School Newsletter: August 20, 2019

Dear Our Lady Star of the Sea School Families and students,

Happy “End-of-Summer”….and almost time for school to begin for the 2019-20 school year! If your summer has been like mine, it has been very busy and has gone by far too quickly! It’s hard to believe that school starts in just a couple of weeks!

For those of you I have yet to meet, my name is Kevin Kealy, and I’m the new Principal at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School. I’m not really new to the school, I have taught here for many years, but I am new to administration. I am very excited about this year and look forward to working and learning with all of you!

Since the construction crews have completed their work on the remodel of the Center building and gym, we will begin our days in the gym every morning. The doors to the gym will open at 8:25. Please remember that we do not offer supervision until 8:25 a.m. prior to the start of the school day, unless your child is enrolled in Star Care.

Pick up at the end of the day will still be in the breezeway area for the younger students (grades K-3) and in front of the school for students in grades 4-8. Parking is available in the JP2 lot, the church lot, and on the street where there are no yellow lines on the curb or entrances to neighbors’ driveways. Our Safety Patrol will continue to offer escort service to those families who stay with their car in the yellow curbed area.

The first day of school for students in grades 1-8 is Wednesday, Sep. 4; classes will attend Mass at 9:00 a.m. with Fr. Lappe. He will then come over to school to bless all of our classrooms. I hope you can join us for Mass that morning!

Kindergarten orientation will occur on either Wed., Sep. 4, or Thur., Sep. 5, depending on which date you are assigned. On Wednesday, Sep. 4, and Thursday, Sep. 5, Kindergarteners will be in school for a half day each day, and the first full day of school for our Kindergarten students will be Monday, September 9, 2019. By the way, families of Preschoolers and Kindergartners are certainly welcome to join us for Mass on Wednesday, Sep. 4, to get the year off to a prayerful start!

Our school start time for the 2019-20 school year will be daily at 8:45 a.m. Supervision will be from 8:25-8:40; and the all-school morning assembly will begin at 8:45 a.m. School will still end at 3:20 p.m.

I would like to invite you to our Back to School Ice Cream Social on Thursday, August 29, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the breezeway between the school and gym. This is always a great gathering when you can catch up with other families, as well as sign up for your favorite volunteer opportunities! We will provide the ice cream, toppings, and whipped cream!

Please welcome our new PreK-8 families and their students – Corrigan, Corwin, Cruceta, Cruz, Cunningham, Davis, Froehlich, Happel, Hesse, Jeffcoat, Jimenez, Kluth, Le, Navarrodiaz, Newhard, Page, Paloma, Salomeo, and Tsegay families, and help them feel at home here at Star. New Parent Orientation for these families will be on Sunday, Sep. 25, at 12:30 p.m. in Center Rooms 1 and 2.

Bus service for students will begin on the first day of school, Sep. 4, 2019. Students riding the bus in the afternoons will meet at the front of the school upon dismissal to board the bus. All students must be picked up from school by 3:30 p.m. Students not picked up by then will be sent to Star Care.

We will continue to offer daily lunches provided by the Bremerton School District this year, beginning the week of Sept. 9. Until then, please send your child to school with a lunch, drink, and snack. Lunch prices (including milk) are $4.00 for grades K-5; $4.10 for grades 6-8; $.50 for milk only.

**If you are interested in applying for the Free/Reduced Lunch Program, please go to our website to access that application. This application must be completed each year, whether you are new to our school or a returning family.

Teachers will each handle snacks individually, but again, we are discouraging sweet, sugary snacks and lunches in favor of healthy alternatives. Sugary treats for birthdays or other special occasions are still not allowed. Students will continue to hear their birthday announced at morning assemblies, no matter when it occurs. Typically, students with birthdays that fall on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or a Monday holiday are announced the previous Thursday, and will be allowed to have Free Dress that Thursday or the following Monday. Summer birthdays are announced in late spring, and students will have Free Dress on a designated day.

Other important dates to make you aware of, prior to the beginning of school:

• New K-8 Parent Orientation -  12:30-1:30 p.m. - Sun., Aug. 25
• Back to School Ice Cream Social - 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. - Thurs., Aug. 29
• Labor Day Holiday weekend - No School - Mon., Sept. 2
• First Day of School (gr. 1-8) - 8:40 a.m. - Wed., Sep. 4
• First Day School Mass - 9:00 a.m. - Wed., Sep. 4
• Preschool Orientations - 10:00 a.m. - Sep. 4/ Sep. 5
• Cross-Country 1st Practice - 3:30-4:45 p.m. - Thur., Sep. 5
• First day for 4 yr. old preschoolers - Fri., Sept. 6
• Kinder Orientation Group 1 - 9:00-11:00 a.m. - Wed., Sep. 4
• Kinder Orientation Group 2 - 9:00-11:00 a.m. - Thur. Sep. 5
• All Kindergarten Half-day - 9:00-12:00 p.m. - Fri., Sep. 6
• First full day for Kindergarten - Mon., Sept. 9
• Purchase Band books/supplies - 3:20-6:00 p.m - Thurs. Aug. 30 

God bless,

Kevin Kealy, Principal
kkealy@starofthesea.net