Christmas Hamper Raffle Winners

The draw for the Christmas hamper raffle was drawn by Mr. Roberts at the Foundation stage nativity play this afternoon.

The winners were:
1st prize of a mega hamper: Mary Valle (Mr Tillcock's class)
2nd prize of a smaller hamper: Maya Cibinskia (Mrs Khan's class)
3rd prize of a bottle of champagne: Anne, our lovely dinner lady

Congratulations to our winners and huge thanks to everyone for their support in taking part and throughout the year.

Have a very happy Christmas!

Donations for victims of Typhoon Haiyan

Thank you to everyone who donated items, came to play bingo to raise funds, helped sort and pack donations and drove the boxes to Middlesex for our disaster relief appeal for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. A total of 18 large boxes were packed and delivered to Forex Cargo UK, who kindly agreed to ship them free of charge, last week. Your help and support for this project is very much appreciated.

Christmas Bazaar

Thanks for your help!

Huge thanks to everyone involved with the Christmas Bazaar which was a great success today. It was so lovely to see the children so excited about doing their Christmas shopping.

Thank you to everyone who donated items, decorated mugs and glasses, packed gift packs, helped to sort, lay out and clean up over the last few weeks and all day yesterday and today. It simply couldn't have happened without you.

Christmas Hamper Raffle

Don't forget your tickets! First prize worth over £100.

All children should have received raffle tickets (50p each) in their book bags. The first prize is a bumper hamper of chocolates, biscuits, champagne, whiskey, wine and lots of other seasonal goodies worth well over £100. Second place is a smaller hamper and third place a bottle of champagne.Draw will take place at the Foundation Stage Nativity on December 19th. Good luck!

Bingo Night Success

Thanks to everyone who came along, helped out and had fun at our bingo night for the Philippines on Friday. We're very happy and proud to say the evening raised a whopping £840 for the disaster relief effort.

On Saturday November 30th at 11am in the school hall we will be packing donations into boxes ready for shipment to the Philippines. Come along if you can and help out, even half an hour is a big help!

Celebrating 80 Years at Our Lady's School

Did you know Our Lady's School is 80 years old? To celebrate this wonderful achievement the Friends of Our Lady's School would like to collect stories, memories and photographs of the school past and present.

Are you a past pupil and now a parent? Have several generations of your family been to school here? Are you new to the area and have your children just started? We'd  love to hear everyone's thoughts. Between us could we find the oldest graduate of the school? The eldest graduate with our youngest pupil, what a great photograph that would be.

Where have all Our Lady's' graduates gone? Please spread the word, we might get responses from all over the world!

Please have a think and let us know your thoughts. You can always email us at OurLadysPA@gmail.com

We will also be seeking what the staff, Sisters and pupils think about supporting, working and learning in our school.

Our Lady's - Our School, Our Community

Check our the story on our plans in the Oxford Mail

Family Fun Bingo Night November 22nd

 

With our twin school in the Philippines and many of our pupils with relatives there, the PTA Committee has decided to donate all proceeds from the upcoming bingo night to Typhoon Haiyan disaster relief as so many families have had their lives destroyed as a consequence of this horrific storm.

Everyone is invited to family bingo but if you are unable to come along on the night but wish to donate, please send your donation into school in a sealed envelope marked 'Donation for disaster fund'.

AGM Minutes

The FOOLS Annual General Meeting was held on October 23rd, 2013. The meeting was well attended with some lively debate about future events and spending. To read the minutes of the meeting click here.

Cook for Books

Congratulations to Mrs. Hastings' class for raising £230 from their class cake sale! The class will now decide what supplies they wish to spend the proceeds on. Thanks to all who supported the sale by baking cakes and coming along to support the class.

Friends of Our Lady's School First Newsletter

The Friends of Our Lady's School have created their first newsletter to go out to all parents. You'll get a black and white copy in your child's book bag but you can see the full colour version here.

The Container Arrives!

Remember all those donations collected at the end of last year to send off to our twin school in the Philippines? The container has arrived and the contents are being distributed this week to many needy families in remote areas. Huge thanks to all those who made donations and helped out and a massive congratulations to Debbie del Rosario and her family for making such an amazing thing happen.

The container arrives.

Unpacking the container.

So many donations, thank you!

 

 The jeepney crosses the river half submerged

Play equipment purchased with proceeds from our July cake sale

Enjoying some new toys

Let's play!

