Mercy Peek & Ponder by Mr. McGrath
Volume III Issue 12 Sunday, November 27, 2016
Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School
Email: jmcgrath@olmcatholicschool.com
Website: www.olmcatholicschool.com
Location: 29 Conwell Drive, Maple Glen, PA, United States
Phone: 215-646-0150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Our-Lady-of-Mercy-Regional-Catholic-School-1427959374084742/?ref=bookmarks
Upcoming Events
November 28
Classes Resume
November 29
Confessions, 1PM - Grades 3-8
November 30
MIddle School Academy Trip to Keswick Theater
Picture Re-takes
December 1
Club Day/STREAM Academy, 8:30AM
St. Alphonsus Confirmation, 4PM
December 2
Deadline for STREAM Sign-up
December Dust-Up, 3:15PM
Parent's Night Out, 5PM
Jr. High Dance #3, 7:30PM - No tickets sold at door
December 3
St. Anthony Confirmation, 11AM
Ambler Christmas Parade, 1PM
We welcome Advent!
Today’s Scripture readings give us all the messages of Advent. Our God is coming! Get ready! Rejoice!
As we wait eagerly for the coming of Jesus and the completion of the kingdom, we are invited to join John the Baptist in preparing the way of the Lord. We are to prepare our own hearts and our world for the return of Jesus. John reminds us that preparing is repentance, making the road to our heart level and cleared of the stones of selfishness and sin.
That is our daily task as we wait. The eagerness of our longing for Jesus’ return ought to manifest itself in our loving concern to the needs of one another. How we live and love each day announces the good news of God’s continuing love for his people. The comfort we offer to each other reflect the comfort that God has offered to us.
St. Paul reminds us that our concern is to be ready every day for the coming of the Lord. Our consciousness of God’s love for us allows us to wait joyfully, expectantly, ready and eager to use each day well. We have nothing to fear. Our God will come when he chooses to come. Right now, we can be thankful for the patience of our God. He is giving us time to prepare well for his coming.
As we continue to wait eagerly in prayer during this Advent season, let us use this time well to prepare our hearts and our world for the coming of Jesus among us once again. Rejoice, my brother and sisters! Our God is coming! Let’s continue to get ready!
Student Council Christmas Service Project
Collection Dates: 11/30, 12/07, 12/14, 12/21; Dress Down Day: 12/16
FIRST ANNUAL OLM CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING
Monday, Dec 5, 2016, 06:30 PM
Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School, Conwell Drive, Maple Glen, PA, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Parent's Night Out ~ to Support OLM's Ski Club
Dinner out without the Kids?
Christmas Shopping without the Kids?
Friday, December 2, 2016 from 5:00 to 8:00PM
Cost $ 10 per child...$25 per family
Pizza, water and cookies will be served.
There is a few spots still open for Parent's Night Out, please see the attached flyer. Contact Janine Braccia at janinebraccia@comcast.net with any questions.
CONFIRMATION (ST. ALPHONSUS)
OLM 6th grade Confirmation candidates (and their siblings) may leave at 12:00 noon on Thursday, December 1st.
ATTENTION CLASS OF 2017!
Parents of the Class of 2017. Please read about the Maguire application and the benefits of this program. All applicants must also complete the Smart Aid application at http://www.smartaidforparents.com
THE DEADLINE IS 12/16/2016.
The application is available at: http://www.aopcatholicschools.org/2017-2018-maguire-scholars-program-application-final/
Almost to 200 students already!
REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR THE 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR!!!
It's that time of year and we want to make sure our current families have the opportunity to re-register for the 2017-2018 school year before we open registration to new families.
- Register by 12/16/16 and the registration fee is discounted to $200 per family.
- Register by 3/31/17 and the registration fee is $250 per family.
- Anyone not registered by 3/31/17 will be automatically re-registered at $350 per family.
In order to opt out of re-registration, please contact Julie, our Advancement Director, at jbebey@olmcatholicschool.com.
A letter and the re-registration form was sent home to students. To re-register, simply fill out the family name, your parish, child(ren) name(s), grades they are going into and any NEW family member joining OLM. Send in the formalong with your payment to OLM in an envelope labeled "Registration". The registration payment must accompany the form.
SAFE ENVIRONMENT LESSONS
In the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Article 12 calls for all dioceses to establish "safe environment" programs at all grade levels. This ongoing education is presented to the students in the parish and regional elementary schools of the Archdiocese as well as in the Parish Religious Education Programs (PREP or CCD) two times during the instructional year. This is a mandated obligation from the Archdiocese with the two lessons provided for our teachers. The lessons are available for you to review by visiting www.catholicschools-phl.org and clicking on Safe Environment.
Lessons will be conducted on Monday, November 28th in all grades during their religion class. In the event that you do not want your child to receive this instruction, please email your child's religion teacher by Wednesday, November 23, 2016.
