Sunday, October 30, 2016

Announcements Week of October 31, 2016

Early Dismissal Day 12:00 noon
 Friday November 4, 2016 
Faculty Meeting 
PreK For All Program Dismissal at 3:00 PM 



The annual Halloween parade will take place on
 Monday October 31st at 9:00 AM.
Parents are welcome to join the festivities.
Please check with your child's teacher regarding the classroom party for the day.
There will be a costume contest in the lunchroom at 1:30 PM. Parents are invited.
One student will be picked from each class as the winner.


Morning and Afternoon Prayers
Parents are welcome to join us for morning and afternoon prayers.
Morning Prayers begin at 7:55 AM in church 
and 
afternoon or evening prayers begin at 2:55 PM in the afternoon.
Instead of standing in the doorway of the Church getting cold parents should join us in Church. 
If you want to be a regular participant we will get you a prayer book to join us. 
Come up front and sit behind Mr. Woods

A reminder that parents should speak to Mr. Guzman regarding tuition billing etc.  Mr. Guzman  will then contact Smart Tuition and the Manhattan Regional Office for the parent.  
No longer does Mr. Woods have the capacity to eliminate late fees etc. The Manhattan Regional office will decide all those decisions after speaking to the parent.
Also a reminder that candy bar money should be paid to Smart Tuition.
Any issues regarding late fees, scholarships etc. will be resolved only through the Manhattan Regional Office.

Finally, a reminder that report cards will not be distributed to students where there is an outstanding balance. Report cards will be distributed November 20th. Please check the status of your account beforehand.  


Dedication of Anthony A. Urena Class of 2006
Kindergarten Classroom

The K-2 Classroom will be dedicated in memory of Anthony Urena on
 All Souls Day Wednesday November 2, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Fr. Antonio will bless a plaque in his memory.
Anthony attended school here from 3rd grade to 8th grade and then worked here at  OLQM while he was in High School and College.


Monday October 31, 2016 - Halloween 

Tuesday November 1, 2016 - Feast of All Saints 
Calendars for November will be distributed to students today.

Mass at 9:00 AM led by the students of the 5th grade.
Parents Welcome 
Native American Heritage Month Begins 

Wednesday November 2, 2016- Feast of All Souls 

K-2 Classroom Dedication in memory of Anthony Urena Class of 2006

Thursday November 3, 2016 - Feast of St. Martin de Torres

Friday November 4, 2016 - Early Dismissal Day 12:00 NOON

After School Program will be in session 
PreK For All Dismissal at 3:00 PM 
TACHS Exams for 8th grade students 



Sunday November 6. 2016- Daylight Savings Time Ends - Turn clocks back one hour.
Mass for students in sacramental program - 1:00 PM 










Sunday, October 23, 2016

Week of October 24, 2016 Announcements


Morning and Afternoon Prayers
Parents are welcome to join us for morning and afternoon prayers.
Morning Prayers begin at 7:55 AM in church 
and 
afternoon or evening prayers begin at 2:55 PM in the afternoon.
Instead of standing in the doorway of the Church getting cold parents should join us in Church. 
If you want to be a regular participant we will get you a prayer book to join us. 
Come up front and sit behind Mr. Woods.

Last Week for Candy Bars
A reminder to parents that the last day to pickup candy bars will be Sunday October 30th.
There are only 50 boxes left in Mrs. Resto's office - please do not wait until the last moment and then complain!

Interim Testing Grades K-8
begins 
Wednesday October 26th
The interim testing program will begin this coming Wednesday. Students will be administered the test online using Chromebooks and the results this year should be available for parents beginning next week.  The interim testing assists teachers and parents in understanding their child's academic strengths and weaknesses. This will enable both teacher and parent to assist the child in achieving success on The NYS tests in the Spring.
More information will be posted in the next couple of weeks.

