Weekly Newsletter

March 9,

2023 Dear Parents, Sacrament of Reconciliation: All students receiving their 1st holy Communion on April 29 will have the Sacrament of Penance (confessions) for the first time tomorrow. After children have celebrated First Penance, they will be prepared for the spring celebration of First Eucharist.

St. Patrick’s Day dress down, Thursday, March 16: students can come out of uniform if they wear something green. $2 to participate.

This week we were visited by a representative from the Illinois State Board of Education. The representative was very satisfied with everything he reviewed, and has renewed Our Lady of Charity School’s State recognition. OLC meets all State requirements for schools and remains fully compliant with the law.

It’s that time of the year to complete the 2023 Archdiocese of Chicago Parent Survey. Please follow this link to complete the OLC survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/archchicago/survey/parent/

The shipment of 1st holy Communion clothing for all students receiving their 1st Communion on Sat., Apr. 29, has arrived. The cost of each outfit is $60, which some of you have already paid. You may pick up your child’s garment in the school office during regular school hours. See Mr. Infante.

The Archdiocese requires all of its schools to provide valuable training to children on safe boundaries and how to recognize and report sexual abuse. The programs used are age appropriate and straightforward. Our presenter has several years of experience providing the training to students in grades K - 8. Her presentations are the week of March 20. I encourage you to ask your child about it.

World’s Finest Chocolate sale begins this week: Each FAMILY will be responsible for selling 3 boxes of chocolate. Each box is $60, therefore each FAMILY will be responsible for selling $180 in chocolates.

School Mass schedule (parents welcome to join us): March 24: 9:00, English No school Mass on Mar. 10 or Mar. 31

Important dates:

Friday, March 17: no school

Friday, March 24: 2nd trimester Honor Roll assembly, in church following the 9:00 Mass

Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 28: Early registration for next school year; $210 ($420 beginning May 1) Friday,

April 7 - Sunday, April 16: no school, Easter break

Saturday, April 22: 1st Communion photos, at OLC at 11:00

Saturday, April 29: 1st holy Communion at 1:00

Yours in Christ,

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

Principal (708) 652-0262

fzarate@olc-school.org

Weekly Newslettter

March 3, 2023

Dear Parents, Today is the feast day of St. Katharine Drexel (1858-1955). St. Katharine is the first United States-born person to become a saint in the Catholic Church. She was born into wealth to a father who was a man of faith and a stepmother who taught her about using her wealth to help those in need. This experience shaped young Katharine, and later she gave her entire inheritance to serve Native Americans and African Americans.

Rice Bowls: In the spirit of St. Katharine, each classroom now has a Catholic Relief Services rice bowl, and students can deposit coins into it for Lent. The coins collected are to give to the poor.

Yesterday students in grades 6, 7, and 8 went on a field trip and participated in a Lenten service project packing meals for Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg. This is a Christian non- profit organization that coordinates the packaging and distribution of food to people in developing nations (see photo).

The shipment of 1st holy Communion clothing for all students receiving their 1st Communion on Sat., Apr. 29, has arrived. The cost of each outfit is $60, which some of you have already paid. You may pick up your child’s garment in the school office during regular school hours. See Mr. Infante.

Students in grades 1 - 7 will have a second 2-week roller skating unit in P.E. class beginning Mon., Mar. 27. The cost is $13. Permission slips go home soon.

OLC School is hosting an Arts & Crafts Fair at the St. Mary of Czestochowa Social Center (31st Street and 50th Avenue) tomorrow and Sunday. Stop by between 9AM and 4PM. We’ll be selling jewelry, handmade items, custom drinkware, makeup, and wood crafts — also OLC swag! Proceeds benefit our school.

