Our Lady's Christian School
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June 7, 2010

Creating a Safe School: New program to help school community maintain positive environment

Our Lady’s Christian School, in conjunction with The Ophelia Project, will introduce a comprehensive initiative this fall to create a more positive social culture within our school. The Creating a Safe School (CASS) program is a multifaceted, school-wide initiative that challenges all members of the school community to examine their beliefs about peer aggression and address aggression within the school.

Developed by the Ophelia Project, CASS is a proactive program that empowers older students to be trained mentors to their younger classmates, and to model positive social interaction and courageous intervention. But the collaboration doesn’t stop there. A key feature of CASS is that everyone in the school community is involved in the effort:

  • Students participate in weekly class meetings
  • Teachers, staff, coaches and volunteers are trained in CASS principles
  • Faculty members attend in-service training twice a year
  • Parents and community members are invited to serve as program volunteers and attend monthly Community Night Programs.

“What’s great about the CASS program is that it’s research-based. It’s proven to work, proven to create a safe environment,” says Principal Patty Landenberger. “Instead of addressing bullying behavior after it has happened, we’ll focus on creating a positive environment, one where that kind of behavior just isn’t socially acceptable.”

Work on the program has already begun and will continue over the summer. Throughout the next two school years, an Ophelia Project graduate assistant will work 25 hours per week in the school. Every class will spend 30 minutes per week learning CASS principles. Approaching these principles from a Christian perspective, CASS will be worked in to the Religion curriculum and examined along with other Gospel values.

As Mrs. Landenberger explains, “CASS will help us build community, build consensus on a Code of Conduct, and help our students build personal skills they’ll use throughout their lives. It’s something that will involve everyone, and something that will benefit everyone.”

Here are some resources for you to learn more about CASS:
CASS Overview
How Does CASS Work for Parents?
Ophelia Project

Already know you’d like to get involved? Click here for more information about volunteer opportunities.

Are you up for a challenge?!

PTO is challenging you and your family to collect as many Box Tops, Campbell’s soup labels, and Tyson A+ labels as you can during summer vacation. The Grade that has collected the overall highest number will win a special visit from the Erie Zoo.

By collecting these labels you are helping to earn cash and supplies for our school. Tyson will give us 24 cents for each label; Box Tops also gives cash back to the school for each label. By collecting Campbell's labels we are earning points that can be used to purchase items for class rooms, gym equipment, or art supplies just to name a few. This coming year we are doing something new! PTO will be providing the snack for all the holiday parties.

We are providing each family with a collection bag with a magnet to hang on the fridge over the summer. All you have to do is put your labels in the bag, you don’t even have to separate them. At the beginning of the new school year we collect them. So tell your neighbors, your teacher, your cousins, and your grandparents you want the zoo to come to school!

Click here for a printable flyer Good Luck to everyone! If you have any questions please call Cathy Schuetz at 476-7071.

T-shirt design winner

A special thank you to the OLCS children for their talented works for this year’s Summer of Discovery t-shirt. The teachers and staff have voted and the winner is Nick Carneval in 4A.

Alum offers computer help

If your computer has viruses, is showing lots of errors or is simply running slower than it used to, it can be fixed. Adam Campbell, a graduate of Our Lady’s Christian School and Cathedral Prep and a current Computer Science major at the Rochester Institute of Technology, offers home call computer repair, maintenance, and lessons. Click here for more info.

Reminders

You’re Invited: Volunteer Appreciation Picnic June 16

Whether you serve lunch or serve on a committee, help in the cafeteria or help with a sports team or class event, your volunteering makes all the difference at OLC! To say thanks for all you do, we’d like to give volunteers a night to do something different—relax! You don’t need to bring anything, just come have fun!

Wednesday, June 16
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
St. Jude Lawn

There will be food & drinks, games & activities, DJ’ing by Lisa Keating, and of course…good friends & good times! Please RSVP by June 8 by returning this form or emailing Mary Menditto in the school office.

Click for a printable flyer. Hope to see you there!

Save the Date: OLC Golf Outing July 16

Mark your calendar and plan to golf in the 16th Annual Raider Classic Golf Tournament on Friday, July 16, 2010. Join us at Lake Shore Country Club for a fun-filled day of golf that includes:

  • Continental breakfast beginning at 8 a.m.
  • 18 hole shotgun start at 9 a.m.
  • Great prizes and contests
  • Lunch banquet

Set up a foursome yourself, or we'll be glad to set you up with one, two, or three others. You can register online or print and mail your registration form.

We also hope you'll consider asking your business to become a tournament sponsor.

This fun annual event is one of only three fundraisers that support the Athletic Program at Our Lady's Christian School. These events make it possible for more than 250 students participate in 23 different teams for boys and girls, from football, basketball and soccer to cheerleading, wrestling and cross country. Proceeds will also benefit a designated parish program and scholarship/endowment funds.

Need more information? Visit us online or contact Lou Montefiori at 814-397-2582.

Don’t miss the fun--be there for the 16th on the 16th!

Back-to-school mini-courses set for August

We’re not quite done with the year, but planning is already underway for back-to-school! OLC will again offer a variety of mini-courses this August for students entering grades 3-8. These classes are designed and taught by OLCS teachers during the week of August 9-13. Subjects include math, science, and language arts (writing). Cost for each class is $45. These classes are a great way to help students get back in the swing for a new school year! Click for class information and registration form.

Stay in touch on Facebook!

The school year is ending, but you can stay in touch with OLC on Facebook all summer! Just search “Our Lady’s Christian School” and “like” us!

Spring Cleaning? Think Christmas!

As you are working on your spring cleaning projects, and you come across items that you plan to get rid of, think of the Christmas Fair!

Do you have craft items that have been sitting around that you are planning on getting rid of? We could use them. Do you have scrap wood that is just sitting around taking up space in your basement or garage? We could use that too. We have some wonderful wood crafters who could turn your scrap wood into beautiful holiday decorations to sell at the Christmas Fair.

Click for a list of neeeded items. We are also in need of more crafters!! If you are interested in any way, please contact Brenda Nelligan at 456-0504.