Back to School 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.

The summer has flown by, and we’re now just a couple of weeks away from the first day of school! Our St. Catherine teachers and staff are busy preparing for our students’ return, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back on Tuesday, September 1st.

A special warm welcome to all of our new families - we’re so glad you’ve joined the St. Catherine School community and look forward to a wonderful year together!

Please be sure to read through the rest of this newsletter for important information to help you prepare for the start of the school year. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to Kathy Cox, Amanda Lucero, or Tali Malott with any questions.

We’re looking forward to a fantastic year filled with learning, growth, friendship, and lots of Tiger pride!

Blessings,
St. Catherine School Teachers & Staff

If you cannot make it on Sunday, there will be another opportunity to shop the used uniform sale at the Back to School BBQ on Thursday, August 27th.

Please join us at our annual Back to School BBQ on Thursday, August 27th!

We are so excited to welcome everyone to the 2026-2027 school year. A few details are below:

• The BBQ will run from 5:00-7:30pm at St. Catherine School in the plaza
• Teacher Meet & Greet: Classrooms will be open from 5-5:30pm to say hi to teachers and drop off school supplies (please no food or drink in the school buildings)
  
• Parent Club will provide hamburgers, hot dogs, sides, cookies, and beverages
• 8th Grade will be hosting the bar to raise funds for their DC trip
• Used Uniform Sale & Drop-off: There will be a used uniform sale set up at the BBQ & gently used uniforms will be accepted for drop-off (plaid items and sweatshirts only)

Get a jump on back to school forms for the 2026-2027 school year. Using your FinalSite Parent Portal, please complete the following forms by Friday, September 4th:

• Family Handbook Acknowledgement
• Early Learning Handbook Acknowledgement
• Student Emergency Information Form
• Technology & Acceptable Use Consent Agreement (students may not use any technology at the school until this form is completed)
• Media Release Form
• Walking Field Trip Form
• Student Walker Permission Slip (Grades 5th-8th)
• Family Income Survey (oldest child only)
• K-8 Extended Care Registration
• Milk Order Form

Please be sure to review the updates to the K-8th Grade Uniform Requirements that will go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year by clicking the button below.

Show your St. Catherine Tiger Pride on the sidelines, around town, and everywhere in between!

The ROAR STORE is filled with fun STC Spirit Gear for students, families, and fans. Please remember that these items are spirit wear and are not part of our daily school uniform.

Wear your ROAR STORE gear for sporting events, weekends, and school activities. On Spirit Days, students may wear ROAR STORE spirit items on top with their uniform bottoms.

And parents, there are no uniform rules for you! We hope you’ll show your Tiger Pride every day! 🐯

Gear up. Show your pride. LET’S ROAR!

First Day of School: Tuesday, September 1st 2026 (Noon Dismissal Day)

Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 16th 2027 (10:30am Dismissal, after Moving Up Mass)

No School Days

9/7/2026 Labor Day

10/29-10/30/2026 Early Learning-8th Grade Fall Conferences (No School for K-8 Students Only)

11/6/2026 Archdiocesan In-Service Day

11/11/2026 Veteran’s Day

11/25-11/27/2026 Thanksgiving Holiday

12/21/2026-1/1/2027 Christmas Break

1/18/2027 MLK Jr Day

2/12-2/16/2027 President’s Day Break

3/5/2027 Curriculum Development Day

3/29-4/2/2027 Easter Break

4/26/2027 Archdiocesan In-Service Day

5/31/2027 Memorial Day

Noon Dismissal Days

9/1/2026 First Day Of School Early Release

10/7/2026 Accreditation Goals Work Day (K-8 Students Only)

10/28/2026 Fall Conferences (K-8 Students Only)

12/2/2026 Teacher Report Card Prep (K-8 Students Only)

12/18/2026 Christmas Break Early Release*

2/24 & 2/25/2027 Spring Conferences (K-8 Students Only)

3/17/2027 Teacher Report Card Prep (K-8 Students Only)

3/26/2027 Good Friday*

4/16/2027 Grandparents/Grandfriends Day

4/28/2027 Accreditation Goals Work Day (K-8 Students Only)

5/28/2027 Memorial Day Weekend Early Release*

6/9/2027 Teacher Report Card Prep (K-8 Students Only)

*No After School EC/Full Day EL or PM Pandas Programs

A copy of the PDF calendars are available below. Please note all event dates and times are subject to change. Any changes will be communicated via the Weekly Newsletter.

