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Hello OLOL families, I hope this message finds you well. I am happy to say I have a joke of the day to share with you thanks to Jacob Lang. (see below) This evening we welcome Spring and the weather is forecasted to be lovely the next two days (minus some rain). I hope everyone enjoys some fun, peace, and laughter. I’m going to make sure to watch Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems today at 1pm, find a quiet place to say the Rosary at 4pm, and I will be following our online learning all day. I have seen some great things being done at home and sharing with teachers through Google Classroom, Class Portals, IXL, and great pictures and videos! It’s wonderful to stay OLOL strong in this time apart! Have a blessed day, Ms. Moore A few reminders: Yearbook Ads If you want to buy a quarter, half, of full page ad in our Yearbook please see the flyer on our homepage and email Ms. Norton all the details. These are due Fri., Mar. 20. Payments for the ads can be made online at our school store. Order Yearbooks: if you would like to place an order for the Yearbook you must use the site below and place your order by April 1. PLEASE NOTE- 8th graders DO NOT need to order, one is ordered for them from the graduation fee collected. https://freedphotography.simplephoto.com/prepay/40744625?code=OLOL1920YB The password is: OLOL1920YB (see flyer below) Today at 4pm the Pope has asked us to say the Rosary with him: Amid worsening conditions related to the global coronavirus outbreak, Pope Francis urged Catholics to unite spiritually to pray the rosary simultaneously on the Feast of St. Joseph. The pope invited every family, every individual Catholic, and every religious community to pray the Luminous mysteries on Thursday, March 19 at 9:00 pm Rome time. The initiative was initially proposed by the bishops of Italy. Accounting for the time zone difference, the time indicated by the pope would be 4 p.m. Thursday for faithful on the East Coast. Translation of the Pope's message: Tomorrow we will celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph. In life, work, family, joy and sorrow he always sought and loved the Lord, meriting the praise of Scripture as a just and wise man. Always invoke him with confidence, especially in difficult times, and entrust your lives to this great Saint. I join in the appeal of the Italian bishops who in this health emergency have promoted a moment of prayer for the whole country. Every family, every faithful, every religious community: all united spiritually tomorrow at 9 p.m. in the recitation of the Rosary, with the Mysteries of Light. I will accompany you from here. We are led to the luminous and transfigured face of Jesus Christ and His Heart by Mary, Mother of God, health of the sick, to whom we turn with the prayer of the Rosary, under the loving gaze of Saint Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family and of our families. And we ask him to take special care of our family, our families, especially the sick and the people who are taking care of them: doctors, nurses, and volunteers, who risk their lives in this service. Joke of the Day- Thank You to Jacob Lang, Gr. 2!Happy Birthday to:  Hello OLOL families!
I watched the sun come up this morning as I was looking over returned work, online conversations, and pictures from our amazing students. It kept me smiling and thinking of our wonderful school and community. I hope that you all are doing well. This is an unusual time for all of us and I have three words I seem to keep coming back to: unprecedented, fluid, and balance. We need to focus on our families and follow the directions of our nation's medical and political officials who are working hard to protect us in this unprecedented time. Things are changing every day. Things that we rely on and expect to be available, are not. School is out, major sports are cancelled or postponed, movie theaters and restaurants are closed, and so on. In this time we have to look to God first and our faith to keep us strong. Then we look to the family around us and find a balance in our day. These are days filled with new information, challenges, and blessings if we look for them. I am a planner, an organizer, and an over-thinker. We've only been out of school for 2 days and I have not found the balance that I need, yet. I hope you have some time to be with family, help your children to schedule their day, and find time for yourself. This is a time to find some blessings in all this mess. We are blessed to have such wonderful and dedicated teachers. They are working each day to find new ideas and ways to stimulate their students while they are away from school. Keep them in your prayers as I know they keep you in theirs. You have always been the first educator of your child and now more than ever your children need your strength, protection, guidance, and love. Our distance learning is helpful and is a positive force in keeping our community connected during this time. Please remind your students that there are lots of ways to learn. This is a special time because we can slow down a bit and realize that we need to teach our kids how to have a conversation, how to write in complete sentences that convey a complete thought, how to set a table, how to do the laundry, or how to fold a fitted sheet (I still struggle with that one). The online learning and communications are just one part of a