For those of you who have been on campus over the summer months, you have undoubtedly seen the great progress made on the K-8 construction project. This past weekend, steel beams began to arrive for the 1st and 2nd floor construction.

SAFETY ALERT:  As there will be quite a bit of welding on these beams, the contractor has indicated that there will be some shielding to prevent viewing of the welding arcs. However, just as it is dangerous to stare into the sun, it is also dangerous to stare at welding arcs. Please be careful to safeguard your vision by refraining from staring at the welding of the steel.

Thank you for adhering to our safety alerts to keep you and your family safe during this exciting time on our campus.

See how the construction site looks right now!

Happy Summer to You!

I hope you are enjoying the time off school and are finding a nice cool place to finish the summer reading or another great book.

I realize school is still several weeks away but at this point you should have received a packet from the front office with some basic information, including the school calendar.  If you have had a chance to look at it, you will see that book buying/registration and new student orientation is on Thursday, September 2^nd.  Book buying and registration is from 12-2p.m. for all middle school students (MS) and orientation is just prior to this time (11:00 - 11:45 a.m.) for all 7^th grade, new 8^th grade students, and new middle school parents.

Also, the uniform exchange materials are in the lobby for the next two weeks.  If you want to look at the items (it has grown a lot since the last time it was placed in the lobby), please feel free to drop in to look.  However, I highly recommend calling the front office to be sure that the doors are unlocked PRIOR to coming to school.  The main number is 503.644.3745.

We look forward to seeing you on September 2^nd and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions prior to that time.
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A printed version of this letter was sent home to MS & HS Families Aug. 10, 2010

Dear Valley Catholic Families,

There’s still almost a month of vacation left-a good long time-but there are a few details to take care of for the still far-off school year.  This envelope that was sent home had enclosures with a lot of information about practical matters; please don’t hesitate to call the school with any questions.

It’s a great pleasure to be able to introduce five new members of our staff:

Doug Ierardi will be our new Dean of Academics, teach religion and history, and serve as an assistant coach for the football team.  For the last four years Doug has been principal at Regis High School in Stayton, where he had also served as Dean of Students, teacher, and very successful head football and track coach.  Doug has also taught and coached at three high schools in his home state of New Hampshire.  Doug’s B.A. (history) is from St. Anselm’s (NH) and his Master’s (Catholic School Leadership) from Marymount University in Virginia.  Our longtime Dean of Students and one of the chief pillars of the school, Sarah Lynch, will be here one more year before retiring, working with Doug and all the rest of us.

Erin Cole will teach environmental science, biology, health, and digital tools.  Erin’s B.A. (biology) is from Whitman, where she was a William O. Douglas and National Merit Scholar, and her Master’s from Lewis and Clark in Teaching.  Erin taught two    years in Japan with the JET Program and then worked two years with SOLV/AMERICORPS as a watershed project coordinator.  She has also worked for Znomics, Inc. as a research assistant studying a model system species, Zebrafish, and as an intern at the Oregon zoo studying two species of endangered butterflies.

Jenny Gapp will take over the library from Sue Osborne, Valley’s longtime, universally admired librarian, who has just retired, bought an RV, and will soon hit the road.  Jenny has been Media Specialist for the Portland Public School District at Sabin Elementary and ACCESS Academy Schools and Library Media Teacher for the Cascade School District.  Jenny is also a summer ranger at Grand Canyon National Park, has worked at Grand Teton National Park and Silver Falls State Park, and last year was an assistant swim coach at Benson High School.  In addition to serving as Valley’s librarian, Jenny will lead the Outdoor Club.

This year Valley will offer, for the first time, AP Computer Science.  The course will be taught by Nick Vigo, who will also teach Middle and High School math.  Nick graduated from Gonzaga with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (with a Pre-Medicine concentration and jazz minor).   At Gonzaga Nick was an Ignatian Scholar and served as a teaching assistant in general and organic chemistry (and jazz combo).

Stephanie Shields will join the Middle School staff as a part-time math teacher. Stephanie graduated from Western Oregon’s Honors Program with a B.S. in Elementary and Middle Education with a focus in mathematics.  At Western Stephanie received the Susan Stapish Excellence in Leadership Award and the 2009 Excellence in Middle School Mathematics Award and was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society.

We will welcome to the high school ninety freshmen, our biggest freshman class in many years; eighteen transfer students to our sophomore, junior, and senior classes; eleven sophomores from Shukutoku High School in Tokyo; and three juniors from Germany.

Most fall sports competitions begin in the first week of school, but the football team plays a big game before school starts, against Blanchet at Willamette University at 7:30 on Friday, Sept. 3.  Fall sports are coming off fine seasons and looking even stronger this year.

The drama department, after a rare fall without Shakespearean comedy, will return in late October with Twelfth Night.

Again, please call with any questions-Mrs. Joyaux’s at her duty station all summer long.

Here We Go, Valiants,

Ross Thomas

New and current K-6 Valley Catholic families are invited to an ice cream social on Wednesday, September 1. This event is being organized by the Valley Catholic PTC group. The gathering will happen at the baseball field across the track from the Athletic Center.

The social is from 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. There will be ice cream sandwiches, dessert cups and popsicles. This is an excellent opportunity to meet parents in your children’s class, as well as parents from grades other than your child’s.

Lindsay with her father Mark, at the 2009 OGA Parent-Child Chapman Tournament.

