Kolley's Korner

Welcome to "Kolley's Korner"

2010-03-20T21:27:00.000-04:00

Welcome to "Kolley's Korner", a new blog containing our weekly school newsletter and other stories and photos contributed by students, teachers and parents in our La Salette Community. To submit your story to the blog, email it (along with any photos) to ann.e.kolley@lasalette-school.org.

Please sign-up to our email subscription and new blog entries will be emailed to you. This is a great way to keep up with the latest events and news at Our Lady of La Salette without all the paper waste! The email subscription is on the right side of the page. Enter your email and follow the simple verification process to get started and help our school "Go Green"!

Enjoy!

Weekly Newsletter #17

2010-03-19T17:12:00.001-04:00

Happy Spring! With the season change this weekend brings rejuvenation, new found energy and a sense of renewal. It is amazing what a little sunshine and warm air can do for our spirits. Let’s pray that it is here to stay!

Keeping with this new sense of renewal, plans are underway for next year’s committees. Please seriously consider being a part of the PTO, our newly structured School Committee, or Boosters. All of these groups are looking for new members, as well as people to lead the organizations. It is important to be an active participant in your child’s education and these are wonderful opportunities in which you can get involved and make a difference at OLLS.

If you are interested, please email or call me and I can connect you with the appropriate people to get you started. Thanks in advance for your consideration. The success of OLLS depends on all of us! Get involved, make new friends, and have fun at the same time!

Keeping with spring...training for the Road Runners Running Club will begin Friday, April 9 from 3:30-4:15. This is open to 2nd-8th graders. The goal of the club is to run the one mile Fun Run as a school at the Berkley Days Race, Saturday, May 8th. Look for a flyer to come home soon!

With this talk of renewal, I would like to remind you about registration for next year. Please take the time to fill out the form with your $100 registration fee. Remember after May 31, the charge increases to $125, so please come to the office and do that. Any student registered by Friday, March 26 will be able to enjoy an afternoon pizza party with the principal on Monday, March 29!

Clifford the Big Dog

The Scholastic Book Fair is ending with a very special event in conjunction with our fish fry. Come join Clifford for story time at 5:30, 6:00, or 6:30 and also take time to peruse the fair as well. Clifford will also be available for pictures. Many wonderful books are available to purchase for children of all ages.

U14 Soccer
Come out and see the Bronco U14 team Friday night after Fish Fry at 7:30 at Total Soccer in Royal Oak!GO BRONCOS!!

La Salette is Proud of...

Our science fair winners! Please see the attached flyer if you missed the awards ceremony.
Mrs. Sheri Boura and Mrs. Marie Giasson for their hours of hard work with the students in helping them prepare their projects!
All of the people that assisted with the judging of the science fair projects! You are appreciated!
Mrs. DeeAnn Uhlarik and her team of volunteers at the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner on Sunday! The food was delicious and a great time was had by all! Kudos to everyone who worked so diligently to prepare this wonderful event.
Our Bronco cheerleaders at competition last weekend! The girls worked hard and it was a great learning experience for the future! Special thanks to Mrs. Teri Myers and Mrs. Linda Gable-Smith as well!
Mrs. Sheri Boura and her leadership of the Stations of the Cross. Thank you for helping us remember what the Lenten season is about.
Mrs. Linda Gable-Smith for helping in the office. We are grateful for you and your time!
Mrs. Mary Beth Segerlind and her team of volunteers with the Book Fair. Thank you for spearheading this project! You are all appreciated!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #16

2010-03-12T21:37:00.001-05:00

Spring is definitely in the air. We have been blessed with a beautiful week full of sunshine and warmth. It is amazing what a little taste of the upcoming season does for our energy and enthusiasm!

The students in grades four through eight have worked extremely hard on their science projects and will be displaying them for all to see on Friday evening at 7:00. Please come and celebrate them! Awards will be distributed to the first, second, third places and honorable mention prizes for each grade. Come early and enjoy the Fish Fry and then make your way up to check out the fantastic work of our budding scientists!

