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ST. LOUISE SCHOOL PARENT BULLETIN
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I wanted to give an update as to where we our with campus security, as part of the parish and school administration teaming with the school's Emergency Preparedness Committee to evaluate any improvements that could be made quickly or in the long term.
First of all, the parish staff has been transitioning to a lanyard/nametag system so their employees are more identifiable. You may have noticed even Father Gary now walking around with a bright green lanyard around his neck. Our school staff will be doing the same soon. Not only will this help those of you who don't know teachers/staff by sight (because they don't work in your child's grade levels) as you see them walk around the grounds or into buildings, but it should have the added benefit of proving hospitable to visitors who will know whom to immediately approach if they walk on campus and seek direction.
Secondly, we will beef up our recess supervision by soon purchasing more "walkie-talkies" (two-way radios) so all supervisors are carrying them when out on recess duty. Currently, only the paid supervisors (instructional assistants and teachers) have walkie-talkies when on recess supervision duty, whereas any parents providing extra supervision at our lunch-recesses carry no radios. These radios are used 99% of the time to report assistance needed from the office, such as a call into the school nurse, with only 1% of the time the radio call concerning a "stranger siting." And in all those 1% cases, those stranger sitings end up being a neighbor who wanted to cut through the property for a shortcut, a person looking for the parish office, or to be honest, a school dad who doesn't show his face much on campus or volunteering so no one knew who he was. In my 29 years at St. Louise, we have not had a stranger-danger-type of incident that put any child in danger. But we want to be vigilant and prepared in case the next time is the first time the stranger siting ends up being serious.
Speaking of being vigilant, another improvement we decided as a group of administrators and Emergency Preparedness Committee members that could be done immediately was to change the task as currently spelled out for the job of recess supervisor. Over the years, we have always stated that the supervisor on recess duty is to at all times keep his/her eyes on the students playing on the basketball courts, soccer field, blacktop areas, and BigToy play structures. Basically, the supervisor was to keep his/her back to the south and east ends of the playground and be facing the north and west ends where the kids are playing. Henceforth, we will be adding that recess supervisors must also be surveying the perimeter of the playground - especially the south end of the blacktop area, which is only cordoned off by safety cones and poles, and the east side near the original school buildings. Now we will expect recess supervisors to regularly glance to this south end and east side to make sure those areas are clear of any strangers or suspicious activity.
Additionally, and this is where YOU COME IN, SCHOOL PARENTS, you need to help the recess supervisors by not ending up being one of those "suspicious activity" people. We sometimes have well-meaning parents walk up to the playground during recess to talk to their kids, or some parents choose to even walk through the safety cones to play with their kids. Now, you might be "Parent-of-the-Year," but not every teacher or volunteer on recess duty is guaranteed to know you by sight, and to them, you might look like the creepy stranger who is trying to come on campus. :-(
So, please, parents, follow our procedures, and FIRST HEAD TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE, SIGN-IN, AND PUT ON A YELLOW VISITOR'S NAMETAG. Only then should you then walk the hallways or stop out to the playground - but approach a recess supervisor first please, to let her know why you're outside on the playground. Thanks for not assuming you can be the exception. We have a couple hundred families here, and you can imagine the pandemonium if each of you decided to do things your own way. We need everyone to follow the rules and procedures we've set up. Thank you!
The school and parish administration will need to make future decisions on the feasibility of more security improvements that involve continued debate to whether they make sense and are worth the cost. One would be a summer construction project of creating a single, secured entry door to the school office. This would allow the current front doors to be locked at all times, except for the students' mass entry at the start of the day and coming in from recesses. Otherwise, those current four front doors would constantly be locked - just as the east and west ends of the main building are constantly locked. Only this newly constructed, single, secured entry door - leading directly to the school office - would be where parents and visitors would be able to enter, and they'd be entering under office-staff observance.
Other security improvements would be even further into the future, such as if the parish would ever employ uniformed security at weekend Masses or if the school would ever employ plainclothes security during the school day. These are things we're in the early stages of contemplating. There is no perfect answer, as actions come with much cost, various pros and cons, and no proven way to stop evil people.
