Dear Parents,

This coming week (March 5-10) is Lutheran Schools Week. Lutheran Schools Week has been established to recognize and honor Lutheran schools for their contribution to the church and to our communities. We will have a special emphasis in the services on Sunday, and we will have a number of special events next week to help celebrate. One event, I want to invite you to is a special "Breakfast on the Patio" that is a special event for parents. On Thursday, March 9, from 8:15 to 9:15 a.m., I will be out on the patio outside the principal's office with coffee and breakfast treats. Please come and enjoy some fellowship with other parents and myself.

Today is the end of the second trimester of the school year. Report Cards will be sent out the beginning of next week. Also, we have a minimum day scheduled on Friday, March 10 for the purpose of parent teacher conferences. These are optional conferences, where either a parent or a teacher can schedule it if it is deemed necessary. Please contact your child's teacher if you would like to schedule a conference.

1. 7/8 Girls and Boys Basketball Pictures: Basketball pictures will be taken on Wednesday, March 8th, at 2:00 pm. Please be sure to bring your uniform.
2. Summer Basketball Camps: Brochures will be available by the end of this month. Again, we are looking at the last two weeks of June as target dates. One week will be for girls entering grades 5 through 8 in the fall and one week of boys. The camp runs in the morning from 9:00 am to noon.
3. Outdoor Education: 7th & 8th grade Outdoor Education is scheduled for May 15th to 18th at Mt. Gilead in Sebastopol. The cost is $225 per student. If you are paying in installments, $75 is due by next Friday. Final payment is due by May 1st. Checks should be made out to St. John's Lutheran School and given to your child's teacher.
4. Yearbook: If you have any pictures which you would like to share for the yearbook, please submit them either on CD-ROM or hard copy. Classroom or group pictures that include many of the students would be great. Drop them by the School Office by Friday, March 10th.
5. Lost & Found: The number of items in Lost & Found is overwhelming. Stop by room 10 and see if there is anything that belongs to your children. Please label your children's items so we can try to return them. Items not claimed will be donated on a monthly basis.
6. Experience hands-on technology fun this summer at UC Davis: iD Tech Camps offers week-long, day, and overnight summer technology programs for beginner to advanced learners, ages 7-17. Produce digital movies, create 2D & 3D video games, model 3D characters, design websites, and learn programming & robotics and more. One computer per student and an average of 6 students per instructor. Register online at www.internalDrive.com or call 1-888-709-8324 for details. Flyers available in the school office.
7. Napa Valley Symphony's Music Connection: The Music Connection began as a non-profit program in the fall of 1997. Over the years the Music Connection, now a program under the Napa Valley Symphony has grown as a program that specifically meets the needs of the music students of the Napa Valley. Programs have been developed offering several opportunities for student musicians augmenting the music programs offered in our schools. The Music Connection offers a rent-to-own inventory of student brass and woodwind instruments as well as violins, violas, and cellos. Scholarships are available for qualifying students. A tutoring program that links high school and elementary students has become instrumental in keeping young musicians engaged in the sometimes overwhelming task of learning a new instrument and the language of music. The Music Connection is proud to offer several band and string clinics and camps that are free to students annually and instrument care clinics during rental season, also a free service. Our camps and honor band and honor orchestra programs conclude with concerts held at the NVUSD Auditorium offering a real performance experience for the students. Napa Valley Unified School District music teachers coordinate the curriculum for the camps and clinics with music coaches from the Napa Valley Symphony. Napa Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra and Napa and Vintage High school students serve as teaching assistants. The Music Connection serves over 1000 families annually. For more information please contact The Music Connection at 259-8565 or musicconnection@nvusd.k12.ca.us.
8. The Scoop From Scrip: Your commitment numbers are in thru mid-February. They include 11 months of Safeway, Raleys/Nob Hill thru January and Albertsons is a couple of months behind. Stop by the school office to make sure you are on track. Scrip year ends April 30th, May 1st will begin the 2006-2007 Scrip commitment.
   
   If you are planning on working around the house or yard during Spring Break (March 20-24) remember to pick up Home Depot or Sears/Orchard Scrip for all of your repairs or plantings.
   
   For those going up to the snow or other vacation plans over the break, don't forget to pick up McDonalds, Burger King, Jack in the Box, Marie Callender's, Quiznos Sub, Monticello Deli and Applebee's Scrip for those dinners on the go.
   
   Visa & MasterCard accepted for scrip purchases
9. From the Minister to Youth and Children:
   
   Concert Choir from Concordia University: The Concert Choir from Concordia University in Irvine, California will be here in Napa this coming Monday, March 6th. Their concert will be held in our Church and will begin at 7 pm. There is no cost to attend but there will be a free-will offering taken to help with their expenses. Invite your friends to join you this Monday night at 7 pm.
   
   7th and 8th Grade Ministry: Just a reminder to all of you that are involved in Confirmation. Your next Learning Event is not until Tuesday, March 28th. Please plan to be at this event.
   
   8th Graders: If you are planning on going on the High School Houseboat Trip this summer, just a reminder that your $100 deposit is due on Monday. Please make checks out to: St. John's Lutheran Youth. There are a few spots still open if you are interested and have not yet reserved your space. Any questions, please contact Steve.