Arlington Hts school hosts open house Feb. 6
Our Lady of the Wayside School in Arlington Heights is hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 6. Prospective and current students and their families are invited to attend. The preschool, elementary school, and middle school will be open for attendees to visit with teachers and see the classrooms.
Our Lady of the Wayside School is constantly working to increase its technology offering with SMART boards, laptops in the middle school, and a brand new elementary school computer lab. SMART boards are interactive, touch screen white boards.
Students and teachers in preschool, fifth grade and the middle school use SMART board technology for everything from streaming educational videos to posting daily homework. The touch screen allows students and teachers to literally touch their coursework and drag, drop and paste while they learn. Special pens allow them to write on the board as well, with the option of saving their work at the end of the class.
“The kids like it. A lot of them need to touch or to manipulate to learn,” said Mrs. Gatewood, an eighth-grade math and homeroom teacher. In addition, 30 new laptop computers are in use on a daily basis in the middle school, and the elementary school computer lab was updated this past summer with a networked computer for each student.
Our Lady of the Wayside School has initiated an innovative, new anti-bullying program called “Buddies, Not Bullies.” Since September, the school has partnered students from preschool to eighth grade. The students team up on monthly basis, sitting together at Mass and participating in various classroom activities designed to promote spiritual development, learning and fun.
At the core of each multi-age meeting is the timeless message -- be a friend, not a foe. The “Buddies, Not Bullies” program was designed by the teachers and administration of Our Lady of the Wayside School to complement the broader year-long initiative entitled “Catholic Schools: A+ for America” promoted by the National Catholic Education Association.
“As an elementary school with pre-school to eighth grade, we had to think creatively to implement a school wide program that would appeal to all our students,” says Mr. David Wood, principal of Our Lady of the Wayside School. “This program benefits from the wide span of ages since it allows the older kids to act as mentors and the younger ones to model good behavior based on the older students whom they admire and look up to.”
OLW's Open House concludes Catholic Schools Week, a national celebration of Catholic schools. This year's theme, “Catholic Schools: A+ for America,” highlights the fact that Catholic schools are an added value for the nation. Because of their traditionally high academic standards and high graduation rates, all supported by strong moral values, Catholic schools and their graduates make a positive contribution to American society. Catholic schools give a high level of service (the A+ level) to local communities because of the many service projects students undertake. “Giving back to the community” and “helping others” are values instilled in every Catholic school student. Catholic schools also give a high level of service to the nation by serving students from all economic backgrounds and giving them a strong academic and moral foundation, allowing them to succeed in life, serving in the government, industry, business, non-profit and educational fields.
Established in 1954, Our Lady of the Wayside School serves students in preschool through eighth grade by providing the highest quality education while motivating them to pursue academic excellence. The mission of Our Lady of the Wayside School is to provide a vital, Catholic environment. Christian values, mutual respect and trust are emphasized for all students, teachers and families in all programs and activities. The teachers and staff encourage each student to recognize, develop and share his or her God-given talents and gifts. Each student is taught to understand and live the Gospel message of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Through daily prayer, liturgy, works of charity and community outreach, students at Our Lady of the Wayside School strive to be authentic and effective disciples of Christ.
Registration forms and information are available on the school website, www.olwschool.org, or by calling the school office at (847) 255-0050.