PRINCIPAL’S
NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER
3, 2008
Dear Families of
Academy
of
Our Lady
,
OPEN
HOUSE for KINDERGARTEN and PRE-KINDERGARTEN 2008-09 will be Thursday, Dec.4 from
9 to 10:30AM and 7 to 8 PM. Re-registration forms for 2009-2010 Kindergarten and
Pre-K are due Dec. 4 and are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. Please
share these dates with other Preschool and Kindergarten age neighbors and
friends. Thank you for spreading the “Good News” about
Academy
of
Our Lady
!
CONGRATULATIONS! OUR STUDENTS READ AND READ AND READ! The
Accelerated Reader goal of 5,000 points for the first trimester was met and
exceded by almost one thousand points. Mrs. Rogan gave more lights glitter on
the hallway tree and announced the students earned 5,948 points! The students
reward will be no school on Monday, Dec. 22. Keep reading and enjoy the
adventure!
Thank
you for your outstanding support for the bountiful dinners collected. The
van from the Center for Food Action quickly filled up! A check for $187 was also
sent. God bless you for your generosity!
December’s
theme is to “Clothe the naked”. We
can fulfill this through the Girl Scout collection: new pajamas, slippers for
women and men (large sizes) and for children and babies (small sizes), new
blankets, pillows and moshi pillows. These items will be donated to Eva’s
Village. Troop 278 is sponsoring “Bear Hugs for the Holidays” collecting new
Teddy Bears. These cute cuddly items will be donated to patients in
Valley
Hospital
for the holidays. All these items can be dropped off in the main school lobby.
We also have a Christmas Giving Tree with tags for children who attend Abraham
House in the
South Bronx
. Sr. Simone appreciated our gifts last year. All you have to do is select an
angel and take the photocopied request, leaving the angel on the tree. All
presents should be unwrapped, labeled and place under the tree by Friday, Dec.
19.
Our
service learning activities take our students many places and develop many
skills. Grade 3 wrote letters to homebound parishioners. On Nov. 21 the 8th
grade Princess Club hosted “An Enchanted Evening of Talent and Treasures” to
benefit the Help Emily fund. The variety of acts and real talent was so
impressive! Grade 8 baked apple pies for the Thanksgiving dinner held annually
at Community church for the homeless. Grade 4 participated in the Big Sweep on
Monday, Nov. 24. Thanks you!
Congratulations
to Olivia who sent in the
correct entry in the
Man
Brett
School
and Library Free Book contest. A copy of Gingerbread
Friends was sent for the school library. Thank you Olivia!
We
will celebrate First Friday liturgy at
8:40 AM. Father Tom Wisniewski, pastor of St. Catharine will be
the celebrant and Class 6 M will assist. The Student Council will have the
annual tree lighting following the Mass. Students will be guided by their
homeroom teacher to make ornaments for our tree which will be inn the lobby.
Please join us for the Christmas Band concert, Thursday,
Dec.11 at 7:30 PM in Community Hall and for the Christmas Pageant, Dec. 17 at
7:30 PM in St. Catharine Church. All students in grades Kindergarten through
grade 5 are expected to participate. Students wear Christmas dress up clothes
and shoes. Homeroom teachers will provide any specific grade guidelines for
their class.
With
the list of the “to do” items growing, pause this Advent, reflect and do
less. We know the three R’s of recycling: reduce, reuse, recycle; maybe we can
have 3 R’s for Advent: reduce, relax, reflect. Simplify may seem impossible at
times, but how would Jesus want us to prepare for His birth? Recent events
should encourage us to do less. The Advent season is a holy time of prayer to
quiet ourselves in simple and holy waiting. Our students are encouraged each
morning to “make room for Jesus in your heart” and give Him some quiet time
to pray. Try to gather and pray as a family either at the Advent wreath or
nighttime prayers.
Live
simply – and have a wonderful Advent,
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