News from the Principal
2009-2010
October 7, 2009
Dear ASB families,
Thank you to all who participated in our 2nd Annual ASB Golf Tournament on Monday. I especially want to thank Chris Guise and Kevin Kane of Golf Events for donating their services in organizing this tournament. Thanks, too, to Mike Shelton, Stacey Bean, Kelley Kane, and Christy Guise, for their work on our behalf. The beautiful sunshine capped off a very successful event!
As I write this, I am also anticipating great results from our Sally Foster gift wrap sale. Thanks to all of you for your support of this key fund-raiser. Special thanks go to Julie Gallaudet and Laura Ford, gift wrap chairs, for their leadership, and all of the amazing volunteers who have helped along the way. Look for more information about sale results in next week’s newsletter.
Here is some news for families considering ASB kindergarten for next year. Our kindergarten information night (parents only) will be on Thursday, October 29 at 7:00pm in the Assumption Parish Fellowship Hall. Participants will learn more about our school and our kindergarten program. They’ll have a chance to meet the kindergarten teachers and get their questions answered about ASB and about the application process. Spread the news to family, friends, and neighbors—all are welcome!
Applications are due Friday December 4.
And, related to kindergarten, in today’s envelope you’ll find a survey asking for information about younger siblings. This information is critical as we try to forecast our enrollment. Please take the time to fill this out and return it by this Friday.
This month we are hosting two of the Called to Protect for Ministries trainings that the archdiocese has mandated for all school and parish volunteers. All staff members, coaches, and many other volunteers have already attended this training. Participants have found it very informative. The purpose of the training is to educate you about abuse. You’ll learn more about the signs of abuse, as well as ways to protect your children and yourself. We count on all of our parent volunteers, and I know that everyone wants to maintain field trips and other programs for which you are essential. In addition, the information included in the training is important information for all parents and for all of us who work with children. Thank you for making time to participate.
You can do the training here or at any other parish/school in the archdiocese.
October 12 at Assumption Parish Fellowship Hall – 8:45 a.m.
October 22,
Assumption Parish Fellowship Hall - 7:00 p.m.
The training takes between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the presenter and length o
To register, or to find additional sessions:
1. Go to the Archdiocese of Seattle website:http://www.seattlearch.org.
2. Click on the Safe Environment logo.
3. Click: Register for classes.
When you put in your registration information, be sure to
include
A safety alert: A man in a maroon American-made vehicle, reportedly with license number 575 TBA, has been approaching moms with kids, whistling at them, speeding off, and then coming around again. This has happened around many elementary public schools. We haven’t had reports near ASB, but I wanted to alert you. Police are asking that you call 911 if you see this happening. This is a good reminder to all of us to be aware of suspicious activities, to keep school doors locked, and to follow the procedures that we have set up for the safety of our students.
This Friday, our faculty will be attending the religion in-service day, which is sponsored by the archdiocese. We will be working with other archdiocesan schools to more fully integrate our religion curriculum into all of our subject areas. On Monday, we will dismiss school at noon so that the ASB faculty can spend additional time on the curriculum work we are doing as a staff. This year we are beginning an in-depth study of our social studies curriculum. Extended Care is available on both of these days. I know that time off of school presents challenges for some families. These days are important to us, though, because they provide larger chunks of time for us to really dig into the work we are doing.
I’ll close today with our prayer for this week, inspired by
the life and prayers of St. Francis of
God of all, you challenge us to look for ways to meet the needs of
others. Give us the wisdom to see those needs and to meet them with generous
hearts. Make us instruments of your peace today.
Thank you for the wisdom and the generous heart that you bring to our community.
September
9, 2009
Dear ASB
families,
Welcome
to the new school year! It was great to see everyone yesterday and to welcome
our new families in kindergarten and throughout the grades. All of our staff
members have been working hard to get ready for a great year.
Please
mark your calendar for these big events at the start of school.
§
This
Friday we will celebrate our Mass of the
Holy Spirit at 10:45 a.m. in the gym. Fr. Oliver and Fr. Tim will concelebrate
Mass. This is a special time to gather as a community and ask God to bless our
work together this year. All are welcome!
§
Curriculum Nights will happen next Tuesday, Sept.
15 for grades K-5, and Monday, Sept. 21 for grades 6-8. Please gather in the
gym to begin at 7:00 p.m. If you are unable to attend, please contact your
child’s teacher so that they can send information to you.
One
change that you’ll notice this year is recess. In grades K-5, we have changed
our schedule so that only two grades are on the playground during lunch recess.
This gives everyone more space to play. We’ll also be introducing some new
equipment. First up will be tetherball; our PE teachers will be taking time in
their classes to teach students how to play safely.
In
today’s packet, you’ll see some reminders about traffic around the school. The
main goals are to keep our students safe and to be considerate of our neighbors
as you are driving to and from school. Please
follow the guidelines.
Last week
we received out WASL scores. We were all very excited to see how well our
students did on this assessment of their learning. The chart below indicates
the percentage of students who met the standard in that subject area for their
grade level. Individual student reports will come home to current 5th
and 8th graders. These scores reflect the hard work of our students
and our teachers. Congratulations to all!
