From the Heart - 11/17/2011

Each year, after we say grace, I read this Thanksgiving Proclamation to my family to remind us all of the many blessings we have received as individuals, as a family, and as a country. As with most of his writing, this piece from Abraham Lincoln is a real treasure. So, I pass it along to you so that you might use it with your family. -Mr. Burroughs

Looking Ahead: Shoe Liturgy, December 16th 9am Mass

Each year the students at Sacred Heart School work to earn money to buy a pair of athletic shoes. These shoes are donated to Treehouse for Kids, an organization that provides for the needs of children in foster care. Students are encouraged to earn the money and then purchase a pair of athletic shoes in their size. The efforts of Sacred Heart students go a long way to help out those who are less fortunate. It's not too early for students to begin doing chores to earn money for their shoes!

School Closure Information

Sign-up to follow Sacred Heart School on Twitter in order to receive immediate messages about emergency school closures. Text the message: "follow SacredHeartSch" to 40404. That's all you need to do.

Information about weather closures will also be posted to the school website and will be communicated to local tv and radio stations (please know that it often takes quite a while for the tv and radio stations to update their information after we call them).

Young Authors Convention is Returning!

We are pleased to announce the return of Young Authors Convention to Sacred Heart School thanks to the support of our Administration and Parents' Club! On April 20th, 2012 our students will have the wonderful opportunity to meet with and learn from real life authors! We have scheduled local authors Claire Meeker, Deena Cook, Cherie McIntosh, and Robert Dugoni, and storyteller Alleyoop for a day full of literature, learning, and fun. Planning will kick into gear after the first of the year and we are looking for volunteers who would like to assist us in making this a very special day for Sacred Heart students. If you are interested in helping out and being a part of the revival of this great tradition, please contact Mrs. Hooper or Mrs. Engman.

Holiday Decorations Sale

Once again we are selling nativity sets and angels in support of the Renewal Food Bank. These items were donated to the food bank, which has no way to sell them to support their mission. Sacred Heart School has agreed to help them by offering them for sale to our community. Items will be available for sale Nov. 21-23 after school. You may also purchase one from the school office. All proceeds will be used to feed hungry families here in Bellevue. - Mr. Burroughs

Sacred Heart School Visual Arts Gallery

Over 400 pieces of Artwork added to the Sacred Heart School Visual Arts Gallery. Please visit the website above.

If you have any questions about Artsonia please contact Holly Przelenski.

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon!

The annual Scholastic Book Fair will be held from

Tuesday, November 29 through Friday, December 2.

8:30am until 6pm each day in the Sacred Heart School library.

Check out the details at our fair homepage.

Auction News

Bellevue Art & Frame - The Toy Place Shopping Date

Friday & Saturday, November 18-19 is Sacred Heart Shopping days at Bellevue Art and Frame - The Toy Place. Beat the holiday rush and cross some of those items off your shopping list. For every purchase you make, SHS will receive 20%. As a thank you on Saturday from 2-4pm our very own SHS Middle School Students will wrap your presents, while supplies last.

Simplicity Decor

Thursday - November 30 from 7pm - 9pm

Before the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's, why not get together with some friends for wine and appetizers? While you catch up and enjoy each other's company you can get decorating tips from one of Kirkland's trendiest shops - Simplicity Décor! As an extra gift you will receive 20% off your purchases for the evening.

Register now, space is limited $35 per person.

Gingerbread House & Cookie Making Party

Looking for the gift of time? December 16, 11:45- 3:00pm. No ESS, No problem...

Enjoy an extended day of holiday shopping and errand running while your little ones keep busy decorating cookies and gingerbread house in the SHS Art Room with the help of the 8th grade girls. Pizza lunch will be served, NO ESS available on this last day of school before Christmas break. Don't miss out. Space is limited. All students will take home their creations. $50 per person, register to reserve your spot - ONLY 10 LEFT!

Mark your Calendars!

Online Action

Our first ever Christmas Online Auction is happening now! Go online and check out all the great items available.

Looking to get the hot new Kindle Fire, an American Girl, and weekend getaways to fitness packages and video games? Look online and check items off your list and help Sacred Heart School at the same time. Categories include Holiday Items, Health & Beauty, New Year's Resolutions Packages. Be ready to check us out!

Invite some of your friends to register on our site. The person who has the most referrals will receive a $100 gift card to Starbucks.

From the Development Office

Open House was a Big Success

Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers who took part in this fabulous event including current parents, student council members, and former SHS students. A HUGE Thank You to Annette Seats who coordinated the event with our administrative staff and to Brian Seats who designed the beautiful school signage and Open House collaterals. We had great help from our parish staff to let parish families know about our event and were blessed to have Fr. Pat join us in welcoming families as they arrived. Our teachers, administration and tour guides did an amazing job of addressing and answering the multitude of questions from our prospective families. What a great example of our strong and special Sacred Heart community! If you know someone who missed this event and is interested in finding out more about our school, we would love to talk with them. Please have them contact Susana Knapp by phone or email. Thank you!

Annual Fund Update

We are over 25% to our goal of $250,000 for the Annual Fund at $69,145 in gifts! Thank you so much for your generosity, this is terrific! Only 5% of our families have not yet made a pledge. We REALLY want to make our goal of 100% Please consider a gift of any size so that we can get to our goal of 100% participation. Your donations can be made anytime from now until June 30, 2012. Corporate matching gifts is a great way to increase your donation. If you want more information on corporate gifts, please contact Alison Scott in the Development Office.

