Sunday, February 24, 2019

Week of February 25, 2019 Announcements

12:00 Noon 
Monday----February 25th 
Friday----March 1st 
All Students 
After School Program in Session 

Dr. Seuss Dress Up Day
Friday March 1, 2019
Costume Contest 
9:00 AM - All PreK & Kindergarten Classes
10:00 AM - Grades 1-8
Parents Welcome

Black History Month 2019: Black Migrations

Student Presentations 
Wednesday February 27th 
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM 
Parents Welcome

Students in PreK, Kindergarten & First Grade
Mrs. Fundora will be coordinating the Summer Program for students in PreK, Kindergarten and 
first grades this year again.
Information flyers were sent home this week.
If you have questions please feel free to speak to 
Mrs. Fundora in PreK -1.
Enrollment is limited to 25 students so please register early.



2019-2020 Enrollment Calendar 

February 6, 2019 - TADS re-registration begins for students entering grades K-8  in September.  
Also students entering Mrs. Rodriguez's room in September (this is new) will be invited to re-register. 
There will be no need to register as a new student as previosuly mentioned.
Re-Registration Fee - $150.00
Financial Aid applications open


March 15, 2019
Financial Assistance Award Notifications emailied to families

April 15, 2019
Re-Registation Fee incentive ends.
Re-Registration - $250.00
Last date for Financial Assistance applications

Tuition for the 2019-2020 school year was posted on January 23rd. Please scroll down on the blog to see tuition rates.

Alba and Mr. Guzman will assist parents with their questions.
Alba is available to assist parent with the financial aid applications.


Follow us on social media!

Facebook: @olqmnyc

Twitter: @olqmnyc

Instagram: @olqmnyc 


APPLY TO PRE-K FOR ALL 

THE PRE-K APPLICATION FOR CHILDREN               BORN IN 2015 OPENED ON             FEBRUARY 4, 2019  

and the deadline to apply is March 15, 2019.
if you have questions please see Mr. Guzman about the
 PreK For All Program 
 Thursday February 28, 2019 

Progress Reports will be sent home at dismissal for students in grades 1-8.
The Progress Report is a reflection of your child's progress during the Third Quarter which began January 26th.

The Third Quarter ends March 29th and Report Cards will be distributed April 12th 


Insights on Teenage Behavior

            In this Edutopia article, Stephen Merrill says that recent research has given us important new information on the adolescent brain.
            • The limbic system (the seat of primal instincts like fear, hunger, lust, and pleasure) is hyperactive during adolescence, while the prefrontal cortex (the seat of self-control, planning, and self-awareness) is still developing. “It’s not youthful irrationality or a flair for the dramatic at work,” says Merrill; “teenagers actually experience things like music, drugs, and the thrill of speed more powerfully than adults do.”
            • The brain’s neuroplasticity at this stage of life makes kids sponges for learning. “The same emerging circuitry that makes teenagers vulnerable to risky behavior and mood swings also confers significant advantages on adolescent learners,” says Merrill.
            • Being with peers increases risk-taking, most dangerously with automobiles and alcohol consumption. “It’s never been a question of feeling invulnerable,” says Merrill; “for teenagers, there’s just something about the presence of peers that is transfiguring. They understand the risks, and take them anyway.”
            • Kids at this age respond well to direct explanations. “Talking to teenagers frankly about their brain development can provide useful context for their emotional worlds,” says Merrill, “and reset their expectations about their potential for continued intellectual growth.” This includes explaining the limbic system, the malleability of their brains, and the peer effect.
            • Similarly, teens are receptive to learning about self-regulation, managing stress, and considering the feelings of others. Instruction in these areas is more effective than trying to scare kids about risky behaviors.
            • Peer culture and teens’ keen sense of fairness and justice can be powerful levers. Preaching about smoking’s health consequences is usually ineffective, but talking about bad breath, peer disapproval, impact on younger children, and the way the tobacco industry hooks and exploits people can change teens’ attitudes and behavior.

