Please read this for important items for tomorrow and Wednesday.

TUESDAY REMINDER: We will NOT have school tomorrow, which also means no Extended Care. You are all welcome (and encouraged) to attend the funeral services for Mrs. Silva. If you do so, the family has asked the students to wear their uniforms. This is optional, though, and feel free to wear anything church appropriate. I have heard from a number of her students who have special dresses they purchased for this so please feel free to wear something special, if it is not a uniform.

Here are the details:

Location: Our Lady Queen of Heaven (14601 A St S, Tacoma, WA 98444)

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 18th

Time: Viewing from 10am - 11:45am and funeral mass at 12 pm (noon), reception to follow

WEDNESDAY PLANS: In honor of Mrs. Silva, we will have a "Yellow Day". This was her favorite color. Actually, to say it was just her favorite color is an understatement. Anyone who was involved with a past field day, color wars, or any other color-related event knows that she LOVED her yellow. :) Therefore, we are allowing all students (and staff) to wear yellow on Wednesday. So, it will be a free dress day, but we want children to have some yellow. Even a hair ribbon or a a wrist band is perfect.

Again, thank you for your understanding of the last-minute changes for this week. It is so important for our staff and families to be able to say goodbye to a teacher who made such an impact on those around her for many years.

Have a wonderful week!

Katie Dempsey

Principal

Mrs. Silva is known for her outward, exuberant faith and love of Jesus. She was very involved in church activities and led the children's choir for school masses. She also taught CCD (religious education), directed Christmas plays, and was the Liturgical Coordinator at HR.

She also loved to sing and to dance and shared her gifts and talents willingly. Almost any day you walked down the hall at Holy Rosary, you could hear Mrs. Silva singing away. Another passion for her was reading. She LOVED to read books to and with the children. I can recall vividly walking in to her room while she was acting out The Trumpet of the Swan for the kids...including the trumpet sound. One of the last times I visited her, she asked me to make sure Mr. Kelah was reading with the kids and making sure they had access to real books! This was told to me from her bedside! Beyond singing, dancing, and reading, she loved to cook and bake. At least 2 - 3 times per week, she would bring in breakfast casseroles, deviled eggs, or an assortment of baked goods. Did I mention the time I walked in to catch her making fresh lumpia in her classroom (for a potluck)? Sometimes, if she had nothing else, she would just hand you a piece of fruit. She loved to feed people... both physically and spiritually.

I can say, without a doubt, that I have never met a stronger spirit or a more faithful servant than Mrs. Silva. We are so grateful for the many gifts and talents she shared with us during her 10 years at Holy Rosary. She was a strong-willed and beautiful soul and she will be missed by all of us.

Katie Dempsey