Dear Chesterton Academy of Our Lady of Victory Families,

On Monday, our new faculty and staff members joined us for an orientation day at OLV. As part of our orientation to classical liberal arts education, I shared an excerpt from Benjamin Myers’ excellent book An Invitation to the Liberal Arts. I’d like to quote at length from that book in today’s Headmaster’s Note, because I think he captures something essential about the project of classical education.

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“Imagine you just made a wonderful, delicious cake. The icing is sweet, but not too sweet. The cake is moist. The whole thing is beautifully decorated…You carefully, lovingly slice the cake and put it on plates to serve your loved ones. How do you hope they will react?

How would you feel if they sat down and began to eat, finished off the cake in a few giant bites, and then stood up and left without saying a word? Even if they clearly enjoyed the cake, surely you would be hurt by their ingratitude. You would want them to at least express thanks for the beautiful cake you have just served them. You would expect them at the very least to say ‘thank you.’ That seems like a minimum of expectations.

But, as much as it may be appreciated, is that mere ‘thank you’ the best scenario for you, the baker? You would definitely be gratified by their gratitude, and gratitude would definitely be appropriate. Is gratitude, however, all that you would expect? Isn’t there something more? Wouldn’t it be far more gratifying if they began to ask you questions about the cake? How did you get the icing just the right amount of sweet? How did you get the batter to come out so moist without under-baking it?... The baker of the cake is honored in the questions of those who eat the cake. Even the master baker who refuses to reveal his or her secrets is pleased to be asked. The curiosity about the creation is a kind of high praise for the creator.

This kind of praise is one reason why the liberal arts matter. God has masterfully made the world, and to ask questions about the world he has made is to honor him as its creator. A life of learning is a life of worship. It is a life of wonder. To learn beyond the confines and demands of strictly ‘necessary’ knowledge is to praise our creative God of abundance. We would think of our education as an act of worship.” (Myers 6-7)

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As we approach the start to yet another school year at OLV, perhaps our most exciting one yet, let us never forget the raison d’etre for our school: to lead young people closer to the second person of the Holy Trinity: through whom all things were made, and in whom all men and women find their true home.

We hope that you and your families will join us for our annual Back-to-School Picnic on Monday! It's always a lot of fun to celebrate the start of the school year with so many returning and new families and faculty and staff members. If you haven't already signed up to bring your favorite dish, you can do so here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548ADA729A0F4C52-65070227-olvbacktoschool#/

Peace in Christ,
Randy

You can find the 2026-27 School Directory linked here.

It will can also be found on the parent page of our website.

Hello families,

As we approach the end of summer, here are details for the first two days of the school year.

Monday, August 17th and Tuesday, August 18th are retreat/orientation days. These two days help our school set into the year with friendship, academic focus and prayerful reflection. Students will be placed in houses, receive lockers and textbooks, pray, and surrender this year to the Lord. Ultimately, these days bring us together to exclaim, “nunc coepi” - “now I begin!”.

Students are expected to be in uniform for both days. However, Monday includes outdoor afternoon House competitions, so students should bring a change of shoes and clothes. Please refer to the handbook for out-of-uniform dress code.

Students will be assigned their lockers on Tuesday, so they should bring their locks, locker shelves, and other school supplies on Tuesday. Additionally, students will be given time to cover their textbooks, so please bring paper bags or wrapping paper and tape.

Breakfast is provided on Monday. Finally, the schedule for these days is the same as the rest of the year, with Mass beginning at 7:30 am and dismissal at 3:15 pm. Please reach out to Mr. Reuter with any questions.

Would your student be interested in joining a chess club? OLV is experimenting with the possibility of starting one and we would love to hear from interested families!

If you’re interested, please contact Alexandra Harden at alzharden1912@outlook.com.

If you are planning on attending the New Parent Mixer on Thursday, August 27th, kindly RSVP to Lizzie Hadro (hadroelizabeth@gmail.com)! You can find more information about the August 27th event under “Upcoming Events” below.

