From the Principal's Des k - OUR LADY OF ...
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Our Lady of Guadalupe
Catholic School Est. 1912
Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic School Community dedicated to instilling Catholic
character, to strengthening academic excellence, and to empowering the students to serve
others, confident in the love, protection, and guidance of God, through the intercession of
Mary, our Mother
Volume 2 Issue 13 June 5, 2020
From the Principal's Desk
Dear Our Lady of Guadalupe Families,
What a beautiful day! I hope everyone is enjoying their first week
of summer!
Now that the school year has ended, I know there are already many
questions about the beginning of school this Fall. We are all
praying that the Fall sees us once again in our classrooms with our
students. However, we are also actively planning for the possibility
of a hybrid model of instruction for the upcoming school year.
Meetings are currently being held at the Office for Catholic Schools
to develop a set of plans for the various possibilities for the
beginning of school. I will share the official plan as soon as
possible. Please know that whatever the Office of Catholic Schools
directs, the safety of our students, families, teachers and staff will
always be the deciding factor.
Thank you to all parents who have responded to our Google Forms
survey in regards to re-opening the school this fall. This is a
complicated process- we are looking at guidelines from all levels,
including the Archdiocese, and making the best decision we can
with the information we have. Please know that student/staff
safety is always our top concern, as is providing a high-quality
education. There are many concerns being voiced by you, and we
are doing our due diligence to determine the best-case scenario for
re-opening. Some responses have ranged from “why are we even
considering not being in the classroom?” to “I plan to keep my
child home and would like a virtual option to lead their
schoolwork”. There are many questions about the health measures
we plan to take (taking temperatures, sanitation, monitoring of
sick students). We also acknowledge the trials we faced in the emergency switch to distance learning, and are already planning Professional Development in many areas of technology. If you have not yet taken the survey, we encourage you to do so by following this link: OLGCS Parent Questionnaire (or en Espanol). We plan to share the results of the survey as well as more reopening details before the end of the month. Thank you, thank you, thank you! To every person who has been a part of our school, has been a supporter of our school, and has been there to cheer us on. We are so thankful for each of you. We can be very proud of our school this year. We have had an incredible year through and through. Our staff, students, friends, supporters, and school families have pulled together even in this time of great challenge, working harder than ever to be the best that we can. Your work, your time, your energies, and your prayers are appreciated. You are keeping the “Spirit” of our beautiful Catholic School alive and available to more and more families. We are touching the hearts and souls in ways that are special and in ways that can only be done as we practice our faith that is infused within the core of our Catholic school mission. I am sure that God is smiling at us! May you and your family remain in good health and in positive spirits as we face these uncharted challenges together. You will remain in our thoughts and prayers as we enter the summer break. I hope that you all find time to rest and revitalize, and we are overjoyed about being able to see you all again very soon. As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Sincerely in Christ, Irazema S. Ortiz Principal Summer Hours Monday – Thursdays 8:30 am – 4:00 pm Closed June 29 -July 3rd Pope Francis' Prayer for Peace Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!
We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by
our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility
and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many
lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts
have been in vain.
Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the
way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say:
"Never again war!"; "With war everything is lost". Instill in our hearts the courage
to take concrete steps to achieve peace.
Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you
call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments
of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister.
Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons
of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our
quarreling into forgiveness.
Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we
may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last,
and may the words "division", "hatred" and "war" be banished from the heart of
every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands.
Renew our hearts and minds, so that the word which always brings us together
will be "brother", and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam!
Amen.
May Recap
Teacher Appreciation Car Parade, May 8
At the request of some of our awesome parents, the school organized a Car Parade
to end Teacher Appreciation Week. Each and every teacher & staff member was in
attendance to witness the love and support from our families. The parade lasted
almost 40 minutes as car after car drove through the parking lot and plaza to wave
and say hi. It was such a treat for the teachers to be able to see their students
again, many for the first time since mid-March.
Click here for video!
Sports Awards Ceremony, May 14
Thank you Coach Tran and our volunteer coaches for their hard work and
dedication throughout their seasons! We could not offer these extracurricular
opportunities without the generous gift of your time.
Student Packet Pick Up, May 19 & 20
It was a bittersweet couple of days as teachers got to see your faces during our
drive through pick up, but also had to say goodbye for the summer! We can't wait to
see many of you back next school year.
Graduation, May 21
Thank you to Fr. Wojciech, SCJ for celebrating Mass with the 8th grade students
and their families! While this was not the send off anyone imagined, it provided
some much needed closure to our students and teachers.
VALEDICTORIAN
Congratulations to Nayeli Montoya,
our Class of 2020 Valedictorian!