Finally, we plan to have a SWAT unit come here in August to train our school and parish staff in how to respond should there ever be a violent intruder incident on our campus during the school day, during the late afternoon/evening, or on a weekend.
One thing is for certain... the people who thumb their noses at the responses of Christians - who during the aftermath of a violent intruder incident at a school, respond by saying things such as, "We are praying for the victims" or "We are praying that our schools remain safe" - are wrong to be dismissive. Prayer is an important component to keep up in our ongoing efforts at improved safety and security. Here's one prayer I'd ask you to say with me:
Almighty and Loving Father,
You are our rock and fortress, our hope and shield.
We ask for your strong arms of protection to be around our children,
That they may be held safely within your love.
Protect our school families from the dangers of the day
And the evils of the night.
Fill our children's days with hope, their nights with joy,
And fill their hearts and minds with your truth and light.
As the Psalms proclaim,
'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.'
Be present to us and our children always, Lord!
We trust in you.
Amen.
If you would like to join the Emergency Preparedness Committee in helping with any or all of the above plans for improved campus security, please contact Joe Dickinson or Katie McCaslin.
Thanks for reading,
p.s.
This Saturday, March 24, is the first of two Spring Spruce-Ups. These are 4-hour-long mornings when we tackle some yardwork projects on the school and parish grounds. If you're up for raking, weeding, and planting, please consider joining the Spruce-Up this Saturday. (And we'll have a second Spruce-Up on April 28.) Bring your yard tools, such as wheelbarrows, rakes, weed-digging-tools, gloves, etc., and meet me outside the north wing of the original school at 8:00 AM. I'll be there pouring coffee, and later I'll come around with cold bottles of water. If you stay all the way until we finish at 12:00, I'll even serve you lunch! So not only is this a volunteer project where the principal feeds you, but if both parents come to work, you'll earn 8 volunteer hours before half of your neighborhood is even up and awake. Please RSVP to our volunteer head landscaper, Jeffrey Hummer, so he knows how many workers he'll have this Saturday morning.
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Upcoming Calendar of Events
Tomorrow
- Uniform Sale: Used Uniforms & Charger Gear (hoodies, fleece, gym shorts, etc.) on sale in the St. Louise Room (central wing of the original school) from 2:00-4:00PM
- The Charger Gear sales window will be open twice today - at the usual 8:15-8:45AM timeframe and again from 2:00-4:00PM in concurrence with the Used Uniform & Charger Gear Sale
- Grade 8 only has free dress today since they weren't able to have it on the 16th
Saturday, March 24
- Spring Spruce-Up of the grounds from 8AM-12PM; contact Jeffrey Hummer if you are able to attend; bring your yard tools; we'll feed you lunch when we're done at noon; gather outside the north wing of the original school at 8:00
Tuesday, March 27
- Tech Committee Dinner Meeting at 6PM in the faculty room; all parents with technology experience welcome to attend and help brainstorm future tech advancements for the school and troubleshoot current tech issues; RSVP to Dan Kirby
Thursday, March 29
- All-School Holy Thursday Liturgy at 9AM; parents should meet students outside classrooms at 8:45
Friday, March 30
- Good Friday Stations of the Cross; see article below for times of each homeroom beginning their walk of the stations, and parents/grandparents are welcome to join
- NOON DISMISSAL FOR ALL
- Afterschool Kids' Club is closed; school office closes at 12:30
Sunday, April 1 - Alleluia! He Is Risen!
Monday, April 2, through Friday, April 6
- SCHOOL CLOSED FOR EASTER VACATION
Friday, April 13
- All-School Mass to celebrate the Easter Season, 9AM
Sunday, April 15
- Auction's Mother/Daughter Tea Party on the deck, 1PM
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Honor Roll Students Named
The following 7th and 8th grade students earned placement on the Honor Roll for the 2nd Trimester for earning 90% or above grades in each of the five subjects of religion, language arts, math, science, and social studies. In addition, Honor Roll students earned no mark lower than a "3" in their elective classes, in all their specialists' classes, and in all subcategories on their report cards related to behavior and work/study habits.
