***Merry Christmas to All!*** Archbishop Wood High School Parents’ Newsletter Volume XV, Number 2 Winter 2014-15 From THE PRESIDENT, Mr. Gary V. Zimmaro: Dear Viking Parents and Guardians: As the Archbishop Wood community prepares to celebrate Christmas, we are reminded that the hope of God’s presence in life is renewed at this time of year. Christmas is a wonderful time to remember the people in our lives who help us connect with all that is good. I am most grateful for you and other parents like you for the support that you give to Archbishop Wood throughout the year. The success of our students, whether it be in the classroom, on the field of competition, or on the stage, continues because of the support that you give them. We are very blessed with the talents of our young men and women, and these talents that they display are what Archbishop Wood High School is all about. I hope you will encourage your child to continue to “Strive for Excellence” as we move into the second semester. -1- Special congratulations to Coach Devlin, his staff, and the members of the football team on their PIAA State Championship, and also to the cast, crew, and band for a wonderful production of the “Meet Me in St. Louis.” We are blessed to have so many talented young men and women. On behalf of the administration, faculty, and staff of Archbishop Wood High School, I extend to you and your family my warmest wishes for a Blessed Christmas and Happy New Year. Please know that you are always in my prayers at this Christmas season and throughout the year. Sincerely, Gary V. Zimmaro, President From the PRINCIPAL, Mrs. Mary Harkins: Dear Parents and Guardians, As 2014 comes to an end, many people reflect on the events of the past year and make resolutions for the upcoming year. In education our year is different. January marks the half-way point for the year. However, reflecting on the accomplishments of the first half of the year and making resolutions for the remainder of the year are also in order. The first semester of the 2014-2015 school year has been filled with accomplishments and excitement. We are proud of our two National Merit Semi-finalists and our three National Merit Commended students, those who achieved honors in the first quarter, and the recipients of the Coronam Fidelitas Merebit Awards. Scholarships for the members of the class of 2015 have begun to arrive. We celebrate the great academic work of our students. Our sports teams had great fall seasons. The football team has again won the PIAA State Championship. Catholic League and District XII championships have been won. Our robotics team has had a good pre-season and is gearing up of the competition season. Our music and performing arts department has been very busy presenting the 50th Anniversary Showcase and Meet Me in St. Louis this fall. Our band and choir have taken part in all our liturgies and shared their talents with a Christmas Concert. Student participation in our service organizations has also been significant. C.A.R.E.S is writing to our students through our new Wood email addresses. CSC and Athletes Helping Athletes have been busy helping our community in many ways. The 2014-2015 school year has had a great start. But now it is time to look forward and make resolutions for the second half of the year. -2- Congratulations to Archbishop Wood’s National Merit Scholarship Students! In October 2013, members of the Class of 2015 took the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Of the 1.5 million students throughout the country who sat for the test, the top 16,000 are named Semi-Finalist and the next 34,000 are Commended. We are very proud of our students who merited these honors. Semi-Finalists: Sydney Sherman John Waltrich Commended: Kaitlyn Krewson Peggy Mullin Matthew Wilkinson Great academic starts require greater commitment to maintain one’s level of dedication. As a faculty we are reviewing our policies in order to ensure that all students are consistently challenged. We are looking to increase the challenge and rigor of all our classes for all our students. It is our goal to help our students achieve at their highest and best level. Achieving a good grade without challenge is not giving our students the best we have to offer. All students should resolve not to simply maintain a good grade but to challenge and stretch themselves going forward. Our academic departments have been reviewing their curricula to ensure that all offerings reflect the needs of the current students so that we prepare them for college and beyond. Please take note of information contained in this newsletter regarding course selection for next year. Over the past few years we have added a number of new programs, such as STEM, Jesuit Virtual Learning, and additional Dual Enrollment courses. New courses are planned for this fall. It is important that parents and students review the offerings in light of the child’s future plans and to make certain that the courses and tracks selected reflect the appropriate ability level and challenge for each person. Modifications to the course selection process have been made to provide for