St. Catherine Extended Care Program provides safe, nurturing, and affordable care for students in grades K-8. Our before and after school program offers time for homework, outdoor play, gym activities, snacks, and engaging enrichment opportunities.

We are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment rooted in family values, while supporting the needs of working parents. With a variety of flexible attendance options, our program is designed to fit the unique schedules of all families.

Check out the Extended Care page on our website for more information and attendance options. If you need to register your child, you can access the form in your FinalSite Parent Portal.

If your child/ren will be absent from school, please notify the school office at attendance@stcatherineschool.net, as well as your child's homeroom teacher, no later than 8:30am on the day of the absence. Advanced notification of the absence (2-3 days before) is also greatly appreciated. The safety of our students is our number one priority and the office will call home to verify the student's absence if a parent/guardian has not called or emailed.

If you know your child will be tardy due to a medical/dental/personal appointment, the office must be notified. A parent/guardian must accompany a tardy student in to the school office to sign them in for the day.

If your child/ren will be absent from school for 2 or more days of school, please complete a pre-planned absence form and send it to attendance@stcatherineschool.net at least 2 weeks prior to the absences.

Regular attendance is important to the success of our students. Normally, illness, medical appointments and family emergencies are the only acceptable form of excused absence.

Summer is a great opportunity for students to relax, recharge...and review! Summer 2026 Learning Expectations for students currently in grades K-7 can be found here!

There is an option to purchase a summer review book rather than complete IXL if that works better for your family. This document will also be on the school website for access over the summer. Students in grades K-4 will bring home a paper copy of the Literacy Bingo boards the last week of school and everything else is accessible online.

If you have any questions, please email Ms. Elsner.

All summer work on IXL should be completed between June 13-August 31.

Registration for CYO Cross Country is now open! Click the link below and scroll down to Cross Country to register: Seattle CYO Athletics Registration

Practices

Monday practices begin September 15th at Maple Leaf Park from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Extended Care pick-up and drop-off will be available. Because of the school calendar, practices start a little later this year, but I may schedule an earlier practice and will communicate that with registered families.

Wednesday practice will also be held from 6:00-7:00 p.m. for 4th-8th graders. Starting September 2nd. The season wraps up with our famous Slurpee Run on October 5th!

Volunteer Coaches Needed

We’re looking for volunteer coaches, ideally one per grade for Kindergarten-4th grade. It’s a great way to support the team and earn volunteer hours!

Meet Schedule

Meets will be held on Sunday afternoons, with exact times determined by our pool assignment. The good news is that meets will not interfere with CYO soccer games.

To be eligible to compete in the Ribbon Run/Championship Meet on October 4th, runners must participate in at least one of the first two meets. This year I want to see all runners participate in the championship meet!

• Meet 1: September 20th
• Meet 2: September 27th
• Meet 3: October 4th — K-3 Ribbon Run & 4th-8th Championship

Questions? Contact Garrett Kelly at garrettmkelly@gmail.com.

Go Tigers!

Registration is now open for K-8 Fall CYO Soccer, welcoming players of all experience levels, from beginners to seasoned athletes. Join friends, learn the game, and represent your community while enjoying a positive and supportive environment.

Don't miss out! Register today and be part of an amazing fall season on the pitch!

We have some good news to share as you start thinking about back-to-school shopping.

As part of our ongoing partnership with School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger, every family will be receiving a $50 Gift code — at no cost to you — that can be applied toward uniform purchases this summer.

If you are interested in this $50 Gift code, please email Amanda to obtain your family's unique $50 digital code and instructions for how to use it on the School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger website.

We look forward to making this back-to-school season a little easier for your family!

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!