PARENT BULLETIN
February 23, 2017
DAN'S BLOG

I'm looking forward to next week - no, NOT because March 1st is National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day (not to be confused with April 2nd's National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day) - but because March 1st begins the marvelous season of Lent.

 

Lent is so important to Christians as a time for us to model Jesus' 40 days in the desert with our own 40 days of preparing our hearts for the joy and promise of Easter. If Jesus can fast for 40 days, Noah can be in the Ark for 40 days, and Moses can go up on Sinai receiving the 10 Commandments for 40 days, it's not too much to ask us to spend 40 days focusing intently on turning away from sin and being faithful to the Gospel message. Just be thankful that the Lenten season is counted in days instead of years. After all, the practice could have been that we needed to model the Israelites, who wandered around the desert for 40 YEARS!

 

At St. Louise School, the students, teachers, and I spend 40 days to engage in the traditional Lenten practices of fasting & abstinence, good deeds & almsgiving, and prayer & reflection. Our parish also has many liturgies and activities taking place during the Lenten seasons. Please see the schedule of St. Louise Parish and School Lenten events at the end of this Bulletin for all the ways you and your children can make the upcoming 40 days a meaningful period of growth in our faith.
 
The school community begins Lent on Ash Wednesday by foregoing our usual hearty lunches and partaking in a simple lunch consisting of a cup of soup, a dinner roll, and a 1/2 pint of milk. Then, the money which each student and staff member would have normally spent on creating or purchasing a hearty lunch is donated to Catholic Relief Services. (We recommend a $5 cash donation.) Catholic Relief Services has programs locally, nationally, and internationally which help feed the hungry.

The soup lunch choices this year will be Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup and Kirkland Signature Broccoli Cheddar Soup . Students have placed their orders in class with their teachers as to what they will be eating, realizing that Catholics 14 years old and older are required to not eat meat on Ash Wednesday (and Fridays during Lent). Thus, many of our 8th grade students and all of our staff have pre-ordered the broccoli cheddar. We realize that a cup of soup, or these particular flavors of soup, may not be "liked" by some of the students. Honestly, that's not a concern for us. The idea of fasting isn't to enjoy it; it's a spiritual discipline in which even Christ himself took part. If your child complains after school on Ash Wednesday that his/her stomach is growling, that's a GOOD thing!
 
We do realize that some children cannot eat either of these soups due to dietary/allergy conditions - that's entirely different than just not liking the taste. For these medical conditions, we ask that the parent pack in a thermos that day a premade cup of soup that the child can eat, such as one of these  that are found in grocery stores. The parent who has to substitute  a gluten free roll for one of our dinner rolls is welcome to do that too.
 
After lunch, the school attends a prayer service where everyone receives ashes on their foreheads as symbols of penance and as reminders of Jesus's suffering and our own mortality. Please join us on Ash Wednesday at 1:45 PM; you may join your children outside their classrooms at 1:30.
 
Then next Friday, March 3, the parish has a 24-hour prayer vigil starting with 9AM Mass on Friday, and ending with 9AM Mass on Saturday, March 4. In between those times, the church is open for silent prayer, with occasional group/vocal prayer opportunities. Perhaps before you pick up your kids from school Friday afternoon, you can stop in the church. Or maybe your family can head to the church at 3:00 Friday to together participate in silent prayer. In today's rush-rush world, making time to be quiet and talk with/listen to God can be beneficial.
 
On the schedule of events below, you'll note the many Stations of the Cross services in the church throughout Lent. Perhaps you can make it a memorable time to attend as a family, teaching your children about and reflecting on the Passion of Christ, and then going out for a special family dinner after. I have great memories of doing this with my family when I was a kid. We would head to Skipper's Fish & Chips in downtown Bellevue every Friday night in Lent after attending Stations of the Cross. (BONUS: The first parent who emails me with the name of this intersection at which the original Bellevue Skipper's was located when I was a kid in the '70s, will win a $5 Charger Card. Thanks for reading this Bulletin so thoroughly!)
 
