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A Message from Patrick Fennessy Not surprisingly, things don't really slow down that much during the summer at St. Joseph School. Despite the students' and teachers' absence from campus, there is much work going on. Most noticeably, we've begun the construction that will lead to the completion of the new Learning Resource Center and main entrance to the school. This summer's work is mostly preparing the way for the major work that will begin in April 2014. The following work is taking place this summer: moving major wiring and updating the network; changing the location of windows in some of our classrooms; swapping the middle school science and religion classrooms; digging the pit for the elevator; and many other small items that will make phase two more manageable. Please stop by
over the summer to take a look if you're in the area. Looking forward to next year, we're happy to welcome the following new staff to the school: Jo Poe Daly, LRC Vicki Yousoofian, LRC Susie Raney ('99), 6th grade Kathleen (Keegan-Boes) Ross ('99), 1st grade Lauren O'Connor, middle school humanities Christina Hevia, Spanish 5-8 These new staff members bring incredible gifts to our staff and will enhance the great work that we do at the school. I hope this note finds you well, and enjoying the summer. Patrick
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School News/Events
Congratulations, Class of 2013!
 Graduation Awards
Language Arts: Camille Murphy
Literature: Liam Harned
Science: Addie May Boileau
Religion: Abby Wolfe
Mathematics: Gabija Liffick, Meg Manning, Isaac Smith
History: Danny Moran, Audrey Vila
Speech: Mary Pat Lee, Naomi Yitref
Paul Hirning Service Award: Thomas Vogl
Joseph Boyle Memorial Scholarship: Matthew Zech
Ed Thenell Award: Addie May Boileau, Joe Minor
George Hofbauer Leadership Award: Rita Neuzil
At this year's baccalaureate mass, Class of 2013 graduates Abby Wolfe and Matthew Zech "passed the torch" to incoming 8th graders Dagmawi Misgano and Catie Stukel, recognizing them for their leadership.
Theme for 2013-2014: Come to the Water
E of E: "Can We Build It? Yes We Can!"
Parent Association Board
New Members for 2013-14
The PAB is pleased to announce the appointment of five new members for the 2013-14 school year: David Hein, Ann-Marie Linde, Cristina Murphy, Stephanie O'Connell and Larry Ward. These parent volunteer leaders will serve a three-year term on the PAB, contributing to our mission to support and enhance the St. Joseph School community, through a variety of activities and programs. For more details about what the PAB does, visit our webpage. Thank you to those PAB members completing their terms at the end of this school year: Mary Battison, Mark Dickerman, Kim Hardman, Mary Karges, and Noriko Kneip. Thanks also to Piri Welcsh, who will be continuing on the Board for a second term.
Mary Crowning in May  Molly Crocker had the honor of crowning the Blessed Mother this year as the school community gathered for mass to honor Mary.
Grandparent Day On Friday, May 10 we were blessed with beautiful weather for the over 300 grandparents who joined us as we celebrated these wonderful people in our lives. Coordinated by the school's Special Events Office and Parent Chair Rasa Raisys, grandparents and special friends of our students gathered in the Wyckoff Gym for a complimentary luncheon with entertainment. We celebrated spring, our principal Patrick Fennessy's first year at St. Joseph, and the gathering of our "grandfriends" with musical entertainment provided by the St. Joseph School Chamber Orchestra, kindergarten classes, and the Middle School Choir. Next year Grandparent Day will take place on May 9, and First Eucharist is scheduled for May 10 and 11. We look forward to seeing everyone then!  Choir takes GOLD in New York City!
Exceptional describes the St. Joseph Middle School Choir spring tour in New York City. The choir, directed by Rick Boyle, participated in the Heritage Festival of Gold at New York's Riverside Church, famous for its Neo-Gothic architecture and its history of social justice. The choir earned the gold rating at this premier festival, performing a difficult a cappella arrangement of "Hear My Prayer." Twenty-five choirs from middle and high schools were judged at the festival. Mr. Boyle shared that "you would have thought we won the NBA" when his group received the gold rating. Along with the Riverside performance, the choir performed at Saint Ignatius Loyola School and at St. Paul's Chapel in Lower Manhattan, the oldest surviving church building in Manhattan. The group also visited the 9/11 memorial and enjoyed a workshop with the music director and a lead actor from Phantom of the Opera. The students, many of whom had never visited the city, represented St. Joseph School well.