The children line up to choose clothes and shoes

Thank you all, a small effort on the part of many people and the inspired thinking and hard work of one family has changed many lives.

Shop online and help us fundraise

Do you shop online? If so, you could be helping to raise funds for our school with no additional cost to you.

Simply go to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ourladyscowley, quickly sign up for an account - so they know who to make the donation to - and for every purchase you make through a partner site a percentage of your spend will be donated to the school.

There are over 2,000 participating retailers including Amazon, eBay, Mothercare, Debenhams, John Lewis, B&Q, Argos, M&S, Currys, Lakeland, Gap, Littlewoods, Premier Inn, Travelodge, Viking and Asos. And the nifty 'Find & Remind' toolbar instantly alerts you when a site participates in the scheme so you never miss  a potential donation. If you buy supplies, accommodation or travel for a business these can all raise funds for our school too!

Sign up and we can do even greater things for our school. 

Summer Fete - a huge thank you!

Huge thanks to all our volunteers at the summer fete on Saturday. To those who made donations, sorted donations, did the shopping, put up tents, baked cakes, grew plants, manned stalls, cooked food for the masses and helped clear it all up afterwards a sincere and heartfelt thanks. We raised £2,498 for our school, the sun shone and hopefully everyone had a good day out too. Thanks again.

Summer Fete June 29th

Roll up, Roll up! The Summer Fete is nearly here - but we need your help to make it happen.

 

House bursting at the seams? Time for a clear out? We urgently need your unwanted books, toys, DVDs, CDs and bric-a-brac for our stalls.

• Can you bake some cakes for the cake stall?
• Could you donate a bottle for our bottle tombola? 
• Can you donate some plants for the plant stall?
• Could you help set up the morning of the fete?
• Can you run a stall for an hour or two on the day?
• Do you have a flag we can borrow to decorate out multi-cultural food hall? Better still, could you cook some food for the food hall?

Or can you help sort through donations, in the Mornese Centre (the building just behind the playground in the convent grounds)? Friday 14 and Friday 21 June 12noon-3pm,Friday 28th June all day. Any time you can spare will be helpful, even 20 minutes.

Some messages from the parents at Sorioan Elementary School

Some messages from the parents of the children of Sorioan Elementary School, for they will surely make you smile...

Their comments have made me proud and supported our feeling that we have choosen the right school. Just so you know when you read the comments the word "po" is a sign of respect to elders.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!

A month ago or so, I met ate Deborah. I had the question "who is Deborah del Rosario?"  And I thought that's it all. But I was wrong, and I'm thankful about that, and happy too. :-) Ate Debbie as I address her, is no ordinary clink 'n go citizen. She really wants to reach out, as she and her family were fond of helping others. In such a short time the entire school of Our Lady's Catholic School Oxford, UK where her children are studying accomplished so much for Sorioan Elementary School. Our school in Sorioan is so blessed folks! And just like everyone else, my heart just cannot contain my gratitude and joy. To you  all and the children and parents of Our Lady's Catholic School Oxford, UK, Maraming maraming salamat po! (with great thanks) God take care of you and keep you blessed. 
Venus Tulliong

Wow! Its a year long supply, thanks God and bless your children. I don't know what to say but thank you so much for your support and determination to make this project work in helping children for their school. I salute you. God Bless you more.
Merly Tulliong

A bountiful blessings, thank you very much for the blessings that you've given to our school it's a big help to the pupils of Sorioan God bless you and keep it up for the good work
Lily Tamayo Gutierrez

Wow, what a big big big surprise to us here in SORIOAN elem school.  Thank you very much po, for sharing the blessing to our school children of Sorioan Elem School. On behalf of SORIOAN ELEM SCHOOL...thank you for gifts.
Laarni Amuten Mago

Thanks for sharing the blessings. May the good Lord return the blessings to you the children of UK who sacrificed their time and effort to collect the goods for Sorioan Elementary School.
Jhun Manzano

Our heartfelt thanks for the support... Godbless all the donors... Thanks again and more blessings will surely come your way.
Evangeline Sidayen

As per Pastor Serge Damias: Bless GOD and HE bless you more!!!, how to bless GOD?, by simply sharing the blessing to others especially to those less fortunate, as HE blessed you.
Delfin Amgao

