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As you may know, the parish family hour on Wednesday nights is currently studying and
discussing the book, These Beautiful Bones (Emily Stimpson). Likewise, this has been the focus of our faculty book study most recently. We’ve been enjoying the book’s readability and comedic overtone that offers a synopsis on St. John Paul II’s, Theology of the Body (TOB). Often TOB is misinterpreted as simply being a masterpiece on the theology of sex. On the contrary, TOB offers a Catholic perspective on the true connection between body and soul in practical, everyday life. I’ve included some reviews in hope of sparking your interest in Stimpson’s work: “This is an accessible, practical, and winsome reflection on the implications of John Paul II's "theology of the body" for daily life. Brimming with wisdom, it is an invitation to a sacramental way of life.” “I love the premise of incorporating a body + soul unity in every aspect of our lives. She (Stimpson) makes so many great points about ordering our lives toward what matters, moving and living in our bodies (not just going from cubicle to couch), avoiding the pitfalls of the age of distraction, and so much more.” “I appreciated that her focus was less on the sexual aspect of the great Saint’s work and instead she emphasized what it means for our daily life: how we work, how we eat, how we dress, and how we pray.” I would highly encourage parents to attend the Wednesday night talks guided by Fr. Lappe and Deacon Jim, as their own perspectives immensely add to the topic. If you cannot attend the Wednesday night talks and would like to receive a free copy of the book, please email me. I believe you will find “These Beautiful Bones” to be quite entertaining and food for thought. Finally, in partnering with parents, our staff seeks to impart to children the proper way of viewing and using the body which has been gifted to each of us. WITNESS OF THE WEEK Sean D, in 7th grade, was nominated by a staff member for demonstrating the virtues of gratitude and courtesy. At a recent altar boy luncheon, Sean went out of his way to assist in cleaning up, and then shared deep appreciation for the event by thanking all those involved. Thank you, Sean, for your actions which led others to follow your example. CATHOLIC LIBERAL EDUCATION IN ACTION In Sister Mariana’s Kindergarten classroom, students are frequently presented with well-selected literature to facilitate great discussions. Ultimately, students are encouraged to identify virtuous and non-virtuous behaviors of characters. This is a common goal within our classical curriculum whether it be in a religion, literature or history course starting with the youngest of students. “How Full is Your Bucket?” and “The Selfish Giant” were just two stories in which students were asked to make the connection to virtue and to following Jesus. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS ● First Friday Family Formation Night featuring Sr. Jane Dominic O.P. (Nashville Dominicans of St. Cecilia)- No potluck (see attached flyer for more details) ● Enrollment is still available for current students (see attached letter) ● 6th and 7th grade NET Retreat will be taking place April 7th, on the OLSOS Campus (Gym and Center Rooms) -Students will start with Mass @ 7:30 ● Please encourage friends and family to attend the SCOPE Auction as this is our biggest fundraiser out of only two ● If seeking volunteer hours by providing childcare during the SCOPE Auction, please sign up on the link provided: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CAEAE2FA7FECF8-childcare ● For the SCOPE Auction, please be sure to donate to the Wall of Wine, Procure an Item and sell Raffle Tickets - all items can be turned in to the office ● Don’t forget the Uganda fundraiser and order a Rice and Bean Bowl for $2 on Wednesdays as we pursue sacrifice and almsgiving this Lent UPCOMING DATES ● Monday, March 28th- NO SCHOOL- a mental/spiritual health day for teachers and staff ● Wed., March 30th- Confessions @4:30/Mass @ 6:00 ● Wed., March 30th- Soup Supper @ 6:30/Parish Family Hour @ 7:00 ● Fri., April 1st- Stations of the Cross @ 5:30 ● Fri., April 1st- KC Fish Fry @ 6:00 pm with pizza provided for children in gym ● Fri., April 1st- First Friday Family Formation Night @ 6:30 ● Mon., April 4th- Auction Donation Items Due ● Thur., April 7th- 6th/7th NET Retreat starting with Mass @7:30 ● Thur., April 7th- Vianney Cenacle (praying for vocations to priesthood) @ 7:00 SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT Under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, the mission of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School is to support parents in their role as the primary educators of their children. Our classical training nourishes the students’ natural sense of wonder and guides them to know and love what is genuinely good, true, and beautiful. Faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, we form our students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ and joyful witnesses to the Gospel. This past Thursday and Friday, our faculty participated in two full days of professional
