Parent Newsletter

Friday, February 29, 2008

 

Terra Nova Tests Grades 2 - 8   The students in Grades 2 - 8 will be taking the Terra Nova Standardized Tests beginning the week of Monday, March 3, 2008 and continuing through Thursday, March 13, 2008. We ask that in order for each child to be fully prepared when taking these tests, make sure that your child(ren) is getting plenty of rest each night and eating breakfast in the morning. It is very important to have your child(ren) in school and on time each day. Make every attempt to clear all outside appointments from your child’s calendar for this two week period. This helps to make the testing process run smooth and limits the number of interruptions and make-ups. Testing will start promptly at 8:15am each day. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

 

Pizza Hut Fundraiser Night   On Thursday, March 13, 2008 at the Brentwood Towne Center Pizza Hut, Bishop McDowell Regional School will have a fundraiser day. Just bring the attached coupons WITH TODAY’S NEWSLETTER to Pizza Hut that night and Pizza Hut will donate 20% of your purchase to the school. As an added bonus---buy your Pizza Hut certificates at the school or after mass and use them to pay for your pizza that night, you will get credit towards your tuition as well! Reminder this fundraiser begins at lunchtime and includes dinner. See you on Thursday, March 13^th and come hungry!!

 

Advisory Council Meeting   There will be an Advisory Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at 7:30pm in the St. Wendelin Parish Center. All meetings are open to both parish communities and the school community.

 

2007 SARRIS Easter Candy Pick-up   The SARRIS Easter Candy Pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2008 from 2:30pm – 4pm and 6pm – 7pm in School Office. If you have any other questions concerning pick-up, contact the school office at (412) 884 – 5676. Take time to mark your calendar and once again thank you for your continued support of Bishop McDowell Regional School and Catholic education. 

 

Easter Bunny Lunch   The Easter Bunny is hopping to Bishop McDowell Regional School on Saturday, March 8, 2008 from 12pm – 3pm in the School Cafeteria. Come join us for lunch and an afternoon of exciting activities that include: making crafts, making ice cream sundaes, hunting for Easter eggs, raffles, door prizes and of course a visit with the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $8 a person and must be purchased by Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Make checks payable to: Bishop McDowell School. If you have any questions or need more information, you may contact the school office at (412) 884 – 5676. Make sure to get you tickets so you won’t miss out.

 

Musical Practice for “Pompadours and Poodle Skirts”   Musical Practice for “Pompadours and Poodle Skirts” will begin on Monday, March 3, 2008 for actors and actresses. Each student will receive a monthly calendar of times and days off. Practice will be on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30pm – 4:00pm. Parents are asked to be at the school by 4pm to pick up their child. Dancers will begin practicing soon.

 

8^th Grade Parent Meeting   There will be an 8^th Grade Parent Meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 7 pm in the Bishop McDowell Regional School building to discuss any further fundraising needed for the end of the year trip, end of the year trip costs and graduation. One parent for each student is expected to be in attendance. We look forward to seeing you.

 

South Hills Deanery Principals Meeting   Bishop McDowell Regional School is hosting the South Hills Deanery Principals Meeting on Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Our Educational Consultant Sister Catherine Ann will be in attendance during this meeting.

 

Bishop McDowell Regional School “Flea Market / Vendor Sale”   Bishop McDowell Regional School will be sponsoring a Flea Market / Vendor Sale on Saturday, April 12, 2008 from 8am to 2pm, in the School Cafeteria. The cost for a 6 ft. table is $20.00 and an 8 ft. table is $25.00. For more information about this event contact Judy Lee at (412) 882 – 2999 or the school office at (412) 884 – 5676.

 

Mother’s Day Brunch   Calling all Mom’s! Why fight the crowds at other eating establishments this Mother’s Day when you can enjoy your family and friends in the welcoming surroundings of our very own school. On Sunday, May 11, 2008 Bishop McDowell Regional School is sponsoring a Mother’s Day Brunch from 8:30am – 1pm in the School Cafeteria. The cost for Adults is $10 and $5 for Children (12 and under). Brunch will include scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes, pancakes, toast, muffins, fresh fruit, orange juice, apple juice, coffee, tea, and made to order omelets by Chef Steve-O. Pre-order by Thursday, May 1^st and save $1.00 per ticket purchased. We look forward to seeing you for brunch

 

Bishop McDowell Regional School 50/50 Easter Holiday Raffle Fundraiser   So far we have sold 314 tickets. The winner will receive $157.00. We need to continue to build the winnings so it will be enticing to others as we continue to sell.  Get your tickets and money in we have only 2½ more weeks to sell. Call the school office if you need more tickets and don’t forget to check the school website for updates throughout the week. The winning ticket will be picked on Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Remember the incentive for the school community to sell 1,500 tickets will allow our children in grades K – 8 to have 4 dress down days in a row beginning on Tuesday, March 25^th – Friday, March 28^th. If each family sells 25 tickets ($1 per ticket) we will have met our goal of 1,500 tickets plus. Only 1,186 more tickets to sell!

