ST. LOUISE SCHOOL PARENT BULLETIN

April 4, 2019
Dan's Blog
I am so proud of the students who are in the cast and crew of this year's school musical, Dear Edwina Jr., which premiered last night! These kids have spent a minimum of five hours each week for five months straight, learning their lines and choreography or learning how to run a sound board or lights. There are $5 and $10 tickets available for closing night (tonight at 6:30; tickets sold at the door in the parish hall). 

I'm also so appreciative that we have a talented music teacher, Terry La Russa Banton, who can provide our students with this unique opportunity to learn about the theater, as they'll now be able to continue with this extra-curricular in high school. Also, I want to thank the parents who have assisted, including Shawn Maloney, who helps year-after-year with set construction, and this year has added a special role of assisting our parish administrator, Jonathan Taasan, in overseeing the parish hall enhancement of new lighting, sound, and curtains - as purchased with our Auction Fund-a-Need revenue. If you haven't yet seen what your Fund-a-Need donations provided, please check out our new and improved parish hall!

*  *  *  *  *

Springtime is when our teachers get together to create next year's grade K-8 homeroom lists. Teachers create these new homeroom rosters for next year's grade levels, mixing up the current group of students in each grade and adding any newly admitted students. I need to remind you that, just as you are trusting the teachers this year with caring for and teaching your most precious possessions every day, so too do I hope you can trust them with making the decisions for the coming fall on which children to place in which classrooms.

What will happen soon is the teachers of one grade level will get together and decide how best to create the next grade level's class placements for the fall. They take into account many things, making sure there is a balance in each class of: boys and girls; highly verbal and low verbal personalities; kids with strong academic skills and those who need extra help; etc. They also know which students would best be served by being separated from certain classmates or grouped with certain others. Finally, they try to match each child's learning style with the teaching styles of next year's teachers.

If one little change is thrown into the mix, such as a parent requesting that her child be in a specific class, the "domino effect" takes place and more changes need to be made to keep the balance mentioned above. It's not an easy task to create new class rosters for the succeeding school year. Therefore, I need you to trust the knowledge of our teachers in choosing the class placement that will be best for your child and best for the entire class of students.

However, should you have an important point you want us to consider for the best learning-atmosphere placement for your child next year, you have an opportunity to send me this information in writing by an April 15th deadline. Please do not talk to a teacher about this, as all requests must come through me, and I will work with the teachers to do our best to meet your request, assuming we agree and we're able to work through the "domino effect." Please be aware we can't guarantee your request can be met. Additionally, I ask that you written request focus on what type of "learning atmosphere placement" you want us to consider; please don't just name the "teacher" you want your child to have. Furthermore, note that I keep track of the number of requests a parent has made for each child's class placement request, as it would be too complex to accommodate a family's multiple requests during their child's K-8 era. Finally, please realize that the OVERWHELMING majority of parents NEVER place a request - so NOT contacting me by April 15th is "normal." :-) 
Thanks for your understanding, trust, and support.
 
Speaking of an April 15th deadline, another deadline on that same date (besides paying taxes, of course) is to apply for financial aid from our  Father Phil Wallace Tuition Assistance Endowment Fund . The online application and the accompanying documentation must be submitted to the company we use to process these applications (FACTS) by April 15. Please see the information on our website , and if your family will be struggling this upcoming school year with low earnings, and financial aid will be crucial, please apply.

*  *  *  *  *

Finally, the Washington Federation of Independent Schools (WFIS) is the policy watchdog for private schools, reacting to or working with all of the education-related bills created by legislators in Olympia which affect private schools. WFIS is sounding the alarm now about how 
legislators from the House of Representatives will be voting soon on Senate Bill 5514. This bill encourages local emergency responders to call private schools when a crisis is occurring nearby to the school.  Currently, there is nothing compelling the police to notify a private/Catholic school similarly to how responders notify a public school for something like when a lockdown is needed due to police activity in the neighborhood. Passing this bill would be a significant step forward in the effort to keep all schools and all children safe - not just children who attend government-run schools. The private/Catholic schools in our state are all encouraging their parents to please contact your Representatives in the House today or tomorrow to let them know you would appreciate their support for SB 5514.  This will be the final push to get this bill into law before this year's legislative session ends.


