ST. LOUISE SCHOOL PARENT BULLETIN

October 4, 2018
Dan's Blog
The 2018 School Auction - It's a Wonderful Life at St. Louise -
takes place on November 10, at the Bellevue Marriott, and today is when invitations are coming home to you, and you are asked to make your online reservations. You have the month of October to register and assure a seat. Let me explain why it's such a special event that you'll want to be sure to not procrastinate, but sign up immediately!
 
You've seen on TV the Academy Awards' red-carpet runway with celebrities walking through the flashing, clicking cameras and pushing through autograph seekers? Well, attending the Auction sort of feels like this. Just like this movie star, school moms get to dress up in their finest designer gowns. (I might be exaggerating by $18 million or so, as actually, most ladies wear the same dresses they'll be wearing three weeks later to Christmas parties.) And I know that we gentlemen will be wearing something similar to this, as we want to look sharp. (Okay, so I admit there will be 100 times more sport coats at the Auction than tux jackets.) However, honestly I can say that, similar to movie stars and the rich & famous, Auction attendees will indeed be able to drink the finest wine and dine on the most delectable food!
     
Of course, the champagne and amusement the Auction provides are the side benefits. The main reason we hold the Auction is to raise money for your children. The actual cost of educating your child is considerably more than the tuition you are charged. Holding successful fund raisers (the Auction, Annual School Gift Campaign, Walk-a-Thon, and Charger Cards) is our best way to keep the cost of tuition more affordable for more families.
 
You parents have already supported the Auction wonderfully through your exciting donations! (See my p.s. below on how you can also support the Auction by donating a bottle of wine.) Now it's time to support it even more - and support your children's education - by attending the event that Saturday night in November. Please RSVP now at this link.
 
As an attendee, you will be able to bid on one-of-a-kind opportunities for your kids like "teacher for the day" or "principal for the day," to bid on memorable events such as Seahawk and Sounder tickets, and to bid on unbelievable items such as trips, vacations, and this. (Okay, I might have exaggerated on the availability of that last one.)

Additionally, on Auction night we'll be holding a special Fund-a-Need bidding time during the live auction. Every single one of you will be able to raise your bid card high and get called out by the auctioneer as a "winning" bidder, based on the giving level you choose for this Fund-a-Need. This year's focus will be on facility upgrades: 1) Helping St. Louise School pay the bill for our recent addition of a security door, camera, and parent keycards; 2) Helping us pay for our upcoming plans to makeover our parish hall so we can hold our school musical on campus, as well as have a better performance area and more seating for school concerts.
 
You already knew about the security upgrade to our school, but you may not have known that we now have a $30,000 bill to pay for it. And with a renovated parish hall stage, we are no longer going to be paying the up-to $10,000 annually to rent a public high school theater for our school musical. In order to have a true theatrical production, our parish hall stage needs theater lights and a more robust sound system with personal, lavalier microphones for the actors. We also need some side and back curtains (we currently have only the front curtain), and we'd love to buy 100 more chairs so we can seat 300 for a performance (we currently have only 200 chairs). Even though this parish hall stage upgrade will cost at least $40,000, we'll save money after a few years by not having to pay for a theater rental any more.

For more information on this year's Fund-a-Need for these two key areas of facility upgrades, please watch our slideshow, narrated by some of your kids. 
 
Finally, realize that our auction director, Julianne Read, will work with her dedicated auction committee members to make sure you get seated for the Auction dinner with people you request on your RSVP or with fellow parents of your kids' grade level if you don't make a request. It ends up being a memorable and enjoyable evening - hobnobbing with your kids' teachers and fellow parents as you walk around doing silent bidding in the first half of the evening, and then dining and bidding alongside your friends during the night's second half.

Thanks for responding now to your invitation to the Auction by completing the online RSVP. If you have any questions, please email Julianne.
 
Pax et bonum,
Mr. Fitz
 
p.s.

