ST. LOUISE SCHOOL PARENT BULLETIN

January 18, 2018
Dan's Blog
The Washington State Catholic Conference (WSCC) has been established to rally faithful Catholics to "help educate" legislators and to potentially sway the passage of "good" bills in Olympia or defeat "bad" bills. What determines a good or bad bill is how the legislation helps or hinders human life, economic justice, and/or religious freedom, in accord with the Gospel and with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
I receive email alerts from the WSCC when a proposed bill is being debated in Olympia which is either going against Catholic values, or is endorsed by Catholic values.  I rarely pass on these "political messages" to you here in our Parent Bulletin, unless it's a vital issue and/or an issue connected with Catholic schools. The alert I received last week meets both of this criteria, and so it's worthy today for me to talk to you about it.

We all know that abortions are taking place throughout the country and throughout the world at unfathomable numbers. Some reports put this number at 40 million annually. And we all know that the Catholic Church's position on abortion is clear. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

" Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his or her existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life."

Last week, the WSCC issued a statement from the Catholic Bishops of Washington State concerning new legislation that is currently being debated in Olympia which would mandate abortion coverage in every single insurance plan - yours, mine, and eventually the ones our Archdiocese funds in group insurance plans for our Catholic school employees. This legislation is in the form of two proposed bills during this session which both have the same objective: House Bill - HB 2409 - and a Senate Bill - SB 6219.

The Bishops from Seattle, Yakima, and Spokane said in part:

" The Catholic Bishops of Washington strongly oppose HB 2409 [and SB 6219] that would mandate coverage of abortions in all health insurance plans offered in the state.  The measure would promote abortions while violating the constitutionally-protected conscience rights of individuals, churches, businesses and others.  It is a most fundamental principle of our faith - the inherent dignity of all human life from the moment of conception until natural death - that leads us to reject policies that promote abortion. ...HB 2409 [and SB 6219] promotes the destruction of human life and violates the fundamental right to conscience guaranteed by our state and national constitutions.  It would forcibly compel many of this state's citizens to act against their consciences.  We urge the Legislature to find a better way to address women's access to health care."
(You may read the entire statement from the Bishops HERE.)

One thing that would most likely happen if House Bill 2409 or its sister-bill, Senate Bill 6219, passes this legislative session in Olympia is St. Louise School, along with the hundred other Catholic schools in our state, would have abortion coverage in our health insurance plans. A few years ago, when the insurance industry was changed with "The Affordable Care Act/Obamacare," religious businesses and religious institutions such as our Seattle Archdiocese were exempt from having to include in their insurance plans coverage for their employees' abortions. Both the House bill and Senate bill are trying to get the Archdiocese (among other religious businesses) to now also begin paying for abortions for their Catholic school faculty and parish staff. I'm not sure if you would call that "incompatible," or simply "abhorrent."


 

If you want to add to the WSCC's efforts in working at making sure this newly proposed legislation does not pass, you need to first identify which legislators in Olympia represent you. You may look them up  HERE  by typing in your home address. Once you find the names of the two House Representatives in your Legislative District and your one Senator, please contact all three of them via phone or email and leave a polite message telling the two Representatives that HB 2409 needs to be defeated, and telling the Senator that SB 6219 needs to be defeated. Here are some talking points you could use:
  1. The Bill promotes the destruction of human life;
  2. The Bill violates the fundamental right of conscience, guaranteed by our state and national Constitutions, which allows Americans to refuse on the grounds that a particular activity would be contrary to their religious beliefs or moral convictions;
  3. The Bill violates the Free Exercise Clause ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof") by not granting exemptions for churches/religious employers who have religious objections to abortion.
A faster way to contact your Senator in Olympia is to use the Washington State Catholic Conference's auto-generated emails, where you simply add you name and address, and a "don't pass the bill" email is automatically sent to your Senator. You can use the WSCC's auto-generated system HERE to let Olympia know you don't approve of the Senate Bill. (There was no similar auto-feature created for the House Bill.)
 
If you would like to receive email alerts from the WSCC on these bills, or when a future proposed bill is being debated in Olympia which is either going against Catholic values, or is endorsed by Catholic values, you may sign up to receive these alerts HERE.