New Report Card - November 20th
The new report card will be posted next week on the school web page of www.olqmnyc.org.  The template report card will show that:
1. Your child will receive a numerical mark for the subject.
2. NYS Standards will then be scored using a rubric score of 1-4 under the numerical mark beginning in January.
3. There will be ONE ELA (Reading and English Language Arts) mark on the report card. So for those students in grades 2-8:
Ms. Saville and Mrs. Bagley will be imputing marks for gardes 2-4
Mrs. Larios and Ms. Serewko will be imputing marks for                    grades 5-8. When viewing the Educate grade book look next to the assignment and see if it is marked R (Reading) or E (ELA).
4. Mr. Guzman is telling me that parents are trying to google Cornerstone or Educate and are opening the wrong website.
Please go to thee school website of  www.olqmnyc.org and click the Academics tab and there will be the link for the grade book.
Again, if you have any questions please see Mr. Guzman in the office area.

A reminder that parents should speak to Mr. Guzman regarding tuition billing etc.  Mr. Guzman  will then contact Smart Tuition and the Manhattan Regional Office for the parent.  
No longer does Mr. Woods have the capacity to eliminate late fees etc. The Manhattan Regional office will decide all those decisions after speaking to the parent.
Also a reminder that candy bar money should be paid to Smart Tuition.
Any issues regarding late fees, scholarships etc. will be resolved only through the Manhattan Regional Office.

Finally, a reminder that report cards will not be distributed to students where there is an outstanding balance. Report cards will be distributed November 20th. Please check the status of your account beforehand.  


The annual Halloween parade will take place on
 Monday October 31st at 9:00 AM.
Parents are welcome to join the festivities.
Please check with your child's teacher regarding the classroom party for the day.

Monday October 24, 2016
Candy Bars are available in the supply room, the school office and during the after school program.

Tuesday October 25, 2016
Classroom Inc Coach will be working with students and teachers in grades 4-8

Wednesday October 26, 2016
MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Interim tests will begin to be administered to students.

Thursday October 27, 2016
Annual Asbestos Inspection of school basement.
MAP Testing continues

Friday October 28, 2016 Feast of Sts. Simon & Jude
CLASS PICTURE DAY - students should be in full dress uniform for class picture.

Blended Learning Coach will be working with students and teachers in grades 3, 4 and 5.

Sunday October 30, 2016
9:00 AM - Living Environment Class
12:00 noon - Reconciliation class
1:00 PM - Mass for all students in sacramental program







Sunday, October 16, 2016

Week of October 17, 2016 Announcements


Health Department Inspection - Article 43 for PreK and Kindergarten Students
The NYC Department of Health was here on Thursday regarding the annual inspection.
The department found that many students in PreK and Kindergarten did not have an updated medical form for this year. All PreK and Kindergarten students are required to have an updated medical by the end of September each year.
Alba will be sending home letters and calling you. They are due by November 18th - otherwise on their review your child will be required to stay home until the medical form is in place. 
If you have questions please call Alba or see Mr. Woods.

Breakfast and Lunch Program 
On Friday morning a steam pipe broke in the kitchen of the school which has required us to make alternate plans for food services for this week.
For this week cereal will be available for breakfast and children will be served sandwiches for lunch. 
The schedule that has been posted therefore will not be followed and no hot breakfast or lunch will be served this week.

             Safe Environment Curriculum
Dear Parents,

Our Catholic tradition has always affirmed the dignity of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God. Every person with whom we come
in contact deserves to be seen by us with the eyes of God. We know that ministry with children and youth, in particular, is a sacred trust. 

We, at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs School are committed to preserve, at all times and in all places, this sacred trust which is rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ.
In 2002, the United States Bishops approved The Charter for the Protection of Children and  Young People in an effort to protect children
and youth from sexual abuse at ;all levels of church life and to restore trust in a Church scarred by the scandal of clergy and sexual abuse. 
Article 12 of the charter directs all dioceses to create programs and processes to teach children and youth about sexual abuse and prevention. 

In the Archdiocese of New York, this training will be integrated this week.
October 17th- October 21st  during the religion classes in our school.

