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Weekly Newsletter
9.13.2023
Safety Announcement
Afternoon Parking Lot Pick-up Procedures
We have electives and PE running every afternoon and the parking lot needs to be available. In order to keep all students and staff safe, the gate will open and the cones will be moved at 3:05pm (2:20pm on Wednesdays). Please do not move the cones or open the gate. A staff member will do this, and at that time you may enter the parking lot.
Due to the updated bell schedule for this school year, students are in afternoon homeroom right up to 3:10pm (2:25pm on Wednesdays). Please expect your child/ren to be in the parking lot no earlier than 3:12pm.
A few other reminders to ensure a smooth afternoon dismissal:
- Do not block the driveway entrance. This backs up traffic on NE 85th St and on Roosevelt Way NE.
- If the carpool line is full, please pull into an open spot in the parking lot to wait for your child/ren.
- Please use the passing lane to exit the parking lot and do not turn left! Right turn only towards 8th Ave NE.
From the School Office
Back to School Forms
Using your SchoolAdmin Parent Portal, please complete the following back to school forms by Friday, September 15th:
- Family Handbook Verification Form
- Media Release Form
- Walking Field Trip Form
- Milk Form (if your child/ren wants milk for the school year)
Family Income Survey
We kindly ask each family to complete the Family Income Survey and return it to the school office by 9/18. This data is confidential and is submitted anonymously once collected. This information determines federal and state program eligibility for St. Catherine. Thank you in advance for completing this information for the school.
Attendance Procedures
If your child/ren will be absent from school, please notify the school office at attendance@stcatherineschool.net, as well as your child's homeroom teacher, no later than 8:30am on the day of the absence. Advanced notification of the absence (2-3 days before) is also greatly appreciated. The safety of our students is our number one priority and the office will call home to verify the student's absence if a parent/guardian has not called or emailed.
If you know your child will be tardy due to a medical/dental/personal appointment, the office must be notified. A parent/guardian must accompany a tardy student in to the school office to sign them in for the day.
If your child/ren will be absent from school for 2 or more days of school, please complete a pre-planned absence form and send it to attendance@stcatherineschool.net at least 2 weeks prior to the absences.
Regular attendance is important to the success of our students. Normally, illness, medical appointments and family emergencies are the only acceptable form of excused absence.
Important Upcoming Events
Curriculum Nights
The 2023-2024 Curriculum Nights are coming up! Parents can start to arrive at 5:45pm as teachers will start their presentations promptly at 6pm. We look forward to seeing you there.
Thursday, September 14th: Grades 6th-8th
- Parents will follow their middle school students' class schedule and have the opportunity to hear from most of the 6th-8th grade teachers
- Please pick-up your child's schedule in the plaza
- Curriculum Night is expected to run until 7:30pm
Tuesday, September 19th: Grades K-5th
- 3 sessions will be offered for K-5th grade teacher presentations so that parents with multiple children can visit all rooms. Each session is 25 minutes, with a 5 minute passing time.
- Limited capacity childcare will be available for students in grades K-3rd. Please email Amanda to reserve your child's spot.
Picture Day is Coming to St. Catherine School!
Tuesday, September 19th
Picture day information, online ordering, and the Dorian customer advocate team are all at your fingertips. Visit mydorian.com, search for "Saint Catherine School", and click on the green Order button or yellow Help button associated with our picture day.
You can order online now and for up to four (4) days after picture day.
Fall MAP Testing
Fall MAP Testing begins Monday 9/18 and goes through the first week of October. Makeups will take place throughout this testing period. Students in 2nd-8th grades will take these tests in reading, math, and language. Data from MAP tests is important for monitoring student progress, assessing growth, and providing instruction that continues to meet individual student needs.
Please help make sure your child gets a good night's rest the night before each test and a filling breakfast that morning. Please let your child's homeroom teacher know if your child will be absent, late, or leaving early on any of these days. Please let Ms. Elsner (celsner@stcatherineschool.net) know if you have any questions.
Parent Club News
ROCKIN' the JOG!
Our Tigers are Rockin' the Jog! Way to go! Our students are more than 1/2 way to Meeting or Beating our 60K record!!
Don't forget that your student can earn a Free Dress day on Thursday September 14th! It's OK if the form was not turned-in to the school. As long as they have raised $150 or more, they have earned free dress on Thursday September 14th.
The Jog-A-Thon will take place September 22nd - A running schedule will be shared next week. Volunteer today!
Kindergarten is still in the lead! Will they be the class to win the Pizza Party?? Let's go Tigers! Donate Today!
From the Lunch Room
Pizza Tuesdays are Back!!
Hello STC Parents!
It’s time to support the Parent Club and sign up for Pizza! We will be offering large size pizza slices from Zeeks Pizza in pepperoni or cheese for $3 a slice on Tuesdays. This sign up is for the first half of the year (17 weeks) and will start on Tuesday, September 19th. Please have your orders in by Friday, September 15th.
