The Phoenix Flyer: St. Thomas More School Newsletter
April 15-19, 2024
Principal’s Message
Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’
Dear Parents and Families,
One of the things that has made me the most happy recently is seeing our students in the Early Learning Center playing in their playground. As part of our licensing with WA State, it was necessary for us to create a secure location for our youngest learners, that is easily and safely accessed from their classroom. They have a gated area just off the building on the parish side, but until very recently, the area was pretty stark. With the edition of some play-grade wood chips and sensory tables, as well as a collection of items to explore, including collections of shells and rock I collected from a recent trip to Hood Canal, the space is showing such improvement! I have included additional pictures below and will continue to update you on our progress. This will be an ongoing and ever-changing space, but I predict by the end of the year, we will have one of the most inviting and interesting play areas around!
Thank you to those of you who turned in your registration packets on time. If you haven’t already done so, I urge you to get your registration packet turned in as soon as possible. Also, if you are interested in receiving a month of free tuition, be sure to read about our referral program below, or call the school office for more information.
In Christ,
Elizabeth Glaze
Dates to Remember
4/21 School-led Mass, 10:30am (Grades 1 and 2)
4/24 Stewardship Mass, 9:00am
4/26 Noon Dismissal, Teacher in-service
Referral Program
Would you like to get a month’s tuition for free? When you refer a family and they enroll their child(ren) at STMS grade K-8, once that family completes their first year with us, both the new family and the referring family will receive the equivalent of one month’s tuition (single-child tuition).
Who could you refer to STMS?
Guest Speaker (6-8)
Our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders had a guest speaker visit STMS this week. Ms. Judy Kusakabe, was born at Camp Harmony (a.k.a. Puyallup Assembly Center, a internment camp for Japanese Americans located in Puyallup), and has traveled all over the U.S. to share her life story as an internment camp survivor with school-aged children.
To learn more about Camp Harmony click the link below.
Martial Arts Class (K-3)
Martial Arts is coming to STMS! Starting Tuesday, April 30, STMS will host a Martial Arts program for students in Kindergarten through Grade 3. This fun and multicultural martial arts and fitness program teaches respect for others and enhances listening skills improving focus, balance, strength and fitness.
We will have an exhibition class on Monday, April 22 at 3:15pm-4:00pm. Regular classes will run on Tuesdays, from April 30-June 8, from 3:00pm-4:00pm. Please see the flyers below to sign up to attend the exhibition class and/or to register for the 7-week course.
Martial Arts Exhibition Class 4/22
Martial Arts Program, 4/30-6/8
Early Learning Center Playground Makeover
We are making some progress in our makeover of the playground for our Early Learning Center. We have more wonderful editions coming in the next few weeks and will be sharing pictures as the plans progress. Stay tuned!
Fantastic Phoenix Awards
Please contact the school office with any questions, (425) 743-4242.
Check back in this space to see our current winners of the Fantastic Phoenix Award.
| Leo – 4th | Ximena – 4th | Jayden – 6th | Stephen – K | Elijah – 6th |
| Isabella – 6th | Eliana – 6th |
Early Learning Center Programs – NEW
Starting in September 2024, we will have some changes and additional offerings in our Early Learning Center. In addition to our half and full-day options for 4-year-olds, we will now offer 3-year-old full day program. Also, our 3-year-old half-day program will now run Monday-Friday. Please see the flyer below and contact the school office for more information. Our spaces are filling up quickly!
2024-25 Calendar Highlights
2024-25 School Calendar – COMING SOON
The STMS School Calendar will be finalized after Spring Break. To help in your planning for next year, here are some of the dates that have already been set:
| First Day of School | August 27, 2024 (1/2 day) |
| Labor Day Holiday | August 30-September 2, 2024 |
| Christmas Break | December 23-January 3, 2025 (school resumes January 6) |
| President’s Day/ Mid-Winter Break | February 15-18, 2025 (1/2 day February 14) |
| Spring Break | April 21-25, 2025 |
| Last Day of School | June 13, 2025 |
Partners in the Gospel
Archbishop Etienne announced the assignments of pastors and parochial vicars on Friday, April 4. Please see the links below for the official announcement from the Archbishop, as well as the letter from St. Thomas More Parish.
