“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)
In this week’s newsletter you will read about the FUN RUN tomorrow, Track and Field celebrations, Playground Angels for May and June, Volunteer Appreciation and Volunteer of the Year Award, altar server training soon, congratulations to First Communicants, boxes still needed, Agape service in the summer, ACS “Night of the Arts” and Multicultural Potluck Friday, popsicle sales on Friday, Sunday Mass choir and Graduation choir, employment opportunities at school, library book returns, the saint of the week, buddy families needed for next school year, pictures for 8th grade slide show, volunteer hours due May 23rd, graduation events, Bellingham Chamber Chorale, upcoming activities and much more!
Thank you for reading.
FUN RUN 2023!
Tomorrow we kickoff our 39th Annual Fun Run! We are looking forward to seeing everyone in their rainbow of colors. Bring in those pledges to get us closer to our fundraising goal of $20,000! We are collecting pledges until May 25th. Miss Copeland’s fifth grade remains in the lead with $1,300 as a class total! As a whole school we have raised $11,403!!! Tomorrow (Thursday) the event begins at 1:00 pm! We encourage parents to come and cheer on these excited runners! At the end of the event, runners will meet in the gym for snacks and awards.
Night of the Arts and Multicultural Potluck
Another cherished school event returns! Our Night of the Arts and Multicultural Potluck will take place on Friday, May 19th, 5-7 pm. Assumption is filled with amazing artists and musicians, whose work will be exhibited and performed. Come see a showcase of what your children have been working on all year!
The ACS community is blessed to have a rich and vibrant cultural heritage! We are still in great need of volunteers to bring food items to share, preferably from your family’s culture (link here). Please present your item in an easy, grab-and-go fashion, served up like an appetizer.
Popsicle Sales!
Each Friday there will be cool treats after school for sale! Come support our current 7th graders as they kick off fundraising efforts for their own trip to Washington D.C. next spring!
Look for these entrepreneurs under the large cross outside at pick up. A variety of ice cream and popsicle treats will be available for the whole family to enjoy!
10:00 a.m. SUNDAY MASS Choir!
- All students in Grades 3-8 are invited to join our School Choir to sing for the 10:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday, May 21st. *This is the last Sunday the School Choir is singing for Sunday Mass this School year.
- Rehearsals: Thursday, May 18th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. & Sunday, May 21st at 9:00 a.m. before Mass.
What to wear: Sunday Best
For questions: drmabalot@assumption.org
Thank you,
Dr. Mabalot, Pastoral Assistant/Director of Liturgy and Music
Church of the Assumption
Buddy Families needed!
We are blessed to be supporting many newly-enrolled families for the 2023-24 school year! We need the help of our current families to make them feel welcomed into our warm and caring community. This is an easy way to get volunteer hours and a great way to connect with new families. We are looking to fill this need at all grade levels. Please click the link and fill out the online survey to share your interest and be contacted in mid-June.
Let’s show our newest community members the supportive and loving “Assumption Way”- thank you! https://forms.office.com/r/XuVRHMcktR
Congratulations to our First Communicants
This is our list of students that are making their first communion this Easter season!
Blessings and congratulations to all 20 of them from Assumption, Sacred Heart, St. Joseph’s-Ferndale and St. Peter’s Parishes.
Kennedy Schuman, Zola Vargas, Carson Hoza, Mozelle Glenovich-McLeod, Eugene Antonio, Cambria Entrikin, Adele Jones, Breandan Kennedy, Koda Lane, Luz Lane, Caroline Letellier, Jacob Letellier, Camila Miller-Posas, Nicholas Patelli, Giuliana Peralta, David Pozas- Cortes, Andrew Richmond, Eva Sicairos, Kenzo Wachira, and Renee Wachira.
Join Us on the Playground!
Our children’s safety is a top priority!
Your help in keeping recess fun and safe is so appreciated!
PTC Connections
Night of the Arts and Potluck
1) We still need volunteers to help with receiving food and setting out the food for the event. link here
2) We’ve only filled 50% of spots for food items! Please consider bringing an item for this fun community building event.
3) We could use a couple more volunteers to help with the clean-up afterwards.
It’s the FINAL STRETCH of VOLUNTEERING! Remember to log your hours on the volunteer portal by May 23rd, 2023. Thank you to EVERYONE this year that has helped keep all our events running smoothly! PTC, ACS, and our children all APPRECIATE what you do!
Volunteer Appreciation: We will be celebrating our school volunteers on Friday, May 26th! That means YOU! Every parent (and grandparent, sibling, friend volunteer, etc.) plays a vital role in our school community, and we’d like to honor each and every one of you. There will be a special blessing at our Volunteer Appreciation Mass and a reception with refreshments to follow at 9:15 am in the gym.
The Sweet Countdown to the End of the Year!
