Weekly Newsletter

Hello St. Catherine Preschool-8th Grade Families,

This year is the kickoff of our two-year accreditation process through the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA). As the start of the self-study process, we are gathering feedback in the form of surveys and other data. Your participation and feedback are greatly appreciated, even if this is your first year at our school. The self study is based on a model of continuous improvement and will ultimately contain school-wide growth areas complementing our Strategic Plan to guide the next six years of school improvement. The accreditation process will culminate with a three-day accreditation committee site visit February 10-12, 2026. Thank you for your participation in this process.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS SURVEY. PLEASE COMPLETE BY 10/5/2024.

This week's class standings:

Kindergarten is in the lead with 21% participation

Second place is 7th Grade, with 19% participation

Third Place is Preschool Cubs, with 16% participation

This year, our Tiger Fund Campaign Leaders will help us host a party for the class with the highest participation percentage in this year's Tiger Fund Campaign. Thank you to the Kuder family for helping us kick off this year's campaign with a popping good time. There is Power Through Participation.

Thank you to all those who have already made your pledge to the Tiger Fund. We are grateful for the continued support and generosity of the STC community. We need everyone’s support to reach our 100% participation goal. All pledge forms are due by October 18th Thank you in advance for investing in our students.

The Kuder family, Tom, Cyndi, Lily (6th grade) and Annie (5th grade), are privileged to be this year’s annual Tiger Fund Campaign Leaders. Please read a message from the Kuder family here.

Our Tiger Fund goal for the 2024-25 school year is $75,000 and 100% participation by all school families. No gift is too small. Remember, participation in the Annual Tiger Fund is part of the school contract signed by all school families. Please remember to look into a matching gift from your company and watch your dollars double, even triple! View our Matching Funds Guide here.

You can donate through FinalSite by filling out the pledge form here or by credit card here. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

FORWARD TOGETHER! HEAR THE ROAR!

In celebration of St. Francis of Assisi feast day, we will be having a pet blessing for all our St. C pets! Please join Fr. Duc and the rest of the St. C school community on Friday, October 4th at 3:20pm on the plaza. Bring your cat, dog, fish or frog, or any friend you'd like to have blessed.

For the safety of others, please be sure your animal is socialized. All pets are to be leashed/contained, and please advise your child/ren to approach animals with caution.

October is National Animal Safety and Protection Month as well as the month of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of Animals. Our Middle School Leadership Elective is starting a drive for the Seattle Humane Society to help the pets get the food and care they need. They are looking for various kinds of dog and cat food, pet toys, paper bags, food bowls, litter boxes, and so much more. With your help, we can give these pets what they need to live the best life possible.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Jones at ajones@stcatherineschool.net! Donations will be accepted until October 29th.

The tuition assistance process for the 2025-2026 school year will open 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.

Everyone is settling into the school year and lunchtime is no exception! Our goal in the lunchroom is to support a convenient and positive lunchtime for all, so we want to address a growing concern regarding the use of microwaves.

We have noticed an increased number of students using the microwaves including students bringing frozen meals. This is causing significant wait times resulting in long lines and some students are running out of time to eat lunch. Additionally, many students do not know how to use microwaves properly resulting in more time wasted as well as overheated food, use of inappropriate containers, pressing incorrect settings, or messy microwaves.

To help alleviate these issues, we kindly ask both parents and students to consider the following suggestions:

• Pack Cold or Room-Temperature Lunches: Please pack meals that do not need to be microwaved. This will save time and ensure that your child can enjoy their meal without the wait.

• Pre-heat Food at Home: If a warm meal is preferred, consider pre-heating the food at home and packing it in an insulated container or thermos to keep it warm throughout the day.

• Use Microwave-Safe Containers: If a microwave is needed, please ensure that your child brings microwave-safe containers. Using plastic wrap or metal can be dangerous and damage the microwave.

• Learn the Basics of Microwave Use: Teach your child to follow these simple steps:

1. Check that their food is in a microwave-safe container.

2. Select the appropriate time and settings for the food being warmed up.

3. If a mess is made, please clean the microwave inside and out.

Thank you for your attention and support with this matter!

The lunchroom team!

This year every 2nd Wednesday of the month until February, 8th grade will be having a Student Sweet Shop to raise money for their DC trip. It will be after school in the plaza so send your kids with a few dollars to get a treat. The first one is October 9th.

We will have candy, drinks, chips, and all things you would find in a vending machine. This way

allergies can be voided since it is all prepackaged and everyone can find something they like.

Meeting on Tuesday, October 8th at 8:00am:

All students grades 4-8 are invited to be part of NPH at St. Catherine. For those unfamiliar with NPH, we are a club here at school that does fundraising to support our godchild, Yhon, who is a young boy in Bolivia. If your child(ren) are interested in joining us, please read more about it here and sign our commitment letter. We will meet in the first grade classroom. Please contact Ms. Arthur, Ms. O'Donnell, and Mrs. Katsandres with any questions.

St. Catherine is pleased to announce an after-school academic support option for students in grades 2nd and 3rd! Parents may register their students to attend academic support from 3:15-4:00 PM on Tuesdays (starting 10/1). This is an opportunity for students to complete homework or class projects while receiving needed support from St. Catherine’s staff. The sessions will be facilitated by Ms. Cox and Ms. Elsner.

