EMAIL DETAILS

Thursday - September 9, 2010


From the School

QUERY
“How can we help strengthen the Sidwell Friends Lower School community of students, faculty, staff and fellow parents? In what ways can we make sure that our community is welcoming to all?”
-Lower School Parents AssociationPHOTO DAY IS MONDAY, SEPT. 13
Herff Jones/Victor O’Neill Studios will be at Lower School on Monday, September 13 to take each child’s individual photo and a class photo. The school provides each student with a complementary basic picture package containing one 5x7, 4 gift wallets, 16 wallet exchange photos and an 8x10 class picture. If you would like to order additional photos at your cost you may do so. Picture Order Envelopes will be sent home with students the first week of school and should be returned to school with your child on September 13. Make-up day will only be available to those students who are absent on September 13.
If you have any questions, please see Liz Stoneham in the front office of Manor House, phone 202-537-6995, or email stonehaml@sidwell.edu.REQUEST FOR PARENT VOLUNTEERS FROM THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE
parent volunteer request.docShelly Info Session Volunteer Letter (2).docThe admissions office is in need of many parent volunteers to help us with admissions events this year. If you would be interested in assisting us, please click on the “Read More” link below for more information. Read More


PA Announcements

COMMUNITY SERVICE CORNER
The Community Service Committee would like to thank the following parents for their willingness to oversee and coordinate a Sidwell Friends community service project during the school year: Sara Jane Harris (A Wider Circle), Paul D’Andrea (Bethesda Cares), Vanessa Johnson (Brightwood Reading Program), Felice Roggen (Martha’s Table), Luisa Ogden and Francesco Caramazza (Green Team), Lily Conrad (Kindergarten Service Day Coordinator), Bezua Arragaw (1st Grade Service Day Coordinator), Stacey Stewart (2nd Grade Service Day Coordinator), Quinn McClean (3rd Grade Service Day Coordinator), and Catherine Weiss (4th Grade Service Day Coordinator). Watch for invitations to participate in community service projects in the Thursday Letter.
For more information about community service at Lower School go to the Sidwell website, go to the pull down menu for Lower School and click on Community Service. You can find information regarding our community service partners, service day, and family weekend volunteer activities.
For more information about community service or volunteering, contact Beth Zeugin at bczeugin@comcast.net or Lisa Ward at wards4107@comcast.net

WEEKEND VOLUNTEERING FOR FAMILIES IN OCTOBER

A WIDER CIRCLE
Join SFS families at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring on Sunday, October 3 from 1 to 3 PM. Volunteers will help sort children’s clothing, household items, pantry foods and furniture. Your time will greatly benefit AWC’s Neighbor to Neighbor as they help families who are just leaving shelters to make a warm, safe and comfortable home. All families welcome (ages 4 and up), Fourth Grade families encouraged. Please RSVP by September 27 to Sara Jane Harris, sjrharris@comcast.net.
MARTHA’S TABLE
Looking for a volunteer activity on Columbus Day? Gather at Martha's Table Monday, October 11 from 10 AM to 12:30 PM to make and bag donated food to feed the hungry throughout the city. You can even take a tour through the kitchen where you will see the enormous pot your Wednesday Veggies fill to make the famous Martha’s Table soup! All families welcome (ages 4 and up), Kindergarten families encouraged. (Families can leave earlier than 12:30 PM if they need to.) Please RSVP by September 17 to Felice Roggen, froggen@mac.com.
Wondering when your grade is slated to volunteer? Click "Read More" below. Read MoreVARSITY HOME FOOTBALL GAME, SAT, SEPT. 11 at 1:30 PM
Please come cheer for our SFS Quakers football team as they inaugurate our new turf field on Saturday, September 11, against Hyde Charter School. Kick-off is at 1:30. Concessions will be available.BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS
Grades PK & K -- Tuesday, September 14
Grades 1 & 2 -- Thursday, September 16
Grades 3 & 4 -- Tuesday, September 21

