The Blarney Stone

March 29, 2023

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MISSION

Saint Patrick Catholic School, a ministry of Saint Patrick Parish, guides students in the pursuit of academic growth while inspiring joyful lives filled with love, service, and respect as disciples of Christ.

Half Staff

Dear Friends,

There is a constant hope that principals won’t have to write letters such as this one, one of sorrow and confusion in response to the most recent school shooting in Nashville. This time it hit one step closer to home, with the violence targeted at a private Christian school.

Our auction Fund-An-Item this month involved improving safety measures on campus, and it is certainly a timely project goal. Your donations were incredibly generous, and they show that we all value the safety and security of our precious children and the people caring for them. 

Brendan Fitzgerald has been working with security specialists to choose the best products available for surveillance, communication, and safeguarding the campus. The upgrades will take place this summer.

Mr. Uc lowered our flag to half staff yesterday to recognize the loss of the six innocent lives lost in Tennessee, three of them being children who unknowingly left home for the last time. Our prayers are with them, their families, and the stricken community.

Meanwhile, trust that we will continue to practice safety exercises and do our best to shelter your children from harm, so they will come home to you.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1-3

Thanks for being here,

Barbara Bolaños

Principal

Saint Patrick, pray for us!

THANK YOU

for celebrating a 130-year legacy of Catholic Education at the

48th Annual R.E.A.C.H. Auction

Our goal was to engage alums, celebrate enrolled families, cherish parishioners, introduce our school to prospective families, and raise $400,000 to support operating costs, tuition aid, and ongoing building needs. We did that with your support.

If you have not had an opportunity to support the REACH Auction, please consider a gift to the Fund-An-Item. To learn more, hit the play button above to watch the appeal video, and click the button below to make your generous gift!



FUND-AN-ITEM

SECURITY UPGRADES & CAMPUS SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS

—GOAL $80,000—

The Fund-An-Item supports a balanced external security system, improved incident response time, upgraded entry access control systems, advanced video surveillance, and exterior improvements to existing play structures. The following is planned:

• 10 VerKada, cloud-based cameras monitoring points of entry
• 5 VerKada keyless access systems on external doors
• Certified design, labor, and electrical support included
• 2-way radios, vests, and playground supervisor safety equipment
• Engineered wood fiber playground mulch
• Miscellaneous safety improvements to the existing playground include but are not limited to covering sharp edges on the main play toy, repairing and replacing broken rungs on the climbing wall, and covering rungs on the climbing ladder with safety materials

Remember to order class keepsakes for yourself and family and friends. Multi-sale items and class projects can be purchased through March 31.

• Eighth Grade: Memory Book
• Third Grade: Student Reflections
• First Grade: When I Grow Up
• Second Grade: Prayer Book
• Second Grade: Digital Photo Download
• Pre-Kindergarten: Cutests Kids in 130 Years
• Art After Dark with Emily Keller*
• 130th Anniversary glassybaby*
• Gaming After Hours with Ms. Salinas & Miss Barro*

*Limited quantities are available. You can get yours now. Click on the button below.

The R.E.A.C.H. Auction photo booth captured the fun and excitement of the evening! We received more photo booth images. View photos. (To download a picture, share it on social media, email, or download it click on the photo in the gallery first, and a button panel will appear.)

The R.E.A.C.H. Auction event night photos are also ready for viewing on Facebook.

Item Pick-Up

Many sold packages are still waiting to be picked up. Contact the Development Office to arrange a time to pick up your items before spring break. Email our extraordinary auction chairs— Wynter Dait and Christy Johnson, at [email protected] to make arrangements.

Parish News

Are you reading our weekly parish newsletter, The Cornerstone? To read Fr. David Mulholland's weekly pastoral letter, like the one above, view Mass schedules, and learn about faith formation opportunities, sacramental prep, outreach, advocacy programs, news from the Seattle Archdiocese, and more, subscribe to receive The Cornerstone in your inbox when published on Fridays!

ALWAYS scroll to the bottom of The Blarney Stone [you might need to click view the entire message if the email was clipped] or view it as a webpage in the browser to stay informed about important news, events, and programs. You'll know you've reached the bottom of this edition when you see the photo highlight.



Check out the 2023-2024 school calendar for important dates, like the first day of school, no school days, and winter and spring break!

