We are so excited about the iPad Project!  The Apple iPad is a great tool for learning and for research and students of all ages. The learning possibilities are limitless when an iPad is introduced to a classroom. Kids will learn new ways to express themselves in a multitude of ways.

Here’s a snapshot of the school’s plan for the iPad Project:

•  How the iPad will be used will be determined by their grade level.

The primary students will be using the iPads in centers in every  subject – math, science, music, art, reading – the possibilities are endless.  The students “play games” but are actually learning in the process, reinforcing the days’ lessons.

• Mrs. Guerrero had to make a schedule for the students so that they would not quibble over turns with the iPad.
• Compared to past classes, Mrs. Guerrero has found improvement in the students who may require extra help.

The upper grades will focus more on Project Based Learning, which is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. Having the iPad available for these projects in the classroom will free up tech lab time for other students in addition to engaging students in activities that incorporate fun into the learning process.

• Project Based Learning teaches students 21st century skills as well as content. These skills include communication and presentation skills, organization and time management skills, research and inquiry skills, self-assessment and reflection skills, and group participation and leadership skills – all of which are useful, real world applications.

• Project Based Learning also allows students to reflect upon their own ideas and opinions, exercise voice and choice, and make decisions that affect project outcomes and the learning process in general.  In essence, the teacher becomes a facilitator; thereby allowing the students some freedom in the learning process and helping them realize that learning is fun.  They are not simply memorizing facts to recite and not retain.  It is our goal for these students to get hooked on learning, for learning’s sake.

• Laptop vs iPad.  In the world of education, the iPad has so many compelling pro’s over the laptop:

• It so easy to use, even our Primary students need little instruction in its operation.

• Portability – with its many applications it’s not just an iPad; it’s a…
• Globe
• Musical instrument
• Novel
• Flash cards
• Encyclopedia
• Much, much more!

• Efficient use of classroom time – the iPad fires up within seconds.           Classes do not have to wait for everything to load, saving valuable classroom instruction time as everyone will be on the same page almost instantly.

• The tactile nature of the iPad is another distinguishing factor in the iPad vs. laptop debate. For tactile-kinesthetic learners, an iPad can be more engaging than a laptop

• Software vs Apps – One of our largest hurdles with our desktop/laptop computers is having funds to purchase educational software.  To date, with our five iPads, we’ve downloaded 154 free educational apps and paid $4.99 for a Garage Band app.

• Microsoft has just come out with an app that allows the creation of spreadsheets, slide presentations and documents on the iPad!  The students will also always have access to the Tech Labs for any intensive projects that would involve those various programs.

This is just the tip of the iceberg – new apps and new ideas by teacher’s crop up every day.  There are countless resources available to teachers for the many uses of the iPad in the classroom.  Educators across the globe are very enthusiastic about sharing what they have learned with other teachers.  The possibilities are ENDLESS!

iPad Project Drive Update: Donations jumped at the end of December from $2,390 .00 to $6,260.00  from 15 St. E. families out of 216 (7%),  three St. E. Alumni families and three Employer with Matching Funds – THANK YOU!!  If you are new to the school or have not contributed in past drives, please consider becoming a part of this very worthwhile project.  Remember that your gift is 100% tax deductible and all gifts are appreciated – the only gift that is too small is no gift at all!

I am in the process of writing a grant to The Catholic Foundation for this project and we should be notified of the outcome sometime in March or April.  As I mentioned in a previous newsletter post, The Catholic Foundation traditionally funds about 55% or less of our requests, depending on the purpose.  Our grant request will be close to $100,000.00, meaning, if awarded, we will hopefully receive about $55,000.00, so your support is very important for this project to be successful!

Thank you to the following families who have already made their pledges and contributions. Your generosity is greatly appreciated: Anonymous Family, Acosta Family, Bank of America/Rosas, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Borth Family, Goza Family, Henry Family, January Family, Kelleher Family, Macias Family, Prudential/Spillman, Reyes Family, Rosas Family, Spillman Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Tiffany & Company/Macias, Ventura Family, Walkley Family

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The functions of the Advisory Council are to:

• Advise the Principal on School policies, programs, services, and strategic planning.

• Serve as an information resource for the School when requested.

• Conduct special studies and assignments as requested by the Pastor or Principal.

• Advise the Principal and Pastor on financial matters including assisting the Principal in development of the School’s annual operating budget; determining sources of funding for the annual operating budget, and establishing the annual tuition rates.

• Present the School to the public, to civic authorities, and to the Catholic community as a school imparting quality Catholic education in all aspects of living: spiritual, intellectual, cultural, physical, social, and civic.

• The Advisory council has an ongoing involvement with the strategic planning process for the school.

If you have questions about the advisory council or becoming involved, please contact me at estetrent@gmail.com.

Steven Thompson
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School
Advisory Council President

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Math:

5^th Grade - We are working on the world of fractions.  We are adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions.

6^th Grade – We are working on fractions, ratios, proportions and percents.  We are using our new knowledge to price groceries and figure out sales tax.

Science:

In science we are working on our science fair experiments.  5^th grade is the first year we present our work to the judges for ribbons, so the competition is really heating up! In February we will be moving on to Earth Science and the changes to the Earth’s crust.  Excitement is building as we get closer to our trip to the Pines in May.

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1A

Christian H.

Josh P.

DJ Q.

Makayla V.

1B

Julian B.

Jarrod C.

Tristen C.

Camila G.

Ricky H.

Armando M.

Victoria P.

Alex R.

2A

Icis B.

Mia D.

Maya G.

Isabelle G.

Stephen G.

Austin J.

Mason L.

Makalah M.

Isaiah M.

Cole P.

Tre Q.

3A

Frank A.

Alyssa B.

Darrell B.

Karl F.

Keiana N.

Tomas S.

3B

Alexys C.

Viviana C.

Anthony G.

 Albert G.

Michael G.

Heng Heng K.

Ethan M.

Michelle R.

4A

Isaias C.

Max R.

Erin L.

Isa L.

Samuel L.

Sydney M.

