Important Upcoming Events:

January 16th – No school, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Day of Service, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM in Parish Hall; see below for details.

January 19th – Early dismissal for 1st-8th grades. Parent-teacher conferences for 1st-8th grades.

January 20th – No school 1st-8th grades, Parent-teacher conferences. Full day of school for Pre-K and Kindergarten.

January 26th – Honors Students' Breakfast. See below for further details.

January 29th – Start of Catholic Schools Week. Coffee and doughnuts in Parish Hall after 9:00 AM mass.

Principal’s Report

Dear OMC Families,

After a busy week back at school, we want to take a moment to recognize members of the OMC community for their recent accomplishments!

Congratulations are in order for…

The Principal of Our Mother of Consolation

Dr. Patricia Sheetz received her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Temple University.

The Director of Advancement at Our Mother of Consolation

Dr. Shane Sprandio received his Ph.D. in Medieval Italian History from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

OMC 8th-grade students continue to receive acceptances and scholarship awards to their high schools of choice:

Student High School Acceptances thus far

Morgan Alexander Abington Friends High School

Peter Amuso St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School

Gabrielle Best Mount St. Joseph’s Academy

Matteo Bofinger St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School

Elodie Breslin Mount St. Joseph’s Academy

Silvia Cosgrove Mount St. Joseph’s Academy

Noni Daniels Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls

Angelina Lester Merion Mercy Academy

Dylan Morano St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School

Hayden Skinner Archbishop Carroll High School

Leilani Wheeler Little Flower Catholic High School for Girls

Chloe Wilson Mount St. Joseph’s Academy

• Stay tuned for more high school acceptance news regarding the remainder of our 8th-grade students as they decide which high school they will attend in the fall.

Honors Students' Breakfast Invitation:

• All students in grades 4 to 8 who have achieved First Honors, Second Honors, and Honorable Mention are invited to attend an Honors breakfast event in the Learning Commons on Thursday, January 26th, 7:30 AM - 8:05 AM. Please arrive at school at 7:30 AM so you can enjoy this breakfast event in honor of your achievements. We are proud of you!
• Student Ambassadors created a “welcome” video for our school website today and campus tours will begin this month for prospective families. See the video at the bottom of the Principal's Report.
• Join us in the OMC parish school on Sunday, January 29th for coffee and donuts after the 9 AM mass.
• We will meet with a photographer to schedule a “drone” photo session of our school and children celebrating 160 years of excellence in education. Stay tuned for the professional photo of our beautiful school and children!

COVID/Illness health and safety guidelines:  

• Please keep your child home if they have a fever (you must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school).
• Please keep your child home if they are sick (you must be free from vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school).
• If you or a family member have been exposed to COVID, please notify the people who may have been exposed.
• If your child has COVID, there is a 5-day quarantine period-please return to school, following this quarantine period, wearing a mask for 2 weeks.
• If your child has a cough, please have them wear a mask to school.
• Upon return to school from the Christmas holiday-masks are recommended.

Thank you for your support.

Dr. Sheetz

Birth Announcement

On November 22, 2022, Mr. and Mrs. Malizia welcomed their grandson Connor Michael Malizia!

Congratulations to them and their growing family!

Student in the Spotlight

Silvia Cosgrove, future Mount St. Joseph student

What’s your favorite part of OMC?

My favorite part of OMC is the community. The students are really supportive, and the teachers are caring and understanding.

What sports/clubs have you participated in at OMC?

I participate in basketball, peer ministry, choir, a capella, theater, and track.

What is the best book you’ve ever read?

The Hunger Games trilogy.

Proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment was getting into Mount St. Joseph Academy.

What is your favorite subject?

My favorite subject is ELA.

What are your favorite hobby?

My favorite hobbies are basketball, reading, and drawing (sometimes).

Who has inspired you the most?

My parents inspire me because they both work very hard for our family.

What are you most excited about going to the Mount?

In high school, I am most excited for the opportunity to meet new people and I am also looking forward to the different clubs and activities.

What advice would you give the 7th grade?

Listen to your teachers.

Congratulations, Silvia! OMC is proud of you!

Congratulations, OMC Robotics!

Last weekend, OMC Robotic placed 5th out of 18 participants at the First Lego League Robotics Competition. Congratulations to team members Finn, Dylan, Elodie, Leilani, Matteo, Jaxon, JJ, and Jude!

Congratulations are also due to their coaches Ms. Melissa Nash, Mr. Tim Breslin, and especially Mrs. Gloria Di Lullo for her Coach's Award!

Martin Luther King Jr. Donation Drive and Day of Service

To honor Martin Luther King Jr., OMC is holding a Day of Service.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 16th), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, we will gather in the Parish Hall to prepare items for donation to the Sunday Love Project. Please come at any time that works for your schedule. A station will also be set up to make sandwiches for The Germantown Community Fridge. Please bring supplies to make 5 sandwiches. There will be labels provided to label the sandwiches.

In addition, we will make cards for residents of Fairview Nursing Home and bonding squares for Today is a Good Day, an organization that provides relief for families with children in Neonatal Intensive Care Units. These activities will take place Jan. 16th, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, in OMC's Art Room.

Please reach out to Christine Bischoff (cbisch75@comcast.net) with any questions. If you would like to learn more about The Sunday Love Project or volunteer a day with Christine, please reach out to her. Their hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.