Moving to next week, Wednesday marks St. Patrick's day, a day when every one is Irish. Take time to discuss with your children who St. Patrick was and what he stood for. Many of them will be studying him in class, so I am sure they will bring a wealth of information to you. In honor of St. Patrick, the students will be allowed to wear green for the day. Uniforms will not be necessary that day. Enjoy a little luck o' the Irish!

Enjoy your weekend and your children! Thank you for sharing them with us!

La Salette is Proud of...

Mrs. Fabian and her second graders! They all wrote a 4 paragraph book report on "The Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing". A few of them were read to me by the students... wow, amazing work!
The Penny Wars going on between the classes and the teachers. Catholic Relief Services will be benefitting from this friendly competition! You are always extremely generous! Thank you!
Coach Teri Myers and our Cheerleaders who will be competing this weekend! Good luck girls!
Our eighth grade students who were confirmed this past weekend by Msgr. Zenz. Congratulations and many blessings to Jordan W., Andrew D., and Jimmy P.
Mrs. DeeAnn Uhlarik for spearheading the St. Patrick's Day dinner... many hours of hard work and planning have gone into this! You are appreciated!
All of our judges of the science fair! We are sincerely grateful for your time and dedication to our school! Thank you!
Mr. Beasley, who has been helping out on the playground during recess! Thanks!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #15

2010-02-26T18:55:00.000-05:00

I can hardly believe that the month of March is upon us already. The school has been buzzing with activity and excitement. Time surely does fly when you're having fun! We celebrated the 100th day of school with many mathematical activities. The students participated in 100 jumping jacks as a school after Mass. They also went on a scavenger hunt throughout the building to find 100 hidden crosses. Individual classes talked about what they would look like when they were 100 years old, made 100th day glasses, what the the world would be like in 100 years, etc. The children always enjoy this special day! Take some time to ask your students how their class celebrated.

We also had our school open house on Tuesday. We had several interested families come and tour the building. Please be sure to talke to friends and neighbors about the wonderful things that happen on a daily basis here. Invite them to come in any day and take a look in case they missed this opportunity.

Also, for those who ordered new school uniform shirts, they have arrived. Please check your child's backpack to be sure that you have received the correct size and quantity. Thank you for being patient with the arrival of these. I look forward to seeing the students proudly wear them next week!

Lastly, progress reports go home today. Continue to encourage your child to do their best in all they do. Remind them that hard work and determination always pay off!

Have a fantastic weekend! If you get a chance come root on our basketball teams at St. Thecla and Our Lady of the Lakes, both on Saturday morning. Go Broncos!

La Salette is Proud of...

Jimmy P. and Madeline M. for being selected as the Scholar Athlete for the fall season.
Our basketball teams who have made it to the play-offs. Girls play at 11:15am at Our Lady of the Lakes and the boys play at 10:00am at St. Thecla on Saturday.
All of our parents who helped to make our Open House a success. Thank you for all of your support!
Dr. Andy Varga, for his leadership in the middle school science and religion classes. We appreciate your knowledge and your enthusiasm!
Mrs. Sheri Boura! She is returning on Monday, March 1. We have missed you!
Our 5th graders, for their wonderful production of the play entitled "Trouble at Jamestown!" Accolades to Mrs. Beaujean, for leading a fine performance!
The Kindergarten class for their awesome 100th day projects! Stop by and take a look!
The preschoolers who celebrated the letter "S" this week with shaving cream and a sandbox in the classroom!
The 3rd graders, who assisted with lunchroom clean-up this week! Fantastic job!

Registration
You should have now received your packet of information regarding yoru 2010-2011 school year. The registration fee is $100 if you enroll before May 31. If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to speak with me.

