April Newsletter
Dear Families.
I hope you had a wonderful Easter and enjoyed the break. It is hard to imagine (except if you ask the eighth graders!) that we are well into the third trimester of this academic year. Soon the countdown will begin.
We are very excited about some wonderful events in the weeks ahead. Swing into Spring, a new venture for us is going to be a great evening for all. The auction prizes continue to come in and are really amazing. Wait till you see some of the special art work our students, under Mrs. Newman's thoughtful direction, have prepared. The framed pieces are worthy of any gallery and the pieces done for and by grade levels are exceptional. Alan's music will please any music lover since it will highlight the classics of the decades. We hope you are planning to attend this special event. Remember that most of your donation is tax deductible and all proceeds will be used for the new early childhood playground and for the tuition assistance program. Please check the school's website for up to the minute information about the event.
The Women's Club Brunch is at Beverly Country Club on Sunday, April 25th. This is always a lovely event and a chance to enjoy time with neighbors and friends in a relaxed environment. Hope you will be able to come.
The Family School Association is also very busy with plans for our first all parish garage sale scheduled for May 8th with a rain date of May 15th. If you did some Spring Cleaning and did not want to have your own sale, you can rent a table for this parking lot event that is guaranteed to be great fun. Look for information on the website and in your child's book bag. (You might even be able to pick up some terrific bargains if you come to shop.)
In addition to these social events, our students have some special events. Tuesday, April 22 is the Band Concert. Our Junior Band debuts at this performance and have worked very hard in preparation for joining Senior Band next year.
On Thursday, April 22, the seventh grade will welcome all for the Invention Convention. Some of the projects are so creative and, given a few patents, might one day be sold at Target! Parents are welcome to come to the convention on Thursday evening from 6:00-7:00. Eighth graders will be dissecting frogs as a culmination project for science this year. I hope the experience will encourage some to be surgeons in the not too distant future.
On Friday, April 23, the FSA is sponsoring our annual bake sale. Proceeds from this event are used for the family assistance program which the group so generously sponsors.
Look for more information about how you can help in the next few days.
As previously announced, we are expanding our pre-school to meet the needs of so many families who are considering options because of uncertain funding issues in the public schools. Our new five day program is filling up very quickly, so if you need more information, please do not hesitate to call. We want to be able to accommodate our own parish families before we open the program to others who have inquired. As mentioned in the letter announcing the new programs, our planning is on-going and our goal is to provide as many options as possible for an excellent early childhood experience for our youngest scholars.
We will have very special guests at our school on April 29 and 30. Representatives from the Illinois Board of Education will be here for a two day evaluation and re-certification process. Their task is to be review our curriculum, safety plans, certifications, countless other documents, and to visit each classroom. Ordinarily, this is part of the Archdiocesan School Improvement Process that occurs every five years; however, the diocese is a bit behind in their visits and has changed the program over the last few years. As a result, the state and Archdiocesan evaluations for many schools are not done simultaneously. Three educators from other schools will accompany the team from the State. I am very grateful to our faculty and staff who have spent many hours in preparation for the visit. I am also confident that we meet and exceed all of the State expectations, but also am experiencing the anxiety of preparing for the "company that is coming." (A friend and colleague said she thought it was like the first time she had her in-laws for dinner.)
Our second graders are beginning preparation for First Communion, one of the most beautiful days of the year, not only for them and for their families, but for our entire school and parish family. Please keep them in your prayers at this very special time in their lives.
The School Board and Parish Finance Committee have finalized our school budget for next year. We have done our best to keep tuition costs as reasonable as possible, but know that any increase may be a sacrifice for some of you. What is most important to our planning is to know that our enrollment numbers for returning students are accurate and that current tuition is paid in full. Last year, we were slow to award limited tuition assistance because we did not have enough accurate information. This year, it is very important that we have that information. Students cannot be considered registered for the 2010-2011 school year unless all tuition is paid in full by May 15. If you are unable to make that deadline, it is imperative that you call so that a plan can be arranged and/or tuition assistance offered. We are aware that payments are sometimes late because of timing issues with your own pay periods. Of course, that is very understandable. Just let me know. (The information will go no further than my office.) Although our tuition assistance is very limited, we want to be able to help those who, because of job loss or other circumstances are struggling to make the final tuition payment. Please call or email me as soon as possible if there is a problem.
Enjoy the beautiful outburst of flowers and Spring!