Archive for 'School Development'
Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on May 30, 2012, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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iPad Project Fund – Total pledges and contributions as of 05/31/12 – $9,505.00 from 27 out of 216 St. Elizabeth families (12.5%), six St. Elizabeth Alumni Families and five Employer with Matching Funds and three Businesses.
A great big thank you goes out to the 2012 8th Grade Graduating Class for their generous gift to the iPad Project. This awesome Eighth Grade Class decided they wanted a large portion of the funds that they raised from their monthly Snack Sales to go towards our goal of 150 iPads for our students! What a wonderful legacy you have left for the future students of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School!
We are so excited to get the ball rolling on our iPad Project: I recently ordered 60 iPads along with the necessary accessories and the $9,500.00+ raised from the Parent Annual Giving Drive will allow us to purchase an additional 20 iPads.
For your convenience, we accept credit cards as a payment option for your iPad 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. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover Card.
Please prayerfully consider what your family can afford and make your pledge today. If would like more information on the Parent Annual Giving Drive, please call Elizabeth Belew @ (214) 331-5139 Ext 24 or email – ebelew@saintspride.com.
Thank you to the following families who have already made their pledges and contributions. Your generosity is greatly appreciated:
Acosta Family, Alba Family, Anonymous Family, Anonymous Family, Avangard Real Estate Services, Inc., Bank of America/Rosas, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Borth Family, Christian Family, Corley Family, Duffy/Nash Family, Ecozone Pest Control, Goza Family, Henry Family, Ibarra Family, January Family, Kelleher Family, Lauer/Phillips Family, Martin Lucas/Microsoft, Macias Family, Patin Family, Pena Family, Prudential/Spillman, Reyes Family, Richardson Family, Rosas Family, Spillman Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Taxco Produce, Teradata Cares/Corley, Tiffany & Company/Macias, Ventura Family, Vergara Family, Walkley Family, West Family, Williams Family, and Yaquinto Family
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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on April 12, 2012, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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THANK YOU to the Catholic Foundation for their approval of a grant in the amount of $31,208.00 for our iPad Project. We are extremely excited, as this grant will allow us to purchase 60 iPad 2′s, two Power/Sync Carts, 60 iPad protective cases and 36 wireless hubs! At this point, we are at 40% of our goal of 150 iPads! Since 1999, the support of the Catholic Foundation has enabled the school to realize many major projects that would not have been afforded by tuition alone. We are so grateful for their generosity.
Total pledges and contributions as of 04/10/12 – $7,425.00 from 22 out of 216 St. Elizabeth families (10%), four St. Elizabeth Alumni Families and six Employer with Matching Funds.
Thank you to the four families who recently responded to our recent request for your participation in the iPad Project! Their generous donations increased our fund by almost $500.00. Those of you who pay your tuition through the Texas Catholic Credit Union may want to consider making your contribution during the month May since your last tuition payment will be in April. The school year is winding down and there is still time to contribute to this very worthy project. Remember, all money collected goes directly to the school and the students and it is tax deductible.
Your support is very important to St. Elizabeth School. We would like to reiterate our challenge to every family who has not participated in this year’s drive to consider a donation of at least $70.00. Think about what we could accomplish if the 191 families at St. E who have not yet participated, gave just $70.00 – the iPad Project would exceed $20,000.00 in total contributions
Please prayerfully consider what your family can afford and make your pledge today. If would like more information on the Parent Annual Giving Drive, please call Elizabeth Belew @ (214) 331-5139 Ext 24 or email – ebelew@saintspride.com
Thank you to the following families who have already made their pledges and contributions. Your generosity is greatly appreciated:
Acosta Family, Alba Family, Anonymous Family, Anonymous Family, Bank of America/Rosas, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Borth Family, Corley Family, Goza Family, Henry Family, Ibarra Family, January Family, Kelleher Family, Martin Lucas/Microsoft, Macias Family, Pena Family, Prudential/Spillman, Reyes Family, Richardson Family, Rosas Family, Spillman Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Teradata Cares/Corley, Tiffany & Company/Macias, Ventura Family, Walkley Family, West Family, Yaquinto Family
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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on March 8, 2012, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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iPad Project Drive Update: After that big jump in donations and pledges in December, things have slowed down considerably! We have gone from $6,260.00 to $6,935.00 from 18 St. E. families out of 216 (8%), three St. E. Alumni families and four Employers with Matching Funds. At this time last year, we had nearly $24,000.00 in donations and pledges.
