Parent Bulletin
September 16, 2021
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In the article, “10 Reasons Not to Give Your Child – or Teen – a Smartphone,” the author gives lots of serious (and some scary) reasons why children do not need smartphones. When you realize that the average child sees pornography on their phone or screen by the time they are in 5th grade, parents have a reason to be cautious and apprehensive about handing their youngster basically a small computer that can allow them to see the most perverse sights.
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CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
Today
- School Commission meeting at 6:30PM in the school library
- Parish Fall Festival today (rescheduled from Sunday) from 5:30-7:30PM in the parking lot
Tomorrow
- Charger Cards sales-window open from 8:30-9:15.
- Mass of the Holy Spirit, 9AM; only parents of 5A students have seated available in the church (see article below)
Sunday, September 19
- Catechetical Sunday at 9AM Mass; come and join the congregation, as they thank our school teachers, who will receive special recognition at this Mass
Tuesday, September 21
- Charger Cards mobile-cart selling outdoors from 2:45-3:30
Thursday, September 23
- Bake Sale
- Parents' Club meeting, 6:30PM on Microsoft Teams (see article below)
Tuesday, September 28
- Parent Education Class, 6:30, Parish Hall (see article below)
Wednesday, September 29
- Free Dress Day ONLY for certain special students! (see article below)
- School Musical tryouts for grade 6-8 students, 3:00-5:00PM, Parish Hall
Thursday, September 30
- School Musical tryouts for grade 6-8 students, 3:00-5:00PM, Parish Hall
CHECK OUT OUR COMPLETE SCHOOL CALENDAR HERE
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Limited Seating in Church for School Masses; Please Note if You're Invited |
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We are happy to be able to return to having “live” Masses in the church for our students, instead of having to watch a streaming video. However, due to needing to space the students 3’ apart in the church, we don’t have much room for anyone other than our student body to attend our Masses.
So, we would ask parents – until further notice - to please only come to a School Mass that you are especially invited to. And those invites will go to the homeroom parents whose children will be “assisting” at a specific Mass/service by doing some readings, leading some prayers, etc. - as noted on the Liturgy Calendar you were sent in last Thursday's red envelope.
Thus, for this Friday, we apologize that we’ve been inviting “all” parents to come to School Masses. We now realize from last Friday’s opening prayer service, that we won’t have the proper space if we don’t cap how many parents join us. For TOMORROW, we invite ONLY the parents of our 5A students. On October 7, only the 5B parents are invited to join us in church. On November 1, only 6B parents…and so on according to the calendar. We will remind each specific homeroom's parents as each liturgy approaches.
When one homeroom’s parents are invited – such as the 5A parents tomorrow– you will have a special section opened up just for you on the far right upper-corner of the nave, as you’re facing the altar – the area of individual chairs closest to the piano.
Thanks for your understanding. And remember… just because we tentatively don’t have space for you at a School Mass, doesn’t mean we don’t want you to pray! You can say a prayer, Rosary, etc. from your home, work, or car at the same time the school body is gathering in church. You can also view (most) School Masses via livestream here: https://www.stlouise.org/livestream-mass.
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All Parents Invited to Participate in a Virtual Meeting |
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This year, most Parents' Club meetings will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams. This will allow more moms and dads to simply log in at 6:30 to listen in and participate, without needing to drive to school or find childcare.
The St. Louise Parents' Club provides volunteer help and conducts fund raising activities for the purpose of enhancing the children’s Catholic education at St. Louise. The Parents’ Club General Membership consists of all school parents or guardians. The Executive Board consists of fellow school parents who act as a representative of the General Membership and function as a governing body in matters of Club business, directly responsible to the principal and pastor. You can find their names and contact info HERE.
If you would like to listen in to any Parents' Club meetings, including this first one of the year next Thursday, September 23, at 6:30PM, please email Parents' Club President Paige Brown to request the Teams log-in information.
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Students are enjoying recess during these busy back to school weeks! |
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Calling All 4th thru 8th Graders |
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Meet Andy Nazzal, St. Louise's new Band Director. Mr. Nazzal is a St. Louise graduate from the class of '84. He has been teaching music and directing bands around the Eastside for years, and we are excited to bring him back home! Band this year will be open to St. Louise students in grades 4-8, with weekly rehearsals being on Mondays from 2:00-3:30 in the parish hall.
Mr. Nazzal (rhymes with ga-zelle) introduces himself in THIS VIDEO and shows the 4th through 8th graders all the musical possibilities for our 2021-22 school band.
If you have questions, please contact Maria Zambrano, director of extra-curricular programs. To register your 4th through 8th grader, please go HERE.