guidance and consultation throughout. Our goal is to avoid questions and course changes next fall. We look forward to working with your child as the school year continues. The winter holds many exciting events—academically, athletically and socially. We pray that all these events will take place ON TIME!! May this winter have just enough snow for fun! May the graces of our Savior be with each of our families and fill your hearts and homes with all good things in 2015. Sincerely, Mary Harkins Principal -3- From The ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, Mrs. Cloe O'Grady: Dear Parents and Guardians, Academic Calendar The 1st Quarter closed on Friday, November 7. Report cards were distributed in homeroom on Thursday, November 20, and our first Parent/Teacher Conference was held on Tuesday, November 25, from 6 to 8 PM. Parent/Teacher Conferences are an excellent opportunity for discussion regarding your child’s progress. The close of the 2nd Quarter/1st Semester is January 23 – only a few weeks away. Our next Parent/Teacher Conference is scheduled for Thursday, February 12. Please mark your calendar. 1st Semester Assessments A 1st Semester summative assessment will be given to students during the period of January 5 through January 23. This assessment is given during regularly scheduled class and follows the normal testing day cycle. Essential skills taught up to that point will be covered, and the assessment is counted as a major test grade. Peer tutoring is available to all students. The National Honor Society provides tutors Tuesdays through Thursdays after school. Interested students can sign up in room 230. Visit our Academic Hall of Fame located on the second floor of the North Building outside Room 230. National Merit Scholars, National Honor Society Officers, Neumann Scholarship, Wood Scholarship and Sullivan Scholarship Winners and Coronam Fidelitas Merebit awardees are featured in the Academic Hall of Fame. Performance Series Testing Our 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students are tested in September, January, and April. This is a computer-adaptive multiple-choice assessment that allows us to track student progress in the areas of Reading (applicable to all content areas) and Mathematics. -4- Course Selection Materials for course selection for the 2015-2016 school year will be available to students and on line from March 23 to April 1. Course Selection forms must be signed by a parent and returned to room 230 no later than Wednesday, April 8. From the DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS, Patricia Roschetz I wish you and your family a Blessed Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year! Upcoming events in the Admissions Office: Winter Registration Week: January 26 – January 30, 2015. Seventh Grade Visitation: Thursday, April 16, 2015, from 8:30 AM to 2 PM. Spring Open House: Thursday, April 16, 2015, from 7 to 9 PM. Seventh Grade Practice Exam: Saturday, April 25, 2015, at 8:30 AM. Registration will begin on March 17, 2015. The fee for the exam is $35.00. Students must be preregistered to sit for the exam. Shadowing will continue through April 30. At least three days notice is required to set up a shadow day. I would like to thank Dominique DiRienzo, Erica Risi, Sal Tommassello, Alyssa Heron, Michael Viggiano, Jenna Kasman, Sean O’Donnell, Chris Dern, and Mary Junod for helping with the High School Night and lunch events at various elementary schools. This is an important part of recruitment and I greatly appreciate their assistance. I would also like to thank all the students who hosted students for our Shadow Program. Shadowing is an important recruiting tool and without the enthusiasm of our students, the program would not be as successful. To date, we’ve hosted almost 200 students for the Shadow Program. Another big recruiting event is the Eighth Grade Visitation and Open House. We had over 400 students for the Visitation and over 300 for the Open House. This is a long day for everyone, and I can’t thank the administration, faculty, staff, and students for all their help on November 14! -5- From the Business & Tuition Offices: Parents are asked to keep the Business Office notified of any changes related to your student’s account – address, phone number, parish, and public school district. Please remember to pay tuition and school fees on separate checks. The use of separate checks is required by Archdiocesan accounting procedures since tuition is deposited in the Archdiocesan Operations Account and fees/fundraising are deposited in the School Account. Also, please include the student number for your son/daughter on all checks, money orders, and other correspondence. Please take special note of the following items: The Archdiocese requires that a minimum of five tuition payments must be made in order for the student to continue to attend classes for the second semester. The second semester School Fee of $550.00 was due December 2. Late fee of $25.00 applies if not paid by December 30. A late fee of $15.00 is applied for any tuition payment ten or more days in arrears. A $30.00 fee is applied for