The Little Flower

Ms. Iolanda Faraone,

Principal

Exceptional. This is a perfect word to describe the 2019-2020 school year! We started the year with job action, continued with rotating strikes after Christmas, and went into isolation after March Break. Never have I ever experienced a year like this one. However, challenging times present us with the ability to demonstrate our resilience, our fortitude, our faith in God, our confidence in ourselves and our reliance on one another.

Exceptional. That is a perfect word to describe the STL staff and students. I am so honored to have been part of such an incredibly gifted community of leaders and learners. We have shared so many moments that have made lasting memories, which I will carry with me and cherish always. St. Theresa of Lisieux has been my home for 10 years of my career. Leaving something you know and love brings the kind of apprehension and fear that comes with change and the unknown. But there comes a time when we all must leave what is comfortable, safe and familiar, to face the next phase of our life’s journey. I am sure our graduating class understands this feeling all too well.

To the staff, students, Catholic School Council members, and all STL families: thank you for walking alongside me for the last 3 years; thank you for always giving the best of yourselves to our community; thank you for inspiring me through the ‘little way’, which is truly synonymous with all things STL. You have been part of my journey, my life story. I know I have been made stronger and better because of all of you, and my life has been made richer because you have all been a part of it.

May God bless you always.

Iolanda Faraone, Principal

Ms. Elisa Mastromartino,

Principal

I have been blessed to be given the opportunity to be part of the administration team at Saint Theresa of Lisieux. The feeling walking into the halls of Saint Theresa for the very first time was warm, inviting and exciting to say the least. I was absolutely amazed at how vibrant the STL community was. A student government of over 130 students, along with the plethora of sports activities and clubs/committees that reside within our school absolutely amazes me. Moreover, the wonderful accomplishments from both staff and students is a result of the commitment and passion of the STL community. Our patron Saint Theresa believes, ‘To do the ordinary with extraordinary love’, and this is exactly what I feel and see as I walk through the halls of STL.

When I was appointed as Principal of Saint Theresa of Lisieux, I was yet again blessed to know that I will be at the helm of leading such a wonderful staff and group of students. I never would have dreamed that my first day as Principal would be holding a Google meeting for a staff of over 110 teachers from my home during a pandemic that had shocked our world. It is at this time where I witnessed firsthand the strength, passion and strong faith the STL Family possesses. Within the last three and half months, we were all challenged to overcome the many obstacles that distance-learning brought on. Our entire community was affected by COVID-19. It was our faith in God and the commitment shown by all that has made us a stronger community. We currently live in a world where there is a need to seek unity and respect for all human lives, while we continue to work through the adversities of COVID-19. Social distancing has now become our new norm in what we do, in what we say, in how we feel, and how we now interact.

Please know that I pray for all of us daily to seek health, peace, and love for the future. My strength lies within the people I hold dear to my heart, my family, my staff, and especially my students. I am disheartened at the fact that our grade 9 students did not anticipate their first year of high school to be like this, or how grade 10 and 11 students did not have the opportunity to further find their interests in all of the amazing extracurriculars that STL has to offer. Furthermore, our grade 12 graduates have missed many events that would commemorate their last year of high school. Something as simple as not having the opportunity to walk the halls of STL for the very last time is something that I cannot replace. However, our staff made it very clear in wanting to pay special tribute to our class of 2020 with a farewell clap out, and what a remarkable day that was (we even had CityNews cover the event)! I look forward to our Fall Graduation Ceremony, where we can once again come together as an STL family and celebrate this momentous occasion for our graduating class.

I personally would like to thank Principal Iolanda Faraone for her guidance and support with my transition into the role of Principal. Her passion and commitment to her students and staff is to be greatly admired. However, it is her caring and nurturing demeanour that I admire the most. It was an absolute honour and privilege to work with Ms. Faraone, together with Mr. John Babic and Mr. Mathew Marosszeky. I am also blessed to have an admin team that has fit into the STL Family so seamlessly. Vice Principal Mr. Jim Marrin, and Vice Principal Mr. Miguel Jorge are two leaders that have exemplified empathy, commitment and a focus in serving both students and staff. Although most of you have not yet met our newest Vice Principal, Ms. Jillian Coulis, you will soon witness first hand her passion and dedication to her students and the STL community.

Students, as we finish off this historical school year, take the time to enjoy the little things that make you happy, and spend some quality time with your family and loved ones. I leave you with something to reflect on. “Surrender to what is, Let go of what was, Have faith in what will be” (Sonia Rocotti).

Until we meet again in September, St. Theresa of Lisieux, Pray for us.

