Mercy Messenger
Issue 2~ Sunday, September 3 , 2023
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
Prayer for a New School Year
Dear Lord, as we begin this new school year, we gather as a community of believers, a family of your children.
We thank you for the renewal of the past months and our safe return to this place.
We thank you for the promise of the days ahead and for the blessing of your accompaniment. Be with us this year.
Open our hearts to become people with and for others.
Help us to be studious, open to growth, religious, loving and committed to doing justice.
Keep us safe in body and spirit.
Let us be gentle with ourselves while striving to serve your greater glory.
And may we always be a source of support, encouragement and love to others.
Amen
Principal Update
Sunday, September 3, 2023
Good Morning,
Happy Labor Day weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying their last weekend before the school year starts. I am extremely excited for our first day of school on Wednesday. All the teachers have been working hard on their classrooms and the school is ready for the new school year. All faculty and staff will be in school at our orientation day on Tuesday. I can not wait to see all the smiling faces walk down the sidewalk and into the gym for our first morning prayer assembly of the year. Again, thank you so much for all the support that you give to OLM and for choosing to send your child to catholic school. Please know that I am always here to help and support in anyway as this new school year starts. Have a great Labor Day and I look forward to seeing all the students on Wednesday.
In Mercy,
Mr. Bill Delaney
Reminders
- Please remember to fill out all the school forms that are on OptionC before September 6th.
- 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
9/5- Teacher Organizational Day- No Students
9/6- First Day of School for Students.
9/8- 9:00am School Mass- Grades 1-8.
9/8- Ice Cream Social 6:30-8:00pm.
9/13- Back to School Night- Grades 6-8. From 6:30-8pm.
9/13- Class of 2024 Meeting for Parents in Cafe- 8-8:30pm.
9/20- Back to School Night- Grades PreK to 5. From 6:30-8pm.
9/21- Mercy Day Prayer Service 10:00 am in Church.
Blossom in Stem Program
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
Role of the School Counselor
Ms. Gawthrop and Mrs. Parkhill play many different roles as our school counselors. In general, their role is to support our students’ academic, social and emotional development. Their responsibilities include providing guidance and counseling to students who are facing personal challenges, academic difficulties or social issues. They provide these services through individual sessions, classroom lessons and, when appropriate, group or lunch bunch sessions.
They collaborate with teachers and parents to create a positive and supportive learning environment. They are members of the Child Study Team and they oversee the evaluation process which helps to identify students who have learning difficulties. In a crisis situation they are available to assist and also help connect families to community resources based on your student’s needs.
If you feel as though your child can benefit from any of these school counseling services feel free to reach out to Ms. Gawthrop (kgawthrip@mciu.org) or Mrs. Parkhill (kparkhill@olmrcs.com). During the day students can also request a meeting with the counselors if they are having difficulty in a situation.
2023 High School Test Prep Course
● 5 sessions: Monday, 9/11; Thursday 9/14;
Monday, 9/18; Thursday, 9/21; Monday, 9/25
● Sessions will be divided into two 45-minute
periods:
3:15 to 4:45 at OLM School
▪ Math with Mrs. Maher
▪ Verbal with Mrs. DiCarne
● We will use Kaplan’s Catholic High School
Entrance Exams (Seventh Edition) as a reference.
If you are interested in this course, you will need to
purchase this book on your own (Barnes & Noble
or over the internet.) Item # 978-1-5062-0339-3.
Barnes and Noble Retail Price: $19.99 plus tax.
Please purchase this book ASAP. You can order it
on Amazon too! As of June 6, 2023, the price for
this book was $18.40 on Amazon.
● Fee: $125.00 – Due: September 8, 2023
● If paying by check: Please make it out to “Caroline
Maher” or you may VENMO@Rita-DiCarne the
fee
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Maher
cmaher@olmrcs.com or Mrs. DiCarne
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Thank you to everyone who reached out with excitement for the new year ahead.
Below are some reminders of sign-ups, registrations, and important dates to mark on the calendar.
See everyone on Wednesday!
Sheila Cervone
Parent/Guardian Chalk the Walk
This coming Tuesday, September 5th is the annual Parent/Guardian Chalk the Walk. This has become a fun tradition that the kids enjoy. We will provide the chalk between 5-7pm and you give the message.
Back to School Ice Cream Social
HSA invites you to the Back to School Ice Cream Social that will take place this Friday, September 8th from 6:30-8pm. Our teachers scoop the ice cream while the kids play on the playground. It's a great way to see families you haven't seen all summer. This event is open to the OLM families free of charge.
Ski & Board Monday Pretzel Sales
MONDAY PRETZELS: The 2023-2024 OLM Middle School Ski & Board Club will be selling soft pretzels again this year to raise money for bus transportation for the ski club! Please sign up via the link provided by September 22nd
Calling all Middle School Students!