MARCH

thru April 1 | Volleyball Registration

30 | Art Studio for Middle Schoolers

30-31 | 8th Grade Retreat at L'Arche Farm

31 | Mass for K-5

31 | R.E.A.C.H. Auction Multi-Sale Closes

thru 31 | Dried Fruit Collection

APRIL

thru June 4 | Grade 3-5 Girls Volleyball Season

4 | Earth Day Assembly

4 | R.E.A.C.H. Auction In-Person Re-Cap Meeting

5, 19, 26 | Spirit Wear Wednesday

5, 19, 26 | 2:00 pm Dismissal

5, 19, 26 | Girls Running Club

6, 20 | Art Studio for Middle Schoolers

6 | Holy Thursday

7 | Night at the Rainiers Ticket Orders Close

7 | Noon dismissal

7 | Good Friday | Living Stations of the Cross

9 | Easter Sunday

10-14 | No School — Easter Break

11 | SPPA & School Commission Meetings

11 & 18 | Operation Keep 'em Warm & Fed

16, 20, 21, 22 | Capital Campaign Info Receptions

19 | Night at the Rainiers

21 | Mass for K-5

23 | First Holy Communion at 11 am Mass

27 | Grandparents Day

27 | Mass for Middle Schoolers

28 | ASB Donut Friday

thru 30 | Mac & Cheese Collection

MAY

1-5 | Teacher Appreciation Week

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | Girls Running Club

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | Spirit Wear Wednesday

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 | 2:00 pm Dismissal

4, 11, 18, 25 | Art Studio for Middle Schoolers

5 | May Crowning Mass

5 | Confirmation Mass at 7:00 pm

6 | Father-Daughter Dance

7 | Spring Choir Concert, 4:00 pm

9 | SPPA & School Commission Meetings

10-12 | 6th Grade at Camp Seymour

12 | K-5 Mass

16, 23 | Keep 'em Warm & Fed

18 | 2nd Grade Field Trip to the Tacoma Nature Center

19 | Middle School Mass

20-21 | Spring Musical Sister Act Performances

26 | All School Mass

26 | ASB Donut Friday

26 | Middle School Dance

29 | No School — Memorial Day

30-31 | 8th Grade Retreat

thru 31 | Cereal Collection

JUNE

5 | Farewell Assembly

5 | Last Day for 8th Graders & 8th Grade Honor Walk

6 | 8th Grade Brunch at 10:30 am

6 | 8th Grade Graduation Mass at 5:00 pm

7 | Spirit Wear Wednesday

7 | 2:00 pm Dismissal

7 | Girls Running Club

8 Field Day

9 Dismissal following 9:00 am Mass

thru 9 | Fruit Snack Collection

13 | School Commission Meeting

13 & 20 | Keep 'em Warm & Fed

Information Receptions

Join Fr. David Mulholland and Principal Barbara Bolaños to learn more about the Saint Patrick Catholic School capital campaign.

Thursday, March 30 | 7:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Art Room

Friday, March 31 | 10:00 am

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Gathering Space

Sunday, April 16 | 11:00 am

Holy Cross Catholic Church

Parish Hall

Thursday, April 20 | 7:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Art Room

Friday, April 21 | 10:00 am

Saint Patrick Catholic Church

Gathering Space

Saturday, April 22 | 6:00 pm

Holy Cross Catholic Church

Parish Hall

To RSVP, call 253-274-4128 or click the button below.

Admissions

We have limited spots available in most grades for the 2023-2024 school year.

Tell your friends and family interested in learning more or applying to contact Registrar Kathey Bucholz.

• Call 253-274-4134
• Email at [email protected]
• Complete Inquiry Form

Student Spotlight

Shout out to Finn D., class of 2024! Finn and fellow Shamrocks Blake W., John A., and several others won the 2022 Tacoma City-Wide Championships at Stadium High, playing for Hilltop Heritage Middle School's varsity team school against a previously undefeated team.

Drop some love in the comments on Facebook to Instagram.

We love celebrating our community members, parents, staff, volunteers, students, and alums! Do you know an outstanding leader we should celebrate? Please email us and give us the scoop.

Distinguished Alumni

Bruce Tutus, class of 1971, was honored as a Distinguished Alum in 2017!

Bruce was honored with the Distinguished Alum award in 2017, the same year his youngest son was graduating from Saint Patrick Catholic School. Bruce graduated in 1971, moving on to Bellarmine Preparatory School, where he graduated as a member of the first co-ed class. Bruce continued his education, earning a degree in finance at Washington State University.