St. Patrick's Day Dinner
We are asking for a $3 donation from each child to help defray the costs of the dinner and help pay for the food. We appreciate your support in advance! Please send the money in by the end of next week!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #14

2010-02-22T20:24:00.007-05:00

This week begins a very prayerful time in the lives of Christians around the world. It is a time when we reflect, fast, and pray during these 40 days of Lent. Please take a moment or two with your children to help them understand the importance of doing something in the name of Jesus. Be mindful that Lent is not only about giving something up, but also a time of doing good for other people. The students will spend time during these upcoming weeks learning and praying about the significance of Jesus' Death and Resurrection. Take some time at home as well to ask them what they are learning in their Religion classes during this Holy time.

On another note, please be sure to read emails that come from our Snapgrades system. In an effort to go green, it is imperative that all families check messages on a daily basis in order that you are informed about upcoming events and happenings in the school. Snapgrades is a very effective tool for communication and it is our hope to continue to use this as a way of getting the word out about everyday activities occurring in the building. Not only is it fast and efficient, but we are also doing our Earth a favor by eliminating the paper excess! I appreciate your support with this endeavor!

La Salette is Proud of...

The Spelling Bee finalists who represented OLLS at the Vicariate level today. Congratulations to 8th Graders: Jimmy P. & Chanze S. 7th Graders: Marie C. & Griffin K. 6th Graders: Lexie T. & Emma B. 5th Graders: Taylor P. & Kasey B.
Our $500 donation (after expenses) to the Capuchins raised during Catholic Schools Week. This community is simply amazing!
Our Open House Banner on Coolidge! Special thanks and appreciation to Deacon Dan for his unending support!
Mr. Brian H., dad to Bryson and Hailey, for his spearheading of the recruitment of local preschoolers to our Kindergarten program! Thank you for your hard work!
Our Lenten Soup creators and volunteers. The children (and staff) raved about how delicious the lunch was! Thank you one and all who assisted with this effort!
Donovan P., our new fifth grader! We welcome you and your family into our family!

St. Patrick’s Day Dinner

On Sunday, March 14 OLLS will be sponsoring a dinner at the K of C Hall in Berkley. Corn beef sandwiches, sauerkraut, potatoes, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese will be served. This fundraiser will raise money for the heating fund. In true St. Patrick’s Day spirit, green beer will also be served. We are in need of your help to fund the dinner. We are asking for $3 from each student so we can purchase the food. Money must be turned into your classroom teacher by March 1. We sincerely appreciate your support in assisting us to raise money for our school.

Norah M. Ozar Scholarship
Please see the attached information and application regarding this annual award offered to students in grades 5-8. Please read the qualifications and consider having your student fill out the form for a chance to win $500.00 towards next year’s tuition. The recipient will be announced at the awards ceremony on the last day of school.

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #13

2010-02-05T09:31:00.019-05:00

In the midst of such a weathered economy, our La Salette family never seems to forget about those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Catholic Schools Week again proved to be an enormous success. The week began with an enjoyable presentation by Jim Cruise, the Spoon Man, who not only entertained us by playing music with just two ordinary kitchen spoons, but also by reminding us that praying to God and building a relationship with Him is the most important thing we can do.

Tuesday began with a beautiful Candle mass. The church was filled with many grandparents and VIPs. Deacon Dan reminded us to always follow the light of Christ and use the light that He provides to enhance our lives and others. Wednesday brought out the competitive sides of the kids, as well as the teachers! The students put out their best effort, but it was the teachers who prevailed on the basketball court! Our teachers are not only talented in the classroom, but we have some athletes on staff. On Thursday, a few chosen eighth graders were able to attend the Catholic Schools Week Mass at the Cathedral with Archbishop Vigneron. It was a very beautiful experience that the students will never forget. Also, Thursday brought us a stiff competition of spellers. Congratulations to all the winners! You did a superb job!

And of course, the week culminated with our annual Mission Fair. The students had a blast and raised money for an excellent cause along the way. Stay tuned to see exactly how generous our community was this year. Have a wonderful break!

La Salette is Proud of...

