PARENT BULLETIN
January 26, 2017
DAN'S BLOG

One week from today, all of you parents with Pre-K through 7th grade children will receive the re-enrollment paperwork/instructions for re-enrolling your children in St. Louise for the 2017-18 school year. You will have until February 17th to re-enroll. If you procrastinate, your re-enrollment fee increases dramatically - from $75 to $200 - so you'll want to make sure you get this annual process completed right away starting next weekend!

If you have a child who is NOT currently attending St. Louise School, but you plan to enroll him/her here for the upcoming school year (such as in Pre-K or kindergarten), please email Mindy Morgan in the school office (or call her at 425-746-4220) to let her know your child's full name and the incoming grade level. That will help the office prepare your necessary enrollment paperwork.

Additionally, we will be offering an extended-day Pre-K program for next year. The 4-year-olds will have the option of attending the standard four mornings of 8:15-11:45AM, or for an increased tuition price, staying until 2:00PM on Mondays and 3:00PM on Tuesdays through Thursdays. (There is no Pre-K on Fridays.) Your enrollment paperwork next Thursday will allow incoming Pre-K parents to choose the standard morning program or the extended-day program. If you'd like more information on extended-day Pre-K, please talk to Karen Salmon or me.

As you prepare to RE-enroll, prospective, new school families will enroll for the FIRST time at St. Louise also beginning next Thursday. Many of them will be here at our February 2nd Open House (6:30-7:30pm), and as current school families, you're welcome to attend the Open House too. Preferably you'll come with a prospective new family in tow - perhaps your neighbor or co-worker.
 
But even if you aren't referring a new family to us, as a veteran St. Louiser you're still welcome to next Thursday's Open House to meet next year's teachers and to stop by to say "hi" to our specialist teachers - the sometimes "forgotten" faculty who impact your children's lives so much. I've heard Mrs. Walker in the art room, Mrs. L.B. in the music room, and Mrs. Cole in the computer lab will have lots of things going on to show off their curriculums. Additionally, Mr. Evans will be at the gym to talk about p.e. classes, Mrs. McIntosh will be in the library, and Mrs. Bannick and Mrs. Regalia will be here to answer your questions on upper grade math or primary grade reading.

I hope to see you one week from tonight.... and to also see you this weekend at one of our Catholic Schools' Week Masses. At each Mass this Saturday or Sunday, an 8th grade student will be reading an essay he/she wrote about why our school is so special and a Catholic school education so valuable. You'll be impressed when you hear these kids! Thanks in advance to these 8th graders for writing/reading such impressive essays: Lauren Carels, Macee Cruz, William Grisaffi, Clara Halling, and Amelia Aitken.
 
Thanks for reading,

Mr. Fitz

p.s.
The latest Parent Survey - which you'll find HERE - closes today. If you haven't yet spent 10-15 minutes completing it, please do so by no later than tonight.

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.

 
  TOMORROW

Friday, January 27
  • Free Dress ONLY for students with "window decal coupons"

THIS WEEKEND

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 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 3 morning Masses (from 8:30AM-12:30PM), with lots of student art work on display for viewing. Come inside to eat and tour!
 
COMING UP NEXT WEEK
 
 Monday, January 30
  • Free Dress ONLY for students with bracelets received from the weekend Masses  
Wednesday, February 1
  • Grade 6-8 Parents and Students go out to lunch from 11:15-1:00
  • Grade K-5 Parents supervise students' lunch/recess from 12:00-1:00 so teachers, school staff, and parish staff can enjoy a rare 1-hour lunch together; thanks to the parent volunteers coming in to supervise students or to serve the lunch
Thursday, February 2
  • OPEN HOUSE from 6:30-7:30; ALL school families are invited; please encourage a neighbor, co-worker, friend to join you and check out our school!
  • The "early re-enrollment period" for 2017-18 admissions begins this day; this day also begins the day for students who will be new to St. Louise School next year to apply; information will be coming home in the February 2nd red Family Envelopes





You're Invited to our Open House...and Don't Forget to Bring a Friend
          Our Open House is in one week - on Thursday, February 2, from 6:30-7:30PM - and this evening is a time for families (both prospective and current school families) to tour the school and greet the teachers - who will be waiting in individual classrooms. There will be refreshments for the kids and a raffle that costs nothing to enter.
 
