The Phoenix Flyer: St. Thomas More School Newsletter
February 6-10, 2023
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,
This week is Catholic Schools Week! We started the week with guest speakers at all the Mass sessions and handed out bookmarks that students had made to parishioners. We also had our Open House on Sunday and were pleased to see our current families and meet some potential new families.
Tuesday we saw quite a few boots and hats (and heard quite a few students saying “howdy”) for our Western Dress Day. We are looking forward to Silly Dress Day, Faith Family Activities, and the Catholic Olympics later this week.
We are starting to plan for next year. Please help us by completing the survey linked below to let us know your plans for enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year.
Happy Catholic Schools Week!
Vrede (“Peace” in Afrikaans),
Elizabeth Glaze
Intent to Return
We are beginning the planning process for Registration for the next school year. In order to assess availability for new families, we would like to know the status of our current families. Please let us know if your student(s) will be returning for the 2023-2024 school year.
Dates to Remember
1/29 – 2/3 Catholic Schools Week
2/2 Parents Club Meeting, 8:30 in the Renggli Room
2/4 Speech Tournament at Seattle Prep
2/10 No School (teacher in-service)
2/20 No School (President’s Day)
2/22 Ash Wednesday Mass, 9am
2/26 6th/ Kindergarten Mass, 10:30am
2/27 Noon Dismissal (teacher in-service)
Catholic Schools Week Highlights
As part of our Neighborhood Appreciation Day, Ms. Glaze took the Student Council Officers to neighboring houses to thank them with a card and small plant.
Mock Trial Competition
Congratulations to our Mock Trial team who won 1st place in the YMCA State Tournament this weekend! Great job!
Catholic Schools Week
Next week is Catholic Schools Week. We will kick off the week during Mass this weekend, as well as our Open House after the Sunday 10:30 Mass (see additional information below). Students who attend a Mass this weekend can earn a free dress pass. Parents or guardians, please email the school office on Monday with the service date/time you attended and student names and grades who attended in full uniform.
Monday: Neighborhood Appreciation; Uniforms
Tuesday: Western Dress Day
Wednesday: Teacher Appreciation Day; Mass – Full Uniform
Thursday: Parent Appreciation Day; Silly Dress Day
Friday: Student Appreciation Day; Faith Family Color Dress Day
Please contact your student’s teacher for more information on the dress up days.
The following Fact Sheet contains info on the history and purpose of Catholic Schools Week:
Auction Update
Invitations to the Dream Big Fly High – Step Into Spring Gala have been sent home, here are a few details for the event:
RSVP for the Gala here: Gala Registration (ejoinme.org)
Embassy Suites Hotel Room Block: Embassy Suites Hotel Room_STMS Auction Gala
Shout Outs!
Auction Catalog recognition ads are a great way for parents, families, and friends to recognize and commemorate students, teachers, staff, and volunteers. Go ahead and send them love and recognize their achievements, milestones and show gratitude!
Full Page: $50
Half Page: $25
Deadline date to turn this is on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
STMS Auction Catalog Shout Out
Jessica Lang | Auction Procurement Team | St. Thomas More School
Cell (425) 890-5891 Email: jessica@nvllaw.com
Follow Along @stmsauction
Judges Needed for Speech Tournament
On March 8 and 9, we will hold our Speech Tournament for grades 3-8. We are in need of judges for the different speech events. Parents who do not have a student in the competition are welcome to participate and earn volunteer hours.
If you or someone you know can help judge the tournament, please contact the school office.
Parent Club
Parents Club meeting is on Thursday, February 2nd, right after drop-off at 8:30am in the Rengli Room! Please join us for coffee and community, and hear more about our school updates!
Here are a some shout outs from Parents Club!
Thank you to all the Room Parents for making the class posters for Catholic Schools Week! They turned out great and brightened our Breezeway!
Thank you to all the parents and student volunteers for helping with Saturday’s Family Night and this week’s BookFair! We appreciate all your help and support!