We thank you for your support and interest as we partner to give our children the safest possible environment to grow in faith, in our parish, school and in our homes.

Progress Reports & New Report Card
Progress reports were sent home with students in grades 1-8 on Friday. They should be signed and returned to the homeroom teacher. Only the academic grades were present on this Progress Report. 
As mentioned last week on the blog the report card format has changed this year.
A letter from Dr. McNiff the Superintendent of Schools explains the new report card:

Dear  Parents/Guardians:

As we begin this new school year, our schools will present to you a new standards-based report card. This letter is in recognition of your crucial role as your child's primary educator; knowing we serve as partners with you  in your child's education  and  pursuit  of academic  and spiritual  excellence. To achieve this, we are committed to communicating with you in a specific, clear, and timely manner about your child's progress.

Current educational research continues to demonstrate the power of feedback in improving student learning. Specific feedback on what children know and are able to do is one of the most powerful tools available to us as educators (Hattie, 2012; Coe, 2014). This new report card allows us to communicate with you more clearly about what standards your child has mastered and the areas in which they need more practice and support. The standards focus on academic achievement in each subject area. Non­ academic skills, such as conduct and effort, are reported separately so as to separate academic content knowledge from work habits and behavior. The new report card is now more closely aligned with our curriculum.

Just as important, as Catholic educators, our ultimate goal is to form students in the image of Jesus Christ. In pursuit of that goal, we provide  students with opportunities  to develop a deep sense of knowledgetruth, and beauty through a rich path of subjects. This richness of subject matter and student learning and development is far too complex to be reduced to a single percentage score. This new report card reveals that complexity in a more detailed manner to continuously support student growth .

We recognize this standards-based report card is a shift in how we previously communicated academic progress. In light of this, we want to provide as much communication and support as possible as you learn to use this new tool. When you receive your child's first quarter report card, the standards will  appear
under each subject area, but they will be blank. This will give you an opportunity to read and  understand  the standards and  to have  conversations  with your child  and your  child's teacher  about what  they mean.
Beginning in  quarter  two, your child  wilreceive  progress codes  in  the  standards taught  during that quarter.
More information will be shared with you by your child's principal and teacher. Please visit our website (buildboldfutures.org) under the resources for parents tab to find additional resources to understand the report card and standards. 
Thank you  for all that you do to support your children and our Catholic   schools!


Monday October 17th 
Safe Environment Curriculum will be covered this week.
PreK For All Coach will be in classrooms working with teachers.

Tuesday October 18th - Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist
Reminder candy bars will only be available until October 30th. 

Wednesday October 19th
PreK For All Teacher's Workshop in Library -                                   PreK For All will be in session.

Thursday October 20th - Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
Blended Learning coach will be working with teachers and students of the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.
Green Horizon Trip for Greenhouse students.

Friday October 21st - Dismissal at 12:00 noon 
PreK for All Program - dismissal at 3:00 PM
After School Program will be in session 
Faculty Meeting

Sunday October 23rd
9:00 AM - Living Environment Class 
1:00 PM - Mass for all students in sacramental program  

Monday, October 10, 2016

Week of October 10, 2016 Announcements


Hispanic Heritage Month Presentations

Tuesday - October 11th
9:00 AM Grades 3, 5 and 7 will have presentations in classrooms.
Grade 3- Ms. Bagley's Class
Grade 5 - Mrs. Ramsey's Class
Grade 7 - Mrs. Larios' Class
Parents are welcome to attend.

10:00 AM - Grades 4, 6 & 8 presentations in classrooms.
Grade 4 - Mrs. Bagley's Class
Grade 6 - Mrs. Ramsey's Class
Grade 8 - Mrs. Larios' Class
Parent's Welcome to attend.

Wednesday - October 12th 
9:00 AM 
All PreK and Kindergarten Classes will have a presentation in the school auditorium.
Parents are welcome to attend.


