Principal's Letter
Dear OLG Families,

It is late July and you need an update before the month ends! While there has been a lot in the news in the last week from our government and public school neighbors, we are continuing on our path to a safe return this fall. I want to share with you some of the details and things our staff are doing to ensure that whether we are open in-person, or virtually, we are prepared.
We have measured our classroom sizes to determine how many desks/students are able to fit to meet 6 foot spacing guidelines. We are analyzing potential schedules, and re-imagining each of our roles as we embark on a new paradigm of student learning during this ongoing pandemic. This includes "cohorting" (maintaining small groupings) and staggered entry/exit times to allow for health screenings and minimal contact between students. We have invested in PPE for teachers and staff. We are improving our health room and upgrading the airflow in our building. We are preparing plexiglass dividers for our entry area and certain classroom desk arrangements. The Walmesley Center will be transformed into classroom spaces as well in order to help our larger middle school classes spread out while staying intact. Our 3rd and 5th grade classes are also slightly larger than what fit in our regular classrooms, but will stay in our main building and be able to spread out in adjoining rooms. Our teachers are preparing for this model in order to have all our students on campus. All this preparation is in line with the CDC and our local public health guidelines. For our youngest, we are planning on our Early Learning Center to open utilizing the entire basement area to make space available for spacing of our students. There was a recent good article here from NPR on childcare and preparing students as parents.

We also know some of this decision of how we return is out of my hands. In some sense, it is actually in all of our hands (wash those hands)! I feel as if I'm a part-time epidemiologist trying to stay up on all the news, as I'm certain you are as well! If we are forced to return in full remote learning then our staff is preparing for that possibility as well.

Our teachers have been taking classes this summer on remote learning tools and methods, been involved in professional development on how to start the year in non-traditional ways, and have been coordinating with each other on improving their craft. We know our distance learning experiences this spring needs honing if we are to have long term online learning. We are focusing on the consistency of set schedules with optional components, attention to social and emotional health, and more synchronous learning options. We know the special value community has at our school and the difficulty of replicating virtually what we do so well in-person.

I continue to communicate with our neighboring Catholic schools and the Archdiocese as well to ensure our system is equitable and fair for all. All three of our West Seattle schools are seeking as full a reopening as possible within the safety precautions and restrictions we are bound to. We are blessed with large classrooms and a campus that can hold us all, a very supportive parish community, amazing teaching staff, and support from many individuals and the community to keep our school thriving. Speaking of thriving, see info on the Loop the Lupe below for a great way to thrive in these unusual times!

We realize that these are difficult economic times and are committed to making it work for all our family’s situations while maintaining our robust academic program and fulfilling our educational mission. We hope our efforts together will make a difference and I encourage anyone experiencing financial hardship to reach out to myself or our school office to engage in the support you need. Thank you for all the support of OLG parish and school community!
Yours in Christ,

Anton Kramer
Important Dates
Summer Office Hours
  • Thru June 30: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm or by appointment
  • July & early August: By appointment
  • Starting August 10th: Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

Have a great summer!

Save the Date... we'll planning to safely return to action this Fall!
Summer Learning
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Summer Math and Reading
Parents: We highly encourage you to keep your student on the suggested schedule so they can maintain the skills they have learned this year. Students in these current grades will receive:

  • Kindergarten - a packet with math and reading review - available at school
  • 1st grade - a packet with math and language arts review - available at school. Please continue to use your individualized book lists and RAZ to find “just right” text and books! Students are encouraged to read aloud 20 minutes a day.  
  • 2nd-4th grades - a math packet is available at school. Students are encouraged to read 20-30 minutes a day. Kids A-Z reading resources will also be available. 
  • Grades K-4 - Math Whizz and XtraMath will be available to students throughout the summer. We recommend that you continue to use these resources! For optimal results, use Math Whizz for 45 minutes a week and XtraMath 3-5 times a week.
  • Grades 5-7 Math - mandatory summer math packet - available at the school, or the digital version is on Ms. Savio's website.
  • Grades 5-7 Reading - Summer reading assignments were sent via student email or available on Ms. Hobbs web site.

Also, check your student's report card for comments and recommendations (report cards will be mailed next week). Here is an  article on easy ways to avoid the summer "loss".

Students in K-4 who complete and return their packets to next year’s teacher on the first week of school will be eligible to participate in an  ice cream party . If you have any questions please contact  Mrs. Lawler. Middle schoolers (no ice cream party) just tests and a book assignment in September. Have a fun and safe summer!

Bridget Lawler, K-5 Math Specialist & AST Coordinator & OLG Middle School Teachers
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Loop the Lupe' - register by July 31st
Every summer this is a lot of fun and also helps a great cause! It’s an obstacle course race/fun run called Loop the ‘Lupe, and this year, it’s virtual. We’re encouraging all of our school families to register for this by FRIDAY, JULY 31ST. This way, we can ensure everyone gets the right t-shirt sizes. Plus, the class with the top participation will earn an ice cream party this fall!

Registrants get a tech race t-shirt and a COVID face mask (a runner’s buff, super cool!). Also, your registration fees go towards all the great social outreach work OLG does—helping the homeless, shut-in seniors, immigrant families, and more. Complete your own virtual race before Aug. 23rd, and post photos/videos on the race’s Facebook page to earn a chance at even more prizes!
We’re hoping to get as many registrations as possible THIS WEEK so we can make sure everyone gets the right t-shirt size! Please forward this to friends and family—we can mail them their shirts and face masks, if need be. GET IN THE LOOP!
YMP 2020!
15 teens will be participating in a modified Youth Migrant Project through our parish. While much has changed about the trip this year, the need has not. We may not be able to do everything, but we can still collect items to help the migrant workers and families living in the Skagit Valley. Visit our parish website for a list of needed items. We will collect through August 2nd. Thank you for your continued generosity!  Contact Jennifer  with questions.

Adopt-A-Stop: Volunteer needed:
Four years ago, we partnered with King County Metro Transit by adopting a bus stop and in return, we receive 60 free bus passes every three months. These bus passes are shared with Saint Vincent de Paul and enable the parish to offer transportation support to those who come to our office. For many years, one of our own teachers and her family have volunteered to maintain this bus stop, which simply means taking out the trash from the stop and putting in a new bag once a week, or every other week, depending on service needs. This is a great way to support our community and Saint Vincent de Paul with transportation resources to assist the neighbors they serve! If you are interested, please click to email Marion Kari or by phone: 206 935-0358, Ext. 113. Thank you for considering this ministry to serve!

Ways to be Catholic and Politically Active
All Young Adults are invited to the final online gathering in a 3-part series hosted by St. James, St. Joseph, and the Archdiocese of Seattle on Wednesday, August 5 from 7-8:30pm. The night will focus on Faith-Filled Service to God’s People and feature a panel including Mario Villanueva, Mark Miloscia, and Rebecca Saldaña. Register on the Western Washington Catholic Young Adults Facebook page.

2020 Census: Be Counted!
In Washington State, $16.7 billion in tax dollars for our communities are at stake, along with our democratic representation in Congress. We cannot afford to miss counting anyone in this census, especially traditionally undercounted people of color, immigrants, tribes, rural communities, and young children. It’s not too late to be counted. Go to https://census2020.gov to be counted and encourage others to do

Our Lady of Guadalupe,  Pray for Us!

Our Lady Guadalupe Catholic School
3401 SW Myrtle St. Seattle, WA 98126
office 206-935-0651