Dec. 10th Weekly Newsletter

OUR LADY OF CHARITY SCHOOL WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents, One of our primary goals this school year is to provide a series of activities that effectively engage the students in acts of service for their community. Thank you to everyone who donated to our recent Franciscan Outreach Thanksgiving collection for the homeless. This organization is a leading provider of homeless services in Chicago (see photo below). A special thanks to 8th graders Sofia Meza and Milly Moreno for their leadership in this service project.

Our Christmas program this year will be virtual, due to concerns of crowds and recent COVID activity. All students in all grades will be in the program. You will receive a link to the show by Dec. 17. It will be amazing!

Christmas Raffle! OLC received a generous donation of a Princess House stockpot /tamalera with a value of $600. We are raffling it off just in time for your holiday dinners. Tickets are only $20 and you can buy them at the school office from Ms. Candelaria Rosales. Winner will be chosen on Thursday, December, 16.

Coding Club is a big hit! The younger students learned how to program a robot to move across the floor!

Mr. Holub’s 5th graders enjoyed a field trip last week to iFLY Indoor Skydiving. The trip was both educational and fun (photo below). We’re glad that school field trips have resumed this year. They are memorable.

Tutoring after school: We will be offering free tutoring after school from 3:00 - 4:00 for students in grades 1 - 7. Teachers will select students who need extra help in math or in reading. If you believe that your child needs remediation in these subject areas, please contact your child’s teacher now. Tutoring begins the week of Jan. 10.

OLC students will decorate a Christmas tree in Cicero Community Park (34th Street and Laramie Avenue) on December 16. Please have your child bring one glass or plastic ornament, new or old, to school by Tues., Dec. 14. Thanks to those who’ve contributed thus far. Masks: We distribute too many masks each day in the office. Please make sure your child has several masks in school. This is important. Thank you.

We hope that everyone is returning to OLC next school year! On Feb. 10 we will automatically re-enroll your child and apply the registration fee to your FACTS account. If you do not plan on registering for the 2022-23 school year, be sure to contact our marketing director, Ms. Candelaria Rosales, no later than Feb. 5. The registration fee is non-refundable.

Get your VIRTUS training so you can volunteer at OLC: Go to our website for info: olc-school.org Important dates: Wednesday, December 15: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time) Thursday, December 16: all school Mass (grades 1-8) at 1:00; parents invited. Kindergarten students will attend Mass with us beginning in January. Monday, December 20 - Sunday, January 2: no school; Christmas break Wednesday, January 5: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time) Yours in Christ, Frank S. Zárate, Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org

OUR LADY OF CHARITY SCHOOL WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Dear Parents, Tutoring after school: We will be offering free tutoring after school from 3:00 - 4:00 for students in grades 1 - 7. Teachers will be selecting students who need extra help in math or in reading, and will contact parents of the students selected. If you believe that your child needs remediation in one or in both of these subject areas, please email or otherwise contact your child’s teacher. Tutoring begins the week of Jan. 10.

Cicero Firefighter Theodore Polashek met with OLC students in grades PK - 2 on Nov. 18. See the “Stop Drop, and Roll” photo below. Thank you for the cool gifts, Lieutenant! 6th graders went to the Field Museum this week and made a new friend there (see photo below).

The World’s Finest Chocolate sale ends on Dec. 7. Each box is $60, and each family is responsible for selling $180 in chocolates, exactly the same as last year. Thank you!

OLC students will decorate a Christmas tree in Cicero Community Park (34th Street and Laramie Avenue) on December 16. Please have your child bring one glass or plastic ornament, new or old, to school by Tues., Dec. 14.

We hope that everyone is returning to OLC next school year! On Feb. 10 we will automatically re-enroll your child and apply the registration fee to your FACTS account. If you do not plan on registering for the 2022-23 school year, be sure to contact our marketing director, Ms. Candelaria Rosales, no later than Feb. 5. The registration fee is non-refundable.

You must be VIRTUS trained to volunteer at OLC: Go to our website for info: olc-school.org Important dates:

Wednesday, December 8: Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Patronal Feastday of the United States of America. There will be an all school Mass (grades 1 - 8) at 1:00. All parents are invited.

Thursday, December 9 is the Feastday of St. Juan Diego. 4th grade students will perform a brief reenactment of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s apparition to St. Juan Diego on Tepeyac Hill in present day Mexico City in 1519. All parents are invited to join us for this short ceremony in church at 1:00.

Thursday, December 9: Our Honor Roll Assembly in church will immediately follow the 1:00 ceremony described directly above. Parents are invited.

Wednesday, December 15: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time)

Monday, December 20 - Sunday, January 2: no school; Christmas break

Wednesday, January 5: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time)

Yours in Christ, Frank S. Zárate, Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org

Our Lady of Charity School

November 19, 2021

Dear Parents, As we approach Thanksgiving, know that I am thankful for your support and for the joy your children bring to our school. Here’s a Thanksgiving prayer (below) for your OLC student to recite at home next Thursday (grades 2 and up). I hope you all have a blessed and wonderful holiday with your family.

Remembering Others O God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer, And remembering, help me to destroy my complacency; bestir my compassion, and be concerned enough to help; By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. Amen.

Please don't forget our Thanksgiving service project of donations for the homeless in the Chicago area:

• lip balm • deodorant • toothbrushes • baby/personal wipes (not disinfecting wipes such as Lysol) • toothpaste • band aids • pair of flip flops or shower shoes (large) The donation deadline is Nov 30. We're hoping all students can bring in these items for us to give to Franciscan Outreach in Chicago.

Report cards go home by today. Be sure to ask your child to see it.

The World’s Finest Chocolate sale began this week and ends on Dec. 7. Each box is $60, not $70, and so each family is responsible for selling $180 in chocolates, exactly the same as last year. I apologize for the confusion: the price of the chocolates did increase, but not for OLC. We are still with last year’s prices. If you would like to sell additional boxes of chocolates beyond three boxes, you will be credited $30 per box toward your tuition. Thank you!

OLC students will decorate a Christmas tree in Cicero Community Park (34th Street and Laramie Avenue) on December 16. If you can, please have your child bring one glass or plastic ornament, new or old, to school by Tues., Dec. 14.

Our popcorn sale last month was a tremendous success. Since we exceeded our goal, as promised we will be serving ice cream at all lunches this coming Tues., Nov. 23, and all students may come out of uniform that day. However, remember that all grades except kindergarten and 4th do have gym class that day so dress your child appropriately, please. We will begin a different registration process for the 2022-2023 school year: you will no longer have to come in and register at the school office. Early bird registration will run from Jan. 3 - Feb. 5. At that time you may login to your FACTS account and pay the discounted registration fee. If you do not plan on registering for the 2022-23 school year, be sure to contact our marketing director, Ms. Candelaria Rosales, no later than Feb. 5. If we do not hear from you by that date, your child will be automatically re-enrolled on Fri., Feb. 11. You must be VIRTUS trained to volunteer at OLC: Go to our website for info: olc-school.org

Important dates: Wednesday, November 24 - Sunday, November 28: no school; Thanksgiving break Tuesday, November 30: due date for Thanksgiving Collection for the Homeless service project donations Wednesday, December 1: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time) Wednesday, December 15: early dismissal (30 minutes before the regular time) Monday, December 20 - Sunday, January 2: no school; Christmas break

Yours in Christ, Frank S. Zárate, Jr., Ed.D. Principal (708) 652-0262 fzarate@olc-school.org