 Click here to purchase tickets. Parish Picnic September 15 Members of the St. Joseph School and Parish community are invited to the annual picnic on campus Sunday, September 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. Inflatable rides, cotton candy, sno-cones, popcorn, hotdogs and beverages for the kids; live music and a beer garden for the adults. Families are asked to bring a salad, dessert, or a side dish to share. To volunteer, contact Joe Augustavo joeaugustavo@comcast.net
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2013 Grad Speaker: Tavio Hobson ('98)
Tavio Hobson ('98) hearkened back to his St. Joseph School roots
when he returned to address the Class of 2013 graduates in June. He opened his remarks with a story he often tells about his mother coming into St. Joe's when he was not accepted right away, making clear to then-principal George Hofbauer that "my son needs this school." He urged the students to take to heart that "to whom much is given, much is expected" - something he aspires to act upon in the work he is doing today as head coach of the Lakeside Lions men's basketball team and founder/director of A PLUS Youth Program.
Tavio's grade school years at St. Joseph gave him a solid foundation (in the classroom and on the CYO basketball court) to go on to Seattle Prep where he played basketball from 1999 through 2002 and won a state title in 2000. He walked on at Boston College for two years before transferring to Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. After graduating, he spent time in the Portland area, but returned to Seattle in 2008 with a desire to get involved in youth development. He joined the Lakeside staff as an assistant coach; the following year he was hired as head basketball coach. Then, in late 2009, Tavio created the A PLUS Youth Program - a foundation that offers kids from any background a bigger view of what their futures might hold through academic preparation, athletic training and civic-engagement workshops.
Tavio shared his motivation for creating A PLUS: "I was tired of seeing inner city athletes play thousands of hours of basketball, living on a hope of getting to the professional level. I felt these kids were dealt a disservice in not receiving more of a foundation in life than basketball alone." He realized that he could have been one of those kids had he not benefited from the strong foundation he enjoyed from family, church and education - including those early years at St. Joe's. "Without that foundation, I don't know where I'd be," he says.
This year Tavio has received some local notoriety, with hard work paying off as his Lakeside Lions were number one in Class 3A, won the Sea-King 3A district title, and finished second to Rainer Beach in overtime in the state championship. Following the season, he was named Seattle Times basketball Coach of the Year. He even threw out the Mariners first pitch this spring in the Jackie Robinson game to honor Robinson's inspiring life, values and accomplishments.
Tavio closed his graduation remarks by acknowledging the importance of his Catholic school education that emphasized "the spiritual connection you have with your world." That connection inspired him. "I wanted to impact change," he said. "To whom
much has been given..."
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Tavio (3rd left with the Jason Terry wannabe socks)
and the 1998 CYO Championship team looking all business.
The boys were champs all 3 years - 1996, 1997, 1998.
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St. Joseph School Alumni
Dan Boniface on Pulitzer team Dan Boniface ('94), son of St. Joseph teacher Leslie Boniface, is on the Denver Post breaking news team that recently won the highest  | |
Photo: Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post
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honor in journalism, the Pulitzer Prize, for its coverage of the Aurora movie theater massacre. According to the Post's own write-up, "The Post's winning entry included reporting, photography and video work that was shared online, through social media and in print ... The entire newsroom was involved, beginning with a calm dispatch call reporting shots fired when just one person was in the newsroom and continuing through the early days of the community's response." Dan says, "Obviously, it was pretty bittersweet, given the tragic story we won for, but nonetheless validating of the work we do."
