August 14, 2006

Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to all of you who are returning to Nativity BVM School and welcome to our many new families! What an exciting year we have ahead of us! Each and every school year brings much excitement as children and adults work and grow together. This year, however, is a very special one since it is our school’s 50th birthday! We have been so blessed over these last 50 years and we plan to celebrate these blessings throughout the year!

Our school year is already three days old and I have to say that we had a very, very smooth beginning. . We are so fortunate to have such a terrific staff who is so very dedicated to making this year the best possible for the students. They have spent many hours preparing their rooms, their lessons and areas of the school in anticipation of the opening of this school year. I was so impressed with how the children returned to school ready to learn and ready to work By mid-day on Thursday it felt as if we never had left!

I am sure that you have heard (or seen) the many repairs, renovations and restorations that have taken place over these summer months. One of the fifth graders remarked early on Thursday that he had spotted five “new things” already! We are so pleased with the work completed in the gym, cafeteria, library, offices and hallways. Although the first floor bathrooms still have some work to be done, they look wonderful already. We have been so blessed with caring and talented workers throughout the summer months and especially with the careful overseeing done by our contractors, Starks Construction.

At the end of last year, I mentioned that we were awaiting the arrival of Federal Restart Funding to aid us in our recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina. I am thrilled to tell you that as of the middle of June, these Restart Funds have been made available and are being spent! Already we have received over $20,000.00 of textbooks, area rugs in two classrooms, an Ellison Machine to help the teachers/staff as they decorate areas of the school, folding chairs for the gym, carts for the folding chairs and tables, office furniture and a new circulation desk for the library. Still to come are classroom resource materials, new desks for each classroom (Gr. 1-6), new library tables and chairs, computer lab furniture, state of the art computers and related technology items, a 35 passenger bus, cafeteria equipment and some classroom storage units. We are so grateful to our superintendent of schools, Dr. Mike Ladner, for helping us to secure this funding and to our folks in the State Department of Education (especially Mr. James Hart) for leading and guiding us through the process. Although this requires a great deal of additional paperwork and documentation, we are so very grateful for the opportunity that we have been given. We are so blessed!

Sometimes children need a little extra help in order to succeed in school. Sometimes they need a little more personal attention with one or more concepts. We are pleased to tell you that this year, we will have a staff member ready and available to provide tutoring to students right during the school day. Mrs. Dottie Warner, who has taught in our school for several years, has assumed responsibility for our Special Learning Resource Classes. In addition to her work in this program, she will also assess students who are experiencing some difficulties in school and provide tutoring during the school day. Students may be recommended for tutoring by their teacher or by their parents/guardians. Mrs. Warner has also allocated some of her time each day to work with our sixth grade students since their class this year is at maximum enrollment.

As we near the end of August, most of us will certainly reflect on the events of a year ago. It goes without saying that our lives and our cities have forever been changed. We will join in prayer and remembrance on Tuesday, August 29th at 9:00 a.m. Following the request of Bishop Rodi, our school along with parishes and schools across the diocese, will plant an oak tree as a sign of remembrance and renewal. You are invited to join us in prayer in our “southern garden” area immediately behind the school.

One of the newer traditions of our school is to hold a “family picnic” on the Friday before Labor Day. All students will have lunch from Noon until 1:00 on Friday, September 1st. School lunches will not be served on that day so students need to bring their own lunch or their families can bring the lunch with them. This has proven to be a great family time as well as an opportunity to meet other students and their families. The picnic is on--rain or shine!

On Friday, September 8th, we will observe the birthday of Nativity BVM School with a special Mass at 1:00 p.m. in our school gym. We have invited Bishop Rodi along with our area priests to join with us in prayer and celebration on this the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Near the end of the Mass we will have the rededication of our school gym. As you well know, we are grateful to the Imperial Palace Mississippi Charities for assuming the financial responsibility for the restoration of our gym as well as for many of our other hurricane damages. I hope that you will be able to join us on this day and offer your personal thanks to our generous donors from the Imperial Palace.

As we celebrate this 50th year as a school, “we remember, we celebrate and we look to the future.” Our entire staff joins me in welcoming you to this new year. We look forward to the opportunities to get to know and work with your child. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can help in any way.
May God bless us as we work together.

/s Sister Mary Jo