A Sign-up Genius will be sent out each month to indicate days you’d like your child to attend. Space will be limited so register early! Cost will be $14 per session and will be billed to your billing management account. The sign-up for October is here. The sign-up for November will be emailed to 2nd and 3rd grade parents on Monday 10/28, 3:30pm. Please contact Ms. Elsner if you have any questions.

St. Catherine’s annual book fair will be held during conferences on Thursday, October 31st and Friday, November 1st. This year we are hosting a fair by Paper Pie Publishing, formerly know as Usborne Books. More information will be provided soon!

Registration is now open for 4th through 8th grade basketball. Practice will begin in late October. The first games will be the weekend of November 9, and the season runs through mid-January. Teams practice twice a week at Victoria Hall, and games are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays. Please use the following link to register your player: https://www.teamsideline.com/sites/seattlecyo/current-programs.

More information on our Intramural Program for 1st through 3rd grade will follow soon.

If you have any questions, please contact Marc Cote at cote.marc@gmail.com.

Welcome to Act Up!’s Drama Club at St. Catherine School! Open to students in grades K-3. We will meet Mondays, November 4th – 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

LITTLE CODERS: INTRO TO CODING
Grades 1-2
Tue, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 8 - Dec 10
$259 / 10-week session

Tailored for early readers, this course helps students boost their computational thinking while having fun with friends! Beginners learn coding basics like Loops and Conditions. Returning students tackle new challenges, such as debugging. All students build exciting games, stories, and animated characters.
REGISTRATION: www.codingwithkids.com/session/68915

ROBOTICS: INTRO TO CODING
Grades 3-5
Tue, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 8 - Dec 10
$269 / 10-week session

In this course, students use visual programming to learn computational thinking and core coding concepts, such as code structure, variables, and loops. They apply these concepts to tackle mission challenges like obstacle avoidance, path following, and maze navigation.
REGISTRATION: www.codingwithkids.com/session/68916

AI: INTRO TO MACHINE LEARNING
Grades 6-8
Thu, 3:15 PM-4:15 PM
Oct 10 - Dec 12
no class on Oct 31, Nov 28
$209 / 8-week session

Discover how AI works by learning key AI and ML concepts such as neural networks, computer vision, and image recognition. You'll learn how to use modern AI tools effectively, like DALL-E, for tasks like generating images. You’ll create your own AI models that will be used to build Scratch projects, including video filters and touchless games.
REGISTRATION: www.codingwithkids.com/session/68917

QUESTIONS? Email Coding with Kids at info@codingwithkids.com

Cake walk

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849ACA82AA1FEC16-45016495-harvest#/

Chili

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849ACA82AA1FEC16-45016526-harvest#/

Harvest Festival volunteers

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0849ACA82AA1FEC16-45016554-harvest#/

St. Luke has invited our community to an upcoming event! Please join us for renowned anti-bullying speaker, Jodee Blanco, presenting at St. Luke School on Tuesday, October 8th.

ParentEd Talk with Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and author of “The Anxious Generation”
Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024
Noon–1 p.m. PT

Childhood itself has gone missing. As childhood migrated online in the early 2010s, rates of mental illness among US adolescents surged, and kids' daily opportunities to learn and play independently disappeared. But it's not too late to change.

Join ParentMap and St. Catherine School for an important virtual ParentEd Talk on Oct. 15 with renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of “The Anxious Generation.”

What began with a book launch, The Anxious Generation has since transformed into a three-year campaign to reclaim childhood, inviting teens, parents, schools, tech and policy leaders to take collective action — from inside their own families and homes, at school, to the halls of Congress — all across the globe.

Whether you've already given your child a smartphone or you're trying to delay it, there's a role you can play to protect your children. Learn what’s happening to our kids and, more importantly, what we can do to help.

Join us on Tuesday, October 15th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Assumption Fellowship Hall for a special ASB Parent Board presentation, "Preparing Your Child to Thrive in High School."

The session will be led by Jenell Kheriaty, a seasoned Catholic school educator and parent of ASB alumni. Drawing from her extensive experience as both a teacher and school administrator, as well as her perspective as a parent, Jenell will offer valuable insights to help you guide your child through the transition to high school. She’ll share strategies and skills your student can develop to succeed during these crucial years. We hope you can join us!

ST. PHOEBE FEAST DAY CELEBRATION

In honor of St. Phoebe's Feast Day on September 3rd, we will feature female reflectionists at all six Masses in our parish family on the weekend of October 5th and 6th. We extend our gratitude to the members of our Phoebe Circle, who are planning and organizing this event. The Phoebe Circle meets monthly to harness the inspiration sparked by St. Phoebe and to continue uplifting female voices in our community. If you have any questions or are interested in joining, please contact Liz Jackman via email.

October 5th, 6pm-8pm

St. Catherine School, Victoria Hall

Please come celebrate past and present St. C students who will be on the runway with many others who have special needs.

St. C's Dad Steve Hill from the Men’s Room is the emcee for the evening.

Tickets can be purchased via the link below.

https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6414367

Come on out and support Home Together!

Some of you may recall our household supply drive spring 2023.

Since then Home Together has furnished 8 homes for families in town with sick kiddos at Children's Hospital.

Now they can use our support by attending their Oktoberfest fundraiser Oct 19th and/or helping with set up and take down in Victoria Hall that weekend.

Check out www.home-together.org/events for tickets or contact Katie Fleming if you would like more information on how you can help kjfleming1239@gmail.com

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.