New York State Testing Update

As of right now, New York State Testing for Math, ELA, and Science remains scheduled. Grades 4,6, and 7 ELA and Math Exams will be one day of testing rather than the usual two. The ELA state exam is scheduled now the week of April 19^th. The Math state exam is scheduled now the week of May 3^rd. The Science Exam given in Grades 4 and 8 will only have a written part which will be given the week of June 7^th. The performance exam has been canceled for the Science Regents.  

In addition, the Earth Science Regents exam is scheduled for Thursday, June 24th at 8:30am. 

Once we receive further guidance from New York State and the Diocese, we will let you know right away.

Keeping OLMCA Safe

 

You can help keep your school community safe and healthy by following these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission: 

 

• Stay home if sick: Monitor your health and stay home if you are sick except for getting essential medical care (including COVID-19 testing) and other essential needs.

 

• Physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

 

• Wear a face covering: Protect those around you. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you are sick and don’t have symptoms. For more information about face coverings, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus and look for “FAQ About Face Coverings.”

 

• Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

Hand Sanitizer

To prevent the spread of germs, including COVID-19, CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water whenever possible because it reduces the amount of many types of germs and chemicals on hands. But if soap and water are not readily available, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol can help you avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. I implore you to check your child’s hand sanitizer to ensure that they are using the safest possible option. Please use the following FDA article as a resource:

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/your-hand-sanitizer-fdas-list-products-you-should-not-use

Stations of the Cross- Our Lady of Mercy Church

 During the Season of Lent, we will be celebrating the Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm, instead of 7:30pm, in the hopes of accommodating a larger number of our parishioners. This is also a more traditional time to pray the Stations as it is the hour during which Jesus “handed over His Spirit” on the Cross.

OLMCA Picture Day

Class pictures and graduate photos have been rescheduled to Wednesday, April 14^th. Please be advised that Class Pictures will not be taken this year. You still have time to order individual photos. You may visit Lifetouch at: https://my.lifetouch.com/mylifetouch/#/. The school code is: EVTNV7837.

If you have any questions, please call the office at 718-793-2086.

The Tablet Fundraiser

On Monday, the school distributed information about “The Tablet’s Covid-19 Relief Fundraiser for Catholic Schools.” This program will directly benefit our school. Please help us offset the costs of making our school COVID-Safe this past year AND give our children the opportunity to earn incredible rewards by MAKING A NEW SUBSCRIPTION OR RENEWING A PRIOR SUBSCRIPTION to the Diocese of Brooklyn weekly newspaper, THE TABLET,  from  March 15 through April 16 . Get the latest Catholic News and Events in the Diocese, the USA, and the world  at up to 67% off the usual cover price.

You can access the link here:

https://thetablet.org/CovidReliefFundraiser/SchoolPage/?school=our-lady-of-mercy-catholic-academy

 

OLMCA’s Virtual Talent Show

Show off your Special Talent (dance, sing, magic tricks, play an instrument, poetry) at the

VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER. Create a 2 – 3-minute video of yourself.   Save it to a USB drive.  Label your envelope with your name, grade and USB containing the video by April 19^th.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Lillian Coca at lilly_moon20@yahoo.com

Save the Date

Wednesday, March 31^st…12:30pm Dismissal with No Extended Care

Spring Recess from Thursday, April 1- Friday, April 9^th

Monday, April 12…Classes Resume

Wednesday, April 14^th…. Picture Day

 

Easter Recess Travel:

As we look forward to the Easter Holiday Recess many of us are making plans for the Easter Holiday Recess. Whether you are visiting family members one state over or across the globe, travel makes up a huge part of the Easter Holiday Recess.  There is always a risk of getting sick while traveling because of the inherent stress of traveling, interacting with frequently touched surfaces in public places, and changes in climate and environment. But this year continues to bring different considerations because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the New York State Travel Advisory.

Things to consider as we enjoy this time with Family.

 

NYS COVID-19 Travel Advisory

The NYS COVID-19 travel advisory requires individuals who have traveled out of New York State to non-contiguous states for more than 24 hours to either quarantine for 10 days upon return to New York State or “Test to Exit” quarantine.

 

For travelers who were out-of-state for more than 24 hours:

• Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, before arrival in New York.
• The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
• On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.

Further, domestic travelers to New York may be exempt from quarantine if they satisfy the following criteria.

