Dear OLVCS Families,

A St. Patrick’s Day snow day is certainly unusual! While I don’t have an exact record, this may be one of the latest snow days we’ve experienced. The Dress Down Day we missed will be rescheduled, and we will share the new date as soon as it is confirmed.

Next week we have Spring Photos on Wednesday, March 25th. Students do have a Dress Down Day for the photos. (we will still schedule another one) Information below. Students do not have to have their photo taken, these photos are optional.

On Friday, March 27th we have the Living Stations of the Cross for grades 3rd - 8th. Each week of lent we go to church on Friday's to pray at The Stations of the Cross. We have the privilege of seeing students from Our Lady of Victory Parish and OLVCS perform in the Living Stations. This will be a spiritual reflection and remembrance of Christ's Passion and Death. It is a visual representation that evokes an emotional and spiritual connection to the Stations of the Cross.

Even though we pray the Stations of the Cross each week, the Living Stations is performed with actors and is a reflection on Christ’s passion & death. (it is life-like). Living Stations was featured on the Proclaim broadcast. OLV Living Stations is featured about 6 minutes into the show. https://vimeo.com/811050331

You may opt your child out of viewing the performance by emailing their homeroom teacher. You may pick your child up early at 12:40.

Make it a Great Day!

Samantha

Notable Dates:

Monday, March 23rd: Mass (1st grade)

Wednesday, March 25th Spring Photos

Friday, March 27th: Living Stations (Grades 3rd - 8th)

Monday, March 30th: NO Mass

Thursday, April 2nd - Monday, April 6th: Easter Break

Monday, April 13th Mass

Thursday, April 16th & Friday, April 17th: Annie the Musical

Pictured: St. Patrick's Day at OLV Preschool!

Lifetouch is celebrating 90 years of school photography in 2026, and we have operated with a single mission for each of those 90 years – to safely capture milestone moments for families to cherish.

We’re looking forward to Picture Day – and we hope you are as well! Protecting the integrity of your student’s data is our highest priority: click here to view our rigorous safety and security policies.

Lifetouch has always focused on the bigger picture: for 90 years, we've set the industry standard in student data privacy. You can – and should – expect that your child’s data is safe. Here are a few of the ways that Lifetouch safeguards your student’s information:

SOC 2 and FERPA compliance
Annual background checks for all photographers
End-to-end image encryption
Secure image processing and uploading
In-house printing labs
Secure photo access for families to view and order student images

Spring pictures are a fun opportunity for your students to showcase their personalities – and a fun opportunity for you to capture that memory forever.

To thank you for your participation, please use S26SPRING for 20% off orders of $34.99 or more!

If you have questions, please visit Lifetouch.com/support-us.

The OLVCS Service Club exists to foster a heart for service, leadership, and compassion within our students. Our goal is to create meaningful opportunities for children to grow as thoughtful, proactive members of our community while learning the value of giving back.

During our meetings, students will collaborate on middle school student-led service projects that directly benefit our community. Middle school members will take ownership of researching, planning, organizing, and implementing these initiatives, while elementary members will actively support and participate in the projects in age-appropriate ways.

Through this structure, students will:

• Reinforce the importance of kindness, empathy, and responsibility

• Develop leadership, communication, and teamwork skills

• Learn how to identify community needs and respond thoughtfully

• Experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from serving others

Meeting Dates:

Week 4: 4/8

Week 5: 4/21

Week 6: 5/5

Week 7: 5/27

All meetings will take place in the Spanish Room from 2:30–4:00 PM.

Please plan to pick up your child promptly at 4:00 PM at the front of the school by the gym doors.

Fees are $25 per student. Please venmo Betsy Kraft @Elizabeth-Kraft-4

If you have any questions or concerns, please email Betsy at elizabeth.northam.kraft@gmail.com or text/call at 812-320-1745.

Sign up below!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0C4AA5A92FABFD0-54971058-2025

VBS Registration is now open! Use the link below to register.

When: July 27th-July 31st, 2026 from 9am-12pm

Where: OLV Activities Center

Theme: "Radical Ride on the Wings of Prayer"

For: rising Kindergarten-5th grade

Help needed: Adult volunteers (18+ with clearances) or teen volunteers (rising 8th-12th grade) can also use the link to sign up to help run VBS.

https://ourladyofvictory.com/religious-education/vacation-bible-school/

Please email Susan Ishmael at directorccd@ourladyofvictory.com with any questions.

*Anyone (adults, students) who is interested in forming a Decorations Committee can also contact Susan Ishmael at directorccd@ourladyofvictory.com. This would involve planning and putting together decorations and props for VBS ahead of time.

