PARENT BULLETIN
January 12, 2017
DAN'S BLOG

If you were watching the TV news the past few days, you might have seen reports such as this actual transcript from KING 5:

"Our top story tonight: The flu reaches an 'epidemic' level in Washington, with
record cases reported! We're just two weeks into the flu season and already state health officials say we've reached "epidemic" levels, with four new deaths reported in the past week. Patients are flooding emergency rooms in Western Washington, complaining of flu symptoms. Around King County, the number of flu cases at emergency rooms is the highest it's been in five years..."

I've asked our school nurse, Jane Reynolds, to remind all of us - parents, students, and teachers - how to assure a healthy winter and avoidance of the flu. Please read her letter below.

Thanks for reading,
Mr. Fitz

+  +  +  +  + 
 
Dear Parents,
Flu Season has arrived, and it is not too late to get your flu shot. Influenza ( also known as "the flu") is a contagious respiratory illness caused by the flu virus. Anyone can get sick from the flu and spread it to friends - even if you consider yourself to be healthy.  Getting the flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself and your family from this serious disease.  This year, the flu vaccine will protect against three viruses, including the 2009 H1N1.  The CDC recommends anyone 6 months or older to get the flu shot. (
New this year is that only injectable shots are recommended; not the nasal mist.)
 
People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
* Fever or chills
* Cough and sore throat
* Runny nose and headache
* Muscle or body aches
* Vomiting and diarrhea - though this is more common in children than adults
 
Most people who get influenza will recover in a few days to less than two weeks, but some will develop complications (such as pneumonia) as a result of the flu. Some of these complications can be life-threatening.  Bronchitis, sinus infections, and ear infections are also examples of complications from the flu.
 
Following are the every-day preventative actions we stress at school and ask parents to stress to their kids at home and when out in public, to stop the spread of the flu:
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  If not tissue is available, cough and sneeze into the inside crease of your elbow.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and warm water. Praying the "Our Father" to yourself silently while washing provides you with the proper length of time you should be spending with lathering and rubbing your hands together, followed by rinsing. 
  • If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub (sanitizing gel).
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, as germs spread most easily this way.
  • Clean and disinfect with alcohol-based wipes frequently touched surfaces at home, work, and school, including door knobs, desk surfaces, cell phones, and appliance handles.
  • Practice good health habits, which include getting plenty of sleep, staying physically active, managing your stress, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritious food.
Finally, the rule we have at St. Louise for students is they must stay home for at least 24 hours after any vomiting, diarrhea, or fever has ceased. The fever has had to cease for 24 hours after stopping the use of fever-reducing medication (e.g. Advil).
 
Please let me know if you have any questions. I may be reached at JaneR@stlouiseschool.org or at 425-214-5402. Please note that I work at St. Louise three days a week - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Let's stay healthy this year!
~Jane Reynolds, RN~

+  +  +  +  + 

p.s.
Catholic Schools' Week - a national celebration of Catholic schools throughout the USA as the best institution for building a future Church led by intelligent, faith-filled, caring Christians - is held this year from January 28 through February 3.  St. Louise participates with some special events. In the calendar immediately following, take note of the special Catholic Schools' Week Masses held not only at St. Louise on January 28-29, but also at neighboring parishes on January 22. Please choose the one Mass that fits best with your family's busy schedule and be sure to attend - with your children wearing their complete school uniform. They'll be richly rewarded if they do!

Next week I'll send home a hard-copy calendar of events that not only includes these Masses, but lists a day for a special lunch and a night for a special open house. Be watching for that!
School Calendar
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TODAY & THIS WEEKEND
  
Thursday, January 12
  • all parents invited to the 6:30PM Parents' Club meeting in the faculty room; 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 the Seattle Prep Speech Tournament
  • Mrs. Salmon will be at the Eastside Preschool Fair at the South Bellevue Community Center from 9:30-12:30, promoting St. Louise's Pre-K program; please let your friends with upcoming preschoolers know about this event.
 