• Consistent with recent CDC guidance, asymptomatic individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to quarantine during the first 3 months after full vaccination if such travelers:
  • Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine); AND
  • Are within 3 months following receipt of the last dose in the series; AND
  • Have remained asymptomatic since the last COVID-19 exposure.
• Consistent with CDC guidance from February 13, 2021, asymptomatic individuals who have previously been diagnosed with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 and have since recovered, are not required to retest and quarantine within 3 months after the date of symptom onset from the initial COVID-19 infection or date of the first positive diagnostic test if asymptomatic during illness.
• Travelers from a state that are contiguous with New York (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont) are exempt from the travel advisory.
• Travelers from Canada crossing at land borders subject to the agreement between the governments of the United States and Canada are permitted to travel in accordance with said agreement and do not need to quarantine.
• Exceptions to the travel advisory are permitted for essential workers traveling from non-contiguous U.S. states or territories and are limited based on the duration of time in New York and subject to more specific industry guidance for a particular industry.

 

The Office of the Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn has expanded the International Travel Advisory to include all International Travel.

 

Full Information on the NYS COVID-19 Travel Advisory can be found at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

 

Please Note: As per the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) schools can implement safety and health protocols that go above the NYS DOHMH and NYC DOHMH required safety and health protocols.

 

World’s Finest Chocolate Sale Results

 

Our World’s Finest Chocolate Sale was a huge success! We are awaiting final collection of the boxes being sold. However, our projected profit is $12,000!  Our top 3 sellers sold a combined record breaking 64 boxes and we have a tie for 1st Place!

 

Congratulations to the following winners in the World’s Finest Chocolate Sale:

 

First Place:  Vincenza Castellano – Grade 6

                     Sana Hormi – Kindergarten

 

Second Place:  Madeline Sands – Grade 3

 

Thank you to all our families that sold chocolate and/or donated to the sale.  All prizes and incentives will be distributed over the next few weeks.

 

Stations of the Cross- Our Lady of Mercy Church

 

 During the Season of Lent, we will be celebrating the Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm, instead of 7:30pm, in the hopes of accommodating a larger number of our parishioners. This is also a more traditional time to pray the Stations as it is the hour during which Jesus “handed over His Spirit” on the Cross.

 

OLMCA’s Lenten Service Project

 

For this year’s Lenten Service Project, OLMCA has partnered with Our Lady of Lourdes School/Parish in Malverne to collect donations for Father Eugene’s Middle School and High School in Nigeria.  Fr. Eugene is a parish priest in Our Lady of Lourdes Parish as well as a Chaplain in LIJ.  His ministry includes spreading the Word of God in Nigeria as well as working with the Claret Group of Schools in Enugu and Owerri, Nigeria.  His school services about 300 students with an age range of 11 to 17.  Various supplies are needed for these students to help them achieve academic success.   He also wants to purchase a school bus for the students that live a distance from the school.  Therefore, monetary donations are graciously accepted as well.   

 

We are so humbled by all the generous donations! The last day to send in supplies is Tuesday, March 23, 2021. A tremendous thank you to our Catholic Identity Committee led by Mrs. Ray for organizing this incredible project.

 

The Tablet Fundraiser

 

On Monday, the school distributed information about “The Tablet’s Covid-19 Relief Fundraiser for Catholic Schools.” This program will directly benefit our school. Please help us offset the costs of making our school COVID-Safe this past year AND give our children the opportunity to earn incredible rewards by MAKING A NEW SUBSCRIPTION OR RENEWING A PRIOR SUBSCRIPTION to the Diocese of Brooklyn weekly newspaper, THE TABLET,  from  March 15 through April 16 . Get the latest Catholic News and Events in the Diocese, the USA, and the world  at up to 67% off the usual cover price.

 

You can access the link here:

 

https://thetablet.org/CovidReliefFundraiser/SchoolPage/?school=our-lady-of-mercy-catholic-academy

 

 

OLMCA’s Virtual Talent Show

 

Show off your Special Talent (dance, sing, magic tricks, play an instrument, poetry) at the

VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER. Create a 2 – 3 minute video of yourself.   Save it to a USB drive.  Label your envelope with your name, grade and USB containing the video by April 19^th.

If you have any questions please reach out to Lillian Coca at lilly_moon20@yahoo.com

 

 

Parent Teacher Conferences (Nursery-Grade 8)

The Second Trimester will conclude on Thursday, March 18th. Report Cards will be distributed on Wednesday, March 24^th for students in Grades K-8. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, March 25^th from 1-3 PM and again from 6-8 PM for all students (Grades Nursery-8) of OLMCA. Due to the continued current state of being socially distant, OLMCA’s Parent Teacher Conferences will be held securely via Zoom for the second trimester. As we get closer to the date, your child’s teacher will be emailing you a Calendly link to sign up for your child’s Report Card Conference time on Thursday, March 25^th.   This will give you the opportunity to sign up for whichever time slot works best for you. 