Participation in the iPad Project is at an all-time low…we desperately need your participation and generosity to make this goal of three class sets of iPad 2’s a reality for our students. This project is vital to the future of St. Elizabeth School in three very important ways – the integration of the iPad into our curriculum will:
- Enhance the way students learn
- Further cement our reputation as a model school for technology
- Attract more students to St. Elizabeth School
As you may have seen in last month’s post, a grant request for $75,000.00 was submitted to The Catholic Foundation for this project. A Trustee from The Catholic Foundation recently performed the foundation’s site visit and during his interview with the iPad Project team, he informed us that the foundation has received many applications for capital improvements, building repair and even operating funds. He cautioned us that we should not expect to receive the amount that we’ve come to expect from the Catholic Foundation in the past. To hopefully add to the iPad Project fund, a grant request to the Hillcrest Foundation in the amount of $25,000.00 was submitted at the end of February and I am working on another request to Dollar General for $4,000.00 which is due at the end of May.
By sending in your pledge, you are sending us a tangible sign that tells us you believe in the mission of this school. Think about what we could accomplish if the 195 families at St. E who have not yet participated, gave just $70.00 – the iPad Project would exceed $20,000.00 in total contributions!
Thank you to the following families who have already made their pledges and contributions. Your generosity is greatly appreciated: Acosta Family, Anonymous Family, Bank of America/Rosas, Barrilleaux Family, Belew Family, Borth Family, Corley Family, Goza Family, Henry Family, January Family, Kelleher Family, Martin Lucas/Microsoft, Macias Family, Prudential/Spillman, Reyes Family, Richardson Family, Rosas Family, Spillman Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Tiffany & Company/Macias, Ventura Family, Walkley Family, West Family, Yaquinto Family
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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on January 27, 2012, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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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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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on November 30, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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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 29th, 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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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on October 21, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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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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Mrs. Belew – School Development News
Posted on September 19, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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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 30th which means that it should be delivered to our installer around October 7th. 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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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on May 27, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintThank 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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Thank You from the Littlest Saints
Posted on May 27, 2011, by Pamela Porter, under School Development.
PrintA HEARTFELT THANK YOU FROM YOUR LITTLEST SAINTS!
Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Strunk realize that the ones who will truly benefit from the new playground will be THE TEACHERS as we watch the children laughing, climbing, and exploring the outside world as they grow and develop in their friendships. We cannot begin to tell you just how grateful we are to all of you for your generosity and efforts to make this playground a reality. We are very excited about this dream coming true for our students, and we realize YOU have helped make it possible!
I thought this was just too sweet to keep to ourselves! When Mrs. Porter told the PK3 class of 2011 about the hard work the parents have been doing to make money for a new playground, they started telling me ALL kinds of nice things! I wanted you to hear a few of their comments so you can see just how much the kids truly appreciate your efforts!
Sofie: “Wow! That is really nice of them!”
Erica: “Thanks to all the moms and dads!”
Jolie: “The playground will be REALLY fun and I LOVE Pizza and Paletta’s day!”
Kaitlyn: “The playground will be pretty too, Thank you moms and dads!”
Andrew: “This new playground is gonna be SO COOL!”
T.J.: “You guys are the BEST but it’s gonna be the BEST playground Too!”
Savannah: “We’re gonna LOVE it because our parents are GREAT!”
Leo: “I hope it’s the AWESOMEST and the BIGGEST one ever!”
Amanda: “Thank You for coming and doing this for us. We hope you will do it again!”
Gaby: “Thank you and please because we can’t wait for our new playground!”