Lindsay Harmon, 17, of Lake Oswego, Ore. shot a course record 61 at Santiam Golf Course in Sublimity, Ore. to win the Girls Division at the Santiam Junior Championship, an officially sanctioned event on the Oregon Junior Golf schedule.

She recently defended her OGA Parent-Child Chapman title at Salem Golf Club along with her father Mark, holed out on the 309 yard, par-4 18th hole to get to 61.

Harmon, a senior-to-be at Valley Catholic High School also repeated this year as the 4A/3A/2A/1A OSAA high school champion. This past May she beat Monica Vaughn of Reedsport, Ore. by 1-stroke to take the 2010 OSAA title.

Harmon has made a verbal commitment to attend and play for Washington State University in 2011.

Fall sports practices being Aug. 23 – the first official date of the OSAA calendar year. Listed below are some important reminders, including the meeting time and place for each sport.

Valley Catholic observes a no-cut policy in all of their athletic programs.

Monday, Aug. 23 Practice Times and Locations

Cross Country – Head Coaches Thomas Manning and Eric Berge
10 a.m.–noon
Please meet in the Athletic Center

Volleyball – Head Coach Justin Denham
8 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Please meet in the Valiants’ gym

Boys Soccer - Head Coach Brad Pollard
6-8 p.m.
Please meet on the soccer field

Girls Soccer – Head Coach Austra Bloms
4:30-6:30 p.m.
Please meet on the soccer field

Football – Head Coach John Perrigo
7-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.
Please meet in the Athletic Center

On another note, our Dance Team (Head Coaches Jessica Anderson and Megan Hoffman) will begin defense of their state championship on Monday, Sept. 13 from 5-8 p.m.

• PHYSICALS: Physicals are required every two years and must be done prior to participation in practices or games. The physicals forms have been updated and all NEW physicals must be filled out on the OSAA sanctioned form. They can be downloaded from OSAA website.
• CONSENT FORMS: Sport Consent forms must be filled out prior to each season. Coaches will hand them out and collect them within the first week of practice.
• ATHLETIC FEES: Fall athletic fees ($100.00) are due by Aug. 23 . Please turn your fee into the main office to receive your ticket to practice. You cannot participate in practice until your physical is turned in and your fee is paid.
• SCHEDULES & FORMS: Coaches will hand out full practice schedules, consent forms, and game schedules at the time of the first meeting.

The 9th annual Valley Catholic Jog-A-Thon will be held in on October 7, 2010. This is the only fundraiser that our elementary school children are directly involved in, with the entire school participating. It is a great event that results in 100% of the proceeds going to our school’s operating budget. One of the best features of this event is the positive sense of community and school spirit it generates. We were unable to provide t-shirts for the students last year, as we did not have enough sponsors to justify the additional expense. We would like to change that this year and make sure we can again offer special jog-a-thon t-shirts to all students and staff. We are looking for businesses to sponsor this event. The business name would be printed on the t-shirt, included in all printed and electronic communication and acknowledged on the school website for several months. If you own a business or anyone you know does who might want to be a sponsor of this fundraiser, please consider this great advertising opportunity as well as the benefit to the school. Contact Kelly Alfieri at kalfieri@comcast.net with questions.

We want to remind people of our school visitor policy. We require school visitors (even the parents of students we see regularly) to check into the office and put on a visitor badge before going anywhere else in the building. We will be emphasizing this policy with increased energy when school begins on September 7. All parents escorting children to their classrooms in the morning must check into the office and put on a badge before going upstairs. We apologize for the inconvenience. Strict enforcement of this policy is the best tool to ensure the safety of our students and your children.

Hello everyone! We’re back in the school office and we’re deep into preparations for the opening of the 2010-2011 school year. The school has been thoroughly cleaned, delivery trucks are arriving daily with school supplies, and I’m working on scheduling, handbooks, and plans for the teachers’ work week before school starts. I’ve also been getting acquainted with our new school President. Bob Weber. He will be a very visible presence in all of our schools, so you will all have multiple opportunities to meet and greet him personally.

If you haven’t been on our campus this summer, you will be amazed when you do come. The connector lane between 148th and St. Mary’s Drive is finished, and St. Mary’s Drive has been widened to three lanes to accommodate a waiting line of cars at dismissal, in addition to two-way traffic. Most of the foundation for the new school has been poured, and the masonry walls for the cafeteria and music room are going up. We will have an exciting year watching our new school take shape!

I want to remind all of you that classroom assignments will be coming to you in the mail during the week of August 30. The teachers will be back to school that week, attending meetings and getting their rooms ready, but you are welcome to come in and meet your child’s new teacher on Friday (September 3) of that week. Our Parent/Teacher Committee (PTC) is also planning a social get-together to welcome new families on Wednesday evening (September 1) of that week. They should be getting information out to you soon.

Have a safe and enjoyable time these last few weeks of summer. We will send out other communiqués the closer we get to the first day of school.

Take care and God bless!

Susan Friesen

P.S. Please keep Kim Grasberger, mother of Jack (5th grade) and Emily (6th grade) in your thoughts and prayers. Kim is a competitive tri-athlete (running, cycling, and swimming). She was hit by a car on July 11 as she set out for her morning training ride. She sustained some very serious injuries, but she is recovering. It will be a while before she is able to resume her very active lifestyle. Please pray that her recovery is as speedy and complete as possible.

Come find the treasure you have been waiting for!!!

Pass this date and time on to everyone you know.

Saturday, Aug. 21
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
At the Old Gym and Play Court areas in the center of campus, behind the Convent

Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon
4440 SW 148th Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007