 
          Remember, if a new family enrolls in school and we confirm you were the one whose referral got them to look at and choose St. Louise, we'll reward you with one month's free tuition next year! Inviting and accompanying a prospective family to our Open House is a great way to improve the chances they'll want to enroll here. If you have questions about the Open House, or about how the "new family referral reward" program works please contact Cindy Wagner or Laura Leach in our development office.

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. (Our most recent winner was Lisa Westby!)   So sit up straight, pay attention, and learn about the following St. Louise School policy...


ELECTRONIC DEVICES POLICY

The use of technology is a powerful tool, and there are many personal electronic devices that can be utilized in an educational setting, such as, but not limited to electronic readers, laptops, cell phones, and tablets. In order to insure that these devices brought from home are used appropriately on the St. Louise campus, the following guidelines must be followed.
A. The teacher approves for use any device in his/her classroom.
B. The parents and student take full responsibility if the device is damaged, lost, or stolen.
C. Accessing the internet is only allowed when approved by the teacher.
D. When not in a classroom, the device must be _____  _____ and _____  _____ so as not to be accessible.
E. The student is not allowed to use the device to play games, music, or non-essential programs except with special permission by the teacher such as for a "reward time."
F. The student is not allowed to use the device in the hallways, playground, or outside during carpool wait times (30 minutes prior to school beginning and 20 minutes after the dismissal bell).
G. Electronic devices are not allowed to be turned on in Kids' Club and/or during any school-sponsored extra-curricular activities, unless specific permission is given from the supervisor or teacher in charge.
H. Misuse of any approved device will result in disciplinary action and the device will be given to the vice-principal for the parent to retrieve. Continual misuse may result in the student forfeiting the privilege to return the device to school.  
 

Can you fill in the blank with the 4 words missing from section (D) above? Email Mr. Fitz, and if you're the 5th family with the correct answer, you win a $10 Charger Card.
 
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!"

Can You Lend a Hand this Wednesday?
         The parent community is hosting lunch for the St. Louise staffs - both the school and parish staffs - this Wednesday, February 1, and we need your help with set-up, serving, and clean-up. It's a great way to say thank you to our dedicated St. Louise employees, as we celebrate Catholic Schools' Week! Please sign up for any or all of the time slots (10:15-11:45am, 11:45am-1:15pm, and 1:15-2:45pm) HERE. Thank you!

Opportunities to Volunteer in the Coming School Year

There are a few committee/programs who will have outgoing chairs/leaders this spring and will need fellow parents to step up and take over. Please consider being a chair/leader or co-chair/co-leader for one of the following in 2017-18:

  • Interested in earning volunteer hours while leading a group of talented, willing volunteer cooks and bakers? We're looking for HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE co-chairs to take over next school year. You'd help organize menus and committee members through "SignUpGenius" and oversee the food, beverages, and service for approximately 12 school events throughout the year. Many of these events simply need some desserts and coffee, while a few are more along the line of lunches to feed teachers for special events. As co-chairs, you may take turns to attend these events and help with set-up, service, and clean-up. If this sounds like something you and a friend can handle, or if you're willing to throw your chef's hat in the ring and wait for another parent to do the same so you can be teamed together, please contact current co-chairs Kristy Charles or Victoria Bermel. 

 

  • The CHARGER CARDS' current co-chairs, Darlene Kraft and Kathy Hueffed, are ready to train their replacements to run the program in 2017-18. Charger Cards requires a commitment of a few hours for one day a week to lead an established committee of volunteers in filling orders and distributing cards. Much work may be done on your own time and from your own computer at home. Contact Darlene and Kathy to learn more, including to hear about how partial tuition-stipends come along with the job!

 

  • The ST. NICHOLAS BREAKFAST was run this year by Karen and Ryan Reed, who have a well-documented plan to hand over to new co-chairs for the December, 2017 event. What a fun way to earn volunteer hours! Contact Karen if you have an interest. Additionally, the sub-committee chair for the BAZAAR-portion of the event is Regina Aiello, and with 2017 being her last bazaar, she is looking for co-chair to join her next year to learn the ropes as the overseer of the craft tables. Please email Regina if interested.  

 

  • The PARENTS' CLUB BOARD is losing three parents who finish up their 3-year terms of office this May. The Board will be looking for a Treasurer, President-Elect, and Committee Liaison to be trained in these positions by this coming summer. There are no more than a half-dozen evening meetings expected of Board members during the school year, along with work to be done on your own time. Serving on the Board is a great way to meet more parents while helping the school raise revenue and generate school spirit. To find out more about each position, please contact Mari Sullivan (for Treasurer), Jen Sharp (for President-Elect), and Joni Hoffman (for Committee Liaison).
     