 

Bishop McDowell Regional School Preschool/Kindergarten Rainbows and Butterflies Story Hour   On Wednesday, March 12^th the Bishop McDowell Regional School Rainbows and Butterflies Story Hour will be held at 6:30pm in the Kindergarten Room of the Bishop McDowell Regional School building. Mrs. Dern our first grade teacher will host this hour of storytelling and activities for Preschool and Kindergarten age children. This program will be open to Preschool and Kindergarten students of Bishop McDowell Regional School as well as children of St. Albert the Great, St. Basil and St. Wendelin Parishes of Preschool and Kindergarten age. For any other questions call the school office at (412) 884 – 5676.

 

Bishop McDowell Regional School Spring Golf Outing   On Saturday, May 10, 2008 Bishop McDowell Regional School is sponsoring a Golf Outing at 7 Springs Golf Course located in Elizabeth, PA. The cost per person will be $75. This price will include 18 holes of golf, a cart, a hot dog and drink at the turn and lunch. Also, there will be a Chinese Auction, a 50/50 raffle along with continental breakfast beginning at 7:30am before the 8am tee time. Presently we are looking for businesses to sponsor a hole at the outing. Sponsorship is $50 per hole. Call the school office if you are interested in sponsoring or know of a business willing to sponsor a hole. All checks should be made payable to Bishop McDowell School. In the meantime line up your team or teams, fill out a reservation form and return it to the school office with your payment. If you have misplaced your registration form call the school office for another copy. We look forward to seeing you at the outing!

 

March Market Day Orders   All March Market Day Internet orders are due by noon on Thursday, March 6, 2008. Pick-up is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2008 from 6pm - 7pm in the Cafeteria of the school building. If you would like to volunteer 1or 2 hours on the scheduled pick up day contact the school office at (412) 884-5676.

 

A Note from the School Nurse   Final health service notifications have been sent home for students in Grades K, 3, 6 & 7. Please help us comply with our PA state mandates and respond today. Contact the school at 412 – 884 – 5676 if you have any questions.

 

Marketing and Communication Meeting   There will be a Marketing and Communications Meeting on Monday, March 3, 2008 at 7pm in Mr. Grgurich’s office. New members are always welcome!

 

Athletic Board Meeting   On Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 7pm in the Hough Building downstairs by the Concession Stand area the Athletic Board will have its monthly board meeting. All board members are encouraged to attend.

 

4^th Grade Magic Classic Basketball Tournament   Join us beginning on Friday, February 29^th and continuing through Sunday, March 16^th as we host our annual 4th Grade Spring 2008 Magic Classic Basketball Tournament. Come and show your support for our boys and girls. They have been preparing for this all year.

 

Bishop McDowell Regional School Athletic Association’s Annual “Night At The Races”   This year the “Night At The Races” is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2008 in the School Cafeteria at Bishop McDowell Regional School. Doors open at 6:00pm. The cost per ticket is $10. At this time we are looking for each family in the Athletic Association to sell at least one horse. The cost of purchasing a horse is $5. The owner of the winning horse in each race receives a purse of $20. Call the school office at (412) 884 – 5676 to request a horse owner’s form. See the attached forms with today’s newsletter.

 

Egg Carton & Paper Towel Roller Thank You   Thank you for the great response to the request of egg cartons and paper towel rollers. We have all we need for the remainder of the school year. Thanks again for your generosity.

 

Shop n’ Save SEED Program Thank you   The Shop n’ Save SEED Assembly Program is made possible through a unique partnership with the Carnegie Science Center and Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Thank you to members of both parishes and the school community for your diligence in collecting the Shop n’ Save receipts. This year our school goal was $21,000.00 as of Tuesday March 11, 2008 we have collected a grand total of $35,028.13. Thank you to Judy Perin-Parente for taking time to count and record the receipts throughout the year. This year’s assembly is titled Fasten Your Seat Belts.

