August 1, 2024
Dear Parents,
I hope this letter finds you all well and enjoying your summer. I am looking forward to the beginning of the school year; it is hard to believe it will be here soon. Welcome to our new families! We are busy with efforts to prepare classrooms and the building for students to return. As we continue with our efforts to respond to the call to Care for God’s Creation, we are replacing all our fixtures with LED lights. In addition, we are replacing the air conditioning and heating system on the lower floor. These improvements are made possible by your generosity through our Annual Fund and the Gala. Thank you!
During this year, we will partner with our parish in the Eucharistic Revival as we help our children to learn, grow, and share more about our belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We hope that our children will deepen their relationship and love for the Lord through an encounter with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. In the fall, we will collaborate with our parish through, Walking Together in Hope, a strategic planning process facilitated by the Archdiocese of Washington.
Below you will find school opening procedures and important information
regarding the beginning of the school year. An updated 2024-2025 calendar is available here and the student supply list is here. A copy of the 2024-2025 Parent/Student Handbook can be found here which contains school policies and procedures. All of these important documents can also be found in PlusPortals for returning families.
Welcome New Faculty & Assignments
Ms. Katherine Marongiu Buonaiuti has accepted our part-time Art teacher position. Ms. Marongiu Buonaiuti graduated from Georgetown University with a Master’s in Spanish Language and Literature. She also has a Master’s in Nutrition and Integrative Health from the University of Maryland. She has been a teacher throughout her professional career, encouraging students to recognize their potential. She has experience teaching middle, high school, and undergraduate classes and considers teaching a vocation. She loves art, has taken many college credit classes, and frequents local art museums to prepare her for her new role at OLV.
Kat is also passionate about her Catholic faith. She is looking forward to incorporating Catholic identity in art class, planning lessons that
allow students to celebrate the liturgical year and the lives of the Saints, develop their capacity for art appreciation, and observe, understand, engage, and create their own art.
Ms. Mary-Francesca Moore has accepted the Kindergarten teaching position for next year. Ms. Moore attended St. Elizabeth’s in Rockville and Connelly School of the Holy Child. She graduated from the University of Maryland and is finishing her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Towson University. She is always excited when children learn to read and enjoys establishing strong relationships with her students and their families to promote a loving and caring classroom environment. She is thrilled to have the opportunity to work in a Catholic school as she knows first-hand the value of a Catholic education.
Please join me in giving a warm welcome to our new faculty. We know that our new faculty and staff are looking forward to meeting you, getting to know our children, and becoming part of our wonderful community.
STUDENT MEET & GREET – MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2024
8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. - FREE DRESS
All students and parents are invited to visit their homeroom and meet the teachers on Monday, August 26, 2024. Please enjoy refreshments before or after your visit to the classroom on the Church plaza (or Hess if the weather is inclement) hosted by our 8th grade parents on behalf of the Home & School Association. Refreshments should be consumed outside (or in Hess) only.
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL – HALF DAY – TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2024
Arrival Reminders:
Morning care (no charge) will be available, starting at 7:30 a.m. in Hess through door #4.
Main doors will open at 8:00 a.m. for students to arrive in full fall uniform through door #6 in the small playground and go immediately to homeroom.
Students (PK3-8th) arriving in cars must enter the campus using the U Street Church parking lot.
During morning arrival, please DO NOT drive up the ramp located off of Whitehaven Pkwy (leading up to the small lot behind the rectory/school office) to drop off students.
Parents of older students (Grade 3 and above) are encouraged to drop their child at the entrance to the alley. This ensures that parking spaces are available for families with younger children.
Parents of younger students MUST park their cars in the U Street Church parking lot or on the street and walk their child to door #6.
Parents are responsible for instituting and maintaining a parking lot procedure for arrival. Children should not be walking unaccompanied or worse, running through the parking lot.
PK3, PK4, and K students need to be holding an adult's hand - even older students would benefit from this safety precaution.
While parents/adults are welcome to walk their child to the classroom door, PARENTS/ADULTS SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND EXIT THE CAMPUS. Another family is most likely waiting for the parking space.
