Asbestos Inspection Letter to Parents 2014-2015
An Asbestos Inspection was performed on Wednesday October 22, 2014. There is one piece of asbestos in the boiler room of the school above the boiler. It poses no threat to the health of any child or school worker. The following letter is required to inform parents and custodial staff of its presence. For those of you who are graduates of OLQM you may remember that 98% of the asbestos was removed from the school in the summer of 1984. You may fondly remember that it was not completed on time and that school began one week later than everyone else.

Dear Parents,
Although you may not realize it, asbestos is a common material in almost every building in our society. It is a fireproofing material; it is found in floor tiles, it is used as an acoustical material to deaden sound. Under certain conditions, however, when it is damaged, asbestos can prove to be a concern.

Several years ago, because of that concern, the Federal Government asked every school in the country to conduct an inspection for all asbestos-containing materials.
The inspection of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs School revealed asbestos-containing materials in the basement of the school. It is as the Environmental Protection Agency states, "important to note that not all friable asbestos-containing material need be removed from schools. Once such material has been identified, a program can be implemented to insure that the material is maintained in good condition, and that appropriate precautions are followed when the material is disturbed for any reason."

Nevertheless, in order to insure that no danger arises in the future from the friable asbestos, we have arranged corrective action.

Furthermore, in any student access area where friable asbestos has been detected, environmental engineers have been retained to do inspection and evaluation work in order to advise what, if any, steps are required to insure the ongoing welfare of students and staff, and to assure that no student or staff member will be exposed to unsafe levels of friable asbestos. The Archdiocese of New York has spent over 10 million dollars in the abatement of asbestos since 1983 (long before the current regulations), and will continue with its commitment to provide a safe environment for our students and employees.

The management plan is available to all parents and staff for review on Sundays from 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM.

Picture Day
Individual Picture Day is Thursday, October 30th
Picture envelopes need to be returned to the tuition office by Wednesday October 29th.
Parents are reminded to pick the background on the envelope --there are 30 choices!
Please make sure you have exact money in the envelope.
Should you have any questions please see Mrs. Resto in the tuition office.
Students should be in dress up clothes - no jeans, no large earrings, no hats, no stuffed animals!


Halloween 2014
There will be a Halloween parade for students in grades PreK and Kindergarten beginning 8:30 AM on Friday October 31st.
After the parade all classes will return to their classrooms. The 8th grade will be hosting a cake sale and there will be a Halloween Costume Contest beginning at 1:30 PM in the lunchroom- Parents invited.
The best costume in each class will receive a gift card to McDonald's.

Monday October 27, 2014
Picture money due to tuition office.
Yankee Candle Fund Raising envelopes will be sent home.

Tuesday October 28, 2014 - Feast of St. Simon Jude
Picture money due to tuition office

Wednesday October 29, 2014
Picture money due to tuition office- last day we must call the company and let them know the number of students so they may send the appropriate number of photographers.

Thursday October 30, 2014
Individual Picture Day - 8:30 AM

Friday October 31, 2014 - Halloween
8:30 AM - PreK and Kindergarten Halloween parade
1:30 PM - Halloween costume contest in lunchroom- parents invited.

Saturday November 1st- Feast of All Saints - Holyday
Turn clocks BACK ONE HOUR---more sleep!

Sunday November 2, 2014
1:00 PM - Mass for all students
No Classes
3:00 PM - Biology Class

A message from the Manhattan Catholic School Regional Office

Dear Families,
Now that there is the first confirmed case of an adult with Ebola in NYC, I want to review the guidelines provided by the NYC DOH regarding the transmission of ebola. Our school receives constant health alerts from NYS & NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Archdiocese of New York. Schools in the Archdiocese follow all advisory and directive instructions from these organizations.
I thought it would be helpful to share some information that I have received this week from the NYC Department of Health and the NYC Department of Education regarding the growing concern over Ebola:
The NYCDOE and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are working together to ensure that you have the most up-to-date guidance. The facts below are important to help parents and staff understand how low the risk of Ebola exposure is:
• Ebola is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. You cannot be infected simply by being near someone who has Ebola.
• The Ebola outbreak is concentrated in only three countries – Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.
• If someone has traveled to Liberia, Guinea, or Sierra Leone in the past 21 days but does not have any symptoms, they cannot infect anyone else with Ebola. New York City is collaborating closely with its state and federal partners to protect New Yorkers.