balanced day. Please also remind older students that we expect all the online assignments to be done at some time, but there is no mandatory day to finish and no penalty for late work. Everyone has a unique situation at their own homes, just encourage students to do work each day, if possible. I keep you all in my prayers as we face each new day, together is spirit. A blessing for today: A NEW BABY HAS ARRIVED ~ CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TIMMS FAMILY! Adriana let her friends know through Google Classroom yesterday. I don't have all the details but will share as soon as I know more. May God go with you, Ms. Moore Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope this email finds everyone well. Times are troubling, but we must do what we can to make the most of every day. One of the first things I missed over the last two mornings was our daily prayer, birthday announcements, pledge and patriotic songs. I would like to keep our communication in this way open, if possible. I would like to post daily recordings of students saying either the Pledge of Allegiance, singing a Patriotic Song (any of the ones we do throughout the year), leading us in the Morning Offering and the Lord's Prayer (our prayer for March), and telling a joke of the day. If you would like to create a video of your child(ren) or family saying a prayer, singing a song, or even telling a joke, please send me your videos. I will create a daily "One MOORE thing..." post and include the videos each day. I will also post the birthday announcements that would have been on our TV in the front lobby so that we can keep the birthday girl or boy in our own daily prayers. If you are interested in creating and sending your videos, please consider recording varying items from our morning routine so that I have enough to fill each morning. Please note, for privacy concerns, that the images will be posted here on our website. A list of items needed:
Thanks for your help! May God go with you, Ms. Moore We missed a couple of birthday celebrations yesterday! Please see below. Remember, when we come back to school the children are welcome to have their birthday tag day and celebration whenever it is convenient for your family. Happy Birthday to:
Dear Parents,
I hope this letter finds you well. We find ourselves in an unprecedented time, and we keep all the ill and suffering in our prayers. At OLOL we are working to be prepared for whatever is required of us for the safety of all students, families, and faculty. I am in regular contact with the Secretary of Education from the Catholic Schools Office in the Archdiocese of Washington. Their team is connected with local health departments, government agencies, county school systems, and all the authorities who make decisions for the safety of all Maryland residents. We do not have any information at this point about school closings. We will follow Montgomery County Schools for emergency closings. Our teachers are preparing resources and distance learning opportunities for our students and their families in the case of an extended closure. The Secretary of Education, Bill Ryan, will continue to share news and information regarding the Coronavirus, schools, and any schedule changes with our community. We are well prepared and supported by the Catholic Schools Office and thank them for their leadership. In order to allow parents to make choices in the best interests of their families, we are cancelling the 9am Choir performance at this Sunday's 9am Mass (Mar. 15). No other cancellations or postponements are scheduled at this time. The Lenten Food Bags went home in today's Wednesday Folder. Please read the directions on the bag and help us to support this cause by returning your bag to school by next Friday, March 20. May God Bless and keep you, Ms. Moore It's a beautiful day inside and out at OLOL! Students are enjoying the sunshine, birds singing, and lots of learning is taking place. I think I even saw a few students enjoying some extra recess on a fresh and sunny day! It is a bit quiet in the building since our 4th, 6th, and 7th is in Annapolis today advocating for Catholic schools in Maryland. They have a beautiful day ahead and even had a chance to take a picture this morning with Governor Hogan. (see the picture below)  LIONS' ROAR!
Parents - it is time to register for the Lions' Roar! Please go to Lions' Roar Kate Truax 5K/1K to register, sponsor, and donate items/money for our raffle baskets. The first 100 students registered will be entered in a raffle drawing to win a prize! Registrations should be in by April 3rd in order to ensure that your receive the t-shirt size you request. Sponsorships must be received by Mar. 31 in order to be on our promotional materials and t-shirt. Tuition, re-enrollment, and financial assistance:
Upcoming Events:
