Weekly Newsletter

St. Catherine of Siena Parish School is an inclusive community, rooted in the Catholic faith and dedicated to leading with compassion, igniting curiosity for learning, and serving faithfully.

Join us for our annual Pet Blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals!

Bring your beloved pets to the plaza after school on Monday, October 5 for a special blessing from Fr. Heric. Pets must be safely secured on a leash, in a carrier, cage, or other appropriate container. Please make sure your pet is comfortable being around other people and animals.

Don’t have a live pet? Stuffed animal pets are welcome too!

Our second Tally Tuesday results are in and WOW! Because of your hard work, we are more than half-way to our goal! There’s still plenty of time to climb the leaderboard. Keep sharing your student’s fundraising page with family and friends - every donation helps us get closer to our goal!

Today is our last Jog-a-Thon fundraising check-in before the big event on October 6th! Keep up the great work. So far, we’ve raised an amazing $33,395 and 66% of our students have participated - great job, Tigers!

Can we reach our $45,000 goal and 100% participation?

Top Earning Classes:

• Honorable mention, 4th Place: 6th Grade, $3,331
• 3rd Place: TIGERS! preschool — $3,379
• 2nd Place: 3rd Grade — $3,4,67
• 1st Place: 5th Grade — $5,074

Top Participation:

• Honorable mention, 4th place: 3rd Grade - 68% participation
• 3rd Place: Kindergarten — 75% participation
• 2nd Place: 1st Grade — 82% participation
• 1st Place: 5th Grade — 92% participation

Please join us and cheer on our Tigers on Race Day, Tuesday, October 6th - rain or shine! Race day schedule is below.

What to Wear

The votes are in! Each class selected a theme to wear for the Jog-A-Thon. Remember, clothes should follow the dress code and allow your student to move freely!

We begin with a heartfelt thank-you to the Kuder Family for purchasing the “Name the Gym” experience at the 2025 Soaring to New Heights Auction. We are grateful for their generous support and for proudly serving as our Banner Family this past year.

Now it’s time to raise a new banner for a new school year!

Please join us on October 8 at 6:00 p.m. for a special Raise the Banner Reception as we welcome the Derouin Alumni Family as our new banner holders.

Together, we will officially raise the Derouin Family Banner in Victoria Hall and honor Teri Derouin for her incredible dedication, service, and lasting impact on the St. Catherine community.

A special thank-you to the Derouin Family for generously purchasing the “Name the Gym” experience at the 2026 Boots, Bling and Big Dreams Auction in honor of Teri.

Let’s come together, reconnect, and celebrate this special St. Catherine tradition. Go Tigers!

Please join us to honor Teri Derouin as we hang the coveted “Name the Gym” banner purchased at 2026 Auction on Thursday, October 8th at 6pm in Victoria Hall. AND be amongst the first to learn the theme for the 2027 St. Catherine Auction!

The excitement continues at our first Auction Team meeting on Wednesday, October 21st at 6pm in the Learning Commons. We need your help early and often to make the Auction a success. All are welcome!

We are excited to announce that Panda Express has been added to our lunch lineup and will begin deliveries on Mondays starting October 5th.

If you would like your student/s to receive lunch from Panda Express on Mondays, please log in and place your order by 12:00pm on Sundays.

The tuition assistance process for the 2027-2028 school year opens on October 1st. If you think that your family may be in need of financial aid for next school year, please complete an application.

The entire process is completed online through FACTS. All applications are first reviewed by the Fulcrum Foundation, a fundraising arm of the Archdiocese. Once Fulcrum determines their assistance awards, then the St. Catherine Tuition Assistance Committee will review the applications and distribute financial aid for the 2027-2028 school year. Some families may qualify for assistance from both the Fulcrum Foundation and the St. Catherine program, but only one application is submitted. Tuition assistance from the Fulcrum Foundation is available for Kindergarten-8th Grade students only.

The application deadline is December 31st, 2026. This is a firm deadline - all completed applications AND required tax documentation must be submitted by this date for consideration. You can access the application here. FACTS charges a $35 application fee.

If you have any questions about the process or application, please email Kathy Cox or you can access the FAQ page on the Fulcrum Foundation website here.

Home Together is looking for volunteer assistance with setup and tear down of their annual Oktoberfest fundraiser, held right here in Victoria Hall. Setup takes place after school on Friday, 10/16, from 4-7pm. Tasks include decorating, unpacking, and auction setup.

The night of the event, Saturday, 10/17, they need help cleaning up from 9:30-11:30pm. If interested, you can sign up using the link here or contact Michaela Miller at mmiller@seattlebank.com.

Please log in to your FinalSite Parent Portal and complete the Rock Wall permission form to allow your child to participate in this PE activity. Students must have a completed permission form on file before they can participate.

The secret is out! We are excited to announce that St. Catherine School’s next musical will be The Addams Family Young@Part! We are looking forward to bringing this fun, quirky, and delightfully spooky show to life with our students.

