Dear Parents,

There have been some concerns raised over the use of the "peace sign" for our Get on Track event and our peacemaker theme this year. While I respect people have different points of view, it is important to understand a symbol needs to be understood in light of its prevailing context. Any symbol can be seen as positive or negative; the key is how the symbol is being used and for what purpose. After all, Christ took the most hated and evil symbol of the ancient Roman world, the cross, and made it symbolize His incredible sacrifice and our promised eternal life. Many of us have put a lot of effort into developing a systematic and comprehensive approach to teaching our students Biblical peacemaking skills, and my prayer is that a debate over symbols doesn’t undermine the very topic we are working so hard to promote. For this, I ask for your support and cooperation. If you have any questions about how Christians can view symbols, Pastor Mike Schmid has made available an article on this topic that gets at the heart of some basic Christian truths. If you are interested, please contact the school office. I do want to say a special word of commendation to Liz Schrette and Jan Van Roekel, our Get On Track coordinators, for trying to help alleviate the concerns of some by removing the "peace sign" from much of the Get On Track event. They truly have lived out the role of "peacemakers" and deserve a lot of credit for their efforts.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is issuing a challenge: Raise $2 million to assist those who survived the recent Hurricane Charley, and they will add $1 million in additional support. Charley struck Florida on August 13, killing 20 and causing upwards of $14 billion in damage. Millions of homes and churches were damaged or destroyed, lengthy power outages caused food to spoil and become unusable, and many find themselves unemployed after their workplaces closed down following the hurricane. The need is great!

We have currently raised $609.25. Contributions through chapel offerings will continue thru November 10th. Thank you for your support.

1. 8th Grade Vallerga's Fundraiser: On October 21st between 4pm-8pm, the 8th graders will bag groceries and serve food at Vallergas on Solano Avenue. 5% of all proceeds will go to the 8th grade graduation fund. Spread the word to neighbors, friends and relatives to be sure to shop at this time. And don't forget to stop by the school office and purchase some Vallerga's Scrip.
2. 5th-6th L.S.A.A. Basketball: Teams and schedules will be handed out next week.
3. Picture Days: Picture days are this Wednesday and Thursday (See above calendar for class schedule). Order forms were attached to the blue note. Do not forget to bring order forms on your child's schedule day!! Team volleyball pictures will be on Wednesday, remember to bring uniforms!
4. Get On Track Hey kids. How are those pledges going? Only 14 more days. Keep up the good work!!
5. Pre-school News On 10/15/04, "Preschool Opening Ceremonies" for Get on Track will take place at 9:00am with a one lap parade-like walk/run with instruments. Preschoolers will participate in the BBQ lunch at 11:30 am and will cheer on the "big kids" during their run times.
6. Adopted Non-profit Organizations: We are thrilled with the choices each class has made to adopt a non-profit organization and to "share" a portion of their fundraising efforts from Get on Track. Great job, kids! Preschool: Untied Shoelaces, Napa; Kindergarten: Samaritan Purse; First: Habitat for Humanity; Second: Humane Society; Third: Iglesia Christiana de la Communidad; Fourth: Books for the SJL sponsored Spanish Church in Napa; Fifth: KNDL Radio, Angwin; Sixth: Families in Beslan, Russia; Seventh: LIVESTRONG; Eighth: Young Life.
7. Thrivent Matching Programs: In past years there has been some confusion about the "matching" part by Thrivent Financial Services for the Get on Track program. We hope the following clarifies it a bit. There are two distinct "pots" of matching monies available to our school. Both are great opportunities to gain additional funds on our pledges.
   
   

   Pot #1	(Each class must raise $500 to Qualify for this Matching "Pot". The Napa County Chapter of Thrivent Financial Services has allocated up to $5,000 of matching funds to SJL School for the Get On Track fund raising event. They will match $0.50 per dollar up to $500 per class ($250 goes to the class-adopted non-profit organization and $250 to our school's APT).
   Pot #2	(Each class must raise $1,000 to Qualify for this Matching "Pot") Once your class has raised $1,000, Thrivent Financial Services Corporate will match any individual member's pledge/donation/gift to the school (i.e. a Get on Track pledge not already matched) with the Giving Plus program $0.50 per dollar donated up to $400.

   
   If you have not filled out the Giving Plus form and would like to help our school access these matching funds, please pick up the forms in the school office. Questions about the program should be directed to Lori Vanderschoot or Teresa Schmid.
8. Adult Basketball or Volleyball: Every Tuesday evening from 6pm-7pm we will be getting together to play either basketball or volleyball. All levels are welcome!! Hope to see you there.
9. The Scoop From Scrip: For those of you that are signed up to Escrip, you should have received in the mail escrip magazine. On the back page is your user name and password. Please put this somewhere where you will remember where it is. You will need it to go online to retrieve your account information.
   
   The new Safeway on Trancas is scheduled to open the end of October. Safeway now accepts American Express, which means... you can use the Encompass card at Safeway!! Double your $$'s towards your commitment and double the schools contribution by using escrip and paying with Encompass cards.
   
   When shopping at Safeway, September 8th through October 19th, enjoy a 5% Escrip bonus, when you purchase Gatorade, Ivory soap, Pepsi, Mr. Clean, Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, Pringles and more. Be sure to read your Escrip magazine to find other ways of supporting your school.
10. From the Minister to Youth and Children:
    
    For Everyone: Tomorrow, Saturday, October 2nd is the 5th Annual "Rock of Ages" Festival. If you have not heard of this, it is a fun, FREE event that is held each year in Calistoga. There will be a bunch of inflatable games, a rock-climbing wall, a skateboard park with a half pipe, a paint ball shooting gallery, demonstrations from the professional skateboard riders, a classic car show and 5 different Christian bands. This year, Audio Adrenaline, Kutless, Paul Wright, L.G. Wise and IMISI (Youth Exodus) will be performing live on the stage. All of this is free but there will be food and drinks available for purchase. It all takes place from 1-6 pm at the Glider Airport off Lincoln Street in Calistoga. Make sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Read more about it at their web site: http://www.rockofagesfestival.com Hope to see you there!
11. 7th and 8th Graders: If you are involved in Confirmation this year, don't forget that you have a learning event this Wednesday, October 6th from 6:30-8:30 pm in the gym. Don't forget your Bibles and binders.
    
    And don't forget to join us for "Sports Spectacular" night on Friday, October 15th. We'll be meeting in the gym from 7-9 pm to play some wild and wacky sport games. Come dressed in your favorite sport attire and receive extra points for your team. Don't forget to bring your friends!
12. Cheerleading or Dancing: Mark your calendars for Friday, Oct. 15th from 3pm-6:30 pm for the 8th Annual Youth Cheer and Dance Football Clinic put on by the current National Grand Champions, the Napa Spirit Leader Team. There are registration flyers in the school office. Sign up early as space is limited and spots fill up fast for this popular event. It is for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. There is also a special middle school division as well so don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to perform at the half time of a NHS football game.