August 29, 2020
Dear Parents,
Welcoming you all with a virtual warm hug as we prepare for the start of school, ever so grateful that we are teaming up once again. We are gearing up to bravely warrior through another year of slaying challenges with our resilience, creativity and good humor.
We love our school! Yes, we love our school! That’s our battle cry as we usher in our children through their first day of school. We love OLMC… that’s why we are back in spite of our changed world; in spite of the many unknowns looming ahead of school year 2020-2021. We love our school and we are willing to shore up its weaknesses, harness its strengths, and pray for it so that our children flourish academically, spiritually, physically and socially. Along the way, we as parents of OLMC school children will learn how best to nurture our children’s learning environment. For it is true, that our environments do not flourish out of nothing. The Academy of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is a second home to our children and being parents dreaming great men and women out of them, we naturally want a hand in navigating the ship to its best sail.
On that note, the OLMC PG Executive Board confidently welcomes more voices, more hands, and more thoughts during this school year 2020-2021. Come, join us. We will have fun as we create the best situation for our children.
This year’s Parents Guild programs have been slated into the school website-calendar. This schedule is updated regularly at the OLMC website. We encourage your participation, attendance in Parents-Guild monthly meetings and are open to suggestions through our contact information below.
Presently, launched programs in the pipeline are:
A. OLMC masks for teachers, staff, students, friends and family
Students coming into the school are required to wear masks. We have engaged a vendor to make it very comfortable for the children without compromising its protective ability. It is the CDC recommended 3-layered mask, with an optional filter, washable and insert-able as children can tolerate them, especially in the event of a COVID-19 second wave.
Let’s be proud of our school and spread the word of who we are through our uniforms and masks. Please feel free to give them as gifts to friends and family. We are sure, our children will get a kick to see grandma and grandpa wearing the same OLMC masks!
B. E-scrips
We have upgraded our gift-card fundraising to include 700 vendors including Visa, Starbucks, Amazon, Panera and other exciting vendors. This year’s goal per student is a rebate earnings of $125. Gift cards can be purchased and used at anytime through your smart phone app. It is available as a physical gift card, emailed gift card and digital cards in your phones. Please see the attached details on this program.
C. OLMC Family Runners’ Club
We are currently growing a Runners Club to include all members of your family. Resistance to COVID-19 infection and recovery increases with a strong physique through a healthy lifestyle. To join the OLMC Runners Club, register at www.strava.com and type OLMC FAMILY RUNNERS’ CLUB. Your physical fitness activities including bicycling, hiking, walking, etc. are tracked as family achievements. We are planning several big enjoyable events as physical fitness becomes a part of your family culture while logging in their achievements in the Runners Club. Let’s move and stay fit!
D. We Love Our School On-line Giving
As in-person events and activities may become prone to cancellation due to the pandemic, it is clear that there’s unprecedented need for online fundraising. Available to friends and family who want to support our school, this call to action campaign is time sensitive. Our school needs the availability of immediate resources to adapt to these challenging times, and the Parents Guild responds to this in true Warrior spirit, declaring its virtual battle cry, “WE LOVE OUR SCHOOL”. This campaign will be actively fundraising through the school’s first trimester.
E. Fall Event/ Drive-In Movie Night
An outdoor movie night complete with popcorn and movie goodies is planned for families to enjoy a cool Autumn night at the Tenafly Field. All these while social distancing and following NJ State safety guidelines.
You might wonder why active fundraising is part of the Parents Guild activities. Presently, our school revenue stream can only cover fixed costs such as salaries, teachers/staff training, supplies and major building repairs. Previous years Parents Guild fundraising covered for:
- Repair of leaks and re-painting of cafeteria/lunchroom.
Expansion and upgrades (bathrooms)
Air conditioner units
New laptops, computer systems, smartboards
New books
Repair of Odyssey Theatre Sound system
Please feel free to email us your thoughts at parentsguild@nullacademyolmc.org. We hope to see you at the Parents Guild monthly meetings as scheduled in the web calendar.
Let’s go Warriors and together we will meet the year’s challenges. God bless you with happiness, good health, and His protection.
Sincerely Yours,
OLMC Parents Guild
Executive Board 2020-2021
Maria Sidoti – Co-President
Marlene Bayersdorfer – Co-President
Radame Perez – Vice President
Marie Salvia – Treasurer
