A Message From the Principal
|
August 1, 2008 Dear Parents, Greetings! Hoping this finds you hale and happy. With September fast approaching, I find it’s time to make contact, inform you of school developments and provide reminders regarding preparation for the new school year. I feel it’s going to be a good one!
This year we again welcome back many of our teachers:
Mrs. Gering who directed our Art program last year has moved on to dedicate more time to her own ceramics business. In her place, we have brought on board Ms. Ginger Mimmo to carry on our Art initiative. Ms. Mimmo is a graduate of the Moore College of Art and Design. Last year she taught all grades at Plymouth Meeting Friends School. Ms. Mimmo has also conducted classes for high school students at Moore as well as for students with learning disabilities. She is eager to share her knowledge of Art history, develop student’s creativity and spread her passion for all things related to the Fine Arts. We welcome her. Last year we initiated a Spanish language listening program in Pre K and K. This year the program will expand and include a Spanish instructor for all grades. Mrs. Madeline Ortiz-Leonard will provide these Spanish lessons. Mrs. Ortiz-Leonard is a graduate of Temple University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She holds certification in both Elementary and Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Ortiz- Leonard (Mr. Leonard’s wife) taught Spanish this past year at the Philadelphia School in Center City. The Leonards are certainly a dynamic duo and we are fortunate to have them. We will be also be initiating a program this year entitled The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. This will be provided for Pre K and K students and is a Montessori based approach to bringing the teachings of Jesus to young children. Mrs. Betsy Puntel will present this pilot program. Mrs. Puntel is a graduate of Catholic University with a degree in Religious Education. She is also credentialed by the American Montessori Society. Mrs. Puntel’s gentle approach will help our young ones embrace their faith. On a very sad note, Mrs. Jeter our wonderful music teacher, informed us in July that she has taken a full-time job as a teacher of Theology at Bishop Eustice High School in New Jersey. Mrs. Jeter will be greatly missed. At present we are endeavoring to fill her position. As a result of extra funding provided to our school by the Archdiocese, we will have a new and updated school-wide Math program. The program is entitled Math Connects and is based on 2009 National Standards. Our teachers will receive In-Service training this school year as they implement the program in the classrooms. Our Band Program will continue as in previous years as will the Suzuki Music Education Program in Pre K and K. Remedial and Counseling Services will again be provided by the Elwyn Institutes. A reminder that Elwyn provides services only 1.5 days a week. Because time at school is limited their services are focused primarily on grades K through 3. Our after-school CARES Program will continue as in the past. In addition, OMC School will continue to have the benefit of the Connelly Access Program. This program provides exciting cultural events for the students that would otherwise be unaffordable. As the specific programs are scheduled, they will be announced. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of our Home and School Association’s fund raising committee last year and YOUR participation in those efforts, we have been able to expand and/or add these programs:
These are terrific additions! Please be aware that your participation in our Home and School Association is vital for the development and indeed very existence of our school. As a private school your involvement in our fund-raisers and the GIFT CARD Program (formerly known as SCRIP) is necessary. Also, all parents are to volunteer a minimum of 4 hours for the school year when called upon. A Safe Environment Training session for volunteers will be held in our school on the evening of August 27th at 7:00PM. It is a 2 hour, one-time training for all parents. It is expected that at least one parent (preferably both) attend this session. Please mark your calendars and make plans to be present. We need you! Our school and grounds have undergone considerable upgrades this summer. In addition to third floor renovations, a new roof and outdoor plumbing excavations, our parking lot will be resurfaced. Hopefully, the lot will be completed by the time school opens. This is not a certainty, however, so we ask for you to be aware of possible alternative traffic patterns which may require patience on the part of drivers. Even if the lot is finished it will have a slightly new configuration for traffic. Please go with the flow. Thank you. Enclosed you will find two schedules for the school year. The first is a Tentative School Calendar. Notice that those first days of school have a dismissal time of 1:05PM. Students should come to school with a lunch and if you wish, a morning snack. Please go over the schedule thoroughly and make note of important dates. Know that it is tentative and changes will be made known through our monthly school calendar which you will receive in a weekly envelope. Also enclosed is a Schedule of Liturgies for the school year. All are invited to attend the liturgies. The Emergency Cards found in this mailing are required to be turned in on the first day of school. A card, fully completed, is necessary for each child you have in school. Also, please note that ALL students are to be in the new school uniform which includes the designated footwear on the first day of school. If you still have questions about what is appropriate, you can contact the school office. Finally, while this letter is a harbinger of school days ahead please continue to spend loving, fun times with your children these last weeks of summer. Give them positive reinforcement about the upcoming year. As we come together again in September their other family - the school family - regroups to help them grow and develop. We look forward to another family reunion.
Sincerely, |