections and we encourage parents, teachers and the entire school community to participate alongside our students. Let’s continue to celebrate walking as a fun form of exercise and an opportunity to connect with our community. Together, we can make Winter Walk Day an unforgettable experience for everyone!
For those who can’t walk or cycle to school every day, choosing active travel once, twice, or a few days a week can still provide benefits. You can also consider parking a block away from the school and walking the rest of the way.
Remember it only takes 21 days to create a habit. Consider making small changes to your routine to get these benefits that could have major lasting impacts on your child(ren) lives. Include active travel as part of your day-to-day life.
Promoting National Catholic Health Care Week 2025
OCSTA is pleased to offer our full support in promoting National Catholic Health Care Week, which will be observed from February 2–8, 2025. This annual initiative recognizes the invaluable contributions of Catholic healthcare organizations across our province and throughout Canada.
The Catholic Health Alliance of Canada has designated this year’s theme as “Caring for our Common Home.” This theme highlights the deep interconnectedness of all creation and encourages us to reflect on how our individual and collective actions—within health, social, and economic systems—can foster a world where all can thrive. It also echoes Pope Francis’ call in Laudato Si’ to care for our planet as our shared home.
We strongly encourage all Catholic school boards and schools to actively promote and share information about this important week. Resources, including daily reflections and prayers, are available to support meaningful engagement within our school communities.
All the resources needed for the week can be found here NCHCW 2025 – Material for Schools
Term 1 Report Card Information
Our school will be delivering Term 1 report cards electronically on Tuesday, February 11th (after 4:00 PM) via the Parent Portal.
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to sign-on to the Parent Portal in advance of the delivery date to ensure your username and password will allow access.
To access this portal, please visit our school’s website (https://kta.ycdsb.ca/), and click on the parents link in the top banner. From the Parents page, you will find a link to “Maplewood Parent Portal ConnectEd” on the right hand side.
Early Reading Screening FDK YR2 to Gr. 2
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Free Parent EQAO Webinar – Winter 2025 |
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Register for a free live webinar and learn about the EQAO math questions that Ontario students encounter when they participate in Ontario’s large-scale assessments. These assessments are taken by all Ontario students in Grades 3, 6 and 9. During the webinar, EQAO staff will show how these math questions help assess the skills students are learning in their math classes. Staff will also share valuable insights from the past three years of assessment results, which can help parents and guardians support their children’s math learning.
Registration link: https://bit.ly/eqao-winter25 |
SBA Dates:
Parents looking to learn more about the following topics are invited to join the SBA community on the following: (Additional information to follow in the coming weeks for each event)
February 11 at 7:00pmYCDSB/YRP joint presentation on human trafficking
February 26 at 7:00pm: Navigating the A.I. Future – helping parents to understand artificial intelligence, the skills that kids need to thrive and how to plan to raise A.I.-ready kids
April 23 at 7:00pm: Supporting Wellness at Home with the Empowerment Project.
Kindergarten Registration for September 2025
Parents and guardians can start to register their child online at: www.ycdsb.ca/admissions JK Registration flyer
To learn more about York Catholic’s Kindergarten program, please visit: JK Registration flyer
STUDENT IMMUNIZATION IN YORK REGION SCHOOLS
SUPPORTING SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF STUDENTS
We are here to help
- Questions? Call Immunization Services at 1-877-464-9675 ext.73456
Links
- York.ca/GetImmunized: Direct parents, guardians or students here to submit records online
- York.ca/immunizations: Provides more information about student immunizations
- Ministry of Health: For publicly-funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario
- Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA): This legislation requires children and adolescents
attending primary or secondary school to be appropriately immunized against designated
diseases, unless they have a valid exemption.
- Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA): This legislation outlines the duties and mandatory
health programs of York Region Public Health
Submission methods
Immunization information can be submitted by:
- Online at Immunization Connect
Ontario (ICON) at
yrphu.icon.ehealthontario.ca
- Calling 1-877-464-9675, ext. 73456
- Faxing 1-866-258-2026
Important dates to mark on your calendars:
February 2 to 8 National Health Care Week
February 5, 2024 Winter Walk to School Day
February 6, 2025 @ 6:30 Parent Evening @ St. Joseph Markham
February 7, 2025 One Love Student Assembly
February 11, 2025 Term 1 Reports Go Home (Parent Portal)
February 15, 2025 National Flag Day Of Canada
February 17 Family Day
February 24 to 28 Carnaval Week
March 10 to 14 Spring Break