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PARENT BULLETIN
September 22, 2016
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DAN'S BLOG
Parenting kids today is much more difficult than when you were 10 or 15 years old and your moms and dads had to parent you. Back then, children weren't living in a society that was so blatantly sexual and violent due to what was allowed to be presented via technology. Particularly, the more recent advent of cell phones, texting, and social networking sites has added more concerns than ever for your generation of parents. You may be trying your hardest to raise your kids with Christian values, but weak morals and laid-back parenting in some of your neighbors' families is too often counter-acting your efforts. Add to that the daily exposure of 24/7 social media, pornography, and cyber-cruelty toward your upper-elementary and middle school children, and you must be feeling overwhelmed.
Well...that's where last Wednesday night's parenting class was supposed to come in and offer some assistance. And it certainly did to the 75 St. Louise parents in attendance! "Parenting the Digital Generation" was a two-hour class put on by Tom Curran, a local theologian - but more importantly - a parent with 9 (nine!) kids in Catholic schools! The St. Louise parents who attended this terrific class learned a lot about technology dangers, parenting-mistakes, and winning-ideas to keep their kids safer in today's cyber-cruel world. Tom did a wonderful job giving a holistic approach to dealing with the land mines that are out there when it comes to your kids being exposed to 21st Century technology.
One of Tom's opening stories was an analogy of how any good parent would not hand car keys to a 15 year old and say, "Here you go!" First, the parent would sign up the child for a driver's education class. Then the parent would sit in the car while the child practiced driving, never letting the child go solo until dozens of hours of supervised practice. The child would have to prove to the parent that he/she knew how to operate the brakes properly, knew the law for speed limits and stopping at lights, and could figure out directions of getting from point A to point B, before the parent would finally - and reluctantly - hand the car keys to the child and say, "Here you go!"
And yet, with something as dangerous as allowing your child on the "information superhighway" - which is full of x-rated images, evil people, and cruel people up to no-good - parents often hand their 15 year old (or 12 year old...or 10 year old...) a cell phone with no training, no supervision, and no testing, but simply with a, "Here you go!"
One of Tom's emphases was how parents can start with the fundamentals by protecting their kids at home via the use of software and family rules. Setting up your home router to limit late night access of your child's devices to get online is something every parent should do. There are programs such as Circle and Net Nanny that you can purchase to help you. It's also recommended you create a parent/child contract regarding the use of devices, where you work together to design a document containing the respectful and responsible behavior your kid must follow when using technology, or else the consequence you came up with is implemented (e.g. lose the privilege of using the phone for a week/a month).
Later in his presentation, Tom got to the depressing reality that as good a job that you do with your child surrounding safe and moral use of technology, it's very likely your child will go to a friend's house where those parents aren't as knowledgeable or engaged. Is that ever true! It seems every year I get wind of troubles that occurred at sleepovers where students were texting mean things about classmates, getting onto bad sites, and basically up to no-good with technology being the portal. That often spilled over into school on Monday, and the teachers and I found ourselves snared in some classmate quarrels that were traced back to the cyber-hijinks.
So Tom's advice about this?....Grow a backbone. Don't be afraid to be "that parent" who has strict rules and takes a stand. You can still be nice to the friends who visit your house, but collect all their cell phones when they go to bed. Or you can allow your child to sleepover elsewhere, but don't be embarrassed to ask those host-parents, "Will you be checking on the kids so they don't get online? Will you be collecting cell phones at bedtime?" Other advice from Tom is to maintain consistent and clear rules in your home and role-play with your kids what choices they can make if they find themselves at another home or at a sleepover and friends are making poor choices.
By now, it you weren't one of the 75 parents who attended last week's parent education class, you might be kicking yourself. But wait! Here is a video that presents much of the same information: http://currancrew.tv/live/. And if you attended last Wednesday, but are thirsting for more information, Tom has a more complete online course on "Parenting the Digital Generation" that you can purchase here: http://yourpaladin.com/curran-crew.
