Weekly Newsletter

Please join us on Tuesday, November 12th at 7:00pm in the Learning Commons for the November Paent Club Meeting. All are welcome!

We will wrap up Harvest Festival, discuss putting together the Christmas gifts for the staff and start planning hospitality for the annual Christmas Program. Can't wait to see you there!

Please join us on Thursday, November 14th from 6:00-7:00pm in Victoria Hall at St. Catherine School for an In-Person Parent Education night with Dr. James Knight.

James Knight is an educator, coach/mentor, consultant, author, itinerant speaker/teacher, and equity and inclusion strategist. Much of his work revolves around leading with humility and partnering with other leaders to build dynamic and inclusive communities/spaces where people collaborate, innovate, and engage in fearless dialogue.

As an author, James has written numerous books and his latest release is entitled Heart: A Journey Toward Cultural Humility. This book is a manual and guide for any leader, student, or person looking to develop greater awareness and increase their emotional and cultural intelligence.

James’ passion is people and he sees himself as a servant-leader. His personal mission by which he does everything is “education + empowerment = elevation.” James’ number one goal in everything he does is to elevate those he serves through education and inspiration.

Disney’s Newsies JR. is playing at St. Catherine School from [27, March 2025] through [29, March 2025] at 7pm, 7pm, 11am, and 7pm. The inspiring 60-minute musical, designed for middle school-aged performers, is based on the 1992 Disney film Newsies and the 2012 Broadway production of the same name. The program is open to 4th - 8th grade students led by Miss Clara and Ms. Jones!

It’s time to carry the banner with Disney’s Newsies JR.! You’ll be doing flips for the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of young newsies in Manhattan. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsies’ expense, Jack rallies young workers from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what's right! Adapted especially for young performers, this musical features a Tony Award®-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award® winner Harvey Fierstein, and includes rousing songs like “Carrying the Banner,” “Seize the Day,” and “King of New York.” Newsies JR. is packed with nonstop thrills and a timeless message perfect for the whole family and every audience.

Auditions: Thursday, December 12th & Friday, December 13th

ON STAGE: $180* for Cast T-Shirt and Theater program support

*1/2 price for 2nd/3rd child in a family

CREW: $100 for Cast T-Shirt and Theater program support:

Payment Plans Available! Please reach out to Kathy Cox or Amanda Lucero for more information.

Disney’s Newsies JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all materials are provided by Music Theatre International. For more information about licensing Newsies JR. or other Disney shows, please visit www.DisneyMusicals.com.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Miss Clara Cimino (ccimino@stcatherineschool.net) or Ms. Ava Jones (ajones@stcatherineschool.net) for more information. Now is the time to Seize the Day!

Welcome to Act Up!’s Drama Club at St. Catherine School! Open to students in grades K-3. Classes have begun but there is still time to join. We will meet Mondays, until March 24th from 3:15-4:15 PM and an extended final class (and performance) on March 31st from 3:15-5:15 PM.

In this class series, students will create and cast themselves as a character they’ve created from their very own imaginations. Together the students will fit each of the characters into a world premiere play which will be performed for family and friends at the end of the class series.

Act Up! offers high quality training for young actors. Our focus is to empower our students to reach their full potential in every area of their lives, not just create better actors. In Drama Club students use improv and scripted theatre to learn how to better express themselves. They will increase their self-confidence, practice working with others as part of a collaborative team, expand their capacity for empathy and compassion, and most importantly have FUN.

HOW DO I SIGN UP? Sign up is fast, easy! Simply go the Act Up!’s website and click on “Student Sign Up” or use this direct link: https://actuptogether.com/student-sign-up

PAYMENTS Cash, Venmo, Checks and Credit/Debit Cards are all accepted. Simply go the Act Up!’s website and click on “Pay for a Class” or use this direct link:

https://actuptogether.com/pay-for-a-class

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We look forward to working with you and your child(ren)!

Sincerely,

Logan Mecklenburg

Creative Director & Teaching Artist

This year every 2nd Wednesday of the month until February, the 8th Grade class will be hosting a Student Snack Shop to raise money for their trip to Washington DC in May 2025. It will be after school in the plaza so send your kids with a few dollars to get a treat. The next one is Wednesday, November 13th.