Parents, Today we did something that we have never done before at OLOL... the whole school went to Mass together! All our students from Little Group to 8th grade attended the Ash Wednesday Mass. It was a wonderful experience to celebrate the Mass as a whole OLOL family. The littlest students did a fantastic job and they had the kind friendship of their 7th grade buddies just in case they needed a helping hand. Sicknesses: Please keep your child home if they are showing signs of illness. We have several children coming down with fevers and a few cases of the flu. If your child is sent home with a fever they may not return to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours. We need everyone's help in order to stop the spread of germs at school. Lions' Roar 2020! The link to sign up, sponsor, and donate is open and ready for you! This year when you donate make sure to support one of our classroom teams! https://runsignup.com/Race/MD/Bethesda/LionsRoarKateTruax5K1K# We need your help to make the Lions' Roar Baskets a big success! Can you donate tickets, trips, lodging, or gift cards? We are putting together baskets that highlight events and activities. Please let us know as soon as possible how you can help. Fill out the survey: forms.gle/21dEKvN71Q8uP93r8 Saturday, Feb. 29 at 6pm: It's not too late to buy tickets for Thumbelina at Imagination Stage! Come by the front office and fill out your order Thursday or Friday. Cash or check payments. Tuition, re-enrollment, and financial assistance:
Calendar Dates for the 2020-2021 school year: I will have a list of dates for families by next Wednesday. For now I have just a few important dates to mark on your calendars. August 31: School Begins: Welcome Home Orientation Hour 8 - 9am, all families welcome to visit the classrooms and join us for prayer at 9am. 12:10 Early Dismissal - ASC provided Dec. 18: Last day before Christmas Break; 12:10 dismissal- NO ASC Jan. 4 Classes Resume after Christmas Break June 11: Last Day of School; Dismissal 12:10-NO ASC Important Yearbook Ad information- see the flyer below. God bless, Ms. Moore 
 The year is moving fairly quickly, and the weather seems more like the beginning of spring rather than the middle of winter! We will mark the mid-quarter point of the third quarter this Friday. Our Read-a-thon was an outstanding success, over $27,000 donated, and we are now heading into the Lions' Roar season! There are so many wonderful things ahead of us, including Lent, Easter, First Penance and Holy Communion, Confirmation, and Graduation! It seems like time to take a look at each day and appreciate each moment that God has given us and strive to make each one a moment in which we are proud of who we are and how we share the love of God with those around us.
Class & Group Photos - Monday, February 24 Students should come to school in their full winter uniform. Bring PE clothes if needed, do not wear PE clothes to school. Shrove Tuesday Pancake Lunch - Tuesday, February 25 Thanks to the HSA and coordinator Mrs. Reilly, the students will celebrate Shrove Tuesday with a pancake and turkey sausage lunch. If your child has food allergies please send them with their own lunch. Milk will be served as usual. Students should bring their own drinks for lunch if they don't get milk. Family Night at Imagination Stage ~ Saturday, February, 29 at 6pm (food available starting at 5pm) Buy your tickets for dinner and a show to support OLOL. All the details are on our website https://www.bethesda-lourdes.org/ and a flyer went home today in the Wednesday Folder. Career Day is coming! March 6 is Career Day at OLOL. Flyers asking for parent volunteers have come home for the last two weeks. If you still want to help us by speaking at Career Day, please contact Mrs. Helms right away at bhelms@bethesda-lourdes.org Tuition, re-enrollment, and financial assistance:
New applications are being reviewed for acceptance for the 2020-2021 school year. We had wonderful night at the Talent/ Spelling Bee! Congratulations to Winner -Eric Marcelin & Runner Up- Brooke Briscuso. Thanks to all the teachers and staff for their hard work, especially Mrs. Helms, Ms. Norton, Ms. Addison, & Ms. Hipp. Parents,
It seems that January has flown by and we are now in a spring-like beginning to February. The groundhog might be right that we are in for an early Spring. At OLOL we are getting ready for the Spelling Bee and Talent Show, finishing up our Read-a-thon, and Lent is fast approaching. So many wonderful things have been going on including an outstanding Catholic Schools Week, a lovely Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day (filled with cards, food and a half day!), a great day to celebrate our Students, and a Faculty vs. Students volleyball game! Not to mention, we had a spectacular Multicultural Night filled with delicious food, beautiful dancing, and sharing our cultures with one another as the OLOL family. Thank you to everyone for sharing with the community. This has become a well-loved and favorite event over the past two years. Our Read-a-thon has been an outstanding success so far! The students are reading and recording their minutes, and families and friends have been supporting the cause financially. We are just about to reach over $21,000 and donations keep coming in! The Read-a-thon continues through Friday, Feb. 7. Thanks for all the support of this wonderful event!! Potomac Pizza Dinner Out! Support OLOL's HSA and enjoy a night without cooking! Potomac Pizza Night Out is Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 4 to 9pm. Eat in or carry out a great dinner from Potomac Pizza and 20% goes to OLOL's HSA. Chevy Chase - 19 Wisconsin Circle 8th Grade Fundraising: Order Your Krispy Kreme Donuts for Valentine's Day Today! Look for the Order Form that came home in Your Wednesday Folder or pick up a form at the front desk. Fill it out, turn it in to school by Monday, February 10th with cash or check (payable to Debbie Copeland), and pick up your donuts on Thursday, February 13th. For questions email debnianc@hotmail.com. Fun