Please note the following updates tp the Year-at-a-Glance Calendar:

Added:

• Picture Day on 8/25

• Picture Day Retakes on 9/23

• House Potluck on 9/25

• Grandparent's Day on 1/14

Updated:

• Half-Day Dismissal Time to 12:30 PM

Updated Year-at-a-Glance Calendar is available here.

(1) Mass of the Holy Spirit on Monday, August 17 at 7:30 AM: All families are invited to the Mass of the Holy Spirit, which will begin our school year on Monday, August 17. This Mass opens our academic year to the work of the Holy Spirit and brings our whole community together to be nourished at the Altar of the Lord. The Mass begins at 7:30 AM and concludes with an Oath of Fidelity by all faculty, staff, and attending Board members. In this oath, we publicly profess our faithfulness to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. The Mass of the Holy Spirit will take place in Chesterton Commons. If you plan on joining us, please make use of the ample street parking located around the campus.

(2) House Sorting Ceremony on Monday, August 17th at 11:45 AM: All new students will be sorted into Houses on August 17 at 11:45 AM. All families are invited to attend this ceremony and witness the joy and growth of our House System, which drives the vibrant and joyful culture of our school. The House Sorting Ceremony will take place in the Chesterton Commons.

(3) Back-to-School Potluck on Monday, August 17th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM: We will celebrate our first Back-to-School Potluck on our new campus on Monday, beginning at 6:00 PM. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our students, families, and staff to come together and enjoy one another's company after the summer break. Since this is a potluck, please sign up to bring a dish here:

www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548ADA729A0F4C52-65070227-olvbacktoschool

We are blessed to have Archbishop Golka join us for Mass and an episcopal blessing of our new campus on Friday, August 21. We will operate on a modified bell schedule that day. To preserve the integrity of the academic calendar, all classes that typically meet on Friday will still meet that day. Class lengths will be adjusted based on when our time with the Archbishop concludes, and we will communicate the final schedule to students and faculty that day. Drop-off at 7:30 AM and pick-up at 3:15 PM will remain the same.

New to OLV? Come meet other parents!

The New Parent Mixer is a relaxed evening for new families to connect, make friends, and get a taste of the warm community that makes OLV so special. Join us for drinks, conversation, and plenty of opportunity to get to know your fellow parents.

Thursday, August 27
7:00–9:00 p.m.
Hadro Family Home
1598 W. Meadowbrook Rd., Littleton, CO

Kindly RSVP to Lizzie Hadro at hadroelizabeth@gmail.com

Come join us for our Fall 2026 installment of the Common Sense Speaker Series!

Dr. O. Carter Snead is a Professor of Law and Bioethics at the University of Notre Dame, and he is a leading voice on issues such as human dignity, medical ethics, and public policy. He is an expert in applying legal, philosophical, and Catholic perspectives to contemporary bioethical questions.

What It Means to be Human: Bioethics, Assisted Reproduction, and Human Flourishing
Date: Monday, September 14, 2026
Time: 6:30 to 9:00 pm
Location: St. Thomas More Catholic Parish, McCallin Hall (8035 S Quebec St, Centennial, CO 80112)

The event is free and open to all. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

As we settle into our new campus, we realize how grateful we are for our new beautiful home. It is making us truly excited to welcome prospective families for our Open House!

Please share this event’s details with any families you know might be interested! These are children who will be classmates with yours!

Date: Saturday, September 19
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Location: 7018 S. Prince St., Littleton, CO

The flyer can be found in the photos above, and the RSVP link is here.

Families are invited to learn more about American Heritage Girls, a faith-based scouting program for girls from kindergarten through high school! Come discover opportunities for leadership, life skills, outdoor adventures, service, and fun.

Monday, August 24
6:30–7:45 p.m.
Joachim Hall at St. Mary’s

While the girls earn their Victorious patch, parents will have an informational meeting about the program.

To RSVP or learn more, contact Alexandra Harden at alzharden1912@outlook.com or 970-420-8702.