OLM Haunted Hayride
All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade OLM students and parents are invited to join us for some Halloween fun on our annual OLM Middle School Haunted Hayride and Corn Walk of Horror at Winding Brook Farm in Warrington, PA, on Friday, October 21, from 7:15 pm to 9:15 pm. For $25 per person, the evening includes a haunted hayride through the deep, dark forest of the farm and an optional walk through a live villain Corn Walk. The fun continues with food and a bonfire. Here is the link to our online registration form: https://forms.gle/x79yS3DYz9vvBeZW6
All forms and payment are due no later than October 2nd, as space is limited. More information about the events can be found on www.windingbrookfarm.com or by emailing OLM parent, Bea Lemanowicz at bml@lemanowiczlaw.com. See you soon for thrills and chills!
Ski & Snowboard Club Interest Survey:
We are excited to announce that the OLM MIDDLE SCHOOL SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB is once again gearing up for more fun at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Lehigh Valley, PA in 2024! Look for our new dates in the attached Save the Date flier. Ski Club is so popular year after year that we also need a preliminary headcount to provide to Bear Creek as they plan to open the 2023/2024 ski season. Your response to this survey will also help OLM determine how many buses we need for the ski club season, as well as determine our transportation costs and fundraising needs. Our full registration is coming in late October. All interested OLM 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade families should complete the head count survey by October 2nd so you can be added to our email list for any updates from Bear Creek. Winter is coming! We hope you can hit the slopes with us! Survey Link – Click here: tinyurl.com/OLMSkiSurvey24
Tennis Club Sign Up: REGISTRATION IS FULL
- Registration is now CLOSED for the OLM Home and School Association’s 2023 OLM Tennis Club. Thank you for all your interest! Should you have any questions, feel free to contact Bea Lemanowicz at bml@lemanowiczlaw.com.
Supporting Home & School
- Box Top For Education is digital! Visit www.boxtops4education.com today to get the app and start earning for OLM -- use the referral code XXJZ0B0U when you sign up to earn a minimum of 20 Bonus Box Tops when you scan your first receipt! September 18th kicks off National Box Tops Week so be on the lookout for additional info regarding opportunities to earn bonus box tops! More detailed instructions and special NBTW offers will be posted in our Instagram stories and highlights @olmhsa.
- Mabel's Labels will donate 20% of all purchase totals made through our storefront! Visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com and select Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School (Maple Glen). All coupon codes and promos are valid through our storefront and shipping is always free!
- 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.
September 2023 Lunch Volunteers
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.
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School is proud to provide extended services for our students through CARES program. Afternoon CARES will operate from 3:00 – 6:00 pm on days when OLM is in full session. On days when school dismisses early, CARES is available until 3:00 pm, except for Thanksgiving break.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of interest, Morning CARES WILL NOT be offered during the 2023-2024 school year.
Our CARES program is designed to provide a safe and secure environment for students while providing students with an afternoon light snack, outside play (weather permitting), homework time and organized activities. All rules and policies of the school, outlined in the OLM Student-Parent handbook, apply to CARES. For the safety of all children, a parent or designated adult must sign out your child.
The pricing for the 2023-2024 school year is as follows:
After CARE pick up before 4:30 pm $17.00
After CARE pick up after 4:30 pm $19.00
Early Dismissal CARES 12:00 to 3:00 $25.00
Late Fees: Students who are picked up late will be assessed a late fee, which will be added to the daily fee.
6:00 – 6:15 Additional $8.00
6:00 - 6:30 Additional $10.00
CARES fees will be processed at the end of the month through your FACTS accounts. There is a $30.00 family registration fee to cover start-up costs associated with the program.
TO REGISTER PLEASE USE THIS LINK:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10MGL4_98gmcwkVWPecpeDT_CdHQKOQm34RuuhORfO3M/edit
DROP IN CARES SERVICE
At OLM we recognize that situations may arise in which parents need to utilize CARES, but they have not formally registered for the program. For these days, we are pleased to offer our “Drop-In CARES” services. This Drop-In service provides the same hours and same benefits as our regular CARES program and can be arranged by calling the main office before 2:00pm. The cost of this service is: $25 per student when pick up before 4:30, or $30.00 per student when pick up after 4:30.
EARLY DISMISSAL DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER: CARES WILL NOT be available on days that school dismisses early due to inclement weather. On this occasion, please contact the front office to advise how your child should go home (bus or car).
If you have any questions, please contact the CARES coordinator at esolanodeguerra@olmrcs.com
Birthdays this week
September 1st
Nathan Henrich
September 3rd
Nathan Deal
Gavin Raie
September 4th
Tyler Caruso
Andikan Etotok
Sarah Kimzey
Gavin Mesquita
Ellie Wilson
September 6th
Nicolette Cervone
September 7th
Addison Matlack
Gracyn Matlack
Clark Miller
Ryan Romano
September 8th
Peter Ellis
September 9th
Ryan Davis
Blake Hamersky
Amira Keatings
Altar Servers
September 6th
James McGeehan
Jack Powers
September 7th
Sean Morris
September 8th
Ryan Romano
Annaliese Amoroso
Ryan Duffy