Parish Family #11 Letter from Archbishop Etienne
STM Partners in the Gospel Announcement Letter
Gala Auction News
Fund-A-Need: School Safety
Good news – even if you missed the Gala Auction, it’s not too late to make a contribution to our Fund-A-Need, which is focused this year on school safety. Take a look at the video linked below. Please consider making a donation to make our campus safer. Many employers also offer a matching donation program. Please take a moment to get more information from your employers. All donations may be 100% tax deductible and eligible for corporate matching. Contact the school office for more information.
Parent Club
Intercultural Festival
We are excited for our upcoming St. Thomas More Intercultural Festival on Pentecost Sunday, May 19th from 11am – 6pm. We love to bring our community together to celebrate our cultural diversity and spend the day together enjoying live music, performances, assortment of food & desserts! There will be face painting, merchandise vendors, silent auction, arts & crafts, and fun activities for the whole family! Please invite your family and friends! Our flyers are forthcoming!
*Please join us at the Intercultural Festival Information Meeting on Monday, April 15th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in the Rengli Room. (2 volunteer Hours)
Each family will be receiving two booklets of 10 raffle tickets this week, that will be sent home with the oldest child. We ask for families to please help us sell and buy raffle tickets to cover the cost of the festival and help us raise funds for our school and parish community! All proceeds will support St. Thomas More School and Parish. (A copy of the letter is attached below).
Intercultural Festival Family Newsletter
For every ticket sold, 20% of your ticket sales will go towards your fundraising requirements!! Yes, that’s right! 20%!
Raffle tickets are sold for $10 a ticket. Cash prizes will be given to the winners of the Raffle Drawings. The raffle drawings will take place at the festival.
- 1st Prize – $750.
- 2nd Prize – $500
- 3rd Prize – $250.
If you are in need of more volunteer hours, no worries! You can have fun and fill up on your hours here! We need lots of help like selling raffle tickets after masses, sending out sponsor letters from home, helping with the Silent Auction, wrapping door prizes etc. Please keep track of your hours and I can sign off. Please reach out to Francesca Abellera @ fbabellera@gmail.com or 206-496-9468 for questions and if you would like to help with anything else for the festival that is not listed here yet, or share your talents in other ways, please contact me.
Please sign up to volunteer here! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C4BAFAC2CA0FA7-48780711-intercultural
Note: The Sign-up Genius will continue to be updated on the dates and time slots for additional activities, so stay tuned! While it is voluntary, we encourage all families to participate to help support our school and parish community.
Thank you for all your support and enthusiasm!
Parents Club
REMINDER: Parent Club Meeting – April
The next Parent Club meeting is Thursday, April 11 at 8:30.
Coffee & Donuts
Thank you to the following who volunteered this year for Coffee and Donuts:
Vickie, Kraig, and Hudson Jarman
Jason and Cindy Palacpac
Lynn Benares
Yodit Seyoum
Jason and Janelle Triplett
Kennedy and Olivia Ellis
Giselle and Darran Walker
Thu-Hong Vo
Lilliana Sanchez
We have one more month. On April 21st, it’ll be the last time this year that the school will host Coffee and Donuts after the 8:30 & 10:30 Masses. We are looking for more folks to join our team next year, as well as someone to take over for Nick Golla to organize and oversee this program. This role is in communication with Cathy Bellande in the Parish and Principal Glaze to coordinate dates to match up when the school hosts the Masses (usually the 3rd week of the month) as well as organizing the volunteers for each Sunday we host. Super easy and a great way to get those volunteer hours. You will be trained!
