In this week’s new you’ll find this year’s Scriptural theme for our school, an ongoing need for Playground Angels, a reminder to send your child with a water bottle each day, a resource for current COVID school guidance, another chance to register for EDP, treats for our summer readers, an invitation to school Mass this Friday, sacramental preparation registration information from the parish, a reminder to review this year’s Parent-Student Handbook, guidance for dropping off and picking up your children, best practice for sharing information with the office, PTC News including a return to the Harvest Festival and Spaghetti Dinner and a need for a few more Room Parents, and upcoming calendar events. Thanks for reading!
Scriptural theme for the year
“I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Calling Playground Angels!
We have an ongoing need to keep these safety positions filled. You get to earn volunteer hours and it’s a great way to see your child during the day while getting to know their friends. Thank you for your help in keeping recess fun and safe!
Water bottles
Please remember to send your child(ren) to school with a water bottle. We have two filtered fountains for chilled refills, but the spout for mouth drinking will remain disabled due to COVID protocol.
COVID guidance reminders
As shared in Mr. Anderson’s summer letter to families, the WA State Department of Health released their updated guidance on August 5. Not much has changed since May with regards to vaccination requirements for employees and volunteers, and there continues to be little required for masks and social distancing. You can find the new guidance here.
Some key points:
- Students showing any COVID-19 like symptoms at school will need to go to the “isolation” room and be picked up by a parent or guardian. He/she can be tested at school or at home, and can return to school when symptoms have improved, is fever-free for 24 hours, and has tested negative for COVID-19. Remember this is best practice for ALL illnesses. Please don’t send your child to school if they are sick with any kind of sickness so that we can keep everyone healthy.
- If a student tests positive for COVID-19, he/she will need to remain in isolation at home for 5 full days and wear a mask for Days 6-10 or remain at home through Day 10 (if a mask can’t be worn). Day 0 is considered the first day of the onset of symptoms.
- All employees and volunteers are still required to be vaccinated according to the new guidance, but the Archdiocese of Seattle has established that appropriate accommodations for both employees and volunteers are acceptable. The chosen accommodation for unvaccinated individuals would be regular, weekly testing before coming into the classroom or before driving on a field trip. Note: We don’t want to check or require vaccination cards from volunteers, so ALL volunteers who help in the school may be asked to test before coming in. (If you come regularly, this only needs to be done once per week or if symptoms develop.) Outdoor volunteers (i.e. Playground Angels) do not need to be vaccinated or test for COVID-19.
- Hand-washing stations and protocols for before/after recess and lunch will be the same this year. Students will eat in their classrooms with teacher supervision, but without restrictions for social distancing or talking while eating.
- Schools are required to provide free test kits for students, but we will also make them available for volunteers to take home or be tested here on site. These are provided by the Learn to Return program.
- Students won’t be required to wear masks unless there is an outbreak in a classroom or if a child has been exposed to a sibling or household member. Page six of the new guidance explains instances in which a child or group of children may need to temporarily wear a mask due to exposure.
- There is no social distancing requirement this year and classrooms will be set up as they typically had been before the pandemic.
Mrs. Dennis will once again manage COVID concerns this year. Due to an ever-growing number of demands for Mr. Anderson’s time, please send all your COVID-related questions and concerns her way (ddennis@assumption.school). She’s been working with the Whatcom County Dept. of Health for the past two years and is well-versed in their guidelines as well as school policies and testing requirements. If necessary, she will escalate issues to Mr. Anderson, but we want to preserve his time as best we can for duties only he can fulfil. Thank you for honoring this request.
NOTE: Mrs. Dennis works Monday-Wednesday. If you have a time-sensitive question please call the office to relay a message. Thank you!
EDP
We will begin offering our Extended Day Program (EDP) on Thursday, September 1st. If you need this service and have not yet filled out an EDP registration form, please do so as soon as possible. Feel free to email Miss McIntosh with questions: amcintosh@assumption.school.
Summer Reading forms
We’re so proud of our great Assumption readers! If your child(ren) met the summer reading requirement for their grade level, please fill out and return the confirmation form on the back page of the “Summer Reading List K-8″, shown here. If you don’t have your copy handy, extra forms can be found here.
