St. Thomas More School Newsletter
October 10-14, 2022
Principal’s Message
Building Community – One Body, Many Parts
1 Corinthians 12:12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
Dear Parents and Families,
Wednesday we had our first school lead Mass, the Mass of the Holy Spirit. The fourth grade class worked so hard to make sure they were ready and we couldn’t be prouder. I was so moved by their performance – they set the bar high for the remaining school-led Masses. Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend. This was a beautiful event and a wonderful way to celebrate our relationship with the parish community.
Now that we are settling into the school year, please take a moment to ensure that you have returned in all of the forms we need. If you are missing forms, you would have received them attached to a green sheet, which was sent home on Tuesday, October 12.
Kapayapaan (Peace in Tagalog),
Elizabeth Glaze
Conferences
The Sign Up Genius for conferences will close this Friday, October 14. Please follow up with the school next week if you haven’t received it.
Newsletter Name
We need a name for our St. Thomas More Newsletter. Students wishing to submit a suggestion, please complete the STMS School Newsletter Name Suggestion form and return it to the office. A free dress pass will be awarded to the person with the chosen name.
Patrol
Anyone looking for volunteer hours? We can always use your help in patrol!! You will receive 1 hour for every AM or PM day. Please contact me (Robert Trias) for which days you are available and either mornings (AM) or afternoons (PM) or both. You contact myself @ (206)353-2000 or TRIAS0175@yahoo.com , I will also be doing patrol every Monday (PM), so you can talk to me at school.
Thank you!!!
Music Teacher Needed
It is with sadness we announce that we are losing our Music Teacher, Ms. Gillian McKay. She has decided to devote more time to complete her graduate degree and we wish her all the best. We are currently interviewing candidates for her replacement.
Extended Care Supervisor Needed
7:00-8:15. The pay range is $17-$20/ hour (depending on experience). Alternatively, St. Thomas More School parents can use volunteer hours if they wish. If you, or someone you know, is interested, please contact the school office at (425) 743-4242. The application is available on the Archdiocese Website/ Frontline (click the link).
Volunteers
Parents who wish to volunteer will need to be current on their Virtus Training, Protecting God’s Children and complete the School Volunteer Agreement attesting to their vaccination status. Parents wishing to volunteer inside the school building will need to be fully vaccinated.
Here are some upcoming training dates that are nearby (register on Virtus):
10/27 Holy Rosary Church, Edmonds, 7pm
11/05 St. Michael Church, Snohomish, 9am
11/05 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Bothell, 10am
Auction Update
EXCITING NEWS
SPONSOR A FLAMINGO
Our FLAMINGOS have arrived, thank you to all those who have sponsored a Flamingo or two already!!! We will continue to PINK out the grass hill as orders come in. I would love to see our Flock Double or Triple in size before this fundraiser ends. To learn more about the fundraiser please see below:
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, St. Thomas More will be turning PINK for OCTOBER 10-24! This will be a festive and visible fundraiser where St. Thomas More will be donned in those beautiful pink plastic birds.
We would love to have your support and sponsorship of a Flamingo. With sponsorship of a flamingo your name, business name, or someone you know who fought or is fighting Cancer currently will be printed on a laminated card and hung around the flamingo’s neck.
Cost of sponsorship is a $10.00 donation with 20% of the proceeds going to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Please join us in turning the grass hill between the parking lot and the school PINK by sponsoring a Flamingo or two!
Please complete the order form and return to the school office/collection plate with cash or check to St. Thomas More School: Sponsor a Flamingo_2 (stms.org) Order forms can also be found in the school office.
AMAZON PRIME DAY
OCTOBER 12, 2022
TODAY is a great day to get online and secure your procurement item at a steep discount. Amazon Prime Day is running Wednesday, October 12th. Please check out the Step Into Spring Gala wish list at the following link:
https://www.amazon.com/registries/custom/16MZ1EB1D7KLS/guest-view
CLASSROOM AUCTION
HELP NEEDED
We are still looking to fill in the gaps for our Classroom Auction obligations. Please reach out to your room parent, or to me directly Jessica.e.nunn@gmail.com if you would like to assist as the procurement lead or art project for your grade.
Our class basket themes are filling up fast, so please send me your theme if you haven’t already.
Grade | Procurement Lead | Basket | Art Project |
K | Mariners | ||
1 | Adopt a kitty | ||
2 | |||
3 | Kelly Schmid | Coffee & Cocktails | Lego – Seattle Skyline |
4 | |||
5 | |||
6 | Baking – w/ mixer | ||
7 | Escape Room | ||
8 | Seahawks |
Parents Club
Hello Families,
Just a reminder that the Cookie Dough Fundraiser ends October 12th. In preparation for the 🎃 TRUNK or TREAT 🎃, please join the Health & Wellness Team on Saturday, Oct. 15th from 10a-11a in Dalton Hall as we all learn THRILLER (modified version).