WSCC
Below please find the links to the WSCC’s Catholic Schools Newsletter for Spring 2024 in English and Spanish.
English: Newsletter (wacatholics.org)
Spanish: Boletín (wacatholics.org)
In an effort to guide public policy, we at the WSCC serve and support our Catholic schools throughout WA state via interaction with legislators at the state and federal levels. We are pleased to share our continued work with you.
Yearbook Sales
Order Your Yearbook Today!
Yearbooks are on sale now! Pre-order yours today to ensure you get one. Each 68-page book of precious memories is only $35. Orders are due by Friday, April 12th.
Click here to download an order form.
Service Hours Opportunity with STMP
Are your students looking for service hour projects? The parish is looking for young people (7th and 8th graders) who can help with proclaiming the Word of God (lectors) and ushering at the Mass specifically for the Youth Masses. The Youth Mass is offered every second Saturday of the month or 4th Sunday at 10:30 am from September-May. If interested please contact, Violeta at violetaj@stmp.org.
Box Top$ for Education
Parents help us raise fund for STMS when you shop. It’s as easy as registering on the BoxTop$ For Education app the scanning your receipts! Please call Mrs. Heather Anderson in the school office if you have any questions (425) 743-4242.
Local Area Events
St. Brendan Dance
St. Brendan School will be hosting a middle school (6th, 7th and 8th grade) dance on Friday, April 26th from 6:30-9:00 PM in our school gym. The dress is casual. 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 Dance Flyer and Permission Slip
Archbishop Murphy High School Spring Clean Out Fundraiser
Archbishop Murphy Wildcat Middle School Rally & Dance
Save the date! AMHS will be hosting a school rally and dance for middle school students. See the flyer linked below for more information.
AMHS Middle School Rally Flyer
Hot Lunch
Hot lunch is back!! Please see the link to the printable monthly Hot Lunch form, or stop by the school office for a hard copy.
Please note: The deadline for all hot lunch payments is Thursday. We are not able to accept payments sent in on Friday morning.
Check back for the March Hot Lunch Form
We need volunteers! Please use the Sign Up Genius link below to earn volunteer hours by helping us with our hot lunch.
Patrol
Please see the link to the current Patrol schedule.
Scrip
REMINDER
Just about 1.5 weeks to fulfill your $700 Fundraising Commitment! Scrip, Direct Contribution, and NEW- the raffle ticket sales (20%) for the Intercultural Festival will count to your commitment. All Scrip and Raffle ticket sales bought by April 30th will be counted to this year. Sales from May 1st to April 30, 2025 will count towards next year’s commitment.
For this year, time to start thinking ahead – Get your scrip for upcoming Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Confirmation, Graduation, and end of the School Year gifts. Check out the Teacher’s Wish Lists when you see in-person sales.
NEW ON RAISE RIGHT!
You can now share your Raise Right account with friends and family have them help YOU reach your fundraising goals! We have only less than 5 weeks to reach your commitment of $700!
Just follow these steps:
1. Open up the Raise Right app (you might even have an auto pop up window to send invites)
2. Click on Account at the bottom right of the screen
3. Click on Settings at the top right of the screen
4. Click on the 4th tab down to Invite Friends & Family
5. Choose either email or text to share with Friends and Family. The link shared will be connected to YOUR account. (Not payment, just that what they purchase will go to YOU!
Lastly as always….WE NEED YOU! We are looking to add more members to our Selling Team for next year and onward!
Volunteers Needed!
We need your help! Please see our SPRING Sign Up Genius to see where you can help: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4AA5AB2AA1F5C70-48598345-spring
We also need people to learn how to sell Scrip to be on a sub list and we are looking for core sales people for next school year!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is where and when you can buy Scrip:
✨️In the timed parking lot-Wednesdays 8am-9am and Fridays 2:45pm-3:15pm
✨️In the Breezeway-Sundays (every other; 11/26, 12/10) 9:30am-10:30am
✨️Anytime, via the Raise Right app.
