OLVCS Updates
January 22, 2021
Dear Parents,
As we move through Ordinary Time in the Church calendar, we continue to attend Mass once a week as a school family at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. Mass usually is on Wednesdays at 9AM. Classes take turns attending Mass in person in the church building, with the remaining classes attending mass via Zoom (see image below).
All students are required to wear their "Mass day uniforms" on all Mass days. Details regarding the "Mass day uniform" can be found on page 21 of the Parent/Student Handbook.
Throughout the school year students we will also attend mass on Holy Days of Obligation, receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, participate in the Stations of the Cross, Rosary, and May Crowning, as well as other devotions and prayer services.
We are blessed that through creative thinking and the availability video and Internet technology we are able to pray and celebrate God's love as a school community while fulfilling current health and safety guidelines.
Taking on the heart of Jesus,
Chad Packer, MEd
Principal, OLVCS
Participating in the School Mass Via Zoom
Report Cards Distributed On Wednesday
Congratulations to Kindergartren Teacher, Miss Cousins
Miss Emma Cousins recently completed the requirements for a Masters in Education with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) concentration from Clemson University. STEAM education is an innovative approach to teaching in the K-12 setting.
"I was the only Kindergarten teacher in my class in that concentration," said Miss Cousins. The STEAM education specialization provides teachers with the ability to infuse STEAM practices in their classrooms.
"I firmly believe STEAM learning can be successful at any age," said Miss Cousins.
Join us in congratulating Miss Cousins!
Make Plans to Attend the Kindergarten Open House
February 2nd, 5:00-5:30 or 5:30-6PM. Meet the teachers, view the classrooms, see how OLVCS Kindergarten is right for your child. To allow for social distancing, please sign up ahead of time using this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a4aaaac2fa0f49-olvcs
Already know your child is ready for Kindergarten at OLVCS? Applications are currently being accepted for our Kindergarten for the coming school year (SY 2021-2021). To begin your child's application, just click on the link below.
Want to Make Your Elementary Student's Day? Be a Lunch Room or Recess Volunteer!
Volunteers are needed from 11:30 AM-12:40 PM. Lunch room volunteers chat with the students, wipe down tables, and help younger students open packaging. Recess volunteers help monitor children at recess and vicariously learn the rules to wall ball and other recess games. No experience necessary! Your help enables our teachers to have a much needed break. Use the button below to sign up.
Reminder: Completion of the Youth Protections program and clearances required to volunteer. See announcement below about how to complete these.
4th-8th Grade Girls Invited to Join In Online Workshops on Engineering
Empowering Girls in Engineering and Robotics, an engineering outreach program funded by National Academy of Engineering’s outreach program EngineerGirl, is hosting a series of five online workshops on engineering. The first workshop, on January 30, 2021, from 1-4 PM will focus on aerospace engineering. Cost: FREE!
For more information, go to https://egerprogram.wixsite.com/eger Ready to sign up? go to https://tinyurl.com/egeraerospace
Alumni News
Scanlon Reaches 1000 Career Points
OLVCS alumnus, Brendan Scanlon, made his 1000th high school career point at the game on Monday, January 18th against Curwensville High School.
Brendan is a senior at Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy and captain of the boys basketball team. He will be graduating in May and will continue playing competitive basketball in college. At this time he is considering multiple college athletic and academic scholarship offers.
Brendan got his start in the OLV HOOPS program and was a star OLVCS student-athlete (2017 grad). Congratulations, Brendan!
Know About an OLVCS Alum Doing Good Things?
OLVCS Athletics Update
Boys and Girls Teams Get Wins In First Week of Games
Meadowbrook Christian Games
On Monday, both teams traveled to Meadowbrook Christian School in Milton, PA for the first games of the 2021 season. The girls team played first, securing a 39 to 17 win over the Eagles. "All the girls played well; great defense," said Coach Samantha Weakland, the team's head coach. The team's scoring was lead by Samantha Mikesic, Lilly Friberg, and Tori Risha.
The boys team also played strong in Milton. The Crusaders beat the Eagles, 40 to 9, with Charlie Yartz and Haden Lingle being the top scorers. After a rough 2020 season, "It was definitely nice for the boys to get a big win (in 2021)," said Coach Garrett Bastardi, the boys team head coach.
Penns Valley Game (Girls)
The girls team took on the middle school Lady Rams at Penns Valley on Tuesday. "In a tough, physical game OLV came out with a win," said Coach Weakland. "Great heads up play by 8th grader Tori Risha." The final score was 15 to 17.
Dubois Catholic Games (Boys)
This was the Crusader boys first home games of the season. The first game (B game) ended with a strong Crusader win, 47-5. Top scorers for the Crusaders included Haden Lingle, Colin Mikesic, and Kevin Stolberg.
The second game (A game) was a tough battle. "We faced a lot of adversity and fought back every time we were down, and gave ourselves a chance to win at the end," said Coach Bastardi. In the end, the Crusaders fell to the DCC Cardinals, 38-37. Top Crusader scorers included Colin Mikesic, Luke Duckworth, and Charlie Yartz.
Next week both teams have away games. See announcement below about live streaming.
