Mercy Peek & Ponder by Mr. McGrath
Volume III Issue 4 Sunday, October 2, 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
October 3 - October 7
Scholastic Book Fair
October 3
Family Night at the Book Fair, 6:30P-8:30P
October 4
Club Day #2
October 5
Merit Dress Down
October 6
Merit Dress Down
October 7
School Liturgy, 9AM with Peacemakers
Our theme for this school year at OLM is “Rooted in God ... and growing in MERCY."
Our theme for this school year at OLM is “OLM is rooted in God and growing in Mercy”. Keeping this theme in mind our OLM community will be collecting donations throughout the school year. These donations will help to spread mercy on a larger scale. In this way we can help mercy to grow in the larger world community in addition to our own community at OLM. These mission collections will take place each Wednesday. Please encourage your child to bring donations regardless of how large or small the donations are. Every donation makes a positive difference in helping mercy to grow.
During the month of October we will be accepting donations to support “Live Nice”. This initiative was started by a local elementary school student and raises money to support positive youth programs and anti-bullying organizations. This initiative has already raised money to teach anti-bullying, to support Philly Girls in Motion, to provide for friendship benches at a local elementary school, and to support the Mercy Project. This Project provided blessing bags to the homeless in Philadelphia and Upper Darby. We look forward to continuing to support organizations that help mercy to grow. Thank you in advance for your generosity.
Virtue of the Month: KINDNESS
Our virtue of the month of October is KINDNESS.
"From the Cross, Christ teaches us to love even who do not love us. This is true Christian kindness" ~ Pope Francis
Kindness is to be felt rather than to be defined. It is better to experience it than to try to explain what it is. Moreover, its home is in the heart rather than in the intellect.
When closely looked at, kindness seems a very complex virtue; or we might say that kindness is not so much a single virtue, as a happy mixture of many. Sometimes it takes the form of a special affection, manifesting itself by gentleness, love, mercy and graciousness. Sometimes it takes a more active form, inspiring zeal and generosity.
That so many virtues need unite to build it up proves the worth of kindness. Its beauty and its fragrance are enhanced by its coming before us in the guise of a basket of many flowers.
Kindness is truly defined as that feeling in the soul which inclines a person to wish well to others, and to seek to do them good. Kindness begins its work by making the kind person think well of others, and feel for others.
Kindness is a retiring virtue. It is not striking like genius, nor noisy like valour; in silence and in the dark it does good. Kindness is not of the proud plants which flower only on the heights, it loves the fertile lowliness of hidden valleys, it is among those humble virtues.
We pray to Saint Faustina to help us to be kind people.
Students will be recognized at the School Liturgy on Tuesday, November 1, 2016.
4TH Grade had a wonderful time doing a STREAM activity. Hands-on learning!
STREAM
OLM is asking parents to review the attached STREAM FAQ's and complete the following:
1. STREAM survey
2. STREAM sign-up
Both are accessed via hyperlinks. Additionally, please carefully review the items we are seeking for our STREAM Academy. Thank you so much for your support in this exciting new initiative at OLM.
ADDITIONAL ITEMS WERE ARE IN NEED OF:
- paper towel rolls
- toilet paper rolls
- wrapping paper rolls
- cans (if no sharp edges)
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
Book Fair Dates: October 3 - October 7
Shopping Hours: Monday, 10/3 - Thursday, 10/6 (9 AM - 3:30 PM); Friday, 10/7 (9 AM - Noon)
Family Event: Monday, 10/3 (6:30 PM - 8:30 PM)
After School Event: Tuesday, 10/4 (3:15 PM - 4:30 PM)
You can also visit the bookstore online at scholastic.com/fair. Our online fair is available from September 25th - October 14th.
We're selling Pretzels again!
Soft Pretzels will be delivered on Wednesdays before snack recess starting on October 5th.
You must place your order by October 3rd to receive a pretzel.
1 Pretzel = $12.00
1 Pretzels = $24.00
Start Date: October 5th
Last Date: June 7th
Every Wednesday EXCEPT:
November 23rd (1/2 Day) and March 1st (Ash Wednesday).
Here's the link to order:
YANKEE CANDLE
The Yankee Candle Fundraiser has begun!! Everyone knows that Yankee Candles are great... and they make terrific gifts too! A packet was sent home for manual order and orders may also be placed online. A copy of the catalog is attached, as well as information for the new mobile app. The last day to place orders is October 16th so get your orders in soon. Looking forward to another successful Yankee Candle season. Any questions, contact Karen Ryan @ (215) 542-1426 or bkwryan2@gmail.com
Now is the time to send in those Box Tops that you've been saving up all summer!