Elisa Mastromartino, Principal

Mr. Jim Marrin,

Vice Principal

What a Year!!!!

Hello STL Community!! Let me begin by saying that it has been my complete pleasure to work within this great school. There is something very special about St. Theresa of Lisieux and it is the way that students, teachers, secretaries, custodians, cafeteria staff, Educational Assistants, and our Student Success Team members all do the “Little Things With Extraordinary Love for Others”. It is the small things that count in life, and we see this on a daily basis at STL, and even virtually at STL online!!

The vibrancy of the halls, classrooms, sports field, arenas, courts, and all of the Student Government Clubs and Councils, that was so strong up until March 13th, came to a very quiet and uncertain end with Covid-19 closing schools. Something that no one could have ever imagined. The two week closure, went to two months, and now is still uncertain as we look to what schools will look like come September. But still the STL spirit lives on.

40 years ago, when personal computers became a part of every household, people said we would become a paperless society; when distance learning came in people thought there might be nothing to do -- in both cases, nothing could have been further from the truth. With the onset of distance education, we as a school, like all schools throughout Ontario, were to move from face to face learning which we have done since time began, to a distance platform that has never been done on a whole school scale.

It was the busiest, craziest 3 months of my 20 year educational career!!!

Busy, but good. I do not think any of us had ever hosted a google meet before March 13. But all of a sudden, that became our life. While the commute in the morning might have been busy at the fridge or toaster, the walk to work was certainly a short but radically different one. With two weeks to prepare, we set up 6 different main categories of need for distance education success: google classroom, D2L, google docs,meets, and sheets were all full of both lead teacher volunteers, and tens of teachers learning from others,sharing expertise. I also learned at this point, that there is a great abundance of teacher expertise at STL. It was a crazy two weeks of creating, delivering, and attending workshops; but when April 6th came, we at STL were ready to take on this new challenge. It was awesome to be a part of!!

I have very much enjoyed being the communications person, both on the synervoices and posting several times per day on our new STL APP. Bringing daily prayers, midday reflections, special announcements, Meditation Mondays, liturgies, and sharing our student talents to thousands each day within these covid times was very special to me. It was a way to communicate and connect on a daily basis with all of you; thank you for tuning in and for your nice comments back.

In times such as these, often we turn to both our patron St. Theresa of Lisieux, and our Mother Mary. Within these uncertain times, I cherished the Friday noon time slot which was for our STL Family Rosary -- a time to chill, and chat with friends and colleagues and to pray the rosary with our STL Family with intentions going out to specific members of our community in need, as well as all of our greater STL community.

And within these Covid Times - until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand!!

God Bless You all !! St. Theresa of Lisieux - Pray For Us!!

Thank you for your warm welcome!

Jim Marrin, Vice Principal

Mr. Miguel Jorge,

Vice Principal

I think I speak for all of us (staff and students alike) when I say that I'm glad it's summer! What a year it has been. Outside of labour disruptions to start the year, the STL community (and the Ontario Education system as whole) was turned on its head and revamped in a matter of weeks! Was my transition into the STL community a seamless one? Hardly. Am I very happy that I was with such an outstanding community for this tumultuous year? Certainly!

As we all know, and has been stated in a variety of ways in many songs, tough times have a way of making you stronger. Though we may find ourselves distant, as a group we have become stronger and more united! From our Clap Out for our grads, to our various STL videos, we have all come together as the "COVID Cohort" and this is a bond we will always share.

I want to thank all of you: students, parents, caring staff at St. Theresa of Lisieux for making this year a great one. It did not go as any of us planned, but we all threw our September plans to the wind and remade new ones - and how well they have worked out! I am truly blessed to be part of such a great community and look forward to all the ups and downs we will face together!

Have a safe, enjoyable and blessed summer everyone!

Mr. Miguel Jorge, Vice Principal

Ms. Jillian Coulis,

Vice Principal

Beginning my career in administration on March 23, in the middle of a global pandemic, was far from what I imagined my first Vice Principal job would look like. This unorthodox start will be one that I will never forget. I am sending out a huge thank you to the staff, students and parents of St. Theresa of Lisieux for welcoming me with open arms. I feel extremely fortunate to be part of such an incredible school community. Despite the unprecedented times, the STL community was able to rise above the challenges Covid- 19 presented and persevere. It is a privilege to serve the STL community in faith and in the presence of Jesus Christ. I look forward to the day when we can walk the halls again at St. Theresa of Lisieux. Wishing you and your families a safe and wonderful summer.

God Bless,

Ms. J. Coulis, Vice Principal