Service Opportunity, Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership, Jan. 16th

Join OMC parishioners at the Whitaker Gateway at Tacony Creek Park on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 10:00 AM - 12 noon, to clean up this important city park. Rain date to be determined.

Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership will provide gloves, tools, trash bags, snacks, hand sanitizer, and masks if needed. Bring your own reusable water bottle.

Volunteers will meet at the Whitaker Gateway located at the intersection of Whitaker Avenue and Tampa Street.

Parking is available on both sides of Rising Sun Avenue. If you have any questions please contact Hannah Roberts (hannahinphilly@gmail.com).

Trivia Tickets Available!

Save the date for OMC's Trivia Night on February 25th! Doors open at 6:30 at the Barren Hill Fire Hall (647 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444). Trivia starts at 7:00 PM and lasts until 9:00 PM.

Get your tickets here!

Teams of ten will enjoy 10 rounds of trivia and entertainment benefitting OMC's Home and School Association. Please bring your own food and drinks to share with your table. Coffee, treats, and light refreshments will be available. Space is limited to 15 teams, so be sure to buy your tickets today!

Please email Liz Vogelbacker (elizabethdurkin@gmail.com) with any questions.

Save the date, OMC Spirit Night at Urban Air, March 16th!

OMC is having a Spirit Night at Urban Air in Willow Grove on March 16th!

Get your tickets at their front desk on March 16th and don't forget to wear your OMC gear!

Call for "OMC Celebrates 160" Auction Donations

We need your help planing for our "OMC Celebrates 160" Hall of Fame Induction and Auction on April 14th! If you are interested in working on the auction committee, please reach out to Shane Sprandio (ssprandio@omcschool.com).

If you received any Christmas gifts you cannot use, please consider regifting them to OMC. We can collect gift cards, jewelry, household items, and items such as wine, coffee, or tea. 

Any contributions you are able to make will go towards celebrating OMC's past and strengthening our future!

Financial Aid

If you need tuition assistance for the 2023-2024 academic year, applications are now open for financial aid from the Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) and Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS).

CSFP is now accepting applications until March 1st, 2023. Check to see if your family is eligible to apply for aid here. Starting this year, CSFP's financial aid will follow a recipient through eighth grade so long as their family stays within CSFP's eligibility requirements. To learn more, visit their FAQ. If you’d like to apply, fill in their application form and the form for FACTS.

OMC's deadline for BLOCS is May 1st, 2023. To learn more about BLOCS, including their eligibility requirements for families, check their FAQ. If you'd like to apply for financial aid from BLOCS, complete your application through FACTS.

If you have further questions, please email Shane Sprandio (ssprandio@omcschool.com).

Car Magnet Sale Continues in the New Year

Our updated OMC car magnets were such a big hit at the OMC Art Show this week that we've decided to continue our sale in the New Year!

Each magnet costs $5 and can be purchased with cash or Venmo in the Advancement Director's Office. For more information, email Shane Sprandio (ssprandio@omcschool.com).

Lost and Found Box

Parents and students are reminded to check the School’s Lost and Found Box for any belongings that go missing during the school day.

The Lost and Found Box is located in the Lower School in the Learning Commons.

High School Open Houses

Many high schools in the area are hosting open houses in the coming months. Stay on top of the schools you and your family are interested in with the following list.

Martin Saints Classical: Open House on January 29th, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM; March 6th, 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM.

To RSVP for the Open House, use their RSVP Page. For more information, email Ms. Laura Lindmeier (llindmeier@martinsaintsclassical.org).

Spartans Lacrosse Registration, due February 16th

Registration is now available for boys and girls Spartans lacrosse. Interested students must register by February 16th.

Click the flyer below for more information.

Hallow app

This year each one of the teachers has access to Hallow, a Catholic Prayer app. Parents are able to try the premium version of the app for free for 90 days. Advent is a great time to try or introduce a new way of praying. Sing up with this link: hallow.com/omcPAparents

OMC SCHOOL CALENDAR 

Our school calendar has been updated for the academic year. 

Please make sure you have a copy, available here. 

You can sync to your Google Calendar on your phone or computer through the link on the calendar page. 

OMC MUSICAL THEATER PRESENTS?  

OMC Musical Theater needs your help! With Mrs. Kline stepping down, we are in need of a Director, Choreographer, and Producer for OMC Musical Theater.  

Do you enjoy theater, dance, the Arts? Do you have a certain penchant for organization perhaps? Please consider being the director, choreographer, or producer for OMC’s amazing musical theater program. To make the process easier,

 the production kit for the shows supplies the director’s script (which has information on costumes, sets, direction, staging, etc), and choreography videos (provides suggested choreography for many of the dance numbers). Mrs. Malizia remains the Musical Director.  

This program cannot continue to run without these positions being filled. These positions can be filled by one person, or multiple people. Please consider if you’re the next Director, Choreographer and/or Producer. If interested,

or have questions, please reach out to Mary Kline, at mlkphilly@hotmail.com.

Thanks! 

Mary J. Kline, MD

Associate Director, Medical Monitor

Barnes Foundation Free Vouchers!

All OMC students and up to three guests can visit the Barnes Foundation for free when they present this voucher. 

See voucher for further details on scheduling your visit.

Don't forget to let Mrs. Clark-Binder know that you went and what your favorite piece of art was!

Offer ends February 28, 2023.

Uniform Resources