The Do-Dads (and mom), who came in and got our building in tip top shape for our Open House! Special thanks goes to the can-do kids, Mary Ryan and Henry P., who also brought their cleaning skills! THANK YOU!
Drew Pennington and Peggy Squires, for spearheading our Open House and for all the volunteers who so willingly gave of their time to help La Salette truly shine to outside visitors.
All of the wonderful grandparents and VIPs who attended our special Mass and event! Our children are very lucky to have you in their lives!
The teachers, who spent hours planning and preparing for the fantastic week! I am very lucky to have such a truly dedicated staff to work with!
The staff and students who participated in the basketball game. A great time was had by all! Go teachers! Special congrats go to Ms. LaBara... we wouldn't have won without you!
Our Spelling Bee Champions... Zeke B. for grades 1-4 and Jimmy P. for grades 5-8.
Our classroom spelling champions... 1st - Adam A.; 2nd - Mia L.; 3rd - Mackenzie F.; 4th - Zeke B.; 5th - Taylor P.; 6th - Lexie T.; 7th - Griffin K.; 8th - Jimmy P.

Hooded Sweatshirts for Sale
La Salette hooded sweatshirts are now being offered through Chris Beaudoin. Please see the attached flyer regarding the sweatshirts. They will be available in red or blue and can be personalized if you so choose. These are great to have for our spirit days! Please fill out the order form to get yours today!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #12

2010-01-29T09:19:00.002-05:00

Next week signifies a very special occasion in the lives of children who attend Catholic school. Catholic Schools Week is a time to be thankful and appreciative for the wonderful gift of education that allows us to embrace Jesus in all that we do. Not only does Our Lady of La Salette maintain the highest academic standards for our students, but it also incudes Christian values throughout the entire curriculum.

The week ahead is filled with many exciting events to celebrate all that Catholic schools have to offer. Not only is it a week of celebration though; it is also a time to raise awareness and funds for those less fortunate than ourselves.

This year all the monies raised will be going to the Capuchin Food Kitchen. Our staff agreed that although there are horribly devastating things happening around the world, problems still exist at home as well. The Capuchin Kitchen is in dire need of our help to feed men, women, and children who do not have the resources to do so themselves. Please consider and pray for these people and remind your children that one way to follow Jesus is to help feed the hungry. Don't forget to purchase your fair tickets to help with this mission.

On another note, please remember to tell your friends and family to join us at our Open House and Pancake Breakfast this Sunday from 10:30-1:30. Spread the good news about the wonderful school and community that we have here!

La Salette is Proud of...

Our eighth graders, who are receiving numerous acceptance letters and monetary awards from the various Catholic high schools in the area! Congratulations!
The preschoolers and their wonderful family posters! Please take a walk downstairs to see the beautiful display!
All of the parents who have come forward to help in the cafeteria during Lent. You are so very much appreciated! Thank you!
The wonderful homecoming weekend we had! Our basketball players and cheerleaders should be commended for their outstanding performances! Go Broncos!
Mrs. Vicki Wesner and Mrs. Jaime Chernova, for giving up their Monday night to promote our fabulous preschool program in Royal Oak! Thank you for your time and efforts!
Jalen B., our new 6th grader! We are delighted to welcome you into our La Salette family!

A Few Reminders:

$5.00 is needed from every student for the presentation of the "Spoon Man" on Monday.
Pillar and taper candles in stands are needed for our special candle lighting ceremony for Grandparents' Mass on Tuesday.
Donations are still needed for the Mission Fair.
Parent help is needed for the Mission Fair.

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #11

2010-01-22T09:03:00.002-05:00

Today you will be receiving your child’s report card for the second quarter. Take time to look it over with him/her and have a conversation about the positive things you see going on, as well as the places where improvement could be made. If you have any questions that you feel you need to discuss with the teacher, please do not hesitate to set up an appointment with them.

On another note, it has been brought to my attention that the parking lot for dropping off and picking up has some need for changes. Please be aware of your speed. Also, be sure you and your children are using the crosswalk to ensure the safety of all. Our safety squad is doing an amazing job, but they need you to follow the rules set in the handbook so that order is taking place at all times. Remember, the safety of our children is of utmost importance to me.