Percentage
of ASB students meeting standard:
|
Grade |
|
Writing |
Math |
|
4 |
96% |
96% |
84% |
|
7 |
93% |
100% |
92% |
I know
this week’s envelope contains a lot of information. We appreciate you taking
the time to read it carefully and return the requested paperwork. (We’re
cutting paper and copy costs by giving you the chance to receive the packet electronically—look
for that option in the packet!)
I am
grateful for the gifts that you bring to our ASB community. Thank you for
trusting us with your most precious gift of all, your children. Together we
will share the joys and face the challenges that come throughout the year.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I can help you in any way.
Happy new year!
August 2009
Dear ASB
families,
I hope
you are enjoying these weeks of summer, finding time to enjoy your families and
to live at a more leisurely pace. Don’t panic—a letter from school doesn’t mean
that summer’s over quite yet! But, for some of you, as for us, thoughts are
turning to the upcoming school year.
For me,
September brings the real “new year” celebration. As the school year begins, I
anticipate all that we will accomplish together. We will learn important
lessons from one another, far beyond those in our curriculum. Most of all, each
of us will gain new insights into ourselves and increase the connections within
our community. Without you, this community would not exist as it does today. We
need the experience, perspective, and talents that you share with us in order
to reach our full potential as a community. As I plan for the upcoming year, I
am energized by this—I know that God has way better and more important plans, and I look forward to the year that we will create
together, with God’s grace.
This
year, in addition to our new families, we are welcoming one new staff member to
our ASB community. Erin Harvey will be the new KB classroom aide, replacing
Sarah Hopkins, who is starting law school this fall. I first met
Enclosed
is the latest draft of the school calendar. Please note the events that happen
before school starts. These help your children make a smoother transition to
the new school year. Kindergarten and sixth grade parents should contact
teachers in advance if you are unable to attend the orientation sessions.
Fri., Aug. 28 Class
lists posted (after 3:00 p.m.)
Sun., Sept. 30 Kindergarten
picnic at Bryant Park, 5:00 p.m.
Thurs., Sept. 3: All
students welcome to meet teachers 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Orientation for 6th grade students and parents 6:30 p.m.
Orientation
for kindergarten parents 7:00 p.m.
Also
included in this mailing is a copy of ASB’s uniform
code. As you see, our uniform policy includes many options. We appreciate your support
in making sure that your child is in appropriate uniform. Please notice that
students need to have collared shirts on Mass days.
Many
people have been working hard this summer, helping to shape our school year. As
you’ll see in this mailing, plans are well underway for our gift-wrap sale,
golf tournament, and auction. Thank you to everyone who is helping to make
these events a success.
Enjoy
these remaining weeks of summer, and I’ll see you in September!
News from the Principal
2008-2009
April 29,
2009
Dear ASB
families,
I have
many THANKS to give today: To Denise Bailey, Michelle Parks, and all of the
flower sale volunteers and supporters—your support of ASB makes a difference!
To the staff and guests at the ASB Prom on Saturday night—if you didn’t come,
you missed the party of the year, not to mention some memorable outfits and
hairdos! And finally, to all of the parents who attended our family life
meeting on Monday night—thank you for taking time to focus on this important
topic.
It’s hard
to believe that we are almost in May. I’m not sure where the year has gone.
This week students are wrapping up WASL and ITBS testing. They’ve done a
terrific job keeping focused and putting their best efforts into the testing.
We should have ITBS results to send home before the end of the school year; we
will not receive WASL results until fall.
A few
people have inquired about any actions that we are taking regarding the swine
flu outbreak in the
Looking
ahead to next year, we do have openings for students in grades 5, 6, and 7. If
you know families that might be interested, please let them know. They could
email me to make an appointment to meet and tour the school, and they can
download the application from our school website.
I’ve also
had a few questions about the calendar for next year. We’ll be sending out a
draft in the next couple of weeks, but here are some key dates for your
planning:
Sept. 3 - Open house for all grades and evening
orientations for kindergarten & 6th grade
Sept. 8 - First day of school
Dec.21 - Jan. 1 – Christmas vacation (noon dismissal on
Dec. 18)
Feb. 15 - 16 – Presidents’ Day holiday
Apr. 5 - 9 – Spring vacation
June 17 – Last day of school
I look
forward to seeing many of you at tomorrow night’s spring concert and at the St.
Bridget auction on Friday.
Human Swine Flu
Virus (SIV) Infections
As of this writing, no cases of swine flu have been
reported in
Swine flu in people is characterized by fever,
sore throat, cough, body aches, headaches, chills, and fatigue. The illness may
last up to seven days, but people are considered to be contagious as long as
symptoms persist. If you or your child is showing mild flu-like symptoms,
monitor and telephone your physician to consult if necessary.
