WEEKLY BULLETIN - June 2, 2022 |
|
|
|
From the Desk of Mike Fuerte |
|
|
|
Dear Families,
Science Showcase – Thursday, June 2nd, 2022 from 9:00am-3:00pm
This morning is our Annual Science Showcase in the Parish Hall. Parents are invited to attend with their homeroom classrooms with the following Science Showcase schedule:
9:00-9:30 - KA, KB & 6A
9:30-10:00 - 5A & 5B Presentations, 8B
10:00-10:30 - 5A & 5B Presentations, 4A & 4B
10:30-11:00 - 7B
11:00-11:30 - PreK
11:30-12:00 - 6B, 2A & 2B
1:00-1:30 - 7A & 1A
2:00-2:30 - 8A & 1B
2:30-2:50 - 3A & 3B
SLE of the Month – May (Class Updates)
(3.2) A St. Louise Student is a Well-Balanced Individual Who Develops Mind, Body, and Spirit by Experiencing the Arts and Participating in Physical Activity.
In Mrs. LB’s Pre-K through 2nd Grade classes, they participated in Body Percussion, Dance, Dance Freeze, and Scarf Movement in songs and activities such as : Sing Me Rainbow, Signing Over the Rainbow, Cloudy Day Body Percussion, Creative Movement Dance: Splash in a Puddle, Spring Rhythm Play Along, and Spring Dance Freeze.
In Mrs. Tubb’s and Mrs. Portolese’ classes, they made spring flowers for their bulletin board. They learned new poems to recite, read poems, and learned how to write a color poem. When it was time for a brain break, they included dancing, running in place, and jumping jacks.
In Mrs. Cervantes’ and Mrs. Bair’s classes, the 5th graders got creative when they painted their feet for the Walk-a-thon poster! The 5th graders also participated in physical activity during the Walk-a-Thon itself! Many kids jogged and raced each other around the course, while others just kept a consistent walk. Many 5th grade students have been experiencing the arts while they complete their Science Showcase projects. Similar to a traditional Science Fair project, students work alone or with a partner and choose a project to complete using the Scientific Method.
Congratulations, Class of 2022 – We are going to miss you!
This coming Thursday, June 9, we celebrate the graduation of our eighth-grade class with a Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement. This is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the journey of these 44 14-year-olds and how their lives have been shaped by their parents, their teachers, their classmates, and, of course, their Lord.
Our area high schools are so very fortunate to welcome such exemplary young adults as their newest students this September - see pictures of our 8th graders below in their new school gear. We are confident that the St. Louise Class of 2022 will be fine servant leaders, setting high standards for excellence, not only academically but morally as well. Just as similar graduating classes have done in the past, these young men and women will be guided by the values - learned at home and at school - which are embedded in our Catholic faith and traditions. They are ready to embrace this next chapter of their lives with trust in themselves and in God. In this new chapter, each will take a different path but will always be united by one strong common thread... St. Louise Chargers!
I want to thank for one final time, these parents of 8th graders who will be graduating their youngest or only child on the 9th, as the faculty and I are so appreciative of their years of support and will miss them:
Tony & Leslie Banic; Chris Black & Mary Black; Tim & Paige Brown; Jose & Carmen Castillo; Nate & Margie Clinton; Jose & Annaliza Cruz; Jeff & Laura Dark; Imelda Medina & Arturo Diaz; Todd & Kristin Jamer; Chris & Joellyn Jaster; Chris Jensen & Jennifer Santos; Tomas Juhasz & Huey Toh; Ken Kincaid & Kumiko Yada; Jeff & Michelle Kujath; Paul McCullough & Ling-Yi Chen; Paul & Nicholle Mineiro; Brendan & Erika Mervin; Le Roy & Pamela Munar; Ny Le & Toan Hunyh; Paul & Colleen Nowak; Victor Phan & Li Chyong Moy; Tim & Andrea Russell; Hernando Silva & Olga Rodriguez; Aaron & Dawn Spencer; Veronique Tano; John Britto & Jacintha Vimal; and Steve and Kelly Wilkins.
Staff Updates
As we expand our Pre-K program next year, I would like to announce an addition to our Pre-K Team. I would like to introduce, Kelly D’Ambrosio as our new Pre-K Instructional Assistant. Kelly has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Gonzaga University, with endorsements in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Special Education. For the past 6 years, she has been both a Lead Teacher and Assistant Teacher at Joyful Discovery Preschool at Mary Queen of Peach Parish in Sammamish, WA. She is also a current St. Louise parent with twin girls in 5th grade. Kelly is so excited to be joining our staff and also working at her children’s school. If you see Kelly, D’Ambrosio around campus, please welcome her to our St. Louise Staff.
Have a great weekend!
Mike Fuerte
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 8th Grade vs. Faculty Volleyball Game
|
|
|
|
|
Pre-K Construction Update |
|
|
|
It's been a busy few weeks over in the St. Louise Room as it is being transformed into our TWO new Pre-K Classrooms! HUGE thanks go out to Jonathan (JT) Taasan, our Parish Administrator, for organizing all of the construction so quickly! We are excited to share some pictures of the progress so far and will continue to give updates as the project moves along.
