Dear Parents,

I want to thank those parents who came to our last APT meeting. I also want to say a special thank you to our APT Executive Board and Event Coordinators. It is a big job to help everything run smoothly, and yet what they do has such an incredibly positive impact on the school. May God bless our efforts this year. Our Executive Board is Cassandra Garcia (President), Kari Perna (Vice President), Michelle Arnold (Secretary), and Kathy Fitzgerald (Treasurer).

Many of you have seen our new sandbox in the preschool playground. The design, labor, and materials for this project were donated by Steve and Carol Scherner. John Scherner did the design and most of the labor. We all appreciate this tremendous gift to our children. I would like to remind you that we do have items that you can donate toward. If you are interested in making a donation, please contact the school office.

1. Buy Scrip for Hurricane Victims: Thank you to those who have purchased Scrip to help aid those in the hurricane area. We will be sending Scrip out every Friday, so stop by and help those who have lost so much!
2. OOPS!! School Directory Error: The calendar in the back of the 2005-2006 school directories is last year's calendar. Please disregard that page and use the calendar which was mailed to you this summer. If you did not receive you directory at Back to School night, please stop by the school office to pick it up.
3. 8th Grade Gift Wrap: Please continue turning in your gift wrap orders to your child's classroom. This is a great way to get ready for the holidays and help support the eighth grade class. The sale will end on September 26th.
4. Get on Track: T-Shirt order forms and sponsor sheets are going out today separate from the Blue Note. T-shirt order forms need to be returned no later than Friday, September 23rd. It is very important to have them returned on time so that we may place the orders to receive the shirts before the event on October 14th. Students will receive their shirts and hats FREE but if you would like to order additional shirts and/or hats there will be a $10.00 fee for shirts & $8.00 fee for hats.
5. Harvest Dinner: Thank you for continuing to support ticket sales for the Harvest Event. We only have 40 tickets left for purchase in the school office at $60.00 each. Harvest Event Update: we still need to fill a couple of positions to make the evening a smooth success. I need one or two couples who would be willing to register people as they enter the country club and hand out their programs. I also need someone to help Fran Francis with the Balloon Pop game. We are in need of 6 cases of pouring wine (great time to showcase your label). Lastly, we need bottles of wine for the Wine Putt game. Bottles for the game should be $10.00 or so per bottle cost. Please call Nancy Draeger if you are able to help out with the much needed positions or wine donations. A sincere thanks for your help. Please contact Nancy at 258-5599 or nancydraeger@yahoo.com.
6. Wellness, Hope, Faith: We still have a few bracelets on sale in the school office to help support the Wendy Helfrich fund. They are available for $3.00 each.
7. Walk To Cure: Walk To Cure: Come join us on Saturday, October 22, to walk for a cure. This walk is to support Juvenile Diabetes Research (JDRF) so we can find a cure for children like Thomas Fox (SJLS kindergarten student) who live with diabetes every day. The walk is about 2 miles and will be at St. Supery Vineyards & Winery. If you are interested in joining us on the walk or would like to make a donation, you can contact Jim or Betina Fox at 647-0573, or go online to www.jdrf.org and sponsor "Team Tommy." Some of our classes will be participating in "Coins for a Cure." Drop your loose coin in the special container and help support Juvenile Diabetes Research.
8. Book Fair: Many thanks to all of you who helped make this year's Scholastic Book Fair the most successful one ever, earning a profit of almost fourteen hundred dollars for St. John's Athletic Fund. In appreciation for your support, a portion of the funds raised will be channeled into the school's Hurricane Katrina relief fund.
9. 5-6 LSAA Basketball: Sign-up forms have been made available to students in 5th and 6th grade for the upcoming Lutheran Schools basketball league season. Forms must be returned by Monday, September 26th!
10. Box Tops for Education: Please turn in your Box Tops to the school office or place them in the labeled container in the staff room. Last year we earned close to $500.00 for our school!
11. Lost and Found: It is always amazing how the Lost and Found gets full so fast. Please, please, please help us and yourself out. Check in room 10 for any clothing item which is missing. Also, please be sure to put your child's name on their jackets and sweaters. If we know who they belong to, we will gladly return them. If we don't know, and the items are not claimed, we will donate them to charity. Stop by room 10 today!
12. Spanish Teachers: Please ask around and do some networking for us. We are still looking for a Spanish teacher. If you know of anyone, please contact Mr. Wahlers at 226-7970 ext.103
13. Kittens for Adoption: If you are interested in having some very cute kittens, stop by the preschool and talk with Kathy Martin or you may call her at 648-1713.
14. PALS Supervisors: We are very much in need of hiring one or two more PALS workers. If you are interested please contact Julia Mahoney at 738-6444 or stop by the school office.
15. Napa High School Dance Youth Clinic: There will be a dance clinic for students grade K-8 on Friday, September 23rd from 3:00 to 6:30 pm at Napa High School. The fee is $35.00 per person. Flyers are available in the school office or you may contact Karen Smarker at 290-5330.
16. Optimist Youth Basketball: Sign ups for 7/8 Boys' and 7th-12th grade Girls' Optimist basketball will be on Wed. Oct. 5th & 12th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm or Sat. Oct. 8th & 15th from 9:00am to 12 noon. Sign ups will be at the Napa Valley College Gym. Or you may register online at www.napaoyb.com.
17. The Scoop From Scrip: New vendor! We now carry William-Sonoma/Pottery Barn in denominations of $25.00. We have also received our back order from Shell, Staples, Learning Fair, and Vallergas.
    