At
Everyday Ways
to Stay Healthy:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough
or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
- Persons with a respiratory
illness with fever should stay home from work or school, to avoid
spreading influenza and other respiratory illnesses to others in their
communities
March 18,
2009
Dear ASB
families,
We are
just in the process of finishing our budget for the 2009-2010 school year. As you know all too well, this is a challenging year
for budgets at all levels. At our registration meetings later this month, I’ll
give you more detailed information. Today, though, I want to tell you about
some of the key points in our budget.
Most
importantly, the School Commission and Governance Council have approved a 4%
tuition increase for next year. This is the lowest increase that we have had in
several years. We worked very hard to make the increase as small as possible,
given the financial struggles that we are all facing. Here are some of the key
variables that have impacted this decision:
- As I announced last month,
salaries have been frozen for next year, at the direction of Archbishop Brunett. This means that teachers are not receiving
full compensation for their experience. When the freeze is lifted, we will
move people back to the correct places on the salary scale. A smaller
tuition increase for next year would mean a much larger one the following
year in order to put our teachers back where they belong on the scale and
keep the commitment that we’ve made to pay at or above the state salary
scale.
- Benefits have increased
significantly. Group Health costs are increasing by 21%,
and Christian Brothers is increasing by 11%. (These are the two options
that our staff has for medical insurance.)
- Our fund-raising is down
significantly this year. The gift wrap sale has ended about $6000 below
budget, and the auction is about $50,000 below budget. We have reduced the
Parent Board fund-raising goal by 10% for next year, which is still an
ambitious goal. We are keeping the scrip goal the same as this year, at
$120,000.
- The need for financial
assistance has increased throughout the year. Currently we expect to be
about $14,000 over budget in this area. For next year, we have already
exceeded the number of requests that we had for this year by a significant
amount. We have to anticipate that these needs will continue.
For all
of these reasons, the School Commission recommended the 4% tuition increase,
which the Governance Council has approved. The tuition for next year is listed
below.
Tuition Monthly Actual Cost
Total Annual Tuition 1 student $4,992 $416/month $7,010
2 students $8,868 $739/month $14,020
3 students $11,556 $963/month $21,030
4 students $13,032 $1,086/month $28,040
Out of parish per
student tuition $7,752 $646/month
Registration fee of $250 per student and book fee
of $125 per student have not changed.
Please
plan to attend one of the upcoming registration meetings to learn more about
our budget and to hear an update on our five-year plan.
March 25 or April 1 at 7:00 p.m. / March 26 or April 3 at 7:30 a.m.
All meetings held at
Assumption Parish Fellowship Hall
I look
forward to seeing you all then. In the meantime, I will be cheering for the Zags and the Huskies and waiting for winter to give way to
spring!
March 11,
2009
Dear ASB
families,
One
hallmark of
- Habits of mind, including
curiosity, perseverance, and flexibility
- Understanding of their own
learning styles and strengths
- Skills for collaboration and
problem-solving
- Tools for making decisions
that are consistent with their values
- Effective research and study
skills
Throughout
our school, students of all ages develop these skills through instructional
activities and assignments, including the 3rd grade long-range
studies, the national park reports that the 5th graders are well
into now, and the 8th graders’ essays on biomedical research. We
also work on building these skills as we encourage students to keep trying, to
set goals, and to try new ways to learn and solve problems.
Another
important way that we teach lifelong learning is through our own modeling as a
learning community. Today I want to let you know about some of the professional
development that we are undertaking as a staff.
- This year our teachers are
all working in professional learning groups, setting goals for increasing
student learning at their grade levels or subject areas, and supporting
one another to reach those goals. These groups meet most Monday
afternoons, during a part of our staff meeting time.
- We are continuing to align our
math curriculum with the new state standards. Mapping the math curriculum
at each grade level and developing effective assessments will help us
differentiate math instruction more effectively for our students. As part
of this process, we are also starting to examine new math texts.
- Many of our teachers have had
training in the Slingerland method of reading
instruction, a multi-sensory approach to teaching reading. More of our
staff members will receive that training this spring. I also want to
recognize two of our teachers, Jeanette Hurley and Kathleen Conklin. They
have been invited to the annual Board of Directors meeting of the Slingerland Institute, in recognition of the work that
they have done and the contributions that they will continue to make for
that organization. This is quite an
honor for them and a wonderful recognition of the effort they have put
into their own professional development as reading teachers in the last
few year.
Of
course, there’s not room here to list all of the professional development that
our teachers are undertaking. Their commitment to their own growth and to their
students’ learning is impressive!
Of
course, all of this professional development takes TIME; we never seem to have
enough of it. Most of our professional development happens on Monday afternoons
or on the occasional half-day. Next week, though, we have two days for
professional development.
- On Thursday, 3/19, we will
gather at
- On Friday, we will join many
other Catholic school teachers and administrators in
I know
that these days off of school can be an inconvenience for many families. For
our staff, though, they provide invaluable opportunities for us to be learners.
And that, in turn, helps us all be better teachers. Thank you for the
flexibility that you show in making these days possible.
Another
way that we work as a learning community is to share our work with people who
are entering the teaching profession. This spring we will have three
undergraduate interns from
As
always, feel free to call or email your questions or concerns. You are welcome
to join us on Friday at 2:30 in the church as we gather for a special Lenten
prayer.
