"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."
September 15th Newsletter
September 15, 2016
Dear OLG Families,
Thank you for sending your children to OLG! We are excited to be working with them – and grateful for your partnership and the investment you make in Catholic education at OLG! As the year gets up and running, there will be many ways for you to get involved. Consider attending the Parent Org meeting next Tuesday evening, or call the office if you are looking for ways to volunteer! If you are loving this sunshine and warm weather, contact Heidi Ehrenberg to learn more about becoming a recess monitor. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be featuring new staff members in our newsletter. See below for the first in this series!
School Fund Drive
Please watch for an opportunity to support this year’s School Fund Drive. Though we will not be kicking the drive off with a dinner this year, we still count on generous School Fund Drive donors to provide essential tuition assistance to support our OLG families through tough times, and to support our teachers through the Teacher Excellence Award and funding for staff professional development opportunities. Your support ensures that we can say an enthusiastic “Yes” when teachers want to attend workshops and classes that will enrich our students’ educational experience. In addition, the School Fund Drive has historically been a funding source for our school endowment, ensuring the long-term strength of OLG School. This year, our fundraising expenses are minimal, and nearly every dollar will go directly to the school!
Window Project Update
Last year’s auction raised funds for new windows and blinds in the 4th and 7th grade classrooms over the summer; thank you!
Office Announcements and Reminders:
Drop-Off & Pick-Up Parking Lot Safety Tips
Please help us keep everyone safe by remembering the following:
South Lot (Church Lot):
Students watch what you do! Model using the crosswalks & talk with your children about doing the same.
Encourage children to walk; we don’t want a situation in which a driver doesn’t see a running child in time to stop.
If you park along the fence by the church, please wait until drop-off or dismissal is over to back out – or until directed by a staff member.
Also: If you are driving through to drop off, pull all the way around the “U,” so that cars don’t back up onto 35th.
Refrain from cell phone use in the lot during drop-off and pick-up times!
North Lot (by Walmesley Center):
Please don’t park in this lot during drop-off and pick-up (or during the school day)! It’s harder to supervise students being dismissed to their cars when drivers are maneuvering around parked cars – safety first!
Students should not be playing on the play structure before school or after school before 3:10 pm. Our teachers are diligent about ensuring that everyone is picked up or walked to EDC before they go in for the day. When students are running around during 3:00 – 3:10 dismissal, it’s too hard to ensure that every child is with a parent or authorized adult. Thank you!
Refrain from cell phone use in the lot during drop-off and pick-up times!
Both Lots:
Students are not to be dropped off before 8:15 am, as our staff is unavailable to supervise during this time. EDC is available starting at 7:00 am for students who need an earlier drop-off time.
Just an reminder that 1% white milk is available at lunch. Please complete the order form and return it to the office if you would like your student(s) to receive milk daily. There is a one time cost of $60 for the year (sorry, missed days are not reimbursed). That comes out to roughly 35 cents per day for a great source of mid-day protein!
Wednesday Early Dismissal begins Oct. 5th
Please remember to pick your students up at 2:15 in their normal pick-up area, or they are able to go to EDC at no charge until 3:00 pm.
Drop-off/Pick-up Forms
If you haven’t already completed a form for your child(ren), please do so as soon as possible and return it to the classroom teacher.
Commitment Hour Opportunities
Get a jump on this year’s volunteer hours! Volunteers are still needed for the school office, some classroom positions and events such as the upcoming Halloween Carnival and Art volunteers. Please contact the office or your classes’ Parent Org. rep if you are interested. We can help you find ways to earn your family’s volunteer hours in an variety of ways – and you can help build community here at OLG by sharing your talents, meeting other parents and having some fun along the way!
Art started this week!
Students will have Art on Wednesdays and Thursdays this year with our new
Art teacher, Miss Herridge. Miss Herridge had a engaging first day working with watercolors and pastels in the morning Pre-K, 2nd and 7th grade classes. When asked how the day went, Miss Herridge said, “It was the kind of day that makes me look forward to coming back tomorrow!” We’re eager to see the school hallways lined with student art in the near future!
Extracurriculars
Last fall, we realized how much participation we have in fall sports at OLG. We’re going to offer a smaller number of extracurricular programs this fall and more in the winter. Registration will open tomorrow for Chess Wizards and Smart with Art Cartooning on Tuesdays and Sing Out Seattle’s “Finding Nemo” on Wednesdays. This year, we’ll have Sing Out Seattle at OLG for both fall and winter/early spring programs! Our middle school teachers are working up some plans for older students as well.
Hello, I am Mrs. Sommerville, an OLG parent who couldn’t (or didn’t want to stay away), so I am returning to the school as a staff member. I will be the librarian and the technology teacher. Prior to OLG, I was the Librarian and Technology Integration Specialist at Fairwood Elementary School in the Kent School District. Fairwood was part of a one-device, one-student pilot program using Office 365 and tablet computers.
On a personal side, I have a husband, Jack, and two daughters Sam and Jessica. The girls and I enjoy camping, visiting different places, and having adventures. This summer, we went rafting on the Wenatchee River, camping in Leavenworth and at Ocean Shores. We visited my small hometown of Reardan, to support my niece in a local community day parade. We stayed for a week on my parents’ farm, where we enjoyed the outdoors and attempted to tame some barn cats. We also enjoyed a day of horseback (trail) riding through Riverside State Park. For my own personal enjoyment, (and sometimes frustration) I go golfing. It is possible, that one day, I may get good at the game, but for now I enjoy the excitement of hitting (what feels like) an amazing shot. I am excited to be back at OLG for this years learning adventure.
Ms. Heidi Ehrenberg shares her tips for a smooth start to the school year here. Take some time to read through her suggestions and ideas to ensure a positive transition for the whole family!
YOU are a part of Parent Org! Please join us for our first meeting:
Date: Tuesday September 20th
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: OLG Math Lab
Please attend this kick off meeting for introductions and an overview of Parent Org activities for the year. In the meantime, welcome back and enjoy the first few weeks of school! And, as always, please email with questions!
Not happy or confused about the Presidential election? Is it difficult to engage in civil dialogue with friends and neighbors? There is hope. Faith can provide insight that leads to the ability to make moral choices. You are invited to a two-week series where we reflect on the 2016 election through the eyes of faith. Thursdays, September 22 & 29 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in the Walmesley Center. $5 per session (pay as able). For more information, contact Helen at (206) 935-0358.
NO School Archdiocesan Teacher Excellence In-service Day Friday, Oct. 7th
Previous OLG kindergarten teacher, Barb Zbaracki’s father Dr. Thomas J. Zbaracki, recently passed away in Minnesota. Ms. Zbaracki and her many siblings were able to all gather together to be with him which she said was a great comfort. If you would like to send a note to Ms. Zbaracki and her family, you can drop it off in the office and we will forward on to her. Please keep them in your prayers.
Please pray for Ms. Janet’s Uncle Russell. He passed away in England on September 14th.
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.
want to stay away), so I am returning to the school as a staff member. I will be the librarian and the technology teacher. Prior to OLG, I was the Librarian and Technology Integration Specialist at Fairwood Elementary School in the Kent School District. Fairwood was part of a one-device, one-student pilot program using Office 365 and tablet computers.
