St. Joseph School 
FLASH!
Our mission is to create a faith-centered community that educates and inspires students to reach their God-given potential. 

A Note from the Principal

One of the things I've not been so consistent with this year is praying the Examen on a regular basis. At our staff meeting yesterday, we reflected in small groups on several topics, one of them being our use of the Examen with the students. It appears I am not alone in my inconsistency...
 
So, we've resolved to get back at this effective prayer method. Help us out by talking about this prayer at home with your sons and daughters. Or, even better, pray this together as a family.
 
A brief refresher...
 
1. Quiet yourself, breathing slowly and deeply. 
2. Acknowledge by faith that you are in the presence of God, who loves you unconditionally. Breathe in that unconditional love of God. 
3. Ask God to bring to your awareness something for which you are most grateful today. If you could relive one moment, what would it be? (The questions below may help you recall that moment) 
4. Ask God to bring to your awareness something for which you are least grateful today. (See questions below). Examine what it was about that moment that made it difficult. Be with the experience, not trying to change or fix it, but holding it gently in the light of God's forgiveness and love. 
5. Close with a prayer of thanksgiving. 
6. You may wish to record your observations in a journal. 
 
Reflection questions to assist with step #3 
  • When did I feel the most alive today? 
  • When today did I give and receive the most love? 
  • When today did I have the greatest sense of belonging to myself, others, God, and the universe? 
  • What was today's high point? 
  • When did I feel happiest today? 
  • For what am I most grateful today? 
Notice emotions like joy, peace, well-being, groundedness, etc. 

Reflection questions to assist with step #4 
  • When today did I most feel life draining out of me? 
  • When today did I give and receive the least love? 
  • When today did I have the least sense of belonging? 
  • When did I feel saddest today? 
  • For what am I least grateful today?  
Notice emotions like agitation, discouragement, turmoil, unhappiness, etc. 
 
After listening to our staff yesterday, it's a sure thing that this prayer is helpful. One teacher remarked that his students commented last year on how helpful the prayer was to them near the end of the day.
 
Let's join as a community and resolve to reincorporate this prayer into our lives in 2017!

Patrick
Volunteer Opportunities
Sign-up today to volunteer or visit the website to learn more . We are in need of the following volunteers. 

Book Fair  Sunday, January 29 from 10:30-12:30 Jean Woletz
Lunchroom 10:45-1:00 pm,
2 hours/day
Yolanda Hein
Reminder: New Sibling Application & Financial Aid for 2017-2018 are available now!
New siblings application for 2017-18 is  available on the school webpageAll materials are due on or before January 27, 2017 to be considered in the first round of decisions.  We ask that you please notify the Admissions Office if you will be submitting a sibling application for the fall of 2017.
 
Questions, contact Barbara Steinhauser or 206-329-3260 ext. 243.
 
Financial Aid for 2017-2018  are available on our school webpage. Financial Aid applications and all supporting documentation are due on or before February 24, 2017 to be considered for the 2017-2018 school year. 
 
Questions regarding financial aid, please contact the Business Office.
Announcements

Seahawks Blue Friday TOMORROW

Students can wear Seahawks attire (blue/green) in celebration of this weekend's playoff game. No hair colors or face paint.


 

St. Joseph Spelling Bee

The buzz is starting for the annual school spelling bee! This event is about much more than spelling, word origins and correct pronunciation.  It's about inspiring confidence and love of language that lasts a lifetime. It also teaches valuable lessons  about sportsmanship and public speaking. 

Class bees will be held the week of February 6th, with the all school final bee taking place on February 24th in the auditorium. 



Volleyball registration is 
OPEN

Avoid the late registration blues and  register today . The cost is $75 and all 4th-8th graders are invited to play. Only two more weeks left to register. The final deadline is January 19th. 

LATE REGISTRATIONS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTED.





Save the date for the 2nd
annual Math Carnival
Thursday, March 2, 2017 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm in the Social Hall

Grades K-5 come explore math with your children!  Play games, make guesses, collect data.  Learn games that help make math easy and fun for your family.

Estimation, fractions, measurement, geometry
as well as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
EARN PRIZES!!  Drop in for a few minutes or stay the whole time. 


Winter Club spots still available

There are still a few spots remaining in the winter classes and clubs. You can find more information regarding offerings on the after school clubs page. Please email Lisa Mansoori to register.

Chess Club News

Chess Club registration is now closed and on a wait list. Contact Laura Laun to be added to the wait list. Chess Club will kick-off on Tuesday, Feb, 28th. You will be receiving an email next week with your registration confirmation and information regarding chess opportunities in January.

Congratulations to Tommy Daly. He competed in the Medina All-City Classic chess tournament on Sunday, winning 4 matches out of 5 matches to take home 3rd Place in the 3rd Graders Division. 

All chess players are welcome to compete with the team at the WA Junior Open on  Mon. Jan 16th, 2017 at  Interlake High School 16245 NE 24th St, Bellevue WA 98008. 

