PARENT BULLETIN
October 20, 2016

 

 Registration Closing Soon!

You only have a few days left to register to attend the not-to-be-missed school event of the year - our auction, Up & Away, A Red & Black Soiree!

We hope you will join us on Saturday, November 12, at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue for an incredible night of fund raising and fun raising! With John Curley as our auctioneer this year, we know it will be a fast-paced and energetic evening. Wondering how to get in on the fun! Here's what to do:
  1. Visit www.stlouiseschool.org/auction and click "REGISTER HERE" to reserve your dinner ticket(s).
  2. Choose the entrée option(s) you would like and make note of any seating preferences..
  3. At this same link, you'll be able to purchase one or more of the "Pick of the Live" raffle tickets. For just $100, and with only 100 tickets sold in total, you will have a 1-in-100 chance of winning a live item which would normally be sold for thousands of $.
  4. If you're interested, you may also click on "LOCATION: SEATTLE MARRIOTT BELLEVUE" and reserve a hotel room for the evening at a discounted rate.
If you have any questions about registering for the auction, please contact Auction@stlouiseschool.org.
 
DAN'S BLOG  
    
First of all, before I forget, I want to thank you for completing - by no later than noon today - the Parent Survey I emailed you last Thursday (and also sent a reminder email this Monday). The survey shuts down at 11:59 a.m., and you'll want to complete it so you can choose the best time for your mandatory Parent-Student-Teacher Conference.

Now, let me move on and talk about what your see in the picture to the right - one of the four new, state-of-the-art, interactive flat screen displays that we have recently installed in both our 2nd and 4th grade classrooms!
 
Each year, the "Fund-an-Item" portion of our Auction is when we address a specific need for a school program or project. On the evening of November 12, in the grand ballroom of the Seattle Marriott Bellevue, our Fund-an-Item will be targeting the technology needs of our school. We hope all of the Auction attendees (and others who can't attend the Auction but still wish to "fund-an-item") will be able to help us raise the funds necessary for interactive flat screen displays for our classrooms.

Most of our classrooms are currently using ceiling-mounted projectors and interactive whiteboards which our school first started installing nine years ago for a teacher to project information, work out math problems, etc. This equipment is already past its warranty, and with them starting to break down, we've researched the newest and most cost-efficient way to replace them. Instead of simply buying new projector parts, expensive projector bulbs, and/or new interactive whiteboards, which are now considered "old" technology, it's actually smarter for us to step up to the latest technology and replace this two-component method with a single method of a state-of-the-art interactive, flat screen display installed on the front of each classroom. 

These interactive, flat screen displays create a captivating, "tablet-like" experience in the front of the modern classroom. But unlike the typical tablet, these are large (at least 75" diagonal) displays which look like big screen TVs that you would only find in the most impressive home theaters. By using these large displays, students can see from the back of the room at various angles, and the overhead classroom lights don't have to be dimmed. The video quality is quite impressive! Powered by a revolutionary, upgradable Android processor, these displays can be easily upgraded over time to keep pace with frequent advances in computing technology.

By using the latest in display technology with the replacement of the older whiteboards and no more need for ceiling projectors, we hope to transform the traditional projection display into an intelligent hub that unleashes the power of teacher and student connectivity. Now the teacher will be able to enhance the children's learning experiences by providing instant access to educational apps, wireless connectivity, mobile device mirroring and more. Click here  to see more of how these Promethean ActivPanels can boost teaching and make learning more engaging.

The more funds we are able to raise through our Fund-an-Item during the Live-Bidding on Auction night, the more interactive, flat screen displays we will be able to purchase to replace the outdated, failing projectors and whiteboards in our classrooms. Thanks to the generosity of some earlier donors last spring, we have already added these displays in the 2nd and 4th grade classrooms! For every $4,000 we raise, we'll be able to add one new display in a different classroom. 
 
Our minimum goal for this year's Fund-an-Item is to raise enough revenue that we can replace the old projectors and boards in 10 more grade K-8 homerooms by the spring of 2017. And then during the 2017-18 school year, we would either raise more funds or budget for more spending in next year's school budget, so that part two of the plan could be accomplished a year from this spring - to complete upgrading of the display boards in the 10 remaining classrooms (the rest of the K-8 homerooms and all the specialist rooms; e.g. art room and science lab).