The Auction's "Premium Wine Contest" is going on now! Bring in a bottle of wine to donate by October 19. The class that brings in the most wine wins a prize! Check out details HERE.
  
Don't miss out on the long-standing St. Louise tradition of bidding on Black & White Photos of your children with their friends! Professional photos will be taken of your kids on the playground, capturing the magic of their years at St. Louise. The beautiful 11x14 photos will be available to purchase online or on Auction night. To guarantee your children will be included in the photos, you must send an email request by October 10th! Requesting photos is not an obligation to purchase. For details, check out the Black & White Photos flyer.
 
Upcoming Calendar of Events  

Today
  • Altar Server training for grade 5-8 students from 3:00-4:15 in the Church; parents' meeting at 4:15

Friday through Sunday, October 5-7
  • The Skyward system will be shut down this weekend statewide for maintenance 

Monday, October 8
  • All-school Mass - Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary - begins at 8:50 with a rosary in church, followed immediately by 9:00 Mass; parents are invited to sit with their children and asked to please let your children bring rosary beads from home if available 

Wednesday, October 10
  • School Photo Day - all students to come to school in full uniform, wearing the red sweater or fleece; pre-order your photos now HERE
 

Thursday, October 11
  • Bake Sale during lunchtime; most items are $.50 or $1; proceeds benefit junior high activities
 
Friday, October 12 - NO SCHOOL DAY
  • The teachers are participating in an Archdiocesan-mandated theology retreat; both the school office and Kids' Club are closed today

Tuesday, October 16
  • New Parent Q&A Coffee - all new parents are invited to a coffee/pastry social, where veteran school parents will be there to answer questions you have as a new parent; please RSVP via your evite or by emailing Cindy Wagner
SCHOOL CALENDAR
 
Hello, St. Louise Families!

Well, the moment is finally upon us! It is time to register for the BIG NIGHT!

Auction Night is just 5 weeks away, when we will get together and celebrate It's a Wonderful Life at St. Louise!  Here is what you need to know about helping to fill the ballroom at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue!
 
 

Buying Your Tickets

 

1. If you purchased your tickets at the Deck Party back in May - all you need to do is send an email listing who you would like to sit with, and please mark the subject line "Reservations."
 
2. For everyone else, to purchase tickets, please go to the Registration Page. Within the registration page, be sure to note which meal you would like to enjoy. See today's Red Envelope Flyer for entrĂ©e choices this year! Under "Special Accommodations," please note with whom you would like to sit. If you are new this year, and don't know a family to note, we'll seat you with other parents who have kids in your grade level.

 

 

Volunteering

 

We are just 5 weeks away and have hit the "we need all hands on deck" time! Here are the 2 volunteer needs we have right now:
 
1. Auction Night Volunteers: We need just 5 more Auction Night Volunteers. These are our dedicated volunteers who make the night run smoothly - handling registration, raffle ticket sales, live auction spotters, runners, item distribution, etc. If you have specific questions about how volunteering works on the night of the big event, please reach directly out to Mike Kirby  or simply sign up here.
 
 
2. Pre Event Volunteers: Also, if you are at school any day or evening, and have 30 minutes or more to volunteer, I have all kinds of jobs that need to be completed over the coming weeks. Just send an email to auction@stlouiseschool.org and let me know when you can be here
and for how long, and I'll help you check off your volunteer time! Thank you so much - this event does not happen without everyone in our community!
 
 

Important Dates

 

10/10:  Black & White photo request form due. Click here for the form.
 

 

10/19:  Premium Wine is due for the Krispy Kreme Class Party. Click here for more info.
 

 

10/22:  Our first Online Auction goes live! More details next week!
 

 

11/1:  RSVPs due for It's A Wonderful Life at St. Louise!
 

 

11/5 thru 11/9:  Preview Week in the school lobby!
 

 

11/10:  It's A Wonderful Life at St. Louise at the Seattle Marriott Bellevue!
 
 

 

 

You are in store for a lot of fun surprises at this year's event. We hope you will join us! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask or stop by the auction office in the north wing next to the PreK room.
 

