St. Brendan Weekly Bulletin
February 2, 2022
The mission of St. Brendan Catholic School, in partnership with parents, is to empower our students to act as leaders and Disciples of Christ, use their God-given gifts in service to the Church and community, and achieve academic excellence.
Our 3rd grade students did a wonderful job leading the Sunday Mass this past weekend to kick off Catholic Schools Week!
From the Principal
Dear St. Brendan families,
 
Our Catholic Schools Week celebrations are underway. This is a wonderful time during our school year when we remember what a gift Catholic education is for our children and families. Thank you for all that you do to make this gift possible for our community! We are blessed to have such wonderful parents and community members to partner with in the education of our children. In addition to the donuts at carpool yesterday, there is another gift for parents in today's Wednesday envelope.

As a reminder tomorrow is “Celebrate Teachers & Staff” day. Families are encouraged to do something to celebrate their teacher on that day. It could be as simple as a thank you card. If you wish to do something additional, teacher wish lists are listed in the bulletin below. Thank you to parents who signed up to bring lunch for teachers and staff!
We are excited to announce that St. Brendan is now enrolled in the Test-to-Stay program through the Department of Health. The test-to-stay program uses regular testing instead of quarantining everyone who's come into contact with a positive case. Test-to-Stay provides a more thorough contact-tracing protocol for students and allows schools to safely prioritize in-person learning. When we are notified of a positive case in a classroom, we will follow the Test-to-Stay protocol. In this program, we consider all students in a classroom close contacts when we have a positive case. Students who are fully vaccinated and are asymptomatic are able to remain in person and do not need to participate in Test-to-Stay. We recognize that testing is an important tool in our mitigation strategies and, while it is not required, we are able to offer the Test-to-Stay protocol for any fully-vaccinated students who would like to opt into testing. See section below for more information on Test-to-Stay.
 
As I mentioned on the Parent Club meeting last week, schools, including St. Brendan, have seen a rise in COVID cases since we have returned from Christmas break. I want to assure families that we continue to be vigilant with our COVID protocols at school and in many cases, we go above and beyond the guidelines. 
 
In-person learning continues to be a safe option at this time and has been encouraged by the health department. While we have seen an increase in case counts, the data is showing that hospitalization rates among children remain low. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the hospitalization rate in children due to COVID 19 is 0.1- 1.5% (data available as of 1-27-2022). However, what is becoming an increasing concern is the mental health of our children. Nationwide, we have seen the mental health of our children suffer as the result of isolation from the COVID 19 pandemic. In May 2021, Governor Inslee announced an emergency proclamation of a Children and Youth Mental Health Crisis. We have also seen nationwide learning loss and challenges with remote learning. St. Brendan stands by the health department in their decision to prioritize in-person learning. We always strive to make decisions that are best for students and, in this case, that is in-person learning. 
 
When we notify parents regarding positive cases there are times when remote learning is requested as an option. Last year, we were able to offer a high-quality hybrid learning model in which parents were able to opt into remote learning. Significant efforts went into our hybrid learning plan which prevented learning loss for our students at St. Brendan. Hybrid learning is an enormous challenge for teachers. We made several changes last year to the operations of our school to make hybrid learning successful for our teaching staff to execute. For example, we switched to early release Fridays to give teachers the additional planning time needed, and we also hired additional staff to help assist teachers. We do not have those structures in place this year making hybrid learning even more difficult. Our COVID response plan this year states that we will only be offering remote learning for those who are required to quarantine
 
Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our students and community safe.

Blessings,
Catherine Shumate
Test-to-Stay Protocol
With the Test-to-Stay protocol here is what you can expect: 
  • Students are able to remain in-person if they-  
  •  test 2 times within the 7 day quarantine period. We will test at the time of notification of a positive case and will test again around 2 days later. Tests must be negative to remain in person. 
  • are asymptomatic 
  • follow all school COVID protocols 
  • continue to quarantine from (i.e., not participate in) all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and other activities outside their home (e.g. scouts, music lessons, etc.) for the entirety of their modified 7 day quarantine period. This includes group childcare or youth development programs provided before or after school, which should not be attended during modified quarantine.  
  • If a student tests positive at any time, they must isolate at home and follow isolation guidance 
  • All students who develop symptoms must isolate and be tested 
  • Fully vaccinated students who are close contacts and remain asymptomatic are not required to quarantine or participate in test-to-stay, however the student can participate and test 3-5 days after exposure for peace of mind. 
 