School Mass schedule (parents welcome to join us): March 3 (today): 9:00, English March 24: 9:00, English No school Mass on Mar. 10 or Mar. 31

Important dates:

Friday, March 17: no school

Friday, March 24: 2nd trimester Honor Roll assembly, in church following the 9:00 Mass

Monday, April 3 - Friday, April 28: Early registration for next school year; $210 ($420 beginning May 1) Friday,

April 7 - Sunday, April 16: no school, Easter break

Saturday, April 22: 1st Communion photos, at OLC at 11:00

Saturday, April 29: 1st holy Communion at 1:00

Yours in Christ, Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D.

Principal (708) 652-0262

fzarate@olc-school.org

Weekly Newsletter

February 24, 2023

Dear Parents,

Please join me in welcoming two new staff members to OLC:

Ms. Roberta Breiding will be teaching first grade at our school for the remainder of the school year. Ms. Breiding grew up in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, and attended Visitation Catholic Elementary and High School on Garfield Boulevard. She earned her B.A. in Special Education from Northeastern Illinois University, and her M.A. degree in Reading is also from Northeastern. Roberta began her career in education teaching sixth grade at St. Agnes of Bohemia School in Chicago, however for the bulk of her career she served as a reading specialist in Komarek School District 94 in North Riverside. Ms. Breiding is always kind, patient, and professional, and we are delighted to have her at OLC.

Ms. Christina Martin replaces Ms. Carrie Slaymaker next week as our speech and language pathologist from Cicero School District 99. Ms. Slaymaker is moving to another position in District 99, and though we are sad to see her go, she leaves us in competent hands. Ms. Martin has a B.S. degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Illinois State University in Bloomington. Her M.S. degree in Speech and Language Pathology is from Marquette, a Catholic university in Milwaukee. She previously worked as a counselor in the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation in Morton Grove. Welcome, Ms. Martin!

Our new after school program with SGA has an important modification in the requirements. Students in grades PK - 4 must be Berwyn residents. This has to do with SGA's funding. As a result, we are going to participate this year only in the 5th - 8th grade program. We hope that SGA can expand the program next school year to include all students. Participants in the SGA 5th - 8th grade program have to be residents of Berwyn or Cicero. I’m sorry that this wasn't explained to you earlier, and I apologize for any inconvenience. In order for students to participate and begin activities in the SGA 5th - 8th program, parents must enroll the child in the program by completing the application process. To do that, please email me your name and contact number and an SGA staff member will reach out to you. Students who are not enrolled in the SGA 5th - 8th grade program and students in grades PK - 4 grades may still participate in our regular after care program, supervised until 6:00 pm by Lisa Johnson and Cathy Hamilton, at a daily cost of $10.

Rice Bowls: Each classroom now has a Catholic Relief Services rice bowl, and students can deposit a donation into it for Lent. The money collected for this service project helps fight hunger and poverty locally and around the world. Last year we collected $521. Each class has one bowl. We are encouraging children to add any coins to it daily, even pennies.

Lost & Found: Did you know we have a Lost & Found box? If your child loses a sweatshirt or other item at school, be sure to check the box (located near the office).

Summer School: The tentative dates are Monday - Thursday, June 12 - July 13. The tuition will be significantly lower than last year. More information later.

OLC School is hosting a Pop-Up shop Arts & Crafts Fair at the St. Mary of Czestochowa Social Center on March 4 and 5. If you have a small business and would like to reserve a space, contact our school marketer, Yashica Zuniga, at yzuniga@olc-school.org. We will be renting out 25 spaces that are about 8ft x 8ft. It is $30 for one day and $50 for both days.

School Mass schedule (parents welcome to join us): March 3: 9:00, English March 24: 9:00, English No school Mass on Mar. 10 or Mar. 31

Important dates:

Wednesday, March 1: World Compliment Day; students who compliment three people today can wear their favorite flannel shirt to school instead of their uniform!

Friday, March 17: no school

Friday, April 7 - Sunday, April 16: no school, Easter break

Saturday, April 29: 1st holy Communion at 1:00

Yours in Christ, Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D.

Principal (708) 652-0262

fzarate@olc-school.org