Dear Families:
Every year as I conduct my exit interviews with our 8th graders, I always ask the question, “What are some of your favorite memories from your time at St. Anne?” I hear everything from, Field Day and Families to Buddies and Bake Sales. But, one of the most common answers is, “OPI”. For many years, our 5th grade classes have spent three days at the Olympic Park Institute (OPI) in Olympic National Park. They bond and engage in outdoor Science activities, hike through old growth forests, paddle on Lake Crescent, eat meals together and end the day with a campfire. They return home exhausted after challenging themselves physically, building meaningful relationships, and discovering a caring relationship with the natural world.
Our 6th and 7th graders missed their opportunity to attend OPI during their 5th grade year due to Covid shutdowns. I am pleased to announce that we have secured dates for them to attend together on April 4th, 5th and 6th, 2022. The 5th grade arrives on the 6th to spend the remainder of that week at the camp. More details will be coming to individual classes but we are excited that our older students do not have to miss out on an amazing experience as a result of a “Covid causality.”
The national celebration of Catholic Schools’ Week is scheduled for January 30th – February 4th. We typically schedule activities throughout the week starting with a celebration of Mass with the parish followed by our annual Open House. The remainder of the week, time is dedicated to Parent, Community, Grandparents/Grandfriends, Parish and Student Appreciation Days. With the Covid numbers still being high, we cannot celebrate the week as we would like. We are hoping to move our observance of the week to February 14th – 17th. While it doesn’t look like we will be able to invite visitors to an Open House in the building or to a Grandparents/Grandfriends Mass and lunch, we want to honor our other days. Stay tuned for further details as the week gets closer.
Tomorrow night, families who have expressed interest in our PreK and/or Kindergarten for the 2022-23 school year will be receiving videos from Ms. McDougall (PreK), Mrs. Thole (K) and me as a virtual substitute to our in-person PreK and K Information Night. On Thursday, January 27th at 6:30pm we will be holding a Q&A zoom session for families interested in those levels. A link will be sent out to those who have contacted the office for information. If you, or anyone you know would like to be included, please email Jennifer Hazzard.
Finally, the re-enrollment deadline is tomorrow, January 26th. To avoid a late fee and secure your child’s place, please make sure your information has been entered into SchoolAdmin.
Have a great week!
Mary