St. Brendan Catholic School is able to provide all testing free onsite. If you prefer to test through a medical provider or other testing facility, we will need proof of lab results indicating a negative test.  
 
If your student is exposed to a ​positive case, you will be asked to choose one of the following options:
 
  • If your student is fully vaccinated, please send vaccination records to Mrs. Murnane at secretary@school.saintbrendan.org. No testing is required to stay in the classroom as long as the student does not develop symptoms.

  • If your student is not fully-vaccinated and will be participating in Test-to-Stay, you will be required to sign a consent form prior to testing. 

  • If your student is fully-vaccinated but would still li​ke to participate in the testing protocol, you will be required to sign a consent form prior to testing.

  • If your student is not fully-vaccinated and will not be participating in Test- to-Stay, please notify Mrs. Murnane and teachers so that we can set up remote learning for the quarantine period.  
Covid-19 Vaccination Status
In order to speed up our Test-to-Stay Program, we ask if you haven’t done so, please email a picture of your student’s COVID-19 vaccination card – once they have completed the vaccination series – to Mrs. Murnane. In the subject line, please enter, “Student Last Name, Student First Name-Vax Card.” Covid vaccinations are not required for schools, however, if your student is vaccinated, having the card on file helps expedite implementing the Test-to-Stay program.
Catholic Corner
The Virtue of the Month for February is Cheerfulness; looking on the bright side. Cheerfulness helps us to be joyful, even when everything in the world (it seems) is telling us we have no reason for joy. We can practice cheerfulness by mindfully counting our blessings, focusing on the good, and thereby bringing hope to those around us. Our Saints of the Month, St. John Bosco, St. Philip Neri and Bl. Miguel Pro are all wonderful examples of cheerfulness. Our guessing jar will be focused on St. Philip Neri, so cheerful his nickname is “the laughing saint”! You can read about St. Philip Neri here, and be sure to place your guess in the guessing jar outside the office. You can also practice the virtue of cheerfulness at home with these great ideas from the VIP program.

O holy St. Philip Neri, patron saint of joy, you who trusted Scripture’s promise that the Lord is always at hand and that we need not have anxiety about anything, in your compassion heal our worries and sorrows and lift the burdens from our hearts. We come to you as one whose heart swells with abundant love for God and all creation. Hear us, we pray, especially in this need (make your request here). Keep us safe through your loving intercession, and may the joy of the Holy Spirit which filled your heart, St. Philip, transform our lives and bring us peace. Amen
Daughter Dance - Saturday, Feb. 26
Seeking Middle & High School Students
for Babysitting
St. Brendan would love to put together a list of potential babysitters for our St. Brendan School families. If your middle school or high school student babysits and has parent permission to be on the St. Brendan Babysitter List that will be distributed to our school families, please fill out this form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Babysit2022
Student Store Valentine Candy Grams
Send a friend or Staff some “love” this  
St. Valentine’s Day! 
 
Purchase your candy gram for $2.00 each by 2/09/22. Click here for the Candy Gram Order Form.   
 
Your message will be delivered by  
Student Store on 2/14/2022. 
 
Send cash or check to the office  
c/o Student Store – Theresa Loughlin
Upcoming Birthdays
February Birthdays

Happy Birthday to:
2/4    Mrs. Boyd    Preschool IA
2/7    Lillian Anderson    3rd Grade
2/7    Kaylee Nguyen    7th Grade
2/7    Mr. Frauenholtz    PE
2/8    Magdalene Shumate    3rd Grade
2/9    Mia Hansen    PreK

More birthdays will be announced in the next Weekly Bulletin
Lunch Program
Hello from the St. Brendan School Lunch Program!    
 
The lunch menu is located on the school website and will be updated monthly. You can reference it here: Lunch menu.

