The Month of the Holy Rosary

October 31, 2013

In His Image


Lord, your people long to see your face. Saint of the Month: St. Paul of the Cross, Patron Saint of Evangelists Habit of Mind: Taking responsible risks Image of God: He is spiritual, creative, and intelligent	from Psalm 24

Moses K., Gr. 7 and Nathaniel P., Kindergarten
enjoy the Halloween Carnival

Happy Halloween,

Be safe out there tonight!

Today, our primary students enjoyed a fabulous carnival organized and hosted by the seventh and eighth grade students. I am very thankful to the teachers and to the students for the many hours they dedicated to creating this event. You should all be proud of the leadership skills they exhibit and the care and respect they show for their young schoolmates.

The fourth and fifth grade students prayed for their deceased relatives and friends. Celebrating the Day of the Dead is not only a valuable way to learn about other cultures, but it is also very comforting for those of us whose family members have passed.

Tomorrow, we will have Mass at 9:00am for the Solemnity of All Saints. Students wear their dress uniform. You are welcome to join us.

The teachers were very pleased to meet you all at conferences. The days were long for them, however, the time they spent meeting with you was so valuable. I know I speak also for you when I publicly thank the teachers for their dedication and commitment.

I extend a huge thank you to Michele Thornquist and her team for the weeks and months of preparation they donated to prepare that spectacular Purple and Gold Dinner. We are very grateful to the Osterfelds who donated Fremont Studios; it was a gorgeous venue for this 90th anniversary celebration. The speakers, the videos, the desserts and candy, the table settings, the bands - the seventh grade student band and The Dads Are Alright - and of course you, the guests, made for a very successful and enjoyable evening. I am delighted to announce, you all helped to raise $90,000 for the 90th! Don't forget to ask your employer for their match!

I also want to give a shout-out to a group of seventh grade girls who are making us all more aware of the needs of those who are dealing with breast cancer. They have been collecting blankets, hats, gloves and socks for patients who, because of their treatments feel the cold and lose their hair. You can still send in unworn, hats, gloves, socks, scarves and unused blankets. See below for results of the drive.

Don't forget to set your clocks this weekend - Fall back! That gives us an extra hour to curl up with a good book. For parents of middle school students - the public library is running a reading marathon for November! This is a great opportunity to encourage your students to make good use of the long dark evenings!

Read on!

Beannacht,

Bernadette O'Leary

$90K for the 90th Anniversary

Thank you to everyone who attended, supported, and volunteered at the 90th Anniversary Celebration. We reconnected with old friends in person and through video. We celebrated our history and reveled in the success of our current student body and faculty through memorabilia and photographs. We honored our distinguished graduate Sonnet Gaertner, '02 who is currently completing her masters thesis while serving in Peru with the US Peace Corps. Watch video about Sonnet and the celebration, and view photos from the event by visiting our FB page or clicking on the link here. And, we had a fantastic time at the after party with the St. John Parent Band The Kids Are Alright.

An astounding $90,000 in gifts, pledges, and corporate matches* was generated that evening. This infusion into our already healthy fund puts us at $675,000 and that much closer to our initial goal of $1 million dollars.

St. Al/John Moves On To Finals!

Congratulations to the 7th grade girls' team! The girls beat Assumption St. Bridget 3-0 and will face Fatima on Saturday, November 2, at 1:30 for the Championship, at Lakeside High School. Come on out and support the team!

Tuition Assistance 2014/2015

2014-2015 Hossfeld Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) - Fulcrum Foundation

A Fulcrum Foundation Hossfeld Tuition Assistance grant provides $1,035 towards elementary tuition. For parish families this grant helps to fill in the difference between Fair Share pledges and the actual cost to educate; for out of parish families, the grant reduces the amount of tuition due.

Please visit the Foundation's website for more information about this grant, and to apply for the 2014/2015 school year. Applications will be accepted beginning November 1. The school office must receive a hard copy of your application, along with required financial documents not later than Friday, December 13. Contact Diane Crockett in the school office, with questions.

A limited amount of aid is available to out of parish families through St. John School's financial aid program. Aid is based on financial need. Out of parish families applying for St. John School Financial Aid may do so by going to Smart Tuition Aid (you must also apply for a Fulcrum Grant to be considered for this award - see above). Contact Mrs. Crockett in the school office for information and to request a preliminary request form.

On Our Way to the Cure

Thank you for your support of this project, spearheaded by our team of five 7th grade girls. A total of $870 was collected Tuesday, and lots of pink attire was seen throughout the campus! Added to the birthday and gift money saved and donated by Katie C. and Cosette E., the total collected is $1,390.04! All funds collected will go to help local patients. Thank you, 7th grade leaders Katie C., Cosette E., Margo F., Sheila P., and Amelia S.

