Mercy Messenger
Issue 25 ~ Sunday February 25, 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 February 25th, 2024
Good Morning,
As we continue the Lenten season, it's a time for continued reflection, prayer, and penance. The second week of Lent emphasizes the themes of repentance and turning away from sin, following the example of Jesus during his 40 days in the desert. It's a time to deepen one's spiritual journey, drawing closer to God through acts of self-discipline, charity, and prayer. On Friday we went to church as a school community to pray the stations of the cross. We reflected on the journey of Jesus Christ to his crucifixion, contemplating the sacrifices he made and the suffering he endured for the salvation of all of us.
Please see below for some information about Terra Nova testing that will begin on Friday March 1st. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out. I hope everyone has a great week ahead.
In Mercy,
Bill Delaney
Terra Nova Testing Information
Terra Nova testing begins on Friday, March 1, 2024, and runs through Friday, March 8th, 2024.
Grades 3 to 7 will take the InView test on Friday, March 1, 2024. The InView assesses cognitive abilities, including verbal reasoning, sequences, analogies, and quantitive reasoning. Grades 2 to 7 will take Reading on Monday, 3/4; Language on Tuesday, 3/5; Mathematics on Wednesday, 3/6; Science on Thursday, 3/7; and Social Studies on Friday, 3/8. Grade 2 will take the Terra Nova tests for the first time. Grade 2 will not take the InView test on Friday, March 1, 2024. Please ensure your children arrive at school on time and are ready for testing. Students are not permitted to join the class during a testing session, so on-time arrivals are essential these days. Testing will occur during the mornings and will begin at 8:15 AM. We will try to catch up with anyone who misses a test due to absence/lateness, but the tests are being shipped back on Monday, March 11, 2024.
Thank you for talking to your child about these upcoming tests. The teachers in grades 2 to 7 will administer practice tests during the week of February 26, 2024.
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
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
3/1- Terra Nova Inview test. Grades 3-7.
3/4-3/8- Terra Nova Test. Grades 2-7.
3/8- Father Daughter Dance.
3/8- Trimester 2 ends.
3/8- Stations of the Cross @ 2pm.
SUNDAY STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations to Kate Bruner '24 on receiving the following scholarships to:
ASP Academic Scholarship - Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
Trocaire Academic Scholarship - Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
Presidential Academic Scholarship - Mount St. Joseph Academy High School
Founder’s Academic Scholarship - Lansdale Catholic High School
The OLM community is very proud of Kate and all her 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.
Archdiocesan Honors Chorus
Congratulations to Grace Womelsdorf, Kylie Youngers, and Izzy Eliason for being named to the Archdiocesan Honors Choir. Over 85 students from the surrounding Catholic schools were selected to participate. The concert will be on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at Cardinal O'Hara High School.
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
As the Terra Nova tests are approaching so might be heightened anxiety with your child. Here are some helpful hints that you can do to help have your child feel more prepared for the test.
Get plenty of sleep the week of the test. Strive for 9 hours a night
Eat a balanced, nutritious breakfast
Plan ahead the night before so the morning routine runs smoothly
Encourage physical activity after school, try to get outside!
Encourage positive self-talk, give your child a short and encouraging statement they can say to themselves if they start to feel frustrated during the test.
Remind your child of mindfulness techniques. Let them know it’s OK to take a break during the test and take a few deep breaths or visualize their “happy place”
Most importantly, put things into perspective. Remind you child this is only one test/ a small snapshot. We want them to do their best, but it’s not the only factor.
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.
Religion Bee
Congratulations to Megan Bell who on Wednesday was one of twelve students in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to qualify for the finals of the religion bee. Megan will go down to the shrine of St. John Neumann on March 13th to compete in the finals. Congratulations and good luck to Megan.
Ski & Board Club Monday Pretzels coming to an end!
Tomorrow is the last day for the Ski & Board Club pretzels. The 8th grade class is selling pretzels that will start next week. Please see their flyer and link to order the pretzels in the messenger.
Ski & Board Club - That’s a wrap!
- The ski club took to the slopes one last time on Wednesday. They had 6 amazing trips. These trips would not be possible without all the volunteers that ride the bus, ski the slopes, morning equipment carline, the teachers, the staff, and most importantly, the Ski & Board Chair Bea Lemanowicz. Bea started this club7 years ago. The school and families are so lucky to have had this club started by you. We wish you the best as you prepare to pass the Middle School Chair Coordinator to the next person in the next few months. If anyone would like to be part of the Middle School Club events please reach out to hsa@olmrcs.com.
Father/Daughter Dance - Friday March 8th, Registration now open!
Registration is now open for the annual Father Daughter Dance. The event will take place on Friday, March 8th at Our Lady of Mercy. So get ready to parTAY on the dance floor! See the flyer for more details.
To Register: Father Daughter Registration
- To Volunteer or Donations:http://tinyurl.com/OLM2024dance
Mother/Son - SAVE THE DATE!
- 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 at Our Lady of Mercy. So get your favorite sneakers ready for the dance floor! More details to follow soon. Registration will open on Wednesday, February 28th
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 1st place is tied with Mrs. Pohle’s Prek class and Mrs. McLean’s 6th grade. All students may wear their OLM 5K shirt on Monday, March 18th with their gym pants.
February Dine & Donate - Thank you!
Thank you to everyone who supported HSA at the Dine & Donate. We raised $208.75. Our next dine and donate event will be in April! Stay tuned for more information.
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.
2024-2025 Financial Aid
2024-2025 financial aid is now open. Please log onto your FACTS account to apply. To be considered for financial aid you must fill out an application through your FACTS account. The deadline to apply is February 29th. If you have any questions please send your questions to grants@olmrcs.com.
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.
8th Grade Pretzels!
Ski Pretzels end on Monday, February 26th! 8th Grade will begin their pretzel sale delivery on Monday, March 4th. Be sure to sign your child(ren) up for pretzels by February 26th to ensure they receive their Monday pretzels. Sign up through the link: http://tinyurl.com/OLM8thgradepretzelsale. We appreciate your support to help them with the cost of their 8th grade graduation.
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.
LAST WEEK TO ORDER YEARBOOKS!!!
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
2/26
Ainsley Joss
Memphis Smith
2/27
Monsignor Hennessy
Gabriella Ivaniv
3/1
Mrs. Nowaczyk
Altar Servers
Tuesday 2/27
Thomas Hungerford
Simon Schmalbach
Wednesday 2/28
Lily Samson
Annaliese Amoroso
Thursday 2/29
Maeve Graham
Seamus Graham
Friday 3/1
Katie Canalley
Sean McErlean