Dear OLVCS Families,

We had a special treat today as the Franciscan Sisters TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother visited our students. We learned what it is like to be a nun, how you feel the calling and some daily activities that nuns do. Students were surprised to learn that nuns play sports like soccer and ultimate frisbee, they read familiar books, watch familiar movies, and still find time to cultivate their relationship with God through prayer throughout the day and attending mass while also serving the poor, needy and lonely. The Franciscan Sisters definitely broke the traditional nun stereotype. Students were very engaged and asked them a lot of questions!

As the year begins, we are working on the Cardinal virtue of prudence; promoting solid work habits, handing in our work on-time, making wise decisions, planning ahead, managing time, and doing what needs to be done responsibly. Our Lady of Victory, pray for us as we work hard to be the person God created us to be.

Walk-A-Thon will be here before you know it. Sending in your Walk-A-Thon pledge sooner than later may earn you a prize! Donate here: https://www.olvcatholicschool.org/. We are in need of both individual and business donations! See the Walk-A-Thon section below for more information.

Thank you for trusting us with your most precious gifts; your children. We will work hard everyday to give them the best education possible.

Due to an instructional aide departure, we are in need of a primary aide. We do have temporary help until that aide is hired. Tuition discounts and working part of the day are great perks! You also get to be in the school with your child/children. If you are interested, please contact me.

Choose Virtue. Make It a Great Day!

Anne

Pictured: The Franciscan Sisters TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother visit with our students.

There’s an amazing reason to keep those Walk-A-Thon donations coming in! The OLVCS family that raises the most money for the 2026 Walk-A-Thon will receive a $1,500 Family Weekend in New York City, generously donated by Jolly Good Travel! ✨

The prize includes:

🏨 $750 to use towards a two-night hotel stay

🚗 $100 to use towards transportation

🍽️ $400 to use towards food and beverages

🎭 $250 to use towards tickets to the show or attraction of your choice

And to make the trip even better, Samantha Russell of Jolly Good Travel will help the winning family plan their getaway and share her all of her tips and knowledge about traveling in New York City with Kids!

Every donation helps support OLVCS and brings your family closer to an unforgettable weekend in NYC. 💙👟

Start sharing about Walk-A-Thon with grandparents, relatives, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Every donation counts toward your family's total and supports OLVCS's only school-wide fundraiser!

A huge thank you to Jolly Good Travel for this incredibly generous donation and for supporting our OLVCS students! 🌟 Be sure to follow @JollyGoodTravel on Instagram for family travel ideas, tips, destination ideas and inspiration for your next adventure!

As part of this year’s “Rooted in Faith, Growing in Virtue” Walk-A-Thon theme, we’re starting a special OLVCS Instagram "Add Yours" campaign, and we’d love for every family to join in!

When you see our “Show Us How You’re Growing!” story on our school Instagram @olvcs_statecollege:

1. Tap Add Yours and add a favorite photo of your student or family.

2. Use our template to mark the virtues your child is growing in.

3. Share it to your Instagram Story and encourage friends and family to support the 2026 OLVCS Walk-A-Thon.

4. Tag or share it with others to keep the OLVCS chain growing! 🌳

The Walk-A-Thon is OLVCS’s only school-wide fundraiser, and every donation helps support the programs, resources, activities, and improvements that benefit our students throughout the year.

The more families who participate and share, the more people we can reach! Thank you for helping us spread the word and support OLVCS.💙

Mr. Stec for a day! Penn State Basketball Tickets! A class pizza party! Just some of the many prizes you could win when you raise funds for the Walk-A-Thon!

Each school family is asked to raise a minimum of $200 in contributions.
We are dedicated to reaching 100% family participation.
There are many exciting student, homeroom, and family prizes this year! Check out the chart to see all of the amazing family donation incentives.
The homerooms that get to 100% participation the fastest will receive an all-class party!
Donations are due October 2nd, 2026 to count towards prize eligibility.

Get ready now to help in the classroom, go on field trips, and more!

All OLV parent volunteers must complete the Diocese Youth Protections requirements for volunteers. These can be found at https://youthprotection.dioceseaj.org/protection-process/. This process includes two online training sessions, filling out paperwork, and obtaining clearances. Taking the time to fill out the paperwork will help keep our school community vibrant and alive. Please consider getting involved. Use the PTG sign-up genius above to get involved.

Questions about youth protection paperwork? Email youthprotections@olvcs.org. Thank you!