Also, please do me a favor and check out Tom's ministry at http://www.mycatholicfaith.org/, where you can also download his podcast. Regularly, his wife Kari will join him on the podcast and they often talk about parenting issues from a Catholic family perspective. You will learn a lot and be inspired! You are already super parents...but your kids deserve to have the greatest! Keep up your terrific efforts!
Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz
p.s.
Don't forget that after 8:30 tomorrow, vehicles will not be allowed to stay parked in the St. Louise parking lot due to the Walk-A-Thon. You'll find in the red Family Envelope coming home today a map of the surrounding neighborhood which suggests nearby streets for school parents to park along if you'll be coming onto campus tomorrow to volunteer and/or cheer on the Walk-A-Thon kids. If your children can walk a couple of MILES tomorrow for the W-A-T, you can certainly walk a couple of BLOCKS! Thanks for your cooperation! And thanks for all your Walk-A-Thon donations! Tomorrow is going to be a very fun day!
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School Calendar
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TODAY & TOMORROW...
Thursday, September 22
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SPIRIT WEEK CONTINUES: We celebrate the "Mass of the Holy Spirit" in church at 9AM; all grade K-8 classes will attend, and parents who would like to sit with their children should arrive outside the classroom by 8:45.
Friday, September 23 -
WALK-A-THON DAY!
- Free Dress for all - wear walking shoes and dress for the weather - we will be outside even if it's raining; wear grade level colors.
- Grades PK-2 walk from 10:20-11:50: parents are welcome to walk with (if they have pre-registered online) or stand on the sidelines to cheer.
- Grades 3-8 walk from 12:20-2:30; parents are welcome to walk with (if they have pre-registered online) or stand on the sidelines to cheer.
- No parking allowed onsite from 8:30-2:55 - please park legally curbside in the blocks surrounding the school and walk onto campus.
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK...
Saturday & Sunday, September 24 & 25
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The 8th grade class is holding a Bake Sale after Saturday night's and Sunday morning's Masses - right outside the church. Proceeds benefit their June graduation activities. Stop by and buy dessert for your Saturday or Sunday dinner!
Tuesday, September 27
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Parent class - "Protecting God's Children" - in the parish hall, 6:30PM; all parents must have taken this (or a similar class) to fulfill our requirements for providing a "Safe Environment"; see article below
Saturday, October 1
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Fall Fix-Up Day #2; help beautify the parish and school grounds by bringing your work gloves and yard tools from 8AM-12PM; for more information or to RSVP, email
Jeffrey Hummer
SAVE THE DATE...
Thursday, October 6
If you are the parent of a St. Louise School alumni, or an alum yourself, or if you know an alum (21 years old or older), please note that we are holding our annual Alumni Wine Event - AKA "Vintage St. Louise" - coming up soon on Thursday, October 6. From 6:30 - 7:30 pm in the school lobby, wines and light appetizers will be served by our School Commission and Marketing Committee volunteers, as St. Louise alumni from the '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, and 2000s return to reconnect and celebrate St. Louise memories. Every member of the class with the most people in attendance will take home a special gift - one of our stemless wine glasses etched with the St. Louise logo. Please RSVP or send any questions to:
alumni@stlouiseschool.org.
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Tomorrow Is the Deadline to Fund Raise via Magazine Sales
Thanks for every school family's efforts this month at fund raising! Remember, you can combine any Magazine Sale profits (calculated at 40% of total magazine sales) with your Walk-A-Thon donations to reach your family's required fund raising goal:
- $85 for 1-child families;
- $170 for 2-children families;
- $200 for 3+ children families.
Although the Walk-A-Thon's actual event is tomorrow, the pledge-collecting & donating continues for a bit longer. Meanwhile, all magazine orders need to be submitted by tomorrow, September 23, if you are also raising funds with the Magazine Sale. If you have questions about the Magazine Sale, please contact Rebecca Nightingale. The online ordering link is www.gaschoolstore.com
, and our school code is 674661.
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Do You Need to Attend this Special Training on Tuesday Night?
A required task to be completed by each St. Louise Parish School parent (and any volunteers who are not school parents) is the Volunteer Background Check process. This process - overseen by the Seattle Archdiocese and run by the company, VIRTUS - helps confirm the safety of our students when parents are helping at school, coaching a team, supervising an after-school program, or even driving on a fieldtrip. (All of our employees undergo this same background check process.)