Back-to-School Nights will begin at 7 PM in the Multipurpose Room. You will hear from LS Principal Rich Lodish and spend time in your child’s classroom where you will hear their teachers talk about their plans for the year. In addition, you will have the opportunity to learn about all the ways you can get involved in the school community and to sign up for various activities for yourselves and your families. Please bring your calendars and make every effort to attend this important evening.
Once again, on-site childcare we be available during Back-to-School Nights. Children must be at least four years-old to attend. The charge will be $10 per child, and a snack will be provided. If you would like to take advantage of the childcare, please RSVP as soon as possible to Pamela Kurland (pamela.kurland@gmail.com). In addition, please plan to pay the childcare providers directly with cash at Back-to-School Nights.BACK TO SCHOOL PICNICS
All Back-to-School picnics are at Lower School, and will take place at the following times:
Grades PK & K -- Saturday, September 11, 1-3 PM
Grades 1 & 2 -- Wednesday, September 22, 5-7 PM
Grade 3 -- Monday, September 13, 5-7 PM
Grade 4 -- Wednesday, September 15, 5-7VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
A list of volunteer opportunities at SFS is now online! Please go to the Parent Portal of the website, click Parents Association, then click Volunteering. All parents are encouraged to get involved in the Sidwell Friends community. This is a great way for parents, especially those new to the school, to get involved. Currently there is a special need for volunteers on the following committees:
o Homecoming
o Faculty Appreciation
o Community Service
Thank you in advance for being an active member of the PA!
- Polly Bomstein & Lynn Sachs, co-presidents, Sidwell Friends School Parents Association
LS DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

We are looking forward to a great year filled with teaching tolerance, respect, cultural sharing and more, as we broaden everyone’s understanding of the diversity that makes Sidwell Friends special.
We have an exciting project planned for Back to School nights: We ask that you assist us in graphically representing one aspect of the school’s diversity by pinpointing on a map where your family is originally from. Please plan to visit our area to share your background. We will then make this map and summary available for all. Thanks!
LS Diversity Committee (Scott, Melvin, Thadeus & Lisa)


Other News

GIRLS ON THE RUN!
Sign up now for the SFS Girls on the Run team! Practices start this Monday and will culminate in a 5K run in December. This year’s team will meet on both Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:15 PM but we’re flexible if you can only make one practice each week. Girls on the Run combines training for a 5k (3.1 miles) event with healthy living education. We use exercise, positive reinforcement, and encouraging role models to help girls discover the confidence they need in the critical pre-teen years and beyond. For more information and to register, please visit the LS SPARC page and download and complete the application. Questions? Email burcawk@sidwell.edu or call 202-537-8401.EVENT FOR SCHOLARS
NEXT-TO-NEW SALE
Sidwell’s hugely popular sale of quality used items is back and we need your help to make this event more successful than ever! The Next-to-New Sale will be held October 21-23. All proceeds directly benefit student financial aid. Collection times at the Wisconsin Avenue campus will run September 8-October 13 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 10:00 AM and Saturdays from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. We will also have a limited number of collection days at the Lower School—look for updates in the newsletter. Please click here for a list of items we accept and do not accept.
We need volunteers! We are looking for volunteers to assist with collecting, sorting and pricing donations, setting-up for the sale, cashiering, cleaning up, publicizing the event, community out-reach, etc. We are also looking for Section Heads to take responsibility for a particular category of donations and oversee its organization. If you are interested in learning more about these positions, please contact Lauren Mulcahy, Director of Special Events (mulcahyL@sidwell.edu) or at 202-537-8110.TEST OF LISTSERVS
Important! We will conduct a test of Equake (the School’s Emergency Listserv) and SFSNewsflash (for important updates often grade or division specific) on Wednesday, September 15. Each fall, families are automatically subscribed using the emails submitted on the Parent Portal. If you would like to unsubscribe or subscribe to additional e-mail addresses, please read more. If you do not receive an Equake or a SFSNewsflash on September 15 and you believe you should have been subscribed, please subscribe using the following the directions. You should get a message stating that you have enrolled. If you have any questions, please contact Lydia Adelfio (202-537-8102, adelfiol@sidwell.edu). Read MoreIMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE
In an effort to work more closely with current families and employees who are applying a child for the 2011-12 academic year and who is not currently enrolled at Sidwell Friends, the deadline to submit Part I, the application form, is October 1, 2010.

