 March
is coming in like a lamb, let’s hope the old adage is
wrong and it stays on the warm side and goes out like a
lamb too! Either way, March traditionally is a very
busy month academically and I am sure the time will fly
quickly. It is also a long month with no holidays. It
is important to keep everyone working hard so that they
can finish up the year successfully.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is
hosting a
Parish Mission this month from the first
through the third. There are activities each day and
evening. The fifth through eighth grades will meet with
the team on Wednesday during their Religion Class time.
Our Eighth Grade students will
be registering at their
Catholic High
Schools
on Wednesday, the 3rd. They did very
well with their school choices and along with the
teachers are to be commended for their hard work. Many
received generous scholarships and placement in
accelerated programs. The hard work of the students,
yourselves and the school has put them in these places
of honor. Thank you for letting us be a part of your
success!
Progress Reports
will go home on Friday, March 5th.
Not all children will be receiving them. If your child
does not get a report and you would like to speak to the
teacher please do not hesitate to set up an appointment.
We will have an early
dismissal on Friday the 5th for a faculty
meeting. Dismissal is at Noon.
The HSA will sponsor their
second Family
Fun Night this Friday, March 5th.
Information has gone home and reservations are due now.
Because of the snow day you may send them in tomorrow as
well.
The
Family Mass
this month is on Sunday, the 7th and is being
sponsored by the CYO and sports programs. Thank you for
trying to participate and impressing on your children
the importance of blending their spiritual lives with
their sporting lives.
The HSA is sponsoring the
monthly Bake
Sale on the 10th. Grade 5 is the
sponsor.
On Thursday, March 11th
the parents of children preparing for
First Holy Communion will meet at the church at 7:30. If
you have any questions please direct them to Mr. Hall.
The
OLPH Basketball
Awards Breakfast is Sunday, March 14th.
Information can be obtained from your coaches.
Daylight Saving
Time begins on March 14th.
Remember to “spring ahead” and set your clocks ahead 1
hour.
The HSA will sponsor a
“Dress Green”
Dress Down Day on March 19th in
honor of Saints Patrick and Joseph. It will benefit the
Card Party. Thank you for letting your children
participate.
The Sixth and Eighth Grades
were the congregation at the filming of
The Sunday Mass last month. Those Masses will be aired
on March 21st and 28th. The Mass
is broadcast on the Fox Network, Channel 5 at 5:30 AM
and on WLNY, Channel 10 or 55 at 9:00.
Palm Sunday is March 28th.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of
Holy Week.
Liturgically it is the most important time in our
church. Please check the bulletin at OLPH or your own
parish for the schedule of services on Holy Thursday,
Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
The Eighth Grade will once
again present the
Living Stations
on Wednesday, March 31st at 9:30 in the
Church.
Dismissal on Wednesday March 31st
for the Easter
Recess will be at Noon. There is NO
AFTERSCHOOL that day. School will resume on Monday,
April 12th.
The
Third Quarter ends
on Wednesday, March 31st. Report Cards are
scheduled to go home on April 15th.
Information on report card distribution and our Honors
Assembly will go home in Early April.
Hopefully we will be able to
get out at recess time more frequently as
spring arrives. It is important that the children are
coming to school dressed to play outside. This means
coats, hats and gloves even if the weather seems warm.
It is also important to remember to have your child’s
name in the clothing so that it will find its way back
to you. As the weather warms children come dressed one
way and begin loosing layers as the day progresses. The
number of sweaters and sweatshirts is multiplying.
Knowing the cost of these items makes it more important
that they are returned to their rightful owners.
We are looking for donations of
DVD movies
that your children may not be watching any longer to be
used for entertainment on the days that the children are
indoors at recess time. The length of this winter has
made our rather extensive collection seem small! We
would ask that the movies only be G rated so that we are
not worrying about content. I thank you, in advance,
for you help.
As you might recall, we had a
dress down day to benefit the
Haitian
family of one of our students. I spoke with Mrs.
