WOH For Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019
Why do we teach? By Kristen Okabayashi, Hope Principal
Prior to working in the education field, I was a manager in the retail clothing industry. I worked for several different companies in store operations, the buying office, and store management, finishing up that career as a district manager overseeing a variety of different stores in several states. I enjoyed my job for the most part but ended up eventually leaving that field because I felt like I wasn’t making a difference in the world in general. I went back to school and launched my education career, finally doing what my mom had always told me I should do.
I would say that our teachers and staff here at Hope are here for a similar reason – they want to make a difference in our community and in our world. Teaching is a relatively unique job because we can see how we impact students almost immediately. From the anxious and quiet student who blossoms into a talented actor, to the student who struggles mightily with math who discovers they actually CAN do math with the right instruction and encouragement, to the student who needs to feel like their teacher is on their side before they can fully reach their potential, we make a difference each and every day. Together with you, our parents, we are growing the future leaders of our country!
I’m grateful and thankful to serve in our school, with teachers and staff who care tremendously about our students, in a supportive environment that looks at what is best for kids. At Hope and many other great schools, teaching is a calling, not just a job. What could be more important?
Tuesday Newsletter & Communication Envelopes
Our newsletter is sent via email every Tuesday and will also be posted to our website at www.hopeseattle.org. Please notify the school office at 206-935-8500 if you require a hard copy. Our weekly newsletter is used for general announcements, calendar date changes or reminders, Parent Involvement Program (PIP) opportunities, sports, and much more! Other communication tools we utilize are Vertical Response, which goes out via email, and SchoolMessenger, which goes out via phone. Please ensure that your information is up-to-date for your family in our K12online portal. Each kindergarten through 8th grade homeroom will also send home a bright yellow communication folder with important school forms. Please sign the outside of the envelope, remove the contents and return the folder to your child’s homeroom. Do not place forms inside this envelope; instead, attach any forms returning to the school to the outside of the envelope.
Wed. 9/11: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Mrs. Okabayashi
Fri. 9/13: School Uniform Drive Ends / Deadline for Ordering Monday/Friday lunches
Sept. 18 – 20: 6th Grade Outdoor Ed at Miracle Ranch
Wed. 9/18: 8:40 AM Chapel led by Mrs. Mueller
Upcoming September Events
Sept. 24th is our 1st PTH General Meeting at 6:30 PM then our Curriculum Night at 7:00 PM
Sept. 27th is our Fall Olympics for Grades K-8 at 1:00 PM
Lunches and Recesses
Hope Lutheran utilizes the services of a third party hot lunch provider. If desired, families may order lunches online to be delivered at school. Students may also bring their own lunch to school each day. Parents bringing lunches to school are requested to drop them off in the school office with the child’s name clearly indicated. Students will be allowed to pick up their lunch at the beginning of their lunch hour. Milk is still available and must be purchased in advance on an annual basis. Please do not send nuts, peanuts or seeds in lunches due to allergies.
All students typically have daily recesses outside. If the weather is extremely cold or rainy, indoor activities will be planned.
Monday/Friday Hot Lunch Forms due Friday Sept. 13
Parents have the option of buying chicken strips/chips/and carrots for Mondays and either cheese or pepperoni pizza for Fridays. Proceeds benefit the 7-8th grade spring 2021 East Coast trip. These orders forms were sent home again today and are due this Friday, September 13th (sorry, late orders cannot be accepted).
Hot Lunch Program – Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday
Hot lunch is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays to all K-8 students as well as full day preschool students, orderable and payable on a month-to-month basis. The registration form is on NEST’s website: http://www.cafestellinacatering.com/NEST-School-Lunch-Program.html. You may fill it out and scan/email it back to them or send it via snail mail and feel free to contact them with questions at cafestellinacatering@gmail.com. Please note the Hope School does not register or bill for this program.
Curriculum Night
Curriculum Night is coming up Tuesday evening, September 24; we hope all our K-8 parents and guardians are able to join us! This year, we will begin the evening in the sanctuary at 6:30 PM for a PTH meeting. At 7:00, we will kick off Curriculum Night in the sanctuary for general information about school-wide updates and changes. Next, K-5 families will go visit their child’s classroom; middle school families will learn more about middle school curriculum, Schoology, and other middle school updates. After that, all families are welcome to circulate throughout our classrooms to pick-up information about upcoming projects, and visit with teachers.
Uniform Update
Dennis Uniforms is no longer carrying our blue plaid, and so we are switching to Lands End as our preferred uniform provider. Students may continue to wear the Dennis blue Harris plaid but we have added the classic navy plaid to our uniforms, available from Lands End. Students may purchase a zip-up sweatshirt with the Hope logo from Lands End, in addition to the styles already available. To order the approved uniform styles at Lands’ End click here and enter our school number: 900147711.
Visit our school website for updated information on our school clubs at www.hls.hopeschool.org. We will be offering Rainbow Parrot Art workshops on Mondays and chess club on Tuesdays during 1st trimester.
Chapel Offering Envelopes
Offerings are collected during our chapel services from the students using their weekly offering envelopes. Hope School continues to sponsor a child, Christopher Tano, through Compassion International. Your students offering envelopes are a small blank yellow envelope and is sent home each Tuesday. These offerings allow students to develop a pattern of giving as part of their Christian lives and to share God’s love by supporting missions and charities. Therefore, we encourage students to give from their own money (allowance or other earnings).
Hope Turns 60!
That’s right; Hope turns 60 years old this year and we’re celebrating all year long starting on Friday, September 13. Join us for a school assembly at 2:15 in the sanctuary for a short skit and presentation to learn a little history about how Hope School came to be. And stay tuned for more exciting events throughout the year to celebrate our amazing school!
Join the 60th Anniversary Planning Committee
Need some PIP hours? The 60th Anniversary Planning Committee could use some extra hands to help with upcoming events and database work. Interested? Email Sally Heit for more information at sheit@hopeseattle.org.
Parent Involvement Program or PIP Opportunities
Lunch and Recess Volunteers
Volunteers needed to assist in our lunchroom from 11:40 am-12:50 pm and our lunchtime recess from 12:00-1:05pm. Volunteers will be working with a teacher or staff person and will provide our hard-working teachers with a designated lunch break each day. If you can help with any of these times, please contact Shari Wallace at swallace@hopeseattle.org or (206) 935-8500.