LunchBox Newsletter

January 6, 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Welcome back to the 3rd quarter at Primavera School! Typically this will be the quarter of the year where we can expect to see remarkable growth and development in our students both socially and academically. It will be a busy, productive, and exciting time in the classrooms. As a staff, we are placing a focus on science in our curriculum during this quarter which will culminate in a school science fair on Thursday and Friday, March 1st and 2nd. If you would like to be involved directly with your child in doing a science fair project, you are encouraged to attend a “Science Fair project information meeting” with Dan Jannone in the 3rd grade on January 19th at 2:45. All of our classrooms will be doing a group science fair project as well!

PRIVATE SCHOOL TAX CREDIT

Many thanks to the parents, staff, and friends of Primavera School who generously donated their tax credit money to Primavera School and our scholarship fund. This ensures that our school will have money to distribute in the form of partial scholarships to students next year in Kindergarten through 5th grade. The state of Arizona has extended the period of time that you may take a 2011 tax credit to a private school foundation. As you are preparing to do your 2011 tax returns, check with your accountant and see how you can redirect your state taxes to benefit Primavera School by making a donation to the Orme Primavera Schools Foundation for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit off your Arizona state taxes. It’s a win-win proposition and will benefit our school directly. Currently we have 50% of our students on some financial aid using the tax credit funds. You have until April 15, 2012 to make your donation for 2011. You can write a check payable to “Orme Primavera Schools Foundation” or you may pay with your credit card on line at www.ormeprimaveraschoolsfoundation.org. Thank you very much!

SCHOOL CLOSURES

Primavera School will be closed on Monday, January 16 for the Martin Luther King holiday and on Monday, February 20 for President’s Day.

“The Leaf” SHADE STRUCTURE

I am pleased to announce that the Perry and Sandy Massie Foundation has pledged to cover the cost of construction of our “Leaf Shade Structure” to be built over the existing outdoor stage and our new mosaic mural project completed this fall. We plan to begin construction in the spring when we are sure that the weather will cooperate. Many thanks to Perry and Sandy Massie for their generous donation to make this project a reality!

PASTA FOR PENNIES

We will once again be participating in the “Pasta for Pennies” fundraiser for the Leukemia Society from February 6th through 27th. Students, parents, and staff are encouraged to save spare change and deposit it in individual “banks” that will be sent home on February 6th. Your spare change will help make a difference in life-saving research to cure all forms of leukemia. The classroom that collects the most spare change will win a lunch from Olive Garden restaurant. Thank you, in advance, for your support of this worthy cause.

VALENTINE BAKE SALE

We are planning a Valentine Bake Sale on February 13th and 14th. This will be a fundraiser for the school, and I encourage you to support the sale by purchasing Valentine sweets for your family, classmates, and friends! The preschool/pre-kindergarten/Kindergarten parents and staff will be hosting this bake sale! Many thanks to everyone!

“BEER, WINE, AND BUBBLIES”/FOOD PAIRING FUNDRAISER

Our next Primavera fundraising event is an intimate evening of “Beer, Wine, and Bubblies” tastings and delicious food pairings among friends at the Park Plaza Liquor and Deli. The date is Sunday, March 4th, at 6:00 p.m. Plan that special evening out in support of Primavera School! I hope to see many of you and your friends in attendance!

SNOW DAY INFORMATION

During the winter months in Prescott we will experience snowfalls and icy conditions that may precipitate school closures or delays. The best way for you to know about a delay or closure at Primavera is to check our web site that morning and click on the “Snow Day Information” at the top of the home page. I will have that updated by 6:30 a.m. Generally we do whatever Prescott Unified School District is doing. However, sometimes conditions at this end of town are very different, and our road needs to be cleared, our parking lot shoveled, and all the pathways from building to building. This usually takes at least a full day to accomplish. So. . .the public schools might only call a “delay,” and we might be closed for the day.

RE-ENROLLMENT

Re-enrollment for preschool through 5th grade begins on February 1, 2012 through February 29th. This process will involve filling out a new enrollment form and paying a non-refundable $100.00 deposit to hold a space in next year’s grade level class. Your deposit will be deducted from your August tuition. This is an open enrollment period, and classes will fill on a first come basis. If you have a preschool or pre-kindergarten child in your family who will be entering Primavera for the first time, you will need to register them during the February enrollment period to ensure that they have a spot for next fall. I encourage you to make time this month for a visit in your child’s classroom to witness the growth your child is making and also to visit the next grade level to see what is in store for next year! It would be my pleasure to meet with you and give you a tour of our school and answer any questions you may have.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Scholarship applications for next year will be available in my office February 1st. Scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis to children in Kindergarten through 5th grade. Families currently on scholarship will need to re-apply for next year. Financial need, family circumstances, and availability of openings are all considerations in the awarding of scholarships. All applications are due back no later than April 15, 2012 and must include a copy of your 2011 Federal Tax Return to demonstrate financial need. The Orme Primavera Schools Foundation Board of Directors will review the applications and will award the scholarships for next year. If you have additional questions about the scholarship process, please don’t hesitate to give me a call.

SPRING BREAK

Spring Break for primary students will be from March 12-23. The Intersession will be the second week, from March 19-23. Preschool and pre-kindergarten students will not have a Spring break or any closures during these two weeks.

PERSONAL NOTE

In closing, our belief in the potential and ultimate success of every student in our care is only reinforced by the partnership we have with you as parents. I sincerely hope that each one of you feels a part of this school and feels close to the teachers and the staff here at Primavera. It is our great pleasure to work alongside each of you this year, building trust and a relationship with you and your child that will last a lifetime. Please don’t ever hesitate to talk to me or to anyone on our staff or our Board of Directors about anything at all related to your experience here at Primavera. We welcome your ideas and input.

SINCERELY,
CAROL DARROW, DIRECTOR