THURSDAY PARENT NEWSLETTER 10.08.26

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32

In this newsletter you can read about Bright Futures Annual Fund, Volleyball open gyms, sign-ups for playground angels, Holy Hoops, XC news, Youth Group Blast, School Mass schedule, baby arrivals, traffic loop reminders, Peacemaker virtue, saint question, PTC General Meeting, Staffing Update, Whatcom Pregnancy Dinner event, “Adore” movie in theaters, Skobels uniform update, and much more!

Thank you for reading!  And thank you Fr. Moore for blessing our pets.  Mrs. Brooke and the 4th grade did a wonderful prayer service for us. 

No School Friday October 9^th: Teacher Retreat Day

Countdown to HOLY HOOPS!

The teams are ready. The excitement is building. It’s almost game time! Get ready for a gym full of cheers, team spirit, and unforgettable moments as we celebrate the 11th year of Holy Hoops!  A huge THANK-YOU to our amazing sponsors! Your generosity keeps this beloved Assumption tradition free for our students. From the first tip-off to the final celebration, you help make it all happen!

• Chuckanut Financial Services
• Whitelaw Plumbing LLC
• Financial Plan
• Petz Real Estate
• Kloke Financial Services
• Freeland & Associates
• Viking Catholic
• KingWorks Consulting Engineers
• Kerstiens Family
• Lane Family
• Amy and C.J. Bernard
• The Vincents
• Mark W Sheafor, DPM PS INC
• The LeTelliers
• Kelli Walterskirchen-Windermere Real Estate Whatcom
• Kirk Dechert Farmers Insurance Agency
• Veldman Family
• The Last Dance Class of 2027
• Shoff Orthodontics
• Precision Physical Therapy
• 1 Stop Interiors
• Inproheat Industries, Ltd.
• McClary Swift and Co.,

Thank you for supporting our students, our school, and a week full of teamwork and school spirit. We couldn’t do it without you!

We’ll kick off the excitement Monday, October 12, at 8:10 AM with our Parade of Saints! Come see the teams and help us start the week with a big school cheer! Team shirts will be distributed Monday morning before school, and team pictures will take place that day.

Then it’s time to hit the court! Our first day of tournament play is Tuesday, October 13, beginning at 3:15 PM with prayer and the National Anthem sung by one of our seventh graders. Join us for this special opening as we start four exciting days of Holy Hoops!

Let the Games Begin!

Teams and brackets are attached! Each team is guaranteed at least three games and will play through Thursday. The schedule is subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates—and get ready to cheer!

Don’t Miss a Moment!

• Thursday, October 8, at 5:30 PM: Coaches’ meeting in the gym room.
• Monday, October 12, at 8:10 AM: Parade of Saints, assembly, and team pictures. Let’s hear that team spirit!
• Tuesday, October 13, at 3:15 PM: Opening prayer, the National Anthem sung by one of our seventh graders, and tournament tip-off!
• Wednesday, October 14, at 2:15 PM: Free throw, three-point, lightning, and knockout/dribbling contests. Come cheer on our players!
• Thursday, October 15, at 3:15 PM: Teacher vs. Alumni Game! Will the teachers school the alumni, or will the alumni steal the show? Cheer on your favorite teachers, coaches, staff, and alumni as they battle for bragging rights!
• Friday, October 16: Championship games, awards, pizza, and cake—a grand finale worth cheering for!

Parents: We Need You in the Stands!

Bring your cheering voices and help make our gym a welcoming place for every player! A great pass, a brave shot, and a helping hand all deserve applause. Come connect with other families and celebrate our students!

Holy Hoops is not a drop-off event. Beginning at 3:15 PM, parents are responsible for their children’s supervision, including between games. We do not have volunteers available to watch or monitor students. Please arrange supervision with another parent, a family friend, or EDP. Students should stay with their supervising adult when they are not playing.

Join Our Volunteer Team!

No jump shot required! We still have volunteer shifts to fill, and your help keeps the fun rolling. Please take a look and grab a spot as soon as possible!

Sign Up for the Holy Hoops Volunteer Crew

Friday: Championships, Cheers, and Cake!

After Friday’s championship games, we’ll wrap up the week with awards, pizza, and cake! Join us as we celebrate our players, coaches, and volunteers—and all the teamwork that makes Holy Hoops special.

Everyone is welcome! Families must RSVP for the pizza celebration. Tickets will go home in the Wednesday envelope, with more pizza-night details coming soon.

Save Your Slice—RSVP Here!

Grab a Snack. Support Our Eighth Graders!

Visit the concession stand between games! Our eighth graders will be selling refreshments to raise money for their Washington, DC trip. Every purchase brings them one step closer to their adventure!

