Dear Parents,

As we step into the second week of school, it is wonderful to see our students coming in with bright smiles and a readiness to get to work! Thank you for helping your children establish good routines at home—like setting a regular bedtime, creating a cozy homework spot, and getting those backpacks ready the night before. These little habits can make mornings smoother and help our students arrive to school excited and prepared for all the fun and learning ahead. Let’s keep the momentum going as we build strong foundations for a joyful and successful year!

Last Thursday, our first all-school Mass celebrated the Memorial of the Queenship of Mary. It was a special time to gather as a community and feel the love of our Blessed Mother. As we reconnect with friends old and new and create our goals for the school year, let's keep our theme, "Finding God in All Things," close to heart. Whether it’s in the laughter we share or the challenges we tackle, let’s make this year one filled with faith, fun, and fantastic memories!

God Bless,

Maureen Hoy

“Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God.”

― Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Aug. 29: Grades 6-7-8 Curriculum Night 6:00 PM

Sept. 2: Labor Day-No School

Sept. 3-5: Fall Festival Food Drive

Sept. 4: Picture Day (Order Pictures and Yearbooks)

Sept. 5: K-5 Curriculum Night 6:00 PM

Parents of students in Grades 6-7-8 are invited to Curriculum Night this Thursday. This event is designed to provide parents with an opportunity to “meet the teacher” and get an overview of grade-level standards, curriculum, classroom procedures, and expectations. We will gather in the Church at 6:00 PM. After a short introduction, parents will be dismissed to attend teacher presentations.

Students in Grades 2-6 will be taking the STAR 360 Assessment this week. Students in Kindergarten and Gr. 1 will complete the STAR Early Literacy test in small groups throughout the next two weeks.

This week’s testing schedule:

Tuesday, Aug. 27: Grade 3 Reading and Math

Wednesday, Aug. 28: Grade 4 Reading and Math

Thursday, Aug. 29: Grade 2 and 5 Reading and Math

Friday, Aug. 30: Grade 6 Reading and Math

STAR 360 is a computer-adaptive assessment that measures student achievement in Early Literacy(K-1), Reading, and Math. STAR 360 was adapted by the Archdiocese of Omaha and is completed by all students attending an Archdiocesan school. Parents will receive their child's test results the first week of October.

As with any standardized test, it is important that students come prepared and ready to do their very best. A good night’s sleep, breakfast and a positive attitude are all helpful. Please avoid scheduling appointments during your student’s testing time. Thank you for your support in encouraging your student to do his/her very best.

MOQ students are invited to bring non-perishable food items to school this week. We are supporting the Ladies Guild Fall Festival Food Drive. Thank you, in advance, for supporting this important service project.

The Parent Alert feature with FACTS is an emergency notification and rapid alert system to help improve and facilitate communication with our families. Parent Alert will allow us to send out communications via Text, Email, and Voice Messages for all types of events. These alerts can be used for many reasons, but most importantly, it will provide us a fast, efficient way to communicate with our families in case of an emergency. To ensure you are able to receive our alerts, please text the keyword “START” to 22-383 from your mobile device. Any text alerts from our school will begin with “MOQSchool” and calls will show from “402-333-8663.”

Note: Per the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, we have to provide all recipients the option to Opt-Out of receiving our alerts. Anytime we send out a text alert, you will see “Stop to End.” If you reply “Stop” after any message sent to you, you will no longer receive our text alerts, regardless if we select you as a recipient.

Welcome to the New School Year: A Message from Your MOQ School Counseling Team

Dear Parents and Students,

Welcome to a new school year! Whether you're returning or joining us for the first time, we're excited to have you as part of our school family. As your School Counseling Team, we're here to support you throughout this journey of learning, growth, and faith. Look out for our monthly Counseling Corner document, where we'll share valuable resources and updates.

Building a Strong Foundation

At Mary Our Queen Catholic School, we believe in nurturing both the minds and hearts of our students. This year, we'll focus on our school theme, “Finding God in All Things," inspired by St. Ignatius, as we guide our students in faith and character development.

Supporting Our Students

Our goal is to ensure every student feels safe, supported, and valued. We're here to listen, guide, and help navigate any challenges that may come up. Our door is always open to students and parents alike, so please reach out whenever you need support or have questions.

Embracing New Beginnings

The new school year is a time of fresh opportunities. We encourage each student to set new goals, make new friends, and explore new interests with a positive attitude. Every challenge is a chance to grow, and every success is worth celebrating.

Partnering with Parents

Parents, your involvement is key to your child's success. We look forward to partnering with you to create an environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and spiritually.

A Year of Faith and Learning

This year, our Catholic faith will continue to guide us in all we do. We hope this year brings joy, discovery, and spiritual growth for everyone in our community.

As we begin this new school year, we pray for God's blessings on our students, families, and staff. Let's make this a wonderful year together!

With warmest regards,

Dr. Peggy Croy & Mrs. Watson
School Counseling Team

We are blessed to have so many members of our community willing to lend a helping hand! Each family is suggested to donate 15 hours of volunteer time at MOQ School. For more details, click HERE to read the MOQ Family Volunteer Program Handbook. Don't forget to RECORD your family's service hours in FACTS on your Dashboard. Thank you!

Wonderful Wednesdays: Help brighten up our teachers' week with this special program. Sign up HERE.

Home and School Committee Volunteers: Join one of our committees and help plan exciting events and initiatives throughout the year. Sign up HERE.

Room Parent Sign-Ups: Be a room parent and support your child’s class with fun activities and communication. Sign up HERE.