School liturgies taking place in Lent besides our Ash Wednesday service include:
  • The Feast of St. Louise de Marillac Mass on March 15, 9AM;
  • Grade 6-8 Students' Reconciliation Service on March 30, 10:30AM;
  • Holy Thursday Liturgy on April 13, 9AM;
  • Stations of the Cross on April 14 - with each homeroom scheduled for a particular time in the morning to walk the outdoor stations; teachers will let you know the specific timeframes so parents can join the walk.
Finally, you will find some Lenten family ideas here. Take advantage of this season's opportunity to draw your family closer to God.
 
Sincerely,

Mr. FITZ

p.s.
Carlos Orozco is a Seminarian who is completing year 2 of his 3 year training to be ordained a Deacon and then soon after that, a Priest, for the Seattle Archdiocese. Carlos grew up in Holy Family Parish in Seattle's White Center neighborhood. As part of his training, he will be experiencing parish life at St. Louise from now through May, and that includes getting involved in the school. "Mr. Carlos" (as the students will call him) will be a guest teacher for some religion lessons in various grade levels, and will also talk to the students about vocations. Thanks for welcoming Carlos to St. Louise should you see him on campus. He'll be in the school mainly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but you'll see him at parish events and church on other days and nights.

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.

THIS WEEK
Saturday
  • Father/Daughter Dance in the parish hall, 6:30-9:00PM

COMING UP NEXT WEEK
 
Tuesday, February 28
  • Kidd Valley Lunch for all students whose parents purchased this opportunity at the Auction
  • Kindergarten Readiness Assessments for next year's kindergarten class (the other date for assessments is March 6)
Wednesday, March 1
  • Lent Begins
  • Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 1:45; parents are encouraged to attend, meeting their children outside the classrooms at 1:30
  • Soup Lunch for all K-8 students; thanks for $5 donations to Catholic Relief Services
Thursday, March 2
  • Parents are invited to attend either meeting tonight at 6:30: Parents' Club Meeting in the office conference room; School Commission Meeting in the faculty room
Friday, March 3
  • Flavorful Friday Treats on sale
  • Parish 24-Hour Prayer Vigil: starts with 9AM Mass and ends Saturday with 9AM Mass; parents invited in church during the school day; parents with their children invited after school Friday, or Friday evening, or Saturday morning

SAVE THE DATE
 
Thursday & Friday, March 9 & 10
  • NO SCHOOL
  • Kids' Club closed
  • Thursday is the end of the 2nd trimester and teachers begin preparing report cards
  • Friday is a teacher inservice day with St. Louise teachers taking a theology class

Volunteers Needed for Soup Lunch Next Week


          We could use some parents helping us on Ash Wednesday with preparing the soups and serving the students as they enter the parish hall to pick up their cups. It's quite an uplifting scene - as your children enter in silence, leave in silence, and walk back to their classrooms to eat in silence. This helps them understand the importance of the fasting, almsgiving, and prayer components of the Lenten Season that we have begun. If you can volunteer in the kitchen from approximately 10:30-1:30 on March 1, please email Mr. Fuerte.


Thank You for Donating to the Annual School Gift Campaign
 
          Thanks to those who have stepped forward and given to the Annual School Gift Campaign (ASGC). Below is a thermometer to give a visual of our current amount collected. As you can see, we are still waiting to hear from a large portion of our school parents.
Donations as of February 15
          Please give thoughtful consideration to your gift level for our 2017 Campaign. The ASGC is a vital fund raiser that provides much needed revenue and requires the participation of every school family. Your generous contributions to our Annual School Gift Campaign helps us target two significant priorities within our operating budget: ensuring competitive teachers' salaries and enhancing our curriculum. The ASGC also keeps our tuition at the lowest possible level.
         Thanks for donating to the ASGC by February 28th, or at least by sending in an initial pledge if you'll be paying monthly or periodically through credit card or check/checking account. You may use your credit card or set up monthly/quarterly payments from your bank account through the St. Louise website. Gifts may be given to the ASGC, as well as additional, second gifts may be made to the Father Phil Wallace Tuition Assistance Fund.
        Here's how you donate online:
  • Go to the ASGC page on our St. Louise School.
  • Once there, you will want to click on the "Donate Online" link.
  • This will send you to our secure giving site through which you may use your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express to support St. Louise School.

