“The Lord is coming, always coming. When you have ears to hear and eyes to see, you will recognize him at any moment of your life. Life is Advent; life is recognizing the coming of the Lord.”
– Henri Nouwen
Mission Statement: Our Lady of the Assumption School Commits itself to provide an education based on catholic values and academic excellence in a caring and safe atmosphere in partnership with the family and parish community.
From the Desk of the Principal…December 4th, 2023
Tuesday of the First Week of Advent
Isaiah 11:1–10. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever – Psalm 71(72):1–2, 7–8, 12–13, 17. Luke 10:21–24.
Regeneration and reconciliation
Today’s reading from Isaiah presents an attractive set of images of regeneration and, in turn, reconciliation. The shoot that shall come ‘from the stock of Jesse’ will in turn be a source of growth. As things are put right, the ‘wolf shall live with the lamb’. Jesus is this shoot, this offer of reconciliation — an offer of relationship, as the Son draws us back into a relationship with the Father. Are you open to this relationship today?
Virtue for December is Purity~ Keeping your soul free of sin. The theme for the year is Community.
Purity Is Whole–Heartedness
Often we understand purity as cleanliness, for example, spiritual cleanliness. But biblical purity is better described as spiritual single-mindedness, whole-heartedness. Purity is so powerful because it is focused on single-mindedness. In a sense, it’s a contraction of multitasking. This whole-heartedness will inevitably lead away from instability and doubt, the right to rest and stability when its object is God.
Calendar Highlights
December 6th | Valentino’s/Copper Coffee Pot Fundraiser |
December 8th | All School Mass 9:30 |
December 8th | Barnes & Noble Book Fair 3:00-7:30 pm |
December 12th | APA Board Meeting 6 pm at the school |
December 15th | Christmas Program 6:30 in the Church |
December 20th | Noon Dismissal |
December 21st-January 3rd | Christmas Break |
January 4th | School Resumes-Noon Dismissal |
Extended Day Care registration packets are available in the school office.
Contents of Weekly Brown Envelope
Please remove contents, and complete and return any forms in the signed Brown Envelope every Wednesday.
Barnes & Noble Book Fair Flyer
Barnes & Noble Book Fair- Join us this Friday, December 8th from 3:00 pm -7:30 pm for our annual book fair at Barnes & Noble-4820 Telephone Rd. Ventura, CA. We will have face painting, a scavenger hunt, and a fun craft! With the purchase of an item, your child will receive a free dress pass and a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three gift cards for Barnes & Noble. The free dress day will be on Thursday, December 14th.
Skating Plus-Skating Party Fundraiser. OLA will have a private skate night on Thursday, December 7th from 6:00-8:30 pm.
Valentino’s Take and Bake Pizza & The Copper Coffee Pot Cafe-Wednesday December 6th is a fundraiser at The Copper Coffee Pot Cafe and Valentino’s Take and Bake. Valid on dine-in or take-out. Show the printed flyer that was sent home in the brown envelope last week or display the flyer on your phone at the restaurant. Thank you for supporting OLA!
Our student council has been busy preparing for the Christmas season. This Friday they will lead the school in the Spanish custom of Las Posadas. Las Posadas is a Spanish tradition to remind us of Mary & Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Groups of people travel from house to house, taking the role of pilgrims seeking lodging, being refused by many innkeepers until they reach the last home where they are all invited in for prayer and refreshments.
Our skit will begin at 1:30 pm in Mulcahy. Parents are welcome.
Student Council will begin collecting pasta sauce next week for the Parish Holiday Food Baskets. Collections day will run from Monday, December 11th through Friday, December 15th. Collection baskets will be located inside the school for your students to drop off the jars and cans of pasta sauce. We are always so thankful for our generous families and the donations they provide for our parish ministries.
Hot Lunch Helpers-Looking for a way to earn parent hours?
We are always in need of parents to help sort and deliver hot lunches on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Please arrive between 11:30 and 11:40. Lunch sorting will be done by 12:10. Helpers will receive 1 parent hour for help. Remember if you stay for lunch duty until 12:40 you receive 2 parent hours. That sounds like a win-win!! Lunch volunteers must be Virtus certified and fingerprinted through the Archdiocese.
Lunch cancellation due to absence-Reminder-If you placed an order for a hot lunch and your child will be absent please notify the caterer at 805-754-6220 before 9:00 am to cancel and receive a refund. Thank you!
