Principal’s Letter

A hearty congratulations to St. John alumnae, Class of 2015, Katie Watt and Peyton Neal, who helped Western Washington University win the 2022 DII women’s soccer national championship. We are so proud of our Eagles!

Congratulations are also in order for our preschoolers, who sang so sweetly at the Christmas concert. Their teachers and I were very proud of them. They knew the lyrics and sang with enthusiasm. I look forward to the K-2 Christmas concert next Thursday.

As you can imagine, there is a lot of activity at school. Concerts, luncheons, holiday spirit week – there is a sense that Christmas is around the corner. Before we start the celebrations, there are a few action items to complete:

  • Lost and Found: Unclaimed items in the Lost and Found on December 16 at 12:15pm will be donated to charity. Lost and Found is located in the west hallway of the main school building.
  • “Tridemic”: as you may be aware, the “tridemic” – COVID, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – is upon us. Children must stay home if they are sick. Help keep our student and staff community healthy, by keeping children home from school if they are sick. Submit attendance or notify Mrs. Q. if your child will miss school.
    • COVID rapid test kits are available to pick up in the main office. Please stop by and stock up on test kits to use as we head into the holidays. Next week we will provide additional information regarding updated guidance for the holiday/winter season.
  • Viewing the State of the Parish: being a part of a community means members have a responsibility to stay informed. In-Parish families are required to view the State of the Parish to understand what is happening in our Parish and retain in-parish tuition.

You may have heard from your children about the “Stay Put” that was initiated yesterday by the school. There was a medical emergency that necessitated our Level 1 safety protocol. Children remained in classrooms, and instruction continued while staff and EMTs administered care. We are pleased to report all involved are well. Chef Michael is also recuperating after sustaining an injury at home. He has not been in the kitchen this week and will return to duty in the new year. We wish him a speedy recovery. In the meantime, the Kitchen Staff and volunteers are working hard to provide students with delicious lunches. Thank you, David Benefiel, Julie Lee, Matt Lawrence and the many volunteers.

Please do join us at the dedication of the new art piece, Mama, this Sunday, December 11 at 11:45am, following the 10:30am Mass.

Wishing you peace as we continue our Advent journey,

Bernadette O’Leary