MHR Newsletter October 23rd, 2026

Eric Fay

From the Principal’s Desk

Dear Most Holy Redeemer Families,


First Responder Day 10/28- Calling all First Responders! You are invited to join us on Wednesday, October 28th at 8:30 am mass for a special prayer and recognition. Following mass, we will have a clap out throughout the school by our students. Thank you for your service to our community!


MHR Student Council will again host our annual Red Ribbon Week, a national week dedicated to making lifelong healthy choices. Each day will have a theme, including Mindful Monday and Workout Wednesday. Students will participate in different activities with their classes, so there is nothing required on the home front. Be sure to ask your child about all the fun activities each day next week! 


School picture retakes will be on Wednesday, November 4th.


Sincerely yours in Christ,


Dr. Eric Fay


Important Dates & Events

School Calendar 


October 23 8th Grade Retreat and Wear Orange Day


October 26 Red Ribbon Week begins; Oct 26-30


October 26 Pumpkin Carving Contest; Oct 26-30


October 26 Early Dismissal for Faculty Collaboration


October 28 First Responder Day 


October 30 Halloween; Classroom parties


Faith & Formation

This week on Wednesday, our 3rd and 4th-grade students brought a wonderful tradition to life as they led our entire school in a Living Rosary.


In a Living Rosary, each student represents one of the beads of the rosary. As prayer moves from bead to bead, individual students lead the prayer, transforming the devotion into a shared, living expression of faith and unity across our school community. Our 3rd and 4th graders did an extraordinary job leading us with reverent hearts, clear voices, and impressive confidence. It was inspiring to watch them step into this role of leadership for our younger students and entire community!


A special thank you goes to our dedicated 3rd and 4th grade teachers. Your guidance, preparation, and care behind the scenes made this beautiful prayer service possible. Thank you for continuing to nurture both the hearts and minds of our students!


Classroom & Curriculum Highlights

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Preparing for a Successful Meeting


Parent-Teacher Conference sign-ups went out today! Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to partner together to support your child’s academic, social, and emotional growth. Because conference time goes by quickly, a little preparation can help ensure you get the absolute most out of your conversation.


Here are a few tips to help you prepare and make the meeting as productive as possible:


Before the Conference:


Talk with Your Child: Ask them how they feel school is going, what subjects or activities they enjoy most, and if there is anything they would like you to ask their teacher.


Jot Down 2–3 Key Questions: Focus on areas where you’d like the most insight (e.g., academic progress, peer relationships, or classroom habits).


Review Recent Work: Take a quick look at recent grades, assignments, or newsletter updates so you’re familiar with current class topics.


During the Conference:


Share Insights from Home: You know your child best! Mention any relevant changes, home routines, interests, or learning styles that might help the teacher better understand them.


Focus on Collaboration: Think of the conference as a team effort. If an area of growth is brought up, ask: "How can we support this at home?"


Keep an Open Mind: Teachers see your child in a structured group environment, which can bring out different strengths or challenges than you see at home.


After the Conference:


Follow Up with Your Child: Share the positive feedback you heard and discuss any goals set during the meeting in an encouraging way.


Thank you for your ongoing partnership. We look forward to connecting with you soon!


Spotlight On

We are so proud of our students for representing Most Holy Redeemer with such faith, respect, and school spirit! Recently, we received two wonderful notes from community members praising our kids. Following our choir’s visit to sing at a special Mass at Smith Village retirement community, an attendee shared, "It was a magical day, and the students were incredible. They sang great, but it was their hearts… You could feel God." Additionally, after our girls' basketball "Pack the House" event, a community member wrote in to highlight our 8th-grade boys: "A few parents and grandparents commented on how well-behaved they were. Very respectful but also very invested in both games cheering for the girls... They represented MHR very well." Thank you to our choir members and 8th-grade students for leading by example and showing everyone what makes our school community so special!