Nayeli is a hard worker and a team
player. She showed leadership in her
class and was a member of the
National Junior Honor Society for 2
years. She will be attending
Duchesne Academy in the fall.
We wish the best of luck to all of our
2020 graduates! We know you will
continue to do great things in your
future. You will be greatly missed at
OLG!
Passing of the Candle, May 21
This is a special OLG tradition that usually takes place during Mass, the week
before school ends. 8th grade students literally pass the flame, which symbolizes
leadership, to the 7th grade students who will be the leaders of the school next year.
We were not able to make this happen in person, but Mrs. Mechler created an
opportunity for the students to share this inspiring moment together.
Thank you Mrs. Mechler and the 7th & 8th grade students for sending videos!
Click here for video!
Last all-school Mass, May 22
All school Mass is typically celebrated on the last day of school, before awards
ceremonies and class parties. Even though we participated virtually, we wanted to
keep as many of these traditions as possible! Thank you to those who watched the
live-stream and sent us your pictures.
Texas Texas Catholic Herald Article
It is no secret that this school year ended differently than any other. In order to
capture and preserve this historical time, a reporter visited the campus and
interviewed a few of our teachers. Click the link below to read the full article.
Click here for article!
Summer Opportunities
Fearless Catholic Writing Camp
ONLINE begins June 22-26. We are
holy and wholesome, inspiring both
children who love to write, and
children who fear writing. The
enrollment fee is $165 for the first
child, with discounts for additional
children.
In cooperation with Deborah Haney,
Superintendent, Fearless Catholic
After-school Program is used
successfully in several of the Inner-
city Catholic schools. We are
familiar with the Archdiocese
curriculum and our Catholic writing
instructors are all certified teachers.
Please visit our website at:
www.catholiclitearyarts.org/fcwc-
summer.
Free sports physicals!
August 1, 2020
No insurance is required but if you are planning on taking advantage
of this great opportunity you do need to fill out a 2020-2021 Physical
form.
If you do not have a 2020-2021 Physical Form you can contact Ms.
Lopez at Clopez@olgschoolhouston.org
Food Program Benefits Your household may be eligible to receive Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits to buy food. P-EBT is for children 5-18 years old who received SNAP food benefits for the month of March 2020 and children up to 21 years old who are certified for free or reduced-price meals at school in Texas during the 2019-20 school year. Children that attend a school that offers free meals to all students (Community Eligibility Provision or Provision 2) are also eligible.
We sill have a few yearbooks left! Please call or stop
by the front office to fill out a form and/or make
payments. FACTS payment still available.Safe Haven Training
(formerly VIRTUS)
Summer is a great time to complete your Safe Haven online training!
All new employees and any volunteers working directly with students/in the
classroom are required to complete the Safe Haven course.
The CMG Safe Haven online training is replacing the VIRTUS training. The
training consists of 3 vignette style training videos that is approximately 60
minutes and will include a criminal background check that must be completed.
These trainings are available in English and Spanish. We will no longer offer
live trainings; all Safe Environment trainings will only be available online.
· The turnaround time for approval may be approximately two weeks or less.· All individualsmust complete the training and complete a background check
prior to the start of employment and/or volunteer service.
The 5-year anniversary date is still in place, individuals who recently attended
VIRTUS will not be due to complete refresher trainings until they have met
their 5-year anniversary date.
As the 5-year anniversary date is met, individuals will need to log into CMG
Connect with their previous personal VIRTUS user id and 1234 as the
password. Once the individual logs into their CMG Connect account,
they will be able to change their password. If they do not remember the
user id, they may contact the following:
1. (Please make sure your name, email and phone number is listed here)
2. Daphne Woods at 800.228.6108 ext. 2375 ordwoods@catholicmutual.org
3. CMG at cmgconnect@catholicmutual.org
The following individuals below will now be required to complete Safe Haven
online training as well:
1. Individuals who have never attended training.
2. Individuals who are currently due for refresher training and had not attended
VIRTUS training.
3. Individuals who are currently due and have not attended VIRTUS training.
4. Individuals who are out of compliance or past due.
Visit https://galvestonhouston.cmgconnect.org/ to sign up for the CMG
Safe Haven training.
**Families are required to complete 20 hours during the school
year. If not completed, a fee of $10.00 per hour will be assessed to
your FACTS account. Please log any hours completed on Track it
Forward.
Advancement Alley
Maria Chavez
mchavez@olgschoolhouston.org
Thank you Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic
School families, community, and friends for
another successful fundraising year. Yes, we
did not have the Gala this year which puts us a
little behind. However, we have our God and
Our Lady who continue to watch over us. We
give God thanks and glory for protecting our
school community!
We know that He will continue to provide our
every need.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and
help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. "All who rage against you will surely be
ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search
for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.