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK
 
Monday, January 16
  • With school in session on the Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday holiday, the school community will talk about civil rights in social studies classes and recognize Rev. King at our all-school Mass - which will include a skit by our 6A students that teaches about original and recent "disciples of Christ;" please join us for this 9:00AM Mass; you may find your child outside his/her homeroom at 8:45 and walk to church to sit together
Tuesday, January 17
  • Technology Committee Dinner Meeting at 6:00PM; please RSVP to Dan Kirby if you will be attending
Thursday, January 19
  • Bake Sale (funds raised go to the 8th graders' graduation-events expenses)
Sunday, January 22
  • St. Louise students in our Chorale choir will be singing at the 9:00AM Mass at St. Jude Church in Redmond; wearing their complete school uniforms (red fleece or sweater; no hoody or track jacket) these students will earn "Free Dress Bracelets" allowing them free dress on January 30
  • We are also promoting our school this Sunday at other neighboring parishes; St. Louise students who attend any of these Masses wearing a complete school uniform (red fleece or sweater; no hoody or track jacket) will also earn "Free Dress Bracelets" allowing them free dress on January 30: Mary, Queen of Peace Church in Sammamish - 9:00AM Mass; Holy Innocents Church in Duvall - 10:30AM Mass

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, January 27
  • Free Dress ONLY for students with "window decal coupons"
Saturday, January 28
  • St. Louise students who attend the 5:00PM Mass at St. Louise Church, wearing their complete school uniforms (red fleece or sweater; no hoody or track jacket) will earn "Free Dress Bracelets" allowing them free dress on January 30.
  • We are also promoting our school this Saturday at a neighboring parish; St. Louise students who attend the 5:00PM Mass at St. Teresa Church in Woodinville wearing their complete school uniform (red fleece or sweater; no hoody or track jacket) will receive "Free Dress Bracelets" allowing them free dress on January 30.
Sunday, January 29
  • St. Louise students who attend any of these Sunday Masses at St. Louise Church, wearing their complete school uniforms (red fleece or sweater; no hoody or track jacket) will earn "Free Dress Bracelets" allowing them free dress on January 30: 7:30AM, 9AM, 11AM, 1PM, 6PM.
  • Our Chorale choir will be singing at the 9AM Mass.
  • Coffee & Donuts will be served in the school lobby after the 7:30/9/11AM Masses, with lots of student art work on display for viewing.

Thank You for Participating in the ASGC
         
As school parents, you commit to participate in the Annual School Gift Campaign (ASGC) when you annually sign your Parent Tuition Contract. In the postal mail last week you received a mailing from St. Louise with your ASGC pledge envelope enclosed. (If you didn't receive this, please contact Cindy Wagner  in our development office.) We 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.
 
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.

Thanks for your financial support of your children's school!

 
Make Online Payments or Donations to St. Louise with Your Phone
         
What is the easy way to make online payments/donations to St. Louise School? Use the Online Giving app provided for iPhone or Google devices. You can easily get to the app by clicking on one of the following links on your mobile device.
iPhone/iPad
> For iPhone/iPad users:
> For Google/Android Device users:
Google/Android

The app makes it easy to select the payment you would like to make (field trip, milk, Walk-a-thon, etc.) or to make a donation to the school (ASGC). 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.

If you have questions, please contact our school bookkeeper, Amy Thielman.
 
Words of Wisdom from Sister Polly Policy...
 
As a former St. Louise Parish School teacher back in the day, I am highly qualified to write this regular column in the Parent Bulletin to shine the spotlight on a specific school policy, as found in St. Louise's Policy Handbook . You  should want to learn about school policies simply for the good of your soul. However, if you need more incentive than that to read the policy handbook, 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 Erika Clifford!)   So sit up straight, pay attention, and learn about the following St. Louise School policy...


SCHOOL COMMISSION POLICY

The St. Louise School Commission is established by the pastor, in accord with Archdiocesan policy, to assist him and the principal in the governance of the parish school.  When the Commission meets as pastor, principal, and members, and agrees on a policy matter, the decision is effective and binding on all.  The Commission is consultative in the following sense:  the members act in collaboration with the pastor and principal and will only make decisions for the parish school with the approval of the pastor and principal.  The Commission's responsibilities are in the following areas: 
       A. Long Range Planning
       B. Marketing
       C. Finance
       D. P________
Members of the School Commission consist of the pastor, principal, vice-principal, development director, Parents' Club president, and six to eight parents of children attending St. Louise School.  The School Commission usually meets one evening each month from September through June.  All monthly meetings are open to members of the parish and parents of children attending St. Louise School.
 