Thanks to all the families who turned in Box Tops for Education! I sent out a nice batch and we'll be getting a check for $200 to use for playground equipment! Please keep sending them in to the school or parish office-the next turn in date is just around the corner.

Check out the Box Tops website for more ways to earn $$ for our school.

Julia Rudden, Box Tops Coordinator

November

Holiday Food Drive

Sixth grade students kick off the annual Holiday Food Drive tomorrow. Please consider sending non-perishable items for our neighbors in need. Donated food and supplies will be distributed by St. Vincent de Paul over the coming months, to those in need.

Students may bring items directly to classrooms. Please bring items in non-breakable containers (no glass). Suggested items:

peanut butter, jelly, jam
cereal
canned fruits and vegetables
canned meats, fish, chili, soups, stews
pasta and pasta sauce
macaroni & cheese
boxed meals
all paper products
dried pudding, Jell-O
nuts, dried fruit
powdered milk
baby wipes

Parent Association

Speaker Series

presents

Dr. John Medina

Tuesday, November 19, 7pm, Egan Hall

We are proud to present New York Times best selling author, Dr. John Medina (Brain Rules) as our first speaker for the 2013/2014 school year. He is a developmental molecular biologist with a lifelong fascination with how the mind reacts to and organizes information.

See the attached flyer for more information. We encourage you to invite your friends, family, and neighbors to this exciting event.

"The soul is healed by being with children."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Students with masks created in Mrs. Desclos' Art Class

ACTION ITEMS

Grades 2, 3, 4, 5 - RSVP to Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day - RSVP HERE

Important Dates
Friday, November 1 DRESS UNIFORM Liturgy - All Saints Day, 9am, Church Wednesday, November 6 Coffee with the Principal, 8:30am, Quigley Chapel Saturday, November 9 Cantionis at 5pm Mass Monday, November 11 Veterans' Day School not in session VIEW THE 2013-2014 CALENDAR

As we round the corner of Halloween we begin racing toward Thanksgiving and Christmas. Slow down and enjoy the upcoming season! Make things less hectic and easier by using scrip for your holiday planning and gift giving. Need suggestions? Give me a call or shoot me an email. We have so many vendors to choose from.

We still have a few spaces available to help with Sunday Scrip. Scrip is an extremely important fund raising program for St. John School. Your support is vital. Interested in helping on Sunday once in a while? Sign up below.

Link: HELP WITH SUNDAY SCRIP!

Thanks!

Your Scrip Team

Lisa Mendenhall

Scrip Coordinator

scrip@stjohnsea.org

Scrip Order Form

7th Grade
Field Trip to EMP Great "Experience"

Thank you to all the parents that chaperoned students on Metro and at the Experience Music Project, and to Mrs. Tsagalakis for organizing the event.

OPPORTUNITIES

Volunteer Bakers Needed

We need people to bake for the 2nd through 5th grade Grandparents' & Friends' Day on November 14th. This is a fantastic way to support St. John School. Sign up here.

Grandparents' & Friends' Day Volunteers Needed

We still need some help with set up on November 13th (evening) and during the day on November 14th. Follow this link to sign up.

Do You Work for Microsoft and Volunteer?

Microsoft has a wonderful employee benefit that allows employees to volunteer and claim their hours for matching funds. If you coach soccer, help in the classroom, or volunteer at St. John School in anyway, you could be claiming these hours and directing them to St. John School. Here is a link to the Microsoft Volunteer Website so you can check it out https://www.microsoftvolunteermanager.org/

ST. JOHN SCHOOL
GEAR STORE

Offering Free Shipping For Orders Placed November 1, 2, and 3!
Visit the new St. John School Gear Store. You can access it through the school website, Parents>Quicklinks, or directly through the host site, School Crush. Purchase caps, mouse pads, mugs, clothing articles for mom, dad, the children, grandma, grandpa - anyone who wants to show school spirit! Logos for St. John School, as well as Class of 2014 are available.

Note: This is not our uniform purchase site, and pieces do not necessarily follow the uniform/dress code. For uniform pieces, please visit Dennis Uniform, www.dennisuniform.com.

Hot Lunch

MENU

Friday, November 1

Macaroni & Cheese, Organic Fruit

Monday, November 4

Natural Baked Chicken Nuggets, Oven Roasted Jo Jo's, Organic Fresh Fruit

Tuesday, November 5

Pasta with Meat Sauce, Fresh Baked Dinner Roll, Organic Fresh Fruit

Wednesday, November 6

Chicken or Cheese Quesadilla, Fresh Made Salsa, Refried Beans & Tortilla Chips

Thursday, November 7

Buttered Noodles, V Cake, Organic Fresh Fruit

To order, visit NoJunk, Inc.