Let’s fill the stands, cheer for every team, and make this a week our students will remember!

See you courtside!

Calling Playground Angels!

Throughout the year, we have an ongoing need to keep these safety positions filled.

             October!       November!

STAFFING UPDATE!

We are excited to announce that we have hired Loriza Rombaoa to be a playground supervisor for lunch recesses Tuesdays through Fridays.  She has experience volunteering and also working in our Extended Day Program. She will be with us as long as class time permits while she attends college.  Thank you so much for helping our school.  Let’s all give her a warm welcome if you see her on the playground.

Also, if any parents want to help with us by substituting in a classroom that is easy enough. Just call or email and talk with Mr. Ramos. 

We do need some extra help when several teachers are out at once and subs are hard to find if they are sick or busy too.

PTC MEETING: OCTOBER 21st!

Eagle XC

The Eagles XC team is flying through their season!

Come out to support our team in one of their remaining meets of the season.

All beginning at 4:15pm:

10/9- Lakewood High School, Arlington

10/14- Lynden Christian

🎉 AFTER-SCHOOL EXTENSION CAMPS ARE BACK! 🎉

PTC is excited to partner with Mrs. Williams to bring back our After-School Extension Camps for elementary-aged students! Our goal is to give students the opportunity to explore a variety of fun, engaging experiences beyond the school day.

• Camps will typically take place the first week of each month, unless otherwise specified, from 3:15–4:15 p.m., Monday–Friday (including Wednesdays).
• Since there is no school on the 9th, our camp will be Monday through Thursday for the month of October. Also, there will be a minimal fee for each camp, with scholarships available. We want every student who is interested to have the opportunity to participate!
• Throughout the year, we hope to offer a variety of camps including sports & fitness, the arts, faith based activates, cooking and more! 
• Have an idea for a camp? Know a volunteer, coach, artist, or organization that would love to work with our students? We would love to hear from you! Please reach out to Mrs. Williams with your ideas and connections.

Your school pictures are ready! 

Use the link below to login to access your child’s school pictures!

https://shop.jostenspix.com/login

School Name:  Assumption Catholic School

School Code:  221126

Skobels Uniform Store: Logo Issue

Do not purchase any items like shirts, sweatshirts, or sweaters that need to have our logo embroidered on it.  It seems that they have sent clothing with a “patch” and not the embroidery we consulted and agreed upon with Skobels. We are in contact with the company and working on a way to fix the issue. This may be sending items back to get it corrected but the office will send out more information hopefully next week.  Thank you for your patience as we work on a solution.

Baby News and Recap of all the blessings

#1 Congratulations to the Gastauer family.  Baby Eleanor was born on Tuesday and is doing well. There is a meal train that you may help out with the link here: https://mealtrain.com/mwg206

#2 Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Eli Sherwood.  Their first little boy is doing well. His name is Cyprian.  Friends and family are welcome to help with a meal train. See link here.

#3 Congratulations to our new ACS family: Adelita in 3^rd grade has a new baby brother named Giovanni. This is baby number five. The family is doing well, and we wish them all the best. If you would like to help them, bring donations to the office. 

#4 Congratulations to the Merrow family on their 4^th little blessing.  Here is the meal train link for them if you would like to donate. https://mealtrain.com/mwqor3

#5 Congratulations to the Richmond family that welcomed the arrival of baby #5 (but the 4^th boy).  If you missed their meal train from September we still have spots open. https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/3nq288

St. Catherine of Genoa — “When you hold your baby, remember that you are holding a soul that is known and loved by God since before time began.” This quote reassures parents of their child’s divine protection.

Whatcom Catholic News

For news and mass times in Whatcom County: check out whatcomcatholic.org for info.

ACS Mass Schedule

Mass Friday: October 16^th 8:15am in the gym(dress uniform)

• Servers include Abril DV**, Sabreen Pilon**, Elodie Wolf**, and Giuliana Peralta
• **For servers to come at 7:45 for preparations

Mass Friday: October 23rd 8:15am in the gym(dress uniform)

• Servers include Baylen Richmond, Blake McGuire, Will Trosin and Koda Lane
• **For servers to come at 7:45 for preparations

Mass Friday: October 30th 8:15am in the gym

• Servers include Eva Molano**, Annalise Twining** and Madison Roberts
• **For servers to come at 7: 45 for preparations
• Students may dress as their favorite saint for the procession of mass and for the day. All other students are required to wear dress uniform.