This Saturday is our Homecoming celebration for our winter sports. Please come and support our Broncos at the basketball games in our gym. Games will begin at 10:00 and continue throughout the day. Hope to see you there!

Our Parish Open House and Pancake Breakfast is set to take place on Sunday, January 31 from 10:30-1:30. We are need of parent help in each of the classrooms. If this is something you would be interested in, just let your teacher know. Service hours can be earned for this! Enjoy the weekend!

La Salette is Proud of...

Jordan W. and Khalil H. for their participation in the Leadership Conference at Brother Rice. They both received awards and plaques. You are both wonderful role models!
Of our new uniform shirts...Have you seen them on several of our students? You still have time to order at wholesale price until January 29! Order forms can be found in the office. (You can always get them at the store as well)
Mr. and Mrs. Squires, for their assistance in the lunchroom this week! You are very appreciated!
All the canned goods being brought in for St. Vincent’s de Paul...you all are always so generous!
Brooke S., 3rd grader, who so gently helps her fellow classmate, Robert, to the lunchroom every day! You are a true follower of Jesus, Brooke!
Our altar servers, who faithfully assist at Mass! You are all doing a great job!
Our School Store, run by our kindergartners! Open every Thursday, exciting merchandise is available for less than $1. Come check it out!

Mission Fair

We are still in need of gently used toys, games, puzzles, DVDs, etc. for our Mission Fair. These items will be used as prizes for the games that the children will be playing. We also will accept new, inexpensive toys as well. All money raised this year will benefit the Capuchin Kitchen. Please ask if you have any questions!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #9

2010-01-08T14:12:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year to all of you and welcome back to the second part of the school year. I would like to wish you and your families nothing but good health and happiness for 2010.

As we plunge into the cold winter months, I would like to remind you that the students will be going outside, unless the temperature is too cold. Therefore, please have your children prepared to enjoy the outdoors. They need to have hats, gloves, boots, and snow pants. It is important for the kids to get outside as often as possible, but I want them to be dressed to endure the temperatures in order that they can have a good time. Thank you in advance for your support in this matter.

On another note, Catholic Schools Week is set for the week of January 31-February 5. Many preparations are under way to celebrate our excellent Catholic traditions here at OLLS. Please read all of the attached notes carefully in order that you are aware of the special happenings for that week. Parental involvement will be needed for some of the activities, so if you still need to earn service hours this is your perfect opportunity.

Have a wonderful weekend...Build a snowman or go sledding!

La Salette is Proud of...

Mr. Bob, for the beautiful painting he did in my office over the break! Stop in and see his wonderful work.
Mr. Bob and Mr. Tom for all of their work in both the main office and my office. I appreciate it!
Mr. Andy Varga, who has taken on the role of Mrs. Boura’s substitute in the middle school. Welcome to our family! Take some time to introduce yourself to him.
Mrs. Van Every, for her enthusiasm and installation of the recycling program in the cafeteria! Way to go green!
Our new school uniform shirts! Remember, they are available online and at Schoolbelles. Stay tuned for a wholesale that will be starting next week as well.
Mrs. Bowker, Mrs. Matuszak, and Mrs. Groves who have been so helpful filling in where need be this week! Thank you!

AOD Financial Aid Applications If you are a registered member of OLLS or any other Catholic church, you may qualify for financial assistance from the Archdiocese of Detroit for the upcoming school year.

You can pick up your applications in the Main Office of the school or at the Parish Office. Applications are due April 12, 2010. If you qualify, you will be notified by the AOD of your award.

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #8

2009-12-11T09:54:00.004-05:00

This has been a very busy week...Christmas is certainly approaching quickly! Christmas carols have been playing, children are eager and excited about the upcoming weekend’s activities, and teachers are scurrying to fit in all that needs to be finished before the new year begins! I hope this season of preparing for the birth of Jesus finds you and your family in good spirits. In all of the hustle and bustle of life that seems to occur at this most wonderful time of the year, let us still remember what this season actually means and the importance of this upcoming Holy day!

