10/6/25 Newsletter

OLC NEWSLETTER 

October 6, 2025

Dear Parents,

Book Fair is here! Stop in after school this week. All proceeds benefit our school.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are this coming Thursday from 1:00-7:00 and Friday from 12:30-3:00. Please make every effort to schedule an appointment. You can make an appointment here:  https://pickatime.com/OurLadyofCharity

We have a new reading teacher at our school this year: Ms. Nicole Latino. Ms. Latino comes to us from Cicero School District 99 to work with readers who need some extra support on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and every other Friday. 

OLC is also fortunate to have two school social workers this year, Ms. Lydia Kelly and Ms. Alexis Jezierski. School social workers are here to help children grow both academically and emotionally, offering support with friendships, problem-solving, and confidence, while working with teachers and families, to ensure every student feels safe, supported, and ready to learn.

There is no school on Mon., Oct. 13.

Our OLC fundraiser at Raising Cane’s is from 4:00-9:00 PM on Thurs., Oct. 16. This will be at the Riverside location (2514 Harlem Ave.). Mention the fundraiser at the restaurant or apply code RCFUND96 to online or app orders at checkout and Cane’s will donate 15% of net sales to our school!

The Student Council is hosting an ice cream social in Halpin Hall at 6:00 PM on Fri., Oct 17. $5 per person.

There is a mandatory retreat for all students who will be receiving the sacrament of confirmation on Sat., Oct 18, from 8:00-2:00 PM, at the St. Mary of Czestochowa Social Center, 5000 W. 31st St.

Our next all school Mass is on Sun., Oct 19, at noon. This Mass will be sponsored by the 2nd grade, and all students who are planning to receive their 1st holy Communion on May 2 will be presented to the congregation. 

Our OLC Movie Night is on Fri., Oct 24, at 7:00 PM; doors open at 6:30. We will be showing the film The Wild Robot. $2 to attend (free under three), and everyone is welcome. 

Congratulations to our OLC Cross Country season for a fantastic season. We are very proud of each and every one of our runners – you did a wonderful job of representing our school. A special thank you to our two coaches: Ms. Gabby Loya and Ms. Alyssa Gomez de la Casa. We could not have done this without your time and effort – practices at 6:30 in the morning!

Yours in Christ, 

Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D.

Principal(708) 652-0262 

fzarate@olc-school.org 

10/3/25 Middle School Newsletter

This is the Middle School Newsletter

10_3 Middle School Newsletter.pdf

Download PDF • 65KB

September 10, 2025

OLC NEWSLETTER

September 10, 2025

Dear Parents,

OLC School Loteria Night is this Friday! Come and join us in Halpin Hall for fun, food, and loteria games.

Doors open at 6PM, and the first game is at 6:30. Bring the whole family! Proceeds benefit the school.

For security purposes, all students must enter the school building in the morning via the parking lot breezeway

(west facing) doors. Any students dropped off on 57th Court will be directed to walk around to the parking lot

entrance.

We have several new teachers with us this year, in addition to our new 6th grade homeroom teacher, Ms. Karina Bañuelos.

• Ms. Julieth Alvira, our Spanish teacher, hails from Colombia and has been teaching for five years. She

enjoys creating lessons that are interactive so that students at all levels of Spanish proficiency enjoy

learning the language.

• Ms. Rie Sato is our new art teacher. Ms. Sato Venegas studied in Japan for college before transferring to

the University of California, Davis, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in

Art Studio. Thus far this year students have made line drawings, origami, and pencil sketches with

smudging.

• Mr. Gabriel Oliveira, our P.E. teacher, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and studied Physical

Education at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Mr. Gabriel, as the students call him, enjoys

soccer, running, and teaching physical fitness. We welcome all our new teachers to OLC this year.

Our school is part of a new Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in the Catholic schools. Every Tuesday and

Thursday afternoon, all students in grades K-8 get a free fresh fruit or vegetable snack. This month we will have

had snow peas, fresh strawberries, cherry tomatoes, plums, grapes, apples, and cucumbers.

Our Cross Country and Soccer season is in high gear. Several of our cross country runners performed very well

in our first meet last Saturday in Bourbonnais. This Saturday’s meet is in Westmont. The game schedule for

soccer is being finalized.

If you would like your child to participate in our band or piano program, please contact our music teacher, Mr.

Chris Misch-Bloxdorf, at cmisch@olc-school.org. We will hold a Band Parent Open House tomorrow, from

3:00 to 5:30 pm in Halpin Hall. The purpose of the open house is to answer any questions you may have. You

do not have to stay the entire time; just come by when you can within that window. If you have any questions,

call the school at 708-652-0262 ext 201.

We are changing some of our procedures for our Friday Masses. Parents are always welcome to join us, but you

must sign in with the staff member at the door. Also, no one will be admitted to the sanctuary once Mass has

begun. Please be aware, too, that staff members always take their cell phones to church.

Parents of all 1st Communicants and confirmandi must participate in our weekly Alpha classes. If you would

like the Alpha class in English, call the school office at (708) 652-0262 ext. 201. We are organizing an English

section of the class.

Please turn in all the paperwork you received the first week of school by Friday.

No School on Fri., Sept. 26. It is a staff development day for teachers.

Early release day (30 minutes early): Wed., Sept. 17

Everyone should have received their raffle tickets for our mandatory car raffle fundraiser. If you have not,

please call the school office right away.

Thank you to all parents who participated in our Feast Day procession last Sunday. It was a beautiful day! Have

a great rest of your week.

Yours in Christ,

Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D.

Principal

(708) 652-0262

fzarate@olc-school.org