“Decoding the Teenage Brain (in 3 Charts)” by Stephen Merrill in Edutopia, January 31, 2019,



Monday February 25, 2019
Early Dismissal 12:00 noon 
After School Program in session 

Tuesday February 26, 2019 
Have you checked if you re-registered your child for September 2018?
LE Regents Lab 3:45-6:00 PM 

Wednesday February 27, 2019 
African American History Month Presentataions 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM 
Parents Welcome 

Thursday February 28, 2019
Mr. Tweed, the regional superintendent, will be visiting classrooms today.
Progress Reports sent home at dismissal 
3:15 PM - Reconciliation Class

Friday March 1, 2019 
Early Dismissal 12:00 noon 
After School Program in session 
Celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday 
Costume Contest
9:00 AM - All PreK and Kindergarten classes
10:00 AM - Grades 1-8
Parents welcome 

Sunday March 3, 2019
Students in sacramental class attend  1:00 PM Mass 
















Monday, February 18, 2019

Week of February 18, 2019

Thursday February 21, 2019 
hosted by students of Grades 7 & 8 

Students in PreK, Kindergarten & First Grade
Mrs. Fundora will be coordinating the Summer Program for students in PreK, Kindergarten and 
first grades this year again.
Information flyers will be sent home this week.
If you have questions please feel free to speak to 
Mrs. Fundora in PreK -1.
Enrollment is limited to 25 students so please register early.


Monday February 25, 2019
12:00 noon 
All Students 
PreK For All along with students in 
Pre-1, PreK -2 and K-8
Faculty Meeting 
After School Program will be in session 



2019-2020 Enrollment Calendar 

February 6, 2019 - TADS re-registration begins for students entering grades K-8  in September.  
Also students entering Mrs. Rodriguez's room in September (this is new) will be invited to re-register. 
There will be no need to register as a new student as previosuly mentioned.
Re-Registration Fee - $150.00
Financial Aid applications open

February 15, 2019
Deadline for Financial Assistance Application 

March 15, 2019
Financial Assistance Award Notifications emailied to families

April 15, 2019
Re-Registation Fee incentive ends.
Re-Registration - $250.00
Last date for Financial Assistance applications

Tuition for the 2019-2020 school year was posted on January 23rd. Please scroll down on the blog to see tuition rates.

Alba and Mr. Guzman will assist parents with their questions.
Alba is available to assist parent with the financial aid applications.




Follow us on social media!

Facebook: @olqmnyc

Twitter: @olqmnyc

Instagram: @olqmnyc 



APPLY TO PRE-K FOR ALL 

The pre-K application for children               born in 2015 opened on             February 4, 2019  

and the deadline to apply is March 15, 2019.
if you have questions please see Mr. Guzman about the
 PreK For All Program 


Dear Catholic School Families,

As you know, students in grades three through eight participate in New York State assessments in the areas of English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics every year. These exams are developed in accordance with state learning standards and offer the opportunity for children to assess the skills and content they have acquired.

This spring, to begin the process of incrementally preparing schools for a statewide transition to computer-based testing in public and nonpublic schools, the Archdiocese of New York will administer the grade five ELA exam on the computer. While this only immediately pertains to fifth grade students/families, we are sharing this exciting news with all grade levels to outline the plan for such practices in future years.

Implementing computer-based testing (CBT) in fifth grade this year moves our students and staff toward a full transition in all grades expected to be mandated by the State Education Department (SED) in the next few years. We will build off this experience by adding an additional class in math next year, thus familiarizing our schools with the process to prepare for participation in all grades. The exam will feature the exact same content as the paper version and provide benefits such as the ability to strike out answers students know are incorrect, allowing them to focus on the remaining choices.

Students are being prepared for the shift to CBT in the following ways:

·         Schools will conduct practice exams in late February to measure student and school preparedness;

·         SED has released sample questions (https://ny.nextera.questarai.com/tds/#practice) to illustrate what the exam will look and feel like; and

·         Teachers are providing regular opportunities for students to work with digital tools and practice typing to enhance their ability to navigate the online testing environment.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child’s education. I look forward to our mutual preparation for this transition to ensure student success.