Malik P.

Fernando V.

Joanna W.

Omar Z.

5A

Gabriel B.

Katie T.

5B

Anacelia A.

Mario C.

Ethan D.

Gabe F.

Andre L.

Zara M.

Israel P.

Anissa R.

6A

Natalie E.

Kimberly F.

Catherine G.

Miranda G.

Georgine G.

Lisette M.

Laura S.

6B

Antonio B.

Dylan C.

Logan E.

Benjamin J.

Maxime J.

Julian R.

 7A

Hailey H.

Sydney S.

7B

Landon B.

Carrington R.

8A

Johana A.

Isabelle A.

Zoie M.

Marissa M.

Kennedy P.

Alexandria R.

Sydney S.

Carina V.

Morgan W.

Manon W.

8B

Josef B.

Hank C.

Nathan E.

Alex L.

Matthew M.

Jake R.

Travis R.

 Congratulations everyone!

Revised 11/07/11

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By now, everyone should have received their pledge cards and brochure for this year’s iPad Project.  We are off to a fine start this year – as of November 29^th, we have $2,510.00 in pledges and contributions from 9 families out of 219 (4%). Thank you!!

We’ve received a bid from Apple for $70,000.00 for the purchase of 150 16 GB, Wi Fi iPad 2’s – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!  We will also need to purchase protective covers for the iPads, as well as power/sync/storage carts. Apple’s website shows the basic iPad cover at $39.00 each, and Apple’s power/sync carts that will house 30 tablets are $2,599.95 each! I am actively searching for the best prices for these items and am anxiously awaiting several competitive bids.  I will submit a grant request to the Catholic Foundation at the end of January 2012, but The Catholic Foundation generally grants approximately 55% of most requests – so your support is very important for this project to be successful!

If you have been a donor in the past, we offer you many thanks for your generosity and we are counting on your continued support.  If you are new to the school or have not contributed in past drives, please consider becoming a part of this very worthwhile project.

 Be sure to review the 2012 List of Companies with Matching Gift Programs that was included with your brochure and pledge card. Please look to see if your employer is on the list.  What a great way to DOUBLE your gift to St. Elizabeth! If your employer is listed, simply contact your human resources department to obtain a matching gift form, fill it out completely and send it to the school according to your employer’s guidelines.

We have many families employed by companies on this list, such as:

• Bank of America – Minimum donation $25- will match 1:1 – Gives to Elementary, Secondary and Preschools

• Microsoft – Minimum donation $25- will match 1:1 – Gives to Elementary, Secondary and Preschools

• Neiman Marcus – Minimum donation $25- will match 2:1 – Gives to Elementary and Secondary Schools

•  Pepsico – Minimum donation $25- will match 1:1 – Gives to Elementary, Secondary and Preschools – If combined with 50 volunteer hours, they will match 2:1

• Verizon – Minimum donation $25- will match 1:1 – Gives to Elementary and Secondary Schools.  Verizon will contribute up to $750 for 50 volunteer hours in 1 year.

Looking for a little help on your 2011 taxes?   Keep in mind that every dollar you donate to the drive is 100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE!  We need to receive your donation before the end of the year for you to receive a Charitable Gift Acknowledgement letter for your 2011 taxes.  Also, those of you needing additional tax deductions may want to consider a charitable donation of stock to St. Elizabeth School.  If you transfer stock before December 31, you can claim the tax deduction on your tax return – of course, you should always check with your own tax advisor before making a gift of stock or securities.  Please contact Elizabeth Belew at (214) 331-5139 Ext 24 or ebelew@saintspride.com if you are interested in making a gift of stock to the school.

Thank you to the following families who have already made their donations or pledges, your generosity is greatly appreciated: Acosta Family, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Borth Family, Henry Family, Reyes Family, Swayzer Family Ventura Family and Walkley Family.

Have you visited St. Elizabeth’s Facebook page lately?  Stop by to check out the contest of the week and you may possibly win a $20.00 gift card for your efforts!  St. E parents, Steve Thompson, Angie Gutierrez and Lori Hernandez all won $20.00 gift cards in November,  just for posting photos of their “Saint”!  This week’s competition asks you to tell us what you like most about St. E by posting to our wall.  We’ll award a $20 gift card to the best responses.  Winners will be announced on Friday! This challenge is open to everyone so be creative!

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St. E’s Chess Club is going strong!  Mr. Ernest Jochim, a parent volunteer, is teaching students from grades 1st through 8th in the fundamentals of playing chess every Thursday from after school, from 4:15-5:00 pm,  in Mrs. Schmitz’s classroom.  The students are learning how the pieces move and basic strategies in chess.  They recently learned how to use a chess clock and write down their moves from the game.  It’s fun, free and can help improve a student’s grades.  All students are still welcome regardless of their skill level. Spare chess sets are available if the student is unable to bring one.  It’s not too late to join the fun – please drop by any Thursday!

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The Little Saints Art Club consists of K-3 students and is sponsored by St. E’s Art Teacher, Michelle Green. Mrs. Green’s goal is to teach the club members the basic elements of art and principles of design.  They are currently working on a pumpkin oil pastel and watercolor painting, and are planning to make clay ornaments for Christmas.  Mrs. Green tries to make art club as fun and educational as possible.

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We finally did it!  The hard work and determination of so many people helped make our goal of a new PK playground a reality – it will be ready to go before the Halloween Carnival! This playground was funded 100% by the generous support of the St. Elizabeth of Hungary Community.  We would like to once again thank the Class of 2011 for their generous donation of the wonderful wrought iron fence that will keep our PK students safe and secure!

The 2011-2012 Parent Annual Giving Drive is right around the corner! The Parent Annual Giving Drive is a yearly appeal made to all the families and friends of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School.  The income received from this Drive assists in financing the yearly operating budget of St. Elizabeth School and also helps us tackle bigger projects not afforded by operating funds, such as building playgrounds, replacing our roof, painting the school, installing new carpet and much, much more. St. Elizabeth School strives to keep tuition at an affordable level while continuing its mission of providing a quality Catholic education for every student. While we seek financial assistance from foundations and other institutions through the grant writing process, we still need the support of our St. Elizabeth of Hungary Community to take care of the expenses not covered by the tuition you pay.