To begin this required process, please either read the steps on the back page or go to
http://web2.stlouiseschool.org/volunteer
and click on the "Required Background Check" link on the right-hand side of the page.
Each parent in the family must complete this process separately. Besides answering questions, both you and your spouse (if applicable) will also be asked to read Archdiocesan policies on safety, and then to each register for an initial training session of "Protecting God's Children - for Adults." You may register for your training session(s) at this time, or you may defer that and take your training session(s) later, realizing this initial training session must be completed within 90 days of your volunteer position beginning or of your family's acceptance to St. Louise School - whichever occurs first.
Please note: Conveniently, an upcoming "Protecting God's Children - for Adults" training session will be held right here in the St. Louise Parish Hall THIS TUESDAY, September 27! When you register online for your required initial class, choose the 9/27 offering at St. Louise if that date works for you. Otherwise, you'll notice a dozen other King County-located trainings available in the coming weeks.
Once you have been accepted as a school parent at St. Louise, you have in turn been brought on as a volunteer within the Archdiocese of Seattle. So we want to thank you for keeping St. Louise in
compliance with the Archdiocese's required process by following all of the steps and making sure you fulfill the "within 90 days-requirement" of taking your training session!
Please direct any questions to the Archdiocese's Safe Environment Office at (206) 274-3188 or to the St. Louise Parish office through
Pam@stlouise.org
.
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Get the App & Get $5
Our Sunday Visitor, known simply as "OSV" is the company St. Louise Parish and School use for "Online Giving" - that is, for virtual donations and to allow for payments of many programs and fees.
It is so simple to use the OSV app on your phone to make payments and donations to St. Louise!
Follow these easy steps:
1) Go to the app store to find the Online Giving/Our Sunday Visitor app. It will look similar to the pic on the left for IPhone/IPad users who shop for the free app at:
Google/Android Device users should go here to find the app:
2) "GET" the app - it's free to download onto your phone.
3) The picture below on the right shows you the starting page of the OSV app once you have it loaded on your phone. The log-in for the app (username & password) is the same as the log-in for the desktop version of Online Giving/OSV, which many of you have already been using.
Because your use of the OSV app to make payments of various school programs and fees makes life much easier for our school bookkeeper, Amy Thielman, Amy has a deal for you..... She will personally buy a $5 Starbucks Charger Card for the first four school parents who download the OSV app on their phones and show their phones to Amy! Thanks for the fun incentive, Amy!
You also may use the app to review your payment history. Under "Giving History" check if you paid your auction grade project fee, milk fee, or any other school-related fee you pay online.
For more information on using the OSV app - or to email Amy a screen shot of your phone that proves you've downloaded the app, contact
amyt@stlouiseschool.org.
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You May Start Now to Pre-Order School Photos
Student photos are scheduled for Wednesday, October 5th. Throughout the day, every grade PK-8 student will have his/her individual photo taken in a complete school uniform, along with a class photo. Regardless if your child will be purchasing an individual photo, the photos need to be taken for the School Yearbook. All grade PK-8 students are to come to school on the 5th in their complete uniforms, wearing the traditional red sweaters or red fleece (no hoodies, track jackets, or polo shirts not covered by the sweaters/fleece).
The preferred method to pre-order school photos is to go online to
www.mylifetouch.com
and use our school code:
LS116972Q0
. Print out the confirmation sheet after you complete your online order - which will contain a bar code that corresponds to your order - and have your child bring this sheet to school on Photo Day.
A second option for ordering photos is to complete and return a paper-form which you'll find in today's Family Envelope. You must submit a check if you don't pay online.
If you have any questions concerning school photos, please contact Cindy Wagner.
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Basketball Tryouts for Interlake-Area Girls
WHO: Any 3
rd - 8
th grade girls in the Interlake / Bellevue district interested in a great basketball education and team experience. Previous basketball experience not necessary.
