OLQA Family,

This week gave us an opportunity to celebrate some of the great things happening already this year. First off, shout out to Grade 4 for winning our first Class of the Month! Keep up the hard work and participation in class and we're excited to see who will be the October Class of the Month.

Also congrats to everyone who received a shout out at Morning Prayer today for perfect attendance in September. They have earned a dress down pass for next Friday. Keep up the strong attendance as this is an important habit for both high school and the rest of your life.

We also got to celebrate our first Adoration of the school year. Kids were focused and respectful, which was great to see. Adoration is a great way to build a personal relationship with God. Also friendly reminder to get your card signed for attending Church this week.

Finally, it was great to see Ms. Dobrina stop by today! She's still recovering from her procedure, but everything went smoothly and she's doing well. Make a get well card if you can and we can't wait to see her back in school when she's fully recovered!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mr. Sayer

Principal

Our Lady Queen of Angels School

Next Friday,10/11 will be an A-Day. Everyone will be in regular uniform, as there will be no PD.

The next Friday, Oct. 18th is a half day as well. After school is open to everyone with a daily cost of $20, if not already enrolled

As a way to celebrate students who have perfect attendance (0 absences and 0 tardies), we will be doing monthly shout outs at Morning Prayer and celebrations. For September, students with perfect attendance will get a dress down pass for Friday 10/11. Students will receive their pass to bring in on Thursday.

In observance of Indigenous Peoples' Day, there will be no school on 10/14. Enjoy the day, and take a moment to honor and celebrate the rich cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples.

School resumes 10/15.

Come together in faith and community as we celebrate Mass on Tuesday 10/15 at 8:30 in the OLQA Church. Let's gather to reflect, pray, and renew our spirits. All are welcome!

Mark your calendars! Progress report conferences will be held on October 18th from 1:00 to 4:00. This will allow students to learn how to improve before their first report card. Please keep an eye out for them and review your child's progress. Don't forget to sign up for the parent teachers conferences, the forms will be sent out by the teacher . Thank you for your support!

We’re excited to announce our Fall Fun Day on Friday 10/25 from 12:00 to 2:30. We need your help to make it amazing! If you'd like to volunteer or donate something, please fill out the form and join us for a day full of festive activities. Your time and support make all the difference!

We are continuing two enrichment programs from Last Year, the Aequora Latin Program and GLAM (Girls Learn Advanced Math). Both programs will be held after school on Thursdays and sign up sheets are below.

Aequora Latin Overview:

The Aequora program is based on a custom 4th-8th grade curriculum focusing on literacy education via Latin. The curriculum is taught by volunteers during after-school hours. Through Aequora, young students can develop their English Language Arts skills and acquire strategies for vocabulary, reading comprehension, and spelling, all the while playing games and having fun with peers. About 60% of English vocabulary comes from Latin, and research shows that students who are exposed to Latin score higher on standardized tests and have improved literacy outcomes.

GLAM Overview:

At GLAM, we believe that girls should feel confident to pursue math and other STEM subjects. GLAM is an after school program to teach young girls challenging, fun, exciting math in a fun and comfortable setting that goes beyond what is taught in a typical math classroom. To solidify skills and gain even more confidence in their math abilities, the girls will meet once a week with our amazing female volunteers. GLAM is taught by female high school and college students to ensure an environment where the girls are being taught by another peer who acts more as a role model, rather than a school teacher. Sessions meet once a week at your child’s middle school.

Be aware there will be Archdiocesan Beginning of Year Religion Testing starting this week and ending 10/11. This is a baseline exam to understand student knowledge of religion to inform what they learn this year.

You can still order your pictures online! Use code OLQAFall24 , click on the picture to take you directly to the site.

We want to encourage students to regularly attend Mass. As a way to encourage this, we will have a pizza party for students who attend Mass 10 times outside of school between now and December. They can track their Mass attendance using the tracker below.