Please use the collection sheet or place the Box Tops in a plastic bag or envelope with your child's teacher's name it. Our first contest will run through October 20th. The class that submits the most Box Tops will win an ICE CREAM PARTY! If you are a warehouse club shopper, keep your eyes out for packages with Bonus Box Tops, in stores now. Also, there is a new Box Tops app this year that helps our school earn bonus Box Tops. Select the products you purchased, scan your store receipt, and the Box Tops get added to OLM's account.
Please take a minute to check it out here http://www.boxtops4education.com/bonusapp and consider giving it a try. Last year our school earned $1,746. Let's work together to pass our $2,000 goal this year! Please contact Eileen Wisniewski at edw1972@yahoo.com with any questions about the program or the new app.
A MESSAGE FROM THE HOME AND SCHOOL ASSOCIATION...
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
GIANT A+ REWARDS PROGRAM
Welcome to the start of a new school year and a year of A+ School Rewards. Beginning October 12, 2016 through March 17, 2017, Our Lady of Mercy will have the opportunity to earn cash through the Giant A+ School Rewards Program. Our School ID # is 26548.
All you have to do is: Log on to www.giantfoodstores.com/aplus to designate our school online using your Giant BONUSCARD - or - Call the A+ Hotline at 888 - 448 - 4642 for assistance.
Remember: If you registered your card last year, you DO NOT need to re- register this year. You can visit the website to verify the correct school assignment.
Also, don’t forget to encourage your friends and relatives to do the same. It could mean more CASH for our school. After you register your card, each shopping trip to Giant using your BONUSCARD earns CASH for our school. Each month, the amount of CASH awarded will be updated on the Giant A+ website.
You can track the amount of points you earn for our school by checking your grocery receipt and online when you create an account at www.giantfoodstores.com.
Our school will receive a check at the end of the program and the money can be used for any of our school’s educational needs.
Thanks for supporting our school.If you have any questions, please contact Janine Braccia at janinebraccia@comcast.net.
Please see attachments about the Hayride and Haunted Hayride for the Middle School
News from the OLM Cafe
The OLM Cafeteria is at full swing! On September 13, we served an option with gluten-free ingredients– Nachos Grande made with ground beef and served with corn chips, to raise awareness for Celiac Disease, and on September 15, we celebrated Watermelon Day and Lunch was served with a fresh watermelon treat!!
Due to the controversy in recent studies about Gatorate and the effects that it has in young kids, OLM has decided not to sell it anymore. Starting October 15th, students in the second lunch period would be able to buy Vitamin Water as an option for an additional drink. The same way, due to the controversy in recent studies about food coloring, Water ice would not longer be available as a snack and we would substitute it with a vanilla ice cream sandwich.
Our Lady of Mercy School Band
Students who are interested in information about the OLM Instrumental Music Program should contact Frank Ferraro @ band@olmcatholicschool.com. Anyone who needs an information sheet or registration form should come to the front office.
CONSIDER SCRIP!
We are now taking orders for scrip. Scrip enables you to earn money just by doing your regular shopping. The best way to order is via the shopwithscrip.com website using the enrollment code 8E8L5AC76615. You can also send in a paper order form, which is available atolmcatholicschool.com using the scrip tab under the Family Information header. Be aware that rebates, retailers and denominations available do sometimes change, so even if you aren't placing your order online, check shopwithscrip.com for the most up-to-date information. When placing an online order, you will be able to print out your order confirmation and send it in with a check, or pay online using Prestopay, an automatic bank debit. The family portion of the rebate has been increased to 85%, so the potential tuition savings are significant. Some families earned hundreds of dollars in tuition credits last year. The primary goal of this program is to help keep an OLM education affordable for our families, so be sure to take advantage of this benefit. Orders placed by Monday at Noon will be available for pick-up by Thursday afternoon.
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, 10/02
Danny Cronin
Paige Fedoryczuk
Monday, 10/03
Karly Boles
Aidan Donegan
Tuesday, 10/04
Kiki Fox
Wednesday, 10/05
Charlotte Geiselhart
Thursday, 10/06
Erin Doyle
Phillip Spinosa
Friday, 10/07
Anthony Citro
Saturday, 10/08
Camilla Lutte
Ruby Morgans
Gwyneth Craney
ALTAR SERVICE THIS WEEK 9AM
Tuesday, 10/04: Tim Barrett
Wednesday, 10/05: Mark O'Brien
Thursday, 10/06: Erin Doyle
Friday, 10/07: Eddie Donovan