OUR LADY OF FATIMA

CATHOLIC SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL NEWSLETTER

•  On October 7^th, we had a School Pep Rally to create enthusiasm for our Saints Walkathon. It was great fun with the Pep Squad led by Mrs. Mara Flemings bringing the energy and pep. The event was highlighted by the visit to our school of two saints: Saint Michael (Michael Page) and Saint Evaristus (Adrian Salageanu). Great job Mara, Saint Michael and Saint Evaristus!
• The Walkathon itself on Friday, September 14^th was a big success! It was a beautiful day, the kids were great, we had great parent support here, and with your generous support we reached the goal of $16,000 for the HSA. As you know the donations will help our HSA pay their annual stipend to the diocese and to support local Food Banks. Thanks to everyone!
• The 3^rd/4^th/5^th grades are collecting supplies for the disaster relief in Haiti. They are collecting items such as batteries, soap bars, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, combs, zip lock bags, Band-Aids, general first-aid supplies, and flashlights. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please drop off your contribution by October 25 to one of the intermediate teachers.
• October is a month dedicated to the rosary. Mrs. O'Shea and her third graders led a beautiful "Living Rosary" in the church on Thursday afternoon.  As I think you are aware, two 8^th graders lead us in a decade of the rosary each day after lunch. Gina O'Sullivan and OLF Photos recently bought rosaries for the entire school to assist in this devotion. Thank you, Gina!
• As you know, Dennis School Uniforms is one of our main suppliers of school uniforms. They have notified us that they are closing their Norwalk Store effective October 28^th and will be relocating to 500 Boston Post Road in Orange, Ct. 06477. They informed me that majority of their business is now done on line at www.dennisuniform.com. For any questions, you can reach them at 203.795.5457.
• Mr. Brent Shaffer and I visited middle school classrooms this past Monday to discuss community service opportunities at Something Special. I spoke to the students about Community Service Hour requirements. Two separate areas of school life require community service. All National Junior Honor Society candidates will need to have completed a minimum of twenty community service hours since the start of sixth grade. Also, all middle school students will need a total of 30 hours of community service for confirmation. These community service hours can count toward both of requirements. Mr. Shaffer told the students that volunteering at Something Special was a win-win: the school benefits from their service and the student gets an easy four counts toward their community service requirements. One of the first things I was impressed by when I came to our school, is the motto, "Service before Self."
• On Saturday, November 5^th, Bishop Caggiano is consecrating the Diocese of Bridgeport to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is an important and blessed event. The consecration will take place at the St. Augustine Cathedral in Bridgeport. Bishop Caggiano is asking for each Catholic School to be represented. The day begins at 1:15 p.m. with opening remarks from Bishop Caggiano and concludes with a 4:00 p.m. Mass. If you and your family would like to represent Our Lady of Fatima School and attend all, or part of this memorable day, please contact me. I know it will be an unforgettable day!
• Friday, November 11^th is Veteran's Day.  We are planning to mark this day with an assembly Friday afternoon beginning at 1:00 p.m. We would like to have several veterans here to speak to the students. If there is a veteran in your family or extended family we would love to recognize them and maybe have them say a few words about their service to our country.
• I am starting to hear rumblings of the dreaded "Our Lady of Fatima email fatigue." Thank for your patience as we attempt to fine-tune what information should be sent out just through the Principal's Newsletter, what information should be sent out by room parents, what information should be sent out by the HSA, and what information should be sent out from Athletics.
• Speaking of Athletics, Gabriella Casole has been doing a great job as our new Athletic Director arranging sports teams and overseeing schedules. I am requesting all Athletic communication, not connected with specific team practice or game logistics, be cleared through Ms. Casole. In addition, coaches please copy in Ms. Casole on all your team logistic emails so she is aware of changes. Many thanks for your help on this issue.
• On Wednesday our Pre-K4s through second-grade went apple and pumpkin picking. They could not have had a better day. (And a long bus ride!)
• On Thursday, October 20^th our 7^th grade hosted a wonderful Palestinian Luncheon. There was great food and information about culture, daily life, religious groups and geography of the Middle East. The students dressed in Middle Eastern robes. It was an educational, entertaining and delicious luncheon. Great job, Mrs. Rooney and the 7^th graders.
• Many thanks to all who contributed to our Open House last Sunday. Many parents attending reported that they heard about the Open House through the signage they saw driving around. Our teachers were here in the classrooms, we had many parents here to answer questions, and our student tour guides could not have done a better job. We now have eleven more new parents very interested in our school. Thanks to everyone for their help.
• Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for the afternoons on November 16^th and November 17^th.  We will have noon dismissal on these two half-days. The marking period ends on November 11^th. Third-grade through eighth-grade report cards will be mailed home prior to the conferences. Pre-K through Second-grade report cards will be given to you at the conference.
• Pre-K through fifth-grade teachers will contact you directly to arrange your conference time on the 16^th or 17^th. They will work with you to accommodate siblings. For parents of middle school students, outside of Diane's School Office, we will have teacher clip boards to sign-up for conferences with individual middle school teachers. The times will be in fifteen-minute blocks. Please sign-up for conferences the next time you are in the building, so you are able to see as many teachers and make the best use of your time. On the days of the middle school conferences, the middle school teachers will be meeting parents at tables set-up in the gym.
• If you cannot make the conference time for some reason on these designated two days of conferences, please contact your child's teacher to arrange a new meeting date and time. I will send home a separate mailing the first week in November reminding everyone of these Parent/Teacher conference procedures.
• We are now in Winter Uniforms. Some of our boys are having some trouble with this adjustment. The boys should be wearing a belt, have their shirt tucked in, and have their tie or bowtie at the top of their shirt. Thank you for your assistance with this school policy.