On Saturday, we will be having our annual Santa Breakfast. Please consider joining us for this holiday spectacular. Not only will there be a delicious breakfast, but also a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. New this year is the Journey to Bethlehem. You will be taken back to the wonderful night that Jesus Christ was born. It will be a beautiful and moving demonstration of the journey that the young and old will enjoy alike. Please invite your family and friends to join us for this newest tradition here at La Salette. Thank you for your constant support! Hope to see you all there!

Recycling
Next week, we will be starting our recycling program in the lunchroom. The students will be encouraged to recycle all of the items in their lunch that are acceptable under Socra’s guidelines. We will have bins stating how to separate the items as well as assistants to ensure that the children know what is expected of them. Anything to make the world a better place for everyone!

La Salette is Proud of...

Claudia Saliba, the Girl Scout Troops, and the Preschool for organizing and collecting gloves, mittens, and scarves for the needy.
All the people who donated to the Mitten Drive...Your kindness and generosity never ceases to amaze me. Thank you on behalf of the troops and preschool.
Mrs. Jen Van Every for keeping us on track with becoming a Green School! We appreciate you for all of your enthusiasm.
Mrs. Julie Walker, Mrs. Cory Veltri, and Mrs. Marie Means for their unconditional support to this weekend’s Santa Breakfast and Journey to Bethlehem. You are have been simply amazing. Please know that I appreciate you!
Mrs. Linda Gable-Smith and Mrs. Mary Carey for their wonderful work with the Santa Shop this week! Your hard work and dedication to our kids is humbling!
All of the wonderful volunteers who helped Linda and Mary with the Santa Shop by helping the kids shop and wrap their gifts! Thank you!
Kristina Kacy, for adding my newsletter to the school website as a blog. Take some time to look...she is doing a fantastic job! Thanks for your support!
All of the classroom door decorations...the teachers and students should be commended for their hard work! They are amazing! Congratulations to the winners!
Our own personal Santa Claus, who donated 12 beautiful flat screen monitors! We are delighted!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Weekly Newsletter #7

2009-12-04T14:17:00.002-05:00

This week at our Tuesday Mass, Jordan Woods (8th grader) was welcomed into the Catholic Church through Baptism and First Communion. Fr. Bill Verbryke and Deacon Dan led a beautiful ceremony. Jordan made the choice to accept the Catholic Faith on his own. I would like to sincerely thank his family for their support and encouragement. We are very proud of you, Jordan. May God always bless you and keep you close to Him!

On another note, plans are underway to begin implementation of our new uniform policy for the upcoming school year. As stated at the last PTO meeting, we will be moving to light blue banded bottomed polo shirts for boys and girls from Prek to 8th grade. The polos will be provided by Schoolbelles and will have our logo on them. They will be available in January if you would like to purchase them (although not mandatory until next school year). The benefits are numerous...no more ironing, no more ties, no more tucking in shirts, no more see through white blouses, but most importantly... everyone will know who we are no matter where we go. We are certainly proud to be La Salette Broncos! Stop in the office to see an example if you didn’t get a chance to see one at the meeting.

La Salette is Proud of...

Barb and Gary Youmans, as well as Sheri Boura, for facilitating our bottle drive this past weekend! Thanks a million.
Mr. Tom and Mr. Bob for their helpfulness with all of my redecorating ideas and clean-up. I sincerely appreciate it!
Antonio Ball and Morgan Peyton, for being wonderful friends to Robert in third grade.
The wonderful Jesuits who inspire our children everyday and fill in where needed whenever asked (thank you Mr. Greg Ostdiek)! What will we do without you?
All of the Booster Members who are running our wonderful Tree Lot...come and pick up your tree and support our athletic program!
Ms. Sandy, who fills in at a moment’s notice...no questions asked! We are so lucky to have you on board!
Mrs. Lockett, who is putting up with me and all of my cleaning up ideas...with a smile...Thanks so much for everything!
Drew Pennington, for taking time out of her busy schedule to help give my office a fresh, new look. You are so talented!
OLLS students, for their continued hard work and effort put forth on a daily basis! Keep it up...you are halfway through the second marking period!

