Thank you to all who joined the October Parent Association Meeting. We are over a month into school and everyone is full steam ahead, check it out below. The next PA meeting will be Friday, November 17th due to no school on 11/3 for Parent/Teacher Conferences and no school on 11/10 in observance of Veterans Day.
Parent Education Night (on Zoom) on October 24, 7 pm: Don’t miss our first PA-sponsored Parent Education Night on Tuesday, October 24th at 7 pm via Zoom, link here: https://zoom.us/j/2444379941. We are thrilled to welcome Erin Schoenfelder Gonzalez, Ph.D to speak to us about executive functions (EF), activities based in the brain’s frontal lobe, which is the “boss” or “executive” of our brain. Executive functions help us plan, organize, and manage our thoughts, actions, and emotions. For kids, this means things like paying attention, setting goals, and controlling impulses. Developing strong EF is crucial for success in school and everyday life. The elementary school years are the ideal time for children to learn good EF habits and strategies to compensate for EF weaknesses.
Calendar Hold for Spring Event on April 27th: The PA is seeking ideas for this family fun event! There is so much happening in the Winter and Spring that April 27th is the only date we have available to host another family fun night. Last year this was the Decade Dance. The PA Team is open to feedback on what this event could be. Some current ideas: a family bingo night or another dance. Feel free to brainstorm and bring your ideas to the next PA meeting.
State of the Parish – One Mass Only, October 29th: In the past, the State of the Parish, was available at all 3 masses. This year it will only be available at the 1030 a.m. mass on Sunday, October 29th. School families – in order to be eligible, and to remain eligible, for Parish Fair Share tuition, each family must attend the State of the Parish. There will be a link available for viewing on October 31st, but in-person attendance is strongly encouraged.
Parish Events:
- Family movie night: Join us on 10/28 following the 5 O’Clock mass for pizza and Coco. Preview the movie here. Sign-up here. Please be sure to indicate how many people (adults and children) will be joining. This event is for all families, kids can bring cozy items to lay out during the movie. Parents are required to stay for the event.
- Parish Sunday Speaker Session: On Sunday 10/15 at 7 p.m. Seattle University Theology Professor, Donna Teevan, PhD will speak about why younger generations are dissociating from religion.
Team Lead Updates:
- The Welcome Committee is looking for new co-chairs for 2024! Current co-chairs are excited to mentor. If interested, please contact julia@thesakigroup.com or farg03@yahoo.com.
- PA Reps: A reminder that the PA Reps have been asked to organize a fall event and sprint event for their classes. Some examples of a few that have been planned: pumpkin patch, Blachette football game, parents’ night out at Ridgewood.
Partners in the Gospel – PLEASE SUBMIT FEEDBACK ONLINE: All in-person listening sessions took place last week. It is not too late to submit your feedback online. The input form will close this Saturday, October 14th. Principal O’Leary has received a lot of questions concerning the effect of this on our School. Her response – Please speak up, give feedback, and share your voice now and in the 3 years to come. We have an opportunity to help shape this, but only if we show up and share what we think and want to make happen. Even if you have attended the in-person events, feel free to submit more feedback and thoughts online. This is our part and duty to advocacy. Your feedback doesn’t have to be directly related to what you think of our proposed parish partners but can be about Partners in the Gospel at a high level. This is a great opportunity to give feedback to the Archdioceses.
The Endowment Event is Sunday, October 22nd: How is this different from the auction and other fundraisers? The endowment was started in the 80s and is similar to a savings account or 401k, it is a portfolio and a perpetual gift. Once the fund reaches a certain amount of money, St. John’s can start withdrawing the interest made on the money. This money is what makes our Fair Share Program possible (and scholarships). We have just started withdrawing money in the last few years. This is very important as it creates an ongoing source of money to keep our fair share program going. Please come and support – it will be very fun! Don’t forget to see if your employer matches. More details here.
Preschool and kindergarten Open House November 8th at 7 pm: Please spread the word in your community. This is a great time for people to learn more about St. John’s School and community prior to registration in January.
CYO Updates:
- Sportsmanship Reminder: Unfortunately there have already been some incidents of poor sportsmanship. Please remember to put the kids first and continue to make St. John’s a leader in sportsmanship.
- CYO Basketball, Grades 4-8, Registration is Open – closing this Friday, October 13th! CYO Grades 4-8 Basketball registration is open! They are working to get teams filled by the end of the week, please register ASAP.
2024 Thursday Ski Bus to Summit at Snoqualmie: The Ski Bus is a parent-led opportunity and is not affiliated with St. John School. Contact Amanda O’Rourke, amandavorourke@gmail.com if you have questions. It is for grades 3-5 and registration is open on a first come, first serve basis. It appears that lessons might be full but you can still register for transportation. Since there are limited spaces, please be considerate of your commitments in January and February to ensure you can make it. Registration is through the SSCS website and payment is via Zelle: https://www.snowsportsconsultingservice.com/student-lessons—info.html
Simple Fundraiser for St. John – Box Top for Education – We need a Coordinator! For over 25 years, Box Tops for Education has given families an easy way to earn cash for their school. Now you can simply scan your store receipt with the Box Tops mobile app to identify participating products and instantly add cash to your school’s earnings online. St. John School has earned over $13,000.00 through this program, which helps fund playground equipment.
It’s never been easier to sign up! Download the app and start earning for St. John!
We are looking for a coordinator to lead this effort. If you are interested, please contact julia@thesakigroup.com.
The Middle School Musical: The 2024 Middle School Musical will be announced next week! This is a rare opportunity for kids to learn so much while having fun and being creative. This is also a great opportunity for parents to volunteer their creative skills – all types of help are needed and your student doesn’t need to be in the musical to volunteer. Please contact Kari Aguila at kaguila@st-johnschool.org. Kari has been leading and directing the Middle School Musical for almost 5 years. She plans to pass the torch over the next 2 years. If you have any interest in exploring this role, please contact Kari.
Next PA Meeting: Friday, November 17, 2023, 8:30 a.m., Egan Hall.