WHAT: 2 practices per week, and weekly games on Saturday or Sunday
WHEN: Tryouts this week and next at Highland Middle School GYM. Please attend both if possible, but one works too
--Thursday, Sept 22, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
--Tuesday, Sept 27, 6:00 - 7:30 pm
WHERE: Highland Middle School Gym - Bellevue
FEES: $600 for the year (includes gym and referee fees, New Shooting Shirt, Practice Jersey, Shorts)
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Do You Want to Work at St. Louise?
We are sad to see one of our after-school Kids' Club supervisors - Kelsey Moore - leaving us later this month. Kelsey, herself an alum of St. Louise, has been providing after-school childcare here for the past four years, but she is resigning to prepare to begin a Masters program in social work. Good luck and thank you, Kelsey!
Her departure opens up an opportunity for someone new to join our staff! Our school is currently seeking an assistant-supervisor for our after-school childcare program for kindergarten through sixth grade students ("Kids' Club"), held in the Lavelle Center/gym. There is an upcoming opening for an assistant-supervisor to join our staff of four to work throughout the school year from 1:30-6:00 p.m. on Mondays and 2:30-6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays, for a total of 18.5 hours weekly. The position begins the last week of September and runs through the school year until June 8, 2017.
Minimum qualifications include experience working with children, demonstrated responsibility and follow-through in previous employment, and an ability to independently lead an activity with a group of students. This might be a great job for a school parent (whose own school-age children will be allowed to enroll in Kids' Club) or a local college student with morning classes. Hourly wage begins at $16.00, and this is a non-benefited position.
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The Parish Photo Directory Has Its Last Call
Last year at this time, many school families had their family portraits taken for the Parish Photo Directory. The Directory was delayed in getting published, which is both good and bad news. It's bad we're still waiting for these Directories - which will eventually be given free to everyone who had a photo taken - but the delay is good in that recently arrived St. Louise Parishioners have a chance to get into the Directory.
Lifetouch - the publisher of the Directory - will be at St. Louise on September 30, October 1, October 2, October 15, and October 16, to take portraits of any St. Louise families who missed the chance last year. There is no cost involved. (Please note, these upcoming photo sessions are only for people who did not get their photos taken last summer - either families who procrastinated last year, or newly arriving families who weren't here last year. If you took a family portrait last year, you need to do nothing at this time but to wait for the directory to be distributed in early 2017.)
We need you to make our parish family album complete, so
if you did not get your family's photo taken last year, please make your online appointment for one of the available dates at
www.stlouise.org/264
. Each family will receive a complimentary 8x10 portrait and a complimentary directory for participating!
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Here's How to Log In Your Volunteer Hours
Marinell Zevenbergen is the Parent's Club's "volunteer coordinator" - here to help all parents with completing and logging in volunteer hours. There are many opportunities to complete the minimum of 40 hours required for the school year. This weekly Parent Bulletin will have the most up to date volunteer needs, and your child's teacher will also let you know if he/she needs help in the classroom. Additionally, if you visit http://web2.stlouiseschool.org/volunteer periodically Marinell will add new requests for volunteers as she receives them from school staff or school/parish event leaders.
Here is a reminder about how to log in your volunteer hours. Please follow these steps:
2. Click on "Resources" menu.
3. Click on "Submit Volunteer Hours."
4. You will be asked for a password. Enter the email address you have registered at school as your primary email address, then click the button "send password to email entered above."
5. Once you receive the password, you are ready to start entering hours.
Please do not hesitate to email Marinell if you need additional information or help logging in. Marinell may also be able to suggest ways for parents to volunteer if they're having difficulty reaching the minimally required 40 hours per family. For example, if you contacted Marinell today she might suggest you email the coordinator of our Adopt-A-Garden program, Megan Kirk, and sign up through her for a project you can do any day of the week, any week of the month, based on your availability.
Thanks in advance for all the volunteer hours you'll be giving to St. Louise School and Parish this year!
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If you have a photo of your kids participating in school, parish, or community events, send them to Dan Fitzpatrick for possible publishing in an upcoming Parent Bulletin and/or to Catherine Saffel for possible inclusion in the end-of-year School Yearbook.
How can we expect any discipline out of our kindergarten students when the Pastor can't help but act silly!?