Can you fill in the blank above with the "P____" word that names the fourth responsibility of the School Commission? You can go to the "School Commission" section in our Policy Handbook on our website to help you find the answer. Email Mr. Fitz, and if you're the 5th family with the correct answer, you win a $10 Charger Card. Not only that, but if you know this much about the School Commission, you should consider serving on it or serving on  a similar parent-comprised board - the Parents' Club. If you're interested, please contact current School Commission President Nancy Tribolet or Parents' Club President Joni Hoffman.

I will talk to you in an upcoming Parent Bulletin about another school policy ....but until then ...this is Sister Polly telling you, "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 for just two more days:
TODAY - Thursday, January 12 - morning carpool 8:00 - 8:30 am
TOMORROW - 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 were unable to drive through the carpool line 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.
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.
 
The free dress day for decal-promoters is Friday, January 27

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

Volleyball Sign-Ups Have Begun

CYO Volleyball registration is now open until Friday, January 20, to all St. Louise students in grades 4 through 8. To sign up, please go to: http://www.stlouise.org/122. The registration fee is $95. In some cases, late registrations can be permitted (subject to the size of existing rosters), but a $15 late registration fee is added for any sign ups past January 20. For more information, contact St. Louise volleyball coordinator, Tony Calacat.
Up & Away! Auction Update

Happy New Year! We wanted to again thank everyone for their dedicated support this past November of our largest fundraiser, the school Auction. We wanted to share the results with you so you can pat yourself on the back for an incredible job well done!
 
Your donations and generosity provided the following support to our community. The revenue - after expenses - amounted to:
 
 
  • Fr. Phil Tuition Endowment: $55,375 (the goal was to raise $30,000);
  • Flat Panel Displays Fund-An-Item: $46,400 (the goal was to raise $40,000);
  • Profit for St. Louise Parents' Club: $186,725 (the budgeted profit was $170,000).
Please remember that these numbers will go up if you submit your receipts to your companies for matching donations, and designate the "St. Louise School Auction" for that donation! Please do that now if your company has a matching gift program.
 
Receipts from the night of the auction were emailed out last week. We did discover that there was an item that needed to be changed in order for you to get the appropriate tax credit (Dessert Dash), so we have made that adjustment and new receipts will be emailed no later than tomorrow (Friday, 1/13). If you did not receive a receipt, please send us an email no later than Monday, January 16th to auction@stlouiseschool.org to let us know!
 
We know Dan has been awaiting the call of a super volunteer, (or two, or three!) and it might just be you! Each year, 2 or 3 dedicated parents step into the Auction Chair role and work with a group of highly talented and capable, existing committee chairs to pull this event off. We need this role to be filled - and you might be the right person!
  • Does it help if you're super organized? Sure!
  • Is it possible to do this if you work full-time - Yes - if there are 3 parents tri-chairing the event!
  • Is it rewarding? Beyond any doubt! You get your own office, free tuition for one kiddo, support from EVERYONE in the community - beyond what you could ever imagine, and up to 25,000 Marriott points to be used for the vacation of your choice!
 
Thank you, again, for all of your kind support and generosity!
 
~Julianne and Esther~

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 TONIGHT at 6:30PM in the faculty room 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. Please contact current Commission President Nancy Tribolet or Vice-President Chris Read if you are interested in serving on the Commission.
January Is a Great Time to Get Organized
Charger Cards can help you get organized by selling you Gas and Grocery cards that are reloadable! Buy a plastic gift card from Charger Cards and use that same card to reload online. You can reload any day of the month online at your convenience. Register your bank account and pay online instantly or if you prefer to pay by check, you can STILL order online. Just select the "send check to school coordinator" payment option and send your check to the school office. Reload options for cards include:
  • Gas - Shell, 76, Arco, Exxon, BP
  • Grocery - Safeway, PCC, Whole Foods, Albertsons
  • Starbucks, Subway, Burger King, Papa Johns, Dominos
Organize your home by purchasing Charger Cards for:
  • Container Store (9%)
  • Fred Meyer (5%)
  • Target (2%)
  • Walmart (2.5%)
  • Home Depot (4%)
  • Lowes (4%)
Place a standing order for your monthly budgeted items:
  • QFC
  • Costco
  • Starbucks
  • Papa Murphy's, Little Caesar's, Subway
 
