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Weekly Newsletter
12.13.2023
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
We are wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We are grateful to the many families and individuals who have donated to the Annual Tiger Fund during this current school year.
The donor roll below reflects gifts & pledges received
July 1, 2023 - December 12th, 2023:
Chris and Jill Acker
Stephen and Lisa Anacker
Steven and Monique Alkire
Brian and Jodie Anderson
Matt and Melissa Anderson
Rob and Julie Anderson
Jennifer Arthur
Debi and Mark Backstrom
Allie and Chris Bailey
Leslie Barich
Erin and Jeremy Bartram
Hannah Beighle
James and Annie Bell
Keely and Michael Bell
Kathleen Seltzer and Eric Berge
Joe Binder and Katie Steffl
*Rose and Aaron Blankers
Jeff and Mariana Boden
Anthony and Esther Bolante
Lily Silva and Nick Bolthouse
Houston and Mary Bradley
Craig and Ariel Bradley
Jessica Bratrude and Mark Braseth
Nathan and Emily Brauer
*Ryan and Lisa Brennan
Andrew and Katie Brewer
Robert Murray and Josie Briggs
Emily Budinich
Michael Buschmann
Anna and Steven Calcagno
Mark and Katherine Caldwell
Adam and Megan Callow
Hannah Capinpin
Brian Carlson
Caleb and Erica Cates
Keliikai Castillo and Tricia Soares
Brian Cheung and Alice Kim
*Todd and Jaclyn Christianson
*Terri and David Chudzik
Clara Cimino
Katie and Jason Clack
Katherine and Jamie Clark
Sarah Coglianese
Lynn Colella
Emma and Brent Conley
Dieu and Mark Conrad
Marc and Katie Cote
Kathy Cox
Kate Friedenbach and Paul Currier
Agnes Ravion Daout
Angela Doyle
*Caitlin and David Dill
Gretchen and Daniel Dill
Tom Doggett
Tarrie Eckhart
*Scot Eckley and Devin Fitzpatrick
Ben Eisman
Jana and Brian Ellingwood
Beth and Martyn Ellis
Caitlin Elsner
Mike and Jodi Elsner
Aaron Pederson and Stephanie R Euzebio
Erin and Matthew Evans
Courtney and Christopher Farah
Priscilla and Jeremy Fellows
Mercedes Cantisano and Martin Fernunson
Maria and Troy Finlayson
*Dennis and Karen Fitzpatrick
Kari Frizzell
*Jason and Lauren Garfield
Kosta Gennaios
David Gent
Katherine and Blake Golden
Jon and Kim Gonzalez
Evan and Lauren Gordon
Liz and Frank Grant
Sriharsha and Justin Grevich
Mary and Mark Griffin
Samantha Hallock
Heather Heinzen
Karin and Dave Herman
Steve and Betsy Hill
Jim Hochstein and Ivy Wong
Chris Hollis and Tanya Zagumenov
James and Maggie Hoy
George Hsieh and Olha Bilobran
Alain and Julia Huynh
Hank and Jennifer Jacky
Nick and Courtney Juhl
Grace and Garrett Kaiser
Larry Spyridis and Constance Katsandres
Hadley Kelly
Lauren and Garrett Kelly
Beth and Dylan Kilpatric
Tim and Bethany King
Robin Kline
*Marjorie and David Korkowski
Adrienne and Matt Kortas
Sean O’Neill and Elizabeth Krawczyk
Tom and Cyndi Kuder
*Richard Kreisberg and Jennifer Cullmore
Latife Lacin
Edith and Brendan Lang
Ann and Trenton Lipscomb
Mike and Kristin Litke
Dakota Malberg-Loen
Chris and Lori Low
Vincent and Amanda Lucero
Brendan and Leanne Lynch
Michael Lufkin and Erin Hawkinson
Dorian and Merrill Manza
Richard and Marissa Maloney
Corina Matson and Justin Walden
Liz and John Mares
Julia and David Marks
Joseph Matthew and Gale Sebastian
John and Tammy Matusak
David Mayer and Wendy Rychwalski
Marcus and Aline Milanez
Blair and Brian Mills
Joshua and Lauren McCaffrey
Casey and Nicole McCoy
David McCulloch
Brianna and Nathan McDonald
Joanna and Jay McGrew
Kristi and Tim McQuillan
Shawna and Frank Molitor
Malia and Alex Morrison
Sean and Jill Murphy
*Francine Shammami and George Murray
Jen and Dave Muzia
*Chris and Noelle Nelson
Sean O’Neill and Lissa Krawczyk
Erin O’Donnell
Nancy M Patch
Nicole Pattamanuch and Roger Lederman
Lissa Payne
Scott and Diana Pearson
Aaron Pederson and Stephanie R. Euzebio
Mary and Kerry Person
*Aaron and Kariss Peterson
Dave and Siobhan Piechowski
Reece and Kendra Powell
Rabiatu Abdulai Baba and Justice Quame-Amaglo
Suzanne Richmond
Michele and Aaron Rimmer
Elizabeth and Neal Rudd
Herbert Sauro and Holly Sawyer
Jenny Seay
*Carl and Kelly Sens
Greg Schell
*Matt Schemmel and Sarah Korkowski
Phyllis Schemmel
Jamie and Jessica Scola
John Schwager
Michael Schwager and Maria Agapova
Jeff and Bree Sievers
Adam and Tanya Smith
Josh and Erica Snow
Stimson Munasque and Christine Soriano
Clare and Nick Spano
Scott and Heidi Stender
Emma Summer
Charles and Paige St-Pierre
Jordan and Karen Talge
Lilla C. Talge
Edward and Shannon Thompson
Teresa Thornton
Maddie and Michael Tremain
Nick and Christine Tubb
Sharath Udupa and Savitha Swaminathan
Joseph and Allison Vallinski
Geoff and Ashley Van Dragt
Charlotte and Chris Van Hollebeke
Gail Vecchiet
*Brad Vieau and Madelyn Sheldon
Cathy Wagner
Carlos and Yvonne Walker
Mark and Tracy Waterman
Jason and Katherine Wax
Mary and Guy Welch
Darcie and Alex Wells
Katie and Jake Wham
Clay and Elena White
Margaret and Steve White
Mary White
Devin and Marissa Williams
*Alison and Kirby Winfield
Tiffany Lundeen and Michael Wilson
Alexis and Nolan Wood
Gloria Youngblood and Thomas Nemeth
* Indicates $1000 donation and above
Thank YOU from your St. Catherine School Family!
