Guitar? Our music teacher, Ms. Viau, is looking for donations of acoustic guitars—do you have an old one lying about in the basement or the corner of your room that you could give to our music program?  Contact Ms. Viau at Debra.Viau@ppsd.org.

Do you know a parent of a 5th grader from the Greater East Side (Pawtucket to North Main Street to the river to the South and East) who chose Nathan Bishop on their school choice form, but has NOT had confirmation from the Registration Office or Mr. Lazzareschi that their child is assigned to Bishop? 
PLEASE ENCOURAGE ANY SUCH PARENT TO CONTACT MR. L. ASAP at 456-9344.

BOOKS are still being collected in the front lobby for the NB Book Drive.  Please drop off any gently-used or new books that could work for a middle-schooler—reading grade-levels 3 to 12.

TECHNO-RECYCLING is in progress in Main Office.  There is a box for your old cell phones, DVDs, inkjet and laser cartridges, cameras, laptops, video games, iPods, PDAs, and GPSs on the counter! 

Our sports guy, Vin Kilbridge, has conducted a survey of student interest in sports!  The top four sports were basketball, volleyball, soccer, and swimming.  Vin is looking for volunteers to take the lead in organizing our efforts in volleyball, soccer, and swimming (he’s got someone for basketball, but holler if you’d like to help).  Your job would be to try to put together an afterschool team or clinic for our kids, in collaboration with parents, teachers, PASA, and/or other community organizations.  The kids are full of enthusiasm—can we step up to meet it? 
Please contact Vin at Vincent.Kilbridge@citizensbank.com, kilbridgev@cox.net, or on his cellphone at 378 4717.

-- Accelerated courses in math, science, and english.  A process is being developed to determine which students will be eligible for advanced coursework.  Eligibility will be based on a number of factors, not simply test scores.
-- Electives. Special topics will be offered in many areas, including music and art.  Students will have a chance to express their preferences for electives such as (hypothetically) Digital Photography or Chorus.
-- Mixin’ it up.  While 6th-graders’ schedules operate entirely within the Blue or Silver Teams, 7th-graders’ classes will include kids from both “sides.” 
-- New faculty.  200+ new 6th-graders will mean a new round of hiring for Mr. L. and his team.  Among those coming on board will be an Assistant Principal, clerk, an additional guidance counselor, phys ed teacher, foreign language teacher, and two new teachers in every core subject!

AfterZone programs have expanded at Nathan Bishop!  These programs will give your child the opportunity to learn unique skills including using tools, building models, engineering solar panels, and creating computer games and music videos!  Encourage your child to get involved!
To get more information or to enroll your child, contact our AfterZone Coordinator Missy Elwell at 641-4520, or melwell@mypasa.org.

Fundraising is underway thanks to parent Deb Herman, who has registered Nathan Bishop with Stop and Shop’s A+ Bonus Bucks program!  Register your Stop and Shop card online, and Nathan Bishop can start raising money!  Get as many of your friends and relatives as possible to register.  Register at www.stopandshop.com/aplus.   Every time a registered Stop and Shop card is used between now and March, we will raise money to support our school.  This program only  runs until March, 2010...so STOP AT STOP AND SHOP AND START SHOPPING!! 

Keep your EASTSIDE MARKETPLACE receipts, we are enrolled in their program as well.  Have your middler bring them in to the office.  We'll have a box for them.