Baseball Registration Has Begun 

Registration for the 2017 St. Louise baseball season is now open for all 5th-6th grade boys. To sign up, please go to: http://www.stlouise.org/122. Deadline to register is February 19. CYO baseball practices start in late February, and games run from mid-March to June. Specific game dates and additional information may be found at the CYO website. If you have any questions, please contact Dan Kirchner.
 
CYO Volleyball registration for St. Louise students in grades 4 through 8 ended last week. However, there are still some teams with open roster spots. You'll now have to pay a $15 late registration fee. You may go here to register -  http://www.stlouise.org/122  - and/or you may contact St. Louise volleyball coordinator to confirm your team still has openings: Tony Calacat.

The Wilken girls attended the March for Life in Olympia Monday, rallying legislators to move legislation to protect human life, and praying for those harmed by abortions.

Find out more HERE about the March for Life in case your family decides to join in next January.

Go HERE to see the Catholic Church's resources for fighting abortion, including Pope Francis's reminder to Christians:
" A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer."

Save the Date for the Annual Father/Daughter Dance
          This year's Father/Daughter Dance is Saturday, February 25th. Your Parents' Club Social Committee Chairs - Teresa Brosche and Rebecca Ort - wanted to remind families to save the date for this annual dance.  It will be on a Saturday this year, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall.  The theme will be revealed in an upcoming Bulletin, but you may already register to attend the dance online HERE. The event is $65 per family if you register by February 15.  Late registrations will be accepted but will include a late fee of $10.    If you have any questions or are interested in helping with the planning for this fun event, please contact Teresa or Rebecca.  
One Last Chance to Donate Gently Used Goods
          If you missed donating to the 8th Grade Collection Drives last week, here is another opportunity to clean out your closet and make a difference! Eighth grader Grace is collecting clothing, shoes, accessories, books, linens and small household items to raise funds for the Bridge of Promise, a local non-profit organization founded to enrich the lives of those with disabilities. Donations are due tomorrow, Friday, and may be turned in to classroom 8A.

 
How You Thought About This?
Parents' Club is looking for 2 new Charger Cards co-chairs for a minimum commitment of two years (the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years). Attention to detail and strength in working with numbers are a plus (e.g. know Excel and QuickBooks), as are organizational skills. These chair positions earns a partial scholarship for tuition, and is a great way to interact with our St. Louise community and make a positive impact in an important school program. Shadowing of current co-chairs would take place this spring so that you are well prepared to step in to the role of co-chair in the fall. If you are interested or have any questions, please contact current chairs, please contact current chairs, Darlene Kraft and Kathy Hueffed.

 
Don't Forget You Have a Commitment to Fulfill
Family Rebate status reports when home in last week's Red Envelope. Please review your family account information and email Charger Cards with any questions. Many families have met their rebate minimum and are well on their way to earning tuition discount for next year's tuition! Charger Cards is happy to help you map a plan for your family to use this program to earn tuition credit and help support St. Louise at the same time!  We can meet with you to create a personal plan unique to your family's budget and everyday purchases to maximize your participation in the program! Email chargercards@stlouiseschool.org to set up a time to connect.
 
The Charger Cards program's main function is to earn funds for the school using school families' ALREADY budgeted spending plans. Simply change HOW you purchase (buy Charger Cards first for items you already plan to buy), not WHAT you purchase.


January Gas & Groceries Raffle Ends Tuesday
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. And if you buy any gas or grocery card from January 1-31, you are entered to  


Hey, Dads! Valentine's Day Shopping Can Be Super Easy
We have cards for that special someone in your life. Great Gift card suggestions for Mom include:

  • Amazon.com - $25 or $100
  • Crate and Barrel - $25 or $100
  • Gene Juarez - $25, $50 or $100
  • Jo Ann Fabrics or Michaels - $25
  • Macy's - $25 or $100
  • Nordstrom - $25 or $100
  • Pottery Barn - $25 or $100
  • See's Candies - $25
  • Sephora - $20
  • Starbucks - $10 or $25
     
Or get creative and make your own package. Take that extra step to show them you care. We also offers gift bags to make your life even easier!


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.



Ben, Nick, and Jack helped their mom display our Open House signs throughout their neighborhood. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with this marketing. We expect a big crowd one week from tonight. Please come and be part of the fun!

 
 
 
 
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.