Sophia Teshome focused on Ethiopia Sophia Teshome ('99) was featured in a recent UW School of Public Heath alumni profile for her current work on Ethiopia's public  health issues. Sophia, a 2012 graduate of the MPH program, is based in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, where she consults for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She relates in the article that as a child of Ethiopian immigrants, she wanted to go back and contribute to the development of Ethiopia. Fluent in the language and committed to the public health challenges, Sophia sees herself in Ethiopia for some time to come. Rebecca Ramos earns
National Merit Scholarship
After graduating from Lakeside this spring, Rebecca Ramos ('09) is headed to Harvard this fall on the heels of being awarded a National  Merit Scholarship. She began the National Merit process after qualifying as a semi-finalist. Semifinalists must advance to Finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and submitting a separate application. All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are then chosen from the Finalist group,
based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. Rebecca is leaning toward law, with a minor in Spanish. She reflected back on the strong study habits and good foundation that she had at
St. Joseph, which prepared her well for Lakeside. She especially values the strong connections she had here with teachers and her classmates. Rebecca was planning several service trips this summer, including St. Patrick's (her parish) sister parish in El Salvador. Continuing a legacy: the O'Connell family Mason O'Connell opened up the family history book this spring for his 4th grade "passport to Washington" project and discovered he is now carrying on a longtime St. Joseph legacy. Mason and his sister Sarah came mid-year to St. Joseph School after moving to Seattle from California. Turns out that Mason's great, great grandfather, William O'Connell, Sr., the subject of his passport project (below), arrived in Washington State in 1901, first settled in Pilchuck to work with his brothers at O'Connell Lumber, then moved to Seattle.
He was a member of St. Joseph Parish during its (1907) beginnings. His son (Mason's great grandfather), William O'Connell, Jr., grew up on 18th and attended St. Joseph School around 1915 when the school was still in the basement of the original wooden church. His son (Mason's grandfather), William O'Connell, III, grew up on Galer and graduated from St. Joseph School in 1956 (below, row 2 from top, 4th from left).
Mason's dad, William O'Connell, IV, took a break and went across the lake to Sacred Heart in Bellevue, according to Mason's mom, Stephanie. Now Mason, along with his sister Sarah, has taken up the
St. Joseph baton. Reflecting on what it must have been like back in the old days, Mason thinks he "would like to bike to school." What about St. Joseph being all boys? "For boys back then, it was pretty cool," he said.  | |
Mason O'Connell points out his great, great grandfather on the Passport to Washington chart
in grade 4.
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Diaper Drive
Alum Joe Ratliffe ('12) organized a diaper drive this spring to benefit St. Joseph's Baby Corner. Joe reached out to the St. Joseph School community. Thanks to a great response, truckloads of diapers were delivered to the Baby Corner on Outreach Day.
Alumni basketball tournament
Alums and current parents enjoyed the Alumni Basketball Tournament the weekend of May 17-18. The annual event brings back St. Joseph grads to shoot some hoops, reminisce and catch up. Coordinated by Bill Sauvage ('82), the tournament scores a hit every year.
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St. Joseph School
Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award
Nominations are now being accepted for the St. Joseph School Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award to be announced in September 2013. Please visit the Alumni page on the school's website to find a description of the award and list of previous years' recipients. If you would like to submit a nomination, please contact Maureen Cartano at mcartano@stjosephsea.org or 206-329-3260 ext. 201.
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Class Reunions
Class of 2009 Reunion Mass
The Class of 2009 gathered for a "Reunion Mass" at St. Joseph Church followed by an informal reception on Sunday, June 2, to mark their graduation from area high schools. The graduates received a "blessing and sending forth" as they launch into the next great adventures in their lives. The gathering was validation of the strength of the St. Joseph community for these students.
Calling all members of St. Joseph School's first co-ed class...Before you know it, it will be 50 years since you graduated from St. Joe's.
Sheila Sifferman Marie has stepped forward to be part of the reunion planning committee. If you would like to be involved, please contact Sheila by phone (206)251-7035 or email at smarie49@comcast.net. Information about the reunion (tentatively set for July 2014) will be posted on both the school's website and in Reconnections.
You may also connect with your classmates and get involved in the reunion planning on their new Facebook page: St Joseph Grade School, Seattle Class '64.
If you are the contact for your class and would like to post information about your class reunion in Reconnections or on the school's website, please contact Maureen Cartano at mcartano@stjosephsea.org .
