Birthdays
Birthdays are important events for children;
accordingly, teachers will allow class
time for brief celebrations. Parents are asked to provide the
refreshments and favors (if desired) for these parties. Parents are welcome to schedule
un-birthday
parties for children who have summer birthdays. If a student is having a
party at home, parents are asked to refrain from distributing invitations at
school.
Development
As an independent, nonprofit
school, NAPS faces the enormous challenge of providing an outstanding faculty
and facility to support the growing needs of its students while maintaining the
lowest tuition cost in the area. Development activities are managed by the
development chairmen elected to the NAPS Board of Directors.
An annual giving fund,
established in 2001, provides for specific, short-term projects and is
supported by pledges made annually. Most school years see one or more
fundraising events, the proceeds of which also support special needs not
covered by the NAPS annual budget. Completed annual giving fund campaigns have
provided funds for wiring the school for Internet access, renovation of the
school kitchen, and new flooring for the lunchroom (to be completed summer
2003).
The school recognizes and
thanks donors in a variety of ways: at the NAPS Association meetings in the
spring and fall, in the NAPS News, and with special tokens of appreciation. All
gifts are tax-deductible.
Parents
and teachers organize several
activities during the year to raise money for specific purposes such as
supplementing the cost of field trips. These activities usually include but are
not limited to the sale of giftwrap and serving weekly lunches at the school
(see Lunches and Snacks). The
success of these ventures depends entirely on the willingness of a sufficient
number of parents to participate. These activities provide an opportunity for
new parents to become better acquainted with the school as well as with other parents.
Holiday Celebrations
Classroom parties are planned for Halloween, Christmas,
Valentines Day, and Easter, with these occasions being dress-down days. Children dress in costumes for
Halloween but these costumes may not include toy weapons of any kind. At the beginning of the school
year, each family is asked to make a commitment to help with at least one of
these parties. If a family has more than one child in the school, it is helpful
for parents to participate in at least one of each of their childrens class
parties. Parents are required to make child-care arrangements for younger
siblings while volunteering in the classroom.
