Dear St. George Families,

It is with a saddened heart that I share with you the passing of our beloved Sue Byrd early this morning. Sue is a hero to our students, both past and present. She spent the last 50 years volunteering in many capacities in our school, most famously running CYO sports, recess duties and the yearbook. She was loved by all and her presence will be missed.

This news was shared with your children today. Fr. Felino and Ms. O'Leary joined our school in a prayer service for Sue in which we prayed a decade of the Rosary in our Miracle Gym, Sue's pride and joy.

The Rosary, Vigil and Tribute for Sue is planned for Wednesday, September 28th at 6:00pm at St. George Parish Church.

The funeral Mass will follow Thursday, September 29th at 10:00am. Because Sue touched many families in our community, we are CLOSING school on Thursday to give you the opportunity to attend the funeral Mass as a family in celebration of Sue's life and your love for her. We ask the students to honor Sue by wearing their St. George school uniform to the funeral. There will be a reception at the school following the Mass.

We respectfully request that our 8th grader students represent our school in this celebration of Sue's life by standing as honor guards in their uniform at the church before and after the Funeral. We are also inviting members of our children's choir to sing at Mass.

We ask that each of you keep Sue, her family and our community in your daily prayers. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school.

Most Sincerely,
Monica Wingard

Dear St. George Parish School Families,

I accept my new role as principal with great honor and enthusiasm. I feel fortunate and excited to continue working in such a supportive , caring community of students, families and staff. I have some very big shoes to fill! I look forward to working in partnership with the parishioners and school families as we continue building a community that is centered in Christ, committed to serve others.

As the staff wraps up the 2010-2011 school year, we reflect upon our successes and look for areas to grow. Also, we say bittersweet good byes to staff and community members while warmly embracing our newest.

• We welcome Megan Fredette in her new position as third grade teacher. Ms. Fredette has an intimate knowledge of our school and her new students form her work last year as a Title 1 teaches. She holds a Masters in Teaching from Seattle University.
• We welcome back Mrs. Denise Davis as our long term substitute for the first trimester in the middle school while Mrs. Vincenzo is out on maternity leave.

Our hiring team is in the process of interviewing several candidates for the positions listed below. We are committed to selecting teachers who share our school's mission.

• An 8th grade homeroom teacher with a Math and Science focus.
• A Pre-K teacher.
• A teacher's assistant for the Pre-K program.

Lastly I'm moved by the many emails, cards, hugs and handshakes I have received since Fr. Felino announced my new position. I am grateful to Mrs. O'Leary's help in the 'passing of the torch.' I wish you all a relaxing, joyful summer and look forward to working together next year.

Sincerely,
Monica Wingard

I thank you sincerely for your partnership over the past twenty-three years. I have been blessed to have had all that time to pray, to teach, to learn, to play, to dance, to run, to jog, to read and to write, but most of all to serve and to grow with this terrific community.

Twenty two classes have graduated since I arrived at St. George. Some of you graduates now have your children here. As I think over the years, my brain reads like Sue Byrd's yearbooks; it is overflowing with memories of

• hundred and hundreds of St. George students, from brand new little pre-k and kindergarten students to graduates and alumni,
• work parties with teachers and volunteers,
• Thursday morning mass and coffee with seniors,
• Camp Don Bosco and Camp Hamilton with the classes I taught,
• Working with superb faculty and observing awesome teaching,
• jog-a-thons at Cleveland and around the neighborhood, running with the Mileage Club runners, hopscotch and tag on the playground,
• the time I took some 6th graders to do Irish dancing at St. Catherine's school,
• teaching grammar, social studies, and Shakespeare,
• my first assembly as principal,
• sitting in the rain with Ms. Schroeder at Husky stadium as Sue Byrd received the Seahawk Quarterback Award for Service.
• celebrating with the hard working faculty each time after our three accreditation visits,
• the new preschool and the newer preschool,
• spirit rallies and many marvelous Catholic Schools Week
• Halloween Carnivals and being way too scared to go in the Haunted House
• the day we experienced the earthquake
• cheering loudly at soccer, basketball, volleyball games and track
• squabbles and apologies at recess and cell phones on the sidewalk
• groundbreaking for the Miracle Gym
• Wiring for our first server and then, years later, all the new interactive technology
• Senior lunches, Valentines Dinner dances, Italian Dinners, auctions
• The shower the faculty threw me for Madelein, working as she slept under the desk in my office and her baptism at our Thursday morning mass

And, so much more... I am grateful to all and profoundly honored to have had this opportunity to serve you. I wish you all the best.

