Mercy Messenger

Through the intercession of Our Lady of Mercy, we commit ourselves to living the Good News of Jesus through Works of Mercy. Our rigorous academic program unleashes creative energy for the pursuit of knowledge and nurtures a hope-filled vision for Catholic leadership. We live out our relationship with God by respecting the dignity of others and providing service to the global community that fosters unity, understanding, and compassion.

A Prayer to Honor Mary on Her Birthday (September 8th)

Give me strength humbly to pray to thee. Give me strength to praise thee in prayer with all my powers, through the merits of thy most sacred nativity, which for the entire Christian world was a birth of joy, the hope, and solace of its life.

Sunday September 8th, 2024

Good morning,

It has been a fantastic first three days of school. It has been a pleasure to see all the happy and smiling faces around the building. As I went into each classroom this week to talk to the students it amazes me on how much energy and enthusiasm that they all possess. On Friday we celebrated our first school Mass together. Our Commissioner of Religious Activities Faith Vandiver spoke to the students about the virtue of the month for September which is encouragement. In religion classes this month the teachers will be incorporating this virtue throughout their lessons. The peacemaker awards will be given out each month after our monthly mass. I look forward to seeing the middle school parents on Wednesday 9/11 at our back to school night. A schedule for the night is posted below. I want to thank the home and school association for organizing the ice cream social on Friday night. It was great to see everyone that was able to attend. Thank you to all the teachers that were there scooping ice cream. I am sure all the students were thrilled that their teachers were serving them ice cream. Thank you for all that you do and please contact me if you are in need of anything.

In Mercy,

Bill Delaney

6:30-6:45- Meet in the gym with Mr. Delaney.

6:50-7:10- Session 1

7:15-7:35- Session 2

7:40-8:00- Session 3

8:00- 8:30- 8th grade only parent meeting in the cafeteria.

Reminders

- Please remember to fill out all the school forms that are on FACTS.

- If you are changing the way your child is going home please call the main office before 1pm.

- If your child is absent from school please email attendance@olmrcs.com.

- Make sure to have all your clearances up to date if you are planning on volunteering in the school or with any clubs.

9/11- Back to School Night- Grades 6-8. From 6:30-8pm.

9/11- Class of 2025 Meeting for Parents in Cafe- 8-8:30pm.

9/18- Back to School Night- Grades PreK to 5. From 6:30-8pm.

9/24- Mercy Day Prayer Service 10:00 am in Church. (Installation of Student Council and NJHS Officers)

9/27- Dress Down Day. More information to follow.

9/30- OLM Golf Outing.

The class of 2025 will take the AOP High School Placement/Scholarship Test on Wednesday September 25th in school. This test is only for Archdiocese of Philadelphia High Schools. Please register your 8th grade student here by 9/23 https://stsusers.com/stsusers/registration/static/philadelphia.php. More information on this test will be given at our back to school meeting on 9/11.

Below is the form for the 2024 High School Test Prep course that is taught by Mrs. DiCarne and Mrs. Maher. Please reach out to them with any questions.

OLM will begin to offer instrumental lessons from Band for Today beginning in the fall for grades 4-8th grade. There will be an assembly on Monday September 9th to demonstrate these instruments to the students. These lessons will take place during the school day. Piano lessons will continue to be offered by Mr. Ferraro. Partial scholarships may be available. In September more information about the program will be coming out. Please visit the bandfortoday.com website for more information.

We hope everyone had a great first week back at school. We know the change from summer -time routine to structured school can be hard for many students. Here are some helpful tips if you are struggling with the transition.

• Get back into a school sleep schedule. Early to bed is best. Try incorporating a winding down activity before bed such as reading, bath or journaling.

• Establish a morning and after school routine. Most people do better when they know what to expect, write out steps of your expectations and guide your child through it at the beginning.

• Encourage independence. Have your child help to organize and plan the day ahead.

• Incorporate healthy habits. Focus on balanced meals and snacks while also promoting daily physical activity or outside time.

• Limit screen time. This one is tough but try to set boundaries around screen time and shut off devices an hour before bedtime.

• Talk about the first week. Reassure your child that being overwhelmed, nervous or however they are feeling is normal.

• Discuss coping strategies. Teach your children to breathe, use positive self-talk, ask for a break or rehearse the night before.

• Celebrate the start of a new school year!

The 2024-2025 OLM Middle School Ski & Board Club will be selling soft pretzels again this year to raise money for bus transportation for the ski club! The pretzels will be distributed every monday for 18 weeks at morning snack. Please sign up via the link provided by September 23rd. This is open to all students and staff. https://tinyurl.com/skiclubpretzel24.

The luncheon will take place on Tuesday, September 24th.. Our chair, Jenny Contorno is working hard to make this lunch for the teachers a special one. Please use the sign up genius link https://tinyurl.com/MercyDayLuncheon to see how you can donate your time, skills, or monetary donations. Any help to make this lunch great is greatly appreciated.