Our working goal for this year’s Drive is to provide our students with the most creative and innovative tools in educational technology – the Apple iPad2.

Our plan is to purchase 150 iPad2’s which will provide for class sets for our Primary, Intermediate and Middle School Students.  In addition to the money raised in the PAG Drive, we will also be applying for grants with The Catholic Foundation and other institutions plans to raise the remaining funds. Watch your mailboxes during the month of November for your pledge card and thank you for your continued support!

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Many thanks to the 126 Individuals listed below – you are demonstrating a wonderful example of Christian service for your children, and are contributing a valuable resource to the success of your child’s education-Yourselves!!!!

It’s not to late to get involved!  St. Elizabeth School would not be what it is today without the involvement and dedication of our volunteers.  Please add your name to this list by contacting the front office – let us know in what capacity you would like to share your time and talents!

Delia Aillon
Gonzalo Aillon
Frank Alva
Marisol Alvear
FrancisAndres
Virginia Aranda
George Aranda
Erica Aranda
Jermaine Arellano
Virginia Bagayna
Aldo Balboa
Margaret Barrientos
Katy Barrilleaux
MJ Barrilleaux
Veronica Beltran
Lupe Brieno
Anna Burciaga
Christina Burns
Claris Mia Cantu
Angelica Cardoza
Doreen Celedon
Blanca Chavarria
Dana Choate
Denise Christian
A.C. Christian
Monica Connelly
Jesus Corona
Kristie Crone
Jessica Cruz
Pablo Cuevas
Elizabeth Cuevas
Tammy de la Garza
Pilar Dominguez
Sheri Edelmann
Melissa Esparza
Bonnie Espree
Angelica Fajardo
Maxine Feaster
Analyn Fontillas
Dannette Garay
Gloria Garcia
Sonia Garcia
Marci Garrott
Jennifer Garza
Linda Gonzales
Daryle Good
Felicia Goolsby
Frances Gopengco-Amores
Andy & Susan Goza
Michael Green
Michelle Green
Melissa Guerrero
Natalie Guerrero
Juan Gurrloa
Norma Gurrola
Angie Gutierrez
Lisa Hamed
Kathleen Hawkins
Denise Henry
Kristen Hobbs
Lisa Hunt
Jessica Jochim
Marybeth Jones
Laura Kubin
Lisa Lacaze
Betty Lamb
Joe Ledesma
Eleanor Logan
Viana Lozano
Anthony Macias
Dalila Macias
Melissa Maldonado
Leticia Marroquin
Elia Martinez
Estella Martinez
Chris Martinez
Paul McCalister
Monica McCalister
Serena McNair
Veronica Mendoza
Michele Mills
Angela Milton
Matthew Mitcheltree
Jennifer Mitcheltree
Stephanie Montalvo
Ramiro Montalvo
Tamara Nathan
Martha Nigo
Maria Orozco-Smith
Molly O’Sullivan
Myrna Padilla
Theresa Patin
Criselda Perez
Peter Pincemin- Johnstone
Christine Pincemin- Johnstone
Pam Porter
Becky Quintanilla
Juana Ramirez
Leticia Rangel
Barb Richardson
Priscilla Rodriguez
Nancy Rosas
David Rosas
Julio Santiago
Graciela Santos
Donna Sliter
Monica Stansberry
Anthony Starkus
Isabel Starkus
Catherine Thompson
Steve Thompson
Maribel Torralba-May
Teresa Valdez
Monica Vega
Miguel Vega
Sandra Ventura
Fernando Ventura
Vanessa Walker
David Walkley
Sandy Walkley
Ken Washington
Sharon Washington
Roderick Webb
Roshunda Webb
Ruth West
Kimberly Wheeler

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This is the design for our new playground – the actual colors will match the big kid’s playground  in back!

Your donations to the PK Playground brought in $28,050.00 from 33 out of 226 St. Elizabeth families (14%), six St. Elizabeth Alumni Families, three Employer with Matching Funds and two fundraisers.

Additionally, we received a grant from the Ed Haggar Family foundation which is providing tuition assistance for deserving students – Thank you for your commitment to St. Elizabeth School and for your overwhelming generosity.

Now that all of the T’s are crossed,  the I’s are dotted and the check has been written, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new playground equipment so we can finalize our PK Playground Project!  I recently received word that the equipment is set to ship from Total Recreation’s factory in Alabama on September 30^th which means that it should be delivered to our installer around October 7^th.  Construction should begin sometime the next week and they anticipate that the structure will be complete within five days.  If everything goes as planned we will finally be able to provide our PK students with an age appropriate playground that challenges our Littlest Saint’s growing bodies and excites their imaginations.  Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the drive and participated in our fundraisers!

We are grateful for the immeasurable support of the parents and other family members to our school and look forward to another great year!

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MAGAZINES

Shop 24/7/365 at QSP.com, – Order new magazines or renew your current subscriptions and St. Elizabeth will receive 40% of the subscription price! You can help raise funds for the school by calling QSP Customer service 1-800-678-2673 or by logging on to QSP.com, and input St. Elizabeth’s new account number 1080580 and shop away!  St. E will earn up to 50% of the purchase price for anything you order. You may buy new magazines; renew current subscriptions, purchase music, books or gifts.

GROCERY STORE FUNDRAISING

But, they do not donate to St. Elizabeth unless you sign up for their programs and designate St. Elizabeth as your beneficiary.

The Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program will donate $1 million annually. St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School will earn a percentage of the $1 million equal to the percentage of total earned contributions attributable to our school. Please print the barcode letter, click here, and present it to your cashier upon checkout the next time your shop at Kroger. After they have scanned your KrogerPlus Card you will be enrolled for the current year of the Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation Program. Every time you shop at Kroger and use your enrolled KrogerPlus Card, Kroger will contribute a percentage of your eligible purchases to the Kroger Neighbor to Neighbor Donation fund. Once a card is scanned with the barcode, it will be active for the remainder of the program year.