    Thank you to everyone who has given us Safeway & Albertson's cards. Keep up the great work. Every new number helps support your school.
    
    Attention All Safeway Customers: Be sure and review your coupons from Safeway. If you receive a coupon stating that your school will earn money, bring it into the school office and we will do what is necessary to collect the money. Thank you to those who have already brought theirs in. We only have until October 11th to receive these monies.
18. From the Minister to Youth and Children:
    
    Can you help? Some of you may remember a homeless man that we have been helping for some years. His name is Brian Brown and the good news is that Brian has finally been able to get into an apartment. However, he now needs some furnishings and so we are asking that if you have any of the following, to please contact Steve Dierker at 255-7451. Brian could use: some end tables for the bedroom, a dresser, silverware and a tray, plates and cups, a strainer, chairs for a front room table, a lazy boy type chair, and a vacuum cleaner. Thanks for your help!
    
    4th, 5th and 6th Grade Ministry: We meet again this Sunday, September 18th for our monthly meeting of Thank God It's Sunday. (TGIS) We'll begin by meeting in the gym from 1-3 pm to play some fun games. Be sure to wear your tennis shoes and don't forget to bring a friend! Hope to see you on Sunday afternoon!
    
    7th and 8th Grade Ministry: There is still room on the "Youth Quake" if you would like to go with us. It happens the weekend of November 11-13, 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Concord, CA. We'll be joining over 300 Jr. High youth from all around the Bay Area, praising God. The cost for the weekend is now $116 but you must get your money in before September 20th! For more information go to www.youthencounter.org/quakes/ then look through the links for information. Any questions, please call Steve at 255-7451.
    
    Just a reminder, if you are part of the Confirmation program, we meet again this Wednesday, September 21st, for our Learning Event. Don’t forget your Bible, Binder and Catechism. Any questions, ask your adult guide.
    
    Coming on Saturday, October 8th, is the annual Rock of Ages Christian Music Festival. Playing this year is: Newsboys, Barlow Girl, Paul Wright, Skillet, L.G. Wise, Stellar Kart, and the SFCC Gospel Choir. All of this is FREE! As well as there will be a skate board park, so bring your skate boards, helmet and pads. There will also be a bunch of the inflatable games and a rock climbing wall, all FREE. There will be different types of food for purchase as well as t-shirts, hats, pins, posters, etc. For more information, check out the web site at www.rockofagesfestival.com If you need a ride, contact Steve.