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Support St. Joseph School
Auction 2013 in the Enchanted Forest
Be sure to mark November 15 and 16
on your calendar for the 38th school auction. Parent Chairs Jill and Ed Allen are leading this year's event, with the help of Procurement Chair Celeste Ramberg. If you would like to donate an auction item or would like an invitation, call the Special Events Office at (206) 329-3260 ext. 244 or 221. You may also choose to help the school
by giving a gift to help underwrite the auction or by purchasing an ad in our catalogs that will be seen by over a thousand people over two nights.
2012-2013 School Pledge Drive
Thank you to all who participated in this year's School Pledge Drive. Under the apt leadership of parent co-chairs, Erin and Jason Hagens ('84), we reached an all-time high of $587,000. Thanks to parents, alums, staff, grandparents, and friends of
St. Joseph. We could not have surpassed our goal without you.
GiveBIG a success for SJS
St. Joseph School participated for the first time this year in the Seattle Foundation's GiveBIG campaign. GiveBIG sponsor contributions match a percentage of the individual donations made to participating nonprofits. The first year was a success for the school; thank you to those that donated to St. Joseph School through GiveBIG.
1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1300, Seattle, WA 98101-3151 | (206) 622-2294
The Seattle Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization.
Toast to Technology
The Toast to Technology raised funds this spring that will be used
to upgrade some basic technology needs of the school, including upgrading desktops in classrooms and the computer lab as well as replacing ailing SMART Boards and continuing SMART Board training for teachers. Attendees tasted a variety of Washington wines, snacked on appetizers from Vios Café and were able to order custom bottles of wine with their child's artwork of a Tuscan vineyard.
Make plans to attend this fun event next year!
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Endowment News
Endowment Golf Tournament
The Endowment Golf Tournament was held under sunny skies on May 16 at the Golf Club at Newcastle; fun was had by all. Thank you to all of our generous sponsors and the 109 golfers in attendance - with their support we raised over $18,000 for the Endowment.
Save the date for next year's Endowment Golf Tournament on
Thursday, May 15, 2014!
Endowment At-a-Glance
What is it?
The St. Joseph Endowment is a $6 million fund derived from donations by individuals and institutions over the last 24 years. It serves as a permanent funding source and provides funding to the school to support financial aid, academic programs and teacher enrichment. The fund principal is to remain intact in perpetuity, and only the annual distribution is allocated for Endowment purposes. This allows for the donation to have an impact over a longer period of time than if it were spent all at once.
Student Academic Achievement -
Learning Resource Center (LRC)
The LRC ensures students have the support they need to reach grade-level standards. The dedicated LRC teachers served 94 students in the last year. The Endowment enables the LRC to provide students the testing, technology and materials they need to achieve success. The LRC staff collaborates with classroom teachers and the school counselor to ensure that students having difficulty are identified and that a plan is in place to help meet their needs. The LRC uses technologies such as web-based tools to help students with phonics, spelling, reading fluency and comprehension. Next year, the LRC will be broadening its horizons. Currently, the LRC has three full-time specialists. In 2013-14, the school will be adding a part-time learning specialist for kindergarten, a full-time learning specialist for grades 4-5 and a new K-5 literacy specialist to assist teachers in differentiating learning and materials for accelerated learners.
For more information or to make a donation to the Endowment please contact Patrick Fennessy at (206) 329-3260 ext 218 or pfennessy@stjosephsea.org.
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About Reconnections
Reconnections is an e-mail newsletter from St. Joseph School sent to our alumni, their parents and grandparents, parents whose students attended St. Joseph School but withdrew prior to graduation, and former staff.
If your contact information is incorrect, please help us update your information by responding via e-mail or clicking on "Update Your Contact Information." Please feel free to forward the newsletter to your family members for whom we do not have an e-mail address. They can add their names to the mailing list.
If you do not wish to receive Reconnections, simply use the
"unsubscribe" feature, and your e-mail address will be removed.
If you would like to us to spread the word about your class reunion, please send us the information, and we will include it in the next issue.
Comments, story suggestions and inquiries can be sent to
Maureen Cartano by responding to this e-mail.
Thank you,
Maureen Cartano
Editor
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St Joseph School
700 18th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112
Principal: Patrick Fennessy
Academic Vice Principal: Rick Boyle
Vice Principal for Student Life: Kris Brown
Pastor: John D. Whitney, S.J.
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