February
4, 2009
Dear ASB
families,
It was
great to see so many of you at our open house last Thursday morning! Thank you
for being here to visit your child’s classroom, to see what’s happening in “the
rest of the school,” and to provide such great hospitality to our community. We
had many neighbors, parishioners, prospective families, and incoming
kindergarten families join us for this event.
The theme
for Catholic Schools Week was “Celebrate Service.” At our prayer assembly,
students from each grade shared examples of the service that their class
provides to the school and community. Several of them spoke about all that they
gain from giving to others. We also honored our distinguished graduate, Sandra
Barton-Smith. Sandra graduated from
This week
I received a thank-you letter for the clothing drive that was recently
organized by Courtney Pharr, one of our 8th graders. She collected
clothing for students at Challenger Elementary, a school in the
Between
now and Valentine’s Day, the Student Council is also working on clothing
students—they are selling hearts to earn money to purchase uniforms for school
children in Malawi. (School is free, but the $3 cost of a uniform keeps many
children out of school.)
And speaking of
One last
note: In today’s packet, you’ll also find information about positions open for
next year on ASB’s Parent Board. I encourage you to
check it out and get in touch with Rob Weber, our Parent Board president, if
you’re interested in getting involved!
Happy
February!
January 21, 2009
Dear ASB families,
Do you recognize the
source of this quote? “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are
you doing for others?’” Those words could have come from our new president, as
he called us to a national day of service on Monday and to renew our commitment
to service in our communities. I could also imagine those words coming from
Jesus—they are a simplified version of. “Whatever you do to the least among
you, you do to me.” But that quote actually came from Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr., whose 80th birthday we celebrated on Monday. Dr. King’s words
remind us of Jesus’s call to us to be people for
others, to look beyond our own wants and needs to care for one another. This
focus on service is an integral part of our school community. You teach your
children the value of service as you reach out to others in our school
community, as you give your time so generously to our school and to your
parish, and as you reach out to our broader communities. By your example, your
children learn that we do truly receive more than we give!
This year, this importance
of service is reflected in the theme of Catholic Schools Week, “Celebrate
Service.” I hope that you will join us as we celebrate Catholic Schools Week
2009 with schools throughout the
²
Please make a
special effort to attend Mass as a family this weekend, January 24-25. Students
should wear their school uniforms to Mass this weekend. Our school choir will
sing at the 10:30 Mass at Assumption Parish this Sunday as well.
²
On Thursday,
January 29, we’ll have our annual open house from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.
The school will be open for visitors throughout that time. All are welcome!
²
On Thursday
afternoon at 1:15, we’ll gather in the gym for a prayer assembly. At that
assembly we will honor our distinguished alum for this year, Sandra
Barton-Smith.
By sharing your time,
talent, and treasure with
I’ll end today with
another quote from Dr. King, one that I heard this week for the first time:
Everybody can be great. Because
everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.
You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve…. You don’t have to
know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a
heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. And you can be that servant.”
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
You are great! Thank you
for sharing yourselves with us!
December
10, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
Thank you
so much for all you did to make this year’s auction such
a success! It truly takes a village to create this event, and this year the
village came through in a big way! Whether you procured an item, decorated the
gym, baked a dessert, helped in the bank, showed up to clean up, came to
bid--you made it happen! Special thanks go to Monica DeMeulemeester and Cheri
Shanahan, who came forward to chair this year’s auction and put together an
amazing team. The decorations team, Wendy Bambrick, Marisol Joynt, Kelly Kelly, and Janet Komen, along with many volunteers, transformed
the gym into a winter wonderland—how do they think of these ideas?! They
especially asked me to single out Paul Griffith for his hard work and
creativity—Paul made the large star lights in the gym as well as the set for
the stage. He was also available for all kinds of troubleshooting. And how about those bathrooms?? I hope you didn’t miss them!
I don’t know how many people it took to create those beautiful ornaments with
the children’s pictures on them, but assembling them and getting them on the
right tables must have taken forever. They were beautiful—a definite highlight
of the evening. Thanks, too, to everyone who answered the call for help with
cleanup. It’s not the fun job, but you made a huge difference. Thanks, too, to
all of our great staff for their support. Special thanks to the fourth-grade
team, Marilu Byrne and Megan Michalson.
In this
season of Advent, we are all looking for ways to share the gifts that we have
been given. I’m struck by all of the people who are looking for ways to
simplify Christmas giving and stay focused on the true meaning of this season.
I know that you are helping us provide Christmas for families through Childhaven and Francis House and for the boys who live at
Children’s Home Society. Tonight ten members of our school choir, with Linda
Reid, are going to Sacred Heart Shelter, to create a holiday party with treats
and song for the folks there. Next week the 3rd graders will all
carol at Ida Culver. The Christmas spirit is alive and well!
Please be
sure to note the information in today’s newsletter about the calendars for Namitembo. You can get organized for 2009 and make a
difference to the people at Namitembo at the same
time. Thank you for your generosity.
