Rolling to School

How do you commute to school? OLS families find a range of ways to get to campus. While the vehicle drop off lane is always a popular choice, you'll find OLS kids walking, biking, or riding their scooters through the neighborhood on their way to school. Our dedicated crossing guards are there rain or shine to ensure both pedestrian and vehicle safety.

This is how these two roll to school! Sometimes on
separate bikes and other times sharing one. They love the fresh air
and exercise before a day of schoolwork

Trivia Winners!!

Last week, six of our 7th grade girls participated in a middle school trivia night at Rosati Kain. The girls competed against other teams from the St. Louis area and came in first place! Although there wasn't an official award, they would have won 1st place for a spirit competition, too. Way to go girls!!
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7th Grade Trivia Winners: Natalie K. , Maggie M. , Grace C. , Halie M. , Monica M. and Jenna M

Girl Scout Hayride

On Saturday, the OLS 2nd and 4th grade Girl Scout troops participated in a district-wide hayride at Forest Park. The girls and their parents enjoyed a lengthy ride through the park then toasted marshmallows and made s'mores around a bonfire. This annual fall event is always a hit with the girls!

Opera Comes to OLS

Opera on the Go, an educational outreach program sponsored by Opera Theatre of St. Louis, recently visited OLS. The 4th grade had the opportunity to participate in a few workshops about opera. They learned about movement, make-up, and singing. After the workshops, the entire school was treated to an abridged performance of "The Barber of Seville" by Gioachino Rossini.

Thank you to Mr. Vizer for bringing opera to Our Lady of Sorrows!

Scenes from the Weekend

What a fabulous weekend to live in south city! OLS families enjoyed a full weekend of south city outdoor fun on a beautiful fall weekend. We kicked off the excitement on Friday with our first food truck event. Throngs of OLS school families, parishioners, and neighbors flocked to the parking lot to enjoy delicious food and lively dancing.

A view of the crowd that gathered to enjoy our inaugural Food Truck Friday.

On Saturday, we headed to the Macklind Business District to celebrate Macklind Days with the surrounding community. OLS students spent the afternoon painting faces to the delight of many. Besides face painting, a team of OLS volunteers helped supervise the bounce house, bag up trash, and tear down at the end of the night.

An OLS 7th grader paints faces during Macklind Days.

Sunday found us in Francis Park spreading OLS spirit at Art in the Park. Kids who stopped by our booth had a chance to create maracas out of spoons, plastic eggs, and dried beans. The park was packed, and we loved the chance to share our OLS pride!

OLS Cub Scouts help kids make maracas at Art in the Park.

A big thank you to all who made this weekend a success! From the event organizers - Joe and Emily Feldman, Anne Kromer, JoEllen Sarich - to the hardworking volunteers. From the fun-loving attendees to the prayerful support behind the scenes. We are grateful to be part of such a fantastic community!

Papa Palooza and Flat Francis

Save the date: the Archdiocese of St. Louis is celebrating Papa Palooza on Saturday, September 19th! At this family-friendly event, which coincides with Pope Francis's visit to Philadelphia, St. Louis area Catholics are invited to the campus of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary to enjoy games, dinner, raffles, and a concert. Activities run from 2:00-8:00pm. Find all the details and register for the event on the Archdiocese's website.

After Papa Palooza, the Archdiocese will launch a Flat Francis contest. Inspired by the Flat Stanley project, this contest encourages participants to take pictures of Flat Francis out and about in our fine city and to share the photos on social media. Prizes will be awarded for the most creative photo, the pic with the most social media action, and the Flat Francis who visits the most Catholic religious sites. The contest runs from September 20th through December 27th, so you'll have many opportunities to pose with Flat Francis. Visit the Archdiocese's website to review the contest rules and to download your own Flat Francis.

7GP Regional Poetry Reading

Earlier this semester, our seventh graders had the opportunity to enter the 7GP Poetry Contest, a country-wide contest open to budding poets which was established here in St. Louis five years ago.  The winning poet from OLS, Amy, recently had the chance to share her poem with the region during a special event at The Book House.  At the event, Amy met with other winning poets, autographed copies of the anthology in which her poem is published, and read her thought-provoking poem aloud.  We are proud of you, Amy!

Special thanks also to Mrs. Ryan for coordinating this project and for encouraging our young poets!

Confirmation

Monsignor Rivituso poses with several of our confirmandi.

Congratulations to our 7th graders who received he Sacrament of Confirmation this past Friday.  Monsignor Mark Rivituso, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of St. Louis​, was the celebrant for the Mass.  May the Holy Spirit continue to lead and guide them to be bold witnesses of the faith.

Our newly confirmed students with Monsignor Rivituso and Mrs. Ryan.

Rosati-Kain Math Contest

On March 21st, a team of OLS 6th graders participated in a math contest at Rosati-Kain High School.  They were joined by more than 100 other girls from 20 area schools and proved their knowledge in both individual and team tests.

The OLS team with Mrs. Garbo.  Great work, girls!