The tuition assistance process for the 2025-2026 school year opened on October 1st. If you think that your family may be in need of financial aid for next school year, please complete an application. Tuition assistance is available for Kindergarten-8th Grade students only.

The entire process is completed online through FACTS. All applications are first reviewed by the Fulcrum Foundation, a fundraising arm of the Archdiocese. Once Fulcrum determines their assistance awards, then the St. Catherine Tuition Assistance Committee will review the applications and distribute financial aid for the 2025-2026 school year. Some families may qualify for assistance from both the Fulcrum Foundation and the St. Catherine program, but only one application is submitted.

The application deadline is December 31st, 2024. This is a firm deadline - all completed applications AND required tax documentation must be submitted by this date for consideration. You can access the application here. And FACTS charges a $35 application fee.

If you have any questions about the process or application, feel free to email Kathy Cox or you can access the FAQ page on the Fulcrum Foundation website here.

Hello Boarders and Skiers! We're excited to kick off the Annual St. Catherine Ski Bus.

Key Details:

- Who: St. Catherine Students Middle School Grades 6-8 (Please note, there are a limited number of spots. We will prioritize by grade, starting with 8th grade, and fill accordingly)

- Experience Level: All (beginners to experts)

- Type: Ski or Board

- Dates: Friday nights: Jan 10, 24, 31; Feb 7, 21, 28

- Time: Bus departs right after school and returns around 10:00-10:30 pm

- Where: Alpental Ski Area up at the Summit

- Transportation: A charter bus through Puget Sound Coach Lines

- Lessons: Lessons are required and go from 5:15 to 7:15 for 5 weeks with free skiing after. The last night is free ski/board.

Learn more and confirm your interest by 5pm on November 6th using this link: https://forms.gle/M86HZ27xFkt7bNKp9

If you have additional questions, please reach out to Aaron Rimmer at AaronRimmer@gmail.com.

Registration is now open for 1st through 3rd grade intramural basketball. Practice will begin in mid-to-late November. Teams will practice once a week, and games will be on Saturdays in December and January. Please use the following link to register your player: https://www.teamsideline.com/sites/seattlecyo/current-programs. Although it's counterintuitive, select Program - 4-8 Basketball 2024-2025, and then Offering - St. Catherine Intramural 1-3.

We also need coaches. Please email Marc Cote at cote.marc@gmail.com if you are willing to coach a team.

The St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St Catherine Parish has committed to help 23 neighborhood families during the Thanksgiving season. Our goal is to raise $2,100 to fund this effort. Approximately half of these families are headed by mothers who are deaf and have suffered abuse. We plan to provide each family with a voucher to purchase food for a meal that they plan,

shop for and prepare. The voucher is to a local grocery store in the amount of $30 per

person in the family.

Please help us by:

1. Writing a check, making sure it is clearly marked for the SVDP Holiday Program and placing it in the collection basket or mailing it to the parish office.

2. Going to the parish website and clicking the button marked SVDP Holiday Program, following the directions to make a donation online.

You have been very generous supporting us throughout the year and we cannot thank you enough. If you are able, we will really appreciate your help with the Thanksgiving Program. Thank you!

For the 20th consecutive year, the women of the ACC Marjorie Ryan Circle will be delivering locally grown mixed noble fir wreaths and garland from Hood Canal Evergreens to St. Catherine School and Parish. All profits directly benefit the charitable organizations that Advocacy and Caring for Children supports.

Remember to order for your friends and family this holiday season. We truly appreciate your annual orders and we are happy to bring a little tradition and joy to the Christmas season. Thank you for sharing our vision, and helping us carry out Advocacy and Caring for Children’s 106-year tradition of service and compassion in the greater Seattle area.

You’ll find our order form below. Please return order forms and/or checks to the school office, by US Mail, or email by November 12th. Payments can be made by check or Venmo (@accwreathsale). Orders will be delivered to the St. Catherine parking lot and be ready for pick-up the week before Thanksgiving on Wednesday, November 20th between 11:30-3:30. Questions? Gayle Kaplan gayle@kaplan1.com or (206) 714-9258.

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.