St. Mark School

Family Newsletter

September 16, 2009

 

Dates to Remember:

Sept. 16          Faith Formation First Meeting, gr. 1-8 at 6:30pm in the cafeteria

Sept. 17          Introduction to band – 5th grade

                       Skate Party

Sept. 18          No School – Teacher Inservice

Sept. 23          Picture Day

Sept. 28          Band begins

Sept. 29          Reading Volunteers begin

 

WELCOME BACK!   It is wonderful to be back together with one another in our school community.  We are off to a great start and are looking forward to learning and growing together.  Please let us know if there is any way we can be of help to you.

 

Welcome New Families:  Welcome to our new students/families joining us this year!

Natalie Allyn (K) and her family, Hope Ambachew (K) and her family, Yvette Boiselle (K) and her family, Aidan Donahue (K), Jack Duffy (K) and his family, Juliette Escalona-Salgado (K) and her family, Kisanet Gabreselassie (K), Maureen Gallagher (K), Frances (4) and Georgia (6) Golla and their family, Madeline Hennessey (8) and her family, Anthony Keiffer (K) and his family, Sophie Knifong (K) and her family, Martha Kubie (1) and Leilt  Kubie (8) and the Ferede family, Cameron Lambrecht (6) and his family, Ruairi McGuigan (K) and his family, Jaden Mendoza (K), Erika Murphy (K),Hannah (K) and Jamea (6) Nielsen and their family, Eliza Penalosa (5) and the DelMundo family, Kiana Pham (K) and her family, Dante Saxton (K) and his family, Ethan Siayngco (K) and his family, Rahewa Solomon (4) and her family, Tommy Stratton (K) and his family, Alexa Svendsen (K), Avery Tacazon (K), Dominic Tacazon (K) and his family, Logan Trujillo (K) and his family and Isabelle Wihley (K) and her family.

We would like to welcome all of you to our school community and hope you enjoy being at St. Mark.

 

Information for all new St. Mark Families:  Are you new to St. Mark School?  Have you just returned to the school after being away for a time? If so, you have been assigned a “Buddy Family”. The Buddy Family program matches a new family with an existing St. Mark family to ensure a seamless and successful transition into our community.  We understand that there are many challenges facing new families and your buddy family can offer valuable information on topics such as fund-raising activities, social events, and uniform requirements.  If you’re not sure who your buddy family is, please contact Monica Welch at (206) 533-1312, or monica@tarbarlaw.com, and she can assist you.  Welcome to St. Mark!

  

Twelve Gardens of Stewardship:  Being good stewards includes recognizing God’s gifts in every area of our lives and using these gifts responsibly, in love and justice – toward ourselves, as well as others.  The “Twelve Gardens of Stewardship” is a concept which identifies twelve different areas of our everyday life in which we should be mindful of conducting ourselves within the will of God.  Each month during the school year, our students will focus on one or more of these gardens.  This month, the sixth grade created  a bulletin board in the front hall, and all of us will concentrate on the Garden of Decisions.

 

Garden of Decisions:  The opportunity to make decisions is a gift from God and a great responsibility.  This is our gift of free will.  Old Testament scripture shows a long history of God’s faith community being called to make decisions – to follow Him and His ways, or to neglect God’s ways, choose their own and suffer the consequences of those decisions.  Similarly, we in the modern world are also called to make decisions that follow God and not those that turn us away from Him. 

 

Sunday Envelopes:  You need to put your Sunday envelope in the collection each week.  If you are not receiving your envelopes each month please contact Linda Sullivan in the parish office.  The children’s envelopes are being sent home today.

 

Cheer Clinic: Archbishop Murphy High School is hosting a junior cheer clinic for students in grades K-8. The 8th annual clinic will be held at AMHS Saturday, September 19 from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Participants will cheer at the September 25 AMHS football game. For more details, please visit the AMHS website: www.am-hs.org

 

School Commission:  We have several openings on the School Commission.  Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, September 22nd from 7:00 – 8:30pm.  If you are interested in serving on the Commission for one – three years please call Kathy Keck.

