A Christ-centered community,
provides excellence in education
to meet the needs of the whole child.
October 9, 2019
Dear OLMC Parents,

Good afternoon! It was so lovely to see many junior high students at the parish’s Respect Life presentation “From Womb to Tomb” last Saturday morning. I strongly believe our youth benefit immensely from listening to real-life stories of everyday people who, even though they struggled with some of the harder teachings of Christ, ended up making a solid decision to trust in the Lord. They heroically embraced Christ’s truths without compromise and experienced His deep peace and comfort, the fruits of their surrender. The parish will continue to host pro-life events throughout the month of October; upcoming events are advertised in the parish bulletin. We are so blessed to be part of such an active faith community that is comprised of strong Catholic families who are striving for holiness.

Next week we will have a short week due to Fall Break. An E-Learning Day will directly precede Fall Break as Wednesday, October 16 will be OLMC’s first planned E-Learning Day. Guidelines for students and parents to follow are posted in the Family Policy Guide on p. 22. Essentially, we ask parents to provide a place for the children that is conducive to learning. A quiet place away from the alluring temptations of televisions, cell phones, and video games is always the best environment. Please be assured that the teachers and administrators understand that devices can break down or occasionally have glitches, and so we do not want this E-Learning Day to be a stress for your family. If you experience any technical difficulty during the E-Learning Day or do not have a functioning printer, please contact your child’s teacher on that day; teachers will be available to answer questions and offer assistance on October 16 from 9-11 am and then again from 1-3 pm. Each year OLMC will schedule a planned E-Learning Day in October so that families will be able to get a trial run on how these types of days will work for them when we have an unplanned E-Learning Day due to snow or ice during the winter months. 

Lastly, I just want to issue a friendly reminder about bringing pets to afternoon carpool. We love seeing the diversity of pets in the carpool line, but I just request that our furry friends would stay in the car rather than outside among the children and cars. Unfortunately, we have some students who are either allergic to dogs/cats or have had negative experiences with them, and so keeping our pets inside the vehicle helps these children feel safe as they walk to their cars. Thank you for your understanding and support; I appreciate it!

In this month dedicated to the Holy Rosary, I pray that Our Lady will wrap you tightly under Her mantle and keep you in the warmth of her Immaculate Heart.

In His Mercy,
Sister Maria Benedicta, O.P.
October
9 8th Grade Parent Meeting 7:30-8:30pm JPII Center
10 2nd Grade 1st Reconciliation Parent Meeting 7pm PH
11 5th Grade Lock-in 3-5pm gym
12 Trinity Free Clinic - Annual Run for Wellness
14 3rd Grade Retreat Day (8:50-11:30am)
15 1st Quarter Ends
15 2nd Grade Donuts with Dads 7-9am PH
15 Pep Rally - whole school 2:15-3pm Gym
16 E-Learning Day
17-18 No School - Fall Break
23 Freddy's Steakburger Spirit Day
24 Picture Retake Day
30 Fall Parties
31 No School - Parent/Teacher conferences

Attention families with food allergies!
Click here for ingredient and allergen information for school lunches. Please bookmark this link for future reference.
School picture proofs are coming home today:
If you ordered pictures in September, your picture package is being sent home with your child today. Class pictures will be delivered later in the school year (they wait until after picture re-take day to create the class composites). Follow the instructions in your picture package to order additional prints. You will need the Order Code listed on the package.

If you have not yet ordered any pictures, it is not too late to do so. A proof of your child's picture is being sent home today. Follow the instructions on how to order prints. You will need the Order Code listed on the package.

Picture re-take day will be Thursday, Oct 24. If for any reason, you are not happy with the pictures you received or the proof copy:
  • Have your child bring the picture package or proof with them to school on October 24.
  • Tell their teacher they will having a picture re-take
  • When their class is called for re-takes, your child will give the picture package or proof to the photographer and have their picture re-taken.
  • New pictures or proof will be sent home in November.
Art2Remember Orders:
Don’t Miss Out! Now is the time to place your order for custom keepsake products featuring your child’s artwork. These items make great gifts for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and any other important person in your child’s life.
                           
The deadline to order is Monday, 10/14/19 for paper orders. Go to  Order.ArtToRemember.com   to place your order after the deadline to receive these awesome products!
 