development guided by the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. With sincere gratitude to Dr. Merrill Roberts, who led our instruction, I am confident (on behalf of my staff) in stating that our time was well spent focusing on in-class practices that best serve your children. The training focused heavily on the benefits of teaching mimetically. Mimetic instruction guides students through the natural process of imitating an idea. We are mimetic creatures who learn by imitation. As an example, a good baseball coach teaches batting stance by modeling one to the player. Likewise, instead of talking about art, students should be given the opportunity to contemplate beautiful works and produce their own imitations. The same occurs within literature, science, and all disciplines. Additionally, the training emphasized preserving wonder, encouraging active inquiry, and fostering students' ability to discover truths versus just being fed facts. Dr. Roberts presently serves as science chair and middle school teacher at St. Jerome’s Academy in Maryland and also travels around the country assisting schools in adopting the Catholic liberal education philosophy. OLSOS emulates St. Jerome’s classical model due to its proven success over the last eleven years. LIVING THE LITURGICAL YEAR “Living the liturgical year” simply means celebrating those special days and feasts on our Church calendar. The month of March is full of liturgical feasts with two of the most well known being St. Patrick and St. Joseph’s Day. However, March 25th presents to us the wonderful Solemnity of the Annunciation in which the Archangel Gabriel announces the incarnation of Our Lord. This is often depicted in famous pieces of art. Hence, our giveaway this month for reading the newsletter is a 1000 piece puzzle of this representation. Please email the latin word, “ANNUNTIATIO” to enter our raffle. If unsure how to pronounce, ask your child this coming week. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS ● As of March 12th, Washington State’s mask mandate will expire. Students and staff will no longer be required to wear masks in the school building ● Every Wednesday during Lent, a Rice & Bean Bowl will be available for $2 to help support our Sister Parish in Uganda. This is a great opportunity to have your students practice fasting with a simple meal and almsgiving (see attached flyer) ● Enrollment for current students is still open and New Family Enrollment starts Monday ○ If you will not be returning to Star, please email tpowell@starofthesea.net. ○ If you did not receive an email with instructions, please email Kara at kgeske@starofthesea.net ● SCOPE Trivia Date Night tickets are ON SALE NOW! Tickets are $30 per couple or $20/single ticket. ○ OLSOS staff will provide car-side service at drop off, or pickup, to families interested in purchasing tickets. Email your order to tpowell@starofthesea.net to ensure your tickets are ready. Childcare will be available for this event. Please contact the parish office to sign up. Additionally, the class with the highest participation will be rewarded with a trip to Quarters Arcade! ● 6th and 7th grade NET Retreat will be taking place April 7th, on the OLSOS Campus (Gym and Center Rooms) ● Parish Lenten Mission on March 21 -23 with Fr. Wolfgang Seitz, ORC with a 7 PM conference each night (confessions at 5 PM and 8 PM each evening). ● If you are in need of Childcare for the May 6th SCOPE Auction sign up using the link provided https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CAEAE2FA7FECF8-childcare ● Please be sure to donate to the Wall of Wine for the SCOPE Auction and turn in a Procurement Items (see attached flyer) UPCOMING DATES ● Mon., March 14th- New Family Registration ● Thurs., March 17th- St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser - Wear Green to support SCOPE - $1 (see attached flyer) ● Fri., March 18th- Stations of the Cross @ 5:30 followed by KC Fish Fry ● Sat., March 19th- Feast of St. Joseph and Trivia Date Night @ 6:30-9:00 in Camerman (see attached flyer) ● Mon., March 21- Report cards sent home ● Mon., March 21-23- Parish Lenten Mission ● Fri., March 25- Solemnity of the Annunciation ● Monday, March 28th- NO SCHOOL- a mental and spiritual health day for teachers and staff ● Fri., April 1st -First Friday Family Formation Night featuring Sr. Jane Dominic’s SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT Under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, the mission of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School is to support parents in their role as the primary educators of their children. Our classical training nourishes the students’ natural sense of wonder and guides them to know and love what is genuinely good, true, and beautiful. Faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, we form our students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ and joyful witnesses to the Gospel. Last week, I sent an email regarding the passing of our former bus driver and lunchroom