*Upcoming events:
St. Thomas More Parish is hosting the 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 29th from 6:15-7:15pm at the St. Thomas More Parking Lot.
See the Trunk or Treat Flyer for details.
Pizza, popcorn, and beverages are available at Dalton Hall 6pm-8pm.
Click on the link, if you would like to sign up to be part of the Halloween decorated cars for Trunk or Treat. Volunteers also needed to help set up Dalton Hall and distribute food and drinks.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4BAFAC2CA0FA7-trunk
10/12 – School Commission Meeting 7pm @ Rengli Room
10/14 – Visit to the Fairbanks Farms (this Friday, Oct 14th; see info and flyer below)
10/16 – 8th grade Mass during the 10:30 mass, come in full dress to get free dress pass
10/17 – Wreath Fundraising starts (10/17-10/31)
10/29 – Trunk or Treat at St. Thomas More Parking Lot 6:15pm-7:15pm
Dalton Hall is open from 6-8pm for food, snacks, and drinks.
Fairbank Family Farm Pumpkin Patch Day this Friday Oct 14th!
Only open to STMS School this Friday October 14th
Admission: 3:00-3:30
Time: 3:00-5:00
Admission Price: $5.00 (20% of Admission cost goes to our School)
Come pick a Pumpkin, pet some animals, and play on the farm.
Fairbank Farm Pumpkin Patch Day Flyer
Sneaker Fundraiser
Clean your closet for a cause!
20 pairs =$15.00 toward fundraising
Ask friends and family for donations
See details in the Sneaker Fundraiser Flyer.
Kind regards,
Francesca and Suzi
Parent Club Chairs
CYO
Dear CYO Athletics Community,
With many kids out of school this coming Friday, are you looking for something to do?
How about coming out to CYO Day at Husky Soccer Stadium?
Friday, October 14 – 4:00pm UW Men’s Soccer host Gonzaga and CYO families can use THIS LINK for 50% off tickets. Tickets as low as $5.
Wear your CYO Jerseys and they will give video board messages and shout outs to all schools that are represented. They will have autographs and a players meet and greet after the game.
There is also a women’s game at 7pm vs Oregon State that you can attend with the same ticket.
CYO Registration
Saint Thomas More CYO Basketball registration is open for girls and boys in grades 4th – 8th.
Register at: https://www.teamsideline.com/seattlecyo
League Games: 11/19, 11/20, 12/3, 12/4, 12/10, 12/11, 12/17, 12/18, 1/7, 1/8, 1/14, 1/15, 1/21, 1/22, 1/28, 1/29
Coaches:
4th Grade Boys – Andre Lang and Alfredo Barajas
5th Grade Boys – Darren Walker
8th Grade Boys – Jerome Angeles
5th Grade Girls – Andre Taylor (St. Pius)
Practice locations, days, and times are TBD. I will reserve local or parish gyms in Edmonds or Mukilteo for practice. The days and times will depend on the coach’s availability.
We still need coaches for 4th-grade girls, 6th-grade boys and girls, and 7th-grade boys and girls. If you are interested in coaching, please contact Karen Pena: at kjpena77@gmail.com.
Stewardship Campaign
St. Thomas More Parish needs help with mailings for the Annual Catholic Appeal mailing. All hours can be used toward your volunteer hours (3-4 hours for each mailing). If you would like to help, please contact Catherin Bellande in the parish office at (425) 743-2929, ext. 100 or cathyb@stmp.org.
Costume Drive
STMS Alumni Makena Schick is partnering up with Lynwood Police Department and needs your help! We are hoping to get Halloween costumes to give to kids in need to spread some joy holiday season. We need your help to gather costumes as part of our costume drive. Costumes must be new or gently used (washed). All donations are due by October 20th. Please contact Makena Schick at mschick@am-hs.org if you have any questions.
COVID -19 Guidelines
St. Thomas More School is following the guidelines published by the Washington State Department of Health and the Snohomish Health District. During the month of September, STMS had 7 reported cases of COVID-19 positive test results. Please continue to monitor your children for symptoms of COVID-19 and keep them home if they are ill. If your child tests positive, the quarantine period is 5-10 days. If after 5 days, your child is symptom free he/she may return to school (wearing a mask) as long as you provide proof of a negative test result. Siblings of a child who test positive, or if a child is exposed to someone else in the home who tests positive, may return to school as long as there are no COVID-19 symptoms with proof of a negative and remain masked.