K-8 CAFETERIA: Click HERE to sign up, and THANKS for volunteering! Please enter the cafeteria through door #9.

PRESCHOOL/PRE-K CAFETERIA: Click HERE to volunteer for the Preschool/Pre-K lunch.

CGS PRESCHOOL ATRIUM: To volunteer in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Atrium, please contact Mrs. Hannah Casey at hcasey@moqchurch.org.

Please see below for opportunities to volunteer with our Home and School Association.

All volunteers need to be Safe Environment certified.

We are thrilled to share that we are almost ready with the school playground! The swings and the last of the equipment are being installed, and next up, we'll be completing the fencing, adding grass, and giving the new equipment a thorough wash down. We're aiming to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony the week after Labor Day, once Fr. Marc is back in town. Watch your email for the date.

Let the play begin!

Prescribed medication will be administered only with an authorized medication form completed by a physician/dentist/provider and parent. Forms are available in the school office. Prescribed medication must be in a prescription container with a pharmacy label outlining directions for administration.

No over-the-counter medication will be administered by school personnel. However, parents are welcome to administer OTC medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc.) if needed during the school day. We understand that students may need medication during the school day, however, if a student does not feel well (temperature, cough, stomach pains), please keep him/her home.

For a detailed review of the MOQ Medication Policy see page 38 in the MOQ Family Handbook.

Students are settling into the Cafeteria Routine. Thank you for helping to get our school year off to a great start. Please review the following reminders:

• Please check your lunch account balance in FACTS. Two days of lunch charges have been made. There are some negative balances that need to be reconciled as soon as possible.

• This Wednesday, 8/28, is our first Pizza Hut lunch of the school year. Extra slices of pizza will not be sold this week.

• Please consider filling out the Free & Reduced Price School Meals application. This one-page application is accepted throughout the school year.

• Volunteers are needed each day to ensure that lunch is served quickly and efficiently, allowing students time to enjoy their lunch. Please consider volunteering in the MOQ cafeteria. Thank you in advance. Click HERE to sign up.
  

• Lunch prices for the 2024-2025 school year.

• Student Full Price: $4.00 (includes milk)

• Student Reduced Price: $0.40 (includes milk)

• Student Free: $0.00 (includes milk)

• Milk: $0.50

• Extra Lunch Entrée: $2.00

• We are looking to fill a part-time position on the cafeteria staff. This position is being added to help in both the preschool and elementary kitchens from 11 am to 2pm on school days. More information about the position can be found HERE.
  

Michelle Zaleski

Cafeteria Manager

mzaleski@moqschool.org

Welcome Back Extended Care Families! I hope everyone had an amazing summer! We were very busy at Summer Care playing games, laughing with friends, making crafts, and going on field trips!!

Drop off for Morning Care begins at 6:15 am, please use the southeast door (#3) of the Early Childhood Education and Youth Center. As always, please drive slowly and use extra caution as you enter and leave the parking lot or parking space across from the building.

Extended Care Reminders:

• After Care has a waiting list. If interested, please email extendedcare@moqschool.org to place your name on the list.

• There are spots available in Early Out Care (noon dismissal days), Break Care (Conferences, Christmas and Spring Break), and Summer 2025 Care.

• Enrolled families: Please fill out your calendars for Morning Care, Early Out Care, and Break Care as soon as possible.

August Calendar

September Calendar

October Calendar

November Calendar

December Calendar

Go Mustangs!

Ashley Rosenthaul

Please see the signups for Wonderful Wednesdays and Home & School committees in the volunteer section located above in this memo. You can also view them HERE and HERE.

Volunteering with Home & School is a wonderful way to get involved, meet other parents, and contribute to the vibrant environment our children thrive in.

Whether you can spare a few hours or take on a larger role, there are many opportunities to make a difference. From organizing events to supporting classroom activities, every bit of help is valuable and appreciated.

Your involvement not only enriches our school but also sets a great example for our children, showing them the importance of community and collaboration.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 9th at 7:00 pm in the St. Joseph's Room. All are welcome to attend.

Warm regards,

Danielle Selze

MOQ 2024-25 Home & School President

We are excited for our annual MOQ Home & School fundraiser, Mustang March, will take place on October 18th. The chairs for this event this year are Jenny Dillingham & Kara Soukup. This event is a cornerstone of our fundraising efforts, bringing together students, families, and the community for a day of fun, fitness, and school spirit. We are seeking sponsors to help us make this event a success and raise essential funds for several key initiatives: procuring mathematics manipulatives for each classroom, acquiring math enrichment resources, upgrading classroom projectors, and providing professional development opportunities for our teachers.

By partnering with us as a sponsor, your business will gain valuable exposure within our school community and demonstrate a commitment to supporting local education. We would be honored to have your support for this important event.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a lasting impact on our school. For more information, please contact Cindy Tooher at ctooher@moqschool.org. or click on the photo above.

For more information or to register for Micro Soccer 2024, please click HERE.

As we gear up for this year's Fall Festival, we need your help to ensure it's a fantastic event for everyone! Here are some areas where we could use your support:

Volunteers: We need more hands-on-deck for setup, activity booths, and clean-up. Even a few hours of your time can make a big difference! Please see the Signup Genius below.

Donations: We're looking for donations of baked goods and cakes for the cake walk.

Advanced Ticket Sales: See the QR code above and purchase your advance tickets.

Promotions: Help us spread the word! Share our event on social media, invite friends, and help us make this the best-attended festival yet.

If you can assist in any of these areas or have other ideas to contribute, please reach out to Angie Mills @ louweeze@hotmail.com. Your support is what makes this event possible!