Sincerely,
Timothy J. McNiff
Superintendent of Schools
Archdiocese of New York 

Tuesday February 19, 2019
New Classroom schedules go into effect today. Please check the blog of your child's homeroom teacher.
LE Lab 3:45 PM - 6:00 PM 

Wednesday February 20, 2019 
Coach will be working with teachers and students today in grades 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 

Thursday February 21, 2019
Feast of St. Peter Damian 
100th Day of School celebration. 
Anti-bullying curriculum will be covered in Religion classes today.
Reconciliation Class 3:15 PM- 4:00 PM   

Friday February 22, 2019
Feast of the Chair of St. Peter 
George Washington's Birthday
School Mass at 9:00 AM led by the students of the first grade.  Parents Welcome.
Communion Class 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM 

Sunday February 24, 2019
Students in sacramental class attend Mass with 
Mr. Woods at 1:00 PM 

Monday February 25, 2019 
Early Dismissal Day 12:00 noon.
FOR ALL CLASSES.
After School Program in session. 



Sunday, February 10, 2019

Week of February 11, 2019 Announcements



                                Valentine's Day Music Presentations                                 Parents Welcome 

Tuesday Fenruary 12th 
PreK For All Classes 
9:00 AM 
Mrs. Gonzalez - PreK-3
Ms. McGarry - PreK -4
Mrs. Serbones - PreK-5

Wednesday February 13th 
Grades 1, 2 and 3 - 9:00 AM 
Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 - 10:00 AM 

Thursday February 14th 
PreK-1 - Mrs. Fundora
PreK -2 - Mrs. Rodriguez


Friday February 15, 2019 
Manhattan Region Teacher's Conference Day 

PreK For All Open 
No After School Program  




2019-2020 Enrollment Calendar 

February 6, 2019 - TADS re-registration begins for students entering grades K-8  in September.  
Also students entering Mrs. Rodriguez's room in September (this is new) will be invited to re-register. 
There will be no need to register as a new student as previosuly mentioned.
Re-Registration Fee - $150.00
Financial Aid applications open

February 15, 2019
Deadline for Financial Assistance Application 

March 15, 2019
Financial Assistance Award Notifications emailied to families

April 15, 2019
Re-Registation Fee incentive ends.
Re-Registration - $250.00
Last date for Financial Assistance applications

Tuition for the 2019-2020 school year was posted on January 23rd. Please scroll down on the blog to see tuition rates.

Alba and Mr. Guzman will assist parents with their questions.
Alba is available to assist parent with the financial aid applications.




Follow us on social media!

Facebook: @olqmnyc

Twitter: @olqmnyc

Instagram: @olqmnyc 


APPLY TO PRE-K FOR ALL 

STARTING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4!

The pre-K application for children born in 2015 opens on              February 4, 2019  
and the deadline to apply is March 15, 2019.
if you have questions please see Mr. Guzman about the
 PreK For All Program 


Monday February 11, 2019 Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Please check the Re-Registration calendar above - If you plan to apply for financial aid especially parents from Mrs. Rodriguez's class -- the deadline if FRIDAY February 15th.

Tuesday February 12, 2019

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin's Birthday - two men who changed history - born same day and same year!
Valentine's Day Music Presentation - 
PreK For All 9:00 AM
Mrs. Gonzalez's class PreK-3
Ms. McGarry's class PreK -4
Mrs. Serbones' class PreK -5
Parents invited.

Touring Tuesday

Wednesday February 13, 2019

ECKERS evaluation of the PreK For All Program.
Parents are asked to arrive on time for class as the evaluator would like to see the interaction between parents and teachers.

Valentine's Day Music Presentations
9:00 AM - Grades 1,2 and 3
10:00 AM - Grades 4, 5, 6 7 & 8 

Coach will be working with students and teachers today.

e-sports competition between OLQM and Corpus Christi School

Thursday February 14, 2019 - Valenine's Day
Red Day.  Students may wear Red shirt, skirt, pants and not wear their uniform

Valentine's Day Music Presentation 
PreK-1 Mrs. Fundora's Class
PreK -2 Mrs. Rodriguez's Class

Reconciliation Class 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

Friday February 15, 2019 - School Closed
Last day to apply for finanacial aid program - please see the calendar above.
PreKFor All Program OPEN
NO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Sunday February 17, 2019 - Holiday weekend
Studeents attend Mass with their parents

