From Our Principal

Greetings St. Catherine Families!

 

I hope that everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer, filled with lots of fun and family adventures. It is hard to believe that it's already time to start thinking about the beginning of another school year. The school office has re-opened and the teachers are starting to prepare their classrooms for the arrival of your children on September 1^st. Before we all know it, we will be talking about Christmas break...but first things first.

 

We'd like to extend a warm welcome to the 26 new families joining our St. Catherine school community this year.  By now, you should have been contacted by your Room Ambassadors, officially welcoming you and offering to answer any questions. Feel free to contact your Room Ambassador throughout the year for assistance or myself and the school office. We are here to help make your transition smooth and enjoyable!

 

So much has occurred in the school since we last saw all of you in June. Here's a recap of the amazing projects we've been working on:

• Installation of the updated wireless system was completed in June.  This upgrade will provide more capacity and greater speed to accomplish our technology goals in and out of the classroom. 
• With the funds received through a Fulcrum Foundation grant, a new surveillance system was installed in July that gives us the ability to monitor activity on the school campus. A huge THANK YOU TO JOSH SNOW for all his expertise and help with this project!!
• Completing the FAE projects from the 2014-15 auction proceeds, we installed new, secure classroom and office doors in the main building. This project could not have been accomplished without the help of JOHN FLAA and a team of helpers: LOREN PETERSON, PETER VAN BORKULO, ALEX WELLS, MIKE BUSCHMANN, JAY MCGREW & REED SILLERS (right up to the day they moved to Alaska!). Thank you all for your help!
• Some upgrades are currently underway in the staff lounge which will provide more seating and storage for our faculty & staff.  Thank you to SIOBHAN & DAVE PIECHOWSKI for taking on this much appreciated project!! 
• The most exciting project this summer has been the construction of the new Learning Commons in the school basement.  This huge undertaking is due to the creativity, vision, and hard work of one very special designer and school parent...

JOSIE BRIGGS (1^st gr).  We cannot thank Josie enough for all the time and effort she has devoted to this project. In addition to Josie, a team of parents have helped to execute the many related tasks. Thank you to KIM KELLY, TONI MCCHESNEY, PHIL PIGMAN, SCOTT RICHARDSON, & LARRY SPRYDIS for all their help!!  The room has been freshly painted, the floors refinished, all new furniture & accessories ordered, and a barrage of other tasks accomplished. While many things will be installed at the end of August, the lead time on some of the items ordered will be longer and likely won't be here before school starts. However, the finished space will be absolutely spectacular! We will schedule a ribbon cutting & dedication ceremony once everything has been completed. Stay tuned! 

 

This year we welcome several staff members to St. Catherine:

• Robin Donoso is our new 5^th grade homeroom and math support teacher.  Robin previously taught middle school math, science, and social studies in Arizona. She is currently working to finish her Masters' degree and is excited to be back in the Seattle area with her family. 
• Colleen Douglas is one of our new Instructional Assistants who will be working in the 2^nd & 3^rd grade classrooms, and also will help out in the library. After years working as an Administrative Assistant and volunteering at her children's school (St. John), Colleen looks forward to making a positive impact working with each child to develop their potential. Colleen has a BA in International Studies from Seattle University. Colleen loves hiking with her husband and children, running, gardening, and enjoying time and laughter with family and friends.
• Leah Eaton is our new Kindergarten Instructional Assistant. Leah comes to St. Catherine's after a two year stint at Glendale Lutheran in Burien where she was a Kindergarten teacher. She majored in Elementary Education and has worked with children for 7 years. Leah enjoys hiking, camping, running, reading, and baking in her free time! 
• Maria Parsons will be joining Ms. Shawna in the cubs' preschool class as an Instructional Assistant. Maria graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Psychology in June 2014. Through her work as a nanny, she has a gained a great deal of experience working with young children. Maria loves to hike, read, travel, and do yoga! 
• Charlotte Van Hollebeke will be joining our office staff as the new Administrative Assistant. She has spent the past 3 years working at St. Brendan's Catholic School in Bothell as the School Secretary. She has four children; two who attend Bishop Blanchet High School and two that attend St. Alphonsus. Charlotte enjoys walking Green Lake and attending her children's sporting events.
• Breanna Kraft & Angie Titus are also joining us as Instructional Assistants for students in Kindergarten & 1^st grade with special learning needs.  Both Breanna & Angie come to us with extensive backgrounds in special education & experience working with students who have exceptional needs. 

