Norwood-Fontbonne Academy Parents Assocation (NFAPA)

The Mission of the NFA Parents Association is

To enhance parents’ and students’ experiences of NFA by building a supportive, fun and engaging school community.
To live the mission of NFA and the Sisters of St. Joseph through service to our school and community.
To support the school financially through events and fundraising.

We work together with faculty and staff to enrich the education of our children and to be a resource for our parents and guardians. Every parent and guardian has something valuable to offer our school community. Moreover, the NFA Parents Association has something for every family and is a place for everyone.

We will host two Parent Socials this year. The first is an opportunity to get to know other parents, shop the Book Fair and learn about our upcoming events and service opportunities. The second will feature a guest speaker.

Please also join us at our monthly meetings. Our meetings include an update from NFA President Dr. Ryan Killeen, and Principal Nancy Peluso. Our meetings are also a chance for parents and guardians to offer feedback and new ideas for our events and activities.

Please consider donating an hour of your time each year, either by volunteering at an event or by joining a service project with your kids.

The NFA Parents Association is a vital part of our school community. We hope that you will join us this year for our events and meetings.

NFAPA Events and Activities

Family Fun

Trips and Outings - Fall, Winter and Spring
Research and organize trips and outings for the NFA community throughout the year, such as Sixers or Philadelphia Union game.

Ice Cream Social - September
A special welcome back to school event for NFA families and friends! Ice Cream, photo booth, tattoos, DJ and lots of fun!

NFA 5K - October
A 5K Run/1 Mile Fun Walk in the fall for NFA families and friends. Volunteers work at registration table, water stations, and greet participants across the finish line.

Pizza Bingo - January
NFA community favorite, complete with a night of great fun, pizza, bingo games, and prizes for all! Volunteers set up, and work food and prize tables.

Family Fun Night - May
A carnival held each spring on the NFA campus, with games, moon bounce, and food. Teacher and parent volunteers needed for set-up, run games, and clean up.

Fundraising

Clothesline - Year-Long
Generally held four to five times a year, Clothesline sales offer families an opportunity to purchase gently worn uniforms at a discounted cost. All items at the sale have been donated by fellow NFA families, which promotes the SSJ’s mission to be a good neighbor, and the reselling of the items promotes sustainability and the school’s mission to treasure the earth. Volunteers needed to help sort, fold, and organize items for sale; Volunteers also needed to run the sales and help families find items during sales.

Gift Cards - Year-Long
(NFAPA) SCRIP Gift Card Program runs a weekly fundraiser every Thursday through Great Lakes Scrip that allows our parents to purchase gift cards from over 700 vendors. (Each time you use an NFA Gift Card to shop, you’ll earn a portion back for NFA—and for you, too!) Families earn rebates twice a year. Gift cards are available to order online, via order form, or email/text. Volunteers help with computer input, processing orders, counting monies and running raffles. Last year the program raised $12,500 for NFA!

Merchandise/Spirit Wear - Year-Long
Choose from an array of NFA logo items; apparel and much more!

Fall Mums Sale -August/October
Kick off the fall season with hearty mum, aster, cabbage and kale plants! Online orders begin in August and pick up is held in October. Volunteers are needed the morning of the sale to help organize/label the plants.

Book Fair - October
Sales of new children’s and adult's books each year. Students visit the fair with their homerooms. All monies benefit the library. Volunteers help with book sorting, merchandise, and selling of books.

Wreath Sale - November/December
A festive annual sale offering beautiful and long-lasting mixed green holiday wreaths, made of noble fir, juniper, incense, cedar, and pinecones! The wreaths are available in two sizes (24" and 30") and are ready for pick up in early December in the Fontbonne Courtyard. Watch for online orders to begin by November 1. Volunteers are needed on pick up day to organize/label the wreath orders.

Plant Sale - April/May
Beautiful spring annuals, herbs and hanging baskets sold in early May, just in time for Mother’s Day and planting season! Online orders begin in March and pick up is held in the Fontbonne parking lot. Volunteers are needed the morning of the sale to help organize/label the plants.

Used Book Sale - April
Sales of gently used donated children’s and adult's books in the spring. Students visit the fair with their homerooms. All monies raised benefit the library. Volunteers help with sorting books, merchandising and selling books.