The Department of Health, and I, want to reassure you that school officials and all medical care providers in NYC have been prepared by the Health Department to look for signs of Ebola and take immediate steps to respond and isolate people who may be infected. You can acquire accurate information about Ebola from the Department of Health's site nyc.gov/ebola.
I will provide any further information as necessary. As always, please feel free to contact me by email or phone with your concerns or questions. Please keep those affected by Ebola, directly and indirectly, in our thoughts and prayers.

Andrew G. Woods, principal

Week of October 20, 2014 Announcements

Interim Assessment Number 1
The Interim Assessment for Unit One material will be administered this week in Mathematics and English Language Arts.
The assessments will be given Tuesday and Thursday. Makeups for any child who is sick will be given upon their return to school.

Safe Environment Curriculum Week - October 20th - October 24th.
Letter from the Superintendent of Schools Office
Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s),
The safety and well-being of all our children in our parish and school communities are our highest priorities. To serve the goal of creating a safe environment, every year in our schools and religious education programs, the children receive lessons in personal safety, as required by the Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which was adopted by the U.S. Bishops in 2002.
This year, our Safe Environment lesson plans have been fully revised to better address each grade level, with a lesson which is age-appropriate, user-friendly, and consistent with the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. These lessons are designed to promote respect for the dignity of the human person and virtuous living. Our goal in revising the curriculum was to equip teachers, parents/guardians, and students with knowledge that can help keep children and young people safe, while providing this instruction in a way that fosters the formation of Christian virtues. These revised lessons were developed by the Safe Environment Office of the Archdiocese, in consultation with professional educators and child safety experts.
The full lesson plans for each grade level can be reviewed online at http://www.archny.org/childrens-curriculum/. These lessons will cover such topics as internet safety, how to develop good boundaries in relationships, how to deal with uncomfortable or threatening situations, and how to get help from a trusted adult. Each year, parents/guardians will receive a short overview of the lesson that your child will receive during their Safe Environment instruction class period. This will enable you to reinforce the lessons your children have received, and to assure them of your support in their safety. Resources will also be available at the website noted above, to help parents/guardians further educate themselves and their children in this important area.
If you have any questions about the material presented in your child's Safe Environment lesson plan, please feel free to contact Mr. Woods.
We thank you for the sacred trust you have given us in the care and protection of your children. May the collective vigilance and efforts of the entire Catholic community renew trust and confidence. We must trust Christ's promise: "for God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

Candy Bars
Please remember that candy bars are available in the tuition office to assist parents in their fund raising requirements. Payments for the bars may be made through Smart Tuition or through the school office.

School Evaluation
The school evaluation that was scheduled for this last week was cancelled and will instead take place Tuesday, December 9th.

Monday - October 20, 2014
Feast of St. Paul of the Cross
Common Core State Standards Unit Two begins
Safe environment curriculum covered this week.

Tuesday - October 21, 2014
Feast of St. Hilarion
Interim Assessment Number 1 - English Language Arts
Safe environment curriculum covered this week.

Wednesday - October 22, 2014
Feast of St. John Paul II
Yearly Asbestos Inspection

Thursday - October 23, 2014
Feast of St. John Capistrano
Interim Assessment # 1 - Mathematics
Safe environment curriculum covered this week.

Friday - October 24, 2014
Feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret
Safe environment quiz will be given today.

Sunday - October 26, 2014
Communion Class 12:00 noon
Mass for all students 1:00 PM
Biology Class 3:00 PM

Week of October 13, 2014 Announcements

Interim Assessment
The first Interim Assessment conducted by the Superintendent of Schools office for all students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade will be administered next week. It will cover all the material for Unit I of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The second Interim Assessment will be administered during the first week in February.

Cornerstone Student Information System
Parents are able to keep up with their child's grades by reviewing the Cornerstone Student Information System. Parents who need login and passwords for the system should send Mr. Woods an e-mail at olqm1@aol.com.
The next face to face training with Alan will be Friday November 14th from 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM during report card distribution.

