St. Mike's Matters - Thursday Notes
March 22, 2018 Issue #23
Dear St. Michael Families,
This is our big week! After gathering data, collecting evidence and writing our Self Study report for the last year and a half, we are now in the midst of our accreditation visit. Our visiting team of five educators arrived yesterday and they will be with us through the end of this week. They are tasked with evaluating our accreditation Self Study report and, through observation and analysis, ensuring that we are who we say we are. Please note that this Friday (tomorrow) is a noon dismissal so that our faculty can meet with the visiting team in the afternoon to receive their final report. If you see our visitors on campus please thank them for their service to our school and archdiocese!
Thank you for taking the time to prioritize meeting with our faculty last week for conferences. Your thoughtful engagement and collaboration with the teachers helps to ensure that your children continue to grow and learn just as much as they can throughout this final trimester. Since you are the first teachers of your children, I appreciate all that you do to support their development through clear and open communication with our teachers.
A familiar face will be rejoining our community when Miss Deedee retires at the end of this school year. Nikki Fiala will return to our faculty by serving as our Pre K teacher next year. Mrs. Fiala was our first Pre K teacher two years ago and her hard work, care for each student, and enthusiasm laid the groundwork for our program. Mrs. Fiala and her family left our school community when they moved to the coast last year. She is moving back to our area and we are blessed that she will be teaching our 4 year old students once again!
Mark your calendars for our Middle School Science Fair! Please join us in the gym on March 28th from 1:16PM-2:45PM or 5:30PM-7PM. All Middle School students conduct a rigorous scientific investigation and then present their findings to our community. It is always a highlight of the year to see our students and parents meeting with our young scientists and learning about their projects. This is a particularly valuable experience for our Middle School students, as they present and articulate the results of their inquiries with others. Be sure to ask them lots of questions about their work!
Blessings,
Connor Geraghty
Principal
Calendar for the week
Thursday - 03/22 - Passport Test
Friday - 03/23 - All School Mass @ 9:00 AM
REMINDER: Registration forms due FRIDAY! Registration fees due June 8th
HALF DAY - SCHOOL OUT AT NOON
Monday - 03/26 - Stations of the Cross @ 8:30AM
Wednesday - 03/28 - Class pictures
Science Fair 1:15 pm - 2:45 pm and 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Friday - 03/30 - Shadow Stations @ 11:00 AM
GOOD FRIDAY - HALF DAY - SCHOOL OUT AT NOON
REMINDER - Registration Forms due tomorrow!
Registration fees are not due until June 8th.
Please let us know if you have any questions or help filling out the forms.
Thank you!
Class Picture Day! Wednesday March 28th
Sweatshirt and Spirit Wear order forms due tomorrow!
- Elementary and Middle School uniform approved sweatshirts and fleece vests
- Spartan Spirit shirts
- Adult polo shirts
- Baseball hats (to be worn outside of school)
Additional order forms can be found in entrance of the school.
Volunteers needed for bulk mailing job
We are in need of at least two to three volunteers to help stuff the invitation envelopes for our Senior Luncheon. Volunteers are needed on Monday, April 9th at 8:30 in the library. Please contact the school office if you can help. Thank you!
Thank you for making our book fair a success!
A great BIG thank you to all the school families who visited our Scholastic Spring Book Fair! Profits from this year’s fair will allow me to place many new books on the library shelves, and will also fund the Scholastic News magazine given to the students each week in grades K – 3. What a generous community you are!!
~ Mrs. Joanis, Librarian
We have one week left to meet our $25,000 goal!
March Madness - Week 3
Our current total is $17,765! We are getting closer but we have a long way to reach our $25,000 March Madness goal for the month. If we meet the goal, the faculty will play an exhibition basketball game with students from all grades.
Every purchase, big or small, makes a difference!
To buy gift cards through Scrip:
-Stop by the office
-Send an order form (pink sheet) and check through the purple Thursday Notes envelope
-Set up on online account at ShopWithScrip.com
We are also teaming up with the S.M.A.R.T. Auction to make it easy for you to donate to the auction and participate in March Madness!