Congratulations to:
Evie Aitken, Katrina Baradi, Daniela Castillo, Ellie Charles, Liam Curran, Emily D'Costa, Mason Flaat, Joaquin Galindo-Navarro, Kim Geiger, Dyllan Hoffman, Elsa Kammereck, Hayden Kosiara, Sarah Jo Kujath, Raizel Lagunero, Kate Leach, Lauren Lester, Angelina Maney, Summer Manne, Julius Moricz, Heide Orleth, Lexi Phan, Ellie Pierce, Alexander Rotar, Ashley Santiago, TJ Russell, Jonathan Silva, Mary Ta, Ryan Tang, Ryan Tiotuico, Erin Tylutki, Alice Vimal, Riley Westby, Jenna Wilken, Sophie Yuen.
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Auction News
Dear Parents,
The time has finally come to unveil our theme for Auction 2018....are you ready?!
This year's theme is based on a 1946 Christmas movie classic, with such memorable lines as, "No man is a failure who has friends" and "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."
Here's another hint of this classic, via a brief synopsis of the movie from IMDb.com:
George Bailey never got a chance to fulfill his life's ambitions of exploring the world and building skyscrapers. As he watches his friends and family become success stories, he continues running his father's building and loan business, rivaling the grumpy, old Mr. Potter. When a financial discrepancy puts George in a difficult position, an angel named Clarence, comes to show him what life would have been like if he had never been born. His friends and family pray for him throughout this difficult time as his purpose is revealed to him.
Now do you remember this movie where Jimmy Stewart starred as George Bailey? Click on this fun video of "It's A Wonderful Life...in 60 seconds" to refresh your memory of this classic film.
Yes, the theme of our 2018 Auction is:
It's a Wonderful Life ...at St. Louise
Thanks to Megan Swilley for this fantastic logo design!
In the coming weeks, we'll start reaching out to you to begin procuring and purchasing items to auction off at our November event, so be on the lookout for those emails and red envelope items! In the meantime for more information, please follow the auction on Instagram @stlouiseauction.
During this last week of Lent, I would encourage you to think of all the lives you touch, and how all of us together create this WONDERFUL LIFE AT ST. LOUISE! You are a blessing to your children and our community!
As always, if you are able to support the Auction as a volunteer or donor, or if you want to know more about the event, please send an email to auction@stlouiseschool.org. You can also give me a call at 425.214.5441 or 425.761.9996.
~ Julianne Read
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Join the CYO St. Louise Track & Field Team
Registration is now open HERE for all 4th through 8th graders to join the St. Louise Track & Field team. If you need a track t-shirt please mark the applicable box when registering. The t-shirts are $10 and are needed for the meets. They are the same as last year, so if you already have one from last year, you don't need to purchase another one.
Track practices will begin on Tuesday, April 24, and will be every Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00-6:30pm at Odle Middle School.
Track Meets will be:
- Preliminary: Saturday, May 5
- Relay Meet: Saturday, May 12
- 8th Grade Pentathlon: Sunday, May 13
- Qualifying: Saturday, May 19th
- Championship: Saturday, June 2
If you have questions, please contact Amy Wilken, CYO track coordinator.
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Charger Cards Has 3 Exciting Events Going On This Month
March Madness - Credit Card Fee-Free Purchasing thru Sunday
What?
Use your credit or debit card to buy any card with a rebate of 2.5% or more, and we'll waive the convenience fee.
When?
Now through Sunday, March 25
Where?
Place your order online, on paper, or at the window on Friday morning
Why?
Earn frequent flier miles AND support St. Louise School!
Special Window Hours During Used Uniform and Charger Gear Sale
The Charger Card Window will be open during the Used Uniform & Charger Gear sale tomorrow - Friday, March 23 - from 2-4 pm. This is in addition to our regular Friday morning window hour tomorrow starting at 8:15AM!
Card Donation Drive for New Bethlehem Project
- The New Bethlehem Project assists homeless families on the Eastside. These families have no place to store groceries and often must eat out, and they struggle to afford the gas and/or bus passes they need.
- Through the end of March, Charger Cards is collecting cards to donate to the New Bethlehem Project, where they will given to the families who need them.