Thus, we accomplish this year's goal if we raise $40,000 in this Auction Fund-an-Item. But...what if we thought BIG?! We could assure BOTH this year's minimal plan for upgrades AND NEXT YEAR'S upgrades could occur in 2017...IF we raise $80,000 at this November's Auction!

So if you're attending the Auction on November 12, please raise your paddle when the auctioneer, John Curley, announces the level at which your would like to help fund this technology need of the school. If you're not able to give at the $4,000 level and outright purchase one flat panel display for St. Louise, the other giving levels to fit any family's donation-budget will be at $2,000, $1,000, $500, and $100.

As a special thank you to any family who donates the full $4,000 at one time to fund one complete display, we will engrave a plaque to be permanently affixed to the bottom of a display. You will be able to designate to whom/what you would like this small plaque to honor - such as, " Donated in Memory of Grandpa Pete" or " A Gift from the John & Diane Deere Family."

If you have any questions about how Fund-an-Item works, or if you won't be able to attend the Auction but want to help fully or partially fund a flat panel display, please contact our Auction co-chairs, Julianne & Esther . If you have any questions about the technology behind these new flat panels, please talk with our IT support person, Dan Kirby .

Finally, I'd like to extend a thank you to those who have already RSVP'ed to the Auction! It's going to be a fabulous evening! Above in the red box, I've listed the steps you need to take if you want to attend, but have been putting off registering. Don't get caught left out if we soon sell out!

Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz

p.s.
This is the final time the Bulletin will be reminding families of the appropriate costume guidelines we have for Halloween dress. (Remember, this year the K-8 students may wear costumes on Friday the 28th, as school is not in session on Monday the 31st.) Please see the Halloween article later in this Bulletin. Let's keep the "happy" in "Happy Halloween" by not having our kids wear violent-themed or other inappropriate costumes in a Catholic elementary school setting. Thank you!


School Calendar
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TODAY, TOMORROW, and THIS WEEKEND
  
Today
  • Parent Survey CLOSES THIS MORNING - please complete the parent survey Dan Fitzpatrick emailed you on 10/13 or 10/17; you will be able to choose your preferred day and time for your required November parent/teacher conference. 
  • Bake Sale at lunchtime; 7th and 8th graders selling goodies for $.50 to $1 to raise funds for junior high activities.
Tomorrow
  • Crowd Social for 6th-8th graders in parish hall; 7-9PM.
Saturday
  • Grade 7-8 students participate in the Seattle Prep Math Tournament

LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK...
  
 Friday, October 28
  • Halloween observed at school with free dress; keep the "Happy" in "Happy Halloween" by following our costume guidelines as spelled out below.
  • Kindergarten Concert at 8:35AM
Sunday, October 30
  • CYO Soccer Playoffs begin for grades 6-8... Go, Chargers!

SAVE THE DATE... 

Monday, October 31
  • NO SCHOOL - End of the 1st trimester; teachers' work-day to begin inputting report card grades and comments; Kids' Club also closed this day; the "grading portal" allowing grade 4-8 parents/students to see 1st trimester grades is closed, so to give teachers the ability to start inputting final grades and comments for the 1st trimester report cards (grade K-8 report cards are sent home on November 18)
Tuesday, November 1
  • ALL SAINTS DAY MASS at 9AM - Parents encouraged to attend this Holy Day of Obligation; please meet your children outside their classrooms by 8:45.
  • Our "Accreditation Visiting Team" begins their 3-day visit - learning about our school, interviewing teachers, parents, and students, and observing in classrooms; thanks for your prayers for a positive and productive visit, as our school works toward creating a 5-year plan and being affirmed as an accredited, effective Catholic school!
 Share Your Gifts
        Music plays an important role in the liturgy and at St. Louise Parish. Singing is one of the primary ways that the Assembly participates actively in the liturgy. We are blessed at St. Louise to have a variety of choirs, ensembles and cantors that enhance our liturgies and special Masses throughout the year. Those involved in the music ministry offer the parish their time and talents, through beautiful and uplifting music. Many find that being part of the music ministry is a good way to make new friends and find community in a large and busy parish. There are opportunities for musicians of all levels and abilities to participate! Contact Lynette Basta at the parish office for information on the various choirs and musician needs.
        Remember, when you share your gifts in most St. Louise Parish ministries, your time can count as the "minimum 40 volunteer hours" required of St. Louise School families. The main exception is the time you are actually at Mass/Liturgy. Thus, your choir rehearsal times and pre-Mass warmup times can be part of your volunteer hours, but the 60 minutes singing/praying at Mass is only part of your hours with God. :-)