He returned to Tacoma and became part of the family car business— a business his grandfather started with his first Ford dealership in 1918.

Bruce has taken to heart his family’s way of doing business— good business is about taking care of your family and making the community that you live in a better place to live and work.

Bruce built and operates seven full-service dealerships from Kirkland to Olympia. Each one honors a family commitment to building better communities by being active in that city’s Chamber of Commerce, raising money for local hospitals, and supporting the area Boy and Girls Clubs.

Bruce and his wife Linda have consistently and repeatedly looked for ways to make Tacoma a better city. His work on behalf of the Humane Society, in support of the police and military, and especially the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are all part of his local philanthropy. Bruce was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for his leadership in raising over $1 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Pierce County and for all of his work in making our communities stronger, safer, more healthy, and just. Bruce Titus was recognized as the 2012 Time Dealer of the Year for North America for his dedication to the automobile industry and ethical business practices.

Closer to home, one doesn’t have to look very far to see Bruce’s generosity, faithfulness, and loyalty to his former school. The Celtic crosses in the classrooms and on the Saint Patrick Catholic School building wall are because of his endless capacity to give. He funded the replacement of the gymnasium floor years ago. He and Linda chaired the 2016 R.E.A.C.H. Auction in raising more money than ever before, and the BoxLight interactive panels in the classrooms are a result of their vision, tremendous generosity, and willingness to ask others to do the same.

View the presentation on YouTube.

First presented in 2008, the Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes outstanding alums who have had an inspirational impact on students and the community and made significant contributions to their profession and community service. By honoring our former students, we hope to inspire today's students to strive for personal and professional success.

Nominations are accepted year-round. The current Saint Patrick Catholic School faculty and staff select a recipient each September.

Playground Supervisor

Saint Patrick Catholic School is seeking a playground supervisor to monitor lunch recesses, Monday-Friday (except for half days), 11:30 am-1:30 pm. The position is a fun chance to interact with kindergarten through eighth-grade students!

We'll provide all the training you need; you bring your love for children. Candidates must complete a background check and Safe Environment training within 30 days of the start date.

Email Vice Principal Kate Chambers to learn more and apply through the Archdiocese of Seattle.

Scrip Processing Time

Due to a shortage of volunteers and the requirement by the Archdiocese of Seattle that "Uncompensated volunteers must accomplish a minimum of 85% of SCRIP hours.", Scrip will only be processed on the 1st and 15th of each month.

What does this mean for you?

It means that any physical cards shipped to the scrip coordinator can take up to two weeks before we can distribute them to you.

What can you do to help?

When you purchase cards online, filter by card types "Ship to Home," eGift Cards, or Reloadable Cards, and always pay using ACH/EFT or Credit Card.

Scrip Volunteers Needed

Volunteers are needed to expedite the processing time. Coordinating Scrip is a great way to earn volunteer commitment hours. If you are interested in learning more, email [email protected].

Become A Safe Environment Program Facilitator— Volunteers Needed

Protecting God's Children is an initial, in-person class for volunteers and employees throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle working with children or vulnerable adults. Volunteer facilitators are needed to lead the classes in our school, and we invite you to prayerfully consider joining the efforts to keep our children and vulnerable adult parishioners safe!

Requirements

• Any parishioner/school family may apply.
• Commitment to protecting children.
• Endorsement from the appointed pastoral leader (Pastor, Priest Administrator, Pastoral Coordinator, Principal)
• Completion of the entire New Facilitator Webinar online

Upon completing the training session, you will be certified to host and facilitate the Protecting God's Children for Adults course for your parish or school.

Please contact Cathy Wiswell, Safe Environment Coordinator, at 206.382.4285 or email [email protected] for an application and more information.

Service counts towards fulfilling commitment hours for the 2022-2023 school year.

Lunch & Recess Supervisor

Are you looking for a fun way to earn commitment hours? We need volunteers to help supervise lunch and recess. Surround yourself with happy little people while helping to keep them safe.

Volunteers must have completed Virtus Safe Environment.

Volunteer Commitment Hours Log

School families are responsible for finding, recording, and tracking their service hours during the school year.