Sincerely,
 
Julianne Read
St. Louise Parent & Auction Director
425.214.5441
julianner@stlouiseschool.org

 

 
 Pre-Order School Photos Today; Photo Day Is Next Week
 
           We are excited to be partnering with the iconic Yuen Lui Studios this year for our school photos! Both individual student photos and class photos are scheduled for this coming Wednesday, October 10. Throughout the day, each student will have their individual photo taken, regardless if the student is purchasing photos to keep or not. These are used for our school Yearbook in June.
          Students are to come to school in their complete uniform on Wednesday, wearing the traditional red sweater or fleece (no hoodies or track jackets).
          The preferred method is for you to pre-order online. Simply go HERE to place your order.  All photo packages you purchase will include a complimentary class photo. If you have any questions concerning school photos, please contact Cindy Wagner  in our development office.  
 We Have a Dozen Expectation for Your Kids

  Student Learning Expectations - SLEs - are expectations that our students should know, understand, value, and be able to do by the time they graduate from St. Louise School. These 12 SLEs comprise four categories important to the development of a well-rounded student: an active Christian; a life-long learner; a well-balanced individual; and a community member. Each month, one or two different SLEs are focused on school-wide until the 12 expectations are thoroughly covered by the end of the school year. 


Mr. Fitzpatrick announces to all the students the "SLE(s) of the Month" on a Monday intercom announcement at the beginning of each month. The students and their teachers then discuss the meaning of the SLE and come up with examples of how this expectation could be practiced, observed, and realized. They then work all month on improving their knowledge and understanding of this learning expectation, and some grade levels are even able to achieve it later that month or later in the year. Other grade levels will need more years of practice before they can confidently confirm they are able to satisfy this objective.
 
At the end of the month, each class informs Mr. Fitz what their class did that demonstrated the SLE(s) was accomplished, or is being initially worked on and hopefully will be achieved in the future. At month's end, a few of these classrooms' reports to Mr. Fitz are announced over the intercom to the entire school and in this Parent Bulletin to parents.
 
September's Student Learning Expectation focused on throughout the school was: "A St. Louise student is a well-balanced individual who sets goals and implements steps to achieve them." Below are highlights from some of the classrooms on how they have been working on achieving this SLE.
 
Miss Helfen's students had a goal in September to behave like the mature 1st graders she knows they can be. This means they need to be great listeners, be kind to others, and work hard. The computer app, Classroom Dojo, is used to help assess how the students are doing working toward these behavior goals. Each 1st grader can be granted points for being ready to learn, helping others, showing perseverance, etc. As each student earns a point here and there, the overall 1A classroom total continues to grow. Miss Helfen's students decided to try and reach a goal of 1,000 class points. She helped lead a class discussion on the steps each student could take to contribute to the total - such as being a good listener and paying attention. Some 1st graders have reported that, since their parents have access to view their child's individual point progress, they have been setting goals at home. For example, one 1A mom challenged her child to get 20 points in the week.
 
In the other 1st grade classroom, 1B, Mrs. Howell's students have set a class goal this year to be "bucket fillers." After discussing what it means to "fill someone's bucket," the class wrote down strategies for achieving this goal and posted it on their incredible work board (see below). Each student has a personal bucket, so when the students are doing extra kind acts for each other they physically fill their friend's individual class paper bucket. When the whole class is working together to be bucket fillers, such as at a specialist class, then they are able to fill the class bucket. Mrs. Howell reports that their first class bucket goal is to get 10 warm fuzzies, so that they can celebrate together with something community oriented such as a collaborative art project or a kindness scavenger hunt. See pictures attached of what we've been doing to achieve our goal so far this month.
 
