St. Mike's Matters - Notes
December 1, 2022
Advent, Report Cards and Donuts
- Your sacrificial giving commitment card is filled out and turned in for 2023.
- You have student and parent access to the school grading program, Alma, and you have a plan for checking it periodically.
- You've looked at ways you can support school and church with your talents (and SO many of you have truly stepped up this year).
- Your children have academic, social, and physical goals for the next trimester, beginning with cutting off screen time earlier and spending more time with family.
- You find a bit of quiet time to pray during what is always a very full season!
Finally - a special request: We need a couple of families to help with the 11:30 Mass this Sunday, Dec 4th to sell donuts (training is easy and can be done via email or phone call). This counts as your contribution of talent when considering if you qualify for Partner in the Mission tuition. If you can help email Kim DeBord at kimberlycdebord@gmail.com or Mary Sherman at mary.sherman814@gmail.com. Thank you all SO much.
Advent Blessings,
Kathi Rafferty & Roseann Feldmann
Co-Principals
Principal Committee Update
Greetings St Michael's Parish School Community,
I am happy to inform you Fr. Jim has convened the Principal Search committee, we have held three meetings to this point, and I want to share with you some key notes and approximate timeline for the hiring process to be completed.
First, I have been nominated and accepted the role as Chair of the Principal Search Committee and you can send me any questions to mikedoyle97@yahoo.com or call or text me at (254) 319-2853. For those who don't know me, I have been a parent at St Mike's since 2020, I have three daughters at St Mike's (4th, 2nd, and K), and I serve as Chair of the School Commission.
Second, we have planned for the hiring process to take from now until early April to advertise, interview, and make a selection for the Principal position. In order to keep the St. Michael's Parish School informed and up to date on the hiring process, I will include a short update in each of the first Thursday notes of each month from December (today) to April 2023. We will deliberately use the Thursday Notes email rather than a separate email concerning just the Principal Search Committee.
Third, there will be a short survey sent to all faculty and parents of the SMPS community, which will come out in a separate email on December 7th, 2022. The survey will be open from December 7th, 2022 to January 15th, 2023. That survey will be the primary input opportunity for the faculty and parents to communicate their priorities and intentions to the Principal Search Committee.
Here is the overall timeline:
November 9th - 1st Meeting (In Person)
November 15th - 2nd Meeting (MS Teams)
November 15-30 - draft Survey questions and draft job description.
November 30 - 3rd Meeting (In person); review Survey questions and finalize job description
December 7th - Post job description w Diocese
December 7th to January 15th, 2023 - Faculty and Parent Survey open
December 16th - Christmas Break begins
January 4th, 2023 - First Day back to School
Late January 2023 - Diocese Principals complete Intent Forms with their Pastors for the Diocese
February-March 2023 - Interview Window for Potential Candidates
Early April 2023 - Decision and Announcement to parish, faculty, and parents.
Finally, please send me any questions or concerns regarding the Search Committee and have a blessed Christmas season.
Mike Doyle
(254) 319-2853
Students and Parents Preparing for Baptism or Full Communion
Please keep the following from our community in prayer as they prepare for Baptism or Full Communion on Holy Saturday (April 8th, 2023)
- Charlee Beierle (2nd)
- Jax Gregory (2nd)
- Lincoln Leyster (2nd)
- Grayson Leyster (5th)
- Sam Thurston (5th)
- Vince Jaross (6th)
- Saoirse Shannon (6th)
- Regan Brakebush (k-aide, k, 2nd, 4th grade mom)
- Laura Dietz (Kindergarten mom and SMART family night co-chair)
Thursday, December 1st the following will receive their 1st Reconciliation
- Claire Bode
- Ava Bode
- Luke LeBlanc
On Friday, December 2nd at the All School Mass Luke LeBlanc will be receiving his 1st Communion.
Please keep all of these kids and parents in your prayers.
God Bless
Late Start and Snow Day Information
With winter weather here, we would like
to provide everyone with information regarding school delays and closures.
We follow Olympia School District for school closures and late starts, so if they announce a school closure or late start, this will apply to St. Mikes as well. In most cases, we will be able to send out an announcement to parents through Spartan News, but if there are power outages in some locations we may be unable to do this.
We ask that you please make sure to tune into one of our local news stations ( King5, Komo4 or Kiro7) for school closure updates and late start times. If St. Mikes is going to start late or be closed, it will be announced along with other local schools. You can also check the Olympia School District website for more information.
Pre-K: If you have a child in Pre-K and we announce a two hour delay, Pre-K class will be cancelled for the day.
Extended Care: If school is cancelled, extended care will be cancelled as well. If we have a late start, there will be no morning care.
Late start on an early release day: If a late start is announced on a scheduled early release day there will be no school.
Please call the school office if you have any questions.
Thank you!
Pizza Wednesday - 12/7/22
Below you will find the link to order pizza for 12/7/22. 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/223336171645151
Thank you!
Boys Basketball Season
School Calendar
December 2nd - End of First Trimester - Noon Dismissal
December 15th - Christmas Program
December 16th - Day Before Christmas Break - Noon Dismissal
December 19th through January 3rd - Christmas Break - No School
Fulcrum Tuition Assistance Application Site Now Open
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
Spartan Spirit Days!
Please add the following dates to your calendar:
- December 14
- January 25
- February 21
- March 29
- April 26
- May 31
- June 7
Place Your Yearbook Order
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:
$40 book through 1/27/23
Please contact Mrs. Swenson if you have any questions.
What Is A Birthday Book?
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.
Library Volunteers Needed
Ordering Scrip Just Got Easier!
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
St. Michael Parish School Covid-19 Policy (Updated 11/1/22)
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
Amazon Smile Donations
St. Michael Parish School - A Family of Families
Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 7:45 AM - 4:00 PM
#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