"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."
OLG Newsletter – Nov. 20th
November 20, 2014
Dear OLG Families,
This morning, our third grade students, dressed as their chosen saint, traveled to the St. Joseph Sisters’ Residence at Mount St. Vincent to sing and share what they have learned about the life of their saint with the retired sisters. What a celebration it was! Fr. Jack and I joined Ms. Savio, the class, and many third grade parents. I was impressed and touched by the sincerity, open-heartedness, and purity of faith that shone through our students as they shared!
From our Fourth Grade Class…
Patriotic Poster Contest Follow-Up
The first ever Our Lady of Guadalupe Patriotic Poster Contest was a huge success! Thank you to all our participants. Posters showed thoughtful reflection on the theme, “What does patriotism look like?” Our church and school were appropriately decked out for Veterans Day. All participants are welcome to wear free dress this Friday, November 21. Congratulations to our three winners, first grader Gresham Crone, third grader Vivienne Araya and seventh grader Danica Kovacs. Fourth graders will continue to support our veterans and active service men and women throughout the year. Thank you for your support.
From Chantille Henry, on behalf of the OLG Parish/School Staff…
Reflections of The OLG Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Event
Thinking back to the fall of 2005, the inception of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Christmas Tree Lighting Event, I’m always amazed how far this event has come…
The school marketing committee wanted to develop an event that shared the ‘light’ of OLG Parish and School with the greater West Seattle Community. We agreed that this event should focus on a welcoming community, inclusive and joyful, at a time when joy is most prevalent. In all my years as a West Seattlite, I don’t recall another gathering in our area similar to OLG’s Community Christmas Tree Lighting.
I love how we all come together to make this celebration happen. From sharing homemade cookies, to the Knights of Columbus providing beverages, to school families helping little ones with arts and crafts, and of course the choir leading us in Christmas carols! What’s even more amazing is how most of these items were given freely from you, our community. Add the tremendous donations of food for St. Vincent DePaul, and wow! It always takes my breath away!
This year, our event has a new name – Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Presents – Light Up the Night, an Evening of Caroling and Community. And with the new name, comes a new spin. Over the last two years, the tree on 35th and Myrtle has grown to such significant heights that we have needed to hire a company to drape the lights over our tree. The spirit of this celebration has always been about the community, including the volunteers who help put on this event. So to honor them and in the spirit of the event, we’ve decided to light up the grounds around Our Lady of Guadalupe Church instead of the large tree. Despite this change, many things remain the same – the cookies, the choir, our entertaining emcees, the incomparable Fr. Jack, and most importantly, you, our community. We hope to see you, your family and your friends on December 5th at 7:00, to be together and share an evening of joy.
Volunteers Needed for Light Up the Night Event 2014
Pass out candy canes after Mass:
Need 3 families after each Mass to pass out candy canes.
Saturday Nov 29th after 5:30 Mass
Sunday Nov 30th after 8:30 Mass
Sunday, November 30th after 11:30 Mass
This will take about 30 minutes
Please contact Alder Kuhn (Kindergarten Parent) 206-290-4324 if you are able to volunteer for the above.
From our School Fund Drive Committee…
Our Kids Lead the Way with Funding Fun
This has been a banner year for participation in the School Fund Drive, OLG’s annual appeal to support improvement, teacher training, tuition assistance and endowment. We had our best-attended kick-off dinner ever, and about two thirds of school families have already pledged.
On top of that — for the first time ever — our Student Council is engaging students to take ownership of this effort themselves. The Council’s Funding Fun Drive, through Nov. 26, encourages students to give what they can and rewards full class participation. The drive is student-imagined and student-led!
Thanks to our kids for demonstrating exactly the kind of leadership we hope to see in the world. Thanks to our students and families who have already given! And thanks to all of you who are reaching now for that Fund Drive envelope that’s been sitting on your desk. We’re counting on every school family’s support!
A message from our Student Council…
Cancer Awareness Day
Thank you to you and your children who donated to Cancer Awareness Day, benefiting the Ben Towne Foundation! As a school, we raised over $500.00 to help others whose lives are impacted by cancer. What an amazing thing to see!
