PARENT BULLETIN
January 5, 2017
DAN'S BLOG

As school parents, you commit to participate in the Annual School Gift Campaign (ASGC) when you annually sign your Parent Tuition Contract. Any day now in the postal mail you will be receiving a mailing from St. Louise with your ASGC pledge envelope enclosed. I ask that you please honor your commitment to the 2017 Annual School Gift Campaign by no later than early-February by sending in your donation or at least sending in your initial pledge, if it's easier on your family budget to donate in small portions.

Thanks for praying about what financial level you can stretch your giving to, and for considering jumping a giving-level compared to what you donated last year. The teachers, school staff, and I appreciate your financial support! Speaking of them, almost 100% of our faculty and staff already responded last month to an early ask for donations to the 2017 ASGC! They believe so much in the importance of Catholic education that they wanted to display a cohesive show of support. What a great group of employees I am privileged to work with!
 
We created this annual fund raiser as a way to offer school parents a tax deductible way to help us fund the school, instead of simply raising tuition by another couple hundred dollars per student. Besides sending your tax deductible ASGC donation to the school, please take advantage of your company's matching gift program if applicable. Again, matching gifts would not be able to be utilized if we simply raised tuition in lieu of running the ASGC, since companies will not match tuition payments.
          
For your convenience, we offer many avenues through which you may donate to the Annual School Gift Campaign. If going the avenue of paying your ASGC donation by check, you may turn in a one-time gift paid in full. Or, as many families choose to do, a larger donation by way of a check is achieved by dividing your gift into four quarterly payments. Simply send in the first of four checks now, followed by three checks sent in April, July, and October. If going this avenue helps you give more, then by all means we will accommodate a gift in four-parts. And if it's been a while since you used checks, our online giving process allows you to have ASGC payments taken electronically from your bank account, similarly to how you pay tuition each month.
           
More popular than checks or bank accounts for most school families is to use a credit card for an online donation by going to our school website here. With a credit card, you can similarly give in one lump payment or break this up into quarterly or monthly payments. Who knows... perhaps you can earn airline-mile rewards this way, and thus this whole donation-thing ends up a win-win. You win miles, and we win revenue. If you have any questions about the best way for your family to give (or want to explain a special circumstance such as giving via stocks), please contact Cindy Wagner in our development office.
           
I realize that this is a time that finds many of us in awkward financial situations. Maybe you're still paying off your Christmas purchases you made last month and money is tight now. Maybe you just lost a couple of hundred dollars on your bet that the Huskies were going to win the Peach Bowl. It's for reasons like these that we offer paying your donation with multi-part checks or via a credit card.
  
Finally, any day now in the same postal mailing that contains the Annual School Gift Campaign information, you'll find our Annual Report. This document lists - and deeply thanks - the donors who gave to last year's ASGC, along with acknowledging supporters of our Endowment Fund last year. As the name implies, it's our annual method of reporting to you financial information, and I trust you'll find it interesting reading. 
            
I want to thank development directors Cindy Wagner and Laura Leach, along with bookkeeper Amy Thielman, for all the time and database-proofing they gave to make sure the report was accurate and appealingly presented information.

Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz

p.s.
NO, I did NOT receive my only Christmas wish list item from Santa! I did not hear from any parents that they were considering stepping forward to help chair the 2017 St. Louise Auction.

Perhaps I've been going at this all wrong. Instead of me wishing for Christmas gifts, maybe we need you to start making New Year's resolutions!
  • Do you want to resolve to get more involved in your child's school in 2017?
  • Do you want to resolve to be instrumental in making a difference for St. Louise?
  • Do you want to resolve to make more friends?
Remember, outgoing chairs Julianne Read and Esther Magnotti have everything well documented and organized for new chairs to take over, and they will be able to serve as advisors. 
 
Forget the New Year's resolutions to quit eating chocolate or to take a yoga class. :-)
Make a resolution to get involved more at St. Louise!
School Calendar
        Please subscribe to the school calendar. You may also subscribe to receiving updates from a teacher's individual webpage by choosing your teacher here, and then clicking on the +Subscribe link.
  

TODAY & TOMORROW
  
Thursday, January 5
  • School Commission meeting, 6:30PM; the School Commission will be looking for new members to begin serving in the 2017-18 school year; consider attending this meeting to find out more and/or contact current Commission President Nancy Tribolet or Vice-President Chris Read.

Friday, January 6
  • No school ONLY for grades 7 & 8; junior high teachers' workday to complete high school admissions applications.



LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK
 
Thursday, January 12
  • Parents' Club meeting, 6:30PM; the Parents' Club will be looking for new members to join their board in 2017-18, plus there are various leadership opportunities available for events and programs which fall under the Parents' Club tutelage; consider attending this meeting to find our more and/or contact current Club President Joni Hoffman or President-Elect Jennifer Sharp
     
Saturday, January 14
  • Speech Team participates in Seattle Prep Speech Tournament
 
Reward Program for Admissions
          The Admissions Season for enrolling new students has begun and runs through February. This is the time when prospective new school families for the 2017-18 school year begin touring the school, sitting in on classes, and meeting with Mr. Fuerte and Mr. Fitz so they can learn all there is to learn about St. Louise Parish School.
          Occurring every Tuesday morning through February, we hold "Tuesday Tour" days. We need your help! YOU are St. Louise's BEST ambassadors and can help make a difference in our overall enrollment by telling prospective school parents about our amazing school! We are asking you current school families to please spread the word to your friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family members who will have 4-14 year-olds next fall. A simple, " Check out St. Louise !" in your next chat, text, or social media post may be all that is needed to direct these people to our direction in their search for their first or a new school for their kids. (Keep reading to find out your possible "reward" for spreading the word!)
          You can let these prospective new school parents know that their first step in the admissions process is to contact Lola or Mindy in the school office at 425-746-4220 to set up their "Tuesday Tour." You can also invite them to our February 2nd Open House and, even better, offer to be their personal host/tour guide for this family event.
          We know that, as current school parents, you like to spread the good news about St. Louise School to friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family members simply because you love our school and want these people you care about to consider such a strong Catholic school for their children too. But even though we know you spread the word about us without any expectation of a "reward" or "incentive," we'd like to give you one.   
          One of the forms a newly enrolling family will fill out when applying to school will ask them, " Is there a current school family who encouraged you to consider enrolling in St. Louise School ?" If they list your name as the "referral source" who got them to consider St. Louise, and if they are indeed enrolled when we start school next fall, WE WILL REWARD YOU BY GIVING YOU ONE MONTH'S FREE TUITION*  NEXT YEAR! This reward is our way of saying, " Thank you for helping us recruit new families to help us grow our enrollment !" (*The 1-child rate for 2017-18 tuition will be removed from one of your monthly payments next year.)
           If you have any questions about our new "reward program for admissions," please talk to Cindy or Laura in the development office.
 
Words of Wisdom from Sister Polly Policy...
 
I write each week to shine the spotlight on a specific school policy and its guidelines, as found in the school's Policy Handbook . 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, the 5th school family who emails Mr. Fitz with the correct answer to the question below will win a $10 Charger Card. (Last week's winner was Liz DeBord!)   So sit up straight, pay attention, and listen to Sister talk about one of the St. Louise School policies...


ABSENCE POLICY
 
 A. Attendance
        ...Frequent absences and tardy days drastically affect the student's learning; accordingly, the principal will send a letter of concern to the family if the combined number of a grade K-8 student's absent and/or tardy days in a trimester reaches 10. Should this number reach 15 in one trimester, the student will receive an incomplete grade on the report card for the subject(s) affected. In addition, a parent conference will be held with the teacher(s) and principal to determine how the student will be able to make up for missed learning and remove the incomplete grade(s).

B. Unplanned Absence
        When a child must be absent from school, his/her parent is asked to call or email the school office before 9:00 a.m. the day of the absence. Individual teachers will decide on the appropriate time allowed for the student to make up missed work. Students returning from an absence are to initiate the procedure for finding out from the teacher(s) the work they will need to make up and when it is due. Normally, the student has as many days to make up missed work as the number of days he/she was absent.

C. Planned Absence
        Family trips should be planned during school vacation time. If this is not possible, early written notification to the teacher and principal about the planned absence is required. Each teacher will determine if the assignments and school work to be missed during this absence may be given to the student before the trip or upon the student's return. If the teacher provides work to the student prior to the absence, it is expected that the work will be completed and turned in ____________________. The usual late homework policies will apply if the student neglects to submit completed, pre-assigned work on the day he/she returns to school.
 
Teachers very much appreciate two things: (1) Students whose families don't take vacations when school is still in session; and (2) For those who will indeed be absent on a trip during school days, giving the teacher plenty of notice so - if possible - the teacher isn't rushed in preparing a packet of work to give the student to be completed while away.

Can you fill in the blank above? You can go to our Policy Handbook on our website to help you find the answer.   If the teacher provides work to the student prior to the absence, when is it expected the work will be completed and turned in to the teacher?  Email Mr. Fitz, and if you're the 5th family with the correct answer, you win a $10 Charger 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!
 