Mitten Drive

The Mitten Drive is underway in the Preschool Room. We are asking for mittens, scarves, hats, and gloves for people who are less fortunate than us. Thank you in advance for all that you do to help our community.

Please Excuse Our Mess!
Changes are underway in the front office. If you have stopped in lately, you will notice that we are rearranging to make the office feel more like home. Please excuse our mess as we continue to better ourselves!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Click here for the Printable Version of this Weekly Newsletter.

Precious Preschool!

2009-12-04T14:13:00.005-05:00

Hello to everyone from our preschool class! Our first few weeks of school began with learning our “Rules of the Class” song and getting to know each other. Sharing and taking turns is sometimes difficult for us, but we are getting better at it each day.

In October, we finger painted on paper leaves to make a beautiful tree for fall. Our class visited the Troy Nature Center and learned some interesting facts about animals. We also brought apples and helped make apple cider. It was a fun day for everyone!

Every Monday, we are taught a new Bible verse pertaining to the letter of the week. Mondays are a favorite among the preschoolers because it is Show and Tell day for the letter of the week as well.

We worked hard on our Thanksgiving projects, especially our placemats. We talked about being thankful for all the things God has given us.

Painting on the easel, creating with play dough, playing dress-up and building with blocks keeps us all very busy! Since Christmas is right around the corner, we are looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus. We wrote Christmas cards for the soldiers to help their holiday merrier. We began practicing our songs for the Christmas concert on Friday, December 11. Please come and watch us sing.

You are also welcome to come in and visit our busy little world whenever you get a chance!

God Bless,

-Mrs. Cotton, Mrs. Carr, and the Preschoolers

7th Grade Teacher Proves to be a Turkey

2009-11-24T15:15:00.007-05:00

Our Lady of La Salette students turn teacher into a Thanksgiving Turkey to benefit the hungry. Berkley’s Our Lady of La Salette 7th grade teacher (and Berkley Councilman) Dan Terbrack turned out to be a real turkey this year at school.

La Salette students once again participated in “The Great Turkey Race,” a competition between classes to see who could raise the most money to benefit the Detroit Rescue Mission. Students brought in $2 each to sponsor a turkey dinner for the needy. When the Race began to slow down, 7th grade homeroom teacher Dan Terbrack offered himself up as bait – or turkey.

“Originally, Mrs. Kolley offered up the idea to spur contributions and volunteered herself. However, the student council unanimously voted that I would make a better turkey. It was for a good cause so I certainly didn’t have any problem with it,” said Terbrack. And that was all it took. The race was on and it was closely heated, with each class vying for the honor to make Terbrack into a turkey. But in the end, it was his own class, the 7th grade that took the honor and enthusiastically decorated their teacher in front of the whole school.

“While the Great Turkey Race was all in good fun, Our Lady of La Salette proudly provided for those who would otherwise go without. We have stories of students going out to earn money to help purchase the turkeys. Everyone who contributed gave from their heart, and those are the real winners,” said Ann Kolley, principal.

-Claudia Saliba, Our Lady of La Salette School Parent

Superstar Kindergarten!

2009-11-20T16:37:00.004-05:00

The beginning of the year is an exciting time for Kindergarten. Our mighty class has been hard at work learning letter sounds, sight words, handwriting and more. We have at least 8 beginning books we can already read!

In October, we took a field trip to Blake’s Orchard and Cider Mill in Armada. What fun we had picking apples, seeing the cider press, eating hot, fresh donuts & cider, playing on the straw mountain and getting lost in the corn maze! Later that week in class, we made applesauce from the apples we picked ourselves. Yummy.