If you have made a donation to the STC Tiger Fund and you do not see your name
please contact the development office.
If you have not had the chance, please take this opportunity to make a tax-
deductible gift to this year's Tiger Fund to support all the students of St. Catherine.
Calendar Reminders
Wednesday, December 13th
2:25pm Dismissal for K-8 Students
Christmas Program @ 6:30pm in Victoria Hall
Thursday, December 14th
Tiger Spirit Day - Wear your Gear!
Friday, December 15th
Christmas Spirit Dress Day (Christmas PJ's, Holiday Sweaters, Red, Green & White, Santa Hats, etc.)
Noon Dismissal Day for All Students
No After School K-8 Extended Care
No Full Day Preschool or PM Pandas Program
Christmas Break
Monday, December 18th- Friday, December 29th: No School for All Students
Monday, January 1st
No School for All Students
Christmas Program
December has arrived, and with it comes our annual St. Catherine Christmas Program! All of the students from Preschool up to 8th grade have been working hard to prepare their songs for the 2023 Christmas Program, and we are excited to celebrate the Christmas season with our St. Catherine Community.
The Christmas Program is today, December 13th at 6:30pm, and doors to Victoria Hall open at 6:00 pm. You may not enter the gym and put coats on chairs during the day. Any items left on chairs before 6pm will be removed.
Students should arrive to their classroom no later than 6:00. Preschool families may want to arrive earlier since the Preschool is first on the performance order. Students in grades K-8 will remain with their class during the performance when they are not on stage. When the performance is done, students will be dismissed to their families. To make for a quick exit, it is strongly recommended that students leave anything they will not need with their families, so that they do not have to return to their classroom after the concert.
Concert dress code is being described as "Sunday best" with a Christmas twist. All students are encouraged to wear nice clothes and shoes. For boys that might look like nice black, blue or khaki pants (no shorts) and a nice shirt with a collar or a festive sweater. Dress shoes are encouraged, though if that is not possible then nice gym shoes will be acceptable. Girls are encouraged to wear nice pants or skirts with a nice top or festive sweater, or a nice dress with tights/hosiery. Dress shoes are also encouraged for girls. All students are encouraged to wear something festive, like Santa hats or fun headbands. However, the festive accessory should not be excessively distracting (no flashing light necklaces, Santa beards...etc). As this is a school sponsored event, the standard non-uniform St. Catherine dress code still applies.
From the School Office
2024-2025 Opt-Out
St. Catherine School families are set up on a rolling admissions schedule. Existing K-8 families who will "opt out" for the 2024-2025 school year are due by January 12, 2024. The opt-out form now is available in your Parent Portal, under "Optional Steps" of your child's enrollment checklist.
If your child/ren will not be returning for the next school year, please complete the opt-out form by January 12, 2024. Those families that opt-out are choosing to forfeit their child/ren's spot in their class for the 2024-2025 school year. There is quite a lot of interest from perspective families for most grades at St. Catherine School, and forfeited spots will be offered to the next student on the wait list.
Notice of families not returning for the following school year after the January 12, 2024 date will be charged the non-refundable registration fee of $250/child.
Lost & Found
Is your child missing a jacket, lunch box, water bottle or sweatshirt? The lost and found is overflowing with many unclaimed items. Please come check out the lost and found located in the gym foyer the next time you are on campus. Any unclaimed uniforms will be given to the used uniform sale and all other items will be donated over Christmas Break.
Yearbook Photos Needed
Attention Parents! The Yearbook staff needs your help. Please send any pictures you take throughout the school year to yearbook@stcatherineschool.net to be included in the yearbook. This year, we are excited to include a Summer Adventures page! Please send us pictures of your student or family during the summer of 2023. As always, we need your help documenting out of school events like CYO Sports, Harvest Festival, and eventually things like Ski Bus and the Christmas Program. Thank you for your help!
Tuition Assistance Program 2024-2025
The tuition assistance process for the 2024-2025 school year has begun - the application officially 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 2024-2025 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, 2023. 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.
Auction Planning
Auction planning is in full swing! Volunteers, we need you!
Are you interested in working with your kids' classrooms to create a masterpiece? Please reach out to auction@stcatherineschool.net if you would like to lead a Classroom Project that will be available to bid on at the St.Catherine Auction in April 2024.
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
Parish News
Esperanza International News!
Kick Off and Informational Meeting Sunday January 21st after Mass.
Next summer's trip is planned for August 4 - August 10th, 2024.
All current sophomores and juniors are encouraged to join us on our trek to Tijuana!
All planning and fundraising is done through St. Catherine Parish however any students are welcome.
Esperanza International has been helping communities in Tijuana since 1984.
Check out www.esperanzaint.org and then put January 21st on your calendar!
For more information contact Katie Fleming kjfleming1239@gmail.com or 206-354-5161
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.