I’m also
very aware of many people in our community who are facing challenges right now,
including illness, financial challenges, job uncertainties, and stresses in
relationships. Let’s take time to pray for one another. None of us knows the
burdens that another person carries, and prayer is the best way to lift up one
another.
May these
days of Advent be a time of grace for you and your family.
November 19, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
Parishes
throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle set aside time in November for special
reflections on stewardship. Most of you have recently been asked to consider
your commitment to your parish. How will you give back, in thanksgiving for all
that you have been given? It’s fitting that this stewardship focus happens as
we prepare for Thanksgiving. As we count our blessings, we all feel the need to
give back, to share our bounty. Even this time of economic uncertainty can help
us to focus our attention more on what really matters to us—our families, our
faith, the blessings of relationships and community.
As I
count my blessings this Thanksgiving, I am so grateful for this community. This
amazing staff comes to work each day dedicated to doing their very best on
behalf of your children. Their professionalism, commitment, and care are
tremendous gifts to each of us. I thank you for the countless ways that you
support our school community—from following the traffic pattern to working in
classrooms to putting together our auction. I am grateful for the prayers and
support of our parish communities as we partner with them in the formation of
our children. Most of all, I give thanks for your children; their openness,
curiosity, and honesty challenge each of us to give them our best efforts every
day.
Our
gratitude leads us to
share what we have been given. Two of our sixth graders, Caroline Genster and Molly McCarthy, with the help of their
classmates, organized a bake sale and raised nearly $500 last week for Families
of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. (Caroline’s sister has SMA, and they know
first-hand how important organizations like this are.) The fourth graders are
taking orders for “Kards for Kids,” a fund-raiser for
Namitembo. This week, we are collecting food to help
stock the shelves of area food banks. Every year during Advent, we collect toys
for Francis House families, and we make Christmas happen for families in need
through Childhaven and for the young men at
Children’s Home Society. Look for more details in today’s envelope and from
your child’s teacher. This year, the needs are greater than usual, and I thank
you in advance for your generous response!
With the
short week next week, we will not send home a packet. Please take time to
carefully read this week’s packet, especially the information about the
auction. It is fast approaching, just the week after our Thanksgiving break.
Many of you are working hard to make it a wonderful party and a successful
fund-raiser. The auction is the Parent Association’s largest fund-raiser, and
we rely on it for a sizable contribution to our operating budget this year.
Without the auction, we would not be able to offer the programs that we have at
our current level of tuition. Your hard work and support of this annual event
truly does make a difference for all of our students.
This coming
Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King, which is the last Sunday of our church
year. In the gospel reading, Jesus reminds us that we are ultimately judged by
how we take care of one another. “I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty,
and you gave me something to drink.” What a powerful reminder that the gifts we
are given are meant to be shared!
I hope to
see many of you at our Thanksgiving Mass on Grandparents’ Day, at 11:00 in the
gym. Fr. Tim Sauer will celebrate Mass with us. May this season of Thanksgiving
be a time of peace and grace for your families!
November
13, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
How did
it get to be November?? It seems impossible until I think back on all that has
happened here since the beginning of the school year. When I consider that
list, I’m surprised that it’s only November!
I want to
thank everyone who helped make the Halloween Carnival such a success this year!
Special thanks go to Kathleen Schmitt and Jen Yerkes, our co-chairs. Their energy
and attention to detail really showed. The time for the carnival was changed
because of the UW/Notre Dame game, and Sunday afternoon turned out to be a
popular time.
Now we’re
in the midst of auction preparations. Cheri Shanahan, Monica DeMeulemeester,
and their entire team are working like crazy to procure great items, to get the
catalog ready, and to make sure that this auction is a wonderful event. You
should have received your invitation by now. If you haven’t, email Megan
Michalson at mmichalson@asbschool.org,
and she’ll make sure that you receive one. Send in your reservations as soon as
possible, since this event sells out. And there are many other ways to be a
part of this year’s auction—see the flyers in today’s packet to see where
additional volunteers are still needed.
If you
can’t come this year, you can still participate in many ways. How about
Fund-an-Item? This year, we are raising money for technology. We have laptops
that need to be replaced and systems that need upgrades. We’d also like to
purchase additional laptops, since the demand from students consistently
exceeds our supply. Our school-wide wish list will include items for student
and staff use. We’re especially excited about some items that will enhance our
playground. And, finally, don’t forget our raffle! We only sell 100 tickets for
this—your $50 ticket can win a beautifully decorated live Christmas tree, laden
with special surprises for all the family! As you’ll see in the flyer, this
raffle is a special tribute to Anne Hill, co-chair of our first auction and the
inspiration behind Trees in Toyland,
as our auction was known for many years. Many of Anne’s contemporaries, as well
as our auctions chairs from across the years, have made donations to support
this raffle item. Don’t miss your chance to win!
This
month we are working as a school to collect food for University Food Bank and
Northwest Harvest. Classes will be collecting various items. Food banks are
really struggling this year, and we can make a difference! I encourage you to
involve your child in this—how can he or she earn that box of cereal or
macaroni & cheese? This is the perfect way to give back in gratitude for
all we are given—stewardship in action. You’ll hear more details from teachers.
