Dear ASB Families, Parishioners, Alumni, Friends, and Neighbors,
 
Happy August!  I hope everyone has enjoyed a summer filled with fun, rest, relaxation and time.  I have certainly relished the time with my family and friends, and am grateful for the opportunity to be together.
 
We know there are still a few weeks of summer left, but those of us at ASB are already busily preparing for another school year. The offices are open and we are working on the many things that happen behind the scenes to ensure the students have everything they need when they return this fall.
 
We have a few staff additions as we head towards this year.  We are excited to welcome:

• Christy (Mentele) Dahl – As announced in the spring, Christy joins us from Seattle Prep as our new school counselor.  We are excited to have her at ASB!

• Jennifer VandePutte – Many of you know Jenny from Extended Care and we are excited to welcome her to 2A as Mrs. Jenes’s instructional aide.

• Teressa Caballero – Teressa returns to ASB to join our second grade team and will be the instructional aide in 2B, Ms. Zolotusky’s class.  We are thrilled to have Teressa back!

• Jessica Oftebro – Jessica Oftebro will be joining our fourth grade team as a long-term substitute for instructional aide Christa Caballero.  Christa is taking some time off to be with her family and take care of aging parents. We look forward to Christa returning next year and are so grateful to Jessica for stepping in and supporting our fourth graders!

• Jeanette Hurley – As our wonderful Mrs. Brousseau looks forward to the birth of her first baby in October, we welcome back Jeanette to step into first grade as long-term substitute teacher for 1B.  Mrs. Brousseau will begin the year with us and Jeanette will join mid-September through President’s Day.  Our first graders are lucky they get time with both of these amazing teachers!

• Class assignments will be available in Alma next week.  We will let you know when they are available.  When you log into your Alma account, you will be able to see your child(ren)’s teacher(s).  Please remember:
  • Your Alma account information is the same as years past.
  • If you are a new family, you will receive an email to activate your account.
  • Classes have been finalized and we will not be making changes to the lists. 

• Grade-level summer work and supply lists are available on the website.  All students are expected to have their summer work completed by the first day of school.

• Fall sports registration closes TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7^th  AT MIDNIGHT.  There will be no late registrations allowed after tonight.

• Our Open House and Back-to School BBQ are on Thursday, August 29^th.  Please plan on joining us to see the classrooms, meet the teachers, and spend time together as we kick off the school year.

• Even as we enjoy the last few weeks of summer, I know many of us are planning ahead.  Check out the school calendar to make note of half-days, conferences, vacation days, and more.  Please make every effort to take vacations during the scheduled days off and to be present for fall and spring conferences.

• Construction is in FULL SWING at ASB!  Please make sure you take the time to read our communications and the website for information on this year’s building entry procedures, traffic procedures, and more. 

 
Mark your calendars! We are really excited to have Andrew McPeak, co-author of Marching Off the Map: Inspiring Students to Navigate a Brand New World, join us on September 30^th.  Andrew will be doing a presentation on children today aka Generation Z, including their strengths, challenges, and how we can best support them as parents and educators.  This is a wonderful opportunity and I hope you will be able to join us September 30th at 7:00 PM.
 
We will keep you updated as we get closer to the start of the year.  Enjoy these beautiful sunny days!
 
All the best,
 
Kathleen Conklin