Help is on the way…. we will pray for the blessing and the one that GOD use to deliver and share the HIS blessing. May the bountiful blessing of our LORD JESUS CHRIST bless your whole school in return, with HIS unmeasurable love, peace & joy in giving…..Thank you very much for your great action and the support of your school.
Sjoy Amgtull

Bait nyo nmn po (You are so kind). Godbless you po, proud to be a pupil of Sorioan Elementary School, sy 1995-1996
Myles Angela Acenas Dolliente

Thanks po.. malaking tulong po yan sa mga bata sa amin yan (this is a very big help for our children) ..godbless u po and more blessing to come... Keep up the good work kids by helping those children who are needy..and god will continue to bless all of you there...thanks mam devorah maybe god use you as an instrument for our beloved school..god bless u and your family
Monaliza Amgao Amuten

Children of Our Ladys Catholic School, Oxford UK.......THANK YOU!!!!!! I am truly touched by your generosity your spirit and willingness to get out of your way to help Sorioan Elementary School.
Christy Sayan

Wonderful spirit. God bless
Viola Bacdayan Donato

Thank you! The first donations are ready to go.

The stationery donations

Collections from each class were amazing. I was close to tears to see how much each class had raised. You can see from the photos that the appeal has touched many hearts and our school children are wanting to make a difference.

Donations of clothes and shoes have also started to come in. As the donations are over and beyond mum's flight weight allowance, she has taken what she can, to distribute. Two pencils and pens for each child and 30 donated pencils cases. She will use a portion of the £200.00 raised from the cake sale to buy note books that she can purchase at a bargain price in Philippines when bought in bulk.

The rest of the items (and boy it's a weight!!!) have been packed into the shoe boxes to send over in the 40ft container end of July to arrive in September 2013. 

Classes start beginning of June, just in time for mum and dad to make their first visit to the school. A BIG box only full of sweets has been sent from USA for these children, from a family also donating to charity, these will be distributed with the school supplies.

Maggie will return in September, with the purpose of receiving the container and sorting it out. The packed donations will be given then. Each class will receive their own supply of colouring pencils, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers and sharpeners for school use and each of the 116 children will receive writing tools for home-use.

Thank you all for you efforts in making this all possible .....

with kindest regards,

Debbie

Read more about the twinning project here

Sorting the stationery for shipping

Some clothing donations

Cake Sale Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who donated cakes for our cake sale on Friday. We raised almost £200, which is going to purchase school supplies for our twinned school in the Phillippines. 


Stationery donations and support to the children of Sorioan Elementary School.
This is the final week for donations of pencils, crayons, erasers, rulers, pencil sharpeners and colour pencils to support 116 children's learning in our twinned school. Items do not need to be brand new. All donations received will be taken out to the Sorioan Elementary School and distributed amongst the children towards the end of May. We will announce the class winners next week.

We are also collecting donations of children's clothing to send to support the 116 children. If you have any items of clothing to donate, any donation would be very much appreciated. These can be brought into school and left by the shed for collection. Please do not leave items by the shed in bad weather. Anything you can donate will make an enormous difference to the children, and for your generous support we are extremely grateful.

Some of the donations received so far

Summer Fete 29 June 13
Please put the date of 29 Jun 13 in your diary. The day is coming together and so far we have Messy Jam, Irish dancing, Philippino dancing, archery, vintage police cars, Red Watch and their fire engine, pig racing and a whole host more.

We are also hoping to add to our multicultural food hall, so don't be shy, let us know what foodie treats you can make for the day.

We are adding to our raffle prizes, if you would like to donate a prize, or we can contact your employer, please let us know.

Our theme is the multi cultural community of our school, with your help our fete can truly be an international day.

Thank you for your continued support, both to our school and our twinning school. Between us all we can make our school the best it can be for our children and help children who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Contact us either on the playground, leave a note at the office or email us at ourladyspa@gmail.com.

Minutes of the Parents' Association AGM

The PA held their AGM on March 13th are here if you'd like to read what was discussed.

Thank you!

Some of the beautiful thank you cards from Mrs Hastings' class...

Easter Raffle

Congratulations to our Easter Raffle winners:
Lina in Foundation
Dylan C (Sr Anne Frances' class)
Anna B (Mrs Hastings' class)

Thanks also to everyone who bought tickets, the raffle raised £163.46 for the school.