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Get Your Volunteer Hours on a Saturday |
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Thanks to the families who came last Saturday morning to spruce-up the grounds! We now have new, fluffy wood chips under the BigToy and less weeds in the gardens!
If you can help at our next Spruce-Up, it's on Saturday, October 2, from 8-11AM. Simply show up at the north wing of the original school with your yard gloves and gardening tools. Those with wheelbarrows are particularly welcomed!
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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. You can read the list of our 12 SLEs here.
Each month during the school year, one or two different SLEs are focused on school-wide. The first week of each month, Mr. Fitzpatrick makes known to the students the “SLE(s) of the Month” on an all-school intercom announcement. The students and their teachers then begin to further discuss the meaning of the SLE and come up with examples of how this expectation could be observed in their particular grade level. Then at the end of the month, each class informs Mr. Fitz what their class did that demonstrated the SLE(s) was accomplished or least worked on, either that month or at other times during the school year. A few classrooms are then highlighted as classes that demonstrated the SLE - both in a future all-school intercom announcement and in this Family Bulletin.
For this month of September, all K-8 classrooms are focusing on the SLE that 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)
Parents, thanks for your cooperation in gaining a better understanding of SLEs and assisting the teachers by helping your children eventually reach each of these 12 expectations
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SHINE BRIGHT Moving to April
SHINE BRIGHT - this year's annual school auction, celebrating our 60th Anniversary - is moving its date from November to April 9, 2022.
Please note this new date on your calendar!
We appreciated all school families procuring terrific items, and we'll be showcasing them in the spring.
Thank you for all you do in support of St. Louise! If you have any questions, please contact Julianne Read.
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Receive Emergency Texts from School |
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St. Louise School uses a messaging-app as a notification system for emergency messages or important announcements. For example, we would text school parents in the event of a "snow day" or a lockdown situation. You will not find St. Louise's snow day information broadcast on the morning TV news or radio stations; we only notify parents through our text messaging-app (BrightArrow.com) and through emails.
School parents must opt-in to our emergency texting service by texting the word YES to 87569. Only then will parents be sure to receive emergency texts from school.
Thank you for opting-in now, if you didn't do so last school year.
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At St. Louise, we strive to provide a creative outlet for many students through various extra-curricular activities. Thus, we are running many IN-PERSON clubs for the 2021-2022 School year following the protocol for COVID-19 established by the Department of Health and the Archdiocese.
The following are some of the clubs that are being offered after school this fall: Cooking, Band, Art, Chess, Drama, STEM - en Español, and more. To learn about these extra-curricular offerings, please go HERE.
Our goal is to re-incorporate more clubs throughout the year. For questions about a club, contact the club's moderator directly, or email the director of extra-curricular programs, MariaZ@stlouiseschool.org
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Two special evenings only for parents are set for Tuesday, September 28, and Tuesday, October 26. ON each night at 6:30PM in the parish hall, the Parents' Club is sponsoring "Parent Education Classes" for all St. Louise School parents - with friends and neighbors whose children attend other schools also welcome to attend.
Deacon Eric Paige – the director of the Seattle Archdiocese’s Office of Marriage and Family Life - will give presentations and answer your questions both nights on how to deal with unique struggles parents have with their kids.
The September 28th parent education class will focus on how to tame technology so screen time doesn’t take over your kids’ lives. The October 26th parent evening will focus on how to answer your kids’ difficult questions regarding today’s hot topics, such as those associated with human sexuality and identity.
These evenings are for adults only, so please find childcare. There is no charge to attend.
We will be handing out "Free Dress Coupons" at the end of each evening. You can go home that night to hand your child the gift - a coupon that grants them a free dress the next morning (either Sept. 29 or Oct. 27). Regular "free dress rules" apply.
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Charger Cards Sales-Window Now Open Two Days a Week!
The Charger Card sales-window will be open TWO days each week this school year, so you can purchase your cards more conveniently.
We will continue to have our sales-window open every school Friday morning from 8:30-9:15. In addition, the Charger Card mobile-cart will be available for sales every Tuesday afternoon from 2:45-3:30pm during afternoon carpool pick-up . We will have the mobile cart set outside near the parking lot, to make it more convenient for you. Be looking for the big green cart and sign starting this Tuesday afternoon!
Please remember to turn in all family standing order forms for the 2021-2022 school year by September 30th. Either bring them directly to the Charger Card window or hand it at the school office. Thank you to all the families who are participating!
Thank you and many prayers for the start of the school year,
Erica Lizotte and Tiffany Neuman, Charger Cards co-chairs
For more information on brands/cards available for purchase 24/7 please go to shopwithscrip.com.
Thank you for supporting St. Louise Charger Cards!
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We Love our St. Louise Volunteers! |
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We appreciate the incredible volunteers who assist teachers, support the staff, and run various programs and events at St. Louise!