Below is a list of fall events for you to get involved in. These events and clubs are open to 6th, 7th, & 8th grade.

• Ski & Snowboard Club Interest Survey
• We are excited to announce that the OLM MIDDLE SCHOOL SKI & SNOWBOARD CLUB is once again gearing up for more fun at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Lehigh Valley, PA in 2024! Look for our new dates in the attached Save the Date flier. Ski Club is so popular year after year that we also need a preliminary headcount to provide to Bear Creek as they plan to open the 2024/2025 ski season. Your response to this survey will also help OLM determine how many buses we need for the ski club season, as well as determine our transportation costs and fundraising needs. Our full registration is coming in late October. All interested OLM 6 th , 7 th and 8 th grade families should complete the head count survey by October 2nd so you can be added to our email list for any updates from Bear Creek. . Winter is coming! We hope you can hit the slopes with us! Survey Link – Click here: https://tinyurl.com/2425skiclubsurvey
• Haunted Hayride:
• Save the date! Friday, October 18th the middle school will head back to Winding Brook Farm for the Haunted Hayride and Corn Maze. More information to follow in the coming weeks.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the events. We hope that your child(ren) enjoyed seeing the messages on their first day of school and that you and your family enjoyed the ice cream social and met new friends and families.

BTFE is digital! Visit www.boxtops4education.com today to get the app and start earning for OLM -- use the referral code XXJZ0B0U when you sign up to earn a minimum of 20 Bonus Box Tops when you scan your first receipt! September 18th kicks off National Box Tops Week so be on the lookout for additional info regarding opportunities to earn bonus box tops! More detailed instructions and special NBTW offers will be posted in our Instagram stories and highlights @olmhsa.

Mabel's Labels will donate 20% of all purchase totals made through our storefront! Visit campaigns.mabelslabels.com and select Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School (Maple Glen). All coupon codes and promos are valid through our storefront and shipping is always free!

We have been receiving emails about how to become your child’s homeroom parent. While we are so excited to have such amazing parents, your homeroom teachers will be reaching out about how to become a homeroom parent. Just a friendly reminder, in order to become a homeroom parent or volunteer in the school you must have all your clearances completed. If you have any questions about how to obtain your clearances or confirm your clearances are not expired please feel free to reach out to Grace Mullan in the front office. Email her at gmullan@olmrcs.com.

• Interested in joining the 2024-2025 HSA?

• The Home & School Association is a parent-led organization dedicated to supporting the OLM Community. We aim to engage students, parents, and teachers to foster the community spirit that makes OLM so special. HSA organizes events, fundraisers, and resources throughout the year. This includes Catholic School Week events, Biennial Adult Social, Trunk or Treat, Father/Daughter Dance, Tennis Club, Ski Club, Middle School Hayride, student assemblies, appreciation events, a variety of fundraisers, sponsoring the 7th Grade Nancy Reilly Memorial Scholarship, 8th Grade Scholarships, and much more.

  HSA is more than just a parent-teacher organization. It is an essential component of the success of our school, proving every day that we are a community, and we need you! We need parent engagement to continue our work. No matter what your family schedule is, whether you have younger or older children, or work in the home or outside, there are things you can do to participate in the school community.

  We have several board positions open and need your time and talent.If you have any interest in joining the HSA board next year, please feel free to complete the form linked below. It is a questionnaire so we may get to know what you are interested in. We meet every month either in the morning (8:15am) or in the afternoon (1:00pm). If you are interested please email HSA@olmrcs.com.

  
  We welcome you to check out our website, www.olmhsa.wixsite.com/2021, or follow and interact with us on social media, FB @olmhsa or Instagram @olmhsa.

Welcome back to OLM!!

At OLM the students are our top priority and we are excited to serve your child through our Lunch program. In this letter you will find some important information about the program, what it is included in every meal and payment options.

OLM Lunch Program and Meal Plan:

Full lunch: $5.00 and includes:

- Main Entree (two different options every day)

- Side Dish

- 2 fruits AND 2 veggies

- 1 drink (milk, small water bottle or 100% juice)

Menus are posted in the school website under the "Lunch Program" tab and are included in the school's communication that is sent home at the beginning of each month. In addition to the two main dishes daily options, we offer seven alternate lunch choices on a daily basis. Snacks, bottled drinks and A la Carte items are not included in the meal plan, but they are available to be purchased every day and can be bought with or without buying the meal.

As in past years, we will continue to offer Fireside (boneless wings) and Chick Fil A once a month. A Google form will be posted in the school communication so you can register for these lunches. Although payment is not necessary at the time of ordering, we kindly ask that you make sure that your account has enough balance to cover such lunches, otherwise your orders won't be processed.