Pax et bonum,                                         
 
Mr. Fitz
 
p.s.

Don't forget that we have a special Free Dress Day prize for any child who reaches the special figure of at least $127.50 in Walk-A-Thon pledge collections by the early turn-in date of April 11. That's just one week from today!  We're not asking for the MONEY to be turned in by the 11th - just the WHITE SHEET OF THE PLEDGE FORM.

If by April 11th, a family reaches $127.50 in pledges committed online or via check/cash, all of the kids in that family will receive a Free Dress Day on May 1.

Note that the actual minimally required funds to be raised by each family by the final deadline of May 9th are different that this special early turn-in prize day. For the Walk-A-Thon, each family has the following minimum required donations (due by May 10th):
  • $85 for 1-student families;
  • $170 for 2-student families'
  • $235 for 3-or-more student families.
Note that you are NOT required to give your children cash on Tuesday, April 30th for the Duct-Tape-Mr.Fitz-to-the-Wall event. I'd be fine if NO ONE brought cash that day, in fact!
;-)

Thank you in advance for your financial support - as you fulfill your Walk-A-Thon fundraiser commitment and provide necessary revenue for our Parents' Club so they can continue to fund special events and programs as well as provide gifts to the faculty each Christmas.

Upcoming Calendar of Events  

Tonight
  • Closing night of Dear Edwina Jr., 6:30 - tickets available at the door for $5 or $10 cash only

Tomorrow
  • Some grade levels are spending time in Eucharistic Adoration in the parish chapel; parents welcome
  • Avoid a phone call from the St. Louise development office, please have your ASGC donation (or initial pledge payment) in by today (see link or article below)

Saturday, April 6
  • CYO Coaches' Dinner, 6PM

Monday through Friday, April 8-12

Thursday, April 11
  • Parents' Club Meeting, 6:30PM - all parents invited to attend 
  • Walk-A-Thon Pledge Form turn-in day is today
    • keep the bottom yellow copy but turn in the front white copy;
    • NO MONEY DUE at this time;
    • keep any early turned-in cash/checks until May 3-10, when pledge money is to be collected and turned-in;
    • any family who has turned in at least $127.50 in pledges by today gets a Free Dress Day on May 1 for all kids in the family

Monday through Friday, April 15-19
  • During Holy Week, all religion teachers will take time to present lessons on the theme of "death and resurrection"; please contact your child's teacher for more information 

Thursday, April 18
  • Holy Thursday all-school Prayer Service, 9AM; parents are encouraged to attend, meeting your child outside the school at 8:45

Friday, April 19 - NOON DISMISSAL; NO AFTER-SCHOOL KIDS' CLUB
  • Good Friday Stations of the Cross; all K-8 classrooms are walking the Stations outdoors (see the article below for times)

Sunday, April 21 - ALLELUIA! CHRIST HAS RISEN!
  • Easter Vacation runs through April 28; school resumes on April 29

Monday, April 29 thru Friday, May 3 - Walk-A-Thon Spirit Week
  • Check out the list of Fun Dress Days for Mon/Tue/Thur/Fri
  • Bring $1 per foot of duct tape on Tuesday to duct tape Mr. Fitz to the wall, with all proceeds going to the Walk-A-Thon 
  • PreK thru Gr. 3 walks from 10:20-11:30; Gr. 4 thru 8 walks from 12:20-2:30
  • Tailgate after school for all families; DJ-music and food for sale in front of the school during the 3PM-hour; please park on the basketball court or soccer field if you're staying for the tailgate
  • Sign up to volunteer by contacting walkathon@stlouiseschool.org

Wednesday, May 1
  • Grade 1 & 2 Spring Concert; 6:30PM in the parish hall (1st and 2nd graders to report to their classrooms between 6:00-6:15 please)
SCHOOL CALENDAR
Walking on Sunshine... 2019 Walk-A-Thon Is Underway!
   