Service

Outreach - Year-Long
Outreach embraces NFA families (student body and staff) during times of personal crisis, family need and celebration. Volunteers make meals, deliver remembrance plants and mass cards, welcoming new arrivals with special NFA mementos, and provide support where needed. Family participation extends the vision of measuring self and others, and furthers the mission of living Gospel values.

Back to School Staff Luncheon - September
The NFAPA coordinates and serves a special Welcome Back luncheon for NFA staff in September.

Aid for Friends - October and April
Students and families join together to prepare bagged breakfast for the elderly and homebound in Philadelphia and make sandwiches for the homeless in Camden. Held on a Saturday morning, one in the fall, one in the spring. All ages are needed – children and adults – for assembly line. Usually one hour commitment

Helping Hands - Monthly
Students and parents put their helping hands to good use as they do small chores at Assumption Hall, the SSJ Convent on the Fontbonne Campus, after school each month.

Blue Friday - November
The day after Thanksgiving, NFA families join a nationwide cleanup effort and do clean up locally.

Staff Appreciation Luncheons - October, February and May
The three Staff Appreciation Luncheons occur take place during Professional Planning Days when the children have off. The hot lunch is catered by Apple Annie's, and desserts are donated by the parents.

Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week - May
NFA families show their appreciation for our NFA faculty and staff in May. Sign ups will be available to contribute to the week-long celebration.

Faith

Sports

Pep Rally/Cheerleading - November and January
Cheerleaders perform at the Homecoming Pep Rally in the fall and at the Snowball Basketball Tournament in winter. Volunteers needed to choreograph dance/cheers, teach students, and schedule and organize practices.

Snowball Tournament - January
A five-day invitational basketball tournament bringing together teams from neighboring parish and independent schools. This event is a collaborative effort among NFAPA, NFA Athletics and the Mission Advancement Office. Volunteers help with publicity, registration, and food tables during the weekend.

Intramural Basketball - February/March
An instructional basketball program for younger children (Grades 1 to 3) on Saturday mornings at Fontbonne campus and for older children (Grades 4 to 6) at Norwood campus.

Mother/Son Bowling - February
A time for mother/son bonding during a day of bowling.

NFAPA Gift Card Program

Click here for details!

Click here for details!

Gift card fundraising is the EASIEST way to raise money for NFA. Buy gift cards from your favorite brands to earn on your daily purchases. The ShopwithScrip program allows the NFAPA to purchase gift cards at a discount and resell them to our families at face value — an instant profit for NFA! As an incentive, the NFAPA shares that profit with you in the form of a rebate. It’s a win-win! It's never been easier to shop for your family and to raise money for NFA.

And now, shopping is made even easier with the RaiseRight app.

Sign in with your same ShopWithScrip username and password
Access your gift cards right away
Check out with payment information already saved to your account

Get started:

Create an account on the RaiseRight app or at ShopWithScrip.com using our organization’s enrollment code: 37845L9539L3
Seamlessly check out by securely paying online with a linked bank account (Presto Pay) or credit card.
You can also text, email or send in this form with your order and pay by cash, check or Venmo.

If you have questions, contact the NFA Gift Card Program Committee.

NFAPA Mission Statement

NFAPA Mission Statement

The mission of the NFAPA is to provide the environment and opportunities for parents and guardians of NFA students to support the Vision and Mission of NFA to convey gospel values and the enjoyment of learning so that students may be better able to make reflective voices as self-directed persons who treasure themselves, others and the earth.

By its commitment to an inclusive, participatory environment, and its sponsorship of community-building events and activities, the NFAPA seeks to foster a cooperative and cohesive spirit that enriches the Norwood-Fontbonne experience for its students, their parents, and the entire NFA community.

The NFAPA supports NFA’s enhancement goals through a targeted range of fundraising activities and a collaborative relationship with the Mission Advancement Office.

The NFAPA encourages students and their families to commit their time, energy and talents in support of the invaluable contributions that NFA’s staff makes to the intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth of NFA students.

The NFAPA is dedicated to a spirit of cooperation and mutual support and is respectful of NFA Leadership’s position of responsibility for all matters pertaining to the operation of the school.