Recently, these parents helped with the hospitality refreshments served at our three Curriculum Nights:
Meghan Green, Liz DeBord, Marla Chan, Reine Kehdy, Jennifer Magnusen , Aimee Cermak, Elisa Engel, Kjersten Baker, Karen Salmon, Kelly Smith.
If you have volunteers to thank in the coming weeks and months after they assist at an event or with a program, please email their names to Julianne Read, so we can highlight them in a future Parent Bulletin.
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Dear Friends at St. Louise,
Dear Friends at St. Louise,
I am aware that people are carrying a lot of burdens these days. Some people tell me that they’re choosing not to listen to the news because it is too depressing. All we have to do is think of the list – Afghanistan, Haiti, New Orleans, global warming, the never-ending pandemic. The list goes on and on. I feel it too along with you.
Last week I was with my friend, Fr. Jim Lee, who was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) nearly four years ago. While his disease is, thankfully, progressing slowly, it is progressing, and each time I am with him, there is something to remind me of that reality. Three years ago, it was no more skiing. Two years ago, he could still bicycle, with a motorized recumbent tricycle. This year, he could no longer bicycle even with the special tricycle because he had lost almost all his arm strength. The things we enjoyed doing together the most are now things of the past. I am grateful that he and I can still go for walks. Last week, I noticed that it was difficult for him to get out of his reclining chair, and he was talking about putting small pieces of 2-by-4 to under the back legs of the recliner to give him more leverage to get out of his chair. “Another work-around,” he said to me.
Later that evening, we had dinner with a group of parishioners who make up his ALS support team. Fr. Jim took time to give thanks to each person for what he or she means to him as he is on this journey.
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When he thanked the new parochial vicar, Fr. Thomas Tran, who was ordained just last year, he had quite a bit to say. He said that he is grateful not only for all the help that Fr. Thomas gives, to help Fr. Jim with getting dressed and other daily tasks that most of us take for granted, he is also grateful that Fr. Thomas shares his family’s experience of living through the pandemic in Vietnam. They are on shutdown and face tremendous poverty. Fr. Jim said, “When you share about your family, you help me to see the bigger picture, and that my suffering in nothing compared to what many people have to face.”
Our own struggles and sadness are real. But perhaps if we can also look outward, beyond our own burdens, and allow others who struggle, those who are truly poor, to teach us, we will be able to “get over ourselves” and see our reality in a new light.
This time is the time that God has given us to be messengers of light in the midst of darkness. He will give us both the strength and the people we need to see it through.
God bless you all!
Fr. Gary Zender, Pastor
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We are excited to announce plans to hire a School Counselor position for the 2021-22 school year at St. Louise Parish School. The School Counselor will be a newly added position who teams with the administration and teachers in supporting all students' personal growth, spiritual development, and academic achievement as each St. Louise student works at being a faith-filled person who has a unique role in building the Kingdom of God.
The candidate must hold or be applying for a professional license issued in a counseling field and must be a practicing Catholic who lives the Catholic faith in both words and lifestyle. To apply, please send a letter of interest and resume to principal Dan Fitzpatrick at danf@stlouiseschool.org. Interested candidates must also apply through the Office for Catholic Schools website at https://mycatholicschool.org/careers-employment/
This is a full-time position, with the counselor working about 24 hours weekly at St. Louise School, and about 16 hours weekly at St. Monica School on Mercer Island. Please share the news with any qualified candidate!
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The Return of the School Musical |
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We are thrilled to be bringing back our annual school musical, with the play to be performed this April being Into the Woods, Jr., a fractured fairytale that comes to life in the woods.
Grade 6-8 students are eligible to try out for cast or crew roles in this musical, with their first information meeting being today at 3:00 in the Art Room with Mrs. L.B. Audition packets are due by September 27, with audition tryouts on September 29 and 30. For more information, please contact Mrs L.B. at TerryL@stlouiseschool.org.
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Yuen Lui will be here on October 12th to take school photos! Be sure to purchase photos via the individual family link which was emailed out on Tuesday. Can't find the link? Click here to order.
A class composite photo will be included with every order. Re-takes will take place on November 12th.
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What the Airlines Can Teach Us about Parenting |
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“I do find that parenting for me and my wife is much easier when I learn the profound lesson of the airlines. I am not talking about the way they price their tickets or overbook most flights. Let me explain..."
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For Your Marriage - an initiative of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops - is a website that helps couples at all stages of life to understand and live God’s plan for happy, holy marriages by providing educational and spiritual resources. It communicates the meaning and value of married life for the Church and for society. Each week, an article from For Your Marriage will be highlighted in our school bulletin; please take advantage by clicking above and reading the entire article.
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