Last Thursday we launched our spring fundraiser with a super-fun assembly featuring our teachers doing their cheer, "Everywhere we go...!". Watch it here in case you missed the post on our school's Facebook page.
Our co-chair dads, Peter Zevenbergen and Jon Sharp, shared with the students a slideshow of past Walk-A-Thon events, and explained how this year's Walk-A-Thon, with students' help, will raise $60,000 for St. Louise to provide enrichment grants to teachers to bring in great programs like author, Ben Clanton, the Of Cedar and Salmon potlatch, and the recent opera, Barber of Seville
 
If you haven't read through the packet you were sent last Thursday, here's what you need to know:
  1. Students are asked to collect pledges: They can do this by using the pledge form and envelope sent home and/or by using 99pledges.com. A link was sent to your home email last Friday; email us if you can't find that email with the link.
  2. Your children can collect flat pledges, or per lap pledges. The white copy of the pledge sheets are due on April 11th. You can continue to ask for pledges through May 10th, but April 11th is our early turn-in date.
  3. Spirit Week: We will be celebrating every day of the week leading up to the Walk-A-Thon - from April 29th through May 3rd with special Fun Dress days and events!
  4. Golden Charger: There are lots of fabulous prizes for most laps, most money raised per class, etc., but we want you to really shoot for reaching the Golden Charger level this year. All students who raise $250 or more (per student/not per family) will enjoy a great prize pack which includes a Free Dress Pass, Morning Hot Chocolate Bar, Pizza Party, and a pass to Flying Circus!
And, you might have heard your children say, " We get to tape Mr. Fitz to the wall!", you might be thinking, " How can that be true?" Believe us - it is! We will be selling strips of duct tape on Tuesday, April 30th at $1 per foot. Students will tape Mr. Fitz to the wall that day! We'll post the video on our school's Facebook page. You do not want them to miss out on this experience! Want to send in more than $1? That works too!  Here is what it could look like...



Please take some time to go through the packet you received last Thursday. Note what your family's required MINIMUM DONATIONS MUST TOTAL by the final day to turn-in all money on May 10:
  • $85 for 1-student families;
  • $170 for 2-student families:
  • $235 for 3-or-more student families.


If you have any questions, please email  walkathon@stlouiseschool.org, and one of us will get back to you.
 
From your Walk-A-Thon Chairs,  
Marinell Zevenbergen, Jen Sharp & Julianne Read
Charger Pride with Every Stride!
Can You Make a Pot of Coffee?

           We are looking for the next Hospitality Committee Co-Chair! This is a great way to earn volunteer hours, get to know other parents, and help provide a welcoming environment for our open houses and other school events. If you have a smile, can make a pot of coffee and send Sign-Up Genius emails, you would be a great fit. Please contact Hospitality Co-Chair, Liz DeBord  for more details.
Walk the Stations of the Cross

          On Good Friday, April 19, all grade K-8 homerooms will be walking the outdoor Stations of the Cross. Our 8th grade students have prepared inspiring posters which depict each of the 14 Stations, and the 8th graders will be placed throughout the campus ready to show the posters and lead prayers to help us reflect on the significance of each of the major events that took place 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem.
          Parents and grandparents are encouraged to walk the Stations with their children. Please wait at the flagpole outside the main entrance to the school to join your child's classroom, which will begin with Station #1 underneath the deck at the following times on the 19th:   8:50-6A;  8:55-6B;  9:00-2B;  9:05-7A;  9:10-7B;  9:15-1A;  9:20-KA;  9:25-4A;  9:30-5B;  9:35-4B;  9:40-KB;  10:35-3B;  10:40-3A;  10:45-1B;  10:50-5A/2A;   11:00-8A/8B.