Monday - February 18, 2019  President's Day
School Closed

The Challenges Faced by Young Adolescent Girls


          “After years of social gains and with bright futures within reach, why are things still so difficult for middle-school girls?” asks editor Lory Hough in this article in Ed. Magazine. Despite significant progress in K-12 achievement, college and graduate school enrollment, and science, sports, and leadership, there’s a troubling rise in depression and anxiety and decline in confidence among girls, especially as they leave elementary school. Some of this was captured in the movie Eighth Grade, which follows 13-year-old Kayla through her last week in middle school.
Bo Burnham, the film’s director, says, “There’s been a lot of progress made, but the cultural pressures are still insane. And culture is what leads you at that age, I think.” As he prepared to make the film, Burnham viewed hundreds of teen vlogs and was struck that boys’ videos tended to be about video games while girls’ were about their souls. “I think our culture forces girls to ask deeper questions of themselves earlier than boys,” he says. With boys, it’s What do you like to do?, with girls, it’s Who are you?
This forces a transition from being confident, spunky, perhaps bossy at age 8, 9, and 10, to something less sure in the early teens. As Simone de Beauvoir wrote in 1949, “Girls who were the subjects of their own lives become the objects of others’ lives. Girls stop being and start seeming.” A recent study showed that 67 percent of boys and 60 percent of girls said they were happy with the way they were in elementary school, but that fell to 56 percent of boys and 37 percent of girls in middle school.
Interestingly, African-American and Latinx girls fared better in this study, with 59 and 54 percent, respectively, saying they were happy with their middle-school selves. Girls of color seem less prone to anxiety, self-doubt, depression, and self-harm, having built up a strong support group for one another.
Author Rachel Simmons believes white girls’ middle-school troubles may stem, paradoxically, from the progress that’s been made. “We hope for girls to be smart and brave and interested in STEM fields,” she says, “but we still expect them to be sexually attractive and have a witty and appealing online presence. No matter how many achievements they accrue, they feel that they are not enough as they are… Girls are still raised with a psychology that is trained to think about other people before themselves. This all is a real recipe for unhappiness.”
There’s another dimension to this uncertainty and self-doubt. An international study of 1,000 girls age 14-19 found that three-quarters said they felt judged as a sexual object or felt unsafe as a young woman. Half said they’d heard daily sexual comments and jokes from boys, and one-third said similar comments came from men in their families. These messages also bombard girls from the media. School counselor Joey Waddy says girls struggle “to match the person they felt they were or wanted to be with the examples of celebrities and social media
influencers.”
Starting in the early teens, says Lyn Mikel Brown (Colby College) “girls’ bodies
become associated with risk and constraint and warnings. Don’t walk home alone at night. Don’t be alone with boys or drink with boys; be sure you know what’s in that cup; be the sexual gatekeeper; don’t dress like a slut.” The messages boys receive are quite different.
The other new factor in recent years is social media, which amplify uncertainty and peer issues. This is especially true for girls, who spend more than 90 minutes a day on their phones communicating with peers (compared with boys’ 52 minutes, mostly chatting about playing Fortnite, not group dynamics). “Feeling excluded certainly isn’t new,” says Hough, “but back when I was that age, if you weren’t invited to the mall, you rarely found out, or you found out days after. And perhaps most crucial: No one else shared your humiliation because only the people involved knew about the slight (or perceived slight). Nowadays, seeing photos online of your friends at Starbucks without you is immediate and very public. All of your other friends see it, too.”
With Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms, says Eighth Grade director Burnham, kids are posting photos and material revolving around What do I look like? and What am I thinking? “Those are really baser, deeper, stranger questions,” he says. “And the way kids interface with it, I think, changes the way they feel about the world and themselves.” With idealized, carefully curated photos and content, social media create “better” personas that cause problems in real-life interactions.
“Most boys would never ask girls to lift up their shirts in real life,” says school counselor Chessie Shaw. “However, plenty do online. Most girls would never say such mean things about a classmate to their face, but they do online… Because the poster has a much larger audience on social media, any little mean joke can balloon into a much bigger event and can quickly go from involving five or six girls to almost the whole grade… The chat is too much a part of their social life. If they left it, they feel like they wouldn’t have any friends, so they endure the comments and constant fights.” They’re driven by FOMO – Fear of Missing Out.
The good news is that things get better for many girls in high school, as they learn to handle social media and gain in confidence and maturity. Social media can also be a platform for shy and socially awkward girls to develop their voice, as Eighth Grade protagonist Kayla did with her YouTube self-help videos. There’s also a surge of social activism exemplified by Parkland shooting survivor Emma Gonzalez and by many in the #MeToo movement. “The one encouraging thing I’ve seen,” says Brown, “is more and more of my students becoming passionate about these types of social justice issues… [M]ore than ever, we see women having one another’s backs, and that’s a huge shift. Girls are watching and trying to make sense of it all. The important thing is that they see there are different perspectives and points of view and the power is shifting. That’s freeing.”

