"Our Lady of Guadalupe School fosters Gospel values, inspires academic excellence, and develops service and leadership. We face this as a sacramental community united and empowered by the Holy Spirit."
June 1st Newsletter
June 1, 2017
Dear OLG Families,
Wow! These days are packed. Our Sing Out Seattle production of
The Musical, Annie just finished, and the stage presence, talent, and sheer joy of our students was incredible. It has been such a gift to witness our students blossom through the arts – with the 8th grade performance of The Lion King (last show Saturday, June 3 after 5:30 Mass in the Walmesley Center), through the visual arts with Nat Herridge this year, and in school musical performances. Thanks to Ann Sager, Frances McKamey, and Jessica Milanese for all of their work with our students in preparation for our spring concert, and to Shannon Hieger, Lauren Hobbs, JC Santos, and Heidi Ehrenberg for their facilitation of the Talent Show. Hearing the sound of the 4th grade’s Government and Citizenship Musical rehearsals drifting down through my office windows, I eagerly anticipate their upcoming performance!
Thanks, also, to our 2nd and 6th graders, as well as the chorus, for Tuesday’s Mass. We appreciate your joyful and prayerful leadership!
Field Day – Free Dress
Tomorrow morning, students will gather in “Family Groups” to participate in the Field Day activities, led by 7th graders. We’re hoping for sun, but our amazing Mrs. Powell has a “Plan B,” just in case. Students should come in running shoes and comfortable free dress and should be sure to bring a water bottle. If it’s sunny, slather on the sunscreen. Thanks to our wonderful Parent Org for planning lunch for the students!
New OLG Principal will visit on Jump-Up Day!
On Friday afternoon, June 9th, OLG will continue the tradition of students “jumping up” to the next grade, giving them the opportunity to meet their “next year’s” teacher and complete a short activity in their new classroom. Mr. Anton Kramer, incoming OLG principal, will also “jump up,” giving him an opportunity to meet the students and spend an afternoon at OLG. We welcome him!
FACTS Tuition Management
You will be receiving a letter tomorrow with preliminary information about our new tuition management system. Starting July 1, all tuition and school fees will be paid through FACTS, a system used by many schools in the archdiocese. You will also be receiving directions shortly for setting up your family account. Please help us out and do this promptly, as July 1 is just around the corner! We’re excited about the ease of use and functionality of this program and think that you will be, too.
New Hot Lunch Program for 2017-18
We heard you! Several discussion groups at our State of the School meeting this spring asked for hot lunch to return to OLG. OLG parents, Megan Zetlmaier, Robyn Campbell, and Laura Ross formed a committee to research options and present their findings to the Parent Org. A decision was made to go with Blue Plate, starting in September. Some of the factors considered were: ease of ordering and flexibility for families; selection of food offered and varied portion sizes; and their streamlined delivery system that will work well with the school’s lunchroom routines. Milk will continue to be available for purchase separately for the school year.
Please help your child make sure that all library books are returned tomorrow, so that our library end-of-the-year inventory can begin.
Seventh Grade Garden Project Update…From the 7th Grade:
Dear OLG Parish and School Community,
This is the seventh grade once again! The last time we talked to you,we’d just started the shed and arbor. Now, the shed is super close to being finished, and the arbor is practically done. All we need are the decorations, but that’s not our main priority quite yet. After our last update, we had planted in all of our beds. Now, our plants have started growing! Since we don’t need the whole class working on the shed, the rest of us have been creating signs. They’re by each plant, telling you what the plant is and a little bit about them. Lastly, we laid wood chips
in the paths and planted three espaliered fruit trees. It’s been about five months, and our garden is finally started to become complete! Once more, we just want to thank each and every one of you for your encouragement and donations. Without you, our garden would barely be anything. So thank you all so much.
Sincerely,
The Seventh Grade
Next “Protecting God’s Children” Class
When: June 3, 2017 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: OLG Pastoral Center, Downstairs Meeting Room
If you do not already have a VIRTUS profile, create one. Once you have logged in to your profile, click on the “Training” tab and then on “Live Training.” Go to the bottom of the page and click on “Pre-register for an upcoming live training session in your area.” You will find this class listed there.
Next Free Dress Day…From the Student Council
The school year is coming to an end, but our school spirit is not! So we’ve decided that we should have one last Spirit Day: Character Day, on Monday, June 5th. Students may dress up, appropriately, as a character from their favorite book, movie, etc. Don’t forget, and help keep our school spirit alive!
8th Grade Graduation is Next Wednesday!
If you have a chance between now and next Wednesday, please join me in thanking this year’s 8th grade class for all of their leadership, strong academic work, and the wonderful personal qualities that they have modeled for others in our community. They are an impressive group of young people and will be greatly missed. We wish them all the best!
I have one quick reminder for students to return all library books tomorrow, Friday June 2nd so I can begin inventory and assess book purchases for next year. Thanks!