*NOTE: The above times are approximate, so it's recommended parents arrive 10 minutes prior to the above time.

Announcing the Honor Roll Students

          Congratulations to these 7th and 8th grade students who earned placement on the St. Louise HONOR ROLL for the just-completed 2nd trimester. A student must have a 90% or above in all five major subjects in order to qualify for the Honor Roll (religion, language arts, math, science, social studies). In addition, Honor Roll students must earn a 3 or 4 in all specialist subjects and in all report card subcategories evaluating their behavior and participation.

Evie Aitken, Grace Barrows, Daniel Catorcini, Liam Curran,
Emily D'Costa, Tim Doggett, Amele Fawcett, Cristian Garland,
Lucia Grisaffi, Caitlyn Hoffman, Jack Kehoe, Sarah Kujath,
Raizel Lagunero, Kate Leach, Lauren Lester, Adara Martinez,
Julius Moricz, Braden Russell, TJ Russell, Daniel Sandino,
Ashley Santiago, Courtney Stockwell, Ann Sullivan,
Alexandra Szarma, Ryan Tang, Lauren Teders, Ryan Tiotuico,
Kimberly Tovar-Moreno, Justine Utz, Fiona Wallis, Jenna Wilken

Your High Schooler Can Play CYO Sports
        
          CYO High School Volleyball registration has begun.  Any current St. Louise Parish high school student can participate.  The cost is $50 and registration ends April 5th.  Please visit www.teamsideline/cyoseattle.com  to register.  Please contact Joni Hoffman with any questions.
It's Sad to Say Goodbye
        
          We are going to greatly miss Anne Etter, who announced she will be leaving St. Louise this June to teach at a school closer to her U-District home. Miss Etter has taught in our 3rd grade for 15 years, and the combination of her impactful teaching skills and bubbly personality positively effected hundreds of children! We will give her a farewell and thank-you at our liturgy on the final school day of the year. 
          Here is what Anne wishes to say to the St. Louise community: " After much thought and prayer, I've decided that this will be my last year teaching at Saint Louise. Never in a million years did I think I would stay at one school for 15 years when I was hired, but I feel beyond blessed to have been a part of this wonderful community for as long as I have. Saint Louise will forever be the place where I 'became a teacher,' and I am so blessed to have not only taught so many awesome children here but also made life long friendships with their families and my co-workers. This decision is truly bittersweet, but I am looking forward to a change and grateful to be leaving Saint Louise with the fondest of memories."
          We are currently interviewing teachers to fill her position, and an announcement about this hiring - and the hiring of replacements for departing teachers Karen Alleman and Kaitlin Casey - will be made soon, as we finalize our 2019-20 faculty roster.

Can You Make This a Charger Card Easter?


Time to purchase Charger Cards for Easter break!  How much of your Easter shopping and vacation travel can you run through Charger Cards and support St. Louise? Please plan your Easter Break using Charger Cards.
 
Charger Cards have a limited supply of high rebate cards left in stock:
  • Maggiano's (19%)                                                  
  • Red Robin (20%)
  • John Howie Steak (20%)
  • Wild Ginger (20%)
  • Bai Tong (20%)
  • Tutta Bella (20%)
  • Tom Douglas (20%)
  • Levue Nails (20%)
  • Gene Juarez (10%)
  • Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic (14%)
  • Starbucks $10 (11%)
 

If yo ur Easter Break will be at Disney, d id you know Disney Cards are usable for more than the Disney Store? They are also good for:
  • Disneyland or Disney World Theme park tickets (4-days DW park hopper tickets for Family of 4 cost $1,500!)
  • Theme park restaurants - counter service or sit down!
  • Theme park retail shops - buy your souvenirs in the parks with charger cards!
  • Disney hotels
  • Even having a meal with Goofy at Goofy's Kitchen can be covered using Disney cards.
Do you have a Disney vacation planned? If so, please order your Disney Cards now through Charger Cards and earn rebates while planning your trip.
 