Proceeds benefit the OLMC Art Department directly. Thank you for supporting our school!
Trash Bag Order Pickup Today
2 - 4:45 pm in the Parish Hall
One Day Only - get them now!
The school does not have space to store these so please help us out by picking up your order today!
Attention 8th Grade - Washington D.C. Trip:
Parent meeting tonight,
Wed Oct 9 7:30-8:30 pm
St. John Paul II Youth Center (by the sports fields)

Please park in the sports parking lot and walk up the path to the door that faces North (by the playground/pavilion).
 
At this meeting, you will receive an overview of the trip and details about our annual poinsettia fundraiser. It is important that at least one parent attend.

Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS):
Your child has the opportunity to take the SAT test on: Saturday, December 7, 2019 (with a registration deadline of October 30, 2019   or  March 14, 2020 (with a registration deadline of February 5, 2020) . This is sponsored by Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). There are advantages to taking the test, especially in your child’s eighth grade year. It gives them the opportunity to practice taking a college preparatory exam and to get a feel for this type of test without the pressure of the results, assist your student in becoming aware of his/her academic strengths and weaknesses, and gain assistance in planning their high school curriculum.
Please view the attached NUMATS Powerpoint for a full explanation of this opportunity.   https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Gfx_0KdJH6QDiuz46RjpLjFGxb46Berr_gPf6OHNEsM/edit?usp=sharing
 
If you are interested, you may register online at:  www.ctd.northwestern.edu.
Attention 2nd Grade:
1st Reconciliation Mandatory Parent Meeting
Tomorrow, 7-8pm PH
You will receive your child’s Reconciliation Booklets and important information in guiding them through their First Reconciliation. For any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Spirit Day - Out of Uniform Oct 15:    
Tuesday, Oct 15 is an Out of Uniform - Spirit Wear day. On Spirit Days students are encouraged to show their school pride. Students should follow the out of uniform dress code but they must wear an Our Lady of Mount Carmel or Raider shirt of some kind. They may also choose to wear a blue or yellow shirt, the school colors. Students may wear jeans or khaki pants (no shorts).
E-Learning Day October 16:
E-Learning days at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School afford our students a unique opportunity to learn from home using the technology skills we practice at school. Students and parents will use our Learning Management System (Edmodo) to access their assignments and collaborate in the learning process.
 
E-Learning days at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic School will be designed as a review of already taught skills and applications. Parents are not expected to teach new concepts to their children. Student assignments and materials will be posted on Edmodo and any needed hard copies will be sent home in advance. Students are not expected to sit at a computer or on another electronic device all day.
 
Please see page 22 of the Family Policy Guide for more information regarding planned E-Learning Days.
Freddy's Spirit Day is Coming in 2 weeks!

We invite you to join us at Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers for our spirit day on Wednesday, October 23rd in support of our school.   Come out and enjoy an after school treat or dinner with the whole family. Every little bit counts!  Be sure to tell the cashier that you are there to support OLMC and Freddy's will generously donate 20% of total sales to our school.  Thank you for your support in this fundraiser!  

We appreciate every thing each of you do to help make OLMC a fantastic school for our kids!
Kroger Community Rewards:
Set up your Kroger Plus Card to automatically donate money to the school.

Then, all you have to do is shop at Kroger and swipe your Plus Card! A digital account is needed to participate in Kroger Community Rewards.

Each time you shop with your card a percentage of your purchase will be donated to our school!
Lunch Clubs with Mrs. Minch:
Mrs. Minch, the school counselor, will be starting some small groups called lunch clubs. These lunch clubs will take place during your child’s lunchtime, while they are eating their lunch. See the below mentioned lunch clubs that will be offered to check if your child would benefit from participating. 

Please let Mrs. Minch know by email, [email protected], phone 317-663-4023, or a note that you would like your student/s to participate. Include the student name, teacher name/room number, and area of need. 

The Lunch Clubs will begin the week of October 21 st. Each of these lunch clubs will be offered for 1 st and 2 nd, 3 rd and 4 th, 5 th and 6 th, 7 th and 8 th, but I adapt the curriculum to meet the developmental needs of the students. Lunch clubs are different for each age group. If you have any questions, email Mrs. Minch at [email protected]. 
 
Friendship Lunch Club – This club will deal with all aspects of friendship. From the beginning of how to ask another person to play, to dealing with friendship troubles.
Family Change Lunch Club –Children are given the opportunity to express their feelings about the changes occurring in the family. They learn positive ways to adjust and cope to the new changes in their family.
Study Skill Lunch Club – This club discusses how to be a good student in the classroom. We discuss the importance of listening, focus, organization, and being ready for school.
Don’t Blow Your Top Lunch Club – This club deals with how to handle our anger. We discuss what triggers anger, how are body is affected by anger, and how we can control our anger.

