Weekly Newsletter

Spirit Day! Wear your Tiger Spirit Gear

Career Day

June & Summer Birthdays Non-Uniform Dress Day

K-8 Noon Dismissal Day

Non-Uniform Day

Baccalaureate Mass @ 9am

8th Grade Graduation @ 6:30pm

Pancakes Anyone? Don’t miss the end-of-the-year all student Pancake Breakfast hosted by STC Parent Club on Wednesday, June 12th at 7:40am. Click here to sign-up for a delicious good time!

Using the sign-up genius links below, please sign-up to help with making the end of the year a fun success for our students.

• Pancake Breakfast: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4DAAA92FA6F58-pancake
  
• Field Day Fun: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0944A4A92EA4FBC34-49750399-field
• Field Day Lunch: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4DAAA92FA6F58-field

Each family with students in grades K-8 are asked to contribute 40 volunteer service hours (single parent families contribute 20 hours) during the school year. Five of the total hours are required to be given to the auction.

If you haven't submitted any volunteer hours, please complete a Volunteer Hours Summary Sheet and email it to Charlotte in the school office. All 2023-2024 volunteer hours must be submitted ASAP (please estimate your future hours through June 2024). In the event the service hours are not fulfilled, each family is responsible for the unfulfilled portion of the hours at a rate of $25/hour, which will be charged via your Billing Management Account in your Parent Portal on June 1st.

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

We have about 25 yearbooks for the 2023-2024 school year still available for purchase! If you forgot to order one and your child wants one, please email Amanda. Each yearbook is $30, and the cost will be added to your Billing Management account. Yearbooks will be passed out during the last week of school.

Please join us in the church for our annual Moving Up Mass on the last day of school, Friday, June 14th at 9am. This is a special Mass we hold every year to celebrate our students as they move up to the next grade, plus a few other celebrations and appreciations. We hope to see you there!

Due to a scheduling conflict, the Preschool Picnic date has been changed to Wednesday, June 12th.

First Day of School: Tuesday, September 3, 2024 (Noon Dismissal Day)

Last Day of School: Friday, June 13, 2025 (10:30am Dismissal, after Moving Up Mass)

No School Days

October 11, 2024: Accreditation Work Day

October 31-November 1, 2024: Preschool-8th Grade Fall Conferences (K-8 Students Only)
November 8, 2024: Archdiocesan In-Service Day
November 11, 2024: Veteran’s Day
November 28-29, 2024: Thanksgiving Break
December 23, 2024-January 3, 2025: Christmas Break
January 17, 2025: Accreditation Work Day
January 20, 2025: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
February 7, 2025: Archdiocese In-Service Day
February 17-18, 2025: President’s Day Break
March 7, 2025: Curriculum Development Day
April 21-25, 2025: Easter Break
May 26, 2025: Memorial Day

The full calendar for the 2024-2025 school year, as well as the specific Preschool calendar, is available to print by clicking on the appropriate button below. Please note that dates are subject to change and any changes will be communicated in the Weekly Newsletter.

It is a requirement that all students are up to date with their immunizations by the first day of school. You can find out about how to check your child's immunization records here. If you have any questions please contact Charlotte Van Hollebeke at cvanhollebeke@stcatherineschool.net.

Many families ask us if we have recommendations for local tutoring options to provide additional support to their students, particularly in the summer. We have compiled a list of 1) Teachers who are looking to tutor over the summer, 2) local tutoring centers, and 3) recommendations of tutors from local organizations (Wired for Reading and Math 'n Stuff). You can access the list here.

We are looking to add a section of recommended tutors from families at our school. If your children have worked/are working with a local tutor (or organization we do not have listed) and you would recommend them, please consider sharing their information with us. Please be sure to check with them that they are looking to add more clients. Send all information (name, contact info, grades/subjects) to Ms. Elsner, celsner@stcatherineschool.net.

Summer is a great opportunity for students to relax, recharge...and review! Summer 2024 Learning Expectations for students currently in grades K-7 can be found here! We are sharing this early because there is an option to purchase a summer review math book rather than complete IXL if that works better for your family. This also gives incoming middle school students an opportunity to purchase or check out from the library the book you have chosen to read from the list. This document will also be on the school website for access over the summer. Students in grades K-4 will bring home a paper copy of the Literacy Bingo boards the last week of school and everything else is accessible online. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Elsner.

All summer work on IXL should be completed between June 15-September 2.

Now is the time to order your spirit hoodies for next school year! All hoodies will be ready for pick-up at the Back-to-School BBQ on Thursday, August 29th, or during the first week of school. This order form closes on July 15, 2024.

Other spirit gear items will be available for sale in person at the Back-to-School BBQ.

St Catherine Spirit Bag orders are now open! Please complete the Spirit Bag order form below and return it to Tammy Matusak. Orders will be processed once we hit a minimum of 24 orders.

Join the Archdiocese of Seattle NAMI Walks team to raise awareness and support for people with mental illness and their families. (No monetary donation is required) Questions: Contact Anisa Ralls, Mental Health Ministry chairperson, at 206-382-4269 or aralls@stjames-cathedral.org. Learn more and register.

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.