Gym Schedule
The gym schedule was revised in late September in order to accommodate the return of Ms. Alma the music teacher. The following is a list of grades and days of gym classes in order to avoid confusion:
PreK-1 - Mrs. Fundora's class - Fridays
PreK-2 - Ms. Rodriguez's class - Thursdays
Kindergarten - Tuesdays
Grade 1 - Tuesdays
Grade 2 - Wednesdays
Grade 3 - Mondays and Wednesdays
Grade 4 - Mondays
Grade 5- Thursdays
Grade 6 - Thursdays
Grade 7 - Tuesdays
Grade 8 - Tuesdays

World's Finest Candy Bars/Yankee Candles
Parents are reminded that candy bars are available in the office to assist parents in fund raising requirements. There will be a Yankee Candle Sale in November to assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in selling the candy bars.

School Evaluation
The school evaluation that was scheduled for Thursday October 16th has been postponed by the regional office due to some staff changes. When it has been rescheduled Mr. Woods will inform parents and students on this blog.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration - Thank You
A thank you to the parents who assisted with the Hispanic Heritage Celebration that was held on Friday October 10th.

This is Earth Science and Biology Week

Monday - October 13th School Closed - Columbus Day

Tuesday- October 14th
Anti-bullying curriculum will be covered by teachers today.

Wednesday - October 15th
Do You need Candy Bars?? - the office only has 30 boxes left!

Thursday- October 16th

Friday - October 17th
Map A Month Due

Saturday October 18th - Feast of St. Luke the evangelist

Sunday October 19th
12:00 Noon - Reconciliation Class
1:00 PM Mass for all students
3:00 PM - Biology Class Lab

Week of October 5, 2014 Announcements

Progress Reports
Progress Reports were sent home on Friday with ALL students. There is a line for parent signature at the bottom of the report. Please sign and return with your child so that the classroom teacher may ascertain that a parent reviewed the report. It will be returned home on Monday afternoon.
This report shows your child's progress for the first month of school and indicates to parents that their child may need assistance in some specific area.
Report Cards will be distributed on November 14th -- therefore there is ample time for students to improve in grades that may not be satisfactory at this time.
Parents are also reminded that they should be reviewing their child's Cornerstone SIS (Student Information System) once a week with their child.
Parents should call Alba at 212-567-03190 to schedule an appointment to see the child's teacher. Please remember that some teachers have family responsibilities or attend school at night. Parents who wish to see Mr. Woods regarding a student's grades should see him on Sundays from 10:00 AM - 11:30 am - NO APPPOINTMENT NEEDED.

IRIS -Immediate Response Information System.
We believe that IRIS is finally working. If you did not receive a message on Friday night and again on Sunday please see Alba in the office or send Mr. Woods an e-mail. Also, if you change your telephone number please let the office staff know so that the system may be updated.

SMART Tuition
On Wednesday - Alan and Mr. Woods will be meeting with SMART tuition along with the other principals of the Catholic School Region. As of today no one has expressed any major concerns to Mr. Woods regarding Smart Tuition. If you have any concerns please let Mr. Woods know before Wednesday.



Hispanic Heritage Celebration
October 15th marks the end of Hispanic Heritage month. On Friday October 10th there will be school celebration in the lunchroom from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM.
Parents are welcome to attend.

Auditorium Ceiling
As parents see the auditorium is in a state of flux. The drop ceiling was removed through the generosity of the school alumni exposing the original wooden Cathedral ceiling underneath. Many would not know that it was the intention of Monsignor Ryder, the foundling pastor of OLQM, to build an upper church in the present auditorium in 1932. Unfortunately, the Great Depression overwhelmed the finances of the church at the time and the construction was halted.
The next step is to replace the lighting in the auditorium - raising it to the rafters of the wooden ceiling and putting in ceiling fans for circulation. Construction takes time and patience and we will keep you up to date when the next phase begins.

Monday - October 6, 2014
Progress Reports due to classroom teacher.

Tuesday- October 7, 2014
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary

Wednesday- October 8, 2014
8th grade parent meeting regarding High School enrollment 7:00 PM in library

Thursday - October 9, 2014
Candy Bars available in office to assist parents in Fund Raising.

Friday - October 10, 2014
Early Dismissal Day at 12:00 noon
Hispanic Heritage Celebration in auditorium 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Parents Welcome

Sunday - October 12, 2014
Mass at 1:00 PM for students in sacramental program
No classes.