Congratulations to our Mock Trial Team for all you hard work and wining 1st place in the State! Huge thanks to all the amazing students, Coach Erin Anderson, Karen Pena, and Mr. Schmid for your leadership!
Congratulations and appreciation to all our school CYO teams and coaches who are finishing up their season! Thank you for all your teamwork, your dedication, and keeping up our school spirits! Go Phoenix!
Have a great week!
Francesca & Suzi
Scrip
SCRIP NEWS!
IN PERSON SALE TIMES:
Wednesday 8-9am
Friday 2:45-3:30pm (not on half days)
Every other Sunday 9:30-10:30am – Feb 5th & Feb 19th
FEBRUARY CHALLENGE:
Show your LOVE FOR LOCAL in February!
Buy $100 in SCRIP Gift Cards from Local Vendors* to be entered into a Raffle for a $25 Gift Card. Class showing the most LOVE FOR LOCAL will WIN A FREE DRESS DAY!
*Does not need to be all from same vendor.
Anthony’s Restaurant ● Crafty B’s Artisan Boutique ● Double DD Meats ● Fat Pig BBQ Restaurant ● Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant
LOCAL VENDOR HIGHLIGHT:
Buy Scrip & Check out Crafty B’s Artisan Boutique in Everett THIS WEEKEND Feb 4-5th for an Artisan Market! www.thecraftybs.com
Plan your Valentine Dinner, Activities, and Gifts with Scrip!
Email us at stmpsscrip@gmail.com for questions!
Local Area Events
Thursday, February 9, 6:30-9:30pm: St. Brendan’s is hosting a middle school (7th and 8th grade) dance and has invited STMS students. Please see the details in the flyer below – the flyer also includes the permission slip, which is required of all students, as well as their ID card. St. Brendan’s has provided the following information regarding safety and security for the event:
The dress is casual (please see the flyer for further dress code reminders). The cost of the dance is ten dollars per student. Students will need to bring their student ID and a signed permission form (attached). Additionally, we will be selling concessions, so students are welcome to bring extra spending money for that.
St. Brendan’s Dance, February 9
Catholic Schools Night
Seattle University is hosting basketball game at the Climate Pledge Arena on February 1st. Please see the promotional flyer for more information and the promo code.
Seattle U Basketball – Catholic Schools Night
Book Fair
Saturday, January 28-Thursday, February 2nd
For all things Book Fair, click on the Book Fair Info Letter here.
Miss Watters needs a galaxy of beings to help with Book Fair and these special events. It has been two years since we’ve been able to do the Family Night, so she has a lot of fun things planned. She can’t do both Family Night and Book Fair at the same time though. She needs YOUR help. Don’t space out. 🙂 Sign up now using the Sign Up Genius below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F45AFAF229-2023
Add these dates to your calendars:
Wednesday, February 1st 6:00-8:00 pm – Reading Under the Stars. 3rd and 4th grade students will be reading their speech storybooks. All are invited to come and listen! Book Fair will NOT be open during this time though.
Specialist Spotlight
Our specialists work hard to provide a variety of interesting and engaging activities for all of our students. We would like to share some of the highlights of their work, as well as a little bit more about each of them.
Deanna Maddock is our Computer teacher and resident Tech Guru. She has been with STMS for 10 years, and teaching computer class for 9 of those years. Mrs. Maddock has found her groove teaching technology – she is not afraid to try new technology tools and her lessons are engaging and lighthearted. She enjoys watching students have the “lightbulb” moment when things click and they are able to utilize technology to explore their creativity as well apply new skills. One of the tools Mrs. Maddock utilizes in her classroom is the Technokids curriculum. This curriculum is project-based and students are enthusiastic about the lessons, which align with our technology and Common Core standards, as well as incoporating real-world experiences. Some of the lessons include writing travel brochures, creating timelines of important events, learning about being fit and being healthy, as well as reinforcing computer literacy skills such as how to use MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. One of the biggest priorities for Mrs. Maddock is teaching internet safety and digital citizenship skills; this curriculum provides thoughtful ways to teach these skills to students in a meaningful way.
