I am sure I begin almost every September newsletter by saying what a pleasure it is to hear the students’ voices echoing through the buildings again and to see you, parents! The buildings are very quiet throughout August! Thank you for taking the time to stop in yesterday and to gather this morning over coffee. Building community is so important. The word that comes to mind over these past two days is joy! On my quick walk through the classrooms I observed happy students learning new procedures, organizing their supplies, getting to know more about each other, and eighth graders listening to how they are leaders in the student community.
We are on our way, walking, studying, learning, and even jogging in the light of God! We gathered in church this morning where eighth-grade students led us in prayer and song to celebrate the opening of our school year. We announced our theme for the year, We walk in the Light of God, which is based on scripture taken from the Gospel of John. As I already mentioned, we are focusing on St. John the Evangelist throughout this year as we celebrate the centennial of the school.
Speaking of celebrations, the Back-to-School BBQ & 100th Anniversary Celebration Kick-Off is coming up. Pablo told the students this morning to remind their parents to get their tickets.
Remember, Parents/Guardians, you are all members of the Parent Association! The first meeting of the PA is tomorrow morning after drop-off, 8:20am, in Egan Hall. Come on over, have a cup of coffee, and meet co-chairs, Sara Dean and Allan Quiaoit, hosts of the meeting, and many other parents. Join them; it’s your association!
A few housekeeping items as we settle into the routine of the new year school year:
- Keep your child home if they have a fever or are showing any COVID-like symptoms
- Report all absences to the school (illness, appointments, out of town)
- Adhere to St. John’s traffic guidelines
- Read teachers’ emails, NewsViews and check out posts on Instagram (@st.johnseattle) and Facebook (facebook.com/stjohnschoolsea)
An important reminder that tomorrow is a full day of school for students in grades 1-8. Please ensure they have a sack lunch as the hot lunch program does not begin until next week.
Enjoy the long weekend, and God bless,
Bernadette O’Leary
