Week of November 1, 2010 Announcements

“True religion is real living;
living with all one's soul, with all one's goodness and righteousness.”
Albert Einstein

SIS - Student Information Training.
Student Information System Parent Passwords
and Login Information assistance will be
extended this week:
Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
If you are familiar with the system then you
can pick up your password etc. from Alba in
the office. Parents who wish to be e-mailed
the information may e-mail Mr. Woods at
olqm1@aol.com - remember to put in the topic
of Parent Request. All the e-mails will be answered
on Saturday or Sunday.
Parents are reminded that this system is in place
to assist them in keeping up with their child's
academic progress. It is too late when on report
card day parents say to the teacher:
"Oh, yeah I forgot to look at the system."

Santa and Me Pictures
Santa will be here to take pictures with
students in grades PreK, Kindergarten and
First Grade on Wednesday November 3rd.
Envelopes for the picture company are due
to the tuition office.
Students may wear dress up clothes for
the pictures.

IRIS Alert System.
If you did not receive a testing message
from the IRIS system on Thursday October 28th;
or you are not getting
weekly updates from IRIS that this blog
has been posted ---please call Alba or
e-mail Mr. Woods with your telephone
numbers.

Monday 11/1 -Feast of All Saints
Mass at 9:00 AM led by students of grades 5-8.
Parents welcome.

Tuesday 11/2- Feast of All Souls
Election Day - SCHOOL IS OPEN.

Wednesday 11/3- Feast of St. Martin de Porres
Santa and Me Picture Day - grades PreK, K and 1.

Thursday - 11/4
Feast of St. Charles Borromeo
First Quarter Word Wall Test.

Friday - Early Dismissal Day 12:00 noon.
Faculty Meeting.
TACHS exam for 8th grade students.
Parents who need child care after 12:00 noon
should see Mrs. Ramsey in the after school program
or the tuition staff.

Saturday - SIS (student Information System)
Parent Passwords and Login information assistance
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM in school office.
Turn Clocks Back one hour before going to bed.

Sunday-SIS (student Information System)
Parent Passwords and Login information assistance
10:00 AM - 6:00 PM in school office.

12:00 noon - Communion Class in office area.
1:00 PM - Mass for all students in sacramental
program.

Test of IRIS Alert System by Archdiocese of New York

Emergency Alert Test

Dear Parent/Guardian,

This letter is to notify you that on October 28, 2010 every Catholic school in the Archdiocese of New York will be involved in the testing of the IRIS Emergency Alert System.

The Archdiocese has worked over the past year to make sure that all schools and their communities are linked together through the IRIS Emergency Alert System in the event of an emergency or inclement weather. On October 28th, your principal will send out a message that will read:
“THIS IS A TEST OF THE IRIS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. THIS IS ONLY A TEST. PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS MESSAGE”.

This notice will be sent to you by whatever form of contact you provided your principal
(e.g., cell phone, email, home phone, text message) and it will be sent on October 28th by 1:00pm. If for whatever reason you do not receive this test alert on October 28th then please contact your school principal immediately because there may be incomplete or incorrect information in the system, which is preventing the IRIS test alert from reaching you.

Please be mindful in the future that any time you change your cell phone number, email address, and/or home phone, that you give this new information to the school office so that they can update your information in the IRIS system. It is critical that the IRIS Alert System has your current contact information so that you may be reached in the event of an emergency or inclement weather notification.

Thank you for your support as we continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for your child.



Alerta de Emergencia de prueba


Estimado padre o tutor,

Esta carta es para notificarle que el 28 de octubre de 2010, cada escuela católica en la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York participará en la prueba del IRIS Sistema de Alerta de Emergencia.

La Arquidiócesis ha trabajado durante el último año para asegurarse de que todas las escuelas y sus ccomunidades están unidas a través del IRIS Sistema de Alerta de Emergencia en caso de una emergencia o tiempo inclemente. El 28 de octubre, el director enviará un mensaje que diga:
"ESTO ES UNA PRUEBA DEL SISTEMA DE ALERTA DE EMERGENCIA IRIS. ESTO ES SOLO UNA PRUEBA. POR FAVOR NO RESPONDA A ESTE MENSAJE”.