Students who return their completed forms will receive a celebratory treat at lunchtime on Friday, September 9th!
School Mass this Friday
This Friday, Sept. 2nd, our teachers and staff will be leading Mass. All grades should wear dress uniforms and parents are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Registration for Sacraments
Registration for First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion and Confirmation Prep at Assumption Parish
Sunday, Sept. 11, 11:15 a.m. in the Gym.
Any Assumption Catholic School student in grades 2-6 who is baptized Catholic and is an Assumption parishioner may register for first reconciliation & first holy communion prep, which will take place monthly (with a parent) on Sunday mornings.
In addition, any 7th or 8th grader fitting that criteria may prepare for first reconciliation and first holy communion through the confirmation prep classes that will be held on Sunday afternoons on campus. Please contact one of the following parish staff members with your questions:
Claudia Maeda – Registrar; claudia@assumption.org
Gina DePalma – K-5 Faith Formation, First Reconciliation & First Holy Communion; ginad@assumption.org
April Jordan-Hulsey – 6th-12th Faith Formation & Confirmation; aprilj@assumption.org
Parent-Student Handbook for 2022-2023
Please review this year’s copy of the Parent-Student Handbook on the school’s webpage and sign the paper form that will be included in next week’s Wednesday Envelope. Please return your completed form to the office via your family envelope by Friday, September 9th.
Drop off/Pick up procedures
This year, students will be dismissed at 3 pm, but we will stagger the pick-up so that K-4 parents should pick up at 3:05 pm and 5-8 parents at 3:10 pm. Preschool parents can pick up at 3 pm. If you arrive before 3 pm, please pull in and park until the gate opens at 3:05 pm. If your child is not at his/her sign, please pull around the loop (you don’t need to go all the way out of the parking lot).
Remember that traffic is always one way in the morning and the afternoon. Please enter by the Virginia St. side and exit on the Kentucky St. side (by Bellingham High School).
Students in grade four and above can have permission to walk or bike home. Children in grades three and below must walk with a parent or older sibling. Students who are biking or walking should exit through the Cornwall gate only. We need consent on this form if you give your child permission to walk or bike home. Please complete this by Friday, September 2nd.
Office communication
As you know, we now offer two Mrs. Kings to meet your needs in the office! We are welcoming Mrs. Michele King into the Office Assistant position this year. She is a great addition to the role and has been a member of our school and church community for many years! To best serve our school families and ensure no communication slips through the cracks, please use the following guide for emailing:
Attendance, including absences, tardies, and planned appointments: please email attendance@assumption.school. This ensures all office staff get your message regardless of scheduling.
All other communication (questions, concerns, messages to children or teachers)- please do your best to email us according to areas of responsibility:
Tuition and school account issues and records: Mrs. Angie King, aking@assumption.school
Everything else: Mrs. Michele King, mking@assumption.school
Alternatively, you may always call the school and anyone in the office will be happy to help you. Thank you for helping us best serve you!
PTC News
Check today’s physical envelope for information on the return of our beloved Harvest Festival and Spaghetti Dinner! After a two-year absence that the PTC filled with their brilliant Take & Bake meals, we’re thrilled to welcome back this in-person event! Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 17th ; it’s a super fun time for all ages!
Room Parents Needed
We have a few classes (and their teachers) that still need the care of a Room Parent! Please check the link and consider joining this critical team if you can! Assumption PTC: Room Parents 2022-2023 (signupgenius.com)
Upcoming calendar items:
Sept 1st– First day of preschool; EDP begins
Sept 2nd– First day of PreK
Sept 5th– NO SCHOOL, Labor Day
Sept 14th– Curriculum Night, 6 pm in the gym
Sept 17th– PTC Harvest Festival 3-6 pm; Spaghetti Dinner with seatings at 5:30 & 6:30 pm
Sept. 21st– Early Release at 11:45, casual uniform (ACS t-shirt and jeans or shorts)
Sept 27th– Individual Picture Day, Preschool & K-8
Sept 28th– Individual Picture Day, Pre-K