 

There is a 12:30PM dismissal for all students. Conferences will be conducted from 1-3PM and 6-8PM.

 

Please note that accounts must be fully up to date for you to receive your child’s report card and meet your child’s teacher. We will be giving courtesy letters to families that are not fully up to date. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Alleva at dalleva@olmercyca.com or 718-793-2086.

 

Hot lunch will be served at 11:30 for all students. There will be extended Care from 12:30PM-6PM.

 

Save the Date

 

Wednesday, March 24^th…Report Cards Distributed

Thursday, March 25^th…Parent Teacher Conferences

Monday, March 29^th….Picture Day

Wednesday, March 31^st…12:30pm Dismissal with No Extended Care

Spring Recess from Thursday, April 1- Friday, April 9^th

 

Important Updates from the NYCDOH

The NYC DOHMH is implementing a revised definition of General Classroom Close Contact, 10 or more minutes within 6 feet over 24 hours of an individual with COVID-19 during their infectious period, regardless of mask or face covering use or the presence of plexiglass or other barriers.  Riskier activities such as aerobic activities/singing as well as traveling via school bus will require additional precautions, more information to follow.

 

The CDC has released their guidance for vaccinated individuals. Please know we follow the NYC DOHMH, the Diocese has been in contact with them regarding this matter. The NYC DOHMH is expecting to release guidance on vaccinated individuals, but no timeline is available currently. I will keep everyone posted.

 

As a result, you will notice that the ParentLocker daily health screening has been adapted to make the new changes. The questions are as follows:

This Daily Heath Screening is required to be completed each day before entrance to school.

1. Is your child , or a household member currently waiting for the results of a COVID-19 test?

No                   ______                        GO.     You may go to school.

Yes                  ______                        STOP. You may not go to school.

 

2. In the past 10 days, Has your child experienced any symptoms of COVID-19 , including a fever of 100.0 F or greater, new cough, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, sore throat, headache, nasal congestion, runny nose (sniffles), stomach upset?

No                   ______                        GO.     You may go to school.

Yes                  ______                        STOP. You may not go to school.

 

3. In the past 10 days has your child gotten a lab confirmed positive COVID-19 test result (not a blood test) that was their first positive COVID-19 result OR was 90 days from their previous positive COVID-19 result? Please note the 10 days is measured from the day you were tested, not the day you received the results.

No                   ______                        GO.     You may go to school.

Yes                  ______                        STOP. You may not go to school.

 

4. To the best of your knowledge , in the past 10 days has your child been in close contact (within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes over 24 hour period) with anyone who has tested positive for COVID -19 or who has been told they have symptoms of COVID-19 ?

No                   ______                        GO.     You may go to school.

Yes                  ______                        STOP. You may not go to school.

 

5. In the last 10 days has your child or a household member traveled internationally or traveled for longer than 24 hours other than to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts or Vermont?

No                   ______                        GO.     You may go to school.

Yes                  ______                        STOP. You may not go to school.

 

Parent Teacher Conferences (Nursery-Grade 8)

The Second Trimester will conclude on Thursday, March 18th. Report Cards will be distributed on Wednesday, March 24^th for students in Grades K-8. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, March 25^th from 1-3 PM and again from 6-8 PM for all students (Grades Nursery-8) of OLMCA. Due to the continued current state of being socially distant, OLMCA’s Parent Teacher Conferences will be held securely via Zoom for the second trimester. As we get closer to the date, your child’s teacher will be emailing you a Calendly link to sign up for your child’s Report Card Conference time on Thursday, March 25^th.   This will give you the opportunity to sign up for whichever time slot works best for you. 

 

There is a 12:30PM dismissal for all students. Conferences will be conducted from 1-3PM and 6-8PM.

 

Please note that accounts must be fully up to date for you to receive your child’s report card and meet your child’s teacher. We will be giving courtesy letters to families that are not fully up to date. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Alleva at dalleva@olmercyca.com or 718-793-2086.

 

Hot lunch will be served at 11:30 for all students. There will be extended Care from 12:30PM-6PM.

