Weekly Family Communication

Dear Holy Rosary Families,

Happy Summer!

I hope these first weeks of summer have been fun and restorative for your family. While campus is certainly quieter with fewer students around, our team is already hard at work on several important summer projects—because as you know, a school never truly sleeps.

As you may have noticed before school let out, we’ve entered the next phase of our major heating system upgrade. This summer we’re installing the infrastructure needed for the new system, including a new electric drop to campus and all of the underground connections that will power it. We’ve also begun adding security film to all ground‑floor windows and doors, an important enhancement that will make exterior glass significantly more difficult to break. These are just a few of the projects underway as we continue caring for and improving our aging campus. I look forward to sharing more updates with you in August as we make progress.

A heartfelt thank‑you to all our Holy Rosary families for your continued and generous support. None of these improvements would be possible without you.

If there’s anything I can do for you over the summer, please don’t hesitate to reach out. And thank you to everyone who has signed up to walk with our school in the West Seattle Grand Parade on July 18. For the first time in ten years, I won’t be able to join the float this year, as I’ll be off on a big summer adventure with my own family. I’m deeply grateful to those helping organize and lead the float this year!

Finally, I’m sharing our annual family survey and hope you’ll take a few minutes to provide feedback as we continue to reflect, grow, and strengthen our school community.

Enjoy your summer, keep reading, and we’ll see you soon!

In Christ,

Anna

As part of the Partners in the Gospel transition to one parish family, Father Phuong has begun the process of planning for changes to the Mass schedule. We encourage you to read Father Phuong's letter and review the FAQs.

The Washington State Catholic Conference is the public policy voice for the Bishops of Washington State. Please find important information in their Spring Newsletter.

• Jul 18th - West Seattle Grand Parade
• Aug 26th - Meet the Teacher (2pm)
• Aug 31st - 1st Day of School (K-8)
• Aug 31st - Parents Club Coffee Hour (8:30am)
• Aug 31st - Noon Dismissal (1-8)
• Sep 3rd - Parent Night
• Sep 4th - Noon Dismissal (K-8)
• Sep 15th - Picture Day
• Sep 18th-19th - WestFest

2026/27 School Calendars

Lands End now offers a Macbeth plaid skort with a built-in bicycle short available now! Parents have been asking for a skort option and they have developed one for us. If you are wondering about sizing, we do have sample sizes 6, 8, and 12 in the Admissions Office.

The school office will be closed on July 1st through August 9th. The next eFC newsletter will be sent out on Thursday, August 13th. We hope you have a fun summer and look forward to seeing everyone on August 31st for the 1st day of school!

As summer approaches, many students will be using technology to stay connected with friends. This is a great opportunity to have conversations with your children about online etiquette, digital footprints, and responsible online behavior.

Monitoring your child’s digital activity—especially group chats—can help you guide them toward appropriate and respectful communication. As children grow more independent online, they may still be learning how to consistently use a kind and thoughtful tone.

Talking with your child about digital citizenship is essential. One helpful reminder is: “If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, it shouldn’t be posted online in any format.”

These ongoing conversations help students build the skills they need to navigate the digital world with kindness, responsibility, and integrity.

Holy Rosary School Commission is a group of dedicated parents who give generously of their time to support Holy Rosary School and its mission. The Holy Rosary School Commission is an advisory body that assists the Pastor and Principal in policy development and long-range planning for Holy Rosary School, as a ministry of Holy Rosary Parish. We are grateful for the guidance and expertise our School Commission members provide.

This year, your School Commission focused its efforts on several key areas, including facilitating and reviewing the results of a comprehensive safety audit, monitoring and supporting fundraising initiatives, and providing opportunities for family faith formation and service. The Commission also closely monitored school finances and recommended tuition rates for the upcoming year. In addition, members provided input on our multi‑year heating system project and helped identify both short‑ and long‑term strategic planning goals, particularly in the areas of facility management and technology planning. The School Commission also worked in active partnership with the Parents Club and would like to extend our sincere thanks to the outgoing Parents Club President Evan Soderquist for his dedicated service.

As we conclude another school year, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to our outgoing School Commission members: Bente Madtsen, Lauren Tomala, Kristian Kicinski, Tadd Carroll, Angela Walker, Trina Tan, Alex Alston and Chrissy Egan for their ongoing service to Holy Rosary. Their leadership, thoughtful guidance, and commitment to our school community have made a lasting impact, and we are deeply thankful for the time and talents they have shared.

We are also pleased to welcome our newest School Commission members: John Townsend, Elizabeth Snyder, Justin Kress, Katherine Lincicum, Daniel Yeo, Umang Desai, Sara Phelan, Nicole Borja, and Meredith McCarthy. We look forward to the perspectives, experiences and enthusiasm they will bring as we continue supporting the mission and future of Holy Rosary School.

We are thankful for the many ways our community lives out faith through service and stewardship, and we look forward to the work of the commission in the year ahead.