The Charger Cards sale office in the central wing of the original school is open on school-Fridays from 8:15-9:00AM. 
Of course, you may always purchase 24/7 at  www.shopwithscrip.com  or myscripwallet.com  for ScripNow, Reload, or Reload Now cards.                          
 
Charger Cards...It's simple, it's thoughtful and it's truly the gift that
 keeps on giving! For more information on Charger Cards and online ordering, please visit www.stlouiseschool.org/chargercards or email chairperson Marsha at



Mrs. Cervantes' 5th graders viewed their cheek cells under microscopes in the science lab.
Final Reminder to Sign Up Your 4th-8th Grader
          
          Registration is open here for all 4th-8th graders to sign up for CYO Track and Field.  Practices will begin on April 16th and will run fro m 5:30-7:00 every Tuesday at Tillicum Middle School and every Thursday at Odle Middle School.  Track Meets are held on the following weekends:
  • Preliminary: Saturday, May 4
  • Relay Meet: Saturday, May 11
  • Qualifying: Saturday, May 18th
  • 8th Grade Pentathlon: Sunday, May 19th
  • Championship: Saturday, June 1st
          If you have any questions or are interested in helping coach, please contact track coordinator Amy Wilken. Please note that if you need to order a St. Louise Track Team t-shirt, please mark the applicable box when registering. The t-shirts are $10 and are required. These are the same shirts as last year, so if you already have one that fits, you don't need to purchase another one. 
How to Stop a Phone Call
          
          Last week you received a note in your red family envelope that more than half of St. Louise families have fulfilled their commitment to participate in the 2019 Annual School Gift Campaign (ASGC). Thank you if that is you! We mentioned that "Families who have not made any type of donation to the ASGC by Friday, April 5, will be receiving a phone call from our Development Office." 
         
 
          Well, tomorrow is Friday the 5th! We would really appreciate all families getting this donation accomplished to save both you and us from a phone call. Remember, if you can't give a typical donation amount at this time, you can submit the first of monthly contributions, making it easier on your budget. (For example, you could commit to $28 a month from now through December and reach the "Patron" level of giving.) Go here for more information and to donate. You may also contact Cindy Wagner if you have questions about your contribution plan.
St. Louise Students Are Well-Balanced Individuals
 
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 covered by the end of the school year.
 
For the month of March, we have had two Student Learning Expectations focused on throughout the school:
  • "A St. Louise student is a well-balanced individual who practices positive social skills by taking responsibility for one's own actions and showing respect" (SLE #3.1);
  • "A St. Louise student is well-balanced individual who develops mind, body, and spirit by experiencing the arts and participating in physical activity" (SLE #3.2).
Below are highlights from some of the classrooms on how they worked during March - and/or all yearlong - on achieving these SLEs.
 
Students in various intermediate and upper grade levels are in the cast and crew of this year's school musical, Dear Edwina, Jr., which closes tonight. These students spent approximately five hours per week for five straight months learning their lines, songs, and choreography, not just so they could entertain the school community with a performance, but so that they themselves could develop their minds, bodies, and spirits. Similarly to her directing the musical, Mrs. La Russa Banton directed the kindergarten students, third grades, and fourth graders last month with their winter concerts, as those students experienced the arts.
 

The cast and crew of Dear Edwina, Jr.

 
The 8th graders work on art in various ways so to better help them enrich their faith. For example, above you see 8th graders students working on two projects in Mrs. Herridge's religion class - meticulously making a mosaic of an early Christian person to learn about the sacrifices of our earliest foreparents of the Catholic faith, while also learning how intricate this form of art it. They also created Celtic Knots which symbolize the Trinity - three interwoven paths representing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - separate but one. The elaborate designs are unique but similar to one another, representing how each of us is created in God's image.
 