Financial Aid

Financial aid applications for students in Grades K-8, who attend a Brooklyn or Queens School or Academy has begun. Once you have registered for next year, you can apply online for a Diocesan scholarship. Families who apply during the first round are the only ones eligible for the maximum scholarship. For more information, please visit: www.futuresineducation.org.

Scholarship Deadlines: New families: April 30, 2021

Celebrating Our Covid-19 Superheroes!

A year ago, on March 13^th, schools were closed for in-person learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In honor of getting through these challenging times, on Monday, March 15^th, we are inviting all students to come to school dressed as one of our everyday superheroes! Not only will this honor our healthcare workers who certainly are heroes during this time, but also acknowledge that we were tough too and did what we must do to try and overcome Covid-19.

Some essential workers: Healthcare workers, teachers, police, firefighter, EMS, Custodial and Sanitation, Postal, UPS, Grocery and Food Services, and so on!

 

Limited Private Tours Available, please call 718-793-2086 or email Ms. Hinkson at rhinkson@olmercyca.com 

• Wednesday, March 3rd from 3-4PM
• Wednesday, March 10th from 3-4PM
• Wednesday, March 24 from 3-4PM

 

Parent Teacher Conferences (Nursery-Grade 8)

The Second Trimester will conclude on Thursday, March 18th. Report Cards will be distributed on Wednesday, March 24^th for students in Grades K-8. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, March 25^th from 1-3 PM and again from 6-8 PM for all students (Grades Nursery-8) of OLMCA. Due to the continued current state of being socially distant, OLMCA’s Parent Teacher Conferences will be held securely via Zoom for the second trimester. As we get closer to the date, your child’s teacher will be emailing you a Calendly link to sign up for your child’s Report Card Conference time on Thursday, March 25^th.   This will give you the opportunity to sign up for whichever time slot works best for you. 

There is a 12:30PM dismissal for all students. Conferences will be conducted from 1-3PM and 6-8PM.

Please note that accounts must be fully up to date for you to receive your child’s report card and meet your child’s teacher. We will be giving courtesy letters to families that are not fully up to date. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Alleva at dalleva@olmercyca.com or 718-793-2086.

Hot lunch will be served at 11:30 for all students. There will be extended Care from 12:30PM-6PM.

First Reconciliation

Our Second Graders will receive the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time on Saturday, March 13 at 11AM. The students have been preparing through prayer and practice with Mrs. Starace and are looking forward to a virtual retreat with our DRE, Ms. Tavares. We are very much looking forward to celebrating this wonderful occasion with the students and their families.

Stations of the Cross- Our Lady of Mercy Church

 During the Season of Lent, we will be celebrating the Stations of the Cross at 3:00pm, instead of 7:30pm, in the hopes of accommodating a larger number of our parishioners. This is also a more traditional time to pray the Stations as it is the hour during which Jesus “handed over His Spirit” on the Cross.

Financial Aid

Financial aid applications for students in Grades K-8, who attend a Brooklyn or Queens School or Academy has begun. Once you have registered for next year, you can apply online for a Diocesan scholarship. Families who apply during the first round are the only ones eligible for the maximum scholarship. For more information, please visit: www.futuresineducation.org.

Scholarship Deadlines: New families: April 30, 2021

Keeping OLMCA Safe

You can help keep your school community safe and healthy by following these important “Core Four” actions to prevent COVID-19 transmission: 

 

• Stay home if sick: Monitor your health and stay home if you are sick except for getting essential medical care (including COVID-19 testing) and other essential needs.

 

• Physical distancing: Stay at least 6 feet away from people who are not members of your household.

 

• Wear a face covering: Protect those around you. Wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19, especially if you are sick and don’t have symptoms. For more information about face coverings, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus and look for “FAQ About Face Coverings.”

 

• Practice healthy hand hygiene: Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available; clean frequently touched surfaces regularly; avoid touching your face with unwashed hands; and cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hands.

 

OLMCA’s Virtual Talent Show

Show off your Special Talent (dance, sing, magic tricks, play an instrument, poetry) at the

VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER. Create a 2 – 3 minute video of yourself.   Save it to a USB drive.  Label your envelope with your name, grade and USB containing the video by April 19^th.

If you have any questions please reach out to Lillian Coca at lilly_moon20@yahoo.com

 

Show off your Special Talent (dance, sing, magic tricks, play an instrument, poetry) at the

VIRTUAL TALENT SHOW FUNDRAISER

Create a 2 – 3 minute video of yourself.   Save it to a USB drive. 

Label your envelope with your name, grade and USB containing the video.