Attention bargain hunters, growing kids, and anyone whose student mysteriously outgrew everything overnight!

On Tuesday, June 30, we'll be putting our remaining gently used school uniforms outside the office from 9am to 3pm. This is your final chance to grab uniforms before the office closes and the summer takes over.

Once they're gone, they're gone—and this is the last uniform giveaway before the office reopens in mid August.

Stop by, find some treasures, and help us give these uniforms a new home before they spend the summer wondering what could have been.

We will also take your gently used uniforms as well. There will be a tub for donations. We only accept branded uniforms, blue skirts and MacBeth plaid. No Polos, pants or shorts.

See you Tuesday!

Does your student have a doctor's appointment this summer?

Please verify their vaccinations are up to date and have the doctor fill out and sign the oral medication/prescription permission form if your child needs medication of any kind during the school day. It's always a good idea to have a copy of the form incase of an emergency. Below is the school policy for medications.

Washington State Law requires in order to dispense medication, prescription and over the counter, your child must have an oral medication/prescription permission form authorized by a licensed healthcare provider, who has prescribed the medication and the parent/legal guardian. The parent/guardian must also provide the medication, which is from a licensed healthcare provider in its original labeled container from the pharmacy. The container must include the name of the student, medication, dosage information, and enough medication to be administered at school. For non-prescription medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen the school also needs an oral medication/prescription form signed by a health provider and parent. No medication will be given to a child without an oral medication/prescription form on file. Forms must be submitted every year. They do not carry over from the previous year.

Student classroom supplies have been ordered. A fee of $50 per student will be charged via Finalsite on the 10th of September. Please note there are a few items we are still asking families to provide. Click here for details. Students should bring comfort kits to their classrooms on the first day of school.

If you have had a change of address, phone number or email address, please email Kristin Bentler in the school office. She can update your information.

It's almost summer, which means time for fun and relaxation! Students also have the opportunity to keep their math and reading skills sharp by participating in the summer math and reading challenges.

Students should fill out their challenges as the summer progresses and be ready to turn it in during the first week back at school. It will be due by Friday, Sept. 4th! Both the summer math and reading challenges are optional.

You will notice that there is a different challenge for junior high (incoming 7th and 8th) for both math and reading. It is a choice board/bingo option. For incoming 5th-6th graders, there is a choice board for the math challenge.

Students will receive the paper copies of the challenges in their final report cards, but they are also attached here if you'd like to print at home.

Summer Reading Challenge

Junior High Summer Reading

Upcoming 5th Grade Math

Upcoming 6th Grade Math

Junior High Math

K-4 Math

Megan Heuer and Rebecca Wallace

Our elementary band program is finishing a very successful year. If your child is interested in learning to play an instrument, register now.

Our 5th grade beginning band meets Wednesdays (1:45pm-2:30pm) and Fridays 11:30am-12:15pm).

We wanted to share that BASE for the 2026-27 School year is very full after completing the re-enrollment period for current BASE families.

Knowing that there is a great need in our community for before- and- after school care, we invite families to get on the BASE Wait List. Our hope is that there might be some movement over the next few months and BASE could accommodate some families who are still in need of care for the next school year.

Please complete the application form to get on the Waitlist: https://forms.gle/5EzSDL57X2EtFhcf7.

Looking for all you foodies! Interested in opening a food booth at WestFest? Earn volunteer hours by being a Food Booth Lead. Meet new people and be part of the festival fun. Contact Melissa Ardales for more information. (206)619-0686 mardales@me.com

Interested in being a part of the WestFest Operations committee? We are in need of a Food Booth Chair. Start earning volunteer hours now for next year. Contact Melissa Ardales for more information. (206) 619-0686 mardales@me.com

Walk with the Holy Rosary float in the WS Grand Parade this summer! Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 18th! Over 100 parents and students walked with our float last summer. Start earning volunteer hours early and free dress passes! Details and sign up here.

Looking for a great way to get involved next year? We’re recruiting Room Parents for the 2026-2027 school year!

Room parents help make the school year special by planning classroom celebrations, supporting fun events, and helping us show appreciation for our amazing teachers. It’s a rewarding way to stay connected to your child’s classroom and build communit-plus, your time counts toward family commitment hours.

If you’re interested in becoming a room parent or want to learn more, please contact Nikki Henning at nsantee@gmail.com
We’d love to have you join the fun and support our school community

Who doesn't like to garden it the sunny spring weather? Earn volunteer hours weeding the school campus. Set your own hours. Just check in with the office if it's during the school day.

Take a few minutes to log into your Safe Env account and check your status. You may need a refresher course. Checking your status now will save staff time in contacting you before you can visit the classroom or volunteer.

New families: Please complete your background checks and SE training before visiting the school or volunteering! If you haven't set up a volunteer log-in yet to record hours, here is the link! One parent must be the main account user, a 2nd parent can be added to the account as a sub-account. Instructions will be on the main account user’s page on how to add a sub-account.

