NewsViews from St. John School
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September 20, 2012 

The Lord upholds my life.


 from Psalm 54           

         

 
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School Theme Song,
"Respond with Wonderment and Awe"


Message From the Principal  

 

Dear Families,

 

We have celebrated our opening Mass, and now the school year can really begin! This is our first full week of school and we are getting into the swing of routines, homework, and classroom expectations. I hear from many parents that their children are singing our new theme song, "Respond with Wonderment and Awe." In fact, we received an emailed video of one of our kindergartners performing it for his parents (click the photo above).   The faculty and I are also very pleased to see the students actively involved in discussions on the importance of managing their impulsivity and developing empathy for others. Many of you are already receiving your Second Step homework with your children. Please don't ignore or minimize the importance of these discussions. We are working together to give the children the education and the problem solving skills that they need to succeed in life.

 

Speaking of homework, make sure you read the handbook!   We have added new information under enrollment, and uniform. We reminded the students and we need you all to be aware that we expect St. John students to conduct themselves respectfully in the community at large as well as in school. Now that CYO meets and games have begun, we request that parents and students also model the positive behavior called for in Second Step and the CYO Code of Conduct. Always practice good habits!

 

Tickets to the Purple & Gold Dinner benefitting the endowment are selling fast.  We have booked the entire venue this year, so there are still seats available.  The Purple & Gold Dinner is a wonderful way to socialize with other parents, enjoy a nice evening out, and benefit our endowment.  We will be featuring two of our recent St. John graduates, Lauren Martin and Jimmy Nguyen as well as honoring former principal Agnes Jacobson.  If you cannot attend, you are encouraged to donate a ticket so a teacher may attend.  Additional donations to the endowment fund are always welcome and may be matched by your employer.  For more information, go to the event website or contact Michele Thornquist in the school office, mthornquist@stjohnsea.org.

 

Thank you to all who turned out for Parents Association and School Commission. Your input and commitment to the program at St. John is invaluable.


Beannacht,

 

Bernadette O'Leary  

 
Magazines MAGAZINE SALE

 

 

Need more order forms? www.gaschoolstore.com/orderform.  The form # for St. John School is 0174.  Questions?  Interested in helping?  Contact co-chairs: Heather Varvaro and Patti Coats.

Thanks in advance for your stewardship toward this fundraising endeavor.   Your Commitment Contract (signed at Registration) indicates that each family will strive for 10 magazine subscriptions per student. 

Band BAND BEGINS!
Bishop Blanchet High School will again provide Band instruction at St. John School, for students in grades 5 through 8.  Mr. Sean Richarz will lead our students again this year.

Come to an informational meeting Thursday, September 25, 7pm, in Haggerty Hall at Bishop Blanchet High School, 8200 Wallingford Avenue North.  See the attached for more information or contact Mr. Richarz at 206-527-7729. 
 

Beauty and the Beast  "Beauty and the Beast" 

2013 Middle School Musical!
Auditions for this year's production, directed by Mrs. Katie Franklin will be held on December 10, 11, and 12, following dismissal in Egan Hall.  Performance dates are:
Thursday, February 28 at 7:00pm
Saturday, March 2 at 7:00pm
Sunday, March 3 at 2:00pm

An informational meeting will be held in October, so stay tuned for time and date!
 
Pizza for Peru
Pizza
 
Wednesday, September 26.



Order forms are due Friday, September 21 (TOMORROW!).  Please return to the school office.  Proceeds benefit our sister school and parish in Puno, Peru.

Volleyball Get in the Net for Bump It Up 2012!

 

Gather a team of parents and friends and play volleyball as part of this year's Bump It Up "Fun-raiser." Register now - teams are filling up fast. The action starts with open gym time devoted to volleyball on September 25, 26, and 27. Games are played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning on October 2, and run until the end of the month. Contact John Fletcher (fletchjp@aol.com), Tony Olney (mcolney@comcast.net), or Pat Daly (tpatrickdaly@hotmail.com) if you have any questions. See the attached for more information.

 

2012 Bump It Up Registration Form

 

SPIRIT GEAR IS HERE!
 
Umbrella
Catholicism  With creator and host Father Robert Barron, you will learn what Catholics believe and why, while being immersed in the art, architecture, literature, beliefs, and practices of the Catholic tradition.

Filmed in 50 locations throughout 15 countries, the Catholicism DVD series is on-location and in the streets illustrating the splendor of the global Church.

Father Robert Barron is an acclaimed author, theologian and pod casting priest from Chicago, and one of the world's great and most innovative teachers of the Catholic faith.  He is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

This DVD series is held in Quigley House in the Chapel room, from 7-9PM. The DVD Series is Free!  Please RSVP with Anne Merklin at amerklin@stjohnsea.org or 206-782-2810 ext. 305 for information. You may attend all sessions or just those you are interested in. Series includes viewing the DVD and some small group discussion time.

 

DVD Schedule of Topics

 

October 11 - Lesson One: Who is Jesus? The Revelation of God Become Man

November 8 - Lesson Two: The Teachings of Jesus

December 13 - Lesson Three: Understanding the Mystery of God

January 10 - Lesson Four: Mary, the Mother of God

January 24 - Lesson Five: Peter, Paul and the Beginning of the Church

February 7 - Lesson Six: Understanding the Mystical Union of Christ & the                               Church

February 28 - Lesson Seven: The Mystery of the Liturgy & the Eucharist

March 14 - Lesson Eight: Who are The Communion of Saints?