Lambert this past week and she assured me that they were
doing fine. She was very reluctant to have the donation
go directly to her family and asked that I give it to
one of the agencies that is providing relief in the
country. While I don’t agree with her I will respect
her wishes and make a donation in the children’s name to
the Catholic Relief Services, the agency that the
Archdioceses asked that we use.
Mrs. Micelli has asked me to
remind you of
keeping current with tuition and other payments
including lunch fees and music lessons.
The
Candy Bar sale
has ended. Thank you for your help with this
fundraiser. If you have not returned your monies yet,
please do so quickly. N.U.T. Cards will not be
distributed until the candy is paid for.
The day for the children to use
their N.U.T.
Card is Friday, March 5th. Any
child who has paid for a box of chocolate will be given
a card prior to that day. If your child sold more than
one box the days to dress down will be sent to you.
Thank you for helping your school in this fundraiser.
The HSA is working
hard on the
Card Party to be held Thursday, April 29th.
If you have not sent in your reservation yet please do
so. Also, volunteers to help on the various committees
are always welcomed. It is a great night and I for one
am looking forward to it!
Letters went home for the
yearbook.
Don’t be left out by not reserving your copy soon.
Every child has at least 2 pictures in the book. If you
would like to see a copy of last year’s book just stop
by the office. It is a full color, professional
publication, put together by our teachers. There is
still time to take out ads as well.
Re-registration
is ongoing. If you have not sent in your forms and
raffle ticket money please do so as soon as possible so
that we can continue to make plans for next year.
If you know of anyone who is
interested in Our Lady of Perpetual Help School, please
let them know that they can contact the Main Office for
information on the
application
process. Happy parents and children are our
best advertisements. Open Houses are scheduled the
First and Third Wednesday of each month from 9:30-10:30.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help will
once again host the practice sessions for the
Honor Band. Practices will be on March 4th,
11th, and 16th. My thanks goes
out to the HSA for providing a concession stand on those
days.
Please be reminded that your
help with lunch
duty is essential and required for a safe
recess time. Parents that opted to pay the onetime fee
should have already paid it. Those that said they would
volunteer cannot change their mind midyear. Your name
was placed on the schedule in August and the children
are counting on you for supervision. Those parents who
now find themselves unable to be here are required to
pay the $25.00 fee for each missed day. While we can
sympathize with changes in your schedule please
understand that the children are the ones who suffer,
and this is what we are trying to avoid.
Spring - a time
for new beginnings. It is a great time for
all of us to look at the things we are doing that we
might not be satisfied with and make changes. Could I
spend a little more time studying so that I can make
honors? Could I get up and out a few minutes earlier so
that I can be ready to work when classes begin and maybe
even have a perfect on time record for the fourth
quarter? Could I follow school rules more closely and
set a better example for my classmates or my children?
Could I volunteer some of my time at school? The list
is endless.
Please be reminded due to the
second snow day
being used last week school will be in session on May 14th
and 28th. At this time, Friday, April 30th,
the day after the Card Party, is still a day off.
An article in the continuing
series from Today’s Catholic Teacher is included for
your information.
 As
I mentioned earlier we will not return from our
Easter Recess
until the 12th of April, which is when your
next newsletter will go home. With that in mind I would
like to comment on the upcoming Easter Season. With the
crucifixion of our Lord on Good Friday and His rising on
Easter Sunday our salvation has been guaranteed.
By his death and
resurrection, Jesus made each of us a new creature in
righteousness, holiness and truth. We are completing
the circle of life that began
with the birth of our Savior at Christmas. My prayer
for us all is that this
feast of Easter will renew
our courage and helps us to face the challenges of life,
both private and public.
On
behalf of Fr. DeJulio and the faculty and staff I would
like to extend our best wishes for a Blessed Easter.
The Easter Gospel story will be retold as it has been
for over 2,000 years. Jesus, who was crucified, is
risen from the dead!
The risen Christ’s triumph
over death, and the return to life confirms that God is
in our midst, that He is love, and He has made us capab le
of loving as he does. If we love each other,
God remains in us, and his
love is brought to perfection in us.
Let us be glad and rejoice!
The Lord is risen! Alleluia!
Here’s hoping for a mild end to the winter and a warm
spring!
-Mrs.
Cotronei
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