Welcome to Holy Week! This is one of the most important weeks in our Liturgical Year. Though, we are unable to celebrate all of our traditional Lenten activities, we have had the chance to adjust some as well as create some new ones.
Last week, the middle school celebrated retreat week. This year, they were not able to gather as a group and have a half day retreat, so middle school teachers, Ms. Raney and Mr. Haffey organized a week of activities that could be done by individual classes. One of the most beautiful was the meditation walk, prepared and facilitated by Ms. Raney. With the aid of the individual audio components that classes have been using during Covid to hear in the gym, students could listen and walk at a distanced pace on a pre-planned course throughout the neighborhood. Ms. Raney would share scripture passages in a quiet voice as the students observed God’s creation in nature. From flowers and birdsongs along Lee St. to the quiet refuge of Parson’s Gardens to the open water view of Puget Sound, students found peace in silence, the beauty of nature and hope in God’s promises.
We will attempt to keep our Good Friday Simple Meal this year but we are unable to serve students our traditional ramen, crackers and water. Instead, we are asking families to send a simple, light lunch to school with their child/ren. It is not necessary to send ramen, just something simpler than a regular lunch. We won’t be able to gather to eat silently in the gym with quiet music, but teachers will recreate the mood in each cohort. Please note: There will be no hot lunch available from Queen Ann Catering that day.
Our eighth graders will be presenting the Living Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at 1:15pm. Though the school cannot join in person inside the church, we will live stream the Stations for classes and anyone else who would like to view them.
https://www.facebook.com/stanneseattle
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtKfSA0bKg3s2_6vJq_zEZg/live
All classes (K-8) will be dismissed at 2:00pm honoring our Good Friday Silent Dismissal, following Stations.
If you are planning on traveling out of state over our Easter break next week, please make sure you have completed the Travel Survey. Students who travel need to quarantine following the break and teachers need to know how many will be doing remote learning. Just a reminder of the policy:
- If you travel out-of-state, it is strongly recommended that you choose to self-quarantine for 10 days. (This is a change from the 14 day recommendation per Governor Inslee as of 3/25/21)
- A family may reduce the number of quarantine days for their student if that child can provide a negative result from a County-approved COVID swab test. This test MUST be administered no earlier than 5 days following their return to their home residence. Once negative results are received the student may return to school no earlier than day 7. A dated hard copy of a negative test result must be provided to the school.
Finally, our parish has a number of liturgies this week you can sign-up to attend in person or live-stream. Please see the flier for details.
I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter and relaxing break. We’ll only have 9 weeks left in the school year once we return on April 12th. Time is flying!
Mary