In art classes with Mrs. Walker, the 8th graders worked in small groups to create new Stations of the Cross posters that will be used for the outdoor Stations in which the entire school walks on Good Friday. Below is the students' depiction of the 2nd Station - Jesus Takes Up His Cross. This art project required collaboration and coordination to be sure sizing and orientation aligned. By focusing on a particular Station, students reflected on Jesus's journey and Passion. They could not help but ponder the physical and spiritual experience of Christ during his last hours.
 


Last month in his P.E. classes, Mr. Evans had the students self- reflect by filling out a questionnaire highlighting the ways they kept their minds, bodies, and spirits active. Here are a few responses by categories that our students recorded on their questionnaires:

I develop my MIND by:
  • Reading for at least 20 minutes per day
  • Math tutoring
  • Playing board/card games
I develop my BODY by:
  • Balancing diet/hydration
  • Brushing and flossing teeth
  • Working out on my own or with family members
I develop my SPIRIT by:
  • Praying
  • Reading the Bible
  • Donating food/money/clothes
  • Going to Reconciliation
In addition, Mr. Evans explored with the students how we achieve balance through physical activities. For example, in basketball you use your mind (understanding the rules/strategy of the game), you use your body (running, jumping, passing), and your emotions are impacted (you make a basket and you're proud, but you're called for a foul and you're frustrated). Mr. Evans noted that these discussions in P.E. class were very helpful in allowing students to discover how sports and games can bring balance to their lives and why educators and parents encourage all children to participate in physical activities.

Mr. Glaser's 6th graders worked on being responsible and respectful by trying to more closely follow the St. Louise School Precepts. They also memorized them! The list of Precepts - the minimally required behaviors from all St. Louise students - are listed below.
                                


The Pre-K kids practiced showing respect when they were blessed to have Fr. Gary come in and teach them about the Annunciation. Mrs. Blank's students practiced respectful behavior while he was teaching. In addition in Pre-K in March, Gertie the Goat was introduced into the classroom. Gertie is a stuffed goat that is presented to one child each day who has tried his/her best, was kind, focused on his/her work, was a nice friend, and tried to solve problems. The student earning Gertie for the day for this responsible and respectful behavior gets to take her home overnight. Classmate are very respectful to their classmates by listening to the announcement of who receives the goat for the day, by giving them applause, and by not complaining that they did not receive Gertie that time.

 

Miss Casey's 2nd graders painted with water colors over crucifix silhouettes, as part of their weekly art skill work they do in her class.


In Mr. Gallant's language arts/literature classes, the 7th graders have been introduced to the Harlem Renaissance era style of Langston Hughes, and will soon be introduced to the post-Civil War style of Walt Whitman and Ezra Pound. Their artistry in poetry, through the use of literary devices, provides students the chance to analyze the art and craft of language. Students are now creating their own works of poetry, where they will write and publish a minimum 10-piece Poetry Collection this month. This will showcase their unique, individual artistic talents while also adhering to certain literary devices.



  In Kindergarten, Mrs. Alleman's and Mrs. Samson's students listed the various ways they develop their minds, bodies, and spirits through the arts, through participating in physical activities, and through their actions.

  In kindergarten, Mrs. Alleman's and Mrs. Samson's students brainstormed, practiced, and then wrote and drew about how they take responsibility for their own actions and show respect when they have hurt a classmate.























 



As we are now in April, schoolwide we have started focusing on a new Student Learning Expectation:
  • "A St. Louise student is an active Christian who seeks to develop a person relationship with God as demonstrated by living out Gospel values and participating in liturgies, sacraments, and daily prayer." (SLE #1.1)
Parents can assist their children in understanding and achieving this expectation by talking about each parent's personal faith life and how parents develop faith even though they're adults and not in Catholic school any more. Then the discussion perhaps could lead to how your family participating in daily prayer and weekend Mass are two of the most fundamental ways to develop a relationship with our Almighty Father.
PRAYER INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK

"
Is any one of you in trouble? 
He should pray.
Is anyone happy? 
Let him sing songs of praise."
~James 5:13

Please Spread the Word to Neighbors, Co-Workers, Friends


See what's happening on our St. Louise Facebook page