Weekly Family Communication

Dear Holy Rosary Families,

Thank you to those who were able to attend Dr. James Knight's parent presentation last night. This week Dr. Knight also spoke to our 5th - 8th grade students about what it means to live with humility, and how this might manifest in the way we carry ourselves in the world, interact with others, and care for others through our daily interactions. His message is grounded in scripture and the life of Jesus and our students were captivated! It was a pleasure to have him here this week. If you are interested in learning more of his work, I'd encourage you to check out his website. I truly believe that some of the greatest tools we can equip our students with are the skills to treat one another with dignity and respect, no matter the challenges. I'm grateful we had this time with Dr. Knight this week.

Thank you for continuing to hold Sister Stella in your prayers as she heals from surgery. She feels the prayers and all of the love. If you'd like to drop a card or message for her, please send them to our office and we'll make sure she gets them. And above all, thank you for your continued prayers.

This week the Partners in the Gospel listening sessions continue. The remaining two dates are:

• Sunday, October 25, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Holy Rosary School Hall

• Wednesday, October 28, 6:00-7:00 p.m. | OLG School Hall

  
  

If your family has not had the chance to participate, I'd encourage you to do so.

In other news, I'd like to welcome Lucas Johnson to Holy Rosary School. Lucas joins us as a long-term substitute for Megan Heuer who will be heading on family leave soon to have her baby. Lucas student taught last year in middle school math classrooms and holds a master's degree in secondary education, along with a secondary math endorsement. He will finish the year teaching Megan Heuer's math classes. Welcome, Lucas!

In Christ,

Anna

Starting in 2027, a new federal scholarship tax credit could bring an estimated $1.5 billion a year to Washington students, without drawing on the state budget. The Office for Catholic Schools has asked our Catholic school families to consider advocating for this.

https://mycatholicschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Opt-In-Washington.html

• Oct 23rd - No School, Teacher in Service
  
• Oct 24th - Fall Open House
• Oct 30th - Halloween Free Dress
• Oct 30th 8th Grade Pizza Lunch
• Nov 6th - Glow Bowl
• Nov 11th - No School, No BASE
• Nov 20th - Noon Dismissal
• Nov 23rd-25th - Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

2026/27 School Calendars

Enjoy a long weekend! There will be no school on Friday, October 23rd. Our teachers are participating in an in-service day.

Friday is Halloween free dress! Wear Halloween themed clothes or fall colors. No costumes, wigs or face paint.

Our first Learning Lounge took place this week!

We want to thank all the parents who came, It was nice meeting you and exchanging together on this very important topic that is Disaster Preparedness.

We also want to share two links with you all.

The first one is the link to all the info you need to prepare yourself (how to build a kit...) :

https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/prepare/prepare-yourself

The other link is the one of Smart911.com.

Once you register on it, if you have an emergency and call 911 with the phone registered, the 9-1-1 operator will have all the information you provided on your profile (address, medical conditions...). This is a very efficient tool as sometimes in an emergency we don't have the capacity to talk...

https://smart911.com/

We are looking forward to seeing more of you at our next Learning Lounge.

The Parents' Club

Get ready to hit the slopes! We are officially confirmed for Friday nights for the 2027 Holy Rosary Ski Bus program, running through Webbski. Offered to Middle School students grades 6, 7, & 8.

Key Details:

• Dates: 5 consecutive Friday nights, starting January 8, 2027.

• Location: Summit Central at Snoqualmie Pass

• Departure: Fridays around 3:15 PM – 3:30 PM in front of the school. (returning to

school around 9/9:30 pm)

• Lessons: Optional lessons available from 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM.

• Capacity: Limited to the first 50 kids to sign up.

Click here for all the information. Then see the information about the West Seattle Ski & Snowboard Swap in our Community Section.

