March 1, 2010

Dear Parents and Guardians,
            These Lenten days are moving quickly and we are already into our second week of Lent.  Nativity parish has many opportunities for prayer and reflection—daily Mass (6:30, 8:00, noon), Stations of the Cross (Friday-6:00 p.m.) and Adoration this coming Friday from 8:30 until 6:00 p.m.  Additionally, the annual parish mission will be held next week – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.  Sr. Judith Gomilla, the presenter, is from New Orleans and has directed several retreats and days of reflection here on the Coast. Several years ago, she conducted a day of reflection for our faculty that was practical, spiritual and prayerful.  Please consider taking advantage of one or more of these opportunities to spend time with the Lord during this time of prayer and renewal.
            Our annual Nativity BVM School Open House will be held this Sunday, March 7th from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.  Our Book Fair will be open and various classes and groups will provide demonstrations and programs.  Refreshments, prepared by our cafeteria staff, will be available and we will have drawings for gift certificates and for money off of next year’s tuition.  Come, celebrate Nativity School, and see the many ways that we have changed.  Be sure to bring friends, neighbors and relatives with you!
            We would like to welcome Mrs. Niki Shemper to our school staff.  Mrs. Shemper has assumed the position of physical education instructor for the remainder of this school year.  Mrs. Shemper, who has two children in our school, is a certified physical education teacher and has had various experiences working with students in many capacities.  We look forward to working with her in these coming months.
            We are pleased to inform you that Mrs. Barbara Ziz, our librarian, is the recipient of a grant from the “Picturing America in Our Nation’s Libraries” Foundation.  As a grant recipient, she is spending several days this week in New York City, learning about how to better incorporate art pieces into the library curriculum.  We are proud of Mrs. Ziz and this accomplishment and look forward to the new ideas that she will share.
            There has been a little bit of confusion regarding scheduled free dress days, Spirit shirt days and special events.  The school calendar is completed in late spring /early summer in order to be included in our handbook.  For the most part, those dates and events are accurate.  However, sometimes, due to additional events or circumstances, changes need to be made.  The most accurate calendar, then, is the monthly calendar that is sent home with this newsletter.  I apologize for any confusion that this may be causing.
            I reported to you earlier that our State Accreditation Visit was nearly completed.  We are still awaiting the final portion of the visit, the facilities review.  We have, however, received word that our Special Education program is in full compliance with state regulations and guidelines.  We are hoping to receive our final/complete report sometime near the end of March.
            One of the most challenging responsibilities of the School Advisory Council is the financial oversight of our school.  As a group working in advisory capacity, it is their work, along with Father McGrath and me, to develop and prepare a budget for the new school year.  In doing so, expenses are estimated in all categories and tuition/fees are set.  We take this very seriously and have spent many, many hours working with this.  We have tried to be appropriate in our cost projections and to be sensitive to the financial struggles that many of our families experience.  Increases for this new school year are relatively modest as you will see when you receive your information for next year.
            Registration for the coming school year will begin next Monday, March 8th.  Registration packets will be sent home with all current students.  Please complete and return the registration information and the registration fee as quickly as possible.  Open registration begins on March 22nd for all Catholic families who are new to the school and open registration for all other new families begins on March 23rd.  Remember that it is your completed information, along with payment of the registration fee, that holds your child’s place for the coming school year.  If your child will not be returning to our school for the new school year, please contact me so that we can talk about this decision. 
            Although he has been here less than two months, Father McGrath has been very involved in the school and in decisions affecting our school.  If you were present at Father’s Masses on the Sunday of Catholic Schools Week, you heard him speak very supportively of our school and of Catholic education in general.  He very clearly said that “if you want your child to attend one of our Catholic schools –Nativity/St. Patrick—and finances are a concern, come see me.”  We are so blessed to have Father McGrath and all of our area priests so supportive of our school.
            This Friday, our School Advisory Council is sponsoring a Shrimp Po-Boy dinner—shrimp po-boy, potato salad and dessert for $6.00.  The meal is available from 5:00-7:00 p.m., dine in or take out.  Although this is a fund raising event, it also is an opportunity for us to join as a school and parish community and enjoy one another’s company.  In order to better include our Nativity parishioners, tickets were pre-sold at our Sunday Nativity Masses.  Father John, Father Bernie and Father George did a great job in promoting them! 
            A small group, headed by Jessica Cook Bush, is working on developing an alumni list for Nativity BVM School.  We will be asking for your help, very soon, in locating/getting current addresses for various former students.  We know from speaking with many of you of the lasting connection that many feel to our school.  We would like to plan some special events in the future just for these “former Saints.”
            “Let us build a world of peace” in our hearts and in our homes. May continue to bless us as we work together.

/s Sister Mary Jo