On Tuesday, Nathalie Gelms, from Highpoint’s Seattle Public Library was a special guest speaker here in the OLG library. She introduced students to the SPL Summer Reading Programs which will be offered at all of the Seattle area libraries. The program includes a reading incentive program, special projects and events. Some of the programs and events will happen here in West Seattle, but there are different activities in other libraries around the city as well. Learn more about the elementary reading incentive program here. The reading program for teens is located here. There is even a reading program for adults, which you can learn more about online or by visiting your local library. To see a list of activities available at libraries all around the city, visit the calendar page. In addition to voting for the Washington Children’s Choice Picture Books Award, I would love to have students be able to vote for the 2018 Sasquatch, Young Reader’s choice and Otter Award books. To learn more about the Award Books for 2018 visit my webpage which links to each of the Award list’s nominated books.
From the Technology Department
First grade students completed their Salmon Life Cycle books today, and those books will be added to their school portfolio. Second graders have been using Educreations to retell stories including the story of the Three Little Pigs. They have also written their own story and created a video story on the iPads. Third graders are finishing their Reader’s Theater unit with the creation of an iMovie. They produced a storyboard, created images, imported the images into the software and recorded their play. The result is a series of short folktale films. Fourth graders have been busy using Office 365 to create fantastic presentations about people important to WA state history and fifth graders have finished their robotics unit. Middle school students are creating videos, recording speeches and completing documents online.
OLG 5th Grade Robotics
Loop the ‘Lupe: Time to Sign Up!
It’s time for the whole family to lace up their shoes and Loop the ‘Lupe, on June 4th! You have plenty of options to run, walk, get muddy on our obstacle course, or volunteer to help!
The annual field day school picnic (in the School Hall) will follow the morning field day activities on June 2, 2017. The lunch schedule will be the same as a regular school day.
You are invited to join your student for lunch!
Thank you to all of you who volunteered food items! All food items should be dropped off in the school hall kitchen at 8:15 am on the morning of the event. Thank you to those of you who have volunteered for day-of help as well and a huge thank you to the Lindholm family for the donation of hot dogs for the picnic!
Saying goodbye is so hard to do…
Please join us in saying “thank you and bon voyage” to Mrs. Ramos and Mr. Stein-Ross!
When: Friday June 2nd
Time: 3:00- 5:00 p.m.
Where: The Walmesley Center
Cake and gluten free treats will be served as we wish them well on their next adventures!
Volunteer Positions Open for 2017-18:
Do you want to be a part of something amazing? Do you have ideas you want to share? There are important roles on the Parent Org Board that need to be filled for next year. If you have been thinking about getting more involved, now is your chance. OLG needs you!
Find those roles here! Dads are strongly encouraged to volunteer to add some diversity! See below for open roles. Contact Christa Callanan with interest or questions!
PO Co-Chair (shadow to become PO Chair) 50 automatic hours
Attend monthly PO Meetings; assist in developing monthly meeting agendas; coordinates Coffee & Donuts with class reps and parish; works with Chair to fill PO openings as needed; act as aide to the Chair; perform the duties of the Chair in the absence or inability of that officer to serve.
Auction Co-Chair 50 automatic hours
Works directly with the Auction Chair (Alder Kuhn) and the auction committees in all aspects of Auction planning, marketing, execution, and follow up; assists PO Chair with tracking budget and income; works with the Auction Chair to fill Auction committee positions as needed; and perform other auction-related duties that may be delegated to him/her.
Publicity Coordinator – 50 automatic hours
Attend monthly PO meetings; be responsible for marketing, communication and advertising needs of the PO, including updating PO FACEBOOK page, bulletin boards and showcase when needed; shall coordinate with PO committees on an ongoing basis to assist in publicity needs as requested.
Thank you to Shannon Todd who will be our new P.O. Secretary and to Rachelle Snyder who will be our new P.O. Treasurer! We are so appreciative of your help!
Important Dates:
June 2nd – Field Day & School Picnic & Farewell Party for Mrs. Ramos and Mr. Stein-Ross
Ten high school students from OLG will be joining youth from St. Mary’s and St. Anne’s on the Youth Migrant Project this July. The youth will work at a food bank, host a fiesta for migrant families, provide lunches for children, work in the fields, attend Mass in a migrant camp, and reflect together on the experience in light of our faith. As part of our trip, we will be collecting food, clothing, school supplies, craft materials, and baby showers gifts for the families we will encounter. A full list of needed items is available here. Please return any donations to the parish office or the box in the narthex by June 25th. Thank you for your support!
Thank you for Supporting Rice Bowl!
We want to thank everyone who supported the Catholic Relief Services Lenten Program. Our contributions will truly make a difference for our brothers and sisters living in poverty around the world. This year, OLG collected more donations than ever…$4,743.24 to be exact! A special thanks to our CRS Parish Ambassadors and to the Knights of Columbus for their support!
Our Lady of Guadalupe School & Parish acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.