“Girlhood” by Lory Hough in Ed. Magazine, Winter 2019 (#162),


Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Letter from the Superintendent of Schools Office



Dear Parent or Guardian:

As you may have heard, the Office of the Superintendent of Schools of the Archdiocese of New York announced the closure of seven Catholic schools located in the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, Dutchess, and Sullivan Counties. While your child’s school is not among them, we are sending this letter to you to keep you informed of these developments.

The schools closing include: St. Rose of Lima Elementary School and St. Brigid School in Manhattan; Our Lady Help of Christians Elementary School in Staten Island; St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School and St. Joseph Elementary School in the Bronx; St. Mary Elementary School in Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County; and St. Peter's Regional School in Liberty, Sullivan County.

Unfortunately, despite the Archdiocese's best efforts to maintain the operational and financial viability of these schools, continuing to educate students in a building that is underutilized and/or in need of significant improvements has proven unfeasible.

We understand these are challenging times for many families, and I want to assure you that all students will be guaranteed a seat at a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of New York.
Directors of Enrollment will work with our current students and their families to help them transition into another appropriate Catholic school for the 2019-2020 school year. These are difficult but necessary decisions and, working together, we will ensure our Catholic schools are stronger than ever.

As a result of these changes, your school may be welcoming new students affected by these school closings. We know that you and your school community will do all you can to make these children and families feel welcome.

I ask that you, as part of our community of faith, join us in prayer as we continue to focus on strengthening our schools and elevating the spirits of the children in our care. Our doors are always open to answer any questions you may have, and additional information can be found on www.CatholicschoolsNY.org.

Sincerely,


Timothy J. McNiff, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools

Sunday, February 3, 2019

Week of February 4, 2019 Announcements


Tuesday February 5, 2019
School is OPEN 



2019-2020 Enrollment Calendar 

February 6, 2019 - TADS re-registration begins for students entering grades K-8  in September.  
Also students entering Mrs. Rodriguez's room in September (this is new) will be invited to re-register. 
There will be no need to register as a new student as previosuly mentioned.
Re-Registration Fee - $150.00
Financial Aid applications open

Febraury 15, 2019
Deadline for Financial Assistance Application 

March 15, 2019
Financial Assistance Award Notifications emailied to families

April 15, 2019
Re-Registation Fee incentive ends.
Re-Registration - $250.00
Last date for Financial Assistance applications

Tuition for the 2019-2020 school year was posted on January 23rd. Please scroll down on the blog to see tuition rates.

Alba and Mr. Guzman will assist parents with their questions.
Alba is available to assist parent with the financial aid applications.


Apply to Pre-K For All 

Starting Monday, February 4!

The pre-K application for children born in 2015 opens on              February 4, 2019  
and the deadline to apply is March 15, 2019.
if you have questions please see Mr. Guzman about the
 PreK For All Program 


Follow us on social media!

Facebook: @olqmnyc

Twitter: @olqmnyc

Instagram: @olqmnyc 



Parent Meeting 
Thursday February 7, 2019
6:30 PM
Members of the NYPD will meet with parents regarding any concerns they have regarding the safety of the neighborhood etc.
Refreshments will be served.


Monday February 4, 2019 - Feast of St. Blaise
Prayer service at 2:00 PM. Parents welcome.
Throats will be blessed during the service.
E-sports in ASP.

Tuesday February 5, 2019 - Feast of St. Agatha
Chinese New Year - Year of the Pig 

Wednesday February 6, 2019 Feast of St. Paul Miki
Re- Registration Opens - see Alba if you have questions.

Thursday February 7, 2019 
NYC Police Department Parent Meeting 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
school auditorium. Refreshments served.
Reconciliation Class 3:15PM - 4:00 PM 

Friday February 8, 2019
Celebration of National Pizza Day 
Communion Class 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM 

Sunday February 10, 2019
Students in sacramental class attend Mass with 
Mr. Woods at 1:00 PM