From the Principal's Desk

Transcription

1 UPCOMING EVENTS // ATHLETICS // ACADEMICS From the Principal's Desk Hello VME Families & Friends, I hope that everyone enjoyed their long weekend. It was cold, but it was very nice to see some sunshine mixed in with the cold weather. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the Novice and Varsity Swim Teams for their wonderful performances over the past few weekends. We had swimmers of all ages competing in the Diocesan Championships, breaking school records and personal records galore over many different individual and relay events. I know that the coaches were proud, and I hope that the parents and students are proud, too. Congratulations on a great season! This past Friday, VME held 8th grade recognition night for our Girls and Boys basketball teams. We had a great crowd and two wonderful games. If Friday night's games weren't enough, both teams also played Sunday afternoon. Again, both teams did very well and I am proud to have been at the games to support them. I want to thank our Swimming Coaches, Coach Ashley and Coach Mike, and our Basketball Coaches, Coach Kelly and Coach Ryan. These coaches have prepared our student-athletes to go out in the pool and on the floor and represent VME in a sportsmanlike manner, win or lose. We are fortunate to have four coaches that are willing to give of their time in order to coach and prepare our students, week in and week out, to compete at a high level against other Diocesan teams. I also want to thank the players and their families for all the time they have given to making the season such a success.

2 Athletics are great for student development and growth, and I appreciate the positive and competitive spirit that our student-athletes are brought up with here at VME. Go Villa Blue Wings! As the Winter Sports season ends, it is time for us to begin preparing for our next school year. We are accepting registrations and re-registrations for the school year. Classrooms are filling up fast, and it is our goal to try and get our enrollment numbers up to 400 students this next year. We are currently in the 380's, and I think if we as a community go out and encourage families to join the VME family, we can reach the goal of 400 students for next year. Remember, any new family that registers, pays their tuition, and indicates you as their referral family, will earn your family a $200 refund come Spring Our best advertising is word of mouth and our website, so please spread the word and direct new families to our website so that we can continue to grow for a fourth year in a row. Thank you for everything that you do for VME. I pray that you and your family stay warm this February, and I look forward to seeing you around school or at a VME event soon. Sincerely, Damon Finazzo, VME Principal Hoops & Jump Rope for Heart VME is excited to participate for our 18th year in the Hoops for Heart / Jump Rope for Heart program. This program raises funds and awareness for the American Heart Association. Students in grades 5-8 will participate in Hoops for Heart on March 11th, and grades Pre-4 - grade 4 will participate in Jump Rope for Heart on March 12th. Additional information will be sent home in the February 21st Thursday folder. VME is incredibly proud to have been the top earner in Erie county every single year that we' ve participated, and have raised $157, over the past 18 years. 100% of the funds raised go to the American Heart Association. Spring Musical Program Advertising Opportunities This year, Villa Maria Elementary School will be performing the Spring Musical "Willy Wonka, Jr." on Friday, April 26th, and Saturday, April 27th, at the Villa Maria Academy auditorium. This year, as

3 a way to provide an innovative and inexpensive advertising opportunity, we are pleased to offer ad space in our programs. Ads range in price from $50 for a quarter page to $150 for a front or back cover. For more information or an advertising contract, please contact Jessica Nelson, Director of Development, at x223 or at jessica.nelson@vmelementary.com. Family members: please note, you will also have the opportunity to place a $25 "break a leg" ad for your VME star. Look for information in the Thursday folders. Mother - Son Bowling The Annual Mother-Son Bowling event will take place in April this year. Information to follow! VME Mission Day Villa Maria Elementary School is currently planning our annual Mission Day, which educates students on the mission and ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of NWPA, and their influence on Villa Maria Elementary School. This year, Mission Day will be held on Wednesday, March 13th, from 10am - 12pm. As part of Mission Day this year, we will be celebrating the 120th anniversary of the school. As part of the celebration, we would like some VME alumni to come back and talk about their experiences at Villa. What classes did you take? Who was your favorite teacher? What was your classroom like? If you are a VME alumni who is interested and available to come and share with our students and celebrate our Mission Day, please contact Jessica Nelson, Director of Development, at x223 or at jessica.nelson@vmelementary.com.