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Auction Update
We are shifting gears from item procurement/gathering and are moving to getting ready for the big night!
Please look at the flyers we have included in today's Red Envelope for information on the following
:
- Charger Spirit - our own glassybaby officially on sale today! Only 100 available!
- Premium Wine Contest - the class who's families bring in the most premium wine will receive an ice cream social! See flyer for details.
- Black & White Photos - confirm your participation in this beautiful commemorative St. Louise tradition!
- Invitation Request - if you have friends, family, or know of alumni families who may want to attend the big event, provide their contact info and we'll make sure to send them an invite!
Our Generous Sponsors and Underwriters: The List Continues to Grow!
We are grateful for the additional families and businesses who have joined our Sponsors list this week.
Our event would not be possible without the amazing support of our Sponsors! We are grateful for the following businesses and families who have underwritten much of the cost to offer this event! If you'd like to join in the ranks of these amazing companies and families, please email
auction@stlouiseschool.org
. We look forward to having you lift our event to an even higher level!
- Fairway Mortgage
- Dev9
- NaviaBenefits
- A Luis Aviles, DDS Endodontics
- Bruce Company
- Costco
- Equinox Business Law Group
- Rainier Surgical
- Tribolet Family
- Parker Smith & Feek
- Advanced Orthodontics
- Hilling Design
- Pierce Family
- Sharp Family
- Precision Press
- Honda Auto Center of Bellevue
- Windermere Real Estate
- Storniolo Family
- Lambert Family
- O'Beirne Family
- Seattle Moms Deal Finder
- Curran Family
- Thompson Family
- Do Family
Look Inside Today's Family Envelope
Wine Contest! Black & White Photos of Your Kids! ...and more! Please check out the flyers in the red envelope today.
We are so grateful for you - your generosity will continue to support all of the many needs of our students, faculty and staff here at St. Louise - thank you!
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Get to Know the Newest "St. Louisers"
This year we are welcoming over two dozen families brand new to St. Louise School - with their children entering various grade levels from Pre-K to 7th grade! As a way to help learn their names, we'll post photos of a small handful of moms and dads in the next few Bulletins until we get around to naming them all. If you are a "veteran" St. Louiser and your children are in the same grade, please make an effort to introduce yourself at the next CYO soccer game, school Mass, or St. Louise event.
This week we highlight these new school families...
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| Matt & Michelle Bomberger (Kyra in 5A & Daniel in 7B) |
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| Jeremy & Katherine McCaslin (Asher in KA) |
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| Steve & Bernadeth Wilhelm (Briella in PreK) |
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| Jennifer Engle (Ethan in KA) |
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Start your school year well and set up a Charger Card plan during September. You can meet and exceed your Charger Card requirement with a simple plan! Remember the goal is not to meet the minimum but to exceed so you earn tuition credit and St. Louise receives additional funds! Below is an example of one type of plan:
Learn to Place Orders Online
Purchase a plastic card one time from the Charger Card program and reload the same card. No more wondering if you've used up the card! Purchase "reload" value online to fit your budget. This is a great option to treat the plastic card like a store credit card. It's easy to reload the cards online for everyone in your family that has them in their wallets!
Have you Considered a Standing Order?
Sign up and your standing order can begin in October. Place an order for basic stores you use monthly, like grocery and gas. Send postdated checks with your order, and your cards will be delivered during the first week of each month. This is the best way to set a budget, determine your needs, and meet your Charger Card requirement! Find the Standing Order Form on our webpage:
www.stlouiseschool.org/chargercards
Bonus for September only: Place a Standing Order before September 30 and include at least one "Groceries or Gas" category store and receive a $5 Starbucks gift card with your first order.
Ask Charger Cards for Help
With the school year beginning, Charger Cards would like to help you with plans to reach your minimum rebate and/or earn rebates to reduce next year's tuition! Email us at
chargercards@stlouiseschool.org or stop by during office hours to make an appointment to help you understand the program and the many options to purchase. We will be happy to help you make a "plan" for your family based on your current shopping habits and budgeting!
Office Hours
Charger Card office hours are from 8:15-8:45 on every Friday school morning.
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