WOH For Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019
Growing Leaders by Julie Hartley, First Grade Teacher and Student Council Leader
Ambassadors for Hope. If that sounds like a pretty important title, it should! This honorable name was given to the very special group of students who are serving on Hope School’s Student Council. Over the past several years I have had the privilege of being the teacher leader for this outstanding extra-curricular club, following the groundwork established by my wonderful colleague, Mrs. Norton.
Student Council is our student body government, comprised of 14 students from grades 3-8. Two class representatives each represent grades 3-7 and in 8th grade, we have four officer positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. All positions are filled through an election process in the fall, where the student body votes for who they think will best represent their grade and work hard to make ideas a reality. It is fun to see so many different personalities shine during the two-week competitive campaign season!
Serving on Student Council provides a valuable growth opportunity for those involved. These student leaders are developing confidence as they practice public speaking in front of the whole school during chapel announcements and also as they debate their point of view during our monthly meetings. Doing presentations during Open House Night or helping to lead parent tours is also a key role that promotes communication skills. In addition, they are developing leadership and organizational skills as they gather student opinions, coordinate school spirit events, and carry out plans for fundraisers. It is inspiring to watch them come together as a team and work hard on a common goal, each bringing a unique set of talents and perspectives to the table. I once heard one of them comment that they feel like it is a family within the school, and I couldn’t agree more.
There are so many reasons that Student Council is a huge blessing to our school. Each member is encouraged to come up with one specific way they can make a lasting positive impact on our school community, and we call these our “Legacy Projects.” One example of a Legacy Project is the Buddy Bench that is on the playground; a student wanted a place where kids who are feeling lonely or sad can go and be comforted by other kids. Another example is the Little Book Lending Libraries that are serving both the lower and upper grades, with one bookshelf for each floor. This came from another one of our caring class representatives who wanted to make sure kids could always have new books to read without having to go purchase them.
Hope’s Student Council kids are constantly working to make a positive contribution to our school and our larger community. They coordinate fun dress-up days for LEST and during the Christmas holiday week to promote school spirit. They also fundraise with Santa Grams and LEST spirit items; this year they donated all the proceeds from Santa Grams to the Living Water campaign. They were so proud to help the church bring wells to people across the globe who so desperately need clean water. Student Council kids also had fun representing our school at the Hometown Holidays event in the Alaska Junction the past couple of years. These are just a few of the many events they are involved with. I am so proud of their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm and I am looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year brings with this amazing group of student leaders!
Feb. 25 – March 8: School Uniform Swap
Wed. 2/27: 8:40 AM Chapel led by 8th Grade
Fri. 3/1: Free Dress Day / 7:30 PM Middle School Dance 7th & 8th Grade
Wed. 3/6: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Pastor Peter – Ash Wednesday
Upcoming Events
Monday, March 11th No School, Trimester 2 Grading Day. ESC & Sand Dollar Club open with pre-registration for ESC group.
School Uniform Swap – Feb. 25 – March 8
Uniform Swap – are your child’s uniforms looking a little short? Bring them to school and swap sizes. Uniforms will be available in the school’s 1st floor from February 25th thru March 8th.
PTH General Meeting Minutes
Minutes of our last general meeting on February 6th can be found here and a hard copy in our Tuesday communication envelope coming home today. Lots of PIP opportunities so stay tuned to your website at www.hopeluthstg.wpengine.com.
LEST 2019 Results – Click Here
School Clubs at Hope – Click Here
Chess Scholars winter registration canceled due to low enrollment.
PTH & PIP Opportunities – Click Here
Visit signupgenius.com and search by pth@hopeseattle.org
We have the following opportunities: Middle School Dance – March 1st, what a fun way to earn PIP hours and ensure that this event is a success! Teacher Appreciation planning for week of May 6-10, Arts Walk – Tuesday evening meetings with event date of June 1st and we still have a PTH position for this 2018/2019 school year for a Member-at-Large.
Church News & Activities – Click Here
Vacation Bible School – July 29 – Aug. 2, 2019
Making plans for the summer? Make sure to include Vacation Bible School (VBS) -July 29-August 2, 9:00- Noon. Our theme this year is “Roar”! Online registration opens soon.
Lenten Services – Wednesdays 7:00 P.M. – Starting March 6
We will gather for a short worship experience featuring some of the best of our traditional and contemporary worship hymns and songs, special elements, and inspiring messages to take us deeper into Jesus’ amazing love.
Soup Supper – Come to the Fellowship Hall at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays for an informal meal of a variety of soups, green salad, and bread. It’s a wonderful way to connect! Your Hope teachers and staff will be hosting on Wednesday, March 20th.
Seattle Lutheran Sailing Club Fundraiser Rescheduled – Bunco fundraiser at Seattle Lutheran High School has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 9, 5:30 p.m. Please join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, food and prizes! All proceeds benefit the SLHS Sailing Club. Cost $20.00 includes Brats & Salad Dinner (beverages available for purchase). Adults 21 and older. RSVP at www.seattlelutheran.org no later than Tuesday, March 5th.