Many of the OLQA mothers and their sons enjoyed a special bonding time at Irvine Lanes at our first Mother/Son Bowling outing. Who knew we had such talent among us? We think a re-match is due soon!
Many of the OLQA mothers and their sons enjoyed a special bonding time at Irvine Lanes at our first Mother/Son Bowling outing. Who knew we had such talent among us? We think a re-match is due soon!
The OLQA School celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a special mass in the morning presided by Father Kerry. Green-dressing students and faculty then enjoyed windpipe performance and music chair competition. The Cocchi family generously donated delicious gelato for all to enjoy – what a treat! Thank you to PSA Spirit Chair Jenny Bartz for planning and organizing this magical day of celebration!
For the very first time, OLQA School participated in the Newport-Mesa Spirit Run. Enthusiastic students and their families showed up bright and early in the morning and participated in various races and the family/pet 5k walks. They also got to enjoy the many free recreational activities afterwards. A portion of the registration fees went to benefit our school. Thank you to everyone who participated. We looked forward to seeing you there again next year!
On March 15th, our second graders embarked on a field trip to the Sacred Heart Retreat Center. The sisters at the center explained the vocation of serving God to the children and shared their life stories in doing so. They enjoyed some outdoor time playing sports and worked on arts & crafts together. Thank you to Father Brandon for saying the mass. It was a beautiful day and a special experience!
This year’s event was held at Santa Margarita High School on Saturday, March 4. The OLQA team was received a special blessing from Father Kerry before the competition. Thank you to all that represented our school, and congratulations to winners in the individual subjects: Kate Stagman (Literature) , Lexie Previti (Current Events) , Ryan Joshi (Math), and Kristen Pang (English). We are all so proud of you!
Smashing performances were showcased in this year’s talent show on February 17 inside of the Parish Hall. Directed by Mrs. Custer and Ms. Dillon, our students shared many of their talents including dancing, singing, piano-playing, hula-hooping and stand-up comedy. Bravo to all the performers!
Each year, beginning with the last Sunday in January, we celebrate the Catholic education during the National Catholic Schools Week. It’s a tradition here at OLQA School that the festivities begin with the school Open House on Sunday morning. This year, we celebrated all of our students on Monday with loving notes from their parents, as well as a keepsake flashlight to tie into the “flashlight reading program.” Tuesday was the Priests, Diocese and Administration Appreciation Day. As a special treat, students enjoyed the Rockets and Robots assembly with Captain Bob. Parents received specially decorated prayer rocks from their children on Wednesday. Thursday was the Special Person Day, students and families attended mass and enjoyed a picnic lunch together. The week culminated with Teacher Appreciation Day on Friday. Students showered their teachers with cards and gifts, the PSA moms took over carpool duties in the morning to give the teachers a chance to relax, and a Super Bowl themed teacher/staff appreciation luncheon was sponsored by the sixth grade families.
CSW is a unique time for us to reflect on and cherish the Catholic education. PSA wishes to extend its deep appreciation to Amy Ivey and Keri O’Melveny for their tremendous efforts in making this a success!
On the evening of December 15, the entire school celebrated Jesus’ birth at the OLQA Church. Students were dressed in their “Christmas best” for this festive occasion. The performance began with a procession of all grades while everyone singing O Come, All Ye Faithful. Each grade then performed a traditional Christmas song following the reading of a story by the 8th graders. The concert closed with the beautiful verses of Angels We Have Heard on High. An absolutely heartfelt celebration of the Christmas season with our students’ graceful voices!
“When Hearts Listen, Angels Sing” was the title of this year’s Christmas luncheon, held in the Parish Hall on December 6, 2016. The luncheon is a revered tradition at OLQA School. Over 300 parents and family members enjoyed the beautiful singing of carols by students in grades K-4. Thank you to our students for all their efforts. Thank you to Mrs. Sawyers and Mrs. Hoppe for orchestrating this wonderful performance. And thank you to the two amazing women, PSA VP of Programs, Kay Carolan and Karla Stagman, for making this possible!
The month of November was filled with the spirit of giving at OLQA. An online silent auction featuring many community-building items ran for the entire month. Families got to bid on activities such as principal for a day, free dress, directory cover design, buy-in parties and holiday celebrations with teachers.
This spirit culminated with the Fall Harvest Celebration held at the Balboa Pavilion on November 12th. “Eat, Drink and Be Giving” was the theme of the evening. Taking on a new format, this event was magical with scrumptious food, live auction, fundraising games, live music and lots of cheer!
Thank you to all who came to this wonderful celebration and all that donated to benefit our children’s education. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the many tireless volunteers for making this event a success, in particular the auction co-chairs Amy Denoon, Amy Macedo and Amy Williams. Your creativity, enthusiasm, and devotion made the evening one to remember!