Funding Fun Fundraiser
Every year, parents and families are asked to contribute to the Annual Fund to the best of their ability. This year, the Annual Fund Committee has asked students, through Student Council, to take ownership in the work that is done to raise money for our school. More important than a financial contribution on the student’s part, we are asking kids to simply participate in this fundraiser. Give a penny, a dollar, a nickel-it does not matter. Simply, participate. Each day that a student participates, they are given a raffle ticket. They are then put in a raffle to win a king sized candy bar (one will be raffled off each day). The class with the most participation at the end of the 6-day period (11/26/14) will earn an extra PE from Mrs. Powell.
Students are asked to do what they can. I know that many of you have already contributed as a family. I simply encourage the kids to do what they can to support the things that they love-the computers, the iPads, the library, the Big Toy, just to name a few that have been impacted by the school annual fund.
Thank you for all that you do, all that you give, and all that you have to share in prayer, donations and time. Your contributions to OLG are outstanding and make every difference in the world.
There are so many ways to use these cards! Get cards to all your favorite retailers, do your routine shopping, use your Scrip gift cards to pay and earn OLG free money. It’s that easy! Order forms went home last week in the FCE. Look through all your options and place your orders. We promise FAST turn-around – it is possible to place an order for grocery store cards and be able to shop just a few days later. Place orders as often as you like (weekly, bi-weekly, every couple days…). Let’s get the most we can from this great program! Contact Janet McClelland or Marisa Lewis with questions.
Upcoming Parent Education Night
December 4th
The Parent Org is hosting a Parent Education Night at 6:30pm in the School Hall. Our evening will focus on Internet Safety with an eye-opening presentation from Stefanie Thomas with the Seattle Police Department. Ms. Thomas will cover pertinent safety information for every parent, whether you have a middle school student, a preschool student, or a high school student. This information helps us all, even computer savvy adults, to be aware and alert to the dangers and vulnerabilities the internet can pose, especially when it comes to social media. Please join us on December 4th and learn how to protect your children and even yourself when taking advantage of the many opportunities and tools the internet provides. Everyone is welcome; there is no charge to attend. RSVP invitations will be sent via email. Child care will be provided. We hope to see you there!
Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day
December 12th
“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” Revelation 12:1 (Entrance Antiphon for Our Lady of Guadalupe)
Celebrate our Patron’s feast day by attending the all-school Mass at 9:00 am on December 12th, followed by an after-Mass reception with breakfast items and beverages, hosted by the Parent Org in the Walmesley Center. All are welcome! We hope to see you there!
Congratulations to you are the lucky winners of the $25 Target gift cards! The RICHMOND and The TRIUS families are our winners!!! Please contact Laura or Laurie to arrange for your prize!
So far we have 122 donations. Thank you so much! This week brings two new leaders for the contest! The class that currently has the most family donations turned in is SEVENTH GRADE! SEVENTH GRADE is the current leader for the Ice Cream Sundae party! Right behind them, in second place, is SECOND GRADE! Both classes had over 5 donations turned in this past week; great job! Who will be in the lead next week? As a reminder, your family commitment is to provide at least a $125 donation of cash, or item donation worth $125. Please remember, we cannot accept used items. Donations can be sent now to the front office through mail, delivery or via the FCE.
Volunteers!
We have some early auction volunteer positions over the next several weeks and would love your help! The auction is using Volunteer Spot to organize our upcoming signups.
Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:
1) Click the links below to see our Sign-Ups
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It’s Easy – you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password.
Alderbrook Resort and Spa will donate an overnight stay, valued at $285 with a purchase of a $300 gift card! This is a great item for a few families wanting to go in together on a procurement donation! Please see the attached form.
Help us with donations that have already been made!
We have some great donations coming in, a Florida Villa, Sun Mountain Lodge, and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We are looking for items to package with these…
It has been very busy and productive in all of the art classes at OLG. The students continue to work hard, using outside the box thinking to create beautiful works of art. I have been encouraging inventiveness and creative thinking as they make choices in how to show the world what they see.