Top Students Receive Applause & Awards
        Recognition of which students were the top fund-raisers and top lap-completers for our Walk-A-Thon were announced last Friday at a frenzied assembly with the K-8 students.
       Our top fund raising students announced at the assembly were Katelyn Rabon, who brought in $425 in donations, Luke Mervin with $475 in donations, and Sara Storniolo with an incredible total of $2,720! Each of these three won Charger Cards as rewards for their hard work.
         Students who were recognized as the boys and girls in their respective grade levels who walked/ran the most laps, and received Charger Cards, were: Selah Ward, Jolo Olayao, Asher McCaslin, Angel Veloz, Apolo Estrada, Leila Miller, Esteban Flores, Juliana Balderas, Michael Charles, Jane Clinton, Matthew Brennan, Charlotte Aitken, Jack Kehoe, Allison Kussy, Andrew Gooding, Sydney Newton, Colin Shaules, Angelina Maney, Kate Wilken, Julio Canimo.
        Finally, the homerooms 8B, 3B, and 6B ended up raising the most money in our homeroom competition, and they will soon be treated to pizza lunch parties by our hard working Walk-A-Thon chairpersons, Erika Mervin, Laura Dark, Jolla Sumido, and Michele Baker.
         Thanks for remembering that matching funds from employers (if applicable) can be put toward Walk-A-Thon donations. If you'll be bringing in matching funds, be sure to notify the Walk-A-Thon team and our school bookkeeper, Amy Thielman. If you have any questions about the Walk-A-Thon or donating, please contact our W-A-T team, Michele, Laura, Erika, and Jolla.
 
Still Time to Sign Up for CYO Basketball
          It is basketball sign-up time! We hope as many of you as possible will register your grade 4-8 child to be on a St. Louise basketball team. Registration is done online . We are now in the "late registration" time frame, so an additional $15 is now charged for registering past last Monday's initial deadline. If you have any questions, please contact St. Louise Basketball Coordinator, Rodney Thomas . 
          CYO basketball is open to children of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced, with all children getting playing-time in all the games. All regular season CYO basketball games are held on weekends, either Saturday or Sunday, and practices are on weekday late afternoons or evenings in our own gym. First games of the season start on the weekend of November 19, and the regular season ends on the weekend of February 4. Teams typically play up to eight regular season games. (There are no regular season games scheduled over Thanksgiving and Christmas weekends.)

 Thank You, Soccer Coaches!
          We appreciate the following parents who are giving a lot of time this fall as head coaches or assistant coaches for our CYO Soccer teams!

Sheldon Sequeira, Scott Kertson, Jeremy McCaslin, Sarah Darboe, Juan Posada, Sherri Brouwer, Cesar Flores, Elliot Kirk, Brendan Mervin, Tim Russell, Jim Goett, Chris Read, Matt Aitken, Carolyn McHugh, Brian Tribolet, Tim Rausch, Mike Fleming, Glen Doggett, Tom Lester, Dave Charles, Chris Pierce, Kevin Blair, Jeff MacNichols, Pete Carels.


Words of Wisdom from Sister Polly Policy...
 
 
My name is Sister Polly Policy, but you may call me Sister. I might have taught some of your parents or grandparents if they attended St. Louise School back in the 1960's or '70's when my order, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, were the teachers here. I have been asked to write for the St. Louise Parent Bulletin by creating this new column that is appearing weekly to focus on specific school policies, as found in the school's Policy Handbook .
 
I'll be dosing out pieces of the school's policies in bite-size chunks for you to read, as this might prove more digestible. Now, you should want to read this section each week simply for the good of your soul. However, if you need more incentive than that to read it, Mr. Fitzpatrick has given me some Charger Cards that I can occasionally give away to the parent who answers a contest question I may "hide" in here. So be sure to read my column each week!
So sit up straight, pay attention, and listen to Sister talk about one of the St. Louise School policies...