Reminders

Halloween Movie Night. Join us for a Spooktacular Evening hosted by the Parents Club and Women's Guild! Enjoy a showing of Hotel Transylvania with friends and family. Purchase your tickets here! Friday, October 30th. Join us at 5:30 PM to get settled before the movie begins at 6:00 PM! MHR Parking Lot. $20 per Family. Baracco's pizza slices will be available for purchase, and each kid will receive one kid's drink and a special Halloween treat. Come dressed in your Halloween best (pajamas welcome!) and get ready for a fun night of family, friends, and a little spooky fun!


Most Holy Redeemer will once again participate in the annual Baby Bottle Collection to support mothers and babies in need. Donations help provide essential items such as formula, diapers, clothing, blankets, health care, and car seats. Please fill the baby bottle with spare change, or any donation you are able to give, and return it to your child’s homeroom teacher by October 30. Please return every baby bottle to school, whether or not you are able to make a donation. Learn more about the organization and its mission: Save the Babies


We are excited to have our annual pumpkin decorating contest. Decorated pumpkins can be dropped off from 10/26-10/30 in the main office. Due to the large number of entries, please submit one pumpkin per family. Please bring your pumpkins home after school on 10/30. The top 3 winners will receive gifts, and all participants will receive an out of uniform pass.


We're accepting leftover Halloween candy for donation to Soldiers' Angels Treats for Troops program. Soldiers' Angels collects candy to share with veterans. Donated candy will be collected from November 2nd-5th at MHR. Please contact Parents Club (parentsclub@mhrschool.com) if you have a MHR parishioner that is active duty and would like candy to be sent to them.


Social-Emotional Learning

Halloween is a fantastic opportunity for students to practice Social-Emotional Learning skills like self-management, empathy, and responsible decision-making! Before heading out to celebrate, take a moment to talk with your child about trick-or-treating safety: staying with a buddy or trusted adult, respecting neighbors' property, remaining aware of traffic, and showing kindness to younger or more sensitive trick-or-treaters. Remind them that listening to their bodies, like taking a breath if the noise or crowds get overwhelming, helps keep the evening fun and safe for everyone. Wishing all of our families a safe, joyful, and respectful Halloween!


Final Word from Dr. Fay

Dear Lord, we thank You for the many blessings You bestow upon our school community each day. As we turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the devotion of the Rosary, we ask for her gentle guidance and motherly care. May each mystery we contemplate draw our hearts closer to Your Son, Jesus Christ, and teach us to walk in faith, love, and unity. Protect our students, families, and staff, and help us reflect Your light in all that we do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