SCRIP News:
SCRIP sales every Thursday at The Rock (weather permitting) In the event of rain, we will move inside to the atrium. 

Order forms can be found in the school atrium or on the website at: https://school.olmc1.org/scrip (scroll to bottom of the page).



  • Scrip rewards for 2019-20: Earn $100 in rebates and receive $25 credit on your 2020-21 book bill
  • 7th grade families: Everything earned above $50 in profit (rebates) will go toward your 8th grade D.C. trip. *Note: you will not receive the book bill credit in addition to this.
  • 8th grade families: Everything earned above $25 in profit (rebates) will go toward your D.C. trip. Deadline for purchasing Scrip (to fund D.C. trip) is March 1, 2020. *Note: you will not receive the book bill credit in addition to this.

If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Lesher, [email protected] .
Lost & Found
Check the picture to see if anything belongs to your family.
New this week
  • Youth Med Fleece - found by the soccer goal during the Food Truck Festival
  • Gray/blue Northface

Please note that there is also a lost & found bin outside of the gym area as well as one in the Jr. High & 6th grade pod areas. If you are missing an item that is not pictured here, encouraged your child to check these other locations.

It is strongly recommended that names are put on items, especially uniforms, jackets, lunchboxes & water bottles. These are the most common items in the Lost & Found. If we find a name we return it to the owner!

Items are kept for several weeks and then donated to the Used Uniform Committee or the Merciful H.E.L.P. Center.
Alternate Morning Routine - Tuesday, Oct 15
There is no change to carpool procedures. However, students that arrived between 7:15-7:30am will wait in the gym instead of the Parish Hall. We will have signs on the Parish Hall doors directing students to the gym.

2nd grade is having Donuts with Dads in the Parish Hall during normal morning drop off time. Drop your children off as you normally would but it would be helpful to remind them to go to enter through Door 3 by the gym & outdoor classroom (instead of Door 4 of the Parish Hall).
Used Uniforms
If you are in need of used uniforms, please email Haley Church at [email protected] or text at 317.514.4569. Orders will be filled by the 15th of each month. 

Please continue to turn in old uniforms to the bin marked Used Uniforms in the school Atrium. 
Volleyball Evaluations Grades 4-8:
Friday, November 15: 
4th Graders: 3:45 PM to 5:00 PM
5th Graders: 5:00PM to 6:30 PM
 
Sunday November 17:
6th Graders: Noon to 1:30 PM
7th Graders: 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
8th Graders: 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM 
Guerin Catholic News:
COMMUNITY
HALLOWEEN FUN @ THE 7TH ANNUAL GUERIN SCARIN' HAUNTED TRAILS
Wednesday, October 16
Walk in the woods through our Guerin Scarin' Haunted Trails on  Wednesday, October 16 from 6 pm - 9 pm. Friendly Hours are 6 pm - 7 pm.  Presented by Guerin Catholic Student Council. Donations accepted. All proceeds will benefit the O'Conner House and other local pro-life organizations. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
 
SAVE THE DATE!
STUDENT STUDIO PRODUCTION OF THE LITTLE MERMAID
October 24-26
 
ATHLETICS
BOYS BASKETBALL PRESEASON TRAINING FOR GRADES 6-8
October 14, 21, 28 (Mondays)
6:45 - 7:45 pm
$15 for one session/$30 for all three sessions
See the attached flyer for more details! Register at GuerinCatholic.org
Contact Coach Allen at  [email protected]  for more information. 
 
BOYS LACROSSE PROSPECT DAY FOR GRADES 7 AND 8
Saturday, November 2
9 am - 12 pm
See the attached flyer for more details! Register at GuerinCatholic.org
Contact Coach Barry at  [email protected]  for more information. 

ADMISSIONS
GUERIN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, October 27, 2019, 1-3:30 pm
Are you curious to learn more about your diocesan high school? Join us for our annual Open House for prospective families on Sunday, October 27 from 1-3:30 pm. Program begins at 1 pm in the gym, followed by student or parent-led tours through our campus. Students, teachers and administrators will be on hand to meet families and answer questions. Families from all grades welcome! Register at  GuerinCatholic.org .