February Holidays- Valentine’s Day will be celebrated Monday, February 14 (PK3, PK5, K-Fifth) with classroom parties and dress down on the party day only.  PK2 teachers will coordinate directly with parents.  The school will be closed Monday, February 21 in observance of Presidents’ Day.

Chick-fil-A Lunch, missed as a result of last week’s snow day, will be made up on Tuesday, May 24 during the last week of school.

Class Photos are scheduled for Wednesday, February 2 and Thursday, February 3.  All children are expected to wear the Formal Uniform for the photo.  Students may change into the uniform of the day afterward. 

Pre-Enrollment Forms for current NAPS families will be distributed in next week’s Tuesday Envelope.  Returning students and new siblings will be given the opportunity to pre-enroll for the 2011-2012 school year.  An updated tuition schedule will also be included.  Forms should be returned by 3 p.m., Friday, February 18.  Thereafter, openings will be offered to new families on the waiting list. 

Tax Records and Tuition Invoices – Some pre-kindergarten and childcare expenses are tax deductible.  To claim such expenses you must provide verification and our Federal ID# 52-6001692. Confer with a certified tax professional for details.  As noted in the handbook, page 14, we do ask that you save your monthly invoices throughout the year, as we are unable to generate a history of invoices at year’s end.

To assist you in this effort, please feel free to retain your original monthly invoices.  It is not necessary to enclose the invoice when making a tuition payment.  Always write the student name(s) on the memo line of your check, and the appropriate account will be credited.  This is especially important if the name on the check does not match that of the child.

NAPS Savor Spring Fundraiser, Saturday, March 5, promises to be an entertaining evening.  This adult only event is our primary fundraiser and offers the opportunity to support the school and have fun too.  The evening features gourmet food tasting, wine tasting, a silent auction of a variety of items and services, raffles, and the exciting live auction of the classroom art and grade level decorative art.

Your support directly enhances your child’s experience here at NAPS.  Order your tickets today by completing the enclosed form or contact the school office.  Also, any NAPS family planning to donate an item or service for auction is encouraged to return the donation form or contact Melanie Pasiuk at mpasiuk@napschool.com as soon as possible.  The deadline for auction donations is Friday, February 11.

Raffle tickets were included in last week’s Tuesday Envelope and we ask for the participation of each NAPS family.  Additional raffle tickets are available in the NAPS office.  Please contact Pam Dorsey at 410.757.3090 or pdorsey@napschool.com if you would like additional tickets.

The Annual Spring Fling will be held Saturday, April 30th from 10am - 2pm.  This fun family day includes games, concessions, a moon bounce, pony rides, a cakewalk, white elephant sale, AND a talent show!!!   NAPS parents Amy Rosacker (logistics / talent show), Kim Schemmel (games), Suzanne Stearns (concessions), and Mary Robertson (talent show) will coordinate the event for their final year.  They are looking for volunteers to shadow this year and take leadership in 2012.   Please contact the office or one of the current coordinators to find out more about this rewarding opportunity.  

Scrip Orders are placed each Thursday morning.  Parents are encouraged to use the program for their everyday shopping needs, as Target and many other stores participate.  Order forms are available outside the school office.  Our first semester earnings raised over $1,300 for the school, and NAPS families collectively earned over $1,000 in tuition credit.

Special thanks to Sean and Jen Fahey for donating and installing a new Ethernet switch at the school! The new switch replaced our former, 12-year old internet switch. The old switch exhibited performance issues and illustrated how important the switch is to school operations—and how disruptive a 4-7 day loss of internet access would be if it failed unexpectedly! Sean found the right switch and purchased it for the school.  He then installed, configured and tested the switch over a weekend so the change would be transparent to all the computer users at the school—including the computer lab. NAPS is fortunate to have parents like Sean and Jen who are not only generous, but able to use their professional talents to ensure that NAPS has the most modern business tools. Thank you!

Walk-In Carpool Parents are asked to wait patiently in the foyer while students and staff members organize.  It is a chaotic time in general, and additional adults in the hallways create more confusion.  Please do not beckon your child, nor leave with your child without notifying a school staff member.  This practice is for the safety of our students and we ask all parents to cooperate.

Early Pick-up of Students for appointments should be communicated to the teacher and school through a note or email to expedite the exit process.  However, please remember that students will not be excused from the classroom until a parent has arrived.  We ask that parents allow ample time for the student to pack-up.  In general, students will not be released for early pick-up after 2:25 pm.  Students are already wrapping up at this time, and will be down for carpool shortly thereafter.

Carpool Notes are appreciated and expected whenever there is a change to your normal schedule.   The blanket permission form is a convenience to be used in unexpected situations.  Please send a note even if the driver is on your blanket pick-up list.

Inclement Weather Notifications are posted on our website, www.napschool.com and sent through the One Call Now system at 6 a.m.   While the early call may be an inconvenience to some, the school understands that some families need ample time to make alternative plans in the event of a closing or delay.  If the early call is a nuisance, please turn off your telephone ringer when there is a threat of foul weather.

Inclement Weather Closing Decisions are based upon a number of factors.  NAPS does not follow the Anne Arundel County Public School closure decisions.  The school makes every effort to remain open if conditions at school are feasible.  It is incumbent upon parent drivers to make a final decision about travel conditions in your area. 

Sick Children should not be sent to school under any circumstances.  Students may return to school after they have been fever free without medication for 24 hours.  For a detailed description of health guidelines please see page 9 of the Parent Handbook.

The Muddy Feet Award Program, sponsored by the National Aquarium, recognizes outstanding Maryland youth who have taken action to help conserve our waterways through special projects or initiative.   NAPS students are encouraged to participate!  Look for detailed information in this Tuesday Envelope.

Area Public Middle Schools are holding open houses in the upcoming weeks.  Fifth grade parents are encouraged to call your home school for details.  Some middle schools hold separate evenings for individual feeder schools.  To determine your home school, visit the Anne Arundel County Public School website at www.aacps.org.

Naval Academy Football Concessions Volunteers raised over $3,000 for the school!  Thank you for your efforts and we look forward to working with you again next year!

Meals for the Norton Family continue to be appreciated, and are needed through the end of March.  Visit www.carecalendar .org to sign-up for a February or March meal.  Your help is greatly appreciated.