In Christ,

Dr. Eric Fay

Principal


Stay Connected

Email: efay@mhrschool.com


MHR Website - https://www.mhrschool.com/


MHR Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mhrraiders/ 


Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MHRRaiders 


Attachments

Pumpkin contest 


Candy for troops 


First responder day flyer 


By Eric Fay • October 19, 2026
From the Principal’s Desk
By Eric Fay • October 9, 2026
From the Principal's Desk
By Eric Fay • October 9, 2026
What a week for our Raiders! Thanks to the incredible generosity and support of our MHR families, we have raised more than $41,000 through the Raider Run-a-thon! Even though the rain moved our Fun Run indoors, our students still celebrated with music, dancing, Kona Ice, and plenty of Raider spirit. Thank you to everyone who shared the fundraiser, encouraged our students, and helped make this such a tremendous success. I am so grateful for the way our MHR community comes together to support our children and our school. Thank you, MHR families! Sincerely yours in Christ, Dr. Eric Fay Important Dates & Events School Calendar October 12 Columbus/Indigenous People’s Day; No School for PK-Grade 8 October 15 First Communion Meeting October 18 Family Mass 4th Grade Hosts October 21 Living Rosary October 23 8th Grade Retreat October 26 Red Ribbon Week begins; Oct 26-30 October 26 Pumpkin Carving Contest; Oct 26-30 October 26 Early Dismissal for Faculty Collaboration October 28 First Responder Day October 30 Halloween; Classroom parties Faith & Formation October is traditionally celebrated by the Catholic Church as the Month of the Holy Rosary , making it a beautiful time for our school community to come together in prayer. To honor Mary and this treasured Catholic devotion, our students will participate in a Living Rosary . During a Living Rosary, our students become the beads of a giant Rosary. Each student represents a particular prayer, and as we pray together, they come forward and take their place, forming the shape of the Rosary. Our students will lead the prayers as we reflect on the mysteries of Christ’s life, death, and Resurrection. There is something especially beautiful about seeing our children literally become a Rosary—a visible reminder that we are a school family united in prayer . We invite our families to join us for this special opportunity to pray together and to ask Mary to lead us always closer to her Son, Jesus. Classroom & Curriculum Highlights Cold-Weather Uniform (October 1st-April 30th) Bottoms Navy slacks or trousers with a leather belt. Shirts are to be tucked into pants with a visible belt. Pants may not be sweatpant material. Plaid jumper (2 choices available for Grades K – 4)* Plaid skirt or skort (for Grades 4 – 8)* Girls may wear solid black leggings or white/red/gray/black tights under their skirt during the cold weather months (October 1-April 30th) *NOTE: There is a choice in 4th grade as to whether a skirt or jumper is the preferred and most comfortable choice for daily uniform wear. That choice is entirely at the discretion of the parents and child. Tops White or gray Most Holy Redeemer polo shirt (short or long-sleeved) with red MHR logo or plain, white, collared blouse tucked into pants/skirt. Articles of clothing worn under the uniform shirt must be white, gray, or black—colored or printed shirts must not be worn under uniforms. Spotlight On Pack the House! Let’s come out and pack the house for our 8th grade girls basketball teams on Sunday, October 18! Games begin at 2:00 p.m. , with our 8th grade teams taking the court at 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. We’d love to see our MHR family filling the stands, cheering loudly, and showing our 8th graders some school spirit! After the games, all 8th graders are invited to stay for pizza , with the evening wrapping up around 6:30 p.m. Come cheer on our girls and help us pack the house! Go MHR! Reminders As Most Holy Redeemer begins an important season of listening and discernment, we are grateful for the faith, people, families, and generations that have shaped our parish. Over the coming months, we want to hear from parishioners, school families, ministry leaders, alumni, and our broader community about what we value most and what we hope for the future of Most Holy Redeemer. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey and share your thoughts, hopes, and vision. Your voice is an important part of shaping our parish’s future. Parish Survey Morning arrival procedures help keep all students safe and traffic moving smoothly, even in rainy weather. PreK–4th grade students should enter through The Porch, while 5th–8th grade students should enter through Briody Hall. Students walking or biking must use designated crosswalks, and bicycles must be walked on school/parish property. Families dropping off by car should enter from Lawndale, drop students off in the parking lot, and exit onto Millard; Millard Avenue is not a drop-off area, and parents needing to enter the building should use the Main Entrance and ring the bell. The volunteer commitment sign up offers a variety of opportunities throughout the year. Please review the available opportunities and select the commitment that works best for your family. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B44A4AD2DAAF4C52-65134848-202526#/ Social-Emotional Learning Every day at school is an opportunity for students to be their best selves . Not to be perfect, but to give their best effort, make good choices, treat others with kindness, and take responsibility for their learning. Parents can help by asking questions such as, “Did you give your best effort today?” or “How did you help someone today?” rather than focusing only on grades or accomplishments. Remind your child that being their best means showing up ready to learn, persevering when something is difficult, listening to teachers and classmates, and making choices they can be proud of. When we encourage effort, character, and growth, we help children develop the confidence and habits they need to thrive. Final Word from Dr. Fay Heavenly Father, we thank You for the beauty of autumn and for the many blessings You have placed before us. Through the intercession of Mary, Our Mother, draw our students, families, teachers, and staff closer to Your Son, Jesus. Help us to be people of prayer, gratitude, kindness, and faith, remembering that You are present in both the joyful moments and the ordinary moments of each day. May our MHR family continue to grow together in faith and love. Amen. In Christ, Dr. Eric Fay Principal Stay Connected Email: efay@mhrschool.com MHR Website - https://www.mhrschool.com/ MHR Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mhrraiders/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MHRRaiders