Thanks for your concern for the unborn and for the rights of Catholic institutions. As I said, this Parent Bulletin will rarely include "political messages," but the one fundamental issue I am adamant about is protecting life and opposing abortion.
My passion for "life" was ignited when my wife and I adopted our two children. We realized that kids like ours are "loved twice" - once by the birthmother who chose to have the child and then chose the gift of adoption, and once by the adoptive parents who accepted the child and loves him/her for the rest of the child's life. Our children's birthmothers could have chosen abortion, but they chose life, and my wife and I are forever grateful. ...Of course, our two kids are also grateful of the choices their birthmothers made! ;-)

Besides myself, others in the St. Louise School community know personally the blessings of adoption in their families and cherish the fact that the children's birthmothers chose life. We encourage you to join us in helping portray the goodness of adoption and its message of life and love, as contrasted with the destruction and pain that abortion brings.
Last year, the Wilkens attended the March for Life at our state capitol, and they plan to be there again this Monday. You may email Amy Wilken if you have questions about the 'how/what/where' of attending this event on the 22nd.

The "March for Life" is both a national event  and local event occurring annually at this time of year. Pro-life groups and concerned individuals unite and strategize to communicate their pro-life message to the government and to the media in a powerful and life affirming way.  Whereas the national March for Life is tomorrow in Washington D.C., the local march is in the other-Washington - i.e. Olympia - this Monday, January 22.
 
St. Louise Parish's "Gospel of Life" group will be providing transportation to Olympia leaving St. Louise at 10AM this Monday, and returning around 3PM. You may reserve your seat by calling George Lorr at 425-497-1715. Also, there is a Mass for Life at St. Martin's University in Lacey at 9:30 on Monday, and many Catholics attend that first, and then head to Olympia afterward.

Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz

p.s.
The first school parent who emailed me last Thursday and named the exact location of where the new all-school-created Cross is displayed in the school was Liz DeBord. She won a $10 Charger Card when she correctly named the newly constructed 6th grade hallway on the second floor! It pays to read this Parent Bulletin every Thursday morning!

Catholic Schools' Week is 9 days away! Check out the Calendar-of-Events I sent home in last week's red envelope for the many days and many ways we are celebrating our school...our students...our parents...and our faculty! Have you picked out which Mass you'll attend - with your children proudly and loudly wearing their school uniforms?
Upcoming Calendar of Events  
 
Today
  • Free Dress Coupons will be handed out during morning and afternoon carpool to students in vehicles with "St. Louise Logo Clings/Decals" on their back windows

Friday, January 19
  • Kidd Valley Lunch Day - a burger, fries, and vanilla shake are being delivered at lunchtime today to all students whose parents purchased this lunch during the Auction (or online at the Auction website); please do not order an online lunch or have your child bring a lunch this day if he/she is a "Kidd Valley kid."
  • CYO Volleyball registration for 4th-8th graders ends today (see more information in article below)

Sunday, January 21
  • St. Louise School will be promoting our school at St. Teresa Parish in Woodinville after their 9:00 and 11:00AM Masses; any child who attends a Mass in full St. Louise uniform will receive a free-dress-day bracelet to be used on the 29th.

Monday, January 22
  • Free Dress Day ONLY for students with car-window-decal COUPONS. (Regular rules apply for a non-uniform day; see page 17.)

Saturday & Sunday, January 27 & 28 - Catholic Schools' Week Begins
  • Students encouraged to attend any of this weekend's St. Louise Parish Masses in full school uniform (Saturday at 5PM; Sunday at 7:30, 9:00, 11:00AM and 1:00, 6:00 PM); those who do will receive a bracelet, entitling them to a free-dress-day on the 29th.
  • Some 4th, 6th, and 8th graders will be performing ministry-tasks in these St. Louise Masses.
  • The school's Chorale choir will be leading the singing at the 9:00AM St. Louise Mass.
  • Coffee & Donuts will be served in the school lobby Sunday morning after the 7:30, 9:00, 11:00AM St. Louise Masses, with student art work on display throughout the school hallways.
  • Additionally, St. Louise School will be promoting our school at some neighboring church's Masses, and any child who attends in full St. Louise uniform at these parishes will also receive a free-dress-day bracelet: St. Jude (Redmond) on Sunday at 9:00AM; Holy Innocents (Duvall) on Sunday at 10:30AM.
 
Monday, January 29 - Student Appreciation Day
  • Free Dress Day ONLY for students wearing the weekend-Mass BRACELETS. (Regular rules apply for a non-uniform day; see page 17.)
  • No (next day) homework will be assigned by any teachers.
 
Wednesday, January 31 - Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day
  • Grade 6-8 parents and their middle schoolers go out to lunch from 11:15-1:00. 
  • Today is "Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day"; consider sending thank-you notes to your kids' teachers and/or treating them to something in appreciation for their ministry in Catholic education; note that this week is the only, official time for an "appreciation day/week" for Catholic school teachers (the "appreciation day/week" you hear about in the month of May was created for public school teachers).

