St. Mike's Matters - Notes

Multiple groups are working to make the awesome St. Mike’s experience available to all parishioners who seek a Catholic education for their children. Our school tuition covers just over half of the actual cost of educating a student; the remainder is made up of small fundraisers, but mostly, our parish’s support of this ministry. As you fill out your commitment card for this month’s renewal of time, talent and treasure, consider that we are relying on the stewardship of our parish families to fund the school ministry.

The tuition freeze in 2020 and last year’s 10.3% decrease were made possible by parish (and especially school family) giving. If you are able to increase your weekly gift, know that it makes a difference in the lives of children who cannot otherwise afford coming to St. Mikes. All school families receiving Partner in the Mission tuition do have to have a commitment card for this year on file. If you were not able to fill one out last Sunday, take the opportunity to do so this Sunday. Cards are due December 1st.

The PACE team (Providing Access to Catholic Education) met last Monday to address the growth we’ve blessedly experienced this year, and to plan for responsible ways to grow, while keeping our focus on faith and learning for our current students.

Scrip is one of those smaller fundraisers that is used directly to help with field trips and special teacher needs. When you’re looking for regular spending like groceries, or looking for gift cards, think about purchasing scrip. Information on that is in this Thursday Notes.

Kathi Rafferty and Roseann Feldmann

Co-Principals

Below you will find the link to order pizza for 11/16/22. Please remember whether you have one student or 10, you need to list their name, teacher, type of pizza, quantity, milk and quantity that matches the overall order.

As always, please email Mrs. Feldmann at mrsfeldmann@stmikesolympia.org or Kristina Boyer at kristinamboyer83@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Please click the link below to place your order.

https://form.jotform.com/223127408229150

Thank you!

This November the Saints House of St. Maximilian Kolbe is coordinating our annual Thanksgiving basket stewardship project in conjunction with St. Vincent de Paul Society and Pregnancy Aid. From Nov. 18th until Nov. 20th, school families will distribute Thanksgiving food baskets to needy families in the area.

Jesus had a special love for the poor and the weak. This is our opportunity to put the needs of those less fortunate first. Our goal is to provide a box of dinner supplies and a turkey for 35 families.

Food Collection - November 1st to the morning of November 17th

Basket Delivery - November 18th (after 3:00) to Sunday Nov 20th

Each class has been assigned an item to fill the baskets.

Pre-K - canned veggies

Kindergarten - potatoes

1st grade - cake/brownies

2nd grade - pie ingredients (pumpkin pie mix or pumpkin and evap. milk

3rd grade - gravy mix

4th - canned veggies

5th - canned fruit

6th - stuffing mix

7th - cranberry sauce

8th - stuffing mix

Each classroom will have baskets outside their door for donations. We are also seeking donations of $20 for frozen turkeys. Donations can be sent in with your child or delivered to the school office. Students will also be collecting donations in the entryway before and after school.

If you are able to deliver a basket, please click on the following link to sign up.

https://forms.gle/Wg6xU6kraSWU3LoZ9

This is an excellent opportunity for families to reach out and share their abundance with others in our community.

Thank you for putting the lives of those in need, first!

The scrip team is excited to announce the return of an easy way to purchase scrip gift cards. Now you can get physical scrip gift cards without having to make a trip to the office. Just complete the form linked below, send the form and payment with your child for delivery to the office, and you can select to have your cards delivered to your child. Orders can be placed as often as once a week. Every scrip gift card purchase earns money for PTSA which funds classroom activities. You can still stop by the office to order scrip gift cards or place an order online for electronic gift cards.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ou45nmyaeUNTmaA7E-zUFXklH0fLsLrI/view?usp=sharing

Questions: scrip@stmikesolympia.org

In addition to purchasing scrip, you can earn money for PTSA through everyday shopping. Fred Meyer and Amazon are two organizations that partner with schools and other non-profits to donate based on purchases made. See flier below for how to link your Fred Meyer Rewards card and how to shop at Amazon so that our school benefits from your purchases.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/18ipQRuceI3fIksQuoljF3tlirvGUrl9T/view?usp=sharing

Since Governor Jay Inslee lifted the state of emergency related to COVID-19 in the state of

Washington on Monday, October 31, 2022, the vaccine mandate for volunteers in an

educational setting need no longer be enacted at St. Michael Parish School. Additionally, our

school will no longer need to use the “School Volunteer Agreement” from the Archdiocese of

Seattle. ALL Virtus/Safe Environment Training Requirements are still required of all volunteers.

Hear ye, hear ye!

Mrs. Lashley's 5th Grade class is excited to kick-off the school's Annual Christmas Wreath Fundraiser in support of their Shakespeare play "Romeo & Juliet" & class trip to Ashland, OR for the Shakespeare Festival.

If you are planning to purchase a fresh door wreath or advent wreath to decorate your home this Christmas, or to give as a gift to friends or clients, please consider supporting our 5th grade class.

Pre-orders are due by November 7th, and wreath pick-up will be after school on November 22nd & 23rd, or following all masses the weekend of December 3rd & 4th.