As you know, we are able to update our current Pre-K and add this new classroom because of the generosity of our families - giving over $135,000 on Auction Night. Additionally, we have just been notified that we were awarded $32,500 for the project from the Fulcrum Foundation! You can learn more about all of the support Fulcrum Foundation provides to Catholic Schools and their students here.
Thanks to our Admin and Pre-K Staff who put in extra time this spring learning all about grant writing, and pulling the necessary pieces together to get the grant application submitted in a very short time. St. Louise is so blessed to be part of a community so committed to Catholic Education!
Mrs. Blank also has a personal thank you to share:
Dear St. Louise Community,
I would like to personally thank you for your generous donations towards the Pre-K space at the auction. I am blown away with your kindness and commitment, especially for our youngest learners.
Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. When he placed his hands on them, he went on from there. (Matthew 19: 13-14)
Blessings,
Wendy Blank
|
|
|
|
Field Day - Tuesday June 14th
Parents Needed to Help!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our annual Field Day will be held on Tuesday, June 14, with the 7th graders helping to run outdoor games in which the grade K-5 students participate.
Mr. Evans oversees the 7th graders, but he needs parent helpers for general supervision assistance and to work the water and first aid stations. If you can work from 9:30-2:30 on June 14, please email Mr. Evans to sign up. If you can only work a half-shift (the 9:30-12:00 grade 3-5 shift or the 12:00-2:30 grade K-2 shift), let him know, but priority for the 12 Field Day volunteer positions will first go to parents who can work the entire day.
|
|
|
|
8th Grade High School Choices |
|
|
|
Our graduating 8th graders will be making St. Louise proud at 12 different area high schools next fall! Way to go Chargers!! |
|
|
|
Social Emotional Learning Update
Talking to your kids about difficult subjects
|
|
|
|
It’s a sad fact that there are scary stories in the news that can deeply impact our kids when they hear them, including news of terrorist attacks. After all, when such acts of violence don’t make sense to us, how do we explain something that’s impossible to explain?
When it comes to talking with our children about difficult subjects like terrorism, simple and short is usually the best policy. Here are some examples of age-appropriate things you might say to your them:
- Preschoolers and Pre-K – “A bad person chose to hurt other people. Now, there are lots of people helping the ones who got hurt and there are police officers working hard to keep us safe.”
- School-Age Kids – “A bad person hurt some people and some of them died. There aren’t that many bad people in the world but every once in a while, a bad person does something terrible. Fortunately, there are a lot of police officers, doctors, and other people who are helping to take care of people who got hurt and they’re working hard to keep us safe.”
- Teenagers – “There was another terrorist attack. What have you heard about it?” Let your teen do a lot of the talking. Make sure you do so in a way that doesn’t cause your teen to think certain groups of people are all bad.
The following additional resources provide a broad guideline to help you in these conversations. They are meant as a starting point:
In closing, we are reminded of who God is through Psalm 91 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler”. May God richly bless you.
Thank you for reading our social and emotional update edition! If you have suggestions for future topics or resources to share, please email them to me at mariaz@stlouiseschool.org
Maria Zambrano
St. Louise Parish School
|
|
|
|
6th Grade Camp Adventures! |
|
|
|
Sixth grade students spent four days at the Mount Rainier Institute, located right outside Mt. Rainier/ Mt. Tahoma National Park! Students used the forest as their "classroom” which helped them develop knowledge and understanding of the environment. Not only that, camp fostered a sense of community amongst students that cannot be replicated in a classroom. Lastly, we are so grateful for our chaperones, who made the camp experience safe, educational, and valuable. This was an enormous commitment on their end. Thank you Kristy Charles, Mike Pokorny, Rod Ryan, Mimi Trinh, Juan González, Sarah Ellis, Vicki Cam, Peter Newton, and Oscar Antezana!
|
|
|
|
COVID Reminders & Current Protocols |
|
|
|
Please note the current COVID protocols for quarantining and close contacts:
- If your child tests positive for COVID
- Stay home for 5 days
- Wear a mask for 5 additional days
- Negative test is NOT necessary to return
- If your child is a CLOSE CONTACT
- Continue coming to school - regardless of vaccination status
- Watch for symptoms and test if symptoms develop
- The Department of Health recommends wearing a mask for 10 days
- The Department of Health recommends getting tested 3-5 days after exposure
- Testing
- At home tests are an acceptable form of testing
- If you need a test, please contact the school office
-
You can order more tests for your family free here and here
|
|
|
|
SUMMER LEARNING LAUNCH
STILL TIME TO REGISTER!
|
|
|
|
Summer Camp & Activity Opportunities |
|
|
|
As you plan for all the fun and exciting adventures your children will be having over the summer in just a couple months, please keep in mind that summer is an excellent opportunity to keep inquisitive minds active and engaged! Research shows that summer learning loss equals at least one month of instruction. Knowing this causes parents and teachers to think about how best to keep academic skills sharp over the summer while also using the time to improve upon or master some lagging academic skills.