ORDER HERE!! https://st-catherine-parent-club.square.site/product/pizza-tuesdays/59
A friendly reminder that your child may need some sides to go along with their pizza - we don’t want any hungry kidos. Looking forward to being your pizza lady this year! Email me if you have any questions PriscillaFellows@gmail.com
Hot Lunch
We are thrilled to have Ordo as our hot lunch provider for this school year!! Check it out! The menu for next week of school is now available. All orders for the following week must be placed by the Friday at 11:59pm so please be sure to order hot lunch for your kiddos for the week of September 18th by Friday, September 15th.
Drama Program News
Go Grease Lightening
We are so excited to be beginning our 2023-2024 musical, Grease! This program is open to all 4rd-8th grade students. There are roles for singers, non-singers, and technical crew. Please see below for more info! The sign up link can also be found at the bottom of this message!
Mark your Calendars!!
10/24 Tue. - 3:15 - 5:15 –4th and 5th grade Auditions - Music Room
10/26 Thurs. – 3:15-5:15 – 6th, 7th, 8th grade Auditions - Music Room
10/27 Fri. – Callbacks - 3:25- 5:00 - Music Room
Rehearsals will be held every Tuesday and Thursday starting on Tuesday, November 7th. There will be no rehearsals called in the month of December due to the Christmas program and in observance of the holiday season. If your child is interested but cannot attend either audition date, please contact Ms. Clara or Ms. Jones.
Cost: $200/child (½ price for 2nd/3rd child in a family) for Cast T-Shirt and show expenses! There are payment plans available. Please reach out to Amanda Lucero for information on payment plans. There will be a Musical Behavior Contract for you and your child to sign, sent home after auditions.
Interested in Tech Crew? We want to continue to build a stronger behind-the-scenes crew in our theater department this year! If your child is interested in working in stage management, lighting, sound, props, costumes, or anything else backstage, please select “crew” on the registration form so we can build our team!
Needed!!! Drama Volunteers – Whether it’s monitoring during rehearsal, helping with costumes, or trying your hand at stage makeup come March, we have lots of opportunities and needs, both big and small, so please send a note to Clara or Ava if you are interested in helping out! We can’t do it without our volunteers!
Sign up Link: https://forms.gle/bae3dZeg1fGBp4CZ7
Looking forward to a fantastic production!
After School Enrichment Opportunities
Kindergarten Mini Movers
Attention Kindergarten Kiddos, please join Ms. Tammy and Mrs. Bell for our first ever Movement Class! This is the perfect opportunity for your child to get their wiggles out while also learning controlled motions, form, and balance. We will practice dance moves, coordinated movements, and spatial awareness; key milestones in their development.
This after school enrichment opportunity will be offered on Mondays 3:15-4:15 beginning October 16th and running through the end of the year (December 11th).
The cost from this class is $225/child, and a minimum enrollment of 8 kiddos is required for the class to take place. Register online: https://forms.gle/VcsAx6KYiUPuFFL8A
Coding with Kids
LITTLE CODERS: MINECRAFT MODDING I
Grades 1-2
Mon, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 9 - Dec 11
$249 / 10-week session
Calling all young Minecrafters! In this course, you will learn to code your own Minecraft mods (or modifications) with Minecraft Education Edition! You will express your creativity to customize the game you love, Minecraft! Using a simple drag-and-drop coding environment, you will learn and practice basic coding concepts, such as Variables and Loops. You will apply these concepts to build projects, such as a zoo, an aquarium, a diamond house, a magic wand, and many more custom mini-games! Start creating your own personalized Minecraft mods!
REGISTRATIONS: www.codingwithkids.com/session/57574
MODDING WITH MINECRAFT EDUCATION: INTRO
Grades 3-5
Tue, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 10 - Dec 12
$249 / 10-week session
Calling all Minecrafters! Building Minecraft mods is a great way to learn programming, harness creativity, and enhance problem-solving skills while making your favorite game even better. Each student will have their own Minecraft server where they can customize the game with their own world maps and features. Students will be coding mods to create new items, environments, non-playable characters, game modes, and more! Using a simple drag-and-drop coding environment, campers will accomplish exciting results with their one-of-a-kind Minecraft features!
REGISTRATIONS: www.codingwithkids.com/session/57575
PYTHON CODING
Grades 6-8
Mon, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 9 - Dec 11
$249 / 10-week session
Join us to learn Python, a programming language widely utilized in the professional world. For beginners, we'll provide a user-friendly introduction to Python and cover core coding concepts, such as variables and functions. Returning students will delve into more advanced topics, including Arrays. Students will create a diverse range of fun games, such as space invaders.
REGISTRATIONS: www.codingwithkids.com/session/57576
QUESTIONS? Email Coding with Kids at info@codingwithkids.com
Study Hall | 4th-8th Grades
Hi families! After school study hall for students in grades 4-8 begins next Tuesday, September 19th. Study hall is held after school in the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Mrs. Anderson. She will provide a safe and studious environment for your student(s) to complete their homework and receive assistance as needed.
If you’d like to sign up your student(s), please read and complete this form. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Anderson.