Lost and Found
Please check the lost and found location outside the school office. With the weather changing students are going to need their sweatshirts and jackets. The basket is very full and growing daily! We also have a jar of small items found in the parking lot and around the school. If you are missing an earring, necklace, etc. please stop in and take a look.
New OLA Long Sleeve PE Shirts-
We have added a long-sleeved sleeve dri-fit PE shirt to our uniform options for PE days. Shirts are available in the school office all year long along with our standard PE t-shirt, shorts, and crew neck sweatshirts. The new long-sleeved shirts are $16.00. Contact the school office to purchase or with questions.
Dolphin Nation
Get Ready for Basketball season, where OLA will go for their third straight championship starting with tryouts in December. Contact Ron Bamieh for more information. rbamieh@bamiehdesmeth.com
Go Dolphins.
Volleyball News:
Volleyball Team A played a playoff game last Friday and won advancing them to the next round. Come out and watch the girls play today in the semi-finals here at OLA. Game time-3:30 pm.
Goooo Dolphins!!
APA BOARD CORNER
The digital marquee birthday flier is available in the office. Enjoy announcing your child's next birthday on the OLA marquee! Announcement cost is $15
The APA Board would like to thank all the wonderful families of OLA for volunteering and participating in the many fundraising efforts this year. If you are interested in joining for the 2023-2024 school year please contact Jennifer Bamieh jenniferbamieh@yahoo.com
Reporting an absence:
If your child will be absent from school, please complete the Absent Reporting form. This form can be found on our app, tap the menu button, or on our website under quick links. This will generate a report that is given to teachers daily. Thank you!
Stay up-to-date with access to events, documents, news from administrators, student stories, and even emergency notifications.
You can download the app for free on Google Play or Apple App Store.
Download for Android https://bit.ly/3HRxTwQ
Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3JwStCO
School Office Hours
The best times to conduct school business in the office are:
Mornings
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Afternoon
12:50 pm - 2:30 pm
Closed for Lunch(12:00-12:50)
After Dismissal hours:
3:00 pm-3:30 pm
Please do not come in during dismissal. On regular dismissal days, the time is from 2:35-3:05, and on noon dismissal days the time is from 11:50-12:15. We are calling students for pick-up and are unable to give you uninterrupted attention.
The office is closed for lunch from 12:00 pm-12:50 pm, if your child needs to leave early school Please pick them up before noon or after 12:50 pm.
At-Home Rapid Covid Test Kits:
Test kits are available in the office. Please contact Jennifer Colitti at jennifer@olaventura.org. You are also welcome to come into the office and pick up tests for your family.
Office of Safeguard the Children
Zoom Protecting God’s Children and
Keeping the Promise Alive
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles mandates all clergy, staff, whether paid or volunteer, and all volunteers who work in any capacity with or around children, the elderly, or people with special needs to complete the initial three-hour VIRTUS® Protecting God’s Children for Adults™ program. The program helps clergy, staff, volunteers, and parents to understand the facts and myths about child sexual abuse, how perpetrators groom children and young people, and how they, as caring adults, can learn and implement the important “Five Step Plan” to Protect God’s Children in helping to prevent child sexual abuse.
More than 150,000 clergy, staff, and volunteers have participated in these training sessions throughout the five Pastoral Regions of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Please know you are welcome to attend a training at any parish in our diocese. To learn where the training is taking place visit lacatholics.org and under the pull-down menu titled PROTECT/REPORT move your cursor to Safe SafeGuard the Children then to Education and Training. In that section, you will be able to navigate to all the training sessions. Our region is the Santa Barbara Region.
Training at OLA:
Protecting God’s Children (Initial Course). To register please call Dea Boheme for more information at 805- 390-1260.
Location: Santa Cruz Room
Keeping the Promise Alive (Re-Certification Course): To register please call Dea Boheme for more information at 805- 390-1260.
December 9th, 2023 1 pm - 2:30 pm.
Location: Santa Cruz Room
Upcoming Santa Barbara Region Fingerprinting Sessions
December 11th - St. Paschal Parish, Thousand Oaks
December 20th - St. Joseph Parish, Carpinteria
January 26th - Sacred Heart Parish, Ventura
February 4th - St. Sebastian Parish, Santa Paula
February 16th - Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Ventura
February 24th - Padre Serra Parish, Camarillo
Student Learning Expectations (SLE’S)
OLA Students aim for the S.T.A.R.S when they:
SHOW AND LIVE THEIR FAITH
THINK CRITICALLY AND WORK COOPERATIVELY
ACTIVELY MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
RESPECT OURSELVES AND OTHERS
STUDY AND LEARN