We love the community we have created with our students and families at OLV Preschool, and we want to share it with others in the State College area. To do that, we need help from our current and past preschool families to post reviews on our Yelp and Winnie profiles. Help us tell State College why we have the best preschool in town!

Click the links below to visit our profiles on Yelp and Winnie. You don't need to register for an account or share any personal information with the sites to leave reviews. However, both sites do actively monitor their reviews to make sure everything is above board. Just make sure you are at least a little specific about your experience with the preschool to make sure your review isn't flagged as inauthentic.

Yelp:

https://yelp.com/biz/our-lady-of-victory-preschool-state-college

Winnie:

https://winnie.com/place/our-lady-of-victory-catholic-preschool-state-college

Both sites ask for your full last name to submit a review, but only your last initial appears on the review when it is posted. If your name currently appears on either the OLVCS or OLV Preschool website as a faculty or staff member, please do not submit reviews. Your reviews could be flagged and taken down as "self reviews" and could negatively impact our profiles.

OLV Athletics is happy to announce that it will again be offering:

OLV Volleyball Camp for Girls

For Girls Entering Grades 5 - 7 in Fall 2026

June 15 - 19, 2025

9:15 - 11:45 AM

New Location with TWO Indoor Courts:
Saint Joseph's Catholic Academy

Cost: $125 if registered before May 15th

Information and Registration at
https://www.olvcatholicschool.org/activities/athletics/summer-sports-camps/afterschool-girls-volleyball-club

If you have any questions, please, reach out Kathy Peters at petersk@olvcs.org

Please share this information with your family, friends, and neighbors!

Attached is the Camp flyer.

We are excited to see how the girls grow in volleyball skill and love of the game!

OLV Preschool is accepting applications for the 2026/2027 school year. Classes are beginning to fill up! They are offering a 2-Day a week (Tue./Th.) class for 3 & 4 year olds new to preschool who plan on returning to preschool the following year. Tours are available upon request. Parents of returning students can secure their child's spot by continuing the enrollment process in their Finalsite homepage of their current account: https://olvcs.fsenrollment.com/users/sign_in. Re-enrollment paperwork and online forms should be submitted ASAP.

1. Soccer Shots registrations are open!: https://www.ss-central northern pa.soccer shots.com/page/class-registration

2. 03/25 Spring School Photos - Please let us know if you would like your child's picture taken again this year.

2. 03/27 (Friday) Jared Boxes are due for participating families.

3. 03/30 (Monday) Easter Egg Hunt will be held. No baskets are needed.

4. 04/01 (Wednesday) Easter Basket Blessing w/ Deacon Dave in church. Families are welcome. Please notify your child's teacher and the preschool office if you are taking your child home early. *Baskets will be provided.

5. 04/08 - First day of Soccer Shots!

6. 04/16 & 04/17 - Come see the Big School Musical: Annie

Living Stations rehearsals will begin on Saturday, February 7 from 6:00-9:00 pm in the School Gym. We need middle school students to fill both cast and stage crew roles. Students will earn service hours for participating. Rehearsal dates will be February 15 & 22, March 1, 15, 20, 21 from 5:30-8:30 in the school gym. We will be performing for the CCD students on Sunday, March 22 at 10:30 am, OLV School on Friday, March 27 at 12:30 pm, and OLV Parish on Saturday, March 28 & Wednesday, April 1 at 7:30 pm. Please email the Living Stations Coordinator Sue Clement if you are interested in participating, sclement@ourladyofvictory.com.

Several changes have been made to the calendar for those children receiving First Reconciliation and First Communion this school year. New dates for Reconciliation are as follows:

Friday, April 24th, 2026 @ 10:00am: OLVCS students

Sunday, April 19th, 2026 @ 10:30am: CCD students in Dr. Zazzali’s class

Sunday, April 26th, 2026 @ 10:30am: CCD students in Miss Small’s/Dr. Puts’ class and anyone who missed the prior dates (OLVCS or CCD)

NOTE: Students who are receiving Reconciliation and Communion this year but who are not in 2nd grade should pick one of the CCD Sundays to receive First Reconciliation.

First Holy Communion will still be held on Saturday, May 2nd @ 10:00am (students arrive by 9:30am).

Rehearsal will be moved to Friday, May 1st @ 6:00-7:00pm.

CCD families will complete two extra, at-home assignments, one before First Reconciliation and one before First Communion. Details about the assignments will be emailed to CCD families several weeks ahead of First Reconciliation and First Communion (shortly before and after Easter).

CCD chalice painting will be moved to Sunday, March 1st during CCD class (previously Sunday, February 22nd). OLVCS students will still have Chalice Painting on Ash Wednesday, February 18th.