At and after 8:15 a.m. ALL entry and exit from the building must occur through the office (door #1).
When entering the building after 8:15 a.m., please plan on saying goodbye to your child in the vestibule.
Please discuss and review these routines with your children beforehand, so that goodbyes are made a little bit easier, especially with younger or new students.
Arrival by public transport, walking, bike, etc. -
If students arrive on campus before 8:00 a.m. they must report to morning care in Hess.
All students entering at or after 8:00 a.m. must enter through door #6.
Dismissal Reminders:
PK3 dismissal will be at noon from door #5 on the playground on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, and at 2:45 p.m. on full days of school.
Please wait outside the gate/fence of the small playground. Parents/adults with ONLY PK3 students should park on the street to avoid our regular dismissal/carline. Parents and students of PK3 need to depart the campus as soon as possible.
PK4 through 8th Grade dismissal will be at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, and at 3:00 p.m. on full days of school.
Students in Grades PK4 through 8th WITH siblings will wait in their designated outdoor spaces in the Church parking lot. Students will be dismissed in carpool groups and walked to their cars.
Drivers should pull carefully into the Church parking lot and form a semi-circle. Faculty and staff members will accompany the students to the designated cars. Drivers should only exit their vehicles to help younger students get into the car safely once a faculty or staff member has brought them to their car.
At no time are parents permitted to drive through the alley behind the church. It is too dangerous with the students moving through the area.
There is NO PARKING in the small lot behind the rectory/school office at any time of the day as these spaces are reserved for the priests and the rectory staff.
Students in Grades 5-8 who have NO younger siblings will be dismissed from the front doors on Whitehaven Pkwy.
Dismissal to use public transport, walking, bike, etc. -
Students who use public transport or who walk or bike to school will be
dismissed from the carline by staff. Students must walk their bikes off the property rather than cycle through the carline. ALL walk-offs MUST have a permission slip signed and on file in Magnus Health to be released at dismissal.
On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, aftercare will be available until 5:45 p.m. for PK4-5th Grade students. Lunch can be ordered ONLY for these students staying in aftercare through Wholesome Food Service.
No aftercare is available during the first week for PK3 students.
FIRST FULL DAY OF SCHOOL – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024.
PK3 students have half days for the first week of school, with dismissal at noon from door #5 on the small playground.
PK4-8th Grade students have a full day of classes on Wednesday. Dismissal will be at 3:00 p.m.
Aftercare will be available until 5:45 p.m. on the first day of school and through Thursday for registered PK4-5th grade students.
On Friday, August 30, 2024, and ALL Fridays thereafter, aftercare will close promptly at 5:15 p.m. A $3.00 per minute late fee will be charged, per student, after 5:15 p.m.
OPENING OF SCHOOL MASS – FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2024
Parents are encouraged to join Grades 1st-8th in the Church for the Opening of School Mass at 8:15 a.m. If you can join us, please sit in the transept as students will be seated in the nave.
TRANSPORTATION FORM
Parents/guardians of every student must complete the Archdiocese of
Washington Transportation Permission Form in Magnus Health. This form
indicates the method(s) by which the student will be transported to/from school each day. Parents/guardians must list the name and contact information for each person permitted to pick-up the student. If a student is to be released to a person who is NOT currently listed on the Transportation form, a written note, hand-signed, and dated by the parents/guardians, must be hand delivered, emailed, or texted to the school office before 11:45 a.m. on half days or 2:45 p.m. on full days.
If a student is to be released to a person who IS currently listed on the
Transportation Form, a written note, fax, email, or phone call will be accepted as notification. Parents may handwrite as many authorized transportation adult as they would like on the form and add an additional page if needed.
The absence of written permission from a parent/guardian will result in a child not being allowed to leave the premises with any individual not on written record as being allowed to transport the child and the parent will incur charges.
SUMMER WORK
Please remember that all summer work is due the first day of school. All
summer assignments are available here. New students are expected to complete summer assignments.
SAVE THE DATE – BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 AT 6:00 p.m. – PARENTS ONLY EVENT!
More information will follow in the weekly newsletter.
UNIFORMS
All logo uniform items must be purchased from Flynn & O’Hara (school code: DC037) www.flynnohara.com. The uniform policy is available here. Please call the school office with any questions regarding uniform requirements. Student must wear their P.E. uniforms to school on the days they have gym. Information regarding gym day schedules will be sent later in August.
HEALTH FORMS
The Archdiocesan policy requiring immunizations as a condition of admission for all students is based on Catholic social and moral teachings concerning the sanctity of human life and serious concern for the health, safety, and well-being of students, staff, school communities, and the common good. It is mandated that ALL children entering school ARE REQUIRED to meet DC health regulations by completing and submitting (to Magnus Health) the DC Universal Health Form, which shows proof of CURRENT immunizations, and complete the Archdiocese of Washington Immunization Policy Acknowledgement Form: both forms can be found here.
Students who do not have on file in Magnus Health updated immunizations within the first 10 days of school will not be permitted to return to school until the updated immunizations are received. Please make sure that all sections of the DC Health Certificate are completed in full and you have signed the bottom of the Part I.
In DC, all 6th Grade students (boys and girls) are required to have the HPV vaccination. Parents can complete a waiver form (annually) and submit it through Magnus Health. The waiver form MUST BE COMPLETED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
Please see previous communications for more information about how to use Magnus Health.
WHOLESOME FOOD SERVICES
Our Lady of Victory is proud to partner with Wholesome Food Services to offer lunch service to students, faculty, and staff. Registration is free, and there is no obligation!
Please click here for instructions on how to sign up today!
* Summer Sale! *
10% OFF Lunches Delivered Through September 30, 2024
Enter code: 2425SUMMER at checkout to save!
Valid for orders placed between 07-16-2024 and 09-29-2024 for lunch delivery between your school's first day of delivery and 09-30-2024.
Cannot be combined with any other coupons, offers or promo codes.
Lunch Service begins: Tuesday, August 27, 2024 for those students in aftercare, Wednesday, August 28, 2024 for PK4-8th Grade students, and Tuesday, September 3, 2024 for students in PK3.
CATHOLIC YOUTH ORGANIZATION (CYO) – FALL SPORTS:
Do not miss out on our amazing CYO Fall Soccer and Cross-Country teams.
All of our sports focus on teamwork, 100% effort, and having fun. Please see the information below to register. Students can participate in both sports. We encourage you to register by the early registration time so that we can organize teams and coaches.
Soccer - Teams are offered for boys and girls at the U10, U12, and U14 levels.
Typically, one practice is on Fridays, with games on the weekend.
Cross Country - Open to boys and girls from K to 8th.
Typically, one practice is on Wednesdays, with meets on Sunday.
Go Blue Hawks!
CYO COACHING INTEREST
The 2023/2024 CYO season was amazing for all of our teams. We had over 380 student participants in Soccer, Cross-Country, Basketball, and Track & Field. The success of our CYO program is a direct result of our parent volunteers.
We would like to have at least two assistant coaches for each team. You do not need a background in the sport to help. However, all coaches and
volunteers must be Virtus compliant.
Please contact Brian Vassallo at vassallo1@verizon.net for more information about coaching. Thank you for your help!
ENRICHMENT
OLV will offer the following extracurricular activities this fall:
Mondays – Band (4th-8th), Superstar Soccer (PK-1st), Coding (3rd-5th), Cooking (2nd-5th)
Tuesdays – Karate (PK4-6th), Sewing (PK-5th)
Wednesdays – Coding (K-2nd), LEGO (1st-5th), Italian (PK-5th)
Thursdays – Instrument Class (PK-8th), Chess (K-5th), Amazing Athletes (PK-1st)
The following vendors have shared registration information.
Coding Class
Minecraft Code: Superheroes (3rd-5th)
Mondays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
In this class, students will learn coding fundamentals and use them to create powerful superheroes with special abilities. Each class creates a new opportunity for our coders to save the Minecraft world against a new danger!
Click here for flyer or Register here.
Scratch Jr (K-2nd)
Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Kids have a blast solving problems, designing projects and creatively expressing themselves. They will make short stories, apply elements of animation, and create their own sprites and objects – all using technology and coding fundamentals!
Click here for flyer or Register here.
Martial Arts (PK4-6th)
Tuesdays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Master instructor Mike Wholihan has 50 years of experience and is currently teaching at Our Lady of Victory, St. Andrew Apostle, Severn, Saint Mary's, Saint Peter's, and Ridgely Retreat. Evening, weekend, and private lessons are also available.
Registration will be available soon!
Magnus Chess Academy (K-5th)
Thursdays 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Learn chess with Magnus Academy, the five-time world champion’s academy! We’ve taught 100,000 children to play, including state & national champions, but most students are beginners looking to learn a new skill and have FUN. Class time is divided between lessons and practice games. Lessons range from the basic rules to advanced tournament strategies.
Students can play in tournaments outside of club time, which may have an additional fee. All chess supplies provided. We welcome all skill levels!
Superstar Soccer (PK-1st)
Mondays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Soccer Stars is the nation’s most popular children’s soccer program for ages 1 to 12+. Our goal is to help children improve their gross motor and soccer skills. Our coaches create a fun, non-competitive, and educational
environment to ensure children develop self-confidence and physical literacy in every class.
Click here for flyer and for instructions on how to register.
Amazing Athletes (PK-2nd)
Thursdays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
This multi-sport program introduces children to the fundamentals of 10 sports in a fun non-competitive environment, helping them to develop physical literacy, learn about nutrition and muscle identification, and master 6 key motor skills.
Click here for flyer and for instructions on how to register.
World Cooking (2nd-5th)
Mondays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Take a trip around the world in our World Cooking Club! We will learn about different cultures and then eat a dish from that region! Kids will learn how to use kitchen tools appropriately and safely, how to make dishes from around the world using simple ingredients that are easy to find at home, how to clean up after making big messes in the kitchen, and ideas about nutrition and feeding their bodies in a healthy manner. Students will keep track of the things they make on a weekly basis. At the end of the class, the students will have their very own cookbook!
Please find the registration form here.
Sewing (PK-5th)
Tuesdays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
At our after school sewing classes, you'll learn the fundamentals of sewing and discover how to create beautiful projects that highlight your individuality and creativity. Our classes are fun, informative, and beginner-friendly, providing you with a solid foundation of skills that you can build upon as you progress in your sewing journey.
Please find the registration form here.
Advanced LEGOs (1st-5th)
Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
LEGO classes are designed to inspire creativity and build valuable skills in a fun and engaging way. Children will be able to work with classmates, developing vital teamwork abilities as they build their unique creations. With a focus on hands-on experience, our LEGO classes are the perfect way to stimulate your child’s imagination.
Please find the registration form here.
Italian Cultural Society
Wednesdays: 3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. (PK-2nd), 4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. (3rd–5th)
The Italian Cultural Society of Washington D.C. will offer a FREE promotional program of Italian Language and Culture. The objective of the courses is to develop comprehension and speaking skills. Children will learn the language through traditional methods, such as reading and writing, playing and moving, and the Total Physical Response approach. They will learn Italian culture and traditions by creating artwork, singing songs, listening, watching videos, and other activities appropriate for their age. Children and teens will be properly stimulated to develop a positive attitude towards learning the Italian language.
Instrument Class (K-8th)
Tolbert Music is honored to serve OLV with a general music program, and excited to offer the option of small-group instrument lessons. Mr. Daniel will take students during the school day for 30 minutes of small-group music instruction. We plan to group students based on their age, ability level, and instrument preferences once we receive signups.
Mr. Daniel teaches piano, violin, cello, ukulele, and percussion. For this first month of lessons, instruments will be provided at school.
Monthly class fee is $135. Click here to register.
Additional information regarding your child’s schedule and the first school day will be sent on August 19th . Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer!
Stay cool!