God Bless,
Bernadette O'Leary

Dear St. George Parish School Parents & St. George Parishioners,

It was about four months ago that we made the announcement that Bernadette was leaving our school and that we would start our search for the best possible candidate to replace her. We put together a search committee with representatives from the school commission, the PTO, the parish council, and the Archdiocese and we began our arduous search. For three months the committee members reviewed applications from candidates far and wide. There was a candidate from Hawaii, another from Illinois, another from Massachusetts, quite a few from California, several from Oregon, and of course, there were a number of local candidates. We went so far as to fly in one of the out of state candidates for an interview. This is how determined we were to find the right person to fill this position.

It is funny how God works all things out for us. The search committee came to a unanimous conclusion and recommended just one person to me from all these candidates as being the right person to replace Bernadette. So, can you guess where we found our new principal after all these months of searching? We found her teaching at St. George! Monica Wingard has been teaching at St. George since September, 2008. She has over twenty years experience as a teacher with over twelve years in Catholic schools. She has taught a number of different grades during her career. Here are some comments that the search committee members made about Monica: she was great - she matches the energy that the school needs to continue on it's present positive course; she has an intimate knowledge of the school and its community and she has a great love for the kids and the community; she was obviously completely committed to the school and to its mission; she clearly expressed her goals/visions for herself and the school; she is a dynamic person who brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm.

It is with great joy and pleasure that I (and we) welcome Monica Wingard to her new role at St. George as an interim principal. I also wish to extend my appreciation and my thanks to all the members of our search committee: Kristin Agbalog, Kristin Dixon, Rosita Dolan, Eric King, Russ Lessard, Sapina Pele, Pete Shepherd, and Kevin Murphy.

Yours in Christ
Father Felino Paulino, Pastor

Congratulations 8th Grade Boys! You are the CYO 8th grade boys champions! Coaches Alex and Monica Tonel and their staff did an excellent job in preparing these boys for what turned out to be a "banner" year for St. George Athletics. This was truly a remarkable year and the entire school is very proud of all of you.
(Photo courtesy of Carlo Rigor)

Individual Championships
On Saturday May 8th, St. George had 38 runners compete in the CYO qualifying meet. Of those 38, 26 of our runners qualified for the Individual Championship meet which was held on Sunday May 16th. Those who placed 1st-3rd at the Individual Championship meet took the podium and were recognized with a medal.

2010 Greater Seattle Championships 2nd Place AA
This is the highest a St. George team has ever placed in CYO Track & Field! The CYO Track & Field director approached me after the meet and congratulated our team saying this is the fastest he has seen a team place so high in only its second year! Congratulations St. George Track & Field team!

A Special thanks to the coaches: Amy Pollington, Chancellor Young and Melodie White! End of year Track & Field Pizza Party: Thursday June 3rd @ 5:00pm.

2010 Presidential Fitness
Once again this year, many of our students took part in Presidential Fitness Testing in our P.E. class. To receive the Presidential Fitness Award, a student must be in the 85th percentile or above in the nation in each of five categories which test strength, speed, endurance and flexibility. To receive the National Fitness Award, a student must be in the 50th percentile or above in each of the five categories. Last year we tested in grades 5th,6th and 7th and awarded 2 Presidential awards and eleven National awards. This year in those same grades we are awarding EIGHT Presidential awards and TWENTY-ONE national awards! What a step up from last year! This year we also included in the testing 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 8th grade for a grand total of eight presidential awards and THIRTY-SIX National Awards!!!!

Last Sunday, Miss Andersen and I had the honor of attending the district awards ceremony at Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 4137. Once again, St. George students excelled.

Lillian L, grade 4 took first place in post and second place in district; Alexa Tonel, grade 5 placed first post and received honorable mention in the district; Emma J, grade 6 placed first in post and third in district, and Rahel N, grade 7 was first in post and second in the district.

At Monday's assembly, representatives from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Priscilla Del Rosario and Mar Murillo presented so many students in grades four, five, six, seven and eight with honorable mention certificates and awards for their essay writing. Congratulations to the students, their teachers and you, their encouraging parents.

Congratulations faculty, parents, parishioners and students! St. George School has maintained its accreditation status.

I received two letters and certificates of accreditation in June. One is from the WCEA (Western Catholic Educational Association) and it states that we received a full six year term. It continues, "The WCEA Elementary Commission congratulates your school community on receiving this term of accreditation through June 30, 2015. In recognition of the quality of Catholic education at (St. George), WCEA is pleased to present (us) with the enclosed certificate of accreditation."

The second letter from the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools states, "The Washington State Committee of the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools met on June 1 and accepted the recommendation of consultant Jim Whitford that your school be granted full accreditation." The certificate recognizes

Well done everybody!
Bernadette

"We treasure our youth as our future and continue to build on our 100 year history of strong faith and leadership by constructing a gymnasium that will promote growth in God's gift of physical health, sports, recreation and community.
- Miracle Gym Mission Statement"

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year at St. George.

The opening of the Miracle Gym last spring fulfilled our long time dream. Years of planning and hard work - and financial sacrifices on the part of our families - led to the gym we all enjoy today. We knew it would take a miracle, but we also knew that in this community there are hard workers who care so much for the greater good.