Lunch this Week:
Thursday 2/3: Uncle Peteza's Pizza
Friday: 2/4: Cheesy Quesadilla
Monday: 2/7: Teriyaki Chicken w/Fried Rice
Tuesday: 2/8: Cheeseburgers w/Smiley Fries
Wednesday: 2/9: Pasta w/Marinara Sauce and Meatballs, Garlic Toast
Click here for the Lunch Menu
To add money to your child's account, https://www.schoolpaymentportal.com/

Who do I contact for questions?  
Please contact Eileen Warner at: lunch@school.saintbrendan.org .
Part-Time Lunch Assistant Job Opening
St. Brendan Catholic School has a job opening for a part-time lunch assistant. We are looking for a passionate, caring individual who wants to be part of our faith-filled school community. If you or someone you know would be a good fit, we are accepting applications. Please e-mail Mrs. Shumate for more information: catherines@school.saintbrendan.org.
Catholic Schools Week
National Catholic Schools Week 2022 is January 30th - February 5th. A tradition this week is to dress up in a different theme each day. The Student Council has planned the following Dress Up days:


Thursday- Celebrate Teachers
Theme: Famous Person/Character Day
  • Dress up as your favorite person or character from movies, books, TV shows, video games, etc. Make sure your costume is SCHOOL APPROPRIATE and no weapons.

Friday- Celebrate the Community
Theme: Class Color Day
  • Wear something in your class color – shirts, hats, socks, headbands, etc.
 
What is National Catholic Schools Week? Since 1974, National Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2022 is January 30 – February 5. The theme for the National Catholic Schools Week 2022 is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.” St. Brendan School will observe the annual celebration week with an Open House and other activities for students, families, parishioners and community members. Through these events, we focus on the value Catholic education provides to our young people and its contributions to our church, our communities and our nation.
Teacher Wishlists
Teacher Wish Lists
Thursday, February 3rd will be "Celebrate Teachers & Staff" during Catholic Schools Week. If you are looking for additional ways to support our St. Brendan teaching staff during Catholic Schools Week, here are some of their wish lists for the classrooms. Be sure to use AmazonSmile for all your Amazon purchases: smile.amazon.com/ch/91-0805463. If your teachers are missing from this list, you can ask them if they have any classroom wishes. Thank you for your consideration!
 
Kindergarten, Ms. Playter
1st Grade, Mrs. Carlton
2nd Grade, Mrs. Weatherbie
·   2 Q-Bitz SOLO (Mindware)
·   Pattern Play 3-D (Mindware)
·   Gift certificates for: teacher Pay teacher, Amazon
3rd Grade, Ms. Bell
4th Grade, Mrs. Minter
5th Grade, Mrs. Compton
Mr. Langston, MS Science
Math Specialist, Mrs. Rooney
Reading Specialist, Mrs. Roughton
Library, Mrs. Munoz
  • Teachers Pay Teachers and gift cards
Invention Convention - Judges Needed
The Middle School Students will be participating in St. Brendan’s first Invention Convention this year, and we need your help! Students are inventing something that a) solves a problem and b) serves a purpose, and we would love for you to judge! We will be awarding First, Second, and Third prize overall winners as well as an overall winner by grade level.  

No prior judging experience required! Judging projects works best with adults from diverse professional backgrounds, so if you’re willing to judge, please consider helping out. We are looking for community members willing to come and spend some socially-distanced time with our students who will be presenting their projects to parents and students alike. The Invention Convention will be on March 3rd for parents (1:15-2:50) and March 4th for students (9:45-12:00). If you can judge during either of these times or both of these times, please reach out to Mr. Langston (timl@school.saintbrendan.org). If you are able to judge, there will be a Zoom training session prior to the Convention so you’ll know what to expect.

Thank you!,
Mr. Langston
Elective Teachers Wanted for 3rd Trimester
Greetings St. Brendan Families! The Middle School Team is currently looking for some awesome parents/volunteers to teach electives this year (Fridays from 2:00-2:50; if we don’t have a Friday, or if there is an early release, there will not be an elective that day). We have had amazing electives in the past like Strategy Games, STEM, Chess, Horticulture, Drama, Cooking, Fine Arts, Spanish, Legos/Robotics, Web Design, Guitar, Gardening, etc. We are always open to new and exciting offerings for our students, so we are absolutely willing to bounce around ideas if you are interested. (We have had a particular interest in a St. Brendan Newspaper Elective for Trimester 3, so if you are able to offer this, the students would be thrilled!)
 