We also brought home pumpkins from Blake’s. Cleaning out the ooey, gooey mess inside was NOT something everyone wanted to handle! But the jack-o-lantern we carved was great, and Emily Stephenson won the drawing to take it home.

Everyone had fun on Halloween as the entire school paraded around the building before our classroom parties. All the students were dressed in their favorite costumes, and all the teachers looked amazing as characters from the Wizard of Oz!

This month, we have been studying healthy food choices (after all those Halloween treats). The class was very proud to show Mrs. Kolley the “food” book they each made based on Eric Carle’s Today Is Monday.

Next, we will be talking about Native Americans and Thanksgiving. Stop by our room to see our Indian “artifacts” and tee pee. We will be making dream catchers with our seventh grade buddies.

Our hallway turkey has a list of things we are thankful for this holiday season. And most of all…we are thankful for our wonderful class and school! Kindergarten wishes you a blessed Thanksgiving!

-Mrs. Barczyk, Kindergarten Teacher at Our Lady of La Salette

Happy Thanksgiving (Weekly Newsletter #6)

2009-11-20T15:17:00.015-05:00

As Thanksgiving draws near, I always stop to think what I am most thankful for. I have many blessings to be thankful for this year...my four beautiful boys, my very supportive husband, the wonderful staff, my enthusiastic students, and you, the parents who support this school and my mission every day. I am extremely thankful for the La Salette community who embraces God in all that is done here and for the academic excellence that happens on a regular basis. As you and your family sit down to celebrate this great holiday, stop to think of all that you have to be thankful for, and for those who are much less fortunate than us. Keep in mind that I am sincerely thankful for each one of you and your beautiful children who light up the halls and remind me why we are here in the first place.

On another note, the OLLS Robotics Team is underway! Thanks to Mr. Carl Vaughn (dad of Amanda-5th grade) and Mr. Chris Fox (OLLS Alumni) 4th through 8th grade students will be forming a competitive team. Training will begin Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3 from 3:30-5:00. The team will also be meeting one Saturday a month. If your child is interested in becoming a member, please see Mrs. Giasson for more information. Please see the back for our classroom spotlight of the week!

La Salette Is Proud Of...

Sheri Boura, for planning our no cook night at Chuck E. Cheese on Wednesday! Thank you also to all who came out to support us! We appreciate it!
The former OLLS students who attend Bishop Foley who made the honor roll for the first quarter. Congratulations to Cordaro Durr, Alyssa Intig, Mary Kollo, Michael Oravetz, Tim Oravetz, Justin Polk, Rachel Polk, Ryan Sefcovic, Olivia Tuck, and Emma Wonsil!
The former OLLS students who attend Shrine High School who also made honor roll for the first quarter. Congratulations to Rachel Nelson and Kaitlin Prakken!
Chaze Stuckey, second grader, whose artwork was chosen as the OLLS piece of the week. Take a look at his amazing creation by the office! Nice Job!
Mr. Terbrack, who willingly let the children turn him into a turkey with whip cream and feathers! Anything for a good cause! Thank you!
Mrs. Miller, mom of Madeline 8th grade, for finding the resources to donate $1,000.00 for middle school literature books. Your generosity is simply humbling!
Ms. Matuszak, for spearheading our class t-shirts! You are appreciated!
Mr. Beaudoin, for manufacturing our shirts! Thank you!
PTO, for passing a motion to supplement our book fund for middle school text books with $800.00 in addition to the $400.00 from Book Fair! We are so very blessed!

The Great Turkey Race

I would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of you that participated in the great turkey race this year. I am pleased to announce that we raised $858.00 and are able to provide 429 dinners to the needy. Congratulations to the 7th grade class who luckily got to turn Mr. Terbrack into a living turkey for their extremely generous donations. Most of all the donations were from 7th graders own earnings! Thanks Mr. T for being a good sport!

Happy Thanksgiving!

-Mrs. Ann Kolley, Principal, Our Lady of La Salette School

Click here for the Printable Version of this Weekly Newsletter.