Thursday, February 1
  • Open House, 6:30-7:30PM - invite your friends, coworkers, and neighbors to attend and find out about the school!
  • Re-Enrollment for the 2018-19 school year begins; you will receive information on the paperwork & $75 fee needed for re-enrollment, with a deadline of February 15.

Friday, February 2 - Parent Appreciation Day
  • Mr. Fitz & Mr. Fuerte want to show appreciation to parents by handing out coffee and cinnamon rolls in the main lobby from 8:30-9:00AM this morning; park the car, come in for a treat, and talk to our two administrators over coffee and a roll about school topics ...or about their picks for the Super Bowl.
  • Grade K-8 students will be bringing home appreciation-letters they wrote to their parents.
 
Saturday, February 3
  • Father/Daughter Dance - 6:30-8:30PM in the parish hall; see the article below.

Sunday, February 4
  • Chorale choir performs at the Mary, Queen of Peace (Sammamish) Mass at 11:30AM

Please Spread the Word
         
 
Current school parents are our best marketers of St. Louise, and we would appreciate you spreading the word to your neighbors, co-workers, and extended-family-members living in the greater-Eastside who have upcoming 4-14 year-olds, that St. Louise has started their Admissions season!
  
Interested prospective school parents for the 2018-19 school year should contact the school office at 425-746-4220 or email our secretaries Mindy and Lola directly to ask to set up a Tuesday-Tour date.  On Tuesday mornings this month and next, we give tours of the school by our 8th grade student ambassadors, and well as opportunities for prospective school parents to sit in on a class in session and watch our fabulous teachers in action.
  
Thanks for spreading the word NOW - whether it be through your Instagram and Facebook posts, or through good old-fashioned, face-to-face announcements - so prospective school parents may set up their visits to check us out!
  
BONUS!
You can get a tuition reduction - valued around $600! - for referring a new family to St. Louise School! If a new family enrolls in our school next fall and listed your name in their admissions paperwork as having referred them to St. Louise, you get one month's free tuition next school year (at the 1-child rate). This  Referral Award Program is in place to show our gratitude for your help in recruiting new families to our school.

Another simple way current parents promote our school is by applying a St. Louise School decal to the back window of their cars.
  
To show our appreciation for your decal-support, we will be handing out "Free Dress" coupons at morning and afternoon carpool TODAY to all the students in any car displaying the St. Louise decal/cling. These coupons may be cashed in by your kids this coming Monday, January 22 - a day of free dress reserved only for them!

If you have a decal in your car window, but will not be driving to school today, please email to Laura a photo of the decal on your car by no later than TODAY, and let Laura know how many students ride in your carpool. She will then send home in the school mail your January 22nd free dress coupons.

Thanks for helping to market St. Louise School!

Speech Team Keeps on Impressing
          
          
          Congratulations to the St. Louise Speech Team who won 3rd place at the Seattle Prep High School Speech Tournament last Saturday. They competed against 18 other schools in eight different events. We are so proud of all our 6th, 7th and 8th graders who participated (pictured above). Congratulations to these students who finalized or placed in their events:
  • Daniela Castillo - 2nd place in Senior Impromptu
  • Ellie Charles - finalist in Junior Expository
  • Katie Goett - finalist in Senior Expository
  • Elsa Kammereck - 3rd place in Senior Impromptu
  • Frances Kowal - finalist in Senior Impromptu and 2nd place in Senior Dramatic
  • Raizel Lagunero - 2nd place in Junior Dramatic
  • Erin Tylutki - finalist in Senior Humorous and 2nd place in Senior Expository
  • Fiona Wallis - finalist in Junior Dramatic
        We give a big congratulations to Alice Vimal, who finalized in all 3 of her events (Senior Humorous, Expository, and Oratory) and won the tournament's Best Overall Female Speaker award. This earned Alice a $2,500 scholarship to Seattle Prep!
         T hank you to our parent judges:  Molly Akers, Alessandro Catorcini, Gail Cunneely, John D'Costa, Tami Kowal, and Andreas Kammereck. Our final tournament of the season is at Archbishop Murphy High School on Saturday, February 10th.
Is There Something You Should Tell Us?
          
          We know there are current school families who have children who aren't attending St. Louise School this year, but are going to apply for admissions for the 2018-19 year.  Please contact Mindy and Lola  in the school office if you have:
  1. An upcoming 4-year-old interested in our Pre-K for next year;
  2. An upcoming Kindergartener who will be 5 before September and currently is in preschool elsewhere;
  3. A child in the other grade levels who would like to transfer to St. Louise for 2018-19.

For current school parents with children who will be new to St. Louise School next year, we need this information now. You will receive paperwork to enroll them starting February 1. We will be excited to have new siblings joining us in September!