Slap on a Free Decal & Receive Free Dress

New St. Louise Parish School car decals are available (at left) - and we are giving one to every school family at no charge! These vinyl decals with our updated school logo have removable adhesive and are completely safe and easy to apply to your car window - and will leave absolutely no residue.
We are in the midst of our school's admissions season for 2017-18 - and to promote our school and its February 2nd Open House we need your help! Instead of painting your back car windows to advertise our Open House as in years' past, this year we will be distributing the car decals and hoping you'll stick them on your back windows. They won't wash off after the first rain, and we anticipate you'll be proud enough St. Louisers to keep on the decal for months and years to come!
Look for our friendly volunteers distributing decals at the entrance to the parking lot at 156th Avenue!
Monday January 9 - afternoon carpool 1:50 - 2:20pm
Tuesday, January 10 - afternoon carpool 2:50 - 3:20 pm
Wednesday, January 11 - afternoon carpool 2:50 - 3:20 pm
Thursday, January 12 - morning carpool 8:00 - 8:30 am
Friday, January 13 - morning carpool 8:00 - 8:30 am
 
Besides distributing decals, we'll be distributing FREE DRESS COUPONS via the following ways:
  • Any vehicle that drives through our carpool line on the above days/times can take a free decal and apply it at home that evening. Then come back and drive through carpool later in the week, and you will be given FREE DRESS COUPONS for all the children in your family.
  • Or if there is already an older-version of our decal on your vehicle's back window, you will be given on-the-spot FREE DRESS COUPONS for all the children in your family.
  • If you are unable to pick up your car decal at the above carpool dates/times, please stop by the Development Office or email Laura Leach and ask her to please send home a decal through the school mail.
  • If you are unable to drive through the carpool line next week at the above times, after applying your decal, please email Laura Leach and attach a photo of your car with the decal attached. She will then send home free dress coupons through the school mail.
The free dress day for decal-promoters is Friday, January 27.  Have you ever heard of such an easy and free way to earn free dress?!
Thank you for noting we have just one decal per family. If you have an older decal on your car and it's working just fine, no need to apply a new one. Also, the free dress coupon applies only to the children in one family. If multiple families are carpooling, you'll want to make sure each family's car has its own decal.

Our sincere thanks for helping spread the word about our wonderful school!
Volunteer Opportunities

The school's Parents' Club - the volunteer/family-engagement oversight board to which all school parents are members - will be looking for parents to fill some of its Board positions next year. In addtion, some of the various programs and events, which fall under the purview of the Parents' Club, are also looking for new leadership in 2017-18. Some chairperson or co-chairperson roles are for one-time, short-term events, and others are for year-round programs which allow you to choose the times you volunteer, with your commitment hours spread throughout the year. To find out more about the various ways you can step up and be a part of the Parents' Club Board or of leading a program/event, please come to the Parents' Club meeting next Thursday, January 12, 6:30PM, where the current PC Board will explain the many opportunities. You may also directly contact any member of the PC Board: Joni Hoffman, Jennifer Sharp, Jen Yarnell, Marinell Zevenbergen, Mari Sullivan, Rosamund Wu.
 
The School Commission - the advisory board of parents who assist Mr. Fitz and Fr. Gary - will be looking for parents to fill some of its positions next year.
Happy New Year from Charger Cards
We want to start the New Year with a thank you to all of our hardworking, dedicated volunteers! Thank you to our Charger Card committee, Ahn Blaha, Didi Burrington, Robin Davidson, Kumiko Kincaid, Sharon Kussy, Lisa Miller, Annette Russell, Gabby Schmidt and Kristina Yumul! We also appreciate Dan Kirby for his support with website information!
 
Need a New Year's Resolution? Purchase All Your Gas & Groceries in 2017 with Charger Cards!
Did you know that if every school family bought gas and groceries with Charger Cards, St. Louise could earn $100K annually  in rebates for just those two categories?! Charger Cards would like to encourage every family to start using Charger Cards for their everyday purchases - especially gas and groceries. This month you can win a $25 card simply by purchasing any gas or grocery Charger Card. See below...
 
 
St. Louise Family Charger Card Tips - Reloadable Gas Cards!
  • Shell Gas card receives the "Cash" price at the Shell on Main & 148th (across from Starbucks/Walmart).
  • One family had only $20 left on their "Reload" card. They pumped gas while they used the shop with scrip app on their iPhone to reload their charger card. Once they pumped the $20, they got their gas receipt and used the same card (now reloaded) to pump enough to fill their tank. The reload process was instant and St. Louise continues to get the rebates!
Attention Chevron users: Chevron is no longer offering Reload options for their cards. Any funds currently on your card are still usable but moving forward, you will not be able to reload the same card. Please purchase new cards as needed. Place a Standing order or use a Drop Off form and you can order new cards to be sent home via kid mail!

 
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.
                    +For questions or more information on Charger Cards, please email      
                      chargercards@stlouiseschool.org or visit the school website.

(Photo below) Thanks to eighth graders Clara, Mira, Paige, Lily, and Sara for creating a giant snowflake to decorate the main lobby.


(Photo at right) Who knew that the Wisemen used microphones to help announce the Baby Jesus's birth over 2,000 years ago?! Second grader Chima had a speaking role as a Wiseman in last month's Christmas concert.
 
 
 
 
 
If you have a photo of your kids in a school or community event and/or at a CYO game, send it 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.