It was so good to see the sun and to be above 40 degrees for a couple of days last week!  The smiles on all 720 students and the entire faculty and staff here at school were wonderful to behold!

As we conclude a very busy and quick January with Catholic Schools Week, I wanted to send you, our parents, an update on some important things happening here at Bishop Kelly:

 Catholic Schools Week – We have had a great week celebrating Catholic Schools with fun dress-up days, a successful Diaper Drive, a beautiful All School Mass, and an inspiring pep assembly today.  Also, Bob Sobotta, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, and I co-authored (with help from Katie Kerby and Fr. Don Fraser), a Guest Opinion that was published in the Idaho Statesman.  Click this link to the article  if you missed it or do not take the Statesman.  It speaks to what a contribution Catholic Schools have made and continue to make here in the Treasure Valley and in Idaho. Thank you for making it possible!

New Student Information Night – February 10,2014 – Please plan to bring your 8^th graders and to encourage your friends and neighbors who might be considering BK to come to this very informational and important night for our school.  It begins at 6:30 pm in the Carley Center and will consist of a few comments from a student, a teacher, an activities director, a parent and me.  Current students will lead tours around the school in which each department is represented.  The evening concludes with an Activity Fair where prospective students can see all of the ways in which they can be involved at BK.

–        New Principal Search – We are currently in the interview phase of the process and expect to complete this phase by mid-next week.  We hope to be able to announce our new principal by mid-February.  You, our parents, are well represented on our Search Committee by Jeannette Zorich, Bryan Smith, Peter Oliver and Larry Crump.  In addition, all the information you provided in the survey over 330 of you completed last December has been extremely helpful in the process.

 –        Tennis Complex, East Classroom Wing and Library Renovation and Expansion – These exciting new projects are making great progress.  We have received Board and Diocesan approvals to begin site preparation and excavation for our new tennis complex, which will include eight new courts and a new parking lot and access road onto Allumbaugh Street.  Our plans are into the city for the East Classroom Wing and we are working on the design of our Library renovation and expansion.  These critical new building projects will cost around $3.5 million and we are still actively soliciting donors in our community for what we need to begin construction on March 15, 2014.  Please help us by either considering a donation or helping us find donors who can help us close that gap.   Please contact me or Mark Jaszkowski

Annual Fund – Our Annual Fund has had great success so far with many of you participating.  Thank you to each of you who have donated so generously and, if you have not, please consider participating in our Annual Fund.  Our goal is for every parent to participate.  Every gift, however large or small, makes a BIG difference at Bishop Kelly – especially yours.  Every dollar will help keep tuition low and support our academic, spiritual and activities programs here at BK.

New Director of Development – We are currently accepting applications for our Director of Development.  If you know of anyone who would be a great fit, please direct them to our HR Director, Amy Eisele at aeisele@bk.org, or to our web site for further information.

2014/2015 Tuition and Fees –  Our Board of Governance has approved tuition and fees for the 2014/2015 school year.  Registration and student fees will be flat from this year, except for Juniors which will go up $35 to cover the cost of the ACT test which will be given here at BK next year. BK will cover $20 of the test fee.  Athletic Participation Fee will go up $15 to $100 to cover increased travel cost and better athletic training coverage.  Finally, tuition will go up an average of 2.4% to cover increased salaries for faculty and staff and anticipated health care cost increases.  I have attached a schedule of 2014/2015 tuition and fees.

Thank you again for sending your incredible sons and daughters to Bishop Kelly and for your support of our school.  Please let us know how we can get better in serving your and your student’s needs.

Kind regards,

Rich