Tom Thumb

 St. Elizabeth’s number is #648. Turn in a completed application at your Tom Thumb store; they will give you a Reward Card, present that card to the cashier during your transaction. To change or verify the designated beneficiary of your current reward card, ask the cashier during your transaction.

The more people that designate St. Elizabeth as their beneficiary school the more dollars St. Elizabeth earns to help defray the costs of tuition. Thank you for participating in this fundraiser.

TARGET Take Charge of Education

Did you know that 1% of all your TARGET VISA purchases come back to the St. Elizabeth School through the TARGET Take Charge of Education program?

Apply for a Target VISA card listing St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Hampton Rd., Dallas, as your beneficiary or call 1-800-316-6142 to designate St. Elizabeth as your beneficiary on an existing card.  What an easy way to bring in more funds for St. E’s wonderful educational programs!

Visit https://sites.target.com/site/en/corporate/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-005174 for more information on TARGET Take Charge of Education!

Collecting Product Labels

Save Campbell’s product labels send them to school and St. Elizabeth earns points to select school equipment from Campbell’s.  Visit http://www.labelsforeducation.com/default.aspx
for more information!

General Mills Box Tops for Education Incentive!! 

Get out those scissors – Box Tops for Education Needs You to Start Clipping!!!  The class that collects the most Box Tops by September 30^th will win a Pizza Party!!

Save box top coupons from General Mills cereals, Betty Crocker products, Yoplait Yogurt and Nature Valley Products, send them to school; St. Elizabeth receives .10 cents for each coupon.

The Early Childhood Classes are taking on this fundraiser as their community service project for the school year.  Any questions regarding Box Tops for Education should be directed to Mrs. Porter at pporter@saintspride.com.  Mrs. Porter has asked that you please follow the guidelines outlined below when preparing your Box Tops for donation to help make the volunteers’ job easier:

1. Neatly cut the logos from the products
2. Package the box top logos in groups of 50 in a snack sized Ziploc bag.
3. Or…count and mark the number of logos in each bag.
4. Label the Ziploc with your child’s name to be eligible for the monthly prize drawing
5. Have your child drop them off in the collection box in their classroom.
6. Be on the lookout a the end of the school year to see just how much money we have made collectively for our school!

Visit http://www.boxtops4education.com/Default.aspx for more information on the Box Tops for Education program!

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The clinic has seen its share of various illnesses this school year.   Just as reminder- students must be fever or symptom free for 24 hours before coming back to school.  The last week of September we will be conducting vision/hearing/scoliosis/ancanthosis nigricans screenings.  The screenings apply to 4 year old PK students, K, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and all new students.  Scoliosis applies only to 6th grade. More information will be sent in a couple of weeks.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the clinic at ext 28 or email emartinez@saintspride.com

Wish list- seal-able baggies to be used as ice packs.

Second request:  Health History forms were sent home with some students.   If you received one of these forms, kindly fill it out and return to the front office as soon as possible.

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Hello all, I am so excited to be back teaching Middle School this year.  It has started off great!  The kids have been very kind and so eager to learn.  I look forward to a fabulous year with all of the students.

7A and 7B
We have already completed Chapter 1.  We are currently starting Chapter 2, Native Texans.  This will encompass descendants of early Native Americans who still live in Texas.  The influence of these ancient peoples exists today in the names of places, such as Historical sites and the artwork they left behind in the form of rock carvings and cave paints. We will be discussing, as a class, examples of the Native American influences that exist in our local area. The students will be tested over chapter 2 on September 13th.  We will begin Chapter 3 which deals with Exploring Texas in 1519-1700.  We will focus heavily on the Moors occupying Spain which eventually led to Columbus’ voyage to the Americas.

8A and 8B
We have already finished learning about Five Themes of Geography.  The students have been working on their geography terms project which is due September 13th.  They will have a test over ch2 September 14th.  Chapter 2 is titled “Before the First Global Age.”  We live in a global age.  People can fly from the United States to Asia in less than a day.  News from Africa is broadcast worldwide within hours.  However, in 1492, time and distance were greater barriers.  However movement and interaction already were forging the global links that are in place today.  We will be discussing this in much more detail in the upcoming lessons.  We will begin chapter 3 dealing with Exploration and Colonization.  We will be studying Columbus and finally completing the chapter with the Pilgrims founding the Plymouth Colony in 1620.

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Thank You

2011 8th Grade Class!!!

A great big thank you goes out to the 2011 8th Grade Graduating Class for their generous gift of $2,500.00 to the PK Playground Project.  This awesome Eighth Grade Class decided they wanted a major portion of the funds that they raised from their monthly Snack Sales to go towards the wrought iron fence that will surround our new playground!  This new fence will keep our “Littlest Saints” safe and immensely improve the look of our school!  What a wonderful legacy you have left  for the future students of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School!

PK Playground Fund – Total pledges and contributions as of 05/24/11 – $28,050.00 from 33 out of 226 St. Elizabeth families (14%), six St. Elizabeth Alumni Families, three Employer with Matching Funds and two fundraisers.

If we can build this fund up to $30,000.00, I believe we can build an awesome playground structure for our PK students – that’s only $2,000.00 more! We’re almost there!! I am actively meeting with vendors to pick out the perfect playground. If you have not already done so, please think about donating today – time is running out!

Consider the following breakdown:

10 families donate $200.00 each = $2,000.00

15 families donate $133.33 each = $2,000.00

20 families donate $100.00 each = $2,000.00

30 families donate $  66.00 each = $2,000.00

40 families donate $  50.00 each = $2,000.00

For your convenience, we accept PayPal as a payment option for your PK Playground Fund Project donations.  Just visit www.saintspride.com and look for the “Donate” button on the front page.  This is a safe and secure method of donating money to St. Elizabeth School. Through PayPal, we accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover Card.

Please help us to provide our PK3 & PK4 students with an age appropriate playground that challenges their student’s growing bodies and excites their imaginations and prayerfully consider becoming a part of this very important project.