 

Playground and Cafeteria Supervisors:  Kristine Recabarren is on duty every day on the playground.  We need two parent volunteers each day also.  Every family needs to come and volunteer four days a year.  If you can help more than that, please call  the school office, 206 364 1633.  Thank you to those parents who have already volunteered on the playground. 

 

Great Wallingford Wurst Festival:  St. Benedict School presents the 27th Annual Great Wallingford Wurst Festival, Friday September 25th (4pm – 10pm) and Saturday September 26th (10am – 10pm).  Admission is free to this family friendly event located at 48th and Wallingford Ave. No.  There’s great food, inflatatable rides, a rock climbing wall, games and prizes, craft vendors, used and new book sales, and live music.  It’s a great and affordable way to spend your weekend.  For more information, go to www.stbens.net.

 

Picture Day:  School pictures will be taken on Wednesday, September 23rd.  Full uniforms need to be worn for pictures.  Volunteers are needed for this day.  If you can help, please call the school office, 206 364 1633.  Information is included in this folder.

 

Band:  Band is available to students in grades 5 – 8.  There will be an introduction for the 5th graders who are interested on September 17th at 9:00am. We are fortunate to have Mr. Ryan Lunz available to us from Bishop Blanchet High School.

 

Skating Party:  The 2009-2010 Student Council invites all students to a Welcome Back Skate Party, this Thursday, September 17 from 6:00-8:00 at Lynnwood Bowl & Skate.  The cost is $6 for admission and includes roller skates. In-line skates are an additional $2.  We hope to see everyone there!

 

Chess Club:  Begins in October on Tuesdays from 2:30pm to 3:30pm. Chess Club is for children in all grades and of all levels of ability.  Beginners are welcome.  Watch the Family Folder for more information.  We need moderators to volunteer to remain in the classroom with the instructor to be in charge of the equipment and make sure children are picked up afterwards.  Parents are welcome to stay and play and learn with their child(ren). 

 

School Uniforms:  Students need to be in full uniform when attending Mass on Tuesday mornings, Friday Masses, and special Masses.  Full uniform is:

Boys                                                         Girls

White collared shirt                                  White blouse/shirt

Long pants (no shorts at Mass)                 Jumpers/Skirts (6-8)

Vest or sweater (no sweatshirts)               Vest or sweater (no sweatshirts)

 

Label  all clothing and supplies:  Please put your child’s name on all clothing and supplies.  Invariably, children at all grade levels will lose sweaters, backpacks, etc.  Marking the child’s name on such items will insure a better chance for retrieval.

 

Extended Care:  Extended Care is available from 7:00 – 8:40am (Tuesdays 7:00 – 7:50 am) and from 3:30 – 6:0 pm (Tuesdays 2:30 – 6:00). We do not have playground supervision before or after school and cannot have children on the playground unsupervised. If you are not participating in the Extended Care Program, please be sure that your child is not dropped off before 8:40am and is picked up by 3:30pm, or 2:30pm o The cost is $5.00 per hour, per child.

 

Illness/Tardy:  If your child will be absent or tardy to school, please call the school office by 8:40 am to let us know.  Thank you.

 

Emergency Cards:  Enclosed are emergency cards for your child(ren).  Please complete both sides and return to school promptly..

 

Carpool:  Parents, please drive your children to the back of the school and use the carpool lanes to drop off and pick up your students.  We ask that you no longer drop off and pick up your students in the front of the school.  If you are late, please drive around to the back of the school.  Your child is much safer if you leave them off in the carpool lanes.  Do not stop in the middle of the carpool line; progress forward to the car in front of you. There will be an adult posted to guide your drop off and pick up.

 

Blue Family Folder:  Every other Wednesday, this folder will be sent home with the youngest child in your family.  This is one of the primary means of communication between the school and our families.  Please return the empty folder the next school day as we reuse the same folder all year.  Any information, tuition, sign up sheets, emergency cards, etc. can be returned to school in the blue folder.

 

Scrip:  Enclosed are scrip order forms.  To assist you in fulfilling your scrip obligation, we will always include order forms in the family folder.  You may send the order to school with your child, and in most cases it will be sent home with your child the same day.

 

Summer Move:  If you have moved during the summer and have a change of address or a new telephone number, please notify the school office.