Did you volunteer at the Uniform Resale, Hedgefest, New Family BBQ, Parish Picnic, Glow Dance, Trunk or Treat, Wreath Sale, Lunch or Recess Supervision, Basketball, or Volleyball? Are you a classroom parent? Do you attend meetings for SPPA, School Commission, and the REACH Auction?

Log your Volunteer Commitment Hours after each event, so you're not scrambling at the end of the school year!

To volunteer on campus, you must complete the Virtus Training. If you have completed the initial training, you can log into your account to ensure you are up to date with the background check and all modules.

Check events for more volunteer opportunities.

Night at the Rainiers

Join your Saint Patrick Catholic School friends for a night of food, fun, and baseball at Cheney Stadium!

Support the Saint Patrick Catholic School Choir and 3rd graders by arriving early to watch them perform the National Anthem before the Tacoma Rainiers take on the El Paso Chihuahuas.

April 19 | 6:00 pm

Cheney Stadium

Choose from the DOUBLE PLAY ticket, including a reserved seat ticket, Ballpark Meal, and a limited edition Tacoma Rainiers hat, or the EXPRESS ticket, including a reserved seat ticket and a Ballpark Meal. Ballpark Meals include a hot dog, chips, and water.

Kids 3 and under are free. Gates typically open one hour before game time. Please arrive at least one hour before game time to ensure you have a parking spot. Parking is $10 cash or credit paid at the parking gate.

Current Saint Patrick Catholic School families don't need to send in an order form or checks! We'll charge your tickets to your FACTS account. Tickets will be sent home with your student the week of the game. Complete the ORDER TICKET FORM below.

Community and parishioners email Scgool Office Manager Marla Petronzio at [email protected] or call 253-272-2297 to order tickets and remit payment. Tickets will be available for pick up at Saint Patrick Catholic School during school hours the week of the game.

All tickets orders must be received by April 7

Running Club

Girls helping girls be confident, strong, empathetic, and powerful— all while working together as a team!

The Girl Empowerment Running Club is for girls in grades 1-5, and girls in grades 6-8 are invited to serve as volunteers.

Wednesdays

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Saint Patrick Catholic School

Upper Playground

Share

To learn more, email coaches Julie Quesada and Maggie Gallagher.

Volleyball for Girls in Grades 3-5

Whether you have a great jump serve or have never played, join the team!

Practices are held in the Skip Butler Gymnasium at Saint Patrick Catholic School after school. Games are played on weekends. Share

Regular Registration 

through April 1 

Program Duration

April 1 - June 4

Cost

$50/player 

if registered by April 1

Volunteer

Are you interested in coaching, serving as the team photographer, or in another capacity? Volunteering counts toward fulfilling the required commitment hours for the 2022-2023 school year! 

Email [email protected] to learn more.

Homework Support Hour for grades 5-8

Need help with homework? Sign up for support. Space is limited. Sign-ups are required in advance, one week at a time.

Tuesdays

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Mr. Ainslie's Classroom

Students go directly to Mr. Ainslie's room after school. Mrs. McElligott will help students and ensure they are on task. Students can be picked up from the main office at 4:00 pm. Please do not send siblings with your student. Feel free to email Mrs. McElligott with questions.

After School Art Studio for grades 6-8

Middle school students can use the space and supplies in the Art Room as their studio to develop their skills with a particular medium or to explore something new.

Thursdays | 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Art Room | Share

No session on April 27.

Mrs. Keller is prepping for Art After Dark, a 21+ special R.E.A.C.H. Auction package.



Art Studio is a free drop-in activity! You don't need to register. Art Specialist Mrs. Emily Keller will help students with their independent work most weeks. A unique project is planned for once a month. 

Lunch Orders

The lunch program, catered by Love My Lunch, offers three daily choices, including a dessert add-on. Each regular-size meal is $5.75 plus tax and includes fruit, vegetable, and a side item. Larger meals are more. No canned fruits or vegetables or high fructose products.

April Menu Snapshot

• Bean & Cheese Burrito
• Chicken Nuggets
• Cheese Burger
• Chicken Burger
• Orange Chicken & Rice
• Hummus & Pita
• Chicken Teriyaki
• Pizza
• Blueberry Waffles & Sausage

Orders are due two days before lunch service, and Love my Lunch sends weekly email reminders to all families with registered accounts. To learn more, email [email protected].

