January 30, 2024
Dear Parents,
OLC is having a Father Daughter Dance for Valentine’s Day this Friday night, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM in Halpin Hall. All OLC girls and their dads/uncles/big brothers/family friends are invited.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are on Thursday, February 8, from 12:30 - 6:00. Students will be dismissed at 11:30, and no lunches will be served. Mid-year conferences are optional and are virtual or in-person, whichever you prefer. Sign up information was emailed to you last Monday.
Don’t forget that there is no school on Friday, February 9.
All school Mass on Sunday, February 11, at noon. The 3rd grade class will serve refreshments after Mass in Halpin Hall. All OLC families are encouraged to join us for this liturgy. Schoolbelles gift certificates will be presented to any parent at the Mass.
Several parents have asked me about Covid protocols, as the virus appears to be going around again. Please bear in mind that there are no longer any reporting requirements, so we in the school office are not always aware that a child has the virus. As a reminder, here is the policy: The Archdiocese of Chicago lifted all COVID-related restrictions and protocols following the May 2023 expiration of the public health emergency. For the 2023-2024 school year, schools should treat COVID like other similar viruses. If a student or staff member experiences symptoms of any virus, they should stay home until symptoms have resolved for 24 hours. There are no minimum exclusion lengths, masking requirements, or reporting protocols.
Did you know?
Students who attend Catholic schools are more likely to attend church and remain Catholic as adults.
Latino students who attend Catholic schools are 42% more likely to graduate from high school and 2.5 times more likely to graduate college.
Over 80% percent of students who graduate from Catholic schools attend college, compared to 44% of students in public schools.
In Catholic high schools, 98% of minority children graduate.
Catholic school students are exposed to a wide variety of views, more likely to vote, more likely to be civically engaged and more likely to earn high wages than their public school peers.
Yours in Christ,
Frank S. Zarate, Jr., Ed.D.
Principal
(708) 652-0262
*Source: Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of El Paso