Mercy Messenger
Issue 27 ~ Sunday March 10, 2024
Through the intercession of Our Lady of Mercy, we commit ourselves to living the Good News of Jesus through Works of Mercy. Our rigorous academic program unleashes creative energy for the pursuit of knowledge and nurtures a hope-filled vision for Catholic leadership. We live out our relationship with God by respecting the dignity of others and providing service to the global community that fosters unity, understanding, and compassion.
Beginning Prayer
During this Lent, help me to face my sin with courage and confidence in You and in Your power to not only forgive but to also transform. My I die to sin more deeply than ever before so as to share more fully in the glory of Your divine life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Principal Update
Sunday March 10th, 2024
Good Morning,
As we celebrate the fourth Sunday in Lent we as Catholics are focusing on themes of repentance, spiritual renewal, and the journey towards Easter. It's a time for us to deepen our commitment to prayer, fasting, and acts of charity as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. On Friday we continued to go to Church as a school community and pray the Stations of the Cross. Thank you to our sixth grade for leading us in prayer. This Tuesday we will be going to 9 am Mass as a school community were the peacemakers for the month of February will be awarded. Please join us if you are able.
This past Friday was the end of the the second trimester. Report cards will be sent home on March 20th. I can not believe that Monday is the start of the third trimester. This year is just flying by. If you are having any academic concerns please reach out to your child's teacher. I hope everyone has a good week ahead and enjoys the spring weather that is coming.
In Mercy,
Bill Delaney
Camp Information Session
On Thursday March 14th there will be a Camp Mercy information session at OLM in the innovation center at 6pm with Mrs. Harris and Ms. Carney to discuss camp theme, trips and visitors.
Camp Mercy at OLM Registration Now Open
I am happy to announce that registration for 2024 Camp Mercy at OLM is now open. I am also happy to announce that Mrs. Monica Harris will be our camp director for the 2024 season. Mrs. Harris is a 4th grade teacher here at OLM. Ms. Sarah Carney who is a 5th grade teacher here at OLM will be the assistant director. Please fill out the attached google form. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Harris at camp@olmrcs.com.
Register here
Shrek JR.
Calling All Parents!
As many of you know, rehearsals and details for Shrek JR. are really starting to come together. But we need the help of our entire OLM community to pull this off! There are many ways you can help, and we appreciate any and all support!
Shrek JR. Sponsorships Available - please click here to sponsor our show! With over 180 children involved, we need everyone's support!
Raffle Basket Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2BU66V0JO21TZ?ref_=wl_share
Have a great idea for a raffle basket? Want to donate an entire basket or know a local business who might? Please reach out to olmmusical@olmrcs.com if you are able to support our show raffle basket sale!
Reminders
- Please do not get out of your car to get your child during car line. It is not safe to walk in the parking lot during dismissal. Thank you.
- Please do not drop your child off at school before 7:30.
- Please remember to fill out all the school forms that are on OptionC as soon as possible.
- If you are changing the way your child is going home please call the main office before 1pm.
- If your child is absent from school please email attendance@olmrcs.com.
- Make sure to have all your clearances up to date if you are planning on volunteering in the school or with any clubs. (See Wednesday communication for more information)
A Look Ahead
3/12- Model U.N. Trip.
3/12- 9 am Mass.
3/15- Stations of the Cross 2pm.
3/16- Mercy 5K.
3/20- Report cards issued.
3/21- 7th Grade H.S. Visitation Day.
SUNDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations to Henry Lemanowicz '24 on receiving the following scholarships to:
Presidential Academic Scholarship - Lansdale Catholic High School
Brother E. Francis McLean, FSC Academic Scholarship - La Salle College High School
Neumann Scholarship - Full scholarship for four years to any Archdiocesan High School
The OLM community is very proud of Henry and all his accomplishments!
Class of 2024 Scholarships
We proudly report that the Class of 2024 students were awarded a grand total of $917,000 in scholarships. Congratulation to all.
Blossom in Stem Program (Spots still open.)
Gwynedd Mercy Academy is offering their Blossom in Stem Program to our 6th, 7th and 8th grade female students. This program is meant to enhance and expand their knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Once a month, students from Gwynedd and their Stem teacher Mr. Berger will come to OLM to facilitate and aid them in performing Stem related activities and experiments. The club is free to our students and is open to 20 girls per session. There will be 9 sessions and it will be after school from 3-4pm. Below you will find a link for the sign up list. Thank you.