We will continue to follow advice and recommendations of the Snohomish Health District as we navigate the cold and flu season. If students are persistently exhibiting signs of a cold, they may be asked to wear a mask. If they exhibit symptoms that could be COVID related, we ask that you continue to test students at home. Alternatively, we can test students at school.
Dates to Remember
10/13: Blue Thursday
10/14: No School – Teacher Professional Development
10/17: Pink Day in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Bring $1 donation to wear pink.
10/20: Conferences, Noon dismissal
10/21: Conferences- No School
10/24: Noon Dismissal – Teacher Professional Development
10/28: Blue Friday
10/29 – Speech Tournament
School Mass Schedule
The All-School Masses (through October):
Sunday, October 16 | STMS School Led Mass | 10:30am | 8th Grade |
Monday, Oct 31 | Pumpkin Fest | 1:00pm | Music |
Tuesday, November 1* | All Saints Mass | 9:00am | 2nd Grade |
Also, this year each grade level will lead the 3rd Sunday Mass (at the 8:30), which coincides with Coffee & Donuts (with the exceptions of December, April, and June). October 16 will be led by the 8th graders. All participants and attendees in school uniform will get a free dress pass.
Coffee & Donuts
Please see the links below to sign up. We need more people to sign up for the 8:30 Mass.
Pastoral Council
The Pastoral Council is a consultative body to the Pastor which serves the people of God through visionary leadership and direction.
The purpose of the Pastoral Council is:
- To create, inspire, and demonstrate leadership and enthusiasm for all matters relating to the spiritual and temporal affairs of St. Thomas More Parish
- To provide recommendations for Parish priorities, directions, and policies through pastoral planning.
- To Promote communication, visibility, and understanding among the Parish Commissions, Committees, Community, Archdiocese, and universal Church.
- Informing community, Council members are challenged to ongoing renewal through prayer, study, listening, and dialogue.
- In developing priorities and directions for the Parish, the Council is to become the means to achieving full participation by the Parish in its mission by giving its voice in guiding and directing Parish life.
- In fostering communication, the Council encourages and initiates dialogue among parish leadership and organizations and brings the concerns to the larger Church.
We invite you to become a part of our Pastoral Council. Our regular schedule is 4th Thursday September- June. However, the September meeting will be on 9/29 jointly with Finance Council.
For more information, please contact Nick Golla, (818) 903-9140 nngolla@gmail.com
Important Reminders
Dismissal
Please do not arrive for dismissal before 2:45. We are creating a line on the street, which impacts our neighbors. We appreciate your cooperation with this. Parents of K- Grade 3 students (who do not have an older sibling) should park in timed parking.
Monday Morning Prayer Service
On Mondays we go directly into Dalton Hall for a prayer service, with announcements following. Parents are welcome to join us – we ask that you gather at the back of the hall.
Scrip
SCRIP NEWS!
BONUS FEST: Earn extra rebate Bonuses EVERY weekend in October, with purchases on the Raise Right App! Email us for the enrollment code. stmpsscrip@gmail.com
SUNDAY SALE: We’ll be selling Scrip Gift Cards in person THIS Sunday during STMS Coffee & Donuts after Both Masses!
YOU ARE INVITED to join our Scrip team for drop-in volunteer hours when you’re available OR weekly commitments! I will be doing some training on Sun 10/16 and have availability after 10:30 mass. Sign Up below if interested (we can arrange training any time)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080A4DA4AC2FA5F85-scrip1
*Currently looking for at least 1-2 people with weekly or drop in availability on Sundays between Masses, Wednesdays AM/PM, Fridays AM, and Saturday Evenings.
SCRIP TIPS: *RELOADABLE CARDS*
1. Buy a reloadable gift card from one of our in-person sales, ie Safeway or Starbucks! They are designated by an asterisk (*) on the form.
2. Open Raise Right App > Wallet> “Add card” (top R corner) > enter the info from your new physical gift card.
3. When ready to reload, find card in “E-Wallet” and select to Reload.
4. During these Bonus Fests get extra Bonuses Rebates when you reload to your card and can still use the physical card!
*Safeway doesn’t always know how to use the eGift cards, so this is one way to get around printing it out.
*Load physical Starbucks cards to your Starbucks app! Reload to that gift card from the Raise Right App, earn bonuses, and it will update automatically in your Starbucks app!
Come find me if you have any questions!! Let us help you, help Scrip work for you!
-Your Scrip Team
Website
We are continuing to revise and improve the website. You can now access the calendar under the Parents tab for to see upcoming events. There is also updated Auction information. We will continue to keep you informed of updates and improvements throughout the year.