Congratulations to Hannah and Monica, who received a blue ribbon in the team event, and to Monica and Halie, who received white ribbons for the individual test.  We're so proud of our team!

4th Graders Explore the St. Louis Art Museum

Recently, the 4th graders were able to attend the St. Louis Art Museum's Arts in the Basic Curriculum program.  For four weeks, they visited the museum and toured it under the direction of a docent. ​ Each student received a sketch book and had the opportunity to sketch various paintings and sculptures.  The program enhanced the student's thinking and creativity through viewing, discussion, and making personal meanings of works of art.  The students were excited about each trip and were encouraged to visit the museum with their families.

St. Patrick's Day Sock Hop

In this edition of Student Reporter News, two 8th graders report on the OLS St. Patrick's Day Sock Hop:

 

On Friday, March 13, the Ambassador and Prolife clubs held a St. Patrick's Day sock hop.  We had a great turn out, and an even greater time.  Through donations from the students who attended, we earned a lot of money that will be donated to the St. Patrick Center, an organization that helps the poor and homeless in downtown St. Louis.  Thank you all for your contributions! -- 8th grader Sally H.

On March 13, 2015, OLS had their St. Patrick's Day Sock Hop.  The sock hop is sponsored by the Prolife and Ambassadors and is a lot of fun.  Students from preschool to 8th grade, and some teachers, just dance around in the gym in their socks.  The Ambassadors and Prolife club members led the kids by dancing on the stage.  -- 8th grader Sam S.

7GP Poetry Reading

On February 24, four South City schools joined together for the first annual 7GP Poetry Reading at Our Lady of Sorrows School. Seventh graders from St. Joan of Arc, St. Raphael the Archangel, and St. Stephen Protomartyr joined OLS students to celebrate poetry and strengthen community. Each school had several students read their own poems, and the audience snapped their fingers in appreciation. After a delicious pizza lunch, the four winners of the 7GP Poetry Contest, a country-wide contest open to 7^th grade budding poets established here in St. Louis five years ago, read their poems.  Each was awarded a certificate and gift card for their efforts and in appreciation of their representation of their schools in the contest.  A wonderful success, we hope to establish a tradition of celebrating our 7^th grade poets in the years to come.

The four winners from each of the schools are Amy D. OLS, Max M. SSP, Caroline G. SJA, and Mark I. SRA.  Congratulations!

Maple Sugaring

The 4th grade recently went on a field trip to learn about the making of maple syrup.  They learned how it went from sap from the tree to they syrup we get at the store.  They were able taste sap and had a snack called syrup on snow. The students had a great time at Rockwoods Reservation!

Join us for Trivia Night!

Time for a pop quiz:

Q:  How can you support OLS while sharing food, drinks, and laughs with your friends?
A:  Attend Trivia Night on March 21st!

The Home & School Association Trivia Night includes 10 rounds of trivia plus all the extras: raffles, a silent auction, gift card grab bag, a chance to win Cardinals tickets, and more.  Beer, soda, and popcorn provided, and you're welcome to bring any other brain food you need.  Grab your friends, brush up on some minutiae, and come out to support our school! 

Tables of 8 are available for $160.  All proceeds from this event help us provide educational enhancements for our students.

Can't make it on the 21st but still want to help?  You can sponsor a round of trivia, donate a gift card, or contribute a raffle basket.  Comment on this post or contact Anne Kromer (314-306-1236) to find out more.

Luke 18 Retreat

The OLS 8th graders are invited to join their peers from neighboring schools for a weekend retreat.  Housed at Bishop DuBourg, the Luke 18 retreat serves as an opportunity for students to grow in their relationship with God, each other, and the Church.  The retreat is led by area high school students and includes small group discussions, quiet prayer, dynamic talks, and socializing.

The retreat takes place this weekend (February 13-15), but there's still time to sign up!  To register or to learn more, visit the Saint Louis Life Teen website or call 314-288-8873.

Rite of Enrollment

This past Wednesday, our 7th graders celebrated the Rite of Enrollment for the sacrament of Confirmation.  Each student was enrolled as someone who would like to complete their initiation into the Catholic faith by this third sacrament of initiation.  Having been baptized as infants and nourished for the past five years with the gift of the Holy Eucharist, these young men and women are now ready to 'confirm' the promises of baptism and receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to help them be bold disciples of Christ.

The 7th graders and their sponsors commit to the sacrament of Confirmation.

We received word last week that Monsignor Mark Rivituso, Vicar General for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, will be with us on Friday, April 10th to confer this sacrament on behalf of Archbishop Carlson.  The Confirmation Mass at 7:00pm is open to all parishioners and is an opportunity for all members of our community to be renewed in their own commitment to Christ.  Please join us!

Chess Club

Time for a pop quiz:

1.  Where is the World Chess Hall of Fame located?

2.  What city does the #1 ranked US chess player, Hikaru Nakamura, call home?

3.  Where might you find an enthusiastic bunch of young chess players?

Studying the chess board and plotting his next move.

