OLG Mariners Newsletter
April 2020

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Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School

THE NAVIGATOR

A Note from Mrs. Dent

I was asked the other day, what we, at OLG, were teaching our students about the COVID-19 crisis. My first thought was, “Wash your hands!” but upon reflection I responded as follows...
We understand that how we deal with the challenges created by the COVID-19 crisis will be seen by the children, and they will learn from us how they should respond to future challenges. So we strive to give our best every day, and when we hit a roadblock to progress, we spend our energy finding alternate paths to learning, instead of excuses. Perhaps that is the greatest lesson we can teach our children through all of this COVID-19 crisis.
So thank you Mariner families for working beside us to make the remote learning time of the 4th quarter also real learning time for our students. They deserve the best education we can provide, and we need them to keep learning and giving their best, as they are our hope for the future.

OLG School is Adapting!

It's amazing how quickly the faculty assessed the needs for remote learning and then made it happen. Most of the core subject teachers teach in their classrooms as usual, but the students are all online. This photo is Ms. DeLaGarza teaching a Language Arts class.

The students and parents are also having to adapt, as they set up remote learning environments at home and connect to their classrooms online for the live-streamed lessons. We all continue to work together to adapt to changing circumstances, while making sure students are prepared to move to the next grade level.

As always, for information, you can go to our website for blue folder notes, the calendar, our Facebook link, teacher pages, etc. http://olgmariners.org

Our new Remote Learning Environment

3rd Quarter - Catholic Schools Week

In February, we had activities celebrating Catholic Schools Week.
Remember the kick-off Mass.

Community leaders came for lunch and games.

The Principal for a Day gave Ms. Dent a break.

These are the winners of our Annual Spelling Bee.

Lunar New Year

We also had a Lunar New Celebration, complete with dragons.

2nd Quarter Awards

We celebrated the students who made the A Honor Roll

the AB Honor Roll

And those students with Perfect Attendance for the quarter

And then this happened,
so the 4th Quarter is different

3rd Quarter Awards

We celebrate the students who made the A Honor Roll,
even though we can't acknowledge them in person.

the AB Honor Roll

And those students with Perfect Attendance for the quarter

Our New Normal (Temporarily)

The school provided "lockers" which students could decorate and organize their school materials at home. Organization was important at school, and it's just as important at home so that students can keep up with their school work and minimize stress.

Students have class at home. It's especially important now to have a special learning space which minimizes distractions.

Ms. Marwitz looks at papers turned in at the weekly packet Return/Collection event.

Teachers are sticking with their normal schedule, waking up and starting work at the same time they used to, which also means going to bed at a reasonable time. Students need to stay on a schedule as well to maximize their learning.

Ms. McCauley prepares packets of work to go home. Always mindful of safety, teachers wear masks and gloves when preparing packets. Students need to be mindful of safety and social distancing also.

Masks help protect others, so be thoughtful and wear a mask when out in public.

Ms. Gray reads to students, showing the book to students through the screen. As we try to maintain academic standards, we also try to maintain some normalcy and community in classes. It's important for students to interact with teachers and each other.

We've had to change the way we work and communicate, and it's more difficult now than when we shared a physical classroom. Ms. Hennessey wears a mask and gloves as she prepares packets to send home.

Flexibility and the ability to adapt to new situations are important life skills. We strive to grow, learn, and be better each day, and we ask that our students also strive to continue to improve.

Parents also have had to make major changes as their students are learning at home. Our awesome parents brought lunch to the teachers!

Working together, we will get through this, trusting that God brings good out of all situations.

Elizabeth Ann Seton Award

Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School is honored to nominate Kylie & Michael Gaines for the 2020 Mother Elizabeth Ann Seton Award.

This dynamic couple has been providing support to OLG for years and in very different ways. Michael is currently in his 6th year of service on the OLG School Advisory Council and serves as the vice-chair for the council and sits on the finance committee. He has also been extremely instrumental in providing support and sharing his knowledge pertaining to medical protocols for the school during the 2020 COVID-19 crisis. Kylie has been sharing her creative talents with the school as a designer and creator of many of the costumes utilized over the past few years for the school Christmas pageant. Her latest creation of an elephant costume for the 3rd Wiseman’s mode of transportation this past December was the star of the show! It seems no challenge is too great for her artistic gifts.

Thus, from strategic planning to promoting the arts, this amazing couple has been a blessing to our school in many ways and very deserving of this award.

Christ is the Source...

As we journey through this global pandemic, we turn with confidence to the Lord. The following is from https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/coronavirus-prayers

A Prayer for Our Uncertain Times

May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health and making their rent.

May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

May we who have to cancel our trips remember those who have no safe place to go.

May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for a quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

As fear grips our country, let us choose love.

And during this time when we may not be able to physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen.

- Submitted by Fr. Michael Graham, S.J.

School Advisory Council

We are most grateful for the SAC members, who meet monthly to ensure that we can continue to provide a faith-based education to every child whose family so desires.

We want to take this opportunity to thank our donors.
We were especially blessed by their generosity in filling the Teachers' Wish List during the Gala.
Your generosity makes it possible for our school to provide a loving and productive environment in which students can grow in the Light of Christ.

This newsletter is periodically distributed to connect the Mariners with their families and community partners. For more information about our school, please go to our website: OLGMariners.org

We are a Catholic educational community providing opportunity for growth in the Light of Christ.

Copyright © 2020 Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic School

301 S. San Antonio St.

Port Lavaca, Tx 77979

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