 

2008 - 2009 PSAS Form   Reminder the 2008 – 2009 PSAS Form must be postmarked by Friday, March 14, 2008 in order to be considered for the Bishop’s Education Fund or the SOS Fund financial aid programs. If you still need a PSAS Form call the school office and Mrs. Schumacher will send it home with your child. Do not hesitate to apply every little bit of financial assistance can make a difference in your overall tuition payment for next year.

Private School Aid Service (PSAS) All parents applying to either the Bishop’s Education Fund or Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship Fund must have their need assessed by Private School Aid Service (PSAS), a company from Rocky River, Ohio which specializes in evaluating need for families attending private elementary or secondary schools. Parents will submit a copy of their federal tax return (and state tax return if applying to SOS), a completed 2008 – 2009 “Student Aid Form” (with their pastor’s signature if applying to BEF) and a $20 administrative fee. “Student Aid Forms” are due to PSAS no later than Friday, March 14, 2008. Incomplete forms will be returned. The signed “Student Aid Form” must be sent directly to PSAS as indicated in the instructions on the form itself. Photocopied forms will not be accepted by PSAS. PSAS forms are available now; just contact Mrs. Schumacher in the school office at (412) 884 – 5676 for a PSAS form. Do not hesitate in applying for tuition assistance before you know it Friday, March 14^th will have come and gone.

 

Free Money for College, Free Money for our School   Go online and sign up at Upromise.com and link our school to your account.  This benefits your children and our school in the process.  Linking our school does not take anything away from your child.  It's free and it's easy.  Let's see if we can get everyone to participate! See the attached flyer for more information or contact Jennifer Darkowski at 412 – 885 – 6539.

 

Tuition Assistance Available for the 2008 – 2009 Academic Year   Re- registration for Grades K – 8 is fast approaching for the 2008 – 2009 academic year and this is just a reminder of two sources of tuition assistance, the Bishop’s Education Fund (BEF) and Scholastic Opportunities Scholarship (SOS), available for families with students in Catholic Schools. The Bishop’s Education Fund is awarded on the basis of financial need. In order to be eligible the applicants must be practicing Catholics registered in a parish in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, attend one of the diocesan, parish, or regional schools and have demonstrated financial need. The Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) Tuition Assistance Program was developed when the General Assembly of Pennsylvania established Act 4 in May of 2001. This law provided for the establishment of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) to be administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Act 4 authorizes the award of tax credits to businesses that make contributions to the scholarship organizations. Therefore the Diocese of Pittsburgh has formed the Scholastic Opportunity Scholarship program (SOS) to receive tax credit gifts. The funds available through the SOS program will be awarded to families based solely on economic eligibility requirements. Students who are Pennsylvania residents enrolled in any Catholic school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh are eligible. Applicants can be Catholic or non- Catholic. The funds will be sent in the students name to the school where the child is enrolled. You must complete the 2008 – 2009 PSAS form to be considered for either of these tuition assistance programs.

 

Giant Eagle Apples for the Students Program   The Giant Eagle Apples for the Students Program began on Sunday October 28, 2007 and continues until Saturday, March 15, 2008. Again this year, you will not need to send in receipts from Giant Eagle. All you need to do is be a registered supporter. If you registered last year, you are automatically registered for this year. If you are not a registered supporter, it’s very easy to become one. Take a moment to register. You will need your Giant Eagle Advantage card handy then call 1-800-474-4777. An automated system will talk you through the process. Our school ID number is 1022. You can also register by visiting the Giant Eagle website at www.gianteagle.com and click on the Apples for Students icon. Each time registered supporters shop at Giant Eagle using their Giant Eagle Advantage Card; they earn points for our school. These points are redeemed for great educational tools. The points are automatically credited to our school through the Giant Eagle Advantage Card.

Junior Achievement Bishop Donald W. Wuerl Scholarship   The Diocese of Pittsburgh in collaboration with Junior Achievement of Southwest Pennsylvania, Inc. established the Bishop Donald W. Wuerl Scholarship in 2004 in honor of Bishop Wuerl’s participation in Junior Achievement as a high school student. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist 8^th grade students currently attending an elementary school in the Diocese of Pittsburgh with scholarships to continue their education at a Diocese of Pittsburgh High School. To be considered for a scholarship, all applicants must meet the following criteria: minimum of two years attending an elementary school within the Diocese of Pittsburgh, minimum participation in at least two Junior Achievement programs (validated by the school), GPA of 2.3 or higher, must write and submit a one-page essay (250 words) and students must meet the scholarship requirements as set forth by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program (SOS Tuition Assistance fund). For more information contact Mr. Grgurich to see the brochure that explains the program in further detail.