Welcome Back!

Dear Parents,

 

Welcome to the 2022-2023 school year!  I look forward to working with all of you as the new school principal.

 

School Theme:  We launch this school year with the theme from Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made all things beautiful in its time.” 

 

Summer Successes:  We hope the summer brought new learning and adventure to all.  We have been busy at St. Anne School this summer repairing, cleaning, painting, installing and improving.  Some exciting improvements of note:

 

• Mary Sherman Principals’ Fund for Faculty Enrichment:  We ended the school year and kicked off the summer with a farewell gathering and celebration for retiring principal Mary Sherman. We will miss her inspirational leadership. With the generous support of school families at the auction and the ongoing contributions from her parish community, an Endowment Fund was established in her honor. We plan to grow this endowment to create a revenue source in years to come to support faculty/staff salaries. 
• Faculty Room Facelift and Renovation: Thank you to the St. Anne School parents under the leadership and direction of Ashley Rossman for transforming the faculty room into a place for staff to restore, renourish and relax.  Ashley gathered parent donations and a team of volunteers.  Together they repainted walls, redecorated, reorganized shelves and brought in bookshelves and chairs.  In addition, they purchased new coffee makers, an ice maker, a soda stream, a dishwasher, snack cupboard and a new bulletin board.  What an improvement!  We are so blessed and are abundantly grateful.
• New Climbing Wall and Turf: Thank you to the parent community again for their generous support through the Auction Fund-It! The new climbing wall and roof have been installed and the turf will be in before school starts.
• New Carpet in 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade:  We put it off for a couple of years but now we have much needed new carpeting in our Intermediate classrooms.  A nice, fresh look!
• Southeast School Wall Improvement: Mortar work and renovation of the southeast exterior wall and windows of the school to address leakage issues has been done! The Art Room and Library should be drier this winter.

 

Updated Covid Protocols: The Department of Health published their updated guidance for K-12 schools on August 5, 2022: Requirements and Guidance to Mitigate COVID-19 Transmission in K-12 Schools and Child Care.  Here is our updated protocol based on this guidance:

• Masking (PPE): Masking reduces the risk of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. When the COVID-19 community level is high, the CDC recommends universal indoor masking in schools and child care. We will monitor our community level and communicate to families if we need to temporarily require universal indoor masking. There are many reasons why our students, staff or volunteers may wear a mask in the school setting and those choices will be supported and respected. Please read the guidance for specifics on situations in which masks might be worn.
  • Students are not required to wear masks at this time.  Please have your student carry a mask in their backpack since they may be required to wear a mask if they get sick at school with symptoms of COVID.
  • Masks may be required for a specific classroom of students if there is an outbreak of COVID-19 in that classroom.
• COVID-19 Vaccination: All employees, volunteers and indoor contractors in educational settings are required to be fully vaccinated or have a medical or religious exemption. New parent volunteers need to send a copy of their vaccination record to the school office.  Vaccination is the most effective strategy to protect vaccine-eligible children and adults. Students are encouraged but not required to be vaccinated to be in the school building.
• Covid Exposure Policy:  The Department of Health no longer requires exposed students and staff to quarantine.  Here is the protocol if your student has an exposure:
  • Monitor for symptoms
  • Test as soon as possible after exposure and then repeat testing every 24-48 hours through at least the first 5 days after exposure AND
  • Students and staff who spend time indoors with individuals at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19 should wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after exposure.
• Covid Symptoms:  may include fever (>100.4℉) or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, muscle or body aches, new loss of taste or smell, cough (new, changed, or worsening), nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, fatigue, sore throat, congestion or runny nose.
• Positive Covid Test Protocol:  If your child tests positive for COVID:
  • Notify the school and isolate at home.
  • Student may return to school after FIVE days (test day or first day of symptoms is day 0) if:
    • No fever within the past 24 hours (without medication) AND
    • Symptoms have significantly improved
    • NOTE: Days 6-10: Student MUST wear a mask when they are in the school building.
• Notification of Potential Exposure to COVID in the School:  The school office will send out an email to families if there has been a potential exposure in their student’s classroom.
• Mitigation of transmission of COVID: We will be doing the following to mitigate Covid transmission in our school.
  • Providing increased ventilation in classrooms through open windows and air filters.
  • Providing daily cleaning and disinfection of high contact surfaces.
  • Educating students on handwashing and respiratory etiquette.

 

Prayer Assembly:  We start our school week off every Monday morning from 8:30-8:45am with a schoolwide Prayer Assembly in Banchero Hall. After two and a half years we can again welcome our parents and guests to attend. Classroom teachers will let you know when their class is leading the Prayer Assembly and you might consider attending!