- Place your order on paper, online, or at the Charger Card window by March 30.
- Your cards will be delivered to the New Bethlehem Project Shelter.
- See below for more information.
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Sign Up Your Kids for St. Louise's Summer Camps
St. Louise School is starting summer camps this July and August. Under the direction of our Kids' Club and extra-curricular programs director, Maria Zambrano, CHARGERS' ADVENTURE SUMMER CAMPS will run in weekly sessions each Monday through Friday from July 30 through August 24. Kids entering grades K-5 in the fall are eligible to sign-up, and camp is open to both our school students and other kids who go to church here and/or live in the neighborhood. Perhaps you can encourage one of your child's neighborhood or sports-team friends to attend?
Whether you need one week of camp to "keep your kid busy" this summer, or if you could use all four weekly sessions so your child is cared for when you're at work throughout August, you can register your child for St. Louise's Chargers' Adventure Summer Camps HERE.
For more information, please see our website and/or contact Maria.
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March Madness Happening in Math
The college basketball championship season is in full swing with "March Madness" and it's a great opportunity to talk about math and probability.
A bracket is just an example of what we call a tree diagram in math world. Last week, the students in Mrs. Bannick's 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math classes collaborated on creating a bulletin board-sized bracket. Each of her math classes came together to choose their winning bracket. Above is a photo of the 6th graders. Check out more photos on Mrs. Bannick's webpage or come by her classroom for a look.
By the way, Mrs. Bannick wants you to ponder just what is the probability of getting a perfect bracket? Some say it's as low as 1 in 9.2 quintillion. As they were completing their classroom bracket last week, her math students were discussing how a 16 seed had never beaten a 1 seed. Well, now we will be talking about the historical year of 2018. There was no mathematical calculation that could have predicted the upsets that happened last weekend in the NCAA Tournament!
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Pray, Fast & Give this Lent
My Loving Lord,
It's so hard to love the world sometimes, and to love it the way Jesus did seems impossible. Help me to be inspired by his love and
guided by his example.
Most of all, I want to accept that I can't do it alone,
and that trying is an arrogance of self-centeredness.
I need you, dear God, to give me support in this journey.
Show me how to unlock my heart so that I am less selfish. Let me be less fearful of the pain and darkness that will be transformed by you into Easter joy.
Amen.
Walk the Stations of the Cross with Your Child
Good Friday, March 30
Plan ahead to make time in your schedule to meet your children at school and walk the Stations of the Cross with them on Good Friday. The prayerful walk, reflecting on Jesus's Passion, will take about 30 minutes. (Remember, March 30 is a noon dismissal day for the entire school.)
Please wait outside the homeroom 5 minutes prior to the time listed below or wait outside under the deck near the main entrance 5 minutes prior. (Under the deck is where the first station will begin.) Dress warmly as many of the stations will be outside.
8:45 - 6A; 8:50 - 6B; 8:55 - 4B & 1A; 9:05 - 2B; 9:10 - 7B; 9:15 - KA;
9:20 - 5B; 9:25 - KB; 9:55 - Recess Break; 10:40 - 4A; 10:45 - 3A;
10:50 - 3B; 10:55 - 5A & 2A; 11:05 - 7A; 11:10 - 1B; 11:15 - 8A & 8B
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Sale Is Tomorrow for Used Uniforms & Charger Gear
Our Used Uniforms and Charger Gear programs are both holding impromptu sales tomorrow - Friday, March 23. You'll find them in the original school's central wing hallway and the St. Louise Room from 2:00-4:00. This will be a great time to find a gently-used pair of pants/shorts or a skirt, now that your child has grown since the fall, and you still have four more months of school to get through. And if you buy a Charger Gear hoodie or fleece tomorrow, you'll receive a free water bottle. Have fun shopping!
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Our 1st graders led us in celebrating the Feast of St. Joseph with an all-school Mass on Monday. At left, Miss Helfen helps Blake and Mika prepare for their lines prior to the Mass. Above, Father Gary and Rowan partner up to lead the congregation in the Penitential Rite. |
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See what's happening on our St. Louise Facebook page
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