WOH For Tuesday, May 12, 2015
On a Personal Note by Kristen Okabayashi, Principal
About three weeks ago, my oldest son Ryan was playing Ultimate Frisbee with an older cousin and ended up with a major knee injury. On Monday, which when this newsletter publishes will actually be yesterday, he will have surgery to reconstruct his ACL. My four boys are quite active but not very accident prone, thank you God, so this is the first time we are facing a major surgery with one of our children. Many of you too have been through something similar or even worse, either with yourself or one of your children, and so you know it brings up all sort of emotions as we go through the grief process.
The injury occurred on a Friday night, and our first reaction was denial. Despite knowing that our oldest has a high pain tolerance and despite that it really hurt and that he heard a “cracking” sound when he fell, we thought to ourselves that it was maybe just a sprain or something. By the next morning, it was swollen and quite painful and so we started moving into other stages of grief including anger, bargaining, and depression over the weekend as we realize the injury was going to cause significant changes to the plans he had for spring, summer, and fall sports and employment.
Amidst this sadness, we are so blessed to have a community that loves and cares for us. Our son’s friends came over in the first few days after the injury and were physically present with him, basically doing nothing with him but mentally doing everything for him by simply being there. We are blessed by friends who have good resources for us and friends who have been through the same thing who can help guide us, and we have been amazingly blessed by prayers and offers to help with meals or transportation.
I realize that for the first time since I have been at Hope, I will need to take most of next week off while school is in session, as I support my son. I am so grateful for an office staff and a teaching staff that are supportive and stable and strong, so I can leave without worrying about them. Not everyone can feel that way! So you will not see me greeting out front and saying good bye next week, but know that I am there in spirit anyway, and am just a phone call away.
As a person who is pretty self-reliant and has trouble asking for help, I am reminded again that God calls us to live in community for good reason. We are going into this surgery feeling the love and peace of being prayed for, with the knowledge that others have shared with us, and that is a wonderful thing!
Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Calendar of Events
Tues. – Fri. 5/12-5/15: Scholastic Book Fair
Tues. 5/12: Grades 5-8 Only – Quarter 4 Midterms Sent Home
Wed. 5/13: Grandparents Day! 8:40 AM Chapel w/Kindergarten / 10:30 Musical Performances / 12:00 Dismiss: ESC EXTRA Open
Thurs. 5/14: 6:00 PM Art Walk In Commons Hosted by PTH
Fri. 5/15: Free Dress Day
Tues. 5/19: 9:00 AM Track Meet – No School for 5-8 Grades Only
Spring Scholastic Book Fair – May 12 – 15
Our Scholastic Book Fair is open and ready for business. Come shop and purchase books for kids, grandkids, and yourself! The fair will be located on the 1st & 2nd floors and open after school. Look for the teacher Wish List pockets, posted in the hall, to make special donations to promote literacy and build classroom libraries.
West Seattle Art Walk – May 14 – 6pm to 9pm
Did you miss the student art show in April? Now is your chance to see the fantastic work created by Hope Students. This is your last chance to view beautiful pottery pieces created by preschool through grade 5 students through our Artist In Residence program as well as works by our talented middle school students. Artwork will be on display in the Commons and open to the public.
Lego Club End Of Year Party – May 18
Dear Lego Club Kids, There will be a party May 18th to celebrate the end of the year. If you have been in Lego Club this year, please come. This is for students that attend either the younger or older group. Come and have a good time to finish the year. We will end by 4:00 pm and parents or guardians are invited too. Email me with questions at brumbergs4@comcast.net. Thank you, Lois Brumberg (Mrs. B.)
No School / Invitational Track Meet for 5th – 8th Graders Tuesday, May 19
Parents, please note that Hope School will be hosting an Invitational track meet on Tuesday, May 19th and due to the number of track participants there will be NO school for our 5th – 8th grade students on this day. Parents will need to make alternative care arrangements for their 5th – 8th gr. students. Students not participating in track are welcome to attend and cheer their classmates on with parental supervision only.
Students participating in track will plan on meeting at the West Seattle Stadium prior to the event. Mr. Kapels will provide more details as we get closer to the meet.
Concessions will be available all day with proceeds benefiting our WA D.C. group! If you would like to plan ahead for lunches and snacks, below is a sampling of what will offered. Eagle Special for $5.00 you pick from the following options: Pizza OR Hot Dog OR Nachos PLUS Chips or Cookie PLUS Drink (Gatorade, Water or Soda)
In addition to the above items being sold individually, there will be a variety of other items including: fruit, muffins, granola bars, chocolate milk, coffee, and Italian Sodas!
Sounds of Spring Concert – Wed. May 20
Please join Hope School and Seattle Lutheran High School students for our annual Sounds of Spring Concert. We will hear from Hope’s Glee Club, Chapel Band and Handbell Choir, as well as the Seattle Lutheran Band. The concert will take place in Hope’s Sanctuary Wednesday night, May 20, at 7:00 PM.
Special Baptism Chapel – Wed. May 27
Are you interested in having your child baptized or learning more about baptism? Please contact Patra Mueller, Family Life Minister at patramueller@hopeseattle.org for more information. We plan to have a special baptism chapel on Wednesday, May 27th at 8:40 AM.
Eagle Classic Golf Tournament – Register Here
Afterschool Activities – Click Here
Parent Involvement Program Opportunities – Click Here
Book Fair – help is still needed – check here for dates and times.
Tract Meet is on Tuesday, May 19 @ WS Stadium. Contact Mr. Kapels at bkapels@hopeseattle.org. No experience necessary!
Art Walk help needed to set up the art work, greet visitors during the evening or help take down the displays. Set up will begin at 10:30 am on May 14th and probably will last a few hours. Take down will either be that evening or the following day; details to follow. If you are a baker and would like to provide a few refreshments for our guests, please let Sally Heit know. Any help is appreciated!
PIP Notice
Your PIP hours for 2014-2015 must be worked by May 31st and submitted by June 5th to be credited toward the current school year. Any hours worked after June 1st will be credited to the following school year. Unfulfilled hours at the end of the program year will be billed at $20 each, based on ¼ hour increments. Student’s report cards, transcripts and diplomas will not be released until all outstanding fees are paid in full.
Yearbook Fundraiser Results
Thank you parents and students for a successful fundraiser! We were able to raise $1,800 towards our yearbook program. Congratulations to Karin V. for selling 22 items and winning a free dress day pass! Look for your yearbook order form coming home in your Tuesday folder next week.