When she is not teaching, Mrs. Maddock enjoys baking with her granddaughter, spend time with her family, cooking and trying new recipes and completing puzzles. Her favorite thing in the world is chocolate chip cookies.
Hot Lunch
All pizza lunches will include choice of drink (water, soda, juice) and a treat.
Hot dog lunches will include choice of drink (water, soda, juice) bag of chips and treat.
Cost is $5 per lunch extra slice or hot dog is additional $1. Please see the link below for the order form.
If you volunteer to help with our Hot Lunch fundraisers, please use the Sign Up Genius below:
STMS Hot Lunch Fundraiser – Volunteers Needed
Hot Lunch Schedule through March
| Feb 10 NO SCHOOL | Feb 17 Pizza | |
| Feb 24 Grilled Cheese | Mar 3 Pizza | Mar 10 Pizza |
| Mar 17 Grilled Cheese | Mar 24 Pizza | Mar 31 Pizza |
School Mass & Assembly Schedule
This year each grade level will lead the 3rd Sunday Mass (or Saturday vigil Mass), which coincides with Coffee & Donuts (with the exceptions of December, April, and June). Please see the table below for Mass times and participating grade level . All participants and attendees in school uniform will get a free dress pass. Please note we have made revisions to the scheduled Masses.
| Feb 22, 9am | Ash Wednesday Mass |
| Feb 26, 10:30 ** | 6th Grade and Kindergarten |
| Mar 19, 8:30 | 3rd Grade |
| April | Spring Break |
| May 21, 10:30 | 5th and 1st Grades |
**The February date has been changed from 2/19 to 2/26 to not conflict with President’s Day weekend.
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):
2/16 St. Madeleine Sophie, Bellevue, 6pm
2/18 St. Mary Magdalen, Everett, 9am (Vietnamese)
2/28 Holy Family, Kirkland, 6:30pm
3/15 St. Mary Magdalen, Everett
Trainings are good for 3 years. If you need to renew your status, you can do so online at Virtusonline.org.
CYO
Stay tuned for CYO Updates…
Please contact Karen Pena at kjpena77@gmail.com for questions.
School Commission – Committee Members Needed
The School Commission is looking for parents interested in joining the committees designated to work on school priorities. If you are interested in joining any of the committees, please email Vickie Jarman, “Vickie Jarman” vljarman@hotmail.com or Maria Houser, “Maria Houser” maykahlo34@yahoo.com.
- Safety/ Facilities & Maintenance: Review facilities for safety concerns; help make recommendations on needed services and materials.
- Technology: Review tech needs and make recommendations.
- Fundraising: Review fundraising efforts for viability and make recommendations for future fundraising activities.
- Grants: Research grants that meet needs of school. Write grant proposals.
- Strategic Planning: Assist with long-range school planning based on accreditation goals.
Guidelines for COVID, Flu and RSV
Please continue to keep your child at home if they are ill. We will continue to follow the advice and recommendations of the Snohomish Health District as we navigate the cold and flu season. If students have active symptoms from any respiratory infections and/or have a fever, they should not come to school.
Please see the letter published from the Snohomish Health District from November 18, 2022.
St. Thomas More School is following the COVID guidelines published by the Washington State Department of Health and the Snohomish Health District. As of the end of October, STMS had 7 reported cases of COVID-19 positive test results to date.
The Snohomish Health District has recently revised their guidelines. The link to the guidelines can be found below:
If your child exhibits COVID-19 symptoms at school, they will be asked to wear a mask, and we will call home. We have COVID-19 testing available and may require proof of a negative test prior to their return to school. The options for testing are:
- Testing is conducted at home by the parent, and a copy of the negative test is sent to the school.
- Testing is conducted by the parent at STMS with our testing supplies.
- Testing is conducted by one of the office staff at STMS.
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. Negative tests should be emailed to the STMS office staff. 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.
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!!!
Coffee & Donuts
Please see the links below to sign up. We need more people to sign up for the 8:30 Mass.
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.