Thank you to the following families who have already made their donations or pledges –

Aillon Family, Allen Family, Anonymous Family, AT&T/Luke Family, Bank of America/Ramirez Family, Bagayna Family, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Anonymous Foundation, Breeding Family, Burns Family, Celedon Family, Cinco de Mayo Breakfast, Clem Family, Edelmann Family, Gomez Family, Gonzalez Family, Goza Family, Guerrero Family, Javier Family, Juarez-Ayala Family, Kubin Family, Mary Kuterbach, Martin Lucas, Medina Family, Mills Family, Murphy Family, Neiman Marcus, Nigo Family, O’Sullivan Family, Paulsen Family, Pizza & Paletas, Porter Family, Ramirez Family, Reyes Family, Richardson Family, Rivas Family, Rodriguez Family,  Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Thompson Family, Vergara Family, Walkley Family, West Family, Yaquinto Family

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I enjoyed being back at St. Elizabeth while filling in for Mrs. Powell during her maternity leave.  It is such a coincidence that I returned to see the 8^th grade graduate as they were my last class as 4^th graders that I taught at St. Elizabeth’s.  It has been wonderful teaching them as middle school students; my best to them and their new adventures!

I hope everyone has a wonderful summer break, enjoy your time off!

Kristy Feil

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Pizza, Paletas and Perfectly Roasted Corn

Friday, May 13^th!

Proceeds to Profit PK Playground Project

Don’t slave over a hot stove next Friday night!

On Friday, May 13th, St. Elizabeth School will be selling Dominos Pizzas to help raise funds for the PK Playground!

We are taking orders for large, one topping pizzas: cheese, pepperoni or sausage for $10.00 each.  St. Elizabeth will retain 40% of this price as profit!

Please respond to this email by Wednesday, May 11th by 3:00 pm to pre-order your pizza(s) and they will be delivered to St. E for your pickup after school on Friday, May 13th!

We will also be selling pizza by the slice for $1.50 each and Paletas for dessert for only $1.25 each. For those of you not familiar with Paletas, they are Latin American frozen fruit bars/popsicles made from fresh seasonal fruit. Traditional popular flavors include watermelon, cantaloupe, lime, strawberry, and chocolate. Part of the allure of paletas over regular American Popsicles is the fresh-fruit flavors. They are phenomenal!

Please help us raise funds to provide new playground equipment for our Littlest Saints AND improve St. E’s “curb appeal” for potential families!

Thank you,

Elizabeth Belew
Development Director
ebelew@saintspride.com
(214) 331-5139 Ext. 24

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Pizza, Paletas & Perfectly

Roasted Corn Friday!

Thanks so much for your enthusiastic response!!  We have surpassed orders from our sale in October!!

We will have your pre-ordered pizzas available for pick-up at a table on the back porch immediately after school.  Those who pre-ordered a pizza and will be collecting your children from aftercare may pick-up their pizzas in the cafeteria.

If  you have already sent in your payment for your pizza, we will have a “Paid Table” just off the porch with your order ready to go!

Pizza by the slice, paletas and roasted corn will also be for sale on the back porch after school:

• $1.50 – per slice of pizza

• $1.25 – Paleta – we have ordered a variety of flavors: strawberry, watermelon, lime, coconut, pineapple. We ordered 400 paletas, so please fee free to buy in bulk!  You don’t even have to chase down the Paleta Man!!

• $2.00 – Roasted Corn each and $15 for 10!

Also….Here’s an opportunity to SHOW YOUR SAINTS PRIDE!! A newly designed “I’m a Saint!” yard sign is available for your purchase for only $10.00 per sign.  Proceeds from the sale of this sign will also profit the PK Playground Project!  Help us promote our school and build a new playground for PK!

Once again, thank you for your support and SEE YOU TOMORROW!!

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2011 Silent Auction

Last Call Auction Items….

We have the following items left over from our recent Silent Auction.  Please stop by the school and cast your bid for this awesome merchandise -We will be accepting bids until the end of the day on Field Day – June 2nd!

Don’t miss out on these great deals!

Baby Sitting for up to 4 Hours (Priceless) – Starting Bid $20.00
Bishop Arts Wellness Center Gift Certificate – New Patient Services ($215 value) Starting Bid $95.00
Bishop Dunne Dance Camp ($75 value) – Starting Bid $34.00
Bishop Dunne Track Camp ($50 value) – Starting Bid $27.00
Bishop Dunne Football Camp ($75 value) – Starting bid $34.00
Bishop Dunne Girls’ Soccer Camp ($75 value) – Starting Bid $34.00
Bishop Dunne Golf Camp ($150 value) – Starting Bid $68.00
Bishop Dunne Tennis Camp ($75 value) – Starting Bid $34.00
Bishop Dunne Volleyball Camp ($75 value) – Starting Bid $34.00
Enchanted Springs Ranch General Admission tickets ($56) – Starting Bid $25.00
Family Portrait Session ($1018 value) – Starting Bid $50.00 – Starting Bid $22.00
Fashion Seminar and meal for 25 ladies ($150 value) – Starting Bid $68.00
Four (4) Tickets to Theatre Three, Inc. ($120 value) – Starting Bid $54.00
Four (4) VIP Tour Vouchers for Studios at Las Colinas ($180 value) – Starting Bid $81.00
Four Guest Passes to The Women’s Museum ($20 value) – Starting Bid $9.00
Sonoma Black Leather Purse ($58 value) – Starting Bid $26.00

Southwest Wildlife Art ($100 value)  – Starting Bid $45.00

Tanglewood Resorts on Lake Texoma Week Vacation ($1200 value) – Starting Bid $540.00
Travel Alarm Clock ($20 value) – Starting Bid $9.00
Two (2) Admission Tickets for Buckhorn Saloon & Museum ($35.98 value)  – Starting Bid $16.00
Four Base Rentals with 100 Paintballs Each ($55 value) – Starting Bid $25.00
1A Class Craft – Mosaic Stepping Stone (Priceless) – Starting Bid $25.00

Ladies Mudd Shoes – Navy Plaid  Sz 8 ($49.99 Value) – Starting Bid $22.00

8th Grade Class Craft – (Priceless Value) – Starting Bid $25.00

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Hey Class of 2011!

