Thursday Note Home

Dear Visitation Families,

March is an extremely busy month for the school. We are in the middle of registration, budgets, the trimester coming to an end, and trying to remember to keep our Lenten resolutions! There are so many events happening and deadlines looming, sometimes it's hard to keep our minds on the meaning and purpose of this Lenten season. Please keep us in your prayers as we keep you in ours!

SPEAKING OF REGISTRATION: Thank you to everyone who has returned their re-enrollment paperwork. Based on the information I have, there are still several families who have not yet returned their re-enrollment paperwork. Please return these as soon as possible so that I can set my budget.

As a reminder, Monday, March 5^th, is the last day to turn in applications for tuition assistance. These applications go to the Archdiocese and they will not accept late applications.

Also, any families who have decided to not return to Visitation next year (with the exception of graduates) are asked to contact the school office to schedule an exit interview with Father Tuan, our Pastor, and myself.

We appreciate hearing from you what things went well for you here and what you wish would have been done differently.

REGISTRATION APPOINTMENTS: Soon we will be scheduling registration appointments for families to sign their contracts for the upcoming year. Registration for 2007-08 will continue in the format we have used for the last few years. Each family will make a single appointment at the school where you will go over your fundraising and service hour commitments for the coming school year.

You will also be asked to participate in the 2007-08 Annual Fund Campaign. While meeting with me, we will review any outstanding fees, service hours and fundraising commitments from this year and sign your contracts for the coming year.

Appointments will last approximately thirty minutes. As we have done in the past, families who have not requested tuition assistance will be scheduled first. We will schedule appointments for families who have requested tuition assistance once we receive the tuition assistance information from the Archdiocese. More information on registration appointments will be sent home in next week's envelope.

If you attend a Catholic parish other than those in the cluster, please let us know and we will send you the Parish Subsidy form for neighboring parishes.

KINDERGARTEN / PRE-KINDERGARTEN APPLICANTS: We will be sending kindergarten applications to current families who have requested one very soon, in addition to pre-kindergarten families who are eligible for kindergarten. If you, or someone you know, is interested in applying for kindergarten at Visitation, please contact the school office. We will be sending home more information soon.

JUMP ROPE FOR HEART A HUGE SUCCESS: Thank you participants and volunteers for making the Jump Rope for Heart event such a success. Our goal this year was to raise $500 and we raised $922.16. Congratulations to Aytunde Gilbert (3), Chris Mickelson (3) and Madalyn Hughes (1) who really worked hard on fundraising. Great work and we even got pictures in the Tacoma Weekly!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO DR. SEUSS: Dr. Seuss' birthday is Friday, March 2^nd. The Cat in the Hat book turns 50 on Friday as well. To celebrate the book's birthday, Random House, the book's publisher, will donate one children's book to First Book, an organization that gives books to disadvantaged children, for every online birthday card received on its Web site. To send birthday wishes, visit the Cat in the Hat's Website: www.seussville.com. There will also be a nationwide read-aloud of The Cat in the Hat at 11:36 Pacific Standard Time. Our own Kindergarteners will be reading all of his books after the noon recess with help from their 7^th grade buddies.

WOULD YOU, COULD YOU, ON A UNICYCLE? If you are in the 5^th through 8^th grade and interested in learning to ride a unicycle, be at the Upper Hall on Thursday morning, March 8^th at 7:15 AM. Mrs. Marcy will be supervising. Sammy and Tessa Hop will be sharing their unicycle skills. Please fill out the release form that's in today's note home folder and return it to Mrs. Marcy's box by Thursday morning. Unicyclers will be working towards unicycling in the Junior Daffodil Parade on April 14^th.

PRAYERS PLEASE: For Alex's (pre-k) grandfather and for the grandfather of Alexa (8^th) and Maddie (5^th).

THANK YOU: Extended Care would like to thank Cecile Reider for the computer she donated to us. Thank you!!

AND FINALLY: Dress Like a Pirate Day was a huge success! Check out our blog for some great pictures. And don't forget, get those procurement forms in by Monday, March 5^th and get your table reservations in ASAP!

Peace and Blessing,

Sheila Harrison