Our Lady of Mount Carmel School

Our Lady's Word

Noteworthy Dates:

Friday, Feb. 14

Valentines Parties PK-5

Monday, Feb. 17

Noon Dismissal

Thursday, Feb. 20

Winter Sports Banquet

Friday, Feb. 21

Volunteer Appreciation Reception Following Mass

Wednesday, March 5

1:30 Dismissal

Ash Wednesday

All School Mass

End of Trimester 2

Saturday, March 1

Chili Cook Off

Friday, March 7

No School

Teacher Inservice Day

Bingo Schedule

Monday 2/10

Families Scheduled

BINGO Reminders:

Kitchen works arrive between 5:30 and 5:45.
Floor workers arrive by 6:30.
All - leave when dismissed
Only people 18 years old and over can substitute for a parent volunteer
Children 15 and over can work in the kitchen
Thanks for all you do !

Floor Duty:

Fiorello

Garcia

George

Globus

Harrison

Murawski

Natterer

Nguyen, Nhan

Rossi

Kitchen Duty:

Barnes

Colbert

Early

Floor Captains:

Natterer

In the event that a substitute is needed for your night, please contact Chad Spiller at 757-897-7601. Substitutes are generally CNU or other college students, or families who sign up to be substitutes, and are paid directly a $50 stipend.

Pray the Rosary for OLMC School

Every Tuesday

8:15-8:45 am in the Daily Mass Chapel

This is a great opportunity to pray the Rosary if you have never tried it before. Rosaries and prayer books are provided. For more information, please contact Rita Smith at

757-254-3994 or rita.smith257@yahoo.com

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.

Matt 18:20

Fall Sports Banquet

The Fall Sports Banquet will be held on Thursday, February 20th in the OLMC Cafeteria from 6:00-8:00 pm. Coaches will be communicating what items are needed to help make the evening enjoyable. Come and celebrate the great efforts made this season by the OLMC student athletes!

OLMC Yearbooks

Calling all shutterbugs out there...please help make this year's yearbook extraordinary. Please send picture into the school on a cd or thumb drive. We are looking for pictures of class parties, field trips, club activities, athletics, all the fun things we do at Mount Carmel.

Here is the link. What a great way to remember the excitement and accomplishments of this school year.

http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A08897410

A Successful Shoe Drive

Thank you for all who participated in the NJHS Shoe Drive. The shoes donated will be benefiting many in third world countries without shoes. In total over 800 pairs of shoes were collected. Thank you for your support.

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends of Our Lady of Mount Carmel,

During the month of February at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, we are learning about and cultivating the virtue of honesty. Honesty, as defined in our virtue program, is the habitual practice of being trustworthy and true. Some of us come by this "honestly" and do not struggle with telling the truth. Others of us, due to original sin, temperament, upbringing, etc, may struggle with telling the truth at all times. Like any sin or temptation to sin, we are not attracted to something evil for its own sake. When we lie, it is usually because we see some good that we will get out of it, and we value that good above the virtue of honesty. For example, we may exaggerate something to make us look better than we are - have you ever deceived someone to make them think you are holier than you are, richer than you are, poorer than you are, smarter than you are, more well-read than you are, physically stronger than you are? Or another temptation to lie is to deceive someone in order to avoid shame or "getting in trouble." Have you ever experienced something like asking your child if he/she ate the last cupcake, and they are looking at you with big eyes as they shake their head "no", but their upper lip, smeared in chocolate icing, tells the truth better than they do? The virtue of honesty gives us the courage to admit truth in difficult circumstances, with the knowledge that the truth makes us free. This can be paradoxical. We think that by admitting the truth, when it will expose our weakness, we will be held in less esteem, will get in trouble, will appear mediocre in others' eyes when we want to appear great. But the truth frees us to be who we truly are, instead of what we imagine ourselves to be. This is the place where God can begin to work in our lives - in the reality of the truth. What our modern day saints and popes have been shouting to us for decades, trying to be heard above the din of distraction, is that the great deception of our time is the temptation to believe that there is no such thing as personal sin, and that we aren't really responsible for the evils around us. Psychology has its place in helping people to understand themselves better, but it cannot replace the confessional. Our society's great temptation is to deny that our sin is a free choice - we'd rather say we made a mistake and it's not that big of a deal. We see it from the beginning of human history: Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. But the reality is that each of them was free to choose, and they chose to sin. We'd rather blame circumstances, surroundings, other people, the flawed "system", my upbringing - anything to not admit that "I sinned" and I need to be sorry for what I chose to do, if I am to grow as a human being and as a saint. Has it become difficult for you to say "I'm sorry" to God or to your neighbor? I believe it is often difficult for our children to say, and mean, "I'm sorry." I think we can too easily excuse their sins, and our own, because we worry about the fragility of self-esteem. We can begin to change this false disposition by being rooted in the wisdom that the "truth will make us free." At the risk of sounding all gloom and doom, the most basic and "honest" truth to live by, is that we are creatures of God who live in a fallen world as fallen creatures who are deeply wounded by original sin, but who are made for perfection and eternal life. We come into this world in the misery of sin, but are called to the glorious transformation in Jesus Christ. The truth of our starting place, status as sinners, is all but forgotten in this day. The most significant repercussion of this is that it excludes God from our lives. Imagine a world where, by law, God is excluded from public life (you don't have to have much of an imagination). Imagine a world where, by choice, God is excluded from private life.