GRADING POLICY
(pages 5-6 of the Policy Handbook)

"Report Cards will be sent home with all grade K-8 students at the conclusion of the first and second trimesters, and they will be mailed to parents after the conclusion of the third trimester. These cards are the official evaluation instruments, and they become part of a student's permanent file.

Parents and the student are encouraged to discuss the grades and comments on the report cards and to work cooperatively with the teacher in an effort to help the student develop his/her potential. For students in grades 4-8, an ongoing record of progress is always available online through the "parent portal" of Skyward , a web-based school information system used by St. Louise School. 

For grade 4-8 students, the grading scale for most subjects will use percentages, with the following scale providing a guide:
100-94%           =    Outstanding Achievement;
93-86%             =    Above Average Achievement;
85-75%             =    Average Achievement;
74-64%             =    Below Average Achievement;
63% or below    =   Unsatisfactory Achievement

For some subjects and grading categories on grade 4-8 Report Cards, and for all grade K-3 Report Card subjects and grading categories, a 4-to-1 number scale is used.  Each number grade has corresponding descriptors.  A student needs to exhibit all or some of the descriptors to earn the corresponding number grade..."
 
  
If you continue reading our Grading Policy on page 6, you'll see the 4-to-1  number scale referenced above, and the "descriptors" which go with each number, be it a mark given for academics or behavior. These descriptors will help you understand the (sometimes subtle) difference between a student earning a "3" or a "2" on a certain academic or behavior section on the report card.

Talk to you next week about another school policy
....and until then...say three Our Father's, two Hail Mary's, and a Glory Be!

 

Congratulations to 4th grader Elise who made the casting-cut and will be included this winter in the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker  production as an angel.


 


 


 


 


 


 

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.
 


 
We Have a Dozen Expectations for Your Kids
 
        Student Learning Expectations - SLEs - are expectations that our students should know, understand, value, and be able to do by the time they graduate from St. Louise School. Each month, one or two different SLEs are focused on school-wide. Mr. Fitzpatrick announces to all the students the "SLE(s) of the Month" on a Monday intercom announcement at the beginning of each month.
         The students and their teachers the discuss the meaning of the SLE and come up with examples of how this expectation could be practiced, observed, and realized. They then work all month on improving their knowledge and understanding of this learning expectation, and some grade levels are even able to achieve it later that month or later in the year. Other grade levels will need more years of practice before they can confidently confirm they are able to satisfy this objective.
         At the end of the month, each class informs Mr. Fitz what their class did that demonstrated the SLE(s) was accomplished, or is being initially worked on and hopefully will be achieved in the future. A few of these classrooms' reports to Mr. Fitz are announced over the intercom to the entire school and in the Family Bulletin to parents.
        Below is our newly revised SLE poster, naming our updated dozen expectations (consolidated from our previous years' list of 21).

         
         
          Parents, thanks for your cooperation in promoting a better understanding of SLEs and helping our students reach these expectations. If during a car ride or at the dinner table, you discuss what that month's SLE of the Month means and how you achieved a similar expectation when you were in school - it helps your children understand the expectation more and why it's important to try and accomplish it. For October, the entire school will intently focus on two SLEs:
          (2.3)  "A St. Louise student is a life-long learner who exhibits enthusiasm for learning, including the ability to connect learning with life experiences."
          (4.2) "A St. Louise student is a community member who shows awareness of local, national, and international events."

 
Don't Delay - Register Today!
A few tickets remain for THE event of the year to be held Saturday, November 12, at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue. Arrive early to enjoy our new amusement games, and stay late for the After-Live Party! We are taking fun to new heights this year, so buy your tickets, book your sitter, and reserve your hotel room today!
REGISTER NOW for dinner and to participate in the Auction bidding.
 