Coin Clash

Middle School Shamrocks are raising money to build a tiny house for the Village at 6th & Orchard, supported and operated by the Low Income Housing Institute and First Christian Church of Tacoma. A tiny house is approximately 8' x 12', and materials cost about $4,500.

Students have raised $3,000 of their $5,000 goal. The middle school identified homelessness in our community as a worthy cause to try and make a small difference. A couple of bucks times many people equals a significant step towards our goal.

About Coin Clash

Each year the Middle School division chooses a cause that benefits from the Coin Clash among the grades. Collected coins count positively toward the class total, and paper bills put in the bucket by the other grades count negatively toward your total. You can quickly swing the total points for a class by donating paper cash at the end while raising a lot of money.

Students talk about the math behind collecting coins early in the game, as that gives you a more considerable net gain overall. They also talk about the power of community and crowd-fundraising. They learn that they can make a difference and be the ones to start the ball rolling in the name of a good cause.

It is a networking thing, and students are the first step of the community network. Family members would be the next level, then workplaces, neighbors, and friends. Bake sales and special events to raise awareness and funds are also part of the effort.

About Tiny Homes

By collaborating with students, volunteers, building trade organizations, and nonprofits, tiny houses offer a grassroots solution to the Puget Sound region's homelessness crisis. All tiny houses are safe, sturdy structures that help protect homeless individuals and families who are faced with sleeping on the streets in unsafe conditions. Each house has electricity, overhead light, insulation, and a heater. Each shelter has a kitchen, bathroom, laundry facilities, offices for on-site case managers, ample storage, and a check-in house for security.

St. Leo Food Connection 

In March, we're collecting dried fruit, ideally in single serving sizes and other non-perishable food items, to support the St. Leo Food Connection Backpack Program serving over 1,200 students weekly at schools in Tacoma, Lakewood, and Puyallup.

Backpacks contain at least two days of easy-to-access food, such as oatmeal packets, instant soups, fresh fruits, and vegetables, so students can come to school nourished and ready to learn after the weekend.

The following are needed in single-serving sizes:

• April | Mac and Cheese
• May | Cereal
• June | Fruit Snacks

Drop off donations at Saint Patrick Catholic School during school hours!

Operation Keep 'Em Warm & Fed

Involve your family in a school service project you can do from home! Serving Tacoma since 1995, Operation Keep 'em Warm & Fed builds relationships with people experiencing homelessness.

Can your family help make ten sandwiches at home to give to people experiencing homelessness and hunger?



• April 11 & 18
• May 16 & 23
• June 13 & 20
• July 11 & 18
• Aug 15 & 22
• September 12 & 19
• October 17 & 24
• November 14 & 21
• December 12 & 19

To sign up, or learn more, email us! Service counts towards fulfilling required commitment hours for the 2022-2023 school year.

BELLARMUN 2023 for Middle Schoolers

BELLARMUN, a two-day Model United Nations conference for middle school students, organized and staffed by Bellarmine Preparatory School’s Model UN Program members, is an excellent opportunity for students interested in global affairs, debate, or developing their speaking skills.

April 29-30

Bellarmine Preparatory School

Using a series of workshops, students are educated on the foundations of Model UN and the application of critical skills, such as effective diplomacy and communication. Then, for a hands-on experience to help apply these skills, the delegates practice these skills under the guidance of our trained staff as they debate possible solutions on global topics. 

To register for BELLARMUN 2023 or learn more, go to www.bellarmun.org.

Label Daddy Affiliate Program

Are you tired of wasting money on lost stuff? No more lost items with waterproof, ultra-durable name stickers. Check out Label Daddy!

Bonus: They offer a 25% rebate to Saint Patrick Catholic School when you shop using the affiliate link! You need not be a school family to use the link. You can watch the video to learn more.

RaiseRight, formerly known as Scrip

Whether it’s keeping track of weekly bonuses and newly added brands, learning how to earn with various gift card types, or finding everyday earning inspiration, utilize all the tools in the Participant Resource Center to take your earning efforts to the next level and help Saint Patrick Catholic Schoolreach its fundraising goals.

Pro Tip: Bookmark Participant Resource Center in your browser for quick and easy access!

200+ brands delivered right to your door—Ship to Home. It's convenient to keep earning with reloadable gas or grocery cards, birthday gifts, and more.

How it works:

• Buy gift cards at face value.
• Earn up to 20% for Saint Patrick Catholic School on every gift card you buy.
• Use gift cards at their total value for your everyday purchases.