If you have any questions please reach out to Lillian Coca

Email: lilly_moon20@yahoo.com

Deadline: Monday, April 19, 2021

Who:  Any Student in Grades Kindergarten – 8^th

Cost: $10 per Participant (Small groups are allowed)

^{Please send payment with video no later than Monday, April 19, 2021}

^{Please fill out the form below and return it to your child’s teacher in a envelope labeled Talent Show with either cash or check and the USB containing your video.}

^{Any checks must be made payable to Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy}

 

Parent Teacher Conferences (Nursery-Grade 8)

The Second Trimester will conclude on Thursday, March 18th. Report Cards will be distributed on Wednesday, March 24^th for students in Grades K-8. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, March 25^th from 1-3 PM and again from 6-8 PM for all students (Grades Nursery-8) of OLMCA. Due to the continued current state of being socially distant, OLMCA’s Parent Teacher Conferences will be held securely via Zoom for the second trimester. As we get closer to the date, your child’s teacher will be emailing you a Calendly link to sign up for your child’s Report Card Conference time on Thursday, March 25^th.   This will give you the opportunity to sign up for whichever time slot works best for you. 

 

There is a 12:30PM dismissal for all students. Conferences will be conducted from 1-3PM and 6-8PM.

Please note that accounts must be fully up to date for you to receive your child’s report card and meet your child’s teacher. We will be giving courtesy letters to families that are not fully up to date. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Alleva at dalleva@olmercyca.com or 718-793-2086.

Hot lunch will be served at 11:30 for all students. There will be extended Care from 12:30PM-6PM.

Re-registration

Priority registration for current students and their relatives began on Friday, January 22^nd. Families must be current on this year’s tuition to register for next year. It is imperative that you return the form as soon as possible to ensure that your child has a seat for the 2021-2022 school year as spacing is limited due to social distancing and we have a wait list for several grades. All re-registration documents must be submitted by Friday, February 26^th. If you need an additional form, please contact Ms. Hinkson at rhinkson@olmercyca.com.

Financial Aid

Financial aid applications for students in Grades K-8, who attend a Brooklyn or Queens School or Academy has begun. Once you have registered for next year, you can apply online for a Diocesan scholarship. Families who apply during the first round are the only ones eligible for the maximum scholarship. For more information, please visit: www.futuresineducation.org.

Scholarship Deadlines: New families: April 30, 2021

Blood Drive

On Sunday Feb. 28th from 8:45am to 2:45pm Our Lady of Mercy will be sponsoring a Blood Drive for the New York Blood Center. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Metro area blood supply is at a critically low level.

As we enter the second week of Lent, please consider giving the Gift of Life as one part of your Lenten service to others. A blood donor is a special kind of volunteer. One donation of blood can help save up to three patients’ lives. The Blood Center provides blood services to hospitals throughout the area. We are fortunate to live in a region where sophisticated medical facilities and transplant programs are available. These programs require many blood donations. When there is not enough blood, patients wait for hours for the blood they need, delaying their recovery. Patients who are weak from low iron wait for red cells; patients whose bodies have been assaulted by chemotherapy wait for platelets that will allow their blood to clot again. Patients who have been on an organ transplant list for months or years and finally get an opportunity for an organ will lose that opportunity if there is no blood.

The donation procedure is simple and safe. Masks are required to be worn by all workers and donors. Social distancing will be practiced and there will be sanitizer available.  This year, in order to keep everyone (donors and Blood Center workers) safe and maintain social distancing, it is requested that all donors have an appointment for the Blood Drive. Appointments can be made by going to the New York Blood Center web site (www.nybloodcenter.org) or calling 1-800-933-BLOOD (2566). Walk-ins will be accommodated only if safe practices can be maintained. You can donate if you are between the ages of 16 and 75 (16 year olds must have parental consent. Consent form is available at www.nybloodcenter.org).

Please bring your donor ID card or Donor ID number (if you have one) and a photo ID. Prior to donating, please eat a good meal and drink plenty of fluids.   

Parking Hazards

We are asking for your help during drop off and pickup. There has been an increase in illegal parking and many of our neighbors have called to complain. Safety is our number one priority at OLMCA and we do not want to see any of our students hurt, or worse.

What can you do to help?

Please Do Not: 

• Double park
• Block driveways of our neighbors
• Park in no parking zones 
• Block crosswalks
• Block school entrances 
• Honk your horn repeatedly
• Drive aggressively 
• Drive fast

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your input is always appreciated and we would love to hear any feedback from the parents. Thank you for keeping the area around OLMCA safe for our students.