 

Staffing Updates:  We are so grateful to have such a caring, dedicated and professional staff!  This year we have two new staff members joining us and several moving into new or modified roles.  Here are some quick introductions:

 

• Mrs. Becky Mullin:  New to our school.  Mrs. Mullin has a BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in Teaching from Seattle Pacific University. She recently completed a year-long internship teaching/supporting middle school math at St. Joseph School.  She will be teaching 6th & 7th grade math, 8th Algebra and 7th & 8th grade Science.
• Ms. Emi Faltinson:  New to our school. Ms. Faltinson received her BA in Theater Production and Performance from Seattle Pacific University and comes to us with a background in choir and band and a love of working with children. She will be teaching our K-5 music classes and producing our Christmas Pageant.
• Ms. Anna Vizzare:  Ms. Vizzare (our former music teacher) begins this year as our new Fourth Grade Teacher!
• Ms. Claire Marr:  Ms. Marr (our former fourth grade teacher) begins this year as our Seventh Grade Homeroom Teacher!  She will be teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade Social Studies, 7th grade Religion and serve as our classroom Technology Specialist.
• Ms. Brittany Parmentier: This year, Ms. Parmentier will be here full time. In addition to serving as our PreK Instructional Aide, she will provide afternoon instructional aide work to our Intermediate level and teach three of our PE classes on Mondays.
• Ms. Libby Rain:  Ms. Rain will add one more day to her schedule as Resource Teacher.  She will increase her resource support time to K-5 and add some hours of support to our Middle School Resource team.
• Mrs. Melissa Scheller: Mrs. Scheller welcomed baby girl Marlee Scheller in July and will be on maternity leave until after Thanksgiving.  When she returns, she will work Tuesday through Friday.
• Mr. Mark Thorrington:  Mr. Thorrington, a St. Anne dad, will be the long term PE substitute for Mrs. Scheller. Thank you Mark!
• Mr. Sean Haffey:  Mr. Haffey (our former seventh grade teacher) begins this year as our new Vice Principal. He received his MA in Education Administration from Notre Dame. In addition, he will be teaching 6th grade science.
• Mrs. Heidi Austin: Mrs. Austin begins this year as the new Principal. She has been the school vice principal for the last eleven years.

 

School Commission: This year the School Commission will continue providing leadership and guidance on the goals from our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.

• Members:  Kelly Kemp, chair; Sharon Cercone, Kathleen Gallagher, Rob Gillette, Amy Gulmann, Edna Maddalena, Brian Reisenauer, Lori Roozen, Ashley Rossman and Carmen Suazo.

 

School Auction:

• Auction Theme: “Footloose”
• Auction Dates: May 5 & 6, 2023
• Auction Chairs: Daniel & Sarah Dupuis, Heatherlynn Genna, Susan Leonardson, Becky Levich and Lori Roozen

 

First Day of School Procedures: Our first day of school is Tuesday, September 6, 2022. 

• Parents are free to park on the playground and students go directly to their classroom beginning at 8:10am.
• School starts at 8:25am.
• Teachers will bring their classes to Banchero Hall for our first Prayer Assembly of the year at 8:45am.
• Parents are welcome to attend (standing along the back and side walls of Banchero Hall). After the students return to their classrooms, parents are encouraged to stay and enjoy some time reconnecting with fellow parents and to meet some new ones!
• School dismissal is at 12:00pm.

 

Back to School Mass: On Friday, September 9, 2022 at 8:45am we will be having our Back-to-School Mass in the church for grades 1-8.  Please join us as Fr. Colin leads us in the celebration of Mass and blesses the start of our school year.

 

Pastoral and Inauguration Mass and Celebration for Fr. Colin:  Saturday, September 10, 2022, 5pm Mass, presided by Archbishop Etienne.  After serving for the last three years as our Priest Administrator, Fr. Colin is being installed as our Pastor. All are invited for this wonderful celebration. You are invited to party with the Padre in Banchero Hall following Mass at 6pm. An RSVP link can be found on the St. Anne Parish website.

 

Back to School Night: Our PreK through 8th grade Back to School Night will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2022 at 6:30pm.

• 6:15pm: Volunteer Opportunities:  Volunteers from the Church and School will be available at tables to share and discuss volunteer opportunities throughout our parish community.
• 6:30pm: Welcome and General Session in Banchero Hall–vision for the school year and introduction of staff.
• 7:00-8:00pm: Classroom Sessions:  There will be two classroom sessions offered.

 

Back to School Tailgate Party:  Friday, September 16, 2022, 5pm-7:30pm in the school parking lot. Details will be sent out as we get closer to the date.

 

School Growth Goals:  Every year the school staff works on components of the goals we set with our Accreditation Self Study (2018-2024) and goals from our Strategic Plan (2020-2025). As the year progresses we will keep you updated on this work and opportunities you might have to work on a committee.

 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve your family in the mission of educating your children.  We are excited by our programs and the faith-filled work we do here. Do not hesitate to reach out to me  with questions or concerns.  Enjoy the rest of your summer.

 

Sincerely,

Heidi Austin

Principal