Thanks for making a difference!
Believe
it or not, I received an email a couple of weeks ago complimenting us (yes,
you read that right!) on our excellent traffic plan. Brian Dougherty from SDOT
came out to consult with us. We’re hoping that this will lead to some
additional signage. He is also looking into moving the stop line in front of
the Sunflour. We will also be getting training for
additional staff and volunteers so that we can continue to keep our kids safe.
You help by following the plan, driving slowly, keeping
corners clear so that cars and pedestrians are visible.
We are
looking for parent volunteers to help supervise the playground during recesses.
If you are willing to help, please contact Robin Hendricks at rhendricks@asbschool.org. Of course
parents will be extra eyes. We’re hoping that they can also help by turning
jump ropes, teaching new games, and supervising use of additional playground
equipment (parachute, juggling sticks, Chinese jump ropes, chess and checker
boards, to name a few).
And, yes,
we ARE working on the website. Look for some initial changes to come
soon….Thanks to Cory Adams for her leadership in this project.
One last
thing: Did you send us the address(es)
of your grandparents and grandfriends for our big
celebration on November 24? It’s not too late, but please do that right away!
If you lost the form, email names and addresses to Megan Michalson (mmichalson@asbschool.org), and we’ll
get the invitations out right away.
Thanks to
everyone who sent me compliments, ideas, and questions
from last week’s envelope. You’ll hear from me shortly if you asked for a
response. I was happy to pass on your compliments to so many of our staff
members as well!
Happy
November!
October
29, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
In the
last few weeks, I’ve had several conversations with parents whose children are
having challenges in their relationships with classmates. Parents have asked me
about when and how to best assist their children. While no guidelines fit every
situation perfectly, I want to give you some ideas to consider.
First of
all, know that we place high priority on helping students build respectful
appropriate relationships with one another. Every child should feel safe at
school, both physically and emotionally. Of course, problems do arise. When we
see them or learn about them, we address them. Children need time, practice,
and feedback to learn to relationship skills, just as they need them to learn
reading, critical thinking, organization, and all of the other skills that they
develop in school. They learn from our modeling, from direct instruction, and
through feedback when they make mistakes or when their actions don’t have the
desired consequences.
When your
child reports an incident to you, he may be asking you for help. On the other
hand, she may simply need to vent after a hard day. “What do you need from me?’
is a great starting question. This can also be an opportunity to help your
child reflect on the incident: What else was going on? How do they know that it
was intentionally done? What might the other child have been thinking or
feeling? (On our school time-out slips, where we ask students to reflect on
their behavior, one question is, “What would someone else say who saw what
happened?” This can help children expand their own perspective a bit.
The best approach in most
situations is to help your child explore different ways to solve the problem. What has he already tried? What
other approaches might she take? Trudy Ludwig, an author and speaker about
children’s relational issues who spoke at school last week, suggested several
“tools” from which students can select. (See the attached sheet for a list of
those tools.) Remind your child about those tools, and talk about which tools
might be useful in this situation. Reinforce the strategies that students are
learning in the classroom.
Keeping
your child involved places the power in his/her hands. It also gives the
message that she/he can solve the problem. In general, when we take a problem
away from another person and solve it for them, we are giving the
message—intentionally or not—that they cannot solve the problem effectively. It
may be hard, and children will experience some anxiety, but they will have the
powerful experience of persisting at something hard.
When should I tell the teacher or
someone else at school? Of course, you can let us know about these issues at any point, but
you definitely should report to the teacher when there is a pattern of negative
behavior between your child and another student or when the incident seems very
serious. Another good time to call or email is when you don’t feel like you
have adequate tools for assisting your child.
When you do come to a staff member
about your concerns, be clear about what you are asking. Maybe you want some ideas of
additional strategies to share with your child or you are just trying to
understand your child’s social interactions. Perhaps you’re asking the teacher
to be alert to a particular issue. Or perhaps you are really concerned about a
situation and you want it to change. In that case, know that we will take
action. That means that we will talk to the students who are involved, to their
parents, and to other adults who can help us understand the situation. The most
frustrating situations are those in which parents come to us very upset, and
then say that they don’t want us to tell anyone what’s happening. This really
limits our ability to address the problems directly and achieve a solution.
Whom should I tell? Generally, your child’s teacher
is the best person to start with. Lori Landes, our counselor, is also an excellent
resource. You can also talk to Jeff Pozarski, our vice-principal, or to me. If
this is the first report, though, we would go to the child’s teacher, and it’s
better for you to have that direct contact. If you are not satisfied with the
response that you get, then by all means follow up with me or with Jeff.
Regardless of whom you contact, we will all be informed of the issues and
assist in coming to an appropriate resolution.
Some
other perspectives to keep in mind:
□
Remember
Mike Foy’s wisdom: No matter how thin the pancake, there are always two sides.
If you are hearing just your child’s side, chances are that you’re missing some
important information. Be open to that possibility!