Este aviso será enviado a usted por la forma de contacto que proporcionó el principal de su
(Por ejemplo, teléfono celular, correo electrónico, teléfono de casa, mensaje de texto) y será enviado el 28 de octubre a las 1:00 pm. Si por cualquier razón usted no recibe esta alerta de prueba el 28 de octubre, por favor comuníquese con el director de la escuela inmediatamente, porque puede haber información incompleta o incorrecta en el sistema, que está impidiendo que la alerta de prueba IRIS le llegue.

Por favor, tener en cuenta en el futuro que cada vez que cambie su número de teléfono celular, dirección de correo electrónico, y / o teléfono de casa, que le dan esta nueva información a la oficina de la escuela para que puedan actualizar su información en el sistema IRIS. Es fundamental que el IRIS Sistema de Alerta tenga su información de contacto actualizada para que pueda ser alcanzado en el caso de una emergencia o notificación inclemencias del tiempo.

Gracias por su apoyo a medida que seguimos para proporcionar un ambiente seguro y saludable para su hijo.

Week of October 24, 2010 Announcements

On Hallowe'en the thing
you must do
Is pretend that nothing
can frighten you
An' if somethin' scares you
and you want to run
Jus' let on like
it's Hallowe'en fun.
- - - from an Early Nineteenth Century Halloween Postcard

Parents should check with their child's teacher
regarding what activities will happen in their class
on Friday October 29th in honor of Halloween.

All parents that did not come in the last
few Sundays may pick up their SIS login information
and password from Alba in the office.

There will be no training for SIS this Sunday October 31st.

Monday - Final day of Safe Environment Curriculum
Book Fair on second floor of school.

Tuesday-Book Fair on second floor of school.

Wednesday-Book Fair on second floor of school.

Thursday-Book Fair on second floor of school.
Candle Sale and Gift Wrap Sale ends today.
All monies and envelopes should be returned
to the tuition staff in the office.

Friday- Halloween Parade PreK and Kindergarten

Sunday - No Classes.
Mass for all students at 1:00 PM
Mr. Roberto Placido will be taking
attendance at Mass with Fr. Antonio.

Week of October 18, 2010 Announcements

...be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;...
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2

A letter to parents regarding the
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 th 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 18th-October 25th into the religious
education program 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.

Sincerely,
Rev. Antonio Almonte, pastor
Mr. Andrew G. Woods, principal


This is National Chemistry Week
Theme: "Behind the Scenes with Chemistry"

Monday - Safe Environment Curriculum
will be incorporated into Religion classes.

Tuesday - ITBS
Reading and ELA
Safe Environment Curriculum
will be incorporated into Religion classes.

Wednesday - ITBS/CoGat
Reading Part II
and Makeup tests for students who were absent.

Thursday- ITBS/CoGat
Language and Makeups for students who were absent.
Safe Environment Curriculum
will be incorporated into Religion classes.

Friday - Word Wall Test
Full Moon
Safe Environment Curriculum
will be incorporated into Religion classes.

Week of October 11, 2010 Announcements

We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith.
Hebrews 12:2

Earth Science Week
Theme is Exploring Energy

This week ITBS (Iowa Tests of Basic Skills
along with CoGat testing begins.
All students in grades 1-8 are required to have
three #2 pencils.
If a child is absent the tests will be made up
when they return to school.

The testing schedule is as follows:
Tuesday - grid information filled in.

Wednesday - Math Concepts and Problem Solving

Thursday - CoGat- Session I Verbal Battery
Math Computation
Grades 1, 4, 6, & 8
Vocabulary
Spelling/Punctuation/Capitalization

Friday- Grade 1 - Listening
Grades 2-8
English Language Arts
Part 1 of Reading Comprehension

A reminder to all parents to join the
Twitter school account at
http://twitter.com/olqmnyc

Tuesday - Columbus Day

Wednesday 10/13 -
Title I Reading and Mathematics
Parent orientation meeting in Library on 3rd floor
at 8:00 AM

Thursday 10/14 - Christmas gift wrap and candle sale
will end in 2 weeks.

