Important Upcoming Events:

January 29th – Start of Catholic Schools Week. Coffee and doughnuts in the school after 9:00 AM mass. See below for more activities.

February 3rd – First Friday Adoration.

February 4th – St. Vincent de Paul Visitation Day. See Student Service Opportunities for more details.

February 6th – Penny Wars Fundraiser

February 8th, 11:15 AM – Mass for St. Josephine Bhakita and Black Saints.

February 14th – Tag Day Fundraiser. Pink, red, white theme for St. Valentine's Day.

February 20th – Presidents' Day. No School.

February 22nd, 9:00 AM – Ash Wednesday Prayer Service.

Principal’s Report

Dear OMC Families,

We hope to see you at our Coffee and Doughnut Social at school this Sunday, Jan. 29th, after 9 AM mass! Come help us celebrate the start of Catholic Schools Week with our friends in the parish!

If you have not had the chance to review the State of the School, please take some time to watch or listen to the video link below. The Powerpoint slides are also available beneath.

State of the School Video 

PDF PowerPoint

Honors Students:

Congratulations to the following students in fifth through eighth grade on achieving First and Second Honors!

To celebrate their accomplishments, we hosted an honors students' breakfast on Thursday.

Religion Bee:

Congratulations are also due to our Religion Bee winners and finalists!

We are pleased to announce that OMC will have access to a student lunchroom on campus beginning on Monday, January 30th!

• Our 7th and 8th graders will assist in getting the lunchroom tables/chairs set up in the Parish Hall.
• Grades 1 through 4 will eat lunch in the Parish Hall from 12:15 to 12:35 daily.
• Grades 5 through 8 will eat lunch in the Parish Hall from 12:35 to 12:55 daily.
• We are grateful for the support of Father John in expanding the campus services available to our children.
• Our plans to expand outside seating availability will take place in the spring.

Catholic Schools Week, January 29th - February 3rd:

Catholic Schools Week is packed with fun activities for OMC's students and faculty! We're starting off our celebration of Catholic education with a Coffee and Donut Social in the school with OMC parishioners after 9 AM mass on Sunday, January 29th. Check the schedule below to see what else we'll be doing!

Monday: Celebrate OMC’s Community - Students will wear their favorite OMC spirit gear while playing trivia games, making letters for local businesses, and cleaning up the school grounds.

Tuesday: Celebrate Our Students - Teachers will distribute prizes to our students in recognition of their academic achievements while they do acts of service for one another.

Wednesday: Celebrate Our Country - Students will learn about American saints while sharing pictures and souvenirs from their own travels around the country and world.

Thursday: Celebrate Catholic Vocations - Students will prepare cards for the Oblates of St. Francis and Sisters of St. Joseph while parents and teachers share how their faith has helped them in their careers.

Friday: Celebrate Faculty, Staff, and Volunteers - Students will make cards of appreciation for their teachers and the staff at OMC.

Want to keep up with all of these activities? Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for photos and updates!

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.

I wish you a safe and peaceful weekend.

Your partner in education,

Dr. Patricia Sheetz

Student in the Spotlight

Hope Delvecchio, future student of Mount St. Joseph Academy

What’s your favorite part of OMC?

My favorite part of OMC is the community. I love the support my friends and teachers give me.

What sports/clubs have you participated in at OMC?

I've participated in volleyball clinic, track and field, cross country, and basketball.

What is the best book you’ve ever read?

My favorite book is They Both Die in the End.

Proudest accomplishment?

Being accepted into the Mount.

What is your favorite subject?

Art, I love our teacher and the class allows me to express my creativity.

What are your favorite hobbies?

Reading and hanging out with my friends.

Who has inspired you the most?

Mrs. Clark-Binder. She pushes us to do our best.

What are you most excited about going to the Mount?

Experiencing high levels of education.

What advice would you give the 7th grade?

Listen to your teachers.

Congratulations, Hope! OMC is proud of you!

Re-registration due February 28th

Students were sent home with re-registration packets this week. Please return your re-registration forms and fees by Feb. 28th.

If needed, families can download and print a new form here.

Service Opportunity for Catholic Schools Week

Volunteers are needed for our Coffee and Doughnut Social in the school scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 29th, after the 9 AM mass. We need volunteers to help set up the coffee and doughnuts, oversee the crafts station, and student helpers in 5th-8th grade.

In addition, we invite members of the OMC family to volunteer for our Vocation Day scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 2nd. Please sign up to come and share how your Catholic faith has impacted your career path with our students. Different time slots are available.

Service Opportunity for Students

OMC students in 6th-8th grade are invited to participate in St. Vincent de Paul Visitation Days to deliver cards and flowers to elderly and homebound parishioners during the weekend.

Openings are available for Feb. 4th, April 1st, and May 13th. To sign up, please use the Volunteer Sign Up Sheet.

No Tag Day on February 10th

There will only be one Tag Day in February on the 14th. If families paid for the Tag Day on Feb. 10th, they will be issued a refund.

Students must wear uniforms for class on Feb. 10th.

Trivia Tickets Available!

Get your table or ticket purchased today at the link below--we are more than halfway sold out!

Get your tickets here!

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 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).

Merion-Mercy Practice Exam, Feb. 25th

Merion-Mercy Academy will conduct a practice high school admission test for seventh-grade boys and girls on Feb. 25th, 8:45 AM - 12:45 AM.

The cost to take the exam is $40. Use their Registration Page to sign up for the exam.

An optional School Tour for parents is available on Feb. 25th, 9:15 AM.

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