The order form is below - please have your child return the form with cash or check (made payable to "St. Michael Fifth Grade") to their teacher by November 7th.

Thank you for your support!

The tuition assistance application window for the upcoming 2023/2024 school year is now open to applicants.

Tuition assistance will only be granted for the next year by completing the online application process. If you plan to apply for the 2023/2024 school year, your application must be submitted by January 6th, 2023.

Award letters from the Fulcrum Foundation will be mailed to applicants in March 2023.

The Fulcrum tuition assistance application can be accessed at: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/4CDW0

November 11th - Veterans Day Observed - No School

November 23rd - Early Release - Noon Dismissal

November 24th - Thanksgiving - No School

November 25th - Thanksgiving Holiday - No School

On Spartan Spirit days, students can wear their Spartan Spirit T shirt with uniform bottoms.

Please add the following dates to your calendar:

• November 30
• December 14
• January 25
• February 21
• March 29
• April 26
• May 31
• June 7

The 2022-2023 Yearbooks are available for pre-order.

As in previous years, yearbook orders can only be placed on the Jostens website.

Please remember to order by 1/27/23 to guarantee your yearbook this year. We will not be ordering any extras for selling at the end of the year.

Click the button below, or call 1-877-767-5217 to place your order.

Prices:

$30 book (no free icons) through 11/19/22

$40 book through 01/28/23

Please contact Mrs. Swenson if you have any questions.

nswenson@stmikesolympia.org

Birthday books are added to the collection at St. Michael School library in honor of someone's birthday. Any student can select a book from the collection of new books waiting to be added to our library. The book will be presented at Monday Morning Opening and the birthday boy or girl will be the first person to check out the book!

If you would like to celebrate your student's birthday by donating a birthday book, please complete the form. A $5.00 donation is requested to help defray the cost of the book. Please check if you want your FACTS account charged or you can send in cash or check (payable to St. Michael School and marked "birthday book" on the memo line). If the cost is prohibitive, please contact Mrs. Quebedeaux (school librarian) squebedeaux@stmikesolympia.org, as we do not want any child to be excluded who wishes to participate.

A special Birthday Club bookplate will be printed and placed inside the book cover with your child's name and year the book was donated.

Our school library is currently looking for volunteers. If you are interested in helping out or have questions regarding volunteering, please email Sandra Quebedeaux at: squebedeaux@stmikesolympia.org

What is SCRIP?

SCRIP is a program where you buy a gift card at face value and we earn a percentage back for our school. Use SCRIP gift cards for things you already buy like food, clothes, entertainment, and gasoline. SCRIP sales go to PTSA which provides funds to support teachers and programs.

How Do I Participate?

• Purchase SCRIP gift cards in the school office. We can also place special orders if we do not have the physical cards you want on hand.
• Set up an online account at RaiseRight.com. Order eGift cards, received instantly, or reload an already purchased physical gift card from the office.

Click here for more information on how to set up your account: SCRIP Gift Card Program

Email questions, requests for enrollment code, or to volunteer: scrip@stmikesolympia.org

If a student or staff member is ill or COVID-19 positive:

Students and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 are required to stay home and should get

tested. Any student or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to isolate at

home. Individuals may return to school on Day 6, if they have no symptoms and test negative

on that day (If there are symptoms, Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day

after symptoms developed. If there are no symptoms, Day 0 is the date being tested. Day 1 is

the first full day after the specimen was collected for a positive test.). If the individual tests

positive on Day 6, the individual is likely still contagious, and should continue to isolate and wait

24-48 hours to test again. If the individual tests negative on two sequential tests each

performed 24-48 hours apart and has no symptoms, the individual can end isolation and return

to school.

If a student or staff member is exposed to COVID-19:

The Department of Health no longer requires exposed students and staff to quarantine. To

protect the school, students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, who are potentially

exposed to COVID-19 should:

• Monitor for symptoms, AND
• Test as soon as possible after exposure and then repeat testing every 24-48 hours through at least the first 5 days after exposure AND
• Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after exposure.

COVID-19 positive cases and exposure cases need to be reported to the St. Michael Health

Office (rfeldmann@stmikesolympia.org). COVID-19 testing is available through the Health Office, if home testing is not available.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

New loss of taste or smell

Sore throat

Congestion or runny nose

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

Fever or chills

Cough

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Fatigue

Muscle or body aches

Headache

Ron Feldmann MD

St. Michael Parish School Health Office

You can now link your Amazon App through Amazon Smile. This is an easy way to generate donations for the school/PTSA at no cost to you. Click here for more information.

Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 7:45 AM - 4:00 PM

Follow us on Instagram! stmichaelparishschoololympia

#SMPSBlessed

Email: connect@stmikesolympia.org
Website: www.stmikesolympia.org
Location: 1204 11th Avenue Southeast, Olympia, WA, United States
Phone: 360-754-5131
Facebook: facebook.com/St.MichaelParishSchoolOlympia