All supplementary material to complete the application is due by January 15, 2011. The online application and all forms are now available from the website from the admissions tab. Call the Admissions Office at 202-537-8111 if you have any questions.CREATE YOUR OWN CARPOOL LIST
Interested in carpooling to save time and gas but don’t know any SFS families who live near you? Use the printable directory tool to create your own list of SFS families by zip code. You can limit the results to your child’s grade or division, or all families in your zip code. Click “read more” for a PDF tutorial about creating carpool lists. Read MoreLS THURSDAY NEWSLETTER INFORMATION
How to Subscribe
To receive the Thursday Letter via e-mail, send an e-mail to Thursday@listserv.sidwell.edu with only the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
How to Unsubscribe
If you have wish to have your name removed from the subscription list, send an e-mail to Thursday@listserv.sidwell.edu with only the word "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
How to Submit an Article to Thursday Letter
Send submissions to PA.LSNewsletter@sidwell.edu by 2 PM Wednesday. Please reference "Newsletter Submission" and the publish date(s) in the subject line. Items should be submitted as text in the body of the e-mail. PLEASE do not include any formatting such as indents, bullets, boldface or all-caps and keep submissions succinct. If you have a form or flyer to include with your submission, please send it as a PDF attachment to your email. Receipt of your submissions will be confirmed as soon as possible.
Note Concerning the School Calendar:
The calendar entries that appear in the right column of each Newsletter are automatically generated by the official school calendar and are not subject to editing by the Newsletter Editors. All changes or additions to the school calendar must be made through the school scheduling office, reachable at: scheduling@sidwell.edu.

The Parents Association newsletters are a forum for communication among parents and provide announcements concerning School or PA events or information related to a School or PA event.
LS newsletter submissions should be sent to PA.LSnewsletter@sidwell.edu.


Calendar


Thu, Sep 9th

Rosh Hashanah


Sat, Sep 11th

PK & K Back to School Picnic

LS Lower Field
1:00pm - 3:00pm


Sun, Sep 12th

Welcome Reception for Tom Farquhar

Sledge Garden (rain location US Dining Room)
4:00pm - 6:00pm


Mon, Sep 13th

LS Photo Day

Quaker Meetingroom
9:00am - 12:00pm


3rd Grade Back to School Picnic

LS Lower Field
5:00pm - 7:00pm


Tue, Sep 14th

PA Athletics Committee Meeting

Athletic Center Conference Room
7:30am


Pre-K and Kindergarden Back to School Night


7:00pm


Wed, Sep 15th

PA Committee Clerks Meeting

Athletic Center Meeting Room
8:00am - 9:00am


4th Grade Back to School Picnic

LS Lower Field
5:00pm - 7:00pm


Thu, Sep 16th

1st and 2nd Grade Back to School Night


7:00pm


Fri, Sep 17th

Yom Kippur begins at sundown


Sat, Sep 18th

Yom Kippur


Tue, Sep 21st

3rd and 4th Grade Back to School Night


7:00pm


PA Arts Committee Meeting

US Library Board Room
7:45pm - 9:30pm


Wed, Sep 22nd

1st & 2nd Grade Back to School Picnic

LS Lower Field
5:00pm - 7:00pm


PA Arts Committee Meeting

US Library Board Room
7:45pm - 9:30pm


Thu, Sep 23rd

LS PA Steering Committee Meeting

LS Quaker Meeting Room
8:00am - 9:00am


More


3825 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 Tel: (202) 537 8100 Fax: (202) 537 8499