Madelyn: “We’re the biggest and best kids ever and we can’t wait to play on it!”
Nick: “Thank You! It’s gonna be a wonderful playground!”
Elizabeth: “Thank You and we LOVE you!”
We are looking forward to exploring, and learning on our new playground next year!
With lots of hugs from ALL the Littlest Saints, Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Strunk
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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on April 18, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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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
1st Grade: Goza Family, Stansberry Family*
2nd Grade: Burns Family*
3rd Grade: Medina Family*
4th Grade: Mills Family, Richardson Family
5th Grade: Gomez Family, Juarez-Ayala Family*, Vergara Family
6th Grade: Barrilleaux Family, Rodriguez Family
7th Grade: Breeding Family, Allen Family, Swayzer Family, Walkley Family
8th 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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Mrs. Belew – School Development
Posted on March 7, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintWe 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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School Development
Posted on January 18, 2011, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintWe 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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School Development
Posted on December 7, 2010, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
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By now, everyone should have received their pledge cards and brochures for this year’s PK Playground Drive. We are off to an incredible start this year!! As of December 7th, we have $1,890.00 in pledges and contributions from 8 families out of 228 (3.5%). That’s more than double the amount raised by this time last year both in contributions and pledges, as well as families! Thank you!!
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 2010 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 – $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.
Those of you looking for a little help on your 2010 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 Acknowledgment letter for your 2010 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: Breeding Family, Goza Family, Porter Family, Rodriguez Family, Stansberry Family, Swayzer Family, Vergara Family, and Walkley Family.
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School Development
Posted on October 28, 2010, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintSt. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School relies each year on the generosity of parents, alumni, parishioners, grandparents and friends to further the mission of our school by supporting our Parent Annual Giving Drive (PAG Drive). Every donor to our PAG Drive is a partner in our mission to develop the mind, heart and spirit of each unique child at our school. We hope you will ensure our mission by making St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School a charitable priority in your life.
You should be receiving your PAG Drive letter and brochure in the next couple of weeks. As far as fund raisers go, it is certainly not very exciting, but it is without a doubt, the most important fund raiser that St. Elizabeth School does. If it were not for the PAG Drive, the school’s very foundation would change significantly. The numerous improvements over the years to the school would not have been possible without the PAG Drive! This year’s drive will focus on replacing our PreK playground and fence.
The St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School PAG Drive supports the School’s most important needs and is a vital part of the operating budget each year. Because tuition only covers 70% of the cost of educating a St. Elizabeth student, the remaining 30% must be made up by donations to the PAG Drive and various school fundraisers. Contributions to the PAG Drive help bridge the gap between tuition and the actual expense of a St. Elizabeth education which this year equates to approximately $1,214.22 per student. The PAG Drive contributes to every part of the School’s operation, and your financial support enables St Elizabeth School to enhance its programs and provide students and teachers with the best educational resources available.
But it is not so much the amount on the returned pledge card as much as it is the pledge card itself. By sending in your pledge card, no matter what amount you pledge – 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. It might be $0 and if so, we understand. But it’s that pledge card that is so important. We had an incredibly successful drive last year, but in any year, we can always do better. If would like more information on the Parents Annual Giving Drive, please call Elizabeth Belew @ (214) 331-5139 Ext 24 or email – ebelew@stelizabethofh.org
St. Elizabeth School has joined the My Coke Rewards for Schools program. That means by drinking the Coca-Cola products your family already enjoys, you can get My Coke Rewards points and donate them to our School.
For every 5 points you donate to My Coke Rewards for School’s program, St. E will earn 1 sweepstakes entry to the Refresh Your School Playground Sweepstakes! As you know our goal for this year’s Parent Annual Giving Drive is to replace our PreK playground – how awesome would it be to actually WIN a $25,000.00 Playground??
It’s easy to donate:
- Purchase your favorite Coca-Cola products and get codes (they’re on hundreds of different packages, including DASANI, Sprite, Minute Maid, POWERADE ION4, and more.)
- Go to mycokerewards.com (register if you aren’t a member).