Earn 6 Volunteer Hours in 1 Day
           Are you l ooking for volunteer hours? Our school nurse, Jane Reynolds, needs 14 volunteers to help with Vision and Hearing Screenings of students on Tuesday, March 13. You'd be working from 9-3.  This is a great opportunity for volunteer hours and no experience is needed.  Please contact Mrs. Reynolds.
Our Hearts Are Warmed
                  
         Eighth graders Frances and Erin (pictured at left), along with classmate Sophie, would like to thank students, teachers, and parents for supporting their Hot Cocoa and Candy Cane sale on the last day before Christmas vacation. The team earned a whopping $224 as part of their 8th grade service project benefitting Seattle Children's Hospital. Now that's HOT!  Thanks again to the students and parents for your kindness and support. And thanks to the three girls for their leadership.

Charger Cards for Catholic Teachers' Appreciation Day

Wednesday, January 31, is "Teacher & Staff Appreciation Day," as part of national Catholic School's Week. Remember, as a Catholic school, we take this last week in January to celebrate our school and honor the teachers. (The May date for "Teacher Appreciation" is for public schools.) Take advantage of Charger Cards if you'd like to treat your child's teachers and/or any staff members to a thank you gift on the 31st. You'll find their school faculty's Wish List of their favorite Charger Cards HERE.

The Charger Cards sale office in the central wing of the original school is open on school-Fridays from 8:15-8:45AM. For questions or more information on Charger Cards, please email chargercards@stlouiseschool.org or visit www.stlouiseschool.org/chargercards.
Hey, Dads! Registration Is Now Open!
          
          Come join us for the annual Father/Daughter Dance on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall!  This year's theme is a Wiki Wiki Luau!  Grab your Hawaiian prints and flip flops, and join us for a night of great food, dancing and fun!!  We look forward to celebrating this fun night with you. Oh, and get ready to get your hula on too!
          Be sure to register online or refer to the flyer that came home in last Thursday's red Family Envelope.  All registration forms are due Wednesday, January 31.  The price is $65 per family, and will go up to $75 for any late registrations.
          When registering online, be sure to select "Father/Daughter Dance" and include the name of the Dad and daughter(s) in the "Special Intentions" box. 

Thank You for Submitting Your ASGC Donations Now
          
The fund raiser in the spotlight at this time of year is our Annual School Gift Campaign, or "ASGC" as it is commonly referred to. Last week, you should have received in the US Mail the ASGC appeal information. It was inside the Annual Report that we mailed to all school families, past donors, and St. Louise parishioners. (Please contact Cindy Wagner if you did not receive this mailing.)

Since, as a school family, you have already committed in your Parent Contract to donate to this fundraiser, what we'd  ask you to do now is to thoughtfully consider how much you can give to the ASGC, and submit at least your initial pledge at this time.
 
We are looking forward to many school families moving up a level in your giving amount to what you gave last year. Most school families in 2017 gave at the "Patron" level (starting at $250), but we're hoping more of you can move to the "Investor" level for 2018 (starting at $750).
 
If it helps to spread out your gift to the ASGC instead of making one large payment at this time, we offer the option of having a portion donated each month. For example, instead of paying $750 in one lump sum now, you could pay $75 over the next 10 months. And to make d onating at a higher giving level even that much better for your family budget, you also have the option of charging your ASGC donation on your credit card. So not only will you receive the benefit of giving a tax-deductible donation, but you have the added benefit of earning mileage on your credit card. Please go to our online-giving page to donate now via your credit card (or bank account automatic-withdrawal).
 
Remember, your donation to the ASGC isn't just a "bonus" gift. It's a basic requirement that is crucial to the continued excellence of St. Louise School. And unlike other charitable donations you may make where you never quite know how the money is used, you know your child will get the direct benefit of your ASGC donation. He/She gets to be educated by the outstanding St. Louise teachers whose salaries will be increased in the fall of 2018, thanks not only to your tuition payments but also because of your ASGC donations.
 
Please respond as soon as possible to your ASGC appeal packet that was inserted in your postal-mailed Annual Report. Thanks in advance for your investment in your children's education, and for your financial support of St. Louise School!


Some 4th graders ready to roll into class.

 

Sign-Up 4th-8th Graders for CYO Volleyball by Tomorrow's Deadline

          CYO Volleyball Registration is open for just a few more hours to all St. Louise students in grades 4 through 8.  To sign up please go to: https://reg.sportspilot.com/106300/leagues.  The registration fee is $95. Registration will close tomorrow, Friday the 19th. (Late registrations may be accepted depending the size of existing rosters.) For more information, please contact St. Louise volleyball coordinator, Joni Hoffman.
 
 
See what's happening on our St. Louise Facebook page