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