- Enter codes to collect points – choose “Donate to Your School” from the six ways to spend points.
- Find our school by Zip Code (75224). When St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School comes up, click and enter the amount of points you’d like to give, and then click “Donate.”
Check out mycokerewards.com/schools for more information and start turning My Coke Rewards points into rewards and possibly a PLAYGROUND for St. E’s Littlest Saints!
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School Development
Posted on September 29, 2010, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintWe are very excited about kicking off this year’s Parent Annual Giving Drive, which 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. St. Elizabeth School strives to keep tuition at an affordable level while continuing its mission of providing a quality Catholic education for every student. Contributions to the Parent Annual Giving Drive help bridge the gap between tuition and the actual expense of a St. Elizabeth School education. This gap is currently $1,100.00 In other words, tuition alone covers approximately 78% of the cost of educating a St. Elizabeth student – the remaining 22% must be made up by donations to the Parent Annual Giving Drive and other contributions. 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 goal for this year’s Drive is to replace the aged Pre-K playground and replace the fence which surrounds the area.
Many thanks to the Catholic Foundation for their generous grant in the amount of $75,000.00 to be used for our roof project! This grant, in addition to the funds our school has raised in the last couple of years and with a generous donation of materials from Supreme Roofing’s vendors, our entire roof has been redone! The entire process has been relatively painless with very little disruption in the classrooms. Thank you to all of our families who contributed so generously, both in treasure and time, to make this blessing possible for us!
The Target Foundation has kindly awarded a $2,000.00 grant to the school to be used for this year’s Dancing Classrooms program. We ask that you help us show our appreciation Target for their generosity by supporting them with your patronage. Additionally, we received grants from the St. Elizabeth Educational Endowment Board and Ed Haggar Family foundation which provided tuition assistance for deserving students, bringing our total grants received to $88,000.00!! Thank you!!
We are grateful for the immeasurable support of the parents and other family members to our school and look forward to another great year!
Help make great things happen for St. Elizabeth School!!
St. E has joined the My Coke Rewards for Schools program. That means by drinking the Coca-Cola products your family already enjoys, you can get My Coke Rewards points and donate them to our School.
Your donations will go towards rewards like physical education equipment, art supplies and educational resources that help our students learn, play and have fun.
It’s easy to donate:
- Purchase your favorite Coca-Cola products and get codes (they’re on hundreds of different packages, including DASANI, Sprite, Minute Maid, POWERADE ION4, and more.)
- Go to mycokerewards.com (register if you aren’t a member).
- Enter codes to collect points – choose “Donate to Your School” from the six ways to spend points.
- Find our school by Zip Code (75224). When St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School comes up, click enter the amount of points you’d like to give, then click “Donate.”
Check out mycokerewards.com/schools for more information and start turning My Coke Rewards points into rewards for St. E.
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School Development
Posted on March 11, 2010, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintWe Need Your Help!! Pledges to this year’s drive are at an all time low!
Roof Fund – Total pledges and contributions as of February 2010 – $3,355 from 19 families – a mere 9% of our 219 families.
As I mentioned before, we have received several bids for our roof replacement and they range from $260,800 to $360,800. Currently, we have raised more than $38,000 for this task. We have one grant request to the Catholic Foundation pending and an additional request to another foundation in the works, but unfortunately, our request to the Dallas Foundation was not granted which is why your participation in the Roof Fund Drive is so vital! As we look to these outside donors for funding, it is important that we demonstrate our own commitment to the school by achieving 100% participation from the St. E community in the Roof Fund Drive. Think about what we could accomplish if every one of the 219 families at St. Elizabeth School participated at whatever level that was possible for each family.
We have our work cut out for us, but with your help, we can make it happen! You received a Roof Fund brochure and pledge card during the month of November.
It is not so much the amount on the returned pledge card as much as it is the pledge card itself. By sending in your pledge card — no matter what amount you pledge — you are sending us a tangible sign that tells us you believe in the mission of this school. It might be $250, $25 or even $2.50 – every gift is greatly appreciated. But what is so important — and so necessary — is to have the full participation of our parents, no matter what the financial level.