We have posted brightly colored PRE-FILLED procurement forms on the window across the hall from the office. All you need to do is to take off the form of your choosing, bring it to the office, and pay the pre-determined dollar amount. It's that easy!
You are invited!
You will find your invitation to the 2018 S.M.A.R.T. Gala and Auction "Cinco on the Sand" in your purple envelope. You can RSVP by simply returning your RSVP in your purple envelope with your payment or you can RSVP and pay online at: https://stmikesolympia.ejoinme.org/cincoonthesand2018
Please RSVP no later than April 20th - thank you!
Reminders:
- Check out the window across the hall from the office where we have posted brightly colored ALREADY FILLED OUT procurement forms! All you need to do is to take off the form of your choosing, bring it to the office, and pay the pre-determined dollar amount. It's that easy!
- Have you checked out the Table Sponsorships, Event Sponsors, and Advertising forms?
- Amazon Wishlist - Shop off of our Amazon Wishlist for an easy and quick way to meet your $150 procurement requirement.
Please contact Vicky Byrd at smartauction@stmikesolympia.org if you have any questions.
Thanks so much for your support!
*** SPARTAN PTSA News ***
Minute to Win It! Thursday April 19th
Bingo Night is back on! Wednesday May 9th
Play Ball! Saturday June 2nd
Expanding Your Horizons - Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Conference for Girls in 6th, 7th & 8th Grade
We had a great time at the conference this year. Thanks to all the parents who took the time to bring their daughters to the conference.
~ Paul Kuss, St. Mike’s Science
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ ThurstonEYH
Notes from the Health Room
Spring is here! At least, the date says it’s supposed to be … If you find yourselves doing Spring Cleaning this weekend, and come across Immunization documents waiting for your signatures, please don’t throw away! I still need them! Please sign and bring in to the office ASAP.
A reminder to please let us know if there has been a change in your child’s health status – newly diagnosed allergy to nuts requiring EPI-PEN? Or asthma that he/she now requires inhaler at school? Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns: jllanes@stmikesolympia.org.
Spring is also a time when pollen affects those with seasonal allergies or asthma.
* Here are some tips to keep the effects of allergies and asthma at bay during pollen season:
· Minimize outdoor activities early in the morning between 5-10 a.m. That’s when pollen is most prevalent.
· Keep car windows closed while driving.
· Do not hang bedding or clothing outside to dry.
· Wash hands and face, and change clothes after playing or working outside.
· Take a shower before bed to help prevent pollen from interfering with sleep.
· Be sure to take medications as prescribed.
· Minimize your child’s exposure to second-hand smoke: don’t smoke around your child or in your home.
· Use hypoallergenic pillows, comforters or other bedding.
If your child has a seasonal allergy or asthma – or you suspect that they do – you should consult with your child’s pediatrician who can treat many general cases. There may be situations, however, in which your child would be referred to an allergist or pulmonologist.
While allergies and asthma can’t be cured (yet), modern treatments and medications are getting better all the time, making it a little more tolerable for your child (and you) to enjoy the warm weather in the next few weeks!
*Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
Parish Health Ministry - Series of talks
NETFLIX’S 13 Reasons Why
SATURDAY, APRIL 21 AT 10 AM – PARISH CENTER ROOM 7
Michael Brennan, MA, LMHC, NCC, will offer a 90-minute workshop reflecting on the Netflix Series “13 Reasons Why”, considering why it has so powerfully and negatively affected many of our teens and tweens. Michael will consider the multitude of clinical issues the show raises and give some tools for adults to counteract its negative effects, which include bullying, sexual assault, suicide, depression, and other mental health issues. This presentation is timely as the second season of the series is scheduled to post online March 31st.
Upcoming Talks:
MAY - Kady Rensel presents on Palliative Care.
JUNE - Pat McCarty will discuss some of the causes and myths of diabetes and obesity plus tips for losing weight and diabetes prevention.
Talks are sponsored by Parish Health Ministry and they are free and open to anyone.
If you have questions or suggestions please contact Lori Elgin at 360-956-1449 or Bene Reece at 360-489-7634 or breece@saintmichaelparish.org
St. Michael Parish School - a Family of Families
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