The pre-k and kindergarten classes have been working on drawing pumpkins as part of harvest and Thanksgiving. They learned how to change a shape into a form using color, contour and detail lines, highlights and shadows. They did an amazing job following all the steps and their work is terrific.
The 1st through 5th grade classes have been working on creating a mixed media piece of art using fine point pen, watercolor, crayons and colored pencils. The students began by creating pen and watercolor leaf studies. In the next class, they created a collage using crayon texture rubbings they made, cutting them into shapes and gluing them to a background sheet. In the final class, they cut out their watercolor leaves, arranged them over the top of their rubbing collage, and glued them to the surface. Then they added colored pencil shadows around them using dark, dramatic colors to make them pop out from the background. Grades 3-5 will be adding a clear coat of gloss gel medium to the finished piece. The students are doing an amazing job mixing all the materials together to make truly beautiful end results.
The 6th through 8th grades are working on charcoal and pastel animal drawings. In the beginning steps, they worked on seeing line direction and basic shapes creating a contour line drawing of the subject they chose using charcoal pencils. In the next step, they refined the drawing showing the facial and body details and accentuating the dark areas, also using charcoal pencils. Once the basic drawing was completed, the students then chose whether to add chalk pastel color to the background, the animal or both using blending and shading. The final drawings will be truly beautiful and the students are doing a great job with the entire project.
I continue to work with all of the classes in developing drawing skills as we experiment with different materials and techniques. I am in awe as I watch each of the students create and am inspired by the level of creativity and effort they put into their work. It is such a joy to teach at this school and as Thanksgiving approaches it is one of the things I am so very thankful for. Thank you for sharing your beautiful children. They are truly a blessing. I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
This month in the Spanish Class, we talked about the holiday celebrated in Mexico on October 31st through November 2nd called “El Dia de los Muertos,” which translates as “The Day of the Dead.” The celebration might sound morbid, but it is not observed in that Spirit. It is a festive and joyous celebration that demonstrates a strong sense of love for cherished ones who have passed away, and at the same time, celebrates the continuance of important family relationships. We worked on a variety of different activities and learned Spanish vocabulary to experience some elements of the celebration, including making paper skeletons, interpretive drawings, and decorating sugar skulls. We decorated the hallway and Mrs. Ramos’ window as well with all of the students’ projects. Moving forward into the months of November and December, we will be talking about the end-of-the-year family celebrations from the Spanish-speaking cultures. These celebrations are also covered in the Spanish lesson books and vocabulary.
Preschool/Pre-K Classes are having a fun time learning the family members learning numbers and the alphabet with Tico Tango my puppet that I take to their classroom.
The Kindergarten Class is practicing a Thanksgiving chant I am turkey” Yo soy un pavo” also fall words and creating books that you will see soon coming home. These are the words we will be working on in December.
La Familia (The Family)
mamá mom
papa dad
niño/niña boy and girl
bebé baby
abuelo/abuela grandfather/grandmother
The First Graders are working with the family members creating books and singing songs related to the family.
La Familia
mi familia family
mi papá father
mi mamá mother
mi abuelo grandfather
mi abuela grandmother
The Second Grade Class is reviewing family members and Thanksgiving words. You can practice the following vocabulary words with your children at home:
Thanksgiving Words
Felíz Acción de Gracias Happy Thanksgiving
el pavo turkey
las calabazas pumpkins
el pastel de calabaza pumpkin pie
Doy gracias I give thanks
la salsa de carne gravy
la fruta fruit
la ensalada salad
el pan bread
La familia y los amigos family and friends
The Third Grade Class is also learning Thanksgiving words, and reviewing the vocabulary for family members. You can practice the following vocabulary with your children at home:
Thanksgiving Words
Felíz Acción de Gracias Happy Thanksgiving
el pavo turkey
las calabazas pumpkins
el pastel de calabaza pumpkin pie
Doy gracias I give thanks
la salsa de carne gravy
la fruta fruit
la ensalada salad
el pan bread
la familia y los amigos family and friends
This month, the Fourth Grade Class is also learning the following Thanksgiving words that you can practice with your children at home. We will continue to review the family members through December.