For your convenience, we now accept Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover Card via PayPal. Click the donate button in the right column of this page or visit the SaintsPride.com website at anytime and click the Donate button there.
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, your generosity is greatly appreciated: Anonymous Family, Belew Family, Benjamin Family, Burciaga Family, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Dooley Family, Gentry Family, Hale Family, Laborde Family, Lucas Family, Luke Family/AT&T, Phillips Family, Rose Family, Salters Family, Swayzer Family, Vrana Family, Walkley Family, West Family, Yaquinto Family
If would like more information on the Roof Fund Drive or another pledge card, please call Elizabeth Belew at (214) 331-5139 ext 24 or email .
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School Development
Posted on December 10, 2009, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintBy now, most of you should have received your pledge cards and brochure for this year’s Roof Fund Drive. As of December 8th, we have $840.00 in pledges from 4 families out of 218 (2%).
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 2009 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.
Those of you looking for a little help on your 2009 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 2009 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: Belew Family, Hale Family, Walkley Family, and West Family.
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School Development
Posted on November 11, 2009, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintRoof Fund
Your generosity in last year’s drive helped St. Elizabeth make a dent in the total we are raising to replace our aged roof! Our goal for this year’s drive is to finish what we started last year and raise the additional funds for our roof project. We’ve received several bids for our roof replacement and they range from $278,000 to $360,800. Currently, we have more than $38,000 raised for this task and have one grant request to the Dallas Foundation pending and two more requests to other foundations in the works. Think about what we could accomplish if every one of the 219 families at St. Elizabeth School participated at whatever level that was possible for each family. Whether you are able to donate $25 or $2,500, every gift is greatly appreciated. Everyone in the St. Elizabeth School Community benefits from your support and remember that every single tax deductible dollar you give goes directly to the school and the students. Watch your mailboxes towards the middle of November for your pledge card and thank you for your continued support!
Grocery Store Fundraiser
Did you know that Tom Thumb donates a portion of your purchases to St. Elizabeth School? Tom Thumb has community programs to donate 1% of every dollar you spend at their store back to St. Elizabeth School.
But, they do not donate to St. Elizabeth unless you sign up for their program and designate St. Elizabeth as your beneficiary. Here’s how to designate St. Elizabeth’s:
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.
Campbell Labels & General Mills
Don’t forget to send in your labels. A box is in the front of the school for your children to drop off any labels. Also a flyer will be sent out with all the labels that we can collect.
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School Development
Posted on September 24, 2009, by Elizabeth Belew, under School Development.
PrintYour donations to the Parent Annual Giving Drive of $38,877.70, with an unbelievable 83 families and one Employer with Matching Funds participating, helped St. Elizabeth School to make a big dent in the money we are still raising for our roof project. The $33,726.00 in grants received from The John G. and Marie Stella Kenedy Memorial Foundation, St. Elizabeth’s Educational Endowment and the Ed Haggar Family Foundation helped to provide tuition assistance for deserving students. Thank you for your commitment to St. Elizabeth School and for your overwhelming generosity.
Boosterthon Fun Run
St. Elizabeth School’s Boosterthon Fun Run was a huge success. The projected fundraising goal of $15,000.00 was exceeded, as over $20,000.00 will be our profit if we are able to collect 100% of the funds pledged. Parents, please make every effort to contact your donors and have them send their contributions as soon as possible. The Fun Run profits will go toward instructional enhancements such as: New Spelling books for all students, classroom supplies, new text books, consumables, online subscriptions for Accelerated Reader and MathScore, Handwriting Without Tears for Kinder through 5th Grade, and Online Staff Development Courses.
Many thanks to everyone who made this event such an enormous success — our wonderful students, parents, teachers and staff!
Magazine Drive News
The annual St Elizabeth QSP Magazine Drive is being held in a passive way this year due to the tremendous success of the Boosterthon fund raiser. 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 account number 710333281 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.
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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