The challenge for us, then, if we wish to take it on, is to live in the truth of being sinners. This is not a sad and gloomy truth, as it might at first appear. To recognize this truth is the beginning of a wonderful journey toward God. It is the beginning of becoming truly human. To fail to acknowledge the truth of this is to never begin the journey. If you have sat down for too long on this journey to God, or know someone who has, encourage them to get up and get going. Starting with a trip to Saturday confessions and find one way you can better embrace the truth of your own life, making room for God to enter in with grace, mercy, love, and the power of transformation.

With prayers for your families,

Sister Dominic

_________________________________________________________

The National Junior Honor Society begins to offer tutoring sessions Tuesday, February 18th from 7:30-8:00 and each Tuesday thereafter. Parents or teachers who would like to have their child tutored during these sessions should email the NJHS Advisor, Sister Dominic, at principal@olmc-school.com. Students should arrive at the school in time to be seated and working at 7:30.

SNOW MAKE UP DAYS:

Please mark your calendar for Monday, February 17th and Thursday, April 17th as noon dismissals. These are the beginning of the make up days.

If your family already had plans to travel on these days, please send in to Sister Dominic a written request for excused absence, as you would on any other school day. The lateness of rescheduling will be taken into account in excusing the absences, particularly the February date.

Protected days which will NOT change or become in-school make up days include:

March 7, Friday

April 18, Good Friday

April 21-25, Easter Break

June 2, Graduation for 8th Grade

A schedule for the remainder of the make up days will be forthcoming after receiving requested information from the Office of Catholic Schools at the Diocese. Thank you for your patience.

Attention All Lords and Ladies You are cordially invited to attend the OLMC School Auction. Invitations have been sent home in Wednesday folders. Please review your invitation and return the RSVP card. This event sells out so make your reservation soon.

Medieval Times: A Knight to Remember - OLMC Annual Auction Announcements:

Save the Date - OLMC's Auction is on March 22, 2014

Calling all parents to participate... review your Parent Packet for specific ways to help and to donate to the auction. Support from each family is needed to make the auction a success. The Parent Packet and Donor forms are also located on Edline. Start sending donations now!

Give to Gala:

Please stop by the school this week to pick a shield to support the auction. Many shields will display needed items for the auction. Please pick up a shield on Thursday and donate or purchase the needed items. This is a fantastic way to lend a hand an support a wonderful event.

Auction Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are needed for the set-up on Friday, March 21st and clean-up on the night of March 22nd. Please send in your two donations for the auction. Check in the lobby for ideas of what is still needed to create packages for the auction.

Sweethearts-n-Sweeties Party

Bring your Sweetheart and your little Sweeties to our Valentine's Day Party. Sit down, relax and enjoy an adult beverage while dancing to the sounds of DJ Reco in the "adult room." Your Sweeties can enjoy the inflatables, tasty food, and treats in the kid zone supervised by Virtus trained adults.

The evening menu will be your choice of chicken or beef, delicious sides, and a decadent chocolate fountain.

The event is held February14th from 6:00-9:00 pm at 100 Columbus Way. Tickets are $5 per person and $15 per family. There will be a 50/50 raffle to benefit the OLMC Parish food pantries. Non-perishable food donations will be collected at he door.

RSVP to Robbie DeBartolo at 757.286.4253 or allbrite@widmaker.com.

Cross Country Pictures Needed for the Yearbook:

Pictures are needed for the Yearbook. Please send them to pe.kg@verizon.net. Thank you.

OLMC Ball Caps For Sale

Show your Crusader Spirit by wearing an OLMC Ball Cap. The cost is $12.50 and the caps can be purchased in the front office. Only a few remain.

OLMC Home & School 6th Annual Chili, Cake Decorating, and Dessert Contests:

Bring a crockpot of chili, a decorated cake, or a yummy dessert (or any combination). All guests are invited to vote for their favorites. You can taste as many samples of the chili as you'd like, and you can vote for the prettiest dessert.