This year we are merging the lunch program with our FACTS system. As in the past EVERY STUDENT is provided with a NEW PIN number. This PIN number can be found in your FACTS Family Page: All you have to do is select your child from the middle drop down menu and find his/her 5 digit number -on the left hand of the screen- labeled ID Number, system. We kindly ask that you help your child memorize his/her number as this will help us speed up the check out process.

Lunch FAMILY accounts can be funded through your financial link in the FACTS family portal, or sending in to school cash or check (made out to OLM) in a marked envelope with your family name.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at esolanodeguerra@olmrcs.com

Looking forward to serving your kid!!

Mrs. Eugenia Solano-DeGuerra

OLM Cafe Food Service Director/CARES Director

September Lunch Volunteers

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0445AAAA29A4FF2-51019032-september

Car Line Procedures

To keep our students safe and the car line moving in the afternoon, please:

• Do not get out of your cars. A faculty member will help your child get into the car.
• DO NOT PASS cars in front of you as there may be children getting into their cars on the driver's side. Please be patient and stay in line as you exit the school property, following the car in front of you.
• Do not stop in front of your child. Pull up as far as you can (up to the gym doors) to allow the most cars to load at one time. Please pull right up to the car in front of you.
• Do not speed. The speed limit is 10 MPH while driving on any part of the school property. Please be mindful of your speed.
• Do not use your cell phone while driving in the parking lot.
• WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE PUT A SIGN IN YOUR PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW IDENTIFYING YOUR LAST NAME. This will help us find your child(ren) faster.
• If you need to buckle your child into their car seat, please do so in the circle near the exit of the property.

ALL uniform rules will be enforced. Please review the general uniform rules that are listed below and are in the student handbook.

● Girls’ kilts must be no shorter than two inches above the knee. After a second warning, they must wear navy blue tights or school-issued pants until the skirt/kilt is at the appropriate length.

● All students must wear OLM uniform pieces with logos. They must be purchased from one of our two approved vendors: Flynn & O’Hara or Lands’ End.

● All formal and gym uniforms must be purchased from one of our two approved vendors: Flynn & O’Hara or Lands’ End.

● NO LOGOS, Nike Elite sports socks, or the like are permitted with the school uniform except on gym days.

● Sneakers must be worn on gym days, even on a dress-down day.

● Girls may wear post-earrings or small hoops.

● Belts must be worn with pants or shorts by both boys and girls.

● Only the neckline of a plain white undershirt may be visible under the shirt.

9/8

Peter Ellis

Charlie Vanella

9/9

Father McGuinn

Blake Hamersky

Amira Keatings

Ryan Davis

9/10

Ryder Filewicz

9/11

Walker Insogna

9/12

Cheyenne Jordan

Francis Donato

Cael Thompson

9/13

Ellie Wilson

9/14

Emily Diraimondi

Tuesday 9/10

Patrick Romano

John Romano

Wednesday 9/11

James McGeehan

Andrew McGeehan

Thursday 9/12

Simon Schmalbach

Michael McGettigan

Friday

Annaliese Amoroso

Georgette Cook

2024 OLM Golf Classic

Spots are filling up quickly. Get your group together now and sign up today.

Are you ready to Tee it Up for the Kids?

The OLM Golf Classic is a great way to kick off the year.

Sign up as a foursome or as a single. Not a golfer, consider a sponsorship or join

us for the cocktail reception.

DATE: Monday, September 30, 2024

PLACE: Blue Bell Country Club

Time: 11 am Registration Opens

12:30 Shot Gun Start

Register Today at tinyurl.com/olmgolf2024

See the attached golf brochure for sponsorship and golf information.

For more information, contact Julie Bebey at jbebey@olmrcs.com

Attention: Financial Planners, Business Owners, and any person who pays PA Taxes:

As a PA income taxpayer, you can redirect your state tax dollars to support local schools through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program. This initiative allows you to contribute to scholarships for students in need, helping to enhance educational opportunities and foster future success.

Here’s how it works:

1. Apply for the EITC Program: It’s a straightforward process, the foundation can assist you with the application.
2. Designate Your Contribution: You can choose the schools or scholarship programs you’d like to support.
3. Redirect Your Tax Dollars: Instead of paying the full amount in taxes, you allocate those funds to educational scholarships.

Participating in the EITC program not only supports educational excellence but also offers potential tax benefits for your business. Your contribution directly supports students and helps to strengthen our community.

The Foundation for Catholic Education is hosting an Information Reception to explain how it works. Please consider attending and bringing anyone who is interested in learning more about this important program.

• Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
• Time: 5:30-8:00 pm
• Place: The Union League Golf Club at Torresdale, 3801 Grant Ave., Philadelphia

If you’re interested in learning more or ready to take part in this impactful program, please reach out to Mrs. Julie Bebey at jbebey@olmrcs.com. She would be more than happy to answer your questions.

Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a positive difference. Together, we can help pave the way for building a foundation for future Catholic leaders.