Thanksgiving Words
Felíz Acción de gracias Happy Thanksgiving
el pavo turkey
las calabazas pumpkins
el pastel de calabaza pumpkin pie
Doy gracias I give thanks
la salsa de carne gravy
la fruta fruit
la ensalada salad
el pan bread
la familia y los amigos family and friends
The Fifth Graders are working with the family members and creating books by describing their family members using adjectives and possessive pronouns in Spanish; for example: Mi hermana is bonita. (My sister is pretty). You can practice the following vocabulary words with your children:
La Familia
mi familia my family
mi papá my father
mi mamá my mother
mi hermano my brother
mi hermana my sister
mi abuelo my grandfather
mi abuela my grandmother
mi tio/mi tia my uncle/aunt
The Seventh Graders are doing a wonderful job every morning learning Spanish. We are wrapping up Unit 4 and moving forward to Unit 5. We will be covering direct object pronouns, expressing strong feelings with Que ( + adjective/noun), and more.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call oremail. Have a wonderful month!
OLG’s annual Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade Sale is coming up on Sunday, November 23rd from 9:30am – 1:00pm in the Walmesley Center. Why shop Fair Trade? We live in an era of unprecedented economic interdependence. The decisions we make about what we buy affect the lives of people we may never meet. Fair Trade seeks to change the ways in which conventional trade often leaves behind the most vulnerable people. By buying Fair Trade, you support the efforts of skilled farmers and artisans who are working to break the cycle of poverty and build stronger communities. Join us to intentionally use your purchasing power to support Fair Trade efforts around the globe. At the sale, you’ll find unique gift items including chocolates, Advent calendars, jewelry, holiday and home décor, scarves, ornaments, baskets, and much more. Holiday cards will also be sold to support Noel House, a Catholic Community Services shelter for homeless women. The Young Ladies’ Institute will be selling their knitted goods, and the Pre-K and 3rd grade classes will be offering tasty treats to benefit Westside Baby. Our goods sell fast so be sure to come early for the best shopping! For more information, contact Jennifer Ibach
Thanksgiving Mass is next Thursday, November 28th at 10:00 am. Please bring donated food for our St. Vincent de Paul. Also, you are invited to bring any item for your special dinner to be blessed by Fr. Jack and enjoyed later that day.
Shoeboxes of Joy
Don’t forget to bring them to Mass next weekend! It is that time of year where we create “Shoeboxes of Joy” for the variety of people served by CCS’ Volunteer Chore Services. You can find the complete list on our parish website or contact the parish office. Bring your donations in a shoe box that is wrapped with Christmas paper to Mass next weekend. They will be blessed by Fr. Jack at the 11:00 Mass. Last year, CCS told us that OLG donates the most shoe boxes – let’s keep that going again this year! Information, Helen Oesterle, 206-935-0358.
New on Our Website
Advent is just around the corner and you will find many resources, including those for families, on our website that will help to keep “Christ” in your preparation for Christmas. These include blessings for your Advent wreath, Christmas tree, and crèche. Check it out!
Preparing for Christmas
The coming of Christ has a tendency to sneak up on us. We get caught in the whirlwind of activities, events, gatherings, decorations, baking, entertaining, and so much more. In and of themselves, these can be wonderful aspects of the Advent season as we grow in love and community with those around us. But where does Christ fit into your Christmas preparation? This Advent, break out of your routine, hold back nothing, and truly prepare for Christmas.
Advent/Christmas “Little Blue Prayer Books” are available in the church vestibule while supplies last. This booklet provides daily reflections during the Advent and Christmas seasons based on the Scriptures. It is a great resource to enrich your prayer life during this holy season.
Preparing Our Hearts for Jesus: An Advent Pilgrimage, written by Archbishop Sartain are also available in the church vestibule. He invites us to take an Advent journey with him, a pilgrimage that begins in our hearts and ends at the humble manger.
Please pray for the Larsen family. May Chuck Larsen – Brad’s father, Emily and Allie’s grandfather, and long-time tutor at OLG School – be at peace.
Please continue to keep Brianna Nelson, 2014 OLG graduate, and her family, in your prayers. Brianna has been diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital. We pray for speedy healing for Brianna and strength and comfort for her family at this difficult time.
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.
