New Family FAQ

We're glad you're considering joining Our Lady of Victory School.

Below are some commonly asked questions, but please feel free to contact us for more information. We would be happy to help.

Communication

I emailed my child's teacher, why haven't I received a response yet?

If you have emailed your teacher during the school day, please wait for a response until the end of the day or the beginning of the next school day. Otherwise, please contact the school office if you have concerns with communication.

My child has a doctor appointment, can they come back when it's done?

As long as your child is not ill, they definitely can return to school. If the appointment is near the end of the day, please use your best judgment on whether or not it is worth your child returning.

Remember that students arriving after 9:30 am or leaving before 2:00 pm will be marked a half-day absence.

What if my child forgets their instrument? Homework? Lunch?

We strongly believe that students should take responsibility for what they need at school each day. Encourage your child to prepare what they need for school the night before, and give them reminders if needed. If they forget something and need to go without that day, they will quickly learn to prepare in advance and be responsible. Of course, we realize exceptions can occur – in that case, call the office and we will figure something out.

I need to pick up my child early, what should I do?

If you need to pick up your child early or change their normal method for getting home on a specific day, please call the school office or send an email to our

office@ffolv.org.

Parents will need to come into the school and pick up their child at the office.

Please make any changes to the normal method for getting home no later than 2:00 pm.

Remember that students arriving after 9:30 am or leaving before 2:00 pm will be marked a half-day absence.

General

Can my child still participate in public school activities?

Absolutely! Our students can participate in orchestra (4th-6th grade) and band (5th & 6th grade) during school hours, and we frequently send home flyers in the weekly envelopes about activities not only through the public schools but also the community clubs and YMCA. If an organization does not contact us with a flyer, we do not seek them out to send home, so please keep in mind that there are many more activity opportunities than you will see come home in the envelopes.

What if my child does not have or forgets cold weather gear?

We do have some extra items in the office/lost and found, but we cannot guarantee we will have sizes/colors to your child’s liking. If they are not prepared for the weather, they will not be able to go outside for recess.

Lunch & Snacks

What happens if my child is out of snacks?

Many times, other students will share. Encourage your student to write in their planner when they are down to their last few snacks, so you and they know it is time to pack more.

What kind of snack are okay to send with my child?

We are a peanut-free school, so please pack nut-free snacks for your child. Pack healthy, non-perishable items that can be stored in their lockers (or send daily snacks in a lunch box). Please DO NOT send cookies, candy, or high-sugar snacks. Not only are these not in line with what we try to teach the children about healthy foods, other students will be asking yours to share (and your child’s teacher(s) will not appreciate the sugar high!)

Can I come to lunch or breakfast with my child?

Parents are always welcome to attend breakfast or lunch with their children. There is a fee, which is typically double your child’s breakfast or lunch rate. This can be paid at the office or be added to the family lunch account.

We do have designated Parent Lunch days once per month that we encourage parents to attend if possible. Our wonderful cook, Wendy, prepares a special treat for these occasions, and the children look forward to sitting with their parents/grandparents.

School Policies

What happens if Pubic Schools are late or cancelled due to weather?

Our Lady of Victory cooperates with Fergus Falls School District concerning early dismissal and closings due to winter weather. The district does its best to transport all students safely, but road conditions vary within the district; therefore it is the parent’s final decision as to whether or not children should be sent to school.

Winter weather announcements are made on the radio and we try our best to get them on our school website as an alert at the top of the page. Parents may also sign up for weather alert text messages through the public school – go to www.fergusfalls.k12.mn.us and scroll down to the “Subscribe to Weather Alerts” link on the left side of the page.

*Children will be sent home according to the weather emergency plan you filled out at registration unless we hear from you otherwise on that day

Can OLV students ride the bus?

Yes, OLV students can ride the bus with public school students. They all ride to Kennedy Secondary School and change to the bus that will bring them to OLV in the morning, and return to Kennedy in the afternoon to change to the bus that will bring them home. Information concerning bus routes may be obtained by calling Ottertail Coaches at 739-3393

We're not Catholic. Can my child still attend OLV?

Yes, students from the community at large are eligible without discrimination for admission whenever space is available.

Because we are a Catholic School, Our Lady of Victory exists first to educate students from families who are registered members of Our Lady of Victory Parish. Students from the surrounding Catholic Parishes are eligible with those parishes following the Diocesan policy for inter-parish subsidy.

Do OLV students wear uniforms?

No, OLV does not require its students to wear uniforms. However, on Mass days, students should wear OLV apparel. Shirts can be borrowed from the office if needed.

Special Activities

Does OLV hold a Christmas Program?

Yes, students in grades K-6 participate in our school Christmas program. We normally have two programs, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Students attend both programs.

What is Catholic School Week?

Catholic Schools Week is a nationwide celebration of Catholic education. We participate in different activities throughout the week each year.

Are parents expected to attend weekly mass?

Parents are not required or expected to attend weekly Mass, though we love to see you and so do your kids! Each week, Mass is prepared by a different grade, and many parents choose to attend the weeks that their child’s class is preparing Mass.

What is the Gala?

This is the largest fundraiser for our school that takes place in April. The Gala includes a meal, an auction, and raffles. Families are asked to either attend or volunteer their time to make this event happen. Learn more on our Gala page.

What is the Marathon?

The marathon is our fall fundraiser, where students in grades K-6 collect pledges – either for how many laps they complete the day of the marathon, or just a set amount regardless of how many laps they complete. Check out our Marathon page for more information and pictures from previous years.

What is the AR Reading Program?

This program starts in the 2nd grade. It is a nationally recognized reading program that uses the ATOS formula to measure the complexity of the context of the book that the child is reading. This allows children to have more choice over the books they read for testing vs the old standard of the teacher assigning the same book to everyone. Books are rated on a scale system that tells you the grade level of the book. An example is a 3.6-level book is what the average 3rd grader in their 6th month of school should be expected to read. The students earn points after reading a book and taking a test on the book. The points they earn are based on how well they score on the test and the complexity of the book.