PULSERA SALE
The Spanish Club is partnering with The Pulsera Project to hold its second pulsera sale beginning Monday, November 28. The Pulsera Project is a nonprofit organization that supports artisans in Nicaragua and Guatemala. Spanish Club will be selling these handmade pulseras (bracelets) in the cafeteria during both lunch periods from November 28 to December 2. All of the proceeds from our sale will go towards educating and empowering men, women and children in Central America.
Each bracelet is unique and sells for $5. Your child will have the opportunity to pick out their bracelet during his or her lunch period. Attached to each bracelet is a picture and the name of the person who crafted the pulsera so your children will know who they are helping.
Last year, we were able to raise $3,126 to benefit artisans, and we are hoping to have another successful sale this year. For more information, please visit The Pulsera Project website: http://www.pulseraproject.org/about
December Dust Up - Friday, 12/02/2016
Elves are to report to Mrs. DiNenno's room at 3:15PM on Friday, 12/02 and will be finished and ready for pick-up at 3:45PM. If your child is interested in this service opportunity, please RSVP to Mrs. DiNenno at ddinenno@olmcatholicschool.com.
STREAM SIGN-UPS FOR SECOND TRIMESTER
SMART AID FOR 2017-2017 IS NOW OPEN! Click the link above to apply.
Smart Aid Information
The new ONLINE application is available. Click the Smart Aid Button above to access the application. The Priority Deadline is 12/31/2016.
OLM SCHOOL CODE 91026
OLM families are encouraged to complete and submit and application. This application will handle all financial aid for OLM (and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia) - including BLOCS, Heritage of Faith Funds, and other scholarship opportunities - both system-wide and at OLM.
Those families who applied in 16-17 will only need to:
1. Login in ( using the username and password from 16-17) www.smartaidforparents.com
2. Update their information
3. Submit and pay the $25 application fee
4. Return to the site and upload their 2016 taxes when completed but no later than 3/31/2017.
OLM's online Art Museum
Yearbook Orders
Believe it or not, it is already time to place your order for the 2016-2017 OLM yearbook! To order, follow the steps below:
1. Go to http://www.schoolannual.com/
2. Click on "Buy your Student's Yearbook" which is above the School Annual / Joston's logo.
3. Enter in school name, city, state, and then click "Go"
4. Enter in number of yearbooks to purchase, as well as child's homeroom / teacher and pay via credit card.
Please note that all 8th grade students DO NOT need to purchase a yearbook since it is included in graduation fees.
- All orders are due by January 31st!
Virtue of the Month: SERVICE
Our virtue of the month of November is Service
"Do not shut yourselves in your small world, but be open to others, especially to the poorest and neediest, to work to improve the world in which we live. Be men and women for others, real champions in the service of others." ~ Pope Francis
For Christians, service is not something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came "to serve" and "to give"—and those two verbs should define your life on earth, too. Serving and giving sum up God's purpose for your life. Mother Teresa once said, "Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile."
Students will be taught to begin to shift their focus from "Who's going to meet my needs?" to "Whose needs can I meet?"
We pray to Saint Catherine LaBoure to help us to serve others.
Students will be recognized at the School Liturgy on Thursday, December 8th.
A MESSAGE FROM THE HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION...
The HSA is organizing another Teacher's Wish List. Last year, the OLM community provided so many important items to help our teachers provide the best education to our students. Please take a moment to look at this year's requests. If you are able to provide new or gently used items, please sign up!
Consider joining together with other families and don't forget about our specials teachers!
www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0F48A5AC2CA0F85-teaching
When you have something ready, please contact the teacher it is for to set up the best way to get it to them!
Please contact Alison Bell, alisonL24@yahoo.com, with any questions!
We Can’t Do It Without You!
The Home and School Association sponsors a full calendar of social events, fundraisers, meetings and programs each year. Lots of volunteers are needed to help make this happen. Contact Mirella Palme at mirellapalme@verizon.net our volunteer coordinator to lend a hand!
To view a list of current volunteers and chairs/co-chairs, or to sign up as a volunteer, please https://sites.google.com/site/olmhsaweb/volunteers
Volunteer for Lunch Duty at OLM!
Two parent volunteers must be on-duty in the school yard - before the playground is open. This ensures the safety of ALL. Our active volunteer program not only provides valuable hands-on assistance through the school, but also benefits the children by reinforcing ties between the children’s individual homes as well as the community at large, and the school. The Lunch/Recess Duty Volunteer program is a great way to volunteer and become involved at the school.
Sign up for Lunch Duty at:
Birthday Blessings this Week!
Sunday, 11/27
Monday, 11/28
Kameron Harry
Anne Cirelli
Brady Joyce
Camille Sabia
Tuesday, 11/29
Drew Pensabene
Wednesday, 11/30
Connnor Koschineg
Thursday, 12/01
Jamisen O'Donnell
Sean Campbell
Friday, 12/02
Annabel Miller
Saturday, 12/03
Drew Doloway
Regina Princivalle
Addison Gohn
ALTAR SERVICE THIS WEEK 9AM
Tuesday: TBA
Wednesday: TBA
Thursday: TBA
Friday: TBA