The 8th graders have many opportunities to set goals and implement steps to achieve them. In Mrs. Herridge's religion class, each 8th grader researches, plans, and implements a service activity that will benefit a nonprofit group. Part of the process is to set a timeline with specific tasks in order to pull off a successful project. Once the activity has happened, the student evaluates and determines what could be done differently in the future. Additionally, an overarching goal during the 8th grade year is to be prepared for high school. By planning, using assignment books, and meeting deadlines, the 8th graders are setting the implementing steps to accomplish the goal of preparation.
 
In Mrs. Williams' math classes, her 7th and 8th graders set personal goals for this first trimester in Pre-Algebra and Algebra I.  The students will revisit their goals each month, and each trimester they will adjust the goal or set a new one if the previous goal was accomplished. One example is below.
  
Similarly, Mr. Weiss had his 7th grade students fill out an information card on which they wrote about a hope, fear, and goal they have for this year. Student goals varied and included goals such as "Getting A's in all classes," "Completing all homework on time," "Making friends," and "Improving vocabulary." He had the kids use the S.M.A.R.T. goal format to write Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely goals. Throughout the last week of September, Mr. Weiss conferenced with each student to check in on their goals, discussing if the goal is still "SMART." These goals, which were created by the 7th graders on the first day of school, can be updated by the students at any time if they accomplish it, realize it is unrealistic, or develop new ambitions.
 
Down the junior high wing, Mr. Gallant has his 8th grade language arts/literature students on a mission to embrace the revising and editing process for what it is - an opportunity to get better! While it's easiest to simply change a word here or there when editing and revising, students are setting goals this year to do more than that. They know that making wholesale changes to sentence structure, non-repetitive phrases in closely connected sentences, providing concrete, sensory examples for the reader are some ways to greatly improve their essays. One way they are trying to achieve their goal is to break down the revising/editing process into separate days. Instead of attempting to revise all at once, students are pledging to take more time on each paragraph, but only attempt to revise one paragraph per day so it's a reachable goal.
   
In Mrs. LB's music classes, her 5th graders are playing recorders, as a way to assist them in reading notes. (See photos below.) Each student knows the steps they need to follow in order to have the privilege of getting a recorder and having time to practice on it. These steps include the need to practice the rhythms for each recorder exercise by clapping it, then counting it, and then doing both. They also must keep the beat as the read each recorder note. The students play for up to 15 minutes each music class, as they strive to reach their goal of learning the recorder as a way to be able to read notes.
 
 Finally, the SLE of the Month for a
St. Louise student to be able to set goals and implement steps to achieve them can be observed in P.E. classes. Mr. Evans had his 6th, 7th, and 8th graders find their "baseline" fitness level in September through various fitness tests. He explained to the students how important it is to record accurate data for the validity of any project. So they made sure to be precise in collecting their fitness level data, su
ch as how far they can sit and reach to
measure the flexibility of the lower back and hamstring muscles . After the data for various fitness tests was collected, Mr. Evans asked his upper-grade-level students to evaluate their strengths as well as identify their areas of need, and then formulate fitness goals that are measurable with numbers. Some students struggled with the concept of setting a measurable goal with measurable steps to achieve them. They wanted to simply say, for example, "I want to be able to reach father when I stretch." Here is an example of a measurable fitness goal with the measurable steps to achieve them from one of our 6th graders: "I want to add 10 centimeters to my sit and reach, and I will stretch every day for 5 minutes to achieve that goal."

Now that we're in October, schoolwide we'll be focusing on new Student Learning Expectations. Our new SLEs of the Months are:
  • A St. Louise student is a life-long learner who exhibits enthusiasm for learning, including the ability to connect learning with life experiences. (SLE #2.3);
  • A St. Louise student is a community member who shows awareness of local, national, and international events. (SLE #4.2).
 

 

What's New with Charger Cards? 

         
We're thrilled to announce Walmart is now available for Reload-Now! Walmart gift cards ordered through ShopWithScrip.com or MyScripWallet.com can now be reloaded for $10 - $500, with a maximum card balance of $500 and the same 2.5% rebate.

