Noteworthy Dates: 

May 9

7th and 8th Grade Social

6:30-9:00 pm

May 14

In School One-Act Play at 1:30 pm

May 15

Evening One-Act Play at 6:30 pm

May 17

Barnes and Noble Bookfair

May 20

Optional Out of Uniform for $1.00

May 23

Golf Tournament

Faith Day - no lunch served; please pack lunch and snack 

June 2nd

6:30 Graduation Mass 

Reception following at St. Michael Hall 

June 5th & 6th

Final Snow Make up Days

Last day of School June 6

Please take a peek at the 2014-2015 school calendar on Edline. Dates are tentative until finalized.

http://www.olmc-school.com/pages/OurLadyofMountCarmelSchool 

Saturday, May 17th

12170 Jefferson Blvd., Newport News

757.249.2488

11:00 am- 5:30 pm

11:00 AM - Oh, The Places You'll Go! Storytime

2:00 PM - OLMC Drama Club Presentation of This Is a Test

2:30-4:30 PM - Cupcake Decorating Craft

*Purchase a Cupcake from the Café, Decorate, then Enjoy*

 3:00 PM - Musical Performances

4:00 PM - Open-Mic Poetry Readings by 8th Grade Students

Don't forget to try our Signature Drink in the Café, View the Student Artwork Displays,

Purchase your Summer Reading titles, and much, much more!

Can't attend our bookfair at Barnes & Noble?

Visit BN.COM/bookfairs to support us online from 5/17/14 to 5/22/14

by entering Bookfair ID 11350758 at checkout.

A percentage of your Barnes & Noble purchases

will benefit our school/organization.

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

Matt 18:20

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends,

We were delighted to have our grandparents with us last Friday.  The common tradition of Catholic Schools becomes more impressive when several generations can remember together their own May Crownings and school events.  It is a time that evokes many memories, and during which I hear many stories from our visitors - each one so precious.  

During this month of May - this month of special honor to Mary - we continue to grow in our moral and spiritual life by learning about and cultivating a new virtue - the virtue of zeal.  The definition of zeal as a virtue is "being driven by an intense love for God."  This week at the school we are considering what we are most zealous for.  While we have many pious children (and adults) most of us are still working on this exceptional virtue.  I challenged the children to reflect on what they are most zealous for in life.  We can know what we are most zealous for, what most drives us, when we reflect on how we spend our time, especially our leisure time, how we spend our money, what entertainment we expose ourselves to, and particularly what goals we set and pursue.  This will often tell us what is driving us, and for most of us, God is somewhere in the top three, but not necessarily in the very top.  But this is a virtue that is/was present in all the saints, and so it is one worth cultivating in our lives today.  Once we identify what we are most zealous for by reflecting on the above, we can make changes necessary - usually small changes - to help us grow in this virtue of zeal.  Just like a little pressure on the steering wheel causes an entire car to change it's course, so also, a little pressure or change in one area of our life, can change our course.  To ensure that we are driven by love of God, perhaps we can pick up one of the following suggestions and do it better this month of May:

1. Meditate on the gospel passages about Mary and think about how we can imitate her, especially in her "yes" to God.

2.  Read Scripture daily - the Pope suggests carrying a pocket bible around of the gospels and just reading a few lines when you are standing in line or waiting at a traffic light.

3.  Attend Mass every Sunday, and if possible, one additional time during the week.

4.  Pray before making big or little decisions.

5.  Pray with your children/family daily - prayers before meals, rosary, prayers from the heart for needs for family and friends.

6.  Ask God...just ask...He is God...whatever is on your mind: how to lead your family, how to raise your children, how to reconcile with your spouse, how to support someone in need...just ask.

7.  Cultivate a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As we pass through the month of May, many of us will attend a Mass where First Communinicants are celebrated.  These children are very zealous, ready for the Lord to teach them, direct them, come into their hearts, and into their bodies for the first time in this Eucharistic way.  For those of us who are Catholic, I am sure you remember this day, and it was a peak in our spiritual lives up to that point.  Of course, for the Lord, it is a new beginning of union with us, and through the virtue of zeal, He brings us to greater and greater heights of spiritual union with Himself.  When we look at our First Communicants, and remember our own special day, let us whisper a prayer that we are still seeking God with increased zeal, letting love for Him, and particularly His love for us, drive everything that we do.

With prayers for your families,

Yearbooks are arriving soon.  Many of you have already placed your orders.  Yearbooks are $30.  Order forms can be found online, or you can send a check into the office, clearly labeled that it is for a yearbook.

May 20th: Optional Out of Uniform for $1.00 in support of one of our recent alumni, Jessica Armstrong, who is raising money for a mission trip.   

May 23rd: Annual Spring Golf Tournament Contact Chi Nguyen or Mike Oppelt to sign up now!  A great course. Great company.  Great prizes!  And a great cause!

May 23rd: Faith Day Theme : "I have Chosen You" from the Gospel of John. If you were here last year, please pull out your child's faith day t-shirt, which reads Duc in Altum. We will use the same shirts as last year. For students who are new, we will purchase shirts for their inaugural Faith Day. Parents are asked to make a suggested donation of $5-$7 per t-shirt to defray this expense. Volunteer help is needed for Faith Day for adults to serve as assistant catechists in the classrooms. Please email Mrs. Tucker at ctucker@olmc-school.com if you are available on May 23rd to volunteer by assisting in a classroom, or by spending time in adoration in the gym.  

June 6th: End of Year Raffle Drawing for ONE YEAR'S FREE TUITION AND FEES!!!! New this year, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is raffling off one year's free tuition for the 2014-2015 school year, including general fees. A limited number of tickets will be printed, not to exceed 275 tickets, making your chances 1 in 275 or BETTER if you purchase more than one ticket! There are just over 200 families in the school currently. Tickets are $100 each and will be available beginning Friday, May 2, 2014 and can be purchased through the front office. Good luck!

A big thank you to Tammy Dessoffy for procuring new chairs for the conference room and other offices around the school.  I am constantly amazed at the goodness of our parents and the great love for the school that so many volunteers and donors express on a regular basis.  Thank you!

UNIFORM CHANGES - before purchasing the polo for next year's uniform wear, please be aware that there will be a change in the logo and a new option in the color.  The uniform companies (Land's End, Rose/Flynn O'Harra, and Printing Wright) already have this information and are creating the new setting.  When you order, please specify that you would like the new logo.  Current year shirts and logos will be grandfathered in to save on expenses to the family.  Additionally, we will add an option of color for the polo.  The middle school students may wear the white or may now purchase a dark blue polo.  The lower school may continue to wear white, or may purchase a light blue polo.  Parents have long expressed that, for some very active children, the white becomes dingy quickly, and that a darker color would be more modest for our middle school students. This is a very exciting change, and there will be more information forthcoming, but it is important for you to know to expect a new logo on orders.

A letter with regard to Bingo for next year will be forthcoming.  You will have the opportunity, as in years past, to select the dates best for your family to serve.  There will also be some hardship alternatives available.

From the Business Office:

OLMC School Breakfast Tour:

Crusaders' One-Act Play:

Summer Enrichment Program at the College of William and Mary:

OLMC School is Seeking New Home and School  Association Members for the 2014-2015 Academic Year:

OLMC School is Seeking New School Board Members for the 2014-2015 Academic Year:

OLMC Baseball and Softball:

VIMS Marine Science Day-Saturday May 17th:

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! 

June 16-20: Art of Expression find your creative side and delve into the performing arts

June 23-27: World of Motion discover the balance of movement and a healthy lifestyle

June 30-July 3: Game Show Mania a week of trivia, strategy, & skill

July 14-18: Imaginarium dive into the literary world of fun and creativity

July 21-25: What a Wonderful World "travel" to fun destinations and find your love of geography, culture, music, & language

July 28-Aug 1: Mystery Science Theater experience the world around you through experimentation and observation

Mary Immaculate is offering some wonderful free classes!

Girls Matter-A six part webinar series addressing adolescent girls behavioral health. This webinar series provides research, best practice, and critical thinking on the topics that professionals working with girls and young women need to know. Key areas are address each session including challenges, opportunities, and strategies for supporting and raising successful young ladies.

Dates:

May 20th-Positive and negative of girls and social media

June 10th-Behavioral health issues

July 24th-Principles of development

For more details and times contact delores_price@bshsi.org 

Peninsula Catholic is offering some athlic camps this summer, registration forms are on the PC website under athletics, PC website.  The schedule of camps is below, prices vary from $125 to $175 per camp. All camps are open to boys and girls.

Volleyball Camp-July 7-11 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Soccer Camp-July 14-18 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Wrestling Camp-July 14-18 from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm

Basketball Camp-July 21-25 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm

Mary Immaculate is offering some wonderful free classes!

Active Parenting 1-2-3-4 PARENT!

For parents of children 1-4 years old

Thursdays May 22-June 12 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Newport News

Active Parenting Now

For parents of children 5-12

Fridays May 30-June 27 from 6:30-8:30 pm

Newport News

Understanding the Angry Child: Parents of children 6-11

Thursday, June 19 6:30-8:30 pm

Newport News

Helping Young Children Manage Emotions

Thursday, May 29th 6:30-8:30 pm

Newport News