Questions, Comments, Concerns? Contact Your Scrip Admin Team: -Gemma Ardiente (ordering & inventory) gemma_ardiente@comcast.net – Rachel Rogers (bookkeeping) rrodgers517@gmail.com -Therese Sarr (volunteer selling coordinator) sarrtherese206@gmail.com -Nick Golla (communications) nngolla@gmail.com
CYO
Sign up NOW!!
Spring CYO Track and Field
https://www.teamsideline.com/sites/seattlecyo/current-programs
Practices Tuesdays and Thursdays 5-6:30.
Cheer on our CYO Girls Volleyball for their final games!
First playoff game for our 7th and 8th grade girls- April 20th, 2pm @ St John’s Parish! Good luck!
Last regular game for our 5th Grade Girls- April 21st at 2:15 at St Lukes. Good luck!
Contact Laurel Pehanich or Mr. G if you have any questions (or want to help volunteer)!
STMS Referral Program
Would you like to get a month’s tuition for free? When you refer a family and they enroll their child(ren) at STMS grade K-8, once that family completes their first year with us, both the new family and the referring family will receive the equivalent of one month’s tuition (single-child tuition).
Who could you refer to STMS?
Please contact the school office with any questions, (425) 743-4242.
STMS Spirit Wear
Don’t forget to order your STMS Spirit Wear. Use the link below.
Please note: Only clothing available in the Uniform Code Approved section are to be worn at school.
For questions on ordering, please contact Eric Miller, ericmiller22@gmail.com.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
Requirements for Parent Volunteers
Parents who wish to volunteer will need to be current on their Virtus Training, Protecting God’s Children and complete the Volunteer Handbook acknowledgement form.
For information on how to create your profile and register for a class, please contact Heather Anderson at heather.anderson@stms.org or (425) 743-4242 for instructions. Training and background checks are good for 3 years. If you need to renew your status, you can do so online at Virtusonline.org.
Archdiocese of Seattle – Safe Environment
Volunteer hours
The St. Thomas More Parish School Volunteer hours are due May 31, 2024! Per our school contract, families are to contribute 40 of volunteer time. If you have not completed your volunteer hours you will be billed on June1, 2024, $30 for any hours not served.
There is still time to do your volunteer hours! Volunteer opportunities yet to come: Intercultural Festival/ Family Auctions, Scrip, helping around the school, parent club meetings, school commission meetings, and more—watch for sign-up ideas in the newsletter!
Directions to log hours:
- Log into Family Portal (District Code: St-Wa)
- Click on Family on the left-hand menu
- Find Service Hours on the right side and click “+ Add”
- Fill out the hours and click “save”
- Hours will show up on the family page under Service Hours. You can add more throughout the year.
If you would like me to send more detailed instructions for logging in your volunteer hours, please contact Heather Anderson at heather.anderson@stms.org or (425) 743-4242
COVID, Flu and RSV
As we head into the cold and flu season, I would like to send out a general reminder about health and safety guidelines. We have a host of illnesses circulating, including strep throat, continuing COVID cases, and at least one reported case of RSV.
Recommendations of the Snohomish Health District as we navigate the cold and flu season include ensuring that if students have active symptoms from any respiratory infections and/or have a fever, they should not come to school. Students who have had a fever must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication before returning to school. In addition, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teaching children to cover their coughs and sneezes using their elbow or a tissue, and to always wash their hands afterwards.
Also, as we have had a recent case of RSV, I am including a resource provided by the Snohomish Health Department on signs of RSV, in addition to general guidelines and benefits of vaccinations for flu, COVID and RSV.
*If you have any questions regarding STMS guidelines, please contact the school office at (425) 743-4242. Please note that although STMS guidelines are based on the Washington State Department of Health and the Snohomish County Health District, we reserve the right to add extra precautions.
