March, 2004
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Our school theme, Hand in hand with God, certainly ties in with the season of Lent. We are called, as Christians, to take time these next weeks and see where we can do a better job in living out our call of love and service to others. Times of prayer and reflection, fasting, acts of service and kindness all are ways in which we can walk hand in hand with God these Lenten days. Here at school, we will focus on our daily prayer and in really paying attention to that prayer. We will also include the children in the practice of the Stations of the Cross, a long-standing tradition, which provides reflection on the path that Jesus walked in the hours before he died. A culminating activity for us this Lent will be the dramatization of the Stations of the Cross, done by Mrs. Dawn Lyons and assisted by Mrs. Dottie Warner and the third graders. Providing a time and space at home for reflection and prayer as a family would be a wonderful way to make the time of Lent even more meaningful.
Thank you for your prayer and encouragement during our recent State On-site Visit. February 10th and 11th may have been dreary, rainy days but our four evaluators (one from the State Textbook Office and three from the State Department of Education) could not have been kinder and more positive about our school. Although we have not received our official written report, I am proud to say that we had no deficiencies and the evaluators were most complimentary of our staff our facilities, the support that we receive from our parish and parents and most of all, of our children.
Mark your calendars (and invite your friends, neighbors and co-workers!) Our annual Nativity BVM Open House will be held on Sunday, March 7th from 11:00-2:00 p.m. This is a wonderful time to see our school, visit our library and the Book Fair and share some refreshments with friends -new and old. Please consider bringing someone who is thinking about enrolling a child in our school or a family who perhaps is new to the area. Special drawings with great prizes will be done throughout the day!
Nativity Parish is hosting a Blood Drive also on Sunday, March 7th from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Parish Center. You are encouraged to support this event in any way that you can.
Our Nativity School, led by our School Board members, will be hosting three Lenten Fish Dinners during the season of Lent. The dates are: Friday, March 5th; Friday, March 19th and Friday, April 2nd. Dinners will be served in our cafeteria or will be available for take-out from 5:00 until 6:30 p.m. Grade levels are being invited to assist in this event. We appreciate your help!
Last month, I mentioned the “coins for curtains” project that we began. You would be amazed at how much we have already collected! The jar is over half fill plus we have received several cash donations. We will continue this project over the next months and hopefully will be able to replace our curtains in the near future! Thanks for your support!
Every family should have received an envelope containing three tickets for our annual School Raffle several weeks ago. I cannot begin to tell you how important it is to our school to have this event succeed! This event is our major find raiser and helps to provide for the financial well-being of our school. Our NPA (Nativity Parent Association) is responsible for raising $50,000 for our school. This money is given to the school and is used for basics: utilities, salaries, benefits. Although the price of the ticket is $100.00 and may seem steep, remember that it admits four adults to an event that has consistently provided wonderful food and beverages as well as a chance to win one of many monetary prizes! The silent auction, as part of the raffle, has been extremely successful as well. Items/services for the auction are needed. We need everyone’s support and participation -- selling/buying tickets, helping in the set-up/take-down of the gym, serving, decorating, seeking donations and simply enjoying the evening! Please consider helping with this event in some way. This, in turn, helps your child!
You will receive your registration packet and information for the 2004-2005 school year next Monday. Please return it promptly to ensure a space for your child. Our School Board has worked long and hard in preparing our school budget and in looking at ways to keep our tuition affordable for our families. God has blessed us greatly. ..may we share that goodness with others in the days ahead!
/s Sister Mary Jo