Friday-10/15
Feast of St. Theresa of Avila
Early Dismissal Day 11:30 AM
Superintendent of Schools Workshop
for teachers here at OLQM.
After School Program should pickup their
child/ren by way of the far door of the
school labeled 71 Arden.

Sunday -
Reconciliation Class 12:00 noon
classroom near Alba's office
Mass for all students 1:00 PM

SIS - Students Information System
Parent Passwords and Login in information
will be distributed.
2:00PM - 6:00 PM - in school office.
It is important that parents keep
up with their child's academic progress
by logging in at least once a week
to check their child's progress.

Parents wishing the login information
and password to be e-mailed to them should
e-mail Mr. Woods at olqm1@aol.com.
Please remember to put in the message
box "Parent of....."
The information will be e-mailed on
Sunday.
Also should you have problems or
want to ask questions someone
will be in the office to assist you
only on Sundays from 2:00 PM -6:00 PM.

A letter from the Superintendent of Schools

October 5, 2010
Dear Parent or Guardian,
We are pleased to announce the publication of Pathways to Excellence, the first strategic plan for Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of New York. Bold and forward-focused, the plan seeks to ensure an academically excellent, fully enrolled school system grounded in the Catholic faith, both now and for the future.
Building on the long history of Catholic school success, Pathways to Excellence outlines a three-year strategy to
re-envision the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of New York, which is responsible for one of the largest private school systems in the nation.
While the plan charts a three-year course, we have already implemented many of its recommendations regarding curriculum enhancements and professional development. In addition, we have launched the Catholic School Advantage Campaign, which was developed in partnership with the University of Notre Dame to enhance Catholic schools’ outreach and service to New York’s Latino communities.
Pathways to Excellence also outlines strategies to address challenges that are common to many parochial schools around the nation. One such challenge is declining enrollment, which undermines a school’s financial stability and often necessitates unsustainable levels of financial subsidies from both the archdiocese and its parish.
In response to these realities, a School Reconfiguration Committee composed of pastors, principals, and archdiocesan representative is currently evaluating challenges and opportunities at every school in the archdiocese, and working closely with local school leadership. Based upon its analysis, the Committee will make carefully considered recommendations regarding reductions in financial subsidies, for individual schools, which may result in the merger or closure of some schools. As detailed in Pathways to Excellence, we are confident that these difficult decisions will lead to stronger, more sustainable Catholic schools for generations to come.
We recognize parents as the prime educators of their children and as valued partners in Catholic education. Every family in our school community is important to us, and we are committed to ensuring that every child has access to an excellent Catholic school. If you have any questions about Pathways to Excellence, please speak with your pastor and principal who will be working closely with your district superintendent and my office. Updated information will also be posted on the Superintendent’s website www.adnyeducation.org.
Also, regional meetings are planned for every district in the archdiocese to explain the strategic plan and its impact on your school. Information about dates and times will be distributed through your school office, please let your pastor or principal know if you are interested in representing your school at your regional meeting.
Sincerely,
Timothy J. McNiff, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools


Octubre 5, 2010
Estimado Padre o Tutor,
Nos complacemos en anunciar la publicación de los Caminos Hacia La Excelencia, el primer plan estratégico para las escuelas elementales Católica de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York. El plan está buscando asegurar la excelencia de lo académico, un lleno total de matriculas basados en los valores y tradiciones de la fe Católica, para hoy y el futuro.
Basado en el éxito de la larga historia de las escuelas católicas, Caminos Hacia La Excelencia, está diseñado por un periodo de tres años para pre-decir el futuro de las escuelas Católicas de la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York, la cual es responsable de una de los más grandes de los sistemas privados en la nación.
Mientras tanto el plan se va desarrollando en un curso de tres anos, ya habremos implementado muchas de estas recomendaciones concernientes a la mejora del currículo y el desarrollo profesional. Otro mayor iniciativa que ya es dada es la Campaña de Provecho para las Escuelas Católicas, la cual se desarrolla en colaboración con la Universidad de Notre Dame para incrementar y alcanzar las escuelas Católicas y servir las comunidades Latinas de Nueva York.
Caminos Hacia La Excelencia también muestra las estrategias para responder a las necesidades que son comunes a muchas escuelas parroquiales alrededor de la nación. Un reto es el descenso de matriculas, lo que afecta la estabilidad de la escuela y por consiguiente son insostenibles las necesidades financieras para subsidiarlas en ambos, para la Arquidiócesis y para la parroquia.
En respuesta a estas realidades, el Comité de Reconfiguración Escolar que está compuesto de pastores, principales, y representativos arquidiócesanos están constantemente evaluando los desafíos y oportunidades de cada escuela en la arquidiócesis, y trabajando cercanamente con el liderazgo de la escuela local. Basados en estos análisis el Comité hará cuidadosamente recomendaciones de consideración con respecto de los subsidios financieros, en la cual puede resultar el juntar o cerrar la misa escuela. De acuerdo a los detalles de Caminos Hacia la Excelencia, estas decisiones difíciles conducirán a fortalecer más escuelas Católicas que se pueden sostener por así mismo para las generaciones por venir.
Reconocemos a los padres cómos los primeros educadores de sus hijos y como partes valiosas en educación Católica. Cada familia en nuestra escuela comunitaria para nosotros; nosotros estamos asegurando que cada niño tenga acceso a lo excelente de la escuela Católica.
Si usted tiene alguna pregunta acerca del plan Caminos Hacia La Excelencia, por favor hable con su pastor, el principal, quien seguramente trabajará con el Superintendente del distrito y mi oficina. Información más actual será colocada en el website del Superintendente: www.adnyeducation.org.
También, se han planificado reuniones regionales para cada distrito en la Arquidiócesis de Nueva York para explicar las estrategias del plan y el impacto que producirán en su escuela. Información de fechas y tiempos serán distribuidos a través de la oficina de su escuela. Por favor déjele saber a su pastor o principal si usted está interesado en representar a su escuela en la reunión de su región.
Gracias por su continuo apoyo a la educación Católica.
Timothy J. McNiff
Superintendente de las Escuelas

Week of October 4, 2010 Announcements

Be not simply good; be good for something.
Henry David Thoreau

This week is Fire Prevention Week.
Mr. Jose Rubio, a graduate of OLQM and
a New York City Fireman will speak to your
children on Thursday October 7th.
You are welcome to come to the presentation
in the school auditorium.

This is the time of year that you should go over
fire escape plans with your children and
designate a place to meet should there be a fire
or other emergency in your home.

Monday- Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
Mass at 9:00 AM led by the students of the 6th grade.
Blessing of domesticated animals will take place at this Mass.
October calendars will be sent home with your child.

Tuesday- next week begins the ITBS and
CoGat testing. All students will need
three #2 pencils.

Wednesday - Feast of St. Bruno

Thursday-Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Progress Reports will be sent home.
Fr. Almonte will distribute Progress Report to all
students. If your child "forgets" their report
please e-mail Mr. Woods at olqm1@aol.com. In the
message center please put -Parent of..... and
let Mr. Woods know that your child did not
receive the report and he will print another.
Mr. Woods can also attach the report if requested.
Fireman Bill will speak to students regarding
fire safety in the home.

Friday-Candle Sale begins for parents of
students in grades PreK and K. The Yankee Candle
sale is another means by which parents may
raise funds to assist the school and also meet
your fund raising obligations to the the school.
If parents have any questions they should see
the tuition staff.

Word Wall Test.

Sunday - Mass at 1:00 PM for all students.
There are no classes today because of the holiday
weekend.

Monday October 11th
Columbus Day SCHOOL CLOSED