OLVCS Updates

Congratulations, and thank you to Ms. Capozzi, Ms. Stone, and Mrs. McQueary for the success of Mary Poppins. Their hard work showed as the students were well coached, and well dressed as they delivered an amazing performance! It was quite a production and couldn’t have come together without many faculty, staff and parent volunteers. In addition, thank you to John Cimino and Sandy Muller for their excellent job on sound; Paul Fritzsche for the amazing video, Joe Rokita for photography, and Marlena Vendemia for all her behind the scenes work.

Re-enrollment is underway; you have received information in an earlier Updates, by email and also a hard copy. Please email me or Mary Cawley with your questions.

We offer affordable tuition for all! Through the Second Century Scholarship Fund we have over $250,000 to distribute for tuition. All families are encouraged to apply. STS Application Directions

The 2025- 2026 School Calendar is attached. The start, end, and vacation dates are set. We may have another diocesan training. As soon as we have that information we will pass it along.

Jared Boxes are due on or before April 14th. (details below)

Finally, students in grades 3 - 8 will attend the Living Stations on Friday, April 11th @ 12:40. Please see the information below. There are two evening performances Saturday, April 12th and Wednesday, April 16th, both starting at 7:30.

Make it a Great Day!

Samantha

Notable Dates:

Friday, April 4th: Mass @ 9:00 & Stations @ 1:25

Friday, April 11th: Mass @ 9:00

Friday, April 11th: Living Stations (grades 3rd - 8th)

Monday, April 14th: Jared Boxes Due

Thursday, April 17th - Monday, April 21st: Easter Break

Pictures are of the cast of Mary Poppins! Photos courtesy of Joe Rokita.

Living Stations: Each week of lent we go to church on Friday's to pray at

The Stations of the Cross. Just like last year, on Friday April 11th, grades 3 - 8 will have the privilege of seeing students from Our Lady of Victory Parish perform in the Living Stations. This will be a spiritual reflection and remembrance of Christ's Passion and Death. It is a visual representation that evokes an emotional and spiritual connection to the Stations of the Cross.

Even though we pray the Stations of the Cross each week, the Living Stations is performed with actors and is a reflection on Christ’s passion & death. (it is life-like) Please click on the link below to get a sense of how it goes. You may opt your child out of viewing the performance by emailing their homeroom teacher. You may pick your child up early at 12:40.

More about Living Stations

• Living Stations was featured on the Proclaim broadcast. OLV Living Stations is featured about 6 minutes into the show. https://vimeo.com/811050331

• Kathy Peters wrote an article for the Gazette on Living Stations. Here is a link to it. https://www.statecollege.com/centre-county-gazette/olv-church-youth-to-reenact-the-passion-of-jesus-christ/

The OLVCS Forensics Team competed in the Regional Meet At Holy Name in Ebensburg on March 21st. The team took home a variety of accolades before going on to compete in the Diocesan Meet at Bishop Carroll in Ebensburg on March 28th.

Regional Meet Results:

• For Poetry: 2nd: Elena Edmondson, 4th: London Cimino
• For Poetry: 1st: Anna Miller, 2nd: Joseph Rokita
• For Original Oratory: 2nd: Liam Foytack, 4th: Emily Kopinski, 5th: Zoey Bartley
• For Impromtu: 1st: Joelle Manter, 2nd: Graham Allen, 5th: John Ulmer, 6th: Frank Yartz

At the Diocesan Meet, the OLVCS Forensics Team took on other teams from the diocese. The team brought home 8 medals in all.

Diocesan Meet Results:

• For Impromptu: 5th: John Ulmer placed 5th, 2nd: Joelle Manter
• For Prose: 5th: Joseph Rokita, 3rd: Anna Miller
• For Poetry: 5th: London Cimino, 3rd: ELena Edmonson
• For Original Oratory: 5th: Emily Kopinski, 3rd: Liam Foytack

Congratulations to the team on a successful season, and we would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Szwed and Mrs. Smith for leading Forensics this year!

Both students and faculty are excited to use the new 3D printers for various STEM learning initiatives, science classes, and the Solar Car Competion.

• The Service Club is excited to be holding a crayon collection for The Crayon Initiative, which recycles old crayons into new crayons for kids in hospitals around the country!
• Learn more about the Crayon Initiative, here.
• We will be gathering the collection boxes and donating the recycled crayons on April 16th.

Service Project Important Dates

*Boxes went home to families before spring break.

*April 14th - boxes due back to school.

*April 16th - Delivery to hospitals.

*Please take a look at the video below or click the button to learn more about The Jared Project!

We got that! Sign up now to pray to 15 min one day per week for the students, teachers, and administrations of OLV and Saint Joseph's - that's only 6 times! Lent began on March 5th, but you can still sign up at https://stjoeacad.org/parents-praying/. You will receive an email reminder each week, to help you "keep on praying." Our goal is to have one parent, grandparent, or friend of OLV and Saint Joseph's to be praying for our schools on each of the 40 days of Lent.

