April 1,2003

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

Thank you, thank you for your wonderful support of Saturday's Fifth Annual Raffle. Although we do not have the final figures, I can safely say that it was a huge success. So many of you supported us with your ticket purchases/sales, with donations, with desserts and with your physical help and presence. Our Nativity School and its families are known for their support, involvement and enthusiasm. This event really showed all of that and more! Thank you, especially, to our NPA officers: Angel Anderson, Jim Cummings, Donna Derouen, Dianne Holloway, Kelly McGill and Jennifer Schmidt for a job very well done! Thank you too to our food/beverage organizers: Christine Krivanec and Rose Dellenger and to our basket coordinators: Julie Cruthirds and. Donna Joachim. Again, thank you one and all! (plans are already underway for next year's event! We welcome suggestions and help on this project.) 

The Standardized tests have been completed for this year and have been mailed off for scoring. I was so proud of the way the children worked so seriously and tried their best. We expect that the scores will arrive sometime in May. You will receive a parent summary at that time. Thank you to all who helped with the proctoring of the tests. We hope to see you again next year! 

"Oh, to be young again!" Sitting in on the planning meetings for our school's summer camp, I WISH I was young enough to be a child-participant in this wonderful program! What a wonderful chance to learn more about Biloxi and have fun too! Parades, field trips, arts and crafts, games and technology all sound like fun to me! If you would 'like more information, or would like to enroll your K-6 grade child in either the June 9th-13th or July 14th-18th program, please let us know in the school office. Space is still available in both camps. We are still waiting to see if enrollment in our preschool summer program will allow us to hold a program. We expect to make that decision within the next two weeks.

Registration packets for current Nativity BVM families went home with each student on March 17th. March 27th was open registration for registered Nativity families. Open registration for any families new to our school will begin on April 1st at 9:00 a.m. If you have not returned your registration packet to the school, please do so as soon as possible so that your child's place is reserved. Please remember that the registration fee secures your child's place in the school for the new school year. It: for some reason, you will not return to our school, please contact me. First of all, I of course would like to speak: with you about your experience here in our school and secondly, I would like to help you in whatever way I can to ease your child's transition to another school. I am most easily reached before school (6:30-7:30 a.m. ) or after school (3:15-5:30 p.m.) 

You are invited to participate in the First Annual Walk With the Bishop in conjunction with the Bishop's Trophy Challenge. After much discussion and planning, Bishop Rodi and members of the Diocesan School Office have developed a plan to financially benefit all of our Catholic Schools. The plan has two parts: A Golf Tournament held on May 5th in Diamondhead and the Walk With the Bishop. The Tournament, limited to 36 teams, will have corporate sponsors. Funds raised from this event will develop a pool of funding that will benefit schools in critical financial situations as well as providing all of our schools with some financial support. The Walk with the Bishop is our part! Each, child will be invited to solicit three people who offer $10.00 each to take this figurative "walk with the Bishop" in financial support of our school. We, of course are not limited to $10.00 donations but that amount is certainly attainable for most of us and our families and friends. We will have some sort of kick off activity and incentives for our children (our School Board is working on this!). Whatever money is collected through this "walk" will be given to me in the form of a check for our school at the Golf Tournament on May 5th. Remember, whatever is earned in this "walk" will be returned to our school! This week's Gulf Pine Catholic features an article explaining the program and there will be much more information coming out in the form of fliers and print information in the next weeks. Although we have just completed a major fundraiser, I hope that you will offer your support of this program in whatever way you can. 

Speaking of support...thank you for your support of our various "collecting" projects! You would be surprised at how that all adds up! The recycling of inkjet cartridges raises about $90.00 each time we fill a copy paper box. The Box Tops for Education coupons this year generated $390.50! The Campbell product labels and Community Coffee UPC codes will be sent in soon and will earn money and materials for our school. Please encourage mends, neighbors and coworkers to participate in this very easy project.

Please review the April calendar very carefully. Several items are of special note: