Crusader Connection

October 22, 2025

Our school is in the process of updating the front office security and visitor check-in process. We are also revisiting the attendance procedures to ensure safety for our students as they enter and exit the building. We are asking parents to revisit the written attendance policy in the handbook to familiarize themselves with state requirements for student attendance. Attendance is an important part of learning. Records of all absences are required to be maintained at school. Help us by emailing absent@ihomschool.org moving forward.   

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for Us! 

Mrs. Pendergest

ATTENTION AFTER CARE FAMILIES

After Care will close at 5:00 pm on Friday, October 31st. Please plan accordingly.

VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION

Please join us on Thursday, November 6th, as we honor the courageous men and women who have served our country with selfless dedication.

The day will begin with a special Mass at 8:15 a.m., followed by a heartfelt celebration of service. Guests are invited to a breakfast in Heritage Hall,

complete with entertainment in tribute to our veterans.



If you have a special veteran, you would like recognized, please send a photo along with a short write-up to Mr. Froese at Froese.E@ihomschool.com.

8TH GRADE SWEATSHIRT BLESSING

We are excited to announce that our 8th grade students will be receiving a special blessing for their class sweatshirts during an upcoming school Mass. This tradition symbolizes the beginning of their final year at Immaculate Heart of Mary , and serves as a reminder of their leadership, responsibility, and faith as they prepare for graduation.

Date of the Mass: Thursday, October 23, 2025 

Location: Immaculate Heart of Mary 

Time: 8:15 mass 

During the Mass, Father Steve will bless the sweatshirts, asking God to guide and protect our 8th graders throughout this important school year. We invite families to join us in prayer and celebration as we support our students on this meaningful journey. 



Let us keep our 8th graders in our hearts and prayers as they continue to grow in faith, wisdom, and love. 

FALL FUNDRAISER PAPER AIRPLANE PARTY

Due to meeting our school goal during the Fall Fundraiser, IHM students will take part in a Paper Airplane Contest and party the afternoon leading into Fall Break. Students will compete within their grade level to see who can design a paper airplane that will go the farthest and enjoy a snack while cheering on the other grade levels.

The snack will be Fla-Vor-Ice.

INGREDIENTS: WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, APPLE JUICE (FROM CONCENTRATE), CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF THE FOLLOWING: CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SODIUM BENZOATE AND POTASSIUM SORBATE (PRESERVATIVES), RED 40, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, BLUE 1."

PICTURE RETAKE DAY IS OCTOBER 23RD

Did you miss Picture Day, blink mid-smile, or discover that one stubborn hair stole the show?

Don’t worry, Picture Retake Day is coming up on Thursday October 23rd.

M-W preschool families may bring their child for pictures or retakes on Oct. 23 from 8:15-9:30 am or 12:30-1:00 pm. Students being photographed that day may come out of uniform, but please remember to follow all handbook guidelines.



Order: Mylifetouch.com

Picture Day ID: EVT8BD372

TIME TO SHINE AT THE 2026 WINTER GALA

We’re excited to share that Katie Herms, Ashley Kramer, and Lisa Geglein will be leading this year’s Winter Gala – Denim & Diamonds on January 31, 2026!



Check out the attached flyer to see how you can get involved today—through donations, sponsorships, or volunteering. It’s your time to shine!

2025-2026 CLASS SHIRT SIGN UP

Please complete this form to select your student's 25/26 Class Shirt size (K-8).

This shirt is used for our field trips, field day, Rosary Rally and more. Please fill out one form per student in grades Kindergaten-8^th.

Any questions please reach out to Penni Yannessa.

DROP OFF REMINDERS

K-8 parents should not be stopping in the preschool circle drive to drop students off in the morning. The preschool circle drive is reserved for preschool families dropping off to before care. 

CAFETERIA VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are always in need of helpful hands to keep an eye on our students in grades K-8 during lunch. Please consider sharing a small part of your day to assist. All volunteers must be SafeParish trained. If you are interested, please sign up!

IHM PLAYERS NEWS

This year’s fall production of James and the Giant Peach Jr. will be performed by our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade IHM Players this November at the Anderson Center Theater! We would love for you to see these students’ hard work and dedication to the arts. Performance schedule and ticket information will be posted at a later date. We hope to see you at the stage!

For all things IHM Players, please visit our IHM Players Facebook and Instagram pages @ihmplayers. For all inquiries, please email, ihmplayers@gmail.com

CAFE UPDATE

Wednesday October 29 will NOT be chicken nuggets and french fries. We will be having Chicken sandwiches and chips instead! 

PRESCHOOL CORNER

PRESCHOOL VISIT TO BURGER FARM

The preschool classes and their parents/special guests enjoyed the puppet show at the annual Burger Farm field trip! Thank you to all those who attended with their little learners!

SPECIAL GUEST READER

One of our second-grade students received in award in class to come read to her younger preschool sibling! We love having our former IHM Preschool students come back to our building and share how much they have learned!

SAFE PARISH

All preschool visitors must be Safe Parish compliant. Here is the link for Safe Parish instructions: SAFE PARISH. Please reach out to Julie Parks at preschool@ihomschool.org if you have any questions. 

PRESCHOOL PLAYGROUND FUNDRAISER

Immaculate Heart of Mary Preschool has been an important part of the IHM community for the last 14 years. We have grown over the years and welcome many new families each year. Spreading the Gospel to our Littlest Crusaders and providing them with a Christ-centered start to learning is the mission of our loving staff. In addition to supporting the students’ spiritual and academic needs, we support their motor development, creativity, and communication skills. Our preschool playground is one of the best places to make this happen! We are seeking donations for much needed playground improvements. Any donations are greatly appreciated! 

IHM PTO NEWS

SAVE THE DATE- LADIES NIGHT OUT!

You've earned a night out! On November 1st take a well-deserved break and unwind with the women of IHM. Enjoy a night of good company, delicious food, and drinks for just $15. Link and Lou will be there with their beautiful permanent jewelry to help you add a new sparkle to your style! See the flyer here, for more details.

SAVE THE DATE FOR UPCOMING WINTER EVENTS

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events sponsored by the PTO.

12/06: St. Nick Breakfast

12/08-12/09: North Pole Santa Shop

12/18: Teacher Cookie Exchange

12/19: Grand Guest Day

PTO REGISTRATION FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR

Don’t forget to register with the PTO for your ’25-’26 school year! Download the Membership Toolkit App to pay for PTO dues, have access a directory of IHM families, and pay for events quickly and securely. *First Time Registration must be completed on a desktop computer. * Attached is a user tutorial guide for MTK.

IHM BOOSTERS NEWS

IHM CINCY HATS

IHM Cincy Hats are available for purchase! Please contact Shanece Taylor (STAYLOR203@gmail.com) to place your order and arrange pick up. All hats are $35 color options are black, white, and gray. 

What is Cincy Hats: Cincy Hats are branded hats created through a collaboration, initially with NFL player Ted Karras and the Village of Merici, to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Cincinnati area.

THURSDAY PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES

MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH MINISTRY — YOU'RE INVITED!

All students in grades 6–8 are invited to join us for our weekly Middle School Youth Ministry program!

When: Every Sunday

Time: 3:00–5:00 PM

Where: Youth Room on IHM's campus

Each week is packed with fun, faith, games, and community as we grow together in our relationship with Christ. Come hang out, bring a friend, and be part of something great!

Got questions? Contact alexb@sggparish.org for more info.

We can’t wait to see you there! 

WALKING WITH A PURPOSE BIBLE STUDY

Why is the parish parking lot so crowded on Friday mornings? Over sixty ladies have been gathering every Friday morning from 9:30-11 at the Parish Welcome Center to participate in the Walking with Purpose Bible Study. And this Friday, October 3rd, we are inviting friends to attend our monthly Connect Coffee Event. We would love for you to come join us for breakfast, coffee, and soul filling discussion following a video we will watch featuring Lisa Brinkemeyer. For questions, please contact Sheri May at sherimay76@gmail.com or Christy Hiltz at christyhiltz@gmail.com

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COAT COLLECTION

TOUCHING THE DIVINE BIBLE STUDY

COMMUNITY NEWS

Mount Notre Dame High School

Empowered to transform the world.

• Model United Nations Conference for 7th and 8th graders (boys and girls). Click here for more information.
• Open House: October 23rd. Click here to register.
• Information Night: November 4th. Click here for more information.

St. Xavier High School

Grade school boys are invited to learn about St. Xavier and how they form men into leaders and Men for Others!

• Shadow Days: Click here to schedule.
• Entrepreneurship Bootcamp: October 24th & 25th. Click here to register.
• Xperience Night: October 22nd. Click here to register and for more information.
• Open House: November 16th 1-5 p.m. Register here.

McNicholas High School

Explore McNicholas High School this fall and learn more about how you can Find Your Brilliance as a Rocket! View our Admissions Calendar, list of events, and steps to apply. Browse our Digital Brochure for an overview of our academic, athletic and extracurricular offerings.

• Shadow Days: Click here for Shadow Days available.
• Apply: Applications are open from September 1 through November 17.
• Open House: October 26th & 27th
• Morning at McNicholas: October 30 & November 14th

Archbishop Moeller High School

Forming our Students into Remarkable Men.

• Shadow Days: Schedule here.
• Open House: November 2nd. Click here for more information.

Elder High School

Grade school boys are invited to visit Elder High School and see how they offer a place for students to express their individuality and make their high school experience unique!

• Shadow Days: October 24th, November 5th & 25th, December 9th, and January 9th

St. Ursula

St. Ursula invites grade school girls to visit and experience all the reasons why they were awarded "Best of Cincinnati" in the school category by the Cincinnati Award Program.

• Shadow Days: Through November 14th. Spend a day at SUA and shadow a current student through a regular school day. Meet students and teachers, attend classes, and experience the welcoming atmosphere and authentic sisterhood in person. Click here to register.
• Walkabout Wednesdays: October 15th, and 22nd. One-hour tours to see the community in action. Click here for more information.
• Open House: November 9th. Register here.

If you have news to share with our community, please send it to communications@ihomschool.org. Information is due on Friday; the week before you would like the news to be included in our newsletter.

IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY SCHOOL

7800 Beechmont Ave.

Cincinnati, OH 45255

513-388-4086

ihomschool.org