April 11 - Lesson Nine: Prayer and the Life of the Holy Spirit

May 16 - Lesson Ten: World Without End - The Last Things and the End                                  Times

Children   

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother, and the most important thing a mother can do for her children is to love their father.
                                                                Anonymous


Important Dates


Monday, September 24 - Grade 7 Retreat

Wednesday, September 26 - Pizza for Peru; Grade 8 hosts Faculty/Staff luncheon

Thursday, September 27 - Principals Retreat   

Friday, September 28 - Principals Retreat continues; Vision/Hearing Screening, Grades K, 2, 4, 6 

Coming Up: 
October 1 through 5 - ITBS Testing, 2-8 

October 5 - St. John Endowment Dinner, 6pm, Shilshole Bay Beach Club 

 

 VIEW THE 2012-2013 CALENDAR  

Scrip News   

 

Thank you for your continued support!

 

Scrip is the easiest fundraiser you will do all year long!  Buy what you do anyway, just use scrip gift cards instead of cash or (gasp) credit!  Your participation ensures programs remain strong at St. John School!  Questions?  Need anything?  We are here at the ready!

 

Lisa and Lisa

scrip@stjohnsea.org  

206-782-2810, ext. 309 

 

 SCRIP ORDER FORM 
Hot Lunch

No Junk Logo

Please see the attached Welcome from NoJunk, which contains instruction for setting up your account.

 

Friday, September 21    

Penne Pasta w/Alfredo sauce, Parmesan cheese, baked Focaccia sticks, Mandarin oranges

 

Monday, September 24  

Breakfast for Lunch!  Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, syrup, orange wedges 

 

Tuesday, September 25  

Chicken or Cheese Quesadillas 

 

Wednesday, September 26

Pizza for Peru day - no NoJunk service

 

Thursday, September 27 

Grilled ham & cheese sandwich, carrot & cucumber sticks w/ranch dip, baked potato chips 

 

Visit "Menus" for extended menus. 


 
Save the Date
Jonna, Pablo Purple and Gold Dinner
Sponsor a Teacher!
Celebrate the legacy of St. John School on Friday, October 5, at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club.  Social hour begins at 6:00; sun sets at 6:38.  Former St. John students Jimmy Nguyen and Lauren Martin will emcee;  former principal Mrs. Agnes Jacobson will be honored with the Eagle Award.  New this year - a dessert bar and after party beginning at 9:00.  Reservations required; $65 per person. Sponsor a teacher - reserve at the same time you reserve your own space. Tickets go on sale soon via our event website; watch for an electronic e-mail in your mail box.  Tickets are selling fast - Ticket Link. Questions?  Michele Thornquist mthornquist@stjohnsea.org

Help is needed at the Purple & Gold Dinner on October 5th.  Jobs include greeting & checking in guests, selling drink tickets, taking coats, taking photos, and helping at the after-party.  Please contact Michele Thornquist directly if you would like to help at mthornquist@stjohnsea.org.
Safe Environment
SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING

Called to Protect Training

Do you want to volunteer in any capacity with children at St. John School?  All adults are required to take this training before volunteering with children.  St. John Parish will host a training on Tuesday, October 16, 2012, 7pm in Egan Hall.  This training is for those who have never had the training.  Follow up training will be done online after the in-person training has been completed. 

 

You may register for the class online.  

Visit www.seattle.setanet.org

Click the Safe Environment Program box on the right side of the screen

Click Register Here

Click REGISTER FOR CLASSES

Find the class you want to register for

Click REGISTER HERE (located on the right-hand side of the class description)

 

You will be asked to enter your own personal information as you register for the class. This will create your profile.  Upon completion of the class you will receive a certificate via email.  Please forward this certificate to

 

St. John Speech Team

8th Grade Speech Team Coaches Needed

 

St. John Speech Team is back for 8th grade students. We need coaches! This is a wonderful chance to get to know your student's friends in an entirely new way while helping him or her prepare to be successful in high school and beyond. Being a Speech Team coach is also a great way to earn volunteer hours.

 

To make Speech Team work, we need a coach for every 4 students. Fielding a team is dependent on enough parents agreeing to coach. If we can definitely count on you, please send an email to Wiley Brooks at wiley@wileybrooks.com. If you need a little more information, plan to attend the Parent Information Night at 7pm, Wednesday, October 3. You should also look for the flyer that you will be given to your 8th grader.

 

Speech season begins with a coaches' training session at 7pm, Monday, October 8. There will then be practices from 7 to 8:30pm every Wednesday, with some Mondays added beginning Nov. 12, leading up to the Bishop Blanchet HS tournament on Saturday, Dec. 8. When school resumes in January, there will be four more practices leading up to the final tournament at Seattle Preparatory School on Jan. 19. Here's what's required of Speech Team coaches:

  • Commit to attend at least 7 of the 10 sessions
    • Commit to attend both practices in the week before each of the tournaments
  • Willing to set aside a couple hours a week outside practice to review and provide feedback via email on student drafts
  • It's great if a coach has some experience speaking before groups, but with the guidance you'll get, it is not essential.
  • Coaches must have completed the Archdiocese's Called to Protect training, which is required for any adults having contact with children in school-related programs. You may attend any of the trainings held at various parishes in the Archdiocese, but one is scheduled for St. John on Tuesday, Oct. 16.  See today's article.  

The team is being managed this year by Wiley Brooks, whose son, Mickey, joined St. John last year and is an 8th grader this year. Wiley is a communications consultant and has helped coach the speech teams at St. Anne School in the past. Mrs. Macaulay-Walker has offered to be the teacher sponsor for speech.  If you can help coach, please contact Wiley at wiley@wileybrooks.com.