4 VME 2nd Grade Visits with Animal Artists The 2nd grade class at Villa Maria Elementary School experienced a special Valentine' s Day program this year. The 2nd grade used their Catholic Schools Week dress-down day to raise $150 for the Erie Zoo, and in turn a parent sponsored an Erie Zoo "Animal Art Session" for the entire 2nd grade. Amy Dalpiaz, Erie Zoo Outreach Coordinator, and Erie Zoo docent Deb Sobina brought three zoo friends to visit the 2nd grade. The Animal Artists that came to visit were a Tenrec named Sam, a Ball Python named Ozzy, and a White Rat named Cora. Students were invited to either look at or pet the animals, and then voted on which animal artist would paint a picture for the classes. The 2nd grade chose Cora the White Rat, and Cora painted one picture for each 2nd grade class. "This was an experience that we as teachers and the students will always remember. It was wonderful to see the animals up close and be able to touch them. Watching Cora paint was definitely one of the coolest things we have seen, and the children couldn' t have been more entertained," noted Mrs. Bell and Ms. Stankevich. Artwork created by animals at the Erie Zoo is available for purchase year-round, and is featured at spring and fall art shows at the Erie Zoo. (In the photo above: Mrs. Bell's & Ms. Stankevich's 2nd grade classes pose for a photo with the artwork created by Animal Artist Cora the White Rat.)

5 VME Online Giving VME recently experienced a disruption in our online giving, which has now been resolved. We appreciate your consideration of a one-time or recurring online gift to Villa Maria Elementary School, and we always strive to provide you with the best possible experience. If you do ever experience an issue with our online giving, please contact Jessica Nelson at x223 or at jessica.nelson@vmelementary.com. Save the Date Land's End Uniform Sale Save the date! Land's End will be holding a Friends & Family event, offering 30% off of everything, including school uniforms, sale, and clearance items. The sale will run from February 21st - February 26th, and includes free shipping on all orders over $50. So stock up & save! Paper & Envelopes At Villa, we use a lot of paper and we are always on the lookout for good deals! If you or your business has any leftover paper that you think we might be able to use in our classrooms or offices, we would be grateful. Any size, any color or weight will be fine. All that we ask is that it not have printing on it. Also, we use envelopes to send messages and money to the office in the mornings. If you have any extra envelopes that you don't need, we will be glad to take them off your hands! The envelopes can have printing on them and any size is good. Just drop off your donations at the school office at your convenience! Thank you, Mary Nicholes, VME Secretary Dates to Remember February 18: Hurricane Sandy make-up day March 13: Early Dismissal, No Lunch March 13: Mission Day March 28: Early Dismissal, No Lunch March 29: No School, Good Friday April 1-5: No School, Easter Break April 20: Legacy of Love, 5:30pm, The Ambassador May 4: Father Daughter Dance, 6pm, The Avalon

6 February's Dress Down Day proceeds benefited Catho lic Charities Co unseling and Ado ptio n Services o f Erie, which provides guidance and assistance for mothers and babies in need. Students were encouraged to bring in baby items such as bottles, toys, pacifiers, clothing, or a $.50 donation. Thank you for reading the VME enews! Thank you for reading the Villa Maria Elementary newsletter! Know someone who would like to receive the VME enews? You can sign up through our website at Have something to include in the VME enews? Suggestions? Questions? Contact Jessica Nelson, Director of Development, at x223 or at jessica.nelson@vmelementary.com. Villa Maria Elementary A Sponsored Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph for 120 years 2551 West 8th Street // Erie, PA vmelementary.com // newsletter@vmelementary.com Phone: (814) Click to view this in a browser If you no longer wish to receive these s, please reply to this message with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line or simply click on the following link: Unsubscribe Villa Maria Elementary 2551 West 8th Street Erie, PA US Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy.