Teacher Appreciation Day Every year on May 7, our nation observes “Teacher Appreciation Day,” a day of recognition for all of the educators in our society. From coaches and managers to classroom instructors, teachers guide the learning and development of students both young and old. To teach is truly a calling from the Lord, as those entrusted with educational roles are challenged to imitate the greatest teacher, Jesus Christ. Teachers must be patient and kind, always mindful of the needs of their students and the greater applications of their lessons and teachings. They not only instruct, but also provide formation More...
Read more
17
May
2013
Appreciating our Teachers
12
Apr
2013
Robotics Victory!
Last month, the Robotics Club of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School participated in the annual Robofest competition in Clearwater, Florida. Robofest, a youth robotics competition that challenges teams to design, produce, and demonstrate their own homemade robot controlled from a board. Students work together for weeks prior to the competition to strategize and develop their plan. Under the guidance of their coaches, third grader Jacob Lynn and seventh graders Elliana Bassous, Adam Myerscough, Alex Casano, and Collin Welsh created their robot. The team executed a phenomenal performance that stunned the judges, earning them second place in the regional competition. More...
Read more
12
Apr
2013
We are Catholic!
In this modern era of education, we hear a lot of talk about charters, philosophies, specialties and magnets. All of these “buzz words” depict schools of thought or themes within particular institutions or regions. We hear of schools that specialize in the sciences, foreign languages, or the performing arts. We hear of programs that take students back to the “fundamentals” of learning or into the future through virtual classrooms and technology. At Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, we strive to and succeed in the incorporation of all of these components, but do not label ourselves by any of them. More...
Read more
22
Mar
2013
Habemus Papam!
Habemus Papam! We have a pope! As the faculty of Our Lady of Lourdes broke into small groups during their quarterly in-service in the Conmy Center, Dr. Michael Murphy, the leader of the professional development workshop, rushed back into the room. “White smoke!” he shouted, “we have a pope!” The faculty hurried into the gym where Father Gary had set up live stream Vatican coverage on the big screen. As this was a half-day for students, few remained on campus, but Mrs. Brochak brought all of the students in After Care over to the Conmy Center to watch the special More...
Read more
13
Mar
2013
Lifelong Learners
As educators in the Catholic school system, we pride ourselves on promoting “life-long learning” in our classroom and our community. Students at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School are brought up with the knowledge that learning does not stop when the bell rings, nor does it stop when one receives a diploma. Learning is among the greatest gifts we receive, as it enables us to develop a greater understanding of the world around us, as well as the One who created the world. This year, our Sixth Grade students see the fruits of lifelong learning firsthand as part of an More...
Read more
08
Mar
2013
The Great Diaper Race
As part of our Year of Mercy initiative, the students of Our Lady of Lourdes are participating in special Mercy-themed service learning projects every month to benefit local and international non-profit organizations. During the month of January, students “Clothed the Naked” though the Annual Walk-a-Thon and the Great Diaper Race benefitting the babies and mothers of the Kimberly Home. The Kimberly Home is a local non-profit pregnancy resource center located in Clearwater that offers assistance to women and families in unplanned or troubling pregnancies. With multiple board members on our school faculty and dozens of Kimberly Home volunteers and supporters More...
Read more
01
Mar
2013
Odyssey of the Mind
It is undeniable that critical thinking and problem solving are among the most valuable skills children learn in school. The ability to think creatively, “outside the box,” work as part of a team to devise a solution to a problem empowers students in every subject area and situation. At Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, we pride ourselves on incorporating these concepts into our daily lessons as well as classroom management styles. For the past several years, OLL has participated in a program called Odyssey of the Mind. Odyssey of the Mind is a critical thinking competition for students of More...
Read more
22
Feb
2013
Buddy Day & Picnic Lunch
Buddy Day, our Kick-Off to Catholic Schools Week, included a special Open Air Lunch and Walk-a-Thon to benefit the Kimberly Home. Our whole school sat outside with our buddies and shared a great meal, then participated in our annual Walk-a-Thon with a special guest DJ from Spirit FM! All students spent a great afternoon on the back field growing in fellowship and fun.
Read more
22
Feb
2013
Radio Guest Stars
We’ve all had that moment – you’re driving in the car, maybe on the way to work, maybe on the way home, and you hear that familiar jingle. Just as you start to wonder, “Is Spirit FM really playing the Macarena?” you realize it is not a 90’s dance, but rather, our very own pastor, Father Gary, coming across the airwaves! A few weeks ago, two lucky students had the opportunity to travel to Spirit FM with “Hey, Father Gary” himself to see what life is like behind the microphone. Joseph Millheim and Adam Myerscough, both seventh grade students at More...
Read more
14
Feb
2013
Multi-Cultural Day
During Catholic Schools Week, OLL hosted a fantastic Multi-Cultural Day! The event began on Thursday evening with a “tour around the world” for our Open House and Wine Tasting event. Both current and prospective families came to enjoy the evening, walking around the globe visiting classrooms and cultures. On Friday, Students participated in a day-long festival celebrating cultures from around the world. Every class chose a country and spent several weeks learning about and working on projects based on that country. During the morning, students also took a tour around the world by visiting each classroom, all of which had More...
Read more