Home Together Family Dinner
Last year, the St. Catherine Community came together to support the Maple Leaf Foundation, now named Home Together, to collect household items to support families moving to Seattle for treatment at Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Family Dinner 2023 is an Oktoberfest-themed celebration and Home Together’s biggest fundraiser of the year! Please consider supporting this very important evening on October 7th, 6-9 pm in Victoria Hall at St. Catherine.
Raise a glass and break some bread while generously supporting Home Together's mission of creating affordable housing for families seeking long-term care at Seattle Children's Hospital. We will be hosting a silent and a live auction, a short program, and a lively dessert dash. You won’t want to miss it! Buy your tickets: https://givebutter.com/c/6CfApU
Volunteering at St. Catherine School
Safe Environment Program
The Archdiocese of Seattle requires all school volunteers to take part in the Safe Environment Program, through VIRTUS, in three ways. In order to be a Safe Environment approved volunteer you need to:
- Register at http://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/
- Read and approve policies
- Complete a background check
- Take the Introductory class, Protecting God's Children
All components of the Safe Environment Progam MUST BE COMPLETED before volunteering in any capacity at St. Catherine School.
If you have any questions about the Safe Environment Program or the requirements, please contact Charlotte Van Hollebeke at cvanhollebeke@stcatherineschool.net
Athletics
CYO Sports for 2023-2024 School Year
- St Catherine Cross Country and Soccer registration are now open. Practices start last week of August for soccer and early September for Cross Country. Please contact Clay White (ctwhitejr@gmail.com) if you are interested in coaching a particular soccer grade.
- For player and coach registration of all sports throughout the year, please register here. Basketball, Volleyball and Track & Field registration will open later in the year.
Tigers Cross Country
Calling all Tiger Cross Country Runners! Registration is now open on the CYO website ... click on the link below and scroll down to Cross Country:
Seattle CYO Athletics (teamsideline.com)
Practice this year will take place on Monday's right after school at Maple Leaf Park starting September 11th. The last practice will be the famous Slurpee run on October 9th. Practices will last from 3:20 until 4:20pm. Pick up and drop off from extended care will be available. We will have a second optional practice Wednesday evenings from 6pm - 7pm for 3rd - 8th graders. The meets this year will be at Woodland Park on the following dates:
September 24th
October 1st
October 8th (Kindergarten - 3rd Grade Championship Meet)
October 15th (4th - 8th Grade Championship Meet)
Please get in touch with Dave Mayer at dmayer25@hotmail.com if you have any questions or are interested in helping to volunteer coach!
Parish News
Partners in the Gospel
Join us for the Partners in the Gospel Listening Session and Dinner!
When: September 23, 2023 after the 5pm Mass
Where: Victoria Hall
Partners in the Gospel is the next stage of the strategic pastoral planning effort taking place across the Archdiocese of Seattle to re-invigorate and renew our local Catholic Church. It will bring most parishes together into a new structure with two or more other parishes. Parish groupings will be announced in September and this listening session is our parish and school community's first chance to respond to the groupings. You do not need to be a member of the parish to attend - the school community input is valued as well. A simple dinner will be provided to participants.
Faith Formation Kickoff Breakfast
Sunday, September 24, 2023, 10:30 AM
Location: Victoria Hall
Join us to kick off our Sacramental Prep programs for the 2023-2024 school year after the 9:30AM Mass. This event is for both St. Catherine and St. Benedict parishes for Confirmation and First Eucharist students. All are welcome! Come and support our students and catechists!
Please sign up to help out at this year's Faith Formation Kickoff Breakfast. We are looking for pastry donations as well as set up and clean up crew. You can purchase pastries, every $25 spent counts as a volunteer hour. You do not have to be participating in any Faith Formation or Sacramental Prep for your children to earn the volunteer hours. Contact Francine at fshammami@gmail.com with any questions.
Altar Servers
If you are between the 4th and 8th grade and you want to become an Altar server. Please come to the altar server training on September 27th at 3pm in the church. Altar serving is not just a good way to get service hours but is a great way to learn and grow more with God. So please save the date in your calendar. If you and questions or comments, please contact MJ Price at m.price@stbens.net.
Youth Choir
If you are between the 2nd and 8th grade and you want to sing at church. Please come to the first Youth Choir Rehearsal of the school year on September 27th at 6pm in the church. This is a great opportunity for you to learn how to sing at church and have a lot of fun doing it. So please save the date in your calendar. If you have any questions or comments, please contact MJ Price at m.price@stbens.net.
Mission & Philosophy
St. Catherine of Siena Parish School is a welcoming, Christ-centered community, rooted in the Catholic faith and inspired by Gospel values. As an extension of the parish and with Jesus as our model, we are dedicated to lifelong growth in faith, love, and learning.
We recognize that the care and education of the child begins with the family and that parents are the primary educators of their children. In partnership with parents, we work to promote our students’ achievement and spiritual growth. Together we are committed to developing responsible, ethical leaders who think critically, act justly, communicate effectively, and serve willingly.
Vision
We are committed to providing a faith-filled, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment for all our students. Through our rigorous academic programs, our students will gain the cognitive, technological, and social skills necessary to become ethical, innovative leaders who successfully navigate the complex challenges of today’s world.