Isaiah 41:10-12Annual Giving (which includes Giving Tuesday)
Our Lady of Guadalupe School Annual Fund :
Annual Giving Total: $18,285.70
Giving Tuesday NOW Total: $ 3,300
The Annual Giving Campaign runs from July 1 2019- June 30, 2020.
Steps for Students
Steps for Students Total: $39,070.53
Steps for Students is an Archdiocesan Sponsored 5K Run/Walk.
Online Auction
Gala Online Auction Total: $8,565
Thank you to all who participated in our first-ever online auction! We were unable
to host our annual Gala this past March due to social distancing restrictions, but we had
many baskets that we wanted to get into your hands. We chose the platform
BiddingOwl to host our online event. Though this is not the same as a night out with
dinner and live auction, we are proud of the money we were able to raise to help the
school in this time of need.
Additionally, we want to start spreading the word about our 2021 Gala, "A Whole
New World". This Arabian-Nights themed party is tentatively scheduled for
Saturday, March 29, 2021.
PARENT RESOURCES
There are so many resources and websites being offered to families during
this trying time. Teachers have been sharing relevant links with their students,
and many can be found on Facebook, Pinterest, or Google. Please, as always,
be careful about signing up for subscriptions or sharing personal information
online.
Catholic Charities
Talking to your kids about CoronaVirus
Calming A Child's Anxiety
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Counselor's Corner
Mrs. Catie Watso, LMSW
cwatso@olgschoolhouston.org
Hi! I am a Licensed Master Social
Worker. I hold degrees from Louisiana
State University in Baton Rouge, andUniversity of Houston. I have experience
working with children and families in a
variety of settings, and truly enjoy being
at this school. This is my 4th year as a
school counselor at OLG. Please email
me if I can be of assistance to you/your
family in any way!
The Center for School Behavioral Health at Mental Health America of Greater
Houston has compiled a list of resources available to educators, parents,
families, and students. These range from crisis intervention to helpful YouTube
videos for kids. You can access the resource list here: Resource ListAcademic Coordinator Corner
Mrs. Marina Tecson
mtecson@olgschoolhouston.org
"Education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world." -Nelson Mandela
Greetings Eagle Families!I continue to think about everyone
during this time! I miss seeing our
kids smiling faces in our halls and
pray for each and everyone!
I am including some helpful tips,
suggestions, educational resources
and links, and FRIENDLY
REMINDERS for everyone! Please
share this information with your
child/ren and reach out to me for any
questions or concerns! All text in
RED you are able to clink on.
Text Link
Affordable Wi-Fi Options
As you adjust to an increase in online
coursework, and if access to Wi-Fi is an issue,
you will want to check with your provider for
current offers. Here is a list of potential options
that may work for you.
· AT&T offers open hot spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and
$10/month plans for low-income families.
· Charter/Spectrum: 60 days of free broadband and Wi-Fi service for
households with college or K-12 students.
· Comcast: two months of free Wi-Fi for low-income families. All
Xfinity hot spots are free to the public during this time.
· Sprint: unlimited data to existing customers. All handsets will be
allowed to enable hot spots for 60 days at no extra charge.
DISTANCE/E-LEARNING
RESOURCES
GOOGLE Classrooms 3rd-8th
Please encourage your child to log
into their GoogleClassrooms account
using their student email addresses to
access their classroom activities and
lessons, especially for daily
attendance for their teachers. Parents,you do need to make sure you log
out of your Gmail account so your
child can access their Classrooms.
PLEASE REMEMBER to have your
child change their password from the
generic one that was issued to ensure
we maintain security guidelines and
others are not accessing other student
classrooms.
Text Link
To ensure we help
contain the spread of
Social Distance We are here for CoVID19, please make
Guidelines: everyone during this sure we are adhering to
limit gatherings to time. Reach out to me or Social distance
less than 10 people Mrs Watso and we have guidelines for ourselves,
(including birthday resources to help anyone our children and our
parties and who is in need. community.
neighborhood
gatherings) Please click HERE to Please click HERE for
Essential access a daily Novena to more information from
personnel on the pray during this time. the CDC on Social
roads for work Distancing for schools,
Non essential communities and
travel is workplaces.
discouraged
No playgrounds,
benches or
basketball courts
for the time.
Outside exercisestill encouraged:
bike riding,
walking and/or
running
Student Enrichment Activities
Below you will find a list of links,
resources and more for enrichment
activities for your child to do after all
their work is complete to enhance
their skills!
Text Link
Zoos, Museums, Virtual Field Trips, and More:
Houston Zoo Virtual Camera: check out their herd of elephants, watch
giraffes nibble on grass, rhinos rolling around in the mud and listen to
Zoo crew talk about their animals!
Cincinnati Zoo: Bringing the zoo into your home with LIVE facebook
feeds of their animals!
San Diego Zoo: Wildlife LIVE camera views, San Diego Kids Club
with hands on activities, videos and fun stories, and ZooNooz online
with online access to their Zoo Magazine for Kids, and a SCIENCE
BLOG for our middle school kids! :)
Denver Zoo: a virtual safari, a baby rhino cam, giraffe yoga, and the
latest Denver Zoo TV episodes with Zoo Staff!
DiscoveryEducation: Nuclear Reimagined Virtual field trips, "Techs for
Tomorrow" exploring interactive Tech exhibits, a "behind the scenes"
look at a pharmaceutical lab for students, and a Social/Emotional skills
for school and life website for all.
ABC13 Weather School: Daily videos relating to weather from their
meteorologists!
Atlantic White Shark Conservancy: Facebook page includes a daily read
aloud about sharks, LIVE Q&A, and coordinating activities and book
reviews
Museums, Space, History, OH MY!
The Louvre: online virtual tours of the iconic Paris museum exhibits
Boston Children's Museum: virtual field trips and resources to play and
learn
The British Museum: online virtual gallery!
Great Wall of China: virtual tour of the BEAUTIFUL and breath taking
sections of the Great Wall of China!
Easter Island: explore different monuments on Easter Island on the coast
of Chile
Surface of Mars: explore the real surface of Mars with a 360 degree
mode
Monterey Bay Aquarium: 10 live cams include jelly fish, penguins,
birds and sea mammalsGeorgia Aquarium: explore the Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef exhibit,
piranhas, puffins and beluga whales!
National Aquarium in Baltimore: get a walkthrough of the aquarium,
live cams of sharks, and at home learning activities and interactivity
Google Arts and Culture National Parks : visit hidden worlds in Natural
Parks, Hawaii Volcanos, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Kenai Fjords in
Alaska. Put headphones on for the ultimate experience!
Yellowstone National Park: Virtual tours, 3D models, Grand Canyon
and mud volcanos!
Reading & Math Galore!
Scholastic: learning activities by grade level!
American Reading Company: ARC offers online bookshelf access
specifically designed for successful reading practice
Epic!: Online digital library
FunBrain: grade level texts and read alouds BY GRADE with
interactive activities
Britannica: FREE access to LaunchPacks!, Science, Social Studies, and
virtual lessons!
Ardor Math: Math practice for students of all grades
Asecend Math: award winning instructional math practice and lessons
GregTang Math: grade level math lessons, activities and instruction with
videos, games, and printables
CoolMath For Kids: For our 12 and under users, Coolmath4Kids is an
amusement park of games, lessons and more, designed to teach math
and make it FUN.
CoolMath:"Math for ages 13-100" -- explanations that are easy to grasp
on topics like algebra, pre-calculus and more.
ABC Mouse: Now offering FREE ACCESS to families using our
unique school code. You can add up to THREE children on one account
and you can choose which program best first your needs! Please click
the PDF below to find instructions on how to access the website with
our code!Letter writing for Essential
Workers, our community and
more!
If you are looking for ways to serve
others during this time, we are asking
our students to write letters to
essential workers who are on the
"frontlines" during this time, our own
community workers, and elderly
homes!
Text Link
A few options:
1. Father Wojciech, Father Rafael, Father Tim
and/or Brother Andy @ Our Lady of
Guadalupe Catholic Church 2405
Navigation Blvd, Houston, TX, 77003
2. Mrs. Haney & the CSO Staff @ St. Dominic Chancery 2403
Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77021
3. MD Anderson Cancer Patients & Massage Heights Campions Village:
Massage Heights Champions Village is supporting patients with cancer
at the MD Anderson Hospital. Unfortunately, during this difficult time,
patients are unable to have visitors. We'd like to help brighten their day
with your help, of course by sending them a card! Get creative with
friends and family and family! You may take a picture of your child's
drawing and/or card and email directly to me at
mtecson@olgschoolhouston.org and I will send it over!4. Local Elderly Home: Heartis Senior Living Clearlake wants you to send
in pictures, letters and artwork from you and your family to grace the
halls and put in the the hands of their elderly seniors who can't have
visitors during this time. Send them to: Heartis Clearlake 14520 Hwy
3, Webster,TX, 77598
5. Local Fire Dept/Hospital: You can reach our to your local Fire Station
and/or hospital for an address to send to their Healthcare workers! One
of our own OLGCS students has a HFD Dad who is out on the
frontlines! Please send letters/drawings/artwork to Houston Fire
Station 71 Space Center Blvd, Houston,TX, 77062
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School | 713-224-6904 | 2405 Navigation Blvd. Houston,
TX 77003| www.olgschoolhouston.org
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