Reserve sections: 5 round G/30 Swiss in 5 sections: K-1U800, 2-3U800, K-3U1400, 4-6U900, 4-12U1400.  For intermediate and beginning players. Qualifier for WA State Elementary Tournament. USCF membership not required. NWSRS rated.
SCHEDULE: Rounds: 9:15am, 10:30am, lunch, 12:30pm, 1:45pm, 3:00pm. Trophy presentation at 4:15pm


Advancement Announcements

Ernest Loves Music Education. A fundraising dinner series to benefit Capitol Hill Music Education. 

When:  January 22

What: 
Ernest Loves Agnes will be hosting a series of fundraising dinners to benefit the music programs in schools in our neighborhood. This will be a special Sunday supper series featuring guest chefs who will work with ELA's chef David Nichols to create a special menu for their appearance. 20% of gross dinner receipts to benefit each program.
 
 
Auction Housekeeping

St. Joseph School directories are in $10!  Beautiful professional photos of your child by Winnie Brinker, please come to the Advancement Office to take a look. Photos are $25 each with an option to purchase the jpeg for an additional $25.

All auction accounts that had a balance were added to your January FACTS statement. Please contact  Colleen Battaglia with questions. 

We still have several items that have not been picked up. Please stop by the Advancement Office to pick up your purchases from the silent and online auctions.


86% of families have participated in the annual appeal totaling $436,661

Many, many thanks to all who have made gifts and pledges. Please make a gift today to help us serve children who would not otherwise be able to afford a St. Joseph education.   Our goal is 100% participation.

Make a gift online or stop by the Advancement Office. 






Amazon Shopping! Current Earnings at $1,995.71

As a participant in the Amazon Affiliate and Amazon Smile programs, a percentage of your purchase goes to our school, at no additional cost to you. Simply  CLICK HERE to sign-in to your Amazon account and place your order as usual. We encourage you to bookmark the link for future purchases.
   
Haven't made St. Joseph School your affiliation yet?  Follow these simple directions and we can raise thousands per month!
 
*While Amazon Fresh is not part of this program, Amazon Prime Pantry is included.


2017 Father Daughter Dance:
Friday, February 3, 2017
More information
will come soon!



Spirit Gear Available for Purchase

Order your personalized St. Joseph canvas duffle bags, Umbrellas, Soccer Scarves, Headbands, Socks and more from the Advancement Office or download the form on the  St. Joseph website. Order your spirit gear online today or stop by the Advancement Office.  If you have any questions, please  contact Cristina Murphy .




Scrip Available Each Morning

Scrip is sold each morning by parent volunteers (THANK YOU!) in the lobby until about 9:00am, or you can purchase scrip in the Advancement Office.  We have dozens of merchants, including Amazon.com, University Village, Gap, QFC, Safeway, Whole Foods, Starbucks, to mention just a few.   Click for additional information.
Group Auction Parties

Below is a list of the auction parties in January and for all the upcoming parties. If you did not get the opportunity to get into one of the special group parties, you can still sign up. Email Cristina Murphy.

January After Auction Parties:
  • Flywheel with After Party at Optimism Brewery, Saturday, January 21st from 6-7 pm; $65/person
    • Keep your healthy New Year's resolutions on track with an incredible workout at an instructor-led cycling class with Flywheel instructor Ray Manahan (4B). Come experience a great workout at the South Lake Union location. Best indoor cycling class in Seattle in a state-of-the-art facility, with amazing, motivating music, followed by a fun post-workout event! Only 35 bikes left. 
  • Karaoke Party for 50, Saturday, January 30th; $35
    • Back by popular demand! The Karaoke Party is back at St. Joe's! Join us on January 28, 2017 for a ''Total Eclipse of the Heart'' as ''Sweet Caroline'' shakes her ''Wild Thing'' and says ''Pour Some Sugar on Me'' during a night of singing and dancing. Join your hosts DJ-Mike Vila, Matt and Sherri Johnson, Celeste and Sterling Ramberg, and Sean and Jamie Flynn for a night of classy (and un-classy) cocktails in Fremont's coolest new lounge, Russell's. The intimate size of the bar means the wait staff is exclusively dedicated to your fun but also that guest list is limited. Whether you want to sing, or just sing along, to the greatest hits of the 80's, 90's, or today, be sure to get your spot for this St. Joe's tradition. Ticket price covers the entrance fee, appetizers, a starter drink and the chance to be a star! Limited to 50 people
Parties after January:
  • Mardi Gras Party, Saturday, February 25th, 7:00pm $100/person
  • Lacrosse Clinic, March 2017 date TBD, Clinic for 3rd-8th grade boys $30/child
  • Barre3 Private Class for 24 - Friday, March 3rd, $25/person
  • Texas Hold'em Tournament for 60 - Saturday, April 1st, $160/person
  • Madwomen Stumble Bus, May 20th 50 Lucky madwomen $75/person
  • Football Clinic, May 21st $30/child
Counselors Corner: January
Here is what's happening in the counseling program this month!
K
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th & 8th
Social Skills
Keys To Friend-ship

 
Snack & Chat
Regulation
& Social Skills
 
 
Snack & Chat
Social Skills
 
 
 