Counseling Corner
Executive function is a term used to identify a set of ten skills we use every day. These skills involve higher level brain function that controls and coordinates various mental activities. Frequently, it is called the “brain’s control center”. Executive function plays a crucial role in managing daily tasks at school, home and with friends. The ten skills consist of organization, flexibility, task initiation, focus/attention, time management, memory, perseverance, metacognition, planning, self control and organization. Many times, when a student is struggling in school we need to take a look at these executive functions skills and see how we can develop or enhance them in order for the student to be more successful.
From the Nurse's Office
If your child test positive for Covid-19 please follow the CDC guidelines. If you have any questions please contact the nurse's office at nurse@olmrcs.com.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html
Please remember that your child needs to be 24 hours fever free and vomit free without medicine before returning to school. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community healthy.
Mother/Son Dance - Friday, April 12th!
- Mark your calendars for the first Mother Son dance. This year we are taking it to the dance floor. The event will take place on Friday, April 12th from 7pm - 9pm at Our Lady of Mercy. So get your favorite sneakers ready for the dance floor! Use the link below to register for the event: http://tinyurl.com/mothersondance2024. For volunteer opportunities and donations please use the link provided: http://tinyurl.com/mothersonvol24.
OLM Run for Mercy 5k & 1 mile fun run/walk – March 16th!
- Mark your calendars and start training. The OLM Run for Mercy 5k & 1 mile fun run/walk will take place on Saturday, March 16th at 10:00am. To Register for the event use this link: http://tinyurl.com/RUNFORMERCY2024. If you would like to volunteer and join the 5k committee, please reach out Kristin Butler at Kmbutler333@gmail.com.
- The class with the highest participation rate will win a pajama day, treat, and a homework pass. The runner up will receive a dress-down pass. Currently in 1st place is Mrs. Duffy’s 1st grade class with a close 2nd place by Mrs. Reily’s 2nd grade class. All students may wear their OLM 5K shirt on Monday, March 18th with their gym pants. Not a runner but want to be a part of the big day? The committee is in need of race day volunteers. Please see the sign up genius link to volunteer for the event. http://tinyurl.com/runformercy2024volunteer
- Not a runner but want to be a part of the big day? The committee is in need of race day volunteers. Please see the sign up genius link to volunteer for the event. http://tinyurl.com/runformercy2024volunteer
Ski Club
As we move into spring and wrap up our season, we must send a huge note of thanks to Bear Creek Mountain Resort and the many behind-the-scenes Ski Club supporters without whom our club could not run. Ski Club is so appreciative of Mr. Delaney and Mrs. Maher for their guidance with pre-season planning and their never-ending accessibility throughout the season along with the OLM Middle School faculty and staff for accommodating the disruption of our early dismissals. We are also so grateful for the help of Mrs. Mullan, Victoria Racz, Julie Bebey, and the entire OLM office staff for helping us confirm parent and photo clearances, student attendance during dismissals, and the Ski Club lost and found. Special thanks also goes to Mr. Balestrino for allowing the Ski Club to use the gym bleachers for the many bags and equipment brought in by our club members for each trip. Ski Club is also thankful for Mrs. Pasceri’s hard work in the OLM Finance Office in managing and organizing the Ski Club fundraising and bus fee accounts. Ski Club would also like to recognize our incredible fundraising parent coordinators and volunteers led by Megan Romano who helped Ski Club secure $11,857.50 of our $13,000 bus costs! Special thanks to the following committees and parent coordinators: Philly Soft Pretzel Factory of Horsham sale - Jen Penna, Fireside Bar & Grille/Penna’s Italian Market gift card sale - Jen Penna, Danielle Moore, and Jennifer Tolan; Bear Creek Season Pass & Buckman’s Gift Card Raffle Basket team - Katie McGarry, Jeannette Matlack, and Maura Toth; Ski Club Bake Sale chairs - Jenny Contorno and Vanessa Rodgers; and Dress Down Day coordinator – Megan Romano! Our families also thank Denise Schmalbach, our Ski Club Apparel Sale coordinator for organizing a fun selection of official logo gear to keep our students warm on the slopes. We must also extend a very special thank you to our parent bus coordinator, Jeannette Matlack, for arranging our transportation to the resort, collecting our bus permission forms, and setting our fundraising goals! Our Sague bus driving team each week was so attentive and helpful during our arrivals with so much equipment! The OLM Home and School Association, led by Sheila Cervone, is so proud each year to offer this opportunity to our middle school students. It is an amazing undertaking, but, with everyone’s help, our students enjoy never-ending smiles and fond memories. We are excited to have had such a great 6th-grade family turnout for our club this year that we hope launches the club to new “heights” in 2025! We wish good luck to our 8th-grade club members and hope to see more middle school families out next year in the Lehigh Valley mountains!
