ST. LOUISE SCHOOL PARENT BULLETIN

February 8, 2018
Dan's Blog
         We were excited around school this week, as we welcomed two new people to our staff! Julianne Read is our new Auction Director (replacing Sue Richards), and Jacintha Vimal is our new Kids' Club afterschool assistant supervisor (replacing Peggy Kirk).
          You will recall two years ago that Julianne was an Auction co-chair, back before we had changed to the Director position instead of parent volunteer co-chairs. She teamed with fellow parent Esther Magnotti to produce "Up & Away," our November, 2016 Auction. Julianne (parent of 5th grader Ethan, and 8th grader Ellie) returns to us now in this half-time, staff position ...BUT... she'll still need the help of many parent volunteers to make the 2018 Auction as successful as our 2016 and 2017 editions! Be looking for Julianne to start communicating to you via this Parent Bulletin and her own emails or face-to-face talks in the coming weeks. Welcome, Julianne!
          Vacintha, who is the parent of 4th grader Emmanuel, and 8th grader Alice), has substituted as a supervisor in Kids' Club before, and now we're thrilled she will be here every afternoon, Monday through Friday. She'll be assisting Maria Zambrano and Marilu De La Torre.

 

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          The Lenten season arrives early this year, and we'll be observing Ash Wednesday this coming Wednesday, February 14, with our annual Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 1:45 and our annual Soup Lunch. (Note that we are pushing Valentine's Day parties to a day earlier - Tuesday the 13th.)
          Soup Lunch on Ash Wednesday will help your children develop self-discipline and make them feel the hunger for just a few hours that the less fortunate feel every day. In addition, donating money to Catholic Relief Services develops in your children the love that Jesus asks of His followers. Soup Lunch day is a great Catholic school tradition that we hope you'll enthusiastically support and praise your child for participating in it when he/she comes home with a growling stomach next Wednesday.
          We will be serving a cup of broccoli-cheddar soup, a dinner roll, and a half-pint of milk on the 14th. The broccoli-cheddar soup is meatless, so it satisfies the requirement that those Catholics 14 years-old and older must abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday. Even if your grade K-8 child doesn't care for soup, we still expect him/her to participate. (PreK will not be participating in the Soup Lunch, but all the school staff will.) Only a food allergy or medical condition should keep any K-8 student from our Soup Lunch day. In this case, please send a note to the teacher and pack for your child a small, very simple lunch that contains no treats.
            Although we won't want your child to bring a lunch on Wednesday, we will ask to have him/her bring a cash donation that day that we will turn over to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), whose "Operation Rice Bowl" program helps feed the hungry in our state and in at least 40 countries throughout the world. The usual cash donation is around $5 - about the cost of purchasing a hot lunch online or packing a typical, filling sack lunch.
          After lunch, the K-8 students will attend the 1:45 parish-wide Ash Wednesday Liturgy in church. Since this is a crowded service, parents who are attending should arrive outside their children's classroom by 1:25.
          Starting with these special activities on Ash Wednesday, and continuing for the next 40 weekdays, your children will learn a lot in their religion classes about Lent and its three main practices: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving. All of this is to help prepare them for the Passion of Christ, and the celebration of the Resurrection at Easter.
          While your children's teachers are spending many religion classes teaching your children about the Lenten season, the least you could do is spend 1 minute viewing this quick summary of Lent. Or if you have just a smidgeon more time, spend 3 minutes watching this video that describes the history, significance, and practices of Lent and Ash Wednesday. And if you're an "A" student, check out this longer 5 minute Lenten video.      
          Whichever video you chose to watch, the important thing is to be versed in the subject of the coming "40 Days," so that your
child doesn't come home from religion class and show you up by being smarter than you on the subject.   :-) 
         
Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz

p.s.
Did you remember to complete the re-application paperwork and online steps for admissions for the 2018-19 school year? You only have until next Thursday, Feb. 15, to complete the process and pay the $95 fee - otherwise the fee increases to the regular rate of $220. Don't procrastinate! See the article below for a checklist to use to verify you've done everything properly for re-applying for admissions. Thanks!
Upcoming Calendar of Events  

Today
  • Winter Concert featuring our grade 1 & 2 performers and our school band, 6:30PM in the parish hall (performers are to arrive by 6:10).
  •  Bake Sale at lunchtime to raise funds for junior high activities.

Friday, February 9
  • CROWD Social for grades 6-8, 7:30-9:30PM in the parish hall.
Saturday, February 10
  • Speech Team competes at Archbishop Murphy HS
Tuesday, February 13
  • Valentine's Day observed at St. Louise School (due to Ash Wednesday on Feb. 14)
Wednesday, February 14 - Lent Begins
  • Soup Lunch for all; thank you for your donations (suggested $5)
  •  Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 1:45PM (parents, please arrive by 1:25 and meet your children at the classroom; expect a crowded parking lot and church).

Thursday, February 15
  • Early-Application Period ends for 2018-19 admissions; current families must re-apply by today's deadline in order to avoid the re-application fee increasing from $95 to $220.

  Re-Application Period for 2018-19 Admissions Taking Place Now; Deadline Approaching Next Thursday
 
WE ARE IN THE RE-APPLICATION PERIOD TO ENROLL IN ST. LOUISE FOR THE 2018-19 SCHOOL YEAR. In last week's red Family Envelopes, you received your re-application paperwork and instructions for how to re-apply for your current kids in St. Louise, and also how to newly apply if you have children who will be enrolling for the first time with us (such as in PreK or Kindergarten).