Please click here to find our latest update to our Summer Programs and Camps document. This is a list of opportunities for enriching summer learning and fun for grades Pre-K through 12. Please take a moment to explore the possibilities, because many camps and programs fill up quickly.
|
|
|
|
From the Auction Office... |
|
|
|
Auction receipts were emailed last week. If you did not receive your receipt or if you have questions, please contact the Auction Office.
On Passport Day Mrs. Wilken took beautiful photos of your children. Framed prints were distributed at the auction. If you would like a free jpg file of your family’s photo please contact Laura in the auction office. auction@stlouiseschool.org
Also, the auction office would like to thank the many volunteers who continue to help with errands: Melanie Gonzalez, Michelle Kujath, Logan Ostrowski, Jenny Jensen and Rebecca Ort.
|
|
|
|
Library Books DUE now
All library books are due back! Families with overdue books will be assessed fines equal to the book replacement fees. Please contact Mrs Green at deaung@stlouiseschool.org if you have any questions.
|
Congratulations to Elena Catorcini - New St. Louise RECORD Holder
Elena broke the St. Louise 4th Grade Softball Toss Record with a throw of 111 feet! The old record had been standing since 2006. Awesome job Elena!
|
AT HOME COVID TESTS
Did you know you can still order free at home COVID tests - even if you've already gotten some?
Click here to order from the USPS or here to order from Washington State DOH
Mark your Calendars for these upcoming events:
- June 2 - Science Showcase
- June 4 - Father Daughter Dance
- June 6 - Faculty vs 8th Grade Volleyball Game
- June 9 - 8th Grade Graduation
- June 10 - Last day for Hot Lunch and Milk
- June 14 - Field Day - FREE DRESS
- June 15 - NOON Dismissal
- June 16 - NOON Dismissal - Last day of School!! Prayer service @ 10:30, Family Picnic @11:30
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you to all of our amazing parent volunteers! |
|
Thank you to our AWESOME 8th Grade Ambassadors.
Becca Blank, Anthony Caso, Michael Charles, Colby Jensen, Bruno Mendes, Luke Mervin, Jensen Muller, Fin Sweeney, Alaina Harris, Elina Phan, Brooke Nowak, Kayla McCulloch, Elina Nartates, Ellie Nightingale, Sarah Tano, Camila Soto, Sammy Kujath, Emmanuel Vimal
If you know of a volunteer doing great work and want to recognize them, simply email their name and what they do to socialmedia@stlouiseschool.org.
Want to volunteer - check out available opportunities here!
|
|
|
|
Dear Friends at St. Louise,
I am writing this column on May 24, the day of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This happened only 10 days after the mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. In both cases the shooter was an 18-year-old male. Most of the victims in Buffalo were Black, and that shooter appears to have targeted them because they were Black. Many of the victims in Uvalde were Hispanic. The problems of teen mental health, racial divides, and gun violence are once again the subject of debate and are examples of the great divisions in our nation. What are we to do, as people of faith?
We pray and we act. We begin with prayer, because we want to make sure that our actions are rooted not just in our own understanding of what to do, which too often leads only to further division. Rather, after we have prayed, we seek to listen carefully, to understand each other, to commit to not canceling each other out, and to look to God and the teachings of the Church, which are based on the Holy Scriptures, as a light to guide our hearts and our actions in times of darkness. Most especially, on the Solemnity of Pentecost, we ask the Holy Spirit to come upon us and upon our leaders.
Gun violence is a very dark reality in our country. As of May 24, 2022, there have been at least 212 mass shootings this year. (Mass shootings are defined as those where four or more people are injured or killed in a single shooting, according to the Gun Violence Archive.) May 24 was the 144th day of this year, so there have been more mass shootings, and many more deaths due to gun violence, than there have been days in the year. This is the reality that we need to bring to prayer.
Thus far, little has been done to control these kinds of mass shootings in our country. In the case of schools, which shooters often target, the schools themselves have borne the brunt of the responsibility of protecting students and staff –schools have adopted and rehearsed policies of action in case an active shooter comes near or on campus. Our own St. Louise School had to put our policy into action when there was an active shooter in our neighborhood.
Maybe the best that we can do for now is to ask the question, why? Why do we have so many mass shootings in our country, and why have we made no progress in addressing the issue? Why can’t we better address the mental health of people in general and teens in particular? Why do we struggle with racial division?
Prayer, then asking questions like these with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will hopefully lead us to the actions that will help to make a difference.
Fr. Gary Zender
|
|
|
|
GALLERY
Ambassadors being treated to lunch - thanks for all they do to promote St. Louise by welcoming prospective new families!
|
|
|
|
|
|
133 156th Avenue S.E., Bellevue, WA 98007
Phone: (425) 746-4220
Fax: (425) 644-3294
|
|
|
|
|
|