Snack & Chat
 Leadership Lab
Growth Mindset
 

Indoor
Game
Day W/F
Lunch Recess
Digital Citizenship
 
 
Indoor Game
Day W/F
Lunch Recess

Advisory
 
"Ending The Silence" Workshops
by
National Alliance on Mental Illness
January 13th and 20th 
 
7/8 Peer Mediation

PARENT EDUCATION IN AND AROUND SEATTLE
  • Talking With Children About Race - Tuesday, January 17, 6:30-8:30p at Islander Middle School. $10. Learn more.
  • Tame the Tears: Parenting Positively - Tuesday, February 28, 2017, 7-9p at Brockey Conference Center, West Seattle, with Laura Kastner. $25. Learn more.
  • Changing The Game: Creating a High-Performing Mindset in Our Kids - Monday, February 27, 7:00 PM.  $10. Learn more. 
  • Pressure to Succeed and Toxic Stress with Dr. Laura Kastner - Monday, March 20th, 7:00-8:30 PM. Mercer Island High School Performing Arts Center. Click here for more information. ($10)
  • Wise Minded Parenting Videos with Dr. Laura Kastner- Free videos
  • Keep Calm-7-day email mini course- Melissa Benaroya, FREE at ChildproofParenting.com.
  • Parent Toolkit-An amazing resource for parents is called Parent Toolkit, Pre-K-12th Grade.
As always there is a wealth of information and resources for parents on my Weebly webpage.  Click here to access K-8th grade developmental sheets, program information, community resources and parenting education.

Ex Libris: Lines from the Library

SAVE THE DATE: 2016 - 2017 Scholastic Book Fair January 23 - 27

Change of venue: The book fair will be held in the library this year!

Dates and Times
  • This year's Scholastic Book Fair will be held the last week in January and on Sunday for Open House, January 29, 10:30 a.m. - noon.
  • On school days the fair will open as soon as the school doors open at 8:15 a.m. and will stay open after school until 3:30 p.m.
Student Shopping:
  • Students will come to the book fair during their regular class library times. They may purchase books at that time or simply mark items on their wish lists (the Scholastic flyer) for purchase at a later time.
  • We will sell only books and bookmarks during school hours; toys and other miscellaneous items will be sold when parents are present, or during non-school hours.
Wish Lists for Teachers
  • Teachers will have their wish lists posted for increasing their classroom collections. Please let the cashier know when you have purchased a book for a teacher so it can be marked off his or her list.
Volunteers Needed! We are still looking for volunteers on Sunday, January 29 from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm. Email Mrs. Woletz, or stop by and sign-up in person.

Thank you for supporting the Book Fair and reading!

Parish Announcements

Children's Faith Formation
Rite of Christian Initiation for Children

Children who have not yet been baptized by the age of seven years old receive full initiation (baptism, First Eucharist and Confirmation) into the church during the Easter season. Children participate in preparation classes as a group to learn about the Catholic faith. Parents and godparents are selected and are also an active part of the child's faith formation during this time. Please contact  Dottie Farewell.


Children's Baptism

If you have a child age five to seven years old and he or she would like to be baptized into the Catholic Faith, then this is the program for you! Preparation begins in January with the Sacrament of Baptism taking place this upcoming April. 

Please set up an appointment with  Dottie Farewell by calling 206-965-1652 or emailing.


Sunday Morning 9 AM Coffee and Donuts Team Needs Help!

The 3rd Sunday Hospitality Crew is looking for new recruits. Duties include cutting and plattering donuts and making coffee prior to Mass, and then pouring coffee and juice and serving donuts after the 9 AM Mass. Very simple and only once a month. This is a great way to meet new folks, work together with other families and earn school volunteer hours. If interested, please contact Dottie Farewell




Upcoming ISC Programs

The Ignatian Spirituality Center has exciting program opportunities coming up this month and next. Click for more details.
Community Announcements

Seattle Prep Panther Pride CYO Night on Friday, January 13 in McHugh Gym 

Our Girls Basketball team kicks off the night with their game at 7PM vs. Ballard. Then, our Boys Basketball team takes the court at 8:30PM vs. Ballard. We will have games and prizes to give away at halftime. Admission is free for K-8 kids who are wearing any CYO, school gear, or if they bring their student ID card. Questions, contact  Melissa White.


Seattle PONY Baseball & Softball Registration is Open

Seattle PONY Baseball & Softball provides community co-ed t-ball (ages 4-6) and baseball (ages 6-14) as well as girl's fastpitch softball (ages 8-12).  Registration for the 2017 season is now open! Visit www.seattleponybaseball.org or information@spbpony.org

Great coaching, great community and great baseball.  Join us this spring!

Spring Celtic Soccer Club Registration is Open

Seattle Celtic will be holding Spring season tryouts the week of January 9th. Celtic have teams at all levels for players born between 2002 and 2010. Celtic offers scholarship opportunities, and a coaching staff with the perfect mix of energy, passion and expertise to help players develop and excel in a fun environment.  Tryouts are free to attend and details can be found at www.seattleceltic.com. 
Questions? Contact us at  info@seattleceltic.com.