If you answered St. Louis, St. Louis, and OLS, go to the head of the class!  We live in an area steeped with chess lore, and our students, like many others in the area, enjoy learning the ins and outs of this game of strategy.  Students in grades 3 through 8 are welcome to join the OLS Chess Club.  In their after-school club meetings, members practice chess and improve upon their playing skills.  The club meets every other week, giving students a chance to discuss strategies, practice game techniques, and become better players.

Does your child want to join in the fun?  Contact Mrs. Siekerman for more information.

Advent Giving Tree

OLS parishioners and school families participate in the Advent Giving Tree program, which helps provide Christmas gifts to needy families in our area.  Some of our 7th grade students are helping to collect, organize, and distribute the gifts as part of their Confirmation service hours.  Our community has been exceptionally generous in donating to this program this year.

Just a small portion of the gifts OLS has purchased for needy families.

We will take a break from our regular posts while our faculty, staff, and students enjoy their Christmas break.  All of us at OLS wish you and your family a blessed Christmas and a joyful new year!

Opera on the Go

As part of their Opera on the Go program, Opera Theatre of St. Louis visited OLS to introduce students to several aspects of an opera performance.  Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students participated in several workshops with the OTSL members.  During the workshops, students learned how opera composers use music to portray various character traits and emotions, discovered the importance of movement as a means of storytelling, and saw how makeup can transform an actor into a character.

These students learn the intricacies of stage makeup.

The finished product.

While opera is often assumed to be serious and dramatic, the Opera Theatre of St. Louis presenters showed that opera can be funny, too.  They staged an excerpt from The Pirates of Penzance, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan.  The opera was a hit among the students!  The whole school attended the performance, and they especially enjoyed watching the upbeat song "Modern Major-General", a speedy tongue-twister that elicited uproarious laughs from the crowd.

On the move: the students participate in a movement workshop.

Forest Park Field Trip: 8th Grade Report

The final field trip report comes from three of our 8th graders: Nathan L., Adam W., and Caitlyn N.

On Thursday, October 9, the sixth, seventh, and eight grades went on a field trip to the Missouri History Museum and St. Louis Art Museum. The History Museum was all about the World's Fair in 1904. We saw artifacts, the map of the Fair, and things from it. We learned about the Forest Park and how it was an actual forest before they cleared out the forest for the World's Fair. We saw the whole layout of the Fair and all of the names and sizes of all of the buildings built for the World's Fair. They chose to put the World's Fair in Forest Park because it had four entrances, it was a public park, and it was big enough for the Fair. Some people actually used some of the buildings from the Fair for themselves, but most of the buildings were destroyed.

The students also went to the St. Louis Art Museum that same day that was called Louis IX: King, Saint, Namesake. The museum was completely dedicated to King Louis. The Art Museum was very interesting with many cool paintings, sculptures, and artifacts. To me, most of them were very interesting and amazing. There were many cool and old weapons and guns in it that was interesting to me. The Art Museum wasn't very big, but we only went to the Louis IX part of the whole museum, and I am sure the museum was a lot bigger than what we saw. Both museums that we went to were very cool and fun, and I would want to go on that field trip again.  -- Nathan L.

Compiling the elements for their water filtration system.

On October 9, 2014, the sixth, seventh, and eighth classes went on a field trip to the St. Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum. At the History Museum, we took a tour of the newest exhibit which was all about the 1904 World’s Fair and the 1904 Olympics. We look at some of the cool items that they sold at the World’s Fair. Also, we looked at some pictures and a huge map of the World’s Fair. After we spent awhile in the exhibit, we took a little tour of where some historical sites were and what they look like now. After that, we went back inside and did an experiment on how to make water clean and how to make a filter. After that we went to the St. Louis Art Museum.

Once we got to the St. Louis Art Museum, we went to go see one of the newer galleries, Louis IX: King, Saint, and Namesake. We did a little hunt to see if we could find different types of art of King Louis IX. There were very beautiful pictures, carvings and manuscripts of him. Also, I think we all learned something about King Louis IX that we did not know. After we went through the whole entire gallery, we met up with our groups and explored some of the galleries and saw some very cool things. After a fun filled day, we went back to school to finish the rest of our day. -- Adam W.

The 8th grade class pauses for a photo op near the Grand Basin.

On Thursday, October 9, the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade classes went to the Missouri History Museum and the St. Louis Art Museum, both located in Forest Park. At the History Museum, we learned what St. Louis and Forest Park were like in 1904 when the World's Fair came to our city. We saw what the layout of the park was, the souvenirs people would have bought, and what other countries brought to St. Louis. We took a short walk through the park and saw what we would have seen when in 1904 as the city prepared to host the World's Fair. At the end of the field trip, as a special part of our field trip, we made a miniature water filter, like what they would have used to filter water in the city for the Fair.

After the History Museum, we went straight to the St. Louis Art Museum for the Louis IX: King, Saint, and Namesake gallery. We went through two exhibits filled with art from King Louis' reign and paintings of him. We were each given a little packet with questions to answer on the art. We all had fun working together and learning more about our city's namesake. A huge thanks to the teachers and parents that went along with us! -- Caitlyn N.