• If you are wanting a way to give back to OLVCS and want to earn service hours, sign up today!
• Mr. Stec will work with Middle School students twice a month on projects around the school that need attention. Students are able to sign up week to week. They do not need to commit to the entire semester.
• If you have any questions feel free to email Terry Stec at stect@olvcs.org.

All OLV girls in grades 6 and 7 are invited to join in our first volleyball open gym on Friday, April 4th, 2:30 - 4:30PM. There is no cost for this event, but parents must sign their student up at https://forms.gle/ivbt7gDjz4JhAjug7. Girls should wear shorts/athletic pants, t-shirt, court shoes, and knee pads.

All girls in 5th and 6th grade are invited to join this fun, developmental club which begins on Monday, April 7th. Girls will work on passing, setting, attacking, and serving, as well as, game play. $80 for all four sessions. For more information and to sign up go to https://www.olvcatholicschool.org/athletics/club-sports/afterschool-girls-volleyball-club

Congratulations to the Girls Track team for defeating Nittany Christian at the dual meet last week. Congratulations to Anna Miller who has already qualified for the championship meet in the 3200 meter run.

The track team will be back in action taking on Bald Eagle, Clearfield and Bellefonte on Thursday April 3rd. The team is excited to break some PRs and gain more qualifiers to the Altoona Championship meet.

Any OLVCS 8th grade girl who will be attending Saint Joseph's next Fall is invited to join in their Spring volleyball open gyms. For more information reach out to SJCA student, Monika Peters at mpeters@sjcacademy.org. This is a great way to "get some reps" and have fun with the girls on the SJCA volleyball team!

Children at OLV Preschool are taught by highly qualified teachers in a play-based environment. They learn social/emotional skills, pre-reading skills, basic numeracy, participate in the arts and daily physical activities in addition to learning about their faith in fun and memorable ways. Before and after school care is available. There are a few spots still available in our classrooms for the 2025/2026 school year. Program, tuition rates and registration information can be found on the OLVCS website: https://preschool.olvcatholicschool.org/.

OLV Preschool is currently looking for a teacher for our 3 yr., 5 day program as well as morning and afternoon aides. If hired to join our preschool staff, you receive a tuition discount for your children enrolled in OLVPS and OLVCS!

• Work in the mornings and have the rest of the day for personal

responsibilities.

• If you only want to work in the afternoons, join our ESP (Extended

School Program) staff.

• Start working as a substitute aide or teacher now and let us see the work

you can do!

• We have an amazing staff and wonderful environment. It is a great place to work!

Please contact the Preschool Director; Anne Bord, for more information: preschool@olvcs.org or call 814-238-6616.

Join the Saint Joseph's Musical Cast for a preview evening of song, cocktails, and snacks on Friday, April 25 from 7-9 PM, at the Boal Barn Theatre. The cast and crew of Newsies, along with the Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy A Cappella Ensemble, will perform songs from the production, as well as other memorable tunes. This is a 21 yrs old and older event. Cost: $30 per person. Only 80 tickets will be sold! Proceeds support the musical production. Get your tickets TODAY at https://stjoeacad.org/fine-arts/musical/

The Four Pillars Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 16, 2025 at the Centre Hills Golf Club. Event registration includes golf, cart, lunch, dinner, and – new this year – a commemorative polo. You can register at www.stjoeacad.org. Space is limited and we’ve sold out in the past years. Be sure to register TODAY so you don’t miss out!

We are looking for financial sponsors for the golf tournament and donations for the online auction. Sponsorships are sought to help defray the cost of this great community event. For more information about becoming a sponsor and the benefits, go to https://stjoeacad.org/golf-tournament/. To learn about making a donation for the online auction, contact Sarah Miller at development@sjcacademy.org

Students in grades K-5, mark your calendars for VBS 2025! VBS is scheduled for 7/21-7/25/25. Registration information will be provided in the near future. Both adult and high school volunteers are needed to make VBS a success. Contact Mrs. Ishmael at directorccd@ourladyofvictory.com if you are interested in more information about volunteering.

OLV will be selling Rosie's Pierogies and Haluski Fridays of Lent (except Good Friday).

Cost: Haluski $8.00,

Cost: Pierogies $12.00 per dozen

Pierogi Options available:

• freshly made with butter and onions;
• frozen plain
• frozen jalapeno
• frozen bacon.

Sold in front of OLV Activities Center in a drive thru manner, from 3:00pm to 5:15pm, or until sold out.

This is a great opportunity to earn community service hours. Volunteers of all ages are welcome.

Please report at 2:30pm. For more information or questions, please contact Deacon Dave at dcfl@ourladyofvictory.com.

• Bring a friend!
  
• We have space available at all grade levels for enrollment.
• Be sure to spread the word about OLVCS!
• New families can learn about the application process at www.olvcatholicschool.org/admissions or call the school office at 814-238-1952 to schedule a tour or shadow day.