Thank You Corner

Mrs. Tsagalakis and our 7th grade music classes would like to thank Mr. Ian Kerrigan for taking time to share his extraordinary talent on the electric guitar and sharing his passion for music.

Anne Haskins would like to thank the following students, young alumni, parents, and friends of St. John for their assistance with the creation of the clay centerpieces for the recent 90th Anniversary St. John School Endowment Dinner: Heidi Austin, John A. '16, Will A. '16, Martina B. '15, Benjamin B. '15, Sophie Brusniak '12, Sophie B. '15, Morgan C. '15, DeAnn Feeman, Rachel Feeman '02, Xuanmai F. '15, Barbara Folger, Kristin F. '16, Clare G. '17, Luke G. '15, Ella H. '17, Jack H. '15, Cameron L. '15, Lucy M. '15, Laura Marty '12, Sheila Marty, Joanne Moore, Brendan N. '14, Naomi N. '15, Bridget O. '15, Molly O. '15, Emilee O. '15, Melissa Meier Oquist, Abbey R. '15, Elizabeth Senzek, Amelia S. '15, Isabelle T. '15 Special thanks to Heidi Austin and family and to St. Anne's School for the use of their kilns for the firing of the clay pieces and fused glass, respectively. Thanks also to Melissa Meier Oquist for the crafting of the fused glass "windows" that were placed in the church facades of the finished pieces. These one-of-a-kind creations featuring the facades of St. John School, Rectory, Church, and Parish Center (Quigley House) will be given as a token of gratitude to the top twenty donors to the St. John Endowment Fund.

Thank you so much October Noel House Shelter volunteers. We couldn't keep running each weekend without you: Betty Ericksen, Cherri Rewolinski, Rachel Douglas, Chris Butler, Kristin Kent, Molly Martinez, Colleen O'Leary, Nancy Alton, Chris Pierard, Kathy Collins, Rosalinda Aguirre, Lisette Nenninger, Colleen Mounsey, Melissa Meier, Joe Kearney, Chrissy Hilt, Caroline Lambert , Kate Bronson and Mary Lou Dion. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Mary Kearney at

marytkearney@comcast.net.

Want to say "thanks?" Email your thanks to Diane Crockett.

Bites

Something happening in the non-school community you would like to let others know about? Forward your "bites" to Diane Crockett.

Our own St. John eighth grader Peyton McK. will be performing as Clara in the Arc School of Ballet, Nutcracker Sweets show. It takes place at the Arc Ballet School in Crown Hill on Dec. 13,14,15, and downtown at the Leo K theater on Dec .21. Visit the Arc School of Ballet website for more info.

FACES OF GUATEMALA

Saturday, November 2
Blue Ridge Community Club

Avivara and Mark Hussein Photography are proud and excited to present a special photo exhibit of "The Faces of Guatemala." This event is free - please register here to help with planning, and learn more about the event. Former St. John School teachers Gary Teale and Ann Austin have been working in Guatemala since 2006, and formed Avivara in collaboration with Gustavo Valle, a Guatemalan educator. Avivara is a non-profit charitable corporation registered in the State of Washington, and a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible public charity. Asociacion Avivarais a registered tax-exempt non-profit organization (NGO) in the Republic of Guatemala.

Hoopaholics Veterans' Day Hoop Camp

Nov. 11, 9am-noon

Visit the website for more information or email Michael Johnson, owner and former UW Husky player at mike23johnson@hotmail.com. Camp is for children in grades one through seven, and will be held at two area locations.

Bishop Blanchet High School Open House is Thursday, November 14, 2013 from 5:30-8:00pm. All interested families are invited to attend and tour the school. This is a great opportunity to interact with teachers and students, learn more about the curriculum and co-curricular programs, and see all the great facilities. Please note that this is our only Open House this year. Bishop Blanchet High School is located at 8200 Wallingford Ave. N., two blocks north of Green Lake.

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

www.bishopblanchet.org.

Villa Academy To Host Screening of "Race to Nowhere" The Villa Academy Parent Association and the Bush School Parent Association are sponsoring a film

screening of "Race to Nowhere", an up-close look at America's school system and the pressures facing today's students on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 7:00 pm at Villa Academy, 5001 NE 50th Street in Seattle. Tickets for the film are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Tickets are available online at villaacademyrtn.eventbrite.com.

Audition for the Northwest Boychoir! Auditions will be held on November 2, for January 2014 enrollment. Boys ages 6-9 are encouraged to try out. Currently, about half a dozen St. John boys are members of the different choirs. Visit the website at http://www.nwchoirs.org/ for more information.