any non-sufficient funds check returned to the school. Student accounts must be paid to date in order for the student to attend any special dances: Freshman/Sophomore Dance, Junior Prom, and Senior Prom. Families are reminded that assistance in meeting expenses for tuition and fees is available from a variety of sources: SCRIP is a great way to assist with tuition expenses. The school applies the full 5% rebate to your student’s tuition instead of using the proceeds as a fundraiser. SCRIP is available for Acme, Giant, Pathmark, Shop Rite, Shop-n-Bag (Richboro), Super Fresh, Kohl’s, Ruby Tuesday. SLM Financial, a Sallie Mae Company, provides educational loans to qualified persons. Call 1-888-272-5543 for additional information. Financial assistance is available on our Web Page under Admissions. You will find the PSAS Tuition Assistance application, the Presidential Financial Form and Scholarship Information. Please have all your tax information ready when you fill out these forms and be sure to submit them early. Pay attention to the deadline dates on each of these applications, as they are all different. Did you know that . . . Applications for tuition assistance for 2015/16 need to be filed in March for TAP and BLOCS? Contact the Tuition Office for details. -6- Should you have any questions or need additional information, contact Carol Lester at 215672-5050, x 224. From the ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT SERVICES, Mr. Donald B. Mangin: ABSENCE: Please remember to completely fill out (please include Homeroom section and student #) and send the completed absence form found on the web site with your son/daughter upon returning to school the day after an absence. We also want to remind you that a student who is not present for 50% of his or her academic school day may not participate in any school related activity on the day of absence. This applies to all practices, games, meets, dances, proms, etc. This does not apply to students who are absent from school on school-sponsored trips. For further information, please refer to our student handbook on pages 46-49. School Reach If your child is absent and Archbishop Wood has not received a phone call from you by 9 AM, you will receive an automated phone call via School Reach. This call will be made to the first number you have listed for your family. This call will notify you that your child is absent and that a phone call from a parent is required. Please respond promptly. EARLY DISMISSAL: Early dismissal forms can be found on the web site under the student service tab. For emergency early dismissals, a parent must contact the student service office as soon as possible so we have the time to get your student out from class, PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER IN SCHOOL; the student service office will contact them. Contacting your son or daughter directly during school hours is a violation of our school cell phone policy and your student, if caught, could receive the consequences as stated in the student handbook. This also refers to your son or daughter contacting you if they are ill. Your student must be seen by our school nurse to be evaluated and she will call you before being sent home. For further information, please refer to our student handbook on page 32. LATENESS: Please remember that students who are late for homeroom must obtain a Late Pass from the Student Services Office (Rm. 100). Please refer to our student handbook on page 39. -7- CONDUCT: Please note that every student begins each semester (not quarter) with a 100 in conduct. Students with an actual final conduct grade lower than 70 will be required to attend conduct summer school. For further information, please refer to our student handbook page 29. DRESS CODE: We are now in the winter (formal) Dress Code, which will be in place until after Easter. Once again I am asking you to assist me in assuring that your child reflects the Christian virtue of respect for self and others by their dress and in their behavior. Please discuss with your son/daughter the importance of following the dress code, i.e. keeping shirttails tucked in, wearing the ID card and lanyard, wearing the school sweater, etc. Please refer to our student handbook on pages 22-24. INCLEMENT WEATHER: In the event of inclement weather, please listen for a School Reach message for school-closing information. On days when snow or ice is forecast, please encourage your son/daughter to ride the bus!! In case of an emergency school closing during the school day due to inclement weather, your son/daughter will be dismissed when his/her school district is announced to leave. Permission for other students to be driven home by another student must be in writing, signed by both sets of parents or guardians, and on file in the student service office prior to any dismissal. PLEASE DO NOT CALL SCHOOL TO ASK FOR YOUR SON/DAUGHTER TO BE DISMISSED. WE MUST KEEP OUR PHONE LINES OPEN FOR EMERGENCIES. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Archbishop Wood Snow Code: 761 PARKING: All parking information can be found on the web site and in the student handbook pages 41-42. The school administration reserves the right to search cars parked on school property and revoke parking permits if the need occurs. SCHOOL SPONSORED ACTIVITIES: I would like to take this time to remind everyone of a section of the school's drug and alcohol policy. If a student comes to a school sponsored event such as a dance, sporting event, or other activity while intoxicated or high, along with the suspension, demerits, detentions and possible expulsion, the student will forfeit the privilege of attending any other school-sponsored events, including dances, sporting events, or other activities on or off school grounds in the future, and will be placed on a contract. Attendance at or on school grounds while on this contract will mean immediate dismissal from Archbishop Wood. -8- If there is anything I can do to help with your son or daughter or if you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me by email ([email protected]) or call the school at extension 256. Thank you and HAVE A HAPPY, SAFE, AND HEALTHY CHRISTMAS SEASON!!! Don Mangin, Assistant Principal for Student Services From the DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT, Mr. Tim Dunn: I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved in the Wood community a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year. Once again I have been asked by parents to give the due dates for scholarships available to our students for the next school year. The deadline is February 13, 2015. Applications are available on our website. Copies will also be available in my office (Room 237). The Archbishop Wood Hall of Fame Dinner will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2015. More details to follow. The Alumni Mass & Garden Blessing will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 9 AM in the Auditorium. The 25th Annual Alumni Golf Classic will be held on May 8, 2015. More information to follow. This event is always a sellout. For further information, please contact Tim Dunn at 215-672-5050, ext. 227, or [email protected]. From OUR CAMPUS MINISTER, Father Paul O'Donnell Dear Faculty, Students, and Parents of Archbishop Wood High School, ***Merry Christmas!*** Whenever you celebrate your child’s birthday you are celebrating the simple and joyful fact that he or she is with you! Your children’s birthdays are a moment to thank God for their presence in your life and to reflect on all that has gone on before with your child. -9- Mostly likely you have marveled at how quickly time passes and how much they have grown. Birthdays are very special days. May this year’s celebration of the birth of Jesus be a timely reminder of the love God has for each and every one of us, for Jesus’ birthday, too, is very special. It is a time to remember that we have a God who has loved us so, to be born in a humble manger. It is a time to remember that our God is not a distant God behind the clouds, but our God has come to us as a little baby born a poor child. It is a time to remember that Jesus, our humble savior, is always with us! May your celebration of Jesus’ birthday be a joyful time with your family and a very special time growing closer to Jesus. How quickly another year has passed, and much has happened in everyone’s lives. In my prayers, I will especially remember anyone within the Wood community who has died over the past year. One of the many joys of Christmas is the incredible reality that God is with us, and that He shares his life with us. At times, finding our Lord in our midst can be difficult. Certainly for the average citizen of Bethlehem, finding Jesus that first Christmas morning was a mystery just as mysterious as it is today. But Jesus has revealed many ways of finding Him. One way is this: "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me." (Mk 9:37) Even though the children of Archbishop Wood may be bigger, stronger, and smarter than all of us, I’m sure that you can still see that they are God’s little ones. What a privilege it is for me to be in their midst to welcome them as their school minister. It is truly a grace-filled assignment. As you know, your children lives are filled with many activities: school work, school show, athletics, jobs, just to name a few; however, they do not forget they are called by Jesus to share and love their neighbor. They always greatly respond to the needs of others. Our students have raised over 1000 dollars for different charitable needs within our community on our Wednesday charity collections - plus 500 dollars for the Philippines. With the kind help of our parents, our Aid for Friends program- preparing meals for shut ins – got going this November. - 10 - On the spiritual side we are blessed with the presence of Msgr. Bolger, who comes to school twice a week to offer mass and confession at different periods of the day. On December 18, our students will be given an opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance during the Advent Season. This semester we have started a student prayer group meeting once a week on Tuesdays at 8th period and after school. Please encourage your child to participate, especially if he or she has some free time after school before their practice begins. We thank God for a successful Kairos retreat in October. We have two more Kairos retreats this year, in February and April. In January, our Respect Life Group will be sending a bus to participate in the annual March for Life in Washington, DC. This is truly an awesome event where our students see nearly three hundred thousand people united under one cause: the dignity of all human life. As I continue my work at Archbishop Wood, I ask for your prayers. I thank you for your gracious welcome, for I have met many of you at different events already, but know that all of you and your children are in my daily prayers. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or any new ideas, and also know that I am available to help in any need you may have. May the peace and joy of Christmas fill your family throughout the new year! Father Paul O’Donnell School Minister From the GUIDANCE DIRECTOR, Mrs. Mary Desmond: First, I want to thank everyone for welcoming me to Archbishop Wood. I can’t believe we are already hearing "Jingle Bells" and seeing lights and decorations! SENIORS - The "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA) must be filed in order for the student to be considered for both state and federal aid programs. Even if you believe you will not qualify, you should still consider completing the FAFSA because some scholarships require it. Students attending colleges and approved technical/career school programs are eligible. Some important points: * You may not begin filling out the FAFSA until January 1, 2015. * You will need a pin number, which you can get anytime at www.pin.ed.gov . * Even if you have not completed your taxes, you can use estimated numbers and then update later. * Go to www.fafsa.gov There are some sites that charge for this – do not use these. * Some schools require the CSS Profile. Go to https://student.collegeboard.org/cssfinancial-aid-profile to see which schools require this form and how to complete it. * Keep an eye on deadlines! - 11 - A great site that has step by step instructions is https://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/filling-out . Over 80% of our seniors have applied to colleges. If your son or daughter has not applied, please keep in mind that his/her counselor requires 10 – 15 days to have everything completed and sent to a college. If a college requires mid-year grades be sent, please remember to let the counselor know. This is the responsibility of the student. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships! A listing of scholarship information for our seniors is available on our Archbishop Wood High School website, and three Scholarship Bulletins have been handed out to all seniors in homeroom. There are search sites such as www.fastweb.com and you may also check with your employer or any organizations to which you or your child belong, as they often award scholarships. The results of the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholarship Aptitude Test/National Merit Qualifying Test) will be distributed the week we return from Christmas break. Counselors will be in the classrooms to explain how to read the results and the way in which they may be used to prepare for the SAT. On January 21, there will be a Course Selection/PSAT Information Session here in the evening (details coming soon). We will go over with parents how to read and use the PSAT results, as well as show other resources available on Collegeboard.com. We do ask that parents of freshmen remember that the PSAT is a test designed for juniors, so do not be alarmed if your child has a low score. Juniors !!!! You will be taking the SAT and/or ACT this year, so be sure to prepare. Sophomores can also get a jump preparing. Prepare for the SATs Archbishop Wood offers a number of SAT Prep programs: SAT Math Prep: This .25 course is open to juniors and seniors. The course lasts one quarter and is graded. Consider this course during Course Selection. SAT Refresher: A two-hour prep session on Thursday, March 12, 5:30 to 7:30 PM, is the perfect review for the March 14 SATs. Contact Dr. Pace at 215-725-6568 to register for this program. Check your email and announcements for information about SAT Prep classes in the spring and summer. We will get the information to you as soon as we have it. Method Test Prep: This online program continues to be available to all students; however, for students who have been working with this program, the logon and password will change in February. Information and directions will be posted on our website; watch for this important and valuable information. NB: Freshmen will work on this program in Wood 101. - 12 - However, you can also prepare on your own using the College Board Questions of the Day, Khan Academy, and free apps for your smart devices and books. Juniors need to spend about 20 minutes, 3 – 4 times a week and sophomores half of that. Short chunks of time consistently are more effective and you can stay focused. The test dates and registration deadlines for the SAT can be found on line at www.collegeboard.org