Hot dogs and drinks will also be served so that no one leaves hungry. We will collect $5.00 per family to offset the costs. Each $5.00 comes with ten tickets to use for voting for your favorite chili, plus one more for the cake raffle.

You do not need to bring chili, cake, or a dessert to attend.

All are welcome to attend this Home & School sponsored social event. Just come and have some fun!

Folks who plan to bring a crockpot of chili should make a reservation so that we can ensure we have enough electrical outlets available. Please send an email to Jerra Daugherty at jldmsw@hotmail.com to reserve a spot for your chili , putting "chili cook-off" in the subject line. A response is requested by 2/25. However, we can also accommodate walk-ins. Bring a Serving Spoon and any fixin's to go with your chili.

Drop-offs begin at 4:00 p.m.

Judging open from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Help is welcome; please volunteer to help and earn volunteer hours.

Questions? Please contact Jerra Daugherty at jldmsw@hotmail.com or

Teresa McGee at tmcgee1995@msn.com

Crusaders Hit the Court!

If you have not yet attended a Crusaders Basketball game this season you are missing out. The OLMC girls and boys have great talent and are a true force on the court. Some upcoming games are listed below.

February 14th Away game vs. Walsingham-times changed

Girls play at 3:00 pm

Boys play at 4:45 pm

February 18th Home game vs. St. Mary's

Girls play at 4:00 pm

Boys play at 5:15 pm

Summer Specialty Camps:

As plans for the summer months are being made remember OLMC offers exciting and educational Specialty Camps through Newport News Parks and Recreation! More details are coming soon. Look for a registration date in March where families can save on the registration fee. What a great way to stay active an create summer memories for students PK through Middle School.

Parenting Classes:

Mary Immaculate is offering some wonderful free classes!

The Nurturing Program for Parents

Classes are offered on Thursdays, January 30th to March 6th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Bon Secours Mary Immaculate Health Resource Center on Bernadine Drive, Newport News, 23602. For more information please call 757.886.6511.

Active Parenting Now-Kids Don't Come with Instructions

Parenting Children 5-12

Classes are offered on Mondays, January 27th to March 3th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center at 3636 High Street, Portsmouth, 23707.

Classes Offered at CHKD

February 24th from 4:30-5:30 pm Suffolk Pediatrics Meet & Greet

1009 Hilltop Blvd, Suffolk

February 27th from 6:30-8:30 pm Family Stress Free

Newport News location

Hampton Roads Juniors Grassroots Program:

Open to Boys and Girls ages 8-14.

The Hampton Roads Juniors Volleyball Club Grassroots program was started to introduce young and new athletes to the sport of volleyball. This program is intended for Boys and Girls ages 8-14. Basic instruction on technique and understanding the game is the primary goal (along with lots of fun of course J). All athletes will receive 36 hours of instruction (over one 12 week session) by USA Volleyball certified coaches and an HRJ Grassroots t-shirt with registration. While individual skill building will be the primary focus of all sessions, game like drills and 6 on 6 games will be stressed during the second half of the session with a tournament at the last session.

Thank you for your interest in HRJ Grassroots, we look forward to providing a quality experience for your child.

Amy Donate and Tommy Thomas Co-Directors Hampton Roads Juniors Volleyball Club Please contact Tommy Thomas at tthomas@peninsulacatholic.com

One 12-Week Session

February 9 - May 4 Sundays 4-7PM at Peninsula Catholic High School

(Grassroots Program will not meet on Easter Sunday)

Session focus areas: Passing - Setting - Hitting - Offense/Defense

Virginia Senior Games:

The City of Newport News and the Department of Recreation and Tourism are hosting the Virginia Senior Games this spring. Please contact Parks and Rec for more information for those interested.

Winners of the Free Throw Contest Progress to Round Two:

The following students will advance to the District Free Throw Competition on February 15th at Peninsula Catholic High School. The competition begins at 9am. Please wish them luck when you see them!

Charlie Tuzzolo

Elizabeth Leonard

Zachary Ozmon

Gabby Layman

Matt McKenna

Sophie Rossi

Alex Caisachana

Paula Ann Robertson

Thomas Himes

Hannah Hervey

Andrew Via

Athena Gibson

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School unites with family and community to provide a

Christ-centered and educationally stimulating environment, where students recognize their

God-given gifts and achieve their highest potential.

Crusaders Cash-$$

Current families can earn Crusader Cash to be used for the cafeteria, Manna, and the Spirit Shop just by helping to attract new families to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. Crusader Cash cannot be used for tuition or fees, additional details available in the Business Office.