If  Your New Year's Resolution Isn't Going Well, How About a New One?
Resolve to p urchase all of your Gas and Groceries in 2017 with Charger Cards! Did you know if every family bought gas and groceries with charger cards, St. Louise could earn $100K each year in rebates for just those two categories?! Charger Cards would like to encourage every family to start using Charger Cards for their everyday purchases.
 

Buy Cards for Your Business
If your company uses gift cards, buy them from St. Louise! Several families purchase gift cards from the Charger Card program for their company. Contact the Charger Card program if you need a large quantity of gift cards for a promotion or employee program. We can provide an invoice for easy check request or expense purposes. Contact us with any questions. In the past, we've had families order for their businesses for employee gifts and/or for business parties:
  • 300 x $25 Amazon
  • 250 x $10 Subway
  • 200 x $25 QFC
  • 50 x $10 Starbucks
  • 40 x $50 Daniel's Broiler

Seahawk Playoffs Continue! Buy Charger Cards for the Big Game!

Your can use a Charger Card to buy Seahawk wear at Dick's, Walmart, Target, Fred Meyer.
You can use a Charger Card to purchase your viewing party food at 
Safeway, Fred Meyer, QFC, Albertson's, Whole Foods, Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Dominos, Little Caesar's, Papa Murphy's.

 
 

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.




Kate and Evie are highly focused on completing their art projects in Mrs. Walker's classroom.

 
 
 
 
 
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.
 
Our EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS are leading service projects for charities, by way of collecting items that you might have around your house. Wouldn't it be great to clean out your closets and drawers ...AND... know that you are helping a great cause?!
 
See the descriptions below on these collections drives which BEGIN THIS FRIDAY the 13th, and END NEXT FRIDAY the 20th.
 
  Please drop off your donations in the designated boxes in the West End Hallway of the Main Building (between 3B and 4A).
 
 
Maria Rose and Sara are organizing a drive for the Humane Society. They are collecting items that will comfort homeless animals during their stay at the shelter, particularly USED TOWELS & BLANKETS for the cats and dogs. Thank you for helping us make animals' lives a little better.
 
Bella & Katherine are collecting FABRIC, PILLOW CASES, and any SEWING MATERIALS.
These items will be used to make dresses and clothing for girlsand boys in Africa. For more
information, see this website: http://www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com/
 
Jack, Aydan, and Aidan are organizing a drive for GENTLY USED OR NEW SOCCER BALLS for Water Access Now (http://wateraccessnow.org/). It is an organization that helps build water wells in poor villages in Africa. They also collect soccer balls to give to the kids so they can stay active. Please consider helping those children in need who don't have access to soccer balls.
 
Katie, Amara, and Savannah are organizing a drive for GENTLY USED CLOTHES. Please bring in good-condition, used clothes for a newborn (0-9 months) to a 14 year old, both boys and girls. These items will be donated to Eastside Baby Corner (http://babycorner.org/) where they will be put into bags that will be donated to children whose mothers can't afford to buy them new clothes. Please help keep these children warm during the winter!
 
Mira and Grace are organizing a book drive for children's books! We will take children's books, beginner's chapter books and children's books in Spanish. Please donate USED BOOKS that are still in a good condition. These books will be donated to Page Ahead, a book organization who will give our books to the less fortunate: http://www.pageahead.org/.
 
Kyle and Ronny are collecting GENTLY USED TOYS & CLOTHING for Treehouse. These items will be given to foster children. For more information, please see: http://www.treehouseforkids.org/          
 
 
Finally, all the junior high classes will be making ribbon leis to give at the Brain Cancer Walk in May. We need FABRIC RIBBON. (1/4" is best but we'll make do with whatever we get!)
These leis will be given to participants in the spirit of "Ohana," which means family.
Purple leis will be given to brain cancer survivors.
 
 
Remember, these collection drives run for just one week: January 13-20.
Thanks for your help!