Registration is now open for soccer and cross country! Practices for both sports will begin around the start of school; specific schedules are TBD. Both sports will use the same shirts as last year. No need to buy a new shirt if your child has one that still fits! Those who need to purchase a shirt can do so during the registration process right after entering medical information. Families are encouraged to swap shirts with each other to avoid wasting usable apparel.

Families who register for soccer by August 1st will enjoy early bird pricing. The number of soccer teams we have will be determined by how many players are registered by August 17th.

Parents who wish to volunteer to coach may register at this time. We are developing some new policies about coaching assignments and will release them prior to the fall season.

Financial assistance is available. Please contact Athletic Director Brendan Kolding atcyo@holyrosaryseattle.org with any questions!

If you are interested in having your child baptized at Holy Rosary, contact Deyette Swegle.

Are you interested in assisting us in our Soup Kitchen? Please contact Chris Dormaier.

https://holyrosaryseattle.org/rcia-for-older-children

See our Flyer for more information.

https://holyrosaryseattle.org/1st-reconciliation-1st-communion

srstella@holyrosaryseattle.org

https://holyrosaryseattle.org/rcia-adults.

We offer Children’s Liturgy of the Word year round at Sunday 10:30am Mass.

• Parish Children’s Choir YouthChoir! (Grades 3-6) | Holy Rosary Catholic Church | Seattle, WA (holyrosaryseattle.org)
• Altar Serving (5th -High school)–email Paul Dolejsi at Pdolejsi@holyrosaryseattle.org for more information.

https://holyrosaryseattle.org/confirmation

Holy Names Academy offers summer camps for young women entering Grades 4 through 9.
HNA is happy to offer a variety of sports and specialty camps, so campers can explore new interests or improve existing ones!
Visit: https://www.holynames-sea.org/admissions/2026-summer-camps/ to sign up for camps this summer.

St. George Parish School on Beacon Hill is once again hoping to offer a summer school if enough families are interested. This is an academic program taught by certified teachers, aimed to support students in making academic gains over the summertime. Half day and full day options are available, and the program will run June 22nd - July 24th. Cost is $760/child for the half day program and $1400 for the full day program for the entire 5 weeks. Please see the attached flyer for more information or reach out to their Principal Monica Wingard (mwingard@saintgeorgeseattle.org) soon if you're interested! Though they do not offer financial assistance, Holy Rosary School is able to support needs-based situations where summer academic support would be beneficial. Please reach out to Anna Horton (ahorton@holyrosaryws.org) to discuss summer school financial aid.

A Child Becomes offers 8 weeks of summer camps beginning June 22nd for two age groups; Preschool ages 3-4, and Early Elementary ages 5-7. New this year is an additional day, Mondays! Camps are Monday - Thursday from 9am-1pm at our new location just one block off Alki beach!

Please take a look at our fun and adventurous schedule with two weeks of Tide Pools, and other fun themes. Sign up on our website:https://www.achildbecomes.org/summer-camps-2026/

Seattle Prep offers a variety of academic and enrichment programs for rising 5th–8th graders. Explore offerings and register at:www.seaprep.org/summer-onthe-hill

Our camps are open to rising K–9th graders and we offer a wide variety of programs in athletics, music, art, and academics. This year, we are especially excited to introduce two new camp offerings:

New for 2026:

• Busy Bears Creative Art Camps
  Drawing & Visual Journaling (June 15–18)
  Mixed Media, Collage & Doodling (June 15–18)
  For rising 5th-8th graders, hands-on creative experiences led by BBHS Fine Arts faculty, including outdoor drawing sessions and mixed-media studio work.
  
• Band Camp (August 17–20)
  Open to rising 8th–9th graders with at least two years of band experience. This camp provides ensemble skill-building, musicianship training, and fun performance-based activities.

In addition to our new programs, we continue to offer a robust lineup of athletic camps—including basketball, soccer, baseball, football, cross country, and cheer—as well as our Freshman Study Skills Camp, helping our incoming 9th graders prepare for the transition to high school.

Registration for all 2026 summer camps is open!

Check out the camp catalog and register at: www.bishopblanchet.org/camps

To stay on top of all things Blanchet, please join our mailing list.

O’Dea camps offer students a fun, welcoming experience where they can try new things, build confidence, make new friends, and get a true taste of the O’Dea community. From high-energy athletic camps to hands-on enrichment programs that spark curiosity and creativity, there’s truly something for everyone.

Our camps are open to boys and girls, with sessions running from Easter Break through summer, making it easy for families to find a camp that fits their schedule.

Camp details and registration can be found using the links below.

Camp Catalog

Register Today

The mission of Holy Rosary School is to help each child discover and fully develop their God-given talents. As a Catholic School community, we strive for excellence in our students’ spiritual, academic, physical, mental, aesthetic, and social-emotional growth. It is our intention that those who attend this institution mature into active citizens leading a committed faith life and reaching out to help others locally, nationally, and internationally with their wisdom, time, talent, and financial resources.