Congratulations on your recent graduation from St. E!  Before you all go your separate ways, please remember to visit our Alumni website –  http://alumni.saintspride.com/ and create an account.  Don’t lose touch with your St. Elizabeth Classmates -  join our Alumni Association today!

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BJ, Esmeralda, and Armando Medina

Many thanks to the entire Medina Family for their donation to the PK Playground Fund and especially for their inspiring creativity.  They have found inventive ways to contribute to this project and make their donation grow by leaps and bounds!

Over spring break, Mrs. Medina took two of her three children, BJ and Armando to a recycling center to sell three bags of soda cans that the boys had collected.  The boys were given a total of $12.80 for their cans, and Armando told his mother that he thought they should donate this money to the Playground Fund.  When they got home and told their sister of their plan, Esmeralda, a former St. E student, said she would donate the difference to bring their contribution up to $25.00.  Their parents, John and Christina then told the kids they would match that donation, bringing the total $50.00.  Christina’s employer, Neiman Marcus, is on the list of 2011 HEP List of Companies with Matching Gift Programs and Neiman Marcus matches employees’ donations two to one, so that $50.00 has now turned into a $150.00 donation to the Playground Fund!

What valuable lessons these wonderful parents taught their kids over spring break. They taught their children the importance of recycling in preserving the environment and that they can make a difference in the world.  They also helped them to understand the joy of charitable giving and to be wise and effective givers by assisting them in making their initial donation of $12.80 multiply by almost 12 times!  Thank you Medina Family for your generous support of this very worthwhile project

PK Playground Fund – Total pledges and contributions as of 04/15/11 – $25,085.00 from 22 out of 226 St. Elizabeth families (10%), six St. Elizabeth Alumni Families and three Employer with Matching Funds.

Thank you to the nine families who recently responded to our recent request for your participation in the PK Playground Fund project!  Their generous donations increased our fund by almost $1,200.00.  We still need your participation and generosity to make this goal of a new playground for our “Littlest Saints” a reality!

Think about what we could accomplish if the families at St. E who have not yet participated, gave just $70.00 to this year’s drive – we would have nearly $15,000.00 more to add to this project.

By sending in your pledge, regardless the amount, you are sending us a tangible sign that tells us you believe in the mission of this school. It might be $250.00, $25.00 or even $2.50 – every gift is greatly appreciated. But what is so vitally important and so necessary is to have the full participation of our parents, no matter what the financial level.

For your convenience, we accept PayPal as a payment option for your PK Playground Fund Project donations.  Just visit www.saintspride.com and look for the “Donate” button on the front page.  This is a safe and secure method of donating money to St. Elizabeth School. Through PayPal, we accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover Card.

Please help us to provide our PK3 & PK4 students with an age appropriate playground that challenges their student’s growing bodies and excites their imaginations and prayerfully consider becoming a part of this very important project.

Thank you to the following families who have already made their donations or pledges – It looks like PK4 and Alumni Families are leading the charge in donations:

PK3: Celedon Family, Juarez-Ayala Family, Porter Family

PK4: Aillon Family, Burns Family, Kubin Family, O’Sullivan Family, Stansberry Family

KA : Medina Family,    Porter Family*, Thompson Family

1^st Grade: Goza Family, Stansberry Family*

2^nd Grade: Burns Family*

3^rd Grade: Medina Family*

4^th Grade: Mills Family, Richardson Family

5^th Grade: Gomez Family, Juarez-Ayala Family*, Vergara Family

6^th Grade: Barrilleaux Family, Rodriguez Family

7^th Grade: Breeding Family, Allen Family, Swayzer Family, Walkley Family

8^th Grade: Barrilleaux Family*, Javier Family, Mills Family*

Alumni Families: Anonymous Family, Belew Family, Lucas Family, Luke Family, Yaquinto Family, Clem Family

*sibling

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Friendly reminder:

6^th and 7^th grade field trip to Scarborough Fair is May 3, monies and permission slips are due Tuesday April 26^th.

7^th grade filed trip to the San Antonio Missions is May 6, monies and permission slips are due Friday April 29^th.

6^th grade: We have completed our studies about the early civilizations of Africa.  We are currently reading about the early civilization of the Americas.  We are learning about the Incas, the Mayas, the Mound Builders and Woodlands; how and what they have contributed to our society.  From there we will begin our studies of the Middle Ages which will then lead us into the Renaissance Period.

7^th grade: The students will begin our studies into the Twentieth Century period of Texas.  The students will read about oil, the Great Depression, civil rights movement and how they contributed to the political, social, and economic changes in Texas.

8^th grade: The students will learn how political and religious ideas inspired people for reform.  How these reforms affected prisoners to the improvement of the education system, and the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement.  We will read about a nation divided, slavery, and the Civil War.  We will end with the reconstruction after the Civil War during the years of 1863-1896.

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Seventh grade will be working on area and volume of geometric shapes.  Algebra will be working with polynomials.  Eighth will be working with volume of geometric solids.

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March 1 Math Committee Mtg. @ 3:30 pm

March 3-5 Geo-Tech @ Bishop Dunne H.S.