Friday - Feb. 7 This Friday, February 7, Mr. Long will host a Fun Friday coordinated by alumni Katie Myers and Colby Roth in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It will start at 6pm and end at 10pm. Tickets are $25 per child or $65 per family. Lost & Found: We have some brave parent volunteers that will be cleaning out our Lost & Found Closet so that you can come and have a look for all those elusive lost items. Please plan to check out the collection of lost items in the cafeteria starting Wednesday, Feb. 5, after 3pm until Friday, Feb. 7 by 3pm. After that all unclaimed items will be donated to charity. Middle School Ski Trip- Postponed due to warm weather Mr. Long will move the Middle School (gr. 6-8) Ski Trip to Friday, Feb. 28. Friday, Feb. 14 is a regular half-day school day with 9am Mass. Please remember all returning families need to re-enroll by Friday, February 7. If you are not returning please notify us in writing. We will begin accepting new applicants next week. Parents, It is a special time at OLOL as we get ready to celebrate Catholic Schools week next week. We are thankful to all our families who partner with us to educate their children. Parents are the first teachers of the faith, and as Catholic educators we value the work that you do to nurture your children and guide them in the teachings of Christ. Next week we celebrate the gifts of teaching and learning in a Catholic school and share our gratitude with one another and our Father in Heaven. Youth Rally & Mass for Life ~ Fri., Jan. 24~ OLOL middle school students and teachers will attend this beautiful event that brings Catholic students from all around the Archdiocese of Washington together to pray, sing, and celebrate the amazing gift of life given to each one of us from God. Remember the deadlines for re-enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year~
Thanks to everyone for making this year's Coat Drive a big success! Special thanks to Ms. Devona Glidewell and Mrs. Alarcon-Lopez for all the work they did to organize this service project for our community. We couldn't do it without you! We collected nearly 100 coats and dozens of gloves, hats, socks, and scarves. We also donated lovely packages with children's gloves, hats and scarves that was a wonderful service project from the LG, PreK, K, and 1st grades. We greatly appreciate the OLOL community and parish for their donations and support. We also appreciate all of the volunteers for cleaning, storing and delivering the coats this year, including Debbie Copeland, Michela Donahue, and Elizabeth Maloney. Read-A-Thon It's Time for Our Read-a-thon! ~ Help us make this the easiest and most successful fundraiser ever for Our Lady of Lourdes! Information went home today in your child's Wednesday Folder and an email to all families. Please help us to make this a fantastic fundraiser and a great way to promote reading for all our students! Everyone who activates their page by Sunday night receives a free tag day on Monday, Jan. 27! This is the link you need & the flyer with your child's code number: https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers Next Dinner Out Mark your calendars for our next Dinner Out Fundraiser at Potomac Pizza ~ Wednesday, February 5th, 4-9pm. OLOL we receive 20% of the dine in and carry out sales during that time. See the flyer below for a list of Catholic Schools Week Events. Important dates to keep in mind:
Please remember that there is a schedule change for Wed., Jan. 29, Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day:
 Parents,
Today a student told me, quite out of the blue, "Ms. Moore, we have a wonderful school!" I was taken aback. Not because I disagree, I wholeheartedly agree with the student about our school. Not because I thought this was out of character for the student, I know this student to be extremely kind, considerate, and thoughtful, so it was just the kind of thing he would say. I think it took me a second to know how to respond because I wish I had said it first. I wish I could say it out loud from the top of the building each day. (that would be strange and dangerous, maybe something I could get Mr. Long to do) I have said it before, plenty of times, but it touched my heart to hear it said so honestly and with so much love from a student who just wanted to share what he knew to be true. I hope that as we approach Catholic Schools Week, at the end of the month, that we find time to share with others what we treasure about OLOL and let our actions speak louder than words. When we know our school is wonderful we get our homework done on time, we are gentle and caring with our friends, and we say thank you to our teachers and parents who make this all possible. All of us together make OLOL wonderful. It wouldn't be wonderful without good people working hard to do what is right. God has blessed us all at OLOL and it is our responsibility to show our gratitude by being an active part of keeping OLOL the wonderful place that it is and will continue to be! Thank you for your support and for all you do to make OLOL wonderful! Ms. Moore Thanks to all- Our Pink Dot fundraiser raised just over $1000 for our Annual Fund. Thanks to Mrs. Rebeck for hosting this event for OLOL!! We received $300 from our Guapo's Dinner out! In December, the 8th grade Tag Day & Bake Sale raised over $600! Don't Forget:
A few more things:
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