Though we had the support of many parishoners, alumni, outside donors and a major foundation grant, we still had to borrow money.

When we started dreaming in 2007, I asked every family to make a 3-5 year pledge to help build our gym: many are still paying their pledges. Now I am asking new families and those that have not pledged to help us to care for the gym and maintain the beautiful floor and to pay off the gym loan. Before we assess a gym use fee on everyone, I would like all members of the community to have the opportunity to make a tax-deductible donation to the gym.

Will you join our school families with a pledge to the Miracle Gym? Monthly payments for a pledge of $1,500 paid over 5 years, are only $25. Over 3 years, monthly payments are $42 - less than what your family spends on a night at the movies.

If you have the means to do more, then I encourage you to do so. If you cannot give $1,500, find an amount that is appropriate to your family budget. But I do ask you to do what you can, to share in carrying the financial responsibility of the gym that all of us enjoy. We can tailor a pledge and payment schedule to fit your circumstances.

Thank you for giving this request your attention. We look forward to your participation in the Miracle Gym.

P.S. Remember that a donation is tax-deductible, a gym use fee, should we have to impose one, is not.

Congratulations to Jefferson Community Center for winning the City Recreational League Tournament this past November, 2008.

Representing Jefferson CC are current St George 8th Grade students, alumni and parishioners. Coaches Monica Tonel, Alex Tonel and Philip Castillo were very proud of the girls and their accomplishment. They worked hard all season long and played with great skill and poised throughout the tournament.

The accreditation team spent three days here at St. George in early December and prepared a report for the Accreditation Commission for Elementary Schools. This report was based on our self-study, their observations and conversations with students, teachers and parents. The report will also be submitted to the Western Catholic Education Association and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. The following is a copy of the summary and recommendations from the sixteen page report. Thank you, parents and students. The team was very impressed with our schools!

SCHOOL-WIDE STRENGTHS/CRITICAL AREAS FOR GROWTH

SCHOOL WIDE-STRENGTHS

• Strong Catholic identity; Catholic values and traditions are interwoven throughout the school program.
• Principal provides leadership and commitment to ongoing improvement.
• Faculty and staff demonstrate strong commitment to student learning, spiritual leadership and professional growth.
• High Level of commitment to the school from pastor, teachers, parents and parish.
• Active parent community, in volunteers as well as parent organizations.
• Strong parent satisfaction, support and participation in the school.
• Strong academic program supports all learners.
• SLE's are an extension of the school mission and philosophy and are integrated into the daily experiences of the students and staff.
• Principles of Catholic Social Teachings integrated into curriculum in a systematic way.
• Commitment to professional development for teachers.
• Aggressive and creative pursuit of funding sources.
• Facilities support strong programs in both the core curricular and special curricular areas.

CRITICAL AREAS FOR GROWTH (Identified by the School)

• Implement and expand the technology program at St. George Parish School by providing technology, integration and in house training for teachers and students.
• Update technology in order to improve communications among all stakeholders.
• Formalize a cohesive and spiraling curriculum that reflects St. George's School-wide Learning Expectations and is in alignment with state standards, Archdiocesan guidelines and grade level Essential Academic Learnings.
• Develop a cohesive and spiraling service curriculum.
• Purchase new religion textbooks that more closely match the Archdiocesan School-wide Learning Expectations and Benchmarks in religion.

CRITICAL AREAS FOR GROWTH (Identified by the Visiting Committee)

• Continue to develop assessment tools and strategies that measure student achievement of the SLE's.

Dear Parents and Coaches

As basketball season approaches and teams from other schools come in for practice and games, we must demonstrate care and responsibility for our Miracle Gym and our grounds. However, it has come to our attention that our very own students have been taking our new gym and equipment for granted! We need to be more respectful and thoughtful. We also have to be aware of liability issues. We are responsible for your children when they are in class, participating in a CYO practice, and checked in to daycare or study hall. If they are here during the school-day while a sibling is at practice, or because the parent is a coach, they must either stay in the gym or check into daycare.

During CYO practices and games:

• All PE and CYO equipment MUST stay in the gym.
• No roughhousing, tossing and dribbling balls, running or jumping in the gym foyer.
• Students who are not at daycare or practice need to be under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian. If parents are not present, siblings must check into the after-school care during practices. If it is not possible to supervise your children, please leave them at home.
• A reminder that there is to be ABSOLUTELY NO EATING IN THE GYM! If you must eat in the foyer, please clean up after yourself. Mr. Rittman has had to clean up crumbs and wrappers after many practices.
• Players MUST bring an extra pair of shoes to play in! They may not be on the gym floor in outdoor shoes.

We must work together to keep our children safe and our school facility clean and in good condition.

Thank you and God Bless.