 

Happy Catholic Schools Week! We are off to a great start! We have collected so many canned good and the Food Pantry is so grateful for all your support. We are looking forward to a fun-filled week for our students and staff. Please read on for important reminders as look toward Winter Recess.

 

Winter Recess Travel

 

As we look forward to the Winter Recess many of us are making plans for the Winter Recess. Whether you’re visiting family members one state over or across the globe, travel makes up a huge part of the Winter Recess.  There’s always a risk of getting sick while traveling because of the inherent stress of traveling, interacting with frequently touched surfaces in public places, and changes in climate and environment. But this year brings different considerations because of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the New York State Travel Advisory.

Things to consider as we enjoy this time with Family.

NYS COVID-19 Travel Advisory

The NYS COVID-19 travel advisory requires individuals who have traveled out of New York State to noncontiguous states for more than 24 hours to either quarantine for 10 days upon return to New York State or “Test to Exit” quarantine.

For travelers who were out-of-state for more than 24 hours:

• Travelers must obtain a test within three days of departure, prior to arrival in New York.
• The traveler must, upon arrival in New York, quarantine for three days.
• On day 4 of their quarantine, the traveler must obtain another COVID test. If both tests come back negative, the traveler may exit quarantine early upon receipt of the second negative diagnostic test.

The Office of the Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Brooklyn has expanded the International Travel Advisory to include all International Travel.

Full Information on the NYS COVID-19 Travel Advisory can be found at: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

CDC Recommendations for Travel

Full Information on the CDC Recommendations for Holiday Celebrations and Travel can be found at   https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

Please Note: As per the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) schools can implement safety and health protocols that go above the NYS DOHMH and NYC DOHMH required safety and health protocols.

 

 

 

 

Covid-19 On-site Testing Update

 

OLMCA has completed mandatory, on-site Covid-19 testing. Once a school has completed two consecutive weeks of testing and the positivity rate of the school is lower than the local community positivity rate the school is no longer required to conduct the required weekly testing. A lower school positivity rate is sufficient to demonstrate that the school is not a source of the spread of COVID-19. Schools that the school positivity rate is higher than the local community are required to continue to conduct the weekly testing until the school positivity rate is lower than the local community positivity rate. The local community rate is listed on the NYS Daily Survey so the school can check the school positivity rate to the local community positivity rate to determine when the school is no longer required to conduct the weekly testing. We thank all of the parents for their continued support and if anything is to change, we will let you know.

 

 

Re-registration

 

Priority registration for current students and their relatives began on Friday, January 22^nd. Families must be current on this year’s tuition to register for next year. It is imperative that you return the form as soon as possible to ensure that your child has a seat for the 2021-2022 school year as spacing is limited due to social distancing and we have a wait list for several grades. All re-registration documents must be submitted by Friday, February 26^th. If you are in need of an additional form, please contact Ms. Hinkson at rhinkson@olmeryca.com.

Financial Aid

Financial aid applications for students in Grades K-8, who attend a Brooklyn or Queens School or Academy has begun. Once you have registered for next year, you can apply online for a Diocesan scholarship. Families who apply during the first round are the only ones eligible for the maximum scholarship. For more information, please visit: www.futuresineducation.org.

Scholarship Deadlines

• New families: April 30, 2021

World’s Finest Chocolate Sale (Nursery, K-8)

 

Our school has begun our only mandatory fundraiser for 2020-21. We will be selling World’s Finest Chocolate Products – delicious chocolates that have been sold for years by schools and organizations. One taste will tell you where they got their name, and you are sure to find people in your neighborhood who have been World’s Finest fans for years. The Chocolate Sale concludes on Wednesday, February 10^th. If you would like an additional box, please contact Mrs. Alleva at dalleva@olmercyca.com.

 

Save the Date

 

• Catholic School Week… Monday, February 8^th – Friday, February 12^th
• Friday, February 12…12:30PM dismissal and No Extended Care
• Monday, February 15^th– Friday, February 19^th…Midwinter Recess

The first day of Catholic Schools Week is Service Day! The Our Lady of Mercy Food Pantry is dedicated to serving the needs of the underprivileged in Forest Hills.

OLMCA will participate in a Service Learning Project. During the day, students All students are asked to dress down in their grade’s color for $1.00 and bring in a canned or boxed good to support the OLM Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is most in need of:

• Spam
• Canned Chicken
• Canned fruit
• Beef stew
• Beans
• Parmalot milk
• Spices
• Salt and pepper