January 15, 2024

Spartan Families,

I extend my sincere gratitude for your patience and understanding as we navigated the challenging inclement weather conditions on Friday. I would like to share some insights into our decision-making process and announce an important change in our policy going forward.

The Backstory

Historically, St. Michael Parish School has aligned our weather-related decisions with the Olympia School District (OSD), given our location within the district and the fact that many of our students reside there.

Friday's Decision

Our decision-making process Friday morning commenced at 4:45 am. Mrs. Stoffer and I diligently monitored local news and district websites/social media. Despite being on the OSD administrator notification list, I received no early communication from them. Our decision relied heavily on OSD's public updates. Upon learning of OSD's initial 3-hour delay, we immediately began notifying our SMPS families through Spartan News, our social media channels, and local news stations.

Subsequently, we noted that North Thurston, Tumwater, and Yelm school districts, along with JPII and St. Martin's University, had announced closures. This led us to reconsider our stance in light of these developments.

Additionally, the local forecast, our communication with Father Jim and Chris Peterson, as well as our volunteer pizza lunch coordinator who had liaised with Domino's Pizza, played a crucial role in our deliberation. By 7:10 am, we decided to close the school for the day. Interestingly, OSD also announced its closure later around 8:30 am.

Looking Ahead

In light of these events, I have decided that St. Michael Parish School will no longer base our inclement weather decisions soley on the Olympia School District's actions. Our decisions will be independently made and communicated to the SMPS community through Spartan News, our social media, and local news stations. This change is driven by the following reasons:

•Our community is spread throughout Thurston County, extending beyond the Olympia School District boundaries.

•It is vital for the integrity and trust within our community that all decisions impacting our school are made internally, ensuring they align with our values and safety priorities.

I appreciate your ongoing support as we implement this new policy, ensuring the safety and well-being of our entire school community.

Blessings,

Mrs. Dana Lashley

Principal​

I'm really looking forward to the Encounter Christ event next week! This event is about letting Christ transform our hearts and lives, guiding and energizing all that we do and say. I hope to see you there!

In Christ,

Mrs. Lashley

GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ST. MIKE'S NIGHT OUT @ SMU!!

CLICK HERE ➤➤➤ https://smusaintstickets.universitytickets.com/w/

•Select Saint Martin's Basketball Doubleheader on Saturday, January 20th, as pictured below.

(NOT Warming-Up with the Saints!)

•ONLY purchase the adult ticket(s) you need.

•Select General Admission (GA: Section D-H)

•Students will be on a "pass list" and will get in free!

Catholic Schools Week is just around the corner! Check out the calendar for a peek at the fun theme days and events we've got planned. It's not everything, but it's enough to get you ready.

Don't miss Picnic in the Park on Tuesday – you're invited to have lunch with your kids in the gym. Remember, you'll need to bring your own lunch. The flyer has all the lunch times.



Also, we're starting something new this year, a PENNY DRIVE! Check out the flyer below for more info!