and for the ACT on www.actstudent.org. Course selection meetings will begin in February and final choices will be made during the month of March. It is important that all sophomores and juniors be very serious about their choices. All students should challenge themselves academically and take a full course load. Colleges look not only at grades but at the courses taken as well. Colleges and the NCAA are very firm about electives that they will accept. We want all of our students to be properly prepared for acceptance to the college of their choice and, if an athlete, qualified to play as a freshman in college. Athletes who plan on playing for a Division I or II school will need to register with the NCAA at www.eligibiitycenter.org . We all hope you have a wonderful Christmas and let's all hope for less snow in this New Year! From the ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS, Mrs. Mary McDonald: Dear Parents and Guardians, The New Year brings much excitement and many activities. Hopefully we can keep the snow at bay and have a successful second semester! Some of the activities taking place will be Catholic Schools Week, Worship As One, Shakespeare Contest, Mr. Viking, Junior Retreat and Ring Mass, Mini- Thon, Mother/Daughter Fashion Show, and the Mother/Son Luncheon. Please check times and dates on the website for any changes. As always, I thank you for your support. Sincerely yours, Mary McDonald - 13 - SPECIAL CALENDAR EVENTS Jan. 5 Jan. 19 Jan. 22 Jan. 25 Feb. 6 Feb. 8 Feb. 12 Feb. 13 Feb. 16 Feb. 18 Feb. 22 Mar. 6, 7, 8 Mar. 12 Mar. 13 Mar. 20 Mar. 21 Mar. 28 Classes Resume No School – Martin Luther King Day March for Life – DC- Full Day of School Opening of Catholic Schools Week – Grade School Writing Contest Mother/Son Luncheon 12:30 PM Mother/Daughter Fashion Show 11:00 AM Mr. Viking Night Freshman Retreat - Only Freshman Report Presidents Day/No School Ash Wednesday Liturgy Kairos, through Feb 25 Spring Show Dr. Pace SAT Refresher Course Mini – Thon for Pediatric Cancer Junior Ring Mass and Retreat – Only Juniors Report Spring Craft Show Parent Association Fundraiser Please check our website and calendar for changes and updates and additions! From the ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, Mr. Joseph D. Sette: Fall Sports Highlights – Another State Championship and 4 District XII Championships won by Archbishop Wood Athletes! Congratulations to all of the Fall sports teams for their success during the postseason. Coach Steve Devlin led his team to his 7th consecutive PCL AAA Football and District XII Championships, culminating in victory at Hersey Stadium and the 2014 PIAA AAA State Championship. The Boys’ and Girls’ Cross-Country teams, under the direction of Coach Fran McLaughlin, ran very well, with the Girls winning the 2014 District XII Cross-Country Championship. The field hockey team under the direction of First-Year Coach Dipi Bhaya led her team to the semifinals of the PCL playoffs. Coach Joe Krantz’ boys’ soccer team completed a very successful year in which the team won both the PCL and District XII Boys' Soccer Championships, advancing to States. Coach Bill Cappo of the girls’ soccer team - 14 - finished the regular season in 2nd place winning a District XII Girls' Soccer Championship, advancing to States. First-Year Coach Sarah Spadafora led her volleyball team to secure a spot in the PCL playoffs, advancing to the PCL Championship game. Coach Bob Salembier has continued to build a solid program for the Girls’ tennis team as they completed their season in the PCL with another playoff berth. Finally, once again Coach Bob Schmalbach led his team to a third place tie in the regular season and a participant in the PCL playoffs. Winter Sports Update All the winter sports have been up and running since Monday, November 17. In fact, the Ice Hockey and the Competitive Spirit teams have already begun their seasons. The Athletic Department wishes good luck to the following winter sports coaches at Archbishop Wood HS: Coach John Gallagher (Girls’ Basketball), Coach Vic Stanley (Wrestling), Coach Joe Webb (Boys and Girls Bowling), Coach Charlie Stillwell (Boys’ and Girls’ Swimming), Coach John Mosco (Boys’ Basketball), Coach Sam Gallen (Ice Hockey), Coach Jackie Britton (Competitive Spirit) and Coach Mike Gahagan (Boys’ & Girls’ Indoor Track). The Archbishop Wood HS and community wish them much success this coming year as they prepare for their upcoming seasons. As Athletic Director, I would like to thank all of the coaching staffs and the community for your support and help. If I can be of any future assistance, please do not hesitate to call me at 215-672-5050, Ext. 260. As we approach the holiday season, the athletic department and my family would like to wish everyone a Holy and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Archbishop Wood’s Web Site is an excellent source for updated information. Be sure to check the site frequently for changes in schedules or important announcements. www.archwood.org The Parents' Newsletter is edited by Joseph L. Velten Jr. - 15 -
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