Progress Reports Distributed - Friday October 14th 
Fr. Antonio will distribute Progress Reports to students in 
Grades 1-8 on Friday.
These reports will indicate your child's progress to date.
On the Progress Report Effort and Conduct will not be displayed only academic subjects.
Report Cards will be distributed on November 20th.
The report card will have a new look which Mr. Woods will start to explain on next week's blog.  It will be a standards based report card as designed by the Education Department of the Archdiocese. Please read this blog carefully the next few weeks so that you are not confused about how it will look.
In early November Mr. Woods will print out blank report cards and send them home so that parents may view the new template.
The best way for you to keep up with your child's progress is by examining their marks on Educate (the old Cornerstone) Students Information System weekly.
Logins and Passwords are available by seeing Mr. Guzman who is in the office from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM or emailing Mr. Woods at olqm1@aol.com


Candy Bars 
Candy Bars are available in the tuition office to assist parents in their fund raising requirement.
Parents are requested to send the money for the candy bars to Smart Tuition. 
Candy Bars may be picked up in the morning, after school and on Sundays from                     9:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
Candy Bars will only be available until October 30th



Tuesday October 11th -
Hispanic Heritage Month Presentation Grades 3-8 - please see above.

Wednesday October 12th - Columbus Day
Hispanic Heritage Month Presentations Grades PreK & K
Map A Month Due

Thursday October 13th 
Fire Prevention Week Presentation - Fireman Bill 
8:30 AM - Grades 5-8
9:00 AM - Grades 2-4
9:30 AM - Grades K & 1
10:00 AM - All PreK Classes

Friday October 14th 
Distribution of Progress Reports by Fr. Antonio

Sunday - October 16th 
Living Environment Class 9:00 AM
Mass for All Students in Sacramental Program 1:00 PM
Mr. Woods will be available in office from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM - no appointment need.





Sunday, October 2, 2016

Week of October 3, 2016 Announcements



Feast of St. Francis of Assisi - Tuesday October 4, 2016

The annual Mass in honor of St. Francis will be celebrated on Tuesday at 9:00 AM.
At this Mass in honor of St. Francis animals will be blessed. Students may bring their animals from home to be blessed.
If dogs or cats are brought to the Mass they must be picked up by a parent/adult after Mass.
Parents are welcome to attend this Mass in honor of one of the great saints of the Church.
Students of the third grade will be leading the ceremony.



Picture Day - Monday October 3rd 
A reminder that Picture Day is Monday.  Parents should bring the picture money envelope to Mrs., Resto in the tuition office EARLY in the morning..
Students may wear dress up clothes or their school uniform. No jeans, no teddy bears, no bouffant hair styles!


Data Day - Friday October 7th
School will be closed on Data Day 
The PreK For All Program will be in session.
Ms. Gonzalez, Ms. McGarry and Ms. Serbobones' class 
will be in session 


Cornerstone now called Educate 
Educate is the Student Information System wherein student grades are entered by teachers. Parent access enables parents to see weekly progress on exit tickets, tests, homework, classwork etc.
The grade book and therefore the report card this year will be very different from prior years. The report card will reflect the numerical grade along with a list of standards that were worked on by the teacher during that quarter.
The overall grade will be number and the standards will be using a rubric score of 1-4.  For the first quarter the standard rubric score will reflect the exit ticket used by teachers at the end of a class.
Parent access to Educate will be available this week from Roberto in the office. Parents may call him at 212-567-3190 or see him in the office until 5:00 PM. Parents may also send an email to Mr. Woods at olqm1@aol.com and it will be forwarded to Roberto.

Monday October 3rd- SCHOOL IS OPEN
Picture Day - please see the announcement above.
October calendar will be sent home with your child.

Tuesday - October 4, 2016 - Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Mass at 9:00 AM led by the students of the third grade.
Blessing of Animals will take place at this Mass.

Wednesday October 5, 2016
PreK For All ---ESI-R testing will begin.

Thursday October 6, 2016
Reminder that candy bars are available in the office, in the supply room and in the after school program.  The last day for chocolate pick up is October 30th.

Friday - DATA Day - School Closed
PreK For All Program in session.