        If you have any questions, please contact Cindy Wagner. Let's get that thermometer rising to the 6-figures range by next month!

CYO News

CYO track registration will be coming up soon. Be watching for a registration link in an upcoming bulletin.
 
Save the date for an upcoming "Coaches' Appreciation Dinner" - on March 25th at 6:30pm in the parish hall. This will be for anyone (and his/her spouse) who has coached a St. Louise CYO team this year or in the past. Our guest speaker will be the baseball coach from Seattle University.

 
Announcing the NEW 'Weekly Order Form'!
          Charger Cards is pleased to announce the NEW "Weekly Order Form"! Place an order once each month and receive your order weekly on Fridays! This is a great option for families who:
  • Like to purchase smaller, weekly amounts
  • Use "cash envelope" budget system - buy and use Charger Cards instead of cash weekly!
  • Prefer to pay by check
  • Want to support St. Louise School
Use this new form to help with budget planning each month. Each week can include different stores and a different total amount. Complete the order form and include 4 individual checks. We will process each week's order your order will be delivered to you four Fridays in a row!
 
 
Don't Be the Middle Man
          Did you know friends and family can purchase Charger Cards online and earn rebate credit for your family account? If you have family or friends in town, or even out of state, who use any of the 100s of stores that have ScripNow or RELOAD options, you can help them register with their OWN online account and their OWN PrestoPay/bank payment.
          Their purchases and rebates can be routed to your family account. Don't want to be the middle man for Charger Card orders for your friends and family? Help them register for their own account and you won't have to! Do you know a friend with a Starbucks habit? Their regular habit could accrue at 7% rebate towards your family account if you help direct them to purchase their Starbucks credit online with a Charger Cards online account.
          Direct your family and friends to the Online Registration Direction found on the Charger Card home page.
    
  
February Is 'Reload' Month          
          This February we've been having  the "Reload Contest." Reload any Charger Card during this month and be entered for a chance to win a $25 card of your choice! You will be able to choose a $25 Nordstrom card, a $25 Safeway card, a $25 Amazon card, or any other of the dozens of stores who have $25-value cards. Each time you reload a card in February your name will be entered in the contest.  Enter as many times as you like! Once you set it up, you'll see how easy it is to reload. Basically, you purchase a plastic gift card from the Charger Card office, and then add funds ("reload")  to that same card as the funds are used up, and reuse it over and over.

 
Contact Us 
          The Charger Card office is open every school Friday from 8:15-8:45AM for over-the-counter purchases. You can also purchase Cards online 24/7 at www.shopwithscrip.com.  For more information on Charger Cards, please email co-chairs Kathy & Darlene or visit the school website.

Mr. Fuerte (far right) has been the Confirmation sponsor of all three Stockwell boys - Cameron, Chase, and now, Carson (center), whose Confirmation was two weeks ago. To see a photo of all St. Louise Parish's Confirmation recipients this year, most of whom are our school alumni, check out our Facebook page.
 
 
 
 
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.
Tomorrow Is Last Chance to RSVP for Saturday's Father/Daughter Dance
          This year's Father/Daughter Dance is this Saturday, from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, and you may RSVP online HERE for $75 per family - but registrations end Friday night. This year's theme is "Dancing through the Decades." Come dressed in your favorite dancing attire from the 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, or 90's, and our DJ will be spinning all the top hits from the past & present as we dance our way through the decades! Food will be provided by J&J BBQ Company.     If you have any questions or are interested in earning volunteer hours by helping with setup or cleanup, please contact Teresa Brosche or Rebecca Ort.