Celebrations and special days make the end of the school year light and bright. For new and veteran families, here are endnotes on the fun, final school days at Assumption.
Thursday, May 18
A favorite school tradition, 1-3 pm: the 38th Annual Ellen Anderson Memorial Fun Run. Cheer on your favorite athlete. Don’t forget to dress in your class color from head to toe for this year’s run/walk!
Friday, May 19
It’s worth posting twice: Night of the Arts and International Potluck! Experience the amazing arts program at our beloved school, in exhibits and student performances. Sign up to help volunteer or bring a dish to share. (link here) Please present your food item in an easy grab and go fashion, served up like an appetizer. You don’t have to cook for forty, just bring a small batch of your favorite finger food from your cultural background. Include a small sign indicating the name of the food and the country of origin. This can be as simple as olives, cheese, and crackers or as extravagant as egg rolls, samosas, lumpia, or empanadas. It can be sweet or savory. Many small batches will make for a lovely buffet to enjoy while experiencing the Art Walk in the gym on Friday May 19 from 5-7. Please join us!
Friday, May 26
After the 8:15 school Mass, come to the Volunteer Appreciation & Award Reception at 9:15 am. This celebration is for ALL parents because all parents generously give time as school volunteers. Enjoy baked goods, coffee, and tea, provided by teachers and staff.
Thursday, June 8
Graduation rehearsal from 10-11:30 am in the church (graduates only).
Graduation luncheon for eighth graders and their parents, hosted by the current seventh-grade students and parents (seventh grade helpers and eighth graders only).
Eighth-grade graduation will be in the church, 5-6 pm. While graduates and families will fill all the front pews, all Assumption families are welcome.
Monday, June 12
Last day of PreK.
Tuesday, June 13
Last day of preschool.
Wednesday, June 14
Last day of school for K-8. On the official last day of school, the End of Year Prayer Service, Teacher Farewell & Moving-up Ceremony at 10:30 am, presented in the church, is perfectly scaled, providing a fitting endpoint for this year as well as a new harbor for the year ahead. Come to the church (with Kleenex!), as your child says good-bye to this year’s teacher and moves up, greeted by the next teacher for the coming year. Don’t miss this lovely, wrap-around, Catholic-Christian send-off to summer. EARLY RELEASE at 11:45 am, following an end-of-year slideshow in the gym that all are welcome to attend.
The Preschool/PreK End-of-the-Year Picnic is also on Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Library Book Returns
It is time to start rounding up any books checked out from the school library. I will be sending home a list of all books currently checked out to your child(ren) in today’s parent envelope. All items are due back by Friday, May 26. If there are any items not returned by the end of the school year, you will be billed a replacement fee. If you have any questions or concerns, please email me at nsmith@assumption.school.
Thank you,
Your Librarian, Nancy Smith
CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS
Track and Field at Mount Baker, Qualifiers (May 2)
Well, with 7th and 8th gone during League, this was our last meet.
Taylor Rush (1600, 100 Hurdles, Javelin), Daliah Strutz (400, 800), Ngansi Atem (200), Cameron Faria (Shotput), Baynes Machinski (1600), and Grace Driscoll (Shotput, Discus) each qualified.
Congratulations to our student athletes who set new school records this year!
Taylor Rush—1600, 100 Hurdles, and 800 (the previous 1600 record was intact for 14 years!)
Daliah Strutz—400
Thanks for a great season. Good luck graduating 8th graders!
Coach Rush
Coach Costanza
Please return your uniforms and shoes (if borrowed) ASAP to Mr. C.
OTHER NEWS
8th Grade Slide Show Pictures Needed
Eric and Aimee Bachmeier need your help to put on the traditional slide show for the graduating class at the Graduation Luncheon June 8th.
People can share photos at https://photos.app.goo.gl/13wAUmhXA7UiHGAeA
Or email them to laptopcartone@gmail.com
The deadline for sharing photos is 11:59 pm on Sunday, June 4th.
Thanks,
Eric and Aimee
Interested in Serving at Mass for the Lord?
There is an altar server training for any ACS student who wants to altar serve over the summer or next school year at Church of the Assumption. This would be open to any soon-to-be 5th graders and up (since we only allow 5th graders and up to serve at Mass). The training is on May 31st, Wednesday in the church. It would last from 3:15 until 4:30pm. If you have questions about it, please email Fr. Moore at frmoore@assumption.org
Boxes Still Needed
The school needs approximately 12-15 medium moving boxes for storing books from one of the classrooms this summer. If you have boxes to drop off, please email the office first (so we don’t get too many) and let us know. Thank you!
The Agape Service Project is Calling for Our Help!
Assumption has been asked to help the Agape staff prep and run their first Food Bank of the summer as their youth groups don’t arrive to help until the following week. Prep help is needed on Tuesday, June 20th from 9:30-11:45 am and Wednesday, June 21st from 8:30 am-6:30 pm. We are seeking any Assumption alumni or rising middle school students to help with this extremely rewarding service project. Parents are also welcome to pitch in!