We are fortunate to welcome these new staff members to our St. Catherine community!! 

 

Archdiocesan Surveys :  Included in this back to school mailing are two very important surveys from the Archdiocese, both collect critical information needed to qualify St. Catherine for Title funds from the federal government...this means additional money for student services, instructional materials, and professional development for our teachers.  Some of the questions pertain to family income & background.  Such data is necessary in order to qualify our school for these funds.  Please know that this information will be kept STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL & locked in a secure place (social security numbers and tax information are NOT requested on the surveys). Please send the 2 surveys back to school in a sealed envelope addressed to me (Pam Schwartz) no later than September 16^th.  Feel free to email me if you have any questions.  Many thanks for your help with this!!!

 

I am super excited to begin the new school year and work in collaboration with all of you in the months to come! I hope to see everyone at the back to school BBQ on Tuesday, August 30^th from 5:30-8:30. Enjoy the remaining sunny and warm days of summer!

 

Blessings,

Pam Schwartz

Important Surveys to Complete

• Income Survey

Change in School Dismissal Time

Please note that on regular dismissal days St. Catherine School will be dismissing at 3:10 pm this year rather than 3:00 pm.

2016-2017 Family Handbook

Attendance Procedures Reminder

If your child will be absent form school, it is very important that you notify the school office by calli ng 206.525.0581 or by emailing attendance@stcatherineschool.net, no later than 8:30 am the day of the absence.

If you know that your child will be tardy, the office must be notified for the tardy to be excused. A parent/guardian must accompany a tardy student in to the school office to sign them in for the day.

The safety of our students is our number one priority and the office will call home to verify the student's absence if a parent/guardian has not called/emailed.

Regular attendance is important to the success of our students. Normally, illness, medical appointments, and family emergencies are the only acceptable form of excused absence.

2016-2017 Extended Care Program

St. Catherine Extended Care Program is ready for the 2016-2017 school year! Our Extended Care Program provides before and after school care for regularly enrolled students, kindergarten through eighth grade. It is staffed by school personnel and operates only when school is in session.  Before school care is located in the preschool room and after school care is located in the new Learning Commons (old lunchroom).

Our Extended Care program provides professional care, supervision, recreation and enrichment activities. All children, new and returning, must have a completed registration form on file and must have paid the $50 yearly registration fee before being able to attend.

If you are unsure of whether or not you have already registered your child(ren) for 2016-2017 Extended Care, please contact Leslie in the school office at lbartlett@stcatherineschool.net.

Please note that Extended Care will be available from 12:00-6:00 pm on Thursday, Sept. 1 and Friday, Sept. 2 as those are early dismissal days for the entire school.

For Kindergarten families, we will also offer Extended Care from 12:00-6:00 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 6th and Wednesday, Sept. 7th as Kindergarten dismissal is at 12 Noon on those days. The cost for just those two days (if you will not be using it the rest of the year you will not need to pay the yearly registration fee) is $8 per hour. Please RSVP to Tammy Matusak, Extended Care Director, at tmatusak@stcatherineschool.net by August 30th if your kindergarten child will need care on either or both of those days.

Please feel free to contact our Extended Care Director, Tammy Matusak, at tmatusak@stcatherineschool.net with any questions you may have.

2016-2017 Milk Program

On the registration form (also available on the school website), you may choose white or chocolate milk. Please note that milk is not available for daily purchase, students must purchase at the start of the year and this year we will only be accepting payment for the milk program through FACTS.

2016-2017 Scrip Program

• Shop with Scrip - order your scrip on-line and your cards will be delivered to school.
• Reload - Reload your scrip cards on-line any time of day and the balance will be added by the next business day.
• Scrip Now! - Purchase your e-cards online and get your scrip certificate within minutes.
• Presto-Pay - sign up to have your online purchases taken directly from your checking account.

Volunteer Needed

St Catherine is seeking an assistant Athletic Director for the 2016-17 calendar year. Assistant AD would shadow the current AD in his last year with StC, making the transition to the 2017-18 year much more fluid.  Please contact Jim O'Donnell,  jjmeod@hotmail.com  or 206-931-3218.