Virtue for October- Friendship

In our school-wide program called “Virtues in Practice” we will be talking all month long about friendship. Here is how friendship is defined: Friendship is sharing a mutual love that seeks the good of the other. This is very close to how we define Love in our faith- willing the good of the other. However, we can see in this definition, the relationship is identified as reciprocal. The “good’ mutually offered to each other is not just in material form, but also in relational harmony and spiritual support (CCC 1939-1942). We are a good friend when we seek to diffuse tensions, serve each other where we can, and encourage deeper communion with God. This is also called solidarity. 

In Sirach 6:14-17 we read:

“Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter;

whoever finds one finds a treasure.

Faithful friends are beyond price,

no amount can balance their worth.

Faithful friends are life-saving medicine;

those who fear God will find them.

Those who fear the Lord enjoy stable friendship,

for as they are, so will their neighbors be.”

Whatcom Catholic Middle School BLAST — Race to Midnight!

Get ready for a fun Halloween night with Whatcom Catholic Middle School BLAST!

• Saturday, October 31
• Church of the Assumption Gym
• Grades 6–8
• Check-in: 6:30–8:00 PM
• Pickup: Midnight
• Cost: $10

Youth can finish Trunk-or-Treat with their families before checking in for Race to Midnight. Once checked in, youth will remain with the BLAST group for the evening.The evening will include pizza, snacks, laser tag, games, a movie, a faith activity, and a costume contest! Costumes should be fun and appropriate for a Catholic youth event. Saint costumes are always encouraged — and who knows, they might even earn a few extra points!

RSVP:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094BA5A928A5F5CF8-66507812-middle

Please RSVP so we know how many youth will be attending and can purchase enough food for everyone.A new annual permission form is required for this school year. If your child has already completed the annual permission form, you do not need to complete another form specifically for this event. The annual form will cover BLAST and other Whatcom Catholic Youth Ministry activities taking place on our campuses throughout the school year.If you have not yet completed the annual permission form, please complete it here:

https://archseattle.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/8657/responses/new

English and Spanish paper copies will also be available at the door.Parents who would like to help with the event are very welcome! It can be a great way to be part of the evening while your middle schooler is here. If you’re interested in helping, please contact Daniel at daniel@assumption.org. We look forward to a great night together!

New Question of the week: This Saint was an active theologian in the Anglican church before his conversion to Catholicism in 1845 and his ordination as a Catholic priest in 1847. He was a prolific writer throughout his life with 40 books and thousands of letters surviving today. During his life, he played a major role in the founding of the now University College Dublin serving as its first rector. He is recognized as an “absent Father of Vatican II” because of his works’ influence on the documents produced at the Council. He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2019 and today many ministry centers at public and private universities bear his name include the Catholic ministry at WWU here in Bellingham. 

Please put your answer/guess with your name in the jar by the office bulletin board.

Last Week’s Question/Answer: St. Therese of Lisieux and the winner with the correct answer is Baylen Richmond. Come down and spin the wheel.

Spirit Team Nominations have arrived!

Hello Families!  Thank you to all students and families who sent nominations for the Spirit Team. We had 24 middle school students nominated and many nominated multiple times by different peers. Teachers voted on students last week, and the top six students have invitations coming home in the Wednesday envelope. If there are still spots remaining by Monday, we have a few runners up who will be contacted. Next week we will announce the team so please stay tuned!

Whatcom Pregnancy Clinic Dinner

Link to Register

This annual Prolife fundraiser in Ferndale October 30 at the Ferndale Event Center. Please RSVP by October 19^th.  This event will help fund testing, baby classes, pregnancy support and many other things.  This clinic depends on all of us to support men and women in need who are struggling in life so that they do not choose abortion.  Many of our school parents support this organization and the Knights of Columbus from Bellingham and Ferndale are very involved. For more information and how to volunteer or donate just check out the website. (Whatcom Pregnancy Clinic is a faith-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.)

 ACS hosts 4 more Sundays throughout the year. 

Thank you!

November 1st – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CA4A728A1F5C70-65628264-coffee

January 31st- https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CA4A728A1F5C70-65628275-coffee

April 11th- https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CA4A728A1F5C70-65781107-coffee

May 2nd – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4CA4A728A1F5C70-65781249-coffee

If you need a reason to go to adoration, this movie is for you!

• October 9^th – NO SCHOOL (Teacher/Staff Retreat)
• October 13-16 HOLY HOOPS All Week
• October 19^th – Pizza Lunch
• October 21^st– PTC General Meeting 6:30pm in the Gym
• October 22^nd Retakes and Classroom Photos today only
• October 28^th– Black and Orange Day-Pumpkin Carving Contest
• October 31^st– Halloween with Trunk or Treat on ACS campus  6:15pm
• November 2nd– Pizza Lunch
• November 11^th – No School
• November 19^th– Grandparents Celebration Day
• November 23/24^th – Teacher Conferences