Throughout the Advent season, each class at OMPH School will participate in traditions that will bring them closer to Jesus as we follow His family to the manger. Miss Armstrong’s Preschool 3 class will create an Advent scene where they add something to it each day. At the end of Advent, they will have created the complete nativity scene.
Preschool also has an advent wreath they light each Monday when they arrive at school and they talk about what each candle means. Mrs. Edmiston’s Pre-Kindergarten class will do a countdown to Christmas by unwrapping a gift each day, and will make an Advent Wreath with candles. They will also have a Jesse Tree. Mrs. Gerhard’s Kindergarten class will be making a special Good Deeds ornament and writing a Good Deed they will do during the whole season of Advent. They also have a countdown to Christmas by making a chain that each child gets to tear off for each day. They sing a special Advent song each morning, and students have an opportunity to put a wooden puzzle piece that represents the coming of Jesus on our manger scene.
Other activities include a classroom Advent wreath, reading the book 24 Christmas Stories for Little Ones, coloring Advent pictures, and talking about the fact that Jesus, our greatest gift, is the reason for the season.
Mrs. Hoffmann’s First Grade class and Mrs. Eberly’s Second Grade class will focus on "Jesus is the Reason for the Season." They participate in many activities related to their theme, such as a bulletin board with Baby Jesus as "Our Gift.” Both classes will also read the book A Star from Afar and complete the activity from the story: students find the star in the classroom each day and move the Wise Men near the Star.
Mrs. Touloumis’ Third Grade class will be making their own Advent promise wreaths. They will think and write about ways they will show Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love during this advent season as they prepare for the birth of the Light of the World - JESUS.
Mrs. Dodson’s Fourth Grade class will be following the advent calendar found in the back of their Religion books and a family advent wreath will be sent home so families can follow along with the classroom activities. It will have stickers and lines of scripture to remind us of the history in the Bible to get to the Savior.
Miss Boyd’s Fifth Grade will be completing a Kindness Calendar during the season of Advent. As a class, they will find little ways to bless others at home, school, and within the community.
The Sixth Grade class, under Mrs. DiNovis’ direction, will be creating an Advent calendar and reading a Bible verse each day leading up to Christmas.
Mrs. Pickett’s Seventh Grade class will be learning about how different countries celebrate Advent & Christmas. Their classroom will have an Advent calendar box that they will pick a reading from each day.
The OMPH Eighth Grade class, along with teacher Miss Peters, will focus on personalized prayer services and videos highlighting the four traditional themes of Christmas: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. Advent is a very Holy and inspirational time of the year. Thank you to our dedicated teachers for making Advent a meaningful season for our students!