These cards have bonus rebates:
  • Express $25 - 10%
  • DSW - 8 %
  • Domino's - 12%
  • Hallmark - 6%
These are just a few of the cards available now with bonus rebates so please stop by the Charger Card window or visit www.shopwithscrip.com  or MyScripWallet.com  to learn more. 
 
 
Special Window Sales Day

Due to the NO SCHOOL DAY next Friday October 12, our Charger Card sales window will be open next week on THURSDAY,OCTOBER 11, from 8:15-9:00 am.  Orders received by 9:30 am this Monday will be filled and sent home in student backpacks on Thursday the 11th.  Of course, you may always purchase 24/7 at www.shopwithscrip.com
 


 

Thank you for supporting St. Louise Charger Cards!


For more information on Charger Cards and online ordering,
or email chairperson Marsha at chargercards@stlouiseschool.org
 
 Training Today for 5th-8th Grade Students
         
           Altar Serving is not just a service but a prayerful celebration of Jesus Christ!  Our grades 5 or older students who are baptized Catholics are welcome to join the altar server ministry team. Training is scheduled for today - Thursday - from 3:00-4:15pm in the Church. Parents are not required to stay for the training need to be in the church by 4:15 today to receive crucial scheduling information. If your child is interested but has a conflict with attending this training, please contact Gaby Gonzalez.
Meet Our Newest School Parents

          We are excited to have 50 new school families join the St. Louise School community this fall! Each week we'll be showing your some of the new faces and names. Thank you, veteran St. Louisers, for making these newest parents feel welcome.
 
        
Sergio Victorio and Priscilla Portocarrero
daughters in 4th and 5th grades

          
Laura and David VanNoy
son in kindergarten


Nicole and Eric Wong
daughter in kindergarten
 
 
Khai and Fritzie Tran
daughter in pre-K

  
Jerry Walker and Penny Williams
daughter in kindergarten

 
Ted Wang and Sherry Hung
daughter in pre-k

      
Eduardo Tovar and Maria Moreno
daughter in 7th grade

 
Local Arts & Crafts Vendors Welcome

         
          St. Louise Parish School is hosting our annual St. Nicholas Breakfast and Christmas Bazaar on Saturday, December 1st. We're inviting local artists to showcase their arts and crafts. Kindly email Janelle and JT Taasan, our St. Nicholas volunteer coordinators, at stnick@stlouiseschool.org if you are interested and would like to receive additional information. Please extend the invitation to any other craft creators you feel may want to participate. Thank you for helping make our event a wonderful holiday experience.
Please Spread the Word about This Position
         
           St. Louise Parish is seeking to fill a part-time position for a choir director of the Rejoice choir, a mixed-voice, multi-generational choir which serves on a bi-monthly basis. The choir serves every-other week at the 9am Sunday Mass, with weekly rehearsal on Wednesday evenings. The choir also serves at the 9PM Christmas Eve Mass, and the bilingual Triduum services.   In addition to preparing the choir and psalmists for their role, the director is also responsible for music selections. This is a part-time hourly position with an anticipated average workload of 4 hours per week.
           Qualified candidates will have considerable knowledge and familiarity of the Roman Catholic liturgy. Experience in choral directing and vocal skills are required. Keyboard proficiency in piano is helpful but not required. Must express a desire to work with diverse cultures and relate well to both English and Spanish speaking parishioners. The choir director will report to and work closely with the Director of Worship.
           Contact Lynette Basta, Director of Worship, at 425-747-4450 or lynette@stlouise.org for an application package. Position open until filled.


          On Monday, all the K-8 classrooms were visited by author/speaker Monica Ashour, who presented a children-version of the Theology of the Body. The night prior, Monica addressed 100+ high schoolers, and Monday night she spoke to 100+ adults.  
 
 
Prayer Inspiration for the Week


"The Rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known."
~Archbishop Fulton Sheen


PARENTS in PRAYER
All parents are welcome every Wednesday-schoolday at 8:30 a.m. to pray with fellow school parents in a small-group setting. Please check in at the school office.
 
See what's happening on our St. Louise Facebook page