- Please go to http://archseattle.org/registration
- In the drop-down menu under ‘Required Forms’ please download and fill out the following:
o Youth – Parent/Guardian Consent Form & Liability Waiver
o Youth – Code of Behavior & Norms
o Adults – Release of Liability/Medical Release
o Adults – Code of Behavior & Norms
Please send all forms and questions to Sara Rush at sara.m.rush@gmail.com (360-556-2271). More information to follow after signing up!
Graduation School Choir
Our School Choir is singing for Graduation Mass on Thursday, June 8th at 5:00 p.m.
All students in Grades 3-7 are welcome to participate. There will be a rehearsal on Thursday, June 8th at 3:00 p.m (just before graduation begins).
Light food will be provided at 3:00 p.m. before the rehearsal begins.
What to wear for Mass: School Dress Uniform
For questions: drmabalot@assumption.org
Bellingham Chamber Chorale Concert
Led by Dr. Mabalot, our School Choir teacher and Assumption’s Music and Liturgy Director, Bellingham Chamber Chorale’s 2022-2023 season draws to a close on June 10 (8PM) and June 11 (5PM) in our church. They will perform Bach’s virtuosic motet for double choir “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” (Sing to the Lord a New Song!), performed with a 9-piece instrumental ensemble of strings and wind instruments, along with other deeply moving choral pieces. See the flyer for more details! Tickets are available here or at the door before each performance: https://www.bellinghamchamberchorale.org/tickets
Here are employment opportunities for 2023-2024!
The school has been interviewing for some of the following positions, but they haven’t been filled yet. Please continue to pass the word if you know anyone qualified and interested in: Part-time Physical Education (this changed from full time), Part time Preschool Teacher’s Aide, and full time Elementary Classroom Aide. LINK HERE
WALKING WITH THE SAINTS
We hope that you will enjoy learning about how saints are a great example of holiness, strength, and courage one day at a time. Please remember that your name and guess of each week’s saint needs to be in by Tuesday afternoon. The drawing of all correct answers happens on Wednesday morning. Thank you to all the students submitting their answers.
Last week: St. Damien of Molokai
Congratulations: No guesses this week.
New Saint: The 10th century and the first half of the 11th were dark days for the Church, partly because the papacy was the pawn of various Roman families. In 1049, things began to change when Pope Leo IX, a reformer, was elected. He brought a young monk named Hildebrand to Rome as his counselor and special representative on important missions. Hildebrand was to become the pope and a saint.
Three evils plagued the Church then: simony–the buying and selling of sacred offices and things; the unlawful marriage of the clergy; and lay investiture—kings and nobles controlling the appointment of Church officials. To all these this man directed his reformer’s attention, first as counselor to the popes and later as pope himself.
His papal letters stress the role of the bishop of Rome as the vicar of Christ and the visible center of unity in the Church. He is well known for his long dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV over who should control the selection of bishops and abbots.
Then he fiercely resisted any attack on the liberty of the Church. For this he suffered and finally died in exile. He said, “I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, I die in exile.” Thirty years later the Church finally won its struggle against lay investiture. The liturgical feast of this holy man is celebrated on May 25.
Reflection
The Gregorian Reform, a milestone in the history of Christ’s Church, was named after this man who tried to extricate the papacy and the whole Church from undue control by civil rulers. Against an unhealthy Church nationalism in some areas, this saint reasserted the unity of the whole Church based on Christ, and expressed in the bishop of Rome, the successor of Saint Peter.
UPCOMING CALENDAR ITEMS:
May 18th – 39th Ellen Anderson Fun Run @ 1:00 pm
May 18th – Choir practice for grades 3-8, after school (3-5 pm) for Mass May 21st
May 19th – “Night of the Arts” and multicultural potluck from 5-7 pm, gym
May 21st – ACS Choir sings at Assumption Parish 10am Mass
May 25th – Fun Run pledge money due
May 29th – NO SCHOOL, Memorial Day
June 1st and 2nd – Eighth grade Retreat
June 2nd – Donuts and Dads (5th gr) and Library field trip (1st gr)
June 5th– Eighth grade “farewell” assembly. Eighth-grade parents are invited. 10:30 am in the gym
June 5th – LAST Pizza Lunch Day!
June 8th– Eighth-grade rehearsal at 10 am, luncheon at 11:30 am, and graduation Mass at 5 pm. All families are invited to graduation!
June 9th – Early Release Day “A” Day @ 11:45am
June 9th – Roller Skating Bash Fourth Grade 6-8pm
June 10th – Roller Skating Bash Third Grade 6-8pm
June 13th – Field Day K-8th @ 12:45pm
June 14th – Last Day Of SCHOOL! Early Release @ 11:45am