Father/Daughter Dance - Thank you!
We heard everyone had a great time dancing the night away at the Father-Daughter Dance. Special shout out and thank you to our event chair, Maura Toth, and everyone who volunteered to help with the event! Without your continued support we would not be able to make these special events possible. If you left anything behind please have your child check the lost and found at the front office on Monday.
Uniform Exchange
Checking to see if the uniform still fits? Have uniforms that don't fit anymore? Please feel free to bag them up and drop them in the uniform exchange bin in the school lobby. Every school uniform donation is much appreciated.
Supporting Home & School
- Interested in Volunteering?
- We are always looking for new ideas, suggestions, and volunteers! If you have any interest in volunteering please feel free to fill out this interest form: tinyurl.com/OLMVolCalendar24.
- If you are interested in joining the board, we would love to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out via email at hsa@olmrcs.com. We welcome you to check out our website, www.olmhsa.wixsite.com/2021, or follow and interact with us on social media, FB @olmhsa or Instagram @olmhsa.
Car Line Safety
For the safety of our students, faculty and staff please abide by all car line procedures. Please do not pass any cars that are in front of you. Thank you for your cooperation and the safety of our school community.
Winter Weather
As we are moving towards the winter months of the year here are a couple of reminders if we have a delayed school day or closure.
- OLM follows Upper Dublin school district. If Upper Dublin closes school for weather or is delayed, OLM is closed or delayed. A text, call and email will be sent out.
- If another school district closes and Upper Dublin is open, OLM is open. Those school district's that are closed will not provide busing. You will be notified if that occurs.
Uniform Policy
Please remember that all students should be wearing our winter uniforms. ALL uniform rules will be enforced. Please review the general uniform rules that are listed below and are in the student handbook.
● Girls’ kilts must be no shorter than two inches above the knee. After a second warning, they must wear navy blue tights or school-issued pants until the skirt/kilt is at the appropriate length.
● All students must wear OLM uniform pieces with logos. They must be purchased from one of our two approved vendors: Flynn & O’Hara or Lands’ End.
● All formal and gym uniforms must be purchased from one of our two approved vendors: Flynn & O’Hara or Lands’ End.
● NO LOGOS, Nike Elite sports socks, or the like are permitted with the school uniform except on gym days.
● Sneakers must be worn on gym days, even on a dress-down day.
● Girls may wear post-earrings or small hoops.
● Belts must be worn with pants or shorts by both boys and girls.
● Only the neckline of a plain white undershirt may be visible under the shirt.
Car Line Procedures
To keep our students safe and the car line moving in the afternoon, please:
- Do not get out of your cars. A faculty member will help your child get into the car.
- DO NOT PASS cars in front of you as there may be children getting into their cars on the driver's side. Please be patient and stay in line as you exit the school property, following the car in front of you.
- Do not stop in front of your child. Pull up as far as you can (up to the gym doors) to allow the most cars to load at one time. Please pull right up to the car in front of you.
- Do not speed. The speed limit is 10 MPH while driving on any part of the school property. Please be mindful of your speed.
- Do not use your cell phone while driving in the parking lot.
- WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PUT A SIGN IN YOUR PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW IDENTIFYING YOUR LAST NAME. This will help us find your child(ren) faster.
- If you need to buckle your child into their car seat, please do so in the circle near the exit of the property.
Birthdays this week
3/10
Eileen Hunt
3/11
Luca Russomano
3/12
Caroline Sellers
3/13
Sophie Harkins
3/14
Charlotte Koppel
3/15
Avery Chase Felipe
Alexy Bryce Felipe
Alexandra Magee
Angela Magee
Victoria Magee
3/16
John Homa
Altar Servers
Tuesday 3/12
Sophie Samson
Ryan Duffy
Declan Doherty
Wednesday 3/13
Jaxson Carroll
Cassidy Carroll
Thursday 3/14
John Contorno
Mikey Contorno
Friday 3/15
Henry Lemanowicz
Harry Ellis