□
Children
(and adults, for that matter!) grow and change. The child who is tormenting
your child in second grade might be his best friend by sixth grade. Allow the
possibility of this change, and avoid labeling children.
□
Don’t
talk negatively about a student or their parent in front of your child. Being a
part of a community means working through conflicts without attacking or
demeaning the other person.
As hard
as we work to supervise students and create a safe environment for them,
problems will occur. The measure of a community is not the number of problems,
but the way in which the problems are addressed. We are here to work with you.
Thank you for your partnership with us.
October
15, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
Today our
school community had the opportunity to welcome Fr. Tim Sauer, the new pastor
at St. Bridget Parish. He was the celebrant for our October liturgy, which was
led by our seventh graders. We all look forward to working with Father Tim and
to making him a part of our ASB community.
On
Monday, author Trudy Ludwig will speak to all of our students. Her books all
deal with friendship issues and emotional bullying. On Tuesday, October 21, she
will speak to parents at
Thank you
all for your support of the Sally Foster gift wrap sale! We have met our
budgeted goal, and we will not have school on the Wednesday before
Thanksgiving. I especially want to thank our gift wrap chairs, Sheila McKannay
and Stephanie Singler, for the leadership and energy that they brought to this
project. Many thanks also go to Mary Roddy for her
work on the tally, and to the willing volunteers who showed up to help with the
tally days, especially the final marathon. You all saw first-hand why we teach
our students to check their work!
Now we
move from gift wrap to the auction. Many of you are already working hard to
make this annual event a success. Please turn in your procurement forms by this
week’s deadline. The family procurement team will be happy to help if you’re
stuck for ideas! Given the current challenges in the economy, we need everyone
to rally around the auction so that we can meet our budgeted goal.
This
Friday, teachers will send home progress reports with each student, and next
week we will have some shortened school days to make time for conferences. We
ask that all parents schedule a conference with their child’s teacher.
Conferences are an important opportunity for teachers, parents, and, in some
cases, students, to sit down together and focus on the growth of each
individual child. Thank you for making them a priority! If you haven’t signed
up for a time yet, the sign-up sheets are posted outside the office. If none of
the available times work for your family, please email the teacher directly to
find another time. Here are a few more suggestions for a successful conference:
e
Let
the teacher know ahead of time if you have specific questions or concerns to
address. This will help him/her be prepared to address them.
e
Come
on time, and respect the time limits of the conferences. If you know you’ll
need extra time, arrange that with the teacher before your conference.
e
Focus
on your child’s strengths and areas for growth, and avoid comparing your child
to other students.
e
Remember
that we are all on the same team.
Last
Thursday morning, Trissa Hodapp shared a “Prayer for Inner Peace” at our
morning prayer. Given the economic upheavals and the election rhetoric, on top
of the “busyness” and stresses that we already have in our lives, this prayer
seemed particularly apt. You’ll find it on the back of this letter.
May the
presence of God bring you peace.
October
1, 2008
Dear ASB
families,
“Students live in an ongoing personal relationship with
God and with a faith community.”
This is
our first School-wide Learning Expectation, one of the six that drive our work
with students at
Within
the past week, Fr. Philip has spent time in our school, meeting with students
from kindergarten through eighth grade. He was struck by their appreciation for
all they have, their generosity and compassion toward others, and their belief
that their actions truly do impact other people’s lives. Think of all the people
who feel powerless or believe that the actions of one person cannot make a
difference. I feel blessed to be part of a community in which people of all
ages have a sense of empowerment.
On Monday
of this week, we had our 1st annual ASB Golf Tournament, and the
sunshine was an added blessing. Thank you to everyone who participated as
players and/or as sponsors. I especially want to thank Chris Guise and Kevin
Kane of Golf Events, ASB kindergarten dads, who put this tournament together
for us. They worked with Mike Shelton, Tim Gamble, Anne Quigg, and Megan
Michalson to make sure that all the details were in place. If you missed it
this year, you’ll definitely want to be a part of next year’s event!
We are
approaching the end of our gift wrap sale—only one week left! Please do your
best to support this find-raiser. There’s time to send the information about
on-line orders to friends and families! Thanks to everyone who has signed up to
help on the final tally day. It’s not too late to join the team.
October
is a busy month at ASB, with field trips, progress reports, conferences, and
Halloween celebrations, to mention only a few events. In the midst of our
busyness, may we pause to look for God in the creations around us, especially
the human ones.
September 10, 2008
Dear ASB families,
This
week parents of current fifth and eighth graders are receiving their children’s
scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning that they took last spring.
We want all of you to know how our students scored.
While we always see room
for improvement, we are pleased with our students’ overall performance and
growth. Many of our students have met the standard in all three areas, reading,
writing, and math. Our school results are listed below. They are listed as
percentages of students who met the standards set in that area.
Meeting or exceeding the
standards in 4th grade:
Reading 96.6%
Writing 96.6%
Math 91.5%
Meeting or exceeding the
standards in 7th grade:
Reading 98.0%
Writing 96.7%
Math 95.0%
The WASL marks progress
toward a set standard; it does not compare a student’s growth against the
performance of others. WASL and ITBS scores help us identify areas in which
students need to grow and assist us in identifying areas for improvement in our
programs. Please feel free to contact me or your child’s teacher if you have
questions regarding the test or your child’s performance.