monitor, David Bauld. Now, I feel it is only fitting that I share the immense impact David had on our students during his time at Star. He spent much of his workday genuinely dedicated toward the formation of our students. His intentional interaction with students (and even staff) left each knowing that he deeply cared for them and their relationship with the Lord. We are grateful for the Bauld family for sharing this incredible man with us. As we near First Communion, Easter, high school graduations, and even summer weddings, I would like to encourage parents to utilize the School Religious Gift Store when looking for special gifts. Mr. and Mrs. Shurtz (Star parents) have recently ordered a variety of items for the liturgical seasons and life’s special events. The Religious Gift Store enables you to view products in person versus ordering online. Cards and gift bags are also available making your shopping experience just a bit easier. Furthermore, the goal of the gift store is not to make money, but rather the store offers a means for both school and parish families to evangelize through purchasing religious items. The store is located in Camerman Hall and is open each Sunday after the 8 and 11 am Masses. CATHOLIC LIBERAL EDUCATION IN ACTION In Mr. Gill's 5th, 6th, & 8th grade math classes, students are given the wonderful opportunity for one-on-one instruction once a week. Not only does Mr. Gill present the varying Math disciplines with great enthusiasm, but he’s helping students to discover their individual gifts for mathematics. So often students reference math stating “it’s irrelevant to real life, so why learn” or “I’m just not good at math.” Mr. Gill is changing the mindset of many students by encouraging them to discover the truths about mathematical concepts and it’s true application in life rather than just presenting a process to follow. This teaching method has proven to be an effective way to facilitate student learning. WITNESSES OF THE WEEK Benjamin R was nominated for demonstrating cheerfulness upon arrival at school this week. Although “Temperance” is the virtue focused on this month, Benjamin’s effort to start the day off with intentional positivity was a great example to his peers. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS ● Funeral for David Bauld is scheduled for Friday, March 11th at 11:00 ● This week Governor Inslee announced that on March 12th, Washington State’s mask mandate will expire. Students and staff will no longer be required to wear masks in the school building. ● Every Wednesday during Lent, a Rice & Bean Bowl will be available for $2 to help support our Sister Parish in Uganda. This is a great opportunity to have your students practice fasting with a simple meal and almsgiving (see attached flyer) ● Enrollment for current students is now open. ○ If you did not receive an email with instructions, please email Kara at kgeske@starofthesea.net ○ If you will not be returning to Star, please email tpowell@starofthesea.net. ● SCOPE Trivia Date Night tickets are ON SALE NOW! Tickets are $30 per couple or $20/single ticket. Next week, OLSOS staff will provide car-side service at drop off, or pickup, to families interested in purchasing tickets. Email your order to tpowell@starofthesea.net and I will ensure your tickets are ready. Childcare will be available for this event. Please contact the parish office to sign up. Additionally, the class with the highest participation will be rewarded with a trip to Quarters Arcade! ● 6th and 7th grade NET Retreat will be taking place April 7th, on the OLSOS Campus (Gym and Center Rooms) UPCOMING DATES ● Thurs., March 10 & 11th- NO SCHOOL- Staff In-Service ● Fri., March 11th- Funeral for David Bauld @11am ● Fri., March 11th- Stations of the Cross @ 5:30 followed by Fish Fry in Camerman Hall ● Monday, March 28th- NO SCHOOL- Archdiocese granted teachers a wellness day off ● Fri., April 1st -First Friday Family Formation Night featuring St. Jane Dominic’s presentation on good literature at 6:00 pm, following Stations at 5:30. Childcare and pizza will be provided in the school gym. SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT Under the patronage of our Blessed Mother, the mission of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic School is to support parents in their role as the primary educators of their children. Our classical training nourishes the students’ natural sense of wonder and guides them to know and love what is genuinely good, true, and beautiful. Faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, we form our students to be virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ and joyful witnesses to the Gospel. |
AuthorSchool Principal, Mrs. Tina Powell Archives
July 2022
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