Also, we encourage students to attend our local Parish, St. Cecilia's (106th Street between Park and Lex). On Sundays, they have Mass at:

• 9:00 (English)
• 11:00 (Spanish)
• 12:30 (Spanish)

Help your children grow in their faith by taking them to Mass!

Please remember to bring in your Medical Forms. New York State requires all immunizations to be up to date and your child can be excluded from school if they are not completed.

Early Drop off will begin this Monday 9/16. Make sure to register for the program using the link later in the newsletter. Early Drop off will go from 7:15 to 7:45, Monday through Friday.

Verification letters for students will be done on Wednesdays ONLY. Please note that creating verification letters takes time. Kindly allow sufficient processing time for your requests. Thank you for your understanding and patience!

Metro cards were given to students. If you have not received a metro card please reach out to Ms. Jenniffer. jengarcia@olqaeastharlem.org. There will only be one replacement if the child loses it.

We will be implementing Early Drop Off again this year. Early Drop off will now start at 7:15 and go to 7:45. Students will go down to the cafeteria and can have breakfast. The cost is as follows:

• First Child: $50 a month
• Additional children: $25 a month per child

Any questions, email Ms. Dobrina at dcarrara@olqaeastharlem.org

We hope this newsletter finds you well and that your child is enjoying their summer. We are excited to share some updates and reminders with you as we continue to provide a nurturing and engaging environment for your children.

Program Highlights:

Fun and educational activities:

• Our dedicated staff has been working hard to plan a variety of activities that combine learning and fun. From arts and crafts to sports activities. We aim to keep your child engaged and entertained in a safe and inclusive environment.

Parent-Staff Communication:

• Open door policy: we value your input and encourage you to reach out to us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We are available to discuss your child's progress, any specific needs, or to address any other matters you may have. To foster a strong partnership between parents and our program we will be posting on the OLQA newsletter where we will be sharing updates about the program.
• Update contact information: Please inform us immediately if there are any changes to your contact information. It is crucial that we have the most updated information to reach you in case of an emergency.

Important Dates and Reminders:

• We are excited to open registration back up for OLQA after-school program. To ensure your child’s spot by completing the enrollment form.

We appreciate your ongoing support and trust in our after-school program. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us. Together, we can create an enriching and enjoyable experience for your child.

This week, we will have 2 high schools visiting OLQA. These will be opportunities to meet Deans of Admission and learn more about the school. The visitors are:

• Monday 10/7: Cristo Rey New York High School
• Wednesday 10/9: All Hallows High School

Let us know any further questions or ways we can assist!

We will host TACHS Prep after school starting on Monday. Details of the program follow below:

• Days of the Week: Monday & Wednesday
• Start Date: 9/23/24
• End Date: 11/6/24
• Cost: $50 total
• Times: 4:15 to 5:15

Sign up using the Google Form linked below:

Registration is open and deadline is October 16th at 11:59 PM. You CANNOT MISS THE DEADLINE. There is a $71 registration fee.

Please email Mr. Sayer at james.sayer@olqaeastharlem.org to confirm you've registered for the exam.

Friendly reminder to ensure that you 1) enter from the 2nd Avenue door at dismissal and 2) leave from the 3rd Avenue door. This helps ensure a smooth traffic flow in and out of the gym.

Reminder that beginning of year forms can now be accessed on SchoolAdmin. They need to be completed by 9/8, so please ensure they are signed as soon as possible. The forms to complete are:

We are no longer accepting cash deposits. Please bring in a check or a money order. If you bring cash you will be turned away. Thank you families for understanding.

We suggest you pay online using FACTS. FACTS can also take payments in debit or credit card for your convenience.

Have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!

• Mr. Sayer, Principal = Email: james.sayer@olqaeastharlem.org; C: 929-390-1687
• Ms. Dobrina, Operations Leader = Email: dcarrara@olqaeastharlem.org
• Ms. Nieves, Academic Dean = Email: mnieves@olqaeastharlem.org
• Ms. Jenniffer, Operations = Email: jengarcia@olqaeastharlem.org