Current parents also received last Thursday a separate email from the school office, explaining how to complete a portion of your re-application virtually through our Skyward database system. If you did not receive this email, please immediately contact Lola and Mindy in the school office.

As the new Parent Contract reveals, St. Louise School continues to be the least expensive tuition of all the Catholic schools on the Eastside, and most likely, of all the private schools, period! By the way, we also charge the cheapest re-application fee - only $95.

But don't procrastinate in turning in all your re-application paperwork and in paying this fee, because if you do, this cheap fee increases to $220 (the same amount we charge newly applying families to apply). Remember, THE DEADLINE IS NEXT THURSDAY, FEB. 15.

Please use this checklist to make sure you have followed all the proper steps for re-applying for admissions for the 2018-19 school year:   

____ Paid the online $95 Re-Application Fee.

____ For newly-enrolling child who is not currently attending St. Louise, completed the virtual Student Application and Emergency Information Form via the "Enrollment for 2018-19" section in Skyward. (See your February 1st email from the school office.)

____Also, for newly-enrolling child who is not currently attending St. Louise, completed the   Addendum form

____ For returning child, completed the virtual Student Application and Emergency Information Form via the "Enrollment for 2018-19" section in Skyward. (See your February 1st email from the school office.)

____ Returned the completed Authorization Agreement for Direct Payments, AKA EFT form.

____ Returned the completed Parent Contract.

                  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We recently had two new families join our St. Louise School community. Pictured at left are Daniel and Isabella Becker (son and daughter are both in 1A). Pictured at right are Jay and Tina Tsao (son is in 3A). Thanks for welcoming them!

Thank You, Coaches!
          
          The following volunteers were the CYO Basketball Coaches
for the grade 4-8 St. Louise teams this winter. We appreciate the time and care they gave to the kids!

Jeff Dark, Brian Tribolet. Rodney Thomas, Jim Goett, Gretchen Gaylor, Tony Calacat, Peter Tran, Tyler Wilken, Mark Salmon, Kevin Kelly, Tim Rausch, John Gillespie, David Utz, Julie Kennedy,  Chris Hoffman, Gina Tylutki.
 
Thanks are also due Rodney Thomas, our CYO Basketball Coordinator!

Ways to Earn Volunteer Hours
          
Are you looking 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.

 
> Kindly consider taking part in the following parish administrative ministries:
  • Collection Counters - Generally on Mondays between 7:30 and 11 AM.
  • Bulletin Stuffers - Usually on Fridays at 7:30 AM for about an hour - when we have inserts for the bulletin, except 1st Fridays.
  • Sacramental Data Recorders - Normally any day and time during Parish Center office hours and only when we have records to add to the official Church book of Sacramental records. Good hand writing is necessary.
If you have time and are willing to help with any of the above, please contact JT in the parish office at jonathan@stlouise.org.  Remember, volunteering for St. Louise PARISH projects does count for your SCHOOL volunteer hours.

Fifth Graders and Older Invited to Serve
          
          Altar Serving is not just a service but a prayerful celebration of Jesus Christ!  Parish youth in grades 5 or older are welcome to join the Altar Server ministry team. Training is scheduled for Thursday, February 22, from 3:00-4:15 in the Church. Parents are not required to stay for the training but are asked to return by 4:15 for crucial scheduling information.
         If your child is  interested in becoming an Altar Server, but cannot attend this training, contact Mary Anne Baradi or Mary Herridge.
We Love our Volunteers

The teachers and school staff want to thank these volunteers who helped Hospitality co-chairs Liz DeBord and Shawna Shaules prepare and serve the special Staff Lunch during Catholic Schools' Week last Wednesday: Ahn Phan, Doreen Greene, Victoria Bermel, Kathleen Kirby, Elisa Engel, Mary Ann Macatangay, Anna Jung, Gail Cunneely, Joe Pacheco, Taryn Reed, Victor Phan, Kelly D'Ambrosio, Jennifer Magnusen, Renee Craddock, Annabelle Gegus, Susie Sollars, Fabiola Ward, Joanne Tang, Sharon Victor, Darcie Currie, Nicholle Mineiro, Kathy Hueffed, Wendy Blank, Jennifer Kosiara, Thuy Yuen, Diane Smith, Silvia Macias, Claudia Tejeda, Gabby Gonzalez.

While the teachers enjoyed their rare 1-hour lunch last Wednesday, the following parents supervised their students in the classroom and at recess. Thanks to these volunteer supervisors: Jing Leng, Megan Kirk, Kristine Bautista, Joe Pacheco, Martha Hoyos, Genevieve Bekkerus, Edna Hewett, Isabella Becker, Kelly D'Ambrosio, Annette Russell, Sherri Brouwer, Gabriella Schmidt, Kelly Miller, Arlene Isaksen, Rebecca Ort, Diane Sloss, Trinette Kuester, Colleen Nowak, Ann Marie Sweeney, Alice Shaw, Jen Sharp, Marinell Zevenbergen, Darlene Kraft.

          
Dads do their best "air guitar" impressions at last week's annual Father/Daughter Dance.
 
The Dance would not have been possible without the vision and leadership of Teresa Brosche and Rebecca Ort. Assisting with the Dance setup were Andrea Russell, Elaine Nartates, Tarun Ratnam, and Marsha Rampersad. Thanks to these volunteers, and thanks to all the families who attended!
 

 

 

 


 
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