Currently we are looking to schedule our final elective offerings for Trimester 3. If you are willing to teach a course to our amazing Middle School students or if you have a lead you can help contact, please let me know. This is a truly unique and fun way for us to reach out to our school community and beyond, so please help if you can. Elective teachers will also receive volunteer hours for their service to the school. Our middle school teachers and students appreciate your assistance with this.  
 
Thank you!,
Volunteers Needed
Invention Convention Judges
Contact Mr. Langston for more information: timl@school.saintbrendan.org

3rd Trimester Elective Offerings
Contact Mr. Langston for more information: timl@school.saintbrendan.org
2nd Trimester Lego Robotics Club News
  • Pick-up procedure (PLEASE READ) - Parents are reminded to please pick up your child at their club meeting room and to sign them out with the coach. We are trying to keep club checkouts separate from extended care. Please also enter the school from the Science Lab doors and coaches can help direct you to your child’s room.  
  • FLL Explore Team (2nd to 4th grade) – Save the date! Saturday, March 5th (time TBD) at Snohomish is the Explore Festival event (previously known as the “Expo”). Given the high participation in Lego Robotics this year, we will be fielding 2 teams! The Festival is an opportunity for the students to show off their team models and their knowledge of the Cargo Connect season theme.  

  • It's not too late to volunteer for Lego Robotics! Enthusiasm for the club remains high, so any additional help is much appreciated! As a reminder, volunteers this winter will get one registration fee waived! Please e-mail Robotics@school.saintbrendan.org for more information. 
Auction Procurement Drop Off

  • Family Procurement Deadline is February 15th

The first drop off is Monday, February 7th from 3:30-5:30pm at the school carpool area!! Please bring your item(s) along with a filled out procurement form.

The next two drop off dates are 2/16 and 2/28 at the same time and place as the first one.
The auction is Saturday, April 30th. Stay tuned for ticket and event information. Thank you!

EVERY Family (K-8th) is required to make a $175 donation in goods or services to the Annual School Auction.*
This donation can be a tangible, physical item that has been purchased. It can be gift certificates for items or services, or it can be a service that you, the family, provide. You are not limited to $175! Many families choose to donate either a single item or multiple items totaling well over $175, but $175 is the minimum. We also ask you to refrain from donating any clothing unless it is sports memorabilia or previously approved by an Auction Chair.


*Families who selected to Buy Out of the Parent Club fundraising do not need to procure an item for the auction.
CYO Volleyball Registration
Registration is now open for 4th through 8th grade Spring Volleyball. Season matches will begins February 26th and run through April 3rd with tournaments from April 6th through May 1st (5th -8th grade) 4th grade season will be February 17th and end April 10th. 4th grade is coed teams. We will try to start practice the week of February 7th but players must be registered through the Team sideline website prior to attending practice. All players interested are encouraged to register early as teams have to be registered by January 21st.

Standard Registration 
January 21st through February 3rd
$110.00
Late Registration 
February 4th through February 25th
$125.00

Please contact Athletic Director at CYOAD@saintbrendan.org if there are any questions.
Dates to Note

Catholic Schools Week
January 30 - Feb. 5
Dress Up Every Day!

Auction Item Drop Off
3:30-5:30pm at the school carpool area
Tuesday, February 8th

Parent Club Meeting Free Dress Day
If a parent attended the Parent Club Meeting on January 27th, their student(s) earn a free dress pass
Tuesday, February 8th

Student Store Candy Gram Orders Due
Wednesday, February 9th

Valentine's Day
Free dress for those who wore their uniform to Mass during Catholic Schools Weekend

1st Reconciliation for 2nd Grade Students
February 16th

Mid-Winter Break - No School
February 18 - 22

Daughter Dance
Saturday, February 26

Please note the following calendar changes:
  • Friday, February 4th - full school day with 3:00 PM dismissal
  • Friday, March 4th: Noon Dismissal (previously 12:45 dismissal)
  • Monday, April 25th: No School
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