Holy Rosary School has the opportunity to join other local Catholic schools to host a Japanese exchange student for one week in March between their academic years, from March 20th - March 28th. Last year we had two students who were hosted by Holy Rosary families spend a week in our school. It was a wonderful experience for everyone! The students joining us will likely be in sixth, seventh or eighth grade, and families receive a small stipend to offset the expenses of hosting a student for the week. The students would then attend classes here at Holy Rosary School during the week. If you might be interested in learning more about this opportunity, and possibly hosting a student for the week, please email principal Anna Horton at ahorton@holyrosaryws.org. NOTE- this is the week before spring break and our guests will depart on Easter Sunday. Guests will attend school at Holy Rosary during Holy Week.

The priority application period for parish members & current school families is September 15th and runs until November 15th for the 2027/2028 school year. If you have a new student who would like to apply to Holy Rosary School, please complete our online application at: https://holyrosaryws.org/applynow/.

Re-enrollment for current HRS students in Preschool-8th grade occurs in January. Current HRS Pre-K students - please see your Pre-K newsletter for Kindergarten information. Any questions, please contact: admissions@holyrosaryws.org

Financial aid applications for the 2027/28 school year are now open. Deadline is Dec. 15th. More information can be found here.

Financial aid is awarded based on demonstrated financial need; all applications and supporting documentation are independently reviewed and verified by a third-party administrator, who then provides the school with an award recommendation.

Please disregard any emails you received from Plan Hero about the Tree Lot on Wednesday. Our volunteer coordinator is hard at work setting up the volunteer sign ups and an email inadvertently went out.

Looking for parent and 8th grade volunteers for our Harvest Festival booth on Sunday, Oct. 25th. Double hours opportunity for a project lead. Please find details here.

We will have our Open House from 9:30am-11am on Saturday, Oct. 24th, we are looking for 7th & 8th grade tour guides, please sign up here!

Are you looking for volunteer hours that allow you to work around your busy schedule? If so, we are looking for volunteers to help with business procurement for our upcoming school auction. This role includes outreaching to local businesses and securing donations. Volunteer hours can. range and are based on your availability. Please reach out to Jenna Cohen or Bente Madtsen if you are interested or would like to learn more.

Jenna Cohen: jenna.cohen.jn@gmail.com

Bente Madtsen: bente.madtsen@outlook.com

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity that is flexible and works with your schedule? The raised bed areas to the right and left of the preschool door on Genessee are in need of a little love from time to time. This includes the area that progresses up the walkway to Hope School and the raised square area to the left of the preschool door. If you'd be interested in taking on this task, please contact the School Office at office@holyrosaryws.org. You're free to do this work on an ongoing basis as your schedule permits.

Help keep our kids safe and earn volunteer hours! We need volunteers (18+) to help manage traffic and cross pedestrians. The intersection at 42nd and Genesee and at 42nd and Dakota are used by most of our school families and can get congested. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday, morning and afternoon. Sign up for what works for you.

• Morning Shift: 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
  
• Afternoon Shift: 2:50 PM – 3:20 PM

Sign-up here for October

How it works: Check in at the Main Office to grab a vest and flag, head to the corner, and return the gear when you’re done. Simple as that!

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.

Youth Confirmation Registration Now Open! The 2026-2027 Youth Confirmation Program is open to students entering 7th grade as well as to any youth in grades 8th-12th who have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation and have already received the Sacraments of Baptism and First Holy Communion.

This seven-month journey of faith begins in November and helps young people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ through prayer, service, community, Scripture, and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Confirmation sessions meet twice a month on Sundays from 5:00-6:30 PM, alternating between Our Lady of Guadalupe and Holy Rosary.

The first session will be held on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Gym. A required parent/student orientation will take place on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 5:30 PM at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Gym. To register or learn more, visit https://westseattlecatholic.org/youth-confirmation or contact Neil Albaña at neila@westseattlecatholic.org.

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)– For more information, call 206-935-8353

https://holyrosaryseattle.org/confirmation

This community event is the best in the area to buy and sell skis, snowboards, boots, clothing, winter accessories and more! See our website for more information.

Trick-or-treat with Lance around our campus and enjoy awesome activities and spooky snacks – open to all kids aged 10 and under.

Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 3-4:30pm
Kennedy Catholic High School Dillman Center

Sign up here!

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.