March 6 Sacrament of Confirmation– Mass @ 12 noon,

Reception following

March 8 Diocesan Principals Mtg @ St. Monica’s

March 8 Advisory Council Mtg @ 6:30 pm

March 9 Ash Wednesday, 8am Mass

March 11 Faculty Lenten Spiritual Retreat, NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

March 14-18 Spring Break, NO SCHOOL

March 19 Sacrament of First Reconciliation @ 10:30 am

March 22 or 23 African American Cultural Awareness Day (TBA)

March 24 8th Grade Snack Sale

March 24 Faculty Mtg. @ 3:30 pm, NO TUTORIALS

March 25 Stations of the Cross 5-8 @ 2 pm

March 31 Buck-a-Jeans Day

March 31 3rd Q Report Cards

March 31 Fr. Michael Dugan’s Birthday

April 1 Stations of the Cross PK-4th @ 2 pm

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Congratulations to the recipients of the February Christian Witness Awards who have exhibited the virtue of Hope, which were given out at the Children’s Liturgy on Friday, March 4th:

PK4 Alfredo D.
KA Kendall W. and Christian H.
1B Sean N.
1B Tre Q.
2B Lucy T. and Anthony G.
3A Sammy R., Fernando V.
4A Andre L. and Carlos A.
4B Courtney M.
5A Denise J.
5B Maxime P.
6th Anthony F.
7th Sara M.
8th Frankie P.

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Teacher of the Year 2011

Mrs. Melissa Guerrero, Kindergarten

Volunteer of the Year 2011

Mrs. Debbie Gleason-Library

Outstanding Volunteers 2011
Mrs. Monica Stansberry-Theater Arts
Mrs. Molly O’Sullivan-Art Club
Mrs. Michelle Green-Art Club
Mr. Michael January-Booster Club, Marketing & Development
Mrs. Sandy Walkley-Booster Club
Mr. Maurice Aguilar-St. Elizabeth Soccer
Mr. Raymond Barrilleaux-Athletics, Basketball, Baseball, & Softball
Mr. Don Gamble-Grounds & Facilities Improvements

Christian Witness Awards
Virtue: FAITH
JANUARY, 2011

PK-3 Erica C.
PK-4 Gabrielle G.
Ka Ella L., Francisco A.
1a Clarissa F.
1b Wesley N.
2a Justin B. and Michelle R.
3a Arlene E.
4a Gabriel B.
4b Jenna R. and Shedarieah G..
5a Benjamin J.
5b Erin V.
6b Hailey H.
7th Josef B.
8th Marcella B.

Catholic Schools Week Poster Contest Winners
K-1: Maya G.
2-3: Viviana C.
4-5: Sophia D.
6-8: Johanna A.

Spelling Bee Participants & Winners

Middle School:
Winner: Gabrielle S.
Second Place winner: Kennedy P.
Joey B.
Caity A.
Marcella B.
Justin M.
Curtis W.
Nathan E.
Morgan W.
Daryl G.
Natalie E.
Lindsey F.
Michael G.
Logan E.

Primary:
Winner: Frank A.
Second Place: Madison G.
Lui A.
Danica B.
Evelyn S.
Lily R.
Cole P.
Blaine W.
Sammy R.
Omar Z.
Elizabeth S.
Zara M.
Angel V.
Kaci M.

2011 Science Fair

5th Grade
3rd Place Natalie E. and Gabby L. “Stain Busters”
2nd Place Lindsey F. and Miranda G. “Fire in the House”
1st Place Emily A. and Julian R. “3 2 1 Blast Off”

6th Grade Individual
3rd Place Ben S. “Simple Generator”
2nd Place Gabriel L. “Cold Case: Dusting for Fingerprints”
1st Place Brianna M. “Tooth Decay”6th Grade Teams

3rd Place Lucas B., Luke H., Robert E. “Can You Hover”
2nd Place Marianna G., Fernanda C., Sydney S. “Can you hear me now”
1st Place Amy C. and Gabrielle S. “Colorful Chlorophyll”

7th Individual
3rd Place Travis R. “Wind Resistance”
2nd Place Morgan W. “Oil Spills”
1st Place Jake R. “Eyewitness ”7th Grade Teams

3rd Place Josef B. and Zach J. “Solar vs. Wind:
Tie 3rd Place Marissa M. and Stephanie B. “Give a Hoot don’t pollute”
2nd place Nathan E., Cesar P., Damian C. “Hydropower”
1st place Brandon H., Jonathan L., Matthew M. “Exploration of the Air”

8th Grade Individuals
Tie 3rd Place Angela de la L. “Ripen Up”
Tie 3rd Place Josh G. “Harmful Addictions”
Tie 2nd Place Justin M. “Yeast on the Rise”
Tie 2nd Place Tanner A .“Spool Racer”
1st Place Marcella B. “Down with Gravity”

8th Grade Teams
2nd place Regina K. and Brittany P. “Drop Shot”
1st Place Krystal G. and Rosa A. “Up, Up and Away”

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We Need Your Help!!

PK Playground Fund – Total pledges and contributions as of 03/01/11 – $23,960.00 from 14 out of 226 St. Elizabeth families (6%), five St. Elizabeth Alumni Families and one Employer with Matching Funds.

Participation in the PK Playground Fund project is at an all time low…we desperately need your participation and generosity to make this goal of a new playground for our “Littlest Saints” a reality!  At the rate we are going now, we are barely able to afford the most basic playground design and we would have to do a “community build,” meaning, we would have to install the playground with parent volunteers with professional supervision, because we have not raised enough to have it installed by the playground company. Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Strunk would so love to have an age appropriate playground that challenges their students’ growing bodies and excites their imaginations.

By sending in your pledge, regardless of the amount, you are sending us a tangible sign that tells us you believe in the mission of this school. It might be $250.00, $25.00 or even $2.50 – every gift is greatly appreciated. But what is so vitally important and so necessary is to have the full participation of our parents, no matter what the financial level. Think about what we could accomplish if the 213 families at St. E who have not yet participated, gave just $70.00 to this year’s drive – we would have nearly $15,000.00 more to add to this project.

For your convenience, we accept PayPal as a payment option for your PK Playground Fund Project donations.  Just visit www.saintspride.com and look for the “Donate” button on the front page under “It’s PK’s Turn.”   This is a safe and secure method of donating money to St. Elizabeth School. Through PayPal, we accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover Card.

Please prayerfully consider becoming a part of this very important project.