Live Auction Teaser
One of the highlights of Auction Night is, of course, the live auction, hosted by the fabulous John Curley. During the live portion of the Auction, you will have the opportunity to bid on some incredible getaways, prizes, teacher outings, and grade art projects that are deemed "too hot for silent auction." Among the live offerings this year - Palm Desert: A Week in the Sun, Prime Seahawks tickets, Four Days in Whistler, Principal for a Day, Springfree Trampoline, Sip, Stay and SOAR in Woodinville, and so much more! In order to bid on these and other live items you MUST attend the Auction, so register today to be a part of the excitement!
 
Parties, Parties, Parties!
Today's Red Envelope contains a flyer outlining the many unique sign-up parties offered through this year's Auction, including the brand new Glassybaby Studio Experience, plus Flag Football with Mr. Fuerte, Men's Poker Party, After Mother's Day Ladies' Luncheon, and a special kids' version of the always-popular Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt. Sign-ups are done online, and you do not have to attend the Auction to participate. We expect these one-of-a-kind parties to sell out by the end of next week, so grab a friend and reserve your spot today! Sign Up for Parties Here!

Raffle Bling
We are thrilled to announce that Ben Bridge Jewelers has generously donated a pair of dazzling diamond earrings - valued at $2,999 - to be raffled off on Auction Night. Starting TOMORROW, tickets for this raffle may be purchased on Friday mornings - October 21, October 28, and November 4 - next to the Charger Card office. Additionally raffle tickets will be sold in the main school lobby during Auction Preview Week - which are the mornings of Monday, November 7, through Thursday, November 10. Only 100 tickets are available, so don't miss out on your shot at a GEM of a prize! Note: the winner will be announced during the Auction and must be present to win!

High School Student Volunteers Needed
Do you have a high school student who needs to earn multiple service hours this term? We still need 10 students to help on Auction Night, November 12. Interested high schoolers should email us at auction@stlouiseschool.org.  

What to Wear
Our theme this year is Up & Away - A Red and Black Soiree, and we are encouraging everyone to arrive dressed in red-OR-black, or red-AND-black! Cocktail and evening attire are recommended

Remind your friends to register today! We look forward to celebrating with you on November 12th!

Thanks so much for all you do!
  Julianne & Esther


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...

Sorin & Maria Rotar (Alex in 7B)

  
Theo Lau & Amy Au Yeung (Renee in PreK)


Jorge Soto & Silvia Macias (Mati in KA; Camila in 3A)

    
Jayson & Deena Lizardo (Marissa in 5A)



Charger Card "Class Lunch Contest" During October
During the month of October, place an order online and help your child's class win free lunch!
Current Class stats for his contest are:
1.        1B homeroom is leading in family participation with 38%!
2.        4B has 32%.
3.        KA has 27%.
4.        2A has 24%.
5.        8B has 23%.
It's close! One or two orders within a homeroom can make a big difference!
 
If you are not yet registered online, please use the "Online Registration Directions" form to get started! Here are the contest details:
  • Online orders must be placed during the month of October, with the contest ending at 11:59pm on October 31st.
  • One online order from a family will be credited to all the students' homerooms from that family.
  • Any size order qualifies. You can place an order as small as one $5 Charger Card!
  • Pay for your order online (via Presto Pay) OR pay by check. (Online payment is NOT required - just online ORDERING.
  • The winning homeroom class will be determined by the highest percentage of participating students' families.
  • The date of the free lunch will be determined by the winning homeroom's teacher, who will announce it to the parents. The class will vote for their favorite lunch - Chipotle, Subway or Little Caesars!


Buy Charger Cards Directly from your Cell Phone
Learn how to use Charger Cards from your smart phone and increase your support for St. Louise! Our online website has an app and mobile website. The app makes it easy to purchase, use, and track Charger Cards.
  • Watch this video which shows you how to use MyScripWallet.com.
  • Login at MyScripWallet.com with your ShopWithScrip® online account (what we call your online account)
  • Purchase ScripNow® and Reload brands
  • Pay securely with PrestoPay™
  • Redeem right from your Apple or Android device
  • Manage eCards and Reloads
  • Keep earning rebates on the go!
 

Are You Ready for Halloween?
Buy your Halloween candy and decorations with Charger Cards used at Costco, QFC, Walmart, Safeway, Fred Meyer, etc.


Office Hours
Charger Card office hours are from 8:15-8:45 on every Friday school morning.
Available for online purchases 24/7 at www.shopwithscrip.com
  
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