Congratulations to all of our students and their
teachers for their hard work and excellent performance.
Sincerely,
Kathi Hand
September 3, 2008
Welcome back to school!
It’s so much fun to have the halls filled with children—they are truly
life-giving to us. We extend a special welcome to our new families and new
members of our staff. I especially want to thank our faculty and staff for
their hard work preparing for this year. They bring tremendous commitment and
expertise to our school. I hope you can all attend the Curriculum Night
presentations coming up in the next couple of weeks to get a greater sense of
what this school year holds.
I am grateful that you
have chosen
As always, the beginning
of the year seems full to overflowing. This week’s packet is filled with
important reminders and information for you. I am grateful to everyone who has
worked hard to get the year off to a good start, from gift wrap to golf, from
hospitality to the auction, from uniform recycling to carpools. In the midst of
the busyness, I hope that each of us can stay connected to the reasons that we
have chosen to be a part of this ASB community. What will we create together
this year? I look forward to discovering that with you. The possibilities are
indeed endless!
My prayer for our year
together comes from Marian Wright Edelman, a well-known advocate for children
and the founder of the Children’s Defense Fund:
O God, give us strength to work hard,
guidance to work effectively, words to inspire and nourish, and a spirit of
cooperation for our children’s greater good.
Amen!
Here’s to a great year!
Please let me know how I can support you and your child(ren).
Kathi Hand
August
15, 2008
Dear
ASB families,
I
hope that you are all savoring these last weeks of summer. At school we are
gearing up for the new school year, looking forward to welcoming all of you
back in September. I want to extend a special welcome to those of you who are
new to our community. I look forward to working with you and your children.
This
year we also welcome several new people to our ASB staff:
e
Kathleen Conklin will teach first grade. An ASB
alum, Kathleen has taught at St. Catherine and St. Monica.
e
Mary Davidson, another ASB alum, will join the Extended
Care staff. She will also supervise recess and work as a classroom aide.
e
Christina Gonzales will teach third grade. An alum
of
e
Darlene Selland will teach art to middle school students. She has taught
previously at Our Lady of Fatima and St. Alphonsus.
e
Elisa Wirkala will teach Spanish in seventh and eighth grades. She will
also work as a classroom aide, supervise recess, and coordinate our
after-school foreign language program.
We
also have some staff members who are taking on new responsibilities:
e
Carolyn DelBeccaro will teach kindergarten.
e
Beth Harrell will take on some of Kathy Kane’s responsibilities in a new
role as reading support teacher, working mostly with primary grade students.
Beth will also help teachers monitor the progress of students who have special
learning needs.
e
Sarah Hopkins will be an aide in kindergarten, working with Annie
Hawksford.
I
know that each of these people will be a wonderful asset to our staff, and I
know that you will appreciate the expertise and commitment that they bring to
our community.
Enclosed in today’s
mailing is the updated school calendar. Make special note of these activities
during the week before school starts. They help your children have a smooth
transition into this new school year. Kindergarten and sixth-grade parents, if
you are unable to attend the orientation meetings on August 28, please contact
your child’s teacher ahead of time.
Fri.,
August 22 Class lists posted (after
4:00 p.m.)
Sun.,
August 24 Kindergarten picnic at Bryant
Park, 5:00 p.m.
Thurs.,
August 28: All students welcome to
meet teachers 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Orientation for 6th
grade students and parents 6:30 p.m.
Orientation for kindergarten parents
7:00 p.m.
This
summer, the chairs of our fund-raising events have been working hard to be
ready for this new school year. We hit the ground running, with the gift wrap
sale. Packets will be available at school after August 25. Our gift-wrap
chairs, Sheila McKannay and Stephanie Singler, have put together a great team.
You’ll see more information in this mailing. We count on your support of this
fund-raiser.
Our
auction team has been busy as well. I want to thank our chairs, Cheri Shanahan
and Monica DeMeulemeester, for stepping up to this important role. I also want
to thank everyone who has already signed on to help. It’s not too late to join
the team—watch the weekly newsletters to learn more about how you can help. In
addition to being an important fund-raiser, the auction is a great community
builder for all of the volunteers. If you’re new to ASB, this is a wonderful
way to meet other parents and be a part of this collaboration.
One
great gift of working in a school is that, every September, we all get to start
a fresh new year, with new school supplies and renewed energy. I am excited
about all of the possibilities for this year. I pray that God will bless us
with openness to the experiences and learning ahead. I’ve been watching a lot
of the Olympics these past few days. These athletes remind me of what we want
for all of our students: the confidence to pursue their passions and dreams,
the clarity to set goals and the determination to work toward them, the persistence
to continue in the face of challenge and disappointment.
Enjoy
these last weeks of summer, whether you’re cheering on the athletes, squeezing
in one more vacation, or frantically finishing the summer reading assignment. I
can’t wait to see you all on the first day of school!