"Skipping grades: Is this practice beneficial or detrimental to a student?" That was the big questionat Wednesday’s 2nd-trimester speech contest! Our students delivered such powerful arguments onboth sides of the debate that the judges had an almost impossible task. In an amazing finish, thecompetition ended in a four-way tie for first place! A huge congratulations to our four winners fortheir incredible research and poise, Olivia (8), Gabrielle (8), Giuseppe (8), and Alexa (8). Specialcongratulations to all our participants. Stepping up to the podium takes real courage, and everyspeaker brought something valuable to their speech. Thank you to Milan (6) and Joseph (6) for starting the morning with a beautiful prayer, and our MCsEmily (8) and Quinn (8). Finally, a special thank you to our judges, parishioners Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Pecora, and Mrs. Wong,for their time and focus, and for navigating such a close, high-level contest.

What a colorful and successful morning! We are still smiling about our Paint & Bagel 8th-grade fundraiser and want to extend a massive thank-you to everyone who made it happen. A huge shoutout goes to Mrs. Singh and our dedicated 8th-grade parents for their incredible work organizing every detail, from logistics to raffle baskets, to that delicious bagel breakfast. We also want to send a special thank you to our talented painting teacher, Ms. Mosely, for sharing her expertise and helping everyone find their inner artist. Thank you to everyone who supported this event! Painting Together, Staying #OLPStrong!

We are thrilled to share that every 8th Grade student was accepted into the high school of their choice, with many receiving scholarships We are incredibly proud of their hard work, dedication, and commitment to their studies. Their success is a wonderful celebration of all they have accomplished!

Our young artists are excited to start another session of the Creative Arts Club. They are looking forward to making new projects, learning new skills and showing off their creativity.

The Middle School Speech Contest this Wednesday was an incredible event, focusing on the challenging and complex topic of whether testing on animals should be allowed. We were truly impressed by the depth of research and the compelling arguments presented in so many intriguing speeches, which made for an incredibly close contest. A special thank you goes out to our judges, Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Pecora, and Mrs. Wong, for their time! After careful deliberation, we are excited to congratulate our 1st place winner, Brooke from the 8th grade, as well as the three students who tied for 2nd place! Carla from the 8th grade, Sydney from the 7th grade, and Luna from the 7th grade. Congratulations to every student who participated; your courage, dedication, and powerful voices made the contest a huge success. We are very proud of all of you!

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPEECH CONTEST FINALS Wednesday was the third and final Speech Contest for the 2024-2025 school year. The contestants consisted of the winners from the first two contests. Today’s topic was, “Summer Reading: Is it beneficial to a student or a waste of time?” We are so very proud of all our students for the dedication and effort they consistently display. It was extremely difficult for the judges to determine a winner this morning! We look forward to the awesome speeches to come next year! Congratulations to: 1st Place Francis W. (8) 2nd Place Alexa G. (7) 3rd Place Brooke C. (7) & Tabitha VH (7)

Our 7th and 2nd grade students played a special role in this cherished tradition, leading us in prayer and sharing their love for Mary with kindness and joy. The entire school community brought flowers to our May altar, creating a vibrant and prayerful tribute to Mary. We were also honored to welcome Dr. Charles, Assistant Superintendent of Schools, who joined us for this special celebration. Friday was a heartwarming reminder of the faith and unity that make Our Lady of Peace School so special.

We are incredibly proud of our outstanding Aquinas Club students, who have shown dedication and perseverance all year, coming in early every Thursday morning to work with Mr. Capuano. Their commitment and enthusiasm were displayed during their final presentations on Friday, May 9th, at Holy Trinity Diocesan High School. This year, the students explored the essential question: "How has music influenced and supported the Catholic faith throughout history?" Their in-depth research, insightful reflections, and creative presentations left a lasting impression, especially remarkable for their first year participating! Congratulations to our students: 8th grade—Joshua B., Caitlyn C., Nicholas S., and Francis W.; 7th grade—Giuseppe F., Gavin S., and Tabitha VH; and 6th grade—Gianna N. and Ariela R. You did an outstanding job and represented OLP with pride! We are very proud of you. An #OLPStrong thank you to Mr. Capuano for his time, dedication, and guidance. You've helped these students grow in faith, knowledge, and confidence, and we're so proud of them for accomplishing this!

May God's Love Shine on You Always!

COME JOIN US FOR BREAKFAST WITH BUNNY ON SATURDAY, APRIL 5th SPONSORED BY THE PA. GAMES, PRIZES, RAFFLES AND CRAFTS. IT IS SURE TO BE A "HOPPING GOOD TIME.'

As part of OLP’s Catholic Schools Week, “Celebrating Our Community” our students donated mittens, gloves, hats & scarves. Sr. Barbara & the OLP’s Parish Social Ministry in conjunction with Project Renewal, will donate these items to the needy and homeless. Thank you for all your generous donations for this special mission!

We are excited to announce our $10,000 Reverse Raffle with a Live Facebook Broadcast from the Lynbrook VFW Hall on 3/21/25 @ 7:30pm! For $100/ ticket: We are giving away 8 chances to win $$$! One is $10,000- the Last Ticket Pulled. There are also multiple prizes you can win- specific items and raffle prizes will be announced the week of 3/17.

OLP was honored to have an assembly with Bishop Barres, Fr. Matt and Fr. John. It was a wonderful morning! And we will continue to share “Here I am, Lord I come to do your will” with our family and friends!

The 2025-2026 Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation/FACTS scholarship online application is now available online. Here is the direct link to the application: https://online.factsmgt.com/grant-aid/inst/4KYQC/landing-page. The Application Deadline is Wednesday, April 30, 2025 It is STRONGLY recommended to apply as soon as possible.

Our afterschool arts and crafts club is designed specifically for 1st-grade through 3rd-grade students. During this hour of artistic fun, students will have the opportunity to explore their creativity through engaging arts and crafts projects. Each session, led by Ms. Baumgarten, will feature a simple creative craft activity that allows students to let their talents shine in a relaxed environment with their friends

Please join us on Sunday, January 26th at the 10:00AM Mass to celebrate the start of Catholic Schools Week. Our OPEN HOUSE will be from 11:00AM to 1:00PM. Please join us for a tour of our wonderful school and see all that OLP has to offer. Come see our classrooms, meet our teachers, parents and students. Find out for yourself why OLP is the right choice for your child.

On Friday, Our Lady of Peace School celebrated our amazing principal, Ms. Von Braunsberg, in honor of Principal's Day. We are truly blessed to have her leading our school. Her dedication to our students and staff is exceptional, and she goes above and beyond in everything she does. Every morning, she greets each student with a warm and cheerful smile, making everyone feel welcomed and valued. She is the heart of OLP! Thank you, Ms. Von, for all you do each and every day! Click here to see photos.

The OLP Class of 2025 received their "Class Pins" in a beautiful ceremony last week. Click here for pictures of the event.