Our Lady of Charity Newsletter

December 22, 2022

Dear Parents,

Merry Christmas to you and to your family. Thank you for your continued support of our school. Please contact me at any time with comments, questions, or concerns. I am here for you!

Here is a Christmas prayer that your child may recite on Christmas Day, perhaps at dinnertime. Make sure he or she can practice it first:

Merry Christmas Dear Lord, We thank you for the blessings of family, for the gift of time to rest for the delight in the eyes of loved ones, for the food we eat, and the roof over our heads. We praise your name. Amen.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Christmas food drive to benefit a Cicero food pantry (see photo)!

Important dates:

Friday, December 23 - Sunday, January 8: Christmas vacation; classes resume on Mon., Jan. 9.

Wednesday, January 11: Early release day; 30 minutes before the regular time

Friday, January 13: 8th grade graduation photos. Boys should wear a shirt and tie. Sport coats, suits, or sweaters are optional and will not be visible under the gown. Girls should avoid up-dos, turtleneck sweaters, or high neck dresses. Keep in mind slacks and skirts may show in some posing. All students should avoid wearing shades of green as students will be photographed against a green screen. There is no retake date.

Sunday, January 15: 5th grade class Mass at noon. All families are invited. Donuts, pan dulce, and beverages after Mass.

Yours in Christ,

Frank S. Zarate,

Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org

Our Lady of Charity Weekly Newsletter

December 15, 2022 Dear Parents, Family Movie Night tomorrow at 6:00: The Christmas Chronicles. $6 adults; $3 children (price includes snacks).

OLC Christmas Food Drive ends on Monday: We are conducting a canned food drive for needy Cicero residents as a Christmas service project. Have your children give donations to their teachers no later than Mon., Dec. 19.

This year all boys’ basketball players and all the cheerleaders will need to have a sports physical to play. Our 6th graders already have a current physical on file, so they are exempted. Basketball and cheerleading permission forms were sent home this week; they are due by Jan 9.

We will have a school Christmas Posada at 6:30 PM in church on Wed., Dec. 21. Students in grades PK - 8 will take part in the performance; refreshments and piñatas afterward in Halpin Hall.

Art classes conducted by teaching artists from the National Museum of Mexican Art are going great (for students in grades 4 - 8; see photo). We will have an exhibition after Christmas vacation.

Important dates:

Wednesday, December 21: Early release day (students are dismissed 30 minutes early); Christmas Posada in church at 6:30 followed by a party in Halpin Hall. All students will perform in the posada and must be in school by 6:15 PM!

Friday, December 23 - Sunday, January 8: Christmas vacation; classes resume on Mon., Jan. 9.

Friday, January 13: 8th grade graduation photos. Boys should wear a shirt and tie. Sport coats, suit or sweaters are optional and will not be visible under the gown. Girls should avoid up-dos, turtleneck sweaters, or high neck dresses. Keep in mind slacks and skirts may show in some posing. All students should avoid wearing shades of green as students will be photographed against a green screen. There is no retake date.

Sunday, January 15: 5th grade class Mass at noon. All families are invited. Donuts, pan dulce, and beverages after Mass.

Yours in Christ,

Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org

Our Lady of Charity Weekly Newsletter

December 1, 2022

Dear Parents, Dress up day on Mon., Dec. 12: To celebrate the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, students are encouraged to come to school dressed as the Virgin of Guadalupe or as St. Juan Diego. The class with the highest percentage of students participating wins a pizza party. Ideas may be found on Google; any close approximations will suffice.

Advent began last Sunday. The word advent comes from the Latin “adventus,” which means “coming.” It is a joyful time for us to prepare for the Lord's coming. I’ve included some Advent activities for you to do as a family.

OLC Christmas Food Drive: We are conducting a canned food drive for needy Cicero residents as a Christmas service project. Have your children give donations to their teachers no later than Mon., Dec. 19.

Santa’s Secret Shop returns to OLC Dec. 7 - 9. This program makes it possible for students to experience the joy of choosing their own holiday gifts for family and friends while teaching them to budget their money and make their own decisions.

This year all boys’ basketball players and all the cheerleaders will need to have a sports physical to play. Our 6th graders already have a current physical on file, so they are exempted. Basketball and cheerleading permission forms were sent home this week; they are due by Jan 9.

We will have a school Christmas Posada at 6:30 PM in church on Wed., Dec. 21. Students in grades PK - 8 will take part in the performance, and there will be refreshments and piñatas afterward in Halpin Hall.

Important dates:

Thursday, December 8: Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary; all-school Mass at 1:00. Parents are invited. There is no school Mass on Dec. 9.

Sunday, December 11: 8th-grade class Mass at noon. All families are invited. Donuts, pan dulce, and beverages after Mass.

Monday, December 12: Feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. We will have an all-school Mass at 1:00, with a reenactment of the apparition of the Virgin to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill, as performed by our fourth graders, with songs provided by the third graders. This will take place during the Homily. Parents (and younger siblings) are invited to attend.

Yours in Christ,

Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org