The Phoenix Flyer: St. Thomas More School Newsletter
June 3-7, 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,
Last week we had glorious weather for our Jog-A-Thon – hallelujah! If you here last year, you no doubt remember the torrential down pour that dampened the spirits of all the adults (except Mr. Feeney), but surprisingly none of the children. We were all grateful this year that the weather cooperated and our students had such fun! I especially loved it when our PreK students ran a lap and the 8th graders were there to cheer them on as they came across the finish line.
This week is bittersweet as we say goodbye to our 8th graders. Today we will celebrate them at dismissal with an all-school “clap out.” We are so proud of our 8th grade students – they are an exceptional group and have done an admirable job of serving as leaders for our younger students. We will miss them and wish them success as they continue on to achieve their future goals and dreams.
In Christ,
Elizabeth Glaze
Dates to Remember
6/6 Preschool 3 Last Day
6/6 8th Grade Graduation. 7pm
6/7 PreK 4 Last Day
6/7 Last Day for Uniforms
6/10 Uniform Exchange, drop off until 12:30
6/12 “Scrub Day” and Knights of Columbus BBQ
6/13 Field Day – students wear Faith Family colors
6/14 Moving Up Ceremony (wear your Sunday best); Last Day of School, Noon Dismissal
Uniform Exchange
The STMS Uniform Exchange will be Wednesday, June 10, starting at drop-off until 12:30. Come by the breezeway outside the office and drop off any uniform items your students have outgrown, and exchange for other uniform items. We will have another Uniform Exchange the week before school starts in August.
Margot McLaughlin, STMS Development Director
Jog-A-Thon
Our Jog-A-Thon was a huge success accompanied by fabulous weather! We captured the fun moments with some great photos.
PreK Field Trip to the Aquarium
Last week our PreK/ Preschool students went to the Seattle Aquarium. They had so much fun!
2024-25 Student Council Election Results
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?
2024-25 Calendar Highlights
The 2024-25 Yearly List of Events has been added to the Calendar Page of the Website.
Click the link below.
St. Thomas More Parish Events
Vacation Bible School, August 5-9, 2024. See the flyer below for information on how to register.
STM Vacation Bible School Flyer
Parent Club
To our dearest 8th Grade Class of 2024,
Congratulations to our 8th Grade Graduating Class of 2024! We can hardly believe that as a class, these 9 to 10 years have gone by so quickly. Some of us had started here in Preschool or Kindergarten. In a blink of an eye, you have all grown up to be strong, bright, and accomplished young men and women! We are so proud of you all and your achievements, and the impact you have made in our school community!
Thank you for being big sisters and big brothers to the younger grades and your leadership! Thank you for leading by example of what true “Ohana” family means here in St. Thomas More and for being there for each other.
As you close this chapter of your life, don’t look back with any regret, but look back with joy, gratitude, and hope! Joy – for all the faith foundation, the love and friendships and extended family that you have built here.
Gratitude for all the knowledge and wisdom that you have gained from all your teachers, your peers, and parents. All the ups and downs, the tears and laughter, the challenges you have overcome – all these are your collective experiences that have shaped you into who you are today. And with Hope and Promise that you can step boldly into who you will become as young men and women starting a new chapter and discovering your dreams and creating your own path! You are already remarkable!
We will miss your smiling faces, your greetings in the mornings, the high 5’s and cool handshakes, and most of all your presence! As you embark on this new journey, don’t forget that you always have a family here at St. Thomas More and remember how much you are loved and will never be forgotten!
Wishing you all the success in High School and all your future endeavors!
And to all the 8th Grade Families leaving, thank you for all your many years of service to STM and for becoming second moms and dads, aunties and uncles to our kids! We will always cherish the bonds, the friendships, and memories we have all made together. We will miss you all! STM will always be here to welcome you back anytime! We love you and will miss your presence.
With Love and Gratitude,
Parents Club
Coffee & Donuts
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!
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
Fundraiser CAR WASH during Sunday masses on June 9th
Come support BSA troop 304. Just park your car in the designated area while you are at mass and come back to a clean car!
Half of our troop are students or alumni from STMS, and meet here at STM every Monday evening
Donations support troop activities and summer camp!
Hope to see you there!
Meadowdale Youth Basketball Camp
The Edmonds School District is hosing a 3-day basketball camp from July 8-10 at Meadowdale High School. Please see the flyer linked below for information on how to register for this event, open to students in incoming (2024-25) grades K-9.
Meadowdale Youth Basketball Camp
O’Dea High School Summer Camps
O’Dea High School has a variety of academic and enrichment camps for boys and girls this summer. Please click on the link below for more information or contact: Monter Kohler at odad@odea.org (Athletic camp information) or Lucas Dobbs at Ldobbs@odea.org (Academic camp information).
Summer Camps at O’Dea High School
Mountlake Terrace High School STEM and Journalism Summer Camp
Mountlake Terrace High School’s STEM & Hawkeye Journalism Staff & our MTHS student leadership is sponsoring “STEM & Journalism Summer Camp 2024.”
Dates: August 20, 21 & 22
Times: Session 1: 9am-NoonSession 2: 1pm- 4pm Combo Session: 9am-4pm
Registration: See link to flyer below
There is a QR code on the flyer for sign-up & payment
MTHS STEM & Journalism Flyer and Registration
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
Thank you all for a great year of Scrip! We were able to raise about and maybe over $15,000 for our school! Congrats to you all!
There are only 2 more in person days to buy Scrip – Friday, June 7th at pick up and Wednesday, June 12th at drop off. Stop by and see us for your end of the year teachers gifts, Father’s Day gifts, other school’s grad gifts, etc! Again, we are now fundraising for our 2024-’25 school year. Our Scrip Team will continue to be selling every other Sunday throughout the Summer.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
We want to take the opportunity to thank Carrie Verge for her 12 years of volunteer service to the Scrip Program. She started when her daughter, Emerson (STM Alum,c/o ’21)was in kindergarten and was wondering how to fulfill her 40 volunteer hours. Here we are 12 years later, and she’s been there for us every Wednesday morning. Thank you, Carrie, for all you do for the Scrip Program especially piloting our new, lean and effective way of organizing all the cards and our supplies. We will miss you!
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!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Lastly as always….WE NEED YOU! We are looking to add more members to our Selling Team for next year and onward!
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!
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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
Time to get ready for fall CYO sports!
If you are interested in participating in soccer (K-8) or cross country (K-8), please let Mr. Gomula or Lan VoBa (l.p.voba@comcast.net) know! Registrations will be due towards the end of summer, so start thinking about if your child would like to participate. Go Phoenixes!
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
Per our school contract, families are to contribute 40 of volunteer time.
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.