Alumni Newsletter

We are in the process of publishing our first ever alumni newsletter. It is slated to come out in January of 2012. We would like to include some information about our alumni in a "Where are they now" section. If you are an alumni and would like to let people know what you are up to, please send me your name, year graduated, and a quick blurb about yourself. Please email it to Alison Scott.

From Parents' Club

Scrip (Gift Cards)

Scrip sales are in full swing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have added extra inventory to our parking lot sales on Tue am (upper parking lot) and Thu pm (lower parking lot. 2 new retail additions are Costco (1%) and McDonalds (1%). For Expanded Retail/Restaurant/Entertainment list for your holiday shopping check out our holiday order form.

Parish sales will take this weekend after each of the masses, so be sure to drop by to get a head start on your holiday shopping.

GIVE THE GIFT OF YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT

SHS Spartan Gym Bags are now available.

Navy Blue bag with White accent trim

100% cotton durable canvas duffel bag with industrial strength zipper,

inside mesh valuables pocket and shoulder strap

11" diameter x 22" long

Personalized side panel optional

Order yours today! $50

Orders placed by 12/1/11 will be delivered by Christmas break.

Submit order form with payment to the office by December 1st.

eScrip Advantage - Register your cards

Use your SAFEWAY CLUB card and your BARTELL DRUGS card to earn money for Sacred Heart School you'll also be helping to meet your fundraising goal. Go on line to register your cards at escrip at the links provided above.

ID#8566358 It's a win/win!

Innisbrook ON-line Fundraiser!

The best wrapping paper, Chocolates, and Christmas gift giving ideas from candles , organic body care , Victoria Jackson beauty products and much more! 40% of your purchase goes to Sacred Heart School and your helping to meet your fundraising goal. Just click here and start shopping!

School # 122189

Activities

***TODAY***

Come to the **lower lot** for used sporting goods sale by SPIKE!

Please bring pocket money after school next Thursday to the Spike Sale on the upper lot. Don't miss out on deals for used sporting goods donated by our school families, such as soccer boots, basketball shoes, bike helmets, and more! Prices will be by donation, and we are hoping to raise $600 for our sister school in Nicaragua.

Our sister school is in a village in Nicaragua called Mayocunda. The children of Mayocunda attend a primary school for grades K-6 and they are wishing for two to three soccer balls, two baseballs and bats, and 6 mountain bikes for the students graduating from sixth grade and heading to secondary school starting February 2012 (their school year is from Feb-Dec).

Please help us meet our goal! See you Thursday the 17th, from 2:30 until 3:45pm. Thank you!

SHS Earns 1st Place Honors at Seattle Prep Chess Tournament!

Sacred Heart chess players, consisting of students from grades 1 - 8 walked away from the Seattle Prep Chess Tournament with the First Place Trophy! John Gallucci-3rd grade and Erik Anderson-6th grade were undefeated in their sections and earned first place individual trophies. Ethan McReynolds-6th grade, placed fourth. Members of the First Place team: J.R. Gimbernat, Scott Biggs, John Galllucci, Roxanne Anderson, Omeed Ostry, V.J. Douglas, Erik Anderson, Jackson Reding, Quinn Floyd, Ethan McReynolds and Blake Anderson. Way to go, Spartans!

Chess Club Reminder

There will be no chess club next Tuesday 11/22 due to Thanksgiving.

New Issue of SHS Times

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to the Sacred Heart community! Please enjoy our latest issue of the SHS Times. Look here for special articles about Thanksgiving (including a fun word search!), as well as information about our recent food drive, the SPIKE foundation and special recognition to four SHS students who are participating in Honor Choir.

We hope you enjoy this issue and look forward for our next issue set to be published just before we go on Christmas Break.

Blanchet Open House - Thursday, November 17 from 5:30-8pm

For more information call (206) 527-7711 or visit their website.

Sacred Heart CYO News

CYO High School Basketball

Yes, that's right! CYO does have a high school basketball league and we are looking to get some Sacred Heart teams together. But first we need to know if we have enough students interested to form teams. Games would take place on the weekends in January and February. Students who are not playing on a high school team and are parishioners of Sacred Heart are welcome to join. So, if you are a high school student or have a high school student who is looking for team to join this winter please contact Beth Granlund.

More info will be sent out once we know we have enough players.

From the Parish

Parish Pledge Cards

It is time to complete your annual parish pledge card. Your pledge supports the programs of Sacred Heart Parish (including the parish's support of our school). This pledge is for the calendar year of 2012. Pledge cards can be picked up at Mass in the pews or in the parish office.

Please note: All families who pay the contributing parishioner tuition rate must have a current pledge card on file and are expected to fulfill their pledge to the best of their ability.

If you have content to include in future newsletters *please first obtain administration permission* by e-mailing your submission into the school office. Newsletters are published weekly and content must be received by Tuesday evenings. - Tracy Takeuchi

Mission Statement: Sacred Heart School is a Catholic community which provides an excellent academic education in an environment of faith and virtue for families of Sacred Heart Parish and the surrounding community.