Buy gift cards from your favorite brands to earn on your daily purchases. Use the mobile app or raiseright.com/shop for year-round shopping and gift-giving needs.

Box Tops for Education

Download the Box Tops app to scan your store receipts for participating products. Saint Patrick Catholic School will automatically earn cash with every Box Tops product you buy.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards

Do you shop at Fred Meyer? Every time you use your loyalty card, you can earn money for St. Patrick Catholic School.

In the 4th quarter of 2022, 59 households helped earn $166.84 in donations for our school! An increase in the number of families participating and funds over 3rd quarter earnings.

Link your Fred Meyer Rewards Card at Fred Meyer Community Rewards. You can search for us by St. Patrick School or ID Code RX604.

Then, every time you shop and use your loyalty card, you're helping our school earn a donation! You'll still earn your rewards points, fuel points, and rebates, and you'll also earn money for St. Patrick Catholic School.

SPPA

2nd Tuesday of the month

5:30 pm - 6:25 pm

share

Meetings

April 11 & May 9 

The SPPA meets from September to May on Zoom. All registered school families are members of SPPA and encouraged to participate.

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours.

SPPA OFFICERS

President

Olivia Cabrales

Vice President

Erica Rosales

Treasurer

Christa Perez

Secretary

Dani Kessler

QUICK LINKS

Bylaws

Staff Favorites

Meeting Minutes

Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec

Jan

Movie Nights

TBD

Blue Mouse Theater

Grandparents Day

April 27

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 1-5

Father- Daughter Dance

May 6

Color Fun Run

May TBD

School Commission

2nd Tuesday of the month

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

share

Meetings

April 11 & May 9

The School Commission meets from September to May in the St. Patrick Catholic Church Parish Center. 

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours. 



SCHOOL COMMISSION

President

Jaime Singer

Vice President

John Nelson

Secretary

Alyssa Dunivan

Pastor

Fr. David Mulholland

Principal

Barbara Bolaños

Vice Principal

Kate Chambers

Faculty Representative

Trish Joyce

Commissioners

Brie Cooper

Allison Drago

Willie London

Bill Malaier

Stu Morgan

Andrew Noonan

Kasa Tupua Pierson

Bylaws

Meeting Minutes

Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec

Jan | Feb

R.E.A.C.H. Auction

1st Tuesday of the month

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

share

Final Meeting

April 4 in person at Saint Patrick Catholic School to recap R.E.A.C.H. 2023 and start prepping for the our future R.E.A.C.H. Auction on March 16, 2024 and March 8, 2025.

Attending meetings counts toward Commitment Hours.

4th Grade Shamrocks visited the state Capital and experienced a guided tour of the Legislative Building. The Legislative Building is home to the Washington State Legislature and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer. Completed in 1928, the Legislative Building is crowned with North America's tallest freestanding masonry dome. The interior is decorated with Tiffany chandeliers and clad in marble from five countries. The tour of the Legislative Building includes the North Foyer, Rotunda, State Reception Room, and Legislative Galleries.

Laurie A. Jinkins, politician, attorney, and public health official from Tacoma, Washington, a member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 27th district and Speaker of the House since January 2020, spoke with students along with her security guard Jim Gallagher who attended Saint Patrick Catholic School in the early 1950s. Representative Jenkins invited students to return when they are older and page with her. Katy Ruckle, mom to Emma, works in Olympia and met up with the group during lunch.

View more photos courtesy of teacher Mrs. Minh Gavino!

Free, guided public tours of the Washington State Legislative Building (Capitol Building) are available daily and are open to everyone. It is a great, family-friendly activity for spring break. Tours begin at the Tour Information Desk, which is located on the second floor of the Legislative Building, just inside the main entrance doors. Tours are available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are a group of 10 or more, please feel free to reserve space in advance by calling the State Capitol Tour Office at (360) 902-8880. Advanced reservations are limited to 20 spaces per tour.

Emergency Management Manual

OFFICE HOURS

Monday | Tuesday | Thursday | Friday

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Wednesdays

8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Friday

8:00 am - 3:30 pm



SCHOOL HOURS

Monday | Tuesday | Thursday | Friday

8:30 am - 3:00 pm



Wednesdays

8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Early Dismissal Days

8:30 am - 12:00 pm