Thank you to the following families who have already made their donations or pledges:

Allen Family (8B), Anonymous Family with Corporate Matching Gift, Belew Family, Breeding Family (7A), Burns Family (PK4 & 2A), Goza Family (1B), Kubin Family (PK4), Luke Family/AT&T, Martin Lucas, O’Sullivan Family (PK4), Porter Family (PK3 & K), Richardson Family (4B), Rodriguez Family (6A), Stansberry Family (PK4 & 1B), Swayzer Family (7A), Thompson Family (K), Vergara Family (5B), Walkley Family (7B), Yaquinto Family

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Thank you for your participation in the 2010-11 Boosterthon Fun Run!  We are incredibly blessed to have such a supportive community to help raise money for our school and classrooms. The kids did an awesome job running all those laps at the run, and they had a fantastic time, too! Be sure to check out our little Boosterthon video on www.saintspride.com !

We are so excited that we are incredibly close to our goal of 100% collection of all Boosterthon pledges —just $1,582.00 more to go!!!

Since we received only $17,416.00 in pledges, which is more than $25,000.00 less than the 2009-10 run, our goal of 100% collection is so vitally important!!  If we collect every pledge, we will keep a profit of $9,056.00 and each teacher will receive 10% to put in their teacher wish list fund for classroom resources.

If you have not already done so, please call or email everyone on your pledge list and let them know how many laps your student ran, and then have them send their checks or cash to you as soon as possible.  We have not scheduled our next collection day as of yet, but you may turn in any money to me as it is collected. Just a reminder – checks should be made payable to St. Elizabeth School.

The money raised from the Fun Run will go toward continued upgrades and maintenance of our technology and classroom resources.

Thank you for your continued support, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you should have any questions – ebelew@saintspride.com.

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SAVE THE DATE!

St. Elizabeth’s Silent Auction, “Grease,” will take place on Saturday, April 30^th from 6:00-10:00 pm at the Bishop Dunne High School Gym.  We are expecting approximately 250 guests to join us for this exciting evening which will include food, music, dancing, costume contests, silent auction, an Elvis impersonator and much more! Your invitations will be headed to your mailboxes very soon!

We rely on the generosity of the community to donate items such as gift certificates to restaurants, department stores and merchandise for this event.  We are asking our school and church families  to assist us with this event by soliciting auction items or making a personal donation to this cause.  Donations of any size are welcome and are tax deductible.

For more information please contact Marybeth Jones at (214) 597-8287 or Andy Goza at (214) 212-8114.

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MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS
Shop 24/7/365 at QSP.com, – Order new magazines or renew your current subscriptions and St. Elizabeth will receive 40% of the subscription price! St. Elizabeth account number is 425062199 – Customer service 1-800-678-2673.

TARGET for Education
1% of all your TARGET VISA purchases come back to the school. Apply for a Target VISA card listing St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Hampton Rd., Dallas, as your beneficiary or call 1-800-316-6142 to designate St. Elizabeth as your beneficiary on an existing card.

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The seventh grade will finish percents and then finish the month with geometry. The Algebra class will finish systems and start quadratics. The Prealgebra class will be working on proportions and percents.

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BOOSTERTHON IS COMING JANUARY 25TH!!!

We are so excited to announce that our second annual Boosterthon Fun Run is right around the corner!  Last year’s event was an enormous success as we met our  fundraising goal of $15,000.00!!   Last year’s Fun Run profits went toward instructional enhancements such as: New Spelling books for all students, classroom supplies, new textbooks, consumables, online subscriptions for Accelerated Reader and  MathScore, Handwriting Without Tears for Kinder through 5th Grade, and Online Staff Development.  Many thanks to everyone who made this event such an enormous success—our wonderful students, parents, teachers and staff!

This year, with your help, we  can beat last year’s total and hopefully raise $20,000.00! These funds will go towards technology software updates and other educational resources

The Boosterthon Fun Run program provides a healthy   alternative to traditional product sales to raise much needed funds for our school and many others across   America.  The program promotes three specific values during the two week fun-filled program:  Fitness, Education, and Character.

This year’s character lesson theme is “LEADER LAUNCH.”

Please note that the dates have changed from what was previously announced.

The event will kick off with two 30 minute school-wide Pep Rallies on Tuesday, Jan 25th, with PK-4th Grade at 1:30 and 5th – 8th Grade starting at 2:15.  We will conclude on Thursday, Feb 3rd with the Boosterthon Fun Run school-wide event which will be held in the gym this year with the following schedule:

7th & 8th Grade      8:30
5th & 6th Grade      9:30
3rd & 4th Grade   10:30
PK3 through K      11:30
1st & 2nd Grade   12:30

Please come and join the fun!!

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We are very excited to announce that The John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation recently awarded St. Elizabeth a $10,000.00 grant.  The Kenedy Foundation has been a loyal supporter of St. Elizabeth for many years and their continued generosity is greatly appreciated.

PK Playground Drive Update: Donations jumped at the end of December from $2,390 .00 to $23,240.00 from 15 families out of 226 (7%) and two Employer with Matching Funds – THANK YOU!!  We still have a way to go to provide our “Littlest Saints” with an exciting new playground and safety fence; consequently we still have our work cut out for us.  So, if you are new to the school or have not contributed in past drives, would you please consider becoming a part of this very worthwhile project? Remember that your gift is 100% tax deductible and all gifts are appreciated, regardless of size as we have received gifts ranging from $20.00 to $10,000.00.

Be sure to refer back to the 2011 HEP List of Companies with Matching Gift Programs that was included with your brochure and pledge card and look to see if your employer is on the list.  What a great way to DOUBLE your gift to St. Elizabeth! If your employer is listed, simply contact your human resources department to obtain a matching gift form, fill it out completely and send it to the school according to your employer’s guidelines.  If you are unable to locate this list, please call Elizabeth Belew for another copy.

Thank you to the following families who have already made their pledges, your generosity is greatly appreciated:

Allen Family, Anonymous Donor and Employer with Matching Funds, AT&T/Luke Family, Belew Family, Breeding Family, Burns Family, Clem Family, Goza Family, O’Sullivan Family, Porter Family, Rodriguez Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Vergara Family, Walkley Family, Yaquinto Family

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