NEW: Introduction to the Show All Actors

Tuesday, October 13 | 3:15–4:30 PM

We have added a full cast introduction meeting for everyone who has signed up to participate on stage in the show. This meeting is an opportunity for students to:

• Learn more about The Addams Family Young@Part

• Meet the characters and learn about the different roles

• Learn what auditions the following week will look like

• Review drama program expectations

• Ask questions and get ready for auditions!

Auditions

4th-5th Grade Auditions

6th-8th Grade Auditions

Students should attend the audition date for their grade level.

Sign-ups close Friday, October 9 at midnight.

Students who are interested in participating should be signed up by the deadline, whether they are interested in being on stage or joining the crew.

Participation Costs

ON STAGE: $180*

*The cost is half price for the second and third child in a family.

CREW: $100

Performance Dates

Mark your calendars now for our performances:

Thursday, March 18th — 7:00 PM

We are excited to get started and can't wait to see our students bring The Addams Family to the stage!

Registration is now open for 4th through 8th grade basketball. Practice will begin in late October. The first games will be the weekend of November 14, and the season runs through late January. Teams practice twice a week at Victoria Hall, and games are scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays. Please use the following link to register your player: https://www.teamsideline.com/sites/seattlecyo/current-programs.

We are still looking for parent coaches for the 4th grade girls team and the 4th grade boys team. If you are interested in coaching one of those teams or if you have any questions, please contact Marc Cote at cote.marc@gmail.com.

More information on our Intramural Program for 1st through 3rd grade will follow soon.

Calling all K–3rd grade students! Join us for a fun-filled experience designed just for you. Come learn, play, and make new friends!

Lands’ End is offering 40% off school uniform items for a limited time! Use code OURTREAT40 at checkout to save 40%. Sale ends Tuesday, October 13th

Don’t miss the chance to save on uniforms and school essentials!

Don’t forget—Minted gives 10% back to St. Catherine! Use code FUNDRAISESTCSP on all cards, announcements, invitations, and much more.

Preparation details for First Reconciliation and First Communion coming soon! In the meantime, families are encouraged to register and save these important dates:

Parent/Child Orientation Meeting - October 15, 2026 - St. Bridget Church - 10:15 am

First Reconciliation - Dates coming soon!

First Communion Celebrations

May 23 at Our Lady of the Lake

May 30 at St. Bridget

Families should plan to attend one First Reconciliation celebration and one First Communion celebration. First Communion preparation will begin following the First Reconciliation celebrations. Please stay tuned for more information!

This October, the Northeast Catholic Community is hosting listening sessions, and every family with a child in one of our schools is encouraged to take part. Parents and guardians who participate can claim school volunteer hours for their time.

These sessions shape the One Parish Plan, which will guide our parish family for years to come, including the role of our schools. If your child is in one of our schools, your perspective belongs in this conversation.

Come to whichever session fits your schedule. They are all one conversation, held in five different places and times. You can attend any session regardless of where your family attends school.

St. Bridget, Sunday October 4th, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Assumption, Sunday October 4th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Zoom, Tuesday October 6th, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Our Lady of the Lake, Saturday October 10th, 6:00 to 8:00 pm

St. Catherine of Siena, Sunday October 11th, 12:00 to 2:00 pm

Register here: Community Discernment Sessions

To prepare for participation, please read the financial update letter, the Current Realities Report, which includes the questions we will be asking at the Community Discernment Sessions, and the Annual Report. Every conversation at these sessions begins here.

Please sign-up HERE to let us know which session you plan to attend. Walk-ins are welcome, but it helps in planning if we know to expect you!

If you have any questions, please contact MK Rodgers at mkrodgers@gmail.com. Thank you!

We are excited to invite you to Open House at Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle on Saturday, October 17 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

Middle school students and their families will explore our growing campus and meet current CRJS students thriving in a culture of high expectations and high support. As part of the national Cristo Rey and Jesuit networks, we offer:

· Rigorous college-prep academics

· Professional experience through our unique Corporate Work Study Program

· Faith development for students of all faiths

We invite your family to learn more about our diverse and inclusive community.

This is an exciting time at CRJS as we continue to build on our incredible momentum, which includes the recent groundbreaking for the Norcliffe Academic Center, an important investment in the future of our students.

To RSVP for our Open House, please click here.

Please see this recent KIRO News story and interview, and discover the impact of our Corporate Work Study Program by watching Jahlil ’29 share his inspiring story.

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Grade School Night at HNA Soccer
Friday, October 2
Starfire Sports Complex
Come cheer on the HNA Cougars and enjoy a fun night with other grade-school families!

Grade School Night at HNA Volleyball
Thursday, October 15
Holy Names Academy
Join us for an exciting night of HNA volleyball and show your Cougar spirit!

SATURDAY

Vigil Mass @ Our Lady of the Lake - 5:00 pm

SUNDAY

Sunday Mass @ Assumption Parish - 9:00 am

Sunday Mass @ St. Bridget Parish - 9:00 am

Sunday Mass @ Our Lady of the Lake - 11:00 am

Sunday Mass @ St. Catherine Parish - 11:00 am

Sunday Mass @ Assumption Parish - 5pm

All Are Welcome!