February 21, 2018

Dear Students, Families, Alumni, Parishioners, and Friends of ASB School,

As you walk through the front hallway of our school, you will notice brown paper vines, green leaves, and purple grapes on display with a passage from the gospel of John.  “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:5) reminds each of us that our call during Lent – and really, at all times – is to spread the love and kindness of Jesus to all we encounter.  During our school families meeting last week, each student signed a promise for the season of Lent.  These promises read,

“During Lent, I will…

• Fast from judging others, and FEAST on seeing God in every person
• Fast from seeing differences, and FEAST on community
• Fast from words that pollute, and FEAST on words that praise
• Fast from unhappiness, and FEAST on gratitude
• Fast from anger, and FEAST from patience
• Fast from complaining, and FEAST on appreciation
• Fast from negatives, and FEAST on positives
• Fast from wanting, and FEAST on giving
• Fast from hurting others, and FEAST on forgiveness
• Fast from exclusion, and FEAST on inclusion
• Fast from sadness, and FEAST on hope
• Fast from gossip, and FEAST on truth
• Fast from distractions, and FEAST on prayer.

Amen.”
 
As we make our way through Lent, the above promises center us, remind us of what is important, and encourage us to look for those moments of daily incarnation.  I had one such moment yesterday morning.  We arrived at school to find the power out in some classrooms, which is always a fun way to start the week.  We knew it would be fixed shortly, but in the interim, no technology, no lights except emergency lights, and a bit colder than we would like.  Every teacher whose room was affected greeted me with a smile and said, “No worries, we will be fine.”  Every student came in, business as usual, and got started with their day.  The hallways were actually a bit quieter and you could sense calm.  This struck me for two reasons.  First, it reminded me yet again of the level of professionalism of our teachers and staff and their commitment to your children, no matter the circumstances.  They set the tone for the day and the students followed suit.  Second, it reminded me what a gift a moment of quiet can be and the importance of taking those moments to unplug – the phones, the computers, the lights, ourselves – whatever is needed for a moment to reset.
 
In the wake of last week’s tragedy, I cannot say how grateful I am that my largest hurdle so far this week has been a few hours of a power outage.  The events in Florida and the recent Ravenna incident have raised concern with many parents and, as a parent of two myself, I completely understand.  I’ve had several questions around school safety and want to take a minute to address them.  First, please know that safety is our first priority.  We talk about it, plan for it, and do our best to ensure it each and every day.  We have a comprehensive school safety plan that outlines procedures for all emergency situations and our Safety Committee is currently in the process of making sure it aligns with all required Washington State safety codes for schools, which can be found at http://app.leg.wa.giv/RCW/default.aspx?cite+28A.320.125.  Dylan, Steve, and I have met with multiple law enforcement, fire, and other officials to run through our procedures and campus, seek recommendations, and make adjustments as necessary.  Our student and staff protocols are all set up to maximize our ability to keep children safe, and we practice drills often. All of the professionals have told us that we are doing all we can and are actually ahead of many schools in our planning and implementation of safety protocols.  We can never predict every possible circumstance, but we can make sure we are doing all we can to prepare for any situation.
 
Parents have also asked what they can do to help with safety.  The simple and most important answer is follow the protocols in place.  Just as we tell students, practice makes permanent and safety protocols need to be permanent for us to follow them efficiently in an emergency situation.  Entering and exiting through the front door only, wearing a visitor badge, signing in and out, completing VIRTUS requirements, – these are all in place to make sure we are aware of everyone in the building at all times.  Our students are instructed to not open doors for anyone, so please don’t knock on the side doors to try and sneak in a book or a lunch or a backpack.  It is imperative our students be in the habit of following safety protocols.  Please show up for traffic duty so we ensure there are enough eyes on students being dropped off and heading into the building, as well as increased adult presence during a busy time.  Please stay in your cars during loop so we can load students quickly and safely, especially if we were needing to do this in an emergency.  Please do not drop students off outside prior to 8:20 AM so that we can ensure proper supervision.  These may seem like little things, but each plays a critical role in the bigger picture of having a comprehensive school safety procedure that runs smoothly.  Thank you for your support in keeping all of us safe.
 
A final incarnational moment this week…over the weekend, our 8^th grade students were notified of high school acceptance.  Every 8^th grader who applied to a Catholic high school was accepted to at least one, which is wonderful.  I was told by several of the high schools that our students did exceptionally well and stood out as a group of applicants.  We are so impressed with their hard work, growth, and leadership at ASB.  It’s hard to believe they are almost at their end of their time with us, but we know that they will continue to make us proud wherever they end up.  Roosevelt, Seattle Prep, Blanchet, Holy Names, O’Dea, Lakeside, Nathan Hale, SAAS…every school who sees one of these 8^th graders walk through their doors next year will be truly blessed.  Well done, class of 2018!
 
All my best,
Kathleen
 

 

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Information on Camp ASB and registration forms, are now available. Camp ASB will open Tuesday, June 5 and will CLOSE the week of the 4th of July, we will also stay open a week longer, staying open into the first week of August.  These are changes to the normal schedule of Camp ASB and they are changes that we think are important to accommodate the longer summer vacation and the construction that will be taking place on campus.  Camp ASB will remain in its usual home this summer, the PAC/FAFC/Gym area at ASB.  We are in the process of planning and coordinating around the construction project, to ensure the safety of our students and our program.  There may be some changes to pick up and drop-off, students and staff will spend more time off campus, and we are preparing ourselves for the unexpected.  Please make sure to review the summer prepayment schedule included in the registration forms, as it will help relay the dates that Camp ASB will be open this summer.  
 

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Tax Information for Extended Care families is available in each families FACTS account. From each family's FACTS account, one has the ability to  create a report of the hours paid for and used during a specific time frame.
The Tax ID # for Extended Care is 911934765. 
 

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Camp ASB 2018 Registration Form and Info

Extended Care Registration Form 2017-2018

Extended Care Payment Options 2017-2018
 
Extended Care reminders:

• Please turn in your Extended Care registration forms for the 2017-2018 School year.
• Tax information is available to each family via their FACTS account.  The Tax ID # for ASB School is: 911934765

Food is served from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Fish and Chips, Caesar Salad, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Dessert, Coffee, Lemonade, and Beer and Wine (for additional charge)