Boys schedule: https://www.olvcatholicschool.org/bbasketball
Girls schedule: https://www.olvcatholicschool.org/gbasketball
Watch Crusader Basketball Action Via Live Streaming
Although parents, family and friends cannot attend many of the Crusader games in person this season due to COVID mitigation efforts, fans can watch games via live streaming.
Live stream links will be emailed to parents of team members and can be found by clicking the "Live Stream" drop down under the "Athletics" tab on the OLVCS homepage (see image). The live stream link is also on the top of both the Boys Basketball and Girls Basketball webpages on the OLVCS website.
Please keep in mind that the availability of live streaming is contingent on the host school. Not all games are guaranteed to be live streamed. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Ruthie Straub, the OLVCS Athletic Director at athleticdirector@olvcs.org or your student-athlete's coach.
Saint Joe's Seeks Additional BOT Members As School Heads Into Second Decade
"What I love about serving on the Board is that we all have a deep commitment to the ideals of a values-based, 21st century Catholic education for our students," says Mrs. Jennifer Cross, current Saint Joseph Catholic Academy Board of Trustees (BOT) member.
Cross knows the value of Catholic education not only as a BOT member but as a parent. Both of Cross’ sons, Aidan and Nathan, are graduates of Our Lady of Victory Catholic School and attended Saint Joe's. Adian graduated from Saint Joe’s in 2020, and Nathan will be graduating this year. “My children are known and had opportunities at Saint Joe's that they would not have had at any other high school," says Cross. "The faculty know each student, which allows them to be both challenged and supported."
"As Saint Joe's celebrates its 10th year, the school is seeking dedicated women and men to answer the call and serve the Saint Joe's students and faith community on the BOT."
The BOT is a volunteer board and the governing body for Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy. The current BOT includes 10 members with diverse educational and professional backgrounds. "What brings us together is our confidence in and passion for Catholic education and Saint Joe's," explains Cross.
The BOT meets as a group once per month, and each board member also serves on one additional sub-committee. The BOT’s primary functions are to oversee school finances, approve policy, and support marketing, enrollment and development initiatives.
“The BOT just approved a three-year strategic plan to guide our work and will also have involvement with our upcoming Middle States re-accreditation process. At the highest levels, we ensure that everything we undertake as a school aligns with our four pillars of faith, scholarship, leadership and service,” says Cross.
Anyone with a passion for Catholic education and who would like to serve on the Saint Joe’s BOT is invited to submit a letter of interest and résumé for consideration. The BOT also welcomes nominations. Questions, nominations and/or application materials should be sent to Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy Board of Trustees, 901 Boalsburg Pike, Boalsburg, PA 16827 or emailed to sjcabot@stjoeacad.org by March 1, 2021.
Do You Have A Student Who Is Ready To Join the Saint Joe's Wolfpack?
At Saint Joe's your student will grow in faith, leadership, scholarship, and service. As part of the Wolfpack community, your student will be valued for his/her individual gifts, and teachers will be personally invested in your student's success.
Applications are now being accepted for enrollment at Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy for grades 9-12 for the 2021-2022 school year. To begin the application process or schedule a visit, click the button below or contact Ms. Maryann Lingenfelter at 814-808-6118 or mlingenfelter@stjoeacad.org
More Wolfpack Basketball Action This Week
Both the boys and girls basketball teams will be playing both home and away games in the coming days. Click the button below to view the teams schedules.
OLV Preschool News
Catholic Schools Week Service Project
The Catholic Schools Week theme this year is "Experience the warmth and love of Jesus Christ in Catholic Schools of Centre County." On that note, OLV Preschool would like to spread warmth to celebrate!
From now through the end of Catholic Schools Week OLV Preschool classes will be reading The Mitten Tree by Candace Christianson and collecting new mittens (all sizes welcome) to donate to Centre Safe and to Saint Vincent DePaul. Mittens can be sent in to the school and will be used to create classroom mitten trees. Contact Dr. Lorenz, OLV Preschool Director, at lorenzd@olvcs.org for more information.
OLV Preschool is excited to celebrate Catholic Schools Week at the end of January with our partner schools, Our Lady of Victory Catholic School and Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy.
Parish Happenings
I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He did not trust me so much.
OLV Church is offering FREE copies of Do Something Beautiful for God, a book over 350 saying by St. Theresa of Calcutta. These saying are great prayer starters for both family and personal prayer.
The book is divided into 12 chapters, for the 12 months of the year. Each chapter contains one short, powerful statement by St. Theresa for each day of the month. Copies of the book are on tables by each of the church entrances. Be sure you pick one up today!
Join in Adoration and the Rosary for the Protection of the Unborn
In light of the US Bishops call for a Day of Fasting and Prayer for the Unborn, OLV Church will be having Eucharistic Adoration from 7AM to 7PM this Friday, January 22nd. Further, the Rosary will be said at 6PM. ALL are encouraged to join in this special day of prayer for the most vulnerable.
More information about the importance of this day of prayer can be found on the USCCB website.
Can't Make it To Mass? Looking for Inspiration Grounded in the Gospel?
Our Lady of